Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

Re: Landlord Rights

The Unruh Civil Rights Act forbids discrimination in housing, etc. by "business establishments" of any kind whatsoever. See Civil Code section 51 et seq. on line or at a library.

I looked at a number of cases interpreting the law to see whether an owner/occupant as you describe would be considered a business establishment. I found no directly applicable case. The cases I saw interpret the phrase very broadly.

In summary, I could never advise this O/O that it was okay to discriminate. If the O/O did and was sued, and I were doing the defense, I would feel we had a reasonably good chance to win.

My advice on both legal and moral grounds would be not to discriminate in the first place.