City of Eugene Human Rights Commission

1 Office of Human Rights & Neighborhood Involvement | City of Eugene | 99 W 10th Ave | Eugene OR 97401 | (541) 682-5272 Meeting packet for Tuesday, June 15, 2020, 5:30 – 7:35 PM Join online: https://eugene-or-gov.zoom.us/j/94797676360 Passcode: HRC-2021 Packet Contents Item Description Page 1 Draft Agenda 2 2 May 2021 minutes 3 3 Draft resolution on housing emergency 6  2 City of Eugene Human Rights Commission Human Rights Commission Agenda for Tuesday, June 15, 2021, 5:30 – 7:30 PM Join online: https://eugene-or-gov.zoom.us/j/94797676360 Passcode: HRC-2021 Human Rights Commissioners: Amanda McCluskey (Chair), Daniel Borson (vice chair), Joel Iboa, Ibrahim Coulibaly, Heather Sielicki, Ibrahim Hamide, Bonnie Souza, Kirstin London, Kris Galago, Councilor Randy Groves Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement Staff: Fabio Andrade 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 - 5:35 5 min 2 Public Comment (Chair) 5:35 - 5:45 10 min 3 Eugene Police Liaison Updates 5:45 – 5:55 10 min 4 COVID-19 Impact updates Discuss/Updates 5:55 - 6:15 20 min 5 Springfield Eugene Tenant Association Presentation 6:15 – 6:35 20 min 6 Housing and Homelessness Emergency declaration Discuss/Vote 6:35 – 6:55 20 min 7 AHCPP Updates 6:55 – 7:15 15 min 8 Council Liaison Updates 7:15 – 7:25 10 min 9 HRC retreat Updates 7:25 – 7:35 10 min The Human Rights Commission does not meet in July A planning retreat will be held in August, 2021 The next scheduled meeting of the Human Rights Commission is on September 21, 2021 The Eugene Human Rights Commission welcomes your interest in these agenda items. 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. 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, 541-682-5177 fandrade@eugene-or.gov  3 City of Eugene Human Rights Commission MINUTES Eugene Human Rights Commission - HRC Online meeting Eugene, Oregon May 18, 2021 - 5:30 p.m. PRESENT: Daniel Borson, Amanda McCluskey, Heather Sielicki, Councilor Randy Groves, Bonnie Souza, Ibrahim Coulibaly, Kris Galago, Fabio Andrade (staff) Absent: Joel Iboa, Ib Hamide Opening Chair McCluskey called the meeting to order at 5:33 PM. Agenda Review – Approved without changes. Minutes Review - April minutes approved unanimously. Public Comments Matthew Yook – Spoke to recommendations for changes to the current system for reporting hate crimes and incidents to the City of Eugene. Matthew reported anecdotal information regarding victims of bias crimes/incidents who decided not to report their cases. Asked for more educational events on bias crimes. Eugene Police Liaison Updates Lieutenant Chris Harrison discussed the bias crimes reported to EPD up to May 18, 2021 and a comparison with the reports made in the same period of 2020. Lieutenant Harrison presented details of some cases and answered questions presented by the commission including the type of recent incidents, location, and communities impacted. Support request Susan Hirata presented DisOrient request for $275 to cover 50% of the screening fee for Mu and the Vanishing World scheduled for June 17. The request was approved unanimously. Kirstin London, Daniel Borson, and Heather Sielicki volunteered to attend the event. WECU’s report on COVID-19 Impact Kris Galago presented findings of a report prepared by WECU members regarding the impact of COBID-19 on marginalized communities. A copy of the report was included in the HRC meeting packet for May, 2021. 99 W. 10th Avenue, Suite 116, Eugene, OR 97401 541.682.5177 |HRNI@ci.eugene.or.us | www.eugene-or.gov/HRC  4 City of Eugene Human Rights Commission Reporting Bias Crimes – LTD bus advertising campaign Heather Sielicki discussed developments regarding the proposed campaign to increase awareness of bias crimes. All available advertising space on TD bus have been reserved for COVI-19 campaigns. The Homelessness and Poverty work group has opted for a campaign with monthly print ads in the Eugene Weekly. The commission approved using the remaining funds in the HRC budget in addition to the amount previously approved for the bus advertisement campaign to fund the newspaper ads. An ad hoc committee with members of WECU and the Homelessness and Poverty work group was formed to work on the new campaign. Work Group and Liaison updates Police Commission – Amanda McCluskey r3ported on the planning retreat recently held by the commission and some of the items included in their proposed work plan. The items proposed by Amanda McCluskey included reviewing and providing feedback on disciplinary; reviewing STOPS data, and adding officer wellness and mental health as a topic for the work plan. Homelessness and Poverty Work Group – Heather Sielicki reported the work group is following discussion of the Right to Rest Act at the Oregon Legislature and a plan for temporary camping and car parking sites by City Council. Commissioner Sielicki asked for permission to speak in favor of HB3124 to extend the amount of notice given for camp removal