Human Rights Commission Annual Retreat April 23, 2022 Virtual/Electronic Meeting 10:00am Agenda Packet Attachments 1. Agenda 2. 03-17-2022 HRC Regular Meeting Minutes 3. 03-24-2020 HRC Community Engagement Committee Town Hall Meeting Minutes 4. Jan. 2021 – Apr. 2022 Summary of HRC Work 5. 2021 OHR Individual Service Data & Key Takeaways 6. 02-27-2021 HRC Annual Retreat Minutes Attachment 1 Human Rights Commission AGENDA Annual Retreat April 23, 2022 Virtual/Electronic Meeting 10:00 am Please take Notice that this virtual meeting of the Human Rights Commission is for the purposes of planning, developing and drafting management and administration documents for the Human Rights Commission. This will be a virtual/electronic meeting open to the public and registration information is available at www.charlottesville.gov/zoom.. Link to Human Rights Commission shared Box folder: https://app.box.com/s/xty3wnn2s1tj8h7trkknvd79bipyxezy 1. WELCOME (5 minutes) a. CALL TO ORDER b. ROLL CALL c. MISSION (recited by all): Act as a strong advocate to justice and equal opportunity by providing citywide leadership and guidance in the area of civil rights. 2. MINUTES (5 minutes) a. 03-17-2022 HRC Regular Meeting b. 03-24-2022 HRC Community Engagement Committee Town Hall Meeting 3. WORK SESSION (2.5 hours) a. Review of HRC work in 2021 (30 minutes) b. Review of OHR work in 2021 (30 minutes) c. Planning for in-person meetings (15 minutes) d. Break (15 minutes) e. Strategic planning for 2022 (1 hour and 30 minutes) i. Identifying focused goals and developing action plan 4. COMMISSIONER UPDATES (5-15 minutes) 5. NEXT STEPS & ADJOURN * ACTION NEEDED Individuals with disabilities who require assistance or special arrangements to participate in the public meeting may call the ADA Coordinator at (434) 970-3182 or submit a request via email to ada@charlottesville.gov. The City of Charlottesville requests that you provide a 48-hour notice so that proper arrangements may be made. Attachment 2 Human Rights Commission Meeting Minutes Regular Meeting March 17, 2022 Virtual/Electronic Meeting 6:30 pm Public link to meeting rebroadcasts on Boxcast: https://boxcast.tv/channel/vabajtzezuyv3iclkx1a Public link to HRC documents on Box: https://app.box.com/s/xty3wnn2s1tj8h7trkknvd79bipyxezy 1) WELCOME a) CALL TO ORDER i) Chair, Jessica Harris, called the meeting to order at 6:33 pm b) ROLL CALL i) Jessica Harris ii) Ernest Chambers iii) Jeanette Abi-Nader iv) Mary Bauer v) Wolfgang Keppley vi) Kathryn Laughon vii) Erika Robinson viii) Andy Orban ix) Lyndele Von Schill c) MISSION (recited by all): Act as a strong advocate to justice and equal opportunity by providing citywide leadership and guidance in the area of civil rights. 2) MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC a) PUBLIC COMMENT i) None b) COMMISSION RESPONSE TO MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC i) None 3) MINUTES a) Review of minutes from 2/17/2022 HRC Regular Meeting i) Vote (1) In favor: 7 (2) Opposed: 0 (3) Abstained: 2 b) Review of minutes from 2/22/2022 HRC Public and Subsidized Housing Panel Discussion i) Vote (1) In favor: 6 (2) Opposed: 0 (3) Abstained: 3 4) BUSINESS MATTERS a) Chair update i) Welcome to new Commissioner Erika Robinson ii) Idea for holding a monthly gathering downtown where people can talk to the HRC, or some other way to be visible to the public (1) Commissioner expresses support for monthly walk or tabling event; suggests it be outside (2) Commissioner has concerns that a monthly event would not be sustainable (a) Says HRC used to table at many already established events; this may be more sustainable (b) OHR staff says Office used to attend various events around the community and expresses hope to continue once events are safely occurring again (i) There will be an in-person outreach opportunity at Riverside public housing on Friday, March 25 3pm-5pm (ii) Will keep an eye out for future community events (3) Commissioner agrees that event-by-event basis would be more sustainable (4) Chair asks for someone from Community Engagement committee to be in charge of looking for potential events at which to make an appearance iii) Attended Virginia Association of Human Rights meeting 2/28 (1) Encouraging to hear about what other Commissions are doing (a) For instance, some are doing work with high schoolers (2) Interested to continue attending these meetings and applying what she has learned to the Charlottesville HRC (3) OHR staff says HRC has received invitation for the next full membership meeting on 3/28 (a) Can attend as long as you are not discussing or voting on local HRC business (b) If interested, let Todd know iv) Recap of Councilor Payne meeting with Vice-Chair (1) Will forward email with issues with housing Councilor Payne is aware of (2) Councilor Payne provided a good framework for how to engage with City Council (3) Focus on 3-5 things at the retreat to talk about (a) Will have to have someone from the community (like Councilor Payne) to help the Commission address these key ideas (b) Not just present the problem, but also provide solutions (4) Vice-Chair adds that Councilor Payne said if there is something especially important, the HRC should keep it in front of Council (a) Email, text, etc.; any way to make them recognize its importance v) Todd promoted the HRC and upcoming Town Hall meeting on TV vi) Met with Col. Martin Kumer after the last regular meeting to thank him for attending the meeting (1) Chair has plans to visit the ACRJ vii) Thanks Shelby, Victoria, and Joy for presenting at the housing panel discussion b) OHR Staff report i) Report is attached in agenda ii) Meeting for people currently experiencing homelessness has been rescheduled for 3/29 at 10am in the Swanson Case Room (2nd floor of the Downtown Library) (1) Hear directly from people currently living on the streets and how they are feeling about the homeless system of care (2) Goes nicely with talks with Deputy City Manager Ashley Marshall about how to best address homelessness in Charlottesville iii) Budget meetings are occurring (1) Does not seem that there are any increases besides 7% increase for staff cost of living (2) Asked for another position for Investigator, but it is not in the budget (a) Affects capacity to become a FHAP (b) Has drafted revised Ordinance with substantial equivalence, but still has questions about technical terms for Eric Steinecker (c) Must present everything to Council; if you pass an Ordinance without staff to enforce it, there may be significant challenges (i) Something to think about is how to advocate for staffing (3) Chair says that during meeting with Councilor Payne, they did mention the need for additional staff and budget (a) This is something to repeatedly bring to his attention to make sure the additional funding happens (i) Say what the OHR/HRC needs and why it needs it (4) Commissioner asks what the overall ask was (a) Full ask was $76,759, which includes all employment costs (FICA, retirement, health care, life insurance, etc.) (5) Chair asks how many more employees are needed (a) A three-person team of someone to do initial intake, someone to do investigation, and an administrative judge would be the minimum to make the Office effective (i) Depends on how many cases get redirected from HUD (may find that the Office needs more) (ii) Research fellow would help FOIA HUD for all cases that would have been in OHR's jurisdiction for the last 5 years; can do the same with the EEOC (b) This could be something to talk about at the retreat to determine what the OHR needs and make sure City Council knows (6) Commissioner asks whether Ordinance needs to be done before pursuing this (a) OHR staff says the first two positions are mostly filled and all that is left is the Investigator position; thinks