Housing crisis hidden in plain view

A Roanoke renter asked for a change last year. She needed a walk in shower as her mobility decreased. She offered to pay the installation costs. Her landlord refused.

This renter, a client named Debra of ours, is facing losing her home as the cold weather and winter holidays approach. The crisis began with a shower but quickly escalated.

I am the executive director of Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, the only nonprofit in the state that fights housing discrimination. Debra faces this reality, and she no longer has a stable, safe home.

Roanoke struggles with homelessness. Blue Ridge Continuum of Care has reported a 12% rise in the unhoused population of Roanoke this year. This follows a 54% jump between 2021-2023. was a recurring issue in local campaigns forums this fall. In a recent article published by this publication, Roanoke’s Regional Business Leadership Fund expressed its “grave concern” about the viability and future of downtown Roanoke if the issue of homelessness is not addressed.

Housing instability is not just a reflection of the terrible reality of hundreds of people sleeping in city streets. Housing security is a spectrum that ranges from stable, thriving housing at one end to completely without shelter at the opposite. Many points lie in between. Debra’s struggle highlights forces that are pushing many of our neighbors to the dangerous end of the range.

As we age, most of us will experience at least one disability. The most common disabilities are loss of mobility, hearing and vision problems. You may not be aware that federal and state housing laws provide protection to renters who have disabilities, including those with these common signs of aging. They can request reasonable modifications in their apartment to ensure equal accessibility. Debra didn’t ask for a favour when she asked to replace her old shower. She was simply exercising her rights as a result of multiple laws.

Debra’s landlord violated these laws by refusing to accept her request. He refused to renew the lease without any reason a few weeks later. Debra lived in the apartment for many years. She always paid her rent on time, and she never caused any problems. The non-renewal was perceived as retaliation.

This also created a new issue. Debra pays for her rent with a Housing Choice Voucher, a coupon issued by the federal government to be administered by the Roanoke Housing and Redevelopment Authority. Debra was diagnosed with a brain trauma in her early 20s. The injury has had a profound impact on her life. She has been relying on her vouchers for over 40 years.

The housing authority stopped future rent payments when they learned that Debra’s landlord wouldn’t renew her lease. Debra continued to live there. She remained despite facing discrimination because of her disability. The landlord threatened to evict her when she failed to pay rent due the the housing authority stopping payments.

We meet people every day at HOME of VA whose lives have been thrown into chaos by housing discrimination. In the past year, we received 45% of our discrimination complaints related to disabilities. Because people with disabilities are disproportionately represented among those on fixed incomes and because they can be a disaster, any new obstacles will have a devastating effect.

Debra’s housing voucher was limited, and she had few options as she searched for housing, with the help of our office in Roanoke and two caseworkers. She can only rent a unit for $1,090 a month. You or your aging parents could rent an apartment of this quality and stability in Roanoke at this rate. Debra can tell you that it is nearly impossible.

Roanoke’s newly-elected mayor and city council members have taken their seats. As the General Assembly convenes in Richmond, delegates and Senators from around the region have taken their seats. Each of us has the power – and the responsibility – to demand action that will make crises like Debra’s rare.

In the Roanoke valley, there is no agency tasked to investigate housing discrimination or enforce fair housing laws. The Fair Housing Board of the city of Roanoke is a public education and outreach organization. The Virginia Fair Housing Office is a small, underfunded, and understaffed agency that is the only recourse available to local residents who are discriminated against. HOME of Virginia works to fill the gap by uncovering and combating housing discrimination in all of Virginia. Our resources are limited.

The Roanoke Housing and Redevelopment Authority, and other agencies in Virginia that receive a pitiful amount of state funding, are forced to make difficult decisions by both agency staff and tenants. Only 0.76 percent of Virginia’s budget for general funds is allocated to housing assistance programs. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides the majority of funds to Virginia’s Housing Authorities. However, the new presidential administration is targeting the Department for drastic cuts in its budget and program. Virginia’s leaders must fill in these gaps.

Debra is always in touch with our team. She recently told us that she had found an apartment just outside the limits of her housing voucher. She told us, “But I can make it.” “I’ve been there before.” She is determined to provide a stable, quality home that we all deserve.

Debra’s path, and that of many others in the Roanoke valley and throughout Virginia, is not solely determined by their own self-determination. Housing laws that are not enforced properly and inadequate funding for housing programs threaten scores of our neighbors. In the weeks to come, as our elected leaders prepare to pass laws, they would do well to ensure that all people have equal access to housing.