On 30th Anniversary of VAWA, Biden-Harris Administration Issues Interagency Statement to Affirm Housing Protections
Today, on the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), five federal agencies issued a new interagency statement to affirm VAWA’s housing protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking as well as other individuals, such as those who assist survivors.
The statement was part of a broad announcement by the White House of new actions to strengthen the commitment to end gender-based violence, which is a leading cause of homelessness for families with children. VAWA, which President Biden wrote and championed as a U.S. senator, was the first comprehensive federal law to focus on preventing and addressing violence against women and to provide justice and support for survivors.
The new statement (signed by the departments of Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs) underscores survivors’ housing rights under VAWA, identifies potential housing scenarios that highlight the need for VAWA’s housing protections, and reaffirms the agencies’ commitment to enforcing VAWA’s expanded housing protections in a manner consistent with each agencies’ authorities.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development also announced the establishment of the Office on Gender-Based Violence, as directed by the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022, which is located in the Office of the Secretary and coordinates and implements policies and programs to address the safe housing and economic stability needs of survivors.
Read the interagency statement.
Additionally, today, DOJ announced more than $40 million in grants to support programs that provide six to 24 months of transitional housing support for survivors who are homeless or in need of transitional housing and other housing assistance as a result of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking.