The High Plains Fair Housing Center has received $300,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funds will be used to fight housing discrimination in North Dakota.
The grants include funds for an Education and Outreach Initiative designed to help the public and housing providers understand their rights and responsibilities under federal law.
Funding also includes a three-year grant for a Private Enforcement Initiate to conduct testing, investigations and litigation of fair housing complaints.
The High Plains Housing Center assisted 80 individuals who reported allegations of housing discrimination across North Dakota in 2017.
High Plains Fair Housing Center also conducts investigations to look for systemic discrimination and filed seven organizational complaints to HUD based on their testing and investigation conclusions. The receipt of these two grants will enable High Plains to expand their testing program and assist more people who have been discriminated against, according to Michelle Rydz, executive director of the High Plains Fair Housing Center..
