Housing & Homelessness
Bridging gaps, building bridges; working to ensure that in King County, survivors will not have to choose between homelessness or staying in an abusive relationship.
What We Do
The Coalition is invested in building stronger connections between domestic violence systems and the homeless housing systems.
The DV Housing Systems Manager (DVHSM) oversees the Domestic Violence Coordinated Housing Access Point (DVCHAP), a system that coordinates access into DV housing resources for survivors in King County. This role also connects with housing & homelessness staff, organizations, and systems outside of the gender-based violence community to provide technical assistance, resource sharing, and training on the intersection of gender-based violence and housing & homelessness.
A Critical Resource for the Community
Domestic violence is a major contributing factor in homelessness. Studies show that as many as 57% of all
homeless women report domestic violence as
the immediate cause of their homelessness1. Despite these statistics and the unique barriers that survivors face to obtain and maintain safe housing, the intersection between domestic violence and homelessness often went unaddressed.
After years without a dedicated staff member to support member organizations working to meet the housing needs of survivors, the DV Housing Systems Manager was finally funded in 2019 to solidify and strengthen the parallel domestic violence coordinated entry system and work to better connect homelessness and domestic violence systems.
Projects
Domestic Violence Coordinated Housing Access Point (DVCHAP)
DVCHAP coordinates access into DV housing resources for survivors in King County and is a parallel system to King County’s Coordinated Entry system.
For providers looking to access domestic violence housing resources through DVCHAP, contact the DVHopeline at 206.737.0242 or a gender-based violence advocate through a community-based program to complete a housing assessment.
Joint Domestic Violence Shelter – Family Emergency Shelter Monthly Meetings
Bringing together domestic violence and family emergency shelter systems to:
- Create an open space to share information and skills
- Strengthen partnerships between the two systems to better respond to survivors’ housing needs
- Create a more seamless experience for survivors who face housing instability so that we have a system that serves them well
Contact CEGV for more info about the Coalition’s work at intersection of domestic violence and homelessness.
Jenn Dela Cruz jenn@endgv.org
Featured Tools & Resources
Resources regarding the intersection of domestic violence and homelessness with a specific focus the King County region.
These are currently the participating domestic violence agencies and programs within the Domestic Violence Coordinated Housing Access Point (DVCHAP) system as of October 2023. This list may change depending on […]
Related Upcoming Events
There are currently no upcoming events. You can see other events on our events calendar.
Additional Resources
- Women and Children in Chicago Shelters, 3; Nat’l Center for Homelessness & Health Care for the Homeless Clinicians’ Network (2003). Social Supports for Homeless Mothers, 14, 26; Inst. for Children & Poverty (2004). The Hidden Migration: Why New York City Shelters are Overflowing with Families; Homes for the Homeless and Inst. for Children & Poverty (1998). Ten Cities 1997-1998: A Snapshot of Family
Homelessness Across America ↩︎