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Office of Human Rights reports uptick in complaints, cites staffing changes in FY27 budget
Summary
Director Stowe told the Health & Human Services Committee the Office of Human Rights's FY27 operating budget is largely status-quo with a small personnel-driven decrease; the office reported increased complaints in employment, housing and national-origin discrimination and described a compliance follow-up plan for a recent "ban the box" survey.
Chair Sales opened the Health & Human Services Committee and introduced the Office of Human Rights (OHR) budget review. Council staff said the County Executive recommends a $28,394 (about 1.3%) decrease to OHR's FY27 operating budget, to $2,117,091, and that the Office received an operating-budget-equity-tool score of 6 from the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice.
Director Stowe said the proposed change reflects personnel adjustments, notably the removal of a public services intern position, and described a return to more targeted enforcement and outreach following COVID-era program shifts. "Employment still remains the main reason for people complaining to our office," Stowe said, adding that housing and source-of-income issues have also grown in volume. He noted an increase in complaints tied to national origin and disability and said the office is expanding work on testing and investigations, including matched-testing efforts and new outreach to lending institutions.
On compliance with the county's 08/24 ("ban the box") requirement, Stowe said the office reviewed 34 properties and found only six initially in compliance. He described a remediation approach: the office will provide informational outreach through the Department of Housing and Community Affairs, return to noncompliant properties after six months, and issue complaints where necessary. "Before we...issue a complaint...we are trying to give folks an opportunity then to resolve these issues," Stowe said.
Council members pressed on operational details: whether printing costs declined due to digitization (Stowe: yes), why certain retirement contributions shifted (a January 2025 retirement was noted), and why motor-pool costs appear in the OHR budget (Loretta Garcia, Enforcement Manager, said vehicles are used for on-site investigations and some fleet replacements included an electric vehicle).
Chair Sales said the committee would support the County Executive's recommended OHR budget and offered staff help coordinating DHCA outreach to promote compliance with the new law. The committee did not take a final formal vote on the appropriation today; staff will include the item in the reconciliation materials transmitted to full council where required.
The committee moved to the next agenda item after asking OHR to provide the annual report on 08/24 compliance at the November briefing.
Ending: The committee supported the executive's recommended OHR funding level for the committee record and requested OHR and DHCA continue outreach and report back as planned.
