FY 2006 Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) Awards

Alabama

The Fair Housing Center of Northern Alabama (FHCNA) will conduct fair housing activities in 23 counties, with emphasis on the following counties: Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Shelby, Madison, Lauderdale, Etowah and Calhoun. In particular, FHCNA will investigate allegations of housing discrimination; conduct undercover testing of rental and mortgage lending companies; and perform inspections of multifamily properties for compliance with the design and construction requirements of the Fair Housing Act. Additionally, FHCNA will provide fair housing education to the public and conduct outreach activities to the Hispanic population and persons with disabilities. FHCNA will conduct its education and outreach activities in collaboration with community organizations, such as the Birmingham Homeownership Center.

The Mobile Fair Housing Center (MFHC), Inc., will carry out fair housing enforcement programs throughout the southwestern counties of Mobile, Baldwin, Clarke, Washington, Monroe, Escambia, Choctaw, and Conecuh. MFHC will provide comprehensive fair housing enforcement services, such the intake and investigation of allegations of housing discrimination. However, MFHC will focus its enforcement initiatives on identifying predatory lenders and inspecting multifamily building for compliance with the accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing Act.

The Fair Housing Agency of Alabama (FHAA) will provide housing and lending professionals and residents of southern Alabama with information on their rights and responsibilities under fair housing law. To accomplish this, FHAA will conduct workshops and seminars and place advertisement in print media. FHAA will refer housing discrimination complaints to HUD.

The Central Alabama Fair Housing Center (CAFHC) will work to prevent and eliminate housing discrimination in a 29-county region of central Alabama. To do this, CAFHC will test housing providers and mortgage lenders for evidence of discriminatory treatment; inspect newly constructed multifamily housing for compliance with federal accessibility requirements; and monitor the enforcement of local occupancy codes for signs of racial and ethnic targeting. Additionally, CAFHC will plan and implement media campaigns and other activities to educate the public on fair housing.

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Arizona

The Southwest Fair Housing Council (SWFHC) will help Arizona residents exercise their fair housing rights by receiving complaints of housing discrimination; conducting preliminary investigations; attempting to resolve complaints through mediation; and referring meritorious claims to government agencies or private attorneys. SWFHC will also conduct testing and analyze the results for signs of discrimination. Additionally, SWFHC will partner with faith- and community-based organizations to provide fair housing education and outreach.

Crawford-Sebastian Community Development Council, Inc., (C-SCDC) will use its low-income homeownership advocacy program to provide fair housing information. The program already provides comprehensive information on mortgage loans and down payment assistance. Additionally, C-SCDC will disseminate fair housing brochures and flyers to residents of Crawford and Sebastian counties.

California

The Fair Housing Council of Central California (FHCCC) will provide residents of the Fresno-Clovis metropolitan area with comprehensive fair housing services, including complaint intake, investigation, testing, and mediation. In addition, FHCCC will plan and conduct an 18-month regional testing program using 75 testers and 160 tests to look for evidence of unlawful housing discrimination. As a result of its efforts, FHCCC estimates that it will receive 200 housing discrimination complaints and conduct 3 systemic investigations.

ByDesign will educate residents of the Fresno area on fair housing. Although its outreach efforts will target Hispanic, African-American and Southeast Asian residents, its services will be available to all. To educate residents on housing discrimination, ByDesign will conduct workshops in English, Spanish and several Asian languages and host weekly radio talk shows.

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) will conduct a fair housing education program in the cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The program will instruct the public on how to recognize and report housing and lending discrimination and predatory lending. Although the program will focus on African-American and Hispanic populations, it will be available to all.

The Greater Napa Fair Housing Center (GNFHC) is a private, nonprofit organization providing fair housing assistance to residents of Napa County. As part of its fair housing activities, GNFHC will partner with faith-based organizations to conduct 33 workshops for Hispanics, persons with limited English proficiency, and persons with disabilities. Although its workshops will target those populations, they will be available to everyone. As a result of its workshop, GNFHC estimates that it will educate 500 persons and counsel 80 potential victims of housing discrimination.

