Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Resources

If you reached this page because you are in danger because of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking, please call the Massachusetts Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-877-785-2020 or 911 if you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 2013 requires that HUD-funded programs provide certain protections to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking regardless of gender, residing in Permanent or Transitional Housing.  HUD has issued regulations at 24 CFR 5.2001 et seq. on implementing VAWA protections, which the Cambridge Continuum of Care (CoC) has used to devise and implement its own VAWA-compliant policies and procedures.  This page is intended to be a dynamic VAWA resource for service providers and other interested parties within the Cambridge Continuum CoC.

All HUD-funded service providers operating within the Cambridge CoC are responsible for understanding and implementing requirements within their own programs.  The information and resources listed below are intended to provide (1) high-level overview of both new requirements under the 2013 updates to VAWA as Cambridge CoC responses to these requirements and (2) a central place to access required VAWA forms.  Cambridge CoC has updated its CoC Written Standards and its ESG Written Standards to incorporate these new and additional VAWA requirements.

Notice of Rights

HUD now requires subrecipients to provide Program Participants and potential Program Participant with a notice of occupancy rights under VAWA. All CoC-funded housing providers and ESG-funded Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing providers must provide notice to Program Participants of their rights under VAWA.  HUD has provided detailed guidance on the scope and timing of this notice requirement at 24 CFR 5.2005(a).  More information on complying with this notice and documentation requirement can be found in both the CoC and ESG Written Standards. The HUD approved form is available here: https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/5380.docx.

Emergency Transfers

One of the key provisions the 2013 VAWA updates and subsequent HUD regulations is the ability of an eligible Program Participant to request an Emergency Transfer from his or her housing unit to another, safer housing unit.  Cambridge CoC has responded to this requirement by developing an Emergency Transfer Plan for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking and an Emergency Response Protocol for addressing incidents of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking.

Emergency Response Protocol:  In the interest of putting safety first, Cambridge CoC has adopted an Emergency Response Protocol that urges service providers to begin safety planning as first step before initiating or requesting an Emergency Transfer.  Providers in Cambridge should contact Transition House’s Community Support Partnership Community Advocate by phone at 617-868-1650 (office) or 857-777-6724 (cell) or by email at communityadvocate11@gmail.com to begin assisting clients with safety planning and to help decide the Program Participant’s best next step.

The complete Emergency Response Protocol is here: http://cambridgecoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_ETP_ResponseProtocol.pdf. Providers are required to become familiar with this protocol and are encouraged to follow this protocol whenever safety allows.

Emergency Transfer Plan:  HUD regulations require that its model Emergency Transfer plan be adapted and used to initiate and document Emergency Transfers under VAWA.  Cambridge CoC has adapted HUD’s Emergency Transfer Plan, which is available here.  Providers receiving HUD CoC funds and HUD ESG Rapid Rehousing or Homelessness Prevention funds must utilize the guidance provided in the Cambridge CoC Emergency Transfer Plan in order to initiate Emergency Transfers.

Please note that Cambridge CoC requires specific HUD-approved forms be used to certify and Request an Emergency Transfer in nearly all circumstances.  See section Documenting Incidents and Requesting an Emergency Transfer below for more information and for links to the required forms.

Documenting Incidents and Requesting an Emergency Transfer

Before an Emergency Transfer can be initiated, HUD requires that the incident(s) of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking be certified by the HUD-funded service provider serving the impacted Program Participant.  HUD has made forms available to certify incidents and request Emergency transfers.  These forms are available at the links below and from your Cambridge CoC or ESG contract manager.

Certification: HUD has created an optional certification, which is available here: https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/5382.docx.  Providers shall use this form to certify incident(s) of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking.  If it is not possible to use this form due to safety concerns, the HUD-funded service provider must use an alternative method to certify the incident(s) of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking according to the requirements of 24 CFR 5.2007.  Please remember, that while use of the certification form is optional, the requirement that incident(s) of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking be documented is not.

Emergency Transfer Request:  HUD requires that its approved Emergency Transfer Request form be used to initiate Emergency Transfers.  The Emergency Transfer Request form is available here: https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/5383.docx and from your Cambridge CoC or ESG contract manager. The form details the eligibility criteria for requesting an Emergency Transfer as well as the documentation and information that is necessary for completing the Emergency Transfer Request.

Please note: requesting an Emergency Transfer does not guarantee a Program Participant will receive transfer and/or be located to another HUD-funded housing unit.  Please see Cambridge CoC’s Emergency Transfer Plan for more information on Emergency Transfer timing, ability, and use with the Cambridge Coordinated Access Network (C-CAN).

Providers are strongly encouraged to engage in safety planning prior to certifying and/or documenting incident(s) of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking or requesting an Emergency Transfer to determine if these actions are in the best interest of the Program Participant’s safety.

Prohibitions on Denying, Terminating, and Evicting Protected Program Participants

HUD prohibits denying assistance to potential Program Participants because they have experienced or are experiencing Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking.  Similarly HUD prohibits terminating Program Participants because they have experienced or are experiencing Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking.  Additionally, HUD-funded Program Participants cannot be evicted from housing because they have experienced or are experiencing Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking or because of safety concern arising from Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking.

For more information on how to implement this VAWA requirement, or any other VAWA requirement as part of your HUD CoC or ESG program, please contact your contract manager.

Remember, safety should always come first. If you are in danger because of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking, please call the Massachusetts Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-877-785-2020 or call 911 if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency.