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<br />- DRAFT - <br /> <br />Chronology of City of San Leandro's Efforts to End to Housing Discrimination and <br />Promote Community Diversity <br /> <br />Adopted by the <br />City Council <br />July 8, 1968 <br /> <br />The Policy of the City of San Leandro on Community Relations and <br />Responsibilities was adopted by the City Council. <br /> <br />Policy of the City of San Leandro on Community Relations and <br />Responsibilities <br />"The practice of discrimination because of race, color, religion, national <br />origin or ancestry is against national public policy. The United States <br />Constitution, statutes and judicial decisions, guarantee equal rights and <br />equal opportunities, and require equal responsibilities of each citizen. For <br />example, recently the United States Supreme Court upheld the Civil Rights <br />Act of 1866. Also, Congress has passed the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Legal <br />guarantees in other areas also exist, as in the cases of employment and <br />education. <br /> <br />The State of California has also declared that the practice of discrimination <br />is against public policy. The State, through the enactment of legislation <br />and judicial decision in recent years, has assumed the responsibility for <br />State-wide enforcement prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing <br />and civil rights. <br /> <br />Likewise, the practice of discrimination because of race, color, religion, <br />national origin or ancestry is contrary to the policy of the City of San <br />Leandro. It is the policy of this City Council that every man, within his <br />abilities and means, is entitled to freedom of choice as to where he shall <br />live and work. <br /> <br />The Charter of the City of San Leandro vests in the elected City Council the <br />power and direct responsibility to the people to regulate all municipal <br />affairs, and to establish the method by which this power shall be exercised. <br />Also, the Charter provides that no citizen shall be denied the right to <br />present grievances or offer suggestions for the betterment of municipal <br />affairs. These rights and these responsibilities are not limited. They extend <br />to all facets of community and human relations. <br /> <br />The City Council has been petitioned to appoint a human relations <br />commission in this city. The San Leandro City Council is charged with the <br />responsibility for community affairs. It is the point of final responsibility to <br />the people. It is the only point from which action can be initiated by <br />direction to the City Manager. The City Council will not "pass the buck" <br />for this matter to an appointed Commission. This would be more likely to <br />"dispose" of a "problem" than to "solve" it. Therefore, the City Council, <br />in carrying out its basic responsibility, will itself act directly on matters of <br />community and human relations. It will hear complaints and wievances, <br />