8/8/2019 DC Council Letter HSRA Amendment DV Letter Final
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Dear Councilmember ____________:
The District Alliance for Safe Housing and District of Columbia
Coalition Against Domestic
Violence, as well as the undersigned organizations and
individuals, urge you to recognize the
danger the Homeless Service Reform Amendment Act (HSRA) of 2010
(B18-1059) poses to
victims of domestic violence and their children. Because lives
are in the balance, we write in
advance of the bills scheduled public hearing, where we will
reiterate and expand upon our
concerns.
We appreciate that our voices of concern were heard regarding
the impact of emergency
legislation amending the HSRA on victims of domestic violence.
We advocated against this
emergency legislation because of its impact on victims and were
pleased that no legislation was
introduced and an opportunity for public comment was given;
however, we strongly oppose
B18-1059 despite its exemption for domestic violence
victims.
Foremost, the exemption conflicts with local and federal laws
protecting the rights victims currently
have to confidentiality and fair housing.The legislation
provides that certain third parties may
verify residency. Verification entails questioning those seeking
shelter/housing, meaning
disclosure of potentially endangering information to third
parties. This jeopardizes the safety
and privacy rights victims are afforded under local and federal
law.
Moreover, simply removing the exemption would not resolve the
problems for domestic
violence victims and children. Many victims flee dangerous
situations without the paperwork
that would be necessary to prove they are District residents.
Such victims would be at risk of
being left out in the cold this winter because of lack of
paperwork. Victims fleeing domestic
violence from other jurisdictions would likewise be prohibited
from entering shelter in DC,despite our long-standing policy of
giving safe-haven to such victims.
The Districts elected officials have had a long-standing
commitment to the safety and privacy
rights of domestic violence victims. Local and federal laws
contain broad confidentiality
protections for information disclosed by victims to third
parties to ensure that information such
as location, employer, and current phone number, does not get
into the wrong hands. B18-
1059 conflicts with the laws you introduced or co-sponsored,
reflecting your deep concern for
the privacy and safety of victims and your understanding that
the disclosure of information
must be limited or it puts victims and children at an increased
risk of harm. This legislation fails
to take this into account and therefore will endanger the very
lives it is intended to protect.
We know that you are committed to protecting victims of domestic
violence from
discrimination when seeking shelter or housing because you
(introduced/co-sponsored)
legislation that allowed the District to provide the most
comprehensive housing protections for
victims in the country. These protections clearly provide that
asking an individuals race, status
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8/8/2019 DC Council Letter HSRA Amendment DV Letter Final
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as a domestic violence victim, ethnicity and other protected
areas is not legal, with limitedexception. This legislation
disregards these extensive local protections. Individuals will be
not
only asked but required to disclose their status as a victim in
order to qualify for the exemption
from the residency requirement and to thereby access individual
and family shelter. Many
victims will fear disclosing their status and avoid seeking
shelter and will be likely to remain in
a violent relationship rather than seeking safety for themselves
and their children.
We understand policy makers are considering all options to
ensure homeless individuals have
shelter. Though not the bills intent, this legislation will only
increase barriers standing
between the thousands of District women and children seeking
shelter from domestic
violence. Additionally, the exemption for victims of domestic
violence conflicts with local and
federal confidentiality and fair housing laws and is
inconsistent with DC Councils long-standing
commitment to protecting victims who are homeless and seeking
safe housing.
Finally, in addition to the residency verification requirements,
we also strongly oppose the
provision in the bill that would repeal the prohibition on
sheltering families communally during
the winter. As you know, there is severe shortage of shelter
capacity for domestic violence
victims. Accordingly, many are forced to enter the mainstream
shelter system. Sheltering
families communally puts children at increased risk of abuse
from unrelated adults with whom
they are forced to share sleeping quarters and bathing
facilities. It also puts victims at risk of
living in close proximity to the perpetrator of violence.
Communal living is dangerous for victims
and their children.
If you have any questions please contact Larisa Kofman, Public
Policy Director, District Alliance
for Safe Housing,[email protected] 202-462-3274 ext. 105 or
the DC Coalition Against
Domestic Violence at 202-299-1181.
Sincerely,
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
