The Equal Access Rule ensures that people seeking housing and homeless services cannot be denied based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) updated it in 2016 during the Obama Administration to include those protections.
The Equal Access Rule protects housing access and is vital for the trans community, which faces disproportionate levels of housing insecurity & violence. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration wants to destroy this critical protection, and is seeking yet again to repeal it.
But we can fight back. Last time Trump tried to repeal the Rule, we succeeded in halting the Administration by using real-life stories to show why the Rule is critical and a needed protection for people and service providers.
Just like last time, we need to show the human impact of the Administration’s actions, and your story can help.
This questionnaire makes it easy to share your experiences with seeking or receiving services from a shelter with respect to your gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status. Service providers can also share their experiences with the Equal Access Rule, how it has improved their ability to serve their clients, and how its repeal might negatively affect their ability to provide essential services to clients.
These stories can then be used to strengthen public awareness about the rule, and the need to support the transgender community and the broader LGBTQ+ community.
Please note: If you are under the age of 13 do not provide personally identifiable information, and only fill out the questions NOT marked as optional.
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Confidentiality & Story Use Disclosures:
Your response to this survey is confidential. Your story will only be made public if you grant permission to make it public. No personally identifiable information is captured unless you voluntarily enter it in the open-text comment fields.
If you submit your story, you have the option to remain completely anonymous and share your information with only us (i.e., A4TE, CLEAR, NAEH, and SAGE) and our partners so we may contact you privately regarding your story, or you can opt to provide as much information with your story as you prefer.
Submitting your story does not guarantee it will be used publicly. If you authorize us to communicate with you and your story is chosen, you will be contacted before any further action is taken. Selected stories may be used in a variety of ways. For example, they may be featured in social media posts, shown during a presentation, or quoted in the press.
We will partner with you to ensure you are comfortable with how we use your story, and you may revoke your consent to use your story at any time. If you withdraw your consent, we will refrain from any future use of your information, but if that information is already publicly available, we are not able to retain control of how others may use your story in the future.
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What Can You Do If You Are Experiencing Housing Instability and Need Help?
This page is not intended to connect individuals seeking services such as housing or case management. If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and seeking support, please contact your
local 2-1-1 hotline or follow
this link
