East Bay landlord rejects low-income tenants — and pays the price, literally

ALAMEDA — The city has reached an out-of-court settlement with an Alameda landlord accused of refusing to rent to someone on Section 8, a federal program that subsidizes rent paid by low-income tenants.

Someone was looking for an apartment online and saw an Alameda rental that was advertised by the landlord as “No Section 8,” which prompted the case, according to the city.

The city attorney’s office confirmed the landlord’s refusal to rent to Section 8 tenants, said Sarah Henry, an Alameda spokeswoman.

The city announced the resolution of the case on Tuesday.

The location and rent for the apartment were not available.

In September 2019, the City Council adopted fair housing laws, which in part made it illegal for landlords to discriminate against tenants or rental applicants on the basis of their source of income. That included those needing a federal subsidy, such as Section 8, to pay the rent.

Under the settlement, the landlord must pay $6,500 — $5,000 of which will be awarded to the person who filed the complaint.

As part of the agreement, the landlord also must take part in mandatory training in fair housing law for property managers and obey anti-discrimination and tenant protection laws.

“The city of Alameda has consistently dedicated policies and resources toward producing, protecting and preserving housing in our community,” City Attorney Yibin Shen said in a statement. “City prosecutors are committed to justly enforcing state and local laws and ensuring that Alameda remains a place that people from all income levels and backgrounds can call home.”

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