Discrimination: housing: source of income.

Assembly Member Pellerin's housing discrimination measure clarifies that landlords may establish preferences for tenants participating in government housing subsidy programs without violating California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). The legislation amends state law to explicitly permit policies favoring applicants who qualify for federal, state, or local housing assistance, including Section 8 vouchers.

The bill maintains FEHA's core protections against housing discrimination based on source of income while specifying that preferential treatment for subsidy recipients does not constitute illegal discrimination. Under the amended law, property owners retain the ability to make inquiries about income levels and sources, and may implement selection criteria that prioritize participants in public housing assistance programs.