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Home My WebLink About08-26-2025 Human Rights CommissionHuman Rights Commission August 26, 2025 Emma J. Harvat Hall 410 E. Washington Street (City Hall) AGENDA: 1. Call to Order 2. Reading of the Native American Land Acknowledgment. 3. Approval of the Meeting Minutes of June 24, 2025. 4. Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda. Commentators shall address the commission for no more than five minutes. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with the public concerning said items. 5. Correspondence. 6. Update from the Police Department's Community Outreach. 7. Presentation on Transit and Development with a GIS Mapping Analysis from Yiru Wang. 8. African Festival (Saturday, October 4, 12-9). 9. CCAN-CON 2025 (Saturday, October 11, 11-5). 10. Indigenous Peoples' Day (Sunday, October 12, 2-5:30). 11. Open Records and Open Meetings Law Update. 12. 2025 Human Rights Awards Breakfast Update. 13. Community Dialogue Conversations Update. 14. GrantNet/Human Rights Grant Update. 15. Professional Development for Commission Members & Community Members. 16. Staff & Commission Member Updates. This item includes an opportunity for brief updates from staff and Commissioners. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion on updates. If you will need disability -related accommodations to participate in this program or event, please contact the Human Rights Office at humanrights iowa-city.org or call 319-356- 5022. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. Native American land Acknowledgement Prepared for the City of Iowa City's Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Human Rights Commission PURPOSE Iowa City owes its existence to the many Indigenous Peoples who were the original stewards of this land and who were subjected to manipulation and violence by non-native settlers, invaders, and governments in order to make this moment possible. Acknowledgement of this truth is central to our work toward reconciliation across all barriers of difference and injustice. Starting with a Native American Land Acknowledgement, this Commission will bear witness to the legacies of violent displacement, migration, and settlement that have marginalized those who were the first inhabitants of this land. We must also address the mistreatment and exclusion that Native Americans continue to face today. The Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Human Rights Commission encourage the community and City of Iowa City to join us in these efforts through the use of a Native American Land Acknowledgement. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT To be read at all public meetings and events: "We meet today in the community of Iowa City, which now occupies the homelands of Native American Nations to whom we owe our commitment and dedication. The area of Iowa City was within the homelands of the Iowa, Meskwaki, and Sauk, and because history is complex and time goes far back beyond memory, we also acknowledge the ancient connections of many other Indigenous Peoples here. The history of broken treaties and forced removal that dispossessed Indigenous Peoples of their homelands was and is an act of colonization and genocide that we can not erase. We implore the Iowa City community to commit to understanding and addressing these injustices as we work toward equity, restoration, and reparations." LEARN MORE Native Governance Center Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement US Department of Arts and Culture: Honor Native Land Virtual Resources and Guide Meskwaki Nation - History Special thanks to the University of Iowa Native American Council for their work and guidance, as well as members of the public, for their input. Draft Minutes Human Rights Commission June 24, 2025 Emma J. Harvat Hall Commissioners Present: Doug Kollasch, Roger Lusala, Elizabeth Mendez -Shannon, Emily Harkin, Mark Pries, Viana Qadoura. Commissioners on Zoom: Kelsey Paul Shantz Commissioners Absent: Lubna Mohamed Staff Present: Stefanie Bowers Meeting Called to Order: 5:30 PM Native American Land Acknowledgement: The Land Acknowledgement was read by Lusala. Approval of Meeting Minutes of May 27, 2025: Lusala Moved, Harkin Seconded. Motion passed 6-0. Public Comments of Items Not on the Agenda: None Recommendations to City Council: None Agenda Items: • Community Dialogue Conversations: No