it is a conversation with Council and the City Attorney’s Office as to when it is the HRC’s obligation to start addressing changes to the Ordinance iv) Ashley Marshall suggested having a panel of experts after the Town Hall to discuss topics; also mentioned that if there are big parking lot ideas that emerge, there is a possibility of a graduate-level research fellow that could help with deeper analysis of how to become a FEPA/FHAP (1) Can relay questions back to Ashley 5) WORK SESSION a) HRC Rules & Procedures proposed revisions i) Chair proposes taking out Martha’s Rules and replacing them with Robert’s Rules because that is what the Commission actually does (1) Commissioner wonders whether rules will change when meetings go back to an in-person format, as Martha’s Rules would make more sense in person, while Robert’s Rules make more sense in an online format (2) Commissioner says she does not feel strongly about which rules the Commission uses, but did find Martha’s Rules to be more liberating in terms of voting logistics (3) Chair adds Robert’s Rules make it easier for someone taking notes to know who voted for what ii) Commissioner says Commission used to get bogged down in the minutiae of voting logistics and asks if HRC could instead make tweaks to Martha’s Rules, like having verbal votes (1) Prefers Martha’s Rules as a matter of equity and moving meetings forward iii) Commissioner says it is up to the HRC’s discretion for which rules to use and suggests taking what the Commission likes out of both sets of rules and creating a simple set of how the HRC conducts business (1) Another Commissioner agrees and says that there may be a way in Martha’s Rules to individually call on members to voice their positions; would be in favor of this or creating combined rules iv) Chair summarizes that Commission wants to keep Martha’s Rules or create new rules from Martha’s and Robert’s (1) Commissioner expresses support for amending Martha’s Rules instead of re-adopting Robert’s Rules (2) Another Commissioner says amending Martha’s Rules may not be necessary and that there is already a way to do a roll-call vote v) OHR staff adds that Commission has done a hybrid system for a long time, which has worked, so it could make sense to codify a unique set of rules with everything included that is relevant and helpful for the Commission (1) Jessica and Kathryn can re-draft the rules (2) Kathryn will take first look (a) Make sure to include roll-call votes b) Draft CY2020 HRC & OHR Annual Report i) Chair asks Todd if current Chair suffices for formality since some of the report is from before she was a Commissioner (1) This works; Todd can also make note of who was Chair at the time of the report (2) Todd’s responsibility to present the Annual Report; no need to vote on it (3) Chair asks Todd to provide a summary page for the Annual Report (a) Todd will work on an executive summary ii) Commissioner asks if there is a way to better share the Annual Report with the general public (1) OHR staff says that all reports, resolutions, letters, etc. are available online currently (2) Lyndele will help ensure the summary is in plain language c) Community Engagement: 3/24/2022 Town Hall Meeting planning i) 185 responses to the survey ii) Based on some of the responses, Chair suggests having some kind of FAQ page on the website about what the Commission can and cannot do (1) OHR staff says FAQ page already exists, and asks for feedback regarding questions that could be added to it iii) Chair would like to practice how the Town Hall will work; asks OHR staff if they can practice with Communications before the Town Hall (1) Todd can ask Communications after this meeting if they can help get the meeting set up before the date iv) Chair asks OHR staff about format of meeting (1) Could do Zoom webinar like this regular meeting with attendees and panelists, or a Zoom meeting in which everyone is a panelist (a) Only Zoom meetings allow for breakout rooms (b) OHR staff can ask Communications about more capabilities once the Commission decides on webinar vs meeting (2) Chair would like to have a Zoom meeting for the breakout rooms, though this would be more difficult in terms of control and keeping track of minutes in breakout rooms v) Chair opens floor to thoughts regarding Town Hall format (1) Commissioner suggests continuing the webinar format because this is the first Town Hall, Communications is comfortable with the format, and it allows for more control (a) Could do 30-minute time slots, and if not everyone gets to speak, that means another Town Hall is necessary (b) Can adjust as needed for next time (2) OHR staff proposes breaking the time down into specific questions—introducing a topic, then having public comment for 30min blocks where people can speak for 3 minutes vi) Chair asks OHR staff if Communications can know how many people have registered (1) Have not yet decided on a meeting format yet, so the link probably has not yet been posted vii) Chair asks whether there could be main speakers at the event (1) John Sales volunteered to partner (2) Commissioner suggests asking any stakeholder involved in housing to speak (3) Commissioner says that since this is the first meeting, it may be beneficial to have more listening time rather than having many speakers viii) Once a meeting format is chosen, Todd and Lachen can write up a release to advertise the Town Hall and its topic ix) Commissioner suggests talking about the Town Hall at the next City Council meeting (1) Commissioner suggests asking Councilor Michael Payne to announce the Town Hall at the City Council meeting (a) Jessica will ask him to do this x) The Town Hall meeting will be in a webinar format xi) Number of topics discussed will depend on how people members of the public want to speak (1) Top 3 on poll were emergency housing; affordable public/subsidized housing; and accessibility for people with disabilities xii) The two meeting topics will be emergency housing and quality of affordable public/subsidized housing (1) Can build in a little flexibility to allow for additional discussion related to the two topics xiii) Commissioner suggests having levels of conversation: what is going well, what is going poorly, how to improve (1) Commissioner suggests introducing discussion with these three points rather than setting aside specific time for each xiv) Could set aside ~45min for each topic, then have open time at the end for additional discussion xv) Can keep discussion more controlled by limiting speakers to 3min xvi) Commissioner suggests publishing the Town Hall format and questions to the public ahead of time to give them time to formulate responses xvii) Summary (1) Webinar (2) 45min for each topic, 3min per speaker (3) Send notification of meeting and its format to Councilor Payne to share with public beforehand d) 4/23/2022 HRC Retreat planning i) Chair wants to have a training for Commissioners (1) Goal is to walk out of retreat with 3-5 topics to focus on with a Councilmember supporting ii) Commissioner recommends retreat points of discussion (1) Asks if budget will be passed by then (a) Probably not, as the Governor must pass state budget in mid-April (2) Suggests deciding what to do with Town Hall during the retreat (3) Suggests making a plan for outreach if community event information is available (a) Fridays After 5 may be back iii) Commissioner asks if it is too late to get free training from Right to Be (name changed from Hollaback) (1) Lyndele will contact them (2) Right to Be bystander training would be useful for the HRC to help build up the group and have a baseline framework for anti-racism work iv) OHR staff brings up annual obligation to explain FOIA (Freedom of Information Act), conflicts of interest, VA Public Records Act (1) Can