Human Rights Commission 

Contact Information:

Ann Arbor Human Rights Commission
P.O. Box 8647
Ann Arbor, MI 48107
Phone:  (734) 794-6120 (Human Resources Services)
Fax: (734) 994-2590 (Attn: Human Rights Commission)
E-mail: aahumanrightscommission@gmail.com

Meetings:

YOU’RE INVITED!  Human Rights Commission meetings are open to the public.  They are held on the

2nd Wednesday of each month

at 7:00 p.m.

on the 4^th floor of City Hall

Guy C. Larcom Jr. Municipal Building

100 N. Fifth Ave

The commission welcomes and relies upon input from members of the community. If you would like to let the commission know that you are planning to attend a meeting or to find out what will be on the agenda, please send an e-mail message to aahumanrightscommission@gmail.com or call human resources services at (734) 794-6120. You are welcome to attend any meeting without providing advance notice.

Unless specifically invited to make a presentation to the commission, each person attending a meeting who wishes to address the commission will be given five (5) minutes to speak. S/he will be permitted to speak as early in the meeting as possible, in case s/he would prefer not to stay for the entire meeting. Speakers are encouraged to bring copies of any relevant documents to distribute to the commissioners. Any discussion and/or action by the commission on the issues raised by the speakers will normally occur at subsequent meetings.

Links:

• Minutes of Recent Commission Meetings
• Ann Arbor Non-Discrimination Ordinance (See Chapter 112)
• Ordinance Creating the Commission (See Chapter 8, Sec. 1:221)
• Former Mayor Sam Eldersveld's Account of the Creation and Early History of the Commission (see pages 46-47)
• Bentley Historical Library's Commission Records, 1957-1993

The Commission’s Mandate

The Ann Arbor Human Rights Commission, known until 1970 as the Human Relations Commission, was created in 1957 by City Council under the leadership of Mayor Sam Eldersveld.  It serves as a watchdog to protect the human and civil rights of the people of Ann Arbor.  Its nine (9) members are Ann Arbor residents appointed for three-year terms by the mayor and City Council.

Ann Arbor law prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations. No person may be denied his or her civil or political rights or be discriminated against because of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, height, weight, condition of pregnancy, marital status, physical or mental limitation, source of income, family responsibilities, educational association, sexual orientation, gender identity or HIV status. (City of Ann Arbor Code, Chapter 112, Section 9:150; Ord. No.4-78, 3-13-78; Ord. No. 10-99, Sec. 1, 3-1-99)

The commission’s responsibilities are to:

(a)   Make periodic public reports and recommendations to the City Council and city administrator on ways to improve city government programs and ordinances designed to eliminate discrimination or to remove the effects of past discrimination;

(b)   Investigate, study, hold hearings and make recommendations to City Council regarding complaints from any class or group protected under the human rights ordinance;

(c)   Review and make recommendations to City Council on the affirmative action programs of persons or firms conducting business with the city;

(d)   Research, formulate and carry out programs of community education with the objective of discouraging and eliminating racial tensions, and prejudice or discrimination against any groups of persons;

(e)   Advise and communicate with federal and state agencies regarding their human rights and affirmative action programs for the purpose of making recommendations to City Council on more effective coordination of federal, state and city programs.

The commission is charged with addressing needed changes in city procedures and programs, NOT questions of whether specific instances of discrimination have occurred.

(City of Ann Arbor Code, Sec. 1:222 – 1:225, Chap. 8, Title 1; Ord. No. 68-69, 1-19-70; Ord. No. 28-78, 6-19-78)

The Commission’s Work

The commission has focused on a variety of topics over the years.  Among them are:

• The safety of LGBT individuals 
• Racial profiling 
• City hiring practices
• Protection against discrimination on the basis of political belief

The Commission's Members