League Policies
NVOP Emergency Transfer Plan for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking
Confidentiality
NVOP will keep confidential any information that the participant submits in requesting an emergency transfer and unless the participants NVOP written permission to release the information on a time-limited basis or disclosure of the information is required by law or required for use in an eviction proceeding or hearing regarding termination of assistance from the covered program. This includes keeping confidential the new location of the dwelling unit of the participant, if one is provided, from the person(s) that committed an act(s) of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking against the participant. See the Notice of Occupancy Rights under the Violence Against Women Act for All Tenants for more information about NVOP’s responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of information related to incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Eligibility For Emergency Transfers
A participant who is a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, as provided in HUD’s regulations at 24 CFR part 5, subpart L, is eligible for an emergency transfer, if the participant reasonably believes that there is a threat of imminent harm from further violence if the participant remains within the same unit. If the participant is a victim of sexual assault, the participant may also be eligible to transfer if the sexual assault occurred on the premises within the 90-calendar-day period preceding a request for an emergency transfer. A participant requesting an emergency transfer must expressly request the transfer in accordance with the procedures described in this plan. Participants who are not in good standing may still request an emergency transfer if they meet the eligibility requirements in this section. Eligibility is determined by the Senior Director of Client Services where the HUD-Funded Program is located.
Emergency Transfer Request Documentation
To request an emergency transfer, the participant must notify his/her/their program case manager. The Case Manager will assist the client to submit a written request for a transfer to the Director of Client Services and the Senior Director of Client Services.
The NVOP will provide reasonable accommodations to this policy for individuals with disabilities. The participant’s written request for an emergency transfer should include either:
1. A statement expressing that the participant reasonably believes that there is a threat of imminent harm from further violence if the participant were to remain in the same dwelling unit assisted under NVOP’s program
OR
2. A statement that the participant was a sexual assault victim and that the sexual assault occurred on the premises during the 90-calendar-day period preceding the participant’s request for an emergency transfer.
The staff responsible for carrying out emergency transfers for NVOP are listed below.
1. Assigned SRO/PSH or Rapid Rehousing Case Manager
2. Director of Client Services for the SRO/PSH or Rapid Rehousing Projects
Emergency Transfer Timing Availability
NVOP cannot guarantee that a transfer request will be approved or how long it will take to process a transfer request. NVOP will, however, act as quickly as possible to move a participant who is a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking to another unit, subject to availability and safety of a unit. If the Participant is enrolled in the PSH/SRO program, he/she/they may be referred to another permanent supportive housing program SRO unit if available and approved by the local Continuum of Care (CoC). If the participant prefers a transfer to the NVOP or other agency Rapid Rehousing Program, a request will be made on behalf of the participant to the CoC for approval and to ensure coordinated entry standards are met. If a participant reasonably believes a proposed transfer would not be safe, the participant may request a transfer to a different unit. If a unit is available, the transferred participant must agree to abide by the terms and conditions that govern occupancy in the unit to which the participant has been transferred. NVOP may be unable to transfer a participant to a particular unit if the participant has not or cannot establish eligibility for that unit. If NVOP has no safe and available units for which a participant who needs an emergency transfer is eligible, NVOP will assist the participant in identifying other housing providers who may have safe and available units to which the participant could move. At the participant’s request, NVOP will also assist participant in contacting local organizations offering assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking that are attached to this plan.
Emergency Transfers
American GI Forum, National Veteran Outreach Program, Inc. (NVOP) is concerned about the safety of its program participants/tenants, and such concern extends to participants who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. In accordance with the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), NVOP allows participants who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking to request an emergency transfer from the participant’s current
unit to another unit. The ability to request a transfer is available regardless of sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. The ability of NVOP to honor such request for participants currently receiving assistance, however, may depend upon a preliminary determination that the participant is or has been a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and on whether NVOP has another dwelling unit that is available and is safe to offer the participant for temporary or more permanent occupancy. This plan identifies participants who are eligible for an emergency transfer, the documentation needed to request an emergency transfer, confidentiality protections, how an emergency transfer may occur, and guidance to participants on safety and security. This plan is based on a model emergency transfer plan published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Federal agency that oversees that NVOP is in compliance with VAWA.Safety Security of Participants
Pending processing of the transfer and the actual transfer, if it is approved and occurs, the participant is urged to take all reasonable precautions to be safe. Participants who are or have been victims of domestic violence are encouraged to contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or a local domestic violence shelter for assistance in creating a safety plan. For persons with hearing impairments, that hotline can be accessed by calling 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).
Participants who have been victims of sexual assault may call the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network’s National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE or visit the online hotline at https://ohl.rainn.org/online/.
Participants who are or have been victims of stalking seeking help may visit the National Center for Victims of Crime’s Stalking Resource Center at https://www.victimsofcrime.org/ourprograms/stalking-resource-center.
Participants who are or have been victims of dating abuse may view resources on the following websites: https://loveisrespect.org and https://breakthecycle.org.