HUD AWARDS NEARLY $300,000 IN GRANTS TO COMBAT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN KENTUCKY

LOUISVILLE - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $296,996 to the Lexington Fair Housing Council, Inc., to assist people in Kentucky who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination.

The Lexington Fair Housing Council, Inc., will use its grant to conduct the following tasks: an expanded program of testing; a hotline and training for housing providers; a program to provide immediate advice to those under pressure to take out predatory loans; education and monitoring for local homeownership programs; multi-lingual outreach and workshops to the community; promotion of language access by housing providers; a partnership with Kentucky State University to educate students about fair housing laws; and intake, litigation, and mediation of fair housing complaints.

"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 at www.hud.gov 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.