Funds will support and promote fair housing nationwide
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it is providing $2,472,310 in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to help 11 HUD Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) agencies combat housing discrimination related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds, which are being awarded under FHIP’s Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI), constitute the second round of ARP funding that focus directly on the unequal impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on communities of color, low-income communities, and other vulnerable populations.
“As we embark on our new normal, our country has sadly carried the housing discrimination of old with it. While dealing with the struggles the pandemic has brought, too many residents have also had to suffer through the harms discrimination brings,” said Demetria L. McCain, HUD’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “The funds provided today will ensure that our fair housing partners have the financial resources they need to oppose discriminatory practices in the communities they serve.”
The funding is awarded to FHIP agencies that will provide resources and support to victims of housing discrimination who have been hit the hardest during the COVID-19 pandemic. FHIP agencies will use the funding to conduct housing education and outreach activities and to address fair housing inquiries, complaints, and investigations.
Another $3,285,353 in ARP funding will be made available to eligible applicants that did not receive funding in the first and second allocation rounds.
The following organizations are receiving funding:
2021 FHIP PEI-ARP AWARD WINNERS
| State | Recipient | Grant Type | Amount |
| California | CSA San Diego County | PEI-ARP | $350,000 |
| Florida | Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc. | PEI-ARP | $250,000 |
| Georgia | Metro Fair Housing Services, Inc. | PEI-ARP | $125,000 |
| Kentucky | Lexington Fair Housing Council, Inc. | PEI-ARP | $75,000 |
| Massachusetts | SouthCoast Fair Housing, Inc. | PEI-ARP | $75,000 |
| Michigan | Fair Housing Center of West Michigan | PEI-ARP | $125,000 |
| Oklahoma | Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. | PEI-ARP | $350,000 |
| Oregon | Fair Housing Council of Oregon | PEI-ARP | $347,310 |
| Tennessee | West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc. | PEI-ARP | $350,000 |
| Texas | San Antonio Fair Housing Council, Inc. | PEI-ARP | $75,000 |
| Virginia | Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc. | PEI-ARP | $350,000 |
| TOTAL | $2,472,310 |
People 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) 877-8339 (relay).