The state has begun cracking down on landlords who advertise that Section 8 voucher holders need not apply for tenancy.

A California law that took effect Jan. 1 prohibits rental owners from including “No Section 8” or similar verbiage in rental housing ads. The law, SB 329, also forbids the rejection of an applicant for housing based solely on the person’s use of a housing voucher for payment.

Although violations of the law appear to be dwindling, enforcement is underway. The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing has sent letters about violations to more than 20 rental housing providers in Sacramento County, reported the Sacramento Bee.  

“It seemed appropriate to start in the county where our headquarters are located and where laws are made,” Fahizah Alim, a spokeswoman for the department, said in the Bee story. “Sacramento County has a long history of concentration of poverty. We will expand the effort (to other counties) in coming weeks and months.”

The California Apartment Association continues to remind its members about the new law, which applies to both apartments and single-family home rentals. CAA also has asked companies that publish rental housing ads – such as Zillow and Craigslist – to issue notices that “No Section 8″ listings now run afoul of California law. 

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