Act Now: Urge Indiana Legislators to Protect Fair Housing Funding
We need your help. Tell Congress to fully fund essential fair housing programs!
Since 2011, the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana (FHCCI), a private nonprofit organization, has worked to facilitate open housing for all. Although the FHCCI began as a central Indiana focused organization, with the lack of other similar organizations in the state, the FHCCI is often called upon to provide statewide assistance. We have done so by applying for extremely competitive yearly grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through its Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP). FHIP is the only direct federal resource for local, nonprofit fair housing services. HUD FHIP grants make up about 85% of the FHCCI's budget.
Fair housing is not a partisan issue, it’s the law. Fair housing has historically been supported by Republicans and Democrats since the federal Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968. FHIP was initiated as a pilot under President Reagan’s administration. The pilot’s success led to FHIP becoming a permanent HUD program under President George W. Bush’s administration. Fair housing laws protect each of us, in multiple ways, in our personal housing transactions.
FHIP funding is currently facing significant reductions, and impending elimination, across the nation:
- In 2025-2026, the FHCCI went 10 months without a $125,000 HUD FHIP Education & Outreach grant and 8 months without a $145,000 HUD FHIP Fair Housing Organizations grant (a grant that serves the Indiana counties outside of Central Indiana). As of May 1, 2026, the FHCCI is without funding for its HUD FHIP Private Enforcement Initiative grant, a grant which funds the FHCCI at $425,000 a year, due to HUD delays in providing a start date.
- HUD has not issued a NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity) for FY2025 FHIP funds, previously approved by Congress in early 2025. These funds are at risk of being recaptured by the federal government if they are not obligated by September 30, 2026. This would be a loss to the FHCCI of nearly $750,000+ this year.
- HUD has also not issued a NOFO for FY2026 FHIP funds that was appropriated by Congress earlier this year following the government shutdown. Again, a potential loss for the FHCCI for 2027 of over $750,000.
- The administration’s FY2027 budget, which is currently being debated, has proposed to eliminate the FHIP program entirely - zeroing it out - which would result in the FHCCI having to close due to the lack of sufficient local, state, and/or private foundation support to cover the HUD grant loss. The House’s mark-up version of the FY2027 HUD budget has FHIP back into the budget but only at $20m of the $56m it typically appropriates.
The FHCCI's impact since 2011 has been substantial. Without immediate access to FHIP funding, the FHCCI faces significant, imminent reductions in services to the almost 7 million people across our state who may be in need of our services. We will have to cut our 8-person staff down to a skeleton crew and cut our service area down to, at most, the 9-county Indianapolis metro area. If funding is not restored, many communities will lose these critical resources that protect housing rights and stability.
There is still time to correct course! Let Indiana's congressional delegation know that you:
- Demand HUD obligate the FY2025 FHIP funds by September 30, 2026;
- Urge HUD to release the FY2026 NOFO and obligate these funds this year so fair housing organizations can plan long-term to meet constituent needs; and
- Request $60 million be included in the FY2027 budget to support FHIP.
Act now to tell Congress to fully fund fair housing programs!
Letter Campaign by
FHCCI
Sponsored by
Indianapolis, IN