Number: RS21623
Title: Legal Analysis of H.R. 1429, the One Strike and Youre Out! Act of 2003
Authors: Charles V. Dale, American Law Division 
Abstract: H.R. 1429 would create an exception for victims of domestic violence from current federal law and policy mandating zero tolerance for criminal activity in federally assisted housing. Under HUDs One Strike Policy, tenants may be held strictly liable and evicted by public housing authorities for criminal behavior by a tenant, any member of a tenants household, a guest or another person under the tenants control. The bill rewrites federal no-vault eviction rules to avoid such application to domestic violence victims. In effect, it would erect an innocent tenant defense for victims of domestic or dating violence, where the target of the criminal act is either the tenant herself or an immediate family member.
Pages: 4
Date: Updated September 25, 2003