Hiring of real property: Department of Consumer Affairs: landlords and property managers: training.

Existing law establishes the Department of Consumer Affairs within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. Under existing law, boards within the department are established to ensure that private businesses and professions are regulated to protect the people of California, as provided. Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, prohibits the owner of any housing accommodation, or any person subject to the Unruh Civil Rights Act as the act applies to housing accommodations, from discriminating against any person because of the race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income, disability, or genetic information of that person or engaging in harassment of tenants, among others, in connection with those housing accommodations. Existing law authorizes a person claiming to be aggrieved by an alleged unlawful practice to file a complaint with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Existing law makes it unlawful for a landlord to engage in specified activities for the purpose of influencing a tenant to vacate a dwelling, including using, or threatening to use, force, willful threats, or menacing conduct that interferes with the tenant's quiet enjoyment of the premises and that would create an apprehension of harm in a reasonable person. This bill, commencing on January 1, 2020, would require the Department of Consumer Affairs to administer a certification program for landlords and property managers, as defined, to provide education to landlords and property managers on fair housing practices, obligations of landlords, and tenant rights. The bill would make this certification effective for a period of 2 years and would provide for renewal if certain requirements are met. The bill would, except as specified, authorize the department to identify and approve appropriate providers of the educational coursework, as specified. The bill would make a person who acts as a landlord or property manager without first having obtained certification from the department subject to a specified civil penalty.