VAWA 2013

Federal laws and policies have a significant impact on survivors' access to housing, and address topics including housing discrimination, emergency transfers, public housing, homelessness prevention, and more. This page provides links to the Violence Against Women Act, McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the HEARTH Act, and other relevant provisions in the law.

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Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013

On March 7, 2013, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA 2013) was signed into law. The law significantly expands housing protections to HUD programs beyond HUD’s public housing program and HUD’s tenant-based and project based Section 8 programs (collectively, the Section 8 programs) that were covered by the 2005 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA 2005). Additionally, the 2013 law provides enhanced protections and options for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. HUD modified its administrative practices to incorporate the core protections, but the more expansive protections required a change in regulation.

Read definitions of terms under VAWA here.

Find VAWA’s provisions related to housing protections for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking here.

Read VAWA’s confidentiality provisions here.

Find the language establishing and outlining VAWA’s Transitional Housing Assistance Grants Program here.

Final Rule - Conforming STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program Regulations to Statutory Change; Definitions and Confidentiality Requirements Applicable to All OVW Grant Programs

2016
U.S. Department of Justice

This final rule, published by the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women, updates the regulations covering the STOP Grant Program and general provisions governing OVW grant programs, including definitions and requirements for nondisclosure of confidential information about victims as outline in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

HUD Final Rule - Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013: Implementation in HUD Housing Programs

2016
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

This final HUD regulation implements the requirements of the 2013 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which applies for all victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, regardless of sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation, and which must be applied consistent with all nondiscrimination and fair housing requirements. Specifically, this rule amends HUD’s generally applicable regulations, HUD’s regulations for the public housing and Section 8 programs that already pertain to VAWA, and the regulations of programs newly covered by VAWA 2013. The effective date of the Final Rule is December 16, 2016. Compliance with the rule with respect to completing an emergency transfer plan and providing emergency transfers, and associated recordkeeping and reporting requirements, is required no later than May 15, 2017. Note that the Appendix to the rule includes key forms, a model emergency transfer plan, and a notice of occupancy rights under VAWA.

Collection of HUD VAWA Forms

2017
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

This site houses HUD VAWA Forms 5 through 5974, including the VAWA notice of occupancy rights, VAWA self-certification form, model emergency transfer plan, and emergency transfer request form. Many of the forms are also available in additional languages, including Spanish, Armenian, Cambodian, Creole, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Chinese, Russian, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Notice - The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005: Applicability to HUD Programs

2007
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

This notice addresses inquiries to HUD about the applicability to HUD programs of certain provisions of the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005, as amended by a technical corrections bill signed into law in August 2006, and HUD’s plans to issue rules or guidance on this law.

Notice - VAWA Guidance for Multifamily Owners and Management Agents

2017
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

This HUD notice provides guidance to owners and management agents (O/As) of HUD multifamily assisted housing on the requirements of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013: Implementation in HUD Housing Programs, Final Rule, published in the Federal Register on November 16, 2016, (81 Fed. Reg. 80724
(November 16, 2016)) (VAWA Final Rule). This notice does not encompass every aspect of the VAWA Final Rule and should be used in conjunction with the VAWA Final Rule. This notice supersedes Housing Notices H 2010-23 and H 2009-15. 

Housing Rights of Domestic Violence Survivors: A State and Local Law Compendium

2018
National Housing Law Project

Compendium of state and local laws that affect domestic violence survivors’ housing rights. Designed to serve as a starting point for advocates as to housing protections that their state and local laws may offer domestic violence survivors. Updated with state and local laws enacted as of December 2017.

A Collaborative Approach to Housing Under the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization of 2013

2014
Katherine Walz
Monica McLaughlin

The 2013 reauthorization of VAWA gives legal aid providers, domestic violence and sexual assault victim advocates, and housing providers subject to the law the opportunity to advance a collaborative approach to VAWA implementation. Through additional policies, the collaborative approach can build upon VAWA's statutory framework and enhance survivor safety. Such an approach will ultimately improve the safety and security for survivors, improve housing provider practices as they relate to survivors of violence, improve communications between advocates and housing providers, and overall improve safety at properties.

Model Emergency Transfer Plan

2015
Katherine Walz

VAWA 2013 and 24 C.F.R. § 5.2005(e) establishes that victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking may be entitled to an emergency transfer pursuant to each covered housing provider’s emergency transfer plan. All covered housing providers, regardless of size, are subject to the ETP requirements, including providers of Housing Choice Vouchers. Under this provision, each covered housing provider shall have adopted and implemented an Emergency Transfer Plan (“ETP”) based upon HUD’s model ETP. Plans must be adopted by June 14, 2017.

Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act and California Early Lease Termination and Lock Change Laws: Information and Checklist for RAD Owners and Management Agents

National Housing Law Project

The Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”) protects victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking (“VAWA Crimes”) from discrimination in accessing and maintaining federally assisted housing because of the violence committed against them. California laws require housing providers to provide early lease terminations and lock changes for victims in certain situations. This checklist outlines the basic obligations of RAD owners and their management agents under VAWA and California laws.

San Francisco RAD Emergency Referral Policy

National Housing Law Project

Under certain emergency circumstances, RAD participant households may need to move immediately to other assisted housing units to ensure their safety. This emergency referral policy is designed to be used when processing emergency referral requests from current RAD participant households who are requesting to move to another RAD unit outside of their current property.

California Tax Credit Allocation Committee LIHTC Owner/Management Agent Obligations: VAWA Reauthorization 2013

National Housing Law Project

The Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”) protects victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking (“VAWA Crimes”) from discrimination in accessing and maintaining federally assisted housing because of the violence committed against them. In 2013, Congress expanded VAWA’s housing protections by covering additional federal housing programs, including the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program (“LIHTC”).[1] This checklist outlines the obligations of LIHTC owners and their management agents (“O/As”) under VAWA.

California Tax Credit Allocation Committee LIHTC Lease Addendum: VAWA Reauthorization 2013

National Housing Law Project

Modeled after HUD multifamily VAWA lease addendum - Form 91067, this sample lease addendum is intended to serve as an example for amending a lease in California to reflect a property's participation in federally funded program(s) that mandate the protections of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Lease Addendum: VAWA Reauthorization 2013

National Housing Law Project

Modeled after HUD multifamily VAWA lease addendum - Form 91067, this sample lease addendum is intended to serve as an example for amending a lease to reflect the property's participation in federally funded program(s) that mandate the protections of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013.