>>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
THE MARCH 16th.
2021 MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MEETING
WILL BE IN ORDER.
2:02 P.M.
I'M TAMMY MORALES.
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
WILL THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL?
[ ROLL CALLED ]
>> FOUR IN ATTENDANCE.
>> IF THERE IS NO OK TODAY'S
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION THE AGENDA
IS ADOPTED.
WE WILL OPEN THE REMOTE GENERAL
PUBLIC COMMENTS PERIOD.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE
DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP.
IS THAT STILL THE CASE?
NO PUBLIC COMMENTS REGISTRANT.
>> WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC
COMMENTS AND MOVE ON.
WILL THE CLERK MOVE TO ITEM
ONE.
>> EQUITABLE RECOVER OVERVIEW
AND BRIEFING AND DISCUSSIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE WILL BE HEARING FROM THE
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I INVITED MS. BANKS TO SHARE
THE PROGRAM FOR OED.
THERE IS LOTS OF WORK TO BE
DONE TO ENSURE ECONOMIC
RECOVERY AS WE MOVE OUT OF THE
PANDEMIC.
WE WILL BE HEARING ABOUT SOME
OF THOSE PLANS.
WE WILL ALSO BE HEARING FROM A
PANEL OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I WANTED THE COMMITTEE TO HAVE
A CHANCE HEAR FROM FOLKS ON THE
GROUND THAT ARE SUPPORTING OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES AND
BUSINESS DISTRICTS.
THAT ARE SUPPORTING WORKERS.
AND FROM A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
DIRECTLY.
SO AFTER THE PRESENTATION FROM
OE D WE WILL HEAR FROM THEM.
BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO OED.
IT IS CLEAR WE WILL BE WORKING
ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY FOR SOME
TIME.
WE KNOW THAT OUR BUSINESS
COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DEVASTATED.
PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE THE
RESTAURANTS AND BARS AND MUSIC
VENUE AND TOURISM INDUSTRY AND
THE RETAIL SPACE, AS THEY
STRUGGLED THROUGH LAST YEAR WE
KNOW THE WORKERS HAVE BEEN IN
HARM'S WAY AS THEY NAVIGATE
MASK RULES AND DEAL WITH
CUSTOMERS THAT MAY BE RESISTANT
OR LAX IN MAINTAINING THE
SOCIAL DISTANCING.
SO IT IS CHALLENGING.
I AM HOPING TO HEAR HOW THE
WORK PROGRAM FOR 2021 WILL
CHANGE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE
CHALLENGES.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE
CONVERSATION TODAY.
SO WITH THAT I WILL HAND IT
OVER TO INTERIM DIRECTOR BANKS
AND WE WILL GET STARTED.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER FOR
INVITING ME HERE TO TALK TO YOU
BE IN THE COMMUNITY.
OUR VISION FOR EQUITABLE
RECOVERY AFTER COVID-19.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
>> AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS
HAD SUBSTANTIAL IMPACTS
REVEALED AFTER COVID AFTER A
LITTLE OVER A YEAR.
OUR VIG ON RECOVERY IS TO
ENSURE THAT IT IS EQUITABLE.
AND THAT WE BRING SEATTLE BACK
AS A VIBRANT INNOVATIVE AND
DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE ECONOMY
THAT ENSURES ALL OF SEATTLEITES
CAN THRIVE IN THE FUTURE.
WE DON'T WANT TO BRING SEATTLE
BACK THE SAME AS IT WAS BECAUSE
WE WEREN'T AS EQUITABLE AS WE
KNOW WE CAN BE AND OUR RECOVERY
EFFORT AIMS TO BUILD A THRIVING
CITY AS WE IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES
AND MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES.
SO WE HAVE DIVIDED IT UP UNTWO
BUCKETS.
THIS RECOVERY EFFORT FOR THE
NEXT FOUR TO SIX MONTHS IS
FOCUSED ON THE EQUITABLE
REOPENING AND RECOVERY AND
REVITALIZATION DOWNTOWN.
WE KNOW THAT THIS WILL HAVE
WHAT I CALL A RIPPLE EFFECT.
NOT A TRIPLE DOWN BUT A RIPPLE
EFFECT AS WE FOCUS ON STRATEGIC
NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUSINESS
DISTRICTS AS WELL.
THESE TWO BUCKETS INCLUDE
ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE RECOVERY TIME FRAMES, WE
KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO THINK
ABOUT THE RECOVERY TIME FRAMES
IN THREE BROAD AREAS.
IMMEDIATE STRATEGIES TO DO NOW
PRIOR TO WIDESPREAD VACCINATION
TO RESTORE INTEREST IN
NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE BUSINESS
COMMUNITIES.
OUR NEW TEAM STRATEGIES IS WHAT
WE WILL ROLL OUT IN THE
WIDESPREAD COORDINATION AND
RETURN TO THE NEW NORMAL AND
LIKE YOU SAID EARLIER
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, THE LONG
TERM STRATEGIES THIS IS A
MULTIYEAR STRATEGY AS WE
ADDRESS THE LASTING IMPACTS OF
COVID ON THE COMMUNITY AND THE
CHANGING NATURE OF THE OFFICE
WORK IN THE CITY.
EVERYTHING WE TALK ABOUT TODAY
IS DEPENDENT ON VACCINATION.
WE CAN DO CERTAIN THINGS UNLESS
WE ARE VACCINATED AND UNLESS
THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND THE
REGION GETS TO A CERTAIN LEVEL
OF OPENNESS.
UNDER POTENTIAL STREAMS WE HAVE
ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE
AND THEN WE HAVE LOOKING AT
REALLOCATES CITY RESOURCES TO
MEET THE NEED FEDERAL STIMULUS
MONEY AND PARTNERSHIPS IN
PHILANTHROPY AND INVESTMENTS
FROM THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
FUND SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON
BLACK AND INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE
OF COLOR.
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT
PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND
IT WILL FUND TO EQUITABLE
RECOVERY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
>> IF I COULD STOP JUST FOR A
MOMENT.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AND DEPUTY
MAYOR WASHINGTON HAVE JOINED
US.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR FIRST BUCKET IS THAT THESE
THE CITY AND OUR PARTNERS ARE
INVESTING IN OUR CITY AND
ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
OF REVENUE FOR BRINGING SMALL
BUSINESS BACK.
THIS IS ENSURING THAT OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE IN SEATTLE PROMISE, WHEN
THEY GRADUATE AND GO TO SEATTLE
CENTRAL WILL GO TO COLLEGE AND
THEY ARE GOING TO FIELDS TO
WHERE THEY COME OUT, THEY WILL
HAVE -- THEY ARE GOING TO
FIELDS WHERE THERE ARE JOBS AND
HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE JOBS
AND CREATING INTERN SHIPS IN
THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR THEM AS
WELL AS COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
THAT WE WILL SEE NEAR THE ONE
HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FUND.
>> NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
>> UNDER THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY,
THESE RECOVERY EFFORTS HAVE TO
BE TOGETHER TO BRING
BUSINESSES, PHILANTHROPY AND
NONPROFITS FOR THE ECONOMIC
ENGINE WHICH IS THE HEART BEAT
NEAR THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
BY DOING THIS AND ESPECIALLY
THE WORK IS SUPPORTING
BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRY AND
ALSO MEETING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
AND THEIR NEEDS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT
THIS SHOWS WE ARE INNER
CONNECTED AND RELATED AND INNER
CONNECTED.
WE CAN DO THIS WORK IN SILOS.
IT HAS TO BE TOGETHER AND HAS
TO BE A MASTER MIND TO GET THIS
DONE.
WE WANT TO FOSTER INNOVATION
AND THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES AND
CULTURE AND RETAIL BECAUSE WE
KNOW WHAT COVID HAS EXPOSED IS
THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A
DIFFERENT WAY THAT PEOPLE WORK.
FOR INSTANCE, WE ARE GOING TO
SEE PROBABLY A LARGE NUMBER OF
VACANT OFFICE SPACE DOWNTOWN.
AND IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THAT,
WE ARE DEPUTY MAYOR WASHINGTON
IS CONVENING TWO SUBCABINETS.
ONE ON COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND
ONE ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
EXTERNALLY WE ARE PUTTING
TOGETHER A WORKING GROUP OF
REPRESENTATIVES FROM BUSINESS,
CULTURE AND SERVICE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT REFLECT THE
DIVERSE INTEREST IN DOWNTOWN
AND TO HELP IMPLEMENT THE
THOSE NEEDS SO WE HAVE EXTERNAL
AND INTERNAL WORKING GROUPS.
NEXT SLIDE.
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM
OF PHONE CALLING AND A LOT OF T
MEETINGS AND A LOT OF WALKING
AND GOING TO BUSINESSES
DOWNTOWN.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE
CONCERN ESPECIALLY FOR
DOWNTOWN.
THERE IS A LARGE CONCERN ABOUT
RENT DEBT.
THAT'S FOR NOT JUST PERSONAL,
NOT JUST FOR PEOPLE BUT FOR
BUSINESS OWNERS.
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
AND WE KNOW THAT THERE IS GOING
TO BE IN EXCESS OF EMPTY OFFICE
AND COMMERCIAL SPACE.
I KNOW ABOUT A MONTH AGO
NORDSTROMS ANNOUNCED THEY WERE
LEAVING 280,000 OFFICE SPACE OF
DOWNTOWN.
COVID HAS SPREAD THE WAY PEOPLE
BUY AND HAS SHOWN THAT BUYING
ONLINE AND THAT HAS REALLY
IMPACTED THE RETAIL SPACE
ESPECIALLY DOWN AND WE HAVE
SEEN A GREATER DIGITAL DIVIDE
WITH YOUNG PEOPLE ESPECIALLY
AROUND SCHOOLS.
