Advocates are encountering courts that believe the housing protections under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) lapsed because of Congress’s failure to reauthorize VAWA in 2018.

VAWA’s housing protections do not have sunset provisions and, therefore, did not expire. 

VAWA housing protections   are still in force . This includes the VAWA 2013 housing statute (34 U.S.C. 12491) as well as the implementing regulations and administrative notices by HUD ( 81 Fed. Reg. 80,724 (Nov. 16, 2016) ; PIH 2017-08 (HA) ; H 2017-05 ) and USDA Rural Development ( RD AN No. 4814 (1944-N) ) .

Advocates can use this template letter to inform courts that VAWA's housing provisions remain in effect.

For more information, or to request trainings or technical assistance, please contact Karlo Ng at kng@nhlp.org.

For additional resources, visit our Protections for Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence Page .