News

Phase 1 Wrap-Up: Summary Report Now Available

2 December 2025

We’ve completed the initial round of locality listening sessions across the Richmond MSA and published the Phase 1 Summary Report. Thank you to everyone who met with us and shared local context, needs, and ideas—your input is shaping what comes next.

Highlights from Phase 1 (what we heard)
These are high-level takeaways from our spring–summer conversations with local governments and community partners:

  • Top activation triggers: extended power outages and extreme heat/cold; several jurisdictions also flagged localized flooding and winter storms.
  • Trusted places for hubs: libraries, community/rec centers, churches, and other neighborhood anchors surfaced consistently.
  • Who we must reach: seniors, medically dependent residents, renters/mobile home communities, and households with limited transportation or language access.
  • What will help locally: distributed hub models, clear activation/operations roles, and strong partnerships between emergency management, social services, and community organizations.

What’s Next for Our Project
We’re moving into Phase 2: Technical Planning & Framework Development—translating Phase 1 input into a regional framework, practical tools, and an implementation roadmap. We’ll share key milestones and engagement opportunities here as they roll out.

Read the Report

Stay Involved

  • Use the Feedback tool on this page to share thoughts or examples from your community.
  • Have a partner or location we should know about? Email kmoody@planrva.org.