Landlords Beware!
Grant to help N.C. Legal Aid end housing discrimination
Raleigh-based Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc. has received $325,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help fight housing discrimination.
The funding is part of HUD’s $38.3 million Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) awarded to 95 fair housing organizations and other non-profit agencies in 38 states. These grants will help enforce the Fair Housing Act through investigation and testing of alleged discriminatory practices. In addition, the funds will educate housing providers, local governments and potential victims of housing discrimination about their rights and responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act.
“Ending housing discrimination requires that we support the law of the land and protect the housing rights of individuals and families who would be denied those rights,” stated HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “Ensuring and promoting Fair Housing practices lies at the core of HUD’s mission and these grants enable community groups all over the nation to help families who are denied equal access to housing.”
The Fair Housing Project of Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) will use its grant to provide a full-service fair housing project to residents throughout North Carolina, targeting underserved populations including racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP), low income rural residents and immigrants. Specifically, LANC will provide complaint intake and referral services, assisting individuals with fair housing.
“No one should be denied the opportunity to live where they want because of how they look, their faith, whether they have children or because they have a disability,” said HUD Southeast Regional Administrator Ed Jennings Jr. “These grants will help us continue our efforts to educate the public and housing industry about their housing rights and responsibilities.”
