NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - Officials in the Virginia city of Norfolk have said they will no longer talk to the media about a project that will demolish about 1,700 public housing units and force the relocation of thousands of residents.
The Virginian-Pilot reported Monday that city attorney Bernard Pisko has advised officials not to take questions from reporters “in light of pending litigation.”
A federal lawsuit filed by a group of residents claims that the St. Paul’s redevelopment project would run afoul of federal housing rules that are meant to prevent racial segregation.
City spokeswoman Lori Crouch told the newspaper that the self-imposed gag order will end when the litigation is over. But there’s no trial date. And any settlement could take months or more to negotiate.
Officials say they will continue to provide updates on the project at public meetings. The prohibition against publicly sharing information is exclusive to media interviews.
Mayor Kenny Alexander told the newspaper that he found the policy to be “overprotective.”
“I think that they should answer your questions,” Alexander said. “We have people who are working on St. Paul’s every day. They should be able to communicate about the work they’re undertaking on behalf of the city.”
Megan Rhyne, the executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, said that governments that deny media requests are essentially asking the public to accept only one interpretation of facts and events.
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