For Immediate Release: January 12, 2026
Contact: Francisco Lopez, 804-661-2171, flopez@grand-cyan-rabbit.67-208-42-13.cpanel.site.
What: Virginia Organizing members and Petersburg residents will gather outside of Petersburg courthouse to address housing issues during eviction court proceedings
When: Wednesday, January 14 at 10 a.m.
Where: Petersburg General District Court, 35 E Tabb St, Petersburg, VA 23803
Petersburg, Va. – Virginia Organizing members and Petersburg residents will gather today, January 9 at 10 a.m at the Petersburg General District Court to address issues with unsafe housing conditions and to advocate for tenant rights. The group will gather outside of the courthouse specifically during eviction court proceedings to underscore the need for better judicial treatment of eviction cases and more congenial treatment during the judicial process.
Petersburg tenants have recently expressed concerns about uninhabitable rental conditions, including presence of mold, retaliation in reporting problems, landlord refusal to make repairs, wrongful evictions and detainers, and lack of judicial accountability for landlords. Tenants have also expressed issues with obtaining affordable representation for eviction proceedings, due to high legal fees or disqualification for pro bono representation.
“I moved to Petersburg from Chester to save money and create stability for myself and my son, and instead we walked into a life-threatening situation,” said Sharrell Coleman. “Living at [our apartment complex] exposed us to mold and unsafe conditions that made us sick and afraid in our own home.”
Residents are seeking justice and accountability as they demonstrate their concerns at the action.
“What hurts most is not just the conditions, but the complete lack of care—by [our landlord], by the systems meant to protect tenants, and by officials we reached out to for help. When you realize the place you can afford is slowly harming you, and no one steps in, it feels like your life doesn’t matter. No family should have to choose between affordable housing and their health. These apartments felt like a death house, and it’s devastating to see other tenants still going through what we survived,” said Coleman.
For more information or to interview a spokesperson before or after the meeting, please contact Francisco Lopez at 804-661-2171 or flopez@grand-cyan-rabbit.67-208-42-13.cpanel.site.
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Virginia Organizing is a non-partisan statewide grassroots organization that brings people together to create a more just Virginia.
