HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES MADE EQUAL OF VIRGINIA INC
626 E BROAD STREET NO 400, RICHMOND, VA 23219 www.homeofva.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE MISSION OF HOME IS TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING FOR ALL PEOPLE.

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

THE CENTER FOR HOUSING COUNSELING AND EDUCATION EXPANDS HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, HELPING THEM TO GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SKILLS NECESSARY TO ACCESS AND MAINTAIN STABLE HOUSING. THROUGH THIS CENTER, INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES BECOME SUCCESSFUL, LONG-TERM HOMEOWNERS & TENANTS; AVOID MORTGAGE DEFAULT; BECOME KNOWLEDGEABLE, RESPONSIBLE TENANTS THROUGH OUR RENTAL MOBILITY PROGRAM; AND TENANTS AVOID EVICTIONS THROUGH OUR HOUSING STABILITY PROGRAM. HOME TAKES A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO PROMOTING HOUSING ACCESS AND STABILITY THROUGH DEVELOPING FINANCIALLY LITERATE CONSUMERS. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020, THE CENTER SERVED OVER 2,000 FAMILIES, PROVIDING THE FOLLOWING SERVICES: 354 FAMILIES RECEIVED HOME OWNERSHIP EDUCATION; 363 FAMILIES RECEIVED HOME OWNERSHIP COUNSELING; 107 FAMILIES RECEIVED DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE TO BECOME FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS; 377 FAMILIES RECEIVED RENTAL EDUCATION; 216 FAMILIES RECEIVED CREDIT AND MONEY MANAGEMENT EDUCATION, 136 FAMILIES RECEIVED COUNSELING TO ASSIST THEM IN AVOIDING FORECLOSURE; 191 FAMILIES RECEIVED RENTAL MOBILITY COUNSELING; 3 FAMILIES RECEIVED REVERSE MORTGAGE COUNSELING; 356 FAMILIES RECEIVED LANDLORD TENANT REFERRAL SERVICES; 1,289 FAMILIES RECEIVED AN ANALYSIS OF THEIR CREDIT REPORT TO DETERMINE THEIR LEVEL OF READINESS FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP; 295 FAMILIES RECEIVED RENTAL FINANCIAL LITERACY COUNSELING; AND 147 FAMILIES RECEIVED RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO AVOID EVICTION. HOME'S WEBSITE HAD 119,133 PAGE VIEWS WITH 48,989 UNIQUE VISITORS. THE PROGRAM LANDING PAGES VIEWS INCLUDED: HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM 14,147, FORECLOSURE PREVENTION PROGRAM 2,906, MOVE TO OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM 2,630. ON FACEBOOK, HOME HAD A REACH OF 1,041,211. HOME'S DIGITAL MEDIA ADS HAD 1,315,046 IMPRESSIONS ON FORECLOSURE PREVENTION EDUCATION. HOME ALSO HAD APPROXIMATELY 9,502,302 IMPRESSIONS IN EARNED MEDIA IN THE NEWS.

THE CENTER FOR FAIR HOUSING PROTECTS THE HOUSING CHOICES OF ALL PEOPLE FROM EXTERNAL BARRIERS AND LIMITATIONS THROUGH FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION FOR CONSUMERS AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, THE INVESTIGATION OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS, SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, AND COUNSELING TO RENTING FAMILIES. HOME EVALUATES AND ACTS UPON INDIVIDUAL CASES OF ALLEGED HOUSING DISCRIMINATION THROUGH INTAKE, TESTING, AND FILING CASES OR COMPLAINTS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH FAIR HOUSING LAWS. HOME ESTABLISHED THE BARBARA WURTZEL RABIN FUND IN 2018, THE FUND EXPANDED HOME'S FAIR HOUSING RESEARCH TEAM TO STUDY INSTANCES OF SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020 THE CENTER FOR FAIR HOUSING INITIATED 13 SYSTEMIC INVESTIGATIONS; CASES OF SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION SOMETIMES TAKE YEARS OF WORK TO UNCOVER. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020, THE CENTER PROVIDED FAIR HOUSING SERVICES TO 286 INDIVIDUALS. THE CENTER PROVIDED FAIR HOUSING COUNSELING TO 168 INDIVIDUALS, 58 OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE COUNSELED ABOUT REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION AND REASONABLE MODIFICATION RIGHTS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING LAWS. THE CENTER CONDUCTED 10 FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH WORKSHOPS FOR VARIOUS GROUPS RANGING FROM PRESCHOOL CHILDREN TO LAWYERS. OVER FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020, THE CENTER FOR FAIR HOUSING FILED 15 FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINTS/LAWSUITS ON BEHALF OF DISCRIMINATION VICTIMS. ADDITIONALLY, 11 HOUSING-RELATED COMPLAINTS WERE REFERRED TO OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS DUE TO TIME/LEGAL CONSTRAINTS. ONE NOTABLE CASE SETTLED BY HOME WAS HOME V. VETTER, THIS CASE ALLEGED HOUSING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND DISABILITIES. ANOTHER NOTABLE CASE SETTLED WAS KNIAZ V. KAY MANAGEMENT, THIS CASE ALLEGED THAT THE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND SCREENING POLICY THAT KAY MANAGEMENT APPLIED TO ITS PROPERTIES ACROSS VIRGINIA HAD A DISPROPORTIONATE AND DISCRIMINATORY RACIAL IMPACT ON BLACK AND LATINZ APPLICANTS. A POLICY OF AUTOMATICALLY REJECTING ALL APPLICANTS WITH CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS WAS INCONSISTENT WITH THE VIRGINIA FAIR HOUSING LAW AND THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, KAY MANAGEMENT AGREED TO REMOVE THIS FROM THEIR APPLICANT SCREENING POLICIES. HOME'S FAIR HOUSING PROGRAM WEBSITE LANDING PAGES HAD 16,296 VIEWS. HOME'S DIGITAL MEDIA ADS HAD 1,915,047 IMPRESSIONS ON FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION.

