>> THAT THIS COUNSEL MADE IN
OUR BUDGET IN NOVEMBER 2020 FOUR
500 445 ADDITIONAL SHELTER
SPACIOUS, A SURGE OF SHELTER
SPACES TO RESPOND TO THE
CRITICAL CRISIS UPON CHANGE AND
AND CAMPUS AND HOMELESSNESS IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT WILL
WITNESSED ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND THE NEED TO GET OUR
NEIGHBORS INSIDE AND IN A SAFE
WARM PLACE TO LIVE.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO THAT UPDATE
ON THE STATUS OF THOSE SHELTERED
INVESTMENTS.
WE WILL ALSO THEN CONSIDER A
RESOLUTION. I'LL MAKE A
REQUEST TO SUSPEND THE RULES
LATER IN THE AGENDA FOR A
RESOLUTION RELATING TO THE KING
COUNTY HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY.
WE HAVE WALKED THROUGH THE
AGENDA I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE
PUBLIC COMMENT. I WOULD NOTE
THAT THERE IS A SEPARATE NOTED
PUBLIC HEARING ON COUNSEL BILL
199975. WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC
COMMENT ON THAT BILL DURING
THAT HEARING LATER IN THIS
AGENDA.
THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC COMMENT
WILL BE FOR REMARKS JEN RELATED
TO THE OPERATIONS OF THIS
COMMITTEE AND TO OTHER AGENDA
ITEMS.
I WILL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER:THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE 20 MINUTES EACH SPEAKER
WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO
SPEAK.
I'LL CALL IN EACH SPEAKER BY
NAME.
IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTERED ON THE COUNCIL
WEBSITE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED
TO SPEAK, BUT YOU'D LIKE TO YOU
CAN, SORRY -- THIS IS RATHER
EMBARRASSING. THE SCRIPT IS
LAGGING.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SIGN UP,
BUT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO
YET YOU CAN GO TO THE COUNCIL
WEBSITE, TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT
LINK AT SEATTLE.GOV/COUNSEL AND
SIGN UP TO COMMENT ON TODAY'S
AGENDA.
ONCE I CALLED SPEAKERS NAME THE
STAFF WILL UNMUTE THE
APPROPRIATE MICROPHONE AND AN
AUTOMATIC PROMPT THAT YOU HAVE
BEEN ADMITTED WILL BE THE
SPEAKERS QUEUE THAT IT IS THEIR
TURN TO SPEAK. AND THEN THE
SPEAKER MUST PRESS STAR SIX TO
BEGIN SPEAKING.
PLEASE BEGIN SPEAKING BY
STATING YOUR NAME AND THE ITEM
THAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING. AS
REMINDER, PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD
RELATE TO AN ITEM ON TODAY'S
AGENDA OR WITHIN THE COMMITTEES
PURVIEW.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A TIME WITHIN
10 SECONDS LEFT OF THEIR
ALLOTTED TIME.
ONCE YOU HAVE THE TIME WE ASKED
THAT YOU BEGIN TO WRAP UP YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT IF SPEAKERS DO
NOT ENTER THEIR COMMENTS AT THE
END OF THE ALLOTTED TIME DIVIDED
THE SPEAKERS MICROPHONE WILL BE
MUTED TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON
THE NEXT SPEAKER.
ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT WE ASKED THAT
YOU PLEASE DISCONNECT FROM THE
LINE.
IF YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE
FOLLOWING THE MEETING PLEASE DO
SO VIA SEATTLE CHANNEL OR THE
LISTENING OPTIONS LISTED ON THE
AGENDA.
BEFORE I ANNOUNCE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD BEING OPEN I
WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE COUNCIL
MEMBERS ALICE AND WAS GET A
HAVE JOINED US. THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
JUST-IN-TIME FOR THE BEGINNING
OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
WITH THAT ON THE PUBLIC, PERIOD
IT IS NOW OPEN AND WE WILL
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON
THE LIST PLEASE REMEMBER TO
PRESS STAR SIX AFTER YOU HEAR
THE PROMPT OF YOU HAVE BEEN
UNMUTE IT.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE
JACQUELINE FRANK FOURTH.
>> MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL,
MY NAME IS JACQUELINE FRANK
WORTH.
I SHOULD MAKE SURE YOU CAN HEAR
ME.
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU, JACLYN.
>> RATE.
THANK YOU.
I AM JACLYN FRANK FOURTH.
I'M A RESIDENT.
I LIVE NEAR SEVERAL PARKS IN
THE NORTH END.
I AM CALLING IN TODAY TO URGE
THE COUNCIL TO INCREASE ITS
INVESTMENT IN SHELTER FOR THE
HOMELESS AS WELL AS CAUSES AND
CONDITIONS.
I, AS I SAID, LIVE NEAR THE
PARKS.
I VISITED SEVERAL TIMES A DAY.
DURING THE PANDEMIC I HAVE
WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE
INCREASED USAGE OF MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC. AND MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHO ARE WITHOUT TOME.
I CAN SEE SEVERAL TENTS FROM MY
BACKYARD.
IT IS ONLY INCREASING.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP
IN MIND THE WINDOW PHENOMENON,
THAT THEN WHEN THERE IS A
CRACKED WINDOW IT BECOMES MORE
CRACKED.
WITH OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS BEING
CONDUCTED BY PRIVATE SCHOOLS IT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE NEED TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT
INVESTMENT IN SHELTERS THAT ARE
SAFE FOR THE PEOPLE WITHOUT
HOMES.
AND KEEP OUR PARKS OUR PARKS.
I ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INVESTMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ELISE
GRISHAM CLEAR.
ELISE, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE IF I
MISPRONOUNCE ANY OF THE NAMES
OF FOLKS IN PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> HI, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> GREAT I AM ELISE CHISHOLM
CLEAR.
I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE I WANT
TO URGE YOU TO ACCELERATE THE
DEPARTMENT OF TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES AS A STEPPINGSTONE
TOWARD MORE PERMANENT HOUSING
FOR OUR HOMELESS POPULATION.
I AM ALSO ASKING THAT YOU
PRIORITIZE THE RELOCATION OF
CAMPERS IN RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOODS AND ADJACENT
PARKS FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL-
BEING OF ALL.
I LIVE IN THE RIVANNA
NEIGHBORHOOD IN NORTH SEATTLE,
WHICH HAS WEATHERED A DRAMATIC
INCREASE IN ILLEGAL CAMPING FOR
THE PANDEMIC.
GARBAGE STREWN CAMP SITES HAVE
BECOME FIXTURES IN OUR PARKS
AND TRAFFIC MEDIANS BUT AT THE
SAME TIME THEY ARE EVIDENCE OF
PROPERTY CRIME, VIOLENCE, DRUG
ADDICTION, AND THE DEGRADATION
OF OUR GREEN SPACES.
IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS I HAVE
PERSONALLY HAD MY HOME
VANDALIZED. I WITNESSED AN
ASSAULT AT A CAMP JUST A FEW
BLOCKS AWAY AND I HAVE DISPOSED
OF USED NEEDLES LEFT ON YOUR BY
SIDEWALKS.
AS A MOM WITH A YOUNG FAMILY
THIS IS ALL TOO MUCH.
I LOVE THIS CITY AND I'M
COMMITTED TO HOLDING OUR
LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE.
I HOPE YOU HAVE THE WEALTH TO
FINALLY TAKE ACTION AND MAKE
REAL PROGRESS ON THIS ISSUE.
AS A SEATTLE TIMES REPORTED ON
SUNDAY THE RECENT REVIVAL OF
JOHN SEE LITTLE SENIOR PARK IS
A SUCCESS STORY FOR HOMELESS
PEOPLE ON A POSITIVE PATH AND
FOR THE NEWHOLLY COMMUNITY.
IT CAN AND SHOULD URGENTLY BE
REPLICATED ELSEWHERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE SHERRY
DALRYMPLE.
SHERRY, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME?
>> YES.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
I CAN, MY NAME IS SHERRY
DALRYMPLE.
AS THE OTHER TWO HAVE NOTED, I
ALSO LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST AND
NEAR RAVENNA PARK.
MY WINDOW LOOKS DIRECTLY OUT AT
THE GREEN SPACE ON RAVENNA
AVENUE, WHICH IS A SMALL GREEN
SPACE CALLED OLGA PARK.
I'M ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF A
BUILDING OF A CO-OP. I AM A
MOTHER OF TWO YOUNG CHILDREN.
2.5 AND FOUR MONTHS OLD.
EXCUSE ME FOR MY EMOTIONS, BUT
THIS HAS BECOME AN INCREASING
PROBLEM.
FOR MY FAMILY.
WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF
HAVING PRIVACY IN A SAFE GREEN
SPACE FOR MY CHILDREN.
I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU A FEW
INSTANCES THAT HAVE OCCURRED
RECENTLY.
OUTSIDE OUR HOME IT HAS BEEN
REALLY SCARY FOR ME AS A YOUNG
MOTHER.
THESE CONDITIONS ARE RAPIDLY
DETERIORATING SINCE THE START
OF THE PANDEMIC.
EXCUSE ME.
THERE HAVE BEEN ALL SUMMER LONG
I HAVE DEALT WITH LOUD NOISES,
WHETHER IT BE MUSIC, FIGHTS,
VULGAR LANGUAGE, WE HAVE DEALT
WITH IT ALL IN THE PAST TWO
WEEKS.
THE POLICE HAVE SWARMED THIS
CAMP. FOUR OR FIVE POLICE CARS.
THERE WAS A WOMAN INSIDE A TENT
SCREAMING. AFTER THE SITUATION
WAS REVOLVED FOUR NIGHTS LATER
WOKEN AT 3 A.M.
TO FIGHTS. MY CHILDREN ARE
SLEEPING INSIDE.
SAFE FROM THIS SITUATION. THERE
HAVE BEEN FIRES OUT THERE THAT
THE POLICE RESPONDED TO.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IN THIS
GENERAL AREA THE AMOUNT OF
NEEDLES THAT MY HUSBAND AND I
HAVE FOUND IS SCARY I JUST WANT
URGE YOU TO CONSIDER AND
PRIORITIZE RELOCATION OF THE
OLGA CAMP PEOPLE, SO THEY CAN
FIND SAFE AND WARM SHELTER
DURING THIS TIME.
OUR FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORS NEED
SAFE PLACES TO RETURN TO.
THANK YOU.
>> SHERRY, THANK YOU. IT
SOUNDED LIKE YOU STILL HAD A
FEW MORE THOUGHTS THERE. IF
YOU WANT TO EMAIL MY OFFICE I
AM HAPPY TO TALK FURTHER ABOUT
THE SITUATION.
I THINK YOU FOR CALLING IN.
AARON FRIEDE, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> HI.
THIS IS AARON FRIEDE.
I WORK WITH THE CAPITOL HILL
ECO-DISTRICT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE
PLACEMENT OF TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT IS BEING
DISCUSSED TODAY.
I RIPPLED TO HEAR ME?
>> YES.
WE CAN HEAR YOU, AARON.
THANK YOU.
>> GREAT.
I'M GLAD TO SEE AN EXPANSION OF
TINY HOUSE VILLAGES IS PLANNED
AND THIS IS UNDER DISCUSSION.
IN CAPITOL HILL AS WE HAVE SEEN
ACROSS THE CITY THE CRISIS
LEVEL OF HOMELESSNESS PLAGUING
OUR NEIGHBORS HAS SKYROCKETED.
WE HAVE SEEN THIS PANDEMIC
WREAK HAVOC ON UNHOUSED PEOPLE.
THEY HAD TAKEN REFUGE IN PUBLIC
SPACES.
ULTIMATELY, THIS CITY MUST
ADDRESS THIS LONG-RUNNING
CRISIS WITH A LONG-TERM SOLUTION
. THE CREATION OF VASTLY MORE
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
AND MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
RIGHT NOW I THINK WE NEED TO
ENGAGE WITH WHAT IS IN FRONT OF
US, WHICH IS PEOPLE IN NEED OF
SECURE SHELTER AND COMMUNITIES
TO SUPPORT THEM.
THAT IS WHAT TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES PROVIDE.
THE NEED FOR A TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE IN CAPITOL HILL HAS
NEVER BEEN GREATER.
PARTICULARLY, IN THE AFTERMATH
OF SWEEPS OF CAL ANDERSON PARK
BY SPD, WHICH HAVE BEEN PAINFUL
FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO BEAR.
WHEN UNHOUSED PEOPLE HAVE
NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.
OUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE UNHOUSED
TO SERVE SOLUTIONS WHERE THEY
ARE.
THEY DESERVE TO BE CLOSE TO
RESOURCES, WHICH IS WHY I
BELIEVE THEY ARE TENTING IN
PUBLIC PARKS IN THE CENTER CITY
NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE HEARD FROM FOLKS LIVING
IN CAPITOL HILL PARKS THAT TINY
HOUSES ARE A WELCOME STRATEGY
THAT MEETS THEIR NEEDS.
WE KNOW FROM OUR PARTNERS AND
EXPERIENCE THAT TINY HOUSES ARE
A CONDUIT TO PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, MUCH MORE
SO THAN SHELTERS.
THE CREATION OF A TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE IN CAPITOL HILL COUPLED
WITH A VERY BADLY NEEDED URBAN
REST STOP WOULD BE WELCOMED BY
THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I ASKED THAT
IT BE CONSIDERED WITHIN THE PLAN
FOR INVESTMENT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CAROL
CAHILL.
>> HELLO.
YOU CAN HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS CAROL CAHILL.
I'M AN OLDER RESIDENT AT THE
PARK VISTA COOPERATIVE NEXT TO
OLGA PARK COME THE SAME
BUILDING SHERRY LIVES IN.
SEVERAL OF US HAVE CONTACTED
COUNCIL MEMBER PETERSON
úNUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL MONTHS ABOUT AND CAME
IN AT THE PARK.
LEAVING THE TENT IN CAME IN
SOMEPLACE NO LONGER SEEMS LIKE
A VIABLE OPTION, ESPECIALLY
DURING WINTER WHEN A PANDEMIC
IS STILL RAGING.
IT REALLY IS INHUMANE TO LET
PEOPLE REMAIN ON SHELTERED.
ASIDE FROM THE HEALTH AND
SAFETY RISKS TO THOSE LIVING IN
THE TENTS THERE ARE RISKS TO
THE NEIGHBORHOOD DUE TO THE
ATTEMPTED BREAK-INS AT NEARBY
APARTMENT BUILDINGS, INCLUDING
HOURS.
NOT TO MENTION NUMEROUS FIRES
REQUIRING RESPONSE BY BOTH
POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
ONE OF THEM LAST NOVEMBER HAD
FLAMES 15 FEET HIGH THAT
DAMAGED A TREE AND COULD HAVE
GOTTEN SERIOUSLY OUT OF HAND IF
IT HADN'T BEEN SO WET OUT.
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR
NEIGHBORS IN THE BUILDING HAVE
FREQUENTLY BEEN DISTURBED IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT BY
FIGHTS AND LOUD MUSIC AT
ENCAMPMENT.
SEATTLE'S PARKS ARE PUBLIC
TAXPAYER SUPPORTED SPACES THAT
HAVE BECOME ESSENTIALLY UNUSABLE
AND TAKEN OVER BY UNSIGHTLY AND
UNSAFE INTERMENTS.
WHEN CAMPERS MOVE ON OFTEN
MOUNDS OF GARBAGE ARE LEFT
BEHIND FOR THE CITY TO HAUL
AWAY.
A NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING NEAR
OLGA AND TOWN PARKS HAVE
SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED MOVING
BECAUSE OF THE EFFECT OF THE
TENT ENCAMPMENT ON NEIGHBORHOOD
QUALITY OF LIFE.
I HAVE SEEN THE CITY AND ASKED
THEM TO IMMEDIATELY OFFER
SHELTER TO THOSE THAT CAMP IN
OLGA PARK.
I ALSO SUPPORT BUILDING MORE
TINY HOUSE VILLAGES.
ALSO SIGNAGE THE CAMPING IS NOT
ALLOWED IN PARKS AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY, ENFORCE NO CAMPING
RULES GOING FORWARD.
THE CURRENT APPROACH ISN'T
SERVING ANYONE.
IT'S FRUSTRATING TO REPEATEDLY
REACH OUT TO OUR COUNCILMEMBER
AND GET NO RESPONSE REGARDING
OUR CONCERNS.
REMEMBER, YOU CAN ENGAGE THOSE
WHO CARE ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
OF ALLIES TO HELP MAKE THIS
HAPPEN.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU CAROLYN.
WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE
SHELTER INVESTMENTS IN THIS
COMMITTEE.
STAY TUNED.
I APPRECIATE YOU CALLING IN.
MEGAN MURPHY, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> HI.
THANKS FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY A SYNONYMY
OF A VICTIM WILL HIT SEATTLE IN
THE COMING YEAR WITHOUT ACTION
BY THE CITY, SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL.
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS IS
PROPORTIONATELY IN COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR WILL LIKELY OVERWHELM
THE COURT, SHELTERS, AND STREET
AS PEOPLE LIVE LOSE THEIR
HOMES.
THIS WILL BE A HUMAN CATASTROPHE
. AN UNPRECEDENTED ECONOMIC
COST THAT OUR CITY WOULD BE
FORCED TO BEAR FOR SHELTERS,
EMERGENCY HOUSING, FOOD,
HEALTHCARE EMERGENCIES AND
PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS.
EVEN BEFORE THE STATE OF
EMERGENCY NEARLY THREE IN FIVE
RENTERS COULD NOT COME UP WITH
$400 IN EMERGENCY MONEY.
ALMOST HALF OF SEATTLE TENANTS
WERE NOT BURDENED TO PAY MORE
THAN YOUR RENT BURDENED, THEY
WERE RENT BURDENED, PAYING MORE
THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON
RENT.
NOW THE HOUSING CRISIS IS MUCH
WORSE AND IT WILL REMAIN DIRE
FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
RENTERS, ESPECIALLY IN
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
WELL AFTER VACCINATION PROGRAMS
GAIN MOMENTUM.
NATIONALLY, ABOUT 12 MILLION
RENTERS OVER AN AVERAGE OF $5800
IN BACK RENT AND UTILITIES SOME
28% OF ALL U.S. RENTERS STARTED
THIS YEAR WITH RENT DEBT IN THE
BLACK COMMUNITIES THERE
PUMMELED EVEN HARDER BY THE
ECONOMIC RECESSION.
53% OF HOUSEHOLDS ARE IN RENT
DEBT THAT'S WHY THERE HAS TO BE
A COMPLETE RENTAL DEBT
FORGIVENESS. YEAH.
NOT ONLY EXTENDING, IF YOU
CAN'T DO THE COMPLETE RENT
FORGIVENESS, WHICH WOULD BE
IDEAL FOR EVERYBODY, IT
CLEANSES SOCIETY. YOU KNOW,
THERE IS A BOOK BY ASTON TAYLOR
ABOUT DEBT AND FORGIVING DEBT.
IT NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED UNTIL
THE END OF NEXT YEAR FOR PEOPLE
TO PAY FOR THIS YEAR. UNTIL
DECEMBER OF 2021 BACK RENT IS
ON HOLD.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE MATT
AND HURT.
ARE YOU THERE?
REMEMBER TO PRESS STAR 6 TO
UNMUTE.
>> HI, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MATT.
I'M A RESIDENT OF RABIN IN
NORTHEAST SEATTLE WHERE I HAVE
LIVED FOR NINE YEARS.
MY WIFE IS A TEACHER AT BRYANT
ELEMENTARY.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY FOR THE
FIRST TIME EVER AT THIS,
BECAUSE I'M FRUSTRATED I'M
FRUSTRATED THAT IT CONTINUES TO
SEE HOMELESS IN CAME IN
THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD I'M
FRUSTRATED THAT THERE IS A
LARGE CAMP RECENTLY AT THE
ENTRANCE TO THE PARK WHERE MY
CHILDREN PLAY. I'M FRUSTRATED
THAT WHEN IT WAS MOVE THE PARKED
WAS DAMAGED WITH GARBAGE
EVERYWHERE.
I'M FRUSTRATED THAT OUR FRIENDS
HAD TO CALL THE POLICE TO
REMOVE A HOMELESS PERSON FROM
THEIR PROPERTY I'M FRUSTRATED
THAT THE POLICE TOLD THEM THERE
WAS NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO, SINCE
THE GELS WERE FULL I'M ALSO
FRUSTRATED THAT MY NEIGHBOR
KEVIN IS EMPLOYEES TO SPEAK TO
YOU TODAY ABOUT HIS SMALL
BUSINESS WHICH HAS BEEN
CONSISTENTLY VANDALIZED IN THE
LESSON FROM US.
I'M FRUSTRATED ANOTHER
NEIGHBORS CONSTRUCTION
ARBORISTS IN BALLARD HAS A CAMP
IN FRONT OF IT.
I'M FRUSTRATED THAT EVERY TIME
I RUN ON THE TRAIL I SEE THE
SAME MAN SLEEPING IN A SLEEPING
BAG ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
I'M FRUSTRATED I SEE HIM ALMOST
EVERY OTHER DAY.
WAS WELL, I'M FRUSTRATED WITH
OUR LACK OF APPEARANCE AND
PASSION AND GUTS TO SOLVE THIS
PROBLEM.
I'M FRUSTRATED WE HAVE $200
MILLION IN KING COUNTY WITH
BASICALLY ZERO PROGRESS IN THE
FIVE YEARS SINCE WE ALL AGREED
THIS WAS AN EMERGENCY.
I WANT TO STOP BEING
FRUSTRATED.
I WANT US TO STOP TALKING ABOUT
IT AND START DOING SOMETHING.
I WANT US TO RAPIDLY BUILD
SHELTERS AND AT THE SAME TIME
AND OUTDOOR CAMPING ACCOUNTS
WHEN LEWIS VILLAGE CAMPAIGN IS
GREAT, BUT I CAN'T HELP WONDER
AFTER FIVE YEARS WHY IS IT
TAKING RABBIT PHILANTHROPY TO
GET THIS DONE?
MYSELF AND MY SON'S CUB SCOUT
PACK RECENTLY SPENT A WEEKEND
PAINTING TINY HOUSES.
ARE WE SAW CAPABLE OF FIXING
THIS PROBLEM WE ARE NOW RELYING
ON THE PHILANTHROPY OF 10-YEAR-
OLD TO HELP SOLVE IT?
I WANTED TO BE RADICAL AND BOLD
ABOUT USING PUBLIC FUNDS.
INTEREST RATES ARE SUPER LOW.
GET FUNDED WELL.
79 DOLLARS IN ANNUAL FINANCING
COULD BUILD ABOUT 5000 TINY
HOUSES.
I WANT TO GET IT DONE.
I HOPE YOU DO AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU, MATT.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MARTIN
DICKEY.
>> OKAY.
STAR SIX.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR ME?
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> GREAT.
THANKS MR. LEWIS AND COUNCIL
MEMBERS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
MY NAME IS MARK DICKEY.
I HAVE LIVED IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 24 YEARS.
I LIVE UNIVERSITY WAY PASSES
RIVANNA BOULEVARD AT BOULDER
PARK.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOMELESS
ACCOUNTANTS IN THE PARKS,
PARTICULARLY THAT..
I WILL HAVE A PROPOSAL.
FROM MY KITCHEN WINDOW I CAN
LOOK DOWN ON THIS LARGE
HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST TENTS AND
SLEEPING BAGS I CAN SEE
MATTRESSES, CINDERBLOCKS, DESK
CHAIRS, ALL SORTS OF JUNK.
THIS IS HILLSIDE AND SOME
REMOTE AREAS OF THE PARK, BUT
ASSURED OF LAND ADJACENT TO
SEVERAL LARGE APARTMENT
BUILDINGS HERE.
POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN
TELL YOU ABOUT MANY PROBLEMS
THEY HAVE BEEN CALLED TO HEAR
AS HAVE SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS
WHO HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN.
MY PROPOSAL IS THIS -- I KNOW
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE IN
CAMPING OUT RIGHT IN ALL PARKS.
BUT I SUGGEST YOU DECLARE A NON-
TOLERANCE ZONE IN THE PARKS OF
200 FEET FROM ANY RESIDENTIAL
BUILDING. TENTS AND OTHER
DEBRIS IN THE ZONE SHOULD BE
REMOVED ON A ZERO DAY BASIS IN
OTHER WORDS, A TENT GOES UP
OVERNIGHT AND THE NEXT MORNING
IT IS CLEARED AWAY.
MOVING THE CURRENT CAMPERS TO
TINY HOUSES OR MOTELS WON'T
SOLVE THE PROBLEM HERE.
BECAUSE THE CAMPERS TYPICALLY
LEAVE EVERYTHING BEHIND AND NEW
SQUATTERS ARRIVED TO TAKE THEIR
PLACE.
TO SUMMARIZE, I'M ASKING YOU TO
ENFORCE A ZERO TOLERANCE, ZERO
DELAY, NO CAMPING ZONE OF 200
FEET FROM ANY RESIDENTIAL
BUILDING.
PLEASE GIVE US NEIGHBORS BACK
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU.
>> THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC
COMMENT SESSION.
MOVING ON TO ITEMS OF BUSINESS.
ITEM 1. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO
DISCUSS COUNCIL BILL 119-9975,
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO LAND
USE AND ZONING ESTABLISHING
REGULATIONS FOR DEVELOPED,
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND ADDING A NEW SECTION ON
AMENDING SAY OTTO WITHIN THE
CIVIL CODE.
MIKE, THE CLERK WAS SUPPOSED TO
READ THAT.
SORRY JESSICA JACOB USURPING
THE ROLE ON THAT.
YOU WANTED GET THE NEXT AGENDA
ITEM.
I WANT TO INVITE UP TO THE
TABLE OUR PRESENTERS, OUR
VIRTUAL TABLE AS IT WERE, IN
SOME, OUR PRESENTERS ON THIS
TOPIC.
I KNOW WE ARE JOINED BY TITO
FRIEDMAN FROM CENTRAL STAFF I
DO WANT TO NOTE THAT COUNCIL
MEMBER SWAN HAS NOW JOINED THE
COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU. COULD HAVE YOU HEAR.
AND, JACOB, CAN YOU ANNOUNCE
THE OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE GOING
TO BE PRESENT FROM THE EXECUTIVE
SIDE FOR THIS DISCUSSION?
>> YES.
WE HAVE MIKE PODOWSKI FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION AND
INSPECTIONS.
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTIONS,
RATHER.
AND LAURIE OLSON FROM THE
OFFICE OF HOUSING.
>> GREAT.
CAN WE BRIEFLY DO A ROUND OF
INTRODUCTIONS BY STATING NAME
AND ORGANIZATION?
I GUESS JACOB ALREADY SORT OF
DID THAT FOR YOU.
JUST ANNOUNCE YOUR PRESENCE
HERE AND WE WILL MOVE INTO THE
AGENDA ITEM.
>> I WILL START.
I WILL PASS IT TO MIKE AND HE
CAN PASS IT TO LAURA.
THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT ON MY
SCREEN.
KETO FREEMAN, COUNSEL CENTRAL
STAFF.
>> MIKE BRIDAVSKY.
I MANAGE LAND-USE CODE
DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY
DEVELOPED AT STC I.
>> I'M LAURIE OLSON.
ON THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT
MANAGER FOR THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING.
>> THANK YOU.
JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE IDEA
WHERE GOING TO HAVE CITY STAFF
GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE
LEGISLATION AND THE AMENDMENTS
WHERE THEY GOING TO MOVE ON TO
OUR PUBLIC HEARING, SO FOLKS
WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO PUBLICLY
COMMENT, DON'T WORRY, WE'RE
GOING TO GET TO YOU RIGHT AFTER
THIS INITIAL PRESENTATION AND
LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR COMMENTS.
WITH THAT WHAT YOU BEGIN
TALKING ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION
AND THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM THE
OTHER PRESENTERS.
>> SURE.
I WILL REFRESH THE COMMITTEE'S
MEMORY ABOUT WHAT IS IN THIS
BILL.
THAT IS ACTUALLY CONTAINED IN A
MEMORANDUM FROM ME THAT WAS
PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE IN
DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR. THIS
ALSO HAS SOME ADDITIONAL
BACKGROUND INFORMATION THAT I
WILL GIVE TO YOU, ANOTHER MEMO
FROM JEFF SIMS THAT TALKS A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DEMAND FOR
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND THEN I WILL ALSO BE
REFERRING TO A MEMO THAT IS
ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA FROM
YESTERDAY THAT OUTLINES FOUR
POTENTIAL COMMITMENTS AND A
SUBSTITUTE TO COUNTABLE 119975.
FIRST, TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY
ABOUT WHAT THIS COUNCIL WOULD DO
, IT WOULD ESTABLISH A
DEFINITION IN THE CODE FOR
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
WE DEFINED PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING IS A MULTIFAMILY
RESIDENTIAL USE WITH AT LEAST
90% OF UNITS AFFORDABLE TO
HOUSEHOLDS EARNING UP TO 50% OF
MARION, THAT'S ABOUT $50,000 A
YEAR.
THEY RECEIVE PUBLIC FUNDING AND
HAVE A CONTRACTUAL -- A
COMPONENT OF PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING . ALSO BE
AVAILABLE TO ASSESSOR USED TO
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
A CAN ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO
CLIENTS WERE NOT NECESSARILY
RESIDENTS OF THE BUILDING.
WILL PROVIDE A SERIES OF
EXEMPTIONS FROM LAND-USE CODE
STANDARDS TO FACILITATE SIDING
AND RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING,
INCLUDING EXEMPTIONS FROM FLOOR
AREA USE, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES,
CALCULATION -- RELEVANT, BUT
EXEMPT FROM THE SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING FROM DESIGNER VIEW.
IT WOULD EXEMPT PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FROM LONG
AND SHORT-TERM BICYCLE PARKING
REQUIREMENTS.
IT WOULD AUTHORIZE THE STC I
DIRECTOR IS A TYPE I DECISION,
WHICH IS A NONDISCRETIONARY
NONAPPEALABLE DECISION TO WAIVE
SPECIFIED PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS FOR PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THERE ARE SOME COMMITTEE
OUTREACH REQUIREMENTS THAT
WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DEVELOPED.
IT WOULD EXPAND THOSE AREAS
WHERE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING CAN BE LOCATED TO
INCLUDE COMMERCIAL TWO STONES
AND ALSO STREET-LEVEL, STREET-
LEVEL USE IS REQUIRED TO
SUPPORT A PEDESTRIAN
ENVIRONMENT WITHOUT LIMITATION.
SO, TURNING TO THE AMENDMENT TO
THE BILL.
THIS IS A MEMO THAT IS THE
AGENDA DATED JANUARY 25th THERE
IS A SUBSTITUTE, WHICH MAKES
NONSENSITIVE CORRECTIONS -- IT
ILLUMINATES THE REDUNDANT WORD
AND MAKES OTHER NON-SUBSYSTEM
CHANGES.
ALL THOSE CHANGES ON PAGES
THREE AND FOUR OF THE
SUBSTITUTE BILL.
AND SUBSTITUTE BILL IS AN
ATTACHMENT TO THE MEMO.
AND THEN THERE ARE FOUR
SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS. THREE
SPONSORED, ONE SPONSORED BY
COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS AND THREE
SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBER
PETERSON.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AMENDMENT
WOULD MODIFY THE DEFINITION TO
LIMIT THE AFFORDABILITY TO
BETTER REFLECT THE MAKES OF
FUNDING THAT OH LOOKS FOR AND
FUNDING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING PROJECTS IT WOULD
REQUIRE THAT AT LEAST HALF THE
UNITS IN PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING THE AFFORDABLE
HOUSEHOLDS EARNING UP TO 30% OF
VERBAL MEDIUM INCOME.
A THRESHOLD MORE CONSISTENT
WITH FOLKS EXITING HOMELESSNESS
THAT WOULD BE SERVED BY
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
WITH REMAINDER WILL BE
AFFORDABLE TO VERY LOW INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS, WHICH IS HOUSEHOLDS
EARNING UP TO 50% OF AREA
MEDIAN INCOME.
THIS IS A DEFINITION THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT IN DECEMBER, A
POTENTIAL CHANGE THAT WAS
FLAGGED THEN.
TELLS MEMBER PETERSON'S LIMITS,
THERE ARE THREE, ONE WOULD AT A
RECITAL THAT RELATES BACK TO
RESOLUTION 31956, THE INTERNET
FOR ALL SEATTLE ESTABLISHING
THE COUNCIL BLUFFS INTENT TO
CONSIDER CHANGES TO THE HOUSING
FUNDING POLICIES BY REQUIRING
INSTALLATION OF BROADBAND IF
THE STRUCTURE.
THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH HUD
REQUIREMENT. COUNCILMEMBER
PETERSON'S SECOND AMENDMENT
WOULD ADD AN ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENT TO THE COMMUNITY
RELATIONS PLAN REQUIREMENTS
THAT WOULD BE A COMPONENT OF
COUNTABLE 1197 AND WOULD WAS A
LAND USE PERMIT BE A LEAST ONE
PUBLIC MEETING FOR A PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECT AND
THERE BE NOTIFICATION TO
BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS WITHIN
500 FEET OF A PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECT
FINALLY, TELLS MEMBER PETERSON
WOULD ALSO AMEND THE DEFINITION
OF HIS AMENDMENT OF PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO CLARIFY
THAT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING HAS TO BE PAIRED WITH
HONOR OFF-SITE VOLUNTARY HUMAN
SERVICES, THE LANGUAGE HERE IN
THIS POTENTIAL ENEMY IS DRAWN
FROM LANGUAGE IN THE SHERMAN
ACT AND THE GMA DEFINITION OF
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THAT IS KIND OF A RUNDOWN OF
POTENTIAL ORNAMENTS AND A
REFRESHER ON WHAT THE BILL DOES
. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I
CAN ANSWER THEM.
OR TRY TO.
I MAY BE ASKING MIKE AND LORI
TO CHIME IN AS WELL.
>> WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND
HEAR FROM MIKE AND LORI ON THE
LEGISLATION AND THE POTENTIAL
AMENDMENTS?
I WOULD THEN LIKE TO TAKE A
SECOND AND MAYBE BRIEFLY SPEAK
TO MY AMENDMENT AND PROVIDE A
FEW ADDITIONAL COMMENTS I WOULD
LIKE TO HEAR AND GIVE COUNCIL
MEMBER PETERSON AN OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK TO HIS AMENDMENTS THAT
YOU LAID OUT AS WELL.
WHY DON'T WE HEAR FROM MIKE AND
LORI FIRST?
AND THEN TURN TO ALEX.
>> I CAN BE QUICK.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO
THAT FIND SUMMARY. I WILL STAND
BY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT
COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAY HAVE.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW
GRATEFUL WE ARE THAT THIS
LEGISLATION IS BEING PROPOSED.
WE HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH BY
COUNSEL'S PASSAGE OF THE
EMERGENCY LEGISLATION LAST
YEAR.
WE ISSUED OUR FIRST PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PILOT IN THE
SUMMER OF 2020 TO INTEGRATE AND
MOVE FORWARD WITH AS MANY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS FOR
HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AS WE COULD
. MANY OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE
UNDER CONSTRUCTION TODAY THANKS
TO YOU ALL.
AND USING PRODUCT VERY SIMILAR
TO WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING
TODAY.
I'M REALLY GRATEFUL WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THIS.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, LORI AND
MIKE FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
ADDRESS MY AMENDMENTS.
THROUGHOUT THE DRAFTING OF THIS
I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE --
THAT WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO
CARVE OUT MORE HOUSING SUPPLY
FOR IT, AS PEOPLE ARE EXITING
HOMELESSNESS, PARTICULARLY FOLKS
WHO HAVE CERTAIN PUBLIC HEALTH
BARRIERS TO ACCESSING MARKET
RATE HOUSING OR CERTAIN INCOME
LEVEL WHERE THOSE ARE HURDLES
AND NEED TO HAVE MORE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO GET INTO
A PERMANENT WARM AND SAFE
HOUSING PLACEMENT.
YEAH, I THINK THAT THESE NEW
AMI LEVELS OF 50% OF THE
HOUSING IN A GIVEN BUILDING,
BEING AT 30% OR BELOW AND THEN
50% BEING UP TO 50% OF AMI
BETTER REFLECTS THAT GOAL
RATHER THAN HAVING 100% AT 50%
OR BELOW TO AVOID ANY POTENTIAL
OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF
PROVIDING SOME KIND OF LOOPHOLE
WAREHOUSING THAT ISN'T
NECESSARILY PERMANENT AND
SUPPORTIVE TAKES ADVANTAGE OF
THIS ORDINANCE.
THAT IS THE ESSENTIAL MOTIVATION
BEHIND THAT AMENDMENT THAT I
HAVE PUT FORWARD.
I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY SPEAK
TO IT. THANK YOU FOR PREPARING
THAT. THANK YOU TO THE OFFICE
OF HOUSING FOR YOUR GUIDANCE ON
SHAPING AND CONSTRUCTING THAT
AMENDMENT AND ALSO A LOT OF THE
OTHER THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS
BILL.
SO, WITH THAT I WANT TO GIVE
COUNCIL MEMBER PETERSON AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO HIS
THREE AMENDMENTS. AND THEN I
WANT TO OPEN IT UP A LITTLE BIT
HERE IF ANY OTHER COMMITTEE
MEMBERS WANT TO SHARE SOME
COMMENTS AT THIS STAGE. WE, NINE
TRANSITION TO THE COMMENT
PERIOD ON THE BILL AND CLOSE
OUT THIS AGENDA ITEM.
COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON, WHY
DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE A
MOMENT TO GO OVER YOUR PROPOSED
AMENDMENT?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR LEWIS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
INTRODUCING THIS LEGISLATION
AND LOOKING AT HOW TO SPEED THE
CONSTRUCTION OF PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WHICH IS
NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT OUR
HOUSING FIRST APPROACH TO GET
PEOPLE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING
THAT IS ALSO PROVIDING THESE
WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT THEY
MAY NEED.
THIS IS COUPLED WITH YOUR
INITIATIVE ANNOUNCED RECENTLY
FOR TEMPORARY TINY HOME
VILLAGES TO GET PEOPLE FROM
WHERE THEY'RE LIVING NOW IN
PARKS AND GREENWAYS, ON STREETS
. I DID WANT TO KNOWLEDGE
CONSTITUENTS WHO CALLED IN
TODAY ABOUT OLGA PARK.
WE ARE VERY AWARE OF THAT, THAT
DIRE SITUATION.
SO IS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. THANK
YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CALL
IN AND REITERATE THAT.
REGARDING THIS BILL TO SPEED
THE PRODUCTION OF PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING BY EXEMPTING
THEM FROM DESIGN REVIEW, THESE
THREE AMENDMENTS, AGAIN, THERE
IS NO VOTE TODAY, AS I
UNDERSTAND.
THIS IS JUST OUT HERE FOR
DISCUSSION.
WE CAN TALK FURTHER.
MY LEGISLATIVE AIDE HAS BEEN
WORKING HARD ON THESE. SHE MAY
REACH OUT TO YOUR STAFF I HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS'S OFFICE A LITTLE BIT ON
THIS.
THIS FIRST ONE IS JUST A
RECITAL.
SINCE WE PASSED THE INTERNET
FOR ALL RESOLUTION IT IS
LOOKING FOR ANY OPPORTUNITY TO
REMIND EVERYBODY WE ARE
INTERESTED IN HAVING INTERNET
ACCESS INSTALLED WHERE EVER IT
CAN BE AGAIN, THIS IS A
NONBINDING RECITAL ABOUT
INTERNET FOR ALL.
THAT ACCESS TO THE INTERNET IS
SO IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO GET
THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THEY
NEED, EDUCATION, TRAINING, JOBS
. TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS IN THE
BODY OF THE BILL. IT'S MORE
SUBSTANTIVE, WHICH WOULD, SINCE
WOULD BE EXEMPTING THESE
PROJECTS FROM DESIGN REVIEW,
AND THERE IS SOME CONCERN THAT
THEY ARE ACCEPTING MORE AND
MORE PROJECTS FROM DESIGN
REVIEW, THIS IS JUST SAYING
THERE WOULD BE A COMMUNITY
MEETING.
THERE WOULD BE AT LEAST ONE
COMMUNITY MEETING, WHICH IS
SOMETHING THAT IS VERY HELPFUL
TO EDUCATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON
WHAT IS HAPPENING. I THINK
PEOPLE, MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN
THE MORE PEOPLE ARE MADE AWARE
OF THESE PROJECTS THE MORE
COMFORTABLE THEY ARE WITH THEM.
THEY WELCOME THEIR NEIGHBORS.
IT'S A POSITIVE RESULT.
SO, IT'S A JUST SAYING WE JUST
NEED HAVE ONE COMMUNITY MEETING.
IT IS I THINK A BARE MINIMUM.
AND THEN THE THIRD AMENDMENT IS
TAKING THE LANGUAGE FROM THE
ORIGINAL DRAFT, WHICH SAYS
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
MEANS MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL
USE WHICH MAY INCLUDE ACCESSORY
HUMAN SERVICES.
IT IS REALLY JUST CHANGING THAT
. WE WANTED TO ORIGINALLY USE
THE WORD -- WITH THE CITY
ATTORNEYS OFFICE.
WE WORDSMITH THIS WHAT IS IS
TODAY, WHICH IS PAIRED WITH
HONOR OFF-SITE VOLUNTARY HUMAN
SERVICES.
IT'S REALLY JUST MORE FIRMLY
DEFINING WHAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT WITH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING.
THOSE ARE MY THREE EMMA MITTS.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
OR WE CAN TALK BETWEEN NOW AND
THE NEXT MEETING AS WELL.
YANKEE.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
PETERSON.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THOSE
ITEMS FORWARD FOR DISCUSSION I
LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU
OVER THE NEXT MONTH ABOUT THOSE
AMENDMENTS AND OTHER ISSUES
RELATED TO THIS BILL.
WITH THAT I WANT TO OPEN IT UP
IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO MAKE ANY
GENERAL COMMENTS AT THIS TIME,
ASK ANY QUESTIONS TO CENTRAL
STAFF OR COUNCILMEMBERS PETERSON
OR I ABOUT OUR AMENDMENTS.
I'M HAPPY TO OPEN IT UP. IF
FOLKS COULD USE THE RAISE HAND
FEATURE. GREAT.
LOOKS LIKE -- COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, YOU ARE USING THE
OLD SCHOOL PHYSICAL RAISE HAND
FEATURE.
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> OLD-SCHOOL HERE FOR YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCIL
MEMBERS AND MR. CHAIR.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
I'M SORRY.
I'M STILL CATCHING UP ON THE
MEMO HERE WITH THE VARIOUS
AMENDMENTS I JUST WANT TO MAKE
SURE I UNDERSTAND AMENDMENT
NUMBER FOUR.
I THINK MAYBE JUST A WORD IS
MISSING.
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
MEANS A MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL
USE, WHICH IS PAIRED -- WHICH
THE HOUSING IS PAIRED?
WHAT IS THAT?
SORRY.
CAN YOU JUST TELL ME WHAT THE
INTENT OF ITEM 4 IS?
>> YES.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
IT IS JUST TO SAY THAT, IT IS
JUST DEFINING PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING THAT IT HAS
THE SUPPORTIVE PART ATTACHED TO
IT EITHER ON-SITE OR ON-SITE OR
OFF-SITE.
HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE
TO FINE-TUNE THAT LANGUAGE.
>> THE EFFECT OF THE CHANGE?
I'M SORRY.
>> I WILL CHIME IN QUICKLY.
WHAT WOULD BE PAIRED WITH IT IS
THE USE.
THIS GETS INTO SOME OF THE
WEIRD STRUCTURE THAT IS THE
LAND USE CODE.
OF THE CITY REGULATES A FEW
THINGS THROUGH THE LAND USE
CODE.
ONE IS A USE, WHICH IS AN
ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENS ON-SITE,
RESIDENTIAL USE ON-SITE.
THE OTHER IS PHYSICAL THE
MOMENT STANDARDS FOR BUILDINGS.
SO, THIS, OF THE NEW DEFINITION
OF USE IS THE TERM OF OUR LAND
USE CODE FOR THE ACTIVITY OF
LIVING THAT IS A RESIDENTIAL
USE.
>> I THINK I UNDERSTAND. TELL
ME IF THIS IS NOT ACCURATE.
BASICALLY, YOU ARE REWORDING
THIS TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR TO
FOLKS THAT THIS HOUSING IS
PAIRED, NOT MAY BE PAIRED, BUT
IS PAIRED.
>> CORRECT.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS GOING
THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT VERIFICATION.
>> EXCELLENT.
I BELIEVE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GONZALES HAS A QUESTION.
>> I DO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR DODGING ME AND
GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
JUST REALLY QUICKLY HERE ON
AMENDMENT TWO, THAT IS THE
RECITAL RELATED TO THE INTENT
TO CONSIDER FUTURE AMENDMENTS.
AROUND BROADBAND EVER
STRUCTURES.
I RECOGNIZE IT DOES STATE
LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
I JUST WANT TO, I'M OBVIOUSLY
SUPPORTIVE OF THIS EFFORT TO
HAVE MORE BROADBAND IN THE
STRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I'M ALSO REALLY WANTING TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE AREN'T
UNINTENTIONALLY ADDING
ADDITIONAL BURDENS OR CRITERIA
TO DEVELOPERS IN THEIR EFFORT
TO QUICKLY BUILD PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT BROADBAND --
MY UNDERSTANDING IS BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE IS RATHER
EXPENSIVE AND CUMBERSOME.
I JUST WANT TO BE -- I GUESS
I'M WONDERING WHETHER WE HAVE
EVALUATED WORDS ON ANY OUTREACH
TO OUR HOUSING DEVELOPERS AROUND
WHAT THE IMPACT OF THIS --
PRIORITY, WHICH IS TO QUICKLY
BUILD PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING?
>> CHAIR LEWIS, IS IT OKAY IF I
ANSWER THAT?
>> OKAY.
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR LEWIS.
WHAT WE DO KNOW FROM, BASICALLY,
WE ARE USING THE HUD REQUIREMENT
FOR ANY HOUSING THAT IS FINANCED
WITH AN FHA INSURED MORTGAGE,
INCLUDING SOMETIMES PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
WHAT HUD HAS STUDIED IS THAT IT
IS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TO PUT
IT IN LATER.
IT'S MUCH MORE CHEAP TO PUT IT
IN UP FRONT.
I THINK THE INTENT HERE IS
REALLY JUST PROVIDE THE
INTERNET SERVICE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE MOST
EXPENSIVE HARDWIRED OPTION, SO
THERE MAY BE A WAY TO REFINE
THIS LANGUAGE TO SAY WE WANT
THEM TO GIVE ALL DUE
CONSIDERATION OF INSTALLING
INTERNET AXIS OF SOME SORT WHEN
THEY ARE PUTTING IT IN.
TO THINK ABOUT THAT UP FRONT
RATHER THAN TAKING ABOUT IT
LATER. THAT THEY WISH THEY HAD
INSTALLED IT, BECAUSE THE HIGH
NEED INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING TO
NEED ACCESS TO THIS.
A LOT OF APARTMENT PROJECTS DO
HAVE A COMPUTER CENTER THAT
THEY PUT IN.
I THINK THAT IT IS STILL A
VALUE WORTH PURSUING.
IT CAN CHANGE THE LANGUAGE
>> I'M ACTUALLY NOT SOME OF THE
SUGGESTING ANY LANGUAGE CHANGE
AT THIS POINT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DESIRED
INTENT TO ALLOW FOR PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO BE BUILT
FASTER, SO WE CAN MEET THE
SCALE OF THE NEED.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
OUR HOUSING PROVIDERS AREN'T
GOING TO SEE THIS RECITAL AS AN
ISSUE IN THAT NUMBER.
I HAVEN'T HAD ANY ENGAGEMENT
YET WITH HOUSING PROVIDERS.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ANSWER IS
TO THAT.
MAYBE FOLKS FROM STC I MIGHT
HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF WHETHER
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE
ARE DOING AND IT IS JUST
NORMALIZED.
AND THE DEVELOPED WORLD OR IF
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SIGNALING
THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE
SURE THAT BROADBAND IS BEING
FITTED INTO NEW BUILDINGS AS
OPPOSED TO THE RETRO FIT.
THAT IS VERY SENSITIVE TO DO.
I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE
THAT THIS ISN'T SOMETHING
THAT'S GOING TO BE SEEN AS
SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE
OVERCOME.
I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE INTENT
HERE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US
TO MAKE SURE WE ARE BUILDING
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
AND OTHER STRUCTURES AROUND THE
CITY THAT ARE ALREADY FITTED
FOR BROADBAND.
>> WE CAN HAVE STC I SPEAK.
ALSO, I WILL OFFER TO REACH OUT
TO THE HOUSING DEVELOPED
CONSORTIUM AS A GOOD
ORGANIZATION TO REACH OUT TO
GET SOME ADDITIONAL INPUT ON
SOMETHING LIKE THIS. THAT'S THE
BENEFIT OF HAVING THESE EMMA
MITTS AIR TODAY.
AND THEN WE CAN DO SOME
RESEARCH AND GET BACK TO FOLKS.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS
GOING TO SUGGEST.
INFORMATION IS PROBABLY BETTER
PROVIDED BY THE NGO AND THE
OTHER FOUNDERS OF THESE
PROJECTS WE WOULD CERTAINLY
WORK WITH COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON
AND YOUR OFFICE, COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALES, TO COMPILE SOME
INFORMATION TO HELP WITH THIS
QUESTION.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
JUST ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION,
IF I MAY, CHAIR.
>> YES.
OF COURSE.
>> ON THE AMENDMENT FOUR, DOES
THIS, IN TERMS OF PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, IS THAT
DEFINED ANYWHERE ELSE IN OUR
CODES? IF SO, IS THIS
DEFINITION CONSISTENT OR
INCONSISTENT WITH THOSE OTHER
DEFINITIONS OF PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING?
>> THE DEFINITION THAT WE HAVE
HERE IS SPECIFIC TO THE LAND
USE CODE.
THIS IS A NEW DEFINITION FOR
THE LAND USE CODE.
I'M UNAWARE OF ANY OTHER
DEFINITIONS IN THE REGULAR TRAY
CODES FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING. THE OFFICE OF HOUSING
IN HOUSING FUNDING POLICIES OR
OTHER DOCUMENTS MAY HAVE A
WORKING DEFINITION OR SOMETHING
THAT THEY USE.
I WILL DEFER TO LORI ON WHAT
THAT IS.
>> YEAH.
THE ISSUE HERE AND REQUEST THAT
THE OFFICE HAS MADE AROUND THIS
PARTICULAR DEFINITION IS TIMING.
WITH THE AWARDING OF THE
FUNDING OF THE OFFICE OF HOUSING
BUILDINGS GO STRAIGHT INTO
DESIGN. WHILE WE STILL WORK
WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND
AGENCIES TO SECURE THE OPERATING
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICESUPPORT.
WHILE THAT IS BEING UNDERTAKEN
-- GOING TO BE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND THEY'RE
GOING TO HAVE SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES.
THE BUILDING WILL MOST LIKELY BE
100%, 30%, AND BELOW.
úIS THE ISSUE OF TIMING AND
HAVING IT IN THE LAND USE CODES
VERSUS IN A REGULAR TRAY
AGREEMENT LATER ON.
THAT IS THE REQUEST TO COUNSEL,
BECAUSE THE TIMING IS THAT
THERE IS ALL THE PIECES AREN'T
IN PLACE BY THE TIME THEY ARE
IN FOR DESIGN AND PERMITTING
AND WOULD NEED TO HAVE THIS
LEGISLATION ENACTED.
WE WILL FOLLOW-UP ONCE THE
PROJECT IS IN CONSTRUCTION WITH
THE FINAL PIECES TO ENSURE THAT
IT IS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
I THINK I AM TRACKING WHAT YOU
ARE SAYING HERE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS AMENDMENT
IS STILL CONSISTENT WITH THAT.
WITH THAT REQUEST AND DESIRE.
I SEE HEAD NODS AND A CUTE
LITTLE KITTY.
>> JACK DECIDED TO JOIN.
WE REGULATE BY AMI.
AREA MEETING -- BY OUR FUNDING
SOURCES CONSISTENTLY REGULATE.
WE DO NOT REGULATE AS HOMELESS
OR SENIOR , BY POPULATION.
WE REGULATE AS AREA MEDIAN
INCOME.
>> PERFECT.
>> CONSISTENT.
>> APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DON'T HAVE
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM
PRESIDENT, TO MAKE A QUICK NOTE
IN RESPONSE YOUR FIRST LINE OF
QUESTIONING AROUND THE
BROADBAND AMENDMENT.
MY OFFICE DID CHECK IN WITH
PLYMOUTH HOUSING ON THAT
AMENDMENT, WHO STATED THEY
DON'T HAVE ANY SERIOUS CONCERNS.
THEY ARE JUST ONE PROVIDER, SO
I DON'T WANT US TO ASSUME
OTHERS MIGHT NOT.
I JUST WANT TO FLAG THAT SOME
OF OUR PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS
HAVE INDICATED THAT AT LEAST
PLYMOUTH DOESN'T PERCEIVE IT AS
AN ISSUE.
OVER THE NEXT MONTH WE WILL
MAKE THOSE INQUIRIES AS WELL.
I APPRECIATE YOU RAISING THOSE
QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU.
A STATEMENT AND QUESTION.
I WANT TO THANK CHAIR LEWIS NOT
ONLY FOR THE BASE LEGISLATION,
BUT FOR HIS AMENDMENT TODAY.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THIS
AMENDMENT WOULD GUARANTEE THAT
AT LEAST 50% OF THE HOUSING
UNITS WOULD BE OCCUPIED BY
FOLKS WHO HAVE INCOMES UNDER 30%
AREA MEDIAN INCOME, WHEREAS THE
PREVIOUS LANGUAGE CONCEIVABLY A
BUILDING COULD NOT HAVE ANY
UNITS UNDER 30% AMI.
REALLY, IF MY UNDERSTANDING OF
YOUR AMENDMENT IS CORRECT I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING
THAT FORWARD.
MY TWO QUESTIONS, I THINK, OR
MAYBE FOR, PERHAPS LORI MIGHT
WANT TO HELP OUT HERE.
A FEW WEEKS AGO I REQUESTED
SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE
DRAFT COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN.
I WAS INTERESTED TO KNOW
WHETHER OR NOT THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING WAS AUTHORIZED TO
COMPEL CHANGES TO THE DRAFT
ONCE IT IS SUBMITTED. AND THE
RESPONSE I GOT IS THAT HE
ASSUMED, BUT WOULD CONFIRM THAT
SINCE IT IS DESCRIBED AS DRAFT
IT COULD BE REVISED TO REFLECT
FUNDING CONDITIONS. I DID NOT
RECEIVE OR IF I DID RECEIVE A I
HAVE LOST TRACK OF IT,
CONFIRMATION THAT OH CAN, IN
FACT, UPDATE THE DRAFT AFTER IT
HAS BEEN SUBMITTED. IN A WAY
THAT IS APPROPRIATE TO THE NEEDS
FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THAT
IS THE ONE QUESTION.
MAYBE I WILL TAKE A PAUSE ON
THAT BEFORE MY SECOND.
>> I APOLOGIZE I DID NOT GET
BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
THE TERM DRAFT COMMUNITY
RELATIONS PLAN COMES FROM THE
HOUSING FUNDING POLICIES. IT
IS PART OF, IT'S A COMPONENT
THAT IS REQUIRED OF APPLICANTS
FOR ANY CITY FUNDING THAT HAVE
TO SUBMIT A DRAFT COMMUNITY
PLAN FOR FUNDING.
THERE ARE MORE DETAILS IN
HOUSING FUNDING POLICIES ABOUT
THE LEVEL OF COMMUNITY AVERAGE
THAT HAPPENS AFTER SUBMISSION
OF THE PLAN.
I WILL DEFER TO LORI ON WHAT
THE PRACTICE IS AT OH WHEN IT
COMES TO REFINING THOSE
COMMUNITY RELATIONS DOCUMENTS
AFTER INITIAL APPLICATION FOR [
INDISCERNIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
IT IS INTENDED TO BE A DRAFT
EXACTLY FOR THAT PURPOSE, TO
ALLOW THE OFFICE OF HOUSING TO
PROVIDE INPUT ON BEST PRACTICES.
THE DRAFT COMMUNITY RELATIONS
PLAN IS DUE 30 DAYS PRIOR TO
APPLICATION.
IT GETS REVIEWED BOTH BY OUR,
MEDICATIONS DEPARTMENT, OUR OUR
SJI CHANGE -- I THINK THE WORD
COMPEL IS A LITTLE STRONG.
PROBABLY NOT THE LANGUAGE WE
WOULD USE, BUT HIGHLY ENCOURAGE
WE DEFINITELY SHARE OTHER
COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLANS THAT
ARE BEST PRACTICES AND HIGHLY
ENCOURAGE MORE IMPLEMENTATION
AND MORE ROBUST OUTREACH IF
IT'S NOT MEETING THE MARK, FOR
SURE.
THE FACT THAT IT COMES BEFORE
THE APPLICATION AND BEFORE OUR
CONSIDERATION OF FUNDING DOES
HAVE QUITE A BIT OF INFLUENCE
AND DIRECTION TOWARDS THAT
COMPEL WORD.
>> FANTASTIC.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IN MY SECOND QUESTION IT
RELATES TO A LETTER I RECEIVED
FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION
RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO LOADING
ZONES.
OF COURSE, THE LETTER WAS IN
SUPPORT OF THE LEGISLATURE.
THEY URGED COUNSEL TO ALLOW
LOADING ZONES AT PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING VALVES TO
FACILITATE LOADING RESIDENCE
FOR TRANSPORTATION TO MEDICAL
AND OTHER APPOINTMENTS.
I REACHED OUT OR I SHOULD SAY
MY STAFF HAS REACHED OUT TO THE
PLANNING COMMISSION FOR MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPECIFIC
CHANGES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO
SEE.
BASED ON MY UNDERSTANDING FROM
QUITO THAT LOADING ZONES ARE
REGULATED BY PORTIONS OF THE
MUNICIPAL CODE THAT ARE
ACTUALLY NOT INCLUDED IN THE
BILL'S TITLE.
SO, I'M JUST TRY TO GET SOME
MORE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE
CURRENT REGULATIONS ARE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT LOADING ZONES
ARE ALLOWED FOR MULTIFAMILY
DEVELOPMENTS.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HAVE
CONFIRMATION OF THAT. AND ALSO
JUST KNOWING WHETHER OR NOT
THEY ARE REQUIRED.
>> I CAN TELL YOU WHAT I HAVE
DISCOVERED.
IT IS INCOMPLETE. MIKE ME KNOW
THIS OFF THE TOP OF HIS HEAD.
IF NOT HE AND I CAN GET BACK IN
TOUCH WITH YOU.
FDOT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
FUNCTIONS OF THE [
INDISCERNIBLE ] MOST OF THE
DECISIONS ABOUT SIGNING AREAS
FOR FREIGHT OR PASSENGER LOADING
OUR DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE BY
THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION.
JUST AS A PRACTICAL MATTER WHEN
SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR A MASS USE
PERMIT OR BUILDING PERMIT OR
SOMETHING FROM THE CITY THAT IS
GOING TO TRIGGER IMPROVEMENTS
TO THE RIGHT AWAY THEY RECEIVE
WHAT IS CALLED A PARK, A
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT REPORT
FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
APARTMENTS, INCLUDING UTILITIES
AND FDOT. THAT GIVES THE
APPLICANT A SENSE ABOUT WHAT
THEY MAY NEED TO DO TO MEET THE
MINIMUM STANDARDS OF THERE IS A
DOCUMENT CALLED THE RIGHT-OF-
WAY IMPROVEMENT MANUAL THAT
SETS UP THE MINIMUM A SOMEBODY
HAS TO DO IF A PROJECT TRIGGERS
STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
AS PART OF THAT, AN APPLICANT
CAN GET A SENSE OF TO WHETHER
OR NOT THEY WOULD BE LIKELY TO
RECEIVE, IF THEY APPLIED FOR, A
PERMIT FOR A LOADING ZONE.
A LOT OF IT IS SPECIFIC TO THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RIGHT-OF-
WAY.
IF IT'S A BUSY TRANSIT STREET
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND A
PASSENGER LOADING ZONE WOULD
MEAN RELOCATING A METRO STOP
THERE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GET
IT.
I CAN'T TELL YOU TODAY THAT
THOSE, THE PASSENGER LOAD ZONES
ARE REQUIRED, JUST BECAUSE I
HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT
THE CITATION AND THE RIGHT-OF-
WAY IMPROVEMENT MANUAL OR THE
DORMANT CODE.
PRIOR TO NEXT MEETING WE CAN
FOLLOW UP WITH YOU TO LET YOU
KNOW FOR CERTAIN.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE
QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES.
I APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL
CONVERSATIONS THAT WILL NO
DOUBT OCCUR OVER THE NEXT MONTH
AND FOR THE RAISING OF THESE
ISSUES, NOT JUST FROM FOLKS
HERE, BUT ALSO FROM
STAKEHOLDERS THAT HAVE REACHED
OUT AND SENT LETTERS IN SUPPORT
. AND FOLKS THAT HAVE WRITTEN
ABOUT THIS IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE.
IT WAS A COUNCILMEMBER MISS
GAETA HAS ONE LAST COMMENT OR
QUESTION TO CLOSE US OUT AGAIN
WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO GIVE LKS
COMMENT IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AS
WELL.
COUNCILMEMBER MISS GAETA,
PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
ALLOWING US TO ASK QUESTIONS ON
THE POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS AGAIN
TO MY QUESTION ABOUT AMENDMENT
FOUR.
AND THIS MIGHT RELATE BACK TO
THE INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING THE
CARE VERSUS THE PERSON
PROVIDING THE CARE.
I'M WONDERING WHEN IT SAYS
VOLUNTARY HUMAN SERVICES WHY
THERE IS THE WORD VOLUNTARY IN
THEIR?
A LOT OF OUR HUMAN SERVICE
PROVIDERS ARE PAID AND WE WENT
THROUGH A BIG STRUGGLE THE LAST
TWO YEARS TRYING TO MAKE SURE
THEY RECEIVED MORE ADEQUATE PAY
, RECOGNIZING THEY ARE STILL
HIGHLY UNDERPAID IN THAT
PROFESSION.
IS THAT RELATED TO THE
INDIVIDUAL WHO RECEIVES THE
CARE?
OR IS THAT RELATED TO THE
INDIVIDUAL WHO IS DELIVERING
THE CARE?
>> I CAN TELL YOU MY READ. IT
IS NOT SAYING THAT SOMEBODY IS
RECEIVING FREE CARE FROM 70 OR
SOMEBODY IS PROVIDING PRO BONO
CARE.
IT'S THAT THE PERSON WHO IS
EXITING HOMELESSNESS IS
VOLUNTARILY SEEKING SERVICES TO
STAY IN THE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
>> EXCELLENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AS THIS IS A LAND-USE BILL THAT
WOULD TYPICALLY COME THROUGH MY
LAND-USE AND NEIGHBORHOODS
COMMITTEE SOMETHING THAT I
DON'T OFTEN.
WAS CONTROL OF LAND-USE BILLS
AND CHEERLESS YOU'RE DOING A
GREAT JOB STEWARDING THIS BILL.
LAND-USE HIM AS MY FRIENDS IN
STI CAN ATTEST TO CAN BE
COMPLICATED.
OFTEN TIMES OUR AMENDMENTS AT
COUNSEL CAN CREATE UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES THAT WE DO NOT
PERCEIVE WITH GOOD INTENTIONS
THAT WE PUT FORWARD IN THE
WORDS THAT WE USE.
SO, TO THE AMENDMENT SPONSORS I
WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU
INDIVIDUALLY TO ENSURE THAT THE
INTENTIONS YOU ARE BRINGING
FORWARD DO NOT CREATE
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OR
PARAMETERS AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NOTED THAT MAY REQUIRE BUILDERS
TO CREATE IN THE STRUCTURE THAT
IS ALREADY BEING CREATED, BUT
TO BE DONE SO IN A MORE
EXTENSIVE WAY.
I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE
ARE ABLE TO CREATE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN THE MOST
EXPEDIENT AND COST-EFFICIENT
MANNER. THANK YOU COLLEAGUES
FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
I SUPPORT THIS BILL.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
SRAUSS I APPRECIATE YOU
CLOSING US OUT WITH THOSE
COMMENTS.
I WANT TO MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC
HEARING, SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF
TIME FOR OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
WITH THAT, AS PRESIDING OFFICER
I AM NOW OPENING THE PUBLIC
HEARING ON COUNSEL BILL 119975.
RELATING TO LAND-USE CODE
AMENDMENTS ON PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. THE ONLINE
REGISTRATION TO SIGN UP TO
SPEAK OPENED AT 12 NOON TODAY.
I WILL CALL ON SPEAKERS IN THE
ORDER OF REGISTRATION. THE
ONLINE REGISTRATION WILL REMAIN
OPEN UNTIL THE CONCLUSION OF
THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
THE SAME RULES APPLY TO THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WILL BE
APPLIED TO THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE PROVIDED
TWO MINUTES AND SPEAKERS WILL
HEAR A TIME WHEN THEY HAVE 10
SECONDS LEFT OVER THE ALLOTTED
TIME.
SPEAKERS MICROPHONES WILL BE
NEEDED AT THE END OF THE
ALLOTTED PUBLIC COMMENT TIME.
PUBLIC COMMENT RELATING TO
COUNSEL BILL 119975 IS ONLY
BEING ACCEPTED AT THIS PUBLIC
HEARING.
NO OTHER PUBLIC TESTIMONY WOULD
BE APPROPRIATE.
SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO BEGIN
THEIR COMMENTS BY STATING THEIR
NAME.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRESS STAR
SIX AFTER YOU HEAR THE PROMPT
IF YOU HAVE BEEN ON MUTE.
WITH THAT WE WILL BEGIN THE
PUBLIC HEARING STARTING WITH
RYAN PACKER.
RYAN PACKER, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED
FOR TWO MINUTES.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS RYAN PACKER.
I'M CALLING AS SOMEONE WHO
SPENDS A LOT OF TIME ADVOCATING
AROUND THE ISSUE OF MAKING IT
EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO BIKE.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE
REMOVAL OF THE BIKE PARKING
REQUIREMENTS THAT THE HOUSING
PROVIDERS HAVE TOLD US ALLOW US
TO BUILD MORE HOUSING AND GET
PEOPLE OFF THE STREET AND INTO
A WARM ROOM.
I'M ALSO CALLING AS SOMEONE WHO
HAS WITNESSED WHAT DESIGN
REVIEW IS AND DOES.
AND THE IDEA THAT YOU ARE
WAITING TO HAVE A MEETING OF
PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT THE
APPEARANCE OF THE BUILDING
WHILE SOMEONE IS SLEEPING ON
THE STREET IS SOMETHING I CAN'T
-- IT'S MORALLY AND
COMFORTABLE TO ME.
I SUPPORT THESE PACKAGE OF
IMPROVEMENTS.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTED
COMPROMISE ON THE BIKE PARKING
REQUIREMENT. STIPULATIONS I
WOULD SUPPORT A COMPROMISE AS
LONG AS IT'S LED BY THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS
WHO ARE TELLING US WHAT THE
IMPACT WOULD BE. THANKS SO MUCH
FOR HEARING MY COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU, RYAN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR EDITORIAL ON
THIS TOPIC.
NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE BRADY
NORDSTROM. BRADY, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, CHEERLESS,
VICE CHAIR HERBAL, AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I AM WITH SEATTLE FOR EVERYONE.
YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR,
BUT WE ARE A BROAD HOUSING
COALITION THAT UNITES UNDER THE
BELIEF THAT EVERYONE REGARDLESS
OF INCOME OR BACKGROUND
DESERVES A SAFE, STABLE,
AFFORDABLE HOME.
WE BELIEVE THE HOUSING CRISIS
REQUIRES A COMPREHENSIVE
APPROACH THAT INCLUDES
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
I'M TESTIFYING IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF COUNSEL BILL --
FURTHER AND FASTER TO ADDRESS
AN URGENT NEED.
AS IN SEATTLE CONTINUES TO LOOK
FOR SOLUTIONS IN THE ONGOING
HOUSING CRISIS WE SEE THAT
ALMOST AS MANY CASES IS A TRUE
EFFECT OF LACK OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
THE CORRELATION IS WELL-
DOCUMENTED WHEN RENT GOES UP WE
SEE AND ASSOCIATED RISON
HOMELESSNESS.
MOST HEAVILY IMPACT ON THE
WINCOME RESIDENTS.
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS
AN URGENT AFFECTIVE AND
EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTION. TO
MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE MOST
DEEPLY IMPACTED THE CHRONICALLY
HOMELESS.
BY NA MY LEVEL THAT IS STILL
TARGETING THAT SAME GROUP OF
PEOPLE AND SOME OF THOSE SAME
PEOPLE.
SEATTLE PIPELINE TO PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WHILE
ALLOWABLE DOES NOT YET MATCH
THE EMERGENCY NEEDS OF THIS
POPULATION.
WE THINK THAT BY CRATING THIS
NEW ZONING DESIGNATION FOR
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AS
ALLOWED BY HOUSE BILL 1923 THE
CITY CAN AVOID COMMON BERRIES
TO HOUSING LIKE ZONING
RESTRICTIONS, OPENING UP MORE
SITES.
THERE'S A LOT OF LIMITED LAND
IN THE CITY A DESIGN REVIEW
PROCESS THAT SOME ESTIMATE ME
AT 18 MONTHS ON AVERAGE TO
PROJECT TIMES. AND THEN SOME OF
THESE BROAD REQUIREMENTS THAT
DO NOT MATCH THE USE CASE OF
FUTURE RESIDENTS.
A LOT OF TIMES THESE GARMENTS
WILL LIMIT VALUABLE CAPACITY
FOR HOUSING UNITS AND ADD PER
UIT COST THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO
NOTE.
YEAH.
THIS BILL IS SMART TO INCREASE
IMPACT OF LIMITED PUBLIC
DOLLARS.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO MOVE
FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
HAVE A GOOD DAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AN EX- BEAKER WILL BE TIM.
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND
NUMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I AM TIM CARR, I'M DIRECTOR OF
REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
PROVIDER AND AN IMPORTANT PART
OF THE SOLUTION THAT SOME
PEOPLE HAVE TESTIFIED ABOUT THE
PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS IN OUR
CITY AND REGION AT THE TOP OF
THE MEETING.
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS
WHAT IS NEEDED TO GET FOLKS OUT
OF OUR PARKS AND OUT OF
SIDEWALKS INTO SHELTERS. AND
THEN OUT OF THOSE SHELTERS INTO
PERMANENT HOUSING.
IT IS THE MOST HUMANE AND
COMPASSIONATE SOLUTION TO
HOMELESSNESS.
WITH THAT I AM SUPER EXCITED
ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS
AND OTHERS FOR TAKING THIS UP.
IT IS THE FIRST OF I HOPE MANY
STEPS TOWARDS EASING THE COST
AND INEFFICIENCIES OF PROVIDING
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
IT'S REALLY A WIN-WIN FOR THE
CITY.
THERE IS NO COST AND PERHAPS A
COST-BENEFIT TO THE CITY BY
LOWERING ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN
FROM STC I ON OUR PROJECTS.
AND IT JUST MAKES A LOT OF
SENSE.
THANK YOU. JUST TO TOUCH ON A
COUPLE OF DETAILS, ONE IS THE
BIKE PARKING. YOU KNOW, THE BIKE
PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
COSTS ABOUT AS MUCH AS IT COSTS
TO HOUSE ONE PERSON IN OUR
BUILDINGS.
I STRONGLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO
KEEP THE LEGISLATION AS DRAFTED
FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS A
COUPLE ARE JUST THE POPULATION
THAT PSH IS INTENDED FOR.
SPEAKING PARTICULARLY OF
PLYMOUTH.
