Commission Recommended Actions for Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Copyrighted
January 19, 2021
City of Dubuque Action Items # 1.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Commission Recommended Actions forAnalysis of Impediments to Fair
Housing
SUMMARY: City Managertransmitting recommendations from the Human Rights
Commission, the Housing Commission and the Community
Development Advisory Commission for prioritizations from the Analysis
of Impediments to Fair Housing.
SUGGESTED 1. Remove from Table; 2. Receive and File Suggested Disposition:
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Commission Recommendation re Analysis of City Manager Memo
Impediments to Fair Housing-MVM Memo
Staff Memo Staff Memo
Dubuque
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Commission Recommendations for Prioritization of the Analysis of
Impediments to Fair Housing Action Items
DATE: January 14, 2021
Housing and Community Development Director Alexis Steger is transmitting
recommendations from the Human Rights Commission, the Housing Commission and
the Community Development Advisory Commission for prioritizations from the Analysis
of Impediments to Fair Housing. This information can be used by the City Council as
guidance during the Fiscal Year 2022 budget review in March 2021.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
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Mic ael C. Van Milligen
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Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Alexis M. Steger, Housing and Community Development Director
Dubuque
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Alexis M. Steger, Housing and Community Development Director
DATE: January 13, 2021
RE: Commission Recommendations for Prioritization of the Analysis of
Impediments to Fair Housing Action Items
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to provide City Council with the recommendations for
priority actions from the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing (AI) from three
commissions; Human Rights Commission, Housing Commission, Community
Development Advisory Commission.
BACKGROUND
In 2019, the City of Dubuque created a new 5-year Analysis of Impediments to Fair
Housing as required by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development to
receive Section 8 funds and Community Development Block Grant funds (CDBG).
This analysis was also prioritized to be completed as it was an equity priority for the
City.
The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing is meant to be an analysis of current
conditions, historic achievements and barriers, and a 5-year plan of action/goals.
Although the plan prioritizes actions by High, Medium and Low, it does not prioritize
within each category which items have a cost, which items have the largest
immediate impact, and what aligns with other City Council goals and priorities.
Therefore, three commissions were asked to provide City Council feedback on their
top 5-6 actions/goals they would like pursued in the next fiscal year.
There are 4 overall goals in the AI, each with several actions that can be taken
to further the goal:
1 . Advance equity with fair housing advocacy, education and enforcement
2. Increase and promote safe, affordable housing
3. Implement local government policies that encourage equity and decrease
disparate impacts
4. Increase access to opportunity and the building of social capital
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DISCUSSION
The Housing Commission tackled this prioritization of AI actions for FY 2022 at
their September 2020 meeting. Their recommended actions as follows (goal
number in parenthesis):
1 . Continue obtaining accurate Housing Choice Voucher data from landlords as
to the number of units, location of unites, vacancies, and denials of rental
applications; identify landlords unwilling to accept HCVs and conduct
targeted outreach and education. (1)
2. City Council should take any and all appropriate action to protect the
residents in mobile home communities. This protection may come in the form
of an ordinance or other action but promotes safe, affordable housing for the
over 800 Dubuque residents who live in mobile homes. (2)
3. Lack of access to child care is a barrier to opportunity such as employment.
(3)
4. Increase community awareness about the impact of poverty and toxic stress
on the brain; develop measurable equity and inclusion metrics. (4)
5. Evaluate disparities in arrest rates by race and detail metrics and actions to
decrease racially disproportionate arrest rates. (4)
The Community Development Advisory Commission met October 21 , 2020 to
prioritize the AI actions and their recommended actions are:
1 . Continue obtaining accurate Housing Choice Voucher data from landlords as
to the number of units, location of units, vacancies, and denials of rental
applications; identify landlords unwilling to accept HCVs and conduct
targeted outreach and education. (1)
2. City Council should take any and all appropriate action to protect the
residents in mobile home communities. This protection may come in the form
of an ordinance or other action but promotes safe, affordable housing for the
over 800 Dubuque residents who live in mobile homes. (2)
3. Audit the background check process for disparate impact. (3)
4. Implement quarterly review of eviction data to evaluate for
disparities/discriminatory impact. (3)
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5. Use assessment currently underway (Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan
process and another group's review) regarding the nonprofit services array
and gaps to make necessary improvements that increase access to
opportunity (4) — This action is in reference to the barrier: The nonprofit
service array is confusing to consumers.
The Human Rights Commission met November 9, 2020 and sent the following
recommendation to City Council, however that item was tabled:
1 . Conduct an independent review of the HRC and support City Human Rights
Department staff so that they may report on equity metrics, fair housing,
goals and progress toward them. (1)
2. Continue implementation of the Imagine Dubuque strategies, and the City
Housing and Community Development Department's efforts to affirmatively
further fair housing through licensing and tiered inspections, making
decisions more transparent. (2)
3. Audit the background check process for disparate impact. (3)
4. Increase community awareness about the impact of poverty and toxic stress
on the brain; develop measurable equity and inclusion metrics. (4)
5. Evaluate disparities in arrest rates by race and detail metrics and actions to
decrease racially disproportionate arrest rates. (4)
Based on significant agreement among the commissions on which actions to
prioritize, staff recommend the City Council prioritize all actions recommended by all
three commissions which are:
1 . Continue obtaining accurate Housing Choice Voucher data from landlords as
to the number of units, location of unites, vacancies, and denials of rental
applications; identify landlords unwilling to accept HCVs and conduct
targeted outreach and education. (1)
2. Conduct an independent review of the HRC and support City Human Rights
Department staff so that they may report on equity metrics, fair housing,
goals and progress toward them. (1)
3. City Council should take any and all appropriate action to protect the
residents in mobile home communities. This protection may come in the form
of an ordinance or other action but promotes safe, affordable housing for the
over 800 Dubuque residents who live in mobile homes. (2)
3
4. Continue implementation of the Imagine Dubuque strategies, and the City
Housing and Community Development Department's efforts to affirmatively
further fair housing through licensing and tiered inspections, making
decisions more transparent. (2)
5. Audit the background check process for disparate impact. (3)
6. Implement quarterly review of eviction data to evaluate for
disparities/discriminatory impact. (3)
7. Lack of access to child care is a barrier to opportunity such as employment.
(3)
8. Increase community awareness about the impact of poverty and toxic stress
on the brain; develop measurable equity and inclusion metrics. (4)
9. Evaluate disparities in arrest rates by race and detail metrics and actions to
decrease racially disproportionate arrest rates. (4)
10.Use assessment currently underway (Equitable Poverty Prevention Plan
process and another group's review) regarding the nonprofit services array
and gaps to make necessary improvements that increase access to
opportunity (4) — This action is in reference to the barrier: The nonprofit
service array is confusing to consumers.
Although ten actions may seem overwhelming, many of these efforts are underway
and should continue. Those not underway are feasible accomplishments/actions for
city staff in FY 2022. Although starting this actions in FY 2022, many will continue
through all five years of the plan to see outcomes and results.
RECOMMENDATION
I respectfully request City Council receive and file this document, and use this
information as guidance during the FY 2022 budget review in March 2021 .
cc: Mark Dalsing, Chief of Police
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Kelly Larson, Director of Human Rights
Wally Wernimont, Planning Services Manager
Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer
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