\nBy Catherine Trapani & Liz Roberts<\/em>
\nNovember 3, 2021<\/em><\/p>\n
Even before the pandemic, domestic violence was a leading cause of family homelessness<\/a> in New York City, where a majority of shelter residents are single women of color and their children. In large part, this is because for single mothers, the city\u2019s sky-high housing costs have been a major barrier to fleeing to safety. While New York State offers rental assistance to domestic violence survivors in shelter or at risk of losing their housing through the Family Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (FHEPS) program, rental assistance levels are set so far below market rates that vouchers tend to go unused for years.<\/p>\n Currently there is not a single neighborhood in New York City where the median rent for a two-bedroom apartment is affordable with the existing voucher. As a result, thousands of families have been left behind by this failing program.<\/p>\n COVID-19 has only intensified financial insecurity for many low-income households and deeply exacerbated the challenges facing survivors. Meanwhile, the increased isolation and stress due to the pandemic made even more women at risk of domestic violence<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now many of these families are facing their second covid winter with these twin emergencies that force them into an impossible choice \u2013 staying with their abusers or leaving and becoming homeless.<\/p>\n New York State has an opportunity right now to change that and help mothers and children across the state access the housing they need to stay safe. In June, state legislators passed a bill<\/a> (S6573\/A8009) to permanently raise the FHEPS rent cap to Fair Market Rent (FMR) and ensure more recipients can utilize their vouchers to increase housing support for families leaving an abusive home so they can afford the ever-increasing rent and have a safe place of their own.*<\/p>\n The FHEPS program provides support to families with minor children who receive cash assistance and allows them to relocate to housing away from their abusers and bypass the shelter system. Months later it still awaits the governor\u2019s signature.<\/p>\n We are urging Governor Kathy Hochul to make a meaningful difference in the lives of survivors by signing the bill into law. While Domestic Violence Awareness Month has come to an end, it is essential that we send survivors a message that their stability and safety is important and we will support them by ensuring that leaving an abusive partner doesn\u2019t mean they must become homeless. However, without the supplemental housing raise to Fair Market Rate, these families risk homelessness or will be stuck in the shelter system without a permanent way out.<\/p>\n The voucher program also contains unique eligibility guidelines intended to address the needs of domestic violence survivors who are unemployed. Many survivors are prohibited from working by their abusive partner and many others are forced to quit their jobs when they flee their abuser. This makes the housing voucher, which does not require an abuse survivor to work, a critical resource for the many survivors who don\u2019t have additional income. By raising the supplement amount to fair market rent, the state will provide much-needed rent relief to address housing stability for thousands of women and children, not just during the pandemic, but long-term.<\/p>\n Over 100 organizations this year worked together to get the higher rent supplement passed in Albany. With Governor Hochul\u2019s signature, this change has the potential to profoundly reduce homelessness in New York State and provide a lifeline to survivors of abuse who would not be able to escape without housing support.<\/p>\n The pandemic has taught us that we are only as safe as the most vulnerable among us. It is a<\/p>\n moral and public health imperative that we ensure all New Yorkers have a stable roof overhead<\/p>\n and that we work to stem the homelessness crisis.<\/p>\n Governor, we applaud your clear-sighted leadership amid the COVID-19 crisis. Now thousands of families urgently need you to help them get the meaningful rent assistance that will enable them to build a safe and healthy life in a home of their own. Sign this bill without delay.<\/p>\n *Note: Even as Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Banks recently released new regulations for CtiyFHEPS that raise rent levels for the city program, which primarily serves working households who reside in shelters and allows them to renew assistance if they earn up to 80% of AMI, the changes we seek to the state program would prevent homelessness entirely for families fleeing domestic violence and parents with children facing eviction who receive public assistance. The state can and must step up to do its part to ensure that these families, who are not eligible for the city program, can achieve housing stability and avoid homelessness.<\/p>\n *** Read the original article here.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Safe Horizon CEO Liz Roberts: We support legislation that would ensure domestic violence survivors that leaving an abusive partner doesn\u2019t mean they must become homeless.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":{"id":9685,"alt_text":"Support children and families in domestic violence shelters","caption":"Peggy Duffy Memorial fund","description":"Support children and families in domestic violence shelters","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":512,"height":512,"file":"2022\/07\/Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail.png","filesize":31715,"sizes":{"medium":{"file":"Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail-300x300.png","width":300,"height":300,"mime-type":"image\/png","filesize":18595,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail-300x300.png"},"thumbnail":{"file":"Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail-150x150.png","width":150,"height":150,"mime-type":"image\/png","filesize":8008,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail-150x150.png"}},"image_meta":{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0","keywords":[]}},"post":9684,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail.png"},"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[92,1747,1749],"class_list":["post-9363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-safe-horizon-in-the-news","tag-domestic-violence","tag-domestic-violence-homelessness","tag-homelessness","issue-domestic-violence"],"acf":{"page_header_title":"","title_font_size":"42","page_header_excerpt":"","sub-headline_placement":false,"page_header_image":false,"custom_scripts":false,"show_author_bio":false,"original_url":"","related_initiative_title":"Do you need help?","related_initiative_link":"\/hotlines","related_initiative_link_text":"Visit our Hotlines Page","featured_posts":[{"ID":7753,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2020-03-20 17:22:18","post_date_gmt":"2020-03-20 17:22:18","post_content":"
