ACTION ALERT

Housing Funds Needed for Domestic Violence Survivors


March 19, 1999

The Issue:

Your immediate help on this issue is important for survivors of domestic violence who may face
homelessness. As you may be aware, hundreds of battered women every year flee abusive
situations with few financial resources. They find temporary safety at a battered women’s shelter,
but they ultimately must move themselves and their children into long-term housing.  Studies
show that at least half of all homeless women and children are fleeing abuse and 50% of the
women receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) cite domestic violence as a
factor in their need for funds. Their problems are complicated by the lack of low-cost housing.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) is introducing a bill to provide housing assistance for survivors of
domestic violence, entitled the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Victims’ Housing Act.
She will try to move this legislation by amending it to H.R. 1073, the Homeless Housing
Programs Consolidation and Flexibility Act, sponsored by Rep. Rick Lazio (R-NY), chair of the
House Subcommittee Housing and Community Opportunity.

Rep. Schakowsky’s legislative proposal authorizes $50 million in FY00 and necessary funds for
FY01-FY04, for housing assistance in the form of supportive housing, tenant-based rental
assistance, financial assistance for security deposit, first month’s rent, or ongoing rental
assistance for survivors of domestic violence, stalking or adult or child sexual abuse. This
assistance may be funded through a competitive grant to non-profits with 25% matching funds or
in a block grant to state and local governments. Five percent of these funds might be set aside
for Native American nations.

Time is very short. Either the full House Banking and Financial Services Committee or the
housing subcommittee may be considering H.R. 1073, as early as Tuesday, March 23rd. Rep.
Schakowsky will offer her domestic violence housing bill as an amendment and your help to
build support among committee members is urgently needed.  We especially need to stress that
members should not shift any funds from existing programs for the homeless to this new program
for domestic violence survivors. Rather,  new sources of funding should be found for domestic
violence survivors’ housing. The $50 million being requested is a modest amount, but it’s at least
a beginning and, hopefully, we can add to it in following years.
 

Who to Contact:

Please call the committee members listed here, even if you are not a constituent in their district,
but, of course, we need to have constituents call as well.  On the Republican side, members are
Rick Lazio (NY), Bob Ney (OH), Mark Green (WI), Doug Bereuter (NE), Richard Baker (LA),
Tom Campbell (CA), Bob Barr (GA), Sue Kelly (NY), Rick Hill (MT), Walter Jones Jr. (NC),
Doug Ose (CA), John Sweeney (NY), Lee Terry (NE), Jack Metcalf (WA), Marge Roukema
(NJ), Peter King (NY), Judy Biggert (IL), Bill McCollum (FL), Michael Castle (DE) and Donald
Manzullo (IL). On the Democratic side, please call Nydia Velasquez (NY), John Maloney (CT),
Virgil Goode (VA), Darlene Hooley (OR), Julia Carson (IN), Robert Weygand (RI), Bruce Vento
(MN), Barbara Lee (CA), Stephanie Tubbs Jones (OH), Michael Capuano (MA) and Barney
Frank (MA), ranking member.

The main number for the Congress is (202) 225-3121; just ask for the member’s office and the
operator will connect you.  If you wish further information such as fax numbers or email
addresses, please consult the Website for Congress at  http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ .
 
 

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