On April 8, Pittsburgh Fair Housing enforcement and advocacy giants came together as the Pittsburgh City Council issued a proclamation designating the month of April as Fair Housing Month in Pittsburgh. Representatives from government commissions, departments and advocacy agencies discussed their specific tasks regarding housing discrimination, the importance of public awareness regarding housing discrimination, and the necessity of the governments and the public to work together in effort to both report and to eliminate housing discrimination.
The Title VIII Civil Rights Act, also known as the Fair Housing Act, was signed by President Lyndon Johnson on April 11, 1968 while the nation still smoldered from the fires of the riots throughout the nation after the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. This Federal Act provides equal housing opportunities to people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, familial status, national origin, ancestry, place of birth, national origin or retaliation based on any of the protected classes. In Pittsburgh, sexual orientation has also been included as a protected class of discrimination.
The Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations (PCHR) is tasked with investigating civil rights violations and any conditions having an adverse effect on intergroup relations in the city. In addition, PCHR conducts community education and other outreach programs for schools, community groups, businesses, professional organizations and City departments in order to promote equal rights and opportunities for all who work, live or visit our city. If residents in the city believe that they have been discriminated against by an employer, housing provider, or public company or service within the City of Pittsburgh, you are urged to contact the Commission at 412-255-2600.
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