HUD Awards $824,000 to Austin, Houston and San Antonio to Fight Housing Discrimination in Texas

FORT WORTH, TX – January 27, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded at total of $824,707,000 to three fair housing organizations in Texas to assist people who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination. Nationally, a total of 98 fair housing organizations and other non-profit agencies in 37 states and the District of Columbia received $29 million in grants. A list of the Texas grantees, type of grant received and amounts follows.

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

“In 2010, the fight for fair housing across America continues. The organizations we are funding are respected and trusted groups that emerged from a very competitive process,” stated John Trasvina, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity. “They will help HUD enforce the law and educate the public about their rights and responsibilities under the law.”

The Texas grantees all received Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI) grants to help groups investigate alleged housing discrimination, and enforce the Fair Housing Act and state and local laws that are substantially equivalent to the Act.

The Texas grantees are:

FHEO and its partners in the Fair Housing Assistance Program investigate approximately 10,000 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.