The March meeting of the Richmond Participatory Budgeting Steering Commission took place at the Powhatan Hill Community Center in Fulton.

We gathered with the Innovate Fulton, Greater Fulton Civic Association, and the Neighborhood Resource Center to hear about the ongoing work taking place in Fulton.

Much of what we heard of was a neighborhood in need of specific investment from large scale infrastructure projects to sidewalks. At the same time the land is moving and there is needs to be greater focus on how construction is perpetuating this. All of which went far beyond the $3million that RVAPB has to support community projects. This is something that RVAPB is going to have to continue to deal with as we move forward.

Discussion then turned to how we can better engage residents. This focused on coming to the community with humility, recognizing that residents have little patience for the City, and by closing the feedback loop, which means we need to make sure to reconnect about what we hear.

So, were to we go from here. Next steps are to keep listening and build relationships. We are going to show up and be present in meaningful ways. Work in partnership with others already doing work in the neighborhood.

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