Human Rights Commission Annual ReportTHE CITY OF Dubuque
DUB E -~,~~~~
1
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
2007
TO: The Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Kelly Larson, Human Rights Director
SUB.~ECT: 2008 Annual Report
DA~"B: December 8, 2008
l~ttached please find the Human Rights Commission's Annual Report for fiscal yF- ~-
2008.
~~The•Commission is very proud of its accorriplisl~~n~erjfi;~ over the past yeas, ar~u look:,
ahead with excitement as work towards the goals for this year is progressing. Tire
Commission appreciates and thanks you far past and continued support of its
endeavors.
Annual Report
July I , 2007-June 30, 2008
Mission Statement
The Human Rights Commission shall work to eliminate discrimination
and promote the quality of life for every resident in the city of Dubuque.
Page 2
Dubuque THE CTTY OF
Human Rights Department ~"b
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City Hall Annex L U
1300 Main Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4732 Maste iece on the Mississf i
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563-589-4190 office 200
563-690-6691 fax
563-589-4193 TTY
humanrgtQcityofdubuque.nrg
W ww. city ofdubuque. org
November 14, 2008
Honorable Mayor and City Council:
As I draft this letter today, the American people have just elected their first African-American
President. Certainly this historic election speaks to the distance we have come as a nation, and it has
vast symbolic relevance for an office such as ours. Yet what I find most striking is the way in which the
recent events speak to our exceptional ability to forge unity out of difference. I think perhaps the
history books will find the most significant factor of our time to be the demographic breadth of the
constituency that helped to send a black man to the White House. And the significance of that reality is
relevant to our work.
Our report reflects the variety of people we serve in our outreach efforts and our case
investigations. While concerns of race discrimination continue to occupy about one-third of our
caseload, our largest constituency in recent years has been people with disabilities - of all races. As our
population ages, we serve more white men, particularly laborers, who are losing their employment to
younger applicants. And we continue to see cases of sexual harassment, most often from women, and
family status discrimination. In one way or another, virtually anyone in our community could find
themselves in need of our services.
We also know it's important to balance protecting through enforcement with empowering
people to resolve problems without government intervention. We work to educate the general public
about their fair housing and employment rights, so they know where to turn if they are not treated
fairly, yet we also educate them about their responsibilities and the reasonable expectations that an
employer or landlord can impose. We similarly educate employers and landlords about the kinds of
things that could be discriminatory, as well as the kinds of policies they are allowed to have for the
protection of their business and the rights of their other employees and residents. This year, we
reached over 550 people with training on the legal aspects of employment discrimination, and 400 with
fair housing presentations. Thousands more received information through City Expo and the media,
including the release of our new fair housing educational video on City Channel 8.
It is because of the range of people we serve that we have placed an emphasis in recent years on
developing intercultural competence in addition to legal protections. This past year we completed our
multi-year contract with One Ummah Consulting. The contract resulted in our Intercultural
Competence Team completing 90 hours of train-the-trainer training, and nearly 700 City staff members
completing 7.5 hours each of intercultural competence training. The training team reached over 550
community members with the training as well, and our Channel 8 program allowed some of this material
to connect with even more. Our goal is to help develop a healthy respect and understanding for
differences of opinion and belief, while continuing to keep protections in place for times when those
differences lead to abuse or oppression.
Page 3
Finally, I would like to specifically highlight our work with others over the past year to improve
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act in our community. We partnered to bring into
existence Proudly Accessible Dubuque, anon-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness
amongst businesses about barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing their goods and
services. We offered two training sessions for small businesses and produced a video for Channel 8.
We also assisted in creating a process within the Building Services Department that allows an inspector
to visit with businesses and reach an agreement to remove accessibility barriers when it is economically
feasible. Since the 1990s, federal law has required that businesses take steps they can afford to remove
barriers to their buildings that prevent people with disabilities from accessing their goods and services.
