(a) Not more than 30 days after the filing of a complaint by an aggrieved person or by the director, the director shall commence an investigation of the complaint to determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe a discriminatory housing practice was committed and the facts of the discriminatory housing practice.
(b) The director shall seek the voluntary cooperation of any person to:
(1) Obtain access to premises, records, documents, individuals and any other possible source of information;
(2) Examine, record and copy necessary materials; and
(3) Take and record testimony or statements of any person reasonably necessary for the furtherance of the investigation.
(c) The director may, at the director’s discretion or at the request of the respondent, the complainant, or the aggrieved person if different from the complainant, issue a subpoena or subpoena duces tecum to compel attendance of a witness or the production of relevant materials or documents, pursuant to the authority of the city under Chapter V, § 7 of the City Charter. Failure to comply with a subpoena issued under this subsection (c) is a criminal offense and is punishable as provided by ordinance.
(d) An investigation shall remain open until as provided in this division, a determination as to reasonable cause is made, a conciliation agreement is executed and approved or the complaint is dismissed. Unless impracticable to do so, the director shall complete the investigation within 100 days after the date of filing of the complaint. If the director is unable to complete the investigation within the 100-day period, the director shall notify the complainant, the aggrieved party if different from the complainant, and respondent, in writing, of the reasons for the delay.
(e) This section does not limit the authority of the director to conduct such other investigations or to use such other enforcement procedures, otherwise lawful, as the director considers necessary to enforce this chapter.
(f) The director shall prepare a final investigative report showing:
(1) The names of and dates of contact with witnesses;
(2) A summary, including dates, of correspondence and other contacts with the aggrieved person and the respondent;
(3) A summary description of other pertinent records;
(4) A summary of witness statements; and
(5) Answers to interrogatories.
(g) Prohibitions and requirements with respect to disclosure of information.
(1) Nothing said or done, or documents produced, in the course of conciliation efforts under this division may be made public or used as evidence in a subsequent proceeding without the written consent of the persons involved.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), the director shall make available to the aggrieved person and the respondent, at any time, upon request following the completion of the investigation, information derived from an investigation and any final investigative report relating to that investigation.
(Ord. 11075, § 1, passed 4-21-1992; Ord. 13981, § 1, passed 10-26-1999; Ord. 14344, § 1, passed 9-26-2000; Ord. 19374-09-2010, § 1 (Exh. A), passed 9-28-2010, eff. 10-1-2010; Ord. 24023-01-2020, § 1 (Exh. A), passed 2-2-2020)