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Higgins: $900,000 for Housing Opportunities Made Equal

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Fri, Feb 9th 2018 08:20 pm
Congressman Brian Higgins announced the award of a $900,000 competitive federal grant for Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Western New York's principal fair housing organization. HOME was awarded the grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Housing Initiatives Program, designed to execute enforcement activities to eliminate discriminatory housing practices.
"Housing Opportunities Made Equal serves as both an educator for neighborhoods, tenants and landlords, as well as advocate for victims of discrimination," Higgins said. "This federal funding will help to continue the good work they do in our community."
"HOME is grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve Western New York in this capacity. No one should be denied housing because of their membership in a protected class. This funding will allow HOME to continue to educate the community on its rights and responsibilities under the law and to promote fair housing for all people," said M. DeAnna Eason, HOME's executive director.
The federal grant, $300,000 over the next three years, will enable HOME to expand its enforcement of federal, state and local fair housing laws to combat housing discrimination and systemic patterns of entrenched segregation that harm all Western New Yorkers. HOME will also ensure residents are aware of their protections under fair housing laws and work to foster stronger, more diverse communities with greater opportunities for all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, disability, familial status or any other protected characteristic.
Housing Opportunities Made Equal, a Western New York-based civil rights organization, works to promote diversity and declare equal housing opportunity for all. HOME has led the struggle for fair housing in the region since 1963. In 2016 alone, HOME assisted more than 4,800 individuals and investigated close to 200 reports of housing discrimination. HOME's mission is to assure the people of Western New York an equal opportunity to live in the housing and in the communities of their choice - through education, advocacy, enforcement of fair housing laws, and the creation of new housing opportunities. For more information, visit www.homeny.org.

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