People Facing Eviction and Experiencing Homelessness in Richmond
Homeward • May 04, 2018
What's really going on in our city?
In the last several weeks, eviction rates in Richmond have received both national
and local
attention leading to calls for reform from many community members. At Homeward, we have tracked data on how eviction affects our neighbors experiencing homelessness in the Richmond region. In our July 2017 Point-in-Time count, Homeward asked people about their experiences with evictions.
We asked people whether they had:
Ever gotten a notice from landlord that you needed to do something (like pay rent or fix a problem) or you would be evicted – 40.4% (provide notice to tenant; pay or quit or notice to quit)
Ever gone to court over housing issues – 25.0% (summons for unlawful detainer and trial)
Ever gotten a legal notice saying that you needed to leave the place you lived by a certain date and time – 32.4% (writ of possession for unlawful detainer)
Ever kicked out of a place you were living – 38.9%
We also found that the population experiencing homelessness in the Greater Richmond region is mobile – over half had lived in two or more places (not including shelter) in the past year. And of course, most were planning to move in the next year as they would be leaving shelter.
Because adequate income and affordable housing are limited resources for many people in our community, there are no easy solutions to the housing crisis faced by our poorest neighbors. Additionally, there is no one-size-fits-all for homeless prevention and solution plans. For these reasons, it is essential that we support the collective work of partnering agencies
that staff Housing Navigators, a unique role designed to guide and support clients through the process of creating and implementing a housing plan. In providing this service, agencies are assisting both low-income tenants and landlords by helping to build stable tenants for stable housing.
Richmond, VA – May 1, 2024 – Homeward – the planning agency for the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care (GRCoC), a network of homeless service providers that deliver coordinated and compassionate solutions to homelessness in the Richmond region – will host its annual Best Practices Conference on Friday, May 3, 2024 at The Westin Richmond hotel in Henrico County.
From experiencing homelessness himself to now helping others who are going through similar crises, Choice East brings invaluable empathy and insight to his work at Homeward.
The last week of February, Homeward hosted a series of learning opportunities in a Best Practices in Youth Services Summit. Over two days, GRCoC partners, YAB members, and TA support staff delved into the core competency topics of youth services, Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), prioritizing joy for young people, and federal grant regulations.
Unsheltered Homelessness Continues to Rise as Housing Instability Remains a Top Regional Issue.
This post is part of a series that explores the ways in which the Richmond region addresses homelessness and provides context on how our collaborative and regional network operates. You can access other posts in this series on Access Versus Resources , Funding by The Numbers , and Keys to Helping More People .
This post is part of a series that explores the ways in which the Richmond region addresses homelessness and provides context on how our collaborative and regional network operates. You can access other posts in this series on Access Versus Resources , Funding by The Numbers , and Supporting Frontline Staff .
This post is part of a series that explores the ways in which the Richmond region addresses homelessness and provides context on how our collaborative and regional network operates. You can access other posts in this series on Access Versus Resources , Keys to Helping More People , and Supporting Frontline Staff .
This post is part of a series that explores the ways in which the Richmond region addresses homelessness and provides context on how our collaborative and regional network operates. You can access other posts in this series on Funding by The Numbers , Keys to Helping More People , and Supporting Frontline Staff.
Collecting reliable and consistent regional data about individuals and families experiencing homelessness is crucial in building an effective community-wide response.
On behalf of Homeward, we want to thank Mayor Levar Stoney, City Council President Michael Jones, Committee Chair and Councilmember Stephanie Lynch, all of the members of Richmond’s City Council, and the truly dedicated members of the City administration for making this significant and compassionate expansion of homeless assistance available. For 25 years, our community has come together across organizational and jurisdictional differences with a shared goal of reducing the crisis of homelessness.
Every donation counts.
Together, we can
end homelessness.
Useful Links
Contact info
info@homewardva.org
If you are within 3 days of losing housing, call The Homeless Connection Line: 804-972-0831 . If you are more than 3 days away from losing housing, call The Housing Resource Line: 804-422-5061