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 fam...
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