(a) The A&TBCB immediately shall send copies of complaints to all interested agencies and persons. In addition, the A&TBCB shall apprise any person who might become a party to compliance proceedings of the alleged instances of noncompliance and afford him/her a reasonable opportunity to respond or submit pertinent documents.

(b) The Executive Director or his/her designee shall seek the cooperation of persons and agencies in obtaining compliance and shall provide assistance and guidance to help them comply voluntarily.

(c) Upon request of the Executive Director, interested agencies or persons, including, but not limited to, occupant agencies, recipients of assistance, and lessors, shall submit to the Executive Director or his/her designee timely, complete, and accurate reports concerning the particular complaint. Reports shall be completed at such times, and in such form containing all information as the Executive Director or his/her designee may prescribe.

(d) The Executive Director, or his/her designee, shall have access during normal business hours to books, records, accounts and other sources of information and facilities as may be pertinent to ascertain compliance. Considerations of privacy or confidentiality asserted by an agency or person may not bar the Executive Director from evaluating such materials or seeking to enforce compliance. The Executive Director may seek a protective order authorizing the use of allegedly confidential materials on terms and conditions specified by the judge.

(e) Complaints should be resolved informally and expeditiously, by the interested persons or agencies. If compliance with the applicable standards is not achieved informally or an impasse concerning the allegations of compliance or noncompliance is reached, the Executive Director will review the matter, including previous attempts by agencies to resolve the complaint, and take actions including, but not limited to, surveying and investigating buildings, monitoring compliance programs of agencies, furnishing technical assistance, such as standard interpretation, to agencies, and obtaining assurances, certifications, and plans of action as may be necessary to ensure compliance.

(f) All actions to informally resolve complaints under paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section shall be completed within one hundred eighty (180) days after receipt of the complaint by all affected agencies and persons. A complaint shall be deemed informally resolved if the person or agencies responsible for the alleged violation either:

(1) Demonstrates to the Executive Director that no violation has occurred, or

(2) Corrects the violation, or

(3) Agrees in writing to implement specific compliance action within a definite time agreed to by the Executive Director, or

(4) Are timely implementing a plan for compliance agreed to by the Executive Director.

No later than ten (10) days after the determination of the one hundred eighty (180) day period, the Executive Director shall either issue a citation under §1150.42, or determine in writing that a citation will not be issued at that time and the reasons that it is considered unnecessary.

(g) A determination not to issue a citation shall be served in accordance with §1150.23 on all interested agencies and persons upon whom a citation would have been served if it had been issued. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (i) of this section, the failure of the Executive Director to take action within the ten (10) day period after termination of the one hundred eighty (180) day informal resolution period shall not preclude the Executive Director from taking action thereafter.

(h) Nothing in paragraphs (a) through (g) of this section shall be construed as precluding the Executive Director before the termination of the one hundred eighty (180) day informal resolution period from:

(1) Issuing a citation if it is reasonably clear that informal resolution cannot be achieved within that time, or

(2) Determining not to issue a citation if it is reasonably clear that compliance can be achieved or that issuance of a citation is not otherwise warranted.

(i) At any time after the expiration of one hundred ninety (190) days after receipt of the complaint by all affected agencies and persons, any person or agency receiving a copy of the complaint, or the complainant, may serve a written request on the Executive Director to issue a citation or determination not to proceed within thirty (30) days. If the Executive Director fails to serve a written response within thirty (30) days of receipt of such a request, the complaint shall be deemed closed.

[53 FR 39474, Oct. 7, 1988]