20200127 003b Land Development Code and Equity — original pdf
Recommendation
Human Rights Commission Homepage
20200127 003i Recommendation to Adopt a Climate Emergency Plan — original pdf
Recommendation
20200127 003f Cease Arrest and Prosecution Against Sex Workers — original pdf
Recommendation
Play audio — original link
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Approved Minutes — original pdf
REGULAR MEETING MONDAY, January 27, 2020 HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MINUTES The Human Rights Commission convened in a regular meeting on Monday, January 27, 2020 at 301 West Second Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Sareta Davis called the Board Meeting to order at 5:33 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Davis, Vice Chair Caballero, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, Commissioner Santana, Commissioner Weigel, and Commissioner White. Staff in Attendance: Jonathan Babiak, Human Resources Coordinator, Human Resources Department CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. 1. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Davis announced the Undoing Racism and Community Organizing workshop hosted by the city of Austin Equity Office and facilitated by the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond: March 26 to March 28. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. The minutes from the regular meeting of November 25, 2019 were approved on a vote of 8-0: Commissioner Museitif motion, Commissioner Garry Brown second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Caballero, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner White. Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Santana, and Commissioner Weigel were absent. 3. NEW BUSINESS Cemetery. (Davis/Caballero) a. Presentation by Dr. Fred McGhee and discussion regarding the situation with Oakwood Dr. Fred McGhee and Dale Flatt addressed the Commission and answered questions from the Commission. The Commission discussed this item. The Commission took no action on this item. b. Presentation from a representative from Go! Austin/Vamos! Austin (GAVA), and discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council to include Equity Overlay for the City of Austin’s Land Development Code. (Davis/Casas) Monica Guzman addressed the Commission and answered questions from the Commission. The Commission discussed this item. Chair Davis presented the draft 1 recommendation. The Commission worked in a collaborative and informal manner to finalize the recommendation. After the draft was finalized, Chair Davis moved for adoption, Commissioner Griffith second. As amended, the Commission adopted the recommendation on a vote of 11-0. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Caballero, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, Commissioner Santana, Commissioner Weigel, and Commissioner White. c. Possible presentation by an Austin business owner, and discussion and possible action on a recommendation to Austin City Council to ban cashless retail establishments. (Brown, G./Santana) The Commission discussed this item. Commissioner Garry Brown presented the draft recommendation. The Commission worked …
Location: Executive Session Conference Room (Room 1027)(Note: This meeting is open to the public.) — original pdf
1 a E, j HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AGENDA Monday, November 25, 2019 5:30 p.m. – Adjournment City Hall Executive Session Conference Room (Room 1027) (This meeting is open to the public.) 301 W. Second St. Austin, TX 78701 CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS:Sareta Davis, Chair Kristian Caballero, Vice Chair Jared Breckenridge Garry Brown Jamarr Brown Isabel Casas Idona Griffith Maram Museitif Courtney Santana Alicia Weigel Nathan White CALL TO ORDER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Citizens signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. 1. ANNOUNCEMENTS None. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Consider approval of the minutes from the Human Rights Commission’s October 28, 2019 Regular Meeting. b. Consider approval of the minutes from the Human Rights Commission’s November 13, 2019 Special Called Meeting 3. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion of proper meeting decorum. (Davis/Casas) b. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to Austin City Council to support the Human Rights Commission by requesting for both a public letter of apology from the Austin Independent School District for disproportionately closing schools with students of certain demographic backgrounds, as well as a commitment to produce a strategic plan that will be utilized to correct the district’s decision to proceed forward with a plan for closing schools using a “21st Century Map of Racism.” (Breckenridge/J. Brown) 2 c. Discussion of the complaint filed with the Equity Office regarding the pending rewrite of the Land Development Code related to the F25 designation, including a brief synopsis of the matter from Equity Office personnel. (Davis/Casas) 4. OLD BUSINESS a. Commissioners will report on and discuss the status of the Commission’s key priority areas of concern for 2019-2020, including plans and strategies for meeting those key priority areas of concern: i. Institutional Equity ii. Environment & Land Use iii. Health Access & Nutrition iv. Autonomy & Human Rights ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice 48 hours before the meeting date. Please call Jonathan Babiak at (512) 974-3276, Human Resources Department, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Human Rights Commission, please …
20191125-003b: Race and Equity within AISD School Closures and Consolidations Plan — original pdf
Recommendation
Location: Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center, 808 Nile Street, Austin, TX 78702 (Note: This meeting is open to the public.) — original pdf
Human Rights Commission Community Interest Announcement Special Called Meeting of the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission Police Accountability & The Hispanic Community Addressing: Mental Health, Training, Immigration, Trigger areas, police accountability and policy Saturday, November 16, 2019 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center 808 Nile Street, Austin, TX 78702 A quorum of commission members may be present. No action will be taken. For more information, please contact the commission’s staff liaison, Jonathan Babiak, at (512) 974-3203 or by email at Jonathan.Babiak@austintexas.gov.
