Title: The State and Local Budget Crisis: Developing Strategies for Fair Housing Success in Difficult Economic Times
1- The State and Local Budget Crisis Developing
Strategies for Fair Housing Success in Difficult
Economic Times
Presented by Derick Daniel, Executive
Director Florida Commission on Human
Relations Workshop 4 U.S. HUD 2010 National
Fair Housing Policy Conference July 23, 2010
2A state employee and the new reality
3The new housing market
4State Budget Environment
- Scarce resources available
- Competing interest for limited budget dollars
- Public safety (prisons and law enforcement)
- Education
- Social Services
- Environment
- Health Care
5State Budget Environment
- Civil rights not seen as priority
- Often seen as a nuisance for businesses
- Scarcity of state funds viewed as opportunity to
reduce civil rights budgets or even abolish civil
rights agencies
6Under Attack
- During 2010 Legislative Session, legislators
compiled a Priority List of general government
programs to be funded - Of about 150 programs, FCHR was 2nd from bottom
7Under Attack
- Excessive audits and reviews
- Frequently asked If HUD/EEOC exists, why do we
need state civil rights agencies? - Main focus Reduce General Revenue budget dollars
(FCHR is 73 General Revenue funded)
8Under Attack
- State employees suffer
- No pay raises or bonuses
- Increased workloads (doing more with less)
- Stressful work environment (nature of job)
- Benefits under scrutiny and either eliminated or
contributions for benefits assessed - Difficult to keep morale and productivity up
increased employee burnout - Hard to attract and retain qualified staff with
low pay and increased demands of job
9Under Attack
- Florida Legislature has required 10-15 in cuts
from state agencies for several years - FCHR annual budget has been cut by 1.6 million
dollars (27 reduction) to date - FCHR has lost 18.5 positions (26 reduction)
from 72 to 53.5
10Under Attack
- Florida Statutes require 10-year sunset reviews
of state agencies reenact, modify or abolish - PRIORITY IS ON FUNDING THOSE AGENCIES THAT EITHER
SAVE THE STATE MONEY OR CREATE JOBS
11FCHR Efficiency Measures
- Reduce office space/increase number of employees
telecommuting - Timely resolution of cases cost savings for
businesses and state - Risk management training (loss prevention) for
state agencies - reduce state employee
discrimination claims - More equitable funding allocation and costs for
administrative hearing services
12FCHR Efficiency Measures
- Mediations conducted by telephone or paid by
parties (reduce travel costs) - Commission meetings also conducted telephonically
- Document scanning (decrease paper usage and
storage/archival costs) - Modify notification methods (reduce postage
costs) - Reduce technology costs (e-mail services, fewer
wireless devices and cell phones)
13FCHR Efficiency Measures
- Eliminate management positions by combining
responsibilities and duties - Negotiate less expensive copier leases with
vendor - Develop online case filing system Paper
reduction e mail printing, etc - Reduce printing costs In-house printing of
letterhead and business cards publications
posted on website
14Other StrategiesLessons Learnt
- Identify and inform key policy makers not just
those who are sympathetic to civil rights, but
members in leadership, substantive committees,
Rules, Appropriations - Counter any opposition against civil rights
agencies with direct arguments talk their
talk
15Other StrategiesLessons Learnt
- Training for businesses
- Education is the best form of prevention
- If you think education is expensive, try
ignorance - Businesses can help make your case (operating
savings, employee productivity and morale, less
litigation costs) - case studies, best practices - Get lobbyists representing businesses to show
support and show legislators why your agency is
vital to their members
16Other StrategiesLessons Learnt
- Walk the tightrope Must balance justice and
business sides - Civil rights is NOT just about race show
statistics for other bases (disability, familial
status, national origin, etc.) - Identify and implement efficiency measures in
anticipation of future budget cuts show them
you are proactive in saving dollars
17Other StrategiesLessons Learnt
- Keep managers and staff apprised of political
environment and potential impact on agency - Solicit ideas on cutting costs from your staff
from the ground up - Develop and nurture management team support to
get through the tough times
18Where Do We Go From Here?
- Build a business case for civil rights
- Develop strong metrics
- Risk management savings
- Education savings (increased employee
productivity work with businesses) - Reduction in litigation and associated costs
- Anecdotal still important, but metrics need to be
strong!
19Where Do We Go From Here?
- Civil rights must be seen as solution for
economic and social growth to attract and retain
the best and brightest to your state - Work with human capital organizations how does
your state measure up in attracting high quality
individuals
20Where Do We Go From Here?
- Build nationwide database through IAOHRA/NAHWR
- Deliver services through partners and alliances
at all levels - national, state and local,
private and public - Webinars/webcasting If you cant go to the
people, have the people come to you
21In Summary
- Rally support from other civil rights agencies,
partners, alliances, local communities,
organizations and lobbyists who represent your
customer base - Talk in terms of avings and potential cost
avoidance for the state and for businesses - Convince policy makers it will cost more to
abolish your agency
22- NEVER believe the last cut is the final cut
- Stay ahead of the curve ANTICIPATE
- Stay abreast of all legislation, economics and
circumstances that MAY impact your agency - Be Proactive and creative- always think outside
the box - In order to get past it, you will have to go
through it
23And the answer is ..
24The PAIN INDEX
- Created by Rick Newman, US News
- The economic stimulus sent 250 billion to states
to fund schools, roads, Medicaid, welfare and
local services - States have still had to cut spending by 50
billion, and have raised taxes by another 30
billion
25PAIN
- Higher taxes and fewer services affects the
quality of life - Economics could get worse as stimulus money runs
out and the federal government deals with the gap
between spending and revenue
26PAIN- all figures are per person based on FY
2009
- State new taxes spending cuts
PAIN - Florida 30 237 267
- Georgia 15 344 359
- Alabama -3 338 335
- Mississippi 28 218 246
- Louisiana -16 358 342
- Alaska -3 1268 1265
- N. Dakota -301 -700 -1001