Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Domestic‑violence shelters and housing programs urge sustained funding, warn federal pause would force closures
Loading...
Summary
Shelters and victim‑services providers told the oversight hearing that OVSJG-funded housing and transitional programs kept hundreds of survivors housed in FY24, but operators said recent federal funding uncertainty and past local cuts threaten capacity.
Domestic‑violence service providers described how OVSJG grants fund emergency placement, transitional housing and rental assistance that survivors rely on for safety. Testimony focused on how housing stability supports survivors’ long‑term recovery.
Representatives from the District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH) told the committee their programs — Cornerstone, the Empowerment Project and others — prevented housing instability for 305 people in FY24 and provided more than 44,000 safe nights of shelter across programs, according to testimony. ‘‘With OVSJG funding, DASH and the full continuum of care helped Monique and her child move into a new home and increase her work hours,’’ Zaneta Green, DASH director for community housing programs, said during her testimony.
D.C. Safe, the city’s 24/7 crisis intervention and referral agency for domestic‑violence survivors, testified that OVSJG accounted for more than half of its budget in the last year. Bridget Claiborne, D.C. Safe director of strategy and advancement, said the organization received approximately $4.5 million from OVSJG in FY24 and praised recent improvements in grants management and agency‑grantee collaboration while urging long‑term funding stability.
The DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Victim Assistance Network (VAN) asked the council to provide a combined FY26 request of $82,130,000 for victim services, with $59,410,000 recurring baseline funding and $22,720,000 for new and expanded programs, testimony showed. Coalition witnesses warned that a temporary federal freeze on grants would immediately force layoffs and program closures if not addressed.
Advocates also raised confidentiality and survivor safety concerns related to federal policy changes, and urged OVSJG and the mayor to ensure grantee budgets and program designs protect survivor confidentiality. Director Porter said OVSJG is working with the mayor and with grantees to “braid” funding and develop contingency planning so services can continue if federal awards are delayed.
Committee members asked about outcomes and costs. Witnesses said survivors often require extended services — providers described program windows averaging up to 24 months for people who need longer-term supports — and gave per‑unit averages for housing moves (roughly $2,000 in monthly rent for single units, higher for families) and costs for relocation assistance. The committee requested follow‑up budget detail so it can evaluate proposed baseline funding for victim services.
