Acting Secretary Jackson yesterday said the Department has awarded $17.6 million in grants to fair housing groups to curb housing discrimination. The FHIP grants will be used to investigate allegations of housing discrimination, educate the public and housing industry about housing discrimination laws and work to promote fair housing.

About $10.2 million was awarded to assist private, tax-exempt fair housing enforcement organizations in the investigation and enforcement of alleged violations of the Fair Housing Act and State and local fair housing laws.

Another $5.3 million was awarded to educate the public about the rights and obligations under federal, state and local fair housing laws. Nearly $800,000 went to ten groups that focus on the needs of persons with disabilities.

And the final $2.1 million went to projects that serve rural and immigrant populations in underserved areas or where there currently is no existing fair housing organization.

Since the program's inception in 1989, nearly $226 million has been awarded to some 1070 organizations. Individual project summaries by city and state are on the Internet.