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Home My WebLink About2018-04-05 Info Packet� r � CITY OF IOWA CITY www.icgov.org City Council Information Packet April 5, 2018 IPI Council Tentative Meeting Schedule Miscellaneous I132 Email from Mayor Throgmorton: Please make our city a net neutrality city -- sign the Cities Open Internet Pledge I133 Copy of article from Council member Thomas: The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green I134 Information from City Manager: Johnson County Social Services Mobility Coordinator 2017 Report IP5 Memo from Neighborhood and Development Services Director: Affordable Housing Action Plan Update IP6 Letter from William Lesser, FEMA Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration: National Flood Insurance Rating I137 Community Police Review Board Community Forum: April 23 I138 Copy of news release: Registration now open for May business workshop I129 Email from East Central Iowa Council of Governments: ECICOG grant opportunities I1310 Invitation from Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition: April Affordable Housing Events I1311 Invitation: Installation of Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz IP12 Civil Service Entrance Examination —Maintenance Worker I -Streets Draft Minutes IP13 Human Rights Commission: March 29 ►? t CITY OF IOWA CITY Date -- -ffT-z5-e- City Council Tentative Meeting Schedule IN Subject to change April 5, 2018 Time Meeting Location Monday, April 16, 2018 4:00 PM Reception ICCSD 4:30 PM Joint Meeting Education Services Ctr. 1725 N. Dodge Street Tuesday, April 17, 2018 4:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, May 1, 2018 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, May 15, 2018 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, May 29, 2018 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Special Formal Meeting Tuesday, July 3, 2018 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, July 17, 2018 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, August 7, 2018 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, August 21, 2018 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting 04m- 8 IP2 Kellie Fruehlin From: Jim Throgmorton Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2018 1:25 PM To: Council Subject: FW: Please make our city a net neutrality city -- sign the Cities Open Internet Pledge Fellow Council members, I have received 40 or so emails like the one forwarded below. Please let me know if you would like for me to do as the writer(s) request. Mayor Jim Throgmorton Iowa City City Council, At -Large From: Gae Walton [info@actionnetwork.org] Sent: Thursday, April 05,2o18 9:32 AM To: Jim Throgmorton Subject: Please make our city a net neutrality city -- sign the Cities Open Internet Pledge Jim Throgmorton, Dear Mayor: Net Neutrality is the First Amendment of the internet, essential to everyone's rights to connect and communicate online. Without Net Neutrality protections, phone and cable companies can block, throttle and otherwise interfere with our access to sites and services online. The FCC recently voted to take away Net Neutrality protections. This unpopular decision has sparked a national movement to defend the open internet and restore Net Neutrality safeguards. As a resident of your city, I urge you to join the movement by signing the Cities Open Internet Pledge: http:/Ibit.ly/2pt6jZV. Team up with other mayors — including Bill de Blasio of New York, Ted Wheeler of Portland and Steve Adler of Austin — who have signed the pledge to save the internet! Gae Walton gae.walton@gmail.com 686 Kimball Rd Iowa City, Iowa 52245 414!2018 Cultivate. foa&u How We Think . ..... Work How we Teach Fields The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green I PlaceMakers --a-d-578 From Council member Thomas IP3 Meet and Contact Us I Stay in Touch I Login We're planners, urban designers, form based code wranglers, storytellers, advisors and advocates. April 3, 2018 110:09 ani The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green Most of us, most of the time, don't make much connection between place - the neighborhoods where we live, work, and play- and our health. Not unless we're thinking of such obvious local health concerns as an outbreak of infectious disease in the community, serious levels of pollution or toxicity nearby, or perhaps about local health care services and facilities. Absent those kinds of circumstances, we tend to take our neighborhoods for V granted when it comes to health. But we shouldn't, because there is a - rapidly growing body of evidence demonstrating that the shape and character of our communities matters a great deal to our health. Planting the seeds of community. Share a "Like" PlaceMakers Like Page Follow Us f. z c M IIIEI IIWI 1!1 WI Subscribe to Our eNewsletter A lot has already been written about the subject, including by some of us here at Sign Up PlaceMakers. There was a terrific lengthy report on place and health published in December 2016 by our friends at the Project for Public Spaces (PPS) (and nicety o described by my colleague Hazel Borys here). I recommend that report, especially for its Privacy by ®'6ereSubscribe='^ concise but excellent, issue -by -issue literature reviews. Recent Posts But I am returning to these matters today because there is compelling new research, from a variety of medical and other scientific sources, about what makes a neighborhood healthy. And, while that research certainly reinforces what smart growth and urbanist advocates have long believed - that walkable places, in particular, make a significant contribution to human health - it also establishes strongly that, among neighborhood characteristics, walkability alone Is not enough. To be truly healthy, especially in cities, we also need nature in our communities. And that is something that, in my opinion, is not commanding enough time and energy from city builders and advocates. Before I get into the new research on neighborhood walkability and nature, allow me to set some broader context: As a nation we Americans enjoy reasonably good health in many ways. But there is ample reason for concern. Last year US life expectancy declined for the second year in a row, the first multiyear decline since the early 1960s. The PPS report indicates that chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory ailments, and cancer affect half of American adults and, remarkably, that "only about 17 percent of US adults are considered to be in a state of optimal mental health." Among mental health ailments, depression - the leading cause of disability worldwide - affects 26 percent of American adults, according to the report, and is also "connected to elevated risks for poor physical health." Moreover, obesity rates have been climbing for some time and are now shockingly high: about 40 percent of American adults are now considered obese, up from about 30 percent two decades ago. Even young children are affected: 13.9 percent of children from The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green Climate Change: Making the most of failure Suburban Remix: A New Generation of Walkable Development Moving Beyond "Smart Growth" to a More Holistic City Agenda Resolved for 2018: Fewer delusions, more reality -based planning CNU 26: Gearing Up Livable Places Connect People Year End Reflections: Gratitude for Livable Places Topics I Top Picks Agriculture Architecture Back of the Envelope Book Reviews Community Development http:lty.placemakers.com/2018104103lheahhiest-neighborhoods-both-walkableand-greertt?ubn source=rss&utm-medium=ms&utm-campaign=healthiest-neil 4/4/2018 The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green I PlaceMakers Naperville (IL)'s walkable downtown contains lots of greenery (photo courtesy of Ian Frelmath, C.H. Commons. Click for original.) two to five years old are now classified as obese. Health risks In cities City living can alleviate some of these conditions but tends to exacerbate others. On the good side, rates of cardiovascular health are generally more favorable in cities than In rural areas. (More on that below.) But, on the bad side, city residents also encounter higher concentrations of air pollution and, perhaps as a result, their risk of respiratory disease may be greater. A study published last year of 3509 Canadian children living in both urban and rural areas, for example, found asthma prevalence to be generally higher in urban locations with some indication that asthma incidence tends to rise as we move along a rural -to -urban gradient. This is consistent with previous research from the UK on adult asthma [link requires log- in]. (But research from Johns Hopkins published in 2015 found that higher rates of kids' asthma in American inner-city neighborhoods could be "explained by demographic factors," especially poverty, rather than by living in an urban neighborhood.) Beyond asthma, scientific opinion on the deleterious effects of urban noise pollution is unequivocal. Writing in The Guardian in March 2018, reporter Matthew Keegan characterized some of those effects: "The World Health Organization (WHO) has described noise pollution as an underestimated threat that can cause hearing loss, cardiovascular problems, cognitive impairment, stress and depression. A recent study by experts at the American College of Cardiology linked noise pollution to increased cardiovascular problems (high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, coronary heart disease) through the body's stress mediated response — resulting in the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn damages blood vessels." The study also found that, on average, a person living in one of the loudest cities in the study has hearing loss equivalent to that of someone 10-20 years older. How much noise does it take to cause health problems? Cardiovascular effects begin to be seen after exposure to sounds at 65 decibels (dB), according to research I detail more fully in an earlier article. That's somewhere between the levels experienced in a typical large office and those caused by freeway traffic. Depending on the duration of exposure, hearing impairment can begin at around 85 dB, roughly equivalent to a noisy restaurant or heavy traffic. Noise levels on New York City subway platforms have been measured at 108 dB, rising to 112 dB inside the cars. Cities and mental illness Demographics Development Economic Development Environment I Sustainability Experience Financing Greetings Health Legal News Planning and Design Public Art Public Engagement Public Policy Q&A Resilience Sales and Marketing Technology Theory and Practice Transportation Uncategodzed Urban Fellows Better! Cities and Towns Black Urbanist CATS Center for Neighborhood Technology CEOs for Cities City Comforts Congress for the New Urbanism Cool Town Studios Cyburbia Form -Based Codes Study James Howard Kunstler Kaid Benfield I NRDC Switchboard Land li Lounge Local Harvest Market Urbanism New Urban Guild New Urbanism Blog Old Urbanist Original Green Ped Shed Planetizen Pocket Neighborhoods PPS Placemaking Blog Reconnecting America Smart Growth America SmartCode Central Street Trip Stmetsblog Strung Towns Transportation for America TreeHugger Urbanism Blogoffs Urbanophile Veritas at Venustas Vince Graham http://www. p lacem akers.com/2018/04/03/hea lthiest-neigh borhood s -both -walkable -and -green/? utm—sou rce=rss&utm—medi u m=rss&utm_Ca mpaign=hea Rh iest-neic 4/4/2018 The Science Is In: The heal neighborhoods are both walkable and green I PlaceMakers Claes can be stressful (photo courtesy of Thomas Hawk, Creative Commons. Click for original.) When it comes to mental illness, noise is only one of the factors that contribute to higher levels of disease among city dwellers. Cities can be exciting; they can strengthen social opportunities and economic productivity. But, simply put, city living can also be stressful, and that part is not good for us. In a literature review conducted as part of a study published earlier this year and examining the effects of nature on mood, the authors summarized the state of the literature on the subject: "People who live in urban environments are at higher risk of a range of mental-health issues, including depression, generalized anxiety disorders, psychosis, and addictive disorders. Crucially, the observation of a dose-dependent effect provides support for a causal relationship, rather than a mere association, between urban living and risk for mental illness. Further evidence for this causal relationship comes from the finding that the adverse impact of urban Irving can be reversible, with some categories of patients showing improved clinical outcomes after moving from urban to rural environments."