Statute- Violence Against Women Act

42 U.S.C.A. § 13975
Transitional housing assistance grants for child victims of domestic violence, stalking, or
sexual assault
(a) In general
The Attorney General, acting in consultation with the Director of the Violence Against Women
Office of the Department of Justice, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and
the Department of Health and Human Services, shall award grants under this section to States,
units of local government, Indian tribes, and other organizations, including domestic violence
and sexual assault victim service providers, domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions,
other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations, or community-based and culturally specific
organizations, that have a documented history of effective work concerning domestic violence,
dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking (referred to in this section as the "recipient") to carry
out programs to provide assistance to minors, adults, and their dependents—
(1) who are homeless, or in need of transitional housing or other housing assistance, as a result
of fleeing a situation of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking; and
(2) for whom emergency shelter services or other crisis intervention services are unavailable
or insufficient.
(b) Grants
Grants awarded under this section may be used for programs that provide—
(1) transitional housing, including funding for the operating expenses of newly developed or
existing transitional housing.
(2) short-term housing assistance, including rental or utilities payments assistance and
assistance with related expenses such as payment of security deposits and other costs
incidental to relocation to transitional housing for persons described in subsection (a) of this
section; and
(3) support services designed to enable a minor, an adult, or a dependent of such minor or
adult, who is fleeing a situation of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or
stalking to—
(A) locate and secure permanent housing; and
(B) integrate into a community by providing that minor, adult, or dependent with services,
such as transportation, counseling, child care services, case management, employment
counseling, and other assistance. Participation in the support services shall be voluntary.
Receipt of the benefits of the housing assistance described in paragraph (2) shall not be

conditioned upon the participation of the youth, adults, or their dependents in any or all of the
support services offered them.
(c) Duration
(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), a minor, an adult, or a dependent, who receives
assistance under this section shall receive that assistance for not more than 24 months.
(2) Waiver
The recipient of a grant under this section may waive the restriction under paragraph (1) for
not more than an additional 6 month period with respect to any minor, adult, or dependent,
who—
(A) has made a good-faith effort to acquire permanent housing; and
(B) has been unable to acquire permanent housing.
(d) Application
(1) In general
Each eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the
Attorney General at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the
Attorney General may reasonably require.
(2) Contents
Each application submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall—
(A) describe the activities for which assistance under this section is sought;
(B) provide assurances that any supportive services offered to participants in programs
developed under subsection (b)(3) of this section are voluntary and that refusal to receive
such services shall not be grounds for termination from the program or eviction from the
victim's housing; and
(C) provide such additional assurances as the Attorney General determines to be essential to
ensure compliance with the requirements of this section.
(3) Application
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require—

(A) victims to participate in the criminal justice system in order to receive services; or
(B) domestic violence advocates to breach client confidentiality.
(e) Report to the Attorney General
(1) In general
A recipient of a grant under this section shall annually prepare and submit to the Attorney
General a report describing—
(A) the number of minors, adults, and dependents assisted under this section; and
(B) the types of housing assistance and support services provided under this section.
(2) Contents
Each report prepared and submitted pursuant to paragraph ( 1) shall include information
regarding—
(A) the purpose and amount of housing assistance provided to each minor, adult, or
dependent, assisted under this section and the reason for that assistance;
(B) the number of months each minor, adult, or dependent, received assistance under this
section;
(C) the number of minors, adults, and dependents who—
(i) were eligible to receive assistance under this section; and
(ii) were not provided with assistance under this section solely due to a lack of available
housing;
(D) the type of support services provided to each minor, adult, or dependent, assisted under
this section; and
(E) the client population served and the number of individuals requesting services that the
transitional housing program is unable to serve as a result of a lack of resources.
(f) Report to Congress
(1) Reporting requirement
The Attorney General, with the Director of the Violence Against Women Office, shall prepare
and submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate a report that contains a compilation of the

information contained in the report submitted under subsection (e) of this section not later than
1 month after the end of each even-numbered fiscal year.
(2) Availability of report
In order to coordinate efforts to assist the victims of domestic violence, the Attorney General,
in coordination with the Director of the Violence Against Women Office, shall transmit a copy
of the report submitted under paragraph (1) to—
(A) the Office of Community Planning and Development at the United States Department of
Housing and Urban Development; and
(B) the Office of Women's Health at the United States Department of Health and Human
Services.
(g) Authorization of appropriations
(1) In general
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $40,000,000 for each of the
fiscal years 2007 through 2011.
(2) Limitations
Of the amount made available to carry out this section in any fiscal year, up to 5 percent may
be used by the Attorney General for evaluation, monitoring, technical assistance, salaries and
administrative expenses.
(3) Minimum amount
(A) In general
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), unless all eligible applications submitted by any
States, units of local government, Indian tribes, or organizations within a State for a grant
under this section have been funded, that State, together with the grantees within the State (
other than Indian tribes), shall be allocated in each fiscal year, not less than 0.75 percent of
the total amount appropriated in the fiscal year for grants pursuant to this section.
(B) Exception
The United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands
shall each be allocated not less than 0.25 percent of the total amount appropriated in the
fiscal year for grants pursuant to this section.
(C) Underserved populations

(i) Indian tribes
(I) In general
Not less than 10 percent of the total amount available under this section for each fiscal
year shall be available for grants under the program authorized by section 3796gg-10 of
this title.
(II) Applicability of part
The requirements of this section shall not apply to funds allocated for the program
described in subclause (I).
(ii) Priority shall be given to projects developed under subsection (b) of this section that
primarily serve underserved populations.