The ordinances reproduced on this website are derived from the updated computer files used to produce the official Revised Municipal Code for the City of Stevens Point, but are unofficial. The ordinances on this web site cannot be certified under s. 889.08, Wis. Stats., and cannot be considered prima facie evidence under s. 889.04, Wis. Stats. Certain tables and maps that are a part of the official Revised Municipal Code for the City of Stevens Point are not included in the ordinance files reproduced on this website. Please consult the bound Revised Municipal Code for the City of Stevens Point, available in the City Clerk's Office, for the official text.

Chapter 27 - Fair Housing

Section
27.01 Declaration of Policy
27.02 Affirmative Action/Fair Housing Committee
27.03 Prohibited Acts
27.04 Exemptions
27.05 Enforcement Procedures
27.06 Remedies and Penalties
27.07 Definitions
27.08 Liberal Construction: Severability

27.01 DECLARATION OF POLICY. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the City of Stevens Point, pursuant to the United States and Wisconsin constitutions and also its power to protect the public health, safety and general welfare, that all persons, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, handicap, age, lawful source of income, families with children, gender or marital status of the person maintaining the household or sexual orientation, are entitled to fair and equal access to housing; and to that end the City of Stevens Point hereby enacts the following code which prohibits any person, not herein excepted, from discriminating against any other person by impairing to any degree, access to any housing or housing accommodations on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, handicap, age, lawful source of income, families with children, gender or marital status of the person maintaining the household or sexual orientation; and creates a committee with the power and duty to enforce equal opportunity in housing for all citizens of the City of Stevens Point.

Index for this Chapter

27.02 AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/FAIR HOUSING COMMITTEE.

(1) Creation. There is hereby created by the common council, pursuant to Section 66.30, Wisconsin Statutes, an intergovernmental organization deemed the Joint County/City Affirmative Action/Fair Housing Committee. Said committee shall consist of one member of the county personnel committee, appointed by the county board of supervisors for a term of two years and one member of the city personnel committee, appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the common council, for a term of two years. The two governmental members of the intergovernmental committee shall have the right to appoint five (5) additional members whose terms shall be for two years, and who shall be residents of Portage County.

(2) Powers. The Joint County/City Affirmative Action/Fair Housing Committee shall have the right and power to implement the Fair Housing Code of the City of Stevens Point.

(3) Duties. The Affirmative Action/Fair Housing Committee's duties shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) Develop techniques for communicating goals and objectives to the public, including women's groups, minority organizations, the landlord association, and others.

(b) Devise methods for correcting housing discrimination problems.

(c) Evaluate progress of the fair housing program.

(d) Receive, investigate, and consider, where warranted, unresolved complaints relative to fair housing practices.

(e) To appoint mediators who initially shall seek a settlement agreeable to both the complainant and the respondent by means of informal conferences.

(f) If necessary, to hold hearings after efforts at settlement, based on complaints made against any person and a determination of probable cause; to administer oaths and take testimony; to compel the production of books, papers, and any other documents relating to any matters involved in the complaint; and to subpoena witnesses and compel their attendance.

(g) To issue temporary orders effective for a maximum of twenty days, absent extraordinary circumstances, restraining the respondent form taking any action which would tend to render ineffectual or unenforceable any order which the committee might issue.

(h) To refer orders, pursuant to sections (f) and (g) of this code to the city attorney for enforcement in the name of the City of Stevens Point.

(i) To make available to the public, in writing, copies of 1) transcripts of all of its proceedings except initial settlement efforts by its mediators; 2) all temporary and final orders; 3) and all decisions and opinions rendered.

(j) To require a written report of the manner of compliance with any final order it may issue.

(k) To recommend to the mayor and the common council any legislation necessary to further promote the purposes of this code and to file annual written reports of its work with the mayor and council.

Index for this Chapter

27.03 PROHIBITED ACTS. It shall be a prohibited discriminatory practice for any person to:

(1) Print, publish, circulate, issue, display, post, mail or communicate in any other way any announcement, statement, advertisement, publication or sign, the import of which indicates to any degree a decision or purpose to impair in any way the access of any person, on the basis of his/her race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, handicap, age, lawful source of income, families with children, gender or marital status of the person maintaining the household or sexual orientation to any transferable interest in any housing or housing accommodations.

(2) Refuse to sell, lease, sublease, rent or in any other manner deny, withhold, or impair the transfer of title, leasehold, or any other interest in any part of any housing or housing accommodation, when such refusal is based to any degree on a consideration of race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, handicap, age, lawful source of income, families with children, gender or marital status of the person maintaining the household or sexual orientation of the person refused.

