HomeMy WebLinkAboutHRC 3 23 2021Human Rights Commission
March 23, 2021
Electronic Formal Meeting- 5:30 PM Zoom Meeting Platform
Electronic Meeting
(Pursuant to Iowa Code section 21.8)
An electronic meeting is being held because a meeting in person is impossible or impractical due to concerns for the health and safety of commission
members, staff and the public presented by COVID-19.
You can participate in the meeting and can comment on an agenda item by
going to
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Agenda:
1.Call Meeting to Order and Roll Call
2.Approval of the February 23, 2021 meeting minutes
3.Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda. (Commentators shall address the
Commission for no more than 5 minutes. Commissioners shall not engage in
discussion with the public concerning said items)
4.Introduction & Conversation with Victoria Fernandez, Iowa City Public Library
5.Introduction & Conversation with Anne Spencer, League of Women Voters for
Johnson County
6.Discussion on Including a Land Acknowledgement as a Part of HRC Meetings
7.Subcommittees: Housing, Anti-Racism, Health Equity
8.Commission Statement in Support of Black Lives Matter
9.United Nations Convention Rights of the Child PhotoVoice
10.Social Justice Racial Equity Grant Recommendations for FY21 to City Council
11.Statement in Support of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
12.Discussion Regarding Collaborations with other Commissions & Boards
13.Staff/Commission Announcements. (Commissioners shall not engage in
discussion with one another concerning said announcements).
14.Adjournment.
If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate in this meeting please contact
the Equity Director, Stefanie Bowers, at 319-356-5022 or at stefanie-bowers@iowa-city.org.
Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MARCH 23, 2021 MEETING
AGENDA ITEM #2
• DRAFT MINUTES OF 2/23/2021
AGENDA ITEM #8
• COMMISSION STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF BLACK LIVES MATTER AGENDA ITEM# 10
• CORRESPONDENCE FROM JOHNSON COUNTY AFFORDABLE HOMES
HANDOUT
• COMPLAINT STATUS FOR MARCH 2021
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Preliminary Minutes
Human Rights Commission
February 23, 2021
(Electronic) Formal Regular Meeting Zoom Meeting Platform
Members Present: Ashley Lindley, Roger Lusala, Jessica Andino, Mark Pries, Jason Glass,
Bijou Maliabo, Adil Adams, Noemi Ford.
Staff Present: Stefanie Bowers.
Others Present: Sara Barron, Jamillah Witt, Dustin Liston.
(Electronic Meeting Pursuant to Iowa Code section 21.8) An electronic meeting was held because a meeting in person was impossible or impractical due to concerns for the health and safety of commission members, staff and the public presented by COVID-19.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 5:34 PM.
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL: Yes, to provide the following organizations with the noted funding
amount.
Open Heartland $14,749.00
University of Iowa Labor Center $20,000.00
Sankofa Outreach Connection $15,000.00
Food Pantry at Iowa $6,075.00
Bike Library $4,000.00
Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition $15,000.00
APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 26, 2021 MEETING MINUTES: Motion by Lindley, seconded by
Maliabo. Motion passed 5-0. (Pries, Adams, Ford not present).
PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA: None.
CONVERSATION WITH POLICE CHIEF LISTON: The Chief gave a brief overview of his background in work in El
Paso, Texas. He noted that in Texas the Civil Rights Offices are handled at the State level and not at the local.
He said the department does a great job but is not perfect. They are getting better at hearing all voices. He
thought the HRC’s statement on BLM is important and everyone should have a voice.
Glass asked his thoughts on the resolution that the City Council passed in June of 2020? The Chief thinks that
the preliminary plan is a good step in a long journey forward and it is a never-ending journey. Since he has been
in law enforcement, he has seen many changes over the years.
Andino asked what he plans in terms of working with the Ad Hoc Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC)? He
said that the TRC will need to have conversations on. He does not want people to feel intimated or negatively
impacted in those conversations if representatives from the department were present.
Lusala asked what are some of the priorities and how can the HRC help? The Chief’s first priority is
communication. He does not have all the ideas, but the community does. We all have the same priorities and
goals and that is to have a safe and vibrant community.
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Lusala mentioned the senseless killing of a young person in recent week and the effects not only on the family
of the person killed but also the family of the person accused of killing him. He wants to make sure the police
are involved in the community to help those kids who need guidance. To make our city a better city.
The Chief agrees it is a senseless and tragic event and that it does affect others and not just the victim but the
entire community. He wants to prevent versus respond and get people involved in social services before they
make these life changing decisions.
