Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Sheila Vitale elected chair of Gahanna Fair Housing Board; city attorney outlines complaint process
Loading...
Summary
At the Gahanna Fair Housing Board's 2026 organizational meeting, members elected Sheila Vitale chair and Evan Ikos vice chair. The city attorney delivered annual training on the board's function, explaining the complaint intake, mediation, potential $1,500 civil penalty, and appeal rights under Ohio law.
Sheila Vitale was elected chair of the Gahanna Fair Housing Board Tuesday evening, and Evan Ikos was chosen as vice chair, during the board's 2026 organizational meeting that Mayor Laurie Jadwin opened.
Vitale was nominated by board member Evan Ikos and accepted the nomination, saying, "I do." The motion to elect Vitale carried on a roll-call vote; later, Vitale moved to elect Ikos as vice chair, he accepted and that motion also passed. Clerk Clark recorded the votes and the board approved the meeting minutes as published.
The city attorney delivered the board's required annual training, describing the Fair Housing Board's role as the city's first level of appeal for local housing nondiscrimination complaints created under the 2022 fair housing ordinance. The attorney said the city prefers an informal, low-cost first step for complainants and described the usual process: "First step is that a person would send the housing officer a very informal complaint," the city attorney said, after which the assistant city attorney (identified in the training as Mr. Roth) reviews the complaint and, if it alleges a potential violation on its face, sends a letter to the landlord asking for a response within 20 days.
If the assistant city attorney's investigation shows the issue falls under state or federal law, the attorney said the complaint would be referred to the appropriate external agency. If the matter involves protections unique to the city ordinance—he cited gender identity, sexual orientation and source of income as examples—the city's fair housing officer attempts mediation. "The fair housing officer also serves as the mediator in those disputes," the city attorney said.
If mediation fails, the assistant city attorney would file a formal complaint and schedule a hearing before the board. The city attorney said a finding of discriminatory practice under the local ordinance can result in a $1,500 civil penalty payable to the city's general fund. He added that the board's decisions can be appealed to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 2506, a process that would generally require an attorney and filing fees.
The city attorney told the board the city has had three initiated complaints to date; all were resolved without coming before the Fair Housing Board. He offered to provide additional training or guidance if and when a formal complaint is filed.
With no further new business, Chair Vitale adjourned the meeting at 6:09 p.m.
