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Branden Butler

California Department of Fair Employment and Housing


Branden Butler is the Assistant Deputy Director of Education and Outreach for the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). Prior to joining DFEH, Branden was the Senior Attorney of the Fair Housing Center of the Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc. (LASSD), where for nine years he was instrumental in creating the first fair housing services program at LASSD that provides education, outreach, testing, and enforcement of fair housing laws.  

Branden has litigated fair housing cases on a broad range of issues, including a successful  jury trial verdict in a sexual harassment case, obtained settlements and injunctive relief measures including the creation of accessible apartment units in a disability housing discrimination cases, successfully challenged discriminatory housing occupancy policies against families with children, and obtained Voluntary Compliance Agreements with the Department of Housing and Urban Development in cases of national origin and language access discrimination cases, among others.  Branden has also led numerous broad-based fair housing education campaigns as well as specific campaigns addressing discrimination against persons with mental health disabilities, and source of income discrimination. Branden is a frequent speaker and educator. Branden was President of the San Diego Regional Alliance for Fair Housing from 2016-2019, where he successful led the effort in creating an annual regional fair housing education conference that elevated the understanding of fair housing issues in San Diego.

He began his career as a Housing Advocate at Communities Actively Living Independent and Free, a disability rights organization in downtown Los Angeles where he advocated for housing rights for persons with disabilities.  Branden is a native Californian and graduated cum laude from Thomas Jefferson School of Law and earned B.A. graduating magna cum laude from California State University, Chico.