The Richmond Planned Parenthood Board unanimously approved the sale of the Planned Parenthood clinic Monday night for just $10. according to Richmond Biz SenseThe Virginia League for Planned Parenthood (VLPP) has been approved to acquire $1.24 million in land on the site of an old public school in the city of Richmond. VLPP is planning a $6 million medical center.
“This will extend beyond just reproductive health care, but general health care and behavioral health care,” Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said. Worldwide I will report.
He noted that since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, Virginia has seen an 85 percent increase in the number of people traveling from out of state to seek abortions and reproductive health care.
Prior to the Supreme Court decision, the City Council approved a resolution expressing the city’s opposition to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade.
According to a city release, the new abortion clinic will “create 20 jobs in family planning, primary care and gender affirmation care and provide care at subsidized rates to help make care affordable for city residents who are uninsured, whose insurance does not cover the care they need, or who are on high-deductible plans.”
At Monday night’s meeting, people expressed strong opinions on the matter.
“I’m here this evening asking city council members to reconsider their decision to convert the land on Chamberlain Street into a Planned Parenthood facility,” one resident said.
“I think this would be beneficial for the residents of the Northside. As a father of two young daughters I hope this kind of care is available for them,” another said.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Founding Freedoms Law Center said they have sent a letter to Mayor Stoney and city council members informing them that voting for the bill at this time would be illegal.
“The law requires a separate resolution to declare the property surplus before a sale ordinance can be passed, but that hasn’t happened,” said Josh Hetzler of the Founding Freedoms Law Center.
Meanwhile, Sharon Ebert, the city’s deputy chief administrative officer for economic and community development, told the City Council, “This building was declared surplus by the Richmond Public Schools system in 2022, per the ordinance that you all adopted.”
After the City Council heard all the arguments, council members declined to debate the matter and moved to vote, unanimously approving the sale immediately.
“We warned them. I warned them in my comments that they could avoid the cost, time and embarrassment of litigation, but they chose to ignore that. So, I think that’s what we’re going to do next,” Hetzler said.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Andrew Burton/Staff
