Who is protected? HUD’s Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of:
- Race
- Color
- National Origin
- Religion
- Sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation)
- Familial Status
- Disability
In addition to these protected classes, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) prohibits discrimination in housing because of:
- Age
- Ancestry
- Use of guide or support animals because of the blindness, deafness, or physical handicap of the user or because the user is a handler or trainer of support or guide animals.
How do you report Housing Discrimination? If you believe your rights may have been violated, you are encouraged to report housing discrimination. Because there are time limits on when an allegation can be filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) after an alleged violation, a resident should report housing discrimination as soon as possible to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission at 717-787-9780, and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development at 412-644-5449 or 412-644-6353.
When reporting housing discrimination, please provide as much information as possible including:
- Your name and address.
- The name and address of the person(s) or organization your allegation is against.
- The address or other identification of the housing or program involved.
- A short description of the event(s) that caused you to believe your rights were violated.
- The date(s) of the alleged violation.
