The Thurmond Amendment and Its Impacts in Pennsylvania

Thursday, November 12, 2026

5:30 PM-7:00 PM

The Thurmond Amendment, a provision of the federal Fair Housing Act, permits housing providers to deny housing to people with drug distribution or manufacturing convictions regardless of how long ago the conviction occurred.

A new report from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, Housing Denied: Quantifying the Impacts of the Thurmond Amendment in Pennsylvania, estimates that more than 91,000 Pennsylvanians received potentially qualifying convictions between 2007 and 2025 alone, with a disproportionate impact on Black Pennsylvanians. Access to safe and stable housing is deeply connected to individual and community health, making barriers to housing an important public health concern.

Join us for the release of the report and a conversation about the history and impact of the Thurmond Amendment, its intersection with housing access and reentry, and current efforts to change the law.

This event is organized by the Drexel Justice Collaborative and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.

Register