Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia (HOME)

On June 19, 1865, freedom finally reached enslaved people in Texas — the day we commemorate as 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵.

Less than a year later, the 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟴𝟲𝟲 affirmed that freedom had to include the right to own a home regardless of race. A century later, the 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟵𝟲𝟴 made equal access to housing the law of the land.

But 161 years later, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 remains unfinished.

Our offices are closed today in observance, but our mission doesn't rest. We 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 — until fair housing is not just the law, but the lived reality for everyone in the Commonwealth.

As a paralegal at the Department of Justice, Moriah Wilkins kept landing in rooms full of lawyers defending companies that preyed on vulnerable people—while the people being harmed had no one in their corner.

So she decided to stand on the other side of that table, choosing civil rights law over higher-profile, higher paid positions. "I'm passionate about people," Moriah says, "and I don't want to perpetuate harm."

Today, she's our Senior Fair Housing Attorney, working to stop housing discrimination before it starts — by changing broken systems — and advocating for those who have faced housing injustice.

Recently, when a grandmother came to HOME unable to find a landlord who would accept her housing voucher, Moriah was there to advocate and have every hard conversation — offering "comfort, encouragement, affirmation, validation" — until they reached a settlement that for the client that "will change the trajectory of her life."

It's work like this, Moriah says, "that keeps me encouraged, keeps me grounded." 💛

A grandmother. Parents trying to keep a roof over their kids' heads. All denied rentals for one unlawful reason: they used housing vouchers.

This week, Virginia Mercury told their story—and how HOME of VA helped them win financial settlements and reclaim their footing. The money doesn't erase the bias they faced, but it helps them chart what comes next.

Here's what makes this urgent: the Trump administration has proposed eliminating the housing voucher program entirely, putting our clients and millions more at risk.

Source-of-income discrimination has been illegal in Virginia since 2020, yet landlords keep flouting the law. If you or someone you know receives Social Security, veterans' benefits, or a Housing Choice Voucher, you're protected—and we're here to help.

Read the full story ⬇️
https://virginiamercury.com/2026/05/25/voucher-holders-face-housing-hurdles-as-trump-proposes-federal-cuts/

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄? Virginia goes further than federal law to protect those who serve.

The federal Fair Housing Act bans housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, s*x, disability, and familial status. But it does not protect people based on their military status.

𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀.

Since 2020, military status has been a protected class under the Virginia Fair Housing Law. That means landlords, sellers, lenders, and real estate agents in the Commonwealth cannot treat you differently because you are:

✅ An active-duty service member in any branch
✅ A veteran with an honorable or general discharge
✅ A dependent who relies on a service member for at least half of their support

This matters a great deal in Virginia. The Commonwealth to is home to one of the largest populations of veterans and active duty service members in the country.

If you believe you've faced housing discrimination, file a report with HOME of VA.

➡️ Know your rights, share with someone who serves, and learn more at 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗳𝘃𝗮.𝗼𝗿𝗴/𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Passionate about civil rights and housing justice? Join Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia as a 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲. Support individuals and families across Virginia by investigating violations of housing rights and helping pave a path to justice. Learn more at homeofva.org/jobs.

Housing justice is civil rights work. We’re hiring a 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 to help dismantle housing discrimination and expand equitable access to housing across Virginia. Learn more and apply: homeofva.org/jobs.

Since 2020 in Virginia! Whether you have a Housing Choice Voucher, SSDI, or other form of rental assistance, your source of funds is protected here in Virginia. Read and learn more here so we can help!

Source of Funds - HOME of VA Whether you have a Housing Choice Voucher, SSDI, or other form of rental assistance, your source of funds is protected from housing discrimination by federal and Virginia fair housing laws. Source of funds refers to any source that lawfully provides funds to or on behalf of a renter or buyer of hous...