Victims of domestic violence are often victimized twice – they must face mental, physical, and emotional cruelty at the hands of an abuser, only then to be followed by eviction from housing or homelessness as a result of fleeing.  According to a new study by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness in the nation!

Recently, courts around country have been utilizing federal and state Fair Housing laws to help victims of domestic violence obtain and preserve their housing by linking this crisis to gender discrimination.

This webpage provides consumers, advocates and housing providers with information on what legal protections exist for victims of domestic violence and what we can do to help ensure that victims are able to have a safe home for themselves and for their families

FHRC Resources
    No Shelter for Family In Need - Philadelphia Inquirer

    Complaint Alleges Discrimination Against Domestic Violence Victim

    Fact Sheet: Domestic Violence and Fair Housing
    Newsletter XXVII - Housing Discrimination and Domestic Violence
    Highlight XV: Victimized Twice: Abused Women and Housing Discrimination
    Highlight XXX: Federal Rules Protecting Abused Women from Evictions

Women's Rights Project: ACLU

    Private Housing Provider Won't Evict Domestic Violence Victims

    Fair Housing for Battered Women: Preventing Homelessness Through Civil Rights Laws

    Housing Discrimination and Domestic Violence
    Domestic Violence and Homelessness
    The Rights of Domestic Violence Survivors in Public and Subsidized Housing
    ACLU Fights Evictions of Domestic Abuse in Michigan
    New Federal Law Forbids Domestic Violence Discrimination in Public Housing

National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
    Impact of Violence Against Women Act 2005 (VAWA) on the Housing Rights and Options of 

         Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Abuse
    Lost Housing, Lost Safety: Survivors of Domestic Violence Experience Denials of Housing and

           Evictions Across the Country
    Early Lease Termination by Battered Tenants
    State Housing Laws and Legislation to Ensure Housing Rights for Survivors of Violence against

           Women

Additional Resources
    Housing Checklist for Domestic Violence Victims

    Domestic Violence and Public and Subsidized Housing: Addressing the Needs of Battered

           Tenants Through Local Housing Policy