WASHINGTON - Secretary Andrew Cuomo today announced $3.5 million in Department of Housing and Urban Development grants for a campaign to educate the public about housing discrimination and to help communities respond to tensions caused by housing rights conflicts.

"As our nation marks Martin Luther King Day, we should pay special attention to the Fair Housing Act that protects the right of people around this country to live in any home and in any neighborhood they can afford," Cuomo said.

Dr. King worked hard to win passage of the Fair Housing Act to outlaw housing discrimination. Congress paid tribute to the civil rights leader by passing the Act just six days after his assassination in April 1968.

Cuomo awarded:

• A $2 million grant to Consumer Action of San Francisco to launch and carry out a national education project to inform members of the public of their fair housing rights and opportunities. The group will: establish a Fair Housing Advisory Council to educate the public; launch a national education public service announcement campaign in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean; and use a variety of other outreach techniques. The group will also conduct a national opinion survey on housing discrimination.

• A $1.5 million grant to the Leadership Conference Education Fund of Washington, DC to carry out the Community Tensions Project. The project will develop and implement a plan to prevent and respond to tensions or hate crimes that result from a person or group exercising fair housing rights. The fund will establish model community tensions programs in Baltimore, Chicago and San Diego. The programs will have a special emphasis on race, national origin and disability issues. The Leadership Conference will contract with the fair housing centers in theses three cities and with the National Fair Housing Alliance to develop and implement programs that prevent and respond to hate crimes and community tensions.

Cuomo awarded the two grants under HUD's National Focus Education and Outreach segment of its Fair Housing Initiatives Program. Cuomo recently announced $11.5 million in grants under the program to non-profit groups in 42 cities to investigate allegations of housing discrimination, educate the public and housing industry about housing discrimination laws, and work to promote fair housing.

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.

People who believe they've been harmed by housing discrimination can file complaints with HUD by calling 1-800-669-9777.

Content Archived: January 20, 2009