Some of Los Angeles’ largest landlords skirt anti-discrimination laws that are supposed to protect low-income people applying for apartments, according to an investigation by Capital & Main, with support from the Fund. The yearlong investigation used public records, interviews and fair housing tests to examine Section 8 voucher acceptance by seven of the city’s largest landlords. Capital & Main hired and trained testers, who posed as Section 8 voucher holders and contacted leasing agents to ask about apartments for rent. Jamison, a group of family-run real estate companies with more than 6,000 apartment units in its portfolio, was the only company to categorically reject voucher holders in many of its buildings. Records show that just one Section 8 tenant moved into a Jamison building between 2021 and 2024. Leasing staff at other companies initially said they accepted voucher holders, but at many of their buildings, they said they would reject Section 8 applicants who didn’t pass consumer credit checks, in apparent violation of California law.
Big Los Angeles landlords avoid low-income Section 8 tenants, despite state law, grantee reveals
