Suffolk renters: Join us for a free Town Hall to learn your rights, share your experiences, and help shape better housing policies in your community.

Need help with your landlord, lease, or housing rights? Join us for a free legal pop-up on July 26 in Richmond—food provided and advocates on-site to help.

By Jay Speer, Executive Director, Virginia Poverty Law Center The “DOGE boys” may have gotten access to your medical files, financial information, your Social Security number, and your address.  Is that OK with you?  The US Department of Justice thinks it is no big deal but thankfully the judge in a case brought by VPLC […]

Richmond, VA — As the U.S. Senate considers a budget proposal that includes historic cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) warns that Virginia families—especially in rural and low-income communities—could lose essential food assistance and face overwhelming new barriers to access. SNAP is more than food—it’s a critical part […]

An airline executive testifying before Congress offered this explanation about different prices charged for carry-on luggage: “we want the best people to get the best prices”.  What?  Who are the best people?  Virginia’s new law on these crazy surprise (or junk) fees won’t outlaw these fees but it will require many businesses to disclose what […]

Thanks to VPLC’s advocacy, several important housing measures were signed into law during this year’s General Assembly session: More Fairness for Public Housing Tenants Tenants living in public housing now have better protections. Judges are now authorized to allow public housing tenants to appeal their eviction cases without posting a cash bond. Public housing authorities […]

In a significant move to help those struggling with medical debt, Governor Glenn Youngkin has signed into law (effective July 1, 2026) new legislation aimed at curbing overly aggressive medical debt collection practices. The Medical Debt Protection Act prohibits medical debt collectors from foreclosing on homes and limits the garnishment of wages, offering relief to […]

U.S. Senate votes unanimously to end tax on tips—Hallelujah!  Well, maybe not.  Quick research reveals many reasons why “no tax on tips” will harm more workers than it helps. One of the chief reasons why this is a terrible idea is that “it could encourage harmful employer practices and lead to tip requests in virtually […]

Join VPLC for a Tenant Town Hall this summer. Learn your rights. Share your ideas. We don’t need to tell you: Virginia is in the middle of a housing crisis. Lawmakers, courts, and funders need to do something. But what? VPLC fights for better laws, policies, and funding to improve access to safe and affordable […]

“Being heard—and seeing change happen—is something every foster youth deserves.” May is National Foster Care Month—a time to recognize the resilience of children and youth who have experienced foster care, and to commit to reforming a system that too often causes harm instead of healing. Foster care should be a last resort, used only when […]

Amicus brief emphasizes critical role of federal courts in protecting rights of youth in state custody  RICHMOND, VA — Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) joins the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) and more than 30 civil rights organizations in urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to preserve the federal judiciary’s […]

May 16, 2025 Richmond, VA – A new budget proposal in the U.S. House of Representatives would slash Medicaid funding and make it harder for millions of low-income Americans — including hundreds of thousands of Virginians — to keep their health insurance. The plan would cut at least $715 billion from Medicaid over the next […]

“The opposite of poverty is not wealth. The opposite of poverty is justice.”— Bryan Stevenson, civil rights attorney and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative ACTION ALERT! Proposed SNAP Cuts Threaten Food Security in Virginia A new bill from the U.S. House Agriculture Committee would drastically change the SNAP program, shifting costs to states and […]

By Valerie L’Herrou Every April, Virginia and the nation observe “Child Abuse Prevention Month.” At VPLC, we call it “Supporting Families Month,” because often, what harms children isn’t abuse—it’s policy choices that leave families without support. Child abuse is rare. In fact, over half the calls to Child Protective Services (CPS) turn out to be […]

By Victoria Richardson In March 2024, the Social Security Administration (SSA) changed its overpayment rules so no more than ten percent of a recipient’s monthly check could be withheld to repay an overpayment. Starting March 27, 2025, the SSA has reversed this policy. People who receive SSDI or OASDI may now see 100 percent of […]

April is Fair Housing Month Join VPLC housing advocates, allies, and partners for a series of virtual lunchtime trainings about pressing topics in housing law that impact low-income Virginians. Pending approval, each session will be 1 CLE credit. Find more information about these Fair Housing Month training sessions below and click the links to register […]

90 years ago this August, the Social Security Act (SSA) was signed into law. Like many women before and after her, the architect of SSA has largely been forgotten.   This Women’s History Month, we recognize and honor Frances Perkins for the social safety net she helped create–a legacy lasting generations. Social Security is a program […]

Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) has joined a lawsuit against Acting Director Russell Vought to challenge the unlawful dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The lawsuit, filed February 13, 2025, also includes the National Treasury Employees Union, National Consumer Law Center, NAACP, and the CFPB Employee Association. The next day (2.14.2025), at the […]

By Valerie L’Herrou. Published in The Virginian-Pilot: February 7, 2025 (subscription required) Imagine you’re a low-income parent, faced with the impossible choice of paying for food or the gas to get to work. Or one day, your child care provider doesn’t show up, leaving you to decide between leaving your children with an older sibling […]

By Carmen Bingham, VPLC Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Project Coordinator HB2621, as amended by the House of Delegates, will be before the Senate Commerce & Labor Committee Monday, February 10, 2025 in the afternoon. It is not the savior bill for APCo customers as it is being touted to be. There are no “immediate” savings […]