PA Human Relations Commission Receives $227,000 HUD Grant to Promote Fair Housing in Southeast and Central PA

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 5, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission Chairman Gerry Robinson announced today that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity has awarded the commission $226,097 to fund three projects aimed at eliminating barriers to fair housing in Southeast and Central Pennsylvania.

From March 1, 2014 through Feb. 28, 2015, the commission will partner with three private agencies for these projects:  The Fair Housing Center at Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership of Lancaster County, Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services based in Washington County and The Poverty & Race Research Action Council of Washington, D.C.

"Every day, housing discrimination deprives Pennsylvanians of opportunities to live near good schools and jobs simply because of the color of their skin, their disabilities or because they have children," Chairman Gerry Robinson said. "These funds will help the commission and our partners examine patterns of discrimination and work with local governments and housing providers to remove barriers that unfairly deny opportunities to Pennsylvania families, people of color and people with disabilities."

"Through HUD's Fair Housing Assistance Program, state and local agencies are awarded funding to carry out their fair housing administration and enforcement activities," said Jane C.W. Vincent, Regional Administrator of HUD's Mid-Atlantic region. "Since HUD plays a key role in ensuring and promoting fair housing practices, we are pleased to partner with state agencies like PHRC to help families who are denied equal access to housing."

Learn more about housing discrimination online at www.phrc.state.pa.us.

Media contact: Shannon Powers, 717-783-8266

Editor's Note:
Amounts awarded to each partner agency, the county, municipality or region served, and brief project descriptions follow:

Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services ─ $110,000 to work with local governments, planning commissions and redevelopment authorities in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming and York counties to ensure planning that complies with state and federal law and expands housing opportunity. The project will include analysis of barriers to fair housing and recommendations for removing identified barriers.

Poverty and Race Research Action Council ─ $50,000 to support the Delaware Valley Regional Housing Mobility Program's work to expand housing opportunity for low-income families in Southeast Pennsylvania. The project will include counseling and security deposit assistance to families; demographic, policy and issue analysis; and educational outreach to landlords, housing providers and local governments.

Fair Housing Center at Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership ─ $66,098 for the development and delivery of a comprehensive fair housing educational program for landlords, realtors, housing providers, district justices and municipal officials in Lancaster County.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission