housing protections for dv survivors

Published: January, 2015| Renee Williams, Catherine Bishop

Last year, President Obama signed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 into law. The law continues many of the housing protections that had been provided by VAWA 2005 and further expands these safeguards in several crucial ways. For example, the protections extend to more federally subsidized housing programs, cover survivors of sexual assault, mandate emergency transfer plans, and require that housing providers notify applicants and tenants of their VAWA housing rights. This webinar discusses these protections. The presentation also provides an overview of the emerging issue of local nuisance ordinances being enforced against survivors, including the recent Norristown settlement. This discussion of nuisance ordinances features an overview of fair housing protections for survivors. The discussion also addresses strategies for advocates in interactions with landlords who may not understand or respond to survivor needs.