Cal. Civ. Code § 24-34-505.6

Enforcement by private persons.

In Force
Verified 10/16/2026 · Next check 10/23/2026
effective 10/16/2026ColoradoProtected Classes (State/Local)

Operative Text

Cal. Civ. Code § 24-34-505.6
(1) 
Notwithstanding any provision of this article to the contrary, an aggrieved
person may commence a civil action in an appropriate United States district
court or state district court not later than two years after the occurrence or
the termination of an alleged discriminatory housing practice or the breach of
a conciliation agreement entered into under this title, whichever occurs last,
to obtain appropriate relief with respect to such discriminatory housing
practice or breach.

(2) The
computation of such two-year period shall not include any time during which an
administrative proceeding under this title was pending with respect to a
complaint or charge under this title based upon such discriminatory housing
practice. This subsection (2) does not apply to actions arising from a breach
of a conciliation agreement.

(3) 
Notwithstanding any provision of this article to the contrary, an aggrieved
person may commence a civil action under this section whether or not a charge
has been filed under section 24-34-306 and without regard to the status of any
such charge, but if the director or local agency has obtained a conciliation
agreement with the consent of an aggrieved person, no action may be filed under
this section by such aggrieved person with respect to the alleged
discriminatory housing practice which forms the basis for such charge except
for the purpose of enforcing the terms of such an agreement.

(4) An
aggrieved person may not commence a civil action under this section with
respect to an alleged discriminatory housing practice which forms the basis of
a complaint issued by the commission if an administrative law judge has
commenced a hearing on the record under this title with respect to such
complaint.

(5) At
the request of the aggrieved person, the court may appoint an attorney in
accordance with section 24-34-307 (9.5).

(6) In
addition to the relief that may be granted in accordance with section
24-34-508, the following relief is available:

(a) If
the court finds that a discriminatory housing practice has occurred or is about
to occur, the court may award to the plaintiff actual and punitive damages or
may grant as relief, as the court deems appropriate, any permanent or temporary
injunction, temporary restraining order, or other order, including an order
enjoining the defendant from engaging in such practice or ordering such
affirmative action as may be appropriate. If the court awards damages to a
plaintiff as described in this subsection (6)(a), and the court finds that the
defendant violated section 24-34-502 (1)(h), (1)(l), (1)(m), (1)(n), (1)(o),
(1)(p), or (1)(r) and that the violation concerns discrimination on the basis
of an individual's use of a housing subsidy, as defined in section 38-12-902
(1.7), the court shall award to the plaintiff at least five thousand dollars in
damages.

(b) The
court, in its discretion, may allow the prevailing party reasonable attorney
fees and costs.

(c) 
Relief granted under this section shall not affect any contract, sale,
encumbrance, or lease consummated before the granting of such relief and
involving a bona fide purchaser, encumbrancer, or tenant, without actual notice
of the filing of a charge with the commission or a civil action under this
section.

(7) 
Repealed.

(8) A
calculation of actual damages pursuant to this section must include
consideration of losses that a tenant may incur as a result of the tenant
forfeiting their housing subsidy as a result of the landlord discriminating
against the tenant based on the tenant's source or amount of income.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-505.6 establishes a private right of action that allows individuals who believe they have experienced discriminatory housing practices to sue in federal or state court without waiting for an administrative process to conclude. The filing window is generally two years from the last occurrence of the alleged discrimination or the termination of a conciliation agreement, though time spent in an active administrative proceeding does not count against that deadline. Courts handling these cases may award actual and punitive damages—including a mandatory minimum of $5,000 when discrimination involved a housing subsidy—as well as injunctive relief and, at the court's discretion, attorney fees and costs.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 16, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-505.6, property owners and managers should be aware that individuals alleging discriminatory housing practices can bring a civil lawsuit independently of any administrative complaint, and that both proceedings can run concurrently in some circumstances. Compliant operators generally maintain consistent, documented criteria for tenant selection and rental decisions, particularly regarding applicants who use housing subsidies, since courts are required to award at least $5,000 in damages when a subsidy-related violation is proven. Operators also typically ensure that staff involved in leasing and property management are trained on fair housing obligations under Colorado law to reduce exposure to claims under this section.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-505.6 gives individuals who have experienced discriminatory housing practices the right to file a civil lawsuit in state or federal court, generally within two years of the discriminatory act or the end of a conciliation agreement—and time spent in an administrative proceeding is paused from that clock. If the discrimination involved a housing subsidy, the law requires the court to award at least $5,000 in damages if a violation is proven, and courts may also grant injunctive relief and attorney fees. Tenants exploring their options may consider contacting a tenant-rights organization, reviewing whether an administrative complaint under § 24-34-306 has already been filed, or consulting with a fair housing attorney to understand how the different enforcement paths interact.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 16, 2026
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References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-306
Not yet ingested
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-307
Not yet ingested
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-508
Not yet ingested
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-502
Not yet ingested
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-902
Not yet ingested

References In

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Related Rules

§ 1
Definitions
§ 3
Functions, powers and duties of commission
§ 4
Unlawful practices

Source Information

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