and storage of items. The motion was approved by 9 votes and 1 abstention. WECU - Daniel Borson reported that WECU has been focused on investigating COVID impact and the idea of reaching to the community regarding ways to increase reporting of bias crimes. Bonnie Souza supported the idea of a listening session and adding the possibility of commissioners responding to public comments. May meeting may be replaced with subcommittee meetings. Council Liaison Updates Police commission report is on the agenda for June 28. Council received the AHCPP report, which will require further discussion following the process proposed by Council leadership. Councilor Groves reporter that he is hopeful about the outcomes and appreciation for the work done by AHCPP members. Council and City staff continue working on a plan to provide sanctioned spaces for tents and car parking. Councilor Groves expressed sympathy for the unhoused, for staff working on homelessness and for business that are being impacted by the current crisis. He also questioned if a state of emergency on this issue could be declared to suspend some Code measures to help the City move faster with some projects to address the current crisis. that the City has activated an Incident Command structure to deal with the homeless crisis. Low income housing is needed to give people a way out of homelessness. He is pleased with the engagement of the Chamber of Commerce and business owners helping identify spaces for the temporary shelters and car parking spaces. Finally, he mentioned an 99 W. 10th Avenue, Suite 116, Eugene, OR 97401 541.682.5177 |HRNI@ci.eugene.or.us | www.eugene-or.gov/HRC  5 City of Eugene Human Rights Commission interest of the Lane Historical Museum in relocating to a new site and changing the profile of the organization at the same time to increase visibility and connection to parts of our history that have not been recognized. HRNI updates Fabio Andrade told the commission about two upcoming Council work session of interest to the HRC. On June 23, Council will hear about reparation initiatives adopted by other cities. On June 30, Council will receive updates on the naming policy review, which is being conducted by Jason Dedrick. Jason has requested input from the HRC on the naming policy. After passage of updates to Chapter 4 of the Eugene Code will require some changes in the annual report and publicity materials that will use bias crimes instead of hate crimes in accordance with current legislation. HRNI is understaffed following the departure of Mike Kinnison and retirement of Rene Kane. Lorna Flormoe applied and was awarded a Tech Bridge grant to support translation of pages and materials to Spanish. Those funds will support translation of the bias crimes reporting materials to Spanish. Council will appoint new HRC members on June 14. The annual bias crimes report may be released in July. Finally, Fabio asked for the formation of a committee to support retreat planning. Amanda McCluskey, Daniel Borson, Heather Sielicki and Kirstin London volunteered for the committee. Meeting adjourned at 7:25 pm Recorded by Fabio Andrade A video recording of this meeting is kept by the Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement Office 99 W. 10th Avenue, Suite 116, Eugene, OR 97401 541.682.5177 |HRNI@ci.eugene.or.us | www.eugene-or.gov/HRC  6 Proposed Resolution on the Impending Eviction Crisis Whereas Oregon has the fourth-largest population of people who are unhoused; Whereas an estimated 1,600 people in Eugene are unhoused and more than 4,000 people in Lane County are unhoused; Whereas an estimated 20% of Eugene residents live below the Federal poverty level; Whereas an estimated 45% of Eugene residents have been identified as earning more than the Federal poverty level but less than the basic cost of living, which means they are living dangerously close to financial crisis; Whereas the rent eviction moratorium instituted in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic is set to expire on July 1, and accumulated back rent must be paid by February 2022; Whereas Oregon renters owe as much as $378 million in back rent, yet the State has received only $222 million in rental assistance from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan; Whereas experts and advocates anticipate a flood of evictions when the rent eviction moratorium ends; Whereas Portland State University’s Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative estimates that the short-term downstream costs of evictions could be as much as $3.3 billion statewide; Whereas there are fewer shelter beds in Eugene than existed before the pandemic; Whereas fire season is approaching, which could increase the number of people who lose their homes; Whereas there is currently no community-wide hazardous weather plan in place for Eugene’s unhoused; Therefore, the Eugene City Council commits itself to addressing this impending crisis as the community emergency that it could potentially become.