Speakers: Julie Shah, Board of Directors. Maricela Rios-Faust, Board of Directors. Taylor Campion, Senior Managing Attorney
Taylor Campion: One critical impact FVAP has on survivors is we help survivors assert their rights with our written material program. FVAP's housing program has dozens of information sheets and template letters. Information sheets educate survivors and their advocates on survivors' housing rights and template letters allow survivors to assert their legal rights. For example, we have an information sheet about the survivors' eviction defense and template letters survivors can give their landlord demanding the landlord stop trying to evict them because they experienced abuse. I've heard from advocates across California about how they have used our template letters to help their clients successfully get housed, stay housed and break a lease early when they need to leave because of abuse. FVAP's written material program has a critical impact on survivors by educating survivors and their advocates and empowers empowering survivors to assert their legal rights.
Taylor Campion: One thing that makes me hopeful and happy is the number of positive changes to housing laws for survivors that have occurred since FVAP's. housing program began in 2017. Before I was at FVAP, I was a direct services housing attorney. And when I started as a housing attorney, tenant protections for survivors of gender based violence were lacking. For example, at the time, the survivor's eviction defense was characterized to me by a senior attorney as useless because it didn't contemplate the realities of survivors' lives. Fast forward 10 years... as a result of a bill co-sponsored by FVAP, California has one of the strongest eviction defenses for survivors in the nation. California also has stronger early lease termination laws and starting in 2025 as a result of another FVAP co- sponsored bill, more survivors will be able to change their locks to stay safe from abuse and get into housing, despite evictions and poor credit caused by abuse. The amount of positive changes that have occurred in such a short period of time makes me happy and hopeful about the future of survivors housing. I can't wait to see what we can accomplish next.
Julie Shah: Hi, my name is Julie Shah and I'm a member of the Board of Directors of the Family Violence Appellate Project. I support FVAP because, by filing appellate decisions, FVAP is doing important work to change laws that are dangerous for survivors and their children. And by changing the laws, FVAP is making a lasting impact by ensuring not only survivors and their children can be safe and healthy, but that future survivors and their children are taken out of dangerous situations as well.
Maricela Rios-Faust: Hello, my name is Maricela Rios- Faust and
Maricela Rios-Faust: the Family Violence Project has been something that's been very important to me both in my role as a CEO of a nonprofit serving victims and survivors of domestic violence and just generally as someone who cares deeply about this cause. This is such an important mission because I've seen that many of the victims that come to our programs really need legal representation. And beyond legal representation, when the case does not go in their favor, and it's a case that could detrimentally impact many other victims and survivors, the ability to have that appealed is crucial. This is why I care so deeply about this -- because this cause and this mission can change a life and more than that, it can impact generations to come. Thank you for supporting the Family Violence Appellate Project.
Maricela Rios-Faust: I'd like to thank the staff and the board of directors for the Family Violence Appellate Project and you, all our supporters and donors, for your generosity and for being part of advancing our mission. Thank you.
