HUD AWARDS OVER $252,665 TO FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN MISSOURI

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it has awarded $252,665 to to Kansas City Missouri Human Relations Department (KCMOHRD), Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR) and the St. Louis Civil Rights Enforcement Agency (SLCREA) enforce fair housing laws and help communities and housing providers to better understand their fair housing rights and responsibilities. The funds, part of more than $7.5 million distributed nationwide today, will also be used to promote the Department's new Equal Access to Housing regulation, which ensures that HUD housing and programs are open to all families, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status.

"Today's announcement demonstrates the Obama Administration's commitment to ending housing discrimination, no matter what form it takes," said John Trasviña, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "With these funds, state and local government agencies on the front line of the fight will be able to continue their efforts to take on today's many fair housing challenges."

KCMOHRD will partner with the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council to conduct 12 matched-pair rental/familial status fair housing tests and 12 disparate treatment race/ex-offender fair housing tests. Additionally, they will partner with Phillips-West Public Relations & Communications to conduct effective and comprehensive fair housing education and outreach by developing new media materials, using social media and participating in community outreach activities, highlighting non-traditional housing bias using such themes as domestic violence, LGBT and immigrant bias.

MCHR will partner with the Independence Human Relations Commission, the Springfield Mayor's Commission on Human Rights & Community Relations, and the City of Columbia Commission on Human Rights to provide fair housing training and outreach programs to the Commissioners, staff, volunteers and the community. Programs will also educate Missourians about their fair housing rights and responsibilities by distributing fair housing literature, calendars and other fair housing information.

SLCREA will partner with the Equal Housing Opportunity Council (EHOC) and the St. Louis Black Gay & Lesbian Pride Committee to complete a minimum of ten fair housing outreach & education presentations, conduct fair housing testing and focus group sessions to improve awareness and enforcement for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents in St. Louis. Additionally, a fair housing conference addressing LGBT housing issues during Fair Housing Month.

In awarding the funds, which are provided through HUD's Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP), HUD is responding to requests and suggestions from state and local government agencies that are seeking to partner with organizations that will assist in fair housing enforcement and outreach. The funds will help local communities learn more about their fair housing rights and housing providers meet their fair housing obligations, including those related to HUD's new Equal Access to Housing regulation.

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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 at @HUDnews or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.

Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) Funding

The following Missouri agencies have received funding: