A report by The Fair Housing Center shows survivors of domestic violence are denied housing because of their history of domestic violence through unfavorable treatment by landlords. Results of an examination showed that survivors of domestic violence and their advocates experienced unfavorable treatment when seeking rental housing by landlords 35.9% of the time after mentioning that they were calling from a domestic violence shelter. Thirty percent of survivors surveyed for this report shared having experienced some form of housing discrimination.
Domestic violence disproportionately affects women. One in four women experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Survivors of domestic violence are protected in housing transactions under the Fair Housing Act on the basis of sex. Twenty percent of survivors surveyed for this report responded that they struggled to find new housing following an act of domestic violence; 16.7% responded that they faced homelessness. Thirteen percent responded that they were evicted because of domestic violence. One survivor of domestic violence responded: “I was in a nursing home a few months. It caused me to lose everything. Now, I’m trying to start over from scratch on my own with two kids.”
Multiple systems work to discourage survivors of domestic violence from contacting emergency services, including criminal activity nuisance ordinances, law enforcement, and child services. Surveyed survivors refrain from calling police concerning domestic violence for fear of eviction or that child services will remove their children from the home. Twenty percent of survey respondents were discouraged from calling 911. In Cuyahoga County, there are 26 cities with criminal activity nuisance ordinances: laws that can adversely affect survivors of domestic violence by penalizing survivors for calls to emergency services. A nuisance citation often results in the eviction of the survivor, which can lead to homelessness and difficulty finding new housing. One social service provider told The Fair Housing Center: “The survivor is often the one that has to move, to find new housing, move the kids, get a job, etc.-it’s further victimization. It can be a fresh start, but it’s very challenging. They didn’t commit the crime yet they have to uproot their life.”
The Fair Housing Center recommends that all criminal activity nuisance ordinances in Cuyahoga County are repealed and that housing providers are educated that housing discrimination against a survivor of domestic violence is a form of illegal discrimination on the basis of sex.
Carrie Pleasants, Executive Director of the Fair Housing Center, said, “Fair housing laws can be a critical tool used to ensure the housing rights and safety of survivors of domestic violence. The Fair Housing Center is available to assist anyone who believes their fair housing rights may have been violated because of their status as a survivor of domestic violence.” This report was funded by the Cleveland Foundation. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Cleveland Foundation.