4.1.1 Violence Against Women Act

Title VI of VAWA sets out certain protections for tenants in most federally subsidized housing programs.1  VAWA was reauthorized in 2022.2  Covered programs include:

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

  • Public housing3
  • Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program4
  • Section 8 project-based housing5
  • Section 202 housing for the elderly6
  • Section 811 housing for people with disabilities7
  • Section 236 multifamily rental housing8
  • Section 221(d)(3) Below Market Interest Rate (BMIR) housing9
  • HOME Investment Partnership Program10
  • Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)11
  • McKinney-Vento Act homelessness programs (including Continuum of Care Permanent Supportive Housing)12

Department of Agriculture

  • Section 515 Rural Rental Housing13
  • Sections 514 and 516 Farm Labor Housing14
  • Section 533 Housing Preservation Grants15
  • Section 538 multifamily rental housing16

Department of Treasury

  • Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)17

​​​​​It does not cover the Rural Housing Voucher Program under § 542 of the Housing Act of 1949.18  It also does not cover private market housing without any type of rental subsidy (though the Louisiana Violence Against Women Act may cover certain private market tenants).19  For VAWA, protected tenants must be victims of actual or threatened domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking, or an immediate family member of the victim. PHAs must inform tenants and owners of their rights and obligations under VAWA.20

  • 134 U.S.C. § 12491.
  • 2S. 3623, 117th Cong. (2022) (enacted).
  • 334 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(H) (referencing 42 U.S.C. § 1437d).
  • 434 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(H) (referencing 42 U.S.C. § 1437f).
  • 5Id.
  • 634 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(A) (referencing 12 U.S.C. § 1701q).
  • 734 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(B) (referencing 42 U.S.C. § 8013).
  • 834 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(G) (referencing 12 U.S.C. § 1715z–1).
  • 934 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(F) (referencing 12 U.S.C. §17151(d)).
  • 1034 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(E) (referencing 42 U.S.C. § 12741, et seq.).
  • 1134 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(C) (referencing 42 U.S.C. § 12901, et seq.).
  • 1234 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(D) (referencing 42 U.S.C. § 11360, et seq.).
  • 1334 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(I) (referencing 42 U.S.C. § 1485).
  • 1434 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(I) (referencing 42 U.S.C. §§ 1484, 1486).
  • 1534 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(I) (referencing 42 U.S.C. § 1490m).
  • 1634 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(I) (referencing 42 U.S.C. § 1490p-2).
  • 1734 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)(J) (referencing 26 U.S.C. § 42).
  • 1842 U.S.C. § 1490r.
  • 19For additional information regarding protections under Louisiana law, see Section 1.7 of this manual's chapter on landlord-tenant law.
  • 2042 U.S.C. §§ 1437d(u)(2)(B), 1437f(ee)(2)(B).

Disclaimer: The articles in the Gillis Long Desk Manual do not contain any legal advice.