(a) Any person subjected to an unlawful housing practice may file with the Fair Housing Board, within 360 days of the alleged violation, a complaint in writing, sworn to or affirmed, which shall state the name and address of the person alleged to have committed the violation complained of and the particulars thereof and such other information as may be required by the Board. The Board may also corroborate or initiate complaints on the basis of testing carried out by its staff or volunteers authorized by the Board.
(b) Upon the filing of a complaint, the Executive Secretary of the Board shall make such investigation as he or she deems appropriate to ascertain facts and issues. If the Executive Secretary determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of this chapter has occurred, he or she shall attempt to conciliate the matter by methods of initial conference and persuasion with all interested parties and such representatives as the parties may choose to assist them. Conciliation conferences shall be informal and nothing said or done during such initial conferences shall be made public by the Board or by any member of the Board or its staff unless the parties agree thereto in writing.
(c) The terms of conciliation agreed to by the parties shall be reduced to writing and incorporated into a consent agreement to be signed by the parties, which agreement is for conciliation purposes only and does not constitute an admission by any party that the law has been violated. Consent agreements shall be signed on behalf of the Board by its Chairman.
(d) The Board may seek the cooperation and aid of the Ohio Real Estate Board or the Ohio Civil Rights Commission in any investigation under this chapter.
(e) If the Executive Secretary determines that the complaint lacks reasonable grounds upon which to base a violation of this chapter, he or she shall so inform the Board and the Board may, at its discretion, dismiss such complaint or order such further investigation as may be necessary. However, the Board shall not dismiss such complaint without first affording the complainant an opportunity to appear before the Board.
(f) If the Executive Secretary, with respect to a matter which involves a violation of this chapter, fails to conciliate a complaint after the parties have in good faith attempted such conciliations or fails to effect an informal conciliation agreement or a formal consent agreement, or determines that a complaint is not susceptible of conciliation, he or she shall notify the Board immediately and the Board shall thereafter schedule a public hearing to determine whether or not a violation of this chapter has been committed. The Board shall serve upon the respondent a statement of charges and a summons, and shall serve upon all interested parties a notice of the time and place of the hearing. The respondent or his or her authorized counsel may file such statements with the Board prior to the hearing date as he or she deems necessary in support of his or her position. The hearing shall be open to the public, except that the respondent may request, in writing, a private hearing. The determination of such request shall be at the discretion of the Board. The hearing shall be held not less than fifteen days after service of the statement of charges and summons. The summons so issued must be signed by two members of the Board, and the issuance of such summons requires the attendance of named persons and the production of relevant documents and records. The failure to comply with a summons constitutes a violation of this chapter. The interested parties may, at their option, appear before the Board in person or by a duly authorized representative and may have the assistance of an attorney. The parties may present testimony and evidence and the right to cross-examine witnesses shall be preserved. All testimony and evidence shall be given under oath or by affirmation. The Executive Secretary shall keep a full record of the hearing, which record shall be public and open to inspection by any person. Upon request by a principal party to the proceeding, the Board shall furnish such party a copy of the hearing record, if any, at such cost as the Board deems appropriate.
(g) If, at the conclusion of the hearing, the Board determines upon the preponderance of the evidence, that the person complained against has violated this chapter, the Board shall, after consultation with the Director of Law in executive session, state its findings to and cause the Director to prepare and issue an order under Board directive requiring the person complained against to cease and desist from such unlawful conduct and to take such affirmative action as will effectuate the purposes of this chapter, with notice that if the Board determines that the person complained against has not, after fifteen calendar days following service of the Board's order, complied with the order, the Board will recertify the matter to the Director for enforcement.
(h) Upon recertification to the Director of Law for enforcement, he or she shall seek compliance by appropriate civil action brought in the name of the Board before a court of competent jurisdiction. In any such proceeding, where the court determines that there has been a violation of this chapter, the court shall award compensatory damages and, where appropriate, punitive damages, along with attorney fees. The court may also order such other relief as it deems necessary or appropriate.
(i) If, at the conclusion of the hearing, the Board determines, upon the preponderance of the evidence of the record, that the person complained against has not violated this chapter, the Board shall state and publish its findings and issue an order dismissing the complaint.
(Ord. 131-83. Passed 8-4-83.)