Idaho loses one Fair Housing Hotline, retains 2-1-1, other options

Idaho Legal Aid Services (ILAS) received a HUD FHIP-EOI (Education and Outreach Initiative) grant in late 2011 to operate a statewide fair housing hotline. This provided an additional option for stakeholders who had previously relied on the 2-1-1 Care line, HUD’s FHEO Fair Housing Line, Intermountain Fair Housing Council’s toll-free line, the Idaho Commission on Human Rights and IHFA’s statewide Housing Hotline, each of which provided some level of information and referral for questions relating to fair housing.

In late September ILAS circulated the following message to their statewide partners:

Idaho Legal Aid Services received notice that it did not receive a HUD FHIP EOI grant for 2013-14. This will mean the closure of the program’s Fair Housing Hotline, previously funded with HUD monies. The last day the Fair Housing Hotline will take calls is Thursday October 3rd, 2013.

ILAS continues to serve Idaho’s low-income residents in a number of ways, which can be found on its website at idaholegalaid.org  From this point on, Idahoans may contact ILAS regional offices here or via their direct local numbers:

• Coeur d’Alene (serving Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone counties): 208-667-9559
• Lewiston (serving Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis, and Nez Perce counties): 208-743-1556
• Caldwell (serving Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette and Washington counties): 208-454-591
• Boise (serving Ada, Boise, Elmore and Valley counties): 208-345-0106
• Twin Falls (serving Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka and Twin Falls counties): 208-734-7024
• Pocatello (serving Bannock, Bear Lake, Caribou, Franklin and Power counties): 208-233-0079
• Idaho Falls (serving Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison and Teton counties): 208-524-3660