Tenant law in plain language
Pittsburgh

Housing Discrimination in Pittsburgh: What Are My Rights?

Published by Nazanin · September 24, 2026

Federal law and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (the state civil rights law) both ban housing discrimination. Pittsburgh's own ordinance (a city law) protects more groups, such as immigration status, gender identity, and housing status. You can file a complaint with the city, the state, or the federal government. Each one has its own deadline.

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Not legal advice. Each answer below links to where it comes from. Read it before you act.

  1. Federal law protects you from housing discrimination. The Fair Housing Act bans discrimination because of your race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status, or disability. This law covers renting, buying, getting a mortgage, or asking for housing help.

    U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Housing: Rights and Obligations

    ✓ Sources checked September 23, 2026

  2. 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.

    Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission What is illegal housing & commercial property discrimination?

    ✓ Sources checked September 23, 2026

  3. 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.

    City of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Code § 659.03

    ✓ Sources checked September 23, 2026

  4. 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.

    City of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Code § 659.03(a)

    ✓ Sources checked September 23, 2026

  5. 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.

    City of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Code § 659.03(b)

    ✓ Sources checked September 23, 2026

  6. If you have a disability, Pennsylvania law protects you in another way. Your landlord cannot refuse reasonable accommodations. These are changes to rules, policies, practices, or services. The law covers changes that may be necessary to give you an equal opportunity to use and enjoy your home. The PHRC (the state civil rights agency) gives an example of illegal discrimination: refusing a request from a tenant with a disability for closer parking.

    Pennsylvania General Assembly 43 P.S. § 955(h)(3.2) Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission File a Housing & Commercial Property Discrimination Complaint

    ✓ Sources checked September 23, 2026

  7. Pittsburgh's ordinance also bans retaliation. Your landlord cannot discriminate against you because you opposed discrimination the ordinance forbids. The same is true if you made a complaint, testified, or helped in any way in an investigation or proceeding under it.

    City of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Code § 659.03(o)

    ✓ Sources checked September 23, 2026

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

    City of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Code § 655.02(c) Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations Contact CHR

    ✓ Sources checked September 23, 2026

  9. The PCHR asks you to schedule a time to come in to file a discrimination complaint. It cannot take walk-in complaints at this time. Contact the PCHR if you believe an employer, housing provider, public service, or City of Pittsburgh employee discriminated against you. Call 412-255-2600 or email human.relations@pittsburghpa.gov.

    Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations Contact CHR

    ✓ Sources checked September 23, 2026

  10. 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.

    City of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Code § 655.06(f)

    ✓ Sources checked September 23, 2026

  11. 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.

    Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission What is illegal housing & commercial property discrimination?

    ✓ Sources checked September 23, 2026

  12. 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.

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

    ✓ Sources checked September 23, 2026

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