The city of Brooklyn Park has been participating in GARE’s 2016 Advancing Racial Equity learning cohort throughout 2016. In addition, Brooklyn Park’s Code Enforcement & Public Health Division has been in a state of continuous improvement, analyzing policies and procedures and redefining how to enforce code violations since 2014. Brooklyn Park began this journey with the intent of standardizing all inspectors when responding to complaints. They learned that although city codes are designed to be uniform, their audience is not. Every case is a little different and they needed to take a closer look at the barriers facing their customers.
Using a Racial Equity Tool, Brooklyn Park has further examined their code enforcement procedure, and have found another example of how a process can impact change. “If we truly want to live by our City’s mission statement; “Brooklyn Park, a thriving community inspiring pride where opportunities exist for all”, then identifying gaps in our processes that leave some of our customers on the outside looking in, should be a priority. We have learned that a “one size fits all” system is not an effective approach.”
Read Brooklyn Park, Minnesota’s “The Power of the Complainant” for a full description of their process. A snippet:
“The work we have dedicated to advancing racial equity has empowered staff to say no when they feel that race may be a motivator for a complaint. This transformation is evident during the courageous conversations we are having during staff meetings and while they are out in the field assisting our customers. The code enforcement procedure is just one example of how a process can impact change. If we truly want to live by our City’s mission statement; “Brooklyn Park, a thriving community inspiring pride where opportunities exist for all”, then identifying gaps in our processes that leave some of our customers on the outside looking in, should be a priority. We have learned that a “one size fits all” system is not an effective approach.”