BAY AREA LEGAL SERVICES AWARDED $235,000 GRANT TO HELP FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION
Private Enforcement Initiative - Performance Based Component

TAMPA, FL - Bay Area Legal Services, Inc. today received a grant of $235,000. The grant will work in partnership
with the West Central Florida Agency on Aging, Beth-El Farm worker Ministry, the county Homeless Coalition, St. John's Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, and the Florida Bar Association to increase enforcement of the Fair Housing Act and compliance with the nation's fair housing laws. As part of their grant, BALS, which operates in Hillsborough County and the city of Tampa, will investigate approximately 40 fair housing cases per year, particularly cases involving minorities, persons with disabilities, and persons with limited English proficiency. BALS will also recruit and train 15 new testers, conduct a minimum of 84 tests per year, and distribute fair housing materials to at least
35 groups annually.

Bay Area Legal Services was selected by The Department of Housing and Urban Development, which awarded 88 grants totaling $17.1 million to recipients in 37 states and the District of Columbia to help fight housing
discrimination.

"Last year there were a record 10,328 housing discrimination complaints filed with HUD and its state and local partners," said Kim Kendrick, HUD's Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "These grants will allow us to continue with efforts to educate the public and the housing industry about their rights and
responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act."

The grants, funded through HUD's Fair Housing Initiatives Program, will be used to investigate allegations of housing discrimination, educate the public and the housing industry about their rights and responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act, and work to promote equal housing opportunities.

This year's grants were awarded under one of two initiatives:

• Private Enforcement Initiative grants (PEI) - HUD awarded $14 million to help groups investigate alleged housing discrimination, and enforce the Fair Housing Act and state and local laws that are substantially equivalent to the Act.

• Education and Outreach Initiative grants (EOI) - HUD awarded $3.1 million to groups that educate the public and housing providers about their rights and obligations under federal, state, and local fair housing laws.

FHEO and its partners in the Fair Housing Assistance Program investigate approximately 10,000 housing discrimination complaints annually. People who believe they are the victims of housing discrimination should contact HUD at (800) 669-9777 (voice), (800) 927-9275 (TTY). Stay on top of the most up-to-date news regarding the Fair Housing Act
by signing up for the FHEO RSS Feed.

NOTE: A list of all the grant recipients is available on the HUD website.

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For information contact: Bill Kalbas, HUD Tampa, (813) 228-2026 x 2112.