THE CENTER FOR HOUSING POLICY AND RESEARCH CREATES CHANGE IN THE HOUSING SYSTEMS THAT DRIVE ECONOMIC, EDUCATIONAL, AND SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES. THROUGH THE PROVISION OF ACCURATE INFORMATION AND DATA ON HOUSING TRENDS, EXPERIENCES, AND HISTORIC HOUSING PATTERNS, THE CENTER EDUCATES POLICYMAKERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND THE PUBLIC ON HOUSING ISSUES THAT CREATE BARRIERS TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020, THE CENTER CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE CENTER FOR FAIR HOUSING ON SYSTEMIC LENDING AND RENTAL INVESTIGATIONS, PRODUCED RESEARCH REPORTS, AND ADVOCATED FOR ENDING HOUSING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY, STATUS AS A VETERAN, AND SOURCE OF FUNDS. HOME WORKED WITH SEVERAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WITH SIMILAR INTERESTS AND EDUCATED THE PUBLIC AND LEGISLATORS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FAIR HOUSING AND THE NEED TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR VIRGINIA'S RESIDENTS. THROUGH THIS WORK, HOME SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR 4 PROTECTED CLASSES TO BE ADDED TO VIRGINIA'S FAIR HOUSING ACT: SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, SOURCE OF FUNDS, AND STATUS AS VETERAN. ADDITIONALLY, CONSIDERING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, HOME'S CENTER FOR HOUSING POLICY AND RESEARCH ALSO PROVIDED ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION TO HOUSING STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PASSING LEGISLATION TO KEEP FAMILIES STABLY HOUSED DURING THE HEALTH CRISIS AND AVOID EVICTION.HOME'S RESEARCH TEAM IS DEDICATED TO THE PRODUCTION OF HIGH-QUALITY FAIR HOUSING AND HOUSING RELATED RESEARCH. ITS PRIMARY GOAL IS TO ASSESS AND UNCOVER THE EXTENT TO WHICH HOUSING DISCRIMINATION EXISTS IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AND IN THE SOUTHEASTERN REGION OF THE UNITED STATES. ITS PRIMARY OBJECTIVES ARE TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY, COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH AIMED AT UNCOVERING AND ELIMINATING HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN RENTAL, SALES, LENDING, INSURANCE, AND APPRAISAL TRANSACTIONS; TO MAKE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ON HOW TO INCREASE EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING FOR ITS RESIDENTS; AND TO EDUCATE THE BROADER COMMUNITY REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF HOUSING EQUALITY. THE RESEARCH TEAM LAUNCHED ON JANUARY 1, 2013. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020, THE RESEARCH TEAM PRESENTED HOUSING RELATED RESEARCH TO THE CITY OF NORFOLK AND RICHMOND METRO REGIONS AS PART OF AN EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS, RELEASED A REPORT ENTITLED, "EVICTIONS IN THE CITY OF RICHMOND: EXPLORING THE VOLUNTARY EVICTION DIVERSION PROGRAM, COVID-19, AND ANTI-EVICTION POLICY; PRESENTED EVICTIONS RELATED RESEARCH TO STATE OFFICIALS FROM VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (DHCD), COLLABORATED WITH THE OFFICIAL FROM THE CITY OF NORFOLK'S DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT TO UNDERSTAND POLICIES RELATED TO HOUSING STABILITY AND MOBILITY; CONSULTED IN THE RICHMOND REGION DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF IMPEDIMENTS (AI) AND PROVIDED INSIGHT INTO HOUSING ORGANIZATIONS, ENGAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES, PARTICULARLY FOR ENGAGING UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED RESIDENTS WITHIN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

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