Minahil Arif

Richmond’s first tiny house project nears completion after months of red tape 

An anticipated tiny house village for young unhoused adults, the first of its kind in Richmond, has been stalled for months, as the project awaited city permits. But organizers and the city say it finally is on track and could be ready for residents soon.  The project, led by the nonprofit Tiny Village Spirit, will double the number of emergency housing units for young adults aged 18-24 to two dozen. Modeled after the Oakland Tiny House Empowerment Village, that has…

Prop. 33 could bring relief to cost-burdened households, but is it fair to small landlords?

In the two decades Flor Castro has lived in Richmond, she’s seen many things change. One thing that has remained relatively stable is the $1,500 rent for the three-bedroom apartment she shares with her husband and two children, thanks to the city’s rent control laws. “I’m very grateful to God for everything I have because there are other families that need not just one job, but two jobs,” Castro said in Spanish. “So, up until now, that’s not my situation,…