ask Allyson Davies to talk about these v) Commissioner proposes renting a Charlottesville City picnic shelter to gather in person, weather permitting (1) Would be harder to record meeting and allow the public access (2) Commissioner says in the past, the retreat has not been recorded (3) OHR staff does not think any in-person gatherings are allowed at the moment (a) Also, it is a public meeting, so although it does not need to be broadcasted, there must be minutes vi) Commissioner says there are two types of bystander trainings listed on the website: bystander intervention in public spaces and bystander training in the workplace (1) Reads the descriptions for each (2) Chair also had in mind the bystander intervention to stop police- sponsored violence training instead (3) Lyndele will ask about availability for the police-sponsored violence training 6) COMMISSIONER UPDATES a) Lyndele i) Her organization, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, works with the National Society of Black Physicists (1) Organization will sponsor their annual conference in Charlottesville, which will happen 11/6-11/9 in Downtown Charlottesville (Paramount, Jefferson School, etc.) (a) City of Charlottesville and NSBP event (2) There will be about 500 Black physicists, with 300 of them being undergrad and grad students (3) Students would like to work with local schoolchildren, so they are trying to bring schoolchildren to the Paramount to interact with the undergrad and grad students ii) NSBP could collaborate with the HRC (1) OHR staff is open to visitors at OHR during the conference (2) Commissioner suggests some kind of letter or welcome statement (3) Commissioner recommends bringing this up to the City Schools Superintendent as soon as possible to coordinate with people in the city (a) Could give them a tour of Charlottesville City Schools facilities (4) Todd and Jessica could greet them downtown iii) Lyndele will ask them what kind of collaboration is possible b) Kathryn i) Had sent email about opportunity for civil rights pilgrimage from Charlottesville (1) May be full at this point ii) Lots of opportunity for community engagement with the Swords into Plowshares project (project to transform the Lee statue material) (1) There are many ambassadors that come to various community groups for feedback (2) HRC could attend or host a meeting facilitating or giving feedback (3) They specifically want to hear about public spaces iii) Kathryn has contact information (1) Lyndele’s workplace would likely be interested; Kathryn will forward her the information (2) Could invite ambassadors to an HRC meeting iv) Chair says that various people have asked about partnerships/collaboration with the HRC, so she encourages Commissioners to invite interested people to an HRC meeting to present 7) MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC a) PUBLIC COMMENT i) John Sales (1) Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority Executive Director (2) Welcomes communication between the HRC and CRHA to better serve residents of the community b) COMMISSION RESPONSE TO MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC i) Jessica (1) Invites Mr. Sales to the Town Hall next Thursday, 3/24 (2) Will send him more information via email 8) NEXT STEPS a) Jessica i) Help Kathryn codify a draft of new HRC rules ii) Write Michael Payne to announce Town Hall meeting and its format during the next City Council meeting iii) Send John Sales more information about the 3/24 Town Hall b) Kathryn i) Codify a draft of new HRC rules with Jessica ii) Send contact information for Swords into Plowshares project ambassadors to Lyndele and Jessica c) Lyndele i) Help create plain language version of CY2020 Annual Report executive summary ii) Contact Right to Be about giving a police-sponsored violence training during the HRC Retreat iii) Ask NSBP what kind of collaboration with the HRC would be possible d) Todd i) Add names of previous Chairs in CY2020 draft and create draft of an executive summary ii) Talk to Communications about Town Hall setup iii) Work with Lachen to publicize notification about Town Hall to the public iv) Ask Allyson Davies to talk at the retreat 9) ADJOURN a) Meeting adjourned at 8:21 pm Attachment 3 Human Rights Commission Meeting Minutes Community Engagement Committee – Town Hall March 24, 2022 Virtual/Electronic Meeting 6:30 pm Public link to meeting rebroadcasts on Boxcast: https://boxcast.tv/channel/vabajtzezuyv3iclkx1a Public link to HRC documents on Box: https://app.box.com/s/xty3wnn2s1tj8h7trkknvd79bipyxezy 1) WELCOME a) CALL TO ORDER i) Chair, Jessica Harris, called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm b) ROLL CALL i) Jessica Harris ii) Ernest Chambers iii) Jeanette Abi-Nader iv) Mary Bauer v) Wolfgang Keppley vi) Kathryn Laughon vii) Lyndele Von Schill c) MISSION (recited by all): Act as a strong advocate to justice and equal opportunity by providing citywide leadership and guidance in the area of civil rights. d) Chair welcomes the public to the Town Hall listening session and explains that each speaker will have 3 minutes to speak and a maximum of 45 minutes dedicated to each topic 2) TOWN HALL TOPIC (PUBLIC COMMENT) – Emergency Housing (45 minutes) a) Sage Bowyer i) Most affordable housing in Charlottesville is unaffordable for SSI and SSD individuals ii) These individuals only make about $841 per month, but most low-income places are about $800 per month b) Rich Gregory i) Requests Chair repeat the mission statement ii) Treasurer of the Alliance for Interfaith Ministry (1) Helps those who are unemployed, on disability, or retired get affordable housing iii) AIM has had to change bylaws to house people in surrounding counties because there is no way to move into affordable housing in Charlottesville without a waitlist c) Anna Mendez i) Executive Director of Partner for Mental Health ii) PMH has observed that many community members banned from emergency housing options are disproportionately people who live with mental health diagnoses iii) TJACH has allowed PMH to help some of these individuals who are prohibited from using emergency shelters with motel rooms iv) Encourages the City to invest in helping all service providers who are providing emergency shelter to people who are highly likely to have a behavioral health condition v) Investing in professional development skills and values necessary to interact with these people will result in their ability to maintain shelter d) Nancy Carpenter i) Emergency housing is right to shelter ii) Some people are unable to access shelter at some of all parts of the year (1) Some people want shelter but cannot get it because they own a pet (2) Some do not want to get split up iii) Says the answer is more housing than emergency shelter; should look for policy options that have deeply affordable housing iv) Emergency housing needs a definition v) Says that the government keeps those who are unable to work in poverty e) Gwen Cassady i) managinglove.org ii) Was homeless 10 years ago while attending UVA grad school; yesterday received certificate from Harvard for creating sustainable cities and communities iii) Deemed expert in global homelessness by the UN; presented twice at last intergovernmental dialogue on global homelessness iv) Finland has no homelessness because of the Housing First policy; should focus on this v) Designing first net positive small-home community for the currently homeless veterans in the Charlottesville area vi) Need to focus on many issues, but homelessness and affordable housing should be at the top f) Rich Gregory i) UVA’s housing policy is charging market rate for students, which drives up the cost for other residents ii) Ideally, UVA would have 100 free rooms at any given time with resources so homeless