5.2009—Effect on other laws.
(a) Lease bifurcation.
Notwithstanding any Federal, State, or local law to the contrary, a PHA, owner, or management agent may bifurcate a lease, or remove a household member from a lease without regard to whether the household member is a signatory to the lease, in order to evict, remove, terminate occupancy rights, or terminate assistance to any tenant or lawful occupant who engages in criminal acts of physical violence against family members or others, without evicting, removing, terminating assistance to, or otherwise penalizing the victim of such violence who is a tenant or lawful occupant. Such eviction, removal, termination of occupancy rights, or termination of assistance shall be effected in accordance with the procedures prescribed by Federal, State, or local law for termination of assistance or leases under the relevant public housing, Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, and Section 8 project-based programs.
(b) Court orders.
Nothing in this subpart may be construed to limit the authority of a PHA, owner, or management agent, when notified, to honor court orders addressing rights of access to or control of the property, including civil protection orders issued to protect the victim and to address the distribution of property among household members in a case where a family breaks up.