[Citations omitted.] These findings are consistent with a sophisticated, quantitative "metaanatysis" of urban and rural differences in mental health reflected in twenty "studies of higher methodological quality with adjustment for important confounders" out of 110 studies reviewed by researchers based in Amsterdam. Synthesizing data from the twenty most sophisticated studies, all from relatively high-income countries, the researchers found the incidence of mood disorders (mostly depression) was 39 percent higher and the incidence of anxiety disorders was 21 percent higher in cities than in rural areas. Significant differences remained even when the data were controlled for other factors including age, gender, marital status, social Gass, and ethnicity. (The researchers looked for but did not, however, find a signifcanl difference between urban and rural residents with regard to substance abuse disorders.) As we would expect, all these problems are exacerbated in low-income neighborhoods. People require treatment for asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease twice as often in poor neighborhoods as they do In more affluent communities, reports Kevin Barnett in Shekerfome. And those who live in low-income neighborhoods undergoing change, writes Erin Schumaker in HuffPost, face additional negative health impacts from construction — such as noise, particle pollution, lead exposure, air toxins, and stress —as well as from anxiety over whether the affordability of their homes and the support of longstanding community social networks will remain stable. But there's good news, too I suppose all this paints a somewhat negative portrait of urban living. But, as a large and growing body of research demonstrates, city environments can also be very supportive of health if we get the neighborhoods right. And there is no better neighborhood characteristic to start with on this score than walkability. For years now, my favorite study linking walkable neighborhoods and health has been a http:ilwcow.placemakem.coml2018/04/03fheatthiest-neightwrhoods-both-walkabl"nd-greenl?utm_source=res&ulm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=healthiest-neig 4/4/2018 The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green I PlaceMakers A walkable green street in Seattle (phato courtesy or deeproot Green Infrastructure. click for original.) massive 2008 study out of Utah. Using driver's license data, researchers collected height, weight, and residential addresses of 453,927 adults living in Salt Lake County, correlating those data with walkability characteristics of the subjects' home neighborhoods. Here's what they found, according to a summary posted on WebMD: "Based upon the analysis, a man of average height and weight who lived in the most walkable neighborhood in Salt Lake County would be expected to weigh an average of 10 pounds less than a man living in the least walkable neighborhood. For women, the difference would be 6 pounds." (you can find the full study [pdfJ here.) I will get into the definition of "walkable" in a minute, but first I want to tell you about a newer and very important large study. If residents of walkable neighborhoods weigh less than residents of unwalkable ones, we would expect to see cardiovascular health differences between the two, right? And that is exactly what the largest -ever study (429,000 subjects in the UK) of the relationship between neighborhood walkability and blood pressure, published in February 2018, has found. In particular, the researchers, led by Dr. Chinmoy Sarkar of the University of Hong Kong, found that neighborhood walkability, based on a composite index of metrics such as residential and commercial density, the availability of public transit, amount of pedestrian activity, and proximity to attractive destinations, was associated with lower systolic blood pressure, lower diastolic blood pressure, and lower incidence of hypertension. Attributes of walkable neighborhoods So, what makes a walkable neighborhood? The popular web -based app Walk Score includes among its measures such factors as distance from a given address or neighborhood to amenities such as shops, parks, schools, and transit; population density; and street metrics such as block length and intersection density. (Shorter blocks and more intersections tend to facilitate short cuts and reduce, on average, walking time and distance to destinations.) Walk Score calculates a score from zero to 100 for each location, rating any result above 70 as "very walkable"; a neighborhood scoring 90 or above is considered a "walker's paradise." A literature review in the PPS report cited above found that "80 percent of the 46 relevant studies [on neighborhood attributes that encourage walking] identified the presence and proximity of local stores, services, and transit stops to be most strongly associated with rates of transportation walking, while 50 percent noted the importance of having sidewalks and streets that are continuously connected." In 2016, an international study of 6822 adults in 14 cities (in ten countries; in the US, Baltimore and Seattle were included), each wearing an electronic exercise monitor, identified four statistically significant land use characteristics associated with moderate to vigorous levels of physical activity: residential density, intersection density, public transit density, and access to parks within hall a kilometer. (I described the study in more detail in a prevlous article.) http://www. placemakers. com/2018/04/03/healthiest-neighborhoods-both-wal kable-and-green/?utm_source=ms&utm_medium=rss&utm_cam pa ig n=hea Ith iest-nei c 4/4/2018 The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green I PlaceMakers Lunch In walkable audingfon, Vermonf (photo courtesy of Bob Gaffney, Creative Co.... Click for original.) People also need to feel that a neighborhood is safe, including from motor vehicle traffic, in order to walk in It voluntarily. The PPS report continues: A 2015 review by Active Living Research found that perceived safety from traffic (as well as crime) is one of the most important factors attracting people to places and encouraging walking. This perception of safety is also associated with the presence of sidewalks, footpaths, pedestrian infrastructure, street connectivity, controlled intersections, clearly marked street crossings, and reduced traffic speed and volume." But another massive and recent (October 2017) study led by Dr. Chinmoy's team and using the same UK database as the blood pressure study found that residential density alone, independent of other factors, was associated with reductions in body fat and obesity. The effect was seen beginning at 1800 residential units per square kilometer (roughly seven units per acre) and was more pronounced beginning at 3200 units per square kilometer (about 13 units per acre). (Below the threshold of 1800 units per square kilometer, increasing density was not helpful.) I find it significant that this study of over 400,000 adults concludes that these favorable health outcomes are found beginning at what most urbanists would consider to be moderate, rather than high, residential densities. (Moderate densities have also been found adequate to produce beneficial environmental effects such as reductions in per - capita automobile emissions and stormwater runoff.) While higher densities are obviously appropriate in many urban situations, moderate densities are appropriate in others and sometimes more popular with a large share of the American market. What about city nature? These strong associations prompt the question, "don't we know enough?' As one exasperated friend put it when I mentioned that I was researching this article, "shouldn't we just do it?" Well, yes and no. On the one hand, we of course should be making sure that, where neighborhoods are currently walkable, they are property invested. When we build new neighborhoods, we should make them walkable. And, when opportunities arise, we should retrofit older ones to improve their walkability. But, on the other hand, while the research on walkability is getting stronger, so is the research connecting city nature and health. (My PlaceMakers colleagues Hazel Borys and Susan Henderson have each written eloquently about the subject.) In general, as a broader community of people who care about healthy places, I believe we don't think often enough, or deeply enough, about how best to put urban walkability and http://www.p lacemakers. com/2018/04/03lhealthiest-neighborhoods-both-wa lkableand-green/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_ca mpa ign=healthiest-neir 4/4/2018 The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green I Placelvakers nature together: many nature advocates don't think much about cities, and many urban advocates don't think much about nature. This must change, in my opinion: 1 believe we must work more diligently on both walkability and city nature. Indeed, as the studies I will discuss below demonstrate, for some folks it may be a matter of life and death. London's verdant Russell Square serves a highly urban neighborhood (Walk Score: 98) (photo courtesy of Jason Brackins, Creative Commons. Click for original.) Consider, for example, a newly published (December 2017) study in the highly respected British medical journal The Lancet and summarized nicely by Stephen Schmidt in Science Friday The researchers assembled 135 subjects, all aged 60 or older, equally divided among (1) those who were considered healthy, (2) those who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and (3) those who had ischemic heart disease (in which a blockage in the coronary arteries reduces blood supply to the heart muscle). The participants were then randomly assigned to walk for two hours either along London's Oxford Street, one of the city's liveliest, or in the city's bucolic Hyde Park. The researchers measured heart and lung functions both before and after the exercise. The subjects who walked in the park, whether healthy or with chronic maladies, showed significant improvement in pulmonary and cardiovascular function; those who walked along Oxford Street showed negative effects in those indicators. The researchers believe that the reason for the difference was the increased exposure to air pollutants, especially nitrogen dioxide and ultrafine particles, along Oxford Street. The researchers, led by Dr. Rudy Sinhamy, Imperial College London, concluded: "Our findings suggest that healthy people, as well as those with chronic cardiorespiratory disorders, should minimize walking on streets with high levels of pollution because this curtails or even reverses the cardiorespiratory benefits of exercise. Instead, walking exercise should be enjoyed in urban green space areas away from high density traffic." City nature and longevity Or, consider two very large and very well-controlled recent studies, each suggesting that residents of greener neighborhoods live longer than those who don't. In the largest and most recent (October 2017) study, Canadian researchers led by Dr. Dan Crouse of the University of New Brunswick examined a huge database of "approximately 1,256,000 individuals," a nationally representative sample from the Canadian Census representing residents of Canada's 30 largest metro areas. Census information was compared to tax return data (to control for socioeconomic factors), the Canadian mortality database, and a now -standardized, satellite -derived measure of neighborhood greenness called the "Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)." Examining a decade's worth of data from this cohort, the authors found "decreased risks of mortality in the range of 8-12 percent from all causes of death examined with increased greenness around