A. "Age" refers to persons 18 years of age and older and otherwise legally able to contract.

B. "Agency" means the Community Development Agency of Pierce County.

C. "City" means the Executive Director of the Human Rights Department of the City of Tacoma and the Tacoma Human Rights Department staff.

D. "Charging party" includes any individual alleging on his/her own behalf to have been personally aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatory practice.

E. "Conciliation" means a written settlement generally providing full relief for the charging party after a determination of reasonable cause has been accepted. Such agreement requires the signatures of the respondent and a city representative. The charging party may also be signatory to such an agreement.

F. "Housing accommodation" means any building, structure or part thereof which is used or occupied, or is intended, arranged or designed to be used or occupied, as a residence, home or place of habitation of one or more human beings, including a mobile home or a trailer and any land for sale, lease or use as a site for a building, structure, or part thereof intended or designed to be used or occupied as a residence, home, or place of habitation of one or more human beings, including a mobile home park or a trailer camp.

G. "Marital status" includes being married, separated, divorced, widowed or single.

H. "Negotiated settlement" means a signed agreement between the charging party and the respondent in a particular case prior to a finding on the merits of the charge. The city may also be signatory to such an agreement. A negotiated settlement should not be taken as evidence that the respondent has or has not engaged in any unlawful discriminatory activity.

I. "Person" includes one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, corporations, organizations, cooperatives, legal representatives, trustees, and receivers or any group of persons; it includes any owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, agent or employee, whether one or more natural persons; and further includes Pierce County and any political or civil subdivisions thereof and any agency or instrumentality of Pierce County or any political or civil subdivision thereof.

J. "Reasonable cause" means that a determination has been made that the evidence produced by the city staff's investigation is adequate to support a reasonable conclusion that unlawful discrimination has occurred or is occurring. Such determination allows for the continuance of the administrative process including, but not limited to, attempts at conciliation.

K. "Religion" includes all aspects of religious observance and practice, including belief.

L. "Respondent" includes any person or entity against whom a complaint or charge of unlawful practice is filed with the city.

M. "Sensory, mental or physical handicap" means any condition or characteristic that renders a person a "handicapped person." A "handicapped person" should be defined as any person who: