Fair Housing Rights Center in Southeastern Pennsylvania

The Fair Housing Rights Center in Southeastern Pennsylvania (fhrc) is a nonprofit 501 c 3 organization that has been striving to eliminate unlawful inequalities and inequities in Housing since 1992. Fhrc educates the public on Fair Housing and lending, investigates Housing activities, and engages in enforcement actions to achieve its mission. in addition, fhrc is a broad-based, full-service, qualified Fair Housing enforcement organization. The staff provides investigative and enforcement services to individuals who have experienced Housing discrimination in rental, sales, lending, insurance, and appraisals. It works with the government to increase the public's knowledge and awareness of Fair Housing policies. Audits the practices of real estate and related industries; advocates to sustain good or amend harmful Housing policies. Fhrc contracts with Housing providers to improve compliance with Fair Housing laws. Fhrc monitors the community for compliance with applicable Housing laws-contracts with private businesses to conduct Fair Housing or Fair lending investigations. in addition, fhrc offers hud-certified Housing counseling services, information, and referrals on housing-related issues and operates as a trauma-informed service provider. To become a trauma-informed service provider, the staff became trauma-aware and worked to be trauma-competent through empathy (what we think) and compassion (how we behave, including tolerance, patience, clarity, and respect). As the demand for Fair Housing grew in 2007, fhrc expanded its geographical reach to assist the public that relied on the organization for services. It is also why the organization changed its name from the Fair Housing council of montgomery county to the Fair Housing Rights Center in Southeastern Pennsylvania, serving bucks, chester, Delaware, montgomery, and philadelphia counties. As living conditions evolve, so does Housing. Therefore, to reach more underserved rural and suburban communities, fhrc increased its boundaries in 2007 and 2020 by extending services to residents in berks, bucks, chester, cumberland, dauphin, lancaster, lebanon, lehigh, montgomery, perry, philadelphia, schuylkill, and york counties. By expanding into new communities, fhrc helps 14 counties in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. During fy 2023, fhrc's capacity grew from five to six through a 12-month education outreach initiative grant, which ended on january 31, 2023. As the pandemic waned, fhrc adopted a hybrid schedule supporting those who thrive away from the office and allowing the public impacted by the digital divide to access on-site, in-person services. in fy 2023, the public contacted fhrc for diverse Housing needs, including placement on Housing waiting lists, searches for Housing providers who would accept Housing choice vouchers, domestic violence, habitability, increases in rental rates, code enforcement, evictions, lease terminations without penalty, and requesting reasonable accommodations and modifications in Housing. Those needs correspond with 529 intakes, of which 163 people with bona fide Fair Housing complaints received services through the enforcement program. The public benefitted from 39 reasonable accommodations, three reasonable modifications, five referrals to hud's administrative complaint process, one to the pa human relations commission's complaint process, and two monetary awards for two complaints for disability and gender discrimination. in fy 2023, the testing program produced 134 test parts and conducted 15 investigations, including four bank or mortgage lending institutions for redlining, six zoning ordinances in neighborhoods, and five reasonable accommodation policies of colleges and universities throughout its service area. Because testing is an investigative tool used to gather evidence by contacting a person or entity to gather information about Housing policies, treatment, and practices, fhrc compares the Housing market to the requirements of Fair Housing laws or other civil Rights laws. For instance, testing showed the control tester (white male) and protected class tester (black male) were both given the same one-bedroom apartment availability; however, the protected class tester received a higher price on the security deposit. Also, the control tester (hearing female) was offered apartment availability and an in-person tour, while the protected class tester (deaf female using the relay system) did not have her call answered and was never given a callback. Next, at least one bank investigation showed redlining against black and hispanic persons in north and west philadelphia. Here are a few ways fhrc increased Housing equality and equity in fy 2023: the intake department conducted 529 intake calls, including 266 non- discrimination and 163 diverse allegations of Housing discrimination. The enforcement program processed 163 allegations of unlawful Housing discrimination by referring five complaints to hud, negotiating with one entity for design and construction violations, notifying and monitoring one Housing site, conducting ten (10) enforcement activities for survivors of domestic violence: 26 enforcement activities for people with disabilities, conducting ten (10) enforcement activities for consumers with disabilities. Also, enforcement filed five complaints with hud and settled three complaints, two of which resulted in monetary awards for victims of Housing discrimination. The education and outreach program educated 919 people on Fair Housing consumer Rights and compliance requirements. The case coordination pilot project assisted 20 people by brokering and referring consumers for clinical and other special services. The testing program produced 134 test parts and conducted 15 investigations, including four bank or mortgage lending institutions for redlining, six zoning ordinances in neighborhoods, and five reasonable accommodation policies of colleges and universities throughout its service area. Thank you for allowing fhrc to work on your behalf.