Bay Area Legal Aid (BayLegal) is committed to fair housing enforcement. BayLegal will provide assistance to alleged housing discrimination victims by receiving and investigating complaints and attempting to negotiate resolutions to complaints. BayLegal will also refer complaints to HUD or file complaints in federal or state courts. As part of its enforcement efforts, BayLegal will also recruit and train volunteers to conduct undercover tests for housing discrimination. In addition, BayLegal will provide fair housing education for housing providers and the public.

Sentinel Fair Housing will provide a full service, statewide fair housing enforcement program in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, southern Solano County, and the City of Vallejo. As part of its enforcement services, Sentinel Fair Housing will receive and investigate housing discrimination complaints and conduct testing of housing providers that are allegedly engaging in discrimination. Sentinel Fair Housing will also investigate possible systemic discrimination, such as allegations from African American and Hispanic households in Alameda County of predatory lending. Additionally, Sentinel Fair Housing will conduct fair housing education and outreach to encourage the public to report housing discrimination. As part of its outreach efforts, Sentinel Fair Housing will partner with Centra Legal De la Raza to provide fair housing information to the Hispanic population.

Project Sentinel is a full service agency that conducts housing discrimination investigations and provides fair housing counseling in the bay area. Project Sentinel will conduct systemic investigations, including an investigation of predatory lending in Santa Clara County. Additionally, Project Sentinel will work with 28 community organizations to conduct education and outreach activities for housing professionals, social service providers, immigrant groups, and the public.

California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) is a private, nonprofit corporation that provides legal services in rural California. CRLA's Rural Fair Housing Center will receive and investigate housing discrimination complaints; refer meritorious claims to HUD or the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing; and conduct complaint-based testing. Fair housing services will be provided to all, with focus on underserved rural agricultural communities, migrant and seasonal farm workers, recent immigrants and indigenous groups, and individuals with limited English proficiency.

The AIDS Legal Referral Panel will promote awareness and knowledge of fair housing law among people living with HIV/AIDS and other disabilities, as well as among housing and service providers in San Francisco and the surrounding bay area. To accomplish this, AIDS Legal Referral Panel will conduct presentations and training seminars and distribute literature. The AIDS Legal Referral Panel will refer housing discrimination complaints to Project Sentinel for testing.

Fair Housing of Marin (FHOM) will conduct fair housing enforcement activities in the counties of Marin, Sonoma, and Contra Costa. In particular, FHOM will provide investigation, mediation, and referral services to victims of housing discrimination; perform 24 site tests of housing providers; and conduct 50 racial voice recognition tests. FHOM will also provide education and outreach services, including 14 predatory lending presentations to seniors and minorities. As a result of its efforts, FHOM estimates that it will receive 160 housing discrimination complaints.

The Fair Housing Council of Orange County (FHCOC) will launch a testing campaign of real estate and leasing agents for evidence of steering based on race, ethnicity, or disability. In addition, FHCOC will continue to receive, investigate, and attempt to mediate housing discrimination complaints. If warranted, FHCOC will refer complaints to HUD for enforcement.

The Inland Fair Housing Mediation Board's (IFHMB) satellite office in the City of Barstow will expand its current fair housing enforcement efforts, and provide education and outreach in the city and its outlying areas. As part of its enforcement activities, IFHMB will receive, investigate, and attempt to mediate housing discrimination complaints and conduct 144 tests of rental, sales, and lending professionals for evidence of discriminatory treatment.

Colorado

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) will provide fair housing education and outreach to all residents of Colorado. While service will be available to all, CCH will reach out to the minority, disabled, and homeless populations. Using this 12-month grant, CCH will educate the community about the Fair Housing Act by distributing printed material and conducing seminars and workshops. CCH will also assist persons with reporting housing discrimination to HUD.

District of Columbia

ACORN Fair Housing will conduct education and outreach on housing discrimination and predatory lending in Bridgeport and Hartford, Connecticut as well as Providence, Rhode Island. The activities will include conducting outreach presentations, mailing educational materials, and working with borrowers who have received loans from subprime lenders determined by research to engage in predatory lending practices. In addition, ACORN Fair Housing will conduct research and analysis of conventional and subprime lending to detect evidence of redlining and reverse redlining of neighborhoods that have high proportions of low-income and/or minority populations. ACORN Fair Housing will also organize and conduct seminars and "Neighborhood Speak Outs" on fair housing to help citizens identify predatory loans and avoid entering into predatory loan agreements, in addition to educating them on what to do if a predatory lender has victimized them.

