Current Initiatives
Youth Homelessness Prevention Project
We are excited to announce that LASEV's Disability Rights Unit/Homeless Outreach Project (DRU/HOP) has been awarded a grant from the Hampton Roads Community Foundation for our Youth Homelessness Prevention Project. This grant will be instrumental in our efforts to support homeless youth in the Hampton Roads area. With this funding, we will expand our outreach initiatives, providing essential legal advocacy, support services, and connection to resources tailored specifically to the unique needs of homeless youth. This grant will enable us to make a tangible difference in the lives of vulnerable young people facing homelessness. We are deeply grateful to the Hampton Roads Community Foundation for their partnership and commitment to creating a brighter future for youth in our community.
Eviction Expungement Project
LASEV is thrilled to be a recipient of a Legal Services Corporation Pro Bono Innovation Fund Project grant, funding an attorney and paralegal for our Eviction Expungement Project. This project will engage volunteer attorneys to help address the eviction crisis in our service area, focusing on clearing up tenant rental and credit histories to reduce barriers to obtaining affordable housing. Our project staff will coordinate volunteer docket days in General District Courts throughout our service area to assist tenants with eviction expungements and provide additional holistic advice and assistance in addressing barriers to housing. If you are interested in volunteering with this project, please contact our PAI/Pro Bono Director, Tricia Batson, at triciab@laseva.org.
Additional information about the 2023 Pro Bono Innovation Fund grantees can be found here: 2023 Pro Bono Grants Totaling $5 Million Awarded to Legal Aid Organizations | LSC - Legal Services Corporation: America's Partner for Equal Justice
Legal Services for Homeless Veterans
LASEV is honored to be a recipient of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ new Legal Services for Homeless Veterans and Veterans At-Risk For Homelessness grant. This grant funds an attorney and social worker to focus on the needs of homeless and at-risk veterans throughout our heavily military populated service area. Pursuant to this grant, our project staff assists veterans with a variety of civil legal needs to obtain stability, including accessing government benefits and health care, housing, employment, consumer, and family law matters, criminal defense in matters symptomatic of homelessness, and requests for an upgrade to the character of discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces.
See the full list of grantees here: Legal Services for Veterans Programs - VA Homeless Programs
Housing Justice Fellowship Program
In partnership with Equal Justice Works, we are excited to have attorneys Brandon Ballard and Jamesa Parker, working with our outreach specialist, Deanna Smith, to fight for safe, sanitary, and affordable housing in partnership with our client communities in Portsmouth, South Norfolk and the East End of Newport News.
Advocates for Credit, Employment and Shelter
Understanding that sometimes combating poverty and injustice requires a coordinated effort, we have partnered with the other Legal Services Corporation of Virginia grantees to fight statewide issues surrounding equal access to credit, employment and housing.
Campaign to Reduce Evictions
Given that Hampton Roads has some of the highest eviction rates in the nation, LASEV is present at the public housing dockets for Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Chesapeake, accepting eligible clients for representation on the spot. We also attend the Aqua Vista and Stuart Gardens dockets in Newport News. Where private housing is largely unaffordable to our low-income client communities in Hampton Roads, it is vital to help those who have public and subsidized housing maintain it.
