October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and we at the Coalition want to uplift the ongoing need for housing advocacy for survivors of domestic violence (DV) and intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV impacts many facets of survivors’ lives, including housing. Many survivors are forced to flee their homes, and IPV is a leading cause of homelessness for women and children. Marginalized survivors, including people of color, LGBTQ individuals, immigrants, those who are formerly incarcerated, and those with disabilities experience disproportionate harms and more barriers to safety.
“Survivors of violence are at increased risk of unsafe housing and homelessness,” said Cassandra Rowe, Director of Health & Housing at the NC Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “Many survivors (and their children), experiencing coercive control and financial abuse, face the impossible choice of living with continued violence or becoming unhoused.” Access to affordable housing is necessary to support survivor wellbeing, and their families need services that prioritize safety, protect their confidentiality, and use a trauma-informed approach. “In the context of an affordable housing crisis, survivors also have more limited options and oftentimes, landlords who are hesitant to rent to them,” Rowe said.
With funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the North Carolina Balance of State Continuum of Care, our partners at the NC Coalition Against Domestic Violence are implementing the Safe at Home rapid re-housing program, which aims to quickly connect individuals and families experiencing homelessness to permanent housing, without preconditions and barriers to entry. These services may include (but are not limited to):
- Case management
- Childcare
- Assistance with moving costs
- Employment assistance and job training
- Food
- Legal services
“Safe at Home is a domestic violence (DV) Rapid Rehousing program that provides rental assistance and other supportive services to survivors across the more rural counties of North Carolina,” Rowe said.
For more information about survivor housing or the Safe at Home program, you can contact the NCCADV Director of Health and Housing, Cassie Rowe, using this contact form.
