California Government Code § 12955 prohibits landlords from posting 'no Section 8,' 'no housing vouchers,' or similar language in rental listings — and from refusing to process voucher applications or engage with the housing authority.
Victims of income source discrimination can recover actual damages — including the cost of alternative housing, moving expenses, and emotional distress — plus statutory penalties and attorney fees under California's FEHA.
California's FEHA provides for attorney fee recovery when we prevail. You pay nothing out of pocket. AJG Law Group handles Section 8 discrimination cases statewide.
Do I Qualify?
Did a landlord reject
your voucher or refuse
to process your application?
You do not need to have a signed lease to have a claim. A landlord who refuses to discuss the unit, fails to respond to your housing authority, or posts ‘no vouchers’ in their listing may be violating California law — even if you never submitted a formal application.
Forms of Section 8 / Income Source Discrimination
How landlords violate California’s housing voucher laws
Posting 'no Section 8,' 'no housing vouchers,' 'no government assistance,' or similar language in a rental listing is explicitly prohibited under California Government Code § 12955.
A landlord who will not communicate with the local housing authority to complete the inspection and payment process is effectively refusing the voucher — a FEHA violation.
A landlord who claims the unit is rented or unavailable after learning you have a voucher, but continues advertising the unit, may be using a pretext to discriminate based on income source.
Applying stricter income, credit, or background requirements to voucher holders than to market-rate applicants — for example, requiring 3x the rent in income from a voucher holder whose rent is partially paid by the government.
Deliberately stalling the application process until a tenant's housing voucher expires, effectively denying housing without a formal refusal.
Retaliating against a tenant or applicant who reported Section 8 discrimination to a housing authority or filed a DFEH complaint — including raising rent, issuing notices, or attempting eviction.
Save every communication. Text messages, emails, voicemails, and screenshots of the rental listing (especially any 'no Section 8' language) are critical evidence. If you saw a 'no vouchers' listing, screenshot it immediately — listings are often updated or removed when landlords learn of a complaint.
Your housing voucher has an expiration date. If a landlord's delays or refusals are putting your voucher at risk of expiring, contact us immediately — an expired voucher caused by a landlord's discriminatory conduct is additional compensable harm.
Why AJG Law Group
Why AJG Law Group
for your Section 8 discrimination claim?
California's FEHA provides strong remedies for income source discrimination — actual damages, emotional distress damages, and attorney fees. AJG Law Group handles Section 8 discrimination cases statewide, including in Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, Riverside, Fresno, and Sacramento.
We handle housing voucher discrimination cases under California's FEHA and GOHA — the statutes that provide the strongest remedies for Section 8 discrimination in California.
California's FEHA provides for attorney fee recovery when we prevail. You pay nothing out of pocket regardless of case complexity.
AJG Law Group serves English- and Spanish-speaking clients across all of California. Hablamos español.
