WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today it is making $38 million available to fight housing discrimination through the Department’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP). The grants offered through three FHIP funding notices will support a variety of critical fair housing activities, including fair housing testing in the rental and sales market, public education efforts, capacity building, and education and outreach activities. Read HUD’s Notices of Funding Availability. Applications must be received by September 18, 2017.
Each year, HUD makes funding available to support organizations interested in enforcing fair housing laws and policies, as well as educating the public, housing providers, and local governments about their rights and responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act.
The categories of grants announced today are:
- Education and Outreach Initiative grants (EOI) – $7,450,000 is available to organizations that educate the public and housing providers about their rights and responsibilities under federal law. The grants can also support state and local organizations that enforce fair housing laws that are equivalent to the federal Fair Housing Act. This year’s EOI funds include $1 million for a national media campaign. (Search FR-6100-N-21-A on Grants.gov)
- Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI) – $500,000 is available to help build the capacity and effectiveness of non-profit fair housing organizations, particularly organizations that focus on the rights and needs of underserved groups, such as rural and immigrant populations. (Search FR-6100-N-21B on Grants.gov)
- Private Enforcement Initiative grants (PEI) – Total PEI multi-year funding is $30.35 million is available to organizations that conduct intake, testing, investigation and litigation of fair housing complaints under the Fair Housing Act. (Search FR-6100-N-21C on Grants.gov)
People who believe they have been denied a reasonable accommodation request 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). Housing discrimination complaints may also be filed by going to www.hud.gov/fairhousing.