California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) enforces the Fair Employment and Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and several other protected characteristics.
How to File
File a complaint at the DFEH website (dfeh.ca.gov) within one year of the discriminatory act. The DFEH will investigate the complaint, attempt mediation, and — if mediation fails — may issue a right-to-sue notice. Complaints can also be filed with HUD for federal Fair Housing Act violations.
Document the discriminatory conduct contemporaneously. A housing discrimination case turns on what the landlord said, when they said it, who was present, and what happened before and after. Tenants who write down discriminatory statements the day they hear them, keep copies of communications, and identify witnesses are building cases. Tenants who wait months to document are relying on memory against someone who may deny everything.
The California Tenant Defense System gives renters the exact tools, templates, and step-by-step guidance to fight illegal evictions, recover wrongfully withheld security deposits, and enforce habitability rights. Request your free evaluation here.
California Tenant Defense System 
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