By Tommie McNeil, WVTF Public Radio Under many rental agreements, tenants sign off on a provision that allows housing managers and staff to enter a home to address concerns or inspect the premises.  Now state lawmakers are weighing whether such agreements should be extended to homes that are actually OWNED by tenants– who are leasing […]

Virginia’s early lease termination law went into effect July 1, 2013 and aims to help renters who are victims of domestic or sexual violence.  The law provides certain victims of family abuse, sexual abuse and sexual assault the right to terminate their residential leases with approximately 30 days’ advance written notice to their landlords. To […]

Christie Marra, VPLC’s Family and Housing Law attorney, is the winner of the 2014 Virginia State Bar Legal Aid Award.  She was selected by the Virginia State Bar Special Committee on Access to Legal Services to receive this honor.  Read more here. She was nominated by the VPLC staff, Virginia Senator George Barker, Southwest Virginia Legal […]

By Alison Burns, Public News Service- VA Renters in Virginia have new recourse against landlords who illegally evict them. A new state law now allows tenants who’ve been locked out of their homes to file a simple form in General District Court to get back in, instead of pursuing a more complicated legal process that […]

By Monique Coppola, Public News Service- VA Imagine you are a victim of domestic violence or abuse, and you have a court order against your abuser. You feel unsafe in your home and want to move – to be out of harm’s way. Now, imagine your landlord will not let you out of your lease […]

By David Sherfinski, The Washington Times Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has found himself on the opposite side of advocacy groups spanning the political spectrum after vetoing a bill that would allow abused or neglected children living with a relative to enroll in the school district where the relative lives. The measure, backed by groups such as the Virginia Education Association, […]

The Virginia Poverty Law Center and Voices for Virginia’s Children are deeply disappointed that Governor McDonnell has vetoed SB 217, a bill sponsored by Senator George Barker that would have provided countless Virginia children living in kinship care arrangements with the educational stability they need to endure a family crisis. Parents facing difficulties such as […]

With another General Assembly session behind us, the staff at the Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) has had some time to reflect on what our advocacy work means and why it matters. Regardless of which political party holds a majority in the state legislature, and in spite of the often negative rhetoric that comes with […]