Final Report of the Subcommittee on Domestic Trafficking

Department <strong>of</strong> Housing and Urban DevelopmentPublic Housing ProgramService: Public Housing ProgramBRIEF GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SERVICE HERE:Public Housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligiblelow-income families, <strong>the</strong> elderly, and persons with disabilities. Public housingdevelopments vary in unit size and type (e.g., scattered sites, high-rises, etc. TheDepartment <strong>of</strong> Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers Federal aid to localPublic Housing Agencies (PHAs) who manage <strong>the</strong> housing for low-income residents atrents <strong>the</strong>y can afford.Agency: HUDRepresented on <strong>Subcommittee</strong> by: Gail L. TempletonI. Domestic VictimsA. Domestic victims who are U.S. Citizens and adults: A PHA may adopt a localpreference for admission <strong>of</strong> victims <strong>of</strong> domestic violence to <strong>the</strong> public housingprogram. A PHA may also establish o<strong>the</strong>r local preferences to meet its housingneeds.According to 24 CFR 960.206(a) Establishment <strong>of</strong> Local Preferences. A PHA may adopta system <strong>of</strong> local preferences for selection <strong>of</strong> families admitted to <strong>the</strong> public housingprogram. A PHA’s system <strong>of</strong> selection preferences must be based on local housing needsand priorities as determined by <strong>the</strong> PHA. Thus, a PHA may adopt a preference forvictims <strong>of</strong> domestic trafficking.In <strong>the</strong> Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act <strong>of</strong> 1998, Section 514(e), Congressstated <strong>the</strong> following:“It is in <strong>the</strong> sense <strong>of</strong> Congress that, each public housing agency involved in <strong>the</strong> selection<strong>of</strong> eligible families for assistance under <strong>the</strong> United States Housing Act <strong>of</strong> 1937 (includingresidency in public housing and tenant-based assistance under Section 8 <strong>of</strong> such Act),should, consistent with <strong>the</strong> public housing agency plan <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> agency, considerpreferences for individuals who are victims <strong>of</strong> domestic violence.”37