Enforcement.
Winston-Salem City Charter, art. XII, § 47
in effectSec. 47. - Enforcement.
The city council may create or designate a committee or commission to assume the duty and responsibility of enforcing ordinances adopted pursuant to this article. Such body may be granted any authority deemed necessary by the city council for the proper enforcement of any fair housing ordinance, including the power to:
(1) Promulgate rules for the receipt, initiation, investigation and conciliation of complaints of violations of the ordinance.
(2) Conduct public hearings regarding complaints of alleged violations of the ordinances; issue subpoenas, request and require answers to interrogatories; request and require the production of documents and things, and the entry upon land and premises in the possession of a party to a complaint alleging a violation of the ordinances and compel the attendance of witnesses at public hearings under oath or affirmation.
(3) Apply to the General Court of Justice, upon the failure of any person to respond to or to comply with a lawful interrogatory, request for production of documents and things, request to enter upon land and premises, or subpoena, for an order requiring such person to respond or comply.
(4) Apply to the General Court of Justice for mandatory and prohibitory injunctions or temporary restraining orders.
(5) Upon finding reasonable cause to believe that a violation of ordinances has occurred, to petition, with the permission of the city council, the General Court of Justice for appropriate civil relief.
(6) In the event that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 3610(f) determines that it is required that the commission or committee be able to make final decisions and apply to the General Court of Justice without the permission of the city council, the commission or committee shall have the power to:
a. Make final decisions regarding complaints of violations of the ordinances, and
b. Petition the General Court of Justice for appropriate civil relief upon a finding of reasonable cause to believe that a violation of the ordinances has occurred.
(7) If it is further determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 3610(f) the commission or committee must be able to make final decisions reviewable by the General Court of Justice and assess actual damages and civil penalties upon a finding of reasonable cause to believe a violation has occurred, the commission or committee shall have the power to:
a. Make final decisions subject to review by the General Court of Justice within fifteen (15) days of the decision of the commission or committee, and
b. Assess actual damages and/or civil penalties and injunctive or other equitable relief in accordance with the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988.
(Sess. Laws 1981, ch. 608, § 1; Sess. Laws 1989, ch. 864, § 1; Ord. of 1-6-03, § 1)
Source: City of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Code of Ordinances, City Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nc/winston-salem/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTICH_ARTXIIFAHO_S47ENFetched: 11/1/2026