North Dakota families deserve to know that if a landlord discriminates against them, there's somewhere to turn. The High Plains Fair Housing Center in Grand Forks is that place — the only organization in our entire state that investigates housing discrimination complaints and helps families understand their rights. But right now, four of its eight employees are facing furlough on July 31 because a federal grant that was already awarded has been sitting in limbo since May with no explanation and no timeline. Half the staff, gone, because of a paperwork delay no one will explain.
This isn't a problem we can wait on. When that center loses staff, real North Dakotans lose their ability to fight back against illegal housing discrimination. Veterans, seniors, families with kids, people with disabilities — these are the folks who call when a landlord slams a door in their face. And right now, the lights are about to go out on the only people trained to answer.
I'm asking you to find a way for the state to step in with emergency bridge funding to keep the High Plains Fair Housing Center fully staffed while the federal grant delay gets sorted out. We've done it for other priorities when federal money was slow — this deserves the same urgency. Don't let North Dakota's only fair housing protection go dark because of a bureaucratic delay in Washington.
Please protect the families and workers who depend on the High Plains Fair Housing Center.
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