Hampton Roads (Still) Has an Eviction Problem.

Hampton Roads (Still) Has an Eviction Problem.

Here’s a look at the latest rental numbers as well as new eviction data. The total average asking rent across all units was $1,796 in November. That’s down slightly from $1,812 in October. Because we sample thousands of listings each month, we’ve made some changes to separate out 3 bedroom from 4+ bedroom rents.

Total Average All Units:  $1,796 / month
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The average rent per month for each unit type:

Studio: $1,416
1 bedroom: $1,534
2 bedrooms: $1,756
3 bedrooms: $2,115
4+ bedrooms: $2,608

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New Eviction Data

There’s new data out from the RVA Eviction Lab and UVA’s Equity Center. Here’s a look at evictions in the region based on filings in Virginia’s General District Courts from January 2018 to September 2023. Eviction Judgements are "the total number of cases filed by the plaintiff that ended in a judgment of eviction (a judgment for the plaintiff)."

Top 10 Evictors in Hampton Roads

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Who's #1?

According to UVA and VCU, The Breeden Company takes the top prize with 2,258 eviction judgements between 2018 and 2023. Breeden owns properties around Hampton Roads including the new Lofts at Front Street, in Norfolk; Aqua on 25th, in Virginia Beach; and the new Pinnacle on 31st Street in Virginia Beach.

But the picture is actually a bit more complicated. Northampton Village, in Hampton, and Cloverleaf Apartments, in Chesapeake, round out second and third place. On paper they look like separate companies but if you’ve been following CityWork long enough you know how excited we get when we see ‘LLC’!

A comment on a LinkedIn post from a broker bragging about a multifamily sale tipped us off that actually Northampton and Cloverleaf are owned by the same company: Weinstein Properties, a real estate company with tens of thousands of apartments across the South. Combined, Weinstein had 2,646 eviction judgements between 2018 and 2023. That makes Weinstein the region's top evictor.

What about the Virginia Beach Community Development Corporation?

One surprise in the data is the Virginia Beach Community Development Corporation. According to the UVA/VCU data, the Virginia Beach CDC, a non-profit dedicated to housing assistance, filed for 1,647 evictions and received 878 eviction judgements. That puts the Virginia Beach CDC as the 7th largest evictor in the region and the 2nd largest evictor in Virginia Beach, after the Breeden Company.

Hampton Roads Rankings

Newport News leads the region with 28,638 evictions between January 2018 and September 2023

Across the State

Six of the top ten evicting cities in Virginia are in Hampton Roads. Click on the image to zoom in

Eviction Data: UVA Equity Center/VCU Eviction Lab, 2023, https://virginiaequitycenter.shinyapps.io/va-evictors-catalog/

2023 was a big year for us.

Thank you to everyone who has supported CityWork over the year. Whether you shared this report with friends and colleagues, or used this data to advance your mission, you have helped us provide Hampton Roads with valuable research on rent, climate change, evictions, gun violence, and more. A special thanks to those who have supported us financially, without you CityWork wouldn't exist. We'll be back in 2024 with more research.

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