Friday, March 13, 2026, 11:30 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 2
Committee: Committee on Civil and Human Rights
0:13 Wishes okay good morning
0:13 welcome today to New York
0:16 council preliminary budget
0:17 hearing for the committee on
0:18 civil and human rights at this
0:20 time please science all cell
0:21 phone and electronic devices
0:23 moving forward no one is
0:24 throats two days if you wish
0:26 to participate in today's
0:28 hearing please fill out an
0:29 appearance card with sergeant
0:30 at arms.
0:31 That further do chair we're
0:32 ready to begin thank you and
0:35 good morning everyone happy
0:37 Friday welcome to the fiscal
0:39 20 27 preliminary budget
0:40 hearing for the committee on
0:41 civil and human rights I'm
0:43 Council Member Nurse chair of
0:44 the committee today we will
0:46 begin with the testimony from
0:48 the commission on civil and
0:50 human rights followed by the
0:52 equal equal employment
0:53 practices commission at 12 30
0:56 p the mayor's office of equity
0:58 and racial justice at 1 30 p m l
1:02 equity at 2 30 m.
1:03 We will conclude the
1:05 administration's testimony
1:07 before moving on to public
1:09 testimony at 3 30 p m so for
1:10 those of you in the audience
1:14 walk in.
1:15 Um York City has some of the
1:18 most comprehensive protections
1:19 in the nation we are a strong
1:20 proud City because of it and
1:23 at a time when we are seeing
1:26 unprecedented militarize
1:27 egregious increasing attacks
1:28 on civil and human rights at
1:29 the federal level it is
1:31 especially important that
1:32 these agencies and commissions
1:35 are adequately funded and
1:36 staffed so they can
1:38 effectively serve New yorkers
1:38 I want to want to begin by
1:40 congratulating commissioner
1:41 clark on your New role and
1:42 thanks for chatting the other
1:43 day and thank you and your
1:46 team for being here today t
1:47 otestify on the commission's
1:49 budget the commission on civil
1:51 and human rights enforces our
1:53 human rights law by
1:54 investigating and bringing
1:56 cases of discrimination while
1:58 also educating New yorkers
1:59 about their rights and
2:00 responsibilities under the law o
2:04 this work they need money c c
2:06 h r s other than personnel
2:08 services budget in fiscal 2
2:10 027 is 410000 less than the
2:13 fiscal 20 26 adopted budget
2:15 due to a one time partial
2:17 program to eliminate the gap
2:21 restoration added at fiscal 20
2:23 26 adoption the preliminary
2:24 plan does not include any New
2:27 investments in mrs budget in
2:29 this plan mrs budget accounted
2:32 for a hundred 30 30 headcount
2:35 is a hundred 33 and shows a
2:37 reduction of eight positions
2:39 from the 141 budgeted head
2:42 count included in last year's
2:44 budget more importantly the
2:46 commission's actual head count
2:47 as of only accounts for a
2:52 hundred 3 positions today I'm
2:52 looking looking forward to
2:55 understanding how cch hr
2:55 potentially operates with a
2:56 vacancy rate of 27% I can't
3:00 imagine that's easy I am also
3:01 eager to hear what additional
3:03 resources you commissioner
3:04 clark have requested from in
3:05 terms of budget filling in
3:07 these vacant positions and
3:09 potentially adding headcount
3:10 is needed for the commission
3:11 to effectively carry out its
3:13 mandates among other issues we
3:15 will also discuss topics such
3:17 as the commissions testing and
3:18 outreach methods and the work
3:19 they are doing to ensure New
3:21 yorkers feel safe reporting
3:23 discrimination with the
3:24 current federal administration
3:25 want to thank our lovely
3:26 finance staff our committee
3:27 staff and my own staff for all
3:30 the preparations getting us
3:31 prepared for the four hearings
3:32 we have today I don't know if
3:34 we have any council members
3:37 with us deputy speaker natasha
3:40 Williams and Council Member
3:42 Feliz you're recognized and
3:43 I'm going to now turn it over
3:46 to the community council t
3:46 oadministrate the oath good
3:49 morning if you could please
3:50 raise your right hands do you
3:52 swear to tell the truth the
3:54 whole truth and nothing but
3:54 the truth before this
3:57 committee.
3:58 Thank you so much you begin
4:01 good morning charlie charlie
4:04 ah
4:04 . Charlie also but also
4:06 turners and members of the
4:07 committee have finance and
4:07 civil and human rights they're
4:11 in my remarks my name is
4:12 christine clark and I serve as
4:13 the chair and commissioner of
4:14 the New York City commission
4:16 on human rights thank you for
4:18 the opportunity to testify
4:19 today about the commission's
4:20 work and the role that plays
4:21 in ensuring that all New
4:22 yorkers can live work and
4:24 thrive free from
4:25 discrimination joining me
4:26 today are catherine carol
4:28 deputy commissioner of law
4:29 York City commission on human
4:34 rights first and foremost
4:35 enforces and educates the
4:37 public about the New York City
4:38 human rights law one of the
4:40 most comprehensive civil
4:40 rights laws in the nation that
4:42 protects New York er's from
4:45 discrimination across broad
4:46 swaths of life.
