People Power United joined coalition efforts to urge Congress to prioritize essential, life-saving funding for the housing needs of survivors in the FY 26
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People Power United joined coalition efforts to urge Congress to prioritize essential, life-saving funding for the housing needs of survivors in the FY 26 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) bill and reject any proposals to cut this critical funding. Shout out to National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) for leading this effort.
📄 Here is a copy of the letter sent on behalf of our People Power United members:
July 23, 2025
Dear Chair Collins, Vice Chair Murray and Senators Hyde-Smith and Gillibrand:
The undersigned national, state, local organizations urge Congress to prioritize essential, life-saving funding for the housing needs of survivors in the FY 26 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) bill and reject any proposals to cut this critical funding.
Domestic violence and sexual assault are consistently identified as significant factors in homelessness, especially for women, children, families, and particularly for LGBTQ+ communities and communities of color. Abusers commonly sabotage a victim’s economic stability, making them more vulnerable to homelessness. A 2024 report on the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and homelessness in California found that 95% of survivors reported the high cost of housing as a barrier to exiting homelessness, and 61% indicated that poor credit or eviction history, often a consequence of IPV, was a barrier to regaining housing.
Victims of domestic violence and sexual assault often flee life-threatening circumstances and seek refuge through emergency shelter, transitional housing, and rapid-rehousing programs to avoid homelessness. However, despite the critical need, many survivors are unable to find housing. According to NNEDV’s 19th Annual Domestic Violence Counts Report, in just one day in 2024, 48,541 adults and children were housed in domestic violence housing and shelter programs. On the same day, however, 8,111 requests for emergency shelter, transitional housing, hotels, motels, or other housing were denied due to a lack of resources. It is unconscionable that victims cannot find safety for themselves and their children due to a lack of adequate investment in housing services.
We urge Congress to allocate $75 million for the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Bonus (DV/SA) Funds in the Continuum of Care (CoC) Homeless Assistance program at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help survivors access safe, affordable housing and rebuild their lives. Since FY18, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Committee has included a $50-$52 million set-aside for housing for survivors in DV/SA Bonus Funds in the HUD CoC homelessness assistance program. These dedicated funds for survivor-specific housing resources, including rapid rehousing, are a vital funding source for victim service providers to address the unique safety needs of survivors. Funds from the DV/SA Bonus project significantly improve a survivor’s access to safe housing and build the capacity of the victim services field to provide survivor-centered housing. The Administration’s proposed FY26 budget would eliminate dedicated funding for the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) Homelessness Assistance Program by consolidating it with the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) program into a single block grant—and by reducing overall funding levels for the new block grant. This change could jeopardize, or even eliminate, the DV/SA Bonus Funds. We urge you to reject this proposal—or any proposal—that would cut or undermine this critical funding.
Additionally, we support inclusion of funds in FY26 for training and technical assistance on the implementation of housing protections for survivors created in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) 2022 Reauthorization. We urge Congress to provide $15 million in FY26 for domestic violence and sexual assault training and technical assistance and to implement VAWA.
We call on you to support funding for these vital programs.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Melina Milazzo, Director of Public at Mmilazzo@nnedv.org.
Sincerely,
(list in formation)
National, International and Tribal Organizations
Alliance of Tribal Coalitions to End Violence
Autistic People of Color Fund
A Window Between Worlds
Coalition on Human Needs
Esperanza United
Freedom Network USA
Futures Without Violence
Integrated Community Solutions, Inc.
Jewish Women International
Joyful Heart Foundation
Just Solutions
Legal Momentum, The Women's Legal Defense and Education Fund
National Alliance to End Sexual Violence
National Council of Jewish Women
National Domestic Violence Hotline
National Indigenous Women's Resource Center
National LGBTQ Institute on IPV
National Network To End Domestic Violence
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
People Power United
Pretrial Justice Institute
Respect Together
The Freedom Train Project Incorporated
Union for Reform Judaism
YWCA USA
Alaska
Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
AWARE
Cordova Family Resource Center
Helping Ourselves Prevent Emergencies
Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living
STAR, INC
The LeeShore Center
Tundra Women's Coalition
Unalaskans Against Sexual Assault & Family Violence (USAFV)
Arizona
Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence
Arkansas
Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence
California
Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI)
Black Women Revolt Against Domestic Violence
Brilliant Corners
Building Futures
California Partnership to End Domestic Violence
Catalyst
Center for Community Solutions
Center for Domestic Peace
Center for the Pacific Asian Family
Child & Family Center
Coalition for Family Harmony
Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (Cast)
Community Beyond Violence
Community Resource Center
Community Solutions
DeafHope
Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County
Downtown Women's Center
East Los Angeles Women's Center
Empower Yolo, Inc.
Family Assistance Program
Family Services of Tulare County
Family Violence Appellate Project
Fish On Ministries
Genesis Shelters
Good Shepherd Shelter
Gray’s Trauma-Informed Care Services Corp.
Haven Hills, Inc.
HOPICS - Homeless Outreach Program, Integrated Care System
House of Ruth
Humboldt Domestic Violence Services
Jenesse Center, Inc.
Jewish Family Service Los Angeles
LACBA Counsel for Justice
Larae Cantley
Little Tokyo Service Center
Los Angeles LGBT Center
Lumina Alliance
Monarch Services
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
New Star Family Center
NEWS, Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Services
Peace Over Violence
Praxis Health Empowerment
Project Sanctuary, Inc.
