LOS ANGELES, CA –  Effective January 1, 2024, local jurisdictions in California can require that tenants who have permanent physical disabilities related to mobility, who are living in rent-controlled units, on properties with five or more units, have the choice to relocate to an available and accessible unit at the same rental rate and lease terms. Assembly Bill 1620, introduced by Assemblyman Zbur and signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, aims to combat California’s rising homelessness rates by helping tenants with disabilities keep their housing.

Under AB 1620, qualifying landlords in participating jurisdictions who rent out units without elevators, must allow tenants with physical disabilities to relocate to similar units on the ground floor. Tenants who will benefit the most from this new law are older adults, and recently disabled individuals, who are both at a higher risk of homelessness and will be able to keep their housing by moving to an accessible unit at the same rental rate.

Fair housing violations, or discrimination based on a protected characteristic, can take many forms and occur in many different types of housing transactions- such as in rental, real estate transactions, mortgage lending, and appraisal bias. As NFHA notes in its 2023 Fair Housing Trends Report, “Housing discrimination also occurs when developers build units that are inaccessible to people with disabilities and when housing providers deny requests for reasonable accommodations and/or modifications so a person with a disability can use and enjoy their home.”

The Housing Rights Center (HRC) has an Investigations Department staffed with Case Analysts who will attempt to mediate to resolve a fair housing issue when necessary and appropriate. In 2023, Case Analysts successfully mediated the relocation of a disabled Veteran to a first-floor ADA unit, after weekly calls to management to complete needed repairs and submit required documentation to the city. New legislation like AB 1620 will make it easier for fair housing advocates to achieve the same results when advocating for tenants with disabilities to have safe and accessible housing.

If you believe you have experienced discrimination in housing based on your disability, or any other protected characteristic (such as race, nationality, religion, familial status, and more), contact the Housing Rights Center for free counseling at 1(800)-477-5977. To request a workshop for your organization, please email outreach@housingrightscenter.org. For more resources, visit HRC’s website and follow HRC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Download a copy of the full press release here.