people could use them, but the University is not doing enough g) Ocean Aiello i) Staff member at the Haven Day Shelter downtown ii) Interpreted emergency housing as access to overnight shelter iii) Highlights Anna Mendez’s point that those unable to access Salvation Army and PACEM typically need extra support iv) Encourages talking to the people who fall into this group v) Solution to homelessness is housing (1) Need access to housing and more vouchers, as well as increase in supply h) Daniela Pretzer i) Executive Director of the Bridgeline (nonprofit organization serving adults with brain injuries) ii) Wants to point out that in the homeless community, at least 53% have a brain injury iii) Problem is that people with brain injuries are often less understood because they have behaviors that are out of the norm iv) It is possible for emergency and affordable housing to be accessible, because accessibility works for everyone v) People in this community typically have no money (1) They often must live in Charlottesville to access health care i) Nancy Carpenter i) Think about respite emergency housing for those coming out of UVA who do not have a good housing plan ii) Need to be able to recuperate; there is a need for medical respite beds (1) Micah Ministries in Fredericksburg possibly has medical respite beds (2) Creates more time to create a housing plan j) Sage Bowyer i) Women on SSI and disability are more likely to stay in domestic violence situations than those who can afford to leave k) Ang Conn i) Need to think about hotline and outreach in addition to emergency housing ii) There is not a line for people to call on the weekend iii) Many places require intake, presenting at the ER, or going to the police department iv) Must think about the traumas imposed on people who have had negative experiences with the health care system, as well as the effect on the health care system as a whole l) Gwen Cassady i) Recommends implementing a development tax, especially for high rollers developing million-dollar town homes (1) Taxes are allocated for emergency housing services ii) Should emulate what is happening nationally and internationally (1) Should focus on helping agencies like PACEM, the Haven, and Salvation Army (2) Recommends doing more collaboration with these organizations and TJACH m) Moving on to next topic after ~30 minutes 3) TOWN HALL TOPIC (PUBLIC COMMENT) – Quality of Affordable, Public, and Subsidized Housing (45 minutes) a) Nancy Carpenter i) Rate of rent increase has locked some people out of the City’s rental voucher program (1) Vouchers are lower than they should be; are 125% of fair market rent (2) CLIHC has made ask to increase this to 150% of fair market rent (3) But there is question about being able to transition from City rental program into more mainstream housing voucher program ii) City could create policy picking up the money difference between 125% and 150% (1) Could increase voucher amount to 150% for payment standard to fair market rent iii) Another problem is when City takes proffers from developers (1) Instead of 5-8 years, should keep units affordable for 15-20 years (2) Can be reviewed when there is a housing coordinator iv) Collaboration between agencies is a good idea (1) Many of the agencies are scrambling for the same grants (2) Figure out a way locally to level boundaries between agencies (3) Work toward better service delivery together b) John Sales i) Answering Ms. Carpenter’s questions about the City Supplemented Rental Assistance Program (CSRAP) ii) Executive Director of the Charlottesville Regional Housing Authority (CRHA) iii) Program goes up to 125% fair market rent (1) Asked for increase to the program last May iv) Families who want to live in the city often have a hard time finding units that qualify for the program v) Received request from the City this morning to look into 150% AMI increase vi) Has a couple concerns (1) If you do not add additional revenue, the number of vouchers and families you can assist decreases (2) Program was designed to go from CSRAP to the HCV program (a) Created to protect families as they transition to the next program vii) Going to 150% would guarantee that the family would not be able to stay in the house once they receive voucher for the federal program, since the federal program only goes up to 110% (1) Moving can be costly (2) Program does not have a term limit, so individuals have been in the program since its creation in 2018 viii) The HTV program is up to 110% now (1) Not on pace with the market, but they are not planning on funding at the level it should be ix) Families are moving further away from the city or using a full term to find a unit (120 days for most voucher holders; 150 days for other voucher holders) c) Sage Bowyer i) Expands upon Mr. Sales’ point that people are moving out of the city by saying the places people are moving to are privately owned, cash-only, and often have mold and broken appliances d) Ang Conn i) Affordable does not necessarily mean accessible ii) Landlords create many barriers iii) Focus on how to institute rent caps and other solutions—there are huge increases month to month (1) People's leases are not being renewed because they have not made six consecutive payments (2) Landlords have so much power and are not treating the community correctly e) Daniela Pretzer i) Passion is affordable housing ii) Bridgeline owns two homes iii) One of their programs is a residential program—staff is present all day in one; they check in in the other (1) Also have an empty lot iv) Goal is to build a house in the empty lot—4-6 apartments and common area v) Talked to someone from the City about zoning, but ran into issues (1) If anyone knows anyone willing to help build, let Ms. Pretzer know vi) People with a myriad of experiences are looking for a home f) Alex Ikefuna i) Responding to Ms. Conn about rent cap/rent freezes ii) City would like to do this, but the authority to do that must come from the state (1) Must authorize the City to develop an Ordinance that would make landlords freeze rents (2) Is difficult to get state to authorize g) Sage Bowyer i) Would like to see apartments built that are suitable for children, allow at least one small pet, and are based on income no matter what it is h) Nancy Carpenter i) The Crossings is working well (1) A mix of market rate and project-based vouchers ii) Hopes Premier Circle will be similar iii) Thinks social contract with governance is broken; feels government has pushed so much on public-private partnerships that it is hard to keep up iv) Budget Act during 2008 recession constricted lots of money in public housing for upkeep (1) Have opportunity now to get money back to levels pre-pandemic and pre-2008 v) Individuals and families are going to need assistance vi) City should look into increasing public housing and creating longer periods of time for proffer departments i) Gwen Cassady i) Canvassed the 10th and Page neighborhood for AHIP and LEAP (1) Found that home ownership is the only true pathway to wealth and building equity ii) There must be a way for individuals having their homes upfitted by taxpayer dollars to remain in the family j) Rich Gregory i) Must consider the most energy-efficient construction methods ii) Try to help the highest number of people possible and give them the support to stay in the neighborhood k) Daniela Pretzer i) Responding to Mr. Gregory ii) Worked with UVA’s Architectural School, but government inhibited them from moving forward iii) Bridgeline’s project is good not only because someone has a permanent home, but there is also always someone there to help (1) Welcomes feedback (2) Bridgeline serves those with brain injuries, but a brain injury could be a stroke, trauma, tumor, infection, etc. 4) FINAL THOUGHTS a) Rich Gregory i) Asks for record of Town Hall/contact information for speakers ii) Commissioner suggests sharing contact information in the chat iii) Chair says that notes from this meeting will be published b) Vice-Chair i) Asks Ms. Pretzer for Bridgeline’s injury designation of Alzheimer’s (1) She responds that by definition, it is not (2) Main injuries are trauma, tumor, encephalitis, and stroke (3) Bridgeline’s definitions encompass more than some other organizations, but it is complicated (4) Invites anyone to contact Bridgeline with questions c) Sage Bowyer i) City could allocate a patch of land dedicated to building tiny homes from old school buses, shipping containers, etc. d) Chair i) Thanks attendees and says the Commission will take the ideas from this meeting into their retreat next month ii) Also thanks Commissioners, Communications team, and OHR staff 5) ADJOURN a) Meeting adjourned at 7:40 pm Attachment 4 Summary of HRC Work from January 2021 through April 2022 Action Category Completed Pending Resolutions • A21-1 Advocacy and Action (11-18-2021) • Language Access Plan • A21-2 Use of Plain Language (11-18-2021) • Legal Representation for Parties to a Complaint Council Recommendations • Human Rights Ordinance Amendments (01-19-2021) • Right to Counsel in Evictions Ordinance • Human Rights Director Hiring (03-01-2021) • Human Rights Ordinance Amendments for substantial • Right to Counsel in Evictions (04-04-2021) equivalence to Federal Fair Housing Law: for pursuit of • 2022 Legislative Priorities (09-20-2021) FHAP workshare agreement • Inequities in City Staffing (11-09-2021) • OHR staff expansion • 2022 Legislative Priorities (01-10-2022) o Investigator (essential) • COVID-19 Precautions at ACRJ (01-31-2022) o Intake Counselor (ideal) Letters • Position on Police Violence (04-19-2021) • Position on August 12 (08-12-2021) • Support for FLUM (09-21-2021) • Support for Recognizing Substance Use as a Disability (11-24-2021) • Position Letter to Local Hotels (11-30-2021) Community Engagement • HRC consensus for hybrid in-person virtual meetings, • Disability PSA Project post-pandemic (05-20-2021) • Commemoration of days honoring • Midway Manor Resident Outreach & Support (11-10- • HRC representation on CLIHC 2021) • FY23 Commemorative Dates (as proposed by DCM for • Town Hall: Emergency Housing & Quality of Public, REDI) Subsidized, and Affordable Housing (03-24-2022) • Greet NSBP conference attendees (November 2022) Panelist & Specialist Meetings • Police Policies: Mayor Walker and Chief Brackney (06- 17-2021) • Comprehensive Plan and Zoning: Sunshine Mathon and Dan Rosensweig (09-16-2021) • Housing Discrimination based on Mental Health & Substance Use: Anna Mendez (11-18-2021) • Amendments to the VA Residential Landlord & Tenant Act: Victoria Horrock (12-16-2021) • ACRJ COVID-19 Policies: Col. Martin Kumer and Councilor Sena Magill (02-17-2022) • Public & Subsidized Housing Panel: Joy Johnson, Shelby Edwards, and Victoria Horrock (02-22-2022) Other HRC Business • Amend Rules & Procedures to include revised rules on voting – modified Martha’s Rules Attachment 5 2021 Office of Human Rights Individual Service Data & Key Takeaways Measures Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec TOTALS Open office days in the month 22 20 21 22 23 20 22 22 20 23 19 18 252 Total Incoming & Outgoing Contacts 171 139 145 133 197 272 307 287 330 442 307 229 2959 Total Incoming Contacts 83 70 71 68 131 176 195 210 238 308 237 175 1962 Average Incoming & Outgoing Contacts/Day 8 7 7 6 9 14 14 13 17 19 16 13 12 Average Incoming Contacts/Day 4 4 3 3 6 9 9 10 12 13 12 10 8 Referrals from Sin Barreras 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Contacts in Spanish 0 1 3 9 6 6 3 4 0 9 5 0 46 Total Staff Follow-ups (Outgoing) 49 33 30 30 39 45 48 32 48 49 39 29 471 Total Third-Party Contacts (Outgoing) 39 36 44 35 27 51 64 45 44 85 31 25 526 Total Client Follow-ups (Incoming) 45 34 36 27 65 120 105 127 154 157 131 102 1103 Total Third-Party Contacts (Incoming) 28 28 19 30 45 40 73 54 74 130 86 64 671 Total General Contacts (Incoming) 3 4 3 4 6 12 11 15 2 8 12 4 84 Total New Inquiries (Incoming) 6 3 12 7 14 4 5 12 8 12 6 4 93 Total New Complaints (Incoming) 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 2 0 1 2 1 11 Total Allegations (Both I&C) 2 1 1 1 4 1 1 5 1 8 4 3 32 Total I&C: Locality - Cville 6 3 5 3 12 3 5 9 4 6 3 3 62 Total I&C: Locality - Albemarle 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 6 Total I&C: Locality - Other or Not Specified 0 1 7 2 3 1 1 5 3 7 4 2 36 Total Inquiries: P.A. - Employment 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 1 1 2 3 2 13 Total Inquiries: P.A. - Housing 6 3 8 5 8 1 5 4 3 5 2 1 51 Total Inquiries: P.A. - Public Accommodation 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 1 8 Total Inquiries: P.A. - Credit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 Total Inquiries: P.A. - Private Education 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Inquiries: P.A. - Other (Unprotected) 0 0 2 0 4 3 0 4 3 3 1 0 20 Total Complaints: P.A. - Employment 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 5 Total Complaints: P.A. - Housing 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 5 Total Complaints: P.A. - Public Accommodation 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Total Complaints: P.A. - Credit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Complaints: P.A. - Private Education 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Complaints: P.A. - Other (Unprotected) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total employment discrimination allegations 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 2 2 1 10 Employment allegations in Charlottesville 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 6 Employment allegations in Albemarle Co. 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Measures Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec TOTALS Emp. allegations in Cville referred to EEOC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Emp. allegations in Alb. Co. ref. to EEOC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total housing discrimination allegations 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 4 2 1 13 Housing allegations in Charlottesville 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 4 1 1 10 Housing allegations in Albemarle 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total public accommodation discrimination allegations 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 1 7 Public accommodation allegations in Cville 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 Total credit discrimination allegations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 Credit allegations in Charlottesville 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total private education discrimination allegations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Private education allegations in Charlottesville 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Other (Unprotected) activity allegations 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Total I&C: P.C. - Age 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total I&C: P.C. - Disability 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 8 Total I&C: P.C. - Marital Status 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total I&C: P.C. - National Origin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 3 Total I&C: P.C. - Pregnancy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total I&C: P.C. - Childbirth or Related Medical Conditions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total I&C: P.C. - Race 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 3 0 2 1 0 10 Total I&C: P.C. - Color 