Affordable Housing in Virginia Beach, VA

This page collects the specific programs, agencies, phone numbers, and rules that apply in Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads region — not generic Section 8 advice. Virginia Beach has a unique setup: housing is administered through the City's Department of Housing & Neighborhood Preservation (DHNP) rather than a traditional housing authority. Virginia is also one of the few Southern states with statewide source-of-income protection (effective 2020), making voucher refusal illegal. The named resources below are where to start.

Emergency Help Tonight in Virginia Beach

If you need a safe place to sleep tonight or are facing an imminent eviction, these are the local resources to contact first:

• Judeo-Christian Outreach Center (JCOC) — major emergency shelter for adults in Virginia Beach with meals, day services, and case management. jcoc.org
• Salvation Army Hampton Roads Area Command — emergency shelter and rental assistance for Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake residents
• ForKids Inc. — emergency shelter and rapid rehousing specifically for families with children across Hampton Roads
• PIN Ministry (People In Need) — emergency shelter, food, and case management for adults
• The Up Center — supportive services for youth, families, and immigrants
• Samaritan House — domestic violence shelter and 24-hour crisis line: (757) 631-0710. Bilingual advocates
• LGBT Life Center — housing case management and HIV/AIDS services for the LGBTQ+ community in Hampton Roads
• Hampton Roads Continuum of Care — Coordinated Entry — central intake. Call the Regional Housing Crisis Hotline at (757) 227-5932 or 211
• 211 Virginia — free 24/7 information line for shelters, food, financial assistance, and social services

For a full walkthrough of finding shelter the first night, see our emergency housing tonight guide.

Section 8 in Virginia Beach: DHNP Status and How to Apply

Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in Virginia Beach are administered by the Virginia Beach Department of Housing & Neighborhood Preservation (DHNP) — unusually, the City runs the voucher program directly rather than through a separate housing authority. Current status (May 2026):

• The DHNP HCV waitlist is closed as of May 2026 with no scheduled reopening. Watch housing.virginiabeach.gov/housing-choice-voucher
• To inquire about waitlist status or request future application information, call DHNP at (757) 385-5750
• Project-Based Voucher (PBV) lists at specific Virginia Beach properties may be open. Apply property-by-property
• Other special programs: Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), HUD-VASH for veterans, Mainstream vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities — separate referral processes
• Apply to neighboring authorities too: Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA), Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority (CRHA), Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Portsmouth, Newport News, and the Virginia Housing (state) statewide voucher program run separate lists
• Status check: call DHNP at (757) 385-5750 if you've already applied

For the national application process, see our step-by-step Section 8 guide and how to find your PHA.

Emergency Rental Assistance in Virginia Beach (Named Programs)

If you're behind on rent or can't pay this month, these are the local programs currently operating in Virginia Beach. Funding shifts month to month — always call to confirm current availability:

• Regional Housing Crisis Hotline — call (757) 227-5932 for referrals to current rental assistance, shelter, and eviction prevention across Hampton Roads. This is your strongest first call
• Salvation Army Hampton Roads Area Command — Rental Program — can pay 1–2 months of delinquent rent or first month's rent for new rentals. Serves Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake. southernusa.salvationarmy.org/hamptonroads/rent-assistance
• Virginia Rent Relief Program (RRP) — the statewide program when funded; prioritizes households facing imminent eviction. Check current status at dhcd.virginia.gov/rrp
• Virginia Beach DHNP Housing Stability programs — local rental and homelessness prevention funds administered through the City
• Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia — emergency financial assistance, food, immigration legal services. Spanish-language services available
• St. Vincent de Paul of Hampton Roads — one-time emergency rental and utility help through local parish conferences
• Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia — free legal representation for low-income tenants facing eviction. laseva.org
• Hampton Roads Community Action Program (HRCAP) — Community Action Agency offering rental, utility, and weatherization assistance
• Mercy Drops Dream Center — emergency funds and supportive services in Virginia Beach

Federal ERA2 has ended

The period of performance for federal ERA2 awards has ended. ERA2 grantees may no longer use those funds to assist renters. The Virginia Rent Relief Program continues with state funding, and Salvation Army Hampton Roads continues its local Rental Program. Don't waste time on closed federal pandemic portals.

