The State of Fair Housing in the Commonwealth of PA

The PA Human Relations Commission (PHRC) has a history of forward-thinking leadership in protecting civil rights for Pennsylvania residents. As the commonwealth’s leading civil rights agency, it has repeatedly shown foresight in protecting housing rights before federal efforts were mobilized. This is shown in the adoption of the PA Fair Employment Practices Act in 1955, now titled the PA Human Relations Act (PHRA), 13 years before the enactment of the Fair Housing Act (FHA).

Adding to this history the PHRA protected the rights of individuals with disabilities in 1967, a year before the FHA was passed and 21 years before the federal government offered such protection, by adding the prohibition of discrimination in the leasing of housing to persons using guide dogs because of the blindness of the user. Today, the PHRC leads the way again in establishing regulations that protect the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination under the category of sex which is defined in the proposed regulation as including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, sex assigned at birth, gender identity or expression, affectional or sexual orientation, and differences in sex development.

Also Read: AffordableHousing Tool Kit-Defining Affordable Housing