HUD AWARDS OVER $500,000 IN GRANTS TO COMBAT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN GEORGIA

ATLANTA - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $502,875 to two fair housing organizations of which $325,000 is awarded to Metro Fair Housing Services, Inc. in East Point, Georgia and $177,375 to the Savannah-Chatham County Fair Housing Council, Inc in Savannah to assist people who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination.

The Metro Fair Housing Services, Inc. was a grant recipient based on the Private Enforcement Initiative - Multi-Year Component submission and will use its grant to continue its core fair housing activities in the greater Atlanta MSA and open a satellite office in the northern region of Gwinnett County to provide greater access to Georgia residents in bordering areas with large Latino communities that include Forsyth, Hall, Barrow and Jackson Counties and the northern end of Fulton and DeKalb Counties. Activities will include a full-scale fair housing program that includes education and outreach, complaint intake, and systemic testing; the filing bona fide fair housing complaints with HUD; and collaborations with faith-based and community organizations.

The Savannah-Chatham County Fair Housing Council, Inc. was a grant recipient based on the Fair Housing Organizations Initiative - Continued Development Component submission and will use its funds to target services to Savannah, Georgia, including Chatham County and the surrounding counties of Bryan and Effingham Counties. The project goal is to eliminate housing discrimination through conducting complaint-based and systemic testing, targeting underserved areas and populations. Anticipated outcomes include: housing discrimination complaints investigated and resolved by professionally trained, competent staff; Savannah, Georgia and surrounding Effingham and Bryan Counties realizing continued progress toward the City of Savannah and State of Georgia Fair Housing Plans, and a reduction in discriminatory housing practices as successful enforcement is publicized.

"These federal grants are essential to ending housing discrimination through a unique federal grant support to private fair housing education and enforcement," said HUD Southeast Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr. "We are laser focused on attacking and ending housing discrimination."

The competitive grants are funded through HUD's Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP), and are part of nearly $41.18 million distributed nationwide to 99 fair housing organizations and other non-profit agencies in 35 states and the District of Columbia. The grants will be used to enforce the Fair Housing Act through investigation and testing of alleged discriminatory practices, and to educate housing providers, local governments and potential victims of housing discrimination about their rights and responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act. HUD had over $70 million in requests for FHIP, but funded only $41 million.

FHEO and its partners in the Fair Housing Assistance Program investigate more than 9,300 housing discrimination complaints annually. People who believe they are the victims of housing discrimination should contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777 (voice), or 1-800-927-9275 (TTY).

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.