PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

§12494 Prohibition on Retaliation

Title 34 › Subtitle I — Comprehensive Acts › CHAPTER 121 — VIOLENT CRIME CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT › SUBCHAPTER III — VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN › Part L — Addressing the Housing Needs of Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking › subpart 2 — housing rights › § 12494

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Public housing agencies and owners or managers of federally assisted housing must not punish or treat anyone unfairly for complaining about illegal practices, for testifying, or for helping with a complaint or investigation. They also must not threaten, scare, or try to stop anyone from using or helping others use these rights. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Attorney General must enforce these rules the same way they enforce the Fair Housing Act (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, 42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.).

Title 34, §12494

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(a)Non-retaliation requirement

No public housing agency or owner or manager of housing assisted under a covered housing program shall discriminate against any person because that person has opposed any act or practice made unlawful by this part, or because that person testified, assisted, or participated in any matter related to this subpart.

(b)Prohibition on coercion

No public housing agency or owner or manager of housing assisted under a covered housing program shall coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with, or retaliate against, any person in the exercise or enjoyment of, on account of the person having exercised or enjoyed, or on account of the person having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment of, any rights or protections under this subpart, including—

(1)intimidating or threatening any person because that person is assisting or encouraging a person entitled to claim the rights or protections under this subpart; and

(2)retaliating against any person because that person has participated in any investigation or action to enforce this subpart.

(c)Implementation

The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Attorney General shall implement and enforce this subpart consistent with, and in a manner that provides, the rights and remedies provided for in title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Civil Rights Act of 1968, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 90–284, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 73. Title VIII of the Act, known as the Fair Housing Act, is classified principally to subchapter I (§ 3601 et seq.) of chapter 45 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 3601 of Title 42 and Tables. Codification Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title VI, § 602, which directed the addition of this section to chapter 2 of subtitle N of title IV of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12491 et seq.), was executed by adding this section to chapter 2 of subtitle N of title IV of the Violent Crime Control and Law

Enforcement

Act of 1994 to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section not effective until Oct. 1 of the first fiscal year beginning after Mar. 15, 2022, see section 4(a) of div. W of Pub. L. 117–103, set out as a note under section 6851 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.