A. There is hereby established the Eviction Diversion Pilot Program (the Program) within the existing structure of the general district courts for the cities of Danville, Hampton, Petersburg, and Richmond. The purpose of the Program shall be to reduce the number of evictions of low-income persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no eviction diversion court or program shall be established except in conformance with this section.
B. The goals of the Program shall include (i) reducing the number of evictions of low-income persons from their residential dwelling units for the failure to pay small amounts of money under the rental agreement, in particular when such persons have experienced an event that adversely affected financial circumstances such as the loss of employment or a medical crisis in their immediate family; (ii) reducing displacement of families from their homes and the resulting adverse consequences to children who are no longer able to remain in the same public school after eviction; (iii) encouraging understanding of eviction-related processes and facilitating the landlord's and tenant's entering into a reasonable payment plan that provides for the landlord to receive full rental payments as contracted for in the rental agreement and for the tenant to have the opportunity to make current such rental payments; and (iv) encouraging tenants to make rental payments in the manner as provided in the rental agreement.
2019, cc. 355, 356, § 55-248.40:1; 2022 c. 797.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 55.1 - Property and Conveyances
Chapter 12 - Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
§ 55.1-1201. Applicability of chapter; local authority
§ 55.1-1203. Application; deposit, fee, and additional information
§ 55.1-1205. Prepaid rent; maintenance of escrow account
§ 55.1-1206. Landlord may obtain certain insurance for tenant
§ 55.1-1207. Effect of unsigned or undelivered rental agreement
§ 55.1-1208. Prohibited provisions in rental agreements
§ 55.1-1208.1. Rental agreements; child care
§ 55.1-1209. Confidentiality of tenant records
§ 55.1-1210. Landlord and tenant remedies for abuse of access
§ 55.1-1213. Transfer of deposits upon purchase
§ 55.1-1214. Inspection of dwelling unit; report
§ 55.1-1215. Disclosure of mold in dwelling units
§ 55.1-1216. Disclosure of sale of premises
§ 55.1-1218. Required disclosures for properties with defective drywall; remedy for nondisclosure
§ 55.1-1220. Landlord to maintain fit premises
§ 55.1-1221. Landlord to provide locks and peepholes
§ 55.1-1222. Access of tenant to cable, satellite, and other television facilities
§ 55.1-1223. Notice to tenants for insecticide or pesticide use
§ 55.1-1224. Limitation of liability
§ 55.1-1225. Tenancy at will; effect of notice of change of terms or provisions of tenancy
§ 55.1-1226. Security deposits
§ 55.1-1227. Tenant to maintain dwelling unit
§ 55.1-1228. Rules and regulations
§ 55.1-1230. Access following entry of certain court orders
§ 55.1-1231. Relocation of tenant where mold remediation needs to be performed in the dwelling unit
§ 55.1-1232. Use and occupancy by tenant
§ 55.1-1233. Tenant to surrender possession of dwelling unit
§ 55.1-1234. Noncompliance by landlord
§ 55.1-1235. Early termination of rental agreement by military personnel
§ 55.1-1237. Notice to tenant in event of foreclosure
§ 55.1-1238. Failure to deliver possession
§ 55.1-1239. Wrongful failure to supply an essential service
§ 55.1-1240. Fire or casualty damage
§ 55.1-1241. Landlord's noncompliance as defense to action for possession for nonpayment of rent
§ 55.1-1242. Rent escrow required for continuance of tenant's case
§ 55.1-1244. Tenant's assertion; rent escrow
§ 55.1-1244.1. Tenant's remedy by repair
§ 55.1-1246. Barring guest or invitee of a tenant
§ 55.1-1247. Sheriffs authorized to serve certain notices; fee for service
§ 55.1-1248. Remedy by repair, etc.; emergencies
§ 55.1-1249. Remedies for absence, nonuse, and abandonment
§ 55.1-1250. Landlord's acceptance of rent with reservation; tenant's right of redemption
§ 55.1-1251. Remedy after termination
§ 55.1-1252. Recovery of possession limited
§ 55.1-1253. Periodic tenancy; holdover remedies
§ 55.1-1254. Disposal of property abandoned by tenants
§ 55.1-1256. Disposal of property of deceased tenants
§ 55.1-1257. Who may recover rent or possession
§ 55.1-1258. Retaliatory conduct prohibited
§ 55.1-1259. Actions to enforce chapter
§ 55.1-1261. (Expires July 1, 2024) Eviction Diversion Pilot Program; administration