(3) Refuse to lend money or security, guarantee any loan, accept any mortgage or in any other manner make available any other funds or resources for the construction, acquisition, purchase, rehabilitation, repair, or maintenance of any housing accommodation when such refusal is based to any degree on a consideration on the race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, handicap, age, lawful source of income, families with children, gender or marital status of the person maintaining the household or sexual orientation of the person refused.

(4) Refuse to furnish any facilities or services for any housing or housing accommodation, whether ordinarily provided pursuant to legal duty or local custom, when such refusal is based to any degree on a consideration of the race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, handicap, age, lawful source of income, families with children, gender or marital status of the person maintaining the household or sexual orientation of the person refused.

(5) It shall be unlawful for any person to do or refuse to do any act which to any degree affects the purpose of any activity prohibited by this code.

Index for this Chapter

27.04 EXEMPTIONS.

(1) Nothing in this code shall bar any religious or denominational institution or organization, or any charitable or educational organization which is operated, supervised, or controlled by or in connection with a religious organization from limiting admission to or giving preference to persons of the same religion or denomination, or from making such selection as is reasonable calculated by such organization to promote the religious principles for which it is established or maintained.

(2) No prohibition in this code shall apply to an offer or advertisement to lease or rent, or to the lease or rental of single-occupancy room in an owner-occupied dwelling; provided, however, that the number of persons, other than the owner and his immediate family who dwell therein, does not exceed two.

(3) Existing facilities which presently exclude one gender or new structure which is designed to facilitate one special gender.

Index for this Chapter

27.05 ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES.

(1) Complaint. Any complaint alleging any discriminatory practice prohibited by this ordinance shall be in writing. Such complaints may be initiated by a) the complainant, who may mail his complaint to the committee or dictate it to an agent of the committee, b) any agent of the complainant, including any agent who has solicited offers to buy, lease, rent, or in any other manner seek access to any interest in any part of any housing or housing accommodation, for the complainant, or c) any member of the committee on his/her own initiative. All complaints shall contain the following:

(a) Name and address of the complainant.

(b) Name and address of the respondent or respondents.

(c) Statement setting forth the particulars of the alleged discrimination or discriminatory practice.

(d) The date or dates of the alleged discrimination or discriminatory practice.

(2) Where Filed. Complaints shall be filed with the city clerk by the complainant or complainant's duly authorized agent, or a member or duly authorized agent of the committee, and may be filed in person or by mail.

(3) When Filed. Complaints alleging any discriminatory practice prohibited by this ordinance shall be filed no later than ninety (90) days after the complainant knew or should reasonably have known that the alleged act or acts occurred.

(4) Notice to Respondent. Upon the filing of a complaint the committee shall serve a copy thereof upon the respondent within ten (10) days of said filing.

(5) Amendment and Withdrawal. A complaint may be amended or withdrawn at any time with and subject to the approval of the committee or its designated agent and under such terms as the committee or agent shall direct.

(6) Investigations, Hearing, Determinations, Appeal.

(a) An agent designated by the committee shall promptly investigate all duly filed complaints. Within 30 days of the filing of each complaint said agent shall issue to the complainant and respondent an initial determination in writing of whether probable cause, as defined in this code, exists and setting forth the basis of the determination.

(b) Should a determination be made that there is no probable cause to believe discrimination in violation of this code has been or is being committed, the complainant shall be afforded an opportunity to appeal such decision to the full committee. Should the full committee decide that there is no probable cause, the complainant may appeal to the circuit court of the county in which the property or property interest in question is located.

(c) Should a determination be made that there is probable cause to believe discrimination in violation of the code has been or is being committed, an agent designated by the committee shall endeavor by means of conference, conciliation, or persuasion to eliminate the alleged discriminatory practice.

(d) In any case where efforts at settlement have failed to eliminate the discriminatory practice alleged by the complaint, the committee shall promptly cause to be issued a notice of hearing before a hearing examiner acting as an agent of the committee to determine the merits of the complaint.

(e) Affirmative Findings.

1. If, after hearing and on the basis of the official record made therein, the examiner finds that the respondent has engaged in or is engaging in any discrimination prohibited by this code, he/she shall make and recommend to the committee written findings of fact and conclusions thereon to be taken by the respondent and, where necessary, by the complainant, as will affect the purpose of this code by elimination of the discrimination found.

2. A certified copy of such recommended findings, conclusions, and orders, together with a summary of the findings of fact, shall be mailed to the last known address of the complainant and respondent.

3. If within twenty (20) days following the mailing of the examiner's decision the committee does not receive notice of appeal, the findings, conclusions, and orders of the examiner shall be the findings, conclusions, and orders of the full committee.

