PART OF PRO BONO MARCH MADNESS: Domestic violence destabilizes all aspects of a survivor’s life, including her housing. 92% of homeless women have experienced severe abuse at some point in their lives, and 63% have been victims of intimate partner violence as adults.[1]  The disruptions that abusers cause may jeopardize both private and subsidized tenancies, and municipal “nuisance property” ordinances can require eviction when a tenant calls the police too often.  In Georgia, Temporary Protective Orders may provide some short-term housing security, but Georgia lacks the broader statutory housing protections for survivors that exist in many other states. Federal VAWA protections exist but are inconsistently enforced. The paucity of affordable housing, transitional housing, and shelter beds makes stable housing even less attainable for survivors. This CLE will examine the many housing challenges facing domestic violence survivors in Georgia, and will explore options for legal advocacy. 

[1] Browne, A. 1998. “Responding to the Needs of Low Income and Homeless Women Who are Survivors of Family Violence.” Journal of American Medical Women’s Association. 53(2): 57-64. 

CLE: 3.3 CLE Hours, including 1 Professionalism Hour