Mississippi Center For Justice

PRIVATE ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVES

PRIVATE ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVES

PURPOSE: PURPOSE - THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS TO PROVIDE BROAD-BASED, FULL-SERVICE FAIR HOUSING ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT CENTRAL/SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI, WHERE 48% OF THE STATE’S POPULATION RESIDES, CONSISTING OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: CLAIBORNE, COPIAH, SIMPSON, SMITH, JASPER, CLARKE, JEFFERSON, ADAMS, FRANKLIN, LINCOLN, LAWRENCE, JEFFERSON DAVIS, COVINGTON, JONES, WAYNE, WILKINSON, AMITE, PIKE, WALTHALL, MARION, LAMAR, FORREST, PERRY, GREENE, PEARL RIVER, STONE, GEORGE, HANCOCK, HARRISON AND JACKSON. MCJ INTENDS TO INCREASE COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, ENSURE THAT HOUSING PROVIDERS AND LENDERS ARE FOLLOWING THE FAIR HOUSING ACT WITH A ROBUST TESTING PROGRAM, AND VINDICATE THE RIGHTS OF VICTIMS OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN SOUTH AND CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI.; ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED – PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE STAFFING A SYSTEM OF INTAKE AND PROCESSING FOR ALLEGATIONS OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, TO INCLUDE INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS, INTERVIEWING WITNESSES, GATHERING AND EVALUATING EVIDENCE, FILING COMPLAINTS WITH HUD, AND REPRESENTING COMPLAINANTS DURING THE INVESTIGATIVE AND CONCILIATION PROCESSES. FURTHER ACTIVITIES INCLUDE CONDUCTING SYSTEMIC AND COMPLAINT-BASED TESTING IN THE RENTAL, SALES, ACCESS,; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: EXPECTED OUTCOMES – THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT INCLUDES AN INCREASE OF COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT WHICH INCLUDES PROTECTED CLASSES COVERED, PROHIBITED ACTS, AVAILABLE REMEDIES, AND INVESTIGATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS. OTHER EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDES CONTINUOUS ENFORCEMENT OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI COUNTIES TO TACKLE HOUSING DISCRIMINATION BY INVESTIGATING ALLEGATIONS AND FILING ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS. THERE WILL BE A RECORD OF CALLS MADE TO THE FAIR HOUSING TELEPHONE HOTLINE TO INCLUDE THE LOCATION OF THE CALLER AND ISSUE PRESENTED. ANOTHER MEASURING TOOL IN PLACE INCLUDES A ONE PAGE PLAIN LANGUAGE QUESTIONNAIRE TO BE USED AS A PRE AND POST-WORKSHOP SURVEY TO MEASURE THE COMMUNITIES KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT BEFORE AND AFTER EACH PRESENTATION AND IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH THE INITIAL BASELINE OF FAIR HOUSING KNOWLEDGE AND QUANTIFY THE LEVEL OF INCREASED KNOWLEDGE FOLLOWING ALL EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. WITH THESE MEASURING TOOLS, MCJ WILL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE METHODS OF PRESENTATION ARE EFFECTIVE, AND PIVOT IF THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES ARE NOT REACHED.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: INTENDED BENEFICIARIES – THE PROJECT IS INTENDED TO BENEFIT ALL MEMBERS OF CLASSES PROTECTED UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT BY PROVIDING BROAD-BASED, FULL-SERVICE ENFORCEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE 30-COUNTY SERVICE AREA. THE PROJECT WILL BENEFIT THE BROADER COMMUNITY OF SOUTHERN CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI BY INFORMING HOUSING INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS, DEVELOPERS, AND LENDERS, OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLATING THE ACT.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: NONE

