City Council Adds “Housing Status” as a Protected Class in the City of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh takes historic step to protect residents from housing discrimination
Pittsburgh, PA - Today, City Council voted to pass an ordinance amending the Pittsburgh Code to add “housing status” as a class protected from housing discrimination in the City of Pittsburgh. Sponsored by Councilperson Bob Charland, this landmark measure ensures that landlords can no longer deny an individual’s housing application on the basis of their past or present housing status – a discriminatory practice that has occurred for decades.
Under the ordinance, “housing status” refers to the actual or perceived type of housing a person has or had, whether public or private, and includes homelessness, temporary or transitional housing, or a lack of rental history.
Commission on Human Relations Director Rachel Shepherd explains the need for this amendment: “We’ve been working with organizations who work with folks who are housing insecure or experiencing homelessness. The same problem keeps coming up; the “homeless” label is a stigma that makes it hard to find permanent housing. This is true even when someone meets all the other criteria. It’s also become a way to discriminate by other means against those with disabilities and families fleeing domestic violence.”
Moving forward, anyone who suspects their housing application has been rejected because of their housing status can file a complaint with the Commission on Human Relations, which has the power to investigate claims of discrimination and enforce the Civil Rights Codes of the City of Pittsburgh.
“There are far too many obstacles to finding housing. Many of us are a tragic incident away from losing our home and having to stay in a shelter, sleep on a friend’s couch, or live on the streets. Oftentimes, a person’s housing status is completely out of their control and we know that the practice of discriminating based on someone’s housing status has kept people out of housing. We must continue to find ways to reduce these barriers and thanks to the incredible work of the Commission on Human Relations, we now have one less road block to housing our neighbors,” says Councilperson Charland.
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