Federal gov't cutting 80% of funding to VT's only fair housing project: Here's the impact

Read the full article at burlingtonfreepress.com. Below is an excerpt.

Vermont's only statewide program dedicated to non-discriminatory and affordable housing is losing 80% of its federal funding.

The Champlain Valley Office for Economic Opportunity's Fair Housing Project is granted annual funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. According to the cancellation letter sent to CVOEO, “HUD is terminating this award because it no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities.”

CVOEO's Fair Housing Project is a "core component" of the departments larger statewide housing advocacy programs.

Skilled Fair Housing Project staff provide consultations and support for people experiencing housing discrimination, assist in filing Fair Housing complaints, offer training and workshops for housing providers and community leaders and work closely with other organizations and CVOEO programs to ensure people understand their rights and responsibilities under Fair Housing law.

“Shutting down the state's only dedicated fair housing education and outreach program would have dire repercussions - especially at a time when our enforcement partners at the Vermont Human Rights Commission and Vermont Legal Aid are also underfunded and not able to keep up with the volume of complaints and investigations,” Jess Hyman, CVOEO’s Associate Director of Statewide Housing Advocacy Programs, said.

She said the urgency of fair housing is more apparent than ever in the context of Vermont's ongoing housing crisis. With rising competition for fewer available homes, landlords can be more selective, making discrimination harder to spot and even harder to prove.

A recent Fair Housing Analysis by the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development revealed that 30% of respondents - comprised of housing professionals, the public, immigrants, refugees and vulnerable Vermonters - reported experiencing housing discrimination in their search for a home.