Urgent Action Needed:

Contact Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and your Congressperson to restore Fair Housing funding for Long Island today! https://secure.everyaction.com/K2BPVSfC_UmC8aN8sLEhLg2

The Trump Administration is trying to end the Fair Housing education and enforcement entirely by zeroing out the HUD Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) budget in the FY26 federal budget.  This would jeopardize the critical work we do to educate about and combat housing discrimination.

Members of Congress need to hear from you this week while they are home on break. As the activists in the fair housing movement, your expertise is invaluable to congressional members as they make policy decisions that will impact communities across the country.

We need your help to protect fair housing rights on Long Island – and for the entire U.S.!

You previously came out to support Long Island Housing Services when U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) attempted to unlawfully terminate the Fair Housing Enforcement contract in February, which is the middle of the grant year.

Now the Trump Administration is trying to end the program entirely by zeroing out the HUD Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) budget in the FY26 federal budget.  This would jeopardize the critical work we do to combat housing discrimination undo historical segregation, and support vulnerable communities.

Take Action Today!

We need you to use the form to automatically write to an emails to your Congressperson and U.S. Senators to request the restoration of FHIP funding for the FY26 budget in the amount of  $125 million. By taking a moment to send the email you can ensure that fair housing protections remain strong in our communities.  Your voice matters and together we can continue the fight against discrimination and segregation for a better Long Island.

Contact my Congressperson and Senators NOW!

Why FHIP Funding Matters

FHIP has been a lifeline for thousands of individuals and families, providing essential support to vulnerable populations — including disabled veterans, survivors of domestic violence, and families with children. This program has consistently received bipartisan support since its inception during the Reagan Administration, helping ensure that everyone can access housing free from discrimination.

In Nassau and Suffolk counties, Long Island Housing Services (LIHS) relies on FHIP grants for 20.5% of our budget. Without this funding, our ability to investigate discrimination complaints and provide crucial education and outreach will be severely impacted.

The loss of this funding would severely undermine our ability to combat housing discrimination, leaving many Long Islanders without recourse against unlawful practices, a core component of our work. In 2023, LIHS secured a $105,000 settlement for victims of discrimination, demonstrating our vital role in protecting individual rights and promoting community well-being.

FHIP saves the federal government money by addressing discrimination before it leads to homelessness—ultimately reducing costs associated with emergency housing and social services. In 2023, FHIP grantees, like Long Island Housing Services, processed 75.52% of housing discrimination complaints, compared to just 5.10% handled by HUD; 19.26 percent by state and local government Human Rights Ddepartments;, and 0.12 percent by the U. S. Department of Justice. Nonprofit fair housing enforcement agencies like Long Island Housing Services continue to address more than 2.5 times as many complaints as the government agencies combined. This effectiveness underscores the importance of maintaining and enhancing FHIP funding.

The Need for Fair Housing Enforcement is Growing

The Fair Housing Trends Report for 2023 has the most recent data on fair housing needs in the United States, and it is not good:

• Overall complaints were 3.5 percent higher in 2023 than in 2022, and the data revealed a noticeably steep increase in the number of harassment complaints, particularly harassment based on color or race, which skyrocketed by 470.59 percent and 114.97 percent respectively.
• In fact, the 34,150 fair housing complaints received in 2023 by private non-profit fair housing organizations, HUD, FHAP agencies and the DOJ, represent the highest number of complaints ever reported in a single year.
•  Discrimination based on disability accounted for the majority (52.61 percent) of complaints filed.
• There were 1,521 complaints of harassment reported last year, an increase of 66.23 percent.
• 2023 marks the first year that appraisal bias complaints were collected as a standalone transaction type. In 2023, a total of 87 appraisal bias complaints were reported among FHOs, HUD, and FHAP agencies.

The Consequences of Funding Cuts

Long Island Housing Services currently assesses over 300 individual Fair Housing claims each year.   If HUD FHIP funds are cut, we will not be able to complete our work plan for eradicating housing discrimination on Long Island. These are some of services that Long Island, and other areas across the U.S., will lose or will be greatly impacted:

• Reduction in the number of individuals being counseled on fair housing.
• Reduced capacity to provide sufficient training to staff on Fair Housing laws, Fair Lending, Algorithmic Bias, and Property Insurance.
• Reduced ability to refer individual victims of housing discrimination to HUD.
• Reduction in the number of intakes, investigations, and complaints we represent at no cost to victims of discrimination
• Reduction, and possibly elimination, of the monitoring of small housing providers and Public Housing Authorities
• Elimination of the outreach to community-based organizations, nursing homes, Public Housing Authorities and HUD Assisted Housing Providers.
• Reduction in services to individuals who have a disability and may need a reasonable accommodation or reasonable modification.
• Reduction of fair housing training to the general public
• Reduction in, possibly elimination of, the intervention with housing providers on behalf of victims of housing discrimination

These cuts threaten not only individual rights but the well-being of our entire community.

Your Voice Matters!

We encourage you to fill in the form to address a pre-written email to your congressperson and U.S. senators to request the restoration of FHIP funding for the FY26 budget in the amount of  $125 million. Your voice matters, and together we can make a difference!

By taking a moment to use this tool to send an email, you can help ensure that fair housing protections remain strong in our community. Together, we can continue the fight against discrimination and promote equitable housing for all Long Islanders. The tool on the bottom of the page will fill in your elected officials information and your personal information.  You can edit it to reflect your voice if you wish.

Thank you for your support!

Contact my Congressperson and Senators NOW!