,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #cjfa ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #af1 #bjai,mrs4 ,shaheen introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to provide protection for survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault under the ,fair ,housing ,act4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,fair ,housing for ,domestic ,violence and ,sexual ,assault ,survivors ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,cities1 towns1 and rural communities in the ,united ,states continue to face enormous challenges regarding domestic violence1 sexual assault1 dating violence1 stalking1 and other forms of intimate partner violence4 7#b7 ,one in #c women have experienced rape1 physical violence1 or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime4 7#c7 ,approximately #g1jjj1jjj women are raped or physically assaulted by a current or former intimate partner each year4 7#d7 ,each day1 an average of #c women are killed by a current or former partner4 7#e7 ,researchers estimate that domestic violence costs employers up to #ac1jjj1jjj1jjj each year4 7#f7 ,a fundamental component of ending domestic and sexual violence is securing safe and affordable housing for victims4 7#g7 ,research indicates that-- 7,a7 nearly #ej percent of all homeless women report that domestic violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness2 7,b7 #ib percent of homeless women report having experienced severe physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives2 7,c7 victims become homeless as a result of sexual assault1 and once homeless1 are vulnerable to further sexual victimization and exploitation2 7,d7 women of color in the lowest income category experience #f times the rate of nonfatal intimate partner violence compared to ,white women in the highest income category2 7,e7 poor women of color1 domestic violence victims1 and women with children have a high risk of eviction2 and 7,f7 approximately #ch percent of all victims of domestic violence become homeless at some point in their life4 7#h7 ,surveys show that a majority of victims who experience a sexual assault in their home do not relocate to a safe environment because they do not have sufficient funds and are not aware of better options4 7#i7 ,domestic and sexual violence victims often find themselves trapped in homes where they are further victimized by caregivers1 parents1 siblings1 landlords1 intimate partners1 neighbors1 or others in or near their home4 ,economic insecurity and the trauma that often follows sexual assault make it difficult1 if not impossible1 for many victims to access safe1 affordable housing options for themselves and their families4 7#aj7 ,domestic and sexual violence victims continue to face discrimination in securing and maintaining housing based on their status as victims and as a result of crimes committed against them4 7#aa7 ,research by the ,attorney ,general of the ,state of ,new ,york found that #fg percent of domestic violence victims reported that discrimination by landlords is a significant obstacle in obtaining housing4 7#ab7 ,research also shows that victims of domestic violence or sexual assault are commonly denied housing opportunities if a previous residence of the victim was a domestic violence shelter1 if the victim has secured a protective order1 or if there is other evidence that the victim has experienced a previous domestic violence incident4 7#ac7 ,studies show that victims of domestic violence or sexual assault often face eviction based on a single domestic violence incident4 7#ad7 ,it is in the public interest to ensure that victims of domestic violence1 sexual assault1 dating violence1 stalking1 and other forms of intimate partner violence are not discriminated against1 particularly with respect to housing1 based on their status as victims or the crimes committed against them4 7#ae7 ,nothing in this ,act should be interpreted to limit the ability of victims of domestic violence or sexual assault to recover for claims of discrimination on the basis of sex or race under the ,fair ,housing ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cfja et seq471 including with respect to failure to conform to gender stereotypes or policies that disproportionately affect women4 #c4 ,survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault as protected class under the ,fair ,housing ,act 7a7 ,in general ,the ,fair ,housing ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cfja et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 in section #hjb 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cfjb71 by adding at the end the following3 7p7 ,domestic violence-- 7#a7 has the meaning given the term in section #djjjb7;a7 of the ,violence ,against ,women ,act of #aiid 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #abbia7;a772 and 7#b7 includes-- 7,a7 dating violence and stalking1 as defined in such section #djjjb7;a72 and 7,b7 threatened domestic violence4 7q7 ,sexual assault-- 7#a7 has the meaning given the term in section #djjjb7;a7 of the ,violence ,against ,women ,act of #aiid 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #abbia7;a772 and 7#b7 includes threatened sexual assault4 2 7#b7 in section #hjd 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cfjd7-- 7,a7 in subsection 7a71 by inserting 1 or because the person is a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault before the period at the end2 7,b7 in subsection 7b71 by inserting1 1 or because the person is a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault before the period at the end2 7,c7 in subsection 7c71 by striking or national origin and inserting1 national origin1 or whether a person is a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault2 7,d7 in subsection 7d71 by inserting 1 or because the person is a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault1 after national origin2 and 7,e7 in subsection 7e71 by inserting 1 or of a person or persons who are survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault before the period at the end2 7#c7 in section #hje 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cfje7-- 7,a7 in subsection 7a71 by inserting 1 or because the person is a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault before the period at the end2 and 7,b7 in subsection 7c71 by striking or familial status and inserting familial status1 or whether a person is a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault2 7#d7 in section #hjf 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cfjf71 by striking or national origin and inserting national origin1 or whether a person is a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault2 7#e7 in section #hjg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cfjg71 by adding at the end the following3 7c7 ,nothing in this title shall prohibit ,federal1 ,state1 or local governmental or other assistance or a preference program designed to assist or benefit domestic violence or sexual assault survivors in seeking1 securing1 or maintaining dwellings1 shelters1 or any other form of housing1 including associated notices1 statements1 or advertisements4 2 and 7#f7 in section #hjh7;e77#f7 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cfjh7;e77#f771 by inserting status as a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault1 after handicap14 7b7 ,prevention of intimidation in fair housing cases ,the ,civil ,rights ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acja et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 in section #ija 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cfca7-- 7,a7 in subsection 7a71 by inserting 1 or because the person is a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault1 after national origin2 7,b7 in subsection 7b77#a71 by inserting or because the person is a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault1 after national origin12 and 7,c7 in subsection 7c71 by inserting or because the person is a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault1 after national origin12 and 7#b7 by inserting after section #ija the following3 #ijb4 ,definitions ,in this title1 the terms domestic violence and sexual assault have the meanings given those terms in section #hjb4 4