Location: Windsor Park Branch, Austin Public Library, 5833 Westminster Drive Austin, Texas 78723 (Note: This meeting is open to the public.) — original pdf
1 a E, j HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AGENDA Special Called Meeting Wednesday, November 13, 2019 6:00 p.m. – Adjournment at the Windsor Park Branch, Austin Public Library 5833 Westminster Drive Austin, Texas 78723 (This meeting is open to the public.) CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS:Sareta Davis, Chair Kristian Caballero, Vice Chair Jared Breckenridge Garry Brown Jamarr Brown Isabel Casas Idona Griffith Maram Museitif Courtney Santana Alicia Weigel Nathan WhiteCALL TO ORDER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Citizens signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The Commission will not consider approval of minutes at this meeting. 2. ANNOUNCEMENTS 3. NEW BUSINESS a. Austin Human Rights Commission will hear and rule on the appeal of No Reasonable Cause determination of the Equal Employment/Fair Housing Office in Case No. HRC-CF-18-003 under City Code Chapter 5-2 Discrimination in Public Accommodations. (White/G. Brown/Weigel) ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice 48 hours before the meeting date. Please call Jonathan Babiak at (512) 974-3276, Human Resources Department, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Human Rights Commission, please contact Jonathan Babiak at (512) 974-3276 or visit http://www.austintexas.gov/hrc.
Meeting Audio — original link
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Location: Executive Session Conference Room (Room 1027)(Note: This meeting is open to the public.) — original pdf
1 a E, j HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AGENDA Monday, October 28, 2019 5:30 p.m. – Adjournment City Hall Executive Session Conference Room (Room 1027) (This meeting is open to the public.) 301 W. Second St. Austin, TX 78701 CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS:Sareta Davis, Chair Kristian Caballero, Vice Chair Jared Breckenridge Garry Brown Jamarr Brown Isabel Casas Idona Griffith Maram Museitif Courtney Santana Alicia Weigel Nathan White CALL TO ORDER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Citizens signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. 1. ANNOUNCEMENTS None. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Consider approval of the minutes from the Human Rights Commission’s September 23, 2019 Regular Meeting. 3. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action on scheduling the appeal filed to the Austin Human Rights Commission of the Equal Employment/Fair Housing Office No Reasonable Cause determination in Case No. HRC-CF-18-003 under City Code Chapter 5-2, Discrimination in Public Accommodations. (Caballero/G. Brown) b. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to City Council to recognize International Human Rights Day. (Caballero/Davis) c. Discussion regarding Homelessness in Austin Photo campaign. (Weigel/White/Caballero) d. Discussion and possible action to present a climate action plan to City Council. (White/Weigel) 2 e. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to City Council to Protect and Serve the Community of People Experiencing Homelessness. (Caballero/Weigel/White/Griffith) f. Discussion and possible action to approve the 2020 meeting schedule. (Davis/Caballero) 4. OLD BUSINESS a. Commissioners will report on and discuss the status of the Commission’s key priority areas of concern for 2019-2020, including plans and strategies for meeting those key priority areas of concern: i. Institutional Equity ii. Environment & Land Use iii. Health Access & Nutrition iv. Autonomy & Human Rights ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice 48 hours before the meeting date. Please call Jonathan Babiak at (512) 974-3276, Human Resources Department, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Human Rights Commission, please contact Jonathan Babiak at (512) 974-3276 or visit http://www.austintexas.gov/hrc.
Meeting Audio — original link
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20191028 003b Recognition of International Human Rights Day — original pdf
Recommendation
20191028 003e Protect and Serve the Homeless Community — original pdf
Recommendation
20191028-003d 1 — original pdf
Austin 10 Year Climate Action Plan (Draft) For Human Rights Commission Meeting on 10/28/19 ‐Institute opt‐in procedure for natural gas use in new constructions, to include a prohibitive permitting fee. ‐Introduce a detailed wind‐down plan, including job placement for workers, within a maximum of two years for the natural gas‐powered plants in Austin and the immediate withdrawal of ownership of the coal‐powered Fayette Power Project. ‐Install solar panels, rooftop turbines, rainwater collection systems, and/or passive rooftop gardens on ALL city‐owned properties. ‐Install enough power storage capacity for municipal use through public‐private partnerships with large‐scale battery manufacterers and implementation of mechanical passive storage towers. ‐Significant, massive, and immediate improvement and expansion of our waste water recycling program to irrigate all public lands. ‐An immediate investment in industrial scale indoor urban agriculture to include aquaponics, hydroponics, aeroponcs, and any other density‐condusive method of growing produce with city‐scale output ‐Implement heat island mitigation techniques such as reflective paint on concrete, increasing moss cover on sides of buildings, passive rooftop moss gardens on all bus stops, and increased tree canopy starting in East and Southeast Austin ‐Partner with the county to plant 1 million trees, to be irrigated by the expanded purple pipe system ‐Introduce basic universal electricity by implementing a credit to accounts for an allocated amount of KWH before paying a slightly higher price per KWH for the remaining electricity used. ‐Create an office in the city government to hire people in the city to accomplish these projects, as city employees, beginning with those experiencing homelessness. ‐Large‐scale increase in water storage, including expanded use of underground caverns and a property tax credit for privately owned rooftop water collection system
20191028-003d 2 — original pdf
Land Development Recommendation WHEREAS, The burning of natural gas is not a carbon‐free source of power WHEREAS, The City of Austin retains the right to determine land use and best practices WHEREAS, The population of Austin has repeatedly affirmed in various ways through bond issues, attendance of events, and proliferation of climate‐minded non‐profits, etc. it’s desire to eliminate the use of fossil fuels and contribute to a green economy WHEREAS, The oversaturation of natural gas burning products decreases the price of such products, which in turn increases their appeal amongst consumers WHEREAS, The right to a hospitable environment is crucial and imperative in the retention, expansion, and preservation of all other human rights THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, The Human Rights Commission for the City of Austin calls on the City Council to adopt a measure which prohibits or makes highly undesirable through prohibitive permitting fees the use of natural gas‐based products in all new developments of any size.
20191028-003d 3 — original pdf
Possible Partner Organizations Water: Well Aware, Water to Thrive, Clean Water Action, Austin Water Center for Environmental Research, Texas Water Conservation Association, Water Enironment Association of Texas, Nature Conservancy, Save Barton Creek Association, Shoal Creek Conservancy, Sierra Club Food: Urban Patchwork, Urban Roots, Hausbar Urban Farm, Feeding Texas, Central Texas Food Bank, Food is Free Project, Sustainable Food Center, Wheatsville, Interfaith Action of Central Texas, Hungry Souls Reforestation: TreeFolks, Nature Conservancy, The Conservation Fund, Keep Austin Beautiful, Texas Land Conservancy, Families in Nature, Generation Serve, Austin Parks Foundation, Austin Environmental Justice Team, Hill Country Conservancy Power: Tesla, Solar Austin, Energy Vault, Austin Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Go Solar Texas, The Texas State Energy Conservation Office, The Texas Solar Power Association, The Texas Renewable Energy Industries Alliance, Environment Texas Sustainability: Austin Resource Recovery, Austin Eco Network, Habitat for Humanity, Evolve Austin, Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, Partners for Education Agriculture and Sustainability, Earth Share of Texas
20191028-003d 4 — original pdf
Key Climate Facts ‐By 2050, the average “feels like” temperature in Central Texas will reach 120 degrees F ‐Webberville solar project covers 380 acres of land, creates 35 MW of power, has sustaining lease agreement with property owner, initial cost of $250 Million. ‐Roughly 400,000 residential customers with an average need of 1000 KWh/month ‐Average output of residential solar roof installation: (Tesla’s quote) $42,500/2000sq ft with 10kWh ‐With peak output, if Austin “gave” away solar roofs, spending the same amount for the Webberville project equates to: $250 million ÷ $42,500 = 5,882 solar roofs with 58.823 MW of output. ‐Increased tree canopy can reduce heat island effect by 20‐45 degrees F during peak high temperatures (https://www.epa.gov/heat‐islands/using‐trees‐and‐vegetation‐reduce‐heat‐islands) ‐The average rooftop is capable of collecting 0.62 gallons of water per square foot per inch of rainwater. Average Square Footage of Austin single family home is 2,068 square feet. Austin has an average of 34 inches of rain per year. This means roughly 43,593 gallons of water is available to be stored per single family home per year. One person uses roughly 80‐100 gallons per day for a total of 29,200‐36,500 gallons per year. ‐Conventional farming (lettuce as example crop) produces about 1.09 lbs of food per square foot. Rough estimates for vertical style urban gardening are around 10.8 lbs of food per square foot, with the best case scenario being 32.5 lbs of food per square foot. These estimates grow rapidly when stacked vertical farming is implemented. ‐A company called Energy Vault has developed a new power storage technique that relies on potential and mechanical energy storage versus conventional chemical storage (batteries). They are partnering with India to create a 35MWh peak‐demand storage system. The blocks used in this system have an early estimate of a 40 year lifespan before maintenance or replacement. ‐Moss rooftops are a low‐cost, low‐weight alternative to larger garden rooftop constructions while also lowering heating and cooling costs ‐Simply painting a roof white raises the ambient air temperature by only 10‐25 degrees versus an average of 90 degrees with dark colored roofs. ‐Multiple municipalities in California are adopting reflective or light‐colored paint for roadways and pedways which can lower ambient temperatures. “A study in the 1990s for the city of Los Angeles by scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory calculated that if all pavements and roofs in downtown LA increased ‘albedo’ [albedo is a measure of how …
Location: Central Health, 1111 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78702 — original pdf
Human Rights Commission Community Interest Announcement Central Health Board of Managers Meeting Wednesday, September 25, 2019 5:30 p.m. Central Health 1111 East Cesar Chavez Street Austin, TX 78702 A quorum of commission members may be present. No action will be taken. For more information, please contact the commission’s staff liaison, Jonathan Babiak, at (512) 974-3276 or by email at Jonathan.Babiak@austintexas.gov.
Location: Executive Session Conference Room (Room 1027)(Note: This meeting is open to the public.) — original pdf
1 a E, j HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AGENDA Monday, September 23, 2019 5:30 p.m. – Adjournment City Hall Executive Session Conference Room (Room 1027) (This meeting is open to the public.) 301 W. Second St. Austin, TX 78701 CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS:Sareta Davis, Chair Kristian Caballero, Vice Chair Jared Breckenridge Garry Brown Jamarr Brown Isabel Casas Idona Griffith Maram Museitif Courtney Santana Alicia Weigel Nathan White CALL TO ORDER 1. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Citizens signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Consider approval of the minutes from the Human Rights Commission’s August 26, 2019 Regular Meeting. 3. ANNOUNCEMENTS a. Review of By-laws that address proper decorum (Chair Davis). 4. NEW BUSINESS a. Presentation by the City Attorney regarding the Human Rights Commission’s public hearing and appeal processes (Caballero/Weigel). Ann Skowronski, Assistant City Attorney b. Presentation by the City Attorney on City Code Chapter 5-2, Discrimination in Public Accommodations (Caballero/Weigel). Patricia Link, Assistant City Attorney c. Consideration, discussion, and possible appropriate action on a letter from the City of Austin Human Rights Commission to the Austin Independent School District Board of 2 Trustees in support of their work on creating a new human sexuality curriculum (Garry Brown/Casas). d. Discussion on the decriminalization of homelessness (Caballero/Weigel). e. Discussion on the prevention of homelessness (Caballero/Weigel). f. Discussion regarding the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act: the prevention and prohibition of discrimination in employment based on reproductive rights, including but not limited to the right to an abortion, the right to utilize in-vitro fertilization, and the right to pregnancy and childbirth outside of marriage (Weigel/Caballero). Amanda Beatriz Williams, Repro Power Austin; Erika Galindo, Repro Power Austin; Aimee Arrambide, Repro Power Austin; Heidi Gerbracht, Repro Power Austin; Emily Martin, Repro Power Austin 5. OLD BUSINESS a. Commissioners will report on and discuss the status of the Commission’s key priority areas of concern for 2019-2020, including plans and strategies for meeting those key priority areas of concern: i. Institutional Equity ii. Environment & Land Use iii. Health Access & Nutrition iv. Autonomy & Human Rights ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters …