LaFonda Page

The Project

LaFonda will serve low-income individuals residing in the Greater Richmond Region of Virginia who are currently, or at risk of, experiencing housing instability and involuntary displacement, particularly due to eviction.

Housing stability is an endemic issue across Virginia and particularly in Richmond. Richmond has the second highest eviction rate in the country, which is attributable to landlord-tenant laws that provide tenants with relatively few rights when facing eviction, the lack of knowledge by tenants of those few rights, and a lack of access to legal resources to fight evictions. The existing stock of affordable housing in the greater Richmond area is crumbling and/or expiring, and affordable housing tenants are routinely discriminated against on the basis of race, income, immigration status, and criminal records.

Fellowship Highlights

As a Community Organizer in the Housing Justice Program, LaFonda helps address the complex underlying problems of the eviction crisis in Richmond. She works hard to connect public housing residents with vital legal and social services, as well as the tools they need to advocate effectively for access to safe and stable housing. LaFonda helps to organize community events, supports tenants in preparing and submitting maintenance requests, and builds relationships with community leaders.

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