Human Rights Annual Impact Report 2021-22

2021 2022

ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT C I T Y OF GR E ENS BORO HUMAN RIGHTS

Increasing Excellence | Expanding Service | Building Bridges

A Note from the Director

I am glad to report the work of Greensboro’s Human Rights Department advanced in fiscal year 2021-2022! Most notably, we increased our capacity to improve our residents’ customer-service experience. We hired a commission administrator to assist the five volunteer boards our department supports. An investigations specialist joined the team to handle complaints from people who have been denied access to the facilities or services of a business or other public places. This specialist will review this public accommodations complaint once the updated version of this program launched in 2023. COVID-19’s impact continues to marginalize the vulnerable and makes it difficult for some to access resources. Our office remained committed to supporting those in need through improved collaboration and access, as seen in the following measures: • Increasing the number of housing discrimination complaint conciliations • Partnering to enhance awareness about the impact of having a criminal record • Increasing avenues for language access and general information access for international populations • Connecting volunteer boards and commission members to increase the community and City Council’s knowledge of the changes that will make a more equitable Greensboro The Human Rights Department staff also pursued professional development opportunities to increase our understanding of how policy, lived experience, and power dynamics influence the need for change so Greensboro can be a city of equal rights for all. We know the more we learn, the better we serve. Onward and upward!

Love Jones, PhD Director City of Greensboro Human Rights

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Staff

Allen Hunt Primary Complaint Officer

Elizabeth Thomas Investigations Specialist

Jodie Stanley International Support Coordinator

Sarah Myers Human Rights Administrator

Liz Lennon Commissions Administrator

Marion Davis Human Rights Technician

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Assisting the Vulnerable

Public Accommodations In 2021, City Council modified Greensboro’s non-discrimination ordinance to guarantee all residents equal access and fair enjoyment of places of public accommodation, which include private entities like restaurants, movie theaters, hotels, and private schools. The modification ensures access to these facilities and others, regardless of age, gender expression, disability, race, family status, hairstyle or texture, and more. In 2022, Human Rights hired an investigations specialist to handle complaints about violations of the ordinance. The department is still fine-tuning how the accommodations program will work. With this initiative, Greensboro is setting high standards as it strives to be one of the first North Carolina cities to end inequality and discrimination.

Reentry Program Thrive GSO is the City’s program for individuals and agencies concerned with raising awareness about issues related to criminal records, including expungement, housing, voting, education, and employment. In 2021-2022, about 280 people attended Thrive GSO programming , which included a viewing of the film, “13th,” in partnership with the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, community resource fairs, and virtual programs that raised awareness of criminal record expungement and access to legal services. Staff processed 11 expungement requests, distributed 120 bus passes, and fielded more than 130 calls from residents who sought general information and resources.

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The International Advisory Committee, Human Rights staff and City’s Culture Crew Employee Resource Group supported the World Refugee Day celebration in June with a soccer game between City staff and refugees and a diaper and toiletry giveaway.

Language Access & Immigrant Support

translation team saved the City $3,600 in translation costs. Certified City interpreters handled 5,570 interactions with community members for a total of 278.5 hours and saved approximately $37,020 in interpretation costs. Our telephonic interpretation service totaled 1,133 calls representing 32 languages in the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

The City’s Language Access Program ensures compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by providing meaningful access to City services, programs, and information regardless of one’s spoken language. Greensboro Speaks, a Spanish language program for City staff, expanded to include intermediate and upper-intermediate courses that focus on experiential learning. An advanced Spanish course was developed for native speakers, which offered leadership development and intensive guidance on the use of professional language in the workplace. Thanks to a recently adopted

Languages Spoken

bilingual pay incentive, 29 bilingual staff members were certified to provide language services to City departments as of October 2022. Our certified internal

82.4% Spanish 6.9% All Other Languages 5.3% Swahili 2.8% Vietnamese

1.3% Russian 1.3% Arabic

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Fair HousingWork

2021-2022 Fair Housing Complaints The City investigates allegations of housing discrimination and seeks a resolution.

In the wake of COVID-19 and housing market shifts, we focused on educating residents about their basic rights as tenants and how to navigate housing issues during the pandemic. Some 350 people attended at least one of our 10 events and training exercises . Topics included housing for recently resettled refugees, accessing local pandemic housing resources, housing for people with criminal records and disabilities, and housing for transgender residents. In response to an influx of Afghan refugee resettlement to our area, local apartment complexes began requiring cosigners for rental agreements. In December 2021, the department hosted an invitation only roundtable discussion for refugee-service providers and housing providers to discuss the primary issues faced by refugees.

40 $44K

DISCRIMINATION ALLEGATIONS

DAMAGES AWARDED TO COMPLAINANTS

Top Discrimination Types

FAMILIAL STATUS DISABILITY RACE OR COLOR

During the April Fair Housing Month Luncheon, guests participated in table discussions about the federal eviction moratorium, second-chance housing, discrimination based on income, age, and disability, best practices for renting, and more. We processed feedback from these sessions into a comprehensive report that will guide future housing discussions.

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Landlord Tenant Mediation

The Landlord Tenant Dispute Program (LTDP) is a free, voluntary, non-legal, and community-based mediation program administered by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s (UNCG) Peace and Conflict Studies program in collaboration with the Human Rights Department. The program helps tenants and property owners informally resolve communication- and tenancy-related disputes. The program fielded more than 675 calls, a record high, in 2021-2022. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered many concerns, which led to human rights discussions. We saw a high number of cases that involved rent increases, evictions, and the non-renewal of leases. We worked diligently with community partners to alleviate these issues and help landlords and tenants find amicable solutions.

675 530

CALLS

CALLS REFERRED FOR MEDIATION OR OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES

— Jeremy Rinker Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Peace and Conflict Studies Department, UNCG master’s students an ability and safe space to practice the conciliation and mediation skills and theories that they have been learning in our courses . LTDP has been a valuable partnership program for the UNCG Department of Peace and Conflict Studies. It has provided our

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Commissions Giving Back Last year the Human Rights Commission sought to address issues such as health care, housing disparities, and social inequity, which increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commission on the Status of Women executed a successful Women of Greensboro Survey and will circulate a comprehensive data report from it in 2023. The Ad-hoc Committee on African American Disparity partnered with the Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship to host the Black-Owned Business Mix and Mingle, connecting small-business owners to supportive resources. The Transgender Task Force worked to develop training for temporary housing shelter staff to ensure transgender residents receive the care and respect they deserve. The International Advisory Committee also partnered with the YMCA to offer women-only modesty swim sessions to ensure that Muslim women had opportunities to swim.