Cleveland Heights Fair Practices Board to hear first cases September 18
The City of Cleveland Heights Fair Practices Board will hear its first four cases on September 18. All four involve Source of Income (SOI) protections—added to the City’s Fair Practices Law in 2021 at the sponsorship of then–City Council Vice President, now Mayor Kahlil Seren.
Established in 2014, the Board addresses allegations of discrimination in housing, employment, education, and public accommodations.
“The Fair Practices Board is made up of four Cleveland Heights residents (three regular members and an alternate) who, because of the extensive experience they possess in this area, were nominated by City Councilperson Craig Cobb,” said Todd Walburn, the Mayor’s appointed Complaint Officer and Coordinator of the Mayor’s Action Center. “Their charge will be to adjudicate these cases and make the appropriate recommendations.”
Possible outcomes after a hearing
- Dismiss the complaint.
- Refer the matter to an agency with additional oversight (e.g., HUD’s fair housing office, the EEOC, or the Ohio Civil Rights Commission).
- Enter a Preliminary Investigation/Conciliation phase to seek a mutually agreed resolution.
Walburn oversees the preliminary investigation with support from the City’s Law Department, aiming for conciliation whenever possible. The City is also marking its first Conciliation Agreement, in which the parties agreed to a policy update and employee training.
Now recruiting: Alternate member
The Fair Practices Board has an immediate opening for an alternate member. Cleveland Heights residents with experience in housing, employment, or public accommodations who are interested in serving should contact Clerk of Council Addie Balester at abalester@clevelandheights.gov for more information.
Excerpt from the City’s Fair Practices Law (unchanged text):
It is a violation of the Fair Practices Law of the City of Cleveland Heights for any real estate agent, or for any person owning or managing a multi-unit apartment dwelling to:
(a) Deny housing to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or source of income.
(b) Discriminate against any person because of that person's race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or source of income with respect to the terms, conditions, or privileges of housing accommodations or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith.
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