(a) A complaint charging a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter may be made by the Civil Rights Commission itself or by an aggrieved individual.
(b) The Commission shall make a prompt and full investigation of each complaint of an unlawful housing practice.
(c) If the Commission determines after investigation that probable cause exists for the allegations made in the complaint, it shall attempt to eliminate the alleged unlawful housing practice by means of conciliation and persuasion. The Commission shall not make public the details of any conciliation proceedings, but it may publish the terms of conciliation when a complaint has been satisfactorily adjusted.
(d) In any case of failure to eliminate the alleged unlawful housing practice charged in the complaint by means of conciliation or persuasion, the Commission shall hold a public hearing to determine whether or not an unlawful housing practice has been committed. The Commission shall serve upon the person charged with having engaged or engaging in the unlawful housing practice, hereinafter referred to as the respondent, a statement of the charges made in the complaint and a notice of the time and place of the hearing. The hearing shall be held not less than ten days after the service of the complaint. The respondent shall have the right to file an answer to the complaint to appear at the hearing in person, or to be represented by an attorney or any other person, and to examine and cross-examine witnesses. At the hearing the Commission shall have the power to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of the witnesses and the production of books and papers and other evidence necessary for a determination of the complaint.
(e) If, upon all the evidence presented, the Commission finds that the respondent has not engaged in any unlawful housing practice, it shall state its findings of fact and dismiss the complaint. If, upon all the evidence presented, the Commission finds that the respondent has engaged or is engaging in an unlawful housing practice, it shall state its findings of fact and shall issue orders as the facts warrant.
(f) In the event the respondent fails to comply with any order issued by the Commission, the Commission shall certify the case and the entire record of its proceedings to the Director of Law for appropriate action to secure enforcement of the Commission's order pursuant to the enforcement procedure specified in Ohio R.C. 4112.051. The Law Director may proceed to seek affirmative and injunctive relief so that the terms and intentions of this and other applicable state laws are complied with.
(g) The equitable remedies provided for in this section shall be in addition to the penalty provided in Section 515.99.
(1979 Code 150.06)