Now Hiring: Economic Justice Attorney
Tuesday, July 23rd, 2024
July 23, 2024 About Us: Virginia Poverty Law Center is a legal services organization dedicated to using advocacy, education and litigation to break down the systemic barriers that keep low-income Virginians in poverty. Duties & Responsibilities This attorney’s work will focus on consumer rights of low-income Virginians including fair debt collection, fair credit reporting, and […]
VPLC joins Virginia’s Senators asking Governor Youngkin to allow direct file option
Thursday, July 18th, 2024
Direct File is the IRS’ first attempt to provide a free filing program comparable to existing commercial software. While the pilot was limited to people with simple tax returns in a handful of states, the Department of the Treasury estimated that one-third of taxpayers in those states — almost 19 million people — were eligible […]
A win for transparency: ‘earned wage’ paycheck advance products are consumer loans
Thursday, July 18th, 2024
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today proposed an interpretive rule explaining that many paycheck advance products, sometimes marketed as “earned wage” products, are consumer loans subject to the Truth in Lending Act. The guidance will ensure that lenders understand their legal obligations to disclose the costs and fees of these credit products to workers. […]
Welcome Naomi Y. Cordova
Monday, July 15th, 2024
Naomi Y. Cordova joins the VPLC team as the new Legal Assistant for the Legal Assistance to Victim-Immigrants of Domestic Abuse (LA VIDA) program. Naomi brings a wealth of experience in immigration law and a diverse skill set to VPLC. Naomi has a robust legal background, with many years of client communication, legal documentation, translation, […]
Beware the Loan Sharks Still Circling for Consumers
Monday, July 8th, 2024
Shark Week 2024: Be Careful Where You Borrow By Jay Speer, Virginia Poverty Law Center Executive Director Welcome to Shark Week 2024, at least according to the annual designation fronm Discovery Channel In years past, the Virginia Poverty Law Center has used this week to call out all the loan sharks attacking Virginia borrowers. There […]
New Rules for Utilities & Customer Shut-Offs
Monday, July 1st, 2024
Utility providers cannot shut off your service for unpaid bills during certain unsafe periods.
New Law Protects Virginians Against Utility Shut-Offs During Extreme Heat
Friday, June 28th, 2024
As heat waves roll through Virginia, a new law to protect residents from unsafe utility shut-offs during periods of extreme weather goes into effect on July 1. Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-Petersburg) and Del. Irene Shin (D-Herndon) introduced a pair of bills to the General Assembly in January. The bills gained bipartisan support and were signed […]
Partnership to Help Richmond Renters Facing Eviction
Thursday, June 27th, 2024
Richmond, Va, June 27, 2024 – The Richmond Public Library (RPL) and Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) today launched a new partnership to help renters facing potential eviction. The program will provide guided assistance using VPLC’s new online Eviction Defense Center to answer users’ questions and help prepare them for court. Patrons often ask librarians […]
Supreme Court Upholds Law That Bans Domestic Abusers From Owning Guns
Monday, June 24th, 2024
Richmond, VA June 21, 2024 – Today, the Supreme Court of the United States delivered a ruling in the case of USA vs Rahimi, upholding the constitutionality of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), which prohibits individuals subject to domestic-violence restraining orders from possessing firearms. This case originated in Texas, highlighting the state’s pivotal role in shaping […]
Are You Ready for Virginia’s New Laws?
Monday, June 10th, 2024
We hope you’ll join us online Thursday morning for an update on new laws about to take effect in Virginia. Register here: https://bit.ly/VPLC-2024-Legislation
How do we fix Virginia’s housing crisis? Join VPLC for a Tenant Town Hall this summer
Friday, May 31st, 2024
We don’t need to tell you, Virginia is in the middle of a housing crisis. Lawmakers, courts, and funders need to do something. But what? We need to hear from you. VPLC is hosting a series of housing discussions across Virginia this summer, and we want to know: what are your experiences with the housing […]
Virginia legal aid programs challenge debt buyers’ predatory practices in Virginia
Wednesday, May 29th, 2024
By Jay Speer, VPLC Executive Director Last week Virginia legal aid programs and the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association filed an amici (friend of the court) brief in a case before the Virginia Court of Appeals challenging the shady practices of Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA) and other debt buyers that has led to over $217 million […]
Governor Youngkin’s vetoes keep low-income tenants at the mercy of slumlords
Monday, May 20th, 2024
Thousands of residential tenants across the Commonwealth live in dangerously unhealthy conditions, battling mold, pest infestations, broken plumbing, and failing heating and cooling systems. When these tenants turn to their local office of housing or court system for help, they are all too often turned away by judges and other officials who want to help […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: A win for Virginia consumers
Thursday, May 16th, 2024
U.S. Supreme Court delivers good news for consumers and fair business practices, but expect more industry pressure on CFPB The Supreme Court today upheld the constitutionality of the funding method Congress chose for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, allowing a vital agency to continue its work in holding Wall Street and predatory lenders to account, […]
At VPLC, April is Help Families Thrive Month
Friday, April 19th, 2024
Every April, Virginia and the nation observe “Child Abuse Prevention Month.” But at VPLC, we prefer to think of April as “Supporting Families Month” or “Help Families Thrive Month.” Why? Because the best way to help children is to support families and help them thrive. In Virginia as elsewhere, the number one reason families are […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: VPLC will help more low-income Virginians with civil legal issues thanks to $1M grant
Tuesday, March 19th, 2024
Richmond, Va, March 19, 2024 – Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has awarded Virginia Poverty Law Center $1 million through her charitable organization, Yield Giving. The grant will help VPLC expand its legal resources and online tools to assist thousands of additional Virginians by providing one-of-a-kind, multi-format, self-help materials. Today’s announcement follows a competitive, nationwide call for […]
ACTION ALERT: Our dysfunctional health care system can ruin the lives of Virginians.
Monday, March 4th, 2024
HB1370, introduced by Delegate Karrie Delaney, prohibits medical providers from reporting medical debt to consumer reporting agencies. VPLC supports this bill which has passed the House and a Senate committee. Why did Delegate Delaney introduce this bill and Why is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau concerned about health care debt? “The fact that the CFPB […]
People and history shaping Virginia
Tuesday, February 20th, 2024
Read the Black History Month Proclamation, signed by Governor Yougkin: WHEREAS, February is recognized and commemorated in the United States as Black History Month, and we recognize the people, historic events, and the cultural moments that have shaped American and world history and our society today; and WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia at Fort Monroe […]
Legal Pioneers in Black History
Tuesday, February 20th, 2024
In honor of Black History Month, we’re sharing a list of twenty black attorneys who were truly the firsts of their time. Their fearless determination opened doors for many, for generations to come. by Angelica Cesario, Lawline Austin T. Walden In 1965, Austin T. Walden became the first black man appointed to a judgeship in […]
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ALERT! VPLC’s 2024 Housing Advocacy
Friday, February 9th, 2024
To download this sheet as a PDF, click here.
LEGISLATION ALERT! Support Language Access Improvement in Virginia
Friday, February 9th, 2024
To download this fact sheet as a PDF, click here.