The authority and responsibility for publicizing, administering and enforcing this Part 1 shall be in the City of Ogdensburg's Fair Housing Office, which shall be the Office of Planning and Development. The City's Fair Housing Officer shall be the Director of Planning and Development, or his/her designee.
A. 
The following departments will be open to the public to receive all discrimination complaints and to assist in the filing of such complaints with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development: Department of Planning and Development and City Clerk's office.
(1) 
Location: City Hall, 330 Ford Street, Ogdensburg, New York.
(2) 
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
B. 
Forms and filing.
(1) 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved discrimination complaint forms will be available to the general public at the City Clerk's office.
(2) 
Assistance shall be provided to all persons in filing such forms, and all eligible persons shall be referred to Legal Aid for further assistance, if necessary.
(3) 
Copies of HUD fair housing pamphlets will be distributed to all interested parties, upon request.
(4) 
All advertising for the Community Development Program will use the equal housing opportunity logo type and statement.
(5) 
The Fair Housing Officer will collect all complaints filed with the City and perform preliminary investigations to ascertain and verify the allegation.
(6) 
If the Fair Housing Officer is unable to conciliate the issue, he will refer it to all appropriate state and federal agencies (United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the New York State Division of Human Rights).
(7) 
The Fair Housing Officer will forward a copy of this Part 1 and plan to all local banks and financing organizations and cooperatively work for voluntary compliance to Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968.
Violations of this Part 1 shall be reported in person or in writing to the City Attorney/Fair Housing Officer within a year of the alleged discriminatory housing practice.
Where sufficient cause exists to believe that the terms of this Part 1 have been violated, the Fair Housing Officer shall institute a suit in Ogdensburg City Court against the alleged violator within 120 days following the issuance of the charge.
Where a person or organization has been found, after a trial on the merits, in violation of this Part 1, a fine shall be imposed on such person or organization not to exceed $2,500 for the first offense, and $5,000 for a second offense and $10,000 for a third offense. The minimum fine for violations of this Part 1 shall be $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense and $1,000 for each additional offense. Each and every separate violation of this Part 1 shall be deemed an offense for the purposes of imposing the appropriate fine.