The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the allocation of over $22 million to fair housing organizations nationwide to address housing discrimination. The funds, totaling $22,241,793, will be distributed through HUD’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) to support various activities such as education, outreach, testing, and enforcement.
"At HUD, one of the cornerstones of our mission is to root out all forms of discrimination in housing so that no one is treated unfairly," said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. "To accomplish this mission, we work with local partners from coast to coast. The $22 million we are making available today will give even more support to our partners as they enforce the Fair Housing Act."
Each year, HUD provides funding to organizations that enforce fair housing laws and educate the public about their rights and responsibilities under these laws. This initiative aims to eliminate housing discrimination and promote inclusive communities by leading the nation in enforcing federal fair housing policies.
"HUD's partnership with fair housing organizations is critical to ensuring fair housing awareness and enforcement of our laws," said HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Diane M. Shelley. "The grants made possible by this funding will strengthen this partnership and ensure that fair housing reaches all of our communities."
The grants fall into four categories:
- Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI): $8,350,000 for developing education programs on fair housing rights.
- Education and Outreach Initiative – Test Coordinator Training (EOI-TCT): $500,000 for training courses in fair housing testing.
- Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI): $3,700,000 for building capacity in conducting fair housing enforcement or establishing new organizations.
- Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI): $9,691,793 for testing violations and enforcing rights under the Fair Housing Act.
Interested applicants can visit www.grants.gov for application materials. Applications for EOI, EOI-TCT, and FHOI must be received by November 19, 2024; PEI applications are due by November 25, 2024.
Individuals who believe they have experienced housing discrimination should contact HUD at (800) 669-9777 or (800) 927-9275 (TTY). More information is available at hud.gov/fairhousing.
