For Immediate Release – June 1, 2023         

Media Contact:
Christina Prado
1-800-446-3247 ext. 1104
[email protected]

Long Beach, CA – Fair Housing Foundation and HomeOwnership OC announced today that the nonprofit organizations have received a Fair Housing Initiatives (FHIP) Private Enforcement Initiatives (PEI) grant of $425,000 annually for 3 years from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  The FHIP PEI grant will support their collaborative work to help enforce and educate on fair housing laws and end housing discrimination in Orange and Los Angeles Counties. The funds are provided through HUD’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) PEI which provides support to local nonprofit agencies to help assist individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination learn about options, file complaints, and resolve fair housing issues. The PEI grant also helps to educate the public and housing providers about their rights and responsibilities under federal law or state and local fair housing laws that are substantially equivalent to the Fair Housing Act.  The grant also provides funds for fair housing education, outreach and enforcement related services to individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination.

            “We are eager to continue expanding our fair housing enforcement efforts to combat housing discrimination in our communities,” said Stella Verdeja, Executive Director of the Fair Housing Foundation. “With this collaboration, we will enhance our fair housing program and services on fair housing laws to assist renters, homeowners, home seekers, and the housing industry. We are committed to advancing housing equality for everyone.”

           HOOC and FHF have partnered together on FHIP Education and Outreach Grants for the past 2 years and will now partner on this FHIP PEI grant to provide a strategic fair housing testing, enforcement and educational campaign that offers online fair housing educational workshops, Covid-19 rental and fair housing information, public service announcements, social media ads and updates to both of their websites to better serve the Orange and Los Angeles communities. “We are excited to be able to partner again with the Fair Housing Foundation to strategically expand our fair housing outreach and education to ensure our communities have the knowledge and resources to prevent and report housing discrimination,” said Connie Der Torossian, Executive Director of HomeOwnership OC.  “As we recover from the economic and housing impacts of Covid-19 and its unprecedented effect on our communities, it is very important for us to expand our programs that help renters, homeowners, home seekers and the housing industry recover, understand fair housing laws, and ensure housing is equally available to all individuals regardless of their protected class.” Individuals who have questions or feel they have experienced discrimination can call Fair Housing Foundation at 562.989.1206 or visit www.fhfca.org or HomeOwnership OC at 714.204.2314 or visit www.HomeOwnershipOC.org. 

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About Fair Housing Foundation
The Fair Housing Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1964 and is dedicated to eliminating discrimination in housing and promoting equal access to housing choices for everyone. FHF engages in activities including outreach and education, testing and investigation, and counteracting and eliminating discriminatory housing practices in both Los Angeles and

Orange Counties. The Fair Housing Foundation is a HUD-Certified Housing Counseling Agency and also offers Rental Counseling. Please contact Fair Housing Foundation at 1-800-446-3247 (TTY: 1-800 855-7100) for more information.

About HomeOwnership OC
Homeownership OC is a nonprofit that promotes financial improvement, housing opportunities and homeownership. Formally known as OC HOC, our mission is to promote and preserve the dream of home ownership through outreach, education, counseling, and financing. Homeownership OC works to educate the public, especially the low income and underserved populations, on all aspects of owning or renting a home. We are a one stop shop and a free resource here to assist the community with all their housing related issues. From renting to buying a home, to credit improvement and more, Homeownership OC works to ensure the community has the most up to date information and comprehensive resources easily accessible. This includes offering individual housing counseling and educational workshops to help individuals better understand housing situations, build assets, and improve overall financial wellbeing. Since our inception in 2007, we have counseled more than 13,600 homeowners on options to save their home from foreclosure, credit, homeownership, and down payment programs and held more than 66 Home Preservation, Home Buying, Avoiding Real Estate Scams and Fraud, and Financial Educational Workshops throughout Orange County.