The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently awarded $125,000 to support fair housing organizations working to help end housing discrimination. These funds are provided through the Department’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) and help people who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination and educates housing providers about fair housing laws, according to a HUD release.

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 recognizes that fair housing enforcement and education and outreach services are an essential component of protecting persons from housing discrimination in the U.S. FHIP funding will be used to provide emergency relief to fair housing organizations to address fair housing inquiries, complaints, investigations, education and outreach activities, and the costs of delivering or adapting services, during or relating to the coronavirus pandemic, the release sated.

Through this funding opportunity, HUD awarded a grant to The Fair Housing Council of Suburban Philadelphia, Inc. The Fair Housing Council of Suburban Philadelphia will receive $125,000 to expand its capacity to respond to increased volume of complaint inquires and allegations of discrimination during the coronavirus pandemic and reduce discrimination against protected classes in Greater Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley, Pa.

“The grant recipient has proposed to screen 200 complaint inquiries; provide information, advice, or referrals to 100 consumers with landlord tenant complaints; process 100 allegations of housing discrimination; assist 15 people with disabilities requesting reasonable accommodation or modifications; and refer 20 complaints to HUD, the U.S. Department of Justice, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) or private attorneys,” HUD said in the release.

Additionally, a total of $16,114,647 has been awarded in Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI), American Rescue Plan funding through two previous rounds to 62 Qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (QFHO) and Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (FHO) to help them continue to advance their mission during the interruption of their operation due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Another $3,385,353 in ARP funding will be made available to eligible applicants through another Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in the near future.