Congress protects housing rights for domestic violence survivors
S. 4006 — Fair Housing for Survivors Act of 2026 · Filed by Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Mar 5, 2026 · Referred to committee
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This bill adds survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking to the list of protected classes under the Fair Housing Act, making it illegal for landlords and housing providers to discriminate against them based on their survivor status. It also strengthens anti-intimidation protections and allows government programs to offer housing assistance specifically designed for survivors.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to expand Fair Housing Act protections to a new class of vulnerable people and strengthen enforcement against intimidation and coercion. It is a civil-rights measure, not a market intervention.
What the text implies
- Landlords and property managers will need to revise screening policies and training to avoid discriminatory practices based on survivor status, potentially increasing compliance costs but reducing wrongful denials.
- The definition of 'survivor' includes those 'perceived to have experienced' violence, which may broaden protections but could create ambiguity in housing decisions and potential disputes over proof.
- Section 807 carve-out explicitly permits government and non-profit housing programs to prioritize survivors, potentially redirecting limited affordable housing resources and creating tension with other vulnerable populations competing for the same units.
- The bill does not address landlord liability for crimes committed by survivors or create explicit safe-harbor provisions, leaving potential gaps in how landlords balance tenant safety with anti-discrimination duties.
Who it affects
Survivors gain a concrete legal right to housing without discrimination, addressing a documented crisis where 84% of domestic violence shelter residents need housing help but many are denied it due to eviction records, protective orders, or shelter history. The bill removes barriers that trap survivors in unsafe situations and enables targeted assistance programs.
Who stands to gain
- Non-profit housing organizations
- Government housing agencies
- Legal aid organizations
- Domestic violence shelter networks
Named in the bill
Fair Housing Act, Violence Against Women Act of 1994, Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, Civil Rights Act of 1968, HUD, PLD (Prologis), EFC (Ellington Financial), EQR (Equity Residential), CPT (Capstone Turbine), CBRE (CBRE Group)
Where it stands
1 cosponsor: 1 Democrats.
- Mar 5, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
- Mar 5, 2026 — Referred to Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the full bill text on Jul 2, 2026; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
“Congress protects housing rights for domestic violence survivors” QuorumCivic. https://share.quorumcivic.app/bill/119/s4006 Report an error
The week in bills
One email, Sunday: what Congress passed, what it changed, and who paid.
One link arrives to confirm the address. It is used for this email and nothing else, and every issue carries an unsubscribe link.