Resources
Local
Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights
www.richr.ri.gov
401-222-2661
The Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights (RICHR) was established in 1949 upon the enactment of the Fair
Employment Practices Act. The RICHR is the primary agency responsible for enforcing the state’s
anti-discrimination laws.
Housing Network of Rhode Island
www.housingnetworkri.org
888-827-1461
Housing Network of Rhode Island is the state association of non-profit
community development corporations. Members have developed and built
thousands of units of affordable housing and initiated revitalization
efforts throughout the state. The organization exists to support these
members and to promote public awareness and policies that address Rhode
Island’s housing and economic needs. Visit the Network’s Fair
Housing page.
www.housingnetworkri.org/sub_homeownership_files/pdf/fairhousing_en.pdf
To view and print the English version of the Housing Network's Homeownership and Fair Housing brochure.
www.housingnetworkri.org/sub_homeownership_files/pdf/fairhousing_sp.pdf
To view and print the Spanish version of the Housing Network's Homeownership and Fair Housing brochure.
State of Rhode Island Housing Resource Commission
www.hrc.ri.gov/index.html
401-222-5323
The Commission’s purpose is to ensure that all Rhode Island residents have access to safe and affordable
housing. The commission represents a wide range of constituents, from government to providers to advocates.
There are also housing advocacy ‘links’ within this website.
Rhode Island Legal Services
www.rils.org
Housing Hotline: 800-662-5034 ext.124
The basic priorities of Rhode Island Legal Services (RILS) are to ensure that low-income people have food,
shelter, income, medical care, and freedom from domestic violence. To accomplish this, RILS provides a full
range of legal assistance, including advice and brief service, investigation, negotiation, and litigation in
all state and federal trial and appellate courts. RILS also provides community legal education services to its
client community and is the State's major law firm for low-income people with civil legal problems.
Don’t Borrow Trouble RI
www.dontborrowtroubleri.org
800-436-3180
The DON'T BORROW TROUBLE RI campaign is a public education initiative aimed at stopping predatory lending
practices in the state. The campaign, administered by Rhode Island Housing, seeks to educate families and
individuals about how to avoid predatory lending scams and about available community resources. The DON'T
BORROW TROUBLE RI help line offers families a safe place to call before they sign anything that puts their
home at risk.
Federal
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO)
www.hud.gov/fairhousing
1-800-827-5005
The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) administers and enforces federal laws
and establishes policies that make sure all Americans have equal access to the housing of their choice.
www.brgov.com/dept/ocd/pdf/903-1.pdf
This is a link to HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) OMB Approved doc 2529-0011 titled:
‘Are you a Victim of Housing Discrimination? Fair Housing is Your Right’. This document includes: information
on how to recognize housing discrimination, the official form for reporting it, instructions on completing and
submitting the form, and a list of enforcement centers by region to which the completed form should be sent.
www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/FHLaws/index.cfm
This link brings you to the HUD FHEO Law web page. Here you will find a list of Fair Housing laws and clearly worded
explanations of what types of discrimination each of these laws addresses.
www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/aboutfheo/fhhubs.cfm
This link takes you directly to a list of HUD’s Regional FHEO Office locations and contact information. The offices of FHEO are
responsible for all discrimination complaints filed with HUD.
www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/nfhta.cfm
National Fair Housing Training Academy (NFHTA) is the educational arm of HUD’s FHEO division. The
curriculum, site, and faculty have been identified in collaboration with FHEO, FHAP leaders, Howard
University, the USDA Graduate School and the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights.
http://chatwrite.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm?webListAction=search&searchstate=RI
For a current
list of HUD Approved Housing Counseling Agencies in Rhode Island with contact information and services provided.
http://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/39steps.pdf
View and print HUD's FHEO publication, 39 Steps Toward Fair Housing,
a history of federal legislation about Fair Housing.
National
National Fair Housing Alliance
www.nationalfairhousing.org/index.php
202-898-1661
National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) is solely dedicated to ending discrimination in housing. On this site
you will find news pertinent to fair housing issues, a news archive, information on NFHA’s member organizations,
partners and supporters, media and resources, including posters that are available in download .pdf format and
information on Fair Housing training sessions being held by NFHA.
John Marshall School of Law – Fair Housing Support Center
www.jmls.edu/fairhousingcenter/index.shtml
312-987-2397
The goal of the John Marshall School of Law Fair Housing Support Center (FHLSC) is to provide legal assistance
to those private or public organizations that seek to eliminate discriminatory housing practices. They do this
in a variety of ways: developing materials and brochures to educate the public about fair housing law,
conducting legal research, offering advice on trial strategy, providing sample forms and briefs to help groups
fight housing discrimination, arranging conferences and mock trials, developing courses and training materials,
providing civic and community-based organizations, the real estate industry and private fair housing groups with
legal information about rights and responsibilities under the fair housing laws.
