Assembly Member Pellerin's housing discrimination measure clarifies that landlords may prioritize applicants receiving government rental assistance without violating California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) source-of-income protections. The bill amends state law to explicitly permit property owners to give preference to tenants participating in housing voucher programs and other public assistance initiatives.

The legislation maintains FEHA's core prohibitions on discriminating against tenants based on their income sources while establishing that considering rental assistance status during tenant selection does not constitute illegal discrimination. Property owners retain the ability to make standard inquiries about income levels and sources as part of their screening process. The amendment also preserves existing requirements that landlords must accept alternative documentation of ability to pay rent when evaluating subsidized applicants.

This modification to California's housing discrimination framework occurs within FEHA's broader tenant protections covering characteristics like race, religion, disability status, and family composition. The Civil Rights Department continues to oversee enforcement of these fair housing provisions, including the clarified standards around rental assistance preferences.