Fiscal Note
The proposed ordinance amendment adds building code complainants as a protected status in the area of Housing in the Equal Opportunities Ordinance. The proposed ordinance would be enforced through existing City processes and would not require additional staff time or resources to implement. No additional City appropriation is required.
Title
SUBSTITUTE: Amending 39.03(2), 39.03(4)(a), (c), (d), (g), (h), (i), (j) and (k) and creating 39.03 (p) to add protections for building code complainants.
Body
DRAFTER’S ANALYSIS: This ordinance adds building code complainants as a protected status in the area of Housing in the Equal Opportunities Ordinance. This would protect tenants who are victims of retaliation from their landlords when they make complaints of building code violations. This provision offers tenants the benefits of a process that is currently used and is staffed by experienced investigators. Violations of the Ordinance can result in awards of monetary and other damages that would directly redress the damage done to the tenant.
The substitute includes recommended changes made by the Equal Opportunities Commission.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
1. Subsection (2) entitled “Definitions” of Section 39.03 entitled “Equal Opportunities Ordinance” of the Madison General Ordinances is amended as follows:
“Building code complainant means any person who complains to the landlord, or to the Building Inspection Division of the Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development or Public Health Madison and Dane County or to any state or local investigatory or enforcement agency of potential violations of Chapters 7, 18, 19, 27, 28, 29, 30 or 32 of the Madison General Ordinances or their statutory or administrative code equivalents, or for complying with those sections.”
2. Subdivision (a) of Subsection (4) e...
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