Maliabo asked in the African community it helps when police build those relationships so that people know
who they are and are not scared. Is this something the Chief plans on personally doing? The Chief Liston agrees
that former Chief Matherly did a fantastic job at that and he plans on following that lead. The police need to
make sure they are building those relationships. There are going to be times when something happens and
without those relationships you will not gain peoples trust in calling the police or even afraid of the police. He
lived in a border community for over 20 years and the Police there had to continually fight that thought that
they were enforcing immigration.
Pries recalled a program entitled Officer Friendly where officers went into the schools and got to meet the
students usually at the elementary level. The Chief noted that in Texas it was a closer relationship with the
school district but that he will work with the school district here but again he does not want to make people
feel uncomfortable and so that is what they need to work on changing the image. Any outreach with the school
district would be with the school district’s permission and invitation.
Glass asked the Chief, now that he has been on the job for a month or two what has been your expectations of
the officers? The Chief reported that it is support and morale. The department has taken a blow and after a
popular chief had left. Everyone on the department recognizes that changes need to me made and that they
are supported by them and he will hold them accountable for their actions.
Maliabo asked if the Chief is willing to come to speak to community groups or would you send someone else
from the department? The Chief will come speak to groups.
CONVERSATION WITH JAMILLAH WITT: Jamillah works as the Johnson County Access to Justice Coordinator.
She is present in the court house Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The position was started to assist African
Americans in navigating the judicial system. For example, if a civil protective order needs to be filed against
someone. She assists a client in filling out the paperwork. She also does education and trainings for
organization on Domestic Violence (DV) 101, and Iowa Law regarding domestic violence within the African
American Community.
Calls to DV programs have increased across the country over the last year and not everyone knows of the
civil option to obtain a protective order. More community resources about what she does helps spread the
word of her services. Currently the paperwork is only in English this has created some barriers but she is
using Language Line to assist those whose first language is not English.
FUNDING REQUEST: CENTER FOR FAMILIES SERVICES GLOBAL NETWORK: Lusala does not understand the
request. It went from $40,000 last month to $2000 for this latest request but the proposal has not changed
only the amount of funding requested. Glass noted the requested amount, $2000, is pretty much all the
funding for the fiscal year. To date, the only other funding request that has been approved was for $500 for
the Johnson County United Nations Association’s Night of 1000 Dinners. Lusala finds the request to be very
vague and is not comfortable approving it because he is not sure what will take place at the event. Lindley
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agrees and finds the request a pretty hefty amount of change. Lusala asked staff to reach out the requester
to let them know that the social justice and racial equity grant maybe a better purview for their proposal.
HOUSING SUBCOMMITTEE: This subcommitee has not met but they plan to meet to have a better
discussion on what they really want to look at as it relates to housing.
ANTIRACISM SUBCOMMITTEE: They plan on doing a project based on the implicit bias test offered by
Havard. The plan is to work with other organizations and to collaborate to reach more allies. They hope to
work with the local LULAC and One Iowa. They also plan on doing another White Privilege film screening.
HEALTH EQUITY: They are working on doing a local leaders series and working with Johnson County Public
Health to campaign on the safety of the COVID vaccine. This includes promoting in different languages.
Staff can coordinate with Communications to get it shared on multiple social media venues throughout the
City. They are trying to be creative in advertised because there are some in the community who are weary
of getting the vaccination or who have received inaccurate information on it.
COMMISSION STATEMENT ON BLACK LIVES MATTER: Glass noted they had spoken about this last
month at their meeting. He proposes that Commission members look over the statement and some
of the things each member has done on their own that align with the statement or that support it. That list can
be compiled and sent to staff. Once completed it will show the public that they are holding themselves
accountable and provide them with some updates.
UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION RIGHTS OF THE CHILD: Staff will reach out to the Johnson County United
Nations Association to see if there is a possibility to collaborate on an upcoming program or event on this
topic. Andino was approached by a colleague at the College of Public Health about doing a photovoice and
so that may be an avenue to assist with this project. Commissioners Lindley, Maliabo, and Andino are a part
of the planning committee for this project.
SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY GRANT UPDATES FY2021: Andino first went over the requirements and
timeline for the grant. There were 29 submissions and the Commission went with the first six highest
ranking organizations based upon Commissioners individual scores. Because the grant is limited to $75,000
the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition will not receive the full amount of their request. Instead
of $25,000 they will receive $15,000. The motion was made by Glass and seconded by Lusala. Motion
passed 6-0. The Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition will submit an updated proposal based on the
$15,000 to the Commission by their next meeting date for their approval.
