A message from Virginia to internet lenders that prey on our residents:
Thursday, June 29th, 2017
The Virginia Poverty Law Center has teamed up with the law firms of Kelly and Crandall and Consumer Litigation Associates. Our goal is to “bite” unlawful internet lenders in a way that sends a message: Your loans violate state and federal law and are hurting Virginians by trapping them into extremely high-cost debt, ruining their […]
First RAM Clinic to Southside VA Sponsored by Healthcare Navigator
Monday, June 26th, 2017
VPLC Healthcare Navigator team joins effort to bring healthcare clinic to Southside Virginia Elise Brown, a healthcare navigator in Emporia, VA, took on the massive undertaking of getting the RAM (Remote Area Medical) clinic, famous for providing healthcare to thousands in Southwest Virginia, to the Southside region. Emporia and other parts of Southside Virginia have […]
Why is Congress trying to gut laws passed to deal with Wall Street abuses?
Thursday, June 1st, 2017
The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on the so-called CHOICE Act, which would essentially undo all the protections put in place after the last Great Recession and bank bailout. Here are a few questions we all must consider and ask of our Congressional representatives as they prepare to take America’s financial marketplace […]
Announcing VPLC’s New Senior Legal Helpline!
Saturday, May 6th, 2017
The Virginia Poverty Law Center is pleased to announce our new Statewide Senior Legal Helpline. The helpline is made possible through a partnership with the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. Funding was made possible through the Legal Assistance Systems grant from the Administration on Community Living. The toll-free number (844-802-5910) is now available for […]
Virginia Legal Aid Programs Kick Off Expanded Services to Victims of Crime
Saturday, May 6th, 2017
On June 13th, new and experienced legal aid staff members funded by grants from the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) will converge in Richmond to share information, resources and obtain training. Through VOCA funds newly made available to legal aid programs, Virginia’s legal aid agencies will provide increased and more comprehensive services to domestic […]
HAV Statement on passage of the American Health Care Act by the U.S. House of Representatives
Friday, May 5th, 2017
The American Health Care Act adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives would have a devastating impact on Virginians if it becomes law. With no independent analysis of the most recent version, the House rushed this through without a full idea of its cost or how many people will now lose coverage. But with many […]
VPLC’s Kathy Pryor received the Darrel Tiller Mason Excellence in Advocacy Award
Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017
VPLC’s own Kathy Pryorreceived the disAbility Law Center’s highest award at their Liberty and Justice for ALL Annual Gala. Kathy received the Darrel Tiller Mason Excellence in Advocacy Award tonight for her advocacy on behalf of the elderly and disablede’re proud to work with such an amazing attorney advocate and leader. Read Kathy’s gracious […]
New VPLC Study Released: The Myth of Virginia’s Rate Utopia
Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017
Report Release Today VPLC’s Affordable Clean Energy Project released its first report “The Myth of Virginia’s Rate Utopia: A Comparison of Rates, Bill, and Riders” This report grapples with the disconnect between Virginia’s low electric rates, but the feeling many people have of high electric bills. We created this report to help ourselves and […]
Combining Efforts Can Be a Win for Tenants Across the Country
Friday, March 31st, 2017
Inaccuracies in records and discriminatory renting practices that haunt tenants for years might be meeting their match from a joint effort In many states, including Virginia, property management firms—particularly those which operate large, multi-family rental complexes—conduct background checks on prospective tenants and will deny admission to applicants who have been previously sued for eviction. Frequently […]
Electric Rate and Review Freeze – Not Such a Clearly Positive Picture
Monday, March 27th, 2017
Dominion’s recent OpEd, “Why Dominion’s electric rate freeze in Virginia is good for residents” doesn’t provide a full picture of how the freeze is affecting electricity bills in Virginia. The Virginia Poverty Law Center is concerned that Dominion’s “rate freeze” has the potential to hit Virginia’s most economically vulnerable consumers the hardest. An electricity […]
Anti-Hunger and Opportunity Corps – VISTA Member Position
Monday, March 20th, 2017
VISTA Position Available The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), in partnership with Hunger Free America, has an opening for an anti-hunger VISTA member with Virginia Hunger Solutions (FRAC’s state-based initiative headquartered in Richmond, Virginia). This position is a one-year AmeriCorps/Vista placement to help build capacity for the federal nutrition programs in Virginia. The VISTA […]
Location is Everything – Rental Housing Discrimination as a barrier to Economic Mobility
Monday, March 20th, 2017
An important focus of VPLC’s housing work is on education, litigation and policy advocacy to reduce historical patterns of residential segregation and promote diverse, inclusive communities. This activity is heavily data-driven and centers on fair housing laws and the rights of disadvantaged populations. But how does combatting segregation and discrimination in housing markets reduce poverty? […]
Virginians Need Medicaid Expansion
Wednesday, March 8th, 2017
Jill Hanken, VPLC’s Director of Healthy Communities, letter to the editor was featured as the Correspondent of the Day, Tuesday, March 7, 2017, in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Unfortunately, we were unable to find a link on their website to the letter. Therefore below is a scan of Jill’s letter, explaining how Medicaid expansion could assist thousands […]
Kristi Kelly and Len Bennett Donate Their Time and Fees to Support Legal Aid in Virginia
Monday, March 6th, 2017
Virginia legal aid programs are lucky to have private lawyers who donate their time, talent, and resources to help us represent our low-income clients. Volunteer lawyers donated over 15,000 hours serving legal aid clients last year. Sometimes private lawyers go above and beyond to support the work of Virginia legal aid programs. Kristi Kelly of Kelly […]
End the Refund and Review Freeze
Tuesday, February 21st, 2017
VPLC is joining with a bipartisan group of legislators asking Governor McAuliffe to overturn 2015 legislation that is harming Virginia’s electricity consumers. The Virginia General Assembly passed legislation in 2015 (SB 1349) that fixed the base rates charged by public utilities, Appalachian Power and Dominion, to its Virginia customers and prohibits the State Corporation Commission […]
ENERGY EFFICIENCY: What is it and Why does it matter?
Friday, February 17th, 2017
ENERGY EFFICIENCY: WHAT IS IT AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? By Ben Greenberg, Affordable Clean Energy Project The Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) initiated its Affordable Clean Energy Project in 2016. The purpose of the project is to give a voice to low-income Virginians on the impacts of energy costs and the need for energy […]
Crossover Report
Wednesday, February 15th, 2017
This past week was crossover at the Virginia General Assembly meaning that the House of Delegates will now consider Senate bills and the Senate will consider House bills. VPLC advocates reviewed 2,600 bills introduced in the first two weeks of the session and decided to follow 255 of those bills as they made their way […]
HB1692: Hurts Unrepresented Parties in Family Law Cases
Friday, February 10th, 2017
HB1692 (Collins) would make family law litigation more difficult for those without an attorney Simply put, there are not enough legal aid or pro bono attorneys to meet the need in family law cases in Virginia. HB1692 relates to family law cases in which some matters may be decided by the Juvenile & […]
Enroll Virginia – Affordable Care Act Update
Wednesday, February 8th, 2017
Enroll Virginia – Affordable Care Act Update The open enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace ended on January 31st, and millions of Americans were able to renew or gain health insurance coverage before this deadline. In Virginia, demand remained strong throughout Open Enrollment and 410,726 Virginians were enrolled in health coverage through the Marketplace. Navigators with Enroll Virginia […]