- State Data Overview
Across West Virginia, there is a shortage of rental homes affordable and available to extremely low income households (ELI), whose incomes are at or below the poverty guideline or 30% of their area median income (AMI). Many of these households are severely cost burdened, spending more than half of their income on housing. Severely cost burdened poor households are more likely than other renters to sacrifice other necessities like healthy food and healthcare to pay the rent, and to experience unstable housing situations like evictions.
KeyFacts63,376Or32%Renter households that are extremely low income$25,100Maximum income for 4-person extremely low income household (state level)-24,297Shortage of rental homes affordable and available for extremely low income renters$31,135Annual household income needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home at HUD's Fair Market Rent.65%Percent of extremely low income renter households with severe cost burden - State Level PartnersState Partners
West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness
P.O. Box 4697
Bridgeport, WV 26330
Zach Brown, Executive Director
Lauren Frederick, Policy Development Officer
Become an NLIHC State Partner
NLIHC’s affiliation with our state coalition partners is central to our advocacy efforts. Although our partners' involvement varies, they are all housing and homeless advocacy organizations engaged at the state and federal level. Many are traditional coalitions with a range of members; others are local organizations that serve more informally as NLIHC's point of contact.
Inquire about becoming a state partner by contacting [email protected]
- Housing Trust FundHTF Implementation Information
NLIHC continues working with leaders in each state and the District of Columbia who will mobilize advocates in support of HTF allocation plans that benefit ELI renters to the greatest extent possible. Please contact the point person coordinating with NLIHC in your state (below) to find out about the public participation process and how you can be involved. Email Kyle Arbuckle with any questions.
Current Year HTF Allocation$3,000,000
HTF State Resources2019
Annual Action Plan with HTF Allocation Plan on page 116 (PDF)
2018
2018 HOME and HTF Rental Housing Program Guidelines (PDF)
Draft 2018 Annual Action Plan, with Draft HTF Allocation Plan on pages 117-126 (PDF)
2017
HUD-approved 2017 HTF Allocation Plan (PDF)
2017 HTF and HOME Updates (PDF)
2017 HOME and HTF Rental Housing Program Guidelines (PDF)
Housing Conference PowerPoint Slides
2016
HUD Approved HTF Allocation Plan
HOME and HTF Rental Housing Program Guidelines 2017 (PDF)
Draft HTF Allocation Plan by West Virginia Housing Development Fund (PDF)
2016 Action Plan for West Virginia’s Consolidated Plan (PDF)
NLIHC Point Person for HTF AdvocacyZach Brown
Executive Director
West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness
State Designated Entity:Erica L. Boggess
Executive Director
West Virginia Housing Development Fund
Official Directly Involved with HTF Implementation:Cathy Colby
Senior Manager
State Entity Webpage
West Virginia Housing Development Fund
NHTF-specific page
- ResourcesResources
Housing Profiles
State Housing Profile
State Housing Profile: West Virginia (PDF)
Congressional District Housing Profile
Congressional District Profile: West Virginia (PDF)
Research and Data
National Housing Preservation Database
The National Housing Preservation Database is an address-level inventory of federally assisted rental housing in the United States.
Out of Reach: The High Cost of Housing
Out of Reach documents the gap between renters’ wages and the cost of rental housing. In West Virginia and Nationwide
The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Rental Homes
The Gap represents data on the affordable housing supply and housing cost burdens at the national, state, and metropolitan levels. In West Virginia and Nationwide
Other Links - Take Action
- COVID-19 ResourcesCOVID-19 Resources
Rental Assistance
NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet).
Many cities and states are establishing rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by COVID-19. This tracker links to news reports of various city, state and philanthropic rental assistance programs that are being established during the pandemic. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of rental assistance.
Shelter Closings
Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.
Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:
Advocates report that a domestic violence shelter in the southern part of the state closed and relocated clients.
State and Local News
Advocates in West Virginia believe that COVID-19 has brought communities together to address housing instability and homelessness. The West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness, an NLIHC state partner, has focused on meeting the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness amid the pandemic and on the longer-term solutions that have been in place long before COVID-19.
West Virginia will be awarded $7.1 million in Emergency Solutions Grants - Coronavirus (ESG-CV) to prepare and respond to COVID-19 among individuals experiencing homelessness. The city of Huntington will also receive $559,361 in ESG-CV funds.
Updated on June 12, 2020.
The West Virginia Community Action Partnership (WVCAP) received an additional $1,118,403 from the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs to spend on housing services for veterans. The funding will help WVCAP address the needs of veterans experiencing homelessness and help them to obtain permanent housing.
Across West Virginia, advocates are mobilizing to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness amid the pandemic. The West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness, an NLIHC state partner, has been leading efforts to ensure that shelters have the supplies needed to protect their residents and to keep people living in encampments safe. Advocates hope that the crisis will shine a light on the state’s homelessness crisis and encourage communities to pursue long-term solutions.
The West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness has partnered with the United Way of Marion and Taylor Counties to move people experiencing homelessness into homes during the pandemic.
The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia (ACLU-WV) is considering filing a lawsuit after the City of Wheeling cleared a homeless encampment. The ACLU-WV asked the city to stop dispersing encampments and develop housing options for those who have been displaced.
Eviction Update
Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.
In the third week of July, 1 in 5 adults in West Virginia reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, 36,554renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment.
Updated: July 29
Utility shut-offs resumed on July 1. According to a weekly survey by the Census, 29% of adults in the state either missed their last housing payment or have little/no confidence of being able to make next month’s housing payment.
Charleston A Charleston-based resource center for homeless individuals reported a 25% increase in their caseload since March, with many individuals and families facing homelessness for the first time.
June 5 Updated: July 16
COVID-19 Resources OtherNational Media
What to Know About Housing and Rent During the COVID-19 Emergency? https://tinyurl.com/y74ox85d
Arbor Realty Trust launched an innovative $2 million rental assistance program to help thousands of tenants and families significantly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Arbor is contributing $1 million to the program and participating borrowers will match Arbor's advances to its tenants in need to help fill the rent gap during the hard-hit months of May and June. Together, the partnership program will provide $2 million in relief. https://tinyurl.com/y9r6x9vb
