This story was reported and written by our media partner the Virginia Mercury.
A new settlement with Hampton Roads landlord David Merryman — who is currently serving a 17-year sentence for defrauding the federal government — means several of his former tenants will receive a piece of $2.5 million in financial compensation over the next year.
Merryman must sell his Virginia properties, numbering over 60, and can never operate as a landlord in the state again, Attorney General Jay Jones reiterated at a roundtable discussion with some of Merryman’s former tenants Wednesday in Hampton.
The settlement money can help Lorraine Patterson-Davidson and her daughter Edwina Patterson recoup some of the financial damages caused by Merryman that resulted in their displacement, the women said.
But it can’t heal emotional wounds or recover priceless family heirlooms that were lost in the process.
“There is no money that can compensate for a Bible that’s over 100 years old,” Patterson-Davidson said. “Nothing can replace that.”
The lost bible was just one of the problems the women encountered during their tenancy with Merryman. They also dealt with maintenance issues the landlord neglected; the family ended up paying for them on their own, which triggered financial setbacks.
The women said they faced multiple eviction filings and numerous occasions of racial or sexual harassment from Merryman.
Patterson, who works at Newport News ship-building, recalled sleeping in her car at times. Patterson-Davidson, a widowed military-spouse with seven other children, has had to stay with her adult kids or in hotels due to the unfair housing conditions imposed by Merryman.
The multimillion dollar settlement is the largest fair housing case payout to victims in the state’s history, Jones said at the roundtable on Wednesday.
Whether a tenant wins or loses an eviction proceeding, such records can make it challenging for people to have rental applications accepted elsewhere.
A provision of the settlement requires eviction filings against Merryman’s former residents be scrubbed. That may allow Patterson to finally be eligible for a new apartment or rental home, she said.
Her mother is afraid to rent ever again and hopes she will be able to buy a home.
Tenants describe landlord’s pattern of abuse, retaliation
The case against Merryman was first filed by former Attorney General Mark Herring in 2021 and concluded by Jones.
State courts have found that Merryman tried to evict renters like Patterson who requested repairs to their units and levied racist and sexist slurs at his predominantly Black women tenants.
“My son was afraid he was going to rape me,” Patterson said, adding that Merryman would come to her home unannounced.
“He had pictures of her body parts,” her mother said, recalling Merryman knocking on her door early one morning with no shirt on.
While the family navigates housing and financial recovery, Patterson-Davidson noted the emotional damage they are healing from.
“I’m not sure I’m the same person. But (the Bible) says ‘be angry and sin not,” she said.
Also present at the meeting with Jones was Yugonda Sample-Jones, whose experience “ignited a fire” within her for fair housing advocacy.
She described how she defended her family through tenant assertions in court, a process allowing tenants to pay their rent into escrow rather than to the landlord until maintenance issues are resolved.
Sample-Jones began educating other Merryman tenants about this tool whenever she encountered them.
The settlement is “a long time coming,” Sample-Jones said.
“We don’t have to deal with him anymore,” she said. “I’m going to stop crying (over) this fool.”
Helen Hardiman, a civil rights attorney in Jones’ office, said the first portion of Merryman’s settlement payment is expected to go out to former tenants within the next month.
From there he has to sell all his Virginia properties within a year, with proceeds from that fueling the rest of the settlement.
“Anyone who was a witness in this case is squarely on our list,” she said of ensuring payments are made and relevant eviction proceedings are remedied.
Jones’ office will work to connect with others who’ve been harmed by Merryman who have yet to be identified.
Jones framed the case as an example of law and order defending fair housing rights.
“I know that you’ve been through a lot,” Jones told the women. “But I hope what you can take away from today is this idea that you did win and you have set an example for people all across Virginia.”
