Fair Housing

  • Race or color
  • National Origin
  • Religion 
  • Sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation)
  • Familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians; pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18)
  • Disability

 
The California law protects individuals from illegal discrimination by housing providers based on the following:

  • ​​Race, color​​
  • ​Ancestry, national origin
  • ​Citizenship, immigration status*
  • ​Primary language
  • ​Age
  • ​Religion
  • ​Disability, mental or physical
  • ​Sex, gender
  • ​Sexual orientation
  • Gender identity, gender expression
  • ​Genetic information
  • ​Marital status
  • ​Familial status
  • ​​Source of income
  • ​Military or veteran status
 ​
  
*Covered under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which applies to most housing accommodations in California.
 

The Fair Housing Act covers:

The Fair Housing Act covers most housing. In very limited circumstances, the Act exempts owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units, single-family houses sold or rented by the owner without the use of an agent, and housing operated by religious organizations and private clubs that limit occupancy to members.

Violations include but are not limited to:

  • Refusal to sell, rent, or lease rooms, apartments, condos or houses to protected individuals
  • Sexual harassment involving unwanted sexual advances or requiring sexual favors for housing rights or privileges
  • Refusal to make reasonable accommodations in housing rules, policies, practices, or services where necessary to afford a disabled person equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling
  • Offering inferior terms, conditions, privileges, facilities or services in connection with the housing accommodation
  • Policies, practices, terms, or conditions that result in unequal access to housing or housing-related services

​OHA provides equal access to its programs by providing:

Reasonable Accommodations 
Reasonable Accommodations for persons with a disability in rules, policies, practices or services if it may be necessary for you to have full access to our programs or for you to use the housing on an equal basis with non-disabled persons [Learn more about OHA's Reasonable Accommodations Process.]

Making it unlawful to discriminate against a person whose household includes one or more children who are under 18 years of age

Limited English Proficiency
Limited English Proficiency-creating and promoting translated materials and other programs to support the assistance of persons with limited English proficiency in utilizing the services provided by the Oakland Housing Authority- Our website link is goes to an error page at HUD.  [Review the OHA Administrative Plan; Chapter 2, Part 3.]

Fair Chance Ordinance
OHA follows the CA FHEO and City of Oakland Fair Chance Ordinance. Watch it here​. Read more here​.
 
Additional Information

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