$500,000 in CARES Act Funding to Fair Housing Organizations


Posted On: September 24, 2020

On Monday, September 21st, HUD announced it’s giving additional funding to 15 Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) agencies. The total amount awarded is over $500,000 to Fair Housing agencies. The agencies span across 12 states. This funding is to support activities related to COVID-19. This funding is part of the $1.5 million in Partnership and Special Enforcement Effort funds provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

A list of the states and organizations receiving the funds:

Connecticut
  • The Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities is receiving $17,176. It’s to conduct research and partner with advocacy organizations to carry out education and outreach activities. It’s also to produce public service announcements on fair housing laws and COVID-19 related health disparities associated with where people live.
Indiana
  • The Indiana Civil Rights Commission is receiving $55,000. It’s to conduct COVID-19 related fair housing tests and partner with four state agencies to develop and distribute COVID-19 related fair housing material. The Evansville-Vanderburgh County Human Relations Commission is receiving $8,634.95. It’s to purchase technology that will improve the agency’s ability to function in a 100% remote environment.
Iowa
  • The Iowa Civil Rights Commission is receiving $48,682. It’s to partner with government agencies and organizations to provide COVID-19 related fair housing information to refugee communities adversely affected by the virus. It’s also to purchase office equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff engaged in COVID-19 related fair housing activities.
Maine
  • The Maine Human Rights Commission is receiving $35,439. It’s to collaborate with non-profit and faith-based organizations/stakeholders, and community and landlord groups to discuss COVID-19 related fair housing issues. It’s also to purchase technology that will improve the agency’s ability to function in a 100% remote environment.
Nebraska
  • The Lincoln Commission on Human Rights is receiving $20,302. It’s to conduct fair housing tests related to COVID-19 and hire an additional staff person. It’s also to purchase technology that will allow the agency to operate in a 100% remote environment.
New York
  • The Westchester County Human Relations Commission is receiving $33,530. It’s to fund the hiring of a fair housing investigator to assist with processing its backlog of cases and investigate COVID-19 related complaints.
North Carolina
  • The City of Durham Human Relations Division is receiving $3,862. It’s to purchase technology that will improve the agency’s ability to function in a 100% remote environment.
Ohio
  • The Ohio Civil Rights Commission is receiving $37,245. It’s to conduct remote interviews and purchase technology that will improve the agency’s ability to function in a 100% remote environment. The City of Dayton Human Relations Council is receiving $25,000. It’s to develop an app and web-based platform relating to COVID-19 and fair housing. It’s also to hire an additional staff person to conduct COVID-19 related outreach to faith-based and community organizations.
Tennessee
  • The Tennessee Human Rights Commission is receiving $48,423. It’s to partner with Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Memphis area to produce COVID-19 related educational broadcasts and to conduct a radio campaign educating citizens of their fair housing rights related to COVID-19. It’s also to purchase technology that will improve the agency’s ability to function in a 100% remote environment.
Texas
  • The Corpus Christi Human Relations Commission is receiving $29,525. It’s to create an instructional video and web pages, conduct a social media campaign, and create a fair housing mailout related to COVID-19. Its also to send texts informing citizens of their fair housing rights as they relate to COVID-19. The City of Austin Equal Employment and Fair Housing Office is receiving $8,862.78. It’s to purchase technology that will improve the agency’s ability to function in a 100% remote environment.
Vermont
  • The Vermont Human Rights Commission is receiving $24,595. It’s to produce COVID-19 related fair housing educational videos, conduct a social media campaign, and produce radio and print ads informing citizens of their fair housing rights related to COVID-19. It’s to also purchase technology that will improve the agency’s ability to function in a 100% remote environment.
Washington
  • The Washington State Human Rights Commission is receiving $133,148. It’s to hire additional staff to address the impact of COVID-19 related loss of capacity. It’s to also purchase technology that will improve the agency’s ability to function in a 100% remote environment.

“These organizations are extremely knowledgeable about the communities they serve and how COVID-19 is affecting housing choices, but they need financial resources to address the issues they are seeing… The funds being provided today will allow them to provide additional COVID-19 related fair housing outreach and purchase the equipment and technology they need and to conduct the wide-ranging types of activities, which will ensure that families have equal access to housing during this challenging period.” Anna María Farías, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.

This $500,000 to Fair Housing agencies continues the active support and relief that HUD is putting towards those affected by COVID-19. In June, HUD gave out $1 million in CARES Act funding to 19 FHAP organizations. And starting in April, HUD began allocating waves of relief funds to assist those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more about how HUD is awarding the $500,000 to Fair Housing agencies in the official press release.

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