Open Heartland $14,749.00
University of Iowa Labor Center $20,000.00
Sankofa Outreach Connection $15,000.00
Food Pantry at Iowa $6,075.00
Bike Library $4,000.00
Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition $15,000.00
CORRESPONDENCE: Staff will invite representatives from the Johnson County League of Women Voters to
speak at the Commission’s next meeting to further discuss how they and the Commission can work
together.
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REPORTS OF COMMISSIONERS: Andino has recently been appointed to the Iowa City Affordable
Housing Committee. She also is the new representative for the Eastside Neighborhood Association.
Lusala accepted the Black History Proclamation on behalf of the Commission at the Council’s
February 2 meeting date. Maliabo was recently appointed President for the Center for Worker Justice
and encouraged Commissioners to participate in the Night of 1000 Dinners.
STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS: Staff reported on the vacancy on the Human Rights Commission and that
applications are due April 13 by 5PM.
MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 7:41PM.
Organization Amount Past Recipient Year Amount Average Rank Adil Ashley Bijou Jason Jessica Maria Roger
Open Heartland $14,749.00 No 3.86 1 2 1 14 5 4 1University of Iowa Labor Center $20,000.00 Yes FY19 $15,200.00 7.71 2 8 3 3 4 25 11
Sankofa Outreach Connection $15,000.00 Yes FY17 $13,500.00 7.86 3 15 13 5 12 6 4Food Pantry at Iowa $6,075.00 No 8.00 4 18 6 1 14 9 8
Bike Library $4,000.00 Yes FY17 $3,250.00 8.43 5 17 8 15 8 3 8
Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition $25,000.00 Yes FY17 $2,500.00 8.57 6 11 4 4 20 2 19
University of Iowa Liberal Arts Beyond Bars $6,575.00 No 8.71 7 3 10 20 1 11 16
Multicultural Development Center of Iowa $6,000.00 No 9.00 8 21 2 11 7 8 14
Antelope Lending Library $15,405.00 Yes FY20 $6,644.00 9.14 9 3 9 16 11 20 5
Domestic Violence Intervention Program $2,430.00 No 9.86 10 20 19 2 9 5 14IC Compassion $25,000.00 No 10.00 11 24 10 8 6 17 5
Sudanese Community Center $25,000.00 Yes FY20 $13,520.00 10.57 12 1 24 9 16 23 1National Alliance on Mental Illness Johnson County $25,000.00 No 12.00 13 9 13 7 17 13 25
Refugee and Immigrant Association $8,000.00 Yes FY19 $12,000.00 12.00 13 7 6 29 15 14 13Sylvan Learning Center $16,000.00 No 12.57 15 18 13 17 10 7 23
Successful Living $25,000.00 Yes FY20 $25,000.00 13.00 16 5 13 13 26 22 124Cs Community Coordinated Child Care $16,850.00 No 13.14 17 12 17 28 2 12 21
Johnson County Interfaith Coalition $24,990.00 No 13.14 17 28 18 6 19 16 5Corridor Community Action Network $24,692.38 No 14.00 19 27 5 21 18 10 17
Little Creations Academy $10,089.00 Yes FY20 $7,360.00 14.86 20 26 10 23 3 21 21PromptPress$3,400.00 No 15.71 21 29 20 27 13 1 20
Free Lunch Program $8,000.00 No 16.00 22 21 21 10 22 28 10Iowa City Coralville Boxing Club $25,000.00 No 16.00 22 5 21 18 25 15 28
Shelter House $13,388.44 No FY18 $10,600.00 16.00 22 14 26 24 21 24 3Interdance$7,500.00 No 18.57 25 25 25 12 23 19 26
Rotary Club of Iowa City (Noon)$10,000.00 No 18.71 26 16 27 22 24 18 24Willowwind School $25,000.00 No 19.29 27 13 21 19 28 27 27
Physicians for Social Responsibility (Iowa)$8,000.00 No 19.29 27 9 28 25 29 26 18Divine Media Group $15,000.00 No 23.29 29 23 29 26 27 29 29
FY19 $5,000.00 99.00 30 #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 0 #N/A
FY20 $15,500.00 99.00 30 #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 0 #N/A
Amount Available $75,000.00
Total Amount Requested from all Organizations $431,143.82
Human Rights Commission
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2021
(Meeting Date)
NAME
TERM
EXP. 1/26 2/23 3/23 4/27 5/25 6/22 6/27 8/24 9/28 10/26 11/23 12/28
Adil Adams 2021 X X
Jessica Andino 2021 X X
Noemi Ford 2021 E X
Jason Glass 2022 X X
Ashley Lindley 2021 X X
Roger Lusala 2023 X X
Bijou Maliabo 2023 X X
Mark Pries 2022 X X
KEY: X = Present
O = Absent
O/E = Absent/Excused
NM = No meeting
--- = Not a Member
City of Iowa City Human Rights Commission
issues statement in support of Black Lives
Matter
June 22, 2020
Like so many across the nation, we were outraged by the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. We felt it was time to make an unprecedented statement addressing this human rights violation.
