Statement from Executive Director Nick E. Smith on the Reinstatement of FHIP Housing Grants

“Over the past couple months, at the discretion of DOGE, we have seen each federal agency face drastic cuts. This includes the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) canceling 78 Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) grants, which impacted 66 fair housing groups across 33 states. FHIP grants are designed to help tenants seek assistance when they have been a victim of housing discrimination.

Thankfully, the court stepped in and ordered HUD to reinstate these FHIP grants. If the cuts ultimately remain, they will enable more bad-actor landlords to abuse and neglect tenants. This especially would occur throughout marginalized communities, like the ones we represent. I am grateful to the court and to members of the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) for taking action.

However, this is not the end. More attacks on fair housing will continue. And it is imperative that we continue to fight back against more federal housing cuts.”

Communities Resist (“CoRe”) is a community-based housing legal services and advocacy organization established and led by people of color to empower, educate and represent low-income communities and community coalitions preventing gentrification and displacement. Founded in 2019, CoRe has racked up several impressive wins, stopping nearly 1,000 evictions, filing 4,000+ affirmative litigation cases, engaging more than 8,000 New Yorkers at housing rights workshops and recovering settlements of all sizes for tenants across New York City.

“After years of feeling powerless against our abusive landlord who wasn’t providing heat and hot water nor repairing my apartments, my neighbors and I had no other choice than to reach out for help. With the help of our attorney from Communities Resist we were able to organize a Tenant Association and fight back against the abusive landlord. We finally won,” said Ramona Blash of 316 Suydam St. Tenant Association.