Unlawful Discrimination in California
A California landlord cannot refuse to rent to a tenant, or engage in any other type of discrimination, on the basis of group characteristics specified by law that are not closely related to the landlord's business needs. Race and religion are examples of group characteristics specified by law. Arbitrary discrimination as the basis of any personal characteristic such as those listed under this heading also is prohibited. The California Legislature has declared that the opportunity to seek, obtain and hold housing without unlawful discrimination is a civil right.

Under California law, it is unlawful for a landlord, managing agent, real estate broker, or salesperson to discriminate against a person or harass a person because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or medical conditions related to them, as well as gender and perception of gender), sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income, or disability, California law also prohibits discrimination based on any of the following:

• A person's medical condition or mental or physical disability; or

• Personal characteristics, such as a person's physical appearance or sexual orientation that are not related to the responsibilities of a tenant; or

• A perception of a person's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income, disability or medical conditions, or a perception that a person is associated with another person who may have any of these characteristics.

Under California law, a landlord cannot use a financial or income standard for persons who want to live together and combine their incomes that is different from the landlord's standard for married persons who combine their incomes. In the case of a government rent subsidy, a landlord who is assessing a potential tenant's eligibility for a rental unit must use a financial or income standard that is based on the portion of rent that the tenant would pay. A landlord cannot apply rules, regulations or policies to unmarried couples who are registered domestic partners that do not apply to married couples.

It is illegal for landlords to discriminate against families with children under 18. However, housing for senior citizens may exclude families with children. "Housing for senior citizens" includes housing that is occupied only by persons who are at least age 62, or housing that is operated for occupancy by persons who are at least age 55 and that meets other occupancy, policy and reporting requirements stated in the law

There are limited exceptions for Roommates situations and for boarders in single family homes

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing investigates housing discrimination complaints (but not other kinds of landlord-tenant problems). The department's Housing Enforcement Unit can be reached at 1-800-233-3212 (TTY 1-800-700-2330).