While our effort to enforce these requirements locally has not been without conflict, we
continue to believe that businesses can profit by increasing their customer base and we also think the
vast majority of business owners share a desire to make the world a bit better for others. As our
inspector visits businesses, he is often told "but we do have customers with disabilities and we just help
them get what they need." We appreciate that the average person we interact with truly wants to help.
At the same time, we all share a basic human desire to be included and to be self-sufficient. Thus, we
know that the best way to help others is to remove the barriers that get in the way of people helping
themselves.
I hope it is readily apparent in this report that we aim to strike a balance between protection and
empowerment and to temper enforcement with understanding. Any evolving community can expect
some degree of struggle and tension. As Justice Sandra Day O'Connor reminds us, "A nation's success
or failure in achieving democracy is judged in part by how well it responds to those at the bottom and
the margins of the social order... The very problems that democratic change brings -- social tension,
heightened expectations, political unrest -- are also strengths. Discord is a sign of progress afoot; unease
is an indication that a society has let go of what it knows and is working out something better and new."
Thank you for your continued support as we work with our employees and residents to manage change.
Respectfully submitted,
Kelly Larson
Human Rights Director
Page 4
DUBUQUE HUMAN RIGHTS DEPARTMENT
FY08 ANNUAL REPORT
Dubuque City Council
Roy Buol, Mayor
David Resnick Ric Jones
Kevin Lynch Karla Braig
Joyce Connors Dirk Voetberg
Human Rights Commissioners
Shane Oswald, Chairperson
Anthony Allen Katrina Wilberding
Dan Chatfield Marcos Rubinstein
Char Eddy Gretel Winterwood
Colin Scott Vince Vanden Heuvel
Administrative Staff
Kelly Larson
Director
Molly Menster
Human Relations Specialist
Agency Overview
Carol Spinoso
Intake Specialist
The Dubuque Human Rights Department is located on the second floor of the City Hall
Annex at 1300 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa, and is staffed by a Human Rights Director,
Human Relations Specialist, and Intake Specialist. Staff members work in conjunction with the Dubuque
Human Rights Commission, which consists of nine volunteer members serving 3-year terms at City
Council appointment. In addition to making policy recommendations to the City Council, the
Commission evaluates community needs and takes appropriate action to satisfy those needs. In addition
to the Dubuque Human Rights Commission, our major partners include faces & voices, the League of
Iowa Human Rights Agencies, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, the Regional Executive Council on Civil
Rights, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Page 5
Mission: Why does the Human Rights Department exist?
The Human Rights Department exists to enforce the local human rights law and to foster a safe, just, and
inclusive community in which differences are recognized as valuable resources, the economic benefits of a
diverse workforce are realized, and people are able to reach their full potential as contributing members
of the community. The Department also assists in carrying out this mission with employees in the City
organization itself.
Guiding Principles: What values influence our operation?
In deciding how best to fulfill our mission and statutory mandate, we are guided by our commitment to
gathering input, creating partnerships, solving problems, and exercising compassion as we carry out our
work.
• We believe that the best decisions are made by engaging and soliciting input from residents and
employees representing a broad range of backgrounds, including groups whose needs are often
overlooked and groups who are often in a position of power.
• We believe in empowering others, removing barriers to participation, and communicating in a
way that fosters understanding across differences.
• We believe that flexibility, risk-taking, and the willingness to view problems and differences of
opinion as an opportunity for improvement can lead to creative problem solving.
• We know the value of understanding various cultural approaches to communication and
conflict, and strive to learn the skills necessary to adapt our approach so that we can more
effectively solve problems.
• We recognize that good governance requires community effort, and we are committed to
developing partnerships that reflect the variety of backgrounds and interests in the community
that we serve.
• We understand that while the people we serve often have competing interests, they also have
some common expectations of our Department: due process, fairness and equity, accurate
information, timeliness, courtesy and accessibility to staff, effective communication, and
thorough knowledge and performance of our duties.
• We strive to carry out our work with compassion and respect for the basic human dignity of all
with whom we interact.
Services: What products and services do we deliver?
We exist to serve all residents of the City of Dubuque, including parties to complaints and stakeholder
groups. The services that we provide fall within these four categories:
• We mediate and determine the legal merits of discrimination complaints received by our office.
