article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Domestic Violence Victims Housing Act''. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Abuse.--The term ``abuse'' includes any act that constitutes or causes, any attempt to commit, or any threat to commit-- (A) any bodily injury or physical illness, including placing, by physical menace, another in fear of imminent serious bodily injury; (B) any rape, sexual assault, or involuntary sexual activity, or any sexual activity with a dependent child; (C) the infliction of false imprisonment or other nonconsensual restraints on liberty of movement; (D) deprivation of medical care, housing, food, or other necessities of life; or (E) mental or psychological abuse, including repeated or severe humiliation, intimidation, criticism, acts designed to induce terror, or verbal abuse. (2) Domestic violence.--The term ``domestic violence'' means abuse that is committed against an individual by-- (A) a spouse or former spouse of the individual; (B) an individual who is the biological parent or stepparent of a child of the individual subject to the abuse, who adopted such child, or who is a legal guardian to such a child; (C) an individual with whom the individual subject to the abuse is or was cohabiting; (D) a current or former romantic, intimate, or sexual partner of the individual; or (E) an individual from whom the individual subject to the abuse would be eligible for protection under the domestic violence, protection order, or family laws of the applicable jurisdiction. (3) Family victimized by domestic violence.-- (A) In general.--The term ``family victimized by domestic violence'' means a family or household that includes an individual who has been determined under subparagraph (B) to have been subject to domestic violence, but does not include any individual described in paragraph (3) who committed the domestic violence. The term includes any such family or household in which only a minor or minors are the individual or individuals who was or were subject to domestic violence only if such family or household also includes a parent, stepparent, legal guardian, or other responsible caretaker for the child. (B) Determination that family or individual was subject to domestic violence.--For purposes of subparagraph (A), a determination under this subparagraph is a determination that domestic violence has been committed, which is made by any agency or official of a State or unit of general local government (including a public housing agency) based upon-- (i) information provided by any medical, legal, counseling, or other clinic, shelter, or other program or entity licensed, recognized, or authorized by the State or unit of general local government to provide services to victims of domestic violence; (ii) information provided by any agency of the State or unit of general local government that provides or administers the provision of social, legal, or health services; (iii) information provided by any clergy; (iv) information provided by any hospital, clinic, medical facility, or doctor licensed or authorized by the State or unit of general local government to provide medical services; (v) a petition or complaint filed in a court or law or documents or records of action of any court or law enforcement agency, including any record of any protection order, injunction, or temporary or final order issued by civil or criminal courts or any police report; or (vi) any other reliable evidence that domestic violence has occurred. (4) Public housing agency.--The term ``public housing agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)). (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (6) State.--The term ``State'' means the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and any other territory or possession of the United States. (7) Unit of general local government.--The term ``unit of general local government'' has the meaning given the term in section 102(a) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302(a)). SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. The budget authority under section 5(c) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 for assistance under subsections (b) and (o) of section 8 of such Act is authorized to be increased by-- (1) $50,000,000 on or after October 1, 1997; and (2) such sums as may be necessary on or after October 1, 1998. SEC. 4. USE OF AMOUNTS FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. (a) In General.--Amounts available pursuant to section 3 shall be made available by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development only to public housing agencies only for use in providing tenant-based rental assistance on behalf of families victimized by domestic violence who have left or who are leaving a residence as a result of the domestic violence. (b) Determination.--For purposes of subsection (a), a family victimized by domestic violence shall be considered to have left or to be leaving a residence as a result of domestic violence, if the public housing agency providing rental assistance under this Act determines that the member of the family who was subject to the domestic violence reasonably believes that relocation from such residence will assist in avoiding future domestic violence against such member or another member of the family. (c) Allocation.--Amounts made available pursuant to section 3 shall be allocated by the Secretary to one or more public housing agencies that submit applications to the Secretary that, in the determination of the Secretary, best demonstrate-- (1) a need for such assistance; and (2) the ability to use that assistance in accordance with this Act.
summary: Domestic Violence Victims Housing Act - Increases specified authorizations of appropriations under the United States Housing Act of 1937 to provide rental relocation assistance to victims of domestic violence.