An aggrieved person may commence a civil action in an appropriate 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, whichever occurs last, to obtain appropriate relief with respect to the discriminatory housing practice or breach. The computation of the two-year period shall not include any time during which an administrative proceeding under this part was pending with respect to a complaint under this part based upon the discriminatory housing practice or breach.

An aggrieved person may commence a civil action whether or not a complaint has been filed under this part and without regard to the status of any complaint. Any aggrieved person who is aggrieved with respect to the issues to be determined in a civil action filed under this part, may intervene in that civil action. However, if the department has obtained a conciliation agreement with the consent of an aggrieved person, no action may be filed under this part by the aggrieved person with respect to the alleged discriminatory housing practice that forms the basis for the complaint, except for the purpose of enforcing the terms of the agreement.

An aggrieved person may not commence a civil action with respect to an alleged discriminatory housing practice that forms the basis of a civil action brought by the department.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 46, Sec. 64. (SB 1038) Effective June 27, 2012. Operative January 1, 2013, by Sec. 140 of Ch. 46.)