HUD AWARDS OVER $1,250,000 TO TEXAS TO FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION

FORT WORTH - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today awarded grants to four organizations in Texas totaling $1,284,632 in an effort to reduce housing discrimination. This funding is part of $38.3 million HUD awarded today to 95 fair housing organizations and other nonprofit agencies in 38 states.

Texas organizations receiving the awards are located in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. See attached for information on grantees and specific amounts.

Funded through HUD's Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP), these grants will help enforce the Fair Housing Act through investigation and testing of alleged discriminatory practices. In addition, the funds will educate housing providers, local governments and potential victims of housing discrimination about their rights and responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act.

"Ending housing discrimination requires that we support the law of the land and protect the housing rights of individuals and families who would be denied those rights," stated HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "Ensuring and promoting Fair Housing practices lies at the core of HUD's mission and these grants enable community groups all over the nation to help families who are denied equal access to housing.

Regional Administrator Tammye Treviño added, "No one should be denied the opportunity to live where they want because of how they look, their faith, whether they have children or because they have a disability. These grants will help us continue our efforts to educate the public and housing industry about their housing rights and responsibilities."

TEXAS

Austin

Austin Tenants Council Inc.
FY13 Private Enforcement Initiative
Multi-Year Component - $324,742

The Austin Tenants' Council (ATC) will use its grant to identify discrimination and enforce violations under the Fair Housing Act. Specifically, ATC will provide intake and referral of fair housing complaints. ATC will audit the accessibility of new multi-family rental housing and reviews housing advertisements, conduct fair housing testing and refer bona fide complaints and enforcement proposals to the City of Austin Equal Employment/Fair Housing Office, the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division, or HUD for enforcement and/or to legal services. ATC also will partner with the Housing Authority of the City of Austin to train new Section 8 voucher holders on their fair housing rights. Finally, ATC will promote fair housing and the availability of ATC's services on television and radio and in print advertisements.

Dallas

North Texas Fair Housing Center
Fair Housing Organization Initiative
Continuing Development General Component - $309,890

The North Texas Fair Housing Center (NTFHC) will use its grant to continue development of NTFHC's enforcement and outreach programs to provide services to 12 counties that make up the Dallas and Fort Worth Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA), including: Collin, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, and Wise. NTFHC will conduct systemic testing and fair housing education and outreach in the North Texas region. The organization will conduct race and familial status tests, test new construction to determine compliance with the Fair Housing Act's accessibility requirements, and conduct fair housing education and outreach activities. NTFHC will analyze test results and use the information to inform the community and local jurisdictions about housing discrimination in their communities. NTFHC will follow-up on potential sustainable cases of discrimination by filing complaints with HUD and local FHAP agencies. NTFHC's project will affirmatively further fair housing by uncovering discrimination through proactive investigation that is systemic and results in HUD filings or litigation, educate the community on the goal and importance of equal housing opportunity, and send a strong deterrent message to property owners and managers.

Houston

Greater Houston Fair Housing Center, Inc.
FY13 Private Enforcement Initiative
Multi-Year Component - $325,000

The Greater Houston Fair Housing Center, Inc. (GHFHC) will use its grant to continue providing fair housing enforcement services-complaint intake, investigation, mediation, and referral services for victims of discrimination, tester recruitment and training, testing, and inspection of multifamily housing for compliance with fair housing requirements in the Houston metropolitan area. These services will be available in both English and Spanish. Additionally, GHFHC will continue providing fair housing training for local government agencies, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations. Specifically, GHFHC will conduct affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH) capacity building programs for local partners and sponsor media programs in English and Spanish to promote AFFH and fair housing enforcement.

San Antonio

San Antonio Fair Housing Council, Inc.
FY11 Private Enforcement Initiative
Multi-Year Component - $325,000

San Antonio Fair Housing Council, Inc. (SAFHC) will use its grant toconduct preliminary investigations of fair housing claims through various investigative methods, including conduct systemic investigations, resident surveys, rental tests, sales tests, and lending tests. These initiatives will take place in 35 counties in South Texas (Atascosa, Bandera, Brooks, Cameron, Comal, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, Frio, Gillespie, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kendall, Kenedy, Kerr, Kinney, Kleberg, LaSalle, Live Oak, Maverick, McMullen, Medina, Real, Starr, Uvalde, Val Verde, Webb, Willacy, Wilson, Zapata, and Zavala counties).

###

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.