4:47 Including protections
4:48 against discrimination and
4:49 housing employment and public
4:50 accommodations but these
4:51 rights are meaningless in a
4:52 vacuum rights only become
4:54 reality when they are broadly
4:54 recognized and enforced the
4:56 rights protected by the New
4:57 York City human rights law are
4:59 fundamental to an equitable
5:00 society.
5:01 The right to live work and
5:02 participate in society free
5:04 from discrimination on the
5:05 basis of one's national origin e
5:10 sexual orientation gender
5:11 identity pregnancy disability
5:12 criminal history and more
5:13 these rights are currently
5:15 under attack.
5:16 Broadly in society fueled by
5:17 a political atmosphere that
5:19 encourages and incites hate
5:21 and isolation as well as with
5:22 the with the tacit and even
5:24 occasionally overt approval of
5:24 the federal government
5:26 moreover as inequality has
5:27 increased over the past few
5:29 decades across the country
5:30 those with the least suffer
5:31 the most discrimination
5:32 affects people in all walks of
5:33 life but the toll is
5:34 unquestionably the greatest
5:36 for individuals and families
5:37 who have the least and those
5:38 who have the least access t
5:40 ofinancial resources also often
5:41 find that they have the least
5:44 access to justice these are
5:45 precisely the issues that I
5:46 intend to make the focus of
5:47 the commission on human rights
5:48 during my tenure as chair and
5:49 commissioner I am privileged
5:50 to work with a small but
5:51 dedicated team at the
5:52 commission on human rights who
5:54 have been successful at moving
5:55 mountains with limited
5:58 resources our a team of eight
5:58 intake staff field over 15000
6:00 inquiries per year are
6:01 dedicated team of civil rights
6:03 enforcement attorneys then
6:05 investigate and reconciliate
6:06 which means we settle cases
6:08 with the City as a party every
6:10 case that falls within our
6:11 jurisdiction and then
6:13 prosecute cases at the office
6:13 of administrative trials and
6:15 hearings after trial and after
6:16 receiving oaths report and
6:18 . Recommendation I along with
6:19 a small
6:19 . Handful of colleagues work
6:21 trivia the report
6:22 recommendation the record and
6:24 the case law to write a final
6:24 decision in order
6:26 . Are small but dedicated team
6:27 also works hard to create
6:29 updated and accessible
6:30 trainings know your rights
6:32 materials legal
6:33 . Guidance and communications
6:34 and communications strategies
6:35 and campaigns as well as t
6:36 oengage in outreach with
6:37 communities across the City
6:38 from the moment I walked
6:39 through the door at this
6:40 agency the dedicated staff at
6:41 cc hr have made clear that
6:42 they share my vision and my
6:44 priorities
6:45 . And are willing to embrace
6:46 change to make that vision a
6:47 reality together we are
6:48 dedicated to making the
6:49 commission a place that will
6:50 survive the trump
6:52 administration's retreat from
6:53 federal civil rights
6:54 enforcement to ensure that
6:55 whatever happens at the
6:57 federal level
6:57 . The City human rights law
6:58 will continue to be enforced
6:59 and we will continue to ensure
7:01 that all New yorkers have the
7:02 opportunity to thrive in our
7:04 great City together we are
7:05 dedicated to engaging all New
7:06 York City communities
7:07 including small business
7:08 owners to ensure that every
7:09 New yorker understands their
7:10 rights and their
7:11 . Obligations and to ensur
7:12 ethat small businesses have
7:12 what they need to comply with
7:13 the law before civil rights
7:16 violations occur together we
7:17 are dedicated to ensuring that
7:17 our services are accessible t
7:19 opeople who can't afford
7:21 lawyers and for whom we are
7:22 often their only shot at
7:23 justice that means taking a
7:24 hard look at what.
7:25 Works and how to best deploy
7:28 our resources this includes
7:29 for example our pre complaint
7:32 intervention program also
7:32 known as our early
7:34 intervention program where we
7:35 are often able to intervene in
7:36 situations before the damage
7:37 has been done and before
7:38 litigation is required this
7:40 also includes our project
7:41 equal access where we make
7:42 onsite visits to ensure that
7:43 buildings are accessible t
7:44 opeople with disabilities this
7:46 also means making sure that we
7:47 make as much impact as we can
7:49 when we can every conciliation
7:52 order includes provisions that
7:54 will prevent future human
7:55 rights violations for example
7:56 we require virtually every
7:59 respondent to agree that their
8:00 staff will be trained by cch
8:01 our staff
8:02 . And the New York City human
8:03 rights law and to create and
8:04 implement nondiscrimination
8:06 policies I should say we
8:07 require that when we
8:08 conciliate and issue orders in
8:09 cases.
