The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced Wednesday that Atlanta is going to receive funding to support residents with disabilities.
The Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA) is going to get $705,462 in federal funding, according to HUD. The money is earmarked for providing permanent affordable housing to non-elderly people with disabilities. With the award, Atlanta can house up to 50 additional families, HUD announced.
The money is coming from HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Program, HUD announced. AHA is one of several affordable housing agencies nationwide that is set to receive additional HUD funding.
“People with disabilities deserve access to affordable housing that meets their needs,” HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said in a statement.
HUD’s award comes a month after the agency entered into a settlement agreement with AHA over Atlanta’s non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. HUD found that 15 Atlanta Housing tenants experienced discrimination after AHA and its partners failed to monitor its reasonable accommodation requests — tenants seeking live-in aid, grab bars, assistance animals, or accessible parking space, among other ADA needs — between 2018 through Sept. 30, 2020.
Since then, HUD announced that Atlanta is creating a $2 million relief fund to pay eligible tenants with rejected accommodation requests. AHA is also developing a process for tenants to apply for reviews. The fund will be in effect until HUD thinks AHA has fulfilled the requirements of the settlement agreement.
People who believe they experienced discrimination may file a complaint by contacting HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (Relay). Housing discrimination complaints may also be filed by going to hud.gov/fairhousing.
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