Housing Counseling Services, Inc., (HCS) will educate consumers on housing discrimination and how to avoid high cost loans and abusive lending practices. To accomplish this, HCS reach out to racial and ethnic minorities, recent immigrants, and persons with limited English proficiency through community events in the D.C. metropolitan area. Although HCS will target those groups, it will make its services available to all.

The Delaware Community Reinvestment Action Council, Inc., (DCRAC) will provide fair housing education to housing providers and residents of Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown, and their surrounding areas. In particular, DCRAC will conduct workshops on the requirements of the Fair Housing Act and how to avoid predatory lending. DCRAC will also assist individuals with reporting housing discrimination to HUD.

Florida

Fair Housing Continuum, Inc., (FHC) will provide fair housing enforcement services, including complaint intake and investigation; recruitment and training of testers; paired-testing of housing providers; and inspections of newly constructed condominiums and apartments for compliance with the design and construction requirements of the Fair Housing Act. FHC will also conduct education and outreach activities that will result in an increased public awareness of the Fair Housing Act and the number of complaints received by the agency.

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA), Inc., will provide enforcement and advocacy services throughout six northeast Florida counties. As part of its enforcement efforts, JALA will provide complaint intake, investigation, mediation and litigation services; recruit and train testers; and conduct paired and single tests of housing providers. JALA will also reach out to racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, persons with Limited English Proficiency, and persons with HIV/AIDS to educate them on their fair housing rights.

Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence, Inc., (HOPE) will conduct fair housing enforcement activities including complaint intake, investigation, and testing. In particular, HOPE will conduct a fair housing testing program over a 12-month period in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The testing program will consist of 50 rental tests, 50 accessibility tests, and 40 sales tests, and will require the recruitment and training of 35 testers. HOPE anticipates that its testing program will result in the referrals of 17 enforcement proposals to HUD. In addition, HOPE will also conduct education and outreach on fair housing. As a result of its outreach activities, HOPE expects to receive 160 housing discrimination complaints.

Legal Services of North Florida, Inc., (LSNF) will provide fair housing education and outreach in Santa Rosa, Walton, Escambia, and Okaloosa counties. LSNF will continue to use its network of churches, advocacy groups and social services agencies to reach potential clients, with a goal of referring 40 or more credible complaints to HUD.

The Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County (LASPBC) has been providing fair housing education and outreach activities since 1999. Under this 12-month grant, LASPBC will develop ten new fair housing flyers about specific types of discrimination, recent cases, etc., written at eighth-grade reading level in several languages, to be distributed at educational events throughout the community. LASPBC will also conduct workshops for housing and social service providers and the public on fair housing rights and obligations.

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Georgia

JC Vision and Associates, Inc., will promote awareness of the Fair Housing Act within southeast Georgia communities by conducting education and outreach activities. JC Vision will also refer housing discrimination complaints to HUD.

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Hawaii

Legal Aid Society of Hawaii (LASH) will provide an 18-month, full service, statewide fair housing enforcement program. LASH will assist victims of housing discrimination through complaint intake, investigation, mediation, and litigation. LASH will also conduct systemic investigations and complaint-based testing of housing providers. Additionally, LASH will also promote awareness of fair housing laws through education and outreach to community organizations, housing providers, social service providers, and the public. LASH expects that its activities will result in an increased number of enforcement actions referred to HUD and Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.

Idaho

Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc., (ILAS) will use its seven satellite offices to provide fair housing education and outreach throughout the state of Idaho. To increase awareness of fair housing, ILAS will conduct 70 presentations, prepare and distribute printed materials, place a bilingual video on it Web site, and publish a newsletter. To deliver its services, ILAS will collaborate with organizations such as AARP Idaho, Idaho Commission on Aging, Idaho Migrant Council, Idaho Network for New Americans, and the Idaho Task Force on the ADA. ILAS will also establish a fair housing hotline that the public can call for fair housing information or to report suspected discrimination. ILAS will refer housing discrimination complaints to the Intermountain Fair Housing Council or HUD.

