Survivor Coordinated Access System

• Cannot be denied admission to or assistance under a HUD-subsidized or assisted unit or program because of the VAWA violence/abuse committed against them.
• Cannot be evicted from a HUD-subsidized unit nor have their assistance terminated because of the VAWA violence/abuse committed against them.
• Cannot be denied admission, evicted, or have their assistance terminated for reasons related to the VAWA violence/abuse, such as having an eviction record, criminal history, or bad credit history.
• Must have the option to stay in their HUD-subsidized housing, even if there has been criminal activity directly related to the VAWA violence/abuse.
• Can request an emergency transfer from the housing provider for safety reasons related to the VAWA violence/abuse committed against them.
• Must be allowed to move with continued assistance, if the survivor has a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher.
• Must be able to provide proof to the housing provider by self-certifying using the HUD VAWA Self-certification (Form HUD-5382), and not be required to provide more proof unless the housing provider has conflicting information about the violence/abuse.
• Must receive HUD’s Notice of VAWA Housing Rights (Form HUD-5380) and HUD’s VAWA Self-certification Form (Form HUD-5382) from the housing provider, when they are denied admission to a HUD-subsidized unit or HUD program, when they are admitted to a HUD-subsidized unit or HUD program, and when they receive a notice of eviction from a HUD-subsidized unit or notice of termination from a HUD program.
• Has a right to strict confidentiality of information regarding their status as a survivor.
• Can request a lease bifurcation from the owner or landlord to remove the perpetrator from the lease or unit, and if the housing provider bifurcates, it must be done consistent with applicable federal, state, or local laws and the requirements of the HUD housing program.
• Cannot be coerced, intimated, threatened, or retaliated against by HUD-subsidized housing providers for seeking or exercising VAWA protections.
• Has the right to seek law enforcement or emergency assistance for themselves or others without being penalized by local laws or policies for these requests or because they were victims of criminal activity.

VAWA’s housing protections, in part, are available to someone who has previously or is currently experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking. VAWA protects all survivors, regardless of whether they are married to, related to, or living with the perpetrator. It does not matter how long ago the survivor experienced the violence.

VAWA’s housing protections, in part, apply to a survivor who is applying for or living in shelter, transitional housing, or permanent housing that is subsidized by a federal homeless assistance program or a federal affordable housing program.

See below for a list of HUD programs covered by VAWA:

• Public Housing;
• Housing Choice Voucher;
• Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy (SRO);
• Section 202 Direct Loan;
• Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities;
• Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA);
• HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME);
• Emergency Solutions Grants;
• Continuum of Care;
• Section 221(d)(3)/(d)(5) Below-market Interest Rate (BMIR), Multifamily Rental Assistance;
• Section 236 Multifamily Assistance;
• Housing Trust Fund