Burbank — Ch. 7½ Art. I In General (Housing and Human Rights) § 7½-3
Exemptions concerning real estate transactions
Operative Text
Nothing contained in section 7½-2 shall prohibit: (1) Any sale of a single-family home by its owner so long as the following criteria are met: a. The owner does not own or have a beneficial interest in more than three (3) single-family homes at the time of the sale. b. The owner or a member of his or her family was the last current resident of the home; c. The home is sold without the use in any manner of the sales or rental facilities or services of any real estate broker or salesman, or of any employee or agent of any real estate broker or salesman; d. The home is sold without the publication, posting or mailing, after notice, of any advertisement or written notice in violation of paragraph (f) of section 7½-2. (2) Rental of a housing accommodation in a building which contains housing accommodations for not more than five (5) families living independently of each other, if the lessor or a member of his or her family resides in one of the housing accommodations. (3) Rental of a room or rooms in a private home by an owner if he or she or a member of his or her family resides therein or, while absent for a period of not more than twelve (12) months, if he or she or a member of his or her family intends to return to reside therein. (4) Restricting rental or sale of a housing accommodation to a person of a certain age group when such housing accommodation is authorized, approved, financed or subsidized in whole or in part, for the benefit of that age group, by a unit of state, local or federal government. (5) A religious organization, association, or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association, or society from limiting the sale, rental or occupancy of a dwelling which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose to persons of the same religion, or from giving preference to such persons, unless membership in such religion is restricted on account of race, color, or natural origin. (6) Restricting the rental of rooms in a housing accommodation to persons of one sex. (7) Conduct against a person because such person has been convicted of the illegal manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance. (8) Persons engaged in the business of furnishing appraisals of real property from taking into consideration factors other than those based on unlawful discrimination or familial status in furnishing appraisals. (9) Taking familial status into consideration with respect to housing for older persons.
Burbank Ch. 7½ Art. I § 7½-3 carves out specific situations where the fair-housing prohibitions in § 7½-2 do not apply. These exemptions cover scenarios such as owner-occupied small rental buildings, private home room rentals by resident owners, age-restricted housing approved by a government body, religiously affiliated nonprofit housing, and certain single-family home sales conducted without a broker and meeting ownership limits. The provision also exempts restrictions based on sex in room rentals, conduct toward individuals convicted of illegal drug manufacturing or distribution, and the consideration of non-discriminatory factors in real estate appraisals.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under Burbank Ch. 7½ Art. I § 7½-3 should be aware that each exemption comes with specific qualifying conditions that must be met in full. For example, a single-family home sale exemption requires that the owner hold a beneficial interest in no more than three such homes, that a family member was the last resident, and that no broker or prohibited advertising was used. Operators of small owner-occupied buildings with five or fewer units, or those renting rooms in their own residence, generally document their own residency and the property's configuration to demonstrate that the applicable exemption criteria are satisfied.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants and prospective renters in Burbank should understand that § 7½-3 limits the reach of the anti-discrimination protections in § 7½-2 in defined circumstances, meaning some housing situations may lawfully operate outside those protections. If you believe a landlord is incorrectly claiming an exemption that does not actually apply to your situation, you may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization or the City of Burbank for guidance on whether the exemption criteria are genuinely met. Reviewing the specific conditions listed in § 7½-3 — such as owner-occupancy requirements or ownership limits — can help clarify whether a claimed exemption is valid.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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