[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Harrisburg
by Ord. No. 17-1992. Amendments noted where applicable.]
CROSS-REFERENCES
Pennsylvania Human Relations Act: Act of Oct. 27, 1955, P.L.
744, as amended (43 P.S. § 951 et seq.).
Rental housing discrimination: see 35 P.S. § 1680.402a.
Service uniform discrimination: see Crimes Code (18 Pa.C.S.A.
§ 7323).
County governments or other political governmental subdivisions
(government units) of Dauphin, Perry and Cumberland Counties may elect
to be affiliated with the Commission in accordance with the following
procedure:
A.
A statement of intent and a record of the proceedings shall be certified
to the Solicitor of the City by a representative of the governmental
unit seeking affiliation.
B.
Amendments to this code shall be drafted by the City Solicitor on
behalf of the government unit, the City Council of Harrisburg, the
Commission and the governmental unit electing to affiliate, in order
to resolve problems of affiliation relating to financial support,
representation, reporting, changes in name and other relationships.
C.
The governmental unit electing to affiliate shall, after the conditions of participation have been agreed upon by its representative as provided in Subsection B hereof, transmit to the City Solicitor the resolutions and proceedings of the governmental unit evidencing agreement to the conditions of affiliation.
D.
Upon acceptance of such affiliation by City Council, by legislation
duly adopted which shall include the conditions of affiliation, the
provisions of this code shall be applicable to any such governmental
unit in accordance with the conditions of affiliation.
A.
In order to effectuate the purposes of this code and recognizing
that discriminatory and other practices exist outside of the City,
which practices have over the years served to harm, adversely affect
and discriminate against both the City and the people who live within
the City, the Commission is empowered by this chapter to identify
and aggressively pursue both instances and patterns of such conduct
as may exist in the region.
B.
Subsequent to the 1954 United States Supreme Court decision relative
to public school segregation, practices and effects from zoning, real
estate, housing, public accommodation, education, and other laws and
activities have developed in various other municipalities such that
disparity, separation and exclusion along largely racial, ethnic and
economic bases now exist in the region, with the most notable example
being between the City and most of its suburban neighbors. Such practices
and activities have created and do create the real potential for an
environment within which discrimination can and does exist in the
region to the detriment of affected classes within the City. The Commission
shall diligently review such practices and activities to identify
their effects and shall undertake the steps necessary to bring about
their end.
C.
In the course of such review and activities, the Commission may utilize
all remedies available by law, including securing the assistance of
or filing appropriate actions before the Pennsylvania Human Relations
Commission, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development,
the United States Department of Justice, the United States Equal Opportunity
Commission and the county, state and federal courts.