THERE HAVE BEEN CHILDREN THAT
DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET
AND THERE WAS A GREATER DIGITAL
DIVIDE DURING THIS TIME.
WE WERE HEARING ABOUT
VACCINATIONS, IS THERE GOING TO
BE ENOUGH, NOT ENOUGH?
IF THERE ARE, THERE'S ANY
CHANCE IT WILL HAVE A
RECURRENCE.
YESTERDAY THEY SHUT DOWN ITALY
AGAIN.
THE COUNTRY OF ITALY, IT IS
CONCERNING TO FOLKS TO SAY IF
WE GET TOO RELAXED OR GET
VACCINATED, IS THERE A
POSSIBILITY OF A RECURRENCE.
COMMERCIAL LIABILITY IS HUGE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE
PROVIDING IN OED TO HELP WITH
LEGAL SERVICES AROUND
COMMERCIAL RENTS AND FAMILY
TENT ENCAMPMENTS AND HOW THAT
IS IMPACTING DOWNTOWN AND THE
NEIGHBORING BUSINESS DISTRICTS
AND NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO FOCUSING ON THE DOWNTOWN
REVITALIZATION EFFORT, AGAIN, I
SAID WE HAVE RECONVENED GROUPS
OF PARTNERS THAT MEET BI-WEEKLY
WITH THE GOAL OF BRINGING DO
DOWNTOWN BACK TO LIFE AND
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ HAS MET
AND A RELIAISON WITH THE GROUP.
THEY WILL IMPROVE PUBLIC
SAFETY.
WE WANT TO CREATE A ROOM FOR
INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY IN
ARTS AND CULTURE AND RETAIL.
THAT IS REALLY THE LIVELIHOOD
OF DOWNTOWN IF YOU THINK ABOUT
IT.
ALSO WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT KEY
INFRASTRUCTURE STRUCTURES MOVE
FORWARD COMPLETING THE WATER
FRONT ALL THE WAY TO COMPLETING
THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THEY
ARE KEY PROJECTS IN KEEPING
PEOPLE AND SPECIAL PEOPLE OF
COLOR WORKING AND ALSO TO THE
SUCCESS OF THE REOPENING AND
REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN.
AND NOT LAST -- LAST BUT NOT
LEAST BRINGING WORKERS AND
PATRONS BACK DOWNTOWN SAFELY.
WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE METRO
SYSTEM BECAUSE IF WE DIDN'T
REOPEN WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT PEOPLE CAN GET DOWN THERE
OR WHEN WE GET IT OPENED WE
HAVE TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN
GET DOWN THERE SAFELY.
ONE STATISTIC THAT WE HAVE IS
PRIOR TO COVID THERE WERE
350,000 OFFICE WORKER PRECOVID
AND CURRENTLY 15% OF THAT
NUMBER IS WORKING DOWNTOWN.
AND OUR WORKING GROUP WOULD
LIKE TO GET IT UP TO 30%.
A LITTLE OVER 30,000 PEOPLE.
THAT WOULD BE THE BEGINNING OF
A SUCCESSFUL REOPENING.
SO WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO
DO ON THAT END.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
WE HAVE NOT JUST FOCUSED ON
DOWNTOWN AS THE DOWNTOWN CORE
IN WHICH PEOPLE THINK.
WE HAVE A STRATEGY AROUND
CREATING DOWNTOWN AS THE
BOUNDARY CENTER FROM SOUTH LAKE
UNION TO THE STADIUMS WHICH
INCLUDE CHINATOWN AND PINIER
SQUARE FROM THE WATERFRONT TO
THE CONVENTION CENTER.
THE GUIDE FOR THIS GROUP IS TO
ENSURE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO
EFFECTIVELY RECOVER CITYWIDE
AND IN A LARGE PART IS THE
ABILITY TO REVITALIZE OUR
CULTURAL ACTIVITY DOWNTOWN.
THE TASK AND LIKE I SAID WE
JUST HAD OUR THIRD MEETING BUT
WE WOULD LIKE TO DO ACTIVATION
DONE IN EVERY ONE OF THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS.
SOME TIME, SUMMER TO FALL, WE
DEFINITELY WANT TO IMPROVE
PUBLIC SAFETY AND WE DEFINITELY
WANT TO ADDRESS THE EMPTY
COMMERCIAL OFFICE AND RETAIL
SPACE.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE
STRATEGIES, LIKE I SAID, THE
EXTERNAL WORKING GROUP JUST HAD
THE THIRD MEETING TODAY AND
THIS WILL GET MORE FLUSHED OUT.
WE PRETTY MUCH AGREED ON THESE
ARE THE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THE
DOWNTOWN CORE AND THE STRATEGY
THEY WANT TO USE FOR THE
REOPENING AND REVITALIZATION
PROCESS WITH AN EQUITY IN MIND.
DON'T WANT TO FORGET THAT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
IN ADDITION TO THE WORK
DOWNTOWN WE WILL LOOK AT
NEIGHBORHOOD STRATEGIES, WE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND NEEDS OF THE
BUSINESS DISTRICT AND WE WILL
PUT TOGETHER SOME SMALL WORKING
GROUPS TO DO THAT IN THE
NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE WILL HAVE
THE BUSINESS ADVISORY GROUP AND
THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND LOOK AT
BI ANEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY
GROUP.
THAT'S NOT AN EXCLUSIVE GROUP
BUT THE CORE GROUP THAT WE WILL
PUT TOGETHER AS THE OED STAFF
AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD STAFF
WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH
OUTREACH WITH THESE GROUPS IN
ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS
THE NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC NEEDS
IN ORDER TO HELP REVITALIZATION
AND REOPEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
BUSINESS DISTRICT AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
I GOT ROOM FOR QUESTIONS.
THAT WAS A REALLY HIGH LEVEL
OVERVIEW AND I'M MORE THAN
WILLING TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
WE HAD A REALLY GOOD MEETING
TODAY AT THE EXTERNAL STAKE
HOLDER GROUP AND I THINK WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE DEFINITELY A
FRAME WORK BUILT IN THE NEXT
COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GIVE YOU
MORE DETAIL ON HOW THEY PLAN TO
MOVE FORWARD AND DEPUTY MAYOR
WASHINGTON IS ON THE PHONE AND
HAS CONVENED THE TWO COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE AND THE ECONOMIC
RECOVERY INTER DEPARTMENTAL
TEAMS THAT WILL ADDRESS THE
WORK FROM THE INSIDE.
>> THANK YOU.
I DO HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS.
I AM GOING TO START ON THE LAST
SLIDE BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I
DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE
ARE A FEW GUESTS LISTENING.
COUNCILMEMBER WATTAGE.
DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE WHO
GOT ON?
>> YES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO
DIRECTOR BANKS.
WE HAVE LISTENING BUT IN
PARTICULAR I WANT TO GIVE A
SHOUT OUT TO THE SNOQUALMIE
NATION.
CHAIRMAN ROBERT DE LOS ANGELES
IS WATCHING.
COUNCILMEMBER JOLEEN WILLIAMS
AND COUNCILMEMBER FALINTO.
PART OF KING COUNTY AND A MAJOR
EMPLOYER AND PROVIDE HEALTH
CARE AND PART OF THE TRAVEL
GOVERNMENT GROUP AND LIKE
SNOQUALMIE AND TILL UP ARE
INTERESTED IN THE RECOVERY OF
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE AND DO
BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF
SEATTLE THAT IS NAMED AFTER
THEIR PEOPLE SO THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER.
THERE ARE LOTS OF QUESTIONS.
I DO WANT TO START, IF I COULD,
BACK ON SLIDE THREE.
WONDER IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC
EXAMPLES OF WHAT AN IMMEDIATE
STRATEGY MIGHT BE.
WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR DISPLACED
WORKERS OR FOR RETAINING
EXISTING BUSINESSES.
OR ASSISTING NEW MICRO
BUSINESSES.
I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF WORK
TO BE DONE.
BIG PICTURE AND THINKING ABOUT
THIS RECOVERY.
I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO KNOW
WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE FOR
WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT.
INDUSTRIAL LANDS.
THE ONLY IN SEATTLE PROGRAM,
EXISTING PROGRAM IN OED RIGHT
NOW AND HOW THAT FITS INTO
THIS.
>> SO MARIE CROWERR AIS AT THE
TABLE AND WORKING WITH THE
SEATTLE JOB INITIATIVE.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS WORKING
WITH MARIE AROUND RETRAINING,
ESPECIALLY WORKERS THAT WERE IN
THE RESTAURANT HOTEL INDUSTRY.
SHE HAS GOTTEN MONEY AND AT THE
TABLE WITH US.
AS FAR AS SUPPORTING SMALL
BUSINESS AND OUR SMALL BUSINESS
RESTABILIZATION GRANT.
WE HAVE GIVEN OUT OVER 1400
SMALL BUSINESS REVITALIZATION
GRANTS FOR RESTAURANTS AND BARS
AND OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES AND
ANOTHER 2.5 MILLION IN THE
PROCESS OF GETTING READY TO
DISTRIBUTE THIS YEAR.
SUPPORTING ON THE MAYOR ON THE
EVICTION MORATORIUM ON EVICTION
SPACES AND WE HAVE DEVELOPED
RESOURCES TO HELP BUSINESSES TO
NEGOTIATE COMMERCIAL LEASES AND
HAVE SUPPORT FOR LEGAL
SERVICES.
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT RIGHT
NOW.
