Richmond’s city council voted Monday night to sell an acre of city-owned land to Planned Parenthood for $10. The deal comes as Virginia remains a bastion for legal abortions in the South.
The final vote was unanimous and fairly unceremonious compared to the nearly hour-long public comment period.
Among opposition speakers was former Richmond councilperson Marty Jewel. While most of the dissenters complained about what they believed Planned Parenthood does inside their clinics, Jewel was worried about the price tag.
“You’re giving away a building for $10?" Jewel asked. "This makes no sense.”
The former councilman argued the city is bound by earlier ordinances to ask for more money and spend that on education programs.
Josh Hetzler, an attorney with the Richmond-based Founding Freedoms Law Center, went a step further and threatened to sue the city if the measure was approved.
“You can’t give a sweetheart deal to a billion-dollar corporation just because you like them,” Hetzler said.
Hetzler is linked to the Family Foundation of Virginia, a group that opposes abortion access. In a statement ahead of Monday's vote the group's president, Victoria Cobb, promised to take legal action.
"Richmond City Council is essentially gifting the establishment of a fifth abortion center within city limits is appalling," Cobb said.
The plot of land, located in Richmond’s northside neighborhood, still features a building owned by Richmond Public Schools. But it went out of use years ago, and its lead painted walls, asbestos insulation and leaky roof has made it uninhabitable, according to the city.
Once completed it would be Planned Parenthood's third clinic in the city's limits.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said the deal came via an unsolicited bid, and Planned Parenthood offered to cover the cost of demolition and construction of a new clinic, about $6 million dollars. The sale also fits into the city’s plan to support abortion access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court striking federal protections.
“Because of the state and national concerns, the city had to come up with a creative way to support reproductive healthcare," Stoney told Radio IQ after the vote. "This is one of the ways we’ve done that.”
According to Planned Parenthood, out-of-state patients make up 30 percent of their services these days, up from just 3 percent before the court decision.
Stoney also noted once the clinic is operational it will offer healthcare beyond abortions, helping a part of town he called as a healthcare desert.
Among those who spoke in favor of the plan was 7th District native David Robbins. He said he grew up getting healthcare from the controversial chain of nonprofit clinics.
"The best healthcare I ever received was at Planned Parenthood," he told Richmond City Council.
Paulette McElwain, CEO of the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood, said they looked forward to serving those displaced by their home states alongside Richmond locals.
"This new property will enable VLPP to sustain and expand our services for both our local community and those seeking refuge," McElwain said. "We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support of the city, Richmond residents, and our incredible abortion providers who make this possible."
