Project Grant FPEI230104

PURPOSE: PURPOSE THE FAIR HOUSING CENTER OF WEST MICHIGAN (FHCWM), A QUALIFIED FAIR HOUSING ORGANIZATION (QFHO), PROPOSES TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE, FULL-SERVICE, BROAD-BASED FAIR HOUSING ENFORCEMENT SERVICES THROUGHOUT A PRIMARY 12-COUNTY SERVICE AREA IN WEST MICHIGAN. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS TO AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING, SPECIFICALLY TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF FAIR HOUSING RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, TO PREVENT AND ELIMINATE ILLEGAL HOUSING DISCRIMINATION AND HOUSING DISPARITIES, AND TO PROMOTE COMPLIANCE WITH FAIR HOUSING LAWS. THE PRIMARY SERVICE AREA INCLUDES THE COUNTIES OF ALLEGAN, GRAND TRAVERSE, ISABELLA, IONIA, KENT, MUSKEGON, MECOSTA, MONTCALM, NEWAYGO, OCEANA, OSCEOLA AND OTTAWA. THE FHCWM WILL ALSO EXPAND FAIR HOUSING SERVICES TO A SECONDARY SERVICE AREA INCLUDING AN ADDITIONAL 26 COUNTIES WITHIN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN; ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: FHCWM WILL WORK WITHIN ALL ASPECTS (I.E. SALES, RENTAL, LENDING, ETC.) OF THE HOUSING MARKET TO PROVIDE FAIR HOUSING ENFORCEMENT AND RELATED SERVICES TO PEOPLE WITHIN ALL FEDERALLY PROTECTED CLASSES, INCLUDING MINORITY POPULATIONS, PERSONS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. FHCWM WILL UNDERTAKE ACTIVITIES SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TOWARD EXPANDING UPON PREVIOUS FHIP FUNDED ACTIVITIES AND CONDUCTING SYSTEMIC INVESTIGATIONS OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION. THIS PROJECT WILL ENFORCE COMPLIANCE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, DETECT, ADDRESS AND REMOVE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO FAIR HOUSING CHOICE AND EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY, PROMOTE INCLUSIVE PATTERNS OF HOUSING OCCUPANCY, AND EDUCATE THOSE IN THE SERVICE AREA ON FAIR HOUSING RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. B. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED PROVIDE FAIR HOUSING ENFORCEMENT SERVICES, INCLUDING PROCESSING OVER 270 ALLEGATIONS, COUNSELING, COMPLAINT MEDIATION/CONCILIATION, ASSISTING OVER 60 PEOPLE WITH REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION/MODIFICATION REQUESTS, ATTORNEY REFERRALS, FILING COMPLAINTS WITH HUD/MDCR, CONCILIATING CASES, RESULTING IN ALL CASES BEING RESOLVED TO ENSURE EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY; PROVIDE FOR COMPREHENSIVE TESTING AND NON-TESTING INVESTIGATION, INCLUDING RECRUITING AND TRAINING AT LEAST 45 TESTERS; CONDUCTING OVER 300 TEST PARTS IN THE AREAS OF RENTAL, SALES, LENDING, APPRAISAL, OR OTHER HOUSING TRANSACTIONS; INITIATING AT LEAST 48 SYSTEMIC HOUSING INVESTIGATIONS; PARTNER WITH LOCAL AND NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING ORGANIZATIONS; LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND AGENCIES; HUD; FAITH BASED AND GRASS ROOTS ORGANIZATIONS; COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND GROUPS; PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HOUSING PROVIDERS; THE HOME BUILDING INDUSTRY; AND THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS (THE ONLY FHAP IN MICHIGAN) TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND GUIDANCE, PROMOTE KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND CAPACITY BUILDING, INCREASE COMPLIANCE WITH FAIR HOUSING LAWS, AND AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING; AND COMPLETE PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES, PROVIDE FAIR HOUSING INFORMATION, GUIDANCE AND BEST PRACTICES BY WAY OF FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION, OUTREACH, TRAINING, PUBLICATIONS, DOCUMENTS, AND A WEBSITE TO RESULTING IN INCREASED AWARENESS OF AND ACCESS TO FAIR HOUSING RIGHTS, SERVICES, AND PRACTICES; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: EXPECTED OUTCOMES ALL EXPECTED OUTCOMES SERVE TO AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING. THIS INCLUDES ACTIVITIES THAT DIRECTLY SERVE TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF FAIR HOUSING RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, PREVENT AND ELIMINATE ILLEGAL HOUSING DISCRIMINATION AND HOUSING DISPARITIES, INCREASE FAIR HOUSING ACCESS, AND PROMOTE COMPLIANCE WITH FAIR HOUSING LAWS. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES: PEOPLE RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT FAIR HOUSING LAWS, CASES RESOLVED FOR PEOPLE, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS (RAS) OR REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS (RMS) GRANTED FOR PEOPLE, HOUSING PROVIDER ATTENDS FAIR HOUSING TRAINING, HOUSING PROVIDER MODIFIES BUSINESS PRACTICES TO COMPLY WITH FH LAWS, PEOPLE RETAIN SAFE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PEOPLE OBTAIN SAFE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND HOUSING UNITS OPENED UP FROM DISCRIMINATION.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: INTENDED BENEFICIARIES THIS COMPREHENSIVE, FULL-SERVICE, BROAD-BASED FAIR HOUSING PROJECT HAS A WIDE RANGE OF INTENDED BENEFICIARIES THROUGHOUT A DIVERSE 38-COUNTY SERVICE AREA. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES, INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, PROTECTED GROUPS ENGAGING IN A HOUSING TRANSACTION; BLACK, LATINO, AND INDIGENOUS AND NATIVE AMERICAN PERSONS, ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS AND OTHER PERSONS OF COLOR; LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, AND QUEER (LGBTQ+) PERSONS; PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES; PERSONS WHO LIVE IN RURAL AREAS; PERSONS OTHERWISE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY PERSISTENT POVERTY OR INEQUALITY; FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN; PEOPLE WITHIN ETHNICALLY OR RACIALLY SEGREGATED COMMUNITIES; HOUSING PROVIDERS; COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS; LOCAL GOVERNMENTS; AND MORE. ULTIMATELY, THIS PROJECT BENEFITS ALL PEOPLE, BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY GROUPS, ETC. BECAUSE ACTIVITIES THAT AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING ALSO PROMOTE HEALTHY, INCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: NONE