Housing Discrimination in Pittsburgh: What Are My Rights?

What is against the law

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   Federal law protects you from unfair treatment in housing. The Fair Housing Act bans this treatment based on your race, your color, or your national origin. It also bans this treatment based on your religion, your sex, your family status, or your disability. This law covers renting a home, buying a home, getting a home loan, or asking for housing help.

   Source:

   1. Fair Housing: Rights and Obligations, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A government guide.
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   Pennsylvania law also protects you. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act covers renting, buying, selling, or getting a loan for a home. It bans discrimination because of your race, color, sex, age over 40, religion, national origin, or ancestry. It also protects families with children under 18, people with disabilities, and people who use a guide or support animal for a disability.

   Source:

   1. What is illegal housing & commercial property discrimination?, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. A government guide.
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   Pittsburgh's fair housing ordinance lists its own protected groups. They include race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and family status. They also include disability, use of a support animal because of a disability, and status as a domestic violence victim. It also covers citizenship or immigration status, preferred language, hairstyles, and protective and cultural hair textures, and past or present housing status. Both actual and perceived traits count.

   Source:

   1. Pittsburgh Code § 659.03, City of Pittsburgh. Law.
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   Pittsburgh's ordinance also bans a landlord from refusing to rent to you. This applies to every group the ordinance protects, listed above. Your landlord also cannot falsely say a home is not available to avoid renting to you.

   Source:

   1. Pittsburgh Code § 659.03(a), City of Pittsburgh. Law.
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   Pittsburgh's ordinance bans unfair lease terms too. Your landlord cannot add a condition to your lease that treats you differently because of a protected trait. Your landlord also cannot give you worse building services or facilities for that reason.

   Source:

   1. Pittsburgh Code § 659.03(b), City of Pittsburgh. Law.
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   Pittsburgh's fair housing rule also bans retaliation (punishing you for speaking up). Your landlord cannot treat you badly because you spoke out against unfair treatment the rule bans. The same protection applies if you filed a complaint. It also applies if you gave a statement or helped with a case in any way.

   Source:

   1. Pittsburgh Code § 659.03(o), City of Pittsburgh. Law.

Asking for a reasonable accommodation (a change because of a disability)

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   If you have a disability, Pennsylvania law protects you in another way. Your landlord cannot refuse a reasonable change to rules, policies, practices, or services that you need. The change must be one that lets you use and enjoy your home like other renters. The PHRC (the state civil rights agency) gives an example of illegal discrimination: refusing a request for closer parking from a tenant with a disability.

   Sources:

   1. 43 P.S. § 955(h)(3.2), Pennsylvania General Assembly. Law.
   2. File a Housing & Commercial Property Discrimination Complaint, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. A government guide.

File a complaint

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   You can also file a discrimination complaint with the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations (PCHR). The city code sets the deadline: you must file within 1 year of the act of discrimination.

   Sources:

   1. Pittsburgh Code § 655.02(c), City of Pittsburgh. Law.
   2. Contact CHR, Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations. A government guide.
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   The PCHR asks you to schedule a time to come in and file a discrimination complaint. It cannot take walk-in complaints right now. Contact the PCHR if you believe you faced discrimination. This can be from an employer, housing provider, public service, or City of Pittsburgh employee. Call 412-255-2600 or email human.relations@pittsburghpa.gov.

   Source:

   1. Contact CHR, Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations. A government guide.
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    The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) says that, in general, you have 180 days to file a complaint. The 180 days count from when the discrimination happened. To file, fill out the PHRC intake form. Email it to the PHRC, or mail it to the PHRC regional office closest to you.

    Source:

    1. What is illegal housing & commercial property discrimination?, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. A government guide.
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    You can also file a federal complaint. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) handles Fair Housing Act complaints. File within 1 year of the last act of discrimination. HUD says to file as soon as you can.

    Source:

    1. Learn About FHEO's Process to Report and Investigate Housing Discrimination, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A government guide.

What happens after you file

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    If the PCHR finds your landlord broke the law, it can fine your landlord (called a civil penalty). A first violation can cost up to $10,000. A landlord with 1 past violation in the last 5 years can be fined up to $25,000. A landlord with more than 1 past violation in the last 7 years can be fined up to $50,000.

    Source:

    1. Pittsburgh Code § 655.06(f), City of Pittsburgh. Law.