The commission has the power to:

(1) promulgate regulations necessary for the enforcement of this chapter which may not exceed the requirements of the 1988 Fair Housing Amendments Act (PL 100-430) and any subsequent amendments to it;

(2) make studies with respect to the nature and extent of discriminatory housing practices in representative urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout the State;

(3) publish and disseminate reports, recommendations, and information derived from the studies;

(4) cooperate with and render technical assistance to public or private agencies, organizations, and institutions within the State which are formulating or carrying on programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices;

(5) cooperate with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to achieve the purposes of that department and with other federal, state, and local agencies and departments;

(6) accept reimbursement pursuant to Title 42, United States Code, Section 3616 for services rendered to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development;

(7) accept gifts or bequests, grants, or other donations, public or private;

(8) institute proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction, for cause shown, to seek appropriate temporary or preliminary injunctive relief pending final administrative disposition of a complaint;

(9) contract with persons and organizations to perform services as it may consider reasonably necessary to effectuate the purposes of this chapter and to accept reimbursement for services rendered pursuant to the contract. However, the commission may not delegate its decision-making authority to a nongovernmental agency. This decision-making authority includes acceptance of complaints, approval of conciliation agreements, dismissal of complaints, final disposition of complaints, or other enforcement powers granted by this chapter;

(10) make contractual agreements within the scope and authority of this chapter with any agency of the federal government. An agreement with the Department of Housing and Urban Development may include provisions under which the department shall refrain from processing a charge in this State in any class specified in the agreement;.

(11) administer the programs and activities relating to housing in a manner affirmatively to further the policies of this chapter.

HISTORY: 1989 Act No. 72, Section 1; 1990 Act No. 445, Section 1.