California has a law called the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) that protects people from housing discrimination based on categories including race, color, national origin, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, familial status, and sexual orientation and some sources of income. The latest amendment to the law regarding source of income protections adds people using a federal, state, or local housing subsidy to this list of protected groups. This means, beginning on January 1, 2020, housing providers, such as landlords, cannot refuse to rent to someone, or otherwise discriminate against them, because they have a housing subsidy, such as a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, that helps them to afford their rent
The new law prohibits discrimination against any applicant because the applicant is using a federal, state, or local housing subsidy to assist with paying rent. Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, the HUD[1]VASH program, Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Programs, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS and security deposit assistance programs, among others, all fall within the scope of the new law’s protection. This list of protected subsidies also includes locally funded subsidy programs created by cities, counties and public agencies to address growing homelessness.
Link to more details Source of Income Frequently Asked Questions English (ca.gov)