PHRC Recognizes Fair Housing Month with Statewide Events and Educational Initiatives

Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission

PHRC Recognizes Fair Housing Month with Statewide Events and Educational Initiatives

April 02, 2026
Harrisburg, PA -The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) proudly announces its celebration of Fair Housing Month this April with a series of events, trainings, and discussions aimed at promoting equal access to housing for all Pennsylvanians.

Fair Housing Month commemorates the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and familial status. In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) provides additional protections, ensuring that individuals are not discriminated against in housing. The PHRC enforces these laws and works to eliminate housing discrimination across Pennsylvania.

“Fair Housing Month is an opportunity for us to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring every Pennsylvanian has equal access to safe and stable housing,” said Brittany Mellinger, PHRC’s Fair Housing & Commercial Property Director. “Housing is the foundation of opportunity. These events are designed to equip professionals, advocates, and community members with the knowledge they need to prevent discrimination and promote inclusive communities across the Commonwealth.”

Throughout April, PHRC will host and participate in multiple events to engage housing professionals, advocates, and the public in discussions on housing equality and fair housing laws.

The schedule includes:

• Pen-Mar Realtors’ Fair Housing in Practice: Federal, State, & Local Perspectives for Brokers
  • April 7, 2026
  • Featuring Cleveland L. Horton II, Executive Director of the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights and Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW, PHRC Executive Director
• Pennsylvania Association of Realtors: Fair Housing is Good Business
  • April 8, 2026
  • Featuring David Dean, PAR President and Brittany Mellinger, Director of Fair Housing and Commercial Property, PHRC
• Tri-County Suburban Realtors: Fair Housing Without Fear: An Interactive Workshop & Panel Discussion
  • April 9, 2026
  • Moderated by Brittany Mellinger
• Apartment Association of Northwest Pennsylvania meeting
  • April 16, 2026
  • Featuring Director Brittany Mellinger
• Fair Housing Fundamentals: Understanding Fair Housing Rights, Responsibilities, and Resource
  • April 20, 2026
  • Featuring **** Director **** Brittany Mellinger; Alana Burman Policy, Intergovernmental Affairs, & Mediation Director; and Sherwood Goodenough Enforcement Director

• 2026 Housing Equality Conference –Liberty, Justice, and Housing for All: Advancing Fair Housing in Pennsylvania’s 250 th year

  • April 23, 2026
  • 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  • DoubleTree by Hilton Philadelphia Center City, 237 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
  • Featuring Lynette M. Brown-Sow, Chair, & Kelvin Jeremiah, President & CEO, Philadelphia Housing Authority
  • Registration link can be found on our website

• Luzerne County Association of Realtors: Advancing Fair Housing in Changing Times

  • April 24, 2026
  • Featuring Director Brittany Mellinger

• Temple University Real Estate Institute: Reasonable Accommodation Course

  • April 27, 2026
  • Director Brittany Mellinger will instruct course

• Crawford County Mental Health Awareness Program meeting

  • April 28, 2026
  • Featuring Director Brittany Mellinger

• Reasonable Accommodations: A practical workshop for landlords & property managers

  • April 29, 2026
  • 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  • 2100 North 6 th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110
  • Join the Fair Housing Council of the Capital Region and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to learn about fair housing protections for individuals with disabilities.
  • Please RSVP online.

• Fair Housing Empower Hour

  • April 29, 2026
  • 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
  • The Fair Housing Empower Hour is a monthly fair housing training on a different topic to provide a broad look at some of the subject matter that relates to fair housing. The topics are designed to promote conversations and questions.
  • Microsoft Teams “These statewide events allow us to engage directly with the people and organizations who make fair housing a reality on the ground,” said Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW, PHRC Executive Director. “As we honor the legacy of the Fair Housing Act, it is vital that we continue the hard work of breaking down systemic barriers and advancing equitable access to housing. Fair housing is not just a legal mandate, it is a moral imperative.”

These events will serve as platforms for education, dialogue, and action in advancing fair housing rights and addressing housing disparities across Pennsylvania.

The PHRC, the state’s civil rights enforcement agency, urges anyone who has experienced acts of discrimination to file a complaint by calling 717-787-4410.  For more information about PHRC’s Fair Housing Month initiatives and how to participate, please the PHRC website, also follow the PHRC on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

PHRC Media Contact Details

Amanda Brothman

Communications Director ambrothman@pa.gov 717-856-5971 Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission Media