4. If within twenty (20) days following the mailing of the examiner's decision the complainant or respondent serves notice of appeal, such appeal may be had to the full committee. The committee shall have the power to affirm, reverse, or modify the determination of the hearing examiner. After final determination by the committee either party may appeal by certiorari to a court of competent jurisdiction.

(7) Transfer of Proceedings. At any time after a finding of probable cause the committee, with appropriate notice to the complainant and respondent, may transfer the proceedings to itself.

(8) Disqualification of Committee Members. No committee member who, pursuant to section 27.06(1) of this code, has filed a complaint or who initiated a complaint, shall participate in any subsequent hearings or proceedings except as a witness, nor shall the committee member participate in the deliberations of the commission in such case.

(9) Judicial Enforcement. Whenever in the judgment of the committee, judicial enforcement of a committee order is necessary, the committee shall, in writing, request the city attorney to commence proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to enforce such orders in the name of the City of Stevens Point. Upon receipt of any such request, the city attorney shall have the duty to seek enforcement of such orders in a court of competent jurisdiction.

Index for this Chapter

27.06 REMEDIES AND PENALTIES.

(1) Remedies. The committee shall have the power and duty, after investigation and hearing, to issue and implement such orders as may be necessary to effect the purposes of this ordinance. Such orders may include:

(a) Cease and desist orders.

(b) Compensatory damages to the complainant.

(c) Affirmative action by the respondent and, where necessary, by the complainant.

(d) Any other orders which may be necessary to effect the purposes of this act.

(2) Penalties. Any person who willfully violates this ordinance or any lawful order issued hereunder shall, for each such violation, on order of the committee, forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $200. Each day such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. Payment of any such forfeiture shall be stayed during the period in which any appeal may be taken and during the pendency of any appeal.

Index for this Chapter

27.07 DEFINITIONS.

(1) Accommodation - shall include any room, apartment, house, building or structure, any part of which is used for human habitation on a temporary or permanent basis.

(2) Committee - shall mean the joint Affirmative Action/Fair Housing Committee appointed by city and county government.

(3) Complainant - shall mean any person who files a complaint with the committee, pursuant to section 27.05(1) through (5) of this ordinance.

(4) Discriminate, discrimination, discriminating - shall refer to any type of act or refusal to act prohibited by section 27.03 of this ordinance which, unless excepted by section 27.04, may have occurred or may be occurring.

(5) Handicapped - shall mean any physical, mental or developmental disability.

(6) Housing - shall include any part of any building, structure or land, whether or not vacant.

(7) Owner-occupied dwelling - shall mean a building used for human habitation in which the owner thereof maintains his permanent living quarters.

(8) Person - shall mean any individual, partnership, labor, or other association, corporation, legal representative, receiver, trustee, trustee in bankruptcy or other fiduciary, or the lessee, proprietor, manager, employee, or any other agent of any such person.

(9) Probable cause - shall mean reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of section 27.03 of this code, not exempted by section 27.04, may have occurred or may be occurring.

(10) Respondent - shall mean any person who, according to the allegations contained in any complaint filed with the committee, has violated any discriminatory practice prohibited by this ordinance and has been named in the complaint as a respondent.

(11) Single-occupancy room - shall mean any room which the owner has leased or rented, or in any way offered to lease or rent, to a sole individual; provided, however, that the owner permanently occupies living quarters in the same dwelling.

Index for this Chapter

27.08 LIBERAL CONSTRUCTION: SEVERABILITY.

(1) The provisions of this ordinance shall be liberally construed in order to promote the purposes and provisions contained herein.

(2) The provisions of this ordinance are severable and if any provision, sentence, clause, section, or part thereof is held illegal, invalid, unconstitutional, or inapplicable to any person or circumstance, such illegality, invalidity, unconstitutionality or inapplicability shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, sentences, clauses, sections, or parts of the ordinance or their application to other persons or circumstances. It is hereby declared to be the legislative intent that this ordinance would have been adopted if such illegal, invalid, unconstitutional or inapplicable provisions, sentence, clause, section or part thereof had not been included therein and if the persons or circumstances to which the ordinance or any part thereof inapplicable had been specifically exempted therefrom.

Index for this Chapter

The ordinances reproduced on this website are derived from the updated computer files used to produce the official Revised Municipal Code for the City of Stevens Point, but are unofficial. The ordinances on this web site cannot be certified under s. 889.08, Wis. Stats., and cannot be considered prima facie evidence under s. 889.04, Wis. Stats. Certain tables and maps that are a part of the official Revised Municipal Code for the City of Stevens Point are not included in the ordinance files reproduced on this website. Please consult the bound Revised Municipal Code for the City of Stevens Point, available in the City Clerk's Office, for the official text.

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