Effingham — Ch. 17 Art. VI Fair Housing § 17-184
Hearing
Operative Text
(a) When held. The commission shall hold a hearing on the matter complained of within twenty (20) days after: (1) The violation of any consent agreement; (2) The expiration of the period for informal conciliation unless a consent agreement has been reached; or (3) Any date on which the commission determines that informal conciliation will not be successful and so notifies the parties in writing, whichever occurs first. (b) Notice. The commission shall cause written notice to be sent to all involved parties by registered mail at their last known address not later than ten (10) days prior to the hearing. Said notice shall specify the time, date, place and purpose of the hearing. (c) Powers, procedures. The hearing shall normally be open to the public but in particularly sensitive cases the commission may hold a private hearing. The hearing shall be conducted in a fair and impartial manner, but strict courtroom rules of evidence and procedures need not be observed. The commission may subpoena witnesses and pertinent documents, administer oaths and take sworn testimony. The parties may appear with legal counsel, give testimony, present other evidence and call and/or cross-examine witnesses. The commission may appoint the municipal attorney to represent any indigent party. All testimony shall be given under oath. (d) Records. The commission shall keep a full record of the hearing. The record shall be open to inspection by any person. Copies thereof shall be furnished at cost to the parties upon request.
Section 17-184 of Effingham's Fair Housing ordinance establishes the procedural framework for formal hearings before the commission when a fair housing complaint cannot be resolved through informal conciliation. The commission must convene a hearing within 20 days of a triggering event—such as a failed conciliation attempt or a broken consent agreement—and must provide all parties with at least 10 days' written notice by registered mail. Hearings are generally open to the public, conducted fairly and impartially, and the full record is available for public inspection, with copies provided to parties at cost.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 17-184, a property owner or manager named in a fair housing complaint should expect to receive formal written notice by registered mail at least 10 days before any scheduled hearing. Compliant operators typically maintain current contact information on file with the commission to ensure timely receipt of such notices. At the hearing, parties are entitled to appear with legal counsel, present evidence, and cross-examine witnesses, so operators generally prepare documentation relevant to the complaint in advance.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 17-184 gives complainants the right to participate fully in a formal hearing before the Effingham fair housing commission, including the ability to appear with legal counsel, present evidence, and cross-examine witnesses. If you are a party to a complaint, you are entitled to at least 10 days' advance written notice of the hearing sent to your last known address by registered mail. The commission may also appoint the municipal attorney to represent an indigent party, and the complete hearing record is open to public inspection—tenant-rights organizations can help you understand how these procedural rights apply to your situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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