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Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Programs

The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity administers federal laws and establishes national policies that make sure all Americans have equal access to the housing of their choice.

Particular activities carried out by the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity include implementing and enforcing the Fair Housing Act and other civil rights laws, managing the Fair Housing Assistance Program, administering the award and management of Fair Housing Initiatives Program grants, and proposing fair housing legislation.

Fair Housing Initiatives Program
Housing Counseling

Fair Housing Initiatives Program

Fair housing organizations and other non-profits that receive funding through the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) assist people who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination.

FHIP organizations partner with HUD to help people identify government agencies that handle complaints of housing discrimination.

In addition to funding organizations that provide direct assistance to individuals who feel they have been discriminated against while attempting to purchase or rent housing, the FHIP program has four initiatives that promote fair housing laws and equal housing opportunity awareness.

Types of Assistance
Three FHIP Initiatives provide funds, and competitive grants to eligible organizations:

• The Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI) provides funding that builds the capacity and effectiveness of non-profit fair housing organizations by providing funds to handle fair housing enforcement and education initiatives more effectively. FHOI also strengthens the fair housing movement nationally by encouraging the creation and growth of organizations that focus on the rights and needs of underserved groups, particularly persons with disabilities.
• The Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI) offers a range of assistance to the nationwide network of fair housing groups. This initiative funds non-profit fair housing organizations to carry out testing and enforcement activities to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices.
• The Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI) offers a comprehensive range of support for fair housing activities, providing funding to State and local government agencies and non-profit organizations for initiatives that explain to the general public and housing providers what equal opportunity in housing means and what housing providers need to do to comply with the Fair Housing Act.

Eligible Applicants

• FHOI: Applicants must be qualified fair housing enforcement organizations with at least two years of experience in complaint intake, complaint investigation, testing for fair housing violations, and meritorious claims in the three years prior to the filing of their application.
• PEI: Fair housing enforcement organizations that meet certain requirements related to the length and quality of previous fair housing enforcement experience may apply for FHIP-PEI funding.
• EOI: State or local governments, qualified fair housing enforcement organizations (those with at least 2 years of experience), other fair housing organizations, and other public or private nonprofit organizations representing groups of persons protected by the Fair Housing Act may apply for FHIP-EOI funding.

Eligible Activities

• FHOI: Grants may be used flexibly to support the basic operation and activities of new and existing non-profit fair housing organizations.
• PEI: Funds such activities as conducting complaint-based and targeted testing and other investigations of housing discrimination, linking fair-housing organizations in regional enforcement activities, and establishing effective means of meeting legal expenses in support of fair housing litigation.
• EOI: Funds a broad range of educational activities that can be national, regional, local, or community-based in scope. Activities may include developing education materials, analyzing local impediments to housing choice, providing housing counseling and classes, convening meetings that bring together the housing industry with fair housing groups, developing technical materials on accessibility, and mounting public information campaigns. National projects that demonstrate cooperation with the real estate industry or focus on resolving the community tensions that arise as people expand their housing choices may be eligible to receive preference points.

Contact Information
For more information contact Myron Newry, Director, FHIP Support Division, at (202) 402-7095 or visit the program website at: http://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/partners/FHIP/fhip.cfm

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Housing Counseling

Housing counseling agencies offer guidance on home buying, renting, reverse mortgages and default and foreclosure prevention.

Housing Counseling Available at:

For more information and a more complete listing of Idaho Housing Counseling options, visit http://www.hud.gov/local/id/homeownership/hsgcounseling.cfm.

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