Shame put Virginia on course to stronger tenant protections

By BEN FINLEY
Associated Press

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — Just a few years ago, Virginia was considered a civic embarrassment for its staggering eviction rate. A 2018 report from Princeton University ranked five Virginia cities in the national top 10 for ousting renters. But the state is now offering stronger tenant protections during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a leader in distributing federal rental assistance. And evictions have fallen. It turns out the unwanted publicity from Princeton had helped to put Virginia on a path to finding solutions before the pandemic. And many of those solutions are now in place. For instance, the state is temporarily requiring landlords to give tenants 14 days to make late rent payments before landlords can file for eviction. That’s helpful for people who get paid every two weeks.