• We engage in education and conflict management to promote civil and respectful behavior that
will tend to prevent tensions between groups.
• We cooperate with other groups in the community in programs and activities designed to
prevent tensions between groups.
• We study the existence and causes of conflict and inequality of opportunity and attempt to
find resolutions.
Page 6
In general, we work to prevent conflict by:
• Providing training on legal rights and responsibilities;
• Providing training on how to manage conflict across differences in culture;
• Effectively using technology and the media to educate the public and raise awareness;
• Working to identify and respond to unmet needs by reaching out to employees and
community members as community and workforce demographics change.
In general, we work to resolve and contain conflict by:
• Having timely and effective enforcement process;
• Providing parties the choice to mediate and encouraging that option;
• Maintaining an up-to-date understanding of the changing state of the law;
• Identifying areas where additional efforts to further equality through enforcement are
necessary.
Page ~
COMPLAINT PROCESS AT A GLANCE
Intake Interview
A Complaint is Filed (Must be within
30o days of the alleged unlawful act
Respondent is Notified (The person or entity
whose action is the subject of the complaint)
Mediation Conference
(If agreed to by both parties) - If Successful - Mediation Agreement
If Unsuccessful
Investigation
Determination - No Probable Cause - Further Reviews
(Case dismissed)
Probable Cause
Post Probable Cause Conciliation Effort
(Conducted by the Department) - If Successful - Conciliation Agreement
If Unsuccessful
Pre-Hearin Review
Public Hearing
(Held before an Administrative Law Judge)
Recommended Order
(Prepared and sent to the full commission)
Commission's Order After Hearing
- (No discrimination found-case dismissed
OR
Discrimination found-corrective action ordered)
s Complainant has 3o days to request judicial
review
2 Complainant or Respondent can appeal !~
the decision to the District Court within
'I 3o days.
Court Appeal2
Page 8
COMPLAINT PROCESS
A complaint is filed when a person feels that he/she is the victim of unlawful discrimination. A
complainant may file a complaint with the Human Rights Department within 300 days of the alleged
discriminatory act. Any of the Department's staff can perform the intake interview establishing that the
Department has authority in the matter (jurisdiction and gathering the necessary information about the
alleged act, such as time, place, the person involved, and the details of the act.) Note that the
complainant has the right to withdraw the complaint at any time.
A respondent is notified once jurisdiction is established and intake is complete.
A conciliation conference is encouraged at this time because it offers all parties the possibility of a speedy
and satisfactory resolution. If conciliation fails, the Director.or Human Relations Specialist begins an
investigation.
An investigation can include field investigations, site visits, interviews with witnesses, documentation
examination, and face-to-face meetings with both the complainant and the respondent to discuss the
complaint and gather facts.
Probable cause is determined at the end of the investigation by an administrative law judge (ALJ). If the
facts/evidence support the charge, a determination of probable cause is issued. If the evidence does not
support the charge, a determination of no probable cause (NPC) is issued and the case is then dismissed.
The complainant can request to reopen the case if he/she feels the NPC is in error.
A post probable cause conciliation is undertaken to try and bring the complainant and the respondent to
a mutually agreeable arrangement saving all the parties time, and possibly, legal fees.
The pre-hearing review is intended to determine whether or not the case needs to proceed to public
hearing.
The public hearing is presided over by an administrative law judge. At the hearing, the complainant is
often represented by private counsel. The respondent is often represented by private counsel. The
attorneys present the facts of the case to the administrative law judge. The City Solicitor represents the
public interest.
The full commission reviews the recommended order and the record of the hearing. If the commission
finds that discrimination has not occurred, the case is dismissed, but if the finding is that discrimination
has occurred, the respondent is ordered to take appropriate action to redress the effects of the
discrimination. The Commission may order employment, promotion, raise, back pay, letter of reference,
housing, credit, formal apology, a change in the respondent's policies, and cash awards in compensation
for humiliation, suffering, and mental anguish. Both the complainant and the respondent can appeal the
commission's order within 30 days to the courts.
