Violence Against Women Act

Under VAWA, survivors of abuse or violence who reside in or are applying for housing at a covered property have rights. They:

• Cannot be denied admission to or assistance because of the violence or abuse
• Cannot be evicted or have their assistance terminated because of the violence or abuse
• Cannot be denied admission for reasons related to the violence or abuse
• Must have the option to stay in their housing, even if there has been criminal activity directly related to the violence or abuse
• Can request an emergency transfer from the housing provider for safety reasons
• Must be allowed to move with continued assistance if they have a Housing Choice Voucher
• Must be able to self-certify about the abuse using a HUD Form, unless there is conflicting information
• Must receive HUD’s Notice of VAWA Housing Rights if they are denied admission, when they are admitted, and when they receive an eviction or notice of termination
• Has a right to confidentiality regarding their status as a survivor
• Can request a lease bifurcation from the owner of the property to remove the perpetrator of the violence or abuse from the lease
• Cannot be coerced, intimidated, threatened, or retaliated against by housing providers for seeking or exercising their protections under VAWA
• Has the right to seek police or emergency assistance for themselves or others without being penalized

If you need additional help, you can:

• Visit Help for Survivors
• Report housing discrimination
• See Minnesota Housing HOME-assisted and NHTF-assisted units

Property owners or managers must notify tenants of their rights and obligations under VAWA when:

• An application is denied
• A household is admitted
• A notice of eviction is given
• A notice of termination of tenancy is given

Additionally, they must:

• Provide an emergency transfer for a VAWA survivor. This means allowing tenants to move to another unit if they fear for their safety
• Bifurcate leases to evict or terminate the tenancy of the perpetrator of abuse or violence
  • A tenant cannot be penalized for requesting an emergency transfer or lease bifurcation
  • If the survivor is part of an eligible household, owners and managers must continue housing the survivor

Property owners and managers must not discriminate or retaliate against a survivor based on their status as a survivor or because they exercised any right under VAWA.

For VAWA forms, visit HUD's VAWA forms. 

Find samples of required documents, such as VAWA lease addendums and Emergency Transfer Plans, on Documents, Forms and Resources.