participants' residence," when neighborhood greenness was measured http ll www. placemakers.com/2018/04/03rnealthiest-neighborhoods-both-walkable-and-green/?utm_source=rss&utm_medi um=rss&ulm_cam paign=hea Ith iest-neic 4/4/2018 The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green I PlaceMakers within 250 meters and 500 meters of the residence. The greatest beneficial effects of a greener neighborhood were found for respiratory diseases. The researchers noted that "controlling for exposures to ambient nitrogen dioxide strengthened the associations substantially." These results are consistent with a 2016 study examining a database of 106,630 women participating in the US -based National Nurses' Health Study over an eight-year period in which 8,604 deaths occurred. Health, mortality, and socioeconomic data were compared to NDVI measurements around each subject's residence within 250 and 1250 meters (1250 meters is about a 15 -minute walk). Women in the highest quintile of greenness had significantly lower rates of mortality, especially from respiratory disease and cancer. There was a 34% reduction in respiratory mortality for highest -quintile greenness compared to lowest quintile. The results were significant at both distances but, as we would expect, strongest within 250 meters. A green urban neighborhood in Berlin (photo courtesy of La Citta Vita, Creative Commons. Click for original.) Before leaving the subject of green neighborhoods and physical health, I'll mention two more studies, both providing specific findings with respect to trees. The first, led from the University of Exeter and published late last year, examined more than 650,000 serious asthma attacks leading to emergency hospitalizations across 26,000 urban neighborhoods in England over a 15 year period. The researchers looked at trees and other forms of green space and gardens within the patients' neighborhoods, along with air pollution levels, and found that trees had a particularly strong association with fewer emergency asthma cases from polluted neighborhoods but that other kinds of greenery did not. In less polluted neighborhoods, though, it was the opposite: gardens and green spaces were associated with lower levels of asthma emergencies, but trees were not. (There's a good summary of this study in Science Daily.) The second study examined self-reported health information from 31,109 residents of Toronto, correlating questionnaire responses with local vegetation data and found that "people who live in neighborhoods with a higher density of trees on their streets report significantly higher health perception and significantly less cardio -metabolic conditions (controlling for socio-economic and demographic factors)." Significantly, these associations were limited to street trees and were not found for tree density "in areas other than beside the streets and along local roads." The authors suggest that street trees may have a particularly beneficial effect because they "generally are those that [residents) may have the most contact (visual or presence) with" or that they may remove more pollutants from motor vehicle traffic along the streets. City nature and mental health While the associations linking neighborhood nature to physical health are rapidly strengthening, the science demonstrating the benefits of nature to mental health has long been established. As noted above, without nature the stresses of city living can be generally deleterious to mental health, triggering higher rates of anxiety and depression, among other disorders, in city residents than in people who live in more tranquil settings. But those negative effects can be overcome with city nature. Here's an excerpt from a recent literature review on the subject, conducted for a study appearing in the Oxford University publication BioScience: http://www.plammakers.00mt20l8lD4lO3lhealthiest-neighborhoods-both-walkable-and-gmennutm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=healthiest-neif 4/412018 The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green I PlaceMakers -Although city dwellers are at higher risk of mental illness, an increasing body of evidence suggests that natural features within the built environment can counteract the detrimental effects of urban living and even promote mental health. For example, living in urban areas with natural features such as frees, gardens, parks, birds, and water is associated with higher levels of mental well-being and reduced incidence of chronic mental illness." [Citations omitted.] In addition, while researching my 2014 book People Habitat, I came across a large Dutch study on the effects of neighborhoods with and without green spaces on mental health, reported in a monograph published by the National Recreation and Park Association in 2010 [pdq. It found a direct correlation between mental health effects and the proximity of parks: "Scientists in the Netherlands examined the prevalence of anxiety disorders in more than 345,000 residents and found that people who lived in residential areas with the least green spaces had a 44 percent higher rate of physician -diagnosed anxiety disorders than people who lived in the greenest residential areas... "Time spent in the lushness of green environments also reduces sadness and depression. In the Dutch study, the prevalence of physician -diagnosed depression was 33 percent higher in the residential areas with the fewest green spaces, compared to the neighborhoods with the most." The NRPA report even cites studies finding lower levels of aggression, violence and crime in Chicago housing projects with views of vegetation than in those without. Halifax (NS) Public Gardens (Walk Score: 9]) (photo ®2018 by told Benfield. Click image for largo vlaw) One oftcited benefit of neighborhood green spaces is that they tend to bring us together and can reduce loneliness. A survey of Canadians aged 55 and older, published last year, looked specifically at loneliness and found that 'the combined effects of living near a park and going to parks frequently were about as good at reducing loneliness as being married." For purposes of comparison, the effects of living near and frequently visiting a library were also found quite beneficial in reducing loneliness, "but not quite as substantial as the benefits of living near parks." The same was true of living near "high quality" public transit. The findings were unaffected by socio-economic status. Nuances in the research Some interesfing nuances have emerged from this body of research in the last decade. For example, there is now empirical evidence that the benefits of nature are dose-dependent: people who make long visits (30 minutes or more) to green spaces have http:ilwww.placemakem.com/2018104/03lheatthiest-neighborhoods4)oth-walkable-and-green/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=ms&utm_campaign=hea hh iest-neic 4/412018 The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green I PlaceMakem lower rates of depression and high blood pressure, and engage In more physical activity, than those who make only short visits; people who visit more frequently exhibit greater social cohesion and engage in more physical activity than those who visit less. And a 2014 study showed that people who move from a less green neighborhood to a greener one experienced an immediate improvement in mental health that was sustained for at least 3 years after they moved. The findings held up even after the authors adjusted their data to remove effects from other factors likely to affect mental health over time — such as income, employment and education —along with factors related to personality. I believe this finding is critical for urbanists to understand, because traditionally in the US, those people who seek the intuitive (and now well documented) stress -relieving benefits of nature have fled cities in order to find them in their suburban backyards and enclaves. We need to green our city neighborhoods so that people who sensibly seek these benefits can find them Inside walkable urban settings. We also would do well to green city schoolyards. Schools in green settings have been associated with improved cognitive development in elementary school children, better academic performance from sixth graders, and better academic performance among high school kids (pdfj. Significantly, the high school study —which investigated 101 schools in Michigan —found that the greatest benefit was associated with the presence of trees and shrubs very close to the school; large expanses of visible landscape lacking in natural features, such as large areas of lawn or nearby farmlands, actually had a negative association with test scores, intentions to attend college, and college plans. The quality of nearby nature does seem to matter. Consistent with the latter finding, but moving beyond the realm of schools, a British study found that the psychological benefits of green space increase with the biodiversity of its vegetation. In other words, it's not as beneficial to our mental health to have access to a simple plot of grass or otherwise barren patch of land as it is to have access to green space with more diverse natural or landscaped features. In a well -articulated and -referenced article in The Conversation, Zoe Myers of the University of Western Australia put it this way: `Many urban parks and green spaces — particularly in residential areas —are unimaginative, repetitive and lack basic elements to evoke these references to nature. Nor do they encourage walking or enjoying the natural elements for any length of time. 'For example, paths without shade or protection do not encourage walks long enough to achieve benefits. A lack of landscape diversity does little to activate fascination or interest, and fails to offer incentive to visit them, especially given the ways in which parks can be separated from their surroundings... -Compare this to urban areas that employ creative uses of incidental nature to capture attention and offer genuine interaction. "Successful parks and urban green spaces encourage us to linger, to rest, to walk for longer. That in tum, provides the time to maximize restorative mental benefits." Perhaps this is why botanical gardens, by their nature biologically complex, have been found to have restorative effects on visitors, who report generally high rates of physical and psychological benefits and of subjective well-being during visits. So, what to dol Of course, in an urban setting, we can and should benefit not just from a diversity of species but also from a diversity of ways of presenting — or at least evoking — nature. My PlaceMakers colleague Susan Henderson has written that "I would advocate for a careful integration of nature on all scales of the city, from the window box to the park. At the neighborhood scale this may include squares, plazas, greens, playgrounds, parks, community food gardens, healing gardens, and parklels "And to [hat very good list I would add living walls, green streets, fountains, green roofs, street Trees, street -facing gardens in http:l/www.placemakers.comf2018/04/031healthiest-neighborhoods-both-walkable-a nd-greeni?utm—source=ms&utm_medium=rss&utm—campaign=healthiest-neic 414/2018 The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green I PlaceMakers front of houses and other buildings, and probably a whole lot more that Susan and I haven't thought of. This lush residential neighborhood In Washington DC Is also highly walkable (Walk Boon: 81) (photo 02018 by Kald Bonfield. Click Image for larger view.) As another colleague, Hazel Borys, has put it, "when nature is integrated into urbanism, wellness surges." So, let's start incorporating elements of nature into municipal planning, and make sure that urban land use policy and zoning — which already is trending toward walkability and city density —does not neglect steps we also need to take to make our communities visibly green. Above all, let's make sure we don't chase people who seek the benefits of nature away from cities. The case for putting urbanity and nature closer together is only going to get stronger. To this end. I am very encouraged by a report from Kat Friedrich in GmenBIZ (June 2017), noting that health care giant Kaiser Permanente is partnering with the University of Illinois and a consortium of government, nonprofit, and corporate entities on a massive study of its 4 million subscribers In northern California to determine if the amount of greenness near their homes (in three categories: street trees; park spaces; and private yards), as revealed by satellite imagery, makes a measurable difference in subscribers' health. Friedrich quotes researcher Matt Browning of the University of Illinois: "We're expecting a 1:10 to 1:100 ratio for investment in urban green space with regard to reduction of health care expenditures. This means that investing $1 in planting and maintaining urban trees would reduce health care costs nearby by $10 to $100." If realized, such a finding would be Impressive, to say the least. Moreover, according to the story, the researchers want to test the additional hypothesis that adding green spaces in IowJncome Communities may have a particularty high financial impact because poor neighborhoods currently tend to be nature -deficient. I am also impressed and encouraged by a consortium of diverse partners in Europe — some 32 institutions from 18 Countries —that is working on retrofitting more "nature -based solutions" into an initial group of eleven European cities. Funded in part with seed money from the European Commission and called Connecting Nature, the program seeks to incorporate more street trees, parks and gardens, green roofs and walls, green infrastructure, and the like into the lead cities, to measure the results, to learn lessons along the way, and to spread the strategies to additional cities over time. (The description on the website reminds me in some ways of the ambitious and promising City Energy Project in the US, which seeks to improve the energy efficiency of buildings in twenty American cities.) Let's wish them well, and do more of the same here in North America. —Kaid Benfield http:ll www. place m akers. com/20l 8lG4/03fhea lthi est -neigh borhood s -both -walkable -and -g reen/?utm—source=ms&utm—medium=rss&ulm_ca m paign=hea lth i est -n eig 414/2018 The Science Is In: The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green I PlaceMakers Ir PlaceShakers is our soapbox, our Facebook page is where we step down, grab a drink and enjoy a little conversation. Looking /or a heads -up on the latest community -building news and perspective from around the web? Click through and "Like" us and we'll keep you in the loop. uke 26a Email More Category Environment I Sustainability, Health. Planning Leave a and Design, Public Policy, Resilience, Theory and Comment Practice Tags Kaid Benfield Join the Conversation Name' Email " Website Confirm that you are not a bot - select a man with raised hand: rki .' A"� caplcha by deadbbi m Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Post Comment Notify me of new posts by email. Albuquerque, NM I Atlanta, GA I Calgary, AS I Franklin, NC I Montgomery, AL I San Diego, CA I Winnipeg, MB info@piacemakers.com I Client Zone Legal Disclaimers 10, 2018 PlaceMakers. LLC http://www. p lacema kers.com/20l 8lO4/O3/hea lth i est-ne ig hborhoods-both-wa I kable-and-g ree nl?utm_source=ms&utm_medium=rss&utm_cam pa ig n=healthiest-n eig From City Manager Fruin 1P4 Johnson County Social Services Mobility Coordinator 2017 Report April 111, 2017 — December 310, 2017 History and Purpose: Social Services Mobility Coordinator position started on March 20th, 2017. Funding supports for this position include Job Access Reverse Commute federal funding provided through the Iowa DOT, Johnson County, City of Iowa City, and City of Coralville. The Social Services Mobility Coordinator serves as the County's single point of contact for transportation referrals, education and community outreach. This position aims to increase awareness of public transit and expand potential ridership. Also, strives to improve overall mobility for elderly, low-income persons, and persons with disabilities. Housed in the Johnson County Social Services Department in the Health and Human Services building, anyone is able to utilize the services of the Social Services Mobility Coordinator. The coordinator has spent the initial stages of the position getting to know the transportation needs of the community by engaging local human service agencies and the populations they serve. The coordinator quickly discovered a need for printable resource documents containing information for the multiple transit systems in the county. The coordinator developed the following documents: • Transit Summary: Contact information, fares, passes, where to buy passes for Cambus, Iowa City Transit, Coralville Transit and SEATS • Discount Summary: Details of discounted programs are available for Coralville Transit and Iowa City Transit including eligibility criteria and how to apply. • Transportation Resource Guide: Inventory of local transportation resources including, public transit, volunteer programs, rideshare and transportation assistance programs. • Bongo Sign: Customized sign to display at points of interest near bus stops. Provides instructions on how to use Bongo including a picture example of how to use the text feature of Bongo. • Downtown Interchange Map: I.eaming tool for those traveling from route to route or system to system. The map is a color -coated display of where within the downtown interchange to board routes for Coralville Transit, Iowa City Transit and Cambus. These documents are useful for newcomers to the community and those who have never used public transit before. Each document (besides the Bongo sign) are available for view, print and download on the Mobility Coordinator website: www.iohnson-county.com/mobility. Bongo Signs are custom tailored for locations using the bus stop number of the nearest bus stop; these signs are currently being distributed to local human service organizations or other high traffic areas. Businesses or other points of interest near bus stops can request a Bongo Sign to be created upon request. Accomplishments: The coordinator connected with the community by attending meetings and providing presentations. Outreach engagements are an opportunity for the coordinator to share the history of the position, how to utilize the services the position offers as well as listen to the transportation needs of the community. Often times after conducting outreach, the coordinator finds opportunities for referrals and customized trainings or resource materials. Here is a list of the groups and/or representatives the coordinator connected with between April 15' — December 3112017: • Abbe Center • American Cancer Society • Community Transportation Committee • Coralville Senior Residences • Coralville Seniors Primetime Potluck • Coralville Village Project • DVIP • ECICOG • Ecumenical Towers • Elder Services RSVP • Free Medical Clinic • General Assistance • Goodwill Employment Services • IC Compassion • Iowa Mobility Management Network • Iowa Workforce Development • Johnson County Empowerment Program • Johnson County Homeless Case Management Committee • Johnson County Livable Community Transportation Action Team • Johnson County Public Health • Johnson County TRAIL • Johnson County Veterans Affairs • MPOJC • North Liberty Transit Committee • North Liberty Unity Coalition • RVAP • SEATS Paratransit Advisory Committee • Senior Center • Shelter House • UIHC Social Work Administrative Office • United Action for Youth • Vocational Rehabilitation • WIC • Yellow Cab Along with creating educational documents that are readily available for the general public, the coordinator has been connecting with local human service organizations and Senior housing units to implement educational trainings titled "How to Ride Public Transportation In Johnson County". This onsite training is designed increase transit ridership by providing information critical to riding our local public transit systems. Along with details about riding the bus, the training covers details about passes, fares and discounts. At Senior housing units, the coordinator also provides trip plan instructions highlighting a list of popular points of interest to travel to using a Senior discount on the bus. This portion of the training is often the most exciting part for the audience as they are learning ways to independently access the community at low/no cost. The Mobility Coordinator receives frequent request for information on how to reach a point of interest when a personal vehicle is not available. Should a public transit fixed -route be available the coordinator will provide step-by-step instructions of how to complete a trip by bus. These trip planning request have come from Social Workers from local healthcare providers, case managers, advocates or individuals themselves. The coordinator assisted a patient discharging form Mercy Hospital plan a trip by bus to access routine aftercare appointments. Several request were fulfilled for Goodwill Employment case managers in need of determining fixed -route transportation to and from new employment for their clients with disabilities. Referrals are also made to Corridor Rides (ridesharing matching platform), Corridor Rides Vanpool, Iowa Medicaid Non -Emergent Medical Transportation (NEMT), accessible vehicles or Elder Services RSVP program. One on one travel training instruction is provided to individuals that require assistance learning how to navigate local public transit fixed -routes. This service administered by the coordinator is designed for fust -time riders or newcomers to the community that face barriers to independence such as English as a second language. The coordinator travel trained a Sudanese woman on how to get to and from her home to her new fulltime employment. In addition to learning the appropriate bus route, the coordinator educated the woman on how to use Bongo. Performance Measures: The Iowa DOT has developed performance measures for the Mobility Coordinator position: 1. Strategy 1: Give presentations (formal and informal) to various organizations within designated region Performance Measure: The number of presentations given to different organizations Target: Present to 3 new/existing organizations a quarter. 2. Strategy 2: Identify potential barriers and gaps in services while developing community partnerships Performance Measure 1: The number of meetings attended Performance Measure 2: Identified barrier or gap in service, with potential solution created Target: Attend 4 new/existing meetings each quarter, monitor gaps and potential solutions 3. Strategy 3: Community outreach, education and specialized trainings Performance Measure 1: Maintain up -to date marketing and training materials (web page, social media, brochures/handouts, displays, etc. Performance Measure 2: Number of people or agencies assisted Target: Monitor throughout the year, can re-evaluate as needed 4. Strategy 4: Constantly looking to expand leaming or training opportunities Performance Measure: Seek out local, regional or national conferences and or meetings. Target: Attend, participate or facilitate in 5 opportunities per fiscal year. 5. Strategy 5: Improved access to community services through referrals Performance Measure: The number of passenger referrals given to various community agencies Target: 10-20 referrals given each quarter, can re-evaluate as needed (individual or agency referrals) 6. Strategy 6: Outreach to area veterans, military family groups or organizations Performance Measure: Number of groups or individuals contacted/assisted Target: Maintain contact with area veteran organizations quarterly (or as deemed appropriate) Measurable Statistics Table 1: Future Goals: The community has shared a great amount of excitement and positive feedback about the addition of the Mobility Coordinator. In the future, the coordinator hopes to develop video tutorials to be used as a resource for training and transit websites. Topics to be considered include: how to ride the fixed -routes, how to board the bus using a mobility device and how to use the features of Bongo. To diversify How to Ride Trainings the coordinator would like to implement practice trips riding the bus. These excursions will educated riders on what it like to ride the bus and ease the uncertainty about public transit. Number Number Number Number of Number of of of of Number of meetings individuals agencies trainings referrals presentations attended assisted assisted attended 'ven Total April l — 20 37 73 24 33 67 December 31512017 Future Goals: The community has shared a great amount of excitement and positive feedback about the addition of the Mobility Coordinator. In the future, the coordinator hopes to develop video tutorials to be used as a resource for training and transit websites. Topics to be considered include: how to ride the fixed -routes, how to board the bus using a mobility device and how to use the features of Bongo. To diversify How to Ride Trainings the coordinator would like to implement practice trips riding the bus. These excursions will educated riders on what it like to ride the bus and ease the uncertainty about public transit. r CITY OF IOWA CITY MEMORANDUM Date: April 2, 2018 To: Geoff Fruin, City Manager From: Tracy Hightshoe, Neighborhood and Development Services Director Re: Affordable Housing Action Plan Update The City Council approved fifteen affordable housing strategies to encourage and develop additional affordable housing in Iowa City on June 21, 2016. The strategies and their corresponding status can be found on the table below. Strategy Status N 1. Continue to fund existing local FY19 budget includes $200,000 for GRIP & programs including GRIP and $180,000 for the UniverCity program (up to three UniverCity. homes). To date, the City has purchased 65 homes for the UniverCity program. 