8:10 We also frequently find
8:11 creative solutions to ensure
8:15 to ensure an impact in the
8:16 future for example in voucher
8:18 discrimination cases we often
8:19 will agree with landlords that
8:20 they will set aside a certain
8:21 number of apartments for
8:22 voucher holders in the future
8:23 we also of course seek
8:25 compensation for victims of
8:27 discrimination both in
8:28 conciliation and in litigation
8:29 as well as civil penalties
8:30 . Either of which can easily
8:31 reach six figures
8:33 . New York City has long been
8:34 a national leader in civil
8:35 rights protections
8:36 . The human rights law
8:37 reflects our belief that
8:38 everyone has the right to live
8:39 and work and thrive in this
8:41 great City now more than ever
8:43 the commission is proud t
8:43 ocarry forward this legacy in
8:45 closing I want to thank the
8:46 commission for its partnership .
8:48 In closing on thank the
8:50 council council partnership in
8:51 supporting the work of the
8:52 commission and for its
8:53 continued commitment t
8:54 oprotecting the rights of New
8:56 York er's I look forward to
8:57 working together to ensur
8:58 ethat the promise of the New
8:58 York City human rights law
8:59 remains real and meaningful
9:01 for every single person who
9:02 calls the City home thank you
9:04 for the opportunity to testify
9:05 today at the beginning of this
9:06 budget cycle and I welcome
9:08 your questions thank you
9:09 commissioner you are a speed
9:12 reader
9:13 . You know I am um so I want
9:17 to ask some questions about
9:18 head count and ah then we'll
9:21 kind of discuss the law
9:24 enforcement bureau the info
9:26 line p m m r and then we'll go
9:29 from there so the you're
9:32 average vacancy rate between
9:34 201620 25 s years was about
9:38 18% as of this year in we have
9:41 about 38 vacancies or a
9:43 vacancy rate of 28% so are you
9:49 currently hiring if yes what
9:50 positions are you looking for
9:52 and if there are any that are
9:55 more difficult to fill than
9:58 others and if you've if you're
10:01 headcount includes five fo
10:02 rthe City of yes positions as
10:05 well so I'm going to refer
10:06 some of the answers to deputy
10:08 commissioner salazar I'm going
10:09 to say it as an initial matter r
10:12 we're actively hiring at all
10:13 times for as many vacancies as
10:15 we are permitted to hire for
10:16 which is maybe not the full
10:17 scope of vacancies that you're
10:19 discussing yep so just want t
10:21 ocorrect some of the numbers so
10:22 as of this week we have we
10:25 have 109 active staff members
10:28 which means that we have 3
10:30 2vacancies at the moment with
10:32 regards to hiring as a
10:35 commissioner just said we're
10:37 always hiring there have been
10:38 challenges in the past to hire
10:42 and that includes let me take
10:45 a step back so we don't have
10:47 as an agency an issue in
10:48 hiring right we that things at
10:49 least in the part of the areas
10:51 that we are able to control so
10:54 we are working on our job
10:56 postings we're able to do the
10:58 interviews were able to offer
11:03 the job position right to the
11:04 candidate but that's the
11:05 things that we are able to
11:07 control once we have the
11:08 candidate and we submit to our
11:09 that process can take another
11:12 3 2 4 months forever
11:13 . Yes and so because of the
11:14 previous administrations 2 4 1
11:16 hiring freeze that was part of
11:18 the delay and so while we're
11:21 waiting for someone to get the
11:22 approval there have been times
11:24 where a candidate has you know r
11:29 opportunities so we've lost
11:31 lengthy process in addition t
11:35 othat you could just also say
11:37 that there's the typical
11:39 workplace fluctuations where
11:41 people are leaving for other
11:43 opportunities you know great
11:45 personal advancement and
11:46 growth and so we have this
11:47 kind of cycle but we're always
11:49 hiring and we're doing
11:50 everything in our power t
11:52 ohire as quickly as possible
11:54 okay so sorry so you're now at
11:58 1 0 9 active employees yes and
11:59 that is since when as of this
12:02 week I would like to say three
12:03 Monday
12:04 . So those folks came on they
12:05 were in the pipeline for a
12:06 while yes ok and we actually
12:09 also have probably three that
12:10 are pending approval so more
12:12 more to come ok um and then
12:15 for the five City of yes
12:16 positions are those those
12:18 roles filled we have three
12:20 that are currently filled and
12:23 two.
12:23 Vacancies and those are out
12:24 in the world being critical
12:27 okay the commission and
12:28 welcoming Council Member
12:30 haneef the commission has
12:31 previously attributed the high