Protecting Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence during COVID-19: A Q&A for Housing Providers

The National Alliance for Safe Housing (NASH) and the National Housing Law Project (NHLP) have updated this Q&A for housing providers working with survivors during the pandemic. The resource details housing providers’ ongoing obligations to adhere to laws that provide housing protections for survivors, including the Violence Against Women Act, fair housing laws, and state/local landlord-tenant laws. It also discusses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) temporary eviction moratorium. The Q&A clarifies that landlords can still evict perpetrators from units during COVID-19 for committing violence against other household members. The Q&A further provides advice on how housing providers can safely collect documentation from survivors as well as protect the confidentiality and privacy of survivor-tenants. Additionally, the resource provides guidance to providers on what to do when tenants are falling behind on rent during the pandemic.