Peoria — Ch. 17 Human Relations, Housing and Employment § 17-34
Hearing procedure
Operative Text
(a) If the equal opportunity office fails to effect the elimination of such probable unlawful discriminatory practices and to obtain voluntary compliance, the equal opportunity office shall issue and cause to be served upon any person or respondent a complaint stating the charges in that respect and containing a notice of hearing before the hearing board, at a place therein fixed to be held not less than 30 nor more than 90 days following the service of such complaint. The complainant shall have the right to be represented by counsel of his/her choice at such hearing, and said counsel shall present the evidence in support of the complaint. Any complaint issued pursuant to the provisions of this section must be so issued within 270 days after the charge is filed in the equal opportunity office or be barred. In the event the equal opportunity office fails to issue such a complaint or otherwise resolve the subject of the complaint within 270 days, it shall issue a written investigative report and provide same to complainant on or before the 240th day after the alleged discriminatory practice was committed. Said report shall provide that complainant may file his/her own complaint before the fair employment and housing commission's hearing panel within 30 days of receipt of the investigative report. Failure of the complainant to file such report within the time frame provided shall bar the complaint. (b) Any such complaint may be amended at any time prior to or during the hearing based thereon. The respondent shall have the right to file an answer or to amend an answer to the original or amended complaint, and to appear at such hearing in person, or by attorney, or otherwise to examine and cross examine witnesses. (c) The complainant shall be a party to the proceeding, and any person who is an indispensible party to a complete determination or settlement of the question involved in a proceeding shall be joined. Any person who has or claims to have information bearing on the subject of the hearing may, in the discretion of the fair employment and housing commission or the hearing board, be permitted to appear for the presentation of any oral testimony or written evidence. (d) In any proceeding, the fair employment and housing commission or the hearing board shall, in ascertaining the practices followed by the respondent, take into account all reliable, probative and substantial evidence, statistical or otherwise, produced at the hearing, which may tend to provide or disprove the existence of a discriminatory practice. (e) The testimony taken in the hearing shall be recorded.
Section 17-34 of Peoria's Chapter 17 establishes the procedural framework that governs formal hearings when voluntary resolution of a housing discrimination complaint fails. If the equal opportunity office cannot secure compliance, it must issue a formal complaint and schedule a hearing before the hearing board within a window of 30 to 90 days after service. Critically, any such complaint must be issued within 270 days of the original charge being filed, and if the office has not acted by day 240, it must provide the complainant with a written investigative report and an opportunity to file independently before the fair employment and housing commission's hearing panel.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 17-34, a respondent in a housing discrimination proceeding has defined procedural rights, including the ability to file or amend an answer to any complaint and to appear at the hearing in person or through an attorney. Operators who receive a formal complaint from the equal opportunity office should be aware that the hearing board will consider all reliable, probative, and substantial evidence — including statistical evidence — when evaluating whether a discriminatory practice occurred. Keeping thorough, contemporaneous records of housing decisions and communications is a practice that compliant operators generally maintain, as such documentation may be relevant if a formal proceeding under § 17-34 is initiated.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 17-34 gives complainants the right to be represented by counsel of their own choosing at a formal hearing and to have that counsel present evidence on their behalf. If the equal opportunity office has not resolved or issued a complaint within 270 days — and has not delivered a written investigative report by day 240 — the provision's deadlines may affect a complainant's ability to proceed, making it important to track those timelines carefully. Tenants who believe they have experienced unlawful housing discrimination may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with Peoria's Chapter 17 process to understand the available procedural paths, including the option to file independently before the fair employment and housing commission's hearing panel.
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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