J. Walter Tejada, Virginia director for the League of United Latin American Citizens, a national advocacy group, spoke out against Senate Bill 925, according to the Washington Post. The Bill would "give county code enforcers new authority to go after people whose homes have been turned into virtual hotels. But some civic leaders characterized it as a misplaced, hostile response to those struggling to pay for shelter in a county where the average rent for a three-bedroom apartment is $1,181 a month."
Tejada declared that "The last thing we want on the books are laws that seem to be aimed at some of the less advantaged members of our community." Tejada and other activists said communities neede to "add housing that new residents can afford, not laws that penalize them for trying to survive. Tejada added that in the Latino community, "allowing someone to go homeless is simply not acceptable. It's not part of the culture."