The killing of George Floyd resonates within our community, illuminating the failure to
address underlying economic and social forces perpetuating systemic racism
throughout our nation. Because of these failures, many names have become headlines: Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, Botham Jean, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, among so many other BIPOC. Living While Black should not be a death sentence.
Systemic racism and centuries of oppression of people of color, especially of African
Americans, represent ongoing human rights crises. This is embedded into many areas
of our community, including but not limited to law enforcement, criminal justice, housing, employment, education, healthcare and childcare. We recognize that these interrelated factors make solutions complex. Though the issues are systemic, solutions must be specific, focused on individual and policy-level changes, involving broad participation to
be successful.
As a commission, we pledge the following commitments to you
• We state unequivocally Black Lives Matter.
• We will increase our efforts to highlight the work being done by the City of Iowa City
Office of Equity and Human Rights to educate and engage the community on human
rights issues.
• We will spread awareness of resources and activities in the community through the Social Justice and Racial Equity Quarterly Report found here.
• We will continue to be active representatives of this community and in working with
the Iowa City City Council, further dialogue and advocate for action for human rights
issues, including addressing the Iowa City Freedom Riders’ demands.
• We will listen to and help amplify community voices on matters of human rights. Community residents are always encouraged to contact a member of the Human Rights Commission or City staff if they have questions or concerns.
• We will engage in active dialogues with local officials and City staff members,
February 17, 2021
Page 2
including law enforcement, that allow them to make informed decisions regarding equitable and just policies and practices upholding human rights and holding human rights violators accountable.
• We further offer our assistance in bridging the gap and fostering an open dialogue
between law enforcement and those participating in non-violent protests. We want to aid in promoting trust between these groups to assure safety for all and protection of the Constitutional Rights of free speech and freedom of assembly.
• We commit to building a more robust Human Rights Commission Strategic Plan
starting in July to assure that our priorities align with the goals above and in light of the
heightened awareness in our community to issues of race within systems and policies.
The goal of these commitments is to help us stay true to our duties and to more actively spur us to be a part of the solution in dismantling systems of oppression by starting with small acts of our own today.
This commission looks forward to building on our strengths and addressing critical
areas that must be improved in our community. We hope that the passion of the last few weeks is indicative of the will to truly find solutions to these issues, which will undoubtedly take a sustained, long-term effort involving all community members. We must assure that this is not a fleeting moment, but a pivotal one that leads to lasting
change.
To learn more about the City of Iowa City Human Rights Commission visit this link.
In solidarity,
City of Iowa City Human Rights Commission
From:Sara Barron
To:Stefanie Bowers
Subject:Revised scope of work and budget for JCAHC
Date:Tuesday, March 9, 2021 3:55:01 PM
Attachments:image003.png
We sent you safe versions of your files.msg
Revised Grant Scope of Work and Budget SJRE.docx
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Attached, please find a revised grant narrative and budget for the SJRE application from JohnsonCounty Affordable Housing Coalition.
We revised the intake process, meeting schedule, and outputs in ways that we believe preservethe integrity of the project and set the stage for future work with a focus on residentengagement, relationship-building, and leadership development. We will still meet with residentsto assess needs, concerns, and advocacy goals, and we will still offer community education andorganizing training. The final results of this project will be a toolkit, a report to council, andongoing advocacy and engagement led by South District residents in partnership with JCAHCand our member organizations. The revised requested amount is $15,000.
If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to let me know!Sara
Sara Barron (she/her/hers)Executive Directorsara@jcaffordablehousing.orgwww.jcaffordablehousing.orgwww.facebook.com/jcahcwww.twitter.com/jcahcoalition308 E. Burlington St., PMB 121Iowa City, IA 52240319-541-4763 (c)
Join us as a member of the Coalition!Visit https://www.jcaffordablehousing.org/become-a-member
Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive
or based on city or statewide statistics.*
The City of Iowa City and its nonprofit partners have made an ever-growing commitment to
developing and maintaining safe, stable, and affordable housing. We are investing millions of
local, state, and federal dollars in pursuit of these goals. Robust discussions and debates occur
about what our short- and long-term priorities should be.