OUR RESIDENT POPULATION ACROSS
OUR 1000+ APARTMENTS, OVER 90%
OF THOSE FOLKS ARE DISABLED IN
SOME WAY.
AND MANY OF THEM ARE PHYSICALLY
PRECLUDED FROM BEING ABLE TO
RIDE A BIKE.
FOR THOSE REASONS WE HAVE OTHER
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS
THAT BY PROVIDING BY COOKS AND
OTHER THINGS IN THE UNITS.
NOT TO SOUND CLICHC, BUT WE
REALLY DON'T NEED THE CITY TO
TELL US EXACTLY WHERE WE HAVE
TO PROVIDE BIKE PARKING.
THERE IS MORE EFFICIENT AND
CREATE OF WAYS TO SOLVE THAT
PROBLEM.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
CALLING IN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN
PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
I APPRECIATE IT.
NEXT UP WE HAVE LAURA LOW
BERNSTEIN. LAURA, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> HELLO, EVERYBODY.
MY NAME IS LAURA LOW BERNSTEIN.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
SURE THE CITIES, AND EDUCATION
AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION BASED
IN SEATTLE.
EVERY SINGLE MINUTE THAT WE
DELAY HOUSING HAS COST HOUSING.
ALL KINDS OF HOUSING THAT WE
WANT TO BUILD.
EVERY MOMENT ADDS COST TO THE
HOUSING ACROSS OUR STATE, UP
AND DOWN THE WEST COAST.
WE ARE HURTING OUR COMMUNITY.
I HAVE BEEN IN MANY DESIGN
REVIEW MEETINGS FOR ALL HOUSING
TYPES.
YOU SHOULD SEE WHO SHOWS UP TO
DESIGN REVIEW.
I WATCHED DESIGN REVIEW IN
CITIES ACROSS OUR COUNTRY WITH
THE SAME PEOPLE IN EVERY CITY.
EXISTING HOMEOWNERS WHO DON'T
WANT TO SEE THEIR CITIES
CHANGE.
FROM VANCOUVER TO SAN DIEGO YOU
CAN SEE THE IMPACTS OF DELAY TO
ENVIRONMENTAL DELAYS, IMPROPER
REQUEST FOR HISTORIC
PRESERVATION, AND LATEST DUE TO
DESIGN REVIEW.
IT IS NOT A PROBLEM NEW TO THE
CITY OF SEATTLE.
SEATTLEITES ARE MUCH MORE
WELCOMING OF DEEPLY AFFORDING
HOUSING. OUR ZONING RESTRICTS
WHERE WE CAN BUILD THIS HOUSING
TYPE TO NOISY ARTERIALS,
LIMITED CHANCE OF OUR CITY
WHILE THE MAJORITY OF OUR CITY
IS OFF-LIMITS FOR PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
IT IS NOT FAIR TO LIMIT OUR
CITIES WHERE THESE FOLKS CAN
LIVE.
DOING THIS CHANGE IS GREAT,
TOTALLY SUPPORTIVE.
BUT WE NEED WIDESPREAD ZONING
CHANGE WE SHOULD NOT RELEGATE
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO
AREAS NEAR TRAINS, NEAR FREIGHT
TRAFFIC, FAST-MOVING ARTERIALS,
NEAR NOISY COMMITTEES, WITH
WORSE HEALTH OUTCOMES PEOPLE
THAT HAVE LOW INCOME DESERVE TO
LIVE ANYWHERE IN OUR CITY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE MALLORY.
I APOLOGIZE IF I MISPRONOUNCED
HER LAST NAME.
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED FOR TWO
MINUTES.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE
MEMBERS.
I AM PLEASED TO OFFER SUPPORT
FOR COUNTABLE 119975. I ALSO
WANT TO EXPRESS A SINCERE
GRATITUDE TO CHEERLESS FOR THIS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
LEGISLATION.
WE NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH
ABANDONED SERVICES IS
DESPERATELY NEEDED IN OUR
REGION AND THOUSANDS OF OUR
NEIGHBORS ARE NOW FACING
CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS.
THE SEATTLE COMMUNITY IS
FORTUNATE TO HAVE AN INCREDIBLE
DEPTH OF EXPERTISE FROM LOCAL
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
PROVIDERS TO ADDRESS THIS
CHALLENGE.
WE HAVE SOME EDIT WRITTEN
COMMENT ON THIS BILL ALONGSIDE
OUR PARTNERS WERE RECOGNIZED
LEADERS IN THE PJS MODEL.
FOLLOWING LIST ARE ITEMS THAT
REMAIN REALLY KEY PRIORITIES
FOR US AND LEGISLATION.
FIRST WE STRONGLY SUPPORT
ACCEPTING, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
FROM DESIGN REVIEW SECOND,
EXEMPTING SPACE WHICH MEANS
ABOUT TO GET DEDICATED TO
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FROM FAR
PERFORMANCE OR MODIFYING THOSE
REQUIREMENTS. THIRD, EXEMPTING
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
FROM LONG AND SHORT-TERM
BICYCLE PARKING REQUIREMENTS,
AS WAS MENTIONED FROM PREVIOUS
SPEAKERS.
REQUIRING DEVELOPERS OF
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO
SUBMIT A COMMUNITY RELATIONS
PLAN.
FIFTH, ALLOWING PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AS A
PERMANENT USE IN COMMERCIAL TWO
SONS.
FINALLY, AUTHORIZING THE
DIRECTOR OF STP I TO WAIVE OR
MODIFY SPECIFIED VELVET
STANDARDS AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE
DECISION.
THESE WAIVERS WOULD NOT OVERALL
SKILL BUT ABOUT WHAT AND WOULD
RESULT IN MORE UNITS.
I HAVE MUCH GRATITUDE FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT IN
SUPPORT ON THIS BILL.
WE WELCOME FURTHER DISCUSSION
ON COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON'S
AMENDMENT WITH BROADBAND ACCESS
IS HELPFUL.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT
SPEAKER WILL BE CONNING HOMES.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, TERRELL
LEWIS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS MY
NAME IS CONNIE COMES.
I AM STAFF TO THE SEATTLE
PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'M OFFERING COMMENTS ON THEIR
BEHALF.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION
APPRECIATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PROVIDE COMMENT ON THE
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
LEGISLATION AND THE COMMISSION
STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE PASSAGE
OF THIS LEGISLATION. THE
IMPACTS OF COVID-19 HAVE
EXACERBATED SEATTLE'S ONGOING
HOUSING CRISIS AND GIVEN THE
URGENCY TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS
THE PLANNING COMMISSION AGREES
ON THE DECISION TO RELEASE A
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
FROM THE COSTS AND TIME
ASSOCIATED WITH THE DESIGN
REPROCESS.
AS COUNCILMEMBER HERBERT
MENTIONED EARLIER THE
COMMISSION ALSO ENCOURAGES THE
COUNCIL TO WORK WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO
CONSIDER WAYS TO PROVIDE
LOADING ZONES FOR PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR
COUNCILMEMBER HERBERT MAY HAVE
ALREADY RECEIVED A RESPONSE.
MOST OF YOU HAVEN'T YET WILL
GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS WE
CAN WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.
I CAN, THE PLANNING COMMISSION
SUPPORTS THE CURRENT PROPOSAL
AND ENCOURAGES COUNSEL TO
APPROVE THIS LEGISLATION.
THE COMMISSION'S LETTER OF
SUPPORT WAS SENT TO CITY COUNCIL
, THE MAYOR, AND CITY STAFF
YESTERDAY. IT CAN ALSO BE FOUND
IN FULL ON THE COMMISSION
WEBSITE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ANGIE
GERALD.
ANGIE, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> MY NAME IS ANGIE.
I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENT FROM
BALLARD.
-- I VOLUNTEER FOR BALLARD
DISTRICT COUNCIL AND HELP
COORDINATOR PRESENTATION FROM
PLYMOUTH HOUSING GUARDING IN A
FACILITY THAT FUNDS FAST TRACKED
FOR A SITE ONE BLOCK FROM HIGH
SCHOOL.
THE SEATTLE AREA DESPERATELY
NEEDS MORE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
WE ALSO NEED PUBLIC SAFETY
DIALOGUE TO HAPPEN BETWEEN
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CITY
LEADERSHIP, AND THE PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE ENTITIES WHO ARE
SWIFTLY MOVING FORWARD WITH
BUILDING THE BARRIER HOUSING.
FORMS AROUND HARM REDUCTION
HAVE SHIFTED A LOT SINCE MY
TEENAGERS WERE YOUNG.
INSTEAD OF DRUG FREE ZONES
AROUND SCHOOLS AND PLAYGROUNDS
WE ARE NOW SHELTERING AND
HOUSING PEOPLE WITH VERY
SERIOUS SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER,
INCLUDING ACTIVE METH AND
HEROIN USE.
THIS IS PLYMOUTH'S FIRST LOW
VERY FACILITY OUTSIDE OF THE
DOWNTOWN AREAS WHICH HAVE VERY
PROMPT 911 RESPONSE TIMES
BALLARD HAS SOURCED LOWER
RESPONSE TIMES.
WE HAVE ASKED IF ANYONE HAS
REVIEWED 911 DATA AS OF MY
FACILITIES TO DETERMINE IF
THERE WILL BE ANY INCREASED
LIKELIHOOD OF SHELTER IN PLACE
OR LOCKDOWN SITUATIONS BASED ON
PUBLIC SCHOOL POLICIES AND THE
KINDS OF INCIDENTS THAT MAY
OCCASIONALLY HAPPEN IN CLOSE
PROXIMITY.
THIS WOULD BE ONE EXAMPLE OF A
LOCAL FACILITY WHOSE EMERGENCY
DATA COULD BE CONSIDERED FOR
THE BLOCK SURROUNDING IT.
THIS IS NOT A HYPOTHETICAL
CONCERN, IF BALLARD KIDS AND
OTHER STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE
CITY HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE
NEIGHBORHOOD INCIDENTS THAT
INTERRUPT THEIR SCHOOL DAY AND
SENSE OF SAFETY.
AS SEATTLE SKILLS UP LOW VERY
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
PLEASE BE MINDFUL TO INCLUDE
HOLISTIC PUBLIC SAFETY POLICIES
TO DIMINISH THE LIKELIHOOD OF
THE SERVICES OR LOCKDOWNS
RELATED TO INCIDENTS OR CRISIS
IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA AROUND
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AS SEATTLE TRIES TO A MODEL FOR
OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN KING
COUNTY WE WANT TO PREVENT THE
KINDS OF REGIONAL POLITICAL
PUSHBACK WE HAVE BEEN SINGH IN
RENTON, BELLEVUE, AND OTHER
CITIES.
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT AND LAST SPEAKER
WILL BE NAOMI SEE.
NAOMI, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> REMEMBER TO HIT STAR SIX.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> OKAY.
RATE.
THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS NAOMI FROM THE LOW
INCOME HOUSING INSTITUTE I JUST
WANTED TO EXPRESS OUR ARDENT
SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL BILL. WE
ARE BEYOND EXCITED THAT THE
COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING THIS
CRITICAL STEP TOWARDS BREAKING
DOWN BARRIERS, CONSTRUCTING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS ALREADY
HELD TO A HIGH STANDARD BY
PUBLIC FUNDERS.
FROM A LAND USE PERSPECTIVE
SEATTLE'S DESIGN GUIDELINES ARE
ALREADY CODIFIED.
BY REDUCING UNCERTAINTY IN THE
DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS IT CAUSES
NONPROFIT DEVELOPERS LIKE US TO
INCUR UNNECESSARY COSTS.
AND ALLOWING COMMERCIAL SPACE
TO BE USED FOR SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES AS WELL AS REDUCING
BIKING PARKING, BIKE PARKING
THESE CHANGES WILL CHANGE US A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME IT
CONSTRUCTING AND OPERATING
HOUSING.
THIS LEGISLATION IS INCREDIBLY
RESPONSIVE TO THE CONCERNS OF
NONPROFITS.
WE ARE JUST BEYOND EXCITED THAT
THE COUNCIL IS MAKING THIS STEP.
YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON
THIS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE POSITIVE
OUTCOMES THAT WILL RESULT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WITH THAT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING
IS CONCLUDED.
THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL
SPEAKERS.
IF THERE IS ANYBODY WHO DID NOT
GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK OR HAD TO
LEAVE BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING
CONVENED DO PLEASE SEND
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THIS
LEGISLATION TO ANDREW.LEWIS AT
SEATTLE.GOV. I WOULD APPRECIATE
ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK FROM
THE PUBLIC AS WE CONTINUE TO
CONSIDER THIS LEGISLATION OVER
THE NEXT MONTH.
THERE WILL NOT BE A VOTE ON
THIS LEGISLATION OR IT'S AN
IMMENSE TODAY.
AS I JUST SAID, I ANTICIPATE IT
WILL BE PICKED UP AT OUR
FEBRUARY 24th MEETING.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24th. THERE
WILL BE YET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY
FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE
PUBLIC COMMENT IF ANYONE WAS
NOT ABLE TO COMMENT TODAY, BUT
WOULD COMMENT PUBLICLY TESTIFY
AT THAT TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYBODY,
FOR GETTING THROUGH THAT AGENDA
ITEM AND ONE STEP CLOSER TO
EXPANDING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
LET'S MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 2.
MR. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ
THE NEXT ITEM INTO THE RECORD?
WILL OUR PRESENTERS PLEASE,
WELL, TURN YOUR SCREEN ON MUTE,
BUT JOIN US AT THE TABLE.
>> ITEM 2, MAYOR'S OFFICE
STATUS UPDATE ON 2021
HOMELESSNESS INVESTMENTS.
>> I BELIEVE WE JUST HAVE ONE I
SHOULD HAVE SAID PRESENTER AS
SINGULAR.
-- PRESENTATION , MAYBE JUST A
QUICK INTRODUCTION, DEPUTY
MAYOR SIX KILLER.
AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO,
ACTUALLY, JUST GO STRAIGHT INTO
PROVIDING A GENERAL UPDATE. I'M
SURE MYSELF AND SOME OF MY
FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBER SHALL
HAVE A FEW ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU MAKING
YOURSELF AVAILABLE TO JOIN US
THIS AFTERNOON. JUST AS A
LITTLE BIT OF A REMINDER, FOR
THE VIEWING PUBLIC AND MAYBE TO
PREFACE YOUR COMMENTS, IN
DECEMBER WE HAD AN INITIAL
PRESENTATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE
THAT MY COMMITTEE REQUESTED.
