In April: Help Families Thrive
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025
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 […]
The Social Security Administration can now take 100 percent of recipients’ monthly checks for overpayments. Here’s what you need to know.
Tuesday, April 8th, 2025
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 […]
VPLC Sponsors CLE-Eligible Housing Trainings for Fair Housing Month This April
Monday, April 7th, 2025
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 […]
Frances Perkins: The Architect of America’s Social Safety Net
Tuesday, March 25th, 2025
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 […]
Judge Urges Protection of Consumer Financial Data as Virginia Poverty Law Center Joins Lawsuit to Stop CFPB Dismantling
Monday, February 17th, 2025
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 […]
Federal legislation aims to keep families together
Friday, February 7th, 2025
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 […]
HB2621: Promises of Savings for APCo Customers Won’t Bring Needed Immediate Relief
Friday, February 7th, 2025
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 […]
Bank Fees Sent Him into a Debt Spiral
Thursday, February 6th, 2025
Thursday, February 6th, 2025 For Carlos Wimberly, the whole mess started at a convenience store when he stopped for a bottle of water and snacks. He thought he had $35 in his banking account, but he had miscalculated and had “insufficient funds” to make his purchase. Carlos says he understood why his bank charged him […]
New Report: Medicaid Plays More Significant Role in Small Towns and Rural Communities than Metro Areas in Virginia
Wednesday, February 5th, 2025
February 5, 2025 Richmond, VA – Medicaid and CHIP play a critical role in providing health coverage to residents of small towns and rural communities in Virginia, particularly children, far exceeding its reach in metropolitan areas, according to an in-depth analysis by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF). In response to these […]
Paycheck to No Check: How Excessive Debt Collection Disrupts Lives
Thursday, January 23rd, 2025
Tanya Webb is one of thousands of Virginians whose lives have been upended by tax or debt collectors who seized all of their wages or emptied their bank accounts. Tanya Webb was stunned when her entire paycheck vanished without warning. Two weeks later, another half was gone without any notice again. The wage garnishment was […]
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy of Global Justice and Peace
Friday, January 17th, 2025
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a transformative leader whose legacy continues to inspire individuals and organizations committed to justice, equality, and the fight against systemic oppression. With tireless dedication to nonviolence and a firm commitment to creating a more just society, his influence resonates with individuals and communities around the globe. As we reflect […]
VA’s Lawmakers Can Improve the Legal Process for Collecting Debt
Thursday, January 16th, 2025
This session of Virginia’s General Assembly brings opportunities for lawmakers to pave a path to resolution for the 139,703 Virginians being sued over consumer debt in 2023 alone. In fact, about 20% of Virginians have overdue credit lines or unpaid bills that creditors are trying to collect. VPLC urges lawmakers to consider effective and equitable […]
Virginia’s weak laws allow debt collectors to push more families into poverty, but some legislators are trying to help.
Monday, December 23rd, 2024
As working families continue to struggle through a perfect storm of high inflation, high credit card interest rates, an ever-growing cascade of junk fees, and record-breaking consumer debt, a new report finds that Virginia is leaving these families high and dry. The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) report, No Fresh Start 2024: Will States Protect […]
Fall Newsletter: SCC demands utility company assist struggling customers
Friday, December 6th, 2024
VPLC Advocacy Helps Secure $85 Million Savings for Utility Customers Collectively, Appalachian Power customers avoided an $85 million rate hike in their monthly utility bills after the State Corporation Commission (SCC) denied the company’s request for a substantial rate hike. As part of the decision, regulators directed Appalachian Power to collaborate with Virginia Poverty Law Center […]
Ward Scull: Honoring a Legendary Advocate for Fair Lending
Tuesday, November 19th, 2024
by Jay Speer, VPLC Executive Director I have been thinking a lot about Ward Scull who died recently. Ward was a long-time ally of VPLC in our multi-year legislative fight with Virginia’s payday lenders. VPLC advocated for just and fair lending, but the payday lenders wanted to continue making huge sums of money exploiting Virginians […]
VPLC Elevates DEI Amid Political Division
Thursday, October 24th, 2024
— By Louis Green, VPLC DEI Director It is no secret that the upcoming political election has unearthed age-old debates across the sociopolitical landscape. In addition to the usual list of hotly-debated issues within the political space, contemporary elections have been split along racial lines due to arguments on how federal and state institutions should […]
VPLC and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks Respond to Senior Hunger Report
Monday, September 9th, 2024
September 9, 2024 Richmond, VA – The Supplemental Nutrition Access Program (SNAP) is a crucial lifeline for food insecure Virginians. SNAP supplements grocery budgets for families in need of food help and injects money into local economies: every dollar spent with SNAP benefits generates $1.54 in economic activity. A new report by the National Council […]
Now Hiring: Economic Justice Attorney
Tuesday, July 23rd, 2024
July 23, 2024 About Us: Virginia Poverty Law Center is a legal services organization dedicated to using advocacy, education and litigation to break down the systemic barriers that keep low-income Virginians in poverty. Duties & Responsibilities This attorney’s work will focus on consumer rights of low-income Virginians including fair debt collection, fair credit reporting, and […]
VPLC joins Virginia’s Senators asking Governor Youngkin to allow direct file option
Thursday, July 18th, 2024
Direct File is the IRS’ first attempt to provide a free filing program comparable to existing commercial software. While the pilot was limited to people with simple tax returns in a handful of states, the Department of the Treasury estimated that one-third of taxpayers in those states — almost 19 million people — were eligible […]
A win for transparency: ‘earned wage’ paycheck advance products are consumer loans
Thursday, July 18th, 2024
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today proposed an interpretive rule explaining that many paycheck advance products, sometimes marketed as “earned wage” products, are consumer loans subject to the Truth in Lending Act. The guidance will ensure that lenders understand their legal obligations to disclose the costs and fees of these credit products to workers. […]
Welcome Naomi Y. Cordova
Monday, July 15th, 2024
Naomi Y. Cordova joins the VPLC team as the new Legal Assistant for the Legal Assistance to Victim-Immigrants of Domestic Abuse (LA VIDA) program. Naomi brings a wealth of experience in immigration law and a diverse skill set to VPLC. Naomi has a robust legal background, with many years of client communication, legal documentation, translation, […]