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total I&C: P.C. - Religion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total I&C: P.C. - Sex 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 5 Total I&C: P.C. - Gender Identity 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Total I&C: P.C. - Sexual Orientation 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 Total I&C: P.C. - Source of Funds 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Total I&C: P.C. - Veteran Status 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Total I&C: P.C. - Not specified 4 3 12 5 12 4 4 8 4 7 6 2 71 Total I&C: P.C. - Other (Unprotected) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 1 6 Total Counseling Contacts 17 21 17 8 18 20 18 16 6 10 6 9 166 Total Employment Counseling 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 2 2 3 11 Total Housing Counseling 17 21 16 6 12 18 12 13 4 7 3 6 135 Total Public Accommodation Counseling 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 3 Total Credit Counseling 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Private Education Counseling 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Other (Unprotected) Counseling 0 0 1 0 5 2 5 1 1 1 1 0 17 Measures Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec TOTALS Total Contacts resulting in Referrals 2 4 5 2 5 0 6 4 2 1 0 3 34 Referrals to CSRAP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Referrals to LAJC 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 6 Referrals to CVLAS 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 Referrals to PHA 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 Referrals to EEOC 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Referrals to DPOR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Referrals to Other 2 3 5 2 4 0 5 4 1 1 0 1 28 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Age 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Disability 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Marital Status 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - National Origin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Pregnancy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Childbirth or R.M.C. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Race 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 4 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Color 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Religion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Sex 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Gender Identity 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Sexual Orientation 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Veteran Status 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Not specified 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Employment Complaints: P.C. - Other (Unprotected) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Age 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Disability 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Marital Status 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - National Origin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Pregnancy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Childbirth or R.M.C. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Race 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Color 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Religion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Sex 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Gender Identity 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Sexual Orientation 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Measures Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec TOTALS Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Source of Funds 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Veteran Status 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Not specified 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Housing Complaints: P.C. - Other (Unprotected) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Age 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Disability 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Marital Status 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - National Origin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Pregnancy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Childbirth or R.M.C. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Race 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Color 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Religion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Sex 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Gender Identity 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Sexual Orientation 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Veteran Status 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Not specified 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Pub. Accom. Comp.: P.C. - Other (Unprotected) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Open Inquiries 17 Total Closed Inquiries 75 Total Dismissed Inquiries 1 Total Open Complaints 6 Total Closed Complaints 4 Total Dismissed Complaints 1 Primary Service: Appointment Set-up 3 2 1 0 8 19 11 2 3 3 5 3 60 Primary Service: Clerical Assistance 0 5 1 0 3 13 18 3 0 1 0 0 44 Primary Service: Counseling 17 21 17 8 18 20 18 16 6 10 6 9 166 Primary Service: Event Information 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Primary Service: Investigation Activity 7 27 39 33 35 12 22 18 23 14 4 6 240 Primary Service: Information 144 84 86 87 128 206 227 238 292 404 268 202 2366 Primary Service: Mediation Related Services 0 0 0 5 4 0 11 8 6 10 24 9 77 Primary Service: Outreach Coordination 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 3 Primary Service: Public Hearing 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Primary Service: Volunteer Coordination 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Key Takeaways: 1. 1962 incoming contacts a. More incoming contacts than any year prior b. Points to the need for an Intake Counselor 2. 11 new complaints resulting in formal action a. More formal complaints handled by the OHR for investigation and mediation than any year prior b. Points to the need for an Investigator i. Director is currently the sole Investigator ii. If Director investigates a case the Deputy City Manger for REDI must serve as Administrative Judge 1. Puts undue burden on DCM for REDI 3. Race and disability continue to be the primary protected classes identified by individuals who bring inquiries and complaints to the OHR a. Total combined inquiries and complaints involving race: 10 b. Total combined inquiries and complaints involving disability: 8 4. Housing continues to be the primary protected activity for which people seek service from the OHR a. By the numbers i. 51 new inquiries ii. 5 new complaints iii. 13 housing discrimination allegations 1. 10 allegations in Charlottesville iv. 135 contacts involving housing counseling b. What this means in practice i. The HRC may want to consider action that explores and addresses systemic inequities in housing in Charlottesville ii. Pursuit of FHAP workshare with HUD should remain a priority 1. Council must demonstrate a commitment to funding adequate OHR staffing to handle the workload 2. Council must approve an amended Human Rights Ordinance with substantial equivalence to federal fair housing law, once the draft ordinance is finalized and approved by the City Attorney and adopted by the HRC 5. Employment continues to be the second most common protected activity for which people seek service from the OHR a. By the numbers i. 13 new inquiries ii. 5 new complaints iii. 10 employment discrimination allegations 1. 