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Illinois

The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Clinic provides legal representation to persons with meritorious complaints of housing discrimination in the residential rental or sales markets, mortgage lending, and homeowners insurance redlining. The Fair Housing Legal Clinic also conducts testing of housing providers that are the subject of housing discrimination complaints, and analyzes the results to determine if they support the allegations of discrimination.

Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs (IHCNS) is a qualified fair housing enforcement organization that will conduct complaint intake and investigations. IHCNS will also conduct undercover testing of the residential rental and sales markets for evidence of discriminatory treatment. IHCNS will also host a meeting of local human relations and housing commissions on fair and affordable housing.

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Kansas

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Louisiana

The American Environmental Justice Project (AEJP) will conduct fair housing education and outreach in Prince Georges County, Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland. AEJP will educate residents by providing workshops for neighborhood groups and distributing print materials in English and five foreign languages. AEJP will make its services available to all, but will focus its outreach on the Hispanic and immigrant populations. AEJP will also provide fair housing training for housing providers.

The Fair Housing Center of Greater Boston (FHCGB) will provide fair housing services for the Greater Boston area, including complaint intake and investigation and development of systemic complaints. FHCGB will also recruit and train testers to conduct individual or paired tests for rental, sales, mortgage lending, and insurance discrimination.

The city of Newton, Massachusetts will partner with the Fair Housing Center of Greater Boston for an 18-month project develop education and outreach materials in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Russian. The city of Newton will distribute the materials in 14 Communities.

Michigan

The Fair Housing Center of Southeastern Michigan (FHCSM) is a nonprofit, civil rights organization that has provided fair housing enforcement services since 1992. Under this 18-month grant, FHCSM will continue to provide residents of Washtenaw, Lenawee, and Monroe counties with complaint intake, investigation, mediation, and referral services. FHCSM expects that it will receive 180 housing discrimination complaints; obtain reasonable accommodations for 7 people with disabilities; and provide fair housing technical assistance to 25 social service workers. FHCSM will also recruit 30 testers to help conduct 122 tests for discrimination in the rental, sales, or mortgage lending markets.

The mission of Phoenix Housing and Counseling Non-Profit, Inc., (PHC) is to provide local and regional leadership to ensure affordable, quality housing is available for residents of the Detroit metropolitan area. To help fulfill its mission, PHC will reach out the African-American, Hispanic, and Middle Eastern populations to education them on how to recognize and report housing discrimination and avoid becoming victims of predatory lenders. Although PHC will target those populations, it will make its services available to all.

Legal Services of Eastern Michigan (LSEM) will continue to provide intake, investigation, and legal assistance for victims of housing discrimination. LSEM will also perform a comprehensive and regional fair housing enforcement testing program over a 12-month period in Genesee, Bay, Midland, Saginaw, Arenac, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Lapeer, Sanilac, St. Clair, and Tuscola counties. The program will consist of 245 paired-tests of housing providers. Additionally, LSEM will conduct fair housing education and outreach, including 10 educational sessions for housing providers and the public. As a result of its enforcement, testing, and education activities, LSEM expects that it will refer 35 enforcement proposals to HUD and negotiate 20 conciliation agreements.

The Community Action Agency (CAA) will provide fair housing education and outreach services to housing providers and residents of Jackson County. CAA will partner with human services organizations, local churches, and neighborhood groups serving minority neighborhoods to conduct a series of training workshops on housing and lending discrimination and predatory lending. CAA will also work with two nonprofit organizations, DisAbility and LifeWays, to provide training on the fair housing rights of person with disabilities to 150 persons, including 30 landlords. CAA will provide complaint intake and referral services at its office and via its Web site. Although CAA will conduct outreach out to minorities and persons with disabilities, it will make its services available to all.

