(a) This chapter shall be administered by the Building Commissioner, and the Commissioner shall also be responsible for the establishment and administration of a discrimination complaint service.
(b) The discrimination complaint service shall be available to any person who alleges that his rights have been denied relative to housing and/or financing for housing because of race, color, creed, sex, family status, religion, disability or national origin, ancestry, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity or source of income.
(c) Any person who claims to have been subjected to a discriminatory housing practice shall file a complaint in writing within 180 days of the alleged violation with the Director. The complaint shall contain such information and will be in such form as the Director may require.
(d) If the Director determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe a violation has occurred, he shall attempt to conciliate the matter within five working days of the filing of the complaint by utilizing conciliation conferences with all interested parties and such representatives as the parties may choose to assist them. These conferences shall be informal, and nothing shall be made public by the Director, regarding the conferences unless all parties agree thereto in writing. During the period the Director shall make such investigation as he deems appropriate.
(e) If the Building Commissioner and the Law Director determine that the person complained against has violated this chapter, the Law Director shall prepare and issue a directive requiring that person to cease and desist from such unlawful conduct and within fifteen calendar days take such affirmative action as will effectuate the purpose of this chapter. If after the fifteenth day, the situation has not been rectified, the Director of Community Development shall initiate the proper legal action through the Law Department of the City or through the complainant's legal counsel, or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, whatever the Director deems appropriate.
(f) If at the conclusion of the informal hearing, the Building Commissioner and Law Director determine upon the preponderance of the evidence presented that the person complained against has not violated this chapter, the Director shall issue an order dismissing the complaint.
(g) The Director is advised to seek at any time the cooperation and aid of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and any other person or group regarding any matter before the Director as he deems appropriate.
(Ord. 2012-072. Passed 5-15-12.)