Fair Housing for Survivors Act of 2026

The bill addresses the serious problem of domestic violence, sexual assault, and related violence affecting millions of Americans. One in three women and one in four men have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime, and intimate partner violence alone affects more than 10 million people annually. Many survivors in domestic violence shelters need help finding affordable housing, yet more than half of victims who identified a need for housing services did not receive them. Survivors currently face discrimination in securing and maintaining housing based on their status as survivors, including being denied housing if they previously stayed in a domestic violence shelter, secured a protective order, or have evidence of prior domestic violence incidents. If enacted, the bill would ensure survivors cannot be evicted or denied access to housing on the basis of being survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, similar to a protected class designation. The legislation would build on the Violence Against Women Act, which provides protections and rights for people applying for federally subsidized housing units.