WE KNOW THAT COMMERCIAL RENT IS
GOING TO BE A HUGE ISSUE TO OUR
SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING IN
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO EIGHT
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES TO GO TO
FEDERAL RESOURCES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE AND CONTINUE TO BE
AVAILABLE.
WORKING WITH S DOT WE WILL
CONTINUE TO CONNECT BUSINESSES
TO EXPAND OPERATIONS LIKE
OUTSIDE DINING AND RETAIL AND
UNDER THE THOUGHT OF THIS LONG
TERM HAVING ALL OF THIS OFFICE
SPACE AND RETAIL SPACE, WE CAN
GET CREATIVE.
HAVING INCUBATOR SPACES IS THE
MACY'S BUILDING.
THAT IS THE FIRST ONE THAT
COMES TO MIND.
FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR TO HAVE
SPACE THAT CAN BE AN INCUBATOR
FOR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
BECAUSE WE HAVE LOST 40% OF
AFRICAN-AMERICAN BUSINESSES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND
PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
THAT.
DO MORE WORK SPACES AND SPACES
WITH ARTIST AND CULTURAL
SPACES.
ON THE WALKING TOUR WE WILL
LOOK AT TEMPORARY ART GALLERY
IN PACIFIC PLACE FOCUSED ON
ARTS OF COLOR AND SPECIFICALLY
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTISTS IN
HONOR OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S
MONTH.
WE HAD CREATED THE SHOP YOUR
BLOCK RETAIL MAP IN SUPPORT OF
ONLINE MARKETPLACES TO CONNECT
SHOPPERS AND SMALL RETAILERS IN
THE CITY.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND
COMING UP WITH THE HOLIDAYS AND
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SMALL
BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE FOR PPE LOANS AND I
THINK ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE
AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS THAT WE
DID WITH -- OED DID WITH THE
URBAN LEAGUE WAS THE SMALL
BUSINESS YOUTH WEB DESIGN
PROGRAM WHERE WE TOOK 16 YOUTHS
FROM GARFIELD WEB DEVELOPMENT
AND THEY WERE PAID AND GOT
MATCHED UP WITH AFRICAN-
AMERICAN BUSINESS AND THEY WERE
ABLE TO CREATE WEB SITE AND
REDESIGN WEBSITES OR NEW WEB
SITES AND IT KEPT THE 16
AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN BUSINESS
DURING COVID.
THE STORIES WERE AMAZING AND
THE BUSINESS OWNERS GOT ONLINE
AND TALKED TO US AND CRIED AND
SAID THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO STAY IN BUSINESS HAD
THEY NOT HAD THE WEB SUPPORT
FROM THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
WE WILL SERVE AN ADDITIONAL 60
BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES THIS
YEAR THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO DO
AND THEN WE CAN DO WITHOUT
HAVING WIDESPREAD VACCINATION.
>> IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS,
PLEASE USE THE RAISE YOUR HAND
FUNCTION.
I DON'T SEE ANY SO I WILL ASK
ANOTHER QUESTION.
FIRST I WANT TO SAY THEY ARE
CURRENT STRATEGIES AND
INTERESTED TO HEAR HOW IF IT IS
NECESSARY TO ADDRESS SOME LIKE
CLIP THAT IS COMING BACK RENT
AND ASSISTANCE SMALL BUSINESSES
TO SCALE UP.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> IF THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU
ARE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT AND
I UNDERSTAND.
>> I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
YOU WENT OFF.
I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES FROZE
TO MY SCREEN.
>> FROZEN ON OUR SCREEN.
>> SHE IS FROZEN ON ALL OF OUR
SCREENS.
>> LET'S GIVE HER A SECOND AND
SEE IF SHE CAN GET BACK ON.
SHE IS HAVING ISSUES.
>> IS SHE BACK?
>> WE THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN
MORALES.
THEY ARE ALL LISTENING.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU FOR DURING THAT
COUPLE MEMBER JUAREZ.
THAT IS A GREAT IDEA AND I
APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP AND
REACHING OUT.
>> MY PHONE IS BLOWING UP AND
OTHERS ARE SAYING WHY DIDN'T
YOU SAY OUR NAME?
I'M ONLY DOING TRIBAL
LEADERSHIP.
NOT MY COUSIN.
NOT MY SISTER-IN-LAW.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD
AS FAR AS WORK PLANS FOR OED
MOVING FORWARD AROUND COVID?
I WANT TO RESERVE THAT.
WE CAN TAKE OTHER QUESTIONS.
I DO HAVE A RESPONSE TO THE
MOST RECENT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> INTERNET IS REALLY SHAKY
TODAY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES SAYS
THEY ARE REMODELING HER HOUSE
AND SHE MOVED CLOSER TO THE
INTERNET AND IT WAS ECHOING
BECAUSE THEY TOOK FURNITURE ON.
>> IS COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS ON?
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> HELLO.
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU IT LOOKS
LIKE HE HUNG UP.
>> I MIGHT HAVE TO STEP UP.
I AM NOT THE VICE CHAIR.
>> CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME?
HELLO.
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> THANK YOU.
SORRY.
I GUESS FOR SOME REASON I WAS
MUTED.
ARE WE NOT HAVING CHAIRMAN
MORALES BACK SOON?
IS SHE IN COMMUNICATION WITH I.
T. IS SHE WORKING TO GET BACK
ON?
>> WE DON'T KNOW HER SITUATION.
WE KNOW SHE DROPPED OFF.
>> OKAY.
I THINK AT THIS POINT UNLESS
THERE IS OTHER QUESTIONS FOR
OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS FOR
INTERIM DIRECTOR BANKS WE CAN
ASK QUESTIONS IN THE CHAIR'S
ABSENCE AND CAN RESUME HER LINE
OF QUESTIONING WHEN SHE COMES
BACK.
>> THIS IS COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSON.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR DIRECTOR
BANKS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSON YOU
YOU RECOGNIZED.
>> A LOT OF US ARE ON THE PHONE
AND WE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH
TH MANY BUSINESS DISTRICTS WE
HAVE.
DOWNTOWN THOUGH HAS SUCH A
LARGE PROPORTION OF JOBS AND
SUPPORTS A TAX BASE IN A STRONG
WAY AND SO IT DOES HAVE A MAJOR
IMPACT ON THE REST OF THE CITY
WHEN DOWNTOWN NEEDS TO BE
REVITALIZED RECOVER QUICKLY TO
PROVIDE THAT TAX BASE AND
PROVIDE THE PROGRAMS THAT WE
WANT TO PROVIDE TO THOSE MOST
VULNERABLE IN THE CITY.
I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING THE
ECONOMIC ENGINE RESTARTING.
ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS THAT
BUSINESSES WILL NOT NECESSARILY
RESIGN THE COMMERCIAL LEASES IN
DOWNTOWN OFFICE SPACE BECAUSE
THE COVID PANDEMIC HAVE ENABLED
BUSINESSES TO HAVE EMPLOYEES
WORK REMOTELY.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THEM
RELOCATING TO LOWER RENT AREAS
IN PUGET SOUND AND REMOVING
THEM FROM THE TAX BASE AND WE
NEED THAT TAX BASE TO SUPPORT
THE PROGRAMS THAT SERVE THE
MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER TODAY
BUT I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING
THE DATA ON WHETHER BUSINESSES
ARE RESIGNING COMMERCIAL LEASES
DOWNTOWN.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSON.
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION AND
THAT CAME OUT IN THE EXTERNAL
STAKE HOLDER MEETING AND RACHEL
SMITH FROM THE CHAMBER HAVE
BEEN IN DISCUSSING AND THEY
WILL HAVE DATA IN ABOUT THREE
WEEK TO ADDRESS THAT AND GIVE
US MORE INFORMATION AROUND
THAT.
>> THANK YOU DIRECTOR BANKS.
WHAT WE SEE FROM THEM I WOULD
SUPPORT US INDEPENDENTLY
GETTING THE INFORMATION AS WELL
WHETHER WE HIRE A SURVEY FIRM
METHODICALLY FROM EMPLOYERS
THAT EMPLOY THE MOST PEOPLE AND
HAPPY TO SUPPORT THAT UPCOMING
BUDGET DISCUSSION.
IT WOULD BE A GOOD INVESTMENT
TO HIRE A SURVEY FIRM TO ASK
THE BUSINESSES ARE YOU GOING TO
RENEW YOUR LEASE, IF SO, WHY,
IF NOT WHY NOT AND WHAT DO WE
NEED TO LEAN INTO THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO RETAIN
THOSE BUSINESSES AND ATTRACT
NEW ONES.
>> I'M SORRY TO HAVE THE CITY
AND COUNTY DO THAT AS WELL
BECAUSE WE ARE MAJOR EMPLOYERS
TOO.
WHEN WE COME BACK, ARE WE
COMING BACK 30 OR 40 OR 50%.
A LEAD BY EXAMPLE IS A COOL
IDEA AROUND THAT IDEA AS WELL
BECAUSE WE ARE A MAJOR EMPLOYER
AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> THIS IS COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF MY TERRIBLE
INTERNET CONNECTION.
SO INTERIM DIRECTOR BANKS I DO
HAVE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.
I KNOW YOU ARE TRYING TO GO BUT
I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO
SLIDE FOUR.
I WAS TRYING TO DO THAT BEFORE.
I WILL HAVE TO STAY ON THE
PHONE TO DO THE REST OF THE
MEETING TO BE SAFE.
SO YOU IDENTIFIED DIFFERENT
REVENUE SOURCES.