Page g
CASELOAD REPORT
During fiscal year 2008, 623 individuals contacted the office requesting assistance or information. Thirty
-eight of those inquiries resulted in a formal case filing. Thirty-six cases were processed and closed.
2008 Intake Summary
goo
600
soo
400
300
200
100
0
^ Formal Complaints
^ Resolved/Referred
2008 Cases Filed & Cases Closed
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1
~J~v~
PJ~SC 5e~ ~`~ ~~ sec Sao den ~~ PQ~` ~~ ~~~0~
1
^ Cases Filed ^ Cased Closed
Page io
CASELOAD SUMMARY
The majority of the cases filed were in the area of employment. In fact, 55% of the 38 cases filed in
FY08 were in the area of employment. The area of public accommodation accounted for 26% of the
total cases filed, and housing 19%. This breakdown reveals that employment continues to comprise
the largest share of the breakdown in past years, though we have seen some increase in public accom-
modation cases.
2008 Case Breakdown by Area
^ Employment ^ Housing Public Accommodation
°.
19%
55%
Disability and race claims encompassed the greatest shares of the 38 cases filed in fiscal year 2008,
followed by sex, age, national origin, retaliation, familial status and religion. There were no cases filed
based on sexual orientation.
Breakdown by Bases
2%I I5%
7%~
28%
12%
^ Disability
^ Age
^ Sex
^ Race
^ Retaliation
^ National Origin
Religion
'' Familial Status
Cases filed in one area (i.e. employment) may have alleged discrimination on one or more bases (i.e.
disability and age); therefore the total by bases may be greater than the number of cases by area.
Page 11
CASELOAD STATISTICAL DATA
Breakdown of Cases Into Area and Basis of Discrimination
Area FY2006 FY2007 FY2008
Employment ............................38 ............................ 23 ............................ 2
Disability ........................................ 18......................................8......................................5
Sex .................................................... 9...................................... 7......................................4
Race .................................................. 6...................................... 6......................................8
Age .................................................. I 0...................................... 5 ......................................4
National Origin .............................. 3...................................... I ......................................3
Retaliation ....................................... 5......................................4......................................2
Religion ............................................0......................................0......................................0
Public Accommodation ............3 .............................. 6............................ I 0
Disability ..........................................2......................................3 ......................................8
Sex .................................................... I ...................................... 0 ...................................... 0
Race .................................................. I ...................................... 3 ......................................
Religion ............................................ 0......................................0......................................
National Origin .............................. 0......................................0......................................0
Housing .......................................6 .............................. I .............................. 7
Disability ........................................... 3......................................0......................................
Sex .................................................... 0...................................... 0 ...................................... 0
Race .................................................. I ......................................0......................................4
Age ....................................................0...................................... I ......................................0
National Origin ..............................0......................................0......................................
Familial Status .................................3......................................0......................................2
TOTAL CASES FILED ...........47 ............................30............................ 38
*Cases filed in one area (i.e. employment) may have alleged discrimination on one or more bases (i.e.
sex and age); there fore the total number by bases may be greater than the number o f cases by area.
Page 12
CASES CLOSED/RESOLVED
July I, 2007 June 30, 2008
Employment 17
........................................................
Disability ............................................................................. .4
Sex ....................................................................................... .3
Race ...................................................................................... 5
Age ........................................................................................ 3
Retaliation ...........................................................................0
National Origin .................................................................. 3
Housing
................................................................. 8
Disability ..............................................................................
Race ...................................................................................... 4
Age ........................................................................................
National Origin ..................................................................
