Working Forward Into 2021

Working Forward Into 2021
By Tommy Herbert

VAMA has been working hard as the leaves have been falling. There have been meetings with a host of legislators, new resources being rolled out, and a new Regular Session of the General Assembly to look forward to just as we have gaveled out the previous Special Session from August through November. We’re preparing bill matrices, and game planning what a virtual Regular Session is going to look like for our advocacy. We’re mobilizing members at every level of government to help support our renters while protecting our industry.

VAMA is also seeking guidance from the Supreme Court of Virginia in interpreting the web of new compliance requirements contained in Governor Northam’s amended state budget, which was passed by the General Assembly last month and includes major changes to the eviction process for the duration of the declared state of emergency over COVID-19. A host of questions persist about how to get into and stay in compliance with the new process as laid out in the budget. Among the changes is the change from a 5-day to a 14-day notice period when rent is not paid when due. VAMA has debuted a 14-day notice in compliance with all provisions of the budget language for use by members.

We have continued working with Virginia’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to communicate industry concerns on Virginia’s Rent and Mortgage Relief Program (RMRP), which has undergone significant improvements since its inception in June. The application process led by Virginia Housing (formerly VHDA), which allows a housing provider to apply on behalf of their residents, puts more agency in the hands of housing providers, and thus helps get renters the help they need quicker and more efficiently. VAMA has debuted a walkthrough video with help from Virginia Housing to demonstrate how members can get their properties enrolled through the RMRP system. Check it out!  

Originally funded through CARES Act money, which expires at the end of the year, DHCD has sought and identified new sources of funding for the program that will keep it distributing aid into the new year. Further, the RMRP application process is being reimagined on the DHCD side as well, and the hope is that renter-led applications will soon be able to be processed much more efficiently. VAMA will keep members updated as any improvements to that process roll out.

We are also looking for members who have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis who can join VAMA staff and their legislators virtually before and over the course of the Regular Session to tell their stories and drive home what really is at stake when we are talking about housing policy in the Commonwealth for the future. If you think you would be interested to join me in a meeting with your legislator to tell your story, please reach out with your voting address to tommy@vamaonline.org.