Evictions are on the rise in Virginia. Lawmakers are trying to address the crisis

Tens of thousands of Virginians are kicked out of their homes every year.

Evictions are on the rise in Virginia, and some lawmakers are trying to address the problem. 

Eviction filings in January reached their highest level since January of 2020 in Virginia, and filings  were up by about 1% this year between January and October, compared with the same timeframe in 2024, according to a presentation given to the Virginia Housing Commission on Thursday morning in Richmond.

The number of executed evictions is rising at an even higher rate. There were 22,990 executed evictions in Virginia from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, a 3.7% increase from the twelve months prior. 

“While statewide eviction filings have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels, 2025 filings are on track to get closer to reaching those filing numbers,” Jesseca Hoff, a policy and research analyst with the Housing Commission, said in the presentation to lawmakers.

One way housing advocates want to address the eviction crisis is by giving tenants more time to respond when landlords file for evictions. 

State Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach) has filed legislation that would extend the period tenants have to respond to an eviction filing from five days to fourteen days. Rouse could not be reached for comment. 

Laura Dobbs, director of policy at Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia (HOME of Virginia), told Dogwood the legislation has been a priority for years, but has been vetoed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. 

Dobbs said Democratic Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger seems more likely to support the bill. Spanberger could not be reached for comment. 

“This just gives people more time to either get another paycheck or reach out and get assistance or whatever they need to do to catch up on rent,” Dobbs said of the bill.

Virginia is widely viewed as a state that’s friendlier to landlords than  tenants. Its eviction crisis hit the national spotlight just before the pandemic hit. During the pandemic, evictions were largely put on pause. 

The recent rise in evictions suggests the core challenges facing Virginia housing policy remain: tenants have few protections as they struggle to find affordable housing, Dobbs said. 

“Until we solve that affordability problem, I think we’ll continue to see high eviction filing rates,” Dobbs said.