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Minnesota

The Minneapolis Urban League (MUL) will educate African Americans and Somali refugees living in Empowerment Zone neighborhoods on their fair housing rights. To do this, MUL will conduct 55 group presentations, reaching approximately 500 people; distribute 3,000 pieces of HUD-approved literature; participate in local television and radio programs and community forums; issue a newsletter; and maintain fair information on its Web site. MUL expects that its education and outreach efforts will result in 12 housing discrimination complaints that will be referred to HUD.

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Mississippi

The Fair Housing Center of the Gulf Coast of Mississippi (FHCGCM) will conduct complaint intake, investigation, and mediation, and, when necessary, will refer complaints to HUD or private attorneys. FHCGCM will also recruit and train 30 testers to conduct 75 tests as part of investigations or the development of systemic cases. Additionally, FHCGCM will host a legal seminar for attorneys on investigating and litigating systemic cases.

The Mississippi Center for Legal Services (MCLS) will conduct a broad-based comprehensive fair housing enforcement project. As part of its project, MCLS will provide complaint intake, investigation, and referral services. In addition, MCLS will launch investigations of selected companies in and around Harrison and Jackson counties that data and reports suggest are engaging in predatory lending. MCLS will also conduct fair housing workshops in the Gulf Coast, Jackson, and rural Delta areas to help residents learn how to recognize and report housing discrimination and avoid becoming victims of predatory lending.

The University of Southern Mississippi through its Housing Smart II program will work to ensure equal opportunity in housing for Mississippians with disabilities. The program will provide extensive education and outreach services to persons with disabilities, such as written and electronic materials and workshops in accessible formats. The activities of the program will be undertaken in collaboration with the Mississippi Protection Advocacy System, Mississippi Home Corporation, and other community groups. Although the project will primarily provide education and outreach to citizens with disabilities, its services will be available to all.

Housing Education and Economic Development (HEED) will conduct fair housing education and outreach in collaboration with Hispanic, civil rights, disability, and other community-based organizations. HEED's activities will include a total of 12 workshops and seminars for Mississippi residents; the development and distribution of fair housing literature in English and Spanish; and the advertisement of its fair housing services in community and minority newspapers such as the Jackson Advocate, Mississippi Link, and the Mississippi Hispanic newspaper La Noticia.

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Missouri

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis will provide fair housing information through its homeownership classes. Additionally, the Urban League will distribute fair housing print materials to the public. The Urban League will receive housing discrimination complaints and will refer them to HUD.

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Montana

The City of Billings and 47 other organizations have committed to working together to address housing discrimination in the greater Billings area. The collaborative effort will focus on informing the American Indian population of their fair housing rights and educating builders, architects, and others on fair housing accessibility requirements and universal design.

Nebraska

High Plains Community Development Corporation, Inc., (HPCDC) is a community-based, nonprofit organization located in northwest Nebraska serving the counties of Dawes, Sheridan, Sioux, and Cherry that border the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations. The communities of northwest Nebraska are small, rural municipalities that are geographically set apart with populations of 12,000 or less and large numbers of Native Americans living in substandard housing. HPCDC will provide fair housing education to the Native-American population by publishing and distributing written materials and conducting community workshops. Although HPCDC will focus on the Native-American population, its services will be available to all.

Family Housing Advisory Services, Inc., (FHAS) will investigate and ultimately file individual complaints of discrimination as well as complaints of systemic discrimination. FHAS will make it services available to all, but will conduct outreach to immigrants with limited English proficiency and persons with disabilities.

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Nevada

The Silver State Fair Housing Council will conduct intake and investigation of housing discrimination complaints in northern Nevada, with an emphasis on underserved and rural communities. Silver State will recruit and train testers, and conduct tests for rental discrimination both in-person and via the telephone. Silver State will also develop and maintain a tracking system for multifamily housing projects.

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New Jersey

New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA) will provide statewide fair housing education on the topic of predatory lending. NJCA's education and outreach efforts will specifically target minorities, persons with disabilities, seniors, and people with limited English proficiency. Education and outreach activities will include 4 train-the-trainer workshops that will train approximately 60 persons; 125 consumer education workshops that will train about 5,000 people; and the distribution of nearly 5,000 pieces of fair housing literature.

