California Government Code §12955 bans housing discrimination based on a tenant's lawful source of income, including Section 8 vouchers and other rental subsidies. LA County Title 8.42 mirrors and extends the protection in unincorporated areas via DCBA.
California's Fair Employment and Housing Act, at Government Code §12955, makes it unlawful for a landlord to refuse to rent based on lawful source of income, including federal, state, and local rental assistance such as Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. SB-329 (2019) confirmed vouchers are a protected source. LA County Title 8.42 mirrors and supplements these protections for tenants in unincorporated areas, with DCBA serving as enforcer. Landlords may screen applicants on credit, references, and rental history but cannot reject solely because rent will be partially paid by a voucher. They must consider only the tenant's portion of rent when applying income-to-rent ratio standards.
Discriminatory ads or rental refusals expose landlords to FEHA fines of up to $25,000 per violation, plus tenant suits for actual damages, attorney fees, and punitive damages.
See how Santa Monica's source-of-income discrimination rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.