City of Eugene Human Rights Commission

1 City of Eugene Human Rights Commission Meeting packet for Tuesday, April 21, 2019, 5:30 – 7:45 PM Online meeting due to COVID-19 restrictions: https://zoom.us/j/99300680342 Packet Contents Draft Agenda Page 2 Draft Minutes from 02/2020 Page 3 Budget Update Page 11 Support Request Page 12 Homeless & Poverty recommendations Page 15 Office of Human Rights & Neighborhood Involvement | City of Eugene | 99 W 10th Ave | Eugene OR 97401 | (541) 682-5272  2 City of Eugene Human Rights Commission Human Rights Commission Agenda for Tuesday, April 21, 2020, 5:30 – 7:30 PM 99 W 10th Ave., Sloat Room, Eugene-OR Human Rights Commissioners: Joel Iboa (Chair), Amanda McCluskey (Vice Chair), Ela Kubok, Ibrahim Hamide, Serena Markstrom, Rick Guerra, Bonnie Souza, Ibrahim Coulibaly , Daniel Borson, Kirstin London, Councilor Emily Semple Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement Staff: Lorna Flormoe, Fabio Andrade, Kazim Zaidi The mission of the Human Rights Commission is to promote implementation of universal human rights values and principles in all City of Eugene programs and throughout the wider community. To carry out this mission the commission shall affirm, encourage and initiate programs and services within the City of Eugene and in the wider community designed to place priority upon protecting, respecting, and fulfilling the full range of universal human rights as enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To support and promote human rights, the commission will: provide human rights education, be proactive in human rights efforts, address human rights violations, ensure active public participation, be transparent and open, be publicly accountable for human rights progress. Item Description Action Time Duration 1 Agenda/Minutes Review (Chair) Discuss/Vote 5:30 - 5:40 10 min 2 Public Comment (Chair) 5:40 - 5:50 10 min 3 Support Requests /HRC funding Discuss/Vote 5:50 – 6:10 20 min 4 EPD Liaison – Lieutenant Chris Harrison Updates 6:10 – 6:25 15 min 5 OR worker relief fund Discussion 6:25 – 6:40 15 min 6 Response to COVID-19 Updates/Discuss 6:40 – 7:10 30 min 7 HRC Work Groups and Liaison Updates 7:10 – 7:20 10 min 8 Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement Updates 7:20 – 7:30 10 min 9 May HRC Meeting Agenda Discuss 7:30 – 7:35 5 min The next scheduled meeting of the Human Rights Commission is on May 19, 2020. The Eugene Human Rights Commission welcomes your interest in these agenda items. This meeting location is wheelchair accessible. For the hearing impaired, FM-assistive listening devices are available or an interpreter can be provided with 48 hours’ notice prior to the meeting. Spanish-language interpretation will also be provided with 48 hours’ notice. To arrange for these services, contact staff at (541) 682-5177. La Comisión de Derechos Humanos agradece su interés por participar en los asuntos de esta agenda. El local de la reunión tiene acceso para personas en silla de ruedas. Para las personas con dificultades auditivas ofrecemos sistemas FM para ayudarlo a escuchar, o intérpretes de lenguaje de señas. También ofrecemos intérpretes de español. Si necesita cualquiera de estos servicios por favor solicítelos con 48 horas de anticipación, llamando al (541) 682-5177. The Human Rights Commission meets monthly on the third Tuesday at the Sloat Room, Atrium Building, 99 W 10th Street Eugene, OR 97401 - Contact: Fabio Andrade, 541-682-5277 fandrade@eugene-or.gov  3 MINUTES Eugene Human Rights Commission - HRC Atrium, Sloat Room Eugene, Oregon February 18, 2019 - 5:30 p.m. PRESENT: Ibrahim Coulibaly, Rick Guerra, Kirstin London, Daniel Borson, Amanda McCluskey, Joel Iboa, Ib Hamide, Serena Markstrom, Bonnie Souza Jennifer Lleras Van Der Haeghen (staff), and Fabio Andrade (staff), Police Chief Chris Skinner (Staff). ABSENT: Councilor Emily Semple and Ela Kubok Opening Vice Chair McCluskey called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM Public Comment Jennifer Frenzer – On decriminalization of the unhoused in support of Lane County Legal Aid’s report. Majeska Seese-Green – On decriminalization of the unhoused in support of Lane County Legal Aid’s report and on correction to Homelessness and Poverty work group’s minutes. Gabriel Scott – On decriminalization of the unhoused in support of Lane County Legal Aid’s report. Heather Sielicki – On decriminalization of the unhoused in support of Lane County Legal Aid’s report. Asking for a City Council work session on the issue. Brian Michaels – On Op-Ed he co-wrote with Ibrahim Coulibaly regarding shooting of a man of color. Commented on de-escalation training for officers. Julie Lambert – On decriminalization of the unhoused in support of Lane County Legal Aid’s report. Shared own experience receiving ticket for camping on car. Richard Self – On trespassing tickets he received while living on the streets, which make it more difficult for him to find stable housing. On decriminalization of the unhoused in support of Lane County Legal Aid’s report. Tom Peck – On decriminalization of the unhoused in support of Lane County Legal Aid’s report. Todd Boyle – On decriminalization of the unhoused in support of Lane County Legal Aid’s report. Remind that home titles are false, created during Oregon Territory’s constitution. Asks if someone can exist without a space to stay. Called on city to stop fining people until there is a space where unhoused people can live. Called on HRC to advocate on behalf of the unhoused.  