1. a. If timely election is made under section 216.16A, subsection 1, the agency shall authorize, and not later than thirty days after the election ismade, the attorney general shall filea civil action on behalf of the aggrieved person in a district court seeking relief. b. Venue for an action under this section is inthe county in which the respondent resides or has its principal place of business, or in the county in which the alleged discriminatory housing or real estate practice occurred. c. An aggrieved person may intervene in the action. d. If the district court finds that a discriminatory housing or real estate practice has occurred or isabout to occur, the district court may grant as relief any relief that a court may grant in a civil action under subsection 6. e. If monetary relief is sought for the benefit of an aggrieved person who does not intervene in the civil action, the district court shall not award the monetary relief if that aggrieved person has not complied with discovery orders entered by the district court. 2. An agency order under section 216.15A, subsection 11, and an agency or commission order that has been substantially affirmed by judicial review, do not affect a contract, sale, encumbrance, or lease that was consummated before the agency or commission issued the order and involved a bona fide purchaser, encumbrancer, or tenant who did not have actual notice of the charge issued under this chapter. 3. Ifthe agency or commission issues an order with respect to a discriminatory housing practice that occurred in the course of a business subject to a licensing or regulation by a governmental agency, the agency or commission, not later than thirty days after the date of issuance of the order, shall do all of the following: a. Send copies of the findings and the order to the governmental agency. b. Recommend to the governmental agency appropriate disciplinary action. 4. Ifthe agency or commission issues an orderagainst a respondent against whomanother order was issued within the preceding five years under section 216.15A, subsection 11, the agency shall send a copy of each order issued under that section to the attorney general. 5. On application by a person alleging a discriminatory housing practice or by a person against whom a discriminatory practice isalleged, the districtcourt may appoint an attorney for the person. 6. In an action under subsection 1 and section 216.16A, subsection 2, ifthe district court finds that a discriminatory housing or real estate practice has occurred or isabout to occur, the district court may award or issue to the plaintiff one or more of the following: a. Actual and punitive damages. b. Reasonable attorney’s fees. c. Court costs. d. Subject to subsection 7, any permanent or temporary injunction, temporary restraining order,orother order, including anorderenjoining the defendant from engaging inthepractice or ordering appropriate affirmative action. 7. Relief granted under this section does not affect a contract, sale, encumbrance, or lease that was consummated before the granting of the relief and involved a bona fide purchaser, encumbrancer, or tenant who did not have actual notice of the filing of a complaint under this chapter or a civilaction under this section. 8. a. On the request of the agency or commission, the attorney general may intervene in an action under section 216.16A, subsection 2, ifthe agency or commission certifies that the case is of general public importance. b. The attorney general may obtain the same relief available to the attorney general under subsection 9. 9. a. On the request of the agency or commission, the attorney general may file a civil action in district court forappropriate reliefif the agencyor commission has reasonablecause to believe that any of the following applies: (1) A person is engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of any housing right granted by this chapter. (2) A person has been denied any housing right granted by this chapter and that denial raises an issue of general public importance. b. In an action under this subsection and subsection 8, the district court may do any of the following: (1) Order preventive relief, including a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining order, or other order against the person responsible for a violation of housing rights as necessary to assure the fullenjoyment of the housing rights granted by this chapter. (2) Order another appropriate relief, including the awarding of monetary damages, reasonable attorney’s fees, and court costs. (3) To vindicate the public interest, assess a civil penalty against the respondent in an amount that does not exceed any of the following: (a) Fifty thousand dollars for a firstviolation. (b) One hundred thousand dollars for a second or subsequent violation. c. A person may intervene in an action under this section ifthe person is any of the following: (1) An aggrieved person to the discriminatory housing or real estate practice. (2) A party to a mediation agreement concerning the discriminatory housing or real estate practice. 10. The attorney general, on behalf of the agency or other party at whose request a subpoena isissued, may enforce the subpoena in appropriate proceedings in district court. 11. A court in a civil action brought under this section or the agency in an administrative hearing under section 216.15A, subsection 11, may award reasonable attorney’s fees to the prevailing party and assess court costs against the nonprevailing party. CS91, §601A.17A C93, §216.17A
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