The Fair Housing Council of Northern New Jersey (FHCNNJ) will conduct statewide enforcement, education, and outreach. FHCNNJ will provide complaint intake assistance to individuals alleging housing discrimination and carry out 180 rental tests. Education and outreach activities will focus on providing fair housing educational materials to underserved populations through collaboration with local faith-based, veteran grassroots, and other community-based groups.

New Mexico

New Mexico ACORN Fair Housing (NMFH) will conduct fair housing education and outreach activities including workshops and homebuyer shows for residents in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Bernalillo County, Dona Ana County, and the Colonias and other rural areas. While services will be available to all, NMFH will specifically focus its education and outreach efforts on minorities, Latino immigrants, people with limited English proficiency, and families with children. NMFH will refer allegations of housing discrimination to HUD.

Acorn Associates will provide fair housing education and outreach in Clark County, Nevada with particular emphasis on educating consumers on the subprime market and avoiding discriminatory lending practices. While services will be available to all, outreach activities will target underserved populations in West Las Vegas including African Americans, Latinos, female-headed households, and people with limited English proficiency.

Long Island Housing Services, Inc., (LIHS) will conduct fair housing enforcement activities that identify patterns of discrimination affecting persons with disabilities, African Americans, Hispanics, families with children, and people with limited English proficiency. LIHS will provide intake, investigation, counseling, and mediation services to individuals filing housing discrimination complaints. Outreach activities will include co-sponsoring or participating in fair housing seminars focusing on compliance with accessibility standards.

South Brooklyn Legal Services, Inc., (SBLS) will assist New York City residents, particularly residents of Brooklyn and Queens, alleging housing discrimination in home financing and sales. SBLS will screen, investigate, and mediate complaints, and provide legal and other assistance to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. If necessary, SBLS will refer complaints to HUD for enforcement. SBLS will also conduct training sessions for attorneys and advocates assisting individuals who have been targeted for home financing and sales discrimination.

Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc., (LAWNY) will provide fair housing enforcement, testing, and outreach activities in Monroe County and the surrounding rural counties of Wayne, Ontario, Seneca, Yates and Livingston. LAWNY will receive, investigate, and attempt to resolve complaints of housing discrimination, and refer complaints to HUD when warranted. In addition, LAWNY will conduct fair housing outreach to Spanish-speaking immigrant populations and will maintain a bilingual hotline to receive reports of illegal housing discrimination.

The Fair Housing Council of New York, Inc., (FHC) will conduct a comprehensive fair housing enforcement project in Cuyahoga, Onondaga, Oswego, Jefferson, and St. Lawrence counties. FHC will provide intake and investigation of individual housing discrimination complaints and conduct systemic investigations of discriminatory practices and redlining. FHC will also conduct testing as part of its investigations. Additionally, FHC will carry out fair housing education and outreach activities.

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North Carolina

Mainstreaming Consultants, Inc., dba Programs for Accessible Living will collaborate with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee to develop a training program for persons with disabilities. The program will educate persons with disabilities on fair housing laws and the community services that are available for them. Although the program will focus on persons with disabilities, it will be available to all.

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North Dakota

Fair Housing of the Dakotas (FHD) has been providing fair housing services in North Dakota since 1995, and in South Dakota since 2003. FHD will continue to provide complaint intake, investigation, mediation, and referral services. Additionally, FHD will conduct 60 paired-tests of the rental market and 3 tests of the mortgage-lending market for evidence of unlawful discrimination. FHD expects that its investigations will result in 30 complaints being filed with HUD. FHD also plans to hold fair housing workshops for housing providers and consumers.

Ohio

Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) will conduct a 12-month fair housing program in the greater Cincinnati area, specifically in Hamilton, Warren, Butler and Clermont counties of southwestern Ohio. As part of its enforcement efforts, HOME will conduct 65 tests of real estate agents and housing providers for discrimination. In particular, HOME will test newly constructed suburban subdivision for evidence of racial or ethnic discrimination. HOME will file complaints with HUD when its tests uncover evidence of unlawful discrimination.

