Fair Housing Resource Center

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This section provides information about rights and resources for fair housing and assistance animals in the place where you live.

Resources

Fact Sheets

Resources for Fair Housing Self-Advocacy and Filing a Complaint

Sample Letters

A tenant may request an accommodation at any time. It is best to do so in writing. If the disability and the need for the accommodation is not obvious, the tenant may need to submit a letter from their doctor which states that they need an accommodation because of their disability. We have provided some sample letters below for some of the most common accommodation requests. 

Assistance Animal
Eviction Defense
Parking Space
Transfer to Accessible Unit

Helpful Links

Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA)

The Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) helps Virginians attain quality, affordable housing. VHDA also helps people with disabilities and the elderly make their homes more livable.

Virginia Fair Housing Office

Individuals who believe they may be victims of housing discrimination may file a complaint by contacting the Virginia Fair Housing Office (804) 367-8530 or (888) 551-3247 or using their online complaint form.

Housing Opportunities Made Equal (H.O.M.E.)

Housing Opportunities Made Equal is Virginia’s premier fair housing and housing counseling organization, offering a variety of programs and services designed to ensure equal access to housing for all Virginians.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development administers and enforces federal laws and establishes policies that make sure all Americans have equal access to the housing of their choice.

2-1-1 Virginia’s Community Services Helpline

2-1-1 VIRGINIA provides access to services in your community and statewide. All referrals are confidential and you can search for these same services on this 2-1-1 VIRGINIA Web site.  You may reach them by dialing 211 from any phone.

Videos

Fair Housing Video

Disclaimer: The video makes reference to the Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy (VOPA). In 2013, our name changed to the disAbility Law Center of Virginia (dLCV) when we became a private non-profit organization. All other info, including contact info, in the video, remains accurate. In 2020, Virginia added four new protected classes to its Fair Housing law: source of income, military status, gender identity, and sexual orientation. For more information on protected classes, check out our Fact Sheet.

If you would like more information on the history of dLCV, check out our History page.

Podcast

All About Evictions & Housing Rights

Welcome back to another episode of Rights Here Rights Now! Today’s topic is a hard one, but we do get calls about it often. We will be talking about evictions from Medicaid-funded group homes.

Organizations Mentioned:

All About Service Animals

Service animals, emotional support animals, therapy animals…the list goes on and on. These terms are often used interchangeably but have very different meanings. Staff Attorney Dana Traynham is back on the podcast with us today to break down the differences in these terms. She shares with us about the Americans with Disabilities Act, some new airline legislation, and some fair housing resources. You can learn more about “Assistance Animals in Public Places, on Planes and at Home” on our website.