Victory in Language Access to New York City Services

This is an edited version of a report form CAAAV

posted 8/7/08

On July 22, 2008, Mayor Bloomberg signed Executive Order No. 120- Citywide Policy on Language Access to Ensure the Effective Delivery of City Services- a major victory for all New Yorkers to access City agencies, regardless of their language.

After four years of work, a coalition of groups (see below) won language access services and adequate outreach in immigrant communities at the City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). During that time, Groups like CAAAV’s Community Justice Project and Chinatown Tenants Union have organized rallies, organized petition drives, published two reports, and lobbied city officials. They have pointed out repeatedly that City agencies can hold slumlords accountable, yet these same agencies don't do anything to protect the rights of immigrant tenants.

Under the provisions of the Order, the first of its kind nationally, all city government agencies will:
* Translate essential public documents and forms into the top six languages spoken in New York City (Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Italian and French Creole. presently);
* Provide interpretation services in at least the top six languages spoken in New York City;
* Post visible signs about the rights to interpretation and translation in all agency offices;
* Designate a language access coordinator and develop plans for complying with this Executive Order in the coming months; and
* Convey information in their materials using plain, non-technical language.

And importantly, implementation and compliance oversight is placed under the Mayor's Office of Operations. Progress-or lack thereof-in implementing the Executive Order will be reflected in the annual Mayor's Management Report, which serves as a public report card on city agencies.

Member Organizations of Communities for Housing Equity Coaliton:
Asian Americans for Equality, Chinatown Tenants Union of CAAAV, El Centro del Inmigrantes, Make the Road NY, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, New York Immigration Coalition, University Settlement, and the Urban Justice Center.

More information is available form CAAAV.