Too often, though, these discussions and decisions take place in spaces that do not fully include
the racial, ethnic, and economic diversity of our community. Decisions are often made without
robust input from the very people they are designed to “help.” Do we really know what low-
income and Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) residents want for our homes,
neighborhoods and community? What are our most pressing needs? What are our dreams for
the future? What resources will best address these hopes and concerns? As our city enters its
next phase of affordable housing planning, we need BIPOC and low-income residents to be fully
involved in leading our progress.
JCAHC isn’t the first organization to acknowledge this shortcoming. The City of Iowa City and
other housing nonprofits have also indicated an interest in cultivating and supporting greater
participation of BIPOC and low-income residents. And, they have expressed some concern with
the limited success of their efforts or a lack of understanding, guidance, or resources for
nurturing that participation.
JCAHC itself is also deepening our commitment to social justice and racial equity, and we know
that our organization-- like many--needs to do much more to invest in our structure, process,
and outcomes. This project presents an opportunity for both JCAHC and our member-partner
organizations to take significant steps toward building relationships; deepening our
understanding of how race, ethnicity, and culture impact housing needs and opportunities; and
fully including BIPOC and low-income people in the internal and external work of our
organization.
A foundational step to this process is to elevate the voices of BIPOC and low-income residents.
Housing professionals and decision-makers need to know the housing challenges, priorities, and
dreams of our BIPOC and low-income communities, and housing professionals need to share all
the resources and knowledge available so that BIPOC and low-income communities can become
our own most powerful advocates. This includes knowledge about the structural roots of racism
in housing in Iowa City and the United States as well as information about civic engagement
strategies, available resources, etc.
We want the process used for this project to embody the values of equity and leadership
development that we seek to catalyze. That means our process has to be reciprocal and
accountable to BIPOC/low income voices, which will result in reflecting the desires of the people
we are centering.
Ultimately, the inspiration for this project boils down to:
1. Individuals who are BIPOC and/or are from low-income households are
underrepresented among policymakers, city commissioners, nonprofit boards and
leadership staff, and other spaces where decisions are made
2. We want and need to change this.
What is the program, service, or activity?*
The proposed activities for this grant funding are aimed at taking inventory of specific housing
needs and issues from BIPOC/low-income residents and providing advocacy training at the
household level.
This will be accomplished in two parts: 1) household intake and resource outreach and; 2)
community advocacy training for community members.
Household Assessment:
• Purpose: To take inventory of specific housing needs and issues from BIPOC/low-income
residents and contribute to advocacy at the household level.
• Impact: Develop understanding of housing issues to inform future policies and work,
and provide direct services/information to inform participants.
The intake will implement a door-to-door intake approach. As we talk with people and they
share their experiences, we will continue to modify our follow-up advocacy training and
resources based on the issues that they raise. The intake will be completed through a mixed-
mode approach, such as paper and in-person resources. Typically, when engaging low-income
residents, there is a digital divide and that is why this project utilizes a multi-faceted and in-
person approach.
Participants will be provided with potential resources based on their answers. We have
prepared a collaboration with Johnson County Social Services and their “social services
navigator,” whose role specializes in assisting residents in accessing existing resources, well
beyond a simple referral.
Community Advocacy Training:
• Purpose: To increase BIPOC/low-income residents’ capacity to engage with housing
issues and advocacy.
• Impact: Build BIPOC/low-income community capacity so that members from this group
are prepared to take leadership and advocacy roles within community non-
profits/government agencies/commissions and facilitate change.
Too often community members are asked to give their time and share experiences without
tangible reciprocity. In order to give back to community members, we propose launching a pilot
summer program focused on teaching community organizing and research/analysis skills on
issues related to housing/health and planning. More specifically, we will develop interactive
material on systemic and historic issues related to housing and planning while training
community members in organizing and advocacy techniques. This training will be facilitated
through one in-person event outdoors and online materials that will be made available to all
residents on the JCAHC website.
At the conclusion of the training, participants will be given (a free) membership into the
Affordable Housing Coalition and will receive updates about housing initiatives that may impact
them, notifications about openings on city commissions and the boards/staff of local nonprofits.
We will continue to cultivate these relationships, providing support for participant engagement
in housing advocacy and staying connected through the ongoing work of Habitat for Humanity
and other social services partners.
*Covid-19 Realities. We understand that there are many unknowns regarding the impacts of
Covid-19, particularly when it comes to small gatherings and one-on-one interactions. We have
designed our timeline to coincide with seasonal changes that may be more appealing to people
meeting outside. We are also fully equipped to wear and provide any personal protective
equipment that would make safe our interactions with the public. We are confident that we can
remain agile and adjust to any Covid-19 realities that are present during the duration of this
grant.