PRIVATE ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVES

PURPOSE: TO ASSIST ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE REGIONAL AND LOCAL, COMMUNITY BASED AND NATIONAL PROGRAMS, THAT DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT, CARRY OUT, OR COORDINATE PROGRAMS AND/OR ACTIVITIES TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS UNDER, THE FAIR HOUSING ACT (42 U.S.C. 3601-3619) OR ABOUT STATE OR LOCAL LAWS THAT PROVIDE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT RIGHTS AND REMEDIES FOR ALLEGED DISCRIMINATORY HOUSING PRACTICES. AWARD DESCRIPTION SOURCE - ASSISTANCE LISTING FROM SAM.GOV; ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: NO VALUE PROVIDED; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: NO VALUE PROVIDED; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: ANY PERSON OR GROUP OF PERSONS AGGRIEVED BY DISCRIMINATORY HOUSING PRACTICES BECAUSE OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX DISABILITY FAMILIAL STATUS OR NATIONAL ORIGIN. ANY PERSON OR GROUP OF PERSONS, INCLUDING LANDLORDS OR REAL ESTATE AGENTS, TO PREVENT DISCRIMINATORY HOUSING PRACTICES BASED ON RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, DISABILITY, FAMILIAL STATUS OR NATIONAL ORIGIN. AWARD DESCRIPTION SOURCE - ASSISTANCE LISTING FROM SAM.GOV; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: NO VALUE PROVIDED

