St. Clair Shores — Ch. 22 Art. II Fair Housing § 22-26
Investigative procedures
Operative Text
(a) The City Manager will receive complaints from any person regarding possible violations of the article. All complaints shall be in writing, indicating in detail the facts upon which the complaint is based. The complaint shall further include a statement that it is made in good faith and not for the purpose of harassment or entrapment. Such complaint shall be filed with the City Manager within 90 days after the alleged unfair housing practice occurred. (b) The City Manager shall cause a prompt and full investigation of each complaint; such investigation is to be undertaken by a committee or commission duly appointed by the Mayor and City Council, and said complaint is to be investigated by the committee or commission within 60 days. (c) If the committee or commission, after investigation, determines that probable cause exists for the complaint, it shall attempt to eliminate the unlawful practice by means of conciliation proceedings until the conditions have been satisfactorily adjusted or no further action is deemed advisable. (d) In any case of failure to eliminate the unlawful housing practice charged in the complaint by means of conciliation or persuasion, the commission shall hold a public hearing to determine whether or not unlawful housing practice has been committed. The commission shall serve upon the person charged with having engaged in the unlawful housing practice a statement of the charges made in the complaint and a notice of the time and place of the hearing. The hearing shall be held not less than ten days after the service of the statement of charges. The respondent shall have the right to file an answer to the statement of charges, to appear at the hearing in person, or to be represented by an attorney or by any other person, and to participate in the hearing. (e) If, upon the evidence presented, the commission finds that the respondent has not engaged in any unlawful housing practice, it shall state its findings of fact and the complaint shall be considered dismissed. If, upon all the evidence presented, the commission finds that the person has engaged or is engaging in an unlawful housing practice, it shall state its findings of fact. (f) In the event that the person charged with having engaged in the unlawful housing practice fails to cease such practice immediately, the commission shall promptly either: (1) Certify the case and the entire record of its proceedings to the City Attorney, who shall thereupon, within 60 days, investigate evidence and shall take such legal course as the necessities of the case require, or (2) Shall transfer jurisdiction of said matter to the state civil rights commission as provided in Act 112, Public Acts of 1968.
St. Clair Shores — Ch. 22 Art. II Fair Housing § 22-26 establishes a structured process for handling fair housing complaints in the city. Written complaints alleging unfair housing practices must be submitted to the City Manager within 90 days of the alleged incident, and a mayor-appointed committee or commission is then required to investigate within 60 days. If probable cause is found, the city first attempts to resolve the matter through conciliation; if that fails, a public hearing is held, and unresolved violations may be referred to the City Attorney or the state civil rights commission.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under St. Clair Shores — Ch. 22 Art. II Fair Housing § 22-26, property owners and managers operating in St. Clair Shores are subject to a formal complaint and investigation process if a fair housing violation is alleged. Compliant operators generally maintain practices that align with the article's fair housing requirements so that, if a complaint is filed, the conciliation stage can be resolved without escalation to a public hearing. If a hearing does occur, respondents have the right to file a written answer, appear in person, and be represented by counsel or another representative.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
St. Clair Shores — Ch. 22 Art. II Fair Housing § 22-26 gives individuals who believe they have experienced an unfair housing practice a formal avenue to seek redress through the city. A written complaint, filed in good faith with the City Manager within 90 days of the alleged incident, triggers an investigation and, if warranted, a conciliation process or public hearing. Tenants who believe their rights under this article have been violated may also consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider to understand the full range of options available, including potential referral to the state civil rights commission.
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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