The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has updated the Notice of Occupancy Rights (Form 5380) and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Certification of Domestic Violence (Form 5382). The forms now expire on January 31, 2028.
Background
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a federal law that was enacted in 1994 to address the prevention of and prosecution for violence against women. Since its inception, the law aims to provide protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking “to help keep them safe and reduce their likelihood of experiencing homelessness.” The law provides protections such as legal remedies, support services and funding for additional assistance programs.
Updated Forms
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has been reauthorized by Congress several times, most recently in 2022 under the Biden administration. Housing provisions were first introduced in the 2005 reauthorization to ensure victims were not denied housing based on incidents of domestic violence. The protections under VAWA cover those “applying for or living in a shelter, transitional housing, or permanent housing that is subsidized by a federal homeless assistance program or federal affordable housing program.” Visit the HUD website for a list of covered HUD programs.
The new forms can be found here:
Author’s Note to NAA Click & Lease Users: The updated VAWA forms will be available to NAA Click & Lease users on March 12, 2025.
Briana Anderson is a Legal Affairs Paralegal for NAA.