Fair Housing Laws California – What Are They? Why Do They Matter?
You may have owned a rental property in Stockton, or elsewhere in California for years, but one thing you could be doing without even thinking about it is breaking Fair Housing Laws.
If you’re not familiar with Fair Housing Laws in California this article will provide you with a listing of fair housing laws so you will be aware of them when renting to tenants in the future.
Fair Housing Laws California 2016
Landlords are not free to discriminate against prospective tenants based on their race, religion, ethnic background or national origin, sex, familial status (such as having children under age 18) or physical or mental disability. These are requirements of federal fair housing law (the Fair Housing Act of 1968, as amended (42 U.S. Code §§ 3601-3619 and 3631)).
For details on federal antidiscrimination laws, , check the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD website; while there, check out HUD’s California rental resources. You can also contact HUD’s California office in San Francisco at 415-489-6400.
California State and Local Fair Housing Laws
In addition to following federal laws, California landlords must comply with the state’s Unruh Act and the Fair Employment and Housing Act, as well as relevant court decisions that prohibit discrimination on the basis of the following:
sexual orientation (Cal. Government Code § 12920 and following)
marital status (Smith v. Fair Employment & Housing Commission, 12 Cal. 4th 1143, 51 Cal. Rptr. 2d 700 (1996), and
personal characteristic or trait, such as physical attributes or a tenant’s receipt of public assistance (Harris v. Capital Growth Investors XIV, 52 Cal. 3d 1142 (1991).
Some city and county ordinances in California may forbid additional types of housing discrimination.
Learn More about Fair Housing Laws
To learn more about Fair Housing Laws in California, or to speak with us about our property management services, contact Real Property Management Central Valley today by calling us at (209) 572-2222 or click here to connect with us online.
