July 22, 2026
VIRGNIA BEACH, VA – The Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia has sued Twin Canals Associates and Burlington Capital Properties on behalf of Ms. Shanidra Osborne, a victim of domestic violence, who is now facing homelessness due to the actions of her abuser and her landlord’s violation of the protections afforded to her under the Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”).
Ms. Osborne suffered horrific trauma after her abuser chased her with a knife and then set her apartment on fire, killing her cat and rendering her home uninhabitable. Ms. Osborne, who is the mother of a minor child with autism, had to seek assistance at a domestic violence shelter. Twin Canal Village then moved Ms. Osborne into a new unit. Safely in a new unit and with her abuser facing multiple criminal charges, Ms. Osborne believed that she and her child would be able to heal peacefully from their trauma. Unfortunately, the following year, Defendants inexplicably moved to evict her based on the actions of her abuser. When Ms. Osborne asked the property manager why she was being evicted, the manager claimed that Ms. Osborne was not a victim of domestic violence, despite their knowledge of the violent attack against her just the previous year.
The lawsuit filed in federal court alleges that Twin Canal Associates and Burlington Capital Properties unlawfully discriminated against Ms. Osborne violating the Fair Housing Act and the Violence Against Women Act. Melissa Bonfiglio, LASEV’s Deputy Director and Director of Litigation said: “Despite taking a significant amount of federal funding from HUD for its 300 subsidized units, Twin Canal Village shockingly refused to comply with its obligations under federal and state law, including the Violence Against Women Act, inflicting significant damage and distress on Ms. Osborne.”
Strategic Litigation Attorney Meghan Fernandez further states: “Twin Canal’s abrupt decision to evict Ms. Osborne for the violent conduct of her abuser is a textbook example of victim blaming. It reflects an utter disregard for the horrific violence Ms. Osborne was subjected to at the hands of her abuser, and Twin Canal has retraumatized Ms. Osborne by threatening her with eviction and the prospect of homelessness.”
If you believe you are facing a similar problem and think you may qualify for LASEV’s services, please apply for assistance by visiting us online at http://www.laseva.org, by calling our Eligibility Screening Line at (757) 827-5078, or by completing a walk-in application at one of our locations.
The Complaint can be found at this link [https://tinyurl.com/osborne-complaint] and on LASEV’s website.