Housing Is a Right. Discrimination Is a Liability.
California and federal fair-housing law prohibit landlords, brokers, and property managers from treating applicants or tenants differently because of who they are. When they do, the law provides real remedies.
You may have a case if…
- ›You were denied a unit after the landlord learned you have children, a disability, or a housing voucher.
- ›You were charged higher rent, larger deposits, or stricter terms than other applicants.
- ›You were told the unit was 'no longer available' and later saw it re-listed.
- ›Your reasonable accommodation request (assistance animal, accessible parking, transfer) was ignored or denied.
- ›You were steered toward — or away from — particular units or neighborhoods.
The federal Fair Housing Act and California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibit discrimination in the rental, sale, financing, and advertising of housing. California goes further than federal law, protecting additional categories including source of income (Section 8 and other vouchers), age, marital status, gender identity, and military or veteran status.
Housing discrimination is rarely overt. It looks like inconsistent application screening, sudden 'rented' notices, quiet steering, ignored accommodation requests, and refusals to negotiate that other applicants are granted. We build these cases through paired testing, comparator evidence, and document discovery.
California FEHA — Protected Classes in Housing
Government Code §§ 12900 et seq. prohibit housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, and other characteristics.
Source-of-Income Protection (SB 329 / SB 222)
California law treats housing vouchers — Section 8, VASH, emergency rental assistance — as a protected source of income. Refusing to rent to a voucher holder, or imposing different terms, is unlawful discrimination.
Reasonable Accommodations and Modifications
Landlords must grant reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities — assistance animals regardless of pet policy, designated parking, ground-floor transfers, payment-date adjustments — and must permit reasonable physical modifications.
Federal Fair Housing Act
42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq. provides parallel federal protections, additional remedies through HUD, and access to federal court when strategically appropriate.
What you can recover
- •Out-of-pocket losses — additional rent, application fees, moving costs, temporary housing.
- •Emotional distress damages.
- •Statutory damages and civil penalties.
- •Punitive damages for intentional or reckless discrimination.
- •Injunctive relief — including orders to rent the unit, change policies, or train staff.
- •Attorneys' fees and costs under FEHA and the federal Fair Housing Act.
The process
Step 01
Intake and Evidence Preservation
We capture every email, voicemail, listing screenshot, and screening result before anything disappears.
Step 02
Testing and Comparators
Where appropriate we deploy paired testers and gather comparator data — what was offered to other applicants on similar terms.
Step 03
Administrative or Direct Litigation
Depending on strategy, we file with the California Civil Rights Department, HUD, or directly in court.
Step 04
Resolution
Negotiated settlement, mediation, or trial.
Why Okojie Law
Frequently asked questions
I never heard back after submitting an application. Is that discrimination?+
It might be. Silence after an application is a common pattern, especially when followed by a re-listing or a different tenant moving in. We use public records, listing histories, and comparator evidence to test whether the silence was lawful or pretextual.
Do I have to prove the landlord meant to discriminate?+
Not always. California recognizes both disparate treatment (intentional) and disparate impact (a facially neutral policy that disproportionately burdens a protected class). Both are actionable.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8?+
No. Since SB 329, source of income — including Section 8 vouchers — is a protected category in California. 'No Section 8' policies, ads, or screenings are unlawful.
What about emotional support animals?+
An ESA or service animal supported by reliable documentation is a reasonable accommodation, not a pet. Landlords cannot impose pet fees, deposits, or breed restrictions on assistance animals.
How long do I have to file?+
Federal Fair Housing Act claims generally must be brought within two years; California FEHA claims have separate procedural and limitations rules. Many windows are short — call promptly.
What does it cost?+
Nothing up front. Qualifying cases are handled on contingency, with attorneys' fees recoverable under fee-shifting statutes.
Tell us what happened.
Confidential. No obligation. We respond within one business day.
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