Meanwhile, City Hall needs a cohesive plan to foster a more equitable climate for housing.

“I do think we need to be doing more and take a more holistic look at people who are being pushed out of their homes, and not just say, ‘Let’s build more apartments,’” said Richmond City Councilwoman Kim Gray.

Gray has proposed an ordinance that would allow homeowners of modest income to defer paying an increase of their real estate tax bill that exceeds 10 percent of previous year’s bill. The measure is for homeowners who fall through the cracks of tax relief for the elderly, the disabled and veterans, and whose bills increase as a result of economic activity around them rather than their own home improvements.

“If they’re earning a modest income or if they’re on a fixed income, these land value increases can be devastating and can precipitate foreclosure for a lot of these families,” said Gray, who has seen property values more than double from one year to the next. “This is only going to be those modest-income, working-poor folks who don’t qualify for any other type of help. And it’s a stopgap to be able to keep them in their home.”

You might call this measure a gentrification fighter.