To: Roanoke City Council, Mayor Sherman Lea, and the Virginia General Assembly

From: Concerned residents of Roanoke, VA

The Problem

Rent in Roanoke has skyrocketed, leaving many of us struggling to keep up. Families, seniors, and hardworking residents are being priced out of their homes and neighborhoods. Wages haven’t risen at the same pace as housing costs — and people are being forced to choose between rent, groceries, or medicine.

It’s time for our city to protect the people who make Roanoke strong. We deserve fair housing laws that keep our community stable and livable for all.

What We’re Asking For

We, the residents of Roanoke, call on city and state leaders to take immediate action by passing laws that include:

A Temporary Rent Freeze — No rent increases for 12 months to give residents a chance to recover from inflation and instability.
A Rent Cap — Limit annual rent increases to 3–5%, or in line with inflation and local wage growth.
Landlord Accountability — Require landlords to justify any rent increase with proof of higher maintenance costs, taxes, or property improvements.

These protections would create fairness, prevent exploitation, and allow people to stay in their homes while still giving responsible landlords stability and predictability.

Why It Matters

We love our city — and we want to stay here. But if rent keeps rising unchecked, Roanoke will lose the very workers, artists, parents, and small business owners who make it vibrant.

Affordable housing isn’t a privilege — it’s a human right.

Sign this petition to demand that our leaders act now to keep Roanoke affordable for all.