Served with a CHRO Housing Discrimination Complaint in Connecticut? Here’s What You Need to Know
By: Sara Bigman
Current or prospective tenants, residents, or unit owners who believe they have experienced housing discrimination may file a complaint with the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (“CHRO”) against a Connecticut landlord, realtor, or other housing provider. The complaint may include allegations that the housing provider is refusing to sell or rent to them, unfairly denying their reasonable accommodation request, applying different terms or conditions, or falsely advertising the availability of housing.
Once the housing provider has been served with the CHRO complaint, it has 10 days to file an Answer under oath and is often required by the CHRO to provide additional information about the property’s ownership and management. The Answer is binding on the housing provider, so it should take caution to respond timely and accurately. Failure to respond on time could result in a default judgment or loss of ability to defend against the complaint.
From there, the process moves quickly into mandatory mediation. If the parties can reach an agreement during mediation, they will enter into a conciliation agreement. If no agreement can be reached, the parties will proceed to a CHRO fact-finding investigation. The CHRO will then make a determination as to whether or not a discriminatory practice has been or is occurring. Violations can result in fines, damages, and mandatory corrective action, including policy change, behavioral monitoring by the CHRO and attendance at trainings.
The process is fast paced with strict deadlines, so housing providers should contact an experienced Connecticut housing discrimination attorney immediately to help them navigate a housing discrimination complaint.
Need help navigating a housing discrimination matter?
At Cohen and Wolf, our Connecticut housing discrimination attorneys have extensive experience defending landlords and other housing providers before the CHRO — from drafting the initial Answer to negotiating conciliation agreements and defending fact-finding proceedings, our Connecticut attorneys are here to support you every step of the way.
Contact our Connecticut housing discrimination attorneys today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help you resolve your Connecticut housing discrimination matter.
Attorneys
Associate