Eviction filings in Virginia appear to be returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Between July 2024 and June 2025, there were 139,450 reported eviction filings in the state.

Though eviction filing data is only available through October of this year, there was was a 2% increase this year from the January to October period in 2023 and 2024. Statewide, the number of eviction filings is between 87 and 89% of pre-pandemic levels.

That’s according to Jesseca Hoff, policy and research analyst for the Housing Commission, which met Thursday in Richmond.

“Eviction filings in January 2025 reached the highest levels since January 2020, and data collected so far in 2025 shows an increase in eviction filing totals compared to our previous years,” Hoff told the commission.

Eviction filings dropped off during the coronavirus pandemic due to eviction moratoriums and protections that were in effect at the time.

Only about 16 to 17% of eviction filings result in evictions, a discrepancy that can be explained by repeated filings for one individual and redemptions. Between July 2024 and June 2025, nearly 23,000 Virginians were evicted. That’s up by a few hundred evictions from the same time period the year prior.

It’s not exactly clear what’s accounting for the increase. The trend is an approximation based on available data, Hoff said.

 “It illustrates a large difference between filings and executions (of evictions), and further study may be warranted to continue to provide additional context on this data and the impacted households,” she said.

In 2019, the General Assembly passed legislation establishing the Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot, which was made permanent last year. It was initially tested in Richmond, Danville, Hampton and Petersburg, and was opened up to any locality that might want to participate last year.

“The program has a very high success rate, so all but one out of 40 households were saved from eviction,” Hoff said.

But the criteria to qualify for the program can be limiting, and it’s not clear that many people are benefitting. Tenants have to be able to pay 25% of the amount alleged to be due on the first court date, and they cannot have been late on rent more than twice in the previous six months, said Christine Marra, director of housing advocacy at the Virginia Poverty Law Center.

“I think in the current climate, especially where we have seen rents go up, where we know that wages haven’t kept pace, and now, most recently, we’re suffering as a result of the federal layoffs, I think it’s gotten harder for renters to meet those qualifications,” she said. “There’s no question that it’s a great program, and we want more people to be able to benefit form it.”

In Hampton, eviction filings reached about 80% of pre-pandemic levels in 2024 and is projected to surpass last year’s numbers in 2025. Richmond was at 92% of pre-pandemic eviction filing numbers in 2024, compared to 84% in 2023. All four of the pilot cities were on track this year to surpass the 2024 eviction filing numbers.

Marra said the VPLC is proposing legislation that would lower the first rent payment from 25% to 10% of the amount owed and eliminate the criteria barriers. That might help persuade other localities to enter into the program as well, she said.

Kate Seltzer, 757-713-7881, kate.seltzer@virginiamedia.com

https://www.dailypress.com/2025/12/07/evictions-filings-are-on-the-rise-in-virginia/