The Need for Redevelopment
Gilpin Court is RRHA’s largest public housing community with a total of 781 units. Built in 1942, it is the oldest public housing site in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and its structure and building systems have been classified as obsolete. Parts inside—pipes, roofs, and wiring—are starting to break down and replacement parts are nearly
extinct.
The proposed redevelopment will help improve the lives of Gilpin residents and be the first step in rebuilding the Jackson Ward area to its former grandeur as the “Harlem of the South.”
Community Meetings
Funding Redevelopment Efforts
The Gilpin Court community development initiative has been estimated at $466 million! It is unlikely that this level of funding will come from HUD. The money RRHA gets from the government (called capital funds) is being reduced every year.
We need to act now, to make sure families have safe, strong homes for the future.
The Richmond Development Corporation (RDC) has the ability to access funding that the RRHA cannot—not only for redevelopment—but for other resident-centered programs.
Residents of Gilpin should not have their ‘Dreams Deferred’ because of federal budget cuts.”
CEO Steven Nesmith
Transferring Ownership of Gilpin to RRHA’s Nonprofit Division
The use of a public housing-owned subsidiary is the industry standard for the redevelopment of affordable housing by public housing authorities nationwide.
The RDC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and a wholly owned subsidiary of RRHA—this means that RRHA controls RDC.
The RRHA Board of Commissioners will vote as a body on the proposal to transfer ownership of Gilpin Court to the RDC on September 17, 2025.
The transfer will be done in phases through the use of a “ground lease” to develop new affordable housing.
Unpack the Facts About the RDC and Gilpin Court
The Road Map for Redevelopment
Redevelopment efforts for Gilpin Court will be anchored by the Jackson Ward Community Plan.
Developed as a road map for action in 2023, the Plan brought Gilpin Court and Jackson Ward residents, planning experts, elected officials, and community members together to reach an informed, shared vision for the future of the neighborhood.
Gilpin Court History
Gilpin Court, historically a part of Richmond’s Jackson Ward, was once known as the “Harlem of the South” for its vibrant Black culture and community.
Read more about the neighborhood’s history in Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism’s article.
In Richmond, a struggle over the future of a ‘Harlem of the South’ (July 16, 2024)
Photo: The Hippodrome theater circa 1959. Scott L. Henderson, photographer. Independent Order of St. Luke Photograph Collection. PHC0016/V.88.20.21a. The Valentine, Richmond, Virginia.
Latest News Articles on Gilpin Court
View all articles about Gilpin Court
- RRHA Responds to Misinformation & Inaccuracies
July 30, 2025 The Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority (RRHA) is committed to transparency, responsible stewardship, and the well-being of our residents. In light of… - RRHA CEO Nesmith Delays July Date For RDC/Gilpin Vote and Board Chairman to Appoint Resident to RDC Board as Voting Member
Press Conference held Thursday, July 1o, 2025, | 11 a.m. at 600 East Broad Street. 5th Fl. Board Room RICHMOND, VA – Richmond Redevelopment and… - RRHA BOARD TO VOTE ON THE TRANSFER OF GILPIN COURT
WHO: The nine appointed Board of Commissioners of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA), the largest housing authority in the Commonwealth of Virginia; RRHA’s…