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Director reports rising caseloads, outreach and draft code changes to protect renters and people with criminal histories
Summary
Director Shepherd reported higher caseloads and enforcement activity, announced outreach and training plans and outlined proposed changes to city code including protections related to criminal history, commercial property and housing status.
Director Chris Shepherd told the commission July 7 that staff are processing a higher-than-usual caseload and that enforcement and outreach work have expanded in recent months.
Shepherd reported roughly 42 open investigations, a higher number of pending intakes (including transferred EEOC cases), about seven cases waiting assignment, 11 mandatory conciliations and four cases currently in court. She said the office has exceeded its contracted ENFORCEMENT credits with the EEOC this year: the commission has 66 cases pending credits, with 56 confirmed credits so far.
The director outlined several operational steps: three settlement‑related training sessions completed in the last month, a planned fair-housing training on Aug. 15, additional compliance-review work in August and continued outreach through community events and partner organizations. Shepherd said staff have been coordinating with groups including Allegheny County, Keystone Development Center and the Pennsylvania Apartment Association to expand trainings and referral pathways.
Code and policy work: Shepherd described draft proposals to expand local protections in the city code. Items discussed include adding criminal‑history provisions that would mandate individualized assessments in housing decisions, extending similar landlord‑tenant language to some commercial properties, and adding housing‑status protections for people who are unhoused or house‑surfing. She also said the commission is resurrecting a 2019 AFFH task‑force recommendation on good‑cause eviction as part of housing-related policy work. Shepherd said staff have a solid draft of rules and regulations that will go to the city solicitor for review.
Why it matters: Shepherd and commissioners emphasized that the commission's increased case processing and outreach reflect both greater public awareness and an operational need for more staff and clearer local rules. Shepherd said completing trainings and clarifying rules will help complainants, respondents and partner agencies understand processes and remedies.
Next steps and events: The commission will hold its fair-housing training in August, participate in community events including the Eradicate Hate Summit in September, and pursue draft rules and solicitor review ahead of possible code changes identified for the end of the year.
