Civil Rights Enforcement
To carry out its mission, the Human Relations Council established the Office of Civil Rights to enforce the anti-discrimination ordinances in the City of Dayton. The HRC has broad authority to award damages, impose penalties and fines, mandate training and policy changes, and grant injunctive or equitable relief to ensure equity and fairness for all in our community.
About the Office of Justice and Inclusion
The Human Relations Council (HRC) is responsible for the civil rights enforcement of anti-discrimination ordinances outlined in the City of Dayton’s Revised Code of General Ordinances (R.C.G.O) §§32.02-32.21 and §32.99.
These ordinances protect our community from discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, and credit transactions on the basis of an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or source of income.
Complaints
Complaints may be initiated by the HRC Board or accepted and investigated from individuals alleging discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or source of income. There is NO COST to file a complaint. You can download our complaint brochure here.
If you believe that you have been the victim of discrimination,
this a complaint can be submitted directly to our intake team through our online portal at: [Link]. Alternatively, you may submit a complaint by printing and turning in the HRC Civil Rights Discrimination Complaint Form.
Employment
The City of Dayton’s anti-discrimination ordinances prohibit discrimination in employment. Our jurisdiction applies to employers located within the City of Dayton with four (4) or more employees.
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You can review our employment discrimination ordinances here.
Fair Housing
The HRC is certified as a Fair Housing Assistance Program with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This means that HUD has determined that the City of Dayton enforces laws that provides substantive rights, procedures, remedies and judicial review provisions that are substantially equivalent to the federal Fair Housing Act.
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You can review our fair housing ordinances here.
Public Accomodations
The City of Dayton’s ordinances prohibit discrimination in the area of public accommodations. This applies to the owner of any business or place of public accommodation as well as any agent representing the establishment. As a certified Welcoming City, Dayton strives to be a place where our community can live without being without being subject to discrimination.
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You can review our public accommodations ordinances here.
Credit Transactions
While the Fair Housing Act addresses fair lending and credit transactions related to mortgages, the City’s ordinances prohibit discrimination in any credit transaction. The ordinance does not bar a creditor from reviewing an application for credit on the basis of established criteria as long as it is not discriminatory.
You can review our credit discrimination ordinances here.
Questions About Language Access?
The City of Dayton works to provide meaningful access to its services for those with limited English proficiency. Community members encountering language access barriers should reach out to Welcome Dayton staff here.
Resources
If you need to learn more about what the Office of Civil Rights does or find resources for discrimination at the county, state, or federal level, check out our resources below.
Office Contact
To contact the Office of Civil Rights, please reach out to us by email or phone at:
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(937)333-1400