THE JUMP START SPENDING PLAN
FOR YOUTH OF THE PAYROLL
REVENUES IN 2022 AND BEYOND
DOES INCLUDE RESOURCES
SPECIFICALLY FOR ECONOMIC
REVITALIZATION.
BUT THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO
THAT AS A POTENTIAL SOURCE.
TO SUPPORT THAT HERE.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ARE
SUPPORTING SOMEWHERE ELSE?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
THIS IS MAYOR WASHINGTON.
WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT
PROGRESSES THE BUDGET OFFICE
AND WHEN THAT INFORMATION IS
AVAILABLE IT WILL BE ADDED TO
FUTURE PRESENTATIONS BUT NOT
THERE AT THIS TIME.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU DEPUTY MAYOR.
COLLEAGUES IF YOU HAVE A
QUESTION, PLEASE, LET'S DO LIKE
KING COUNTY COUNCIL SAY YOUR
LAST NAME AND I WILL BE HAPPY
TO RECOGNIZE YOU SINCE I CAN'T
SEE RIGHT NOW.
OKAY.
SO I WILL MOVE ON THEN TO THE
NEXT SLIDE.
THERE WAS A REPORT ON THE
RACIAL GAP THAT IS INCREASING
IN THE CITY.
AND ONE OF THE TAKE AWAYS FOR
ME IS THAT THE SYSTEMIC
POLICIES THAT ARE NOT FOCUSING
ON PEOPLE IS SORT OF WHAT IS
LEADING TO THE NEEDS TO REPAIR
THE HARM.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME POLICY
EXAMPLES OF INTENTIONAL
COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS AND
STRATEGIES THAT WOULD HAVE THE
ADULT IN ACHIEVING THAT KIND OF
INCLUSIVE RESILIENT ECONOMY.
>> I WILL TAKE THIS ONE AGAIN
DIRECTOR BANKS AND YOU CAN JUMP
IN IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE
COMMUNITY RESILIENCE PART BACK
INTO THE CONVERSATION.
AS A REMINDER WE DID NOT FORGET
IT BUT FOCUSING ON DOWNTOWN
RECOVERY BUT AS DIRECTOR BANKS
SAID THERE IS ECONOMIC RECOVERY
AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND
REBELIEVE IT TAKES BOTH OF
THOSE TO RECOVER ECONOMICALLY.
SOME EXAMPLES THAT WE COULD DO
THAT WE ARE DOING IS WORKING
WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO
ENSURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE
EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE AND HAVE
ACCESS TO LAPTOPS AND THAT THEY
ARE CONNECTED.
SEATTLEPUBLIC SCHOOLS TRACK
HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ACTUALLY
LOG ON.
IF THERE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE NOT
LOGGING ON PARTNERING WITH THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THOSE
YOUNG PEOPLE.
THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE OF THE NEAR
TERM.
IMMEDIATE STRATEGIES THAT DON'T
REMEMBER WIDESPREAD
VACCINATION.
ANOTHER IS FOOD VOUCHERS THAT
WE ARE PROVIDEING TO FAMILIES
THROUGH HSD.
I WANT TO BACK UP AND SAY THE
REASON WE DON'T HAVE SOLUTIONS
READY AND UP FOR DOWNTOWN
RECOVERY SO WE ENSURE THE SO
SOLUTIONS COME FROM THAT WORK.
OFTEN TIME WE SHOW UP AND WE
HAVE THE ANSWERS AND THE WORK
GROUP WANTS TO KNOW WHY THERE
IS A WORK GROUP IF WE SOLVED
EVERYTHING, WHY DO WE NEED
THEM?
THERE WILL BE A POINT IN THE
NEAR FUTURE THAT THERE WILL BE
TANGIBLE EXAMPLESOF ACTION
THAT WE WILL TAKE TO REVITALIZE
DOWNTOWN.
I WANTED TO SAY THAT.
IN ADDITION WE ARE WORKING WITH
THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY
COUNCIL AS LONG AS THE LOCAL
BIAS TO LOOK AT DATA AND SAY
HOW ARE NEIGHBORHOODS IMPACTED
AND WHAT ARE THE COMMUNITY AND
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE IMPACTED
THE HARDEST AND THAT WILL BE
LOOKING AT RACE ETHNICITY TO
JUST -- BECAUSE ALL THINGS
AREN'T EQUAL AND ONCE THOSE --
I HAVE SAID TO THEM, I THINK IT
IS WISE TO CHOOSE FIVE
NEIGHBORHOODS THIS YEAR.
WE CAN DO ANOTHER FIVE NEXT
YEAR.
ONCE WE RECOGNIZE THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'M SURE CAPITOL HILL WILL BE
ON THAT LIST.
THE LOCAL BIAS AND MEMBERS FROM
THAT COMMUNITY WILL WORK
TOGETHER ON A SET OF
RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO
REVITALIZE THAT MOBILE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
I BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
YOU ARE TRYING TO GET AT THE
EQUITABLE PART AND RECOVERY AND
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE TWO
EXAMPLES OF HOW THE WORK THAT
DIRECTOR BANKS IS ADDRESSING IS
ADDRESSING RACE.
I WILL GIVE ONE MORE.
THE STRATEGIC LAND ACQUISITION
WORK THAT OCPD, OFFICE OF CIVIL
RIGHTS, I THINK OED IS ON THAT
GROUP WORKING WITH THE
COMMUNITY GROUP AROUND
STRATEGIC LAND ACQUISITION.
AS YOU KNOW THE MAYOR'S
EQUITABLE TASK FORCE IS WORKING
ON 30 MILLION.
WE ALSO INCLUDED PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING IN THE COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE BUCKET SO THE WHOLE
100 MILLION IS IN THAT BUCKET
BECAUSE THE INTENTION OF ALL OF
THAT MONEY ON BOTH THE
EXECUTIVE SIDE AND COUNCIL SIDE
WAS TO ADDRESS RACIAL INEQUITY.
THOSE ARE SOME EXAMPLES.
I CAN GIVE MORE AND ANSWER
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT.
I AM DEFINITELY INTERESTED TO
KNOW MORE ABOUT THE
PARTICIPATORY BUDGET ALMOST
THERE AND WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON
THAT.
IT DOES RAISE A COUPLE OF OTHER
QUESTIONS FOR ME ABOUT THE LIST
OF ISSUES.
IT IS LIKE SEVEN LIST OF ISSUES
AND I AM CURIOUS IF THE LIST IS
THE SAME OR DOWNTOWN AND
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES AND IF
THERE IS SOME SORT OF
NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN THE
CONCERNS OR WHAT THEY ARE
ADVOCATING FOR, AND HOW YOU GOT
THAT INFORMATION, IF IT WAS A
SURVEY OR HOW THAT LIST WAS
GENERATED.
THAT IS ONE QUESTION.
ANOTHER QUESTION IS ABOUT THE
WORK GROUP ITSELF.
YOU'VE MENTIONED BIAS AND
DIFFERENT BUSINESS DISTRICTS,
IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT WHO WAS
INVITED TO PARTICIPATE AND ARE
THE MEETINGS OPENED TO THE
PUBLIC.
WHAT KIND OF STRATEGIES THAT
YOU CONSIDER THERE FOR DOWNTOWN
VERSUS NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICTS.
SO THOSE ARE TWO GENERAL
QUESTIONS I HAVE.
>> I WILL ANSWER THE FIRST
QUESTION AND THEN I WILL LET
DIRECTOR BANKS ANSWER HOW SHE
GOT THE INFORMATION ON THE
SLIDE.
THIS IS DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION
FOCUS.
WE KIND OF -- WHAT
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSON WAS
RECOMMENDING.
WE NEED TO HEAR FROM LOCAL --
WE NEED TO ASK THE FOLKS
WHETHER IT IS DOWNTOWN OR
CAPITOL HILL OR COLUMBIA CITY
OR RAINER BEACH WHAT THEY FEEL
ARE THE BARRIERS TO REVITALIZE
THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
WE ARE DOING THAT THROUGH THE
BIA AND SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY
COUNCIL IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND
DOING IT DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
THROUGH THE EXTERNAL WORKING
GROUP AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE AN
IDEA OF DOING A SURVEY TO GET
MORE PEOPLE -- PEOPLE ARE MORE
WILLING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF
IT IS ANONYMOUS SURVEY THAN
BEING ASKED BY FOLKS.
SO THAT IS -- THE DISTINCTION
BEFORE I PASS IT OVER TO
DIRECTOR BANKS IS DOWNTOWN
REVITALIZATION IS BEING WORKED
ON BY A GROUP WHO WORK DOWNTOWN
AND EMPLOY FOLKS DOUBT OR
PROVIDE SERVICES DOWNTOWN.
THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE IN
TERMS OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE
COMMUNITY IS BEING WORKED ON IN
A VARIETY OF WAYS AND ONE
THROUGH THE BIAS AND THE MAYOR
EQUITABLE TASK FORCE AND THE
OTHER WAY THROUGH THE
PARTICIPATORY PROCESS AND
ANOTHER WAY IS THROUGH THE 12
MILLION THAT HID PUT OUT IN
REIMAGINING COMMUNITY SAFETY.
SO WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN
ALL NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS
SEATTLE IS MULTIPLE STREAMS OF
COMMUNITY WHETHER IT IS THE
BLACK VARIANCE PROJECT,
COMMUNITY SAFETY.
WE ARE ASKING COMMUNITIES WHAT
DO YOU NEED AND THEN FOCUSING
THOSE DOLLARS TO INVEST IN WHAT
THE COMMUNITY SAYS THAT THEY
NEED AND SO DIRECTOR BANK, IF
YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHO TOLD
YOU THESE THINGS ON THE SLIDE
AND HOW YOU GATHERED THAT
INFORMATION.