\nCatherine Trapani is the Executive Director of Homeless Services United. Liz Roberts is CEO of Safe Horizon. On Twitter @HSUNYC and @LizRobertsSH.<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/New-York-May-Pull-Domestic-Violence-Shelters-Out-Of-The-Shadows-1024x683.jpeg\")
\r\n\r\nBy Olga-Rodriguez Vidal\r\nMarch 20, 2020<\/em>\r\n\r\nDomestic violence happens in the home, so when people are urged to shelter in place because of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic<\/span>, abuse and violence <\/span>can<\/span> increase. If you are quarantined with someone who abuses you, or know someone in a similar domestic violence situation, know that Safe Horizon can help. You can visit our resource page to view your options<\/a> or review these safety tips you can use during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/span>\r\n1. Consider Creating a Safety Plan<\/h2>\r\nA safety plan is a strategy\u00a0<\/span>you can use to minimize risks.\u00a0<\/span>Your safety plan can change as your\u00a0<\/span>specific\u00a0<\/span>concerns and situation change. <\/span>W<\/span>hile\u00a0<\/span>under\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>COVID-19 (Coronavirus)\u00a0<\/span>quarantine<\/span>, you may want to make changes to your safety plan to help keep you safe.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>For example, if physical violence often occurs in the kitchen at a specific time, a safety plan would outline alternative places and times\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>can\u00a0<\/span>plan to be\u00a0<\/span>to curb the violence while sheltering in place. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nWe always\u00a0<\/span>encourage<\/span> survivors to collaborate with an expert to create these plans. Our Domestic Violence Hotline<\/span>\u00a0advocates<\/span>\u00a0are\u00a0<\/span>trained to safety plan with survivors and are available\u00a0<\/span>24\/7 to collaborate or just a <\/span>listening ear.\u00a0<\/span>Call to speak with an advocate at 1-800-621-HOPE (4673)<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>If you\u2019re unsure about calling an advocate<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>you can find out what to expect by reading\u00a0<\/span>how an advocate named Nia safety plans with survivors.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nIf it is not safe to speak over the phone, you can\u00a0<\/span>chat<\/span>\u00a0with an advo<\/span>cate:<\/span> visit <\/span>http:\/\/safehorizon.org\/safe<\/span>chat<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\r\n\r\nO<\/span><\/b>ur official safety planning page<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>p<\/span>rovides a more in-depth guide in how you can create your own safety plan if sheltered in place with someone abusive.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n
2. Continue to Stay in Touch with Your Support Network<\/h2>\r\nIt\u2019s difficult for many<\/span>\u00a0of us to be isolated<\/span>\u00a0due to being quarantined because of COVID-19 (Coronavirus)<\/span>, let alone\u00a0<\/span>i<\/span>f you are<\/span>\u00a0at home with the person abusing you<\/span>. Now is a great time to think of different ways to\u00a0<\/span>connect to the people you trust and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>who\u00a0<\/span>support<\/span>\u00a0you the most<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0To engage in face-to-face contact, y<\/span>ou can v<\/span>ideo chat\u00a0<\/span>using\u00a0<\/span>free\u00a0<\/span>phone\u00a0<\/span>apps like\u00a0<\/span>Whats<\/span>A<\/span>pp<\/span>\u00a0or<\/span>\u00a0Apple Face<\/span>T<\/span>ime<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>exting, speaking over the phone, or even using social media can\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>help you stay connected.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Y<\/span>ou can<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>check in\u00a0<\/span>with\u00a0<\/span>your support system\u00a0<\/span>daily,\u00a0<\/span>and even implement\u00a0<\/span>protective strategies<\/span>\u00a0for when you know the person causing harm is likely to react.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>For example, y<\/span>ou can tell your support network that if they don\u2019t hear from you by a certain day or time, to send help.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n
3. Know There is Help<\/h2>\r\nSheltering in place while with someone abusive during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic may make <\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>think twice before reaching out for help<\/span>\u00a0\u2013<\/span>\u00a0we are here to say please\u00a0<\/span><\/b>don\u2019t hesitate, <\/span><\/b>because help is here<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>At Safe Horizon,\u00a0<\/span>we are doing everything in our power to make our services available to\u00a0<\/span>help domestic violence survivors<\/span>, especially<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>at this time of crisis.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nOur Domestic Violence Hotline<\/a> 1-800-621-HOPE (4673)<\/a> is open to all survivors, whether\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>need a listening ear or linkages to resources that are available during the pandemic.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nOur\u00a0<\/span>D<\/span>omestic\u00a0<\/span>V<\/span>iolence<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>S<\/span><\/a>helters\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0also<\/span>\u00a0still open.\u00a0<\/span>W<\/span>e are still providing safe spaces for people in danger and can provide you with basic needs when you come to shelter.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nWe are providing real-time updates of site closures or reduced services here as they occur on our web page <\/span>https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/emergency\/<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n
Please take care of yourself and stay safe.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\r\n ","post_title":"3\u00a0Safety Tips for\u00a0Domestic Violence Victims Quarantined\u00a0During COVID-19 (Coronavirus)","post_excerpt":"Domestic violence can increase if you are quarantined with someone abusive due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Read and share these 3 tips to help survivors.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"3-safety-tips-for-covid-19-coronavirus-quarantined-domestic-violence-victims","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-06-10 13:52:46","post_modified_gmt":"2025-06-10 17:52:46","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/?p=7753","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}]},"yoast_head":"\n