Agenda - Council - 08/27/2019 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Larger cities with more resources and capacity should consider the following additional steps to allow for greater consideration of fair housing issues: Human Rights/Fair Housing Commission In 2017, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights reports that there are approximately 40 local human rights commissions across Minnesota. At least three cities (Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth) also process, investigate and enforce complaints of discrimination through their commissions. Most, however, are volunteer appointments that serve the City Council, and focus on human rights issues, including fair housing issues. HRCs allow a city's Council to get input on fair housing issues in the community and delegate projects related to human rights or fair housing issues to a group able to focus exclusively on such topics. Members of the committee can also attend meetings or serve on working groups where a fair housing perspective should be considered. Examples of work done by local human rights/fair housing committees: • Forums addressing new immigration laws and what they mean for Latino community members; • Appointing members to sit on committees such as the Comprehensive Planning Committee and the Sustainability Committee; • Providing community mediation services; • Providing an administrative complaint process and holding administrative hearings in fair housing and employment discrimination claims; • Initiating conversations with the police department about LEP policies Fair Housing Ordinances If cities identify a need in their own city for additional protections for a particular group of people, it could consider passing a fair housing ordinance with additional protections for its constituents. While the federal and state fair housing laws provide protections for eleven protected classes in housing, cities could add additional protections. For example, 20