Housing Opportunities Made Equal Of Virginia Inc

HOME ENSURES EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES BY BUILDING INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH THE FAIR HOUSING LAWS, AND PROMOTING EFFECTIVE PUBLIC POLICY.

HOMES HOUSING COUNSELING AND EDUCATION PROGRAM EXPANDS HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES BY DISMANTLING BARRIERS TO HOUSING AND ASSOCIATED WEALTH INEQUALITY. WE FOCUS PARTICULARLY ON THOSE FROM COMMUNITIES CONFRONTING - OR CONTENDING WITH THE LEGACIES OF - HOUSING DISCRIMINATION. OUR HUD-CERTIFIED COUNSELORS PROVIDE COUNSELING AND EDUCATION TO HELP PEOPLE GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE AND FINANCIAL SKILLS NECESSARY TO ACCESS AND MAINTAIN STABLE HOUSING. IN FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024, WE SERVED OVER ONE THOUSAND CLIENTS. OUR HOMEOWNERSHIP TEAM SERVED OVER 300 CLIENTS AND CLOSED 82 LOANS. OUR FORECLOSURE PREVENTION TEAM SERVED OVER 200 CLIENTS FROM ACROSS VIRGINIA. AND THE MOBILITY TEAM SERVED OVER 250 CLIENTS AND HELPED 69 FAMILIES RELOCATE TO AREAS OF GREATER OPPORTUNITY. HOME WOUND DOWN ITS EVICTION DIVERSION PROGRAM, WHICH IN 2023-2024 DIVERTED OVER 300 EVICTIONS WITH CLIENTS ATTENDING HOUSING STABILITY WORKSHOPS AND RECEIVING DIRECT PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. THE HOUSING COUNSELING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS DIRECT SERVICE WORK ALSO PROVIDES CRITICAL TOUCHPOINTS WITH AND INFORMATION TO OUR FAIR HOUSING ADVOCACY PROGRAM BY IDENTIFYING THE LARGER, SYSTEMIC BARRIERS FACED BY OUR CLIENTS.

HOMES FAIR HOUSING ADVOCACY PROGRAM ADVOCATES PASSIONATELY FOR JUSTICE IN HOUSING. WE PROTECT AND ADVANCE THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES FACING PRESENT-DAY HOUSING DISCRIMINATION OR THE IMPACTS OF HISTORIC DISCRIMINATION THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS, LITIGATION, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND PUBLIC POLICY. IN FY2023-2024, HOME PROVIDED FAIR HOUSING SERVICES TO MORE THAN 250 INDIVIDUALS, CONDUCTED 58 FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH WORKSHOPS TO VARIOUS GROUPS AROUND THE STATE, AND FILED SEVEN LAWSUITS/COMPLAINTS ON BEHALF OF DISCRIMINATION VICTIMS. ADDITIONALLY, SEVEN HOUSING-RELATED COMPLAINTS WERE REFERRED TO OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS FOR ASSISTANCE. OF NOTE, HOME OF VA REPRESENTED A CLIENT, M.B., WHO FACES HOUSING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE AND GENDER, INCLUDING CLAIMS UNDER THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT AS A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. IN ANOTHER CASE, WE REPRESENT V.W. WHO WAS THREATENED WITH EVICTION BECAUSE OF HER SERVICE DOG, WHO SHE HAS HAD FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS AT HER CURRENT UNIT. THIS LANDLORD HAD ALSO REMOVED A HANDICAPPED PARKING SIGN THAT THE CITY INSTALLED FOR V.W. HOME SUCCESSFULLY REPRESENTED CLIENTS WHO FACED A TERMINATION OF LEASE BECAUSE OF AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL. OUR CLIENTS WENT THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE FILING PROCESS AND FOUR YEARS LATER COMPLETED A CONCILIATION PROCESS THAT RESULTED IN A MONETARY AWARD FOR OUR CLIENTS IN ADDITION TO TRAINING AND MONITORING OF THE LANDLORD TO ENSURE FUTURE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS ARE MET. WE USE DATA AND STORIES TO INFORM AND EFFECT HOUSING POLICY CHANGE. IN MAY 2024, WE RELEASED A REPORT, RACIAL DISPARITIES IN NEIGHBORHOOD HOME VALUES EXAMINING INEQUALITIES IN HOME VALUES AS THEY RELATE TO NEIGHBORHOODS RACIAL DEMOGRAPHICS IN THE CITY OF RICHMOND. THIS REPORT ALSO INCLUDED POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO MITIGATE DISPLACEMENT OF FAMILIES. INFORMED BY CLIENT EXPERIENCES AND STORIES, OUR PUBLIC POLICY TEAM DEVELOPED AN AMBITIOUS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. WE AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS SUCCESSFULLY LOBBIED THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO PASS-- ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS -- ALL TEN OF HOMES PRIORITY BILLS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HOUSING, CURB OUR HIGH EVICTION RATES, AND IMPROVE HOUSING CONDITIONS. THIS YEAR, HOME ALSO FOCUSED EFFORTS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, INCLUDING PROMOTING INCLUSIVE ZONING AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AMONG OTHER LOCAL POLICY INITIATIVES IN THE RICHMOND REGION TO INCREASE HOUSING ACCESS AND STABILITY.