6 allegations in Charlottesville iv. 11 contacts involving employment counseling b. What this means in practice i. The HRC may want to consider action that explores and addresses systemic inequities in employment in Charlottesville ii. Pursuit of a FEPA workshare with the EEOC could be a secondary priority following initiation of the FHAP workshare Attachment 6 Human Rights Commission Meeting Minutes Annual Retreat February 27, 2021 Virtual/Electronic Meeting 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm Link to rebroadcast: https://boxcast.tv/channel/vabajtzezuyv3iclkx1a 1. WELCOME a. CALL TO ORDER i. Chair, Mary Bauer, called the meeting to order at 1:00 pm b. ROLL CALL i. Mary Bauer ii. Kathryn Laughon iii. Jeanette Abi-Nader iv. Shantell Bingham v. Ernest Chambers vi. Jessica Harris vii. Wolfgang Keppley viii. Sue Lewis ix. Tobiah Mundt x. Andrew Orban xi. Alex Oxford xii. Lyndele Von Schill c. MISSION (recited by all): Act as a strong advocate to justice and equal opportunity by providing citywide leadership and guidance in the area of civil rights. d. ICEBREAKER i. Commissioners and staff introduced themselves and answered an icebreaker question. 2. The Future of Human Rights Protections a. FEPA, FHAP, and Values Act overview i. Chair notes that she and OHR staff participated in a meeting with the EEOC during the past week to learn what is required to enter a FEPA agreement. ii. Commissioners acknowledge having reviewed the chart in the agenda packet comparing the FEPA, FHAP, and Current Ordinance. iii. Staff notes that a potential workshare agreement with the Attorney General’s Office Division of Human Rights is also a possibility. 1. Currently awaiting an opportunity for a follow-up discussion with the Attorney General’s Office. iv. Open discussion regarding potential next steps for FEPA and FHAP 1. Advantages to local residents could include the following the ability to file a state/local and federal complaint in one location. 2. Neither FEPA or FHAP provide funds for Complainants or Respondents to seek legal counsel. a. Commissioners have expressed an interest in the City providing financial resources for Complainants seeking legal counsel. b. The City, as a government agency, and the HRC, as an agent of the City and as an adjudicating body in the hearing of complaints, must show impartiality if it were to provide funds for legal counsel, and therefore the opportunity for funding must be available for both sides. c. The HRC could create a fund with an application process. 3. FHAP provides guidance, training opportunities, and start-up funding for local agencies. 4. FEPA appears to only provide reimbursement for cases. 5. Local filing of a federal complaint through a FEPA or FHAP is easier that going to Richmond to file with the EEOC or DPOR. 6. Ordinance revision process appears to be well-supported by HUD staff through the FHAP process. a. An HRC ad hoc committee could work with OHR staff to create the draft ordinance that has substantial equivalence to federal fair housing law. b. The HRC could present the draft to HUD for feedback before bringing the final version to Council for consideration ahead of an application for interim certification as a FHAP. 7. The background work necessary to apply for FEPA and FHAP status could begin now and does not require the hiring of the HRC Director/OHR Manager beforehand. a. Actual entry into a FEPA or FHAP contract would be difficult without a Director in place. b. Review of the amended Human Rights Ordinance i. Chair reviews the process around Council’s adoption of amendments in addition to those presented by the HRC. 1. Revisions to the Ordinance were presented to the HRC on the Sunday before the Ordinance was slated for a vote on the consent agenda for City Council’s meeting on February 1, 2021. 2. Due to public meeting requirements, the HRC was not able to discuss and act on these revisions. 3. During the Council meeting there were two options a. Adopt the Ordinance with the new revisions. b. Postpone adoption pending further discussion. 4. Chair advocated for passage given that OHR staff had reported there were pending complaints that could not move forward without adoption of the revised protected activities and protected classes. 5. It was not clear why the other revisions proposed by Council were urgent. a. The HRC had explained to Council that it would likely be presenting additional changes to the Ordinance as part of the FHAP application process. 6. Council chose to move forward with approving the Ordinance with the added revisions. ii. OHR staff presents a summary of Council’s changes to the Ordinance. 1. Sec. 2-432 (a) a. Reduction in size of the Commission to 9 members. i. There will be a point in the future of the HRC where more than 9 of the current members’ terms will end at the same time. b. Requirement that two Commissioner seats be reserved for people with specific backgrounds 2. Sec. 2-432 (d) a. Moved the provision that the Commission can adopt bylaws and procedures from (b) to (d) b. Tied the above to the provision that said adoptions are done in accordance with City Council’s adopted “Rules for Public Participation.” 3. Sec. 2-432 (f) a. Addition of requirements that the Director demonstrate specific experience as defined by other sections of the Ordinance. 4. Sec. 2-432 (g) a. Stipulates that City Council will establish operating procedures for the Commission. i. Not clear if this is specific to the HRC or will be a general set of operating procedures for all boards and commissions. ii. Councilors talked about this originating out of discussions about Civilian Police Review Board. 5. Sec. 2-432 (i) a. Requirement of quarterly reports to City Council, as specified in the above-mentioned operating procedures. i. The scope of these reports has not yet been specified. ii. This would require a report following every three HRC regular meetings. iii. Hiring OHR staff seems pre-requisite to asking for additional reporting. 6. Sec. 2-433 (d) a. Requirement that the HRC will seek FEPA and FHAP agreements and enter into the agreements subject to approval by City Council and a finding that it is in the best interest of the City. 7. Sec. 2-434 (b) a. Changed “may” to “will” in the provision that “the Commission will conduct or engage in educational and informational programs…” 8. Sec. 2-435 (2c) a. Addition of a requirement that, starting July 1, 2021, the HRC will conduct at least one research project or review every two years. iii. Open discussion about the Ordinance revisions 1. Commissioners express general concerns a. The HRC work and recommendations felt disregarded by Council.. b. Regarding Sec. 2-432 (a) i. The HRC had agreed to cap the size of the Commission at 15. ii. The HRC did discuss but agreed not to support the delegation of seats to people with specific backgrounds c. HRC not consulted by Council prior to voting on revisions to the amendments proposed by the HRC. d. HRC not afforded a chance to discuss and provide feedback on the revisions prior to Council’s vote. e. Regarding Sec. 2-432 (g) i. Unclear if this will apply only to the PCRB and the HRC or to all boards and commissions. f. Regarding Sec. 2-432 (a) i. Not clear what will happen if there are no applicants with the requisite backgrounds. g. Council has still not taken action to ensure that a Director is hired. h. The HRC has tried to meet with Council for many months, and to date this has not happened. i. The fact that Council would vote on such major changes to the Ordinance without consulting the HRC is concerning. i. There is an issue of equity regarding Council’s revisions as they were proposed by a single individual and the HRC’s recommendations were developed by a diverse group. i. Several Commissioners expressed frustration that a single individual can undo work that took the Commission many months of work to accomplish. j. Note that the Mayor did call into question making new revisions without time for public process. k. The last-minute process of adding additional revisions was not appropriate. l. The Commission had given serious consideration to all of the recommendations previously proposed by the member of the public who pushed for the last-minute changes. m. Commissioners express concern that one person using emails can influence Council’s actions so drastically. n. Regarding Sec. 2-432 (a) i. Commissioners did significant community outreach to recruit a diverse group and this may now be undermined by these revisions. ii. The size of the Commission was not the barrier to moving work forward. iii. The Commission faced other barriers 1. An inability to hold a joint work session with City Council in over two years. 2. The crumbling infrastructure of City leadership. iv. A large body helps to ensure a diversity of voices. 1. There could be a time in the future where there may not be significant numbers of people of color on the HRC. c. Next steps i. Chair solicits Commission thoughts on the best response to Council. 1. Commissioners suggest re-proposing the original version of the Ordinance containing only the HRC amendments for Council’s consideration. ii. This topic will be revisited in the Strategic Planning session of the meeting. Break (5m) 3. Rules and Procedures a. COIA/FOIA/VPRA refresher training i. Allyson Davies presents an overview of the how the following Virginia statutes affect Commissioners. (See Attachment 1) 1. Conflict of Interest Act 2. Freedom of Information Act 3. Virginia Public Records Act b. A brief review of the current HRC Rules and Procedures i. Current Rules and Procedures included in the agenda packet. ii. Amended Martha’s Rules are included in the agenda packet. 1. Adopted at the HRC regular meeting in March 2020. 2. Not yet added to the Rules and Procedures or yet put into practice. iii. OHR staff suggests a potential sub-committee for a detailed discussion of the Rules and Procedures document and for drafting revisions. iv. Rules and Procedures function as a companion document to Resolutions 1. All signed resolutions of the HRC are currently in a paper file but are not easily accessible to the HRC or the public. 2. OHR staff will develop an electronic archive of resolutions and will attempt to post them on the City website. 3. Resolutions codify the HRC’s positions on specific issues and procedures for handling specific actions. 4. Resolutions can be drafted in sub-committees and brought to the Commission for approval. 5. Regular review of resolutions to determine whether any need to be revoked or replaced is recommended. c. A brief review of protocols for HRC advocacy and action i. A sub committee could draft a resolution regarding how to handle actions that need to take place between publicly-noticed meetings. ii. With a resolution in place, the HRC and take action and cite that the action was taken pursuant to a previously approved resolution. d. Next steps i. Open discussion 1. Sub-committee meetings that include 3 or more Commissioners require public notice. 2. The HRC Rules and Procedures specify that sub-committees must be composed of not less than 3 Commissioners. 3. The HRC Rules and Procedures also mentions standing committees, which are no longer convened. 4. Suggestion to create a committee to review and revise the Rules & Procedures and draft a resolution regarding HRC actions between meetings. 5. Suggestion to contact Council about the limited number of sub- committee meetings. 6. Suggestion that the Chair, Vice Chair, and OHR staff work on revising the Rules & Procedures and drafting a resolution for action between meetings for consideration by the HRC. 7. Chair, Vice Chair, and OHR staff to meet ahead of the March HRC Regular meeting to discuss a process to revise the Rules & Procedures and to draft a resolution for action between meetings. Break (10m) 4. Strategic Planning a. Identify potential 2021 Goals i. Commissioners used Google Docs to share ideas (see Attachment 2) 1. Advocate that the City adopt a policy that ensures that all people facing eviction have legal counsel. 2. Support Charlottesville residents who are released from ACRJ to see if they wish to file a complaint. 3. Support undocumented residents in their ability to move freely and safely about the city. 4. Continue advocating for increased accessibility and ADA compliance of all City services. a. 11 Commissioners supported this as a primary goal. 5. Address barriers to housing. a. 11 Commissioners supported this as a primary goal. 6. Equity-based City budgeting. a. 1 Commissioner supported this as a primary goal. b. Prioritize top 1 or 2 Goals (see Attachment 2 for details) i. Commissioners arrived at consensus through informal polling on the following priorities. 1. Continue advocating for increased accessibility and ADA compliance of all City services. 2. Address barriers to housing. ii. Commissioners arrived at consensus for pursuing the following goals for strengthening the Commission. 1. Continue to advocate for the hiring of a Director. 2. Pursue FHAP. a. 9 Commissioners supported this idea. 3. Pursue FEPA. a. A majority of Commissioners supported this idea. c. Identify Tactics to reach prioritized Goals (see Attachment 2 for details) i. Commissioners listed specific strategies to achieve each goal. ii. Commissioners volunteered to serve on sub-committees to support each goal. iii. Response to Council regarding the process of amending the Ordinance. 1. Commissioner suggests requesting another meeting of the full Commission with Council. a. Commissioner notes that Councilors have communicated that Council does not have the capacity to engage in work sessions with boards and commissions. 2. Commissioners suggest letting Council know that they were not happy with the process of amending the Ordinance. 3. Chair notes that Council initially proposed that the HRC complete a “research study or project” but that “project” was removed in the version that Council approved. a. Commissioner requests more guidance for what Council expects from the Commission in terms of research projects. b. Commissioners would like to understand 4. Commissioners also suggest that Council consider revising the Ordinance again. 5. Commissioners would like clarification about the scope of the “operating procedures.” 6. Chair will draft a response to Council regarding Commissioner concerns regarding the process of amending the Ordinance. a. Chair will share a draft of the letter with the HRC via email prior to sending to Council. 7. Chair will also speak at the next Council meeting regarding the HRC’s concerns. 5. NEXT STEPS a. OHR staff i. Consolidate HRC resolutions and create a publicly accessible web-based archive. ii. Ask Communications how to ensure that online HRC meetings are close- captioned. iii. Ensure all HRC minutes and agendas are ADA accessible. iv. Begin drafting an updated version of the Ordinance for pursuit of FHAP agreement. v. Begin drafting a request letter for pursuit of the FEPA agreement. b. Chair, Vice Chair, and OHR staff i. Meet ahead of the March HRC Regular meeting to discuss a process to revise the Rules & Procedures and to draft a resolution for action between meetings. ii. Review Martha’s Rules to ensure effective and consistent use. c. Chair i. Draft a response to Council regarding Commissioner concerns regarding the process of amending the Ordinance. 1. Share a draft of the letter with the HRC via email prior to sending to Council. ii. Speak at the next Council meeting regarding the HRC’s concerns. 6. ADJOURN a. Meeting adjourned at 5:00 pm.