FAIR HOUSING OF THE DAKOTAS AWARDED $214,769 GRANT TO HELP
FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION

FARGO, ND - Fair Housing of the Dakotas (FHD) today received a HUD Private Enforcement Initiative grant of $214,769. The grant will enable FHD to continue to provide complaint intake, investigation, mediation, and referral services. Fair Housing of the Dakotas has been providing fair housing services in North Dakota since 1995, and in South Dakota since 2003. FHD was selected by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which awarded $18.1 million in grants to 102 groups in 85 cities throughout the nation to help reduce housing discrimination.

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

"These grants will help us continue our efforts to educate the public and housing industry about their rights and responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act," said Kim Kendrick, HUD's Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "No one should be denied the opportunity to live where they want because of how they look, or the religion: they practice, or because they have a disability."

Grants were awarded under one of two initiatives

• Private Enforcement Initiative grants (PEI) - HUD awarded $13.9 million to assist groups in the
  investigation and enforcement of alleged violations of the Fair Housing Act and substantially equivalent
  state and local fair housing laws.
  
  
• Education and Outreach Initiative grants (EOI) - HUD awarded $4.2 million to groups that educate
  the public and housing providers about their rights and obligations under federal, state, and local fair
  housing laws.

HUD received applications from 268 groups seeking grants, a 7% increase over fiscal year 2005, out of that group, 102 winners were chosen based on a number of criteria, which included the demonstration of results and program evaluation.

FHEO and its partners in the Fair Housing Assistance Program investigate approximately 9,000 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). Additional information is available at www.hud.gov/fairhousing/. Stay on
top of the most up-to-date news regarding the Fair Housing Act by signing up for the FHEO RSS Feed at www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/index.cfm.

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

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