>> CORRECT.
SO FIRST OFF, I PERSONALLY
PROBABLY HAVE TALKED TO, I AM
GOING TO SAY BETWEEN 75 AND ONE
HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT LIVE OR
WORK OR PLAY DOWNTOWN.
MICHAEL WELLS, SMALL BUSINESS
ADVOCATE, HE SPOKE TO OVER 300
DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND THEN JOHN
SCHOOLS TALKED TO SEVERAL
PEOPLE.
THIS IS STAKEHOLDERS ADMITTEDLY
ANECDOTAL THIS WAS THE THEME
THAT CAME OUT OF THE
CONVERSATIONS WE HAD.
I WOULD LIKE TO DO A SURVEY
THAT COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSON
SUGGESTED AS WELL AND WITH WHAT
DEPUTY MAYOR WASHINGTON JUST
SAID.
TODAY IN OUR EXTERNAL STAKE
HOLDER GROUP WE HAD, YOU KNOW,
A PRESENTATION FROM THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND
HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE THOSE ARE
TWO OF THE BIG ISSUES THAT
DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDERS ARE
SAYING WE MUST ADDRESS BEFORE
WE CAN START TALKING ABOUT
BRINGING WORKERS BACK AND
ACTIVATION AND SUCH.
THE WORKING GROUP COMPRISES THE
REPRESENTATIVES OF BUSINESS,
CULTURAL COMMUNITY AND SERVICE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT REFLECT THE
DIVERSE INTEREST OF DOWNTOWN.
WE HAVE -- REACHED OUT
INTENTIONALLY TO THE GROUPS AS
FAR AS TRYING TO COVER ANY
GROUP THAT IS DOWN THERE.
YOU KNOW DOWNTOWN HAS RESIDENCE
ASSOCIATION.
WE HAVE LABOR UNIONS.
WE HAVE LARGE BUSINESS.
WE HAVE SMALL BUSINESS.
WE HAVE RETAIL COVERED.
AND IT WAS JUST REALLY DIVERSE
GROUP THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AND
ACTUALLY LITERALLY AT HOME
SPEAKING ABOUT WHO WOULD BE
GOOD TO BRING TOGETHER AND YOU
KNOW VETTED THE GROUP AROUND.
SO IT WASN'T LIKE PICKING OR
CHOOSING.
IT WAS JUST TRYING TO FIND THE
MOST DIVERSE FOLKS THAT WE CAN
AND HAVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD
REPRESENTATIVES WAS CRUCIAL.
WE HAD THE PDA ON THERE AND THE
PINIER SQUARE ALLIANCE AND
HAVING REPRESENTATIVES FROM
EACH OF THE SEVEN NEIGHBORHOODS
AS WELL AS BUSINESS
ORGANIZATIONS AND NONPROFITS
AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND
LABOR THAT ALL CONVERSED DOWN
THERE BUT THAT IS HOW THE GROUP
WAS CHOSEN.
>> SO I'LL STOP ONE MORE TIME,
COLLEAGUES.
THERE'S ANYMORE QUESTIONS?
OKAY.
I GUESS I WANT TO GO TO SLIDE
TEN THEN AND IT SORT OF RELATES
BACK TO WHAT BOTH OF YOU WERE
TALKING ABOUT WHICH IS THIS
LIST IS A LIST OF PEOPLE TO
TALK TO BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT
DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING
CLOSELY ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST
YEAR AS THEY TALK TO FOLKS
ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESS
UTILIZIZATION FUND.
IT SEEMS THERE ARE STRATEGIES
AND CONCERNS IDENTIFIED ALREADY
IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
IS THAT NOT THE CASE?
>> I WOULD SAY NOT COHESIVELY,
YES.
>> SORRY.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> THIS IS THE ECONOMIC -- WHAT
I HAVE LEARNED FROM TODAY WE
HAVE TO EXPLAIN HOW THE TWO FIT
TOGETHER.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> YES.
THERE IS RICH INFORMATION FROM
COMMUNITIES ON WHAT THEY NEED.
BUT WHAT HAS BEEN MISSING IN
ALL OF THE DATA THAT I BELIEVE
OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN SEATTLE IS
WHAT DO THE SMALL BUSINESSES
NEED AND THE BUSINESS OWNERS IN
ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THEIR
COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO THRIVING
ECONOMICALLY.
I FEEL CONFIDENT IN COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE SIDE.
WE HAVE AN OVERFLOW OF DATA
WHEN I HAVE BEEN AT THE CITY.
IF YOU GO BACK 15 YEARS AND
LOOK AT WHAT BLACK AND BROWN
PEOPLE NEEDED 15 YEARS AGO IT
IS THE SAME THING.
IT HASN'T CHANGED.
WE PUT NEW NAMES ON IT AND
DESCRIBED THEM DIFFERENTLY BUT
THE REALITY IS THAT BLACK AND
BROWN COMMUNITIES NEED THE SAME
THING TODAY THAT THEY NEEDED
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THE COMMUNITY RESILIENT SIDE
WE HAVE AN OVERFLOW OF
INFORMATION.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
INFORMATION ON THE SMALL
BUSINESS SIDE IN LOCAL
NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING
HERE.
IT TURNS OUT THAT CENTURY LINK
IS JUST OUT IN THE RAINIER
VALLEY SO WE HAVE LOST CAMILLA.
I AM HOPING THAT SHE CAN CALL
IN.
WE WILL SEE.
LET ME ADVOCATE FOR MUNICIPAL
BROAD BAND.
SEE IF WE CAN START THE DEAL
WITH SOME OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
ISSUES.
COLLEAGUES ARE THERE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS FOR THE DEPUTY MAYOR
OR FOR INTERIM DIRECTOR BANKS?
I DON'T HEAR ANY SO I WANT TO
THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR JOINING
US.
I WILL SAY THAT AGAIN THIS IS,
YOU KNOW, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE %
RECOVERY IS GOING TO TAKE
AWHILE.
THAT WE HAVE SOME SERIOUS WORK
TO DO.
BIG PICTURE.
AND I'M REALLY HOPING TO HEAR
MORE ABOUT YOU KNOW FOR 2021
HOW THE DEPARTMENT'S PRIORITIES
MAY HAVE SHIFTED FOR IN THE KEY
INDUSTRIES AND INDUSTRIAL LAND
AND THE PROGRAMMING WE HAVE AND
HOW THAT WILL EXPAND TO
SUPPORT THE SMALL BUSINESSES IN
THE CITY.
APPRECIATE THIS AND LOOK
FORWARD TO RECEIVING ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT
AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
>> HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR
DAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> BYE-BYE NOW.
OKAY.
WILL THE CLERK READ AGENDA ITEM
2 INTO THE RECORD?
>> ITEM 2. COVID-19 ECONOMIC
IMPACT COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU.
WE HAVE INVITED COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO JOIN US.
ANGELA FROM THE BUSINESS
ALLIANCE, THANK YOU.
AND RACHEL LOUDER FROM WORKING
WASHINGTON AND MY STAFF IS
WORKING TO TRY TO GET CAMILLA
SAXTON BACK ON THE LINE AND WE
WILL HOPE THAT HAPPENS.
SO AS I SAID, THERE IS A LOT OF
TALK RIGHT NOW ABOUT HOW WE
SAVE OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND
HOW WE SAVE DOWNTOWN.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
THAT WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF MICRO
BUSINESSES AND SMALL BUSINESSES
THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHO DO NEED
OUR SUPPORT AND WHO CONTRIBUTE
TO THE VIBRANCY OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS.
YESTERDAY I MENTIONED AN
ARTICLE THAT JOSH WROTE IN COCA-
COLA THIS WEEK WHERE HE SAID
"WHAT WE ACTUALLY LEARNED
DURING THE PAST YEAR NOT
SPENDING MUCH TIME DOWNTOWN IS
THAT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE
MAGIC QUADRANTS OF THE CITY.
THE PAST HAS REENERGYs THE CITY
AND TO A NEW MODEL.
THE FOCUS FOR MAKING SEATTLE
VITAL IS HARNESSING THE NEW
ENERGY" SO I AM EXCITE TO THE
HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD FOLKS HERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU ALL TO
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TAKE A
FEW MINUTES TO SHARE SOME OF
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT YOU OR
YOUR WORKERS OR ORGANIZATION
MEMBERS HAVE FACED IN THE PAST
YEAR AND IF YOU HAVE IDEA FOR
PROGRAM CHANGES THAT CITY CAN
TAKE TO SUPPORT OR MAINTAIN OR
GROW OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND
TO SUPPORT WORKERS IN THE
REGION I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, TOO.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP
TO -- WHY DON'T WE START WITH
ANGELA AND RACHEL AND WHEN
CAMILLA GETS BACK ON WE WILL
ASK HER TO JOIN US.
>> HELLO.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES FOR
HAVING ME.
I'M A SEATTLE BORN.
AND DIRECTOR OF THE BUSINESS
ALLIANCE NONPROFIT AND ALSO A
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTANT IN SOUTHEAST SEATTLE
WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD
CBS TO CONNECT SMALL BUSINESSES
WITH RESOURCES.
ADVOCATING FOR EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT.
AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
THROUGH MULTIPLE LINGUAL AND
CULTURAL INTERSECTIONAL
PROGRAMMING PROJECTS AND
EVENTS.
BEACON HILL IS A DISTRICT AND
THE OED ONLY SEATTLE PROGRAM
THAT PARTIALLY FUNDS SOME OF
THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING.
