HUD awards over $40 million to fight housing discrimination

Grants to support and promote fair housing nationwide; New York awarded over $2.6 million for testing, enforcement, education & outreach

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $40.8 million to support dozens of fair housing organizations working to help end housing discrimination (see grant chart below for full list of recipients). These funds are provided through the department’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP), both to help people who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination and to educate housing providers about fair housing laws.

“Today’s grant announcement provides resources that play an important role in fulfilling HUD’s mission to provide safe, fair, and affordable housing,” HUD Secretary Ben Carson said.

“FHIP organizations are important partners in combating housing discrimination,” said Anna María Farías, HUD assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity. “The grants we are awarding today help to support these organizations on an ongoing basis.” 

“Nothing is more offensive than being denied a place to live due to discrimination. Since Day One, this administration has provided the critical funding necessary to eradicate housing discrimination,” said Lynne Patton, HUD regional administrator for New York and New Jersey. “FHIP funding is essential, because it provides HUD partners the enforcement resources they need to take down key offenders and ensure they never operate in this industry again.”

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

FHIP grants are provided under three categories:

√ Private Enforcement Initiative grants (PEI) – 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 (EOI) – 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 (FHOI) – HUD awards these grants to help build the capacity and effectiveness of nonprofit fair housing organizations to continue and enhance enforcement of 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).

2020 FHIP AWARD WINNERS