Grand Rapids — Ch. 176 Human Rights § 9.971
Prosecution and Penalties
Operative Text
(1) The City Attorney's Office may prosecute a violation of this Chapter referred to it by the ODI or any other source. (2) Violation of this Chapter shall be prosecuted by the City Attorney's Office as a municipal civil infraction pursuant to the provisions of Michigan law. (3) A municipal civil infraction is punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) and all other costs, damages, expenses, sanctions and remedies as authorized by Michigan law. (4) Nothing contained in this Chapter shall be construed to limit in any way the remedies, legal or equitable, available to the City or any person for the prevention or correction of discrimination including, but not limited to false information pursuant to the Grand Rapids City Code Section 9.135 (6) or false report of a crime pursuant to the Michigan Penal Code, MCL 750.411a. Such remedies shall be governed by applicable law.
Grand Rapids Chapter 176, § 9.971 establishes how human rights violations in the city are prosecuted and what penalties can follow. The City Attorney's Office handles enforcement, treating violations as municipal civil infractions under Michigan law, which can result in fines up to $500 plus additional costs and sanctions. The provision also makes clear that these penalties do not cap or replace other legal or equitable remedies—such as civil lawsuits or criminal charges for false reports—that may be available under city or state law.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Grand Rapids Ch. 176 § 9.971, property owners and managers who violate the city's human rights ordinance may face prosecution by the City Attorney's Office, resulting in civil infraction fines of up to $500 per violation along with additional costs and sanctions permitted by Michigan law. Compliant operators maintain fair and non-discriminatory practices in all housing-related dealings to avoid referral to the City Attorney from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) or any other source. It is also worth noting that a civil infraction finding does not foreclose other legal or equitable remedies that affected parties may pursue separately.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Grand Rapids Ch. 176 § 9.971 gives tenants the assurance that human rights violations can be referred to the City Attorney's Office for prosecution—whether that referral comes from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) or another source. A successful prosecution can result in fines up to $500 against the violating party, plus additional costs and remedies allowed under Michigan law. Beyond the infraction process, this provision explicitly preserves other legal and equitable remedies, meaning tenants may have additional avenues to explore, such as consulting a tenant-rights organization or seeking independent legal counsel about civil claims.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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