Which Words Are Illegal in a Redondo Beach Rental Listing?

Published August 10, 2026

Federal law bars a rental ad from indicating a preference based on seven protected classes, and California's Government Code section 12955 adds more, including source of income. This piece lists the classes actually confirmed in each statute and gives real examples of listing language that crosses the line.

The short answer

Federal law, 42 U.S.C. section 3604(c), bars a Redondo Beach rental listing from indicating a preference based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. California's Government Code section 12955 adds more classes, including source of income, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, disability, and veteran or military status.

Last verified: August 10, 2026

Two statutes stack on every listing

A rental listing for a Redondo Beach property has to clear two separate bars at once. Federal law sets the floor. California law sets a higher one, and the wider list controls.

Federal: 42 U.S.C. section 3604(c). It is unlawful "to make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed, or published any notice, statement, or advertisement, with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination." That is seven protected classes.

California: Government Code section 12955(c). The state statute uses nearly identical language, "any preference, limitation, or discrimination," but applies it to a longer list: race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income, disability, veteran or military status, or genetic information. "Source of income" is separately defined in subsection (p) as lawful, verifiable income paid to or on behalf of a tenant, including public assistance and housing subsidies such as Section 8 vouchers, so a listing that screens out voucher holders by preference runs into this statute directly.

Because a Redondo Beach listing has to satisfy both laws, the practical rule is to write to California's longer list, since anything that clears it clears the federal one too.

Quick reference: protected classes in a rental listing

| Protected class | Confirmed under |

|---|---|

| Race, color | 42 U.S.C. 3604(c) and Gov. Code 12955(c) |

| Religion | 42 U.S.C. 3604(c) and Gov. Code 12955(c) |

| Sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression | Gov. Code 12955(c); sex alone also under 42 U.S.C. 3604(c) |

| Sexual orientation | Gov. Code 12955(c) |

| Marital status | Gov. Code 12955(c) |

| National origin, ancestry | 42 U.S.C. 3604(c) covers national origin; Gov. Code 12955(c) adds ancestry |

| Familial status (having children under 18) | 42 U.S.C. 3604(c) and Gov. Code 12955(c) |

| Disability, handicap | 42 U.S.C. 3604(c) covers handicap; Gov. Code 12955(c) adds disability |

| Source of income, including housing vouchers | Gov. Code 12955(c) and (p) |

| Veteran or military status | Gov. Code 12955(c) |

| Genetic information | Gov. Code 12955(c) |

Real listing language that crosses the line

These are illustrative examples tied to the classes above, not a quote from any actual Redondo Beach listing.

• "No kids" or "perfect for a young professional couple" signals a familial status preference.
• "Christian home" or "walking distance to [a specific denomination's] church, ideal for our community" signals a religious preference.
• "Female roommate only" in a listing for a separate unit, as opposed to sharing the advertiser's own household, signals a sex or gender preference.
• "No Section 8" or "must not use housing assistance" signals a source of income preference under California law, even though it is not barred by the federal statute alone.
• "No wheelchairs" or "able-bodied applicants only" signals a disability preference.
• "Ideal for singles, no families" signals both a marital status and a familial status preference.
• "Mature couple preferred" combines an age based cue with a marital status preference.

A listing does not have to use a protected class's name to violate these statutes. Coded language that signals the same preference, "quiet building, no children's noise," "walking distance to [a specific house of worship]," or "great for a bachelor," can be read the same way a direct statement would be.

What a compliant Redondo Beach listing does instead

1. Describe the unit and the property. Square footage, layout, amenities, parking, and the lease terms are always safe territory.
2. Describe objective, uniformly applied screening criteria separately from the ad, such as income multiples, credit standards, and rental history, rather than describing the kind of person you picture in the unit.
3. Never mention who a unit is "ideal for," "ready for," or "perfect for" in demographic terms. Describe the unit, not the tenant.
4. Do not state a source of income restriction in the ad. If you decline an applicant with a housing voucher for a lawful, nondiscriminatory reason unrelated to the voucher itself, that decision has to be made and documented separately from the advertisement, and the reasoning should be reviewed against Government Code section 12955 before you rely on it.
5. Have a second person, ideally someone not involved in writing the ad, read it before posting and flag anything that reads as a preference rather than a description.

FAQ

Can a Redondo Beach listing say "no smoking"?

Yes. Smoking status is not a protected class under either statute confirmed here. Lifestyle and property rules unrelated to a protected class, like no smoking or no pets, are a different category from the classes listed above.

Can a listing mention that a property is near a specific school?

Yes, proximity to a school is a neutral, factual amenity. The risk is language that frames the property as being "for" a type of family or household, not the factual mention of nearby schools.

Is refusing a Section 8 voucher holder illegal in California?

Government Code section 12955 makes source of income, including housing subsidies like Section 8 vouchers, a protected class, and the statute's advertising provision in subsection (c) bars a listing from indicating a preference against it. Confirm the full scope of source of income obligations, including screening and acceptance, with a licensed attorney, since this article addresses the advertising language rule specifically.

Can a landlord ask a rental applicant about immigration status?

Civil Code section 1940.3 bars a landlord from inquiring about or disclosing a tenant's immigration or citizenship status, and from using that information to harass, intimidate, or retaliate. That protection lives in a different statute from the listing-language rule in Government Code section 12955.

Does California protect against discrimination based on the language someone speaks?

No specific California statute making primary language a standalone protected class in rental advertising could be confirmed for this piece. Discriminating based on language could still overlap with a national origin claim under other law, but confirm that with a licensed attorney rather than relying on this article for it.

Who enforces these rules?

Complaints under the federal statute go through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Complaints under the California statute go through the California Civil Rights Department. Confirm current filing procedures directly with each agency.

This is general information, not legal advice. Have a licensed attorney review your listing template and screening criteria, since fair housing exposure turns on the specific words used and how consistently your screening is applied.

Topics: compliance, fair housing, South Bay, advertising, Redondo Beach

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