JUST TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON
SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT
THE COUNCIL IN CORONATION WITH
DEPUTY MAYOR SIXKILLER AND
COMMITTEE PROVIDERS PUT INTO
OUR 2021 BUDGET TO ADDRESS THE
SITUATION THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT
WE ALL SEE EVERY DAY AS WE GO
AROUND OUR COMMUNITY AND HEARD
FROM PUBLIC COMMENT OF THE
STATE, OF THE HOMELESSNESS
STATE OF EMERGENCY IN SEATTLE.
I AM GOING TO MAINTAIN THIS
GENERAL AGENDA ITEM IN MY
COMMITTEE ON AN EXECUTIVE LEVEL
, HOMELESSNESS INVESTMENTS
UPDATE. FOR EVERY MEETING OF
THIS COMMITTEE EVERY MONTH.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL BE
DEPUTY MAYOR SIXKILLER ON A
STANDARD BASIS OR OCCASIONALLY
OTHER FOLKS FROM THE EXECUTIVE,
BUT TO GIVE OURSELVES AN
OPPORTUNITY AS A COUNSEL AND A
PUBLIC TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THE, PARTICULARLY THE SURGE IN
SHELTER OPTIONS, BUT ALSO SOME
OF THE OTHER PROGRAMMATIC
THINGS THAT WE ARE PUTTING IN
PLACE AS A COUNSEL ON AN
EXECUTIVE TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS
. JUST WITH THAT PREFACING IT,
PRE-FACING IT'S, I AM EXCITED
TO WELCOME DEPUTY MAYOR
SIXKILLER AND LOOK FORWARD TO
HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH HIM
ABOUT THIS.
WITH THAT DEPUTY MAYOR
SIXKILLER, PLEASE TAKE IT AWAY.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER. THANK
YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS
AFTERNOON. HAPPY 2021 BEFORE I
JUMP IN I WANT TO COMMENT ON
THE LAST PIECE OF LEGISLATION
THAT COUNSEL NUMBER PUBLIC
COMMENTED ON.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS
FOR HIS WORK ON THAT.
AND SPONSORSHIP FOR THAT
LEGISLATION.
IT IS THOSE KIND OF CREATIVE
SOLUTIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO UTILIZE OVER THE LAST
YEAR.
FRANKLY ONE OF THE REASONS WE
WERE ABLE TO BRING ON, THERE
WERE 600 UNITS OF NEW PUBLIC
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING THIS YEAR
AND 2021.
THESE TYPE OF, AND THESE TYPES
OF EFFORTS REALLY WILL HELP US
RAPIDLY BRING ON MORE PERMANENT
SUPPORT HOUSING.
WE APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S
SUPPORT ND PARTNERSHIP IN THAT
EFFORT.
IT IS SO CRITICAL.
I'M HERE TODAY.
I'M GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF
UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE ON
IMPLEMENTING THE COUNCIL'S 2021
ADOPTED BUDGET IN RESPECT TO
THE SHELTER SURGE AND SUPPORT.
I WILL TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS
AS QUICKLY AS I CAN'T.
TO MAKE SURE I LEAVE TIME FOR
QUESTIONS.
I KNOW SOMETIMES I USE TOO MANY
WORDS AND WE RUN OUT OF TIME.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET TO
ONE'S QUESTIONS HERE. AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
JUST TO START, I'M GOING TO
GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON THE TINY
HOME VILLAGES.
THEN I SHIFT TO OUR HOTEL IN,
TELLING PROGRAM. AND THEN I
HAVE PLENTY OF OTHER THINGS I
CAN TALK ABOUT.
I THINK THAT.I WILL TURN IT
BACK OVER DUE, COUNCIL MEMBER
LOUIS.
JUST TO GROUND THIS.
ALMOST A YEAR AGO WE WERE
MOVING INTO THIS COVID PERIOD
AND WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD
BRINGING THREE NEW NON-
CONGREGATE SHELTER SPACES
ONLINE, INCLUDING TWO TINY HOME
VILLAGES AS WELL AS THE
LAKEFRONT COMMUNITY HOUSE. I
THINK AS EVERYONE IS AWARE OF.
WE WERE ABLE TO ADD LAST YEAR 95
NEW UNITS OF ENHANCED SHELTER
GREEN SPACE, INCLUDING TWO TINY
HOME VILLAGES.
THIS YEAR WE ARE WORKING WE ARE
BRING ON ADDITIONAL 120 TONTO
VILLAGE UNITS THIS YEAR.
JUST AS A REMINDER, THAT'S
ABOUT 1.8 MILLION IN ONE-TIME
STARTUP COSTS. THANKS TO THE
COUNCIL $2.4 MILLION IN ONGOING
OPERATIONS AND SERVICES.
FOR THAT PROGRAM.
WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF
WORKING THROUGH NOW BOTH
IDENTIFYING SITES AND AN
OPERATOR OR OPERATORS.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OUR FIRST
SITE.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER
PETERSON. WE ARE PARTNERING WITH
SEATTLE TRANSIT ON UTILIZING
PROPERTY THAT THEY DON'T NEED
FOR A FEW YEARS.
TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.
WE ARE EXCITED IT IS SHOVEL
READY.
WE ARE WORKING NOW TO WORK
THROUGH THE TRANSIT PROCESS FOR
HOW WE TAKE POSSESSION OF THAT.
OUR HOPE IS TO HAVE THAT UP AND
RUNNING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
ONCE WE GET OUR T IS ACROSS AND
LET HER EYES DARTED WITH
SEATTLE TRANSIT.
WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER SITES
ACROSS THE CITY RIGHT NOW.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER
LOUIS FOR HE AND HIS STAFF, WHO
I THINK WOULD HAVE BEEN ON A
MISSION THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS
LOOKING AT SITE AND SENDING
THEM OUR WAY.
WE HAVE ADDED THAT TO OUR LIST
WE CONTINUE TO BE MINDFUL OF
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTIONAL
ACROSS THE CITY THAT HAS BEEN A
PRIORITY FOR THE COUNCIL IN THE
PAST. WE THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT
FOR US TO CONTINUE TO NOT BE
RESTRICTED TO, BUT BE MINDFUL OF
, AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WE DO HAVE
A FEW DIFFERENT SITES. I'M NOT
GOING TO TALK ABOUT THEM RIGHT
NOW.
WE HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT SITES
WE ARE DOING A DEEPER ANALYSIS
ON NOW.
THEY HAVE COME TO US, INCLUDING
THOSE THAT COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS
HAS IDENTIFIED. OUR HOPE,
AGAIN, AS WE TAKE A LITTLE BIT
OF A SHOVEL READY APPROACH GIVEN
THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT GOES
INTO GETTING ONE OF THESE UP IS
REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON SPEED
RATHER THAN JUST FOCUSED ON
SPEED AND BRING THAT ONLINE AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK, OBVIOUSLY, WE STILL
HAVE TO TAKE IN THE COUNT OF A
LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS.
SAFETY FOR CLIENTS, ACCESS TO
SERVICES, TRANSIT, SITE
READINESS, UTILITIES, AND A FEW
OTHER THINGS.
IT IS IDENTIFYING PROPERTY THAT
IS ONE THING AND THAT IS ALL
THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE KNOW
HAVE TO GO WITH THAT TO MAKE IT
SUCCESSFUL AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY, FOR THE FOLKS THAT
WILL BE LIVING THERE.
I THINK WE ARE ON A GOOD PATH
FOR THAT.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, OBVIOUSLY,
YOU PERFORMED A [ INDISCERNIBLE
] THIS WEEK.
I KNOW YOU AND THE MAYOR HAVE
TALKED ABOUT THAT IT'LL BEEN IN
THE PAST I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH
THAT AND TRYING TO SEE HOW IT
APPLIES TO THE WORK THAT WE ARE
DOING RIGHT NOW.
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT USING
PRIVATE PROPERTY VERSUS PUBLIC
PROPERTY DEFINITELY HAS
BENEFITS.
IT HAS CLEAR TIMELINES FOR
PROPERTY OWNERS, FOR US, OR
OPERATORS, AND FOR COMMUNITY.
WE STILL WANTS TO APPLY THE SAME
LINES IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE
IT MAKES SENSE FOR THE OPERATOR
AND FOLKS LIVING THERE.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE
POSSIBILITY OF HAVING LITTLE
BIT OF A MORE PUBLIC/PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP AND SEE HOW WE CAN
SKILL THE PROGRAM AS ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES COME ONLINE. FROM THE
PRIVATE SECTOR AND ELSEWHERE.
SO.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE FOCUSED ON
GETTING THOSE FIRST THREE
VILLAGES UP AND RUNNING.
AS I SAID, THE PROGRAM AT
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT, I THINK,
WILL BE THE FIRST ONE WE BRING
ONLINE HERE.
HOPEFULLY, IN 22.
YOUR BIKE 22.
OR IN Q2.
WE WILL SHIP FOR A MOMENT TO
OUR HOTEL IN.
AGAIN I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
TO THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR SUPPORT
IN MOVING THIS FORWARD AND USING
ONE-TIME MONEY THAT WAS MADE
AVAILABLE TO US BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT MOVING THIS PROGRAM
FORWARD IS A $15 MILLION PROGRAM
. WE ARE NOW IN THE FINAL
STRETCH OF COMPLETING
CONTRACTS, TWO DIFFERENT
CONTRACTS, SILOS.
ONE WITH HOTELS AND THE OTHER
WITH OPERATORS.
TRYING TO GET BACK UP. SAS
STARTED WITH A LIST OF 95 HOTELS
, 80 HOTELS IN THE CITY AND 15
OUTSIDE THE CITY WHO WERE
SOLICITED FOR THEIR INTEREST IN
BEING PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
THAT SET OFF QUITE A BIT OF DUE
DILIGENCE BY OUR CITY TEAM AND
REQUESTS FOR EXPRESSIONS OF
INTEREST WE HAVE NOW LANDED ON
>>> TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
ONE SITE WE DEEMED WAS NOT
APPROPRIATE.
ONE SITE -- AND ONE SITE
WITHDREW.
AND THEN TWO OTHER SITES OF
THOSE ORIGINAL SIX THAT WE DID A
DOWNLOAD WITH ENDED UP SIGNING
CONTRACTS WITH KING COUNTY.
AND SO YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE
COUNTY AND CITY CONTINUE TO WORK
TOGETHER IN COORDINATION AS WE
SERVE, YOU KNOW, HAVE AN
OVERLAPPING SERVICE IN CERTAIN
FUNDING PARTNERSHIPS.
OTHER THINGS THAT WE TOOK INTO
CONSIDERATION ON OUR SEARCH
CRITERIA INCLUDED PRICING,
OBVIOUSLY, WILLINGNESS TO WORK
WITH THE CITY.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, JUST BECAUSE
SOME OF THESE HOTELS ARE SITTING
EMPTY DOESN'T MEAN THEY WANT TO
PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM.
SIZE OF THE HOE TELL.
GENERALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT 50 TO
150 ROOMS PER SITE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ALL THE
OTHER THINGS, AVAILABILITY,
COMMON SPACES, VENTILATION
OBVIOUSLY BEING A HUGE FACTOR IN
OUR COVID ENVIRONMENT.
SO -- AND THEN OF COURSE, ALSO,
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS THAT CAN
HANDLE MICROWAVES IN ROOMS AND
OTHER AMENITIES.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, ARE CONTINUING
TO WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS
NOW.
YOU KNOW, I THINK -- BUT WE ARE
AT THE POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW,
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS.
AND -- BUT, YOU KNOW, BOTH
MAKING SURE THAT OUR HOTEL
PARTNERS ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE
PROGRAM THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE
USING THEIR PROPERTIES FOR AND
EQUALLY MAKING SURE THAT OUR
OPERATORS ARE -- THAT WE HAVE AN
AGREEMENT WITH THEM ON THE
BUDGET AND THE WAY IN WHICH
WE'RE GOING TO APPROACH THAT
WORK.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT
TO STRESS THAT, AS I SAID
PREVIOUSLY TO COUNCIL, I MEAN,
WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY BASED ON
LOOKING AT OTHER JURISDICTIONS
THAT ARE HOTELING, NOT JUST HERE
IN THE REGION BUT ACROSS THE
WEST COAST, THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS
PROGRAM IS NOT JUST ABOUT
GETTING FOLKS INSIDE INTO A
HOTEL SHELTER UNIT, IT ALSO IS
ABOUT GETTING THEM INTO
PERMANENT HOUSING, RIGHT, AND
CREATING MORE -- IN OUR SHELTER
SYSTEM SO WE CAN CREATE A
PATHWAY FOR FOLKS TO GET OFF THE
STREET INTO A SAFER, HEALTHIER
ENVIRONMENT AND ON THE PATH INTO
PERMANENT HOUSING.
SO AS WE RAMP UP HERE, WE ALSO
WILL BE, YOU KNOW, BRINGING NEW
PSH UNITS ONLINE AND WORKING,
YOU KNOW, FROM THE BEGINNING TO
MAKE SURE THE WE HAVE AN EXIT
PLAN FOR FOLKS THAT COME INTO
OUR HOTEL SHELTER UNITS.
THE OTHER THING I JUST WANTED TO
SAY IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SPENT
-- WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME
THINKING THROUGH OUR COSTS AND
BUDGET FOR THIS PROGRAM.
AND YOU KNOW, THE REALITY IS
THAT WE HAVE MODELS RIGHT NOW
THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO FOR
GUIDANCE THERE.
DSC, I THINK, IS A VERY GOOD
EXAMPLE OF THAT.
THEY HAVE BEEN HOTELING FOLKS
FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW.
THEY HAVE BEEN SERVICING
VULNERABLE POPULATION FOR NEARLY
FOUR DECADE.
YOU KNOW, THAT WORK AND OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH KING COUNTY
HELPED TO INFORM, YOU KNOW, WHAT
WE BELIEVE THE APPROPRIATE
BUDGET WOULD BE FOR THESE UNITS.
SO PROVIDING SHELTER SERVICE IN
A HOTEL SETTING.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR
PROVIDERS TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN
MODIFY THEIR PROGRAMS TO MEET
THAT, AGAIN, SO WE CAN GET AS
MANY FOLKS INSIDE AND ON THE
PATH TO BREAKING THEIR
EXPERIENCE WITH UNSHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO
REALLY IMPORTANT CRITICAL PATH
THINGS HERE.
ONE IS LANDING OUR CONTRACTS.
WE DO HAVE LICENSE AGREEMENTS
WITH TWO HOTELS.
WE HAVE FINISHED THE CONTRACTS.
