Historical Description
In June 1963, the California legislature passed AB 1240, the Rumford Act, a fair housing bill banning discrimination in the sale or rental of housing and to forbid lending institutions, mortgage holders, real estate brokers and others to practice discrimination in housing transactions. In April 1964, a "Realtor's Initiative", Proposition 14, was put on the state ballot. Its text stated that it was an initiative to prohibit the State from denying a person the right to rent or sell property "to any person as he chooses." In effect, the initiative would repeal the 1963 Rumford Act and amend the California constititution. Proposition 14, or the California Fair Housing initiative, became a focal point for the issue of racial discrimination and the civil rights movement in California. Religious bodies, civic groups, and political organizations rallied to strong vocal positions either in opposition to or approval of the initiative.
Proposition 14 won overwhelmingly in the November 1964 election. In 1966 the California Supreme Court invalidated the amendment because it violated federal guarantees. The Rumford Act was reinstated. In 1967, the US Supreme Court agreed with the state Supreme Court. Subsequent efforts by Governor Ronald Reagan and members of the California legislature failed to replace or modify the Rumford act. Ultimately, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act) provided protection against discrimination, which reduced the importance of the California act. (Source: Lou Cannon, Governor Reagan : His rise to power . New York : PublicAffairs, 2003, 201-205.)
From the guide to the No on Proposition 14: California Fair Housing Initiative collection, 1963-1964, (The Graduate Theological Union. Library.)
