California Section 8 Laws protect the rights of low-income tenants and provide them opportunities to seek affordable housing anywhere in the state. They can even move to a place outside their state and get the benefit of rental assistance programs offered by the housing authorities serving the area. The law strictly forbids housing discriminations based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and status of a family seeking financial assistance under any of the programs. In case of a violation of California Section 8 Laws, you are free to file a complaint at HUD.
HUD Fair Housing Laws
HUD fair Housing Laws aim at providing equal opportunities to all individuals and families residing in California and elsewhere in the US for seeking federal financial assistance under various Section 8 programs administered by local public housing agencies. The guidelines regarding the laws and regulations of these programs can be seen at the website of HUD.
The fair housing laws that govern the policies of HUD include Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 109 of the Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972.
Section 8 Laws in California
The housing authorities must abide by Section 8 laws while transferring benefits of the programs they administer to the end users. By law, it is essential for a PHA to reserve 75 percent of its vouchers for those applicants whose incomes are less than 30 percent of the area median income. Median income levels are established by HUD, which may be different for different locations. Another Section 8 law governing housing choice voucher program in California prohibits a family from paying more than 40 percent of its adjusted monthly income for rent if the rent is found to be more than the payment standard. The complete regulations regarding the section 8 voucher program can be found in 24 CFR 982 of HUD.
It is mandatory for tenants and landlords participating in the program to follow the Section 8 laws completely. In case of discrimination, Section 8 lawyers can be contacted and a lawsuit can be filed to get the fair share of the benefits the program offers. Complaints regarding violations of fair housing acts and section 8 laws can also be registered at HUD. You can file the complaint online or get a print out of the form, complete it and post by mail. Following are the contact details.
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Room 5204
451 Seventh St. SW
Washington, DC 20410-2000
Phone Number: 1 (800) 669-9777 (toll free)
Website: http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/topics/housing_discrimination
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