I PUT AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING
THAT WE ARE DOING IN THE CHAT
WITH LIVE STREAM FROM THIS
MORNING'S EVENT.
POWERFUL CONVERSATIONS AND
STORIES FROM BUSINESS OWNERS.
THE OUTREACH THAT WE DO AND A
DANCE OF THE EVENT.
IT SPECIFICALLY IS AROUND
BRIDGING THAT DIGITAL DIVIDE
WITH INTERPRETERS AND
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMUNITY LIAISONS WORKING
DIRECTLY WITH THEM TO REACH OUT
TO THE LANGUAGE GROUPS THAT WE
SERVE IN THIS MULTI LINGUAL
FIVE CHANNELS, SO MALYI, VEE
AETNA ME.
SPANISH.
MADARIN, ENGLISH AND SO THAT WE
SEE PEOPLE BRING VOICES IN FROM
THE FRAGILE COMMUNITIES, THE
SMALL BUSINESS, THE WOMEN
IMMIGRANT FAMILY OWNED
BUSINESSES THAT WE ARE
PRIORITIZING THAT PAMELA SPOKE
AND GOT ME ALL EXCITED AND A
LOT OF THE SLIDES I WAS REALLY
DIALED IN MULTI YEAR FUNDING
PARTICIPATORY FUNDING AND
TRISECTOR EFFORT IS WHAT WE
NEED TO BE DOING.
ON THE GROUND.
GRASSROOTS WORK THAT WE DO
BUSINESSES LIKE THIS PROJECT
THAT I SHARED IN THE WEB STREAM
IN THE CHAT IS TO HELP
BUSINESSES TO LEARN AND BE
AWARE AND CONNECTED TO THE
RESOURCES THAT ARE BECOMING
AVAILABLE.
SO THAT IS MY BIG CONCERN THAT
IS GETTING THAT INFORMATION.
WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO AND WHICH,
IT IS THE SMALL CBOS IN
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE THAT I WORK
THROUGH THROUGH THE CENTRAL
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE COLLECTIVE.
A GROUP OF FIVE SMALL CBOS AND
HOMESITES CREATING ONLINE E
COMMERCE MARKETPLACE AND ALSO
THAT COMPONENTS INCLUDE.
DEEP OUTREACH INTO THE
COMMUNITY AND ONGOING
RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE MULTI
YEAR, RIGHT?
THIS IS NOT JUST A ONE OFF
HIGH.
WHAT IS YOUR FEEDBACK?
THESE ARE REALLY KEY PIECES
THAT I KNOW YOU'RE TALKING TO
TODAY.
YOU ARE SPEAKING TO BUT WHAT --
I GUESS WHAT I WOULD CLOSE -- I
WOULD CLOSE BY SAYING THAT THE
CONNECTION TO THOSE BUSINESS
OWNERS AND GUIDING THEM TO BE
PARTICLES OF THE CONVERSATION
IS THE THING THAT IS ALWAYS
MISSING.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU, ANGELA.
I KNOW THE WORK ON BEACON HILL
IS CRITICAL TO THE SMALL
BUSINESSES UP THERE.
WHEN YOU TOOK ME ON A TOUR OF
SOME OF THE BUSINESSES UP
THERE, IT WAS GREAT TO MEET
WITH THEM AND HEAR ABOUT, AT
THAT TIME, THIS WAS BEFORE
COVID HIT, THERE WERE SOME
CHALLENGES AND NOW I KNOW IT IS
EVEN HARDER FOR SOME OF THOSE
FOLKS TO BE STAYING IN
BUSINESS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND I WILL SAY THAT WE -- MY
STAFF AND I HAD A CONVERSATION
THIS MORNING WITH AN ORGANIZE
THAT IS REALLY TRYING TO HELP
MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH THESE, AS
A BUSINESS ACCELERATOR FOR
SMALL START-UPS AND ONE OF THE
THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT WAS THIS
NEED TO ENSURE ACCESS TO THE
RESOURCES INFORMATION AND THE
MENTORS AND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT
CAN HELP BUILD CAPACITY QUICKLY
SO FOLKS CAN VET THEIR IDEA AND
VALIDATE WHAT THEY ARE WORKING
ON.
MITIGATE ANY -- IDENTIFY AS
MANY RISKS AS POSSIBLE BEFORE
LAUNCHING AND KIND OF DE RISK
THE IDEA SO THEY DON'T LOSE
LAIR SHIRTS ON SOMETHING THAT
MAY NOT BE WORKING.
ONCE WE GET FOLKS GOING.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE SUPPORTING THEM AND
PROVIDING THE KIND OF TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE OR ACCESS TO
INFORMATION THAT WILL ALLOW
THEM TO STAY IN BUSINESS AND
THRIVE.
SO I WANT TO HAND IT OVER TO
MS. SAXTON THAT IS BACK ON.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE WE BOTH GOT
KICKED OFF.
SO I AM GLAD YOU ARE ABLE TO
JOIN US ON THE PHONES TOO.
>> LIKEWISE.
>> INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU HEARD
OF THE INTRODUCTION BUT I AM
ASKING FOLK TO INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND SHARE THE ECONOMIC
IMPACTS THAT YOU AND YOUR
WORKERS HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE
LAST YEAR.
IF YOU HAVE IDEAS FOR POLICY
CHANGES THAT THE CITY COULD
TAKE TO SUPPORT SMALL
BUSINESSES I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
ABOUT THAT TOO.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO
THIS CALL.
MY NAME IS CAMILLA SACKTON CO-
OWNER A RESTAURANT.
WE STARTED OFF AS A FOOD TRUCK
AND HAVE EXPANDED TO THREE
LOCATIONS.
WE HAVE SHUT DOWN LOCATIONS IN
CAPITOL HILL BECAUSE OF COVID-
19 AND A LARGE CATERING,
OBVIOUSLY THERE IS NO LARGE
GROUP GATHERINGS ANYMORE SO
úTHAT IS SHUT DOWN AS FAR AS TH
BAR IN PIONEER CALLED GOOD BAR
BUT WITH THE EXISTING LOCATIONS
I AM PROUD TO SAY THOSE STORES
ARE OPENED.
OUR STAFF IS BACK.
AND THOSE LOCATIONS ARE SOLID
AND RESIDENTS OF COLUMBIA CITY,
THE SOUTH END, AND I FEEL
PRETTY TIGHT WITH THE
BUSINESSES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
AND OBVIOUSLY TIED TO THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE POISON WILL
GO TO SCHOOL.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROGRAM
CHANGES I WANT TO SAY AS A
BUSINESS OWNER I FEEL
INCREDIBLY LUCKY THAT I CAN
REACH OUT TO MY COUNCILMEMBER
AND SHE WILL HOLD A MEETING
WITH ME ON HER ANNIVERSARY.
ONE OF HER STAFF ATTENDED ON
HER BIRTHDAY AND WHEN WE HEARD
THIS OVER AND OVER WE ARE ALL
IN THIS TOGETHER.
I FELT ALL OF THAT STATEMENT.
THEY ARE VERY SPECIAL AS A
SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND NUMBER
OF SOUTH SEATTLE.
SO THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES AND ALEXIS FOR DOING
THAT.
IT MEANT A LOT AND IT
RECONFIRMED YOUR STANCE THAT WE
ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
THANK YOU AGAIN.
ONE OF THE THINGS I MENTIONED
IN THAT MEETING THAT I THINK
WILL HAVE THE MOST IMMEDIATE
IMPACT AND NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
BUT ROZ AND I MY BUSINESS
PARTNER HAVE UNDERSTOOD SOME OF
THE OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS
STRUGGLE.
WHAT WILL SAVE US AND NOT FROM
THE CITY AND STATE LEVEL BUT
THE FEDS.
THE PPE OR THE RESTAURANT
RECOVERY PROGRAM WILL SAVE MY
INDUSTRY.
WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THEM
IS THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT
AND THE LATEST GRANT THAT HAS
COME OUT IT IS -- YOU NEED TO
BE CERTAIN NUMBERS, AND A DINS
NUMBER AND THE MAJORITY OF
BUSINESS CENTERS DON'T KNOW
WHAT THAT IS.
A DIFFICULT THING TO NAVIGATE
AND ROZ AND I ARE DOOR KNOCKING
SAYING DO YOU NEED HELP DOING
THIS?
DID YOU KNOW OF THIS?
DO YOU KNOW WHAT A SAMES NUMBER
IS.
WHEN YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE AND
GET THE SAMES NUMBER IT DOESN'T
LOOK LEGIT BUT IT IS.
THAT IS WHERE YOU GET THE SAMES
NUMBER.
I GENUINELY BELIEVE THAT THE
CITY HAS A GREAT EFFORT.
I CONTACTED OED LAST FRIDAY AND
THEY WILL MEET TO FIGURE OUT
WAYS, MAYBE IT IS ONLINE
TUTORIAL AND WORKING WITH SMALL
NONPROFITS IN THE SOUTH END AND
DO DOOR KNOCKING AND HERE IS A
WEBSITE, WHAT HELP DO YOU NEED?
IT IS A GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN
BECAUSE THE GRANTS AVAILABLE IS
SPECIFIC TO MY INDUSTRY
ESTAURANT.
BUT ALSO RESTAURANTS HAVE A
LIVING ROOM NUMBER OF WOMEN OF
COLOR.
THESE ENTRANCE ARE AVAILABLE
AND HERE IS HOW YOU ACCESS THIS
AND DO YOU NEED HELP?
THAT IS WORK FOR IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD APPROACH AND THIS
ONE WILL EXPIRE IN THREE WEEK,
THE LATEST ONE.