How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.*
This project advances social justice and racial equity in two ways. The first focuses on a
household approach, wherein our team engages in a one-on-one interaction with community
members and a social services navigator to identify gaps in services and provide resources. This
door-to-door interaction brings tools and information directly to people so they can be informed
about available services and receive the follow-through they may need to navigate those
services. This door-to-door approach directly addresses the barriers to access that many
marginalized communities face when dealing with housing and health issues.
Second, when looking at the configuration of local housing non-profit organizations and their
Board of Directors’ membership, there is a very low number of BIPOC and immigrant community
members serving in these positions. The advocacy training segment of the project is a leadership
development opportunity for people already engaged in the first segment and encouraged to
further empower themselves. As a coalition of local housing and community health
organizations, JCAHC is well-positioned to assist in the integration of emergent leaders to
become involved in its partner organizations.
How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?*
This program will primarily address housing and will also address health and community
building. The program will address housing and health by evaluating housing needs,
including how their housing impacts their health, for residents of Iowa City, especially
low-income, BIPOC, and immigrant households. The program will also address housing
by educating residents about existing housing resources, funding, and assistance
opportunities. Finally, the program will address housing and community building by
developing with residents the tools and pathways needed to more fully engage in the
pursuit of housing justice. Our hope is that participants will be empowered to engage in
new ways, which may include creating new housing initiatives, assuming leadership
roles within existing housing organizations, and advocating for their community
priorities in the city’s housing decisions and funding allocations.
What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include
information or data that demonstrates the need.*
Despite being the intended recipients of many housing initiatives, BIPOC and low-income
residents are underrepresented in city government; local nonprofit staff, volunteers, and boards
of directors; and other spaces where housing ideas and decisions are developed and vetted.
In our discussions with local nonprofit members of JCAHC, they have shared that they have
struggled to recruit and retain BIPOC and low-income residents for their boards. City
commissions such as Planning and Zoning and Housing and Community Development can also
benefit from more voices of underrepresented residents. When housing and planning decisions
are made, the perspectives of low-income and BIPOC residents are often unaddressed. (And, it’s
worth noting, that when BIPOC and low-income residents have participated in larger numbers in
city decisions---such as with the redevelopment of Forest View and the creation of the South
District Homeownership Program--the process and outcome were greatly enhanced because of
their advocacy.)
In line with the City of Iowa City’s own Government Alliance on Race & Equity (GARE)
commitment, our project will achieve several benchmarks for advancing racial equity in housing,
including using a racial equity framework, building organizational capacity, implementing racial
equity tools, being data-driven, partnership among entities and communities, and operating
with urgency and accountability.
Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)?
If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.*
This program will include partnerships with the local housing nonprofit members of the
Affordable Housing Coalition, including Habitat for Humanity, Shelter House, the Housing
Fellowship, DVIP, the Housing Trust Fund, and Horizons. These partners will collaborate by
providing education and short- and long-term engagement opportunities to participants, as well
as offering services to residents who identify a housing need.
Habitat for Humanity will be an especially key partner. Habitat for Humanity has also made a
commitment to working with community members on housing-related issues in this
neighborhood. They fully support this application and are committed to working with us on
ongoing neighborhood investment and revitalization.
We have also received support from Angie Jordan of the South District Neighborhood
Association. Angie recognizes the need to center the voices of residents, build strong 1-1
connections, and leverage those connections in the pursuit of broader economic, health, and
social advancement for the South District neighborhood. She has committed to be a partner in
this project, which may include recruiting neighbors to participate and other help with publicity.
We will also partner with the social services navigator located at the Johnson County Social
Services office to assist participants in accessing local housing services.
Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service
or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).*
The South District includes Census Tracts 18.01 and 18.02, and we will place specific focus on
the residential area on the east side of the district which corresponds to Census Tract 18.02.
According to ACS 2018 5-year estimates, our focused project area has (1) higher than average
number of family renters, especially for non-White households. For example, among all black
households in the project area, 96.3% of them are renters. Our project area also includes (2)
higher than average number of households that speak another language and do not speak
English very well, and (3) although the area has lower housing cost, there is still a high
percentage of cost-burden households.
In other words, our project area is a highly diverse community with higher than average family
renters. Much of our population are people of color who are disproportionately renters, and
who experience a higher burden of cost for housing. Efforts that engage this community must
also account for a wide range of languages spoken, including, French and Spanish due to the
high percentage of households with limited English speaking ability.
