Orange County NC Website
5 <br />telephone, provided the State or local Agency, or <br />HUD reduces the information to writing which is <br />subsequently signed, affirmed, attested to, or <br />notarized by the complainant, as prescribed by the <br />relevant State or local law. <br />C. <br />D. <br />4. The Agency is required to dual-file a housing <br />discrimination complaint within 5 days of its <br />receipt. <br />Amendment of Complaints <br />Complaints may be reasonably and fairly amended at any <br />time. Such amendments may include, but are not limited <br />to: amendments to cure technical defects or omissions, <br />including failure to sign or affirm a complaint, to <br />clarify or amplify the allegations in a complaint, or <br />to join additional or substitute respondents. Except <br />for purposes of notifying additional respondents, <br />amended complaints will be considered as having been <br />made as of the original filing date. <br />Notification to Respondents <br />_1. The State nor lacal Agency will serve a notice on <br />each respondent. A person who is nat named as a <br />respondent in a complaint, but. who is identified <br />as a respondent in the course of the <br />investigation, may be joined as an additional or <br />substitute respondent by service of a notice on <br />the person or otherwise in accordance with State <br />and local laws or regulations. <br />2. The notice will identify the alleged housing <br />discrimination practice upon which the complaint <br />is based, and include a copy of the complaint. <br />3. If the person is not named in the complaint, but <br />is being joined as an additional or substitute <br />respondent, the notice will explain the basis for <br />the Agency's belief that the joined person is <br />properly joined as a respondent. <br />4. The notice will indicate that the respondent may <br />file an answer not later than ten days after <br />receipt of the notice. The respondent may assert <br />any defense that might be available to a defendant <br />in a court of law. The answer must be signed, <br />affirmed, attested to or notarized in accordance <br />with the prescribed State or local law. <br />5. An answer may be .reasonably and fairly amended at <br />any time with the consent of the head or official <br />designee of the State or local Agency. <br />