The Housing Research and Advocacy Center (HRAC) will conduct a comprehensive education and outreach program in six Ohio metropolitan counties. The program will increase fair housing awareness by conducting three seminars for landlords and real estate agents and implementing a print advertising campaign. HRAC will also conduct targeted outreach by hosting two half-day conferences for housing professionals on the fair housing rights of persons with disabilities and developing and distributing fair housing materials in English, Arabic, and Spanish. In addition, HRAC will collect and review the municipal occupancy codes in the six-county region to determine if they could have a discriminatory impact. HRAC will assist individuals with filing complaints with HUD.

Housing Advocates, Inc., will provide fair housing enforcement services in the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County metropolitan area and Geauga County. Housing Advocates will provide complaint intake, investigation, and referral services, and conduct testing of the housing market for discrimination. In particular, Housing Advocates will conduct tests of housing providers for linguistic profiling. Housing Advocates will focus its activities on assisting African immigrants and persons with disabilities with reporting housing discrimination and predatory lending, but will make its services available to all.

The Fair Housing Resource Center, Inc., (FHC) will conduct fair housing enforcement activities in Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties. FHC will conduct complaint intake and investigation, and, when necessary, refer complaints to HUD. FHC will also test the rental market for discrimination. FHC will also provide fair housing information to the public, particularly African Americans, persons with disabilities, and families with children.

Fair Housing Opportunities, Inc., dba Fair Housing Center (FHC) will conduct fair housing enforcement activities in northwest Ohio, specifically Lucas and Wood counties and the cities of Bowling Green and Toledo. FHC will provide complaint intake and investigation, and when necessary, refer complaints to HUD. FHC will also conduct undercover testing of the housing market to look for evidence of systemic discrimination. Additionally, FHC will conduct fair housing education and outreach in the service area.

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Oklahoma

The Metropolitan Fair Housing Council of Greater Oklahoma City (MFHCGOC) will assist individual with allegations of housing discrimination by providing intake, investigation, counseling, testing, and referral services. In addition, MFHCGOC will partner with public, private, grassroots, and faith-based groups to accomplish to conduct a statewide fair housing public information campaign. The campaign will raise awareness of fair housing and how to report housing discrimination.

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Oregon

The Fair Housing Council of Oregon (FHCO) will partner with social service providers, grassroots, and faith- and community-based groups to expand its statewide complaint referral system. By doing so, FHCO expects that it will receive at least 1,000 inquiries from the public regarding fair housing violations and that at 100 of those inquiries will result in bona fide complaints of housing discrimination. FHCO will also recruit and train testers by conducting at least five tester training sessions for new testers and an advanced training session for current testers. The testers will test at least 70 housing providers and FHCO will file complaints when those tests uncover evidence of unlawful discrimination. FHCO will also conduct two live Web casts for service providers and advocates to train them on fair housing laws so that they can better assist persons with disabilities, persons with limited English proficiency, and other clients who may have experienced housing discrimination.

Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) will work with the Fair Housing Council of Oregon to conduct fair housing education and outreach. Specifically, LASO will provide education on accessible design and construction, predatory lending, and regulatory barriers for the development of affordable housing. In doing so, LASO will host 12 fair housing Web casts that will be interpreted in four foreign languages; several educational forums for developers and governmental groups; and a statewide fair housing summit. In addition, LASO will expand the largest statewide multiple listing service database to facilitate identifying accessible features in homes for sale. Although its services will be available to all, LASO will target its outreach toward real estate professionals and housing developers, immigrants, persons with disabilities, and residents of rural communities.

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Pennsylvania

Community Impact Legal Service (CILS) will educate consumers in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties on fair housing and how to avoid abusive lending practices. In doing so, CILS sponsor four anti-predatory lending education events; implement an educational campaign and consumer hotline; and host a homeownership fair, vendor fair, and home buying workshops.

St. Martin Center (SMC) is a faith-based, social service agency that will conduct education and outreach activities in Erie County. Specifically, SMC will disseminate information to minority, immigrant, and disabled populations through mass mailings and paid radio advertisements to teach them the difference between fair housing issues and landlord-tenant issues. The information will also tell them about their rights when dealing with housing and lending professionals and explain the administrative complaint process. SMC will also continue to improve its tracking mechanism for housing discrimination complaints brought to the organization.

