The below resources may be helpful to Virginians living in manufactured and site-built homes who have housing related needs.

These resources may be able to help with things like:

  • Fixing a physical problem with a rental unit that the landlord hasn’t fixed.
  • Finding programs that can financially support first-time home buyers.
  • Counseling and assistance for navigating mortgages and foreclosures.
  • Educational information on fair housing and how to recognize discriminatory housing practices.
  • Search tools for free local social services.

Renting and have home condition issues? Neglectful landlord?

Sometimes when tenants have an issue with the condition of the home they’re renting, and the responsibility lies upon their landlord or property manager to fix it, they are rightly frustrated when their landlord or property manager fails to resolve it in a timely manner, if at all.

Know that as a tenant you have the right to live in a safe and healthy environment without interrupted access to essential utilities. Additionally, the law provides ways for tenants to hold their landlords accountable for their negligence.

In Virginia law there is a provision called a Tenant’s Assertion, which allows tenants to put their rent payments into a rent escrow account and pay a third party to fix a home condition issue that the landlord has neglected yet is responsible for.

To learn more about what a Tenant’s Assertion is, and if you can file one, read on:

Read More

Housing Support Organizations

project:HOMES

project:HOMES is an affordable housing non-profit serving low-income homeowners in the Richmond region by creating, preserving, and improving affordable housing.

project:HOMES has recently become one of the most outspoken advocates for manufactured homes and communities in Virginia, offering repairs and unit replacement services to manufactured homeowners in Richmond and Chesterfield county.

They offer a number of programs to all homeowners living in their service area including: home repair, wheelchair ramp installation, and paths to home ownership of high-quality and affordable homes made by project:HOMES that are reserved for low-income individuals and families.

Check out all that project:HOMES does here:

In September 2020 project:HOMES bought Bermuda Estates Manufactured Home Community in Chesterfield county with the intent of improving community infrastructure, stabilizing lot rent, and eventually replacing every resident’s home with a new high-quality manufactured home. This intervention marks one of the first cases of a non-profit buying a manufactured home community in Virginia, and sets an excellent example for non-profits looking to do the same in the future.

Learn more about the Bermuda Estates story here:

Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia (HOME of VA)

HOME of VA is a non-profit originally formed in 1971, to fight discrimination in housing access, and to support the enforcement of Fair Housing laws created in the Civil Rights movement. Today they continue to protect all Virginians’ right to housing, and offer an array of service programs free for the public to use.

Below are HOME of VA’s available programs:

  • Fair Housing – Educational information on VA protected statuses.
  • Eviction Prevention & Diversion – Education, counseling and assistance to those dealing with housing instability. ***If you live in the City of Richmond and are dealing with an eviction you can apply to their eviction diversion program.
  • Foreclosure Prevention – Education, counseling and assistance to those dealing with mortgage issues.
  • Homeownership – Support and down-payment assistance for qualifying low-income first time home buyers. ***Available for potential manufactured home owners. If the home already exists it must be on a permanent foundation. If it is new, the transaction must be single closing (no construction loan).
  • Move to Opportunity – Assists recipients of the Housing Choice Voucher find rental housing in areas of opportunity.
  • Resources – Additional educational materials on housing and links to sign up for monthly workshops.
United Way

United Way is a global non-profit network that helps communities to address difficult problems they’re facing by offering education, health, and economic mobility resources.

With over 1,000 chapters across the world, and with 22 local chapters serving Virginia alone, United Way has a huge service capacity it can leverage to support people.

Each chapter offers localized service programs in the areas of education, health, and economic mobility. Kindergarten Countdown Camp, Network2WorkRVA, and Southside Trauma-Informed Community Network are some examples of programs that are run by the United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg.

Find your local Virginia chapter of United Way here.

Virginia Housing

Virginia Housing was created by the Commonwealth in 1972 to help Virginians attain quality affordable housing, though at the time (and until 2020) it was known as the Virginia Housing Development Authority. 

As one of the state’s housing agencies, Virginia Housing offers many resources for all Virginians with housing needs, though they are specifically oriented towards supporting low-income homeowners, first-time home buyers, and renters navigating the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

Learn more about what Virginia Housing can do for you here.

Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)

DHCD is the other state housing agency of Virginia with a commitment, similar to Virginia Housing, to work with residents and businesses to facilitate and create affordable and safe communities for all Virginians to live and work in.

DHCD offers many resources to assist Virginians with their housing needs. Some examples of what they offer are, home buyer assistance programs, tools to search for new housing, as well as programs that help low-income Virginians to rehabilitate their homes. 

View the full list of DHCD resources here.