OAR 839 § 839-003-0205
Amending a Housing Discrimination Complaint
Operative Text
(1) The division may amend a complaint to correct technical defects, to add additional persons as respondents and to add additional information found during the investigation of a complaint, including new factual allegations. The division may amend a complaint on its own initiative or at the aggrieved person’s request (with the division's agreement) at any time prior to the issuance of formal charges, except that respondents may only be added during the course of investigation. Examples of technical defects include: clerical errors, additions or deletions, name and address corrections, and statute citation errors. (2) Within 10 days after identifying an additional person who will named as a respondent, the division will serve the person with a copy of the complaint that identifies the alleged discriminatory housing practice and a notice that advises the person of the procedural rights and obligations of the person, including the person’s right to file an answer to the complaint. (a) Such notice, in addition to meeting the requirements of subsection (1)(a), will explain the basis for the division’s belief that the person to whom the notice is addressed is properly joined as a respondent. (b) Each respondent may file, not later than 10 days after receipt of notice from the division, an answer to such complaint. (3) The division will send a copy of the amended complaint to the aggrieved person and all respondents.
OAR 839 § 839-003-0205 governs how Oregon's civil rights division may modify a housing discrimination complaint after it has been filed. The division can correct clerical or technical errors, add new factual information uncovered during investigation, and bring in additional respondents — but new respondents can only be added while the investigation is still ongoing, not after formal charges are issued. Any amended complaint must be shared with all parties, and newly added respondents have the right to receive notice and file an answer within 10 days.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under OAR 839 § 839-003-0205, property owners and managers named as respondents in a housing discrimination complaint should be aware that the division retains authority to amend that complaint — including adding new parties or allegations — at any point before formal charges are issued. When a new respondent is added, the division is required to serve them with a copy of the complaint and a notice explaining why they have been joined and what their procedural rights are. Operators who receive such a notice generally have 10 days from receipt to file a written answer to the complaint.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
OAR 839 § 839-003-0205 gives aggrieved persons the ability to request amendments to a filed housing discrimination complaint, provided the division agrees, up until the point formal charges are issued. This means that if new information surfaces during the investigation — such as the involvement of an additional party — the complaint can be updated to reflect those developments. Tenants who believe an amendment is warranted may contact Oregon's civil rights division directly to make that request, and tenant-rights organizations can help explain what kinds of changes are typically considered appropriate under this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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