Chesapeake

The Providence Mobile Home Park Campaign received a hard-sought victory this month when the Chesapeake Planning Commission denied a permit for the development of the Providence Road trailer park. This decision will help keep 170 people in their homes. The Chesapeake City Council will now consider the application on June 15 and activists are hoping they show the same moral conscience as the planning commissioners showed.

Richmond

VOP is supporting the efforts of Richmond public housing advocates, RePHRAME. On April 20, over 30 public housing residents and other members brought their message of housing justice to the RRHA Board of Commissioners meeting. RePHRAME supporters gathered inside the meeting as RePHRAME representatives questioned RRHA’s transparency and honesty in working with RePHRAME and called on RRHA to step up its efforts to provide job training and employment opportunities for public housing residents. The group also urged RRHA to institute local rent payment and to put energy into building housing for low-income residents, not just tearing it down. “Build one, then tear one down,” said  Vanessa Valentine. RePHRAME’s impact was immediate and the RRHA agreed to look into their demands.