Fifty-seven percent of women experiencing homelessness cite domestic violence as the immediate cause of their homelessness. This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we sat down with the Domestic Violence and Housing Technical Assistance Consortium (DVHTAC) to talk about the work of the Consortium and what we can expect next year.

Launched in 2015, the Consortium builds and strengthens capacity for providers and programs working at the critical intersection of domestic violence, sexual assault, homelessness and housing. While the effort to bridge the intersections between domestic and sexual violence and homelessness and housing seems complex, involving many systems, programs, and stakeholders, it is simple at its core - making survivor choice central to whatever options, strategies, and programs are being proposed. This includes allowing survivors to define what safety means to them and how they want to move forward with their lives, regardless of what institutions and systems may deem safe and stable.

Upcoming projects:

  • Centering and prioritizing racial equity into our work: To support this work, the Consortium TA Providers will host the National Safe Housing Conference in October 2020.
  • Lifting up housing solutions in Tribal communities: In support of our racial equity work, the Consortium is coordinating with Native American and Alaska Native stakeholders and organizations.
  • Pilot to test DV Assessment Tool for coordinated entry: There continues to be an urgent call to develop and test an alternative tool – particularly one that is trauma-informed.

Read the full article about Strengthening Housing Outcomes for Domestic Violence Survivors by Christie Bevis at United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.