The agreement, which would reauthorize the bill until 2026, includes key housing provisions. Here’s what you need to know.
This month, a bipartisan group of Senators led by Democrats Dick Durbin and Dianne Feinstein and Republicans Joni Ernst and Lisa Murkowski reached an agreement to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Housing provisions were first incorporated into the bill as part of the 2006 authorization and ensure victims are not denied housing based on incidents of domestic violence. The law also allows for the removal of a perpetrator without evicting the survivor and their family in federally-assisted properties.
NAA and our industry partners worked tirelessly to ensure that Congress weighed any proposed expansion of VAWA’s housing protections in the 2022 reauthorization bill with the current needs of survivors, rental communities, and housing providers. We must preserve high-quality, affordable and safe homes for survivors while considering the operational consequences that would impact effective management of rental communities. The Violence Against Women Act of 2022 also continues funding for transitional housing grants for victims of domestic violence, and establishes a Violence Prevention Office at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Additionally, the bill gives HUD more power to review compliance by housing providers who participate in HUD-housing programs and are required to comply with VAWA. Together, these actions help to address the long-term stability of survivors and greatly reduce their risk of homelessness.
If passed the bill would be re-authorized until 2026.