SO FROM A CITY LEVEL, I MEAN I
AM NOT SURE HOW FAST THIS IS
BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL,
THINGS CAN HAPPEN.
SO THE OTHER THING I WANT TO
MENTION IS THE DECISION MAKER
AND POLICYMAKER, THIS GROWING
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFIT.
WE HAD TO LAY OFF AT ONE TIME
50% OF OUR STAFF.
WE HAVE BROUGHT BACK 70% OF OUR
STAFF BUT WE HAD ONE OF THE
LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
RATES FOR RESTAURANTS BECAUSE
WE JUST TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE TO
-- WE DON'T LAYPEOPLE OFF BUT
OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WILL SKY
ROCKET.
I GUESS YOU HAVE TO BUILD THAT
FUN UP AGAIN BUT THERE HAS TO
BE ASSISTANCE THERE.
IT'S A KILLER.
IT'S INCREDIBLY HIGH.
I WILL STOP THERE BECAUSE I
KNOW THOSE ARE TWO TANGIBLE
PIECES OF INFORMATION.
INSTEAD OF GOING ON, I WILL
STOP THERE.
THANK YOU AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU.
THANKS SO MUCH CAMILLA.
I APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE
AND SHARING FROM A BUSINESS
OWNER'S PERSPECTIVE SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES YOU ARE HAVING.
YOU ARE RIGHT THE RESTAURANT
INDUSTRY IS PARTICULAR
CHALLENGES AS WELL BECAUSE OF
THE VERY CUSTOMER BASED NATURE
OF THAT WORK THAT YOU DO.
>> YES.
I WANT TO MOVE ON TO RACHEL AND
OPEN IT TO QUESTIONS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES.
RACHEL CAN YOU INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND SHARE WITH US WHAT
YOU HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS
YEAR?
>> SURE.
GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.
MY NAME IS RACHEL LOADER AND
DIRECTOR OF THE WASHINGTON
NETWORK CENTER AND BUILD WORKER
POWER THROUGH ORGANIZATIONS AND
ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS AND LEGAL
SERVICES AND WORK TO UPHOLD
STANDARDS IN INDUSTRIES.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
INCLUDING ME IN THIS SPACE.
AS YOU KNOW COVID IS
DEVASTATING.
UNEMPLOYMENT CONCERNS AND
CONTINUED ISSUES AROUND WAGES
THEY ARE ALL EXACERBATED.
I THINK IT IS HARD FOR US TO
PRIORITIZE IN THE LAST YEAR AND
SOME OF THE THINGS ARE GETTING
PEOPLE PAID AND HEALTH AND
SAFETY.
ON GETTING PEOPLE PAID ONE OF
THE MAJOR PRIORITIES IS OUR
PAYOFF CAMPAIGN, AN EFFORT TO
PAY DELIVERY WORKERS.
SOME OF THE LOWEST PAID WORKERS
IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IF WE PASS A LAW THAT PROVIDES
PAY STANDARDS FOR THEM IT WILL
BE THE FIRST LAW OF ITS KIND IN
THE COUNTRY.
THESE ARE WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN
DELIVERING US, OUR FOOD AND
GROCERIES THIS PAST YEAR.
THEY ARE ESSENTIAL AND THANK
YOU FOR PASSING EMERGENCY LAWS
THAT PROVIDE SAFE TIME AND
HAZARD PAY FOR THE WORKERS WE
THINK FOR THERE TO BE A FAIR
RECOVERY NEED TO MAKE THESE
PROTECTIONS PERMANENT.
WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN
THE ADVOCACY AND IN
ADMINISTERING THE WASHINGTON
RELIEF FUND.
THE STATE FUND THAT PROVIDES
STATE ASSISTANCE TO
UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS AND
PROVIDED ADVOCACY AROUND
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE REFORM.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO
GET CASH TO PEOPLE AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE WITHIN MOMENTS OF
CRISIS LIKE WE HAVE EXPERIENCED
FOR A YEAR AND DURING REGULAR
TIME.
THE UI SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO
REJECT PEOPLE FROM THIS SYSTEM.
LIKE THE WHOLE WAY IT IS
DESIGNED TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM
GETTING IT AND WE HAVE TO
CHANGE THAT PARADIGM.
FROM A HEALTH AND SAFETY
PERSPECTIVE, I CAN'T STRESS
ENOUGH THE VACCINES.
ANYONE TO WORK IN PERSON SHOULD
HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO THE
VACCINE.
WE ARE HEARING CONCERNS FROM
FOLKS PARTICULARLY IN THE FOOD
SERVICE INDUSTRY THAT THEY
DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE
VACCINE.
THAT IS IMPORTANT AND WE NEED
HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS AND THE
EXPANSION OF THEM.
WE WILL FIGHT THIS YEAR TO
EXTEND THE PAID SICK LAWS TO
DOMESTIC WORKERS.
WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO TALK TO
THE CITY ABOUT WAYS TO DO MORE
AT THE CITY LEVEL.
ANTI RETALIATION LAWS.
ALSO ADD THAT UNDER THE BUCKETS
OF GET PEOPLE PAID AND HEALTH
AND SAFETY.
INVESTING IN LABOR STANDARDS
AND OLS.
IT IS CRITICAL DURING THE
ECONOMIC RECOVERY PERIOD.
SOME VERY INTERESTING RECENT
STUDIES SHOW THAT WAGE THEFT
INCREASES AND IMPACTS BLACK AND
BROWN WORKER.
WE NEED STRONG WORKER
PROTECTIONS IN SEATTLE THAT
ENSURING THAT OLS HAS WHAT IT
NEEDS TO DO TO DO ITS JOB AND
THE FINAL THING IS TO MAKE SURE
THERE IS NO AUSTERITY BUDGETING
AND FIND NEW REVENUE AND WE ARE
ENGAGED WITH THAT ON THE STATE
LEVEL AND WE HAVE TO INVEST IN
OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT IS WHAT
OUR JUST RECOVERY WILL LOOK
LIKE FOR THE WAGE WORKERS.
I WILL STOP THERE.
>> THANK YOU, RACHEL.
SO I -- I HAVE GOT A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS.
ONE FOR YOU AND MAYBE ONE FOR
CAMILLA.
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE REFORM
ESPECIALLY SINCE CAMILLA
MENTIONED THAT RATES WILL GO UP
INCREDIBLY AND WHAT KIND OF
ASSISTANCE FOLKS WILL BE
NEEDING TO ADDRESS THAT.
THE RATES WILL GO UP AND FOLKS
DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT AND
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PERMITTING
ISSUES.
WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT HOW BUSINESSES GET
PERMITTED.
I KNOW FOOD RELATED BUSINESSES
HAVE ADDITIONAL PERMIT
REQUIREMENTS WITH THE PUBLIC
HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND CURIOUS,
IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THE ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE
EXPERIENCED AND HOW THAT CAN
DELAY THE WORK THAT YOU ARE
TRYING TO DO.
>> ISSUES BILLED OUT WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND LONG
DELAYS.
UNFORTUNATELY I AM NOT GOING TO
BE BUILDING OUT ANY RESTAURANTS
IN NEXT YEAR AND SO THAT IS
ACTUALLY -- BUT PEOPLE WILL BE.
WHEN YOUR PAYING RENT FOR THE
TIME YOU ARE WAITING ON PERMITS
TIME IS TICKING.
EVERY DAY YOU DON'T GET THAT
PERMIT YOU ARE PAYING RENT ON A
BUILDING THAT YOU CAP USE.
IF THERE CAN BE A WAY TO
EXPEDITE THE PROCESS AROUND
CONSTRUCTION BUILD OUT WILL BE
FANTASTIC.
AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT
THERE ARE RULES AND REGULATIONS
TO BUILD OUTS BUT THERE HAS TO
BE A WAY TO EXPEDITE THE
PROCESS.
AS FAR AS UNEMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE, AGAIN, I GET THAT
THIS FUND NEEDS TO BE
REPLENISHED.
AND THERE IS -- THEY ARE GOING
TO EXTEND THAT.
INSTEAD OF ASKING FOR OUR RATES
TO GO UP, AND PAYING THE
INCREASE, THE WAGE HEIGHT NEXT
YEAR IT WILL BE EXTENDED
SEVERAL YEARS.
MAY BE THREE YEARS AND MAY NEED
TO BE EXTENDED FURTHER OUT.
AGAIN I UNDERSTAND THAT FUND
NEEDS TO BE REBUILT BUT IT WILL
TAKE AWHILE.
WHEN YOUR RATES GO UP 3000%
THAT WILL TAKE AWHILE TO BUILD.
THERE ARE -- IT IS A PERMITTING
PROCESS AND EXTENDING THE
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HIKE TO HELP
BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE
COMMUNITY.
>> THE STATE LEGISLATURE AS YOU
MENTIONED ADDRESSED SOME OF THE
RATE HIKE TIME LINE.
I MAY BE CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT
WOULD BE A BETTER TIME LINE.
FOR US WE HEAR FROM THOUSANDS
OF WORKERS THAT HAVE
EXPERIENCED UNBELIEVABLE DELAYS
IN GETTING EVEN THE CASE
ADJUDICATED BY THE STATE.
AND SO THAT IS WHERE THE FOCUS
IS AND NEEDS TO GET THE
DECISIONS OUT QUICKER.
ANOTHER THING TO GET FOCUSED ON
IS OVERPAYMENTS.
SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS FOLKS
UNEMPLOYED FOR MONTHS ARE
GETTING NOTICES FROM THE STATE
THAT SAY YOU NOW OWE WASHINGTON
STATE $15,000 BECAUSE WE
ADJUDICATED YOUR CASE
INCORRECTLY AND YOU SHOULDN'T
HAVE GOT UNEMPLOYMENT.
