Virginia Legal Aid Society (VLAS) is a nonprofit law firm established in 1977 to provide free civil legal services to eligible low-income residents in twenty counties and seven cities in Central, Southside, and Western Tidewater Virginia. VLAS serves the entire community by providing free information, advice and representation in such areas as housing, healthcare, economic self-sufficiency, education, public benefits, consumer purchases, and family relations.

Am I eligible for help from VLAS?

VLAS determines financial eligibility for general legal services based on income and assets available to the family, using the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. VLAS may serve you if your income is 125% of the federal poverty guideline or below. Higher incomes can be accepted in some offices due to United Way or Area Agency on Aging funding. See your nearest office to determine income eligibility.

What type of cases does VLAS handle?

VLAS provides free legal help for individuals and families in the following areas:

• HOUSING
• VLAS assists clients in housing cases while at the same time helping in the preservation and expansion of affordable and quality housing stock.

Examples of problems VLAS works on:

• Community groups that want to renovate housing for low-income renters or homeowners
• Eviction from private, public or subsidized housing when there is a defense to the eviction
• Foreclosure or other home loss
• Landlords who have taken personal belongings, locked tenants out of their home, or used other illegal actions to collect rent
• Prevent landlords from refusing to rent based on a person's age, sex, race, disability or other illegal forms of discrimination
• Unsafe and substandard housing conditions