Davy Smith III is a candidate for Portsmouth City Council. His name will appear on the ballot on November 5, 2024.
Smith is running against ten challengers for Portsmouth City Council. They are vying for three open seats.
The first day of in-person early voting at your local registrar’s office for this election is Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Click here to see who is on your ballot.
10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race, with a request for a bio and a list of questions to answer. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.
Name: Davy Smith III
Age: 45
Website: pxl.to/davyforportsmouth
Biography: Davy Smith III is a husband, community advocate, and son of the city. He is running for Portsmouth (Virginia) City Council to serve as a voice for the community and to help recalibrate, realign, refocus, and reestablish the direction of Portsmouth. Davy has dedicated his life to helping shape people and communities while creating unique approaches to ensure maximum impact. His diverse community leadership experience includes six years as the Chairman of the Planning Commission for the City of Portsmouth, Commissioner of Newport Community Development Authority, and four years as Chairman for the Portsmouth Redevelopment Housing Authority (PRHA). Davy also served as a member of the Greater Portsmouth Development Corporation (GPDC) Board of Directors and as an Ex-Officio for the Portsmouth Partnership. His impact within the Portsmouth community includes coordination with public officials on master plan funding requirements, evaluation of sites for potential development and redevelopment to spur local business and employment, discussions on possible tax credits, and facilitating collaborations between public and private entities. His platform includes increasing investments in affordable and sustainable housing, reengaging youth to reduce violence by showing them the path to a better future, supporting small businesses and attracting more diverse job opportunities so that community members can work where they live, and ensuring youth are exposed to careers, college, and entrepreneurship through education.
Why are you running for this office?
As a son of the city who grew up in public housing, I had first-hand experiences with both the pitfalls and promises of Portsmouth. Leveraging these experiences, I believe that I have the insight to help recalibrate, realign, refocus, and reestablish the direction of Portsmouth as a member of the City Council. My priorities are public safety with an emphasis on juvenile delinquency and mental health; energy efficient affordable housing; economic development by supporting small business and workforce development; and ensuring youth are exposed to careers, college, and entrepreneurship through education.
What is the top challenge facing Portsmouth, and how would you address it?
The top challenge facing Portsmouth is a lack of community-focused leadership. This leads to many of our other challenges as a city. My first step toward addressing this challenge is to offer myself as a candidate for City Council. Once elected, I would propose reestablishing Council retreats to reinvest in relationship- and team-building among the Council members. Once we establish that interpersonal foundation, I believe we can then focus on creating a joint strategy and agenda that centers the community we were all elected to serve.
What is your view addressing the affordable housing crisis?
A major component of my platform is to create more energy efficient affordable housing in the City of Portsmouth. As former Chairman of the Planning Commission for the City of Portsmouth, Commissioner of Newport Community Development Authority, and four years as Chairman for the Portsmouth Redevelopment Housing Authority, I believe that Dales Homes, the former Bonneville site (Greenwood Dr), and the 114 acres available in Newport area near Farm Fresh are just three areas in need of revitalization. I would advocate for subsidized housing through the Move to Work program (HUD) at the Dales Home site. The former Bonneville site could be energy efficient single family homes with senior housing on the back side of property. Lastly, the 114 acres could be a mixture of office, retail, and housing to create a work live play environment.
The city has a longstanding history of disfunction on City Council. How will you civilly work with your colleagues?
Relationship capital is vital. You have show yourself friendly that you may gain a friend. As you get to know people in the relationship-building process, you discover that you have things in common. That brings you to common ground. One of my favorite books is, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. I have always valued relationships as they have been what allowed me to survive as a young man being raised by this community. I will bring this same relationship-building passion and skill to my service as a Councilman so that we can remain focused on the business of our constituents while continuing to relate and learn from one another.
What is your vision for the former Civic Center and Holiday Inn site in Olde Town Portsmouth?
In addition to the creation of more energy efficient affordable housing, another area of my platform is focused on economic development. We have many opportunities to build along our waterfront to attract more diverse job opportunities so that community members can work where they live. We need to build a mixed unit development at the site of the former Civic Center and Holiday Inn with a new hotel and condos, in addition to a connected parking garage due to the high density of our city.
What is your view on taking money from individuals who will likely have business before the city?
As a Councilman for the City of Portsmouth, my job will be to represent the best interest of my constituents and not those of myself. Donations accepted by my campaign will have no bearing on the votes and decisions I make as a Councilman. Although my votes will never be “for sale,” in the event that a donation could be perceived as questionable, I would recuse myself from that vote to maintain not only my integrity, but to maintain the trust of those whom I represent.