June 16, 2026
DocID #72095v1
Economic Development
DATE: June 16, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Nannette Beacham, Director of Economic Development
Jordon Nesbitt, Administrative Assistant
Subject:
Contract with Deonta Allen for the Civic Center
Apartments Art Mural
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed appropriation of $73,742.49 represents the required 1.5 percent (percent) public art set-aside
calculated on eligible development costs for the Civic
Center Apartments project pursuant to Richmond
Municipal Code Section 6.50.020. These developer-paid
funds are currently held in the Arts & Culture 1.5 percent Capital Improvements Program Fund and must be
appropriated by the City Council before expenditure.
There is no impact to the General Fund (Account String:
13564065-400201-36048).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
June 30, 2023
December 17, 2024
March 11, 2025
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The City seeks to commission a public art mural for the Civic Center Apartments, a 49-unit permanent supportive housing development located at 425 24th Street.
Following a competitive artist selection process and
recommendation from the Richmond Arts & Culture
Commission (RACC), City staff recommend approval of a
contract with Deonta Allen to design and install the mural, funded through the project’s required 1.5 percent
(percent) public art contribution.
AGENDA
REPORT
June 16, 2026
DocID #72095v1
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a contract with Deonta Allen for the design
and installation of a public art mural at the Civic Center Apartments in an amount not to exceed $70,000, with a
term commencing on June 16, 2026, and ending June
30, 2027; and ADOPT a resolution to APPROPRIATE
$73,742.49 in developer-paid public art funds currently held in the Arts & Culture 1.5 percent Capital
Improvements Program Fund for contract costs and
related project expenditures - Economic Development
Department (Nannette Beacham 510-215-4600).
DISCUSSION:
About the Project
The City of Richmond, in partnership with Novin Development Corporation through affiliated entity 425 Civic Center LP, is converting the former Motel 6 property at 425 24th Street into the Civic Center Apartments, a 49-unit permanent supportive housing development consisting of 48 studio units and one manager’s unit.
The project is primarily funded through a $14.5 million Homekey grant, supplemented by City financing. The development will provide permanent housing and supportive services to address homelessness in the community.
Pursuant to Richmond Municipal Code Section 6.50.020, eligible City capital improvement projects are required to dedicate 1.5 percent of project costs toward public art. In satisfaction of this requirement, the developer remitted $73,742.49 to the City.
The developer requested that the Arts and Culture Division and the Richmond Arts & Culture Commission (RACC) administer the public art mural project. These funds are currently held within the Arts & Culture 1.5 percent Public Art Capital Improvements Fund.
Artist Outreach and Request for Proposals
In February 2026, the Arts & Culture Division issued an Artist Outreach through PlanetBids and conducted additional outreach to solicit qualified artists for the mural project (Attachment 1). Five qualified artists submitted statements of interest and were subsequently invited to participate in a formal Request for Proposals process. All five artists submitted responsive proposals (Attachment 2). Proposals were evaluated by a review panel consisting of City staff, representatives of the developer, and members of RACC using established evaluation criteria totaling 100 points. Each proposer received a $500 stipend in recognition of the effort required to prepare a proposal. Deonta Allen received the highest overall composite score (Attachment 3).
Following completion of the evaluation process, the recommendation was presented to RACC at a Special Meeting held on April 23, 2026. The Commission recommended approval of a contract with Deonta Allen for the Civic Center Apartments public art mural.
June 16, 2026
DocID #72095v1
Next Steps
Following a competitive, multi-stage selection process and a recommendation from RACC, City staff recommend that City Council approve a contract with Deonta Allen in an amount not to exceed $70,000, with a term through June 30, 2027, for the design and installation of a public art mural at the Civic Center Apartments (Attachment 5).
City staff further recommend that City Council appropriate the $73,742.49 in developer- paid public art fees already held in the Arts & Culture 1.5 percent Capital Improvements Program Fund to support this contract and associated project costs (Attachment 6).
Remaining appropriated funds may be used for permitting, contingency, project administration, or related implementation costs.
Upon City Council approval of the contract and adoption of the resolution appropriating funds, staff will execute the contract with Deonta Allen and issue a notice to proceed.
The artist will work with City staff and the development team to finalize the mural concept, materials, and installation plan. Mural installation is anticipated to be completed by the end of Summer 2026.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Request for Proposals
Attachment 2 – Artist Outreach
Attachment 3 – BidSummary Report
Attachment 4 – Scoring Matrix
Attachment 5 – Contract with Deonta Allen
Attachment 6 – Resolution