Norfolk · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Norfolk public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Faith-based and nonprofit affordable housing
Norfolk wants special state legislation allowing escalating civil penalties against repeat code violators, to keep naturally occurring affordable housing from rotting beyond repair. More than 75% of the city's affordable housing is unsubsidized, so losing it is costly to replace.
Disposition of seven city-owned vacant lots
The city sold seven vacant parcels through its Shared Vision online auction, mostly in Park Place, to builders and homebuyers who must construct single-family homes under restrictive covenants. It turns blighted empty lots into taxpaying homes.
MacArthur Center Mall Redevelopment Contract
The city's long-term plan is to demolish the mall and rebuild the downtown street grid with a grocery store, hotels, housing, and a central square. A purchase and development agreement goes to Council in November or December, and preliminary analyses will be published before that vote.
Military Circle redevelopment
Demolition starts in October with a $2.88 million contract, running 15 months. The city is pursuing a state Business Ready Site grant to move the site from Tier Two to Tier Four certification, aiming to attract commercial development.
Pembroke Towers deferred maintenance
A resident documented 38 months of deferred maintenance, a 48-hour flood from the building's HVAC riser, code violations, and a single working elevator in the 168-unit building — and warned the building could face condemnation if leaks reach that elevator.
Chrysler Hall and Scope lease and renovation
The council locked in a 10-year lease with NCCC Rehab LLC, which will renovate Chrysler Hall and Scope using state historic rehabilitation tax credits. Multiple companion agreements (sublease, development agreement, NRHA cooperation agreement) were approved the same night.
East Side rec center/library and capital investment equity
Barrett Hicks said the last CIP project at Berkeley was the rec center in 1978 and announced intent to file a federal civil rights case against the city over decades of disinvestment.