The city, in promoting equal housing opportunities for all its citizens, and having agreed to take affirmative action toward this end, has set forth objectives and specific action steps as follows:
(a) It shall increase public awareness of fair housing laws and assure equal access to housing.
(1) It shall submit articles to local and surrounding newspapers about fair housing laws, complaint procedures and the benefits of promoting fair housing and the like. Not less than two articles shall be submitted each program year.
(2) It shall produce and distribute brochures about fair housing laws and the like.
(3) It shall produce posters on equal rights in housing and post them in public places.
(4) It shall provide a public service announcement explaining that the city is promoting fair housing.
(b) It shall provide service and information to victims of discrimination and assist them in asserting their housing rights.
(1) It shall designate a person to be a fair housing officer in charge of receiving complaints.
(2) It shall inform the public of telephone numbers to call for complaints via brochures, posters and newspaper articles.
(3) It shall provide training for fair housing officers to familiarize the officers with fair housing laws, how to receive complaints, how to refer complaints, realistic conciliation/investigation efforts, keeping records and the like.
(4) Once training is completed, the fair housing officer will be responsible for:
A. Receiving fair housing complaints;
B. Providing a complainant with an opinion as to whether he or she is a victim of discrimination;
C. Informing the complainant as to filing a discrimination complaint;
D. Assisting the complainant in filing a discrimination complaint;
E. Attempting reconciliation, if possible, and if desired by the complainant; and
F. Keeping records of all complaints received.
(Ord. 29-96, passed 8-19-1996)