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The United Way of Henry County and Martinsville is proud to administer the Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot grant (VERP) to address and prevent evictions in Henry County and Martinsville, Virginia. A $130,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) funds our in-house eviction reduction prevention and diversion program where our Housing Stabilization Coordinator works directly with landlords and their tenants in Henry County and Martinsville who are at risk of eviction.
Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot
Recognizing the benefits of eviction reduction efforts, the General Assembly passed, and the Governor signed a budget during the 2020 Special Session, allocating $3.3 million to implement the Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot (VERP). The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) was directed to design and implement the pilot.
For the purposes of this pilot, eviction prevention services are provided to households before they are issued unlawful detainers and courts get involved. The purpose of VERP is to demonstrate effective approaches to reducing evictions through system changes that make eviction rare, brief and humane while also providing flexible financial assistance to those at risk of an eviction.
While not every eviction can be prevented, our system includes how to divert evictions once the household has received an unlawful detainer. Our approach includes organizations that serve as a safety-net within the community collaborate to ensure households have early access to resources that stabilize their housing situations.
Eviction diversion services are provided after households are issued unlawful detainers and usually involve assisting with the negotiation process between landlords and tenants in outlining the terms of payment plans to address past due rent and fees. Typically, the further along in the eviction process a household gets, the further in debt the household becomes.
No Unlawful Detainer
Prevention services generally involve short-term financial assistance along with case management to ensure the household is connected the resources they need to stabilize their housing situation.
The Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot (VERP) includes:
- Initiatives and partnerships that promote systems change, including Legal Aid
- Mediation between landlords and tenants
- Outreach and coordination with key partners and stakeholders
- Financial assistance
If you are a resident of Henry County or Martinsville Virginia and believe that you could be at risk of eviction, please schedule an appointment by calling 276-638-3946 and selecting Option 3.
Unlawful Detainer Issued
While not every eviction can be prevented, our system includes how to divert evictions once the household has received an unlawful detainer. Our approach includes organizations that serve as a safety net within the community collaborating to ensure households have early access to resources that stabilize their housing situations.
Eviction diversion services are provided after households are issued unlawful detainers and usually involve assisting with the negotiation process between landlords and tenants in outlining the terms of payment plans to address past due rent and fees. Typically, the further along in the eviction process a household gets, the further in debt the household becomes.
If you are a Henry County or Martinsville Virginia resident, have been served an unlawful detainer, and need assistance in diverting your eviction, please schedule an appointment by calling 276-638-3946 and selecting Option 3.
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ
UWHCM has only one housing specialist in-house. Appointment times fill-up quickly, and there is a waiting period.
It is our hope to provide you access to housing stability resources quickly and to the best of our ability.
IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND YOUR SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT
-Please contact Brittany Foley at least 1-business day before your scheduled appointment.
-If you do not contact Brittany before missing a scheduled appointment (i.e. no-call, no-show) you may be disqualified from additional assistance.
Main Office Phone: 276-638-3946 | Call Us | M-F 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (EST) | 149 E Main Street, Martinsville, VA 24112