SERI AWARDED 125K TO COMBAT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN TUCSON - Sonora Environmental Research Institute, Inc.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2024

Media Contact:
Rachel Spitz
Program Manager at SERI, Inc.
(520) 308-8462
rspitz@seriaz.org

Tucson, AZ – For the fourth consecutive year, Sonora Environmental Research Institute, Inc. (SERI) has been awarded $125,000 to combat housing discrimination in the Tucson Metropolitan Area under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP).

Housing is a basic human right and fundamental for maintaining safety, health and stability. Discrimination in housing is still happening in our community and negatively effects families’ livelihoods, especially those living in poverty and minority communities. Our goal is to promote fair housing choice, equal opportunity for all in housing and encouraging an inclusive and diverse community.

The Fair Housing Act (FHA) was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 11, 1968 and prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), familial status, and disability. The FHA protects people from discrimination when renting or buying a home, getting a mortgage, seeking housing assistance or engaging in any other housing-related activities.

Under the new FHIP grant we will continue to provide fair housing education and outreach to tenants and home buyers. Our program will continue providing fair housing education and outreach in English, Spanish, Swahili and Mandarin. We will continue providing free fair housing educational classes and resources. We will continue intake for our fair housing complaint inquiry hotline phone (520) 306-0938 and online form for those who believe they have been discriminated against in housing due to their protected classes. We will respond within 1 business day, are an Arizona Relay Friendly Service Business partner and take inquiries in all languages. After initial intake we will refer inquiries to our program partner, Southwest Fair Housing Council (SWFHC).

We look forward to making our fair housing education and outreach initiatives available in two new languages, Arabic and Tagalog. We look forward to spreading awareness of fair housing in our local community by launching campaigns: social media; email newsletter; website content; public transit ads; and a TV ad. We will be conducting in-person outreach by participating in community events and performing home visits in low-income and minority neighborhoods to educate on fair housing. We will hold meetings with organizations and groups to educate on fair housing rights and attending conferences on fair housing.

Through our fair housing education and outreach initiatives we hope to eliminate barriers to housing that people of protected classes in our community are facing. We look forward to helping increase our community’s awareness of their fair housing rights and promote a more just society.

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About SERI:

Founded in 1994, Sonora Environmental Research Institute, Inc. (SERI) is a community-based non-profit in Tucson, Arizona partnering with low-income and minority communities in the Southwest to create a sustainable world where there is environmental justice and opportunity for all people. We work with communities to preserve the environment, protect human health and build healthy and safe neighborhoods. SERI is an Arizona Relay Friendly Business.

About HUD:

Founded in 1965, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is a federal agency responsible for national policy and programs that address America’s housing needs, improve and develop the Nation’s communities, and enforce fair housing laws. HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.

This material is based on work supported by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under FHIP Grant FEOI230004. Any opinion, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of HUD.