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Bend council hears Human Rights and Equity Commission work plan; asks for refinements and prioritization
Summary
The Human Rights and Equity Commission (HREC) presented a work plan focused on advisory work, engagement, education, and policy advocacy and requested direction on priorities and reporting. Councilors asked HREC to pilot the AIM equity tool on three near‑term issues and to return with a refined plan for adoption.
The Bend City Council received a presentation on Sept. 9 from the Human Rights and Equity Commission (HREC) and city Equity and Inclusion Director Andres Portela on the commission's 2025‑26 work plan. HREC identified four focus areas — advisory, engagement, education and awareness, and policy advocacy — and asked council for guidance on priorities, reporting format and governance.
Andres Portela framed the work as a way to embed equity “at the start” of city decision‑making and introduced the AIM equity tool (Assumptions, Identify, Measure) as staff's streamlined method for equity assessment. Portela said AIM and the commission's community lens should operate together to produce “a 360 view” for council decisions.
HREC Chair Agatha Ventura and Commissioner Jen Kovitz highlighted recent commission accomplishments (welcome events, housing input, stipend programs and letters that influenced policy) and described the commission’s role as a bridge between lived experience and city policy. Kovitz said the commission creates “consistent spaces for dialogue” and builds policy literacy among commissioners and community partners.
Councilors praised HREC's recent influence — including a letter on camping and homeless response referenced at the regional coordinated response board — and suggested near‑term priority areas where the AIM tool should be applied: wildfire resilience/property assessments and codes, home committee housing recommendations, water‑rate modernization and transportation funding choices. Councilors asked HREC to prioritize fewer topics for deeper review (one councilor suggested starting with three), to coordinate with other advisory bodies, and to return with a revised work plan and proposed governance/code changes that would enable more effective operations.
Council direction: staff and HREC will refine the work plan to (1) prioritize three near‑term policy areas for AIM application (candidates include wildfire resilience, housing recommendations and water rates/transportation funding), (2) propose improved governance or code changes to clarify HREC and advisory‑board roles, and (3) present a timeline and reporting format for council review. Council did not vote to adopt the work plan at the Sept. 9 meeting and asked staff to return with a refined draft for formal adoption.
