Item B: HRC - Recommendations from HR Listening Project

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The general trend regarding Commission involvement in this process is providing support to complainants and citizen oversight to the process more generally. Commissioners may be available to help walk community members through the process of filing a complaint and describing the upcoming process and available options with which to proceed. In some cases Commissions are authorized to hold public hearings, subpoena witnesses and documents by way of the City Attorney and make its own findings. Typically, this is the process of appeals available to parties dissatisfied with the decisions or findings of the investigators and still other Commissions can at their discretion hold public hearings. In general, Commissions are expected to either uphold or reject the findings of the investigators and the case proceeds from there; the Commission seldom has binding authority. One exception is the case of Alexandria where the Commission has the authority to assign fines of up to $5,000 for violations to the City Code. Concluding Thoughts: There were some common themes mentioned regarding successful components of the Commissions. Those ranging in seven to nine members boast stream-lined working processes and strong relationships. By having a smaller group size, the work is cohesive and Commissioners seem to feel included in the process. Staff also mentioned that supporting the needs of the Commissioners is easier with a smaller group. Additionally, Commissions who design very clear and outcome-driven work plans with steps outlined and measurable units of success create drive and accountability amongst the Commissioners. Regarding diversity on the Commissions, while it is a common goal to have the make-up reflective of the diversity in the community, most cities are currently stopping short of achieving this aim. The problem seems to be rooted in insufficient recruitment efforts. Without proper outreach mechanisms in place the Commissions continue to be overrepresented by white, middle and upper-middle class demographics which in turn may not create a welcoming environment for minority groups. Targeted efforts to encourage greater diversity will need to be prioritized to reverse this trend. The Human Rights Commission of Alexandria has five codified positions for members of other Commissions representing women, persons with disabilities, landlord/tenant issues, aging persons, and the Commission on economic issues in addition to nine “at large” seats. Reserving seats for representatives of existing groups is an example of how to codify diverse representation on the Commission within the legal framework. From these examples, it seems that the necessary staffing requirements to support an investigative and enforcement mechanism are at least two investigators or staff trained as investigators and a supervisor or manager in addition to the administrative or other programmatic staffing needs of the office. These investigators can come from public safety, legal or human relations backgrounds, although in some cases it may be helpful to have specialists trained in housing and other issues. In situations of under- funding it may be helpful to take on legal interns or service learning programs such as AmeriCorps. Partnering with the City Attorney also relieves the need to keep a lawyer on staff. Given the limitations of Commissioner terms and time availability and the varied skill sets that they bring, it seems important that the principal responsibility of investigations and enforcement rest in the city staff. 5 | Page