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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Human Relations Commission - 07/08/2004 I CORPUS CHRISTI IN RELATIONS COMMISSION _ Summary Minutes of Regular Meeting on July 8, 2004 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER: The Chair, Mr. Hinojosa, Sr. called the meeting called to order with a quorum of Commissioners. 2. ROLL CALL — Ms. Butler called the roll. A. Present: Oscar Hinojosa Sr. Staff: David Ramos Dr. Sylvester Peterson Joseph Harney Errol Summerlin Wanese Butler Linda Fallwell-Stover Betty Black Dr. Carol Ledbetter Dr. Clifton Baldwin Leah Patterson Robert Adler Lucy Reta B. Absent: Dr. Stuart Elovitz Amy Rhoads Granberrry Ruth Silva Albert Santoya Marisa Dowling Adriana Zepeda The Chair introduced and congratulated the newly appointed Commissioners: Robert Adler, Leah Patterson, Lucy Reta and Adriana Zepeda. Introductions: Leah Patterson, Executive Director for CC Apartment Association in charge of membership and education for the association and also handle residential complaints, receives also of fair housing issues. Introduction: Robert Adler, active in community, sells construction material throughout the city and county and has been here 65 years. Introduction: Lucy Reta, Administrative Assistant with the CC Chamber of Commerce for 11 years. 3. Excused absences: Ms. Black reported being out of town last month. Motion to excuse absences by: Mr. Summerlin Motion seconded by: Dr. Ledbetter Motion passed by vote. Dr. Ledbetter was absence due to surgery. Motion to excuse by: Dr. Peterson Second by: Ms. Fallwell-Stover Motion passed by vote. SCANNED a , CORPUS CHRISTI HL., .'N RELATIONS COMMISSION Summary Minutes of Regular Meeting on July 8, 2004 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Commission reviewed the minutes from June 3, 2004. There were no amendments. Motion to approve as written by: Ms. Fallwell-Stover Second by: Mr. Summerlin Motion passed by vote. 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS/INTRODUCTIONS/PRESENTATIONS: The Chair congratulated Commissioners Rhoads-Granberry, Elovitz, Santoya •and Black for their recent reappointment to the Commission by the City Council. 6. CHAIRS REPORT: None at this time. 7. SUBCOMITTEE REPORTS: A. Housing Subcommittee report by Ms. Black: 1. Fair Housing Brochure - The subcommittee is revising its fair housing brochure, created off of some brochures on fair housing to do some mailouts with Central Power and Light bills to Corpus Christi residents. Ms. Patterson agreed to give a report on rental dwellings for the next meeting on rental standards. B. Committee for Persons with Disabilities report by Ms. Faliwell-Stover: The Committee for Persons with Disabilities met the previous afternoon: The Committee will host three training opportunities. One is cultural access training on July 14th from 9am-4pm. The brochure is available to be sent electronically. There will be a panel with local people with disabilities. The afternoon training will be devoted to website accessibility by bringing Nobility of Austin, Texas to provide information. We encourage you to spread the word and can provide copies of the brochure. The Committee is also sponsoring Title II training on the 15th for state and governmental entities and the presenter there is Aaron McCullogh, out of the Disability Law Resource Project office in Houston, Texas. It is targeted for state and local government for anyone interested. This workshop will be from 1:15 to 3:00. The cultural workshop will take place in the Corpus Christi Science and History Museum in the Water Garden Room. The Title II training will be in the Ortiz Center's Kleberg Room. The Cultural Access workshop is all day, with free lunch and is beingprovided at no cost. Aaron McCullogh will present the Title Ill training for business and nonprofit agencies. The Title II workshop will be July 15th from 9 AM to Noon and will take place at the Ortiz Center in the Kleberg room. July is the anniversary for the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Human Relations Conference will be on July the 16th. Please submit registration forms if you plan to attend. CORPUS CHRISTI HU_: N RELATIONS COMMISSION Summary Minutes of Regular Meeting on July 8, 2004 C. Education Subcommittee report by Dr. Ledbetter: No report at this time. However, Dr. Ledbetter asked for more information on role and goals of this subcommittee. Mr. Ramos indicated that Staff would help her look into and research school dropout issues, and that Mayor Neal is concerned about the community's dropout rate. We can also visit elementary schools. 