The Ypsilanti City Council will hold a pair of public hearings tonight regarding ordinances proposed by the Human Relations Commission.
According to the Commission, the aim is to enhance transparency, impartiality and effectiveness in addressing complaints of discriminatory practices in Ypsilanti.
Currently, complaints are handled by the city attorney. The ordinance would hand over that responsibility to the HRC.
Commission member Kat Layton says that will ensure a more impartial review of complaints, much like what occurs in Ann Arbor.
“Their commissioners, who are appointed members of the community who don’t have, if you will, a stake in the game as much as an attorney does, will be the folks to review the discrimination.”
The other ordinance cleans up what Layton calls ambiguous language that created a loophole in the law that bans housing and employment discrimination against people with misdemeanor or felony convictions.
Tonight’s meeting begins at 6 PM in Ypsilanti City Hall.
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