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES

PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS TO TARGET 10 RURAL COUNTIES IN MISSISSIPPI THAT HAVE LARGE POPULATION OF VULNERABLE GROUPS, INCLUDING AFRICAN AMERICANS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND PROVIDE FAIR HOUSING KNOWLEDGE TO THE COMMUNITIES IN FORMS OF PRESENTATIONS THROUGH WORKSHOPS IN CONJUNCTION WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS. IN THE TARGETED 10 RURAL COUNTIES, FEW FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINTS WERE FILED AND STATE-LEVEL SURVEY DATA REVEALS THAT RESIDENTS IN THESE COUNTIES HAVE LOW LEVELS OF AWARENESS OF FAIR HOUSING ACT PROTECTIONS. THE PROJECT FOCUSES ON THE LACK OF FAIR HOUSING INFORMATION IN RURAL COUNTIES BY TARGETING ITS RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL AT 10 OF THE MOST RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COUNTIES IN MISSISSIPPI TO CONDUCT EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. THE PROJECT USES MULTIPLE CHANNELS TO DELIVER INFORMATION IN EACH COUNTY, INCLUDING IN-PERSON FAIR HOUSING PRESENTATIONS WITHIN THE TARGETED AUDIENCES’ COMMUNITY, DELIVERY OF FAIR HOUSING PSAS THROUGH RADIO AND TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENT, DISTRIBUTION OF FAIR HOUSING LITERATURE, AND A TOLL-FREE STATEWIDE HOTLINE TO PROVIDE FAIR HOUSING INFORMATION TO CALLERS REGARDING THEIR RIGHTS AND TO PROVIDE INTAKE FOR FAIR HOUSING VIOLATIONS.; ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED UNDER THE PROPOSED PROJECT INCLUDES ESTABLISHING A STATEWIDE FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION, CONDUCT COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, AND INFORM CITIZENS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT. MCJ WILL COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE TARGETED 10 COUNTIES TO CONDUCT COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS. MCJ WILL ALSO COLLABORATE WITH RUST COLLEGE, MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY, AND ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY, WHICH ARE ALL HBCUS LOCATED IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF MISSISSIPPI, TO PROVIDE FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION TO STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF ON CAMPUS AND ALSO TO RESIDENTS SURROUNDING THE HBCUS IN 3 OF THE 10 TARGETED COUNTIES. MCJ WILL DEVELOP INSTRUMENTS TO MEASURE THE EFFECTIVES OF THE COMMUNITY FAIR HOUSING WORKSHOPS WHICH WILL INCLUDE WORKSHOP EVALUATION FORMS AND PRE AND POST-WORKSHOP SURVEYS TO MEASURE THE AUDIENCES KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT BEFORE AND AFTER WORKSHOPS. WHILE ALSO CONDUCTING COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, MCJ WILL IDENTIFY EXISTING COMMUNITY-BASED, FAITH-BASED AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS WITH EXISTING DELIVERY SYSTEMS TO DISTRIBUTE 4,000 PIECES OF FAIR HOUSING LITERATURE THAT DESCRIBES THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATION OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT. THREE THOUSAND PIECES OF LITERATURE WILL BE IN ENGLISH, 500 PIECES IN SPANISH, AND 500 PIECES IN VIETNAMESE AS THESE ARE THE PRIMARY LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN MISSISSIPPI. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING IN-LIVE PRESENTATIONS AND DISTRIBUTING FAIR HOUSING LITERATURE, MCJ WILL ALSO PROVIDE FAIR HOUSING INFORMATION, INCLUDING FAIR HOUSING ACT PROTECTIONS, THROUGH ADVERTISEMENT AND MARKETING THROUGH LOCAL NEWS, RADIO, AND SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS THAT REACHES THE TARGETED 10 RURAL COUNTIES. MCJ WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A TOLL-FREE STATEWIDE HOTLINE TO FURTHER PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, TO ANSWER INQUIRIES THAT MISSISSIPPIANS MAY HAVE REGARDING THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, AND TO INVESTIGATE ANY REPORTED POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS OF THE ACT. IN ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY-BASED WORKSHOPS, THE PROJECT WILL CONDUCT THREE FAIR HOUSING INDUSTRY-TRAINING WORKSHOPS IN BILOXI, HATTIESBURG, AND JACKSON THAT TARGETS HOUSING PROVIDERS OR THOSE ENGAGED IN PROVIDING HOUSING. THE INDUSTRY-TRAINING WORKSHOPS WILL INCLUDE TRAINING ADDRESSING MORTGAGE LENDING DISPARITIES, REAL ESTATE APPRAISAL DISCRIMINATION, AND NEWLY RECOGNIZED PROTECTIONS FOR LGBTQ+ POPULATIONS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO CONDUCT A “FAIR HOUSING MONTH CELEBRATION” DIRECTED TO PUBLIC HOUSING SECTORS, FAIR HOUSING STATE AGENCIES, HUD REPRESENTATIVES, AND PANEL OF COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS TO REACH A MINIMUM OF 15 REPRESENTATIVES FROM SUCH HOUSING SECTORS.; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT INCLUDES AN INCREASE OF COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND OF THE HUD PROCESS FOR INVESTIGATING CHARGES OF DISCRIMINATION. INCREASE IN COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT INCLUDES GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE PURPOSE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, THE HISTORY, EVOLUTION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, AND THE PROTECTED CLASSES OF THE ACT. ONE MEASURING TOOL IN PLACE INCLUDES EVALUATION FORMS OF THE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS SO PRESENTERS CAN IMPROVE ON THEIR PRESENTATION STYLE OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED AT WORKSHOPS. ANOTHER MEASURING TOOL IN PLACE INCLUDES A ONE PAGE PLAIN LANGUAGE QUESTIONNAIRE TO BE USED AS A PRE AND POST-WORKSHOP SURVEY TO MEASURE THE COMMUNITIES KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT BEFORE AND AFTER EACH PRESENTATION AND IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH THE INITIAL BASELINE OF FAIR HOUSING KNOWLEDGE AND QUANTIFY THE LEVEL OF INCREASED KNOWLEDGE FOLLOWING ALL EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. WITH THESE MEASURING TOOLS, MCJ WILL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE METHODS OF PRESENTATION ARE EFFECTIVE, AND PIVOT IF THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES ARE NOT REACHED. THROUGH THE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, OTHER DATA COLLECTION METHODS WILL INCLUDE RECORDING THE NUMBER OF ATTENDEES AT THE WORKSHOPS, AS WELL AS VOLUNTARILY GATHERED INFORMATION REGARDING DEMOGRAPHICS AND MEMBERSHIP IN PROTECTED CLASSES.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT INCLUDES MISSISSIPPI RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY RESIDENTS IN 10 TARGETED RURAL COUNTIES, AS DEFINED BY HUD, WITH HIGH POPULATIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN RESIDENTS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES THAT HAVE MINIMAL TO NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT. THE PROPOSED PROJECT TARGETS RURAL POPULATIONS BY CONDUCTING THESE WORKSHOPS THROUGH EXISTING COMMUNITY GROUPS, TRUSTED COLLEGES IN THE COMMUNITIES, AND BY REACHING PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE PLUGGED INTO SUCH GROUPS THROUGH RADIO AND TELEVISION OUTLETS. OTHER INTENDED BENEFICIARIES ALSO INCLUDE OUTREACH TO LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT INDIVIDUALS THROUGH FAIR HOUSING LITERATURE; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: NONE

ORGANIZATIONS INITIV

FAIR HOUSING ORGANIZATION INITIATIVES

FAIR HOUSING ORGANIZATION INITIATIVES

THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY OUTREACH GRANT PROGRAM PROVIDES ELIGIBLE GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES WITH THE FUNDING AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF AND PARTICIPATION IN THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM AMONG THOSE ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS MOST IN NEED OF AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY.