Lynwood — Ch. 54 Human Relations § 54-211
Settlement
Operative Text
(a) Circumstances. A settlement of any complaint may be effected, upon agreement of the complainant and respondent and the approval of the community relations commission, at any time prior to a decision by the community relations commission. (b) Disclosure. Each settlement agreement shall be made public unless the complainant and respondent otherwise agree and the administrator determines that disclosure is not required to further the purpose of the article. (c) Form. Settlement of complaints prior to the issuing of a decision shall be issued in writing by the administrator, signed by the parties, and submitted by the administrator to the community relations commission for approval. Settlements approved by the community relations commission shall have the same force and effect as orders issued by the community relations commission. (d) Settlement violation. When either party alleges that a settlement order has been violated, the administrator shall conduct an investigation into the matter. If substantial evidence demonstrates that a settlement has been violated, the administrator shall refer the matter to the municipal attorney for enforcement in the circuit court in which the respondent or complainant resides or transacts business or in which the alleged violation took place.
Section 54-211 of Lynwood's Ch. 54 Human Relations establishes the process by which parties to a human-relations complaint may resolve their dispute through a settlement before the community relations commission issues a formal decision. Any settlement must be agreed upon by both the complainant and respondent, approved by the commission, put in writing, and signed by both parties — at which point it carries the same legal weight as a commission order. Settlements are generally made public, though both parties may agree to keep the terms private if the administrator determines disclosure is unnecessary. If either party later claims the settlement was violated, the administrator investigates and, upon finding substantial evidence of a breach, refers the matter to the municipal attorney for circuit court enforcement.
Plain English — not legal advice.
As a respondent under § 54-211, a property owner or manager who reaches a settlement with a complainant should understand that the written, signed agreement — once approved by the community relations commission — functions with the same binding authority as a formal commission order. Compliant operators typically retain copies of all settlement documents and ensure that any agreed-upon actions are carried out fully and on time. If a dispute arises over whether the settlement terms were met, the administrator has authority to investigate and escalate the matter to the municipal attorney for court enforcement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 54-211, a complainant has the right to negotiate a settlement with the respondent at any point before the community relations commission issues its decision, giving tenants an avenue to resolve housing-related complaints without waiting for a full adjudication. Once a settlement is approved by the commission, it has the same enforceability as a commission order, meaning a violation of its terms can be investigated by the administrator and referred to the municipal attorney for circuit court action. Tenants who believe a settlement has been breached may raise that concern with the administrator, and consulting a tenant-rights organization can help in understanding what options are generally available under this provision.
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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