Utility assistance: EAP and DHCD Cooling

Virginia's LIHEAP is the Energy Assistance Program (EAP), administered by the Virginia Department of Social Services. There are Fuel, Crisis, and Cooling components. Apply through DSS or your local social services office, or call 211. Dominion Energy and other utilities also offer EnergyShare arrearage programs.

Tenant Rights in Virginia Beach & Virginia

Virginia has been steadily strengthening tenant protections under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA, Va. Code §55.1-1200 through §55.1-1262). Two highlights matter for Virginia Beach tenants:

• Statewide source-of-income protection (effective 2020): Virginia HB 6 (2020) added "source of funds" as a protected class under the Virginia Fair Housing Law (Va. Code §36-96.3). It is illegal in Virginia for a landlord to refuse a tenant based on lawful source of funds — including Section 8 vouchers, Social Security, child support, and other government assistance. Virginia is one of the few Southern states with statewide voucher protection. File a complaint with the Virginia Fair Housing Office (Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation)
• VRLTA covers most rentals statewide: Va. Code §55.1-1200 through §55.1-1262. Sets out notice periods, deposit rules, habitability standards, and tenant remedies
• 5-day pay-or-quit notice for nonpayment: recent legislation has extended some eviction timelines and added required notices, giving tenants additional time to pay or apply for rental help. Verify the current rules with Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia
• Notice to end month-to-month: 30 days from either party
• Security deposit cap: Virginia limits the deposit to 2 months' rent (Va. Code §55.1-1226). Must be returned with itemized deductions within 45 days of move-out
• Warranty of habitability: Va. Code §55.1-1220 requires landlords to maintain habitable conditions, including working plumbing and heating, and to comply with applicable building and housing codes
• Retaliatory eviction is illegal under Va. Code §55.1-1258 — landlords cannot raise rent, cut services, threaten eviction, or terminate month-to-month tenancies in retaliation for tenant complaints to government agencies or VRLTA enforcement
• Self-help eviction is illegal: Va. Code §55.1-1243 prohibits lockouts, utility shutoffs, and removal of belongings. The landlord must use the General District Court unlawful detainer process
• Fair housing: Virginia Fair Housing Law protects more classes than federal law — including source of funds, military status, sexual orientation, and gender identity

For free legal help: Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia (LASEVA) represents low-income tenants in Hampton Roads. Virginia Poverty Law Center provides statewide policy and individual case support. For state-level details, see our Virginia housing resources. If you experience discrimination, see how to file a housing discrimination complaint.

Other Housing Programs in Virginia Beach

• Public housing: Unlike many cities, Virginia Beach does not have a large public housing portfolio — the DHNP focuses on vouchers, rehab, and homeownership programs
• LIHTC (Tax Credit): Virginia Beach has LIHTC inventory across the city. Search HUD's LIHTC database for properties in Virginia Beach. See how to find LIHTC housing
• Virginia Beach Workforce Housing — local programs to support workforce-priced rental and homeownership
• HUD-VASH (veterans): combines a voucher with VA case management. Hampton Roads-area veterans are referred through the Hampton VA Medical Center. See how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Rapid Rehousing & Permanent Supportive Housing — coordinated through the Hampton Roads CoC. Access via the Regional Housing Crisis Hotline (757) 227-5932
• Virginia Housing (state) programs — first-time homebuyer assistance, Down Payment Assistance Grant, Mortgage Credit Certificate, and statewide rental development. virginiahousing.com
• HUD-approved housing counseling: find a counselor through the HUD counselor locator — Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia (HOME) and the Tidewater Mediation Foundation cover Hampton Roads

Next Steps

Not sure which program is right for you? Our Where to Start tool asks a few quick questions about your situation — emergency vs. long-term, family vs. individual, employed vs. on benefits — and routes you to the right combination of programs. It takes about two minutes.

Your strongest first call in Virginia Beach is the Regional Housing Crisis Hotline at (757) 227-5932 — they route you to shelter, rent help, and eviction prevention across Hampton Roads. If a landlord told you "no Section 8," file a Virginia Fair Housing Office complaint — Virginia HB 6 (2020) makes that refusal illegal statewide. If you got a court summons for eviction, contact Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia immediately.