Seattle Office for Civil Rights
Mariko Lockhart, Director
Publications
The Seattle Office for Civil Rights supports community-driven solutions to advance race and social justice. Part of that charge includes research and production of reports on policies, practices, and incidents that spotlight inequities and systemic biases, so they can be addressed by city and regional leaders.
Below are links to recent research produced by our staff or by associated work groups.
Reports
- Seattle Reentry Workgroup final report: This report fulfills the requirements under Resolution 31637 requesting the Mayor to convene a workgroup to develop policies and strategies that would strengthen the City of Seattle's effort to assist with reentry after incarceration. The Reentry Workgroup's Final Report includes: (1) inventories of the City's current investments for those returning from incarceration; (2) an assessment of City levied criminal and infraction fines and fees and their impact on reentry; and (3) seven strategies to strengthen the City's support and reduce barriers for those living with criminal history.
- 2017 Seattle Office for Civil Rights Testing Program report: The Seattle Office for Civil Rights' (SOCR) testing program utilizes testers to identify discriminatory practices and bias in access to Seattle's rental housing market using single testers and matched pair design (also known as an audit design). In 2017, the program conducted 192 matched pair tests with conclusive results. In 110 of those (57%), the testers received different treatment because of their perceived race, disability, or other protected class status.
- Homeless Encampment Monitoring report: This report is based on observations made during 24 visits to unauthorized encampment sites, including 20 encampment removals that occurred from May through December of 2017. Monitors visited sites that represented a breadth of types, including encampments with large numbers of people residing in them as well as smaller encampments, diversity in location throughout the city, and sites designated as emphasis areas by the City.
Annual Report
Press Releases
2018 Press Releases
- February 15 - Fair Chance Housing law opens a door to opportunity
2014 - 2015 Press Releases
- October 7, 2015 - Administrative Rules proposed for City of Seattle All-Gender Restroom Ordinance
- September 30, 2015 - Murray announces recipients of $1 million Community Fund to support Seattle workers
- August 11, 2015 - New tool created to track enforcement of minimum wage, paid sick leave, job assistance, and wage theft laws
- July 1, 2015 - Office of Labor Standards announces $1 million Outreach and Education Fund
- June 11, 2015 - Chapter 40 Rules Changes Proposed for City of Seattle Civil Rights Ordinances
- June 9, 2015 - City files charges against 13 property owners for alleged violations of rental housing discrimination
- March 30, 2015 - City finalizes Administrative Rules, publishes workplace poster, and releases FAQs on new Minimum Wage web site
- February 19, 2015 - Administrative Rules proposed for City of Seattle Minimum Wage Ordinance
- November 03, 2014 - Seattle Office for Civil Rights Files 11 Director's Charges Against Employers on Use of Criminal History
- October 27, 2014 - Seattle Office for Civil Rights Files Charges to Enforce Seattle's Paid Sick Time Law
- October 13, 2014 - Three Public Meetings to inform rulemaking for the Minimum Wage Ordinance (MWO)