GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — Green Bay’s Equal Rights Commission, formed in the fall of 2021 to address inequality, create a more inclusive city, and promote diversity, will vote on Monday night to formally approve a report drafted by commissioners to announce major findings on inequality in the housing market and a series of recommendations to ensure all Green Bay residents’ rights to high-quality affordable housing.
The 9-member Commission launched a series of hearings last February, and the hearings featured the insights of local experts and community stakeholders on issues related to housing in the City of Green Bay. The draft report, “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Recommendations to Promote Equal Housing Opportunity in Green Bay” integrates the findings from those hearings with additional research by commissioners.
“As a commission, what we have learned over the course of the past year has been very eye-opening. Though Green Bay is not the only place in the U.S. where its residents experience difficulty finding housing, the problem is a major one in our community, and particularly for specific groups of people, like African Americans, immigrants and refugees, LGBTQ youth, and victims of intimate partner violence,” said Chairperson Tara Yang. “We see this series of recommendations as a way to help the Mayor’s office and city council build on what they are already doing to help everyone in Green Bay access good housing.”
“Having high-quality, affordable housing is a right everyone in our community should share. It is a fundamental piece of the American ideal of economic security,” said Vice Chair Shelton. “We are proud to vote on this report on the day we honor Martin Luther King, Jr., since much of his work centered on ensuring everyone, no matter who they are, can enjoy the fundamental necessity of a home. Adopting this report’s recommendations will make our good community even better.”
The meeting on Monday night will begin at 6 p.m. at Green Bay City Hall inside Council Chambers.
The Equal Rights Commission was created through the Equal Rights Ordinance, which mirrors and expands upon state and federal law. The Equal Rights Commission aims to make the city more inclusive and promote diversity inside and outside of City Hall. You can learn more about the commission here.
