Cal. Civ. Code § 36-96.13
Conciliation.
Operative Text
During the period beginning with the filing of such complaint and ending with the filing of a charge or a dismissal by the Board, the Board shall, to the extent feasible, engage in conciliation with respect to such complaint. A. A conciliation agreement arising out of such conciliation shall be an agreement between the respondent and the complainant, and shall be subject to approval by the Board. B. A conciliation agreement may provide for binding arbitration of the dispute arising from the complaint. Any such arbitration that results from a conciliation agreement may award appropriate relief, including monetary relief. C. Each conciliation agreement shall be made public unless the complainant and respondent otherwise agree and the Board determines that disclosure is not required to further the purposes of this chapter. D. Whenever the Board has reasonable cause to believe that a respondent has breached a conciliation agreement, the Board may refer the matter to the Attorney General with a recommendation that a civil action be filed under § 36-96.17 for the enforcement of such agreement.
Virginia Code § 36-96.13 establishes a conciliation process that the Virginia Fair Housing Board must pursue, to the extent feasible, after a fair housing complaint is filed and before any formal charge or dismissal is issued. Any agreement reached through this process must be approved by the Board, may include binding arbitration with the possibility of monetary relief, and is generally made public unless both parties agree otherwise and the Board finds disclosure unnecessary. If a respondent is found to have breached a conciliation agreement, the Board may refer the matter to the Attorney General for civil enforcement.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Va. Code § 36-96.13, property owners and managers who are named as respondents in a fair housing complaint may be approached by the Virginia Fair Housing Board for conciliation before any formal charge is filed. A compliant operator generally engages in good faith with this process, understands that any resulting agreement requires Board approval and is typically made public, and honors the terms of any conciliation agreement reached — since a breach can trigger a referral to the Attorney General for civil action. Operators who agree to binding arbitration as part of a conciliation agreement should be aware that an arbitrator may award monetary relief.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Va. Code § 36-96.13 gives complainants — people who have filed fair housing complaints — the right to participate in a Board-facilitated conciliation process aimed at resolving the dispute before a formal charge or dismissal. As a complainant, you may negotiate a conciliation agreement that can include binding arbitration and monetary relief, and you have a say in whether that agreement is kept confidential. If the other party later breaches the agreement, the Board has the authority to refer the matter to the Attorney General for civil enforcement; tenant-rights organizations or a housing attorney can help you understand what options are 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 October 22, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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