Current Barment Policy Updated
RICHMOND, VA—With the goal of promoting safe, family-friendly communities, Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA), the City of Richmond Police Department (RPD) and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office have joined forces to amend RRHA’s Barment policy. The purpose is to ensure that RRHA families are not unjustifiably restricted in having their family and friends visit them. The policy changes restore access to those who should no longer be barred, while continuing to prevent those who have forfeited their privilege to frequent RRHA communities as a result of illegal behavior and actions.
This policy, administered by the RPD, gives local law enforcement the authority to bar individuals from RRHA’s public housing properties.
Updating RRHA’s barment policy has been long overdue. For more than a decade, the list grew to nearly 10,000 persons. The sheer magnitude of this number made this list unmanageable and ineffective, both from an enforcement and efficiency perspective.
The major changes outlined in RRHA’s Barment policy focus on:
- Criminal Activity | Only individuals who engage in criminal activity will be barred.
- Time Limit | All Barments will last for three years.
- Automatic Removal | After three years persons on barment list will be removed automatically.
The RPD applauds the efforts of all agency partners in reviewing and updating the RRHA barment policy.
Police Chief Gerald M. Smith
RRHA’s Public Safety Prevention and Intervention Steering committee is credited with revisiting RRHA’s Barment Policy. This committee, comprised of members of the Richmond Police Department, state and federal law enforcement agencies, the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, Richmond Public Schools, Richmond Human Services Department, Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Union University and others addresses challenges related to public safety, crime, truancy, violence, health, wellness, and wholeness within RRHA’s public housing communities.
It takes the care and concern of strong and innovative partners working across disciplines to make a difference in our communities. RRHA appreciates the efforts and dedication of those on the Prevention and Intervention Steering Committee, and we look forward to many more successes in promoting safe, family friendly public housing communities.
RRHA Interim CEOStacey Daniels-Fayson