Title
Consider a Referral Regarding Introduction of a Diverse Family Structure Nondiscrimination Ordinance
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve a referral to introduce an ordinance for City Council consideration based on available model legislation, with revisions informed by City Attorney review and public comment during the legislative process.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve a referral to introduce an ordinance for City Council consideration based on available model legislation, with revisions informed by City Attorney review and public comment during the legislative process.
Staff Contact:
Melissa McKee, Assistant to City Council, 360.753.8443
Presenter(s):
Councilmember Robert Vanderpool
Background and Analysis:
Despite progress toward equity, community members with diverse family and relationship structures-including single-parent households, multi-generational families, blended families, chosen families, and other non-monogamous arrangements-continue to face systemic discrimination and barriers to access. Housing affordability models often assume dual-income households, creating disproportionate challenges for single-income providers. These inequities intersect with other forms of discrimination, limiting access to housing, healthcare, education, and public services due to the absence of explicit legal protections.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development data shows that familial status discrimination accounted for 8.5% of all housing discrimination complaints under the Fair Housing Act, and a 2024 survey by the Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-monogamy (OPEN) found significant stigma and discrimination reported by adults in non-monogamous relationships across multiple life domains. The lack of legal recognition forces many families to conceal their household composition to avoid harm, creating barriers to care, community participation, and family stability.
The referral proposes that the City Council consider an ordinance to affirm and protect diverse family structures by adding “family or relationship structure” as a protected category wherever protected groups are articulated within existing City code. Model legislation is available, and city-specific language can be drafted by the Polyamory Legal Advocacy Coalition in coordination with the City Attorney.
Before advancing housing-related changes, the City should engage Fair Housing partners and key housing stakeholders to ensure alignment with existing policies and support equitable implementation. The ordinance would be enforced through civil action by aggrieved individuals and/or discretionary enforcement by the City Attorney, with damages set at three times the actual harm or a minimum of $1,000, plus attorney fees for successful claims.
Councilmember Vanderpool, with support from Mayor Payne and Pro Tem Huỳnh, requests that the City Council review the proposed ordinance and consider its adoption.
Climate Analysis:
This issue does not have a direct impact on climate.
Equity Analysis:
Families with non-normative and diverse relationship structures face disproportionate barriers to housing, healthcare, and public services. Adding “family or relationship structure” as a protected category would help reduce discrimination and promote inclusion for these households.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Periodically, community members have requested that the City of Olympia take action by evaluating and advancing local policies and protections that affirm diverse family and relationship structures. Currently, public dialogue and testimony on this issue is limited due to community members’ fear of being “out” and targeted based on the makeup of their family or relationship structure.
Financial Impact:
There is no known financial impact to the City.
Options:
1. Move to approve a referral to introduce an ordinance for City Council consideration based on available model legislation, with revisions informed by City Attorney review and public comment during the legislative process.
2. Postpone consideration of the referral.
3. Do not consider the referral.
Attachments:
Referral
Model Legislation
Legislation Factsheet
LGBTQIA2S+ Resolution
Olympia Experiences of Discrimination Report