Chapter 4. Complaint Resolution of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 24. >> Part 6. >> Chapter 4.

Any applicant for a real estate loan in connection with a housing accommodation claimed to be aggrieved by an alleged violation of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 35810) of this part, or any rule or regulation adopted thereunder, may file a complaint with the secretary.

Immediately upon receipt of the complaint, the secretary shall endeavor to eliminate any alleged unlawful practice by conference, conciliation, or persuasion.

If, in accordance with procedures established for the resolution of complaints by the secretary, and within 30 days of receiving the complaint, the secretary finds that a financial institution has engaged in any unlawful practice as defined in this part, the secretary shall state in a written decision his or her findings of fact and shall cause such financial institution to be served with a copy of the decision and an order issued by the secretary requiring it to cease and desist from such practice and to take one of the following steps as, in the judgment of the secretary, will effectuate the purposes of this part:
  (a) The making of the financial assistance or the making of the financial assistance on nondiscriminatory terms; or
  (b) The payment of damages to the complainant in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), if the secretary finds that effective relief under subdivision (a) is no longer available. The secretary may require a report of the manner of compliance. If the secretary finds that a financial institution has not engaged in any practice which constitutes a violation of this part, the secretary shall issue a written decision incorporating his findings of fact and shall cause to be served upon the complainant and the financial institution involved a copy of the decision.

The decision of the secretary shall be final unless, within ten days from the date of receipt thereof, the complainant or financial institution files a written request with the secretary for a formal administrative hearing. Upon receipt of such a written request, the secretary shall file a copy thereof with the Office of Administrative Hearings. Within 20 days of receipt of the copy of such request, the Office of Administrative Hearings shall commence a hearing on the merits pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500), Part 1, Division 3, Title 2 of the Government Code, except that the decision of the hearing officer shall be a final decision and binding upon the secretary. The decision shall be in accordance with the provisions of Section 35822 and shall be rendered within 45 days of receipt of the copy of the request for a hearing by the Office of Administrative Hearings. The secretary shall represent the complainant at such hearing if the secretary's decision rendered pursuant to Section 35822 was in favor of the complainant. Judicial review may be obtained by the complainant or the financial institution by filing a petition for writ of mandate in accordance with the provisions of Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure. In any such judicial proceeding, the court may exercise its independent judgment on the evidence included in the record of the administrative hearing and may additionally consider evidence which was improperly excluded by the hearing officer and any other relevant evidence not included in the record of the administrative hearing which the court finds the offering party could not, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, have produced at the administrative hearing. The court may in its discretion award costs or reasonable attorney fees, or both, to the complainant if the complainant is the prevailing party, without regard to whether such judicial action is brought by the complainant or by the financial institution.