(A) Pursuant to § 810 of the Fair Housing Act, being 42 U.S.C. § 3610, any person who claims to have been injured by a discriminatory housing project or who believes that he will be irrevocably injured by a discriminating housing practice that is about to occur (hereafter "person aggrieved") may file a complaint with the Chief Executive Officer of the city. Complaints shall be in writing and shall contain such information and be in such form as the Chief Executive Officer requires and shall be sworn to under oath. Upon receipt of such a complaint, the Chief Executive Officer shall furnish a copy of the same to the person or persons who allegedly committed or are about to commit the alleged discriminatory housing practice. Within 30 days after receiving a complaint, the Chief Executive Officer shall investigate the complaint and give notice in writing to the person aggrieved whether he intends to resolve it. If the Chief Executive Officer decides to resolve the complaint, he shall proceed to try to eliminate or correct the alleged discriminatory housing practice by informal methods, conciliation and persuasion. Nothing said or done in the course of the informal endeavors may be made public or used as evidence in a subsequent proceeding under this subchapter without the written consent of the person concerned. Any employee of the Chief Executive Officer who shall make public any information in violation of this provision shall be deemed guilty of failure to assist the Chief Executive Officer in the official performance of his duties and shall, upon conviction, be subject to provisions of the penalties of this subchapter as per this code.
(B) A complaint under division (A) shall be filed within 30 days after the alleged discriminatory housing practice occurred. Complaints shall be in writing and shall state the facts upon which the allegations of a discriminatory act are based. Complaints may be reasonably and fairly amended at any time. A respondent may file an answer to the complaint against him and with the leave of the Chief Executive Officer, which shall be granted whenever it would be reasonable and fair to do so, may amend his answer at any time. Both complaints and answers shall be verified.
(C) The State Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities monitors the state fair housing laws and provides rights and remedies for alleged discriminatory housing practices under § 53 of the Connecticut Public Accommodations Statute which are equivalent to the rights and remedies provided in this subchapter; the Chief Executive Officer shall notify the State Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities of any complaint filed under this subchapter which appears to constitute a violation of the state fair housing law and this subchapter, within 30 days from the date of receipt of the complaint. The Chief Executive Officer, along with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, shall take further action on a joint cooperative basis, under the circumstances of the particular case where the protection of the rights of the parties or the interests of justice requires the action. If the Chief Executive Officer declines to resolve the complaint, under division (A) of this section, he shall refer the complaint to the State Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.
(D) If within 30 days after a complaint is filed with the Chief Executive Officer or within 30 days after the expiration of any period of reference, the Chief Executive Officer has been unable to obtain voluntary compliance with this subchapter, the person aggrieved may, within 30 days thereafter, commence a civil action in any appropriate United States District Court, against the respondent named in the complaint, to enforce the rights granted or protected by this subchapter, insofar as such rights relate to the subject of the complaint; provided that, no civil action may be brought in any United States District Court if the person aggrieved has a judicial remedy under the state fair housing law or the rights and remedies granted under this subchapter which are substantially equivalent to rights and remedies under § 810(d) of the Fair Housing Act, being 42 U.S.C. § 3610. The actions may be brought without regard to the amount in controversy in any United States District Court.
(E) In any proceeding brought pursuant to this section, the burden of proof shall be on the complainant.
(F) Whenever an action filed by an individual in either federal, state or local courts pursuant to this section shall come to trial, the Chief Executive Officer shall immediately terminate all efforts to obtain voluntary compliances.
(1967 Code, Appendix C, § 2-1) (Ord. passed 9-6-1977)