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WHEREAS, in 2018, 14,181 eviction court actions- the highest in a decade-were filed by landlords against Allegheny County residents, and between 2014 and 2016, Allegheny County saw 40,000 eviction filings; and,
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh continues to see a gap of nearly 20,000 affordable housing units, and residents' experiences reflect a global housing crisis that is producing similar impacts on cities and communities around the world; and,
WHEREAS, housing insecurity and evictions have the most harmful effects on our community's most vulnerable residents, especially children, senior citizens, women, and low-income residents; and,
WHEREAS, housing insecurity disproportionately affects African-American households and other minority groups, contrary to the U.S. government's obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD); and,
WHEREAS, 71% of Pittsburgh families living in poverty are headed by single women and more subject to housing insecurity; and,
WHEREAS, Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services."; and,
WHEREAS, in 2011, Pittsburgh became the 5th city in the United States to proclaim itself a "Human Rights City," promising to "to provide leadership and advocacy to secure, protect, and promote human rights for all people"; and,
WHEREAS, in 2016 Pittsburgh became the 6th city in the United States to pass legislation implementing the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, promising to work to overcome discrimination and promote access to safe and affordable housing and transportation; and,
WHEREAS, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Adequate Housing has emphasized the need for governments to make human rights "th...
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