Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia (HOME)

10/21/2026

Why is it so hard to find an affordable place to rent in Richmond? A big part of the answer is zoning.

In the Richmond Times-Dispatch, our executive director Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick explores the new Virginia Zoning Atlas from HousingForward Virginia.

The map shows many striking things — for example, duplexes are allowed on only 6% of the Richmond region’s land, and apartments are banned on 85%! These "missing homes," Tom writes, are a policy choice. And we can make better ones.

https://homeofva.org/virginia-zoning-times-dispatch-op-ed/

10/09/2026

𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀! On Monday, October 26, join us for a free webinar on Virginia's fair housing rights.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻...
1️⃣ who's protected
2️⃣ what discrimination can look like
3️⃣ and what to do if it happens to you

A live 𝗤&𝗔 follows our presentation.

🔗 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/6EaekdHrSeWurZUAPbVMhw #/registration

This event is the final session of the 2026 Arlington Fair Housing Conference, presented in partnership with NAACP Arlington Branch and The Equal Rights Center.

10/07/2026

Chesterfield is one of Virginia's fastest-growing counties, but the latest plan for what we can build, and where, 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 across the county.

Fewer homes means higher prices and fewer options for the people who want to live here.

➡️ Come to our 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗠𝗼𝗱 𝗣𝗶𝘇𝘇𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 to learn what's in the draft, write to the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission, and get ready to speak up at this month's Planning Commission meeting.

⏰ Thursday, October 15, 6:30–8:30 PM
📍 Candela's Huguenot, 11541 Robious Rd.
🍕 Free pizza + salad

𝗥𝗦𝗩𝗣! https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/6pr5hxu

Co-hosted with .rma .

09/30/2026

Applied for an apartment, had the income and the references, and still got turned down over a background check? Unfortunately, that's legal in Virginia right now — and landlords can run a blanket check that rejects you without ever looking at the rest of your application.

We're working with state lawmakers on a bill to change that — and 𝘄𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁.

If you're renting with a record, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆. It takes about five minutes, your answers are confidential.

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=z0dGSXznMkCbHAxQRD6jUcCAALOT2bxBj3r0wbC_vClUNjBEQTJPU0JEVEFFSEsxSEFOR1I3SVM0Qi4u

↗️ 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼? Send it to them.

09/30/2026

On August 18, Virginia had a chance to act on rising rents. The workgroup ended with no consensus and no action, and renters weren't even at the table.

Rents are still rising. With every lease renewal, the cost of inaction grows.

Now we need to hear from YOU. 📣

New Virginia Majority, Legal Aid Justice Center, and Allies for Housing Action Coalition are bringing this bill back in 2027. The General Assembly needs to hear from renters directly.

✅ Send a message to your state representative
✅ Share your story
✅ Sign up for updates

Join the Keep Virginia Home campaign. Link in bio.

09/21/2026

Applied for an apartment, had the income and the references, and still got turned down over a background check? Unfortunately, that's legal in Virginia right now — and landlords can run a blanket check that rejects you without ever looking at the rest of your application.

We're working with state lawmakers on a bill to change that — and 𝘄𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁.

If you've rented with a record, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆. It takes about five minutes, your answers are confidential.

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=z0dGSXznMkCbHAxQRD6jUcCAALOT2bxBj3r0wbC_vClUNjBEQTJPU0JEVEFFSEsxSEFOR1I3SVM0Qi4u

↗️ 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼? Send it to them.

09/18/2026

🏡 We’re hiring a Homeownership Loan Specialist!

If you have experience in mortgage processing, lending, or affordable housing and want to put those skills to work making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Join HOME of VA’s Homeownership Team and help first-time homebuyers navigate down payment assistance, move successfully through the loan process, and take meaningful steps toward sustainable homeownership.

🔗 Learn more and apply: homeofva.org/jobs

09/09/2026

📣 "We'll be there! Ready to see how your voice can shape Chesterfield's future? Join us! 📣

Want to learn more about PlanMod?

Chesterfield County is hosting the final PlanMod community meeting, giving residents the opportunity to learn more about PlanMod, ask questions and share feedback about future development.

📅 Community Meeting

• Wednesday, Sept. 9 | 6–7:30 p.m. Matoaca Middle School

Learn more about PlanMod and how to participate here: https://bit.ly/4x95ETd

08/31/2026

Please join us on September 2 to learn how you can help shape Chesterfield's future — through PlanMod.

PlanMod is Chesterfield’s new comprehensive plan. It builds on the earlier ZoMod, and it's on track for passage by this December.

To get you familiar with what HOME has learned about PlanMod — and how you can help — please join us on Wednesday Sept 2 at 6:30pm on Zoom:

➡️ Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/62uVias1TF2KYMEZvE4Okw

We will discuss PlanMod's options for affordable housing in Chesterfield, how you can advocate, and upcoming county listening sessions.

We hope you can join us!

08/28/2026

For decades, Regina Chaney has worked for a more just, more equitable housing landscape in Virginia — inspired by her own experience.

And for decades, we've known just how relentless her commitment is. When she retired last year as our longest-tenured staff member, people traveled from far and wide to celebrate her accomplishments.

Now, The Richmonder has honored Regina as one of its Richmonder 25 — a group of remarkable area residents who "take it upon themselves to make Richmond a better place."

➡️ Read: "Regina Chaney fights for fairness in housing"
https://www.richmonder.org/the-richmonder-25-regina-chaney-fights-for-fairness-in-housing/

The Richmonder's Heciel Nieves Bonilla interviewed Regina for an inspiring profile published this week.

The piece traces her arc — from being denied a loan on her own Church Hill home, to a first-in-the-South Community Reinvestment Act challenge she helped launch, to writing the grant that established HOME of VA's down payment assistance program in 1991.

As Regina told The Richmonder, at HOME she directly counseled "hundreds of families." The staff she trained supported thousands more — and the programs she helped lead live on.

Regina retired last year. Her work didn't.

🎉 The Richmonder is holding an event celebrating this year's "Richmonder 25" honorees on Friday, September 25. If you want to be in the room to celebrate with Regina, get your ticket today!
https://www.richmonder.org/the-richmonder-25-event-and-ticket-info/

For 42 years, Regina Chaney has lived and breathed housing advocacy in Virginia.