4 Quorum achieved after public comments. Chair Iboa assumed meeting Agenda Review – Approved as amended to remove presentation on housing policies and add graffiti removal as a public service, Unanimous vote. Minutes Review – January minutes approved with 8 votes. Requests for Support/Funding Support request from HIV Alliance for $200 was approved as amended. Amanda McCluskey, Kirstin London, and Daniel Borson (Tentative) volunteered to attend the event and Ibrahim Coulibaly volunteered to attend the event. Amanda McCluskey abstained from voting. Decriminalization of Homelessness Laurie Hauber provided a presentation on the report Persecution of the Unhoused: Fines and jail time for having nowhere else to go in Eugene, Oregon (Included in February’s meeting packet). The report was prepared by Lane County Legal Aid staff and received input form the Homelessness and Poverty work group of the Eugene Human Rights Commission. Motion: Serena Markstrom motioned to have the report forwarded to City Council with a request for Council to hold a work session on the topic. The motion was seconded by Ibrahim Coulibaly and approved unanimously. Graffiti Removal Chair Iboa talked about Portland’s experience with removing hate graffiti from private property. Has requested information on how the program works. Chair Iboa has also initiated conversations with Mayor, Council Members and Eugene Police Commission. Chief Skinner mentioned that EPD has a volunteer group removing hate graffiti when authorized by property owners and that he would like to expand it. Black History Month Fabio Andrade presented the slides on history of oppression in Oregon and Eugene, which is part of a new training program on Belonging to be offered to all City staff (Slides attached to this minute). EPD presentation on de-escalation policies and training Chief Skinner started by reprehending the behavior exhibit by officers in West Lynn, WA and his work on bringing a presentation of the Red Door project to Eugene and invited three HRC commissioners to join a presentation scheduled for April 1 in Salem. Sergeant Ryan Molony presented on the De-escalation Policy 820 and related training provided Eugene Police officers (included in HRC February meeting packet).  5 Lieutenant Carolyn Mason Crisis presented on intervention training (Talking points included in HRC February meeting packet). Sergeant Shawn Marsh presented the Mental Health Crisis Response Policy 418 and Crisis Negotiation Team Procedure 9.3 (included in in HRC February meeting packet) and discussed crisis negotiation tactics used by Eugene Police. Liaison and work group updates Written updates were included in the February HRC meeting packet except for WeCU updates which are attached to these minutes. Meeting adjourned at 7:50pm Recorded by Fabio Andrade An audio recording of this meeting is kept by the Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement Office  4/17/2020 6 Let’s talk about history 25 26 27 28  4/17/2020 7 Can you think of other communities that make our city unique Why is History so Important? and diverse? Whose History do we hear most? Why? 29 30 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Racially Restrictive Covenants Unenforceable Covenants 1917: Buchanan v. Warley The US Supreme Court declares racially biased zoning unconstitutional. 1948: Shelley v. Kraemer Racially restrictive covenants cannot be enforced by government.  4/17/2020 8 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Racially Restrictive Covenants Unenforceable Covenants Racially Restrictive Covenants Unenforceable Covenants FHA Insurance Requirements uses redlining FHA Insurance Requirements uses redlining 1937: Housing Act (Wagner‐Steagall Act) 1949: American Housing Act (Truman’s Fair Deal) 1934: Federal Housing Administration • For each new public housing unit created, a • For each new public housing unit created, a unit • The FHA created our current financial mortgaging unit of substandard quality must be of substandard quality must be removed. system. removed. • Operational decisions were left to local • The Underwriting Handbook used by the FHA authorities. endorsed the practice of redlining. From 1924 to 1950, Article 34 of the Realtor Code of Ethics read: “A Realtor should never be instrumental in introducing into a neighborhood a character of property or occupancy, members of any race or nationality, or any individuals whose presence will clearly be detrimental to property values in that neighborhood.” Levittown, NY – 17,447 houses built with Federal Govt. subsidies. Isolated from the urban fabric, the “Projects” became segregated, Available only to Caucasian World War II veterans. crime-ridden, and costly. 