HUD AWARDS GRANT TO HELP FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION
$220,000 to Northwest Fair Housing Alliance

SPOKANE - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson awarded a $220,000 grant to Northwest
Fair Housing Alliance (NWFHA) to help fight housing discrimination in eastern and central Washington. NWFHA was
one of 106 recipients nationwide awarded $17.6 million in Fair Housing grants.

The grants, funded under HUD's Fair Housing Initiatives Program, will go to public and private fair housing groups and state and local agencies across the country. These groups will use the funds to investigate allegations of housing discrimination, educate the housing industry and public about housing discrimination laws, and work to promote fair housing.

The Northwest Fair Housing Alliance (NWFHA) will embark on a 12-month project that will focus on fair housing enforcement for the large Hispanic population in small cities and rural areas in southeastern and central Washington State. The project will also address issues for persons with disabilities in the Spokane area, especially those who are homeless or at high risk for becoming homeless. The alliance will leverage its current relationships with several area grassroots organizations in its efforts to expand testing, investigation, and complaint intake to enable individuals
and families within the target population to file meritorious fair housing claims with HUD and the Washington State Human Rights Commission.

"Today's announcement reinforces the Bush Administration's continued commitment to ensuring that communities across America are free of discrimination," said Jackson. "These grants will provide communities with a variety of education initiatives aimed at promoting fair housing."

The 106 winners were chosen based on the soundness of approach, the extent of the problem, the capacity and experience of the applicant, demonstration of results, program evaluation, and the leveraging of other resources.

Additionally, some of the grants will address sophisticated and subtle forms of discrimination through paired testing
as well as other investigative tools. HUD gave special emphasis to grant applications that target under-served populations, such as rural residents and immigrants, especially non-English speaking racial and ethnic minorities.

The Fair Housing Act bars housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, family status
and national origin. The Act covers the sale, rental, financing, and advertising of almost all housing in the nation.
Fair housing investigations are conducted by HUD investigators, state and city agencies working with HUD, and private fair housing groups that receive HUD funds.

Anyone who believes they have experienced housing discrimination can call HUD's Housing Discrimination Hotline at (800) 877-0246, TDD (800) 927-9275, or file a complaint online at www.hud.gov/fairhousing.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as
well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.

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