The rate at which people are evicted from their rental homes has pushed Virginia into the spotlight after a Princeton University study last month placed five Virginia cities in the country’s top 10 — Newport News and Hampton in the top five.
On Monday, local and state officials could not agree whether the study understated or exaggerated the problem, and no action plan was set in motion. But the general consensus was that the issue of evictions must be addressed because it is a burden on the working poor.
“Regardless of whether the data undercounts the actual data, which is what I believe, or overcounts the data, which is what many people in this room believe, we have a problem,” said Christie Marra, who concentrates in community development for the Virginia Poverty Law Center.
Marra was joined in Newport News by 15 others — local lawmakers, housing authority officials and representatives from Realtor associations — to discuss the issue of evictions during a roundtable hosted by U.S. Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, D-Newport News. Missing from the table were the smaller private landlords who came up a lot as the group discussed what is causing evictions in the area.
For Scott, the most practical solution is to get more funding for local housing authorities through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to create more affordable places to live for low-income families.
He acknowledged that would be a tough sell since funding for HUD has dropped over the years — and because President Donald Trump has previously proposed cuts to the department. It’s a “matter of priorities,” Scott said.
“If we can increase the availability of Section 8 vouchers to all of those who qualify, increase the stock of public housing, it will make a significant difference on the people who have to suffer through the eviction process,” Scott said.
The study in question was done by Princeton’s Eviction Lab project, which found last month that Hampton and Newport News have the third- and fourth-highest rates of eviction in the country. Richmond had the second-highest rate; Norfolk and Chesapeake were ranked sixth and 10th, respectively.
Researchers looked at a database of court records and specifically tracked money judgments awarded to landlords. The Daily Press did its own review last month — which looked at court orders that granted landlords immediate possession — and found slightly lower numbers for Newport News and Hampton.
On Monday, Marra thought the numbers could actually be higher because the study only tracks cases that end up in court. Hampton City Manager Mary Bunting said the data overstates the problem in Hampton after city officials there did a separate analysis and produced a report, based on other law enforcement records.
That discussion prompted others at the table to say they wanted a deeper look at the data, but regardless of the number, they need to talk about how to curb evictions.
Newport News Vice Mayor Tina Vick, who is also a real estate broker, said she often sees people thrown off their rent payment because they don’t make enough to qualify for subsidized housing but are working paycheck to paycheck. One medical emergency or car trouble can throw them off, she said.
Just increasing the number of Section 8 vouchers wouldn’t help because there must still be actual units to connect with the vouchers, said Karen Wilds, the director of the Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Her waiting lists for subsidized housing are always full, she said.
“The number of folks on the wait list is not at all representative of the folks out there who can’t get on the list,” Wilds said.
People also suggested studying the eligibility for those who can receive subsidized housing and looking at the actual incomes of those who are getting into affordable housing units that are privately managed.
Marra and Hampton Mayor Donnie Tuck talked about finding a remedy to the legal fees that tenants face when taken to court over an eviction. Several people talked about how a tenant might finally scrounge up their rent money, but the legal fees they incur from going to court over an eviction can bog them down.
Marra said her organization is trying to encourage law firms to take eviction cases on pro bono, or free of charge.
State Del. Marcia ‘Cia’ Price, D-Newport News, said that she would welcome this discussion on the state level to see what can be addressed.
