California Real Estate SalespersonPractice of Real Estate and DisclosuresMedium
A landlord refuses to rent to a prospective tenant solely because the tenant intends to pay rent using a federal Section 8 housing voucher. Under California law, this refusal:
- AViolates the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on source of income
- BIs a violation of federal law only, with no California-specific protection
- CIs legal as long as the landlord does not discriminate based on race or religion
- DIs legal because landlords may choose any lawful method of tenant screening
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Violates the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on source of income
California law explicitly prohibits housing discrimination based on a tenant's source of income, including Section 8 vouchers, under the Fair Employment and Housing Act and Unruh Civil Rights Act protections. Refusing tenancy solely due to voucher use is unlawful discrimination in California, even though federal fair housing law does not classify source of income as a protected class nationwide.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. California has specific state-level protection beyond federal law for source of income.
- C. Source of income discrimination is independently unlawful, regardless of other categories.
- D. Source of income is a protected characteristic in California; this refusal is not legal.
Source of Income Discrimination
California law prohibits landlords from refusing tenants based on their lawful source of income, including housing assistance vouchers like Section 8.
- Protected under California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)
- Applies even though not federally protected nationwide
- Landlords must evaluate voucher holders using same criteria as other applicants
Memory trick: Cash, check, or voucher — landlord can't discourage