Ben Carson (Credit: Getty Images, iStock)
The Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded nearly 80 groups with $23 million to investigate housing discrimination.
The funds are being provided through HUD’s Private Enforcement Initiative program, which awards grant money to organizations that “conduct intake, testing, investigation and litigation of fair housing complaints under the Fair Housing Act,” according to the agency’s website. This year, two New York City-based organizations each received $300,000 each in funding: Fair Housing Justice Center and Brooklyn Legal Services. HUD provided $1.8 million statewide.
Last year, HUD awarded $30.35 million through PEI.
In February, President Trump proposed cutting HUD’s budget by $8.8 billion. The cuts didn’t make it into the Senate appropriation bill for 2019, but that legislation has yet to be reconciled with the House of Representatives’ version. This week, Trump approved a stopgap spending bill extending the government shutdown deadline to December 21. — Kathryn Brenzel
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