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Executive Director Steve Sturla and Board President James Woodson present check to Mikayla Agregado
CSUN IEP Scholarship Winner, Mikayla Agregado
The Fair Housing Federation of Southern California is pleased and proud to announce that we have awarded a $2,500 scholarship to Mikayla Agregado of Cal State Northridge.
The Interpreter Education Program (IEP) at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is a two-year program within the Deaf Studies major, designed to train students for professional ASL/English interpreting positions.
There is a shortage of American Sign Language translators and Mikayla will help to address a crucial need.
NEWS
After Undercover Fair Housing Test, Pegasus Senior Living Agrees to Settlement That Protects the Rights of Older Californians with Disabilities
October 28, 2025
For Immediate Release
publicaffairs@calcivilrights.ca.gov
916-938-4113
Voluntary settlement to improve access to ASL interpretation and other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities
SACRAMENTO – The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) today announced a voluntary settlement with Pegasus Senior Living, which operates several locations across California, over the alleged failure to provide American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. The settlement is the result of an undercover fair housing test conducted by the Fair Housing Federation of Southern California. In addition to monetary compensation, the voluntary settlement will result in improved access to ASL interpretation and other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.
“Far too many Californians continue to face unlawful and often invisible barriers to having a place to call home,” said CRD Director Kevin Kish. “Undercover fair housing tests are one way we can help identify and prevent discrimination. I’m grateful to the numerous fair housing organizations in California that are taking action every day to help protect the rights of our state’s residents. Our civil rights laws provide strong protections to ensure older Californians and people with disabilities aren’t unlawfully kept out of housing.”
Alleged Housing Denial Uncovered
Earlier this year, CRD received a civil rights complaint from the Fair Housing Federation of Southern California after the federation uncovered an alleged instance of disability discrimination at the Whispering Winds of Apple Valley, a 50-unit Pegasus Senior Living location in San Bernardino County. The complaint alleged that staff at the Whispering Winds effectively denied housing access to a tester who requested ongoing ASL interpretation for a deaf relative by failing to properly engage in the reasonable accommodation process. In other words, Pegasus Senior Living allegedly failed to take steps required by law to identify and make reasonable changes to their policies to ensure every potential resident has an equal opportunity to live at their facilities.
Fair housing testing is a long-established method often used by nonprofit fair housing organizations to help proactively identify and eliminate discriminatory barriers to housing. It can include testers posing as someone else or requesting assistance for another person, including those in need of disability accommodations. Testing is an important tool to help uncover the nature and extent of potential housing discrimination that might not be readily apparent to individual prospective tenants. For instance, paired testing involving people of different races separately applying for housing at the same location can help uncover racial discrimination that might not be immediately apparent, including in the form of increased rent prices or someone being shown less favorable apartment options.
Mediation Brings Results
After conducting an initial investigation, CRD provided the Fair Housing Federation of Southern California and Pegasus Senior Living with an opportunity to voluntarily resolve the allegations through mediation. As a result of the settlement, Pegasus Senior Living, without admitting liability, will:
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Ensure staff at all California facilities take training on how to respond to accommodation requests, including those related to hearing impairments.
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Identify and submit its policies on reasonable accommodation requests from current or prospective residents to the Fair Housing Federation of Southern California.
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Report on compliance with the agreement to CRD.
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Pay $35,000 to the Fair Housing Federation of Southern California, which identified the alleged violation.
L.A. assisted living facilities discriminated against non-Koreans, federal lawsuit alleges
Sunny Hills Assisted Living in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles told non-Korean "testers" that their facility cared only for Koreans, according to a federal lawsuit filed by the Fair Housing Federation of Southern California and two Black plaintiffs.
Three Los Angeles assisted living facilities with a mostly Korean clientele turned away non-Koreans who inquired about moving in , with workers stating that only Koreans would be accepted, according to a federal lawsuit filed by the Fair Housing Federation of Southern California and two Black plaintiffs.
Civil Rights Department Announces $110,000 Mediated Settlement to Resolve Alleged Failure by Assisted Living Facilities to Accommodate Seniors with Disabilities
Testing by nonprofit fair housing organization identifies multiple alleged failures to provide ASL interpretation for fictional deaf grandmother
SACRAMENTO – The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) today announced a $110,000 mediated settlement with five Southern California assisted living facilities over alleged failures to provide American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation for seniors with disabilities. The settlement is the result of testing by the Fair Housing Federation of Southern California that identified multiple alleged failures to provide or attempt to accommodate ASL interpretation for a fictional deaf grandmother seeking to reside at the facilities. Under state and federal law, nonprofit fair housing organizations may be authorized to carry out testing — including by posing as another individual in need of disability accommodations — to help identify and eliminate discriminatory housing practices. In addition to monetary compensation, the settlement requires the assisted living facilities to take proactive steps to prevent future discrimination, including through training, policy changes, and the provision of information to prospective residents about their civil rights
.“People with disabilities are entitled to fair access to housing,” said CRD Director Kevin Kish. “This settlement is an important reminder that assisted living facilities cannot categorically deny access to American Sign Language interpretation to prospective tenants. Whether it’s through private suits, government enforcement actions, or fair housing testing, it takes all of us working together to protect and uphold the civil rights of our state’s residents. This case demonstrates the power of fair housing testing — and it will help prevent future discrimination at these facilities.”
In 2023, CRD received multiple complaints from the Fair Housing Federation of Southern California that alleged five Southern California assisted living facilities denied a fictional deaf grandmother the opportunity to apply for housing at the facilities by failing to engage in an interactive process to accommodate a need for ASL. Pursuant to its statutory authority, CRD investigated the complaints and provided for an opportunity for the involved entities to voluntarily resolve the matter through mediation with the department’s Dispute Resolution Division. The division operates within CRD to provide free, neutral mediation services to help parties resolve disputes and address discrimination complaints filed with CRD. Each year, the division resolves hundreds of complaints, resulting in policy changes and millions of dollars in direct relief to impacted Californians.
.As part of the settlement, the assisted living facilities — located in Hermosa Beach, Playa Vista, San Gabriel, Thousand Oaks, and Torrance — and their management companies have agreed to:
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Conduct a good-faith comprehensive review of their written fair housing policies and implement all modifications necessary to make the polices fully compliant with California law.
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Adopt and implement modifications to their equal access polices regarding people with sensory disabilities who use auxiliary aids and services, including residents and prospective residents who are hard of hearing or deaf.
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Train intake personnel, caregivers, and site managers on the changes to equal access policies. Provide a copy of the updated equal access policy to all deaf and hard of hearing prospective residents and their families for every housing accommodation owned or managed by the respondents in California.
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Include the term “Fair Housing Opportunity” in every future advertisement for available housing accommodations in California.
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Pay $110,000 to the Fair Housing Federation of Southern California, a nonprofit fair housing organization.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of discrimination, CRD may be able to assist you through its complaint process. General information about CRD’s complaint process and how to file a complaint is available HERE..
The settlement announced today was mediated by Senior Attorney Mediator Bruce W. Carter. The matter was investigated by Gloria Morales and Leslye Oseguera with CRD’s Enforcement Division.The entities covered under the settlement include Sunrise Senior Living Management; Welltower Opco Group, LLC; SZR Westlake Village Propco; AL US/San Gabriel Senior Housing, LP; Sunrise Torrance Senior PropCo LLC; and AL US/Playa Vista Senior Housing,