59 have been rehabilitated and sold for homeownership. N 2. Adopt an Inclusionary Zoning code Completed 6/2016. amendment for the Riverfront Crossings District. N 3. Adopt code amendments that Completed 6/2016. enable the FUSE Housing First use in the community. N 4. FY19 Budget Process: Provide a FY19 budget includes $750,000 for affordable line item for affordable housing (goal housing. This figure will increase to $1 million if of $500,000 based on budget backfill is fully funded in FY19. conditions). N 5. Distribution of Affordable Housing The FY19 breakdown of funds based on the dollars: budgeted $750,000: • 50% to the Housing Trust Fund of . $375,000 to be issued to the HTF in July 2018. Johnson County (HTF) • $187,500 reserved for land banking. (Currently 25% held in reserve for land available $616,000). banking • $37,500 reserved for emergent situations. Any • 5% reserved for emergent remaining balance, as of 6/30/2019, will be situations (if unused, reserved for shifted to land banking. land banking) • $150,000 directed through HCDC for LIHTC . 20% directed through HCDC for support. LIHTC support or supplemental aid for housing applications April 2, 2018 Page 2 ® 6. Hold the $1,500,000* million in City Council approved an agreement for Housing Authority funds for an Augusta Place on 5/2/2017. The City will opportunity to leverage significant purchase six units for permanent affordable private investment and/or to rental housing at $1,080,000. develop/acquire low income replacement housing. City Council approved a developer's agreement for the Chauncey building on 6/18/2015. The *$2.5 million was available, $1.0 City will purchase five units at $1,000,000 for million committed to the Chauncey affordable rental housing. The building is units, for a balance of $1.5 million) scheduled for completion on 12/31/2018. There is approximately $420,000 remaining to develop/acquire low income replacement housing. ❑ 7. Consider an annexation policy that Planning and Zoning will review in April, Council provides for affordable housing review and consideration in May 2018. contributions. N 8. Consider use of TIF on a case by Staff evaluating multiple possibilities including case basis to support residential Foster Road and McCollister. development and/or annexation through the provision of public infrastructure and capture the required LMI set-aside for use throughout the community (Ex: McCollister and Foster Road). ❑ 9. Consider regulatory changes to Parking waived in Riverfront Crossings for City Code: affordable housing, June 2016. • Waive parking requirements for affordable housing units. Due primarily to the occupancy changes in • Review possible changes to the the state law, NDS staff time has not been multi -family design standards for able to be dedicated to the remaining four all units in an effort to reduce cost issues. NDS staff will consider these and expedite approvals. proposed regulatory changes in summer of • Eliminate minimum size 2018. requirements for PUDs. • Increase allowable bedrooms from 3 to 4 outside the University Impact Area (keep occupancy at 3 unrelated). • Permit more building types by right as opposed to requiring a PUD process (density, multiplex units, cottage clusters, etc.). ® 10. Pursue a form -based code for the The consultant analysis of a form based code Alexander Elementary neighborhood was completed in September 2017. NDS staff and the Northside. is currently developing a scope of services and cost estimate for code development with O ticos. April 2, 2018 Page 3 ® 11. Strategically seek LIHTC projects RFP scheduled annually. Awarded the Del Ray through an RFP process overseen by Ridge LP project $330,000 (FY17 & 18 funds). the HCDC (in conjunction with #5). LIHTC secured — 33 units (29 LIHTC, 4 market rate units) at 628 S. Dubuque Street. ❑ 12. Create a committee of staff, Committee of six community members and City developers and other interested staff formed to review tax exemption stakeholders to determine the viability possibilities. First meeting held 1/17/17. Staff and potential parameters of a tax anticipates a recommendation for Council in abatement program that would early summer of 2018. support affordable housing. ® 13. Exempt the Riverfront Crossings Completed 4/2017 from the Affordable Housing Location model (AHLM) and consider modifications to reduce size of restricted areas and/or account for neighborhood densities (consider University Impacted and Downtown neighborhoods for exclusion as well). ® 14. Tenant Displacement Completed 10/2017 • Council approval of major site plans when 12 or more households will be displaced and there is no accompanying rezoning. • Such applications would require a transition plan to better inform residents and the public (requires a comprehensive plan and a site plan ordinance amendment). ® 15. Rent abatement for emergency Completed 10/2017 orders when vacation of property is not necessary • Increase education about housing code violations and how to report Should you have any questions about the strategies or their status, please contact me at 319.356.5244 or tracy-hightshoe@iowa-city.org. U.S. Department of Homeland SecuriI, 500 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20472 tA.1 yf FEMA �Np St April 2, 2018 Mr. Geoff Fruin City Manager of Iowa City 410 East Washington Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Mr. Fruin Congratulations! The Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has determined that Iowa City will increase to a Class 6 in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS). The floodplain management activities implemented by your community qualifies it for a 20 percent discount in the premium cost of flood insurance for NFIP policies issued or renewed in Special Flood Hazard Areas on or after May 1, 2018. This increase is based on a field verification of your five-year cycle CRS application. Please note Preferred Risk Policies, applicable in Zones B, C, and X, on your community's NFIP Flood Insurance Rate Map are not eligible for the CRS discount. Standard rated flood insurance policies in Zones B, C, X, D, AR, and A99 are limited to a CRS discount of ten percent in Class 1-6 communities and five percent in Class 7-9 communities. The rates for these zones already reflect significant premium reductions. If there are no NFIP noncompliance actions, the CRS rating for your community will automatically be renewed annually and a notification letter will not be sent to your community. This renewal will occur as long as your community continues to implement the CRS activities you certify annually. If no additional modifications or new CRS activities are added, the next verification visit for your community will be in accordance With its established five-year cycle. In the interim, FEMA will periodically send the NFIP/CRS Update Newsletter and other notices to your CRS Coordinator to keep your community informed. I commend you on your community actions and your determination to lead your community to be more disaster resistant. This commitment enhances public safety, property protection, and protects the natural functions of floodplain, and reduces flood insurance premiums. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the FEMA Region VII Office, CRS Coordinator, Andy Megrail, by telephone at (816) 283-7982. Sincerely, (j W�Wtwwl(! (oMYI, William H. Lesser, CRS Coordinator Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration Enclosure cc: Julie Tallman, CRS Coordinator NFIP/CRS City of Iowa City, IA NFIP Number: 190171 COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM Date of Verification Visit: October 12, 2017 VERIFICATION REPORT Verified Class 6 Modification This Verification Report is provided to explain the recommendations of Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO) to DHS/FEMA concerning credits under the Community Rating System (CRS) for the above named community. The modified activity elements are shown in bold text within the activity statement. A total of 157 credit points are verified for this modification. Along with the 1896 points previously verified, the community now has a total of 2053 credit points. This modification results in a recommendation that the community improve from a CRS Class 7 to a CRS Class 6. The community has met the Class 6 prerequisite with a Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) Classification of 3/3. The following is a summary of our findings based on the submitted modification with the total modified points noted in parenthesis: Activity 310 — Elevation Certificates: The Building Division maintains elevation certificates for new and substantially improved buildings. Copies of elevation certificates are made available upon request. (6 points) Activity 320 — Mao Information Service: Credit is provided for furnishing inquirers with basic flood zone information from the community's latest Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). Credit is also provided for the community furnishing additional FIRM information, flood depth data, and historical flood information. The service is publicized annually and records are maintained. (90 points) Activity 330 — Outreach Proiects: Credit is provided for informational material that includes FEMA brochures and floodplain information at three locations and general outreach projects that include neighborhood association meetings. These projects are disseminated annually. (127 points) Activity 340 — Hazard Disclosure: Credit is also provided for state and community regulations requiring disclosure of flood hazards. (15 points) Activity 350 — Flood Protection Information: Documents relating to floodplain management are available in the reference section of the Iowa City Public Library. Credit is also provided for floodplain information displayed on the community's website. (34 points) City of Iowa City, IA NFIP #: 190171 Page 2 Activity 420 — Open Space Preservation: Credit is provided for preserving approximately 32 percent of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as open space, protecting open space land with deed restrictions, preserving open space land in a natural state, and for regulations that minimize development in the SFHA. (584 points) Activity 430 — Higher Regulatory Standards: Credit is provided for enforcing regulations that require development limitations, freeboard for new and substantial improvement construction, lower substantial improvement, protection of critical facilities, and local drainage protection. Credit is also provided for the enforcement of building codes, a Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule Classification of 3/3, other higher standards, state mandated regulatory standards, and regulations administration. (471 points) Activity 440 — Flood Data Maintenance: Credit is provided for maintaining and using digitized maps in the day to day management of the floodplain. Credit is also provided for establishing and maintaining a system of benchmarks and maintaining copies of all previous FIRMs and Flood Insurance Study Reports. (218 points) Activity 450 — Stormwater Management: The community enforces regulations for soil and erosion control, and water quality. (34 points) Section 502 — Repetitive Loss Category: Based on the updates made to the NFIP Report of Repetitive Losses as of January 31, 2017, the City of Iowa City, IA has 1 repetitive loss property and is a Category B community for CRS purposes. All requirements for a Category B community have been met. (No credit points are applicable to this section) Activity 510— Floodplain Management Planning: Credit is provided for the adoption and implementation of the Johnson County Multi -Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, adopted April 15, 2014. A progress report must be submitted on an annual basis. An update to the credited plan will be due by October 1, 2019. (174 points) Activity 520 — Acquisition and Relocation: Credit is provided for acquiring and relocating 97 buildings from the community's regulatory floodplain. (190 points) Activity 540 — Drainage System Maintenance: Credit is provided for listing problem sites that are inspected more frequently, and for implementing an ongoing Capital Improvements Program. (80 points) Activity 630 — Dams: Credit is provided for a State Dam Safety Program. (30 points) Activity 710 — County Growth Adjustment: All credit in the 400 series is multiplied by the growth rate of the county to account for growth pressures. The growth rate for Johnson County is 1.14. City of Iowa City, IA NFIP #: 190171 Page 3 Attached is the Community Calculations Worksheet that lists the verified credit points for the Community Rating System. CEO Name / Address: CRS Coordinator Name / Address: Geoff Fruin Julie Tallman City Manager Development Regulations Specialist 410 East Washington 410 East Washington Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Iowa City, Iowa 52240 319-365-5132 Date Report Prepared: November 21, 2017 Community: City of Iowa City, IA NFIP Number: 190171 720m COMMUNITY CREDIT CALCULATIONS (Modification): CALCULATION SECTION: Verified Activity Calculations Previous Modified Current Activity Score Score Credit Total c310 6 c310 c310 6 6 c320 90 c320 c320 90 90 c330 127 c330 c330 127 127 c340 15 c340 c340 15 15 c350 34 c350 c350 34 34 c360 c360 c360 c370 c370 c370 c410 c410 c410 x CGA = c420 512 c420 c420 512 x CGA 1.14 = 584 c430 413 c430 c430 413 x CGA 1.14 = 471 c440 164 c440 27 c440 191 x CGA 1.14 = 218 c450 30 c450 c450 30 x CGA 1.14 = 34 c510 174 c510 c510 174 174 c520 190 c520 c520 190 190 c530 c530 c530 c540 c540 80 c540 80 80 c610 c610 c610 c620 c620 c620 c630 30 c630 c630 30 30 Community Classification Calculation: cT = total of above CT = 2053 Community Classification (from Table 110-1): Class = CEO Name /Address: Geoff Fruin City Manager 410 East Washington Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Date Report Prepared: November 21, 2017 CRS Coordinator Name / Address: Julie Tallman Development Regulations Specialist 410 East Washington Iowa City, Iowa 52240 319-365-5132 AW -720M IP; Iowa City Public Library Rm A 123 South Linn St, IC COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW BOARD COMMUNITY FORUM The Community Police Review Board will be holding a Community Forum for the purpose of hearing views on the policies, practices and procedures of the Iowa City Police Department. State of the Police Department by Chief Motherly Meet the new Downtown Liaison Officer Colin Fowler QUESTIONS & COMMENTS: Send your questions or comments you'd like addressed at the forum to the following by Monday, April 9, 2018: Please include full name and address. (All correspondence is public) CPRB Or e-mail to CPRB staff: City of Iowa City christine-olney@iowa-city.org Kellie Fruehling IP8 From: City of Iowa City <CityofIowaCity@public.govdelivery.com> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2018 2:31 PM To: Kellie Fruehling Subject: City offering May workshop for those looking to launch a business © SHARE Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. 10WACITY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: 04/02/2018 Contact: Tracy Hightshoe, Neighborhood and Development Services Director Phone: 319-356-5244 Registration now open for May business workshop Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit? Or a bug to start your own business? Register for the City's Building Business Basics workshop and learn how to launch your business successfully. The workshop is free to those who register early, and will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 5, 2018, at Kirkwood Community College Iowa City, 1816 Lower Muscatine Road. Iowa City Council Member Mazahir Salih and Kirkwood Iowa City Executive Dean Ann Valentine will provide a welcome and introduction before attendees sit down with local business leaders and experts from Kirkwood Community College, the University of Iowa John Papajohn Entrepreneurial Center, and Iowa City Area Development Group. A networking lunch will follow, providing opportunities to ask questions, get feedback and discuss ideas with local business owners and entrepreneurs. Afternoon workshops will cover topics, ranging from legal issues and insurance, to repairing credit, obtaining necessary permits and resources, as well as reaching customers. To take advantage of free admission register by Thursday, May 3, or pay $5 at the door. Submit an online registration form or call Neighborhood Services at 319-356-5230. Lunch is included for each registered attendee. Extra meals can be purchased for $10 each. Kirkwood does not provide onsite childcare. Kids must be accompanied by an adult at all times. For information and event reminders, RSVP to the Building Business Basics Facebook event page. People of all ages, backgrounds, education, income, and experience are encouraged to attend. To request translation services, contact Kirk Lehmann at 319-356-5230 or neighborhoods(gDiowa- citv.org by Friday, April 27. 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'uawom joj sal;lunpoddo ou.moidwi oy paj;!wwoo Die aryl joop aqj le q$ jo E AeW 'Aepsinul Aq jalsi9aj noA dl aajj 'Lu'd £-'W'e OT ■ STOZ 15 Aew IAepjnjeS saisleu ssauisnu ■ ■ ■ 2uTpTTnu i i i :wejs7ojd uopeonpa ssau1snq jIulwoodn s1q; jo; ja;s►;Yaa IP9 Kellie Fruehling From: ECICOG <natalie.fraehlich@ecicog.org> Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2018 2:04 PM To: Council Subject: ECICOG Area Grant Opportunities ECIC'%'T GAREAFAW rt APA W *MA' If you have any questions about a grant or would like more information, please respond to this email. Feel free to forward this information! Acres for America Application Deadline: 04/13/2018 Preferential consideration will be given to proposals that can demonstrate their ability to achieve more than one of the program priorities below: * Conserve critical habitats for birds, fish, plants and wildlife * Connect existing protected lands to unify wild places and protect critical migration routes * Provide access for people to enjoy the outdoors * Ensure the future of local economies that depend on forestry, ranching and recreation APPLY HERE Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Application Deadline: 04/21/2018 The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) offers new opportunities for the NRCS, conservation partners and agricultural producers to work together to harness innovation, expand the conservation mission and demonstrate the value and efficacy of voluntary, private lands conservation. The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) encourages partners to join in efforts with producers to increase the restoration and sustainable use of soil, water, wildlife and related natural resources on regional or watershed scales. Through the program, NRCS and its partners help producers install and maintain conservation activities in selected project areas. Partners leverage RCPP funding in project areas and report on the benefits achieved. APPLY HERE Derelict Building Grant (Iowa) Application Deadline: 04/21/2018 The Derelict Building Program offers Iowa communities of 5,000 or fewer residents' financial assistance to address neglected structures that have sat vacant for at least 6 months. The Program's main focus is landfill diversion through the recycling and reuse of building materials. APPLY HERE County Substance Abuse Programs (Iowa) Application Deadline: 04/21/2018 A County Board of Supervisors (BOS) may apply for up to $10,000 for the total one- year period for a county -operated substance abuse program. The Applicant's substance abuse program may expand or enhance education, prevention, referral or post-treatment services also funded by the Department but the funding shall not be used as additional funding for those same Department -funded services. APPLY HERE Community Development Block Grants: Downtown Revitalization Application Deadline: 04/27/2018 * Awarded on annual basis; not sure of next year's allocation * On average about 5 projects per year; 54 funded since 2009 * Projects must meet HUD's CDBG National Objective of Elimination of Slum and Blight * Requires significant coordination between business owners, architects, and grant administrator * Ideally results in highly visible outcomes, but S & B most important APPLY HERE Iowa Grants to Counties Application Deadline: 04/28/2018 To support the county boards of health for testing private water wells, reconstructing private water wells, and plugging abandoned private water wells within the jurisdiction of each county's board of health. APPLY HERE National Network of Libraries of Medicine Greater Midwest Region Funding Application Deadline: 04/30/2018 The National Networks of Libraries of Medicine Greater Midwest Region provides funding for National Network of Libraries members located in the greater Midwest region to assist them in conducting outreach and technology projects. APPLY HERE Iowa Arts Council Art Project Grants Application Deadline: 05/01/2018 Apply for funding to support the creation and presentation of new artwork, development of an arts experience or formation of an arts education program. Project grants provide you support to positively impact the vitality of the arts in Iowa by creating arts opportunities that are accessible to all Iowans. APPLY HERE Allianf Energy Hometown Safety Grant Application Deadline: 05/01/2018 3 Hometown Safety Grants are awarded to organizations and projects that serve or protect the community. This includes police and fire departments, as well as schools, libraries and other public service organizations. APPLY HERE Human Trafficking Awareness/Prevention Project Application Deadline: 05/12/2018 The purpose of the Human Trafficking Awareness/Prevention Project is to support the development and/or enhancement of education, awareness and/or prevention projects to and about human trafficking victims. Through this solicitation the Crime Victim Assistance Division (CVAD) will make awards to victim service programs for projects related to awareness and prevention of labor and sex trafficking in Iowa. APPLY HERE This list is provided for information purposes only, and is not intended to be inclusive of all funding opportunities that may be available. If you are aware of other resources that should be added to this service, we welcome your suggestions. ECICOG, 700 16th Street, NE, Suite 301, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 SafeUnsubscribe'" councilCaliowa-city.org Forward this email I Update Profile I About our service provider Sent by natal ie.fraehIichOecicog.org in collaboration with Try it free today —aa IP10 Kellie Fruehling From: Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition <jcaffordablehousing=gmail.com@maill26.sea6l.rsgsv.net> on behalf of Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition <jcaffordablehousing@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2018 3:25 PM To: Council Subject: Don't miss out! I April Affordable Housing Events News and Updates from the Johnson County Affordable Is this email not