Private Enforcement Initiatives

 

To assist private non-profit fair housing enforcement organizations in the investigation and enforcement of violations of the rights granted under title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 2801). To develop, implement, and carry out, related activities and enforcement under the or State or local laws that provide substantially equivalent rights and remedies for alleged discriminatory housing practices. Objectives include carrying out testing and other investigative activities.

General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
14.418
Federal Agency/Office
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Department of Housing and Urban Development
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
B - Project Grants
Program Accomplishments
Not applicable.
Authorization
Housing and Community Development Act of 1987, Section 561
Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, Section 905, Section 550, Public Law -102-550, 101 Stat 1815, U.S.C. 550
The Act revises and expands the Fair Housing Initiatives Program to include changes in fair housing and lending laws/regulations since the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987, as amended. The law authorizes the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) to make grants or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with State or local governments or their agencies, public or private non-profit organizations or institutions, or other public or private entities that are formulating or carrying out programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices under the Fair Housing Act.
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
Qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (QFHO) with at least two years of experience in complaint intake, complaint investigation, testing for fair housing violations, and enforcement related experience and meritorious claims in the three years prior to filing this application; or Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (FHO) with at least one year of experience in the enforcement-related activities listed above in the two years prior to the filing of the application. If the applicant is neither a QFHO nor FHO with the requisite experience, the organization is ineligible.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Any person or group of persons aggrieved by discriminatory housing practices because of race, color, religion, sex disability familial status or national origin. Persons or groups of persons, including landlords or real estate agents, to prevent discriminatory housing practices based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin.
Credentials/Documentation
Applicants must submit applications in accordance with the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) criteria including specific HUD Forms/Assurances/Certifications, narrative Rating Factor responses, Statement of Work and Budget, and an eligibility certification. Applicants that apply for funding under FHIP must adhere to costs principles as determined in accordance with 2 CFR Part 200.400 (Subpart E-Cost Principles). Applicants for enforcement related activities must provide written verification of 501 (c) (3) status. Applicants proposing testing activities must certify that they will not solicit funds from or seek to provide services or products for compensation to any person or organization which has been the subject of testing by the applicant for a 12-month period following a test. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is not applicable.
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants must apply electronically unless a waiver is granted. Applicants must have a valid SAMs Registration and be registered with Grants.gov. Applicants must meet Departmental Thresholds and Program Requirements for eligibility, including must be a Qualified Fair Housing Organization (QFHO) or a Fair Housing Organization (FHO). Applications must be submitted in accordance with requirements and forms provided in the NOFO.
Award Procedure
Applications will be evaluated competitively and awarded points based on the Selection Criteria included in the published NOFO. The final decision rests with the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity or her/his designee.
Deadlines
FY 2021 NOFO open/due date period: April 27, 2021-June 14, 2021. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
The approval/dismissal process begins 30 days after funding awards to at least a period of 120 days and depend on the number of applications received and other factors. The final decision rests with the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity or her/his designee.
Appeals
Begin 30 days after funding awards to at least a period of 120 days.
Renewals
Not applicable.
How are proposals selected?
The selection criteria are based on rating and ranking by a Technical Evaluation panel. Under this competitive process, applicants are ranked based on Rating Factors points, preference points, and past performance and applicant risk. The specific criteria and points assigned are listed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.
How may assistance be used?
Funds can be used to assist tax exempt non-profit fair housing enforcement organizations in enforcement activities to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices. Eligible projects and activities must be conducted in accordance with procedures contained in 24 CFR Part 125 and eligible activities provided under the NOFO.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Not applicable.
Auditing
In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.501.
Records
2 CFR 200.3334-338 applies to this program.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
The period when assistance is available varies and is dependent upon appropriations and NOFO www.grants.gov posting. For funded applicants, grants have a 36-month project period with 12-month budget periods. Assistance is awarded through funding documents and negotiated grant or cooperative agreements and HUD financial system releases funds based on reimbursement of activities. Funding and Award Information is contained in the NOFO.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
HUD Field Office Fair Housing Enforcement Center or Program Operations and Compliance Center: Director, Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity in the appropriate HUD Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.
Headquarters Office
Stephanie W. Thomas
451 7th Street, S.W.
Room 522
Washington, DC 20410 USA
Stephanie.W.Thomas@hud.gov
Phone: 202-402-6938
Website Address
http://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/partners/FHIP/fhip.cfm
Financial Information
Account Identification
86-0144-0-1-751
Obligations
(Project Grants) FY 22$46,034,633.00; FY 23 est $81,336,381.00; FY 24 est $42,300,000.00; FY 21$843.00; FY 20$57,739,785.00; FY 19 FY 18$13,792,640.00; FY 17$16,013,813.00; FY 16$30,350,000.00; -
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$360,000 per project period. $1,080,000 total funding for multi-year (3 years)
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
24 CFR Part 125, Fair Housing Initiatives Program.
Examples of Funded Projects
Fiscal Year 2016 No published data available. No published data available.
Fiscal Year 2017 FHIP provided a grant for a proposal to serve over 2.5 million residents. The services will expand over 20 county service areas with a primary focus: 1) conducting testing and other investigation tools to effectively address unlawful discrimination, 2) expanding the public’s knowledge of the organization services provided to uncover incidents of housing discrimination, 3) supporting training programs on fair housing, and 5) investigations and testing projects related to the investigation of systemic predatory lending allegations and other systemic investigations. The organization fair housing activities include: 1) conducting intakes and investigations, and processing allegations of housing discrimination; 2) completing rental, lending and insurance test parts in a systemic capacity or in response to allegations of housing discrimination; 3) filing meritorious fair housing complaints with HUD/FHAP/courts; 4) other enforcement and educational and outreach activities including 15 fair housing trainings; and 5) conducting an annual April fair housing conference.
Fiscal Year 2019 No published data available.
Fiscal Year 2021 A fair housing enforcement organization is using its grant to affirmatively further fair housing and reduce discrimination against protected classes in Greater Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley, PA, including two Opportunity Zones, through expanded enforcement activities, proactive investigation of systemic discrimination, and other enforcement related activities.

 


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