WASHINGTON – (RealEstateRama) — On Tuesday January 23, 2018, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it is awarding $37 million in the fight to end housing discrimination under its Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP). More than 150 fair housing organizations nationwide will benefit from the grants and use the funding to challenge violations of the Fair Housing Act.
Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida (CLSMF) was selected to receive two awards, totaling $1,025,000 over three years, from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. According to Kimberly Sanchez, CLSMF Executive Director, “We are so pleased to be one of only six organizations receiving a Private Enforcement Initiative grant (PEI) and one of only two organizations receiving an Education and Outreach Initiative grant (EOI) in Florida. This funding will help us build our capacity and effectiveness in providing fair housing enforcement and education initiatives to protect the rights and needs of underserved groups, particularly for persons with disabilities.”
With three-year funding under the PEI, CLSMF will conduct intakes and perform testing, investigation and litigation of fair housing complaints under the Fair Housing Act. With one-year EOI funding, CLSMF will offer education to the public and housing providers about their rights and responsibilities under federal law.
Since 2012, with HUD funding, CLSMF has handled over 2,800 housing discrimination matters in Central Florida, including helping residents with requests for reasonable accommodation, investigating discriminatory practices in the housing market, and assisting homeowners targeted by predatory, discriminatory mortgage loans and practices during the housing crisis.
If you believe you are a victim of housing discrimination, please contact us at (800) 405-1417.
