The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released guidance regarding implementation of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) for HUD Multifamily owners and management agents. The guidance is very similar to the HUD’s guidance for the Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs, summarized here.
In addition, this guidance specifies that VAWA protections apply to all owners and managers in the following HUD Multifamily programs: Project Based Section 8, Section 202, Section 811, Section 236 and Section 221(d)(3) and (d)(5).
In addition to the requirements in the the Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs the guidance states that VAWA protections apply to all applicants and tenants in these programs, which means that all applicants and tenants must receive notice of their rights under VAWA. The guidance also allows owners and managers in Multifamily programs to establish a waiting list preference for victims of dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, in addition to domestic violence. (HUD Notice H 2017-05, June 30, 2017.)