California Takes Action to Address Housing Barriers for Survivors

More than one in three women and one in six men in the United States have experienced sexual violence, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. For survivors trying to leave abusive relationships, finding safe, stable housing can be a major obstacle.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), first enacted in 1994, established federal resources to address domestic violence and sexual assault. In the decades since, advocates and policymakers have worked to expand protections and services for survivors. However, access to these resources remains uneven, and recent reductions in federal funding have placed additional pressure on organizations that provide critical support.

From 2020 to 2024, violent crimes involving domestic relationships have increased by 1.9%, disrupting the consecutive decline in violence we saw in previous years. One factor we can attribute this to is the dramatic decline of the federal Victims of Crime Fund. This fund ensures countless crisis centers across the country serve their communities. In its depletion, the numbers speak for themselves.

So what are states doing about it?

On September 27th, California enacted Assembly Bill 1573, known as the Unseen and Unheard Housing Act. This law ensures future housing plans in the state will accommodate and plan for the housing needs of survivors of violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. ⁠This is monumental, as housing is a huge barrier victims face when attempting to leave their abusers, as it’s common for abusive partners to control their partners’ lives through financial resources, such as keeping assets and in their name.

Housing can be a massive barrier to freedom and safety, especially in a state like California, which has one of the highest costs of living, where rent can exceed thousands of dollars in metro areas. This is evident as one in five unhoused women in California left their most recent residence to escape domestic violence. 

In metro areas, these numbers can be significantly higher; in Los Angeles, almost half of unhoused women are domestic violence survivors and approximately a quarter of these women attribute becoming houseless to the violence they experienced. Additionally, 17% of unhoused women report experiencing domestic violence within six months before being homeless, showing the clear connections between the two.

When housing is available, it’s often unable to meet survivors’ full needs. In California alone, almost 75,000 survivors are unhoused, but there are only approximately 100 units that are designed to meet their needs. 

Additionally, the majority of domestic violence shelters that offer emergency housing can only accommodate one to three month stays. Realities like these make it clear that legislation like AB 1573 are life-saving to reduce barriers to escaping domestic abuse and create pathways towards freedom for survivors.

The violence inflicted on survivors of domestic violence should not define the trajectory of their life and their ability to obtain safe long-term housing. California is paving the way by taking violence against women seriously and creating long-term state-level solutions in light of federal funding shortfalls. As federal dollars for crucial services continue to be cut, it’s on state legislatures to support and provide for their communities.