Human Relations Commission - September 12, 2024

Commission backs senior summit planning and transportation review

The Human Relations Commission voted 5-0 to pursue three follow-up efforts addressing the needs of older adults. Its Housing, Economic Justice and Development ad hoc committee will explore planning a summit with senior-service providers, consult the city's chief transportation officer about options in Palo Alto and nearby communities, and work with staff on possible joint meetings with the Planning Commission and Architectural Review Board.

The action followed a review of concerns identified during the commission's 2023 Older Adults Learning Series, including transportation to medical appointments outside Palo Alto, housing affordability, caregiving, food costs, technology access, grief support and coordination among service providers. The review reported that 44% of people age 60 or older were caregivers and that 3% of surveyed seniors rated the city's cost of living as good or excellent.

Council liaison Julie Lythcott-Haims encouraged regional coordination on transportation and urged the commission to apply an equity lens to housing proposals where it could have an impact. Commissioners also discussed a downtown parking lot on Ramona Street as a possible site for about 60 senior apartments, but the commission took no action on that possibility. The approved motion authorizes follow-up work rather than a summit, transportation expansion or housing project.

Commission reviews $895,067 CDBG report before federal deadline

The commission completed a public hearing on Palo Alto's draft annual report for the federal Community Development Block Grant program. No commission action was required or taken, and staff is scheduled to submit the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by September 28.

Staff reported that $895,067 was available for the 2023-24 fiscal year, consisting of $514,242 in entitlement funds, $300,000 in prior-year allocations and $80,825 in program income. Commissioners asked why annual allocations had declined and why funding was concentrated in services rather than housing construction or rehabilitation. Staff said HUD sets allocations through federal formulas, caps public-service spending at 15% and allows the grants to provide gap funding for housing projects.

Commissioners also questioned missed rehabilitation targets and a report showing that LifeMoves assisted 193 people compared with a goal of 27. Staff did not provide a definitive explanation for that difference and said homeowner rehabilitation efforts had faced difficulty identifying eligible participants. Staff reported that approximately $400,000 in rehabilitation work at Alma Gardens was being prepared for bidding, with completion hoped for by spring 2025, while work on 88 accessibility curb ramps was expected to begin in fall 2024.

Chair says commission did not withdraw picnic support

The commission's chair said the panel had not voted to support the September 11 multifaith picnic and vigil because a request was not received in time for its August meeting. The chair therefore said the commission did not withdraw its support from the event.

The clarification followed conflicting public comments about the withdrawal of city and commission support after CAIR was identified as a co-sponsor. One commenter described the withdrawal as harmful to Muslim, Arab and Palestinian community members, while another supported it because of concerns about CAIR's participation. A third questioned whether individual commissioners had spoken for the full commission. The meeting record documents no formal commission action on the event.

Commissioner Mary Kate Stimmler reported that she attended after researching concerns about a co-sponsoring organization. Council liaison Julie Lythcott-Haims said she attended despite the controversy to seek common ground and strengthen community connections. Those comments described individual decisions, not actions by the commission.

Staff announces community forum on hate crimes

City staff announced plans for a community forum titled “Creating a Safer Community: Understanding and Defining Hate Crimes,” describing it as an outgrowth of listening sessions and the commission's work. Staff said the event was expected to include law-enforcement representatives, the District Attorney and the FBI, with the mayor facilitating.

No event date was included in the record. Staff said the topic would return to the Human Relations Commission.

Subcommittees outline housing and inclusion proposals

Commission ad hoc subcommittees outlined possible 2024-25 initiatives, but the commission took no formal vote on the proposals. Housing members discussed listening sessions on child care and paths to homeownership for renters, including opportunity-to-purchase policies, cooperatives and social housing, along with possible research on accessory dwelling units and a nonprofit public-land-trust model.

Other preliminary ideas included commission involvement in the mayor's mental-health working group, a city-resource orientation for faith leaders, a quarterly police advisory council with faith and interfaith participation, and a neighborhood-connection campaign promoting block-party grants. The climate subcommittee plans to invite a Utilities representative and, after draft work is ready, a representative associated with the Safe Streets Action Plan. Each subcommittee is to send its action items and proposed timing to staff, with potential returns to the commission preferably between December and February.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting packet