Reso 2013-136 - Laserfiche WebLink

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8  Written Translation: It is anticipated that the primary cost to provide LEP services will come from the potential need to provide written translation of documents pertaining to City programs and services (approximately $0.06 to $0.09 cents per word4), as well as the cost of printing and disseminating the translated documents. The City has historically used City staff to provide written translation services and will likely continue this procedure for the LAP due to severe budgetary shortfalls currently and anticipated in the near future. However, some of the City’s key documents were professionally translated (see attached appendix). Based upon an experience involving concerted outreach with translated notices and documents for Chinese-speaking residents to gather their input at a special meeting in 2010, staff discovered that no LEP residents and very few other Chinese-speaking residents participated in these discussions. Moreover, the City has been translating various documents into Spanish and Chinese languages for a few years, but there appears to be little or no demand for such documents. Thus, the cost of translating all potentially vital documents is a constraint in light of unsubstantiated need. While the City wants to promote meaningful, effective, and equal access for LEP persons for our programs and services, which includes written and oral language assistance, the City will have to assess and prioritize judiciously which City documents should receive written translations for LEP persons to conserve our limited resources. The impact of the economic recession has caused a fiscal crisis in our City, similar to what many cities are experiencing in California and nationwide. Current and impending employee layoffs, employee furloughs, and a current hiring freeze caused by the City’s acute budget deficit all pose a major challenge for the City in meeting our language goals. In addition, our City’s subrecipients are also experiencing critical budget deficits and staff layoffs primarily due to significant losses of revenues from the City’s general funds and other funders. Although subrecipients continue to make efforts to assist LEP persons, they will also be hard pressed to develop new written translated documents to meet language assistance needs. Although the four-factor analysis identifies Spanish and possibly A/PI, Indo European, and others as the primary language LEP groups, it does not automatically follow that all vital documents need to be translated in both languages according to HUD's safe harbor provisions. After identifying the eligible populations to receive LAP services, the four- factor analysis must then assess the organizational capacity and resources to meet actual needs. 4 Translations LLC, 111 Embarcadero West, Oakland, CA