“A bill to provide protection for survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, and sex trafficking under the Fair Housing Act.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section states 11 congressional findings on the prevalence and impacts of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, dating violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence, including that such violence affects more than 10 million people annually and costs employers up to $8.3 billion yearly; that 90% of homeless women have experienced severe physical or sexual violence; and that survivors face heightened risks of homelessness, housing discrimination, and eviction.
This section establishes "survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, or severe forms of trafficking in persons" (including those perceived as survivors) as a protected class under the Fair Housing Act by (1) adding definitions in section 802 cross-referencing the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (dating violence, stalking, threats) and Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (severe forms of trafficking in persons, coercion); (2) prohibiting discrimination based on this status in sections 804 (sale/rental), 805 (real estate transactions), and 806 (brokers); (3) authorizing federal, state, and local assistance programs for such survivors in new section 807(c); and (4) including the status in exemptions under section 808(e)(6). The section further amends Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 to expand intimidation protections to include coercion against such survivors and adds cross-referenced definitions in new section 902. Nothing in the amendments limits survivors' ability to pursue other Fair Housing Act claims (e.g., sex discrimination, gender stereotyping). (As background, the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or handicap; thus, this expands protections for vulnerable populations facing heightened housing barriers.)