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When tenant and landlord disagree - What to do

If you are a tenant or landlord and are having problems with a tenancy, the Housing Authority encourages both sides to sit down together and review the lease that the two of you have signed. Most leases address problems that could arise during a tenancy. The Housing Specialists at the Housing Authority are not attorneys and are not allowed to give legal advice to either a tenant or landlord.

The State of California has published a book for tenants and landlords, and is available for you to read Tenant/Landlord Handbook.

If you are not familiar with the laws of the State of California, please refer to this handbook before taking any action.

The Fair Housing Council does tenant/landlord mediation and can help you settle your dispute or refer you to the proper agency for legal advice or action (800) 655-1812. They have telephone numbers for: 

Cell Telephone

Palm Springs: (760) 864-1540 or (800) 655-1541
Moreno Valley: (951) 653-8314
Riverside: (951) 682-6581 or (800) 655-1812
Corona: (951) 371-6518

The Fair Housing Web Site has additional information. For more Fair housing offices that are listed or for other jurisdictions.

Remember that if a participant is evicted from a rental unit due to lease violations they may lose their housing assistance. It is very important for any problems to be resolved as soon as they come up.

Federal law prohibits housing discrimination based on your race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status, or disability. If you have been trying to buy or rent a home or apartment and you believe your rights have been violated, you can file a fair housing complaint.

The Fair Housing booklet "It's Your Right" is available here. It's Your Right and the Housing Discrimination Complaint Form in Portable Document Format (.pdf)

Graphic of the scales of justice If you need legal services and are unable to pay for the service, you may qualify for free legal assistance.Contact Inland Counties Legal Services, 1737 Atlanta Avenue Suite H2, Riverside, CA 92507 (951)368-2555. Please visit the following web sites for more information. California Rural Legal Assistance. These organizations as well as others listed below may be able to assist you with legal advice or representation.

See below for additional legal services

Desert Bar Pro Bono Publico Program
City: Indio
Telephone: (760) 342-1591
Area Served: east half of Riverside county.
Services Provided: Civil cases only. No criminal cases and no legal advice offered over the telephone.
Eligibility: Must be low income and have a case type that they handle. 

Inland Empire Latino Lawyer Association, Inc.
City: Riverside
Telephone: (951) 369-3009
Area Served: the counties of Riverside and San Bernardino.

Public Service Law Corporation of the Riverside County Bar Association
City: Riverside
Telephone: (951) 682-7968
Area Served: Riverside county

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