Familial Status ..................................................................... 2
Public Accommodation ...................................... I I
Disability .............................................................................. 9
Race ...................................................................................... 2
Total Cases Closed .............................................. 36
Disposition of Closed Complaints in 2008
24%
45%
~ 5%
® ~5%
^ Administrative Closure
^ Probable Cause
^ Successful Conciliation
^ No Probable Cause
^ Right-to-sue
^ Settlement/Mediation
Total monetary awards: $ 104,900
Page i3
SAMPLE CASE DISPOSITIONS
- An administrative law judge issued a probable cause finding in an employment claim involving
national origin discrimination and retaliation. The Complainant, a Romanian male, was called names
such as "Dracula" and vampire," and subjected to statements like "I'm going to get your blood" by the
Human Resources Manager. When the HR manager became aware that Complainant was upset with
the name calling, the behavior stopped for a period of time and then resumed. In accord with the
company's internal anti-harassment policy, the Complainant reported the behavior to the store
manager. In an attempt to prove that the statements were occurring, the Complainant tried to tape
record the HR manager. The Complainant was terminated shortly after he complained to the store
manager because he had violated a store policy prohibiting recording people at work. The HR
Manager, who was involved in the termination, knew Complainant was upset by his statements and the
reason for the recording, yet proceeded with the termination. The administrative law judge found
insufficient evidence to prove that the harassment was severe and pervasive, but found probable cause
with respect to retaliatory termination. Parties entered into conciliation and settled for $ 16,500.
- A Complainant alleged that a local business failed to comply with accessibility requirements in their
place of business. The Complainant uses a wheelchair and specifically alleged that the business had no
accessible tables. The tables were all barstool height or booths located up one step, had benches that
interfered with transfer, and were not accessible to persons with disabilities. During mediation, the
business owner agreed to install one wheelchair height table.
- A seventy year old employee, who was employed seasonally (April-Nov), alleged that he was
terminated based on age. Complainant stated that he was the oldest employee at Respondent's place
of business. Respondent's practice was to call employees back to work beginning in March. When
Complainant hadn't heard from his employer about recall, he contacted the Manager. The Manager
indicated that he didn't think Complainant was returning to work and that they had hired someone to
do warranty work. The Complainant stated that he never told his employer that he wouldn't be
returning to work, and that he believed he was being discriminated against on the basis of age when
the company replaced him with a younger employee. Parties negotiated a settlement of $4,950 prior
to investigation.
-The Complainants alleged that a landlord discriminated against them by increasing the rental deposit
based on the number of children who would be living in the four-bedroom home. The Complainant
alleged that Respondent inquired as to the number of children they had, and when they informed him
that together they had seven children, he stated that with that many children he would need to double
the amount of the deposit. Parties entered into mediation with Respondent agreeing to rent to the
family, to reduce the amount of the deposit, and to allow them to pay it in monthly installments
instead of a lump sum.
Page i4
SAMPLE CASE DISPOSITIONS
- A 22-year-old female alleged that her employer discriminated against her on the basis of sex
and/or pregnancy. The Complainant was written up for alleged performance issues shortly after
presenting a work restriction related to her pregnancy. Complainant contended that during her
two years of employment her performance had never been a problem. She was later fired after she
complained to management about a male co-worker who had inappropriately touched her and
repeatedly made sexual comments to her. The parties settled the matter for $8,950 prior to
investigation.
-An administrative law judge found probable cause to believe that an African-American truck driver
was fired in retaliation for complaining about racial harassment by co-workers, including being
assigned trucks in need of repair, being referred to as "black boy," and being told "you blacks think
you can do whatever you want." When Complainant reported his concerns of racial harassment,
management did not further those concerns to the Human Resources Department for investigation
under company policy. Instead, within days of receiving his complaint, management fired the
Complainant allegedly for failing to report damage to a truck. During the investigation, management
denied being aware of any concerns of racial harassment prior to firing the Complainant, but a tape
recording of a conversation between the Complainant and management and other witness testimony
indicated management was in fact aware of his concerns. Management also stated that Complainant
must have damaged the truck at issue because no one else had access to it. Computer records,
however, indicated that someone else did drive the truck during the time period at issue. Personnel
records also indicated that another employee who caused significantly more damage to a truck was
not similarly disciplined. Following the ALJ's finding of probable cause, the parties conciliated the
case for $25,000.
- The Complainant, afifty-five year old male, alleged that his employer discriminated against him by
involuntarily placing him on a six week layoff and then firing him after he suffered a heart attack. The
Complainant stated that when he presented a full release from his doctor following the expiration of
the six week layoff, his manager informed him that they didn't plan to recall him because of his health
situation and that they did not want him "dying on the job." The Complainant alleged that his
employer perceived him as being disabled and unable to perform his job duties. The parties
mediated the claim for $35,000.
Page i5
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
Community Outreach and Education
The Director and Human Relations Specialist continue to serve on the City's intercultural competence
steering and training teams. Approximately 683 city employees have completed 7.5 hours of foundational
training. The steering committee worked on strategic planning, which included developing future training
programs, meeting with departments individually to assess needs, and successfully advocating for the
position of Training and Workforce Development Coordinator. The Director and Human Relations
Specialist coordinated translation of key city brochures into Spanish. In addition, the Director and
Human Relations Specialist presented ICC training during the Early Childhood Conference, the Iowa
League of Cities Conference, Clarke College, Dubuque Nursing and Rehab, Hillcrest Family Services,
faces & voices Diversity Conference, Statewide Family Sufficiency Program, Community Circle of Care,
and AmeriCorps, reaching approximately 555 individuals. The Director also created a program to air on
City Channel 8, and presented on intercultural competence and organizational development to Kiwanis,
Friends of the Community, and a LaCrosse, WI, workforce development group.
The Director and Human Relations Specialist conducted six, two-hour training sessions for 100 Dubuque
County Sheriffs Department employees on compliance and prevention.
Staff and commissioners made presentations on various civil rights and/or department related topics to
twenty-one small business, community, and non-profit organizations, reaching 446 people.
Staff and the Commission partnered with Proudly Accessible Dubuque (PAD) to improve ADA
compliance in the community, and the Chamber of Commerce in launching Proudly Accessible Dubuque
at a luncheon. Staff also worked with PAD to produce an educational video to raise awareness of
readily achievable requirements, to air a program on City Channel 8, and to sponsor two small business
trainings. In addition, staff worked with the Building Services Department to hire an ADA inspector to
work with businesses on making readily achievable improvements to their properties.
The Director spoke to five downtown neighborhood groups and met with representatives of various
community groups and city department heads in response to the racial tensions which resulted from a
downtown interracial murder.
Staff and Commissioners worked with faces & voices in planning the fall Diversity Conference, with topics
spanning intercultural competence, cultural adaptation, generational differences, disabilities in the
workplace, poverty, sexual orientation, immigration, and anti-bullying in the schools. The keynote
address was later aired on City Channel 8. Staff created an informational booth as part of Conference
outreach activities, and partnered in presenting the CommUNITY Awards for Diversity Initiatives, and
planning the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Birthday Breakfast with keynote speaker Bishop Leonard
Scott from the Rock Community Church, who spoke on Dr. King's message and its relationship to
poverty today.
The Human Relations Specialist mentored two student volunteers from the Multicultural Family Center's
Future Talk program.
Page i6
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
The Director served as secretary of the League of Iowa Civil Rights Agencies, assisting with the group's
meetings, ICN training sessions, and legislative breakfast in Des Moines. The Director also serves on the
advisory group for the AmeriCorps VISTA Iowa Civil and Human Rights Project.
The Director participated on the staff committee working with consultants and residents to create a vi-
sion for the Washington Neighborhood and to begin working on a strategic plan for the neighborhood.
The Director has continued involvement with Project H.O.P.E., working to address poverty, unemploy-
ment and underemployment; and with the Sustainability Task Force, working to insure that social equity
remains a primary concern as we move forward with the green community initiative.
Staff recruited, interviewed and hired an AmeriCorps VISTA member who has been working with staff
on capacity building, outreach and anti-poverty issues. This includes work connected with Project
H.O.P.E., the Multicultural Family Center, Every Child Every Promise, and the Washington
Neighborhood revitalization efforts.
Fair Housing Education and Training
The Director continues working with Step by Step, anon-profit organization that is developing housing
for low income persons with disabilities, which is designed to address impediments to fair housing for
people with disabilities. Construction is underway and city staff has filmed some "before" footage for a
later Channel 8 program.
In November staff arranged to run fair housing TV and radio commercials, placed ads in the TH, The
Advertiser and City News, and created fact sheets, posters and brochures. AmeriCorps VISTA
members distributed fact sheets to tenants throughout the community, and staff sent a mass mailing to
various organizations, businesses and faith communities including information on fair housing.
Two fair housing billboards were displayed and PSA's ran on local radio stations throughout the city the
entire month of April for Fair Housing Month.
Staff distributed fair housing informational materials, including The Fair Housing Guide for tenants, to
approximately 2,500 citizens at City Expo.
The Human Relations Specialist worked with Loras College and a group of volunteers in producing a fair
housing video to run on City Channel 8. A shorter version of the video will be shown at each Section 8
orientation.
Staff and commissioners presented 13 fair housing educational programs to various community groups,
housing providers and faith communities, reaching 175 people.
The Intake Specialist staffed a fair housing booth during the Northend Neighborhood
Resource Fair at Audubon School. Approximately 300 attended the fair.
The Director presented a fair housing segment to 50 property managers during the
Dubuque Crime-Free Multi-Housing Training Program for landlords.
Page i~
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
Staff distributed the Fair Housing Guide and made twenty presentations to 210 recipients of Section 8,
as part of the Section 8 orientation process.
Hate Incidents
Staff responded to hate incidents reported to the Department under the City's internal hate incident
response plan, providing victim support and referral, graffiti removal, and assistance in filing for victim
compensation with the State.
Internal Compliance/EEO
The Director assisted in developing the City's domestic partner benefits plan, which is now available to
employees.
The Director participated in police and fire recruitment efforts, including serving on interview hiring
panels.
Staff continued collaboration with the Building Services Department and other departments to ensure
compliance with the requirements for accessibility in both private and public developments. Staff also
continues to organize the ADA Committee to oversee City compliance with accessibility requirements
and provide an annual progress report to the City Manager.
The Department remained certified as a substantially equivalent agency by HUD. Such certification is
contingent upon an ongoing performance review by HUD representatives. Staff continues to meet the
requirements of complying with rules and regulations for case processing established by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Staff also successfully negotiated and completed another cooperative agreement with the Iowa Civil
Rights Commission, which generated additional revenue.
The Director served on the city's website redesign committee, working to update the City's website
and adding more interactive features.
Dubuque Dispute Resolution Center
Staff continues to manage and market the Dubuque Dispute Resolution Center. This Center provides
mediators who listen carefully to citizens who agree to have their disputes mediated. Options for
settlement are identified through structured communication between the disputing parties.
The Director met with the Dubuque Dispute Resolution Center mediators to discuss outreach
possibilities in the community.
Staff/Commission Training
The Director and several commissioners attended ICN training sponsored by the League of Iowa
Human Rights Agencies, and also attended the League's legislative breakfast in Des Moines.
The Director, Human Relations Specialist and a commissioner attended Housing/Employment training
sponsored by the Regional Executive Council on Civil Rights in Kansas City for civil rights workers and
commissioners.
Page 18
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
The Director and Human Relations Specialist attended HUD sponsored fair housing training at
the National Fair Housing Training Academy in Washington, DC.
The Director, Human Relations Specialist and a commissioner attended HUD's
National Fair Housing Policy Conference in Atlanta.
The Director completed training to become a certified administrator of the
Intercultural Development Inventory.
The Human Relations Specialist attended the Upper Midwest Employment Law Conference.
All staff attended Bridges Out of Poverty training.
The Director and the Human Relations Specialist completed 90 hours of
Intercultural Competence "train-the-trainer" training.
D•U•B•U•Q•U•E
~~ ~~ ::. A
HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION
DUBUQUE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
130o Main Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001
563-589-4190
563-589-4193 ~~')
563-690-6691 (FAX)
humanrgt~cityofdubuque.org