Why are the payday lenders trying to destroy the CFPB? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a U.S. government agency that makes sure banks, lenders, and other financial companies treat you fairly. The CFPB was created in the wake of the 2008 recession when reckless financial practices by banks and other financial institutions nearly […]

A few days into the 2023 Virginia General Assembly session, VPLC learned that an “earned wage access” lender had talked two legislators into filing legislation to “regulate” the industry.  The 2023 General Assembly rejected the legislation.  However, it appears that there will be another effort to pass legislation in the 2024 General Assembly. What is […]

Odds are, by now you’ve heard about that song from a country singer in Farmville, Virginia, who performs under the stage name Oliver Anthony.    As he belts “Rich Men North of Richmond,” Mr. Anthony raises an important issue that we here at VPLC care about and work hard to change: that working class and lower-income people work hard […]

With need for access to justice at an all-time high and the Rule of Law in the news every day, it is gratifying to be among 32 deserving nonprofits across the Commonwealth whose work addresses these areas. The work with Virginia Law Center completely aligns with the Virginia Law Foundation mission to promote the Rule […]

June 9, 1940 – August 4, 2023 The staff and friends of Virginia Poverty Law Center mourn the loss of John Horejsi, an unsurpassed advocate for impoverished Virginians. John was the founder of, the fire within, and the guiding light of Social Action Linking Together (SALT). SALT is a network of Virginians embracing the principle […]

It seems like scams are everywhere and sometimes it feels like there’s no way to avoid being taken advantage of by heartless scammers. Don’t worry – we’ve put together the top red flags to look for and things you can do to avoid being the victim of a scam! Scammers will often pretend to be […]

Update: New data indicates VEC performance is still among the worst in the nation. Watch the segment on WTVR here.   Top Tips for Unemployment Claims In the best of times, navigating the Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim and appeal process can be very confusing. However, with enduring delays and challenges from the pandemic, this confusing […]

Read the Richmond Times Dispatch opinion piece by Albert Pollard, published February 19, 2023 here. If you are unable to reach the linked page, a pdf is below.

Thousands of unemployment claimants may find today that their unemployment appeals are officially dismissed. In a move to wipe out more than a quarter of its backlog of almost 93,000 appeals, the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) sent out notices alerting claimants that nearly 26,000 appeals – some years old – were filed late. The agency […]

By Pat Levy-Lavelle, Legal Aid Justice Center and Flannery O’Rourke, Virginia Poverty Law Center The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) currently has a backlog of more than 96,000 first level appeals of unemployment decisions. The persistence of this backlog directly harms workers and employers, who (on average) must wait a whole year for an appeal hearing. […]

After three years of extensive litigation, the settlement will provide relief to approximately 555,000 consumers who were subject to illegal practices by internet payday lenders. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 12, 2022   Richmond, VA – The federal court in Richmond today gave preliminary approval of a class action settlement that will provide $489 million of relief to […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 14, 2022 Virginia Poverty Law Center and Legal Aid Justice Center state that Governor Youngkin’s vetoes of Del. Clark’s HB573 and Sen. Deeds’ SB297 have derailed critical, popular, and thoughtfully crafted bipartisan consumer debt reforms for thousands upon thousands of Virginians. Richmond, VA – Outstanding bills for medical treatment are one […]

This was a busy week at the General Assembly for VPLC advocates. We often must try and follow bills being heard in two or even three committees that meet at the same time! Please encourage your legislators to do the right thing and publicly praise them when they do. Below, an update on some of our issues […]

The 2022 General Assembly is off and running, with 1,938 House and Senate bills filed — and more expected to come. Our advocates are dealing with a lot of change this year: a new Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, members in the House of Delegates, and committee chairs. But among the change, one thing remains […]

An update from VPLC’s Director of Housing Advocacy, Christie Marra The NY Times Article outing Virginia as home to the top evictors in the nation, the nationwide eviction moratorium early in the pandemic, and the news articles about our country’s affordable housing crisis have put making safe and healthy housing for all at or near […]

October 6 is National Energy Efficiency Day. Today’s post comes from VPLC’s Director of Outreach and Consumer Advocacy, Dana Wiggins and Affordable Clean Energy Project Coordinator, Carmen Bingham. Energy Efficiency and the Affordable Clean Energy Project Energy efficiency is the least cost resource for energy, because the least expensive kilowatt hour is the one you […]

A year and a half into the pandemic, laws around tenants’ right continue to change at a rapid pace. Here’s a quick update on what you need to know about eviction protections and important resources that can help those struggling to stay safely housed. CDC Eviction Protections Have Ended Last week the US Supreme Court […]

When the General Assembly convened for a special 2021 session, we urged lawmakers to prioritize Virginians hit hardest by the pandemic with a budget focused on equity. Not all of our priorities were funded, but we will continue to push for these in the state’s next budget. Below, here’s how our recommended budget priorities fared […]