8. OLD BUSINESS: A. Business Cards - The Chair reported receiving business cards that were distributed to each Commissioner. Commissioner discussed the use and intent of these cards in that they may pass out business cards to clients and if they need more to just request them from Human•Relations. The card also contains the Human Relations Department's information on the back. Dr. Peterson updated information on his e-mail address as Billsp110@aol.com, since he longer has a business email address due to retirement. His phone number is also 949-0637 and the fax is 949-1602. B. Dr. Peterson was also interested in knowing where publications are if there is any type of information where people can get assistance and referrals for their complaints and receive help in social services cases. Per the Chair's reference, Mr. Ramos offered to provide a copy of a publication with referrals. We can also contact the Director for Council of Governments since they have a lot of information on this matter. He will contact them to get information to help in this matter so they can have ready for next meeting. Mr. Summerlin commented that the United Way has or used to provide an info line that can take you through the process and had a publication but he has not a recent copy in a few years. The publication might have been transferred to their website. Regarding the business cards, Mr. Summerlin indicated that these may be passed out at stores, such as the example of a Circle K that had no accessible restrooms; and also placing the cards on windshields when a person has parked in an accessible space without a decal or placard. 9. NEW BUSINESS: A. Ms. Black reported on the Corpus Christi Beach Association that has been working on receiving a $100,000 from the City for the past three years. We had to raise 40% of it and the City helped them get the $60,000. They have completed the first phase of the boardwalk on Corpus Christi Beach, with 10-foot wide wheelchair accessibility. It can be accessed at Surf Side Park and just take the ramp to follow the boardwalk. It will be continued all the way to Lexington on the second phase. A silent auction will be held in CORPUS CHRISTI HLA.. ,�N RELATIONS COMMISSION • Summary Minutes of Regular Meeting on July 8, 2004 November 2004 for the second phase project adjacent to the Radisson Hotel. B. Authorization for Issuance of Subpoena on HUD Fair Housing Case- Mr. Ramos reported on receiving a housing charge of discrimination. The department sent out for data request, several calls were made but no response was made. Upon a second request letter, there was indication of a change in management. In order to proceed with the investigation, a subpoena is needed for the case where there is a request for data and it is not being received. This case involves an allegation on the basis of national origin. It has to do with an individual requesting that they be assisted with subsidized housing. Ongoing case with the apartment complex that involves denied application for subsidized housing because the person had been hurt. He was denied the application. The first manager is no longer there; the second manager and the third manager also allegedly dodged them. They still have not received any data information. It is request on HUD assistance, which provides assistance on rent. The data request was denied verbally. The subpoena is needed for the data request. Allegations were made at various months. Needed from ownership: policy agreements and eviction documentation of this • property if it is subsidized, lease agreements, documents pertaining to property, list of residents by origin who have been evicted or given an eviction notice, any kind of correspondence is needed for the investigation. Motion to authorizesubpoena for Case # 06-03-0818-8 was made by: Mr. Summerlin Second by: Dr. Ledbetter Motion approved by vote, after general discussion concerning whether or not to include reference to the allegations of others getting subsidized housing and with respect to hearsay. The Chair asked Mr. Harney to explain what happens if authorized. It will be reviewed, then the local police department serves the subpoena and there would be three weeks to respond. 10. . ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT: Mr. Ramos provided an administrative overview: EEOC for the month of June there was 4 resolutions, 4 closures, 16 news cases in CC, 19 cases deferred to San Antonio which is an accumulative resolution of 88, 1.07 in Corpus and 127 in San Antonio. Contract starting Oct 2003-Sept. 30, 2004 is for 107 resolutions and for 157 for San Antonio. The key numbers are 88 and 127. The will have to be reached at 107 to 157 by the end of September. American with Disabilities Act, for June 4 citizen complaints, 1 technical assistance, and 1 public accommodation which is in process of investigation, 1 community meeting, and 1 sensitivity training. Under EEOC out of 35 cases only 5 were ADA. Linda is the chairperson for committee. Under Fair Housing no intakes for June, 2 resolutions, 4 closures. HUD cases 4 closures, 4 intakes in Corpus Christi, accumulative of 7 resolutions and 16 cases from August to now for Corpus CORPUS CHRISTI Hl'; N RELATIONS COMMISSION Summary Minutes of Regular Meeting on July 8, 2004 Christi. We will begin to receive more HUD cases. We will get paid for cases closed. We were getting paid 115,000 to build up our office to hire staff, train and set up computers. Public accommodations 1 resolution, 3 closures, accumulative intake of three and accumulative resolutions of three. Mr. Ramos also reminded the Commission that the Human Relations Conference is on July 16t", and that if interested in attending, lunch is being provided. 11. PUBLIC COMMENTS/CONCERNS/ITEMS FOR NEXT AGENDA: None at this time. 12. ADJOURNMENT: Motion for meeting to adjourn by: Dr. Peterson Second by: Ms. Black Motion approved by vote with the meeting adjourning at approximately 6:43 PM. These minutes were approved: Presided by: Date Adopted Oscar Hinojosa, Sr. Chairperson