HUD No. 20-045

HUD Public Affairs

(202) 708-0685 FOR RELEASE

Wednesday

March 25, 2020

HUD AWARDS $40 MILLION TO FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION

Grants to support and promote fair housing nationwide



WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today awarded $40 million to fair housing organizations across the nation working to confront violations of the nation's landmark Fair Housing Act and help end housing discrimination. (see grant chart below). Read a complete summary of the grants being awarded today.

The grants are being awarded through the Department's Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) and the Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) to help people who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination and to educate the public and housing providers on the nation's fair housing laws.

More than $1 million of the funding announced today is being awarded to grantees located in Opportunity Zones. Created under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Opportunity Zones aim to stimulate long-term investments in low-income communities.

"HUD is committed to supporting efforts to rid discrimination from our society," said HUD Secretary Ben Carson." The grants we are awarding today will enable our fair housing partner organizations to combat unlawful policies and behavior and foster practices that ensure everyone has access to safe, affordable housing, free from discrimination."

HUD's FHIP grants support a wide range of fair housing enforcement, and education and outreach activities. The grants will allow the groups to provide fair housing enforcement through testing in the rental and sales markets, file fair housing complaints with HUD, and conduct investigations. Additionally, the education and outreach activities these organizations will conduct will help to educate the public, housing providers, and local governments about their rights and responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act.

The FHIP grants issued today are provided under HUD's Education and Outreach (EOI), Fair Housing Organization (FHOI) and Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI) grant categories.

Private Enforcement Initiative grants - These awards help nonprofit fair housing enforcement organizations carry out investigations and other enforcement activities to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices.

- These awards help nonprofit fair housing enforcement organizations carry out investigations and other enforcement activities to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices. Education and Outreach Initiative grants - HUD awards these grants to groups that educate the public and housing providers about their rights and responsibilities under federal law or state and local fair housing laws that are substantially equivalent to the Fair Housing Act.

- HUD awards these grants to groups that educate the public and housing providers about their rights and responsibilities under federal law or state and local fair housing laws that are substantially equivalent to the Fair Housing Act. Fair Housing Organizations Initiative grants - HUD awards these grants to help build the capacity and effectiveness of non-profit fair housing organizations to continue and enhance enforcement of the Fair Housing Act.

The grants help Qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations, Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations, public and private non-profit organizations or institutions, and other public or private entities whose enforcement and education and outreach activities help to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices.

HUD is also awarding $1.5 million in Partnership Funds to HUD Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) agencies. FHAP organizations are state and local government agencies that enforce local fair housing laws that are substantially equivalent to the Fair Housing Act.

Persons who believe they have experienced discrimination may file a complaint by contacting HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 (voice) or (800) 927-9275 (TTY).



Fair Housing Initiatives 2019 Grant Awards

State Recipient Amount AK Alaska Legal Services Corporation* $300,000 Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc. $125,000 AL Central Alabama Fair Housing Center $300,000 Central Alabama Fair Housing Center* $125,000 Fair Housing Center of Northern Alabama $300,000 Mobile Fair Housing Center $300,000 Mobile Fair Housing Center, Inc. $124,150 AR Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc. $281,396 AZ Southwest Fair Housing Council $300,000 Southwest Fair Housing Council $125,000 CA Bay Area Legal Aid* $300,000 California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. $300,000 California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. $125,000 CSA San Diego County $300,000 CSA San Diego County $101,586 Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California* $125,000 Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California* $300,000 Fair Housing Council of Central California $300,000 Fair Housing Council of Riverside County, Inc. $300,000 Fair Housing Council of Riverside County, Inc. $125,000 Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, Inc. (GBLA) $300,000 Greater Napa Valley Fair Housing Center $300,000 Inland Mediation Board* $300,000 Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc. $203,500 Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc. $125,000 Orange County Fair Housing Council, Inc. $300,000 Orange County Fair Housing Council, Inc.* $125,000 Project Sentinel Inc $300,000 Southern California Housing Rights Center $300,000 CO Denver Metro Fair Housing Center $297,651 CT Connecticut Fair Housing Center $300,000 Connecticut Fair Housing Center, Inc $125,000 Open Communities Alliance* $125,000 Open Communities Alliance* $250,000 DC Equal Rights Center $300,000 Equal Rights Center $125,000 National Community Reinvestment Coalition $300,000 National Fair Housing Alliance $300,000 National Fair Housing Alliance $250,000 DE Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. $300,000 FL Bay Area Legal Services, Inc. $300,000 Center for Community and Economic Development $125,000 Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc. $300,000 Fair Housing Center of the Greater Palm Beaches, Inc. $300,000 Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence (HOPE) , Inc.* $125,000 Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence, Inc. $300,000 Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. $299,980 Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. $125,000 Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc. $300,000 Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc. $125,000 GA Metro Fair Housing Services, Inc. $300,000 Veterans Center, Inc. $125,000 HI Legal Aid Society of Hawaii $300,000 ID Idaho Housing & Finance Association* $123,750 Idaho Legal Aid Services* $114,944 Intermountain Fair Housing Council, Inc $299,917 IL Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago* $300,000 Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights under Law* $279,831 H.O.P.E. Inc d/b/a HOPE Fair Housing Center $300,000 H.O.P.E. Inc d/b/a HOPE Fair Housing Center* $125,000 HCP of Illinois, Inc.* $125,000 John Marshall Law School $299,660 Legal Aid Chicago $300,000 Open Communities $295,510 Prairie State Legal Services, Inc. $300,000 Rogers Park Community Council dba Northside Community Res. $300,000 South Suburban Housing Center $300,000 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois $122,182 IN Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, Inc. $300,000 Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, Inc. $125,000 KY Lexington Fair Housing Council, Inc. $300,000 LA Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, Inc. $125,000 MA Community Legal Aid, Inc. $300,000 Massachusetts Fair Housing Center, Inc.* $300,000 SouthCoast Fair Housing, Inc.* $300,000 SouthCoast Fair Housing, Inc.* $125,000 Suffolk University $299,989 Suffolk University* $125,000 Way Finders, Inc.* $122,760 MD Baltimore City Office of Equity and Civil Rights $125,000 ME Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. $300,000 MI Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit $300,000 Fair Housing Center of Southeastern Michigan $300,000 Fair Housing Center of Southwest Michigan* $300,000 Fair Housing Center of Southwest Michigan $123,605 Fair Housing Center of West Michigan $300,000 Fair Housing Center of West Michigan* $125,000 Legal Services of Eastern Michigan $300,000 Legal Services of Eastern Michigan* $125,000 MN Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance $300,000 MO Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council* $125,000 Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council $300,000 MS Housing Education and Economic Development, Inc. $125,000 Housing Education and Economic Development, Inc. $300,000 Mississippi Center for Justice $300,000 Mississippi Center for Justice $125,000 MT Montana Fair Housing, Inc. $300,000 NC Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc. $300,000 Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc. $125,000 Telamon Corporation $125,000 ND High Plains Fair Housing Center 205,000 High Plains Fair Housing Center $125,000 NE City of Lincoln Nebraska* $125,000 Family Housing Advisory Services, Incorporated 300,000 NH New Hampshire Legal Assistance 300,000 NJ Citizen Action of New Jersey $125,000 Fair Housing Council of Northern New Jersey $300,000 Fair Housing Council of Northern New Jersey* $125,000 New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund, Inc.* $300,000 NV Silver State Fair Housing Council 300,000 Silver State Fair Housing Council* $124,502 NY Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A $125,000 Brooklyn Legal Services, Inc.* $300,000 Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc.* $125,000 CNY Fair Housing, Inc.* $125,000 CNY Fair Housing, Inc., 300,000 Fair Housing Justice Center, Inc. 300,000 Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Inc. 300,000 Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Inc.* $125,000 Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.* $110,500 Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.* $300,000 Long Island Housing Services, Inc.* $300,000 Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. 300,000 Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc.* $125,000 OH Fair Housing Contact Service, Inc. 300,000 Fair Housing Contact Service, Inc.* $125,000 Fair Housing Opportunities of Northwest Ohio, Inc.* $125,000 Fair Housing Opportunities, Inc. dba Fair Housing Center $300,000 Fair Housing Resource Center, Inc. $300,000 Fair Housing Resource Center, Inc.* $125,000 Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Greater Cincinnati* $125,000 Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Greater Cincinnati* $300,000 Housing Research & Advocacy Center* $125,000 Housing Research & Advocacy Center* $300,000 Miami Valley Fair Housing Center, Inc. $300,000 Ohio State Legal Services Association* $300,000 OK Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc.* $300,000 Metropolitan Fair Housing Council of Oklahoma, Inc $300,000 Metropolitan Fair Housing Council of Oklahoma, Inc. $125,000 OR Fair Housing Council of Oregon* $125,000 Fair Housing Council of Oregon* $300,000 PA Fair Housing Council of Suburban Philadelphia, Inc. $300,000 Fair Housing Council of Suburban Philadelphia, Inc.* $125,000 Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh $300,000 Fair Housing Rights Center in Southeastern Pennsylvania $300,000 Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership $124,383 Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services, Inc. $300,000 Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services, Inc.* $125,000 PR Solo Por Hoy, Inc.* $125,000 SC Greenville County Human Relations Commission $120,753 TN Tennessee Fair Housing Council $300,000 West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc. $300,000 West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc. $125,000 TX Austin Tenants Council $300,000 Greater Houston Fair Housing Center, Inc.* $300,000 North Texas Fair Housing Center $300,000 San Antonio Fair Housing Council, Inc. $300,000 Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs $124,866.79 UT Disability Law Center $299,580 VA Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc. $300,000 Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc. $125,000 VT Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, Inc. $125,000 Vermont Legal Aid, Inc. $300,000 Vermont Legal Aid, Inc.* $125,000 WA Fair Housing Center of Washington $300,000 Fair Housing Center of Washington* $125,000 Northwest Fair Housing Alliance $300,000 Northwest Fair Housing Alliance* $125,000 WI Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council* 300,000 Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council* $125,000 TOTAL $38,700,000

*Located in Opportunity Zone.