Congress has passed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 to deliver more aid to people struggling to pay their rent or mortgage. The ARP includes a number of provisions, to be administered by HUD and other agencies, to provide immediate and direct relief to help people across America remain stably housed during the pandemic.
Among its provisions, the plan provides $5 billion to assist individuals or households with members who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, and other vulnerable populations by providing housing, rental assistance, supportive services, and non-congregate shelter. The goal is to reduce homelessness and increase housing stability. The grant funds are being administered through HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). Click here for details on ARP program guidelines, eligibility and qualifications for funding.
In a second round of ARP funding, HUD announced on Dec. 6 an additional $5,757,663 to help HUD Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) agencies combat housing discrimination related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, HUD had awarded $13.6 million in ARP funding to 51 FHIP agencies working to address the unequal impact of the pandemic on communities of color, low-income communities and other vulnerable populations.
In the newest round of funding, qualifying organizations, awarded through FHIP’s Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI) component, will be able to use the money to conduct a range of fair housing enforcement and education and outreach activities, including addressing discriminatory practices in underserved communities.
“Unlawful treatment associated with COVID-19 robs families of housing security at a time when they need it the most,” says Demetria McCain, HUD’s principal deputy assistant secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Employment Opportunity. She says the additional ARP funds “will provide more of our fair housing partners the financial resources they need to opposed discriminatory policies and practices,”
In addition to enforcement, education and outreach activities, the funding can be used to respond to housing inquiries, conduct fair housing testing, provide legal assistance and cover costs associated with providing services related to the pandemic.
Applicants who are interested in applying for funding may click here to obtain a copy of the specific Notice of Funding Opportunity, forms, instructions and other application materials. Additional information can be found on HUD’s website. Applications must be received by Dec. 30, 2021.
