Not listed
PURPOSE: PURPOSE: THE MISSION OF THE FAIR HOUSING JUSTICE CENTER (FHJC) IS TO ELIMINATE HOUSING DISCRIMINATION; PROMOTE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT FOSTER OPEN, ACCESSIBLE, AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES; AND STRENGTHEN ENFORCEMENT OF FAIR HOUSING LAWS. THE FHJC IS SEEKING AN FY2023 FHIP PEI MULTI YEAR GRANT TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY COMPREHENSIVE FAIR HOUSING SERVICES, INCLUDING OUTREACH, EDUCATION, LEGAL ASSISTANCE, TESTING SERVICES AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES.; ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THROUGH THIS PROJECT, THE FHJC PROPOSES THESE CENTRAL TASKS: 1. CONDUCT COMPLAINANT INTAKE AT THE RATE OF 100 COMPLAINTS PER YEAR, 2. ASSIST COMPLAINANTS WITH DISABILITIES TO REQUEST THAT THEIR HOUSING PROVIDERS COMPLY WITH FAIR HOUSING LAWS IN RELATION TO REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS AND REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS, 3. SHARE RESOURCES REGARDING FAIR HOUSING RIGHTS, HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY, AND AVAILABLE HOUSING THAT IS DEEMED ACCESSIBLE WITH DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATES, 4. CONDUCT 45 FAIR HOUSING TESTS AND FOUR COMPLIANCE MONITORING TESTS PER YEAR ALONGSIDE ALL THE NECESSARY RESEARCH AND ADMINISTRATIVE WORK THAT MAKES THIS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING MARKET AND LEGAL RESEARCH. INVESTIGATIONS WILL BE SYSTEMIC AND IN RESPONSE TO COMPLAINTS. THEY WILL FOCUS ON ALL LEGALLY PROTECTED CHARACTERISTICS. 5. CONDUCT MONITORING OF HOUSING PROVIDERS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY VIOLATED FAIR HOUSING LAWS; 6. WRITE AND DISTRIBUTE 8 E-NEWSLETTERS PER YEAR TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS OF ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT WERE FUNDED BY THIS AND OTHER PEI PROJECTS. THE FHJC HAS APPROPRIATE STAFFING WITH THE EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS TO CONDUCT THE TASKS DESCRIBED IN THIS PROPOSAL. NINE STAFF PEOPLE WILL WORK ON THIS PROJECT, AS DESCRIBED IN THE STAFFING PLAN. THE FHJC CURRENTLY EMPLOYS 8 INVESTIGATIVE COORDINATORS, INCLUDING A DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATIONS (8 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE) WHO ENGAGES IN STAFF SUPERVISION. THE FHJC EMPLOYS AN EVIDENCE MANAGER (4 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE) WHO PROVIDES SUPPORT TO THE INVESTIGATIVE COORDINATORS AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTROL, TRANSFER, MAINTENANCE, AND STORAGE OF ALL TESTING DATA AND EVIDENCE. IN ADDITION, THE FHJC ROUTINELY PROVIDES TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO OTHER FAIR HOUSING TESTING ORGANIZATIONS AND CURRENTLY PARTICIPATES AS TRAINERS IN THE HUD SPONSORED INVESTIGATIVE SUPPORT FOR TESTING & ENFORCEMENT PROGRAMS (ISTEP) PROJECT WHICH PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING TO TEST COORDINATORS WORKING IN OTHER FHIP-FUNDED ORGANIZATIONS. THE FHJC ALSO HAS A FOUR-PERSON INTAKE & OUTREACH TEAM, LED BY A DIRECTOR, AS WELL AS A THREE-PERSON LEGAL TEAM AND A COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR.; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE FHJC WILL BRING ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AGAINST HOUSING PROVIDERS AS WARRANTED, USING EVIDENCE GATHERED FROM THE PROPOSED INVESTIGATIONS. ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS WILL INCLUDE FILING LAWSUITS AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS WITH LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, INCLUDING HUD. THE FHJC WILL ALSO PROVIDE INTAKE COUNSELING, RESOURCES, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WITH SELF-ADVOCACY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO BELIEVE THEY HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST. ANOTHER IMPORTANT, DISTINCT SET OF OUTCOMES EXPECTED ARE BENEFITS TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AS FHJC STAFF WILL ASSIST THEM IN REQUESTING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO UNDER FAIR HOUSING LAWS. THE FHJC WILL ALSO PROVIDE FINANCIAL RESOURCES THROUGH ITS EXISTING ADELE FRIEDMAN HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY FUND (NOT FINANCIALLY CONNECTED TO THIS PROPOSAL) IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS TO HELP RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OBTAIN REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS. THE FHJC'S E-NEWSLETTERS WILL SUMMARIZE RESULTS OF ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AND OTHER WORK CONDUCTED UNDER THIS PROJECT. THE FHJC WILL SUMMARIZE COMMUNICATIONS, ASSISTANCE OFFERED, AND RESULTS OBTAINED WHEN REPORTING TO HUD. HOUSING DISCRIMINATION CONTINUES TO IMPEDE ACCESS TO HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES IN FHJC'S SERVICE AREA FOR MANY SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION, WHILE REINFORCING MANY DECADES OF RACIAL SEGREGATION. THE RESULTS OF FHJC SYSTEMIC TESTING INVESTIGATIONS, FUNDED BY FHIP PEI GRANTS AND OTHER SOURCES, OFFERS ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE THAT STRUCTURAL AND SYSTEMIC HOUSING DISCRIMINATION BY PRIVATE ENTITIES SUCH AS REAL ESTATE BROKERS, LANDLORDS, MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, AND OTHERS BASED ON RACE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, AND DISABILITY PERSISTS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK CITY AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES. AS A RESULT OF 18 YEARS OF FHJC TESTING INVESTIGATIONS, OVER 155 LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN FILED ALLEGING SYSTEMIC HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN THE REGION. THESE CASES HAVE CHANGED THE WAY THAT MANY HOUSING PROVIDERS DO BUSINESS, OPENED MORE THAN 80,000 HOUSING UNITS TO PREVIOUSLY EXCLUDED POPULATIONS, AND RESULTED IN A TOTAL MONETARY RECOVERY OF OVER $54 MILLION IN DAMAGES AND PENALTIES. THIS MULTI-YEAR PEI GRANT WILL ALLOW THE FHJC TO CONTINUE PURSUING THESE PROVEN STRATEGIES, INCLUDING SYSTEMIC TESTING.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: UNDER THIS PROJECT, THE FHJC WILL CONTINUE PROVIDING PERSONS FILING COMPLAINTS OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION WITH FAIR HOUSING COUNSELING AND INTAKE, INVESTIGATIVE ASSISTANCE (TESTING), AND REFERRALS TO COOPERATING ATTORNEYS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES. THE FHJC WILL PROVIDE THESE FAIR HOUSING SERVICES TO PERSONS WITH COMPLAINTS ALLEGING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON PROTECTED CHARACTERISTICS UNDER THE FEDERAL FAIR HOUSING ACT AND WITHOUT REGARD TO THE AMOUNT OF THE COMPLAINANT'S HOUSEHOLD INCOME. WORK WILL BE FOCUSED ON AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING AND WILL REDUCE POVERTY CONCENTRATION AND RESIDENTIAL RACIAL SEGREGATION IN THE REGION, THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO BENEFIT PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS PEOPLE OF COLOR, WITH AN EMPHASIS PLACED ON BLACK AND BROWN PERSONS OR COMMUNITIES, IMMIGRANTS (ESPECIALLY INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY), INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN. IN ORDER TO AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING AND REDUCE POVERTY CONCENTRATION AND RESIDENTIAL RACIAL SEGREGATION IN THE REGION, THE FHJC WILL ALSO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WITH FEDERAL HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS AND WITH OTHER RENTAL SUBSIDIES TO OVERCOME BARRIERS TO HOUSING CHOICE BASED ON SOURCE OF INCOME DISCRIMINATION, WHICH IS PROHIBITED BY NEW YORK CITY AND NEW YORK STATE FAIR HOUSING LAWS. THE FHJC SERVICE AREA HAS A POPULATION OF OVER 13 MILLION PEOPLE, ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT 2020 CENSUS. THIS REGION INCLUDES 65% OF THE POPULATION IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND ROUGHLY 3% OF THE UNITED STATES POPULATION. THE NEW YORK CITY REGION HAS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE POPULATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND YET, HOUSING DISCRIMINATION AND RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION ARE DEEPLY PERVASIVE. NEW YORK CITY IS THE THIRD MOST SEGREGATED CITY FOR BLACK PEOPLE AND THE SECOND MOST SEGREGATED CITY FOR LATINO AND ASIAN PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES. THE PROPOSED WORK WILL BENEFIT PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO LIVE IN SEGREGATED COMMUNITIES IN THE NEW YORK CITY REGION AND ALLOW THEM TO LIVE WITHOUT PENALTY IN NEIGHBORHOODS OF THEIR CHOICE. FURTHERMORE, THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT ALL RESIDENTS OF THE NEW YORK CITY REGION. HOUSING DISCRIMINATION DOES IMMENSE HARM NOT ONLY TO FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS, BUT TO ENTIRE COMMUNITIES. HOUSING DISCRIMINATION NOT ONLY RESTRICTS HOUSING CHOICE BUT ALSO PERPETUATES RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION. SEGREGATION OFTEN LEADS TO FURTHER DISENFRANCHISEMENT, AS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, BASED ON THE ZIP CODES TO WHICH THEY ARE CONFINED, FACE ADDITIONAL BARRIERS IN THEIR ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, TRANSPORTATION, AND EMPLOYMENT. THIS PROJECT WILL HELP ADDRESS THIS LEGACY OF HISTORICAL DISCRIMINATION.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: NONE
$425.0k 9/4/24