Ramelle Carter Media LLC
Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments, Inc.
South Asian Network
St Joseph Center
Stopping Domestic Violence
StrengthUnited
Su Casa ~ Ending Domestic Violence
Survivalist House
Survivor Justice Center
THE COMMUNITY ACTION LEAGUE
The People Concern
The Salvation Army Alegria
Union Station Homeless Services
Valley Crisis Center
Victims Empowerment Support Team VEST
Voices Beyond Assault
WCCS Whittier
Wild Iris Family Counseling and Crisis Center
Women's Center-High Desert, Inc.
YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley
YWCA of Glendale and Pasadena
YWCA of San Diego County
YWCA San Gabriel Valley
Colorado
Violence Free Colorado
Connecticut
Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Delaware
Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence
District of Columbia
DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Georgia
Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Illinois
Illinois Accountability Initiative
Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Lake County Crisis Center
The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence
Indiana
Coburn Place
Family Support Services of West Central Indiana
Haven House, Inc.
Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc.
New Directions of Decatur County
Safe at Home
YWCA Greater Lafayette
Iowa
Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Kansas
Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence
Kentucky
Baren River Area Safe Space, Inc.
Cumberland Valley Domestic Violence Services
DOVES Of Gateway, Inc
GreenHouse17
Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center
OASIS Inc
Safe Harbor of Northeast Ky Inc.
Sanctuary, Inc.
SpringHaven Inc.
The Ion Center for Violence Prevention
The Center for Women and Families, Inc
Turning Point Domestic Violence Services
ZeroV
Louisiana
Faith House Inc.
Family Violence Program of St Bernard
Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Metro Centers For Community Advocacy
Southeast Advocates for Family Empowerment
Maine
Caring Unlimited
Hope and Justice Project
Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence
New Hope for Women, Inc. dba New Hope Midcoast
Next Step domestic violence project
Through These Doors
Maryland
Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence
Massachusetts
Casa Myrna Vazquez, Inc.
Michigan
Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence
Minnesota
MICAH - Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable House
Violence Free Minnesota
Missouri
Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Montana
Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Nebraska
Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence
Nevada
Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence
New Jersey
New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence
New Mexico
New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence
New York State
Advocacy Center of Tompkins County
BrighterTomorrows, Inc.
Domestic Violence Project | Urban Justice Center
Fearless! Hudson Valley, Inc.
Hope’s Door
New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Safe Harbors of the Finger Lakes, Inc.
Violence Intervention Program
Wellspring
YWCA Binghamton and Broome County, NY
North Carolina
Compass Center
Families First, Inc.
Families Living Violence-Free
Family Crisis Council of Rowan, Inc.
Friend to Friend
Hyde County Hotline, Inc.
My Sister's House, Inc.
North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Opposing Abuse with Service, Information and Shelter, Inc.
Outer Banks Hotline
Reach of Cherokee County
Ruth's House, Inc.
Safe Alliance
SAFE in Lenoir County, Inc
Safelight, Inc.
Second Bloom of Chatham
Southeastern Family Violence Center
Women Veterans Support Services, Inc.
Ohio
Alliance Area Domestic Violence Shelter
Appleseed CMHC/Safe Haven
Artemis Center
Auglaize County Crisis Center
Bethany House
Casa de Paz
Christina House Domestic Violence Shelter
Crisis Care Line
Crime Victim Services
Crossroads Crisis Center, Inc.
Domestic Violence Project, Inc.
Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS)
Eve, Inc.
Family Abuse Shelter of Miami County
First Step
Foundations for Families, Inc.
Haven House of Pickaway County Inc.
Homesafe, Inc.
Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center
Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland
Journey Center for Safety and Healing
Lorain County Safe Harbor
New Choices, Inc.
Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Open Arms Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services
OneEighty
Ross County Community Action - The ROSE House DV Shelter
Safer Futures and Someplace Safe programs of Axess Family Services
Safe Harbour Domestic Violence Shelter, Inc.
Sarah's Friends
Southern Ohio Task Force on Domestic Violence
Square One GJM
Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program
The Center for Child and Family Advocacy/House of Ruth
The Cocoon
The Domestic Violence Shelter
The Lighthouse, Inc.
Transitions, Inc.
Tri-County Help Center, Inc.
Violence Free Futures
Women Helping Women
WomenSafe
YWCA Hamilton
YWCA of Northwest Ohio
Oregon
Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Pennsylvania
Dinah
Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Women Against Abuse
YWCA Lancaster
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence
YWCA Rhode Island
South Carolina
Sistercare, Inc.
South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
South Dakota
South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault
White Buffalo Calf Women's Society
Texas
Texas Council on Family Violence
Utah
Bateman Public Health
Canyon Creek Services
Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake
New Hope Crisis Center
New Horizons Crisis Center
Northeastern Utah Friends Against Family Violence
Peace House, Inc.
Raven, Lotus & Grey
Safe Harbor Crisis Center
Seekhaven Family Crisis and Resource Center
The Refuge Utah
Utah Domestic Violence Coalition
YCC Family Crisis Center
Vermont
Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Virginia
Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance
Washington State
CNTR
Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
West Virginia
Branches Domestic Violence Shelter
Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center
SAFE, Inc.
West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Wisconsin
End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin
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