Nonprofit Housing Rights Initiative announced Tuesday that it has filed lawsuits with the California Civil Rights Department claiming over 200 landlords have violated state law.
The nonprofits investigation revealed that landlords refused rental contracts to tenants with Section 8 housing vouchers.
Driving the news: The Section 8 program aims to provide affordable rental properties and prevent homelessness by covering a portion of tenants’ rent payments with vouchers.
- The nonprofit’s investigation found that voucher holders faced explicit discrimination: 44% in San Francisco, 53% in Oakland, 58% in San Jose and 70% in Los Angeles.
- In instances documented during the investigation, real estate agents explicitly stated they did not work with Section 8 programs when approached by prospective tenants with vouchers.
- Companies like EXP Realty and Sotheby’s International Realty were named in the investigation for potentially discriminatory practices.
What they’re saying: “This historic filing serves as an opportunity for the Governor and his housing enforcement agency to enforce the very bill he signed into law and hold violators accountable,” the Housing Rights Initiative said in a statement.
