(a) Any person subjected to an unlawful housing practice may file, within 180 days of the alleged violation, with the City Manager or his or her designee, a written complaint, sworn to or affirmed, which shall state the name and address of the person aggrieved; the name and address of the person against whom the complaint is filed; a description and the address of the dwelling which involves the alleged discriminatory housing practice; a concise statement of the facts, including pertinent dates, constituting the alleged discriminatory housing practice; and such other information as may be required by the City Manager. The complaint may be reasonably and fairly amended.
(b) Upon the filing of any written complaint, the City Manager shall make a prompt investigation in connection therewith. If he or she determines, after such investigation, that no probable cause exists in connection with the alleged unlawful housing practice, he or she shall so advise the complainant in writing. If he or she determines after such investigation that probable cause exists in connection with the unlawful housing practice, he or she shall immediately endeavor to eliminate the alleged practice by conference, conciliation and persuasion.
(c) The City Manager shall strive to reduce the terms of conciliation to writing and incorporate them into a consent agreement signed by both 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 City by the Law Director and the City Manager.
(d) If the City Manager fails to conciliate a complaint after the parties have in good faith attempted such conciliation, fails to effect an informal conciliation agreement or a formal consent agreement or determines that a complaint is not susceptible to conciliation, he or she shall file the complaint with the Montgomery County Fair Housing Center.
(e) Upon receipt of the complaint, the Montgomery County Fair Housing Center shall seek compliance with this chapter by appropriate civil action before a court of competent jurisdiction.
(Ord. 2878. Passed 7-3-79.)