The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) just received a major financial boon—$19M to be exact. The new funding will help program agencies address housing discrimination related to the pandemic.
Program details:
– The funds come from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP).
– Private fair housing organizations can use these funds to respond to fair housing complaints and inquiries, initiate outreach activities and programs, perform fair housing testing, and more.
– Program funds can also assist those facing discriminatory evictions and foreclosures.
– Three funding levels are available for FHIP organizations: Level 1 (up to $75,000), Level 2 (Up to $125,000) and Level 3 (up to $350,000).
The takeaway:
These funds can help expand fair housing services in underserved communities and will allow participants to propose new fair housing projects related to discriminatory practices that arose due to the pandemic.
“Housing stability will be a critically important part of America’s continuing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jeanine Worden, HUD’s acting assistant secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “The funding we’re announcing today will give our fair housing partner organizations the financial resources they need to address various forms of discrimination that may occur as a result of rental and sales practices, as well as changing credit and real estate operations, related to the pandemic.”
Submit applications by Aug. 18, 2021:
Organizations interested in applying for funding should visit www.Grants.gov.
Housing discrimination complaints may also be filed on the following website: www.hud.gov/fairhousing.
Liz Dominguez is RISMedia’s senior online editor. Email her your real estate news ideas to lizd@rismedia.com.
