3 - PUBLIC HEARING ANNUAL ACTION PLAN

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Administrative Plan 4/1/2016 Page 12-10 Reasonable Accommodation [24 CFR 982.552(c)(2)(iv)] If the family includes a person with disabilities, SAHA’s decision to terminate the family’s assistance is subject to consideration of reasonable accommodation in accordance with 24 CFR Part 8. SAHA Policy If a family indicates that the behavior of a family member with a disability is the reason for a proposed termination of assistance, SAHA will determine whether the behavior is related to the disability. If so, upon the family’s request, SAHA will determine whether alternative measures are appropriate as a reasonable accommodation. SAHA will only consider accommodations that can reasonably be expected to address the behavior that is the basis of the proposed termination of assistance. See Chapter 2 for a discussion of reasonable accommodation. 12-II.E. TERMINATIONS RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT OR STALKING This section describes the protections against termination of assistance that the Violence against Women Act of 2013 (VAWA) provides for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. For general VAWA requirements, key VAWA definitions, and SAHA policies pertaining to notification, documentation, and confidentiality, see section 16-IX of this plan. VAWA Protections against Termination VAWA provides four specific protections against termination of HCV assistance for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking. (Note: The second, third, and fourth protections also apply to terminations of tenancy or occupancy by owners participating in the HCV program, as do the limitations discussed under the next heading.) First, VAWA provides that a SAHA may not terminate assistance to a family that moves out of an assisted unit in violation of the lease, with or without prior notification to SAHA, if the move occurred to protect the health or safety of a family member who is or has been the victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking and who reasonably believed he or she was imminently threatened by harm from further violence if he or she remained in the unit [24 CFR 982.354(b)(4)]. Second, it provides that an incident or incidents of actual or threatened domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking may not be construed either as a serious or repeated lease violation by the victim or as good cause to terminate the assistance of the victim [24 CFR 5.2005(c)(1)]. Third, it provides that criminal activity directly related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking may not be construed as cause for terminating the assistance of a tenant if a member of the tenant’s household, a guest, or another person under the tenant’s control is the one engaging in the criminal activity and the tenant or affiliated individual or other individual is the actual or threatened victim of the domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking [24 CFR 5.2005(c)(2)]. 3-286