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17 <br /> <br /> <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> <br />Commissioner Jacobs suggested looking at the Eno Haven property as well. <br /> <br />6. Regular Agenda <br /> <br />a. Department of Human Rights and Relations <br />The Board considered voting to approve the County Manager’s recommendation to <br />separate the Division of Human Rights and Relations from the current Department of Housing, <br />Human Rights and Community Development into a separate Department referred to as the <br />Human Rights and Relations (HRR). <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />After passage of the Civil Rights Ordinance in 1994, the Board of County Commissioners (the <br />“Board”) authorized the creation of the Department of Human Rights and Relations on <br />December 20, 1994. <br /> <br />The core functions of the Department of Human Rights and Relations included: <br />• Enforcement of the Orange County Civil Rights Ordinance; <br />• Administration of the Housing and Urban Development Fair Housing Assistance <br />Program Agreement (“FHAP”) ; <br />• Education, Outreach and Training on rights under the Civil Rights Ordinance; • Staffing <br />the Human Relations Commission and their education and outreach activities; and <br />• Coordinating County efforts to eliminate or reduce limited English proficiency as a <br />barrier to accessing or understanding Orange County government services, program or <br />benefits. <br /> <br />The Board approved changing the Department to the Office of Human Rights and Relation <br />within the County Manager’s Office on March 6, 2008. To improve efficiency and service <br />delivery to residents, the County Manager subsequently recommended merging the Office of <br />Human Rights and Relations with the Department of Housing and Community Development. On <br />February 16, 2010 the Board approved merging the Office of Human Rights and Relations into <br />the Housing and Community Development Department (the Commission for Women was <br />moved to a non-profit agency). <br /> <br />During the last FHAP performance period (July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017) eight (8) Fair Housing <br />cases were closed. Currently, there are twelve (12) cases under investigation. The dramatic <br />rise in hate crimes motivated by intolerance, racism, sexism and xenophobia over the last <br />several years has demonstrated the need for increased focus on improving interpersonal <br />communications and human relations. In addition, there is also a need to not only effectively <br />enforce the civil rights of residents but to also educate them on their rights and responsibilities <br />under the law. <br /> <br />The separation of the division of Human Rights and Relations from Housing and Community <br />Development would allow the County to focus on civil and human rights training, education, <br />outreach and enforcement. In addition to the core functions the department previously provided, <br />it would also include a compliance function. The director of the department would be designated <br />as the Civil Rights Compliance Officer for the County. The Civil Rights Compliance Officer <br />would coordinate the County’s efforts to comply with its civil rights obligations under federal and