CERTIFICATION OF U.S. Department of Housing OMB Approval No. 2577-0286
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, and Urban Development Exp. 06/30/2017
DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, OR STALKING,
AND ALTERNATE DOCUMENTATION
Purpose of Form: The Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”) protects applicants, tenants, and
program participants in certain HUD programs from being evicted, denied housing assistance, or
terminated from housing assistance based on acts of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or
stalking against them. Despite the name of this law, VAWA protection is available to victims of domestic
violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, regardless of sex, gender identity, or sexual
orientation.
Use of This Optional Form: If you are seeking VAWA protections from your housing provider, your
housing provider may give you a written request that asks you to submit documentation about the incident
or incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
In response to this request, you or someone on your behalf may complete this optional form and submit it
to your housing provider, or you may submit one of the following types of third-party documentation:
(1) A document signed by you and an employee, agent, or volunteer of a victim service provider, an
attorney, or medical professional, or a mental health professional (collectively, “professional”) from
whom you have sought assistance relating to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or
stalking, or the effects of abuse. The document must specify, under penalty of perjury, that the
professional believes the incident or incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or
stalking occurred and meet the definition of “domestic violence,” “dating violence,” “sexual assault,” or
“stalking” in HUD’s regulations at 24 CFR 5.2003.
(2) A record of a Federal, State, tribal, territorial or local law enforcement agency, court, or
administrative agency; or
(3) At the discretion of the housing provider, a statement or other evidence provided by the applicant
or tenant.
Submission of Documentation: The time period to submit documentation is 14 business days from the date that you
receive a written request from your housing provider asking that you provide documentation of the occurrence of
domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Your housing provider may, but is not required to,
extend the time period to submit the documentation, if you request an extension of the time period. If the requested
information is not received within 14 business days of when you received the request for the documentation, or any
extension of the date provided by your housing provider, your housing provider does not need to grant you any of the
VAWA protections. Distribution or issuance of this form does not serve as a written request for certification.
Confidentiality: All information provided to your housing provider concerning the incident(s) of domestic
violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking shall be kept confidential and such details shall not be entered
into any shared database. Employees of your housing provider are not to have access to these details unless to grant
or deny VAWA protections to you, and such employees may not disclose this information to any other entity or
individual, except to the extent that disclosure is: (i) consented to by you in writing in a time-limited release; (ii)
required for use in an eviction proceeding or hearing regarding termination of assistance; or (iii) otherwise required
by applicable law.