Landlord Discrimination and Harassment

California tenants are protected from housing discrimination and landlord harassment under state and local laws, including the Fair Employment and Housing Act, the Unruh Civil Rights Act, California Civil Code § 1940.2 and local ordinances such as Los Angeles Municipal Code §45.33.

Landlords, property managers, and homeowners’ associations may not discriminate based on protected traits such as race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, source of income, familial status, age, citizenship, immigration status, or primary language. Discrimination can include refusing to rent, offering worse lease terms, falsely claiming a unit is unavailable, segregating tenants, or refusing reasonable accommodations for a disability. 

Landlord harassment may include illegal entries, abusing the right to enter a rental unit, utility shutoffs, removal of services or amenities, threats, intimidation, discriminatory remarks, fraud, or retaliation after a tenant requests repairs, files a complaint, or exercises other legal rights. Tenants affected by discrimination or harassment may seek damages, statutory penalties, injunctive relief, attorney’s fees, and other remedies.

 To protect a claim, tenants should keep an incident log, save texts, emails, voicemails, and screenshots, photograph or record unsafe conditions or illegal entries, identify witnesses, and report violations to the appropriate housing agency or the California Civil Rights Department.

If you are experiencing discrimination or harassment, from your landlord, contact the Law Offices of Ugo O. Asobie. No consultation fees. Housing discrimination and harassment cases are handled on contingency.