Family Violence Appellate Project

Giving survivors a second chance at justice

While FVAP is open and our services continue to be available, as of March 9, 2020, in order to ensure the safety and well-being of clients and FVAP staff, we are meeting with visitors only by appointment until further notice. Please call our office line at 510-858-7358 to make an appointment or if you have any questions.
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Housing & Employment Justice

FVAP’s Housing & Employment Justice project was created to address the widespread issue of homelessness and loss of employment as a direct result of domestic violence. California and Federal laws provide protections for survivors facing housing and employment crises, but survivors, advocates, housing providers and employers are often unaware of these protections.

To better protect survivors and inform the people who serve them, FVAP provides trainings and on-call legal assistance to advocates and attorneys statewide about the unique protections that survivors have when it comes to housing and employment. FVAP’s goal is to ensure that advocates and attorneys have the knowledge and tools to empower survivors to obtain or maintain safe housing and employment.

Legal Resources

Employment Law Resources for Survivors

Employment Law Resources Provided by Legal Aid at Work:

  • Survivor’s Toolkit for Employment Rights in California 
  • Survivors’ Employment Protections from Disability Laws 
  • Getting Time Off Work to Get Relief from Abuse 
  • Survivors and Unemployment Services
  • Survivor’s with Criminal Records Employment Rights 
  • Template Letters for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Advocates to Certify Work Absence 

Housing Law Resources for Survivors

Housing Law Resources Provided by FVAP:
  • Housing and Employment: Legal Rights of Survivors of Domestic Violence (Training video)
  • Helping Survivors Obtain Housing Toolkit
  • Survivors of Domestic Violence and Letters of Priority Entitlement (LOPE)
  • Move-Out Order Tip Sheet
  • How Do I Get a Court to Reach the Additional Requests in My Restraining Order?
Housing Law Resources Provided by National Housing Law Project:
  • California Early Lease Termination Toolkit
  • California Eviction Defense Packet
  • California Lock Changes Packet
  • VAWA 2013 Know Your Rights Brochure in English and Spanish
  • Survivors Have Rights and Protections to Move with a Voucher
  • Federal Housing Rights of Survivors with Limited English Proficiency
  • The Role of State Housing Agencies in Improving Survivors’ Access to and Retention of LIHTC Housing
Other Housing Law Resources: