2023-10-03-HRC MinutesTuesday, October 3, 2023 - 6:30 pm In-Person Heredia Room, Richfield City Hall
1. Call to Order & Attendance: Mara, Michael, Maria, Walter, Tyler, Tiffany
Not here: Karole, Tim,
2. Approval of Agenda: Motion aApproved
3. Approval of Minutes: Approved
4. Open Public Comment
Open Comment:
Candace Johnson
Comments on our community page about unhoused people in both Veterans and Augsburg
Parks. She is hoping to find out more about the city’s plans might be for helping unhoused
people in the area. Will the city be providing resources? She is wondering if the commission
has seen the online comments on this issue - and stresses the fact that the city really will need
a plan for the people who will be living in the parks because she believes that the situation is
going to intensify over time. But we can still choose to do something.
Chris: The City has two social workers engaging with people and working with them. In many
cases they have experienced with people who don’t want to move.
Jill (Social Worker with Hennepin County): Many of the people are coming to Richfield
because it is safer. Many people do not want to go to shelters, which can be really unsafe. This
might change in the winter.
Mara: question about the mini house community in Ramsey County - are there other innovative
programs like this?
Jill: The shelters are typically full. You need to stand in line in the morning and return at a
certain time. Hennepin County does prioritize getting housing for adults with young
children. There is simply not safe.
Candace: We have a unique opportunity to come up with a long term plan. We missed the
opportunity to be in front of it, but we have not waiting too long to make a decision to not wait
any longer.
Tyler: Do we have an idea of the number of unhoused people in Richfield?
Jill: We don’t have a super good idea, honestly, in part based on the lack of technology that
many have.
Candace: We have a responsibility as community members. Proposal to dedicate a spot.
Possible suggestion: Augsburg Park
Candace is interested in returning to our meeting in November, possibility with a short
presentation.
Maya: The high school is located right by Augsburg Park and we would want to be smart to
make sure we are being thoughtful about how to move forward to ensure everybody is feeling
respected and safe
Candace left and the conversation continued on this topic
A. Dana will see if her neighbor will be willing to speak at a future meeting. He is a housing
stability specialist.
B. Heating a potential encampment is extremely dangerous in the winter. St. Paul had fires
or explosions at every encampment last winter.
C. This is an extremely complicated issue and will take some time to really explore.
D. This is a new issue to the commission and I think we need to find a way to learn more
about this issue.
E. Long-term: more affordable housing is needed. Beacon Interfaith is something
F. Short-term: do we need to explore potential other options
5. Reports
A. Chair’s report
a. Nothing
B. Vice Chair’s report
a. Nothing
C. Secretary's report
a. Not in attendance
D. Liaison reports (School Board, City, City Council)
a. School Board: not here
b. City: No immediate updates. Welcome week was successful.
c. City Council: County Commissioner Goettel made an public comment at the last council
meeting
6. New Business
A. Indigenous Peoples Month - Tyler
a. Tyler does not have it prepared today. It will be read at the November 14th
meeting. Tyler will complete this for the next meeting.
B. Annual Report - Walter
a. Scheduled to present to the Mayor in November
b. Everybody should send a few sentences to Walter before next meeting
i.Housing: Tyler, Juneteenth
ii.Dana: Proc template, Essay Contest
iii.Tim: Racial Covenant, Citizenship Event
iv.Mara: Pride Event
v.Walter: Penn Fest, Sept meeting location, Legal Clinic
7. Unfinished Business
A. Focus on Housing Issues - Tyler sent information to preview and would love and open
discussion on this topic:
a. Radon Awareness Contest through the Minnesota Dept of Health. Could we have
similar initiatives to make people aware of other environmental/housing concerns?
b. Page 20 of the document included “Richfield had the largest home ownership gap in
Minnesota in 2014 with 77% of White residents compared to 29% of residents of color and
American Indians owning homes.”- which is something we really need to face
c. Are there low-interest loans available to landlords who want to remove carpet? How can
they be incentivized to make this move.
d. Does it make more sense to direct efforts to tenants to teach them how to advocate for
their rights
e. Is there a way to engage renters in the community. For example, how can we get
renters on commissions to be part of these types of conversations?
f. Awareness campaign, possibly a poster - that provides information about specific people
and issues in Richfield. Could these be housed on our HRC Website?
i.Should we start with the Legal Kiosk?
g. How can we continue to focus on the systemic issues of inequality - but also do
something now to help people in immediate need for change in their current landlord situations
h. Can we talk about a city law to extend the eviction policy from two weeks? Are there
other policies that we can continue to advocate for at the city leve?
i. Valerie will contact Homeline to see if they might be able to present to the HRC at a
future meeting, Tyler will contact Minnesota Home
j. Sub-committee volunteers:
i.Maya, Valerie, Tyler, Michael (Simon) alternates: Dana and Tiffany
B. Maya Ervesti
a. Richfield High School - new youth commissioner
C. Welcoming America Partnership - City Liaison
a. Hopefully next year we will more time in advance to work
D. Proclamations Template - Dana
a. Dana will touch base with Mara about how it worked for the last proclaimation
E. Book Banning and Book Sanctuary City - Dana
a. Newspaper will publish October 5
b. Essay out there
F. Eliminate Racial Covenants - Tim
a. Tabled due to Tim’s absence
G. Immigration Citizenship Event - Tim
a. Tabled due to Tim’s absence
H. Richfield Pride Celebration Update - Mara
a. Options for co-sponsors
i.Richfield Foundation - still option to connect with
ii.Maybe with Twin Cities Pride
b. Things coming together fine
I. LGBT Month Proclamation - Mara
a. Done - ready to go
J. PennFest Update - Tiffany/Walter
a. It went well! The map was fun. Should we do something
b. We might need updated materials for the HRC - table clothes/banner
K. Change Date for HRC November meeting - Walter - approved last meeting to move to
November 9, 2023
L. MN DHR Presentation to HRC - Walter
a. Brittany reached out was told that they get a lot of requests and are trying to hold a
virtual meeting - which is what we were told 6 months ago
b. Walter wants to write an official letter to the Governor’s office requesting action
M. September 2023 Legal Clinics Update - Walter
a. Do we need to look at marketing for next time because the turnout was low
b. They could have helped a lot more people - this time we only had 4 people (20 the
previous two clinics)
N. Metro Bus Incident – Maria
a. People continue to complain about being left by Metra Transit Buses
b. Maybe invite people to come to a meeting if this happens again in the future
8. Announcements/Open Forum Adjourn, next meeting (proposed) Thursday, November 9,
2023
Tiffany motioned and Mara seconded