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Racially Restrictive Covenants Unenforceable Covenants Disparate Impact of Land Use Regulations Racially Restrictive Covenants Unenforceable Covenants Disparate Impact of Land Use Regulations FHA Insurance Requirements uses redlining FHA Insurance Requirements uses redlining Housing Discrimination 1968: Federal Fair Housing Act Blockbusting Redlining and the practice of writing racial covenants into deeds is now illegal “I make my money–quite a lot of it, incidentally three ways: • By beating down the prices I pay the white owners by 1970s–Present: Disparate Impact of Local Land Use stimulating their fear of what is to come; Regulations • by selling to the eager Negroes at inflated prices; and • large minimum lot requirements, • minimum multifamily zoning, • by financing these purchases at what amounts to a very • age restricted zoning high rates of interest.” • High systems development fees Ad for Saturday Evening Post article, “Confessions of a Blockbuster,” July 14‐21, 1962.  4/17/2020 9 Housing timeline 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Racially Restrictive Covenants Unenforceable Covenants Disparate Impact of Land Use Regulations FHA Insurance Requirements uses redlining Housing Discrimination Education timeline Officially segregated schools Busing Affirmative action De facto segregated schools Discipline disproportionality (bias) Employment timeline African American barred from unions Auxiliary unions Affirmative action period Braceros Affirm. Action repeal Racism continuum “To go back and seek” “Separate but equal” Civil Rights Racial bias Systemic and structural racism 38  10 Human Rights Commission Work Group Updates Date: February 13, 2020 Work Group: WeCU Prepared by: Bonnie Souza Date of last meeting: January 25, 2020 Summary of last meeting attached? No. What were the main topics discussed in the last meeting? Attendance at the January 25, 2020 meeting was very low (Andrew, Daniel and Sandra; WeCU chair Bonnie was ill). A subcommittee was thereafter formed via email and met on Monday, February 10, 2020. In attendance was Bonnie, Daniel, Emz and Ibrahim C. The following topics were discussed: • A formal process for bringing new members onto WeCU. This includes a proposed, simple application for work group membership, which will be brought to the next full WeCU meeting on February 29 for discussion and approval. The next step will be to bring the WeCU draft to the an HRC meeting for discussion and approval. Our process and application may serve as a template for other HRC work groups to customize and use. Our intention is to bring work groups into compliance with HRC bylaws, insofar as work group membership is concerned. • We discussed additional agenda items from the WeCU January 25 meeting, including: o Scheduling meeting with Lt. Chris Harrison, who is taking over as EPD liaison to HRC, to speak about detectives assigned to various marginalized communities and the possibility of arranging open forums between detectives and the communities to which they are assigned. o Multicultural Center advisory committee; we talked about the need for WeCU to remain engaged in this effort, the Needs Assessment (survey), and the work that will be necessary over the next year to continue moving this important endeavor forward. o Protocol for city leadership response to hate crimes and bias incidents. WeCU members have expressed that there should be a pathway for non- criminal incidents that might be of sufficient impact as to warrant notification (and response?) of city leaders. WeCU will draft proposed modifications to response protocol for submission to HRC (at an upcoming HRC meeting) for discussion. o Status of hiring a Multicultural Liaison. There were 99 applications, 65 of which have been reviewed by HRNI staff. 14 have been interviewed by phone and 4 or 5 will be interviewed by two separate panels: a community panel and a staff panel. WeCU will have representation on the community panel. • And last, the subcommittee did a quick run-through of our work plan for fiscal year 2019-2020, to check the status of the action items and our related work.  11 Human Rights Commission Budget Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) DATE REQUESTING GROUP EVENT OR DESCRIPTION AMOUNT BALANCE July 1. 2019 $4,500.00 SPONSORSHIP 9/17/19 Transponder Transponder Harvest Gala‐oh‐la‐la dinner $385.00 $4,115.00 11/16/19 NAMI Lane County NAMI annual dinner and award ceremony $200.00 $3,915.00 1/21/2020 Disorient Disorient Film Festival $500.00 $3,415.00 1/21/2020 White Bird Resource Guide publication $100.00 $3,315.00 1/21/2020 Asian American Council of Oregon Asian Celebration $250.00 $3,065.00 2/18/20 HIV Alliance $200.00 $2,865.00 $2,865.00 SUBTOTAL $1,635.00 $2,865.00 WORKPLAN EXPENSE 11/16/19 Education and Outreach work Group IHRD Speakers and food $740.00 SUBTOTAL $740.00 TOTALS $2,375.00 $2,125.00  12 ANDRADE Fabio From: Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement Sent: Monday, February 24, 2020 10:03 AM To: ANDRADE Fabio Subject: FW: Online Form Submittal: Human Rights Commission Request for Support City of Eugene Office of Human Rights & Neighborhood Involvement 99 West 10th Avenue, Suite 116/ M-F, 10-12 and 1-4 Eugene OR 97401 541-682-6243 hrni@ci.eugene.or.us From: no-reply@ci.eugene.or.us <no-reply@ci.eugene.or.us> Sent: Friday, February 21, 2020 6:16 PM To: Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement <hrni@ci.eugene.or.us>; ANDRADE Fabio <FAndrade@eugene- or.gov> Subject: Online Form Submittal: Human Rights Commission Request for Support [EXTERNAL ⚠] Human Rights Commission Request for Support Human Rights Commission Request for Funding The City of Eugene allocates funds each fiscal year to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) to use to support community events. Applications must be submitted complete with a full explanation of the funding request. All requests must be submitted 10 days prior to the HRC meeting (3rd Tuesdays) in advance of the event or project start date. Timely submission assures that requests are discussed and approved for funding. Having a representative at the HRC meeting to answer questions about the request is strongly encouraged. Please note that if funding is approved, the commission requires a follow-up report within 30 days of the event. Recipients may submit a written report or may attend the next commission meeting to present a brief verbal report. Photos are encouraged but not required. Failing to provide a report may result in denial for future funding. Date of Event 3/8/2020 Date Funding Required 3/2/2020 Please describe the $250 can help get them back from overbudget. Over the event/activity for which you months of January and February by the first week of February are requesting support Carry It Forward it's not only expanded it's hiring, but also the and/or funding depth of its services, using all of their first quarter budget. 1  13 Every additional penny for the first quarter of 2020 create substantial benefit to the homeless community at large with in Eugene. Signed Eric Jackson Level of Support Requested More than $200: special circumstances with active HRC involvement How much is the request 250.00 for? Name of Support and/or Funding Recipient Organization (if applicable) Carry It Forward Applicant's First Name Arwen Applicant's Last Name Mass DeSpain Address (for mailing check) 525 N Hwy 99 City Eugene State Name OR ZIP 97402 Email echoman503@yahoo.com Phone 541-912-0404 Extension Field not completed. Payment should go to: Organization Listed How does this request align Their support this very cold wet winter went to keep more than with the work of the Human a few that I know ALIVE. Rights Commission? What Wash, blankets, tarps, rewash, rewash, more tarps after public will these funds be used for works throws 1of every 2 tarps away weekly on average. specifically (if applicable). Signed Eric Jackson Who are the other Lane County - community support and long term benefactors. community partners and But the wet if this winter was such a challenge for us on the what is their level of streets, and Carry It Forward was always the ones there. And involvement? I'm am so greatful knowing the hundreds I personally watched them help, and some would be dead without. They meet us daily in our spaces, I'm sure they'd allow anyone to tag follow their March 2020 operation in action. Is this event: Strictly a fundraising event?, Open to the general public? , Not applicable 2  14 I acknowledge that by I understand receiving funding to support this event that I am responsible for providing a brief report back to the HRC within 30-days of the event. Failure to provide this report either in writing or in person at a HRC meeting may result in denial for future funding. Electronic Signature By providing the information below and electronic signature, I certify that I have read and understood the submittal requirements outlined, and that I understand that omission of any listed item may cause delay in processing the application. I (We), the undersigned, acknowledge that the information supplied in this application is complete and accurate to the best of my (our) knowledge. I am the: Applicant's Representative Full Name of Applicant Eric Jackson representative Email of applicant's echoman503@yahoo.com representative Electronic Signature Sign Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. 3  15 Human Rights Commission Homelessness and Poverty Work Group March 12, 2020 Dear Mayor, Councilors, and City Manager, The COVID-19 pandemic has and will continue to change the way we live our lives for the foreseeable future. It is in the overwhelming interest of our entire community of both housed and unhoused, business, schools & universities, faith communities, neighborhood associations, and non-profits to join together to help mitigate this infection and minimize the impact it has on all of us. The unhoused, forced to live in substandard conditions without adequate health care, tend to be more vulnerable to infectious diseases. Only through reprioritizing our resources will we be able to stop the spread of this infection. We are asking the Eugene City Council to take swift action to implement the following action items in light of the Oregon State of Emergency. 1. Suspend sweeps and implement shelter-in-place protocols during the declaration of emergency. People need enough sleep to keep their immune systems up and should not be forcibly deprived of medications and survival gear during this crisis. 2. Implement a moratorium on towing vehicles that house people, as these individual accommodations make it possible for people to self-quarantine. 3. Provide adequate access to hygienic facilities for toileting, bathing, and handwashing in areas with known encampments. 4. Replace Eugene Police with trained outreach workers to support the unhoused by distributing supplies including water for drinking and washing, hand sanitizer, food items, information about how to limit infection, and where to seek medical care. 5. Prepare to open emergency shelter space and engage homeless service system staff if consistent with public health recommendations. 6. Be ready to facilitate transportation assistance and accessible care for people with physical and/or mental disabilities or financial barriers. The role of the Homelessness and Poverty Work is to monitor and report on laws and policies that have a disparate impact on people living unhoused; propose policy recommendations to the Eugene City Council on issues related to homelessness and poverty, and engage in advocacy efforts that combat the marginalization of people experiencing homelessness and poverty.  16 Specific Considerations for Public Health Authorities to Limit Infection Risk Among People Experiencing Homelessness March 9, 2020 Housing instability and frequent mobility increase the risk of exposure to infectious disease. Limited access to health care services and poor living conditions further compound this risk. As a result, the experience of homelessness may place individuals at greater risk of exposure to a variety of infectious diseases. As jurisdictions consider the impact of disease outbreaks, there are important population specific elements to keep in mind for infectious disease response plans at the local level. Households Living in Shelters • Provide adequate access to hygienic facilities for toileting, bathing, and handwashing. Maintaining personal hygiene can be challenging for households experiencing homelessness, particularly in communities with limited access to public bathrooms. • Often homeless shelters are not on the list of essential services that require access to government reserves of cleaning supplies, meals, and other commodities that may be difficult to acquire during initial phases of an outbreak. If jurisdictions plan to equip homeless shelters with specific resources to limit infection, training and supply distribution should be initiated as soon as possible. • Space to isolate individuals within programs often does not exist. Distancing symptomatic people during the day and while sleeping will require additional space and configurations to permit infection control protocols. • As individuals become ill they may seek care at familiar program sites. In the event homeless shelters reach capacity, pre-designated locations for individuals seeking care may be required. Early dissemination of this information will be helpful Households Living on the Streets or in Encampments • Households living on the streets or in encampments may be at higher risk of infection and may be less connected to services than sheltered households. Outreach workers can support households living outside by distributing supplies including: water for drinking and washing, hand sanitizer, food items, information about how to limit infection and where to seek medical care. Early dissemination of this information will be helpful. • Provide adequate access to hygienic facilities for toileting, bathing, and handwashing. Maintaining personal hygiene can be challenging for households experiencing homelessness, particularly in communities with limited access to public bathrooms Page - 1  17 Households Living in Supportive Housing • Households living in supportive housing may lack the ability to independently acquire essential supplies (food, water, medications, hygiene products, information) during crises. Tenants in scattered site projects may not know the neighborhood, have transportation, or trust local authorities to request help. • Direction and communication regarding shelter-in-place protocols may need to be targeted to these members of the community. Care teams supporting these households should help them prepare by providing basic needs and preparing for crisis intervention should medical or behavioral health conditions deteriorate. General Considerations • Individuals experiencing chronic homelessness have an increased likelihood of chronic medical conditions (such as diabetes, asthma, and hypertension) as well as coinciding mental health diagnoses or a history of substance use. During crisis situations, health conditions can be exacerbated if health care regimens are not maintained, or if histories of trauma trigger high-risk behaviors. These factors will increase their risk of infection and should be accounted for in response planning. • Individuals and families experiencing homelessness have limited access to primary medical care. This may mean their overall health is compromised and they are more vulnerable to infection and that their symptoms are more severe. • Staffing of homeless services agencies may be affected by illness of staff members or their families. Planning for different staffing patterns may be necessary to ensure client support is maintained. • Staff may need special training and education to stay healthy while on the job. Extra personal protective equipment (gloves, soap, disinfectant, handwashing stations, etc.) may be required. This resource is prepared by technical assistance providers and intended only to provide information. The contents of this document, except when based on statutory or regulatory authority or law, do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies. Page - 2