Ottawa — Ch. 46 Human Relations § 46-36

(a) Creation. There is created the city human relations commission which shall consist of seven members appointed by the mayor with consent and approval of the council.
(b) Composition. All seven members of the commission shall be appointed from residents of the city, and they shall be representative of all segments of the community, to wit: religious, racial, education, labor, civic, management and government groups. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation.
(c) Appointments. Members of the commission shall be appointed and removable by the mayor, with the consent of the council. In the first instance, three members shall be appointed for a term of three years, two for a term of two years, and two for a term of one year. Thereafter each member appointed shall serve for a term of three years or until his successor is duly appointed and qualified. The mayor shall designate one of the members of the commission to be its chairman. Four members shall constitute a quorum and the concurrence of a majority of the commission shall be necessary for board action. All meetings shall be open to the general public except conciliation efforts.
(d) Purpose. The purpose of the commission is as follows:
(1) To promote the American ideal of equality and justice.
(2) To further understanding between people.
(3) To encourage and facilitate wise adjustments to social problems and opportunities.
(4) To study the nature and cause of prejudices and make recommendations for improvements.
(5) Develop, by various publicity and training media, improved intergroup relations, which in turn develop respect for equal rights without regard to the factors set out in the definition of unlawful discrimination.
(6) To bring about mutual understanding and respect among all people in the city in order that prejudice, intolerance, bigotry, discrimination and disorder occasioned thereby, be eliminated.
(e) Commission duties and powers. The commission shall have and exercise the following duties and powers:
(1) To act to eliminate unlawful real estate practices.
(2) To act to ensure to persons living, working or desiring to live in the city, an opportunity to purchase, lease or occupy real property in the city without unlawful discrimination.
(3) To receive, initiate and investigate complaints alleging unlawful real estate practices. Any complaint initiated by or received by the commission shall be in writing and signed by the chairman of the commission and shall fully set forth circumstances of the alleged violation and the source of all information upon which the complaint is based, including the names and addresses of all complainants. A copy of such written complaint shall be served upon the party alleged to be in violation of this article.
(4) To eliminate any unfair real estate practice by conciliation, conference, and/or persuasion.
(5) To hold public hearings in the event that its efforts under subsection (e)(3) of this section are ineffective, or where it deems that such efforts will be ineffective.
(6) To render from time to time, but not less than every six months, a written report to the council of its activities and recommendations with respect to fair real estate practices, which written reports shall be made public after submission to the council.
Cross reference-- Boards, commissions and committees, § 2-441 et seq.