Prairie State's Fair Housing Project receives $300,000 from HUD

Prairie State Legal Services Inc. received a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, part of $23 million the department gave to nearly 80 organizations nationwide, to continue to protect consumers from housing discrimination.

Prairie State is one of six fair housing agencies in Illinois and the only agency outside the Chicago area to receive HUD funding.

The grant is part of HUD's Private Enforcement Initiative, which is given to organizations that conduct intake, testing, investigation and litigation for fair housing complaints under the Fair Housing Act.

The grant will be used for Prairie State's Fair Housing Project, which is entering the second year of a three-year grant cycle.

The initiative provides comprehensive fair housing enforcement services to affected residents in Lake, McHenry, Winnebago, Boone, Peoria and Tazewell counties.

Services include, but are not limited to: legal representation; fair housing testing in rental, sales, and lending markets; systemic investigations; and education and outreach presentations.

If you believe you are being discriminated against regarding your housing, contact Prairie State's Fair Housing Project at (855) FHP-PSLS (855-347-7757). For more information about the project, visit www.pslegal.org/fairhousing.asp.

With 12 office locations serving 36 counties in northern and central Illinois, Prairie State Legal Services Inc. works to ensure equal access to justice and fair treatment under the law by providing legal advice and representation, advocacy, education, and outreach that serve to protect basic human needs and enforce or uphold rights. It provides free legal services for low-income persons and those age 60 and older who have serious civil legal problems and need legal help to solve them.

Prairie State Legal Services Inc. began serving clients in 1977. It started with five offices located in Geneva (Kane County), Waukegan (Lake County), Bloomington (McLean County), Peoria (Peoria County), and Rockford (Winnebago County). The staff consisted of 15 attorneys, three paralegals, and one or two support persons in each office.

Visit www.pslegal.org for more information.