Housing Discrimination
We work to stop housing discrimination and ensure equal housing opportunities for all people in the City and County of San Diego through outreach, education, and enforcement of Federal and State fair housing Laws.
It is illegal for a landlord, managing agent, real estate broker, or salesperson to discriminate against any person because of their: race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or medical conditions related thereto, as well as gender and perception of gender), sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income, disability, medical condition, or age.
If you feel like you have been discriminated against based on one or more of the protected characteristics, contact us to learn about your rights.
How To Get Help
Call our Fair Housing Center:
1-844-449-3500
TTY 1-877-735-2929
Housing Discrimination can occur in any of the following ways:
- Refusing to sell, rent, or lease.
- Refusing to negotiate for a sale, rental, or lease.
- Representing that housing is not available for inspection, sale, or rental when it is, in fact, available.
- Otherwise denying or withholding housing accommodations.
- Providing inferior housing terms, conditions, benefits, facilities, or services.
- Harassing a person in connection with housing accommodations.
- Sexual Harassment.
- Canceling or terminating a sale or rental agreement.
- Providing segregated or separated housing accommodations.
- Refusing to permit a person with a disability, at the person with a disability's own expense, to make reasonable modifications to a rental unit that are necessary to allow the person with a disability "full enjoyment of the premises." As a condition of making the modifications, the landlord may require the person with a disability to enter into an agreement to restore the interior of the rental unit to its previous condition at the end of the tenancy (excluding reasonable wear and tear).
- Refusing to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services when necessary to allow a person with a disability "equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling" (for example, refusing to allow a person with a disability to have a needed companion or service dog).
Self Help Resources
- Civil Rights Department of the State of California - State of California’s fair housing enforcement agency for fair housing complaints. Formerly knows as Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH).
- California Landlord Tenant Consumer Handbook - Information on general landlord tenant issues.
- CARES Act Flyer
- City of San Diego Code Enforcement – City agency where the public can make complaints about unsafe and hazardous living conditions in rental units.
- Access 2 Independence: Resource center for persons with disabilities.
Sex discrimination can take many forms. The most common ways we see it is as sexual harassment and enforcing rights for domestic violence survivors.
Download a free guide to navigating a psychiatric crisis in San Diego County. Available on iOS, Android, and Windows platforms. The oscER application will give you information, resources, and peace of mind.
Securing Stable Housing Resource on Securing Stable Housing for Persons with a Mental Health Condition
Discrimination Based on a Person’s Source of Income is Illegal under State and Local Laws.
Beginning January 2024, for housing subsidies, it’s illegal for landlords to:
- Use credit history without offering the applicant the option of providing alternative evidence of ability to pay the portion of the rent to be paid by the tenant.
- Alternative evidence may include for example: government benefit payments, pay records, and bank statements.
- If the applicant chooses to offer alternative evidence, the housing provider must:
- Provide the applicant reasonable time to respond, and
- Reasonably consider that alternative evidence instead of credit.
- Landlords may still request information or documentation needed to verify employment, to request landlord references, or to verify the identity of a person.
The Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on:
- Race
- Color
- Religion
- National Origin
- Sex
- Disability (physical and/or mental)
- Familial Status (presence of children)
In addition to these federally protected classes, California State Fair Housing Law also makes it unlawful to discriminate in housing based on:
- Age
- Marital Status
- Sexual Orientation
- Ancestry
- Source of Income
- Arbitrary status
- Genetic Information
Videos
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Fair Housing Center
Our Fair Housing Center is funded by the cities of San Diego, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Escondido, and San Marcos.
Request a Presentation
Our staff give presentations on a variety of issues to community groups, service providers, and others in low-income communities.
Volunteer to Help
We can always use volunteer assistance. Please contact our pro bono team for opportunities!