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PURPOSE: PURPOSE TEXAS RIOGRANDE LEGAL AID (TRLA) IS REQUESTING A ONE-YEAR GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING ITS FAIR HOUSING PROJECT, THE AUSTIN TENANTS COUNCIL PROJECT. THIS INITIATIVE WILL PROVIDE TESTING, INTAKE, COUNSELING AND LEGAL RESOURCES IN SUPPORT OF TITLE VIII OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1968, AS AMENDED BY THE FAIR HOUSING ACT OF 1988. THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO HEIGHTEN PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE CONTINUED EFFECTS OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN THE AUSTIN METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA. BY INVESTIGATING FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINTS THROUGH TESTING, TRLA WILL USE ITS RESOURCES TO IDENTIFY DISCRIMINATION AND ASSIST COMPLAINANTS IN ENFORCING THEIR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT. THE PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION, TESTING, INTAKE AND REFERRAL ON ALL PROTECTED CLASSES, WITH TARGETED ATTENTION ON THE DEMONSTRATED NEED OF THE RIGHTS OF DISABLED PERSONS, PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY; ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED IN THE FUNDED PROJECT PERIOD ARE AS FOLLOWS (REFER TO FACTOR 3 AND APPENDIX A FOR COMPLETE LIST OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES): 1) TARGET DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY BY UTILIZING ONLINE, MEDIA AND PRINT ADVERTISEMENTS AND WORKING COOPERATIVELY WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES THAT ASSIST THESE PROTECTED CLASSES. 2) PROVIDE INTAKE AND REFERRAL THAT WILL BE RECORDED IN A CASE-TRACKING LOG TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. 3) ASSIST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN REQUESTING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION AND/OR MODIFICATION. 4) CONDUCT TESTS IN RESPONSE TO COMPLAINTS FILED WITH THE AUSTIN TENANTS COUNCIL PROJECT. WHEN EVIDENCE OF DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT IS FOUND TO SUPPORT THE ALLEGATION OF DISCRIMINATION, COMPLAINANTS WILL BE REFERRED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, EQUAL EMPLOYMENT/FAIR HOUSING OFFICE, THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION, OR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR ENFORCEMENT AND/OR TO LEGAL SERVICES. 5) PERFORM SYSTEMIC TESTING THAT FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN. WHEN EVIDENCE OF DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT IS FOUND THE COMPLAINANTS WILL BE REFERRED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, EQUAL EMPLOYMENT/FAIR HOUSING OFFICE, THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION, OR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR ENFORCEMENT AND/OR TO LEGAL SERVICES. 6) PERFORM ACCESSIBILITY AUDITS USING TESTING INSTRUMENTS AVAILABLE FROM HUD AND/OR OTHER FAIR HOUSING AGENCIES INCLUDING ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER SURVEYS AND ACCESSIBILITY TESTS. AUDITS THAT DETERMINE NON-COMPLIANCE WITH HUD'S SEVEN BASIC DESIGN REQUIREMENTS WILL BE REFERRED TO HUD FOR ENFORCEMENT. 7) CONDUCT INNOVATIVE RENTAL TEST COMPARISON FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WITH CHILDREN, AND BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION. 8) PARTNER WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN (HACA) TO CONDUCT PRESENTATIONS WITH SECTION 8 VOUCHER RECIPIENTS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON AVAILABLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE OPEN, DIVERSE, AND EQUITABLE HOUSING PATTERNS AND PRACTICES. 9) REFER ENFORCEMENT PROPOSALS TO HUD. 10) PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES AND REPRESENTATION OF COMPLAINANTS VIA REFERRALS TO TRLA'S HOUSING TEAM. THROUGH THESE SERVICES, TRLA WILL EDUCATE CONSUMERS OF THEIR RIGHTS AND PROVIDE EFFECTIVE REMEDY TO HOUSING DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINTS IN ORDER TO REVERSE THE LONGSTANDING EFFECTS OF DISCRIMINATION ON THE PEOPLE PROTECTED UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT. 11) DISTRIBUTE THE ATC PROJECT'S QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPECIAL PROJECT AND THE MOST UPDATED HOUSING RIGHTS INFORMATION. 12) CONNECT WITH OTHER SOCIAL ORGANIZATION GROUPS TO CONTINUE EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT FAIR HOUSING RIGHTS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES KEY EXAMPLES OF EXPECTED OUTCOMES TO BE ACHIEVED IN THE FUNDED PROJECT PERIOD ARE AS FOLLOWS; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: ACTIVITY OUTCOME 1. TARGET DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY CONNECT WITH 5 ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON HELPING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND LGBTQ+ MEMBERS AND PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING FAIR HOUSING. 2. PROVIDE INTAKE AND REFERRAL THAT WILL BE RECORDED IN A CASE-TRACKING LOG COMPLETE 300 INTAKES BY THE END OF APRIL 2025. 3. ASSIST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES SUBMITTING RA/RM COMPLETE 100 RA/RM BY THE END OF APRIL 2025. 4. PERFORM COMPLAINT BASED TEST COMPLETE 40 COMPLAINT-BASED TESTS BY THE END OF APRIL 2025. 5. PERFORM SYSTEMIC-BASED TEST COMPLETE 15 SYSTEMIC-BASED TESTS BY THE END OF APRIL 2025. 6. PERFORM ACCESSIBILITY TESTS COMPLETE 10 ACCESSIBILITY TESTS BY THE END OF APRIL 2025. 7. PERFORM RENTAL TESTING FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, STUDENTS OF COLOR, OR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS. COMPLETE 20 RENTAL TESTS FOR STUDENTS BY THE END OF APRIL 2025. 8. PARTNER WITH HACA TO CONDUCT PRESENTATIONS WITH SECTION 8 VOUCHER RECIPIENTS. COMPLETE 2 ACTIVITIES WITH HACA BY THE END OF APRIL 2025. 9. REFER ENFORCEMENT PROPOSALS TO HUD COMPLETE 50 HOUSING DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT FORM-903 REFERRALS TO HUD BY THE END OF APRIL 2025. 10. DISTRIBUTE THE ATC PROJECT'S QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER. DISTRIBUTE 1,000 COPIES OF ATC'S NEWSLETTER BY THE END OF APRIL 2025.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: INTENDED BENEFICIARIES AUSTIN CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE A HIGH LEVEL OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION WITHIN ITS COMMUNITIES. WITH HUD'S SUPPORT THROUGH THIS FHOI, TRLA INTENDS TO TARGET VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WHO FACE HISTORIC HOUSING DISCRIMINATION. THIS INCLUDES PEOPLE OF COLOR LIVING IN HISTORICALLY SEGREGATED AREAS OF AUSTIN, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND ALL RESPECTIVE FAMILIES. OUR GOAL FOR THE GRANT AWARD IS TO WORK IN THE AUSTIN METROPOLITAN AREA AND OTHER NEIGHBORING COUNTIES TO PROVIDE FAIR HOUSING RIGHTS EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION. WE AIM TO CORRECT THE SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATORY IMPACT THAT THESE COMMUNITIES FACE. TRLA'S DECADES OF EXPERIENCE PROVIDING LEGAL HOUSING SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME TEXANS COMBINED WITH THE AUSTIN TENANTS COUNCIL PROJECT'S STAFF EXPERIENCE AS FAIR HOUSING SPECIALISTS PUT IS IN A UNIQUE POSITION TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: NONE
$260.0k 6/20/24