Advisory committee unanimously backs outreach to recruit people with lived homelessness experience for council's new homelessness committee
Loading...
Summary
The Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights voted unanimously to recommend that City Council promote and recruit people with lived experience of homelessness to the city's new homelessness committee and offered the advisory panel's help with outreach, supports and any data needed to set target representation.
The Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights voted unanimously to ask City Council to promote opportunities for people with lived experience of homelessness to serve on the city's upcoming homelessness committee and to connect council with the advisory panel's networks to recruit candidates.
The motion, moved and seconded during the committee's February meeting, said members "see great value in identifying folks with lived experience who serve on the committee" and offered the advisory body's help with data or research to determine how many seats would be appropriate. The roll-call vote recorded unanimous approval.
The recommendation follows an email from community member Jason Goodrich asking that council guarantee voting seats and build structural supports so participation is meaningful. Councilor Michael Beck told the committee GovOps plans to discuss the homelessness committee on March 2 and the housing committee on April 6 as separate bodies so each can adopt a strategic plan and ordinance for membership.
Committee members debated whether to ask council to reserve specific seats or to set an aspirational goal or percentage. "You don't want to handcuff yourself," Councilor Michael Beck said, describing council's concern about guaranteeing seats if candidates could not be found. Several members said a clear goal or a preference language on applications would be an acceptable middle ground.
Adam Baker, a newly seated member, said he supported priority for lived-experience applicants: "At baseline, giving high priority to people with lived experience is, to me, at least a bare minimum," he said. Another committee member added, "Nothing about us without us," urging formal inclusion of people who have experienced homelessness in deliberations.
Members also raised practical barriers to participation and proposed supports the advisory committee would help provide: stipends, transportation, provision of phones or Zoom access, and assistance filling application materials. Assistant City Manager Courtney O'Donnell noted staff do not yet systematically collect applicant or attendee language or participation data across all departments but that staff could begin gathering information to inform future recommendations.
After the vote the committee chair said she would draft a formal recommendation to send to council and would include an offer for the advisory committee to assist with outreach and barrier reduction. The committee also agreed to remain available to provide evidence-based guidance if council asks for a specific target or percentage.
The committee's recommendation is an advisory action; any change to the structure of council committees or an ordinance establishing seats would require City Council action and, if adopted, would follow the council's ordinance process.
