Item B: HRC - Recommendations from HR Listening Project

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Objective & Methodology The purpose of this study is to profile a sample of municipal human rights programs and citizen human rights commissions throughout the nation as a point of comparison for the City of Eugene as it evaluates its own program. Included are the following cities: Alexandria Virginia, Austin Texas, Des Moines Iowa, Fort Collins Colorado and Tacoma Washington. Berkeley, California and Ann Arbor, Michigan were also contacted but were not available for interviews within the timeframe of this project. Cities in this study were chosen on the basis of reasonable comparability in terms of population size, economic and racial demographics to Eugene. Research was gathered using available information provided by city government online resources, census data and informational interviews conducted by telephone with city staff, and when possible, current Commissioners on their respective Human Rights or Human Relations Commissions. Programs are profiled in several parts: the Commission or citizen body, the affiliated office or staff within the city organization and the enforcement mechanism or process outlined in the City Human Rights Code or Ordinance. The components of the citizen Commissions considered include the following: structure of the Commission, associated committees and relationship to City Council, as well its role in enforcing City Code or Ordinance. With regards to the affiliated city staff, the number of staff, specific job titles and responsibilities, operating budget and relationship to the citizen Commission are used to assess the organizational component of the human rights or equity program in place. *Note The equity and human rights program of Portland, Oregon was also profiled but is not included in full in this study. The program is currently in a state of transition and as such much of the information presently available will likely not be relevant in the future. Due to the high profile nature of this transition and the close proximity of Portland, interviews were done in person with the City Commissioner charged with opening the city’s new Office of Equity as well as with one member of the Office of Equity Creation Committee. Portland already operates an Office of Human Relations in which the Human Rights Commission is presently housed. With an operating budget of $589,509 and 4 FTE the office also supports the following programs: New Portlanders aimed at integrating immigrant and refugee communities, Intergroup Dialogue and the Education and Peace Building Program. However, in February, 2011 the Mayor announced the creation of the new Office of Equity. Portland City Council allocated $1 million with $100,000 earmarked specifically to open the office. The dispersal of the remaining funds is contingent on final approval by the Council of the office and its work plan. Half of this budget will come from the existing Office of Human Relations which will likely be absorbed into the new office. These changes have garnered significant public attention and have been met with considerable criticism. As noted previously, the Mayor and City Commissioner convened an Office of Equity Creation Committee comprised of 30 representatives from diverse social justice groups, community organizers 2 | Page