THOSE CONTRACTS ARE DEPENDING ON
OUR OPERATORS COMING TO TERMS
WITH THEM ON THE FINAL PROGRAM
DETAILS AND BUDGET DETAILS,
MAKING SURE THAT THEIR PROGRAMS
CAN MODIFY TO MEET OUR BUDGET
THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE
COUNCIL AND I THINK IS
CONSISTENT WITH, GENERALLY, HOW
OTHER AGENCIES IN THE REGION
HAVE BEEN SERVING THIS
VULNERABLE POPULATION.
I COULD GO ON AND ON,
MR. CHAIRMAN, BUT I'LL TAKE A
PAUSE HERE AND SEE IF FOLKS HAVE
QUESTIONS.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR
SIXKILLER FOR THAT VERY DETAILED
SUMMARY.
I THINK WE SHOULD TRANSITION TO
QUESTIONS, AND THAT WILL
PROBABLY SURFACE SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO GET TO IN THE
INITIAL PRESENTATION.
SO I'M HAPPY TO PIVOT NOW.
I THINK THAT INITIALLY WHAT I'D
LIKE TO DO, JUST TO KEEP US SORT
OF ORGANIZED WITH THIS, I THINK
WE SHOULD START, MAYBE IF PEOPLE
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TINY
HOUSE INVESTMENTS FIRST AND
MAYBE EXHAUST QUESTIONS ON THE
TINY HOUSES FIRST, AND THEN MOVE
ON TO QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE
HOTELING AND THEN MOVE ON TO
HOMELESSNESS AND INVESTMENTS AS
A THIRD CATEGORY, TO MAKE SURE
WE CAN KEEP THE DISCUSSION
RELATED.
OBVIOUSLY, IF OTHER THINGS COME
UP SUBSEQUENTLY IN THE
CONVERSATION, COMMITTEE MEMBERS
SHOULD FEEL FREE TO ASK A
QUESTION AT ANY TIME, BUT I
THINK THAT MIGHT MAKE THE MOST
SENSE TO ORGANIZE THE
DISCUSSION.
SO I THINK I'LL INITIALLY KICK
IT OFF MOSTLY WITH JUST AN
EXPRESSION OF APPRECIATION FOR
ONE OF THE INITIAL COMMENTS YOU
MADE IN YOUR PRESENTATION, WHICH
WAS TO FOCUS ON SPEED.
YOU KNOW, AS I'M OUT IN THE
COMMUNITY TALKING TO PEOPLE,
THAT IS A VERY COMMONLY HELD
SENTIMENTS, REGARDLESS OF THE
END OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM IN
THE CITY YOU'RE ON, ALL OF US
ARE KIND OF UNITED IN THIS
BELIEF THAT THE HOMELESSNESS
STATE OF EMERGENCY IS IN A
POSITION WHERE SWIFT RESPONSE
FROM THE CITY IS CRITICAL TO
RESPOND TO THE SCOPE OF WHAT
WE'RE FACING.
SO IN RESPONSE TO THE INITIATIVE
THAT MY OFFICE LAUNCHED THIS
WEEK ON TINY HOUSE VILLAGES AND
THE IT TAKES A VILLAGE PROPOSAL
THAT IT TAKES TO GALVANIZE
COMMUNITY INTEREST IN COMING
TOGETHER AND BUILDING THAT
COMMON INTEREST AROUND THE TINY
HOUSES.
MY OFFICE HAS BEEN RECEIVING
LOTS OF OFFERS TO HELP FOR A
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS
RANGING FROM PRIVATE
CONTRIBUTIONS TO VOLUNTEERING
LABOR, MATERIAL, LOBBYING THE
STATE LEGISLATURE FOR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES, LEGISLATORS
THEMSELVES CONTACTING US ABOUT
POTENTIALLY GETTING CAPITAL
BUDGET MONEY IN THE CURRENT
SESSION.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY I THINK
THAT WE SHOULD CONNECT OFFLINE
AFTER THIS COMMITTEE BUT BEFORE
THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING TO
MAYBE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
HOW WE MIGHT PLUG IN A LOT OF
THESE OFFERS TO HELP TO AN
EXECUTABLE PLAN ON THE EXECUTIVE
SIDE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT
MASSIVE INFLUX OF ENERGY AND
PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME FORWARD
AND VOLUNTEER SITES OR
CONTRIBUTIONS OR OTHER THINGS.
AND SO I -- THAT'S THE FIRST
THING I JUST WANT TO FLAG.
WE DON'T NEED TO GET INTO IT IN
THE COMMITTEE, BUT IT WOULD BE
-- THAT'S SORT OF AN ACTION ITEM
FOR FEBRUARY I'D LIKE TO
DISCUSS.
AND I APPRECIATE THE SHARED
SENSE OF URGENCY THAT THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS CONVEYED.
I DO WANT TO ASK BEFORE WE MOVE
ON FROM THE TINY HOUSE VILLAGES
-- IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SITE FOR
COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON'S
DISTRICT IS FAIRLY WELL NAILED
DOWN.
DO WE HAVE A TIME WHEN THE
DEPARTMENT MIGHT BE READY TO
ANNOUNCE WHAT THOSE SITES WOULD
BE AND THE PARTNERSHIPS TOO WITH
ALL THE SITES IN TERMS OF THE
OPERATORS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO
BRING IN AND IF THOSE RFPs HAVE
BEEN AWARDED OR NOT.
JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON
THAT IN TERMS OF THOSE NEXT
STEPS ON THE TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES.
>> I THINK WE'LL BE IN A PLACE
PROBABLY THE NEXT WEEK AND A
HALF, IF NOT SOONER, TO ANNOUNCE
THE SECOND SITE AND THEN
POTENTIALLY THE THIRD ONE.
AGAIN, WITH THE, YOU KNOW,
RECOGNITION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
MOVE WITH GREAT SPEED HERE.
SO I -- THAT'S MY GOAL, AT
LEAST.
THE MAYOR HAS IMPRESSED UPON US
A VERY STRONG DESIRE TO MOVE AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST ANSWER
I CAN GIVE YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
BUT WE FEEL THE FIRE UNDERNEATH
US, AND MY HOPE IS WITHIN THE
NEXT WEEK AND A HALF, SO BY THE
END OF NEXT WEEK.
>> GREAT.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AS
RELATES TO TINY HOUSE VILLAGES
FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS?
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU, VERY MUCH,
MR. CHAIR.
OUR FRIENDS IN THE BUILDING
TRADES WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO IS
CONSTRUCTING THE TINY HOMES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, I WILL NEED TO
GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT.
I'M SORRY, I JUST DON'T KNOW
THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
IT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION, AND
I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> THANK YOU.
I'M JUST -- I HEARD
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS ASK THE
QUESTION ABOUT THE SELECTION
PROCESS, AND I HEARD DEPUTY
MAYOR SIXKILLER'S ANSWER, IT'S
JUST NOT CLEAR TO ME, HAS THERE
BEEN AN RFQ ISSUED AND DO WE
HAVE RESPONDENTS TO THAT?
>> YES, AND WE DO HAVE
RESPONDENTS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> OKAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON
THE TINY HOUSES OR QUESTIONS FOR
THE DEPUTY MAYOR?
SEEING NONE, OKAY, WHY DON'T WE
MOVE ON TO TALK ABOUT THE
HOTELING, WHERE I THINK THERE
WILL PROBABLY BE MORE QUESTIONS.
I CERTAINLY HAVE A COUPLE.
I DO APPRECIATE THE FRONT
LOADING THAT THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT AND THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE HAS DONE THIS YEAR TO
FOCUS ON THE HOTELING
INTERVENTION.
WE HAVE A LOT OF COMPELLING
EVIDENCE FROM OTHER JURISDICTION
THAT IS HAVE HAD ROBUST HOTELING
PROGRAMS THAT IT CAN MAKE A VERY
BIG DIFFERENCE AND CAN BE STOOD
UP QUICKLY.
I DO WANT TO START OFF, JUST
BECAUSE IT'S SORT OF FRESH IN MY
MIND FROM SOME REPORTING THAT
HAS BEEN OUT THERE GENERALLY
REGARDING THE HOTELS THAT WERE
SELECTED.
JUST TO ASK OZ TO THE CRITERIA
IN SELECTING SUITABLE HOTELS
BASED ON THE ALLEGATIONS THAT
HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE PRESS.
I'M OBVIOUSLY NOT REALLY IN A
POSITIONOR WITH EXPERTISE TO
REALLY KNOW THE NATURE OF, YOU
KNOW, OF WHAT DOES OR DOESN'T
MAKE A HOTEL SUITABLE.
BUT IT DOES SEEM THAT THERE'S
BEEN REPORTING FROM SOME
PROVIDERS THAT ARE CONCERNED
ABOUT SOME OF THE HOTELS THAT
HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR LEASES.
SO I JUST WANT TO START WITH A
QUESTION REGARDING WHAT THE
PROCESS USED TO SELECT THE
HOTELS, THE CRITERIA THAT THAT
PROCESS USED AND THEN WHETHER
THOSE SELECTIONS ARE SET IN
STONE OR WHETHER THERE MIGHT BE
FLEXIBILITY TO ADOPT A DIFFERENT
HOTELING MODEL BASED ON THE
FEEDBACK THAT SOME PROVIDERS ARE
MAKING KNOWN PUBLICLY.
>> YEAH, WELL, I THINK NUMBER
ONE, AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DID
INITIATE A FORMAL PROCESS BOTH
FOR IDENTIFYING -- CASTING A
WIDE NET.
AGAIN, BOTH IN THE CITY AND
OUTSIDE THE CITY.
OVER 90 PLUS SITES WENT THROUGH
PRETTY AGGRESSIVE PROCESS TO
WHITTLE THAT DOWN.
WE HAD A FORMAL RQ PROCESS, AND
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
REMEMBER THAT WE DID RUN A
PROCUREMENT PROCESS HERE.
AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE WERE
ABLE TO LOOK AT WHAT MANY OTHER
JURISDICTIONS HAVE DONE, NOT
JUST HERE IN THE REGION BUT
ACROSS THE WEST COAST.
AND THE FACT IS, YOU KNOW, AT
THE END OF THE DAY, THROUGH ALL
OF THAT WE HAD TWO HOTEL THAT IS
STUCK WITH US THROUGH THE ENTIRE
THING.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE
APPROACH THAT WE'VE TAKEN.
THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US
BOTH ON THE LICENSING AGREEMENT
AS WELL AS WITH -- ON THE
PROGRAMATIC SIDE.
ONE OF OURS HAS EXPERIENCE WITH
HOTELS IN SAN FRANCISCO.
THAT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN
FORMING OUR APPROACH AND BUDGET
ASSUMPTIONS.
BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AS I -- YOU
KNOW, AND I THINK ALL OF YOU
KNOW, RIGHT, WE'VE BEEN
SUPPORTING KING COUNTY'S
HOTELING PROGRAM AND DESC'S
PROGRAM DOWN IN RENTON SINCE THE
BEGINNING.
AND THAT ALSO HAS HELPED TO
INFORM, AGAIN, BOTH OUR BUDGET
AND THE AMENITIES, IF YOU WILL,
THAT THOSE HOTELS HAVE UTILIZED
AND CONTINUE TO WORK IN GREAT
PARTNERSHIP.
WE HAVE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION
WITH THE COUNTY ABOUT THAT
APPROACH.
>> SO I APPRECIATE THAT OVERVIEW
OF THE PROCESS.
I GUESS I WANT TO, AS A
FOLLOW-UP, JUST MAYBE ZERO IN ON
THE SPECIFIC CRITICISMS THAT
HAVE BEEN RAISED REGARDING THE
EXECUTIVE PACIFIC HOTEL AS A
POTENTIAL PLACE TO HOST SOME OF
THESE SERVICES REGARDING THE
STATE OF THE FOOD PREPARATION
FACILITIES AT THAT HOTEL AND THE
LACK OF AN INTERNAL SORT OF
GATHERING SPACES AND WHAT THAT
MIGHT MEAN FOR WHERE PEOPLE GO
DURING THE DAY IF THEIR ONLY
CHOICE WOULD BE TO CONGREGATE ON
THE SIDEWALK, AS HAS BEEN
SPECULATED.
I WONDER IF -- FOR THESE HOTELS
IS THERE GOING TO BE SOME KIND
OF COMMUNITY PLANNING SORT OF
ARRANGEMENT TO FORESEE SOME OF
THESE CONCERNS THAT HAVE
PARTICULARLY BEEN RAISED FOR
EXECUTIVE PACIFIC AND HOW IS
THAT SORT OF FACTORING INTO THE
CHOICE OF THE EXECUTIVE PACIFIC
AS ONE OF THE VENUE, GIVEN SOME
OF THOSE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN
RAISED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, I GOT TO BE
HONEST, I DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT
OF THE CONCERNS, OR AS YOU SAID,
ALLEGATIONS THAT YOU'RE
REFERRING TO.
THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN
ACTIVE NEGOTIATIONS WITH FOLKS
WHO WERE SELECTED AS PART OF OUR
ORGANIZATION AND AS PART OF OUR
RFP PROCESS.
AND WORKING THROUGH THEIR
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS, AGAIN,
THAT ALSO MEANS, YOU KNOW,
PROGRAM RESPONDENTS WHO KNEW
WHAT OUR BUDGET WAS AND WHAT
COUNCIL WOULD APPROVE IN TERMS
OF BRINGING 300 HOTEL ROOMS
ONLINE.
WE HAVE TO MEET THAT.
AND WE'RE VERY COMMITTED TO
DOING THAT.
THE IDEA HERE IS NOT TO GET 300
PEOPLE INTO HOTEL SHELTERING
UNITS.
THAT'S A FLOOR, NOT THE CEILING.
AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW
THAT WE CANNOT ONLY GET FOLKS
INSIDE BUT THAT WE CAN MOVE THEM
THROUGH THAT SYSTEM INTO
PERMANENT HOUSING AND KEEP THAT
FLOW -- THAT FLOW GOING.
SIZE OF THE OVERALL HOTEL WAS A
FACTOR.
NOT DOING SOMETHING THAT WAS TOO
BIG THAT IT WOULD BE TOO MANY
PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE.
THAT'S WHY WE LOOKED AT 50 TO
150-ROOM OPTIONS.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SET
BUDGET, AND WE'RE DOING WHAT WE
CAN TO GET THE MOST -- TO GET
THE MOST OUT OF THAT AND SERVE
THE MOST PEOPLE.
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S
JUST THE THING WE'RE VERY
FOCUSED ON RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN WE'VE HEARD LOUD AND
CLEAR FROM THE COUNCIL, YOU
WANTED US TO ACHIEVE IT.
SO -- AND I WOULD JUST SAY, YOU
KNOW, EVEN OUR BUDGET ASSUMES,
YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE I GET THE
NUMBER RