Peyton v. Barrington Plaza Corporation
Peyton v. Barrington Plaza Corporation
Opinion of the Court
-Plaintiff, a physician and member of the Negro race, appeals from a judgment for defendant on the pleadings in an action for injunctive relief under sections 51 and 52 of the Civil Code.
Plaintiff alleges that the defendant is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of California;
The answer admits that defendant is generally engaged in the business alleged, but denies the operative portions of the complaint. Issues were drawn when plaintiff moved for a preliminary injunction and supported the motion with the declaration of one Ed Cray. The Cray declaration, which we must deem as undisputed, sets out that defendant received a $17,000,000, low interest rate loan under the National Housing Act to construct Barrington Plaza; that such sum represents 90 percent of the construction costs of the plaza; that the development is a part of the urban redevelopment program undertaken by the City of Los Angeles; that Barrington Plaza is the largest apartment development in the western United States, providing apartment living for 2,500 people; that it includes many retail shops and professional services within its self-contained facilities; that it provides a fall-out shelter, completely stocked by the federal government with emergency supplies; that the plaza replaced private homes of both Caucasians and non-Caucasians; that the city effected zoning changes to accommodate the development; that the defendant’s securities were sold, its construction contracts were let, its building permits were issued and its shops and professional services established all pursuant to state or local approval, cooperation and authority.
At the hearing on the motion for a preliminary injunction defendant moved for judgment on the pleadings. It was stipulated that the Cray declaration would serve to limit the extent of public assistance and state involvement alleged in the complaint. The motion for judgment on the pleadings was granted on the ground that the complaint failed to state facts sufficient
We have concluded today in Mulkey v. Reitman, ante, p. 529 [50 Cal.Rptr. 881, 413 P.2d 825], that article I, section 26, is, in its entirety, an unconstitutional infringement of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the federal Constitution. The circumstances in the Mulkey case are indistinguishable from the instant circumstances except that in the instant case there is conceded evidence of the fact that both the federal government, through its substantial financial assistance to defendant, and the state and municipal governments, through their participation in effecting urban redevelopment, are farther significantly involved in the discriminatory acts. The “state action” which was evident in Mulkey without this facet of state participation is thus even more positively identified in the instant case. (See Burton v. Wilmington Parking Authority, 365 U.S. 715 [81 S.Ct. 856, 6 L.Ed.2d 45].)
For the foregoing reasons the trial court was not justified in relying upon article I, section 26, in concluding that plaintiff failed to state a cause of action under sections 51 and 52 of the Civil Code. Accordingly, the judgment is reversed.
Civil Code, section 51, provides as follows: “All persons within the jurisdiction of this State are free and equal, and no matter what their race, color, religion, ancestry, or national origin are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments of every kind whatsoever. ’ ’
Section 52 of the Civil Code provides as follows: “Whoever denies, or who aids, or incites such denial, or whoever makes any discrimination,
Dissenting Opinion
-I dissent.
The pleadings in this case (count IV of the complaint) contained the allegation that defendant Barrington Plaza is a “publicly assisted housing accommodation” within the meaning of section 35700 of the Health and Safety Code. This being the only count of the complaint alleging that defendant was operating a “publicly assisted housing accommodation,” the court was concerned as to whether the government had partici
Thereupon, Mr. Wirin, of counsel for plaintiffs, stated: “Your Honor, we are prepared to stipulate that the matter may be so reduced. I mean by that, the matter which your Honor had just stated, we would concede.” The stipulation was accepted by counsel for Barrington Plaza.
At a subsequent hearing, the record reveals the following:
“ The Court: . . . I had actually reserved ruling as to that latter count (IV) only because I was concerned with the question of whether the FHA financing that existed was initiated prior to the existence of any executive order or regulations of the FHA concerning discrimination; and I understand, now, that it is the position of all counsel in the case that as far as they are concerned that the FHA financing that exists preceded any such executive order and regulations pursuant thereto.
“ Am I correct ?
“Mr. Wirin: That is correct.
*884 “Mr. Kresbek: Correct, Your Honor.
“Mr. Nelson: Correct, Your Honor.”
Thereupon the court granted defendant’s motion for judgment on the pleadings as to count IV.
In view of the foregoing and for the reasons stated in my dissent in Mulkey v. Reitman, ante, p. 529 [50 Cal.Rptr. 892, 413 P.2d 836], I would affirm the judgment.
Retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court sitting under assignment by the Chairman of the Judicial Council.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- THOMAS ROY PEYTON, Plaintiff and Appellant, v. BARRINGTON PLAZA CORPORATION, Defendant and Respondent
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published