The Fair Housing Council of Montgomery County (FHCMC) will continue to conduct fair housing enforcement in Philadelphia and Montgomery County. FHCMC will receive, investigate, mediate, and, when necessary, refer complaints of housing discrimination to HUD. FHCMC will also conduct testing of the housing market for discrimination against minorities, families with children, and persons with disabilities.

The Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh, Inc., (FHPGP) will provide fair housing enforcement services, including complaint intake, investigation, mediation, and referral. Additionally, FHPGP will conduct systemic testing for racial and ethnic discrimination in the sales, rental, and insurance discrimination in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. In particular, FHPGP will conduct systemic testing for national origin discrimination against Hispanics in the in rental market. In total, FHPGP estimates that it will investigate at least 60 disability discrimination complaints; conduct 25 complaint-based tests; conduct 8 tests for discrimination against hearing-impaired persons using TTY system to inquire about homeowners' insurance; and assist at least 35 disabled clients with obtaining reasonable accommodations or modifications.

The Fair Housing Council of Suburban Philadelphia, Inc., (FHCSP) will continue to provide fair housing services in the five-county Greater Philadelphia area, including Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, and Chester. FHCSP will conduct complaint intake, investigation, mediation, and referral, and perform telephone tests of the housing market for discrimination. FHCSO will also partner with grassroots and faith- and community-based groups to distribute 6,000 fair housing educational guides, publish 15 fair housing articles in housing industry magazines, publish and distribute 6 fair housing newsletters, and conduct several fair housing workshops. Although FHCSP will make its services available to everyone, it will focus its efforts on assisting persons with disabilities, persons with limited English proficiency, families with children, and victims of predatory lending.

The Three Rivers Center for Independent Living, Inc., (TRCIL) will conduct fair housing education and outreach in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Indiana, Lawrence, and Westmoreland Counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. TRCIL will focus its efforts on educating housing providers and persons with disabilities on the disability-related provisions of the Fair Housing Act. TRCIL will also assist persons with disabilities with filing housing discrimination complaints when it appears they have been victims of housing discrimination.

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Rhode Island

South Carolina

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Tennessee

West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc., (WTLS) will continue to conduct fair housing enforcement activities, including complaint intake, investigation, mediation, and referral. WTLS will also conduct tests of the housing market to look for evidence of racial or ethnic discrimination, particularly against Hispanics.

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Texas

The Austin Tenants Council (ATC) will operate a fair housing enforcement program and provide legal assistance to housing discrimination victims in the Austin metropolitan area. ATC will conduct complaint intake, investigation, mediation, and referral. In addition, ATC will perform systemic investigations, including examining advertising and insurance policies to identify discriminatory practices or policies. ATC will also test assisted and senior living facilities for racial and ethnic discrimination. In addition, ATC will encourage individuals to report housing discrimination by conducting education and outreach, particularly to persons with disabilities and recent immigrants.

Consumer Credit Counseling of Greater Dallas (CCCGD) will provide a comprehensive education and outreach program to the Dallas-Ft.Worth-Arlington area as well as to Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton Rockwall, Kaufman, and Ellis counties called "Fair Housing: Can They Keep Me Out?" The program will provide bi-lingual workshops, seminars, public service announcements, and educational materials focusing on fair housing and predatory lending. CCCGS estimates that it will conduct 102 fair housing workshops and host 28 housing and community events. Although its services will be available to all, CCCGD will target its efforts toward minorities, Hispanics, and persons with limited English proficiency.

The Greater Houston Fair Housing Center (GHFHC) will provide the Houston metropolitan with fair housing enforcement services in English and Spanish. GHFHC will intake and investigate housing discrimination complaints and recruit and train 50 testers to test the housing market for discrimination. GHFHC estimates that it will receive 300 housing discrimination complaints and develop 3 systemic investigations. GHFHC will also disseminate educational information to individuals regarding their rights and remedies under the Fair Housing Act. While GHFHC will provide its services to all, the program will focus its efforts on the needs of African-Americans, Hispanics, families with children, and persons with disabilities.

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Utah

Vermont

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Virginia

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Washington

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Wisconsin