SACRAMENTO, CA — The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) has filed a lawsuit against the owners of Park Glenview Apartments, a senior living community in Oakland, alleging years of unlawful discrimination against tenants who rely on federal housing assistance. The lawsuit, filed in Alameda County Superior Court, accuses property owners Mortimer and Felicia Howard of refusing to rent to tenants who use Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers—a violation of California civil rights law.
The 84-unit apartment complex, located near Lake Merritt, is reserved for low-income seniors, a population that is particularly vulnerable to housing instability and discrimination. According to the CRD’s complaint, the Howards maintained a longstanding policy of not accepting Section 8 vouchers, effectively shutting out seniors who depend on housing assistance to afford rent.
Under California law, such a refusal is not just unfair—it’s illegal. Senate Bill 329, passed in 2019, expanded California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act to include protections for people who use housing subsidies like Section 8. Landlords are required to treat vouchers as valid income and must participate in the federal program when a qualified tenant applies…