When the Fair Housing Act was created, a provision was added which required that the enforcement agencies attempt conciliation at all stages of the investigation. Conciliation is much like mediation, in that their goals are the same. The goal is for the parties to reach an equitable agreement to bring about a resolution to the complaint of discrimination. The terms of the agreement will vary depending on the violations alleged and, of course, whether the parties agree to them.
The beginning
Once the housing complaint has been filed and the responding party has been notified, a Commission investigator will make contact and attempt conciliation. The investigator will begin by asking if the parties are open to reaching an agreement. If the parties are agreeable, a face-to-face meeting may be scheduled where the parties can sit and discuss their issues. Otherwise, the investigator will discuss possible terms of a resolution on the telephone with the parties.
The middle
If an agreement is not made, the investigation will continue. At various times during the investigation, the investigator will revisit the conciliation discussions to try and work out an agreement. If this is unsuccessful, the investigation continues.
The end
Once the investigation is complete, the investigator may attempt conciliation again. If discrimination is found in the investigation, the Commission's legal staff will attempt conciliation again. If this is unsuccessful, the case moves forward to a public hearing.