displaying correctly? Housing Coalition! View it in your browser. JOHNSON COUNTY Affordable Housing Coalition April Affordable Housing Events Show your support and increase your knowledge April will be showering us with opportunities to learn more about affordable housing AND to celebrate affordable housing advances. Join us! TONIGHT (APRIL 2) PANEL DISCUSSION with NIKOLE HANNAH -JONES When: April 2, 7:00 p.m. Where: Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Rm A From Activate Iowa: Please join us for a panel discussion with award-winning New York Times reporter Nikole Hannah -Jones. Hannah -Jones is an investigative journalist chronicling the demise of racial integration efforts and persistence of segregation in American society, particularly in education. In 2017, she won a MacArthur Genius Grant. Her work can be found at nikolehannahjones.com. Other panelists include Kingsley Botchway, Director of Equity and Engagement, Iowa City Community School District; Leslie Locke, Assistant Professor, University of Iowa College of Education; and student representatives from City and West High Schools. Sponsored by the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Iowa APRIL 5 GROUNDBREAKING FOR CROSS PARK PLACE Please join us for a Groundbreaking Celebration for Cross Park Place—a Housing First Project of Shelter House. When: April 5, 4:30 p.m. Where: 820 Cross Park Avenue, Iowa City Parking: Off-street parking is available at Good News Bible Church (845 Pepperwood Lane) From Crissy Canganelli, Executive Director of Shelter House: Shelter House Cross Park Place is a demonstration project for the state of Iowa. The building will be comprised of 24 one -bedroom apartments with on-site offices and an exam room for case managers and partnering health and behavioral health clinicians. Housing opportunities will be made available through a Housing First approach—a permanent housing intervention proven to save both money and lives—and will be targeted for the chronically homeless of our community demonstrating high cross -system service utilization. Many thanks to both our public and private partners whose collaboration and ownership have made our vision a reality: Abbe Health, City of Iowa City, HBK Engineering, Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County, Iowa City Housing Authority, Iowa City Police Department, Iowa Finance Authority, Johnson County and Johnson County Jail Alternatives, Mercy Hospital, MODUS Engineering, Neumann Monson Architects, Prelude Behavioral Services, SouthGate Companies, The Housing Fellowship, United Action for Youth, and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. APRIL 27 QUAD CITIES FAIR HOUSING SYMPOSIUM When: April 27,9:00 am -6:30 pm Where: River Center, Davenport Registration: $35/$15 for students. Register online at http://www.cityofdaven po rtiowa.com/cros/one.aspx?portal Id=6481456&page Id=12430367 From the Davenport Civil Rights Commission: The Fair Housing Act turns 50 this year, and the Davenport Civil Rights Commission is commemorating the anniversary with a Fair Housing Symposium on April 27, 2018! The theme for the symposium is Community in Action. Our keynote speaker is Richard Rothstein, whose critically -acclaimed book, The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America, was published last year. The Color of Law is an explosive, alarming history that finally confronts how American governments in the twentieth century deliberately imposed residential racial segregation on metropolitan areas nationwide. The keynote will be followed by two symposium tracks: Neighborhoods and Eliminating Bias, and Housing and Opportunity. Each track has three sessions. More details on the two tracks will be posted on this Facebook page. The symposium will conclude with a live jazz performance of "Black Music and the Fight for Civil Rights' by Dr. Damani Phillips. Copyright © 2018 Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition, All rights reserved. TY640 0 :._ You are receiving this email because you signed UP at an event or meeting. Our mailing address is: Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition 306 E. Burlington St. PMB 121 Iowa City, IA 52240 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list I update subscription Preferences I view email in browser Agudas Achim Congregation invites you to celebrate the U4-VJ-"Iii Installation of Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz 1P11 Please join us as we formalize the covenantal relationship between Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz and Agudas Achim Congregation on: Saturday April 21, 2018 7:00 p.m. Shabbat Afternoon Services and Installation Dessert Reception to follow 401 E. Oakdale Blvd, Coralville, Iowa 52241 We look forward to sharing this joyous and sacred occasion with you. RSVP 319 337 3813 secretary@agudasachimic.org INSTALLATION OF RABBI ESTHER HUGENHOLTZ Weekend Schedule of Events Thursday, April 19 6:30 p.m. Yom ha'Atzma'ut (Israeli Independence Day) Dinner (Please RSVP) Friday, April 20 7:30 p.m. Reform Friday Night (Kabbalat Shabbat) Service 8:45 p.m. Talk: "Stories from the European Beit Din" with Rabbi Dr. Jackie Tabick, Convenor of the European and Reform Judaism's Beit Din and Rabbi of West Central Liberal Synagogue Saturday, April 21 9:30 a.m. Conservative Saturday Morning (Shacharit Shabbat) Service Sermon: "The Next Era of the Jewish Experience" by Rabbi Steven Wernick, C.E.O. of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 12:15 p.m. Kiddush Lunch in the Social Hall 1:30 p.m. Conversation: "Israel at 70" led by Rabbi Wernick 7:00 p.m. Conservative Afternoon (Mincha) Service followed by Installation of Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz by Rabbi Jackie Tabick, Havdalah and Dessert Reception Sunday, April 22 3:00 p.m. 8th Annual Concert of Commemoration -TZ -TM - I r 1 IP12 %1k t M11r®�1� CITY OF IOWA CITY 410 East Washington Street Iowa City. Iowa 52240.1826 (3 19) 356-5000 (319)356-5009 FAX www.Icgov.org March 16, 2018 TO: The Honorable Mayor and the City Council RE: Civil Service Entrance Examination — Maintenance Worker I — Streets Under the authority of the Civil Service Commission of Iowa City, Iowa, I do hereby certify the following named person(s) as eligible for the position of Maintenance Worker I — Streets. Seth Woody IOWA CITY CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION J�- W l) ia LyrerW. Dickerson, Chair N 0 o' r o� N r� r r— Minutes for the Human Rights Commission Work Session March 29, 2018 Emma J. Harvat Hall _UZb979— IP13 Commission Members Present: Jeff Falk, Eliza Willis, Joe Coulter, Adil Adams, Tahuanty Pena, Cathy McGinnis, Jonathon Munoz, Barbara Kutzko. Staff Present: Stefanie Bowers Others Present: Jeff Schott Recommendations to Council: No. 1. Call to Order: Chair Willis called the meeting to order a 2. Strategic Planning Session: The session included a discussion on the on-going commitments of^ Commission, new priorities projects, programs and initiatives, and organizational effectiveness. See attachment for further detail. 3. Adjournment: Motion to adjourn at 6:42 PM. The next Commission meeting will be on Tuesday, April 17, 2018. IOWA CITY HUMAN RIGHT COMMISSION STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS REPORT 2018 Facilitated by: Jeffschoa Institute of Public Affairs University of Iowa IOWA CITY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction..................................................................................... Page 3 Update — 2014 Goals/Priorities...................................................... Page 4 GeneralDuties of HRC ............................................................ Page 4 Areas of Interest ............................................... :........................... Page 5 Accomplishments......................................................................... Page 7 Issues, Concerns, Trends, and Opportunities .......................................... Page 8 On -Going Commitments.................................................................. Page 10 New Priority Projects, Programs or Initiatives ....................................... Page 11 Organizational Effectiveness Initiatives ............................................. Page 12 FinalComments......................................................................................I.......... Page 13 Exhibit A — Significant Projects, Programs, Policies, and Initiatives Considered Page 14 2 IOWA CITY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION 2018 Introduction The Iowa City Human Rights Commission (ICHRC) requested the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) to assist the Commission with strategic planning. IPA agreed to organize and facilitate a process that involved the following steps: 1. Prepare a questionnaire to ICHRC Commissioners regarding: the key purposes of the Commission, recent accomplishments, issues/trends/concerns/opportunities, 'potential new initiatives, programs, or policies and suggestions to improve organizational effectiveness; 2. Conduct a strategic planning and organizational effectiveness sessions with the Commission; 3. Preparation of this report. Strategic Planning Session A strategic planning session with ICHRC was held, on February 22, 2018, at the Helling Conference Room in Iowa City City Hall. The following Commission members were in attendance and participated at this meeting: Eliza Jane Willis (Chair), Joe Coulter, Adil D. Adams, Jeff Falk, Tahuanty Pena (Vice Chair), Arianna Aron, Cathy McGinnis, and Jonathon Munoz. Also in attendance and participating in the session was ICHRC Coordinator Stefanie Bowers. Organizational Effectiveness Session An organizational effectiveness planning session with ICHRC was held on March 29, 2018, in the City Hall Council Chambers in Iowa City City Hall. The following Commission members were in attendance and participated at this meeting: Eliza Jane Willis (Chair), Joe Coulter, Adil D. Adams, Jeff Falk, Tahuanty Pena (Vice Chair), Cathy McGinnis, and Jonathon Munoz. Also in attendance and participating in the session was ICHRC Coordinator Stefanie Bowers. 3 Update - 2014 Goals/Priorities The participants reviewed the status of implementing the following goals/priorities as established during ICHRC previous planning session in 2014: 2014 Review On -Going Commitments • Youth Awards. • Awards breakfast. • Building Blocks to Employment Job Fair. • Mayoral proclamations. • coag Educational programs. • Gentinuin Outreach efforts. • Compliance with Chapter 2 of the Municipal Code. New Priority Projects. Programs and Initiatives • Develop listening posts for outreach to target communities. • Enhance presence with quarterly presentations to City Council on Commission events, programs and initiatives. • Affordable/universal/accessible housing -educational programs • Hold meetings with various community groups. General Duties of the Human Rights Commission HRC Coordinator Stefanie Bowes reviewed the general duties, powers and responsibilities of HRC as set forth in Chapter 2 of the Iowa City Municipal Code. 11 Areas of Interest The participants reviewed and discussed the following areas of interest that the Commissioners felt HRC should be involved in: Community • Events revolving around people of color and their history in the form of activities, conferences, programs etc. • I would also like to see little libraries in underprivileged neighborhoods. Part of that, would be inviting the community to participate in the making of these libraries. • Any area under the broad range of topics in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights within the geographic area of Iowa City and its immediate surroundings. These would include discrimination in employment, housing, schooling, and facilities, standards of living, law enforcement, and judicial proceedings. • Get more involved with housing issues in the community, especially in terms of the impact on undocumented and documented immigrants who appear to be suffering from discrimination. • Consider the equity issues raised by current eviction policies and practices. We should maintain and expand our relationships with organizations working for greater equity and nondiscrimination in our community. • Developing