Housing Protections for Survivors of Domestic Violence in Rental Housing
January 14, 2014
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM (Central Time)
Presenters: Renee Williams, Staff Attorney, National Housing Law Project and Catherine Bishop, Senior Attorney, National Housing Law Project.
Description: Last year, President Obama signed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 into law. The law continues many of the housing protections that had been provided by VAWA 2005 and further expands these safeguards in several crucial ways. For example, the protections extend to more federally subsidized housing programs, cover survivors of sexual assault, mandate emergency transfer plans, and require that housing providers notify applicants and tenants of their VAWA housing rights. The webinar will discuss these protections. The presentation will also provide an overview of the emerging issue of local nuisance ordinances being enforced against survivors, including the recent Norristown settlement. This discussion of nuisance ordinances will also feature an overview of fair housing protections for survivors. Finally, the webinar will address strategies for advocates in interactions with landlords who may not understand or respond to survivor needs. Attendees will be able to ask questions of the presenters.