RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — According to an analysis of court case data by the RVA Eviction Lab, eviction filings and judgements throughout Virginia have increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When compared to the fourth quarter in previous years, eviction filings are at their peak and have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, reaching 41,722 filings,” the report reads.
Eviction filings throughout the state have reportedly increased by 15.6% between the third quarter of 2023 and the fourth quarter of 2023, while eviction judgements decreased by 18.3%.
According to the report, Arlington and Fairfax County have experienced the largest marginal increase in eviction filings, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
Eviction judgements have surpassed pre-pandemic levels by the biggest margins in Alexandria and Arlington.
In regard to rent increases, the U.S. Census Pulse Survey indicates that 61% of renters surveyed in Virginia saw an increase in rent in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to the report.
In Richmond, specifically, there were 3,138 filings for eviction and 1,267 eviction judgements in the third quarter of 2023. Eviction filings in the city increased by 25% into the fourth quarter, and eviction judgments decreased by 13%.
The report states that renters in the 23225 zip code in Richmond had the most eviction filings in the city in the third and fourth quarters of 2023.
