1999 Best Practices
Success Stories

Program Name:			North Carolina Fair Housing Center
Program Focus:			Fair Housing
Geographic Area:			Southeast/Caribbean
State:			North Carolina
City:			Raleigh

Executive Summary
"Housing discrimination is seldom obvious. It is often done with a handshake and a smile." These words, from a brochure produced by the North Carolina Fair Housing Center (NCFHC), help inform members of communities in the state about ways to recognize subtle forms of housing discrimination.

The NCFHC was formed to help victims identify instances of discrimination, file complaints and protect their legal rights. The center provides education and assistance to people who have been denied their housing choice because of their race, class, color, religion or national origin. Established by the North Carolina State Assembly in 1995, the NCFHC is a private nonprofit. Since its inception, the organization has investigated more than 500 allegations of discrimination each year. Fifteen cases have been settled out of court, and four cases have been referred to the North Carolina Human Relations Committee for filing of a legal action.

In addition to assisting clients on an individual basis, the NCFHC has been instrumental in the success of an amendment to the State Building Code requiring that all multifamily homes built in North Carolina after July 1, 1999, be wheelchair accessible. The NCFHC also holds contracts with the cities of Durham, Asheville and Greensboro to conduct analyses of their rental and real estate markets for evidence of housing discrimination.

With the help of funding from HUD’s Fair Housing Initiative Program (FHIP), the NCFHC also promotes public awareness through a series of educational and outreach campaigns. In addition to brochures, the NCFHC offers counseling and assistance to low- and moderate-income families throughout the state.

One of the agency’s challenges has been to identify enough funding to provide all of the services it envisions as necessary. The agency is seeking additional funds, and some partners have agreed to help. The NCFHC has found that partnering with other community groups such as the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and the Community Reinvestment Association helps achieve common social goals while minimizing the financial burden on each individual organization.

By implementing this funding strategy and others, the NCFHC is able to spearhead the effort to ensure that fair housing is available to all citizens in the community. The organization’s remarkable success and its status as an invaluable member of communities in the state is evidenced by the number of thank-you letters received from grateful clients.

Partners: North Carolina State Assembly, North Carolina Human Relations Commission, Community Reinvestment Association, and North Carolina Finance Agency

Financing: HUD’s Fair Housing Initiative Program and Other Funding Sources

Point of Contact:

Stella Adams, Phone: (919) 856-2166