LOS ANGELES — California civil rights officials have sued two Sacramento landlords, alleging they illegally harassed and evicted a tenant because she paid through a Section 8 voucher.
The lawsuit, announced Wednesday, is the first brought by the state Civil Rights Department under a 2020 state law making it illegal for landlords to refuse to accept tenants who pay with subsidies like Section 8. It comes amid criticism from tenant advocates that the department hasn’t adequately enforced the law.
“Throughout the State, rental housing costs are climbing further out of reach for many Californians,” department Director Kevin Kish said in a news release announcing the lawsuit. “Source-of-income discrimination by housing providers exacerbates this trend and is unlawful.”