a list of community organizations concerned with social justice issues that may benefit from our assistance. • Community education regarding Racial Equity • LGBTQI - community education • Social equity in affordable, accessible housing. • Increased funding for social justice and racial equity grants • Johnson County/Iowa City Access Center Project. • More community meetings and townhalls and events. • Social justice activities for young generations to participate in all activities and try to get donations. • General education regarding human rights and the role of the commission. For example, explaining the power of municipal RRCs in general and the federal and international framework, e.g. ICERD, which informs that power. • The HRC should be able strive to educate the residents of Iowa City how to best practice human rights in their day to day 'interactions with others, and the resources available to them to help them do that. • Voter registration in areas of the city that are under -represented • Voter participation rates in non -presidential elections • Community ID 9 Immigrant rights Schools • Changing the curriculum used in schools around history. • Having the.accurate information on black history. • Learning about other people in the civil rights era vs. year after year learning about the same individuals. • Having administration, teachers, and support staff of color throughout the district. o Racial equity in the school system and the wider community. • Tate High School is often forgotten about when it comes to outreach efforts. Tate is part of ICCSD but often the stigma surrounding Tate prevents community members and programs from reaching out. o Programming that is offered in West and City should also be offered at Tate. Public Safetv • A role in responding to hate crimes or incidents when they occur. • Developing a rapid response team with re: to hate crimes and bias crimes. • Obtaining information regarding Community Police Review Board and • Obtaining information/communication with Police Department Accomplishments The following were identified as recent accomplishments of ICHRC: • Outreach to Broadway and Pheasant Ridge (Overcharging on rent). • Organizing a number of programs and panel discussions. • Co -sponsoring similar events with other groups. • SJRE Grants: o Evaluating and submitting recommendations for the City SJRE grants. o Designing procedures for the SJRE grant. • Review & responses to requests for funding • Human rights awards and recognition program. • Participated in planning, sponsorship, and activities re: MLK Day. • Participated in Iowa City Pride. • Participated in planning and sponsorships of Juneteenth activities. • Community building exercise in 2016. • Community IDs. • Focus on the issues involving immigrants/Muslims. • Obtained recognition for Indigenous Peoples Day. • Participation in City Manager's Roundtable. • Crossing Bridges conference. • Know Your Rights -Domestic Abuse. • Activities at the Coralville and Iowa City library with immigrant communities. • Preparation/distribution of educational materials by HRC staff. For a more complete list of accomplishments, refer to the Commission's annual reports. VA Issues, Concerns, Trends and Opportunities The following were identified as issues,. concerns, trends, and opportunities that may affect future ICHRC services, policies, programs or operations: Community Outreach/Support • Find more supports, activities or programming for young men specifically young men of color. • Status and quality of life for undocumented or documented immigrants. • Access to parks and outdoor /indoor recreational activities. • Education about human rights and a need for people to speak out against some of the hateful things we are seeing and hearing. Education • Establish programming in/out of school, extracurricular activities, trips that will be inclusive for all youth, backgrounds, race, ethnicity, and gender. • Classes devoted to the real history of ALL youth of color. • Create 3 events that align with the trimester system used in high schools in ICCSD. Each trimester, there will be an event, activity, program etc. made for all youth of color. • The financial and geographic disparity within the ICCSD needs to be investigated and discussed for its current effects and future implications. • Fairness and equity in the school environment. Housine • Housing conditions and building code enforcement. • Evictions: trends and enforcement in small claims court for fairness and compassion. Domestic violence and violence in general. • Affordable housing. • Mortgage practices, primarily against Latino applicants (Iowa City has high percentage of denials). Public Safety • Information regarding police training and recruitment, for example training on the use of a weapon. • Iowa City Substation needs to be community friendly. The doors are always closed and are tinted so you never know if they are open or not. • The grave threats faced by undocumented immigrants. • Hate crimes. • Increase in bias incidents. • Increase in incidents of violence; need to promote ALICE training. • Disproportionate minority contact and incarceration. • Equity for criminal defendants. • Opioid epidemic. • Access Center development. • Racial and Ethnic diversity of police force -need to reflect the community. • Language access, including for persons accused of crimes. Transportation • Transportation availability and its relation to financial ability • Sidewalk accessibility in certain parts of town Other • Coping with climate change - equity impact. • A new set and clear goals and objectives, or a strategic plan, for Commissioners to follow. • Responsibilities and expectations of the Human Rights Commission in the coming years as our community continues to grow. • Recruiting more leadership from the immigrant communities. • Support for Neighborhood Centers. • Support for organizations who positively impact community. • Publish a magazine every three month that reflects on human rights. • Keep addressing the issue of diversity among the community. • Promote social justice and other values of the Commission. • Human rights issues that are important for the city but cannot be addressed by the city. Relationship between the city and university on human rights issues. On -Going Commitments The following were identified as on-going commitments of the Commission for the upcoming 24 — 36 month period: • Continue Youth Awards. • Continue Awards breakfast. • Building Blocks for Employment Job Fair. • Mayoral proclamations. • Continue educational programs. o Continue educational programs re affordable/universal/accessible housing • Continue outreach efforts. • Continue Social Justice/Racial Equity Grant Program • Continue voter registration activities in areas of the city that are under- represented • Continue support for Community ID program • Compliance with Chapter 2 of the Municipal Code. 10 New Priority Proiects Programs and Initiatives The following were identified as new priority projects, programs, and initiatives of the Commission for the upcoming 24 - 36 month period (listed in priority order): Affordable housing - work with landlords regarding background and credit checks which can make it very difficult for some to find adequate housing 2. (Tie) Have more speakers of color and other diverse backgrounds to come to Iowa City to talk about current issues (Tie) Develop youth -oriented education programs and activities (Tie) Develop and disseminate city and/or county -wide newsletter listing events and programs related to human rights 5 (Tie) Year-round event, all of which should take place in Lakeside, Broadway, Pheasant Ridge and all mobile home courts. (Tie) More Commissioner participation in Commission -sponsored events, programs and outreach. o Have everyone participate annually in at least one event, activity etc. put on by the Human Rights Commission. 7. (Tie) Develop plan/program to more effectively collaborate with other city agencies, organizations, non -profits. (Tie) Involvement with Johnson County/Iowa City Access center development and staffing 11 Organizational Effectiveness Initiatives The participants reviewed a variety of ideas relating to improving organizational effectiveness to accomplish the selected goals and priorities. After review and discussion, the Commissioners selected the following steps to improve organizational effectiveness: • Examine the Commission's Annual Report and the City's Racial Equity Report to determine whether there are trends for which educational programs and outreach programs should be addressed. • Commissioners should provide more information at Commission meetings regarding their participation in Commission -sponsored events, programs and outreach. • Designate appropriate items on Commission agendas as "discussion items" which will be reviewed and discussed at the meeting nut no action will be taken at that time. • Invite representatives of various community organizations and/or governmental agencies to provide presentations at Commission meetings regarding relevant items or issues of interest as identified by the Commission or Commissioners. • Improve Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Review forms and procedures. • Conduct bi-annual evaluations of progress made on Commission priorities and other important issues • Continue opportunities for training/continuing education programs for Commissioners; explore other training opportunities • Investigate contacting other Human/Civil Rights Commissions to discuss issues of mutual concern 12 Final Comments It was a pleasure to once again assist the Iowa City Human Rights Commission with this project. It is important to note that the prioritization of projects and initiatives is not "cast in stone." They can be modified as new circumstances may occur. It is recommended that staff prepare an "action plan" for accomplishing the planning goals. The action plan would define the steps that would be needed to accomplish each goal, identify who is responsible for implementation, and establish a timeline for accomplishment. The action plan should then be presented to the Commission for review and approval. It is also recommended that staff review with the Commission the status of implementing the goals on a quarterly basis. Jeff Schott Institute of Public Affairs The University of Iowa March 30, 2018 13 Exhibit A Iowa City Human Rights Commission Strategic Planning Session — 2018 SIGNIFICANT NEW INITIATIVES PROGRAMS OR POLICIES CONSIDERED • Having more speakers of color come to our City and talk about current issues. • Youth version of Human Rights Commission or create a group made specifically for youth in our community. • Year-round events all of which should take place in the Lakeside, Broadway, Pheasant Ridge, and all trailer home courts. • Perhaps a citywide "contest" to increase voter participation in city or county elections in non -presidential years. • City and/or county wide newsletter listing events and programs related to human rights. • Develop plan/program to more effectively collaborate with other city agencies, services, organizations, and non -profits, etc. • Affordable housing - working with landlords regarding their background and credit checks, which can make it very difficult for some people to find adequate housing. • Encourage more immigrant membership on city boards/commissions • Support soccer competitions with other communities or cities. • Involvement with Johnson County/Iowa City Access Center Development and Staffing. • City -sponsored grant writing workshops (e.g. general principles and methods). • More Commissioner participation in events • Develop rapid response team to respond to hate crimes • Develop youth -oriented education programs and activities 14 Member Attendance Sheet Member Term Exp. 2/22 3/20 3/29 4/17 5/15 6/19 8/21 9/18 10/16 11/20 12/11 Aron 1/2021 used Present Excused Resigned McGinnis 1/2021 sent &ExcusedPresent Present Present Present Munoz 1/2021 sent Present Present Present Kutzko 1/2020 sent Excused Present Present Falk Pena 1/2020 1/2020 Present ent Present Present Present Present Excused Present Present loom Coulter Adams Willis 1/2019 1/2019 1/2019 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Excused Present Present Pres t