AND PEOPLE WILL SAY WE HAVE NOT
GOT UNEMPLOYMENT AND THERE HAS
BEEN INCONSISTENCY AND TRY TO
BRING FROM REASON AND CLARITY
TO THIS PROCESS.
SO THERE IS -- THAT'S A LONG-
TERM PROJECT TO REFORM ESD.
FOR US THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
IS WHEN YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED IN
THE MIDDLE OF A CRISIS.
YOU NEED THE MONEY NOW, RIGHT?
SO WHAT ARE THE WAYS TO
RESOURCE THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT AND GETTING CASH TO
PEOPLE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
THAT IS WHAT WE DO AT THE STATE
LEVEL AND I KNOW THERE IS GOOD
CITY PROGRAMS FOR EMERGENCY
EVERYONE TO INVEST IN THOSE E
BECAUSE WE SAW THAT THE NEED
WAS SO GREAT AND HAS BEEN.
IT IS THIS HIGH PITCH NEED FOR
OVER A YEAR NOW.
>> I WILL TELL YOU ONE OF THE
THINGS, TWO THINGS.
ONE, I HAVE NEVER BEEN PROUDER
OF BEING A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
IN MY LIFE THAN DURING COVID
BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL LOANS TO OUR
EMPLOYEES THAT WENT MONTHS
WITHOUT GET CAN EMPLOYMENT
CHECKS.
THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL.
WE GOT HER NAME AND NUMBER FROM
AN EMPLOYEE THAT SAYS THIS
WOMAN WAS FANTASTIC AND CLEARED
UP MY UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
CLAIM WITHIN A MATTER OF TWO
DAYS AND I GOT PAID.
WE TOOK HER NAME AND PHONE
CONTACT INFORMATION AND ALL OF
THE EMPLOYEES, OUR 15 EMPLOYES
THAT DID NOT GET -- THEY WERE
WITHOUT UNEMPLOYMENT, THIS
WOMAN, WE NEED A THOUSAND OF
HER AND PEOPLE WILL BE FINE.
PEOPLE WILL BE PAID.
IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE PROCESS AND
I KNOW SHE IS WORKING OUTSIDE
OF HER NORMAL HOURS TO HELP
PEOPLE.
BUT I KNOW THIS CAN BE DONE
BECAUSE THIS ONE WOMAN EASED
THE LIVES OF 15 INDIVIDUALS
WITHIN TWO OR THREE DAYS.
>> THANK YOU, CAMILLA.
I THINK THERE IS SO MANY CITY
AND STATE WORKERS THAT ARE
TRYING REALLY HARD TO KEEP UP.
>> YES.
>> WITH ALL OF THE CHALLENGES
THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS HAVING.
SO APPRECIATE YOU ACKNOWLEDGING
ONE OF THE PEOPLE WORKING HARD.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
ISSUES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO
ADDRESS?
>> OKAY.
I DO HAVE FINAL QUESTIONS FOR
ANGELA, IF YOU COULD TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVE AS THE BUSINESS
ALLIANCE ON BEACON HILL WHAT
THE CITY CAN DO TO SUPPORT
CURRENT BUSINESSES AND TO
REALLY INVEST IN THE NEXT
GENERATION OF BUSINESSES.
WE KNOW THAT FOR MANY FOLKS
THERE IS ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
THERE IS -- PEOPLE WANT TO
BRING THEIR IDEAS TO LIFE.
FOR MANY PEOPLE STARTING THEIR
OWN BUSINESS IT IS ONE WAY TO
GENERATE INCOME FOR THEIR
FAMILY AND SO DO YOU HAVE IDEAS
ABOUT HOW WE CAN AS A CITY
START TO INVEST IN THAT NEXT
GENERATION OF ENTREPRENEURS?
>> I REALLY HAVE TO SPEAK JUST
FROM MY LITTLE FOCUS AND MY
LENS IN WORKING WITH BUSINESSES
THAT ARE STRUGGLIG TO LAUNCH
SOMETHING -- LEGACY BUSINESSES
THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY
ALIVE.
IT'S ALMOST -- TO ME COMES DOWN
TO THE SAME THING AND THAT IS
MAKING SURE THAT THE MENTORS
ADVOCATES AND THE CBOS THAT ARE
DOING THAT WORK AND HELPING
SUPPORT THOSE STEPS ARE
SUPPORTED BY THE CITY.
BY THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH
FUNDING.
BECAUSE OFTEN I FIND THAT WE
ARE NOT -- UNLESS -- I'M NOT A
POLICY PERSON AND I'M A PROGRAM
PERSON.
BUT -- SO I NEED TO HAVE THAT
RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU AND --
BUT IF I'M -- RIGHT NOW A
BUSINESS OWNER THAT WAS
DISPLACED.
FAMILY THAT WAS DISPLACED OUT
OF A SPOT ON BEACON HILL IN
2017 AND WE ARE -- SHE IS
WORKING ON THE YOUNGER
GENERATION OF THAT FAMILY IS
WORKING ON SIGNING A LEASE AND
A NEW CONSTRUCTION SPOT ON
BEACON HILL SO WATCHING --
GOING THROUGH THAT TRANSITION
OF SUPPORTING THAT FAMILY TO
BUILD TRUST WITH THAT FAMILY
THAT DIDN'T HAVE TRUST AROUND
GOVERNMENT RESOURCES AND,
RIGHT?
SPEAKING TO THAT TODAY.
REQUIRES SOMEBODY BEING THERE
FOR THAT.
AND WORKING WITH BRINGING --
WORKING ALL THE DIFFERENT
COMPONENTS TOGETHER INCLUDING
NEGOTIATING WITH THE BUILDER
AND THE LANDLORD AND ALL OF THE
DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
IT IS CRITICAL AND IT DOESN'T
-- YOU JUST CAN'T DO IT
OVERNIGHT.
IT'S UNDERSTANDING HOW -- WHAT
THAT NEED IS -- IT'S
COMPLICATED.
IT IS SO COMPLICATED FOR -- YOU
JUST CAN'T GET IT -- SO I DON'T
KNOW WHO THE BUSINESS ADVISORY
-- I WILL JUST SAY IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHO THE FOLKS ARE.
THE BUSINESS ADVISORY
COMMITTEE.
THEY ARE APPOINTED.
I DON'T KNOW WHO -- YOU KNOW,
LISTENING AND BEING IN THE ROOM
WITH YOU ALL TODAY AND PAMELA
BANKS DELIVERY OF THE TALKING
ABOUT THE SCOPE WHERE THING ARE
AND WHAT YOU ARE THINKING
SOUNDS BEAUTIFUL.
BUT ON THE GROUND HERE, IT IS
STILL A STRUGGLE OF CALLING
THAT BUSINESS OWNER.
CALLING THAT ENTREPRENEUR WITH
A NEW IDEA THAT WANTS TO GO A
PHYSICAL SPACE AND ALL OF THOSE
DUCKS ARE NOT IN A ROW YET.
THAT BUSINESS PLAN, ALL OF
THOSE BUSINESSES.
IT'S OVERWHELMING.
>> YEAH.
I GET THAT.
I HEAR THE FRUSTRATION IN YOUR
VOICE ANGELA, SO THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW FOR MY PERSPECTIVE
BEFORE TALKING ABOUT AN
INCLUSIVE ECONOMY AND TALKING
ABOUT AN EQUITABLE RECOVERY,
THAT MEANS THAT WE GIVE SOMEONE
THAT HAS A GOOD IDEA A CHANCE
WHICH MEANS WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND THE,
YOU KNOW, MENTORS AND
UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT MEANS TO
ACCESS CAPITAL.
FOLK MAY HAVE A GREAT IDEA BUT
THEY STILL MIGHT ALSO NEED SOME
SKILLS TO TURN THAT IDEA IN TO
A PRODUCT AND A BUSINESS.
NOT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS AND THE
BACKGROUND AND THE KNOWLEDGE
AND UNDERSTNDING OF THE ECO IS
SYSTEM THAT EXISTS TO SUPPORT A
NEW BUSINESS AND THAT DOESN'T
MEAN THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A
GOOD IDEA.
WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE INCLUSIVE ECONOMY
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY GET
ACCESS TO SOURCES AVAILABLE AND
ELEVATE THAT ECOSYSTEM SO THAT
FOLKS ARE ABLE TO BENEFIT AND
YOU KNOW GO DOWN THE PATH AND
TAKE THAT KIND OF STEP BY STEP
LEARNING THAT IT TAKES TO TURN
YOUR IDEA INTO A SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESS.
SO HAPPY TO KEEP TALKING WITH
YOU ABOUT HOW TO BRING THAT TO
ELEVATE THAT PROCESS AND MAKE
FOLK ARE AWARE OF THAT AND TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
>> COLLEAGUES LAST CALL IF YOU
HAVE A QUESTION.
THIS IS THE TIME.
COMMENTS.
OKAY.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
JOINING US TODAY.
AGAIN.
THANK YOU TO INTERIM DIRECTOR
BANKS AND DEPUTY MAYOR
WASHINGTON FOR JOINING US
EARLIER AND THANK YOU TO ANGELA
AND CAMILLA AND RACHEL FOR
JOINING US THIS AFTERNOON AND
SHARING YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON HOW
WE CAN SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY
BETTER.
WITH THAT, IF THERE ARE NO
OTHER QUESTIONS, THEN THIS
CONCLUDES THE MARCH 16th, 2021
OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE.
THANK FOR ATTENDING EVERYBODY.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> BYE.