updates. • Community Coalition for Human Rights Grant Recipients: Mendez -Shannon updated commissioners that they are waiting for the new grants to be approved by City Council. In the meantime, they are reaching out to the grantees from FY 2with the goal to host a Meet & Greet with the grant recipients and commissioners. No dates have been set. Kollasch asked about potential locations to host the event. Mendez -Shannon said no location has been agreed on, but they want it to be an in -person event. Staff recommended potential locations to host the Meet & Greet and Mendez -Shannon said she will follow up with staff about the recommended locations. • Professional Development Opportunities for Community Members: Qadoura shared an idea she had discussed with staff regarding community members earning a human rights consultant certificate. Qadoura shared that there are programs offered online and suggested the commission use some of their budget to sponsor individuals looking to earn that certificate as a way to provide knowledge and tools to community members looking to be involved more in human rights initiatives throughout the community. Lusala shared that he thinks the effort is a great idea and that the University offers a similar program that allows for a certificate in human rights. Qadoura offered to share the link of the website she found offering a consultant course. booth was able to partner with the mental health booth to help provide support and talk to those who needed it. Mendez -Shannon made a point to thank staff for the behind the scenes work that went into tabling at Pride. • Harkin: shared her experience attending Pride and it being her first Pride she was able to attend. Harkin spoke about the joy she experienced while attending and she was happy to represent the commission. • Kollasch: shared his experience attending Pride and the joy he experienced while being there. Kollasch also shared his experience attending World Pride in D.C. where he also attended a Human Rights Conference. His biggest take away from the event was a speaker who addressed the topic of allies and allyship and the need for those people to step up as accomplices, or people who are willing to fight with the LGBTQ community and to do the work to protect their rights. • Lusala: shared his experience at Pride. He also spoke on the Juneteenth event and said it was a successful event with a great turnout. Lusala also shared there was a Juneteenth celebration Friday night in downtown with a good turnout and positive atmosphere. • Paul Shantz: addressed the political violence occurring in America, specifically noting the assignation of a Minnesota elected official. She shared that there are resources to help protect those in public facing governmental roles if the commissioners know anyone who may be interested in those resources. Paul Shantz also noted it is a deliberate effort to silence those working to protect human rights and not to be silent at this time. She also addressed the threats of authoritarianism and the threat of free fair democracy. Paul Shantz shared action items to work against these threats including interrupting the spreading of false narrative, disrupt spaces and misinformation as you see it happening, and to protect those doing this work. Paul Shantz also informed commissioners that several NGO's (Non -Governmental Organizations) are being investigated by the Trump administration because of their work with migrant populations and to stay aware of these threats. She made a note of ending on a positive note that she will be visiting with family in the next couple of months. Adjourned: 6:08 PM. The meeting can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/C)citychanne[4/videos. 3 Lusala said it may be a useful course for future incoming commissioners as well. Mendez - Shannon agreed it was a good idea and spoke about the possibility of joining with other counties who offer a similar service or have interest in the initiative. Pries brought up that an opportunity for continuing education for commissioners is the upcoming Ojima Virtual listening session being held on June 25. Paul Shantz agreed it is a great idea and shared she is aware of some human rights resources through LISTSERV that she would be happy to share if commissioners are looking to learn more. • Party in the Park: Qadoura and Pries are signed up to attend the July 24th Party in the Park at Willow Creek Park. Paul Shantz is signed up to attend the July 315T Party in the Park at Frauenholtz Miller Park. Kollasch shared there are additional opportunities to attend Party in the Park through August. Commissioners are encouraged to sign up if they are available on future dates. • Human Rights Grant: Staff updated commissioners that City Council has not yet reviewed the grants and their next scheduled meeting is July 8th Staff & Commission Updates: • Staff: Staff reminded commissioners they have a vacancy on the commission and if they know somebody who would like to apply to encourage them to apply before the deadline. • Qadoura: shared the success of celebrating Eid al-Adha on June 8th. Qadoura shared it was the biggest turnout they have seen, and they partnered with the police and fire departments as well as artists for the event. There were over 500 people in attendance. Qadoura also shared the Coralville Food Pantry is working with local partners to implement a Healthy Kids Iowa distribution for Johnson County households, starting Wednesday June 25. Qadoura made a point to thank Mayor Bruce Teague and Council Member Sean Harmsen for attending the Eid al- Adha event, sharing their support makes a difference and it is the first time that has been done. • Pries: shared that after the commission's last meeting, he went to Dream City's town meeting. The event invited Representatives Charles Grassley, Joni Ernst, and Marionette Miller -Meeks. There were 11 speakers at the event who spoke about schools, immigrations, poverty, etc. Pries also shared that Compeer is having event on October 3rd at 7:00 PM at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. • Mendez -Shannon: shared her experience tabling at Pride. She noted there was a sense of sadness she could sense from the youth in attendance. Mendez -Shannon shared that their 2 Human Rights Commission ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2024/2025 (Meeting Date) NAME TERM EXP. 3/4 3/26 4/23 5/28 7/23 8/27 9/24 11/26 12/12 1/28 2/25 4/1 4/22 5113 5/27 6/24 Jahnavi Pandya 2024 X X X X X X A A - - - Emily Harkin 2027 - - - - - - - P - P P P Z A P Doug Kollasch 2027 X X X X Z X X P - P P x P Z P P Viana Qadoura 2025 X X X X X X X P - A A x P P P P Idriss Abdullahi 2025 - - X Z X Z A P - P A A Z- R R Mark Pries 2025 X X X X X X X P - A P x P P P P Roger Lusala 2026 X A X X X X X P - P P A A P P Kelsey Paul Shantz 2026 X X Z X X A X P - P A x P P P Liz Mendez -Shannon 2026 X A Z X X A X A - P P x A A P P Lubna Mohamed 2027 - - - - - - - - - Z A Z Z A A A KEY: X = Present A = Absent Z = Present via Zoom Correspondence Making Our Communities Safer One Crime at a Time 1 Real Stories of Restorative Justice and a Vision for Justice Reform Across the US. Wednesday, August 27 Noon-1 PM Via Zoom Presented byAttorney Gerald Partridge THE .ENS SERIES Register here • i %; 1 • • • • • • • • �.yp�• • • • 2025 ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AWARDS �rs1MlGIC(t�. Gf l../!/fGt �PsY' �%G(lNtG(LI v J* Y 7) Honor an individual or group who protects and promotes human rights in our community. Submit your nomination today and help shine a light on those making a difference! DEADLINE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 Since 1984, the Human Rights Commission has recognized individuals and groups who work to protect and promote human rights in our community. If you know someone making a meaningful impact, now is the time to honor their efforts — submit your nomination today! Use the QR Code to locate the award nomination form or visit . icgov.org/humanrights. @ichumanrights WORKING AN HOMELESS IN AMERICA A TALK WITH BRIAN GOLDSTONE Thursday, October 16 11:30 AM -1 PM Via zoom "I believe very strongly that finding a solution to the housing crisis requires an accurate appraisal of the magnitude and severity of what we're facing, and a proper diagnosis of what brought us here:' BRIAN GOLDSTONE THE LENS SERIES THERE is NO PLACE FOR Us WORKING ANO HOMELESS IN AMERICA BRIAN BBLBSiBNf Register here Agenda Item # 9 R4SF[ ** This email originated outside of the City of Iowa City email system. Please take extra care opening any links or attachments. ** This message is from an external sender. Hello Fellow Organizers and Advocates! We're excited to share that CCAN-Con 2025 will take place on Saturday, October 11 in downtown Iowa City, once again alongside the Iowa City Book Festival and we'd love for you to be part of it! CCAN-Con is a community -powered gathering that facilitates connection and action. You and your organization are invited to participate in whatever ways work best for you. You could: • Table and share your work or resources • Lead a workshop, training, teach -in, or interactive activity • Perform a spoken word piece, short play, song, set, or demonstration • Facilitate a community conversation • Host a kids' activity or a wellness session • Bring something bold, joyful, or rebellious that connects to community power and building a better world for all Tabling and performances will run from 11 AM to 5 PM on the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall, with two indoor rooms at the Iowa City Library reserved for presentations, workshops, and hands-on sessions. If you're interested in joining or even just curious reply to this email or fill out this quick form to let us know what you'd like to bring to the space. Please also feel free to forward this along to anyone you think might want to take part. We're aiming for a mix of grassroots, mutual aid, direct action, civil rights, and service groups- and everything in between*. Let's make this the best year's CCAN-Con the best one yet, together. *While we welcome civic engagement opportunities such as voter registration, advocacy, and local government boards, we cannot provide a tabling, speaking, or other platform for a political party or candidate campaign at this event. Thank You, Mandi Remington (she/her) I Founder, Corridor Community Action Network - Sign up f r emails Iowa City, Iowa, USA Cell 1 +1 (319) 677-1153 Agenda Item # 11 From: Stefanie Bowers To: Stefanie Bowers Subject: Open Meetings Training Requirement Date: Friday, July 18, 2025 5:01:14 PM Commissioners, Please seethe email below from the City Attorney's Office. Let me know if you have any questions. Stefanie From: Sue Dulek <SDulek@iowa-city.org> Sent: Friday, July 18, 2025 2:48 PM Subject: Open Meetings Training To all Iowa City Board and Commission Members: This year the Iowa Legislature passed H.F. 706 that requires all Board and Commission members appointed after July 1 to complete a training on Iowa's Open Meetings Law (Chapter 21 of the Iowa Code) no later than 90 days after they assume their responsibilities. If a member does not complete the training as required, and fails to complete the training within an additional 60 days, they face significant financial penalties. The City Council intends to require all Board and Commission members, not just newly appointed members, to complete a training. The only approved trainings at this point are conducted by the Iowa Public Information Board. Below are dates and times of upcoming trainings. You can register for the trainings beginning on the dates listed. Please note there is a separate link for each training. • August 26. 5:00 pm-6:30 pm. Registration opens July 25 at 5:00 am. https://ipib.iowa.gov/events/ipib-training-newly-elected-and-appointed-officials- august-26 • September 10. Noon-1:30 pm. Registration opens August 9 at 12:00 am. https://ipib.iowa.aov/events/ipib-training newly-elected-and-appointed-officials- september-10-2025 • September 24. 5:00 pm-6:30 pm. Registration opens August 23 at 5:00 am. i«NZI.//iwiu.iuvvci.wuv/Cvents/ipib-trail III 1y-11CVV1y-c1MAt=U-ai iu-appointed-officials- september-24-2025 The new law requires the Iowa Public Information Board provide you with a certificate of completeness upon completing the course. You should forward a copy of the certificate to your staff contact (Stefanie Bowers). I will be sending out periodic emails with updates on training sessions as they are scheduled. Agenda Item #14 From: Stefanie Bowers To: Stefanie Bowers Subject: Invitation to Inaugural GrantNet Convening — RSVP by August 1 Date: Thursday, July 17, 2025 10:21:12 AM Greetings, GrantNet was recently established by the Iowa City Human Rights Commission to connect recent recipients of the Human Rights Grant (formerly known as the RESJ Grant) with the Commission and with one another. This gathering is only for organizations that were awarded funding in 2024 or 2025. To ensure space and meaningful participation, we ask that each organization designate only one representative to attend —ideally a director, coordinator, or staff member directly involved in the funded work. This convening offers an opportunity to build relationships, share insights, and strengthen our collective impact in advancing human rights. Event Details: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 12:00 — 1:30 PM Environmental Educational Center East Side Recycling Center 2401 Scott Blvd. SE, Iowa City A lunch will be provided At this first convening, we'll connect, share impact, and explore how we can amplify our efforts. We'll also begin envisioning a coalition to support residents facing barriers to justice and opportunity. Your leadership is essential as we plant the seeds for deeper collaboration and meaningful change. Agenda: 12:00 PM —Welcome & introductions (15 min) Purpose of the gathering (10 min) Grantee story highlight (10 min) Group discussion: shared goals, challenges, and collaboration ideas (25 min) Identifying shared mission and next steps (15 min) Logistics & communication (10 min) Reflections and closing (5 min) Please RSVP by Friday, August 1 using the link below: RSVP Link We hope you'll join us for this important conversation. Stefanie Bowers Human Rights Coordinator LATE HANDOUTS - THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS WERE DISTRIBUTED AT THE MEETING Community Transportatio %i ADVANCING TRANSIT AND ■ EQUITY. IdentifyingTOD Opportunities in Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty Author: Yiru Wang INTRODUCTION What is Transit Tented d��Q�� i��'rr�`d�nsity development pattern. • Located within walking distance of major public transit stations. • Integrating residential, employment, and commercial 'I services. • Designed to prioritize the needs of pedestrians and �N non-motorized travel (California Department of Transportation, 2002). Why pursue TOD? • Reduces transportation costs and improves the financial efficiency of public transit. • Provides mixed-income housing. �� • Protects the mobility rights of vulnerable groups. • Strengthens connections between where people live and work. ._ � �.. • Serves as an important tool to attract private investment and stimulate economic renewal (Reconnecting America, 2007; The Ciry of Calgary, 2004). BACKGROUND AND GOALSA& Ad cccc Backgrolua, • Regional transit corridors are surrounded by low-density, single- use development that underutilizes ridership potential • Growing need for affordable housing and mobility access for Which areas have transit-dependent populations (students, low-income families, persons with disabilities, and zero-car households) the highest need • Strong transit access areas remain underutilized due to restrictive zoning policies for Transit-Oriented 3 Development? • Identify and prioritize specific areas where TOD can most effectively increase ridership, improve mobility access, and advance social equity. - • Map zoning-TOD relationships to inform targeted policy _ recommendations • Assess development capacity (existing vs. potential) to determine implementation feasibility • Evaluate transit access relative to employment centers, points of � �- ' t 1 190 70 90 interest and essential services jW • Provide actionable recommendations for public land use • Identify TOD opportunities that enhance transit use, support r financial sustainability. s METHODOLOGY A GIS-based scoring model (weights adjustable for scenario testing) was developed using four main categories: Transit Accessibility, Equity, Land Use & Housing, and Economic/Service Indicators. , r_ 1 0 TRANSIT ' ACC E 01 ................. Transit aceessib lity score 0_30 LITY _ t Poverty rate 0_12 5 + • • • • • Zara-vehicle hnusehoId rate 0_125 25° T O D T �� ORE i LAND USE Potential housing capacity+* _1Q + :y ................, Government-owned parcels suitab l,ity 0.09 + HOU IN Parking lat factor � 0.05 * 24 ONOMI E F I E Employment density x 0.1 + Points of Interest density x 0.09 NDI ATOR 21 Oft mp ON min Sol! Iva on-oil-ill a. AN ♦♦� • .R �r+r ■ _ • �/J'�'�1rf ll� df �IIF_h` .6��iii�i _'� �i.�� r"-C. d.,,°,°�. t _ �r ■ �� i FINDINGS Where Are the High-Need TOD Areas? To better guide TOD strategies, the high/very high-suitability areas were further prioritized into two tiers based on zoning flexibility and functional characteristics: Tier Category Description Areas(GEOID Codes in Appendix) Blocks classified as very Iowa City — Downtown Area: From Burlington St high/high TOD suitability to the Iowa Interstate Railroad, and from Clinton Very High/High St to Gilbert St, Jefferson Street Area: The two TOD Suitability and already allow mixed- blocks south of the UI Health Care Medical Tier 1 use development, offering Center downtown. with Mixed-Use the most immediate Iowa City West Riverfront Area: Between Myrtle Allowed Ave and W Benton St. potential for TOD Coralville — West of the UIOWA Oakdale implementation. Campus. • Iowa City— Downtown Area: East of S Gilbert St, one block; E Areas with veryhigh/high Bloomington Street Area: The block south of the UI Health Care Medical Center downtown. VeryHigh/High TOD suitability that Iowa City South Side: Near the Hy-Vee between Muscatine Ave and y Wayne Ave. TOD Suitability overlap with commercial Iowa City—West High Area: West High School area, between Rohret Rd and Melrose Ave, mainly the area north of Adelaide Joy Rogers Tier 2 Overlapping with zoning, representing Park and west of the residential area. • Iowa City—West Benton Area: West Benton St, from Westgate St to Commercial strong candidates for Highland Ave, including the University Heights residential area. • Coralville — University of Iowa Oakdale Campus vicinity: Between Zoning TOD through targeted Oakdale Blvd and 1st Ave, north of the UIOWA Oakdale Campus. • Coralville — Central Commercial Area: South of US-6, north of 1-80, upzoning. near Coral Ridge Mall and adjacent to the transit corridor. • North Liberty— Between W Cherry St and W Zeller St. • • • 1 - • 1 • • �1 . _ ousing ens yPhousing ens ry _ • - - " •- - • - meets currently under currently allowed capacity allowed capacity Fob -!tip 0' IN / � r=r 010,R-JIM, 1 11 P L 7'd. RAFAIM,04-01%. i► i rP flift I I - 1 1 rl Al Focus TOD in Tier 1 and Tier 2 Areas Improving transit and adding housing density in these areas will directly benefit those who depend on transit for their daily lives. Increase Zoning Flexibility (Upzone for ' �CM)ing land-use policies to permit higher density and mixed uses in transit-rich areas, we can enhance the effectiveness of implementing TOD. S • Leverage Public Land and Underutilized - %jiffaping publicly owned land and large parking lots can reduce costs and accelerate TOD implementation. efttii'LkaEolili loaiVhdnlfi i ►OW'C Despecially low-income and transit-dependent households — and does not displace them. Strategies including: o Explore Implementation of Anti-Displacement Policies o Develop new Public Housing units and affordable housing projects 44 — o Explore Inclusionary Zoning Policy for new developments REFERENCES AND DATA SOURCES • California Department of Transportation. (2002). Statewide transit-oriented development study: Factors for success in C https://transit.dot.ca.gov/sites/transit/files/2023-09/statewide-TOD-study-final-report-2002.pdf • Johnson County, Iowa. (2025). Johnson County GIS. https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/app/files/8541/GIS-Data • U.S. Census Bureau & Center for Economic Studies. (2022). OnTheMap: Work area profile analysis, Johnson County, I [GIS data]. https://onthemap.ces.census.gov/ • Iowa Department of Transportation. (2024). General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data for Iowa transit providers [Data set]. • Manson, S., Schroeder, J., Van Riper, D., Knowles, K., Kugler, T., Roberts, E., & Ruggles, S. (2024). IPUMS National Historical Geographic Information System: Version 18.0 [Data set]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS. https://doi.org/10.18128/D050.Vl8.0 • City of Iowa City. (n.d.). Zoning code — Title 14: Zoning regulations [Municipal code]. https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/iowacity/latest/iowacity- ia/0-0-0-19813 • City of North Liberty. (n.d.). Zoning code — Chapter 165: Zoning regulations [Municipal code]. https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/northIiberty/latest/northIiberty-ia/0-0-0-04259 • City of Coralville. (n.d.). Zoning code — Title XIV: Zoning regulations [Municipal code]. https://codel ibrary.amlegal.com/codes/coralvil le/latest/coralviIIe-ia/0-0-0-6773 • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). (n.d.). FEMA flood map service center [Map service]. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://msc.fema.gov/portal • Reconnecting America. (2007). Why transit-oriented development and why now: The Center for Transit-Oriented Development. • City of Calgary. (2004). Transit-oriented development: Best practices handbook. AffCommunity Transportation Committee TH N Y U www.ctcjc.org