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1. A statement alleging a violation of this chapter may be made by the commission itself or by any aggrieved person. Such statement shall be in writing and signed by the charging party, shall be filed with the commission within ninety days after the alleged discriminatory act, and shall contain such particulars as the commission, by regulation, may require. The commission shall promptly furnish a copy of such statement to the party charged.

2. The commission shall investigate all charges filed with it, proceeding in each case in such manner as it deems appropriate. If, after such inquiry and hearings as the commission considers proper, the commission determines that no probable cause exists to believe that an unfair housing practice has occurred, the charge shall be dismissed.

3. If the commission determines, after such investigation, that probable cause exists to believe that an unfair housing practice has occurred it shall endeavor to eliminate or remedy such violation by means of conciliation and persuasion.

4. In case of failure to reach an agreement under (3) for the elimination of an alleged unfair practice, the commission shall refer the complaint to the "board of review," hereinafter created. Said board shall within five days of such referral set a date for a formal hearing into the facts of the alleged violation. Said date for hearing shall be not more than fourteen days from the referral of the complaint to the board. The respondent shall be promptly notified by certified mail of the time and place of such hearing and shall be furnished with a copy of the complaint. He may within five days file a written answer to the complaint. At the hearing the board of review shall hear from witnesses produced for the complainant and/or respondent. All testimony shall be given under oath and shall be subject to cross-examination. All hearings shall be conducted so as to conform to procedural due process, but technical rules of evidence need not be followed. All hearings shall be recorded so that a verbatim transcript thereof could be made if later needed for any purpose. At the conclusion of the hearing, or within five days thereof, the board shall prepare and issue official findings of fact and shall forward such findings to the human relations commission together with the board's recommendation as to what disposition should be made of the complaint. The commission shall consider such findings and recommendation and then decide whether (1) to dismiss the complaint as unfounded and so inform the person who had filed the complaint and the respondent, or (2) that the matter did involve unlawful discrimination in violation of this chapter, but that the matter had been satisfactorily resolved and that no further action was required, and so inform the person who had filed the complaint and the respondent; or (3) that the matter involved unlawful discrimination and had not been resolved and to refer the complaint and all files concerning the same to the city attorney as the basis for the issuance of a criminal complaint against the respondent and prosecution thereunder in the same manner as violations of other criminal ordinances are prosecuted. Prior to such referral to the city attorney the commission shall inform the respondent of the findings of the board of review and attempt to gain voluntary compliance with this chapter.

The board of review above-referred to shall be composed of five persons appointed for two year terms by the mayor with the approval of the city council. Three of the original appointees shall serve one year terms. Appointments shall be made from the following groups and must be Vancouver residents; one appointed from a local civil rights organization, one appointee associated with the real estate industry; one appointee associated with a local labor union, one appointee to be a local clergyman and one appointee to be a local attorney. Such members shall receive no compensation and may be removed for cause by the mayor with the approval of the city council. The sole function of the board shall be to act as a factfinding board under this chapter. Three of its members shall constitute a quorum. It shall select a chairman and for each hearing shall also select a hearing officer, who may be the chairman to preside at the hearing.

5. The commission and the board, in the performance of its functions, may enlist the aid of any of the departments of the city government and all said departments are hereby directed to fully cooperate with the commission.

6. The commission, in carrying out the specific duties imposed by this chapter, may request the aid of the city council in the conduct of any further investigation, and may issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and to demand the production and inspection of documents.

7. The city council may make arrangements for staffing and budgeting of the commission as it finds is needed to carry out the commission's work.

8. If the commission, after the investigation set out in subsection (3) has found that there is probable cause to believe that an unfair housing practice has occurred, the property owner or his duly authorized agent shall be asked to agree voluntarily to withhold from the market the subject housing accommodations for a period of ten days from the date of the finding of probable cause, in order for the hearing contemplated in (4) to proceed. If the property owner or his duly authorized agent will not agree to this, then the commission may cause to be posted for a period of ten days from the date of the finding, on the door of said housing accommodations, a notice stating that the accommodations are the subject of a complaint before the commission.

9. All complaints and all human relations commission records relating thereto shall be private and confidential records until the board of review has fixed a date for a hearing on the complaint as above provided. During such preliminary period none of such records shall be examined by any person except members of the human relations commission and no member thereof shall divulge any information so gained to any other person. The hearing of the review board, however, shall be open to the public and it and its findings and recommendation may be publicized as contemplated in RCW Ch. 42.32. (Ord. M-1006 §6, 1968)