Act Now: Urge Congress to Do Right by Fair Housing in the Budget Process

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Act Now: Urge Congress to Do Right by Fair Housing in the Budget Process

Congress is about to begin its annual appropriations process when decisions are made about which federal programs get funded and at what levels. We need to mobilize now and over the next few months to ensure that we engage Washington on the importance of federal resources to bolster local fair housing enforcement.

Civil rights and fair housing agencies are deeply disappointed the Fiscal Responsibility Act recaptured $3.3 million of the $20 million for critically necessary local fair housing enforcement secured as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Local fair housing enforcement agencies are the first responders to the millions of housing discrimination incidents faced by people with disabilities, families with children, women, communities of color, LGBTQIA, and more every year. In 2021, there were 31,216 fair housing complaints received by private non-profit fair housing organizations, HUD, FHAP agencies and the DOJ, an 8.7% increase over complaints filed in 2020, with fewer agencies reporting. Private fair housing organizations processed more than 2.6 times the number of complaints (72.64 percent) processed by state, local, and federal government agencies combined, and FHAP-funded local and state government agencies handled 20.54% (6,413) of reported complaints. Together, FHIP and FHAP funded organizations investigate and handle 93% of reported instances of housing discrimination, each playing an indispensable role in making whole individuals and families who have felt the destabilizing effects of housing and lending discrimination. Where you live matters, determining proximity to jobs, healthcare, schools, transportation options, and recreation that all families need to thrive and contribute to their communities and the national economy. That is why Congress has historically supported — on a bipartisan basis — the programs that address housing and lending discrimination in local communities: the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) and the Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP).

In Congress, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Al Green (D-TX) are leading FY24 appropriations letters to increase FHIP, FHAP, and staff at HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). The letters call for:

$75.7 million in FHIP funds;
$36.3 million for FHAP funds; and
$153 million for salaries to support 1,125 Full-Time-Equivalent (FTE) staff at FHEO.

Act now to ensure Congress appropriates increased funding for local fair housing enforcement as the nation continues to grapple with a fair and affordable housing crisis.

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Act Now: Urge Congress to Do Right by Fair Housing in the Budget Process

U.S. Senate

Subject: Support Increased Funding for Local Fair Housing Enforcement in the Budget

Message:

Dear Senator, I am reaching out to ask that you support the recommendations in the following letters sponsored by Sen. Cory Booker and Reps. Barbara Lee and Al Green, which call for increased funding for the Fair Housing Initiatives (FHIP), Fair Housing Assistance (FHAP) Programs, and fair housing staffing at HUD in the FY24 Budget. https://nationalfairhousing.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Fair-Housing-FY24_4.6.23-1.pdf https://nationalfairhousing.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Quill-Letter-L8995-FY24-Fair-Housing-Funding-letter-to-THUD-Appropriations-Version-1-03-31-2023-@-12-15-PM.pdf Funding for fair housing enforcement and education is critically important to your constituents because _______. FHIP funding is the only federal resource for local private enforcement and fair housing services, and I am requesting $75.7 million for FY24 to increase grant awards for multi-year enforcement grants, strengthen education and outreach grants, and begin creating private fair housing groups in areas not served by a full-service fair housing group. The Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) also plays an important role in handling fair housing cases filed under state and local laws. I would encourage you to also support the letters’ requested $36.3 million for FHAP. This increase would better compensate local and state government civil rights agencies for their processing and investigation of cases they receive from us, the public, or those that are referred to them by HUD. Also, I am advocating for increased funding for HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO), which has seen consistent understaffing. This chronic understaffing has created long delays in the investigation of complaints from the public that HUD investigates and in the announcement of the FHIP Notice of Funding Availability and award decisions. These delays have caused great harm to HUD’s implementation of the Fair Housing Act, and Congress must support greater staffing numbers at HUD FHEO. I am requesting $153 million to support 1,125 Full-Time-Equivalent staff at HUD FHEO. I hope I can count on you to support increased funding for critically needed local fair housing enforcement agencies and HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, [YOUR NAME]

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U.S. House of Representatives

Subject: Provide Strong Fair Housing and Equitable Housing Programs in the FY23 HUD Funding Bill

Message:

Dear Representative, I am reaching out to ask that you support the recommendations in the following letters sponsored by Sen. Cory Booker and Reps. Barbara Lee and Al Green, which call for increased funding for the Fair Housing Initiatives (FHIP), Fair Housing Assistance (FHAP) Programs, and fair housing staffing at HUD in the FY24 Budget. https://nationalfairhousing.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Fair-Housing-FY24_4.6.23-1.pdf https://nationalfairhousing.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Quill-Letter-L8995-FY24-Fair-Housing-Funding-letter-to-THUD-Appropriations-Version-1-03-31-2023-@-12-15-PM.pdf Funding for fair housing enforcement and education is critically important to your constituents because _______. FHIP funding is the only federal resource for local private enforcement and fair housing services, and I am requesting $75.7 million for FY24 to increase grant awards for multi-year enforcement grants, strengthen education and outreach grants, and begin creating private fair housing groups in areas not served by a full-service fair housing group. The Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) also plays an important role in handling fair housing cases filed under state and local laws. I would encourage you to also support the letters’ requested $36.3 million for FHAP. This increase would better compensate local and state government civil rights agencies for their processing and investigation of cases they receive from us, the public, or those that are referred to them by HUD. Also, I am advocating for increased funding for HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO), which has seen consistent understaffing. This chronic understaffing has created long delays in the investigation of complaints from the public that HUD investigates and in the announcement of the FHIP Notice of Funding Availability and award decisions. These delays have caused great harm to HUD’s implementation of the Fair Housing Act, and Congress must support greater staffing numbers at HUD FHEO. I am requesting $153 million to support 1,125 Full-Time-Equivalent staff at HUD FHEO. I hope I can count on you to support increased funding for critically needed local fair housing enforcement agencies and HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, [YOUR NAME]

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Act Now: Urge Congress to Do Right by Fair Housing in the Budget Process

Act Now: Urge Congress to Do Right by Fair Housing in the Budget Process

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