Pittsburgh to provide protection for renters experiencing domestic violence

Pittsburgh renters experiencing domestic violence will now be able to terminate leases early without penalty and request locks to be changed.

Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved legislation that requires landlords to permit domestic violence victims to exit leases early without penalty and requires them to change victims’ locks within five days upon request.

Councilwoman Erika Strassburger, D-Squirrel Hill, who sponsored the bill, said the legislation will provide additional support and safety for domestic violence victims.

Pittsburgh already has a law prohibiting discrimination against domestic violence survivors who are purchasing homes or renting houses, Strassburger said, but this measure protects people who have already signed a lease to rent.

Jackie Perlow, supervising attorney for the Women’s Law Project, said the legislation provides “crucial housing protections” that ensures victims “do not feel trapped in housing situations that put their safety at risk.”

“This ordinance recognizes that the act of leaving an abusive relationship is often entangled with complex housing issues,” Perlow said.

Survivors may need to leave a home quickly or change locks expeditiously to ensure their own safety, she said.

“Rebuilding one’s life, especially for individuals who have experienced trauma, is a daunting task,” Perlow said, adding that it’s “even more challenging” when victims realize they could owe thousands of dollars in lease termination fees as they try to flee dangerous situations.

“Without the flexibility to break a lease, many survivors are caught between the danger of staying with their abuser and the risk of homelessness,” she said.

Under the legislation, people would still be required to pay rent while in the unit, but would be able to leave a lease early if they’re escaping a domestic violence situation. The measure also requires that victims pay for new locks when they have a landlord replace them under the ordinance.

The measure outlines several ways people can show their landlords they are domestic violence victims and in need of these additional protections. People can provide protection from abuse orders, court documentation or documentation from licensed health care providers, licensed mental health care providers, social workers or victim advocates.

The legislation bars landlords from providing abusers with keys to a rental unit where a victim is staying or letting them into the unit unless a court order allows access.

The city’s Commission on Human Relations is tasked with enforcing the measure and can implement fines and other penalties if landlords don’t abide by the new requirements.

This comes after City Council in 2021 passed a measure prohibiting employers from discriminating against workers who are victims of domestic violence.