Statistics Project Area Iowa City, IA
Renter Families with Children 34.6% 13.7%
Black Owner Occupied 3.7% 9.6%
White Owner Occupied 71.0% 54.7%
Rent 30% + of income 54.0% 58.1%
$800-$899 Monthly Housing Cost 46.0% 22.9%
Limited English Speakers 19.2% 7.0%
Black Households 24.5% 8.2%
Hispanic/Latinx Households 15.2% 5.8%
How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over
what period of time?*
This project is meant to serve as a pilot project that could be applied to different neighborhoods
throughout Iowa City. Our initial efforts seek to directly assist at least 15-20 households over the
course of this pilot project, which depending on the size of the household would reach 30-80
people. This estimate is based on the project focusing on a household by household approach.
During the training process, we aim to engage an additional 20-30 people.
This project also includes longer term outcomes focused on leadership development for BIPOC,
immigrants, and other marginalized community members. More specifically, we aim to create
lasting pathways that increase the number of BIPOC people serving on local boards,
commissions, and decision-making positions. These most recent pandemic times have focused a
light on the deep need to strengthen the fabric of connection during times of crisis and we must
further ensure that BIPOC and immigrant community members are at the decision-making table.
This project will begin in June, 2021 and end in November, 2021.
Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person?
Why is the charge needed?*
There will be no fee to participate in the intake/engagement process or the training
opportunities.
What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?*
o We will provide resources to community residents and report the outcomes to city
stakeholders
o Participants will learn about existing housing resources and be connected with
resources that can address their needs or housing goals
o We will conduct trainings/workshops, and participants will receive information, tools,
and new platforms for housing advocacy
o A replicable toolkit to ensure that this project can be performed in other areas of town.
This toolkit will include resources, translated training materials, recommended budgets,
etc.
o Membership in JCAHC and ongoing communication with support for training
participants
What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? **
• Short-Term Indicators/metrics
• Number of participants in the workshops/townhalls, number of programs
identified
• People having a better understanding of the resources that are available.
• Number of participants that got their needs met during the assessment
• Long-Term Indicators/metrics
• Increase the number of BIPOC people reporting readiness to apply knowledge to
work on behalf of housing initiatives.
Increase the number of BIPOC people involved in decision-making roles at
affordable housing organizations
What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared
with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?*
This project will create a toolkit of information that can be used for additional neighborhood
projects in the future. This toolkit will include an intake template, any updated questions and/or
feedback received from community members about the project, training materials, and relevant
housing advocacy information. Our goal is to make this replicable for future neighborhood
housing advocacy efforts.
How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the
targeted community and the larger community?
This project will have a formal online presence on the JCAHC’s website and social media.
Updates will be presented at JCAHC’s monthly Community Meetings that are open to members
and the public. The findings from the project will be shared with all of Coalition members and
presented to Iowa City Council and Human Rights Commission at the conclusion of the project.
Participants in the household assessment and training will receive ongoing communication and
support from JCAHC. Housing is not an isolated issue for BIPOC and marginalized community
members; therefore, we will share this information widely with other service non-profit
organizations, in order to inform their practices/programs and to improve upon the pilot project
for the next round.
Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so,
how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will
continue to look for support.*
The project will be completed within the grant period using the allocated funds.
However, the impact of the program will extend far beyond this initial round of funding, because
program participants will be able to lead and join in housing advocacy and decision-making.
Further, the pilot round will result in a toolkit that can be replicated with less funding in the
future, because the methodology, tools and training content will be developed. Once this pilot
round is successfully completed, the project could be expanded to other neighborhoods or
communities. Future efforts to engage different neighborhoods will take more funding, which is
currently not secured.
If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program,
service or activity and its goals.*
The professional services provided by Astig Planning are critical to the success of this project.
The Coalition has one 30-hour/week staff person who is responsible for every aspect of the
organization, and this project would not be possible without the services, knowledge, skills, and
staff time provided by Astig. Astig will develop and execute the household interviews; collect
and analyze data; and develop, organize, and implement the training; develop the toolkit for
future use, and collect information for the report to Council and stakeholders. The role of JCAHC
will be to publicize and coordinate the project, manage interagency collaborations, assist with
developing the content of the training, share project results with partners, stakeholders, and the
general public, and further develop ongoing relationships with program participants.
Funding Amount Request
Amount of Funding Requested*$ $15,000
How will the funding be utilized*
• $7,995: Creating the housing assessment & conducting neighborhood household outreach
• $4,530: Create and conduct advocacy training and online materials
• $2,475: Organizing, marketing, facilitating, advising, and partnership development from JCAHC
• $600 In-kind donation from the JCAHC for stipends (gift cards, etc.) to participants
What is the organizations annual budget?* JCAHC’s annual budget for FY21 was $48,832.
2021 and 2022 Proposed Budget
Project Budget 1-Nov-21 1-Apr-22 31-July-22
Revenue:
Fees
Grants 15,000
Other revenue (In-Kind) 600
Total Revenue $15,600
Expenses:
Professional Services 14350
Educational Materials 450
Marketing/Advertising 200
Equipment/Hardware
Rentals
Supplies 600
Outside Printing
Miscellaneous Supplies
Total expenses $15,600
Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.*
• June:
o Project Kickoff Meetings with Johnson County and Habitat for Humanity
o Begin Resource Research and Creation
• July:
o Refining Resource Document
o Begin Door-to-Door Intake & Advocacy in Neighborhood
• August:
o Complete Neighborhood Intake & Advocacy
o Create & Translate Advocacy Training Materials
• September:
o Intake Analysis
o Host In-Person Training Event
• October:
o Create Toolkit
• November:
o Present Project Results to City Council & Human Rights Commission
Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.*
• June: $1,725
• July: $3,855
• August: $3,725
• September: $3,540
• October: $1,100
• November: $1,055
Status of Complaints March 15, 2021
Housing
Complainant alleges landlord failed to reasonably accommodate their
disability.
No probable cause decision issued (still within objection period through close of business Friday, 3/19).
Complainant alleges landlord discriminated against them based on age and
disability.
Complainant’s objection to administrative closure is being evaluated.
Complainant alleges landlord has discriminated against them based on race,
sex, and familial status.
Right to sue letter requested and issued, file closed.
Complainant alleges HOA is discriminating against her based on disability,
marital status, familial status, and presence of dependents.
Recommendation for resolution in process.
Late Handouts
Native American Land Acknowledgement
Iowa City Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission
PURPOSE
The Iowa City community owes its existence to the many peoples who have given of themselves to make
this moment possible. Some were brought here against their will, some were drawn to leave their distant
homes in hope of a better life, and some have lived on this land for more generations than can be
counted. Acknowledgement of this truth is critical to our work toward reconciliation across all barriers of
difference and injustice, and we begin this effort with our Native American Land Acknowledgement. With
this as a starting point, the Iowa City Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (ICTRC) will continue to
consider the legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that, while bringing us
together today, marginalize and exclude the many who were the original stewards of these lands. We
encourage the community and City of Iowa City to join in uncovering this truth through the use of a
Native American Land Acknowledgement at all public events.
ICTRC LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
“We meet today in commitment and dedication to the community of Iowa City, which now occupies the
homelands of several Native American Peoples. We acknowledge the following Nations as all having
ancestral connections to the land in the state of Iowa: the Chippewa, Iowa, Kickapoo, Menominee, Miami,
Missouri, Omaha, Osage, Otoe, Ottawa, Ponca, Potawatomi, Sac and Fox, Sioux, Winnebago, and the
Three Affiliated Tribes. We also acknowledge the history of treaties and forced removal which have, by
dispossessing Native Nations of their traditional territories, allowed our community to flourish. This
commission will continue to acknowledge these facts as we work toward community reconciliation and
restorative justice.”
LEARN MORE
Native Governance Center Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement
US Department of Arts and Culture: Honor Native Land Virtual Resources and Guide
Special thanks to the University of Iowa Native American Council for their work and guidance.
Proposed Statement Regarding Atlanta Shootings
The Iowa City Human Rights Commission stands in solidarity with our Asian American, Asian,
Pacific Islander, and Pan Asian community members. The shootings in Atlanta were acts of
race and gender-based violence that support an ongoing trend of increased discrimination and
violence toward the APPI community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The commission
condemns these acts of violence and the hateful rhetoric that fuels them.
As human rights advocates, we choose to center the victims and those impacted by these acts
of violence in our conversations while we continue our work to dismantle systems of oppression.
Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Ae Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul
Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, and Daoyou Feng were beloved family members, friends, and
community members. Their voices -- and their lives -- mattered.
We stand as allies to those in our own community who are struggling with feelings of fear and
grief during this time. We would like to remind community members who have experienced
discrimination that the Department of Equity and Human Rights accepts both formal complaints
of discrimination in the areas of employment, credit, education, or public accommodation, as
well as accepting reports of concerns of discimination in these and other areas.
Lastly, we encourage allies in our community to leverage their privilege to speak out against
injustice, amplify minority voices, and support the vast amount of human rights work being done
in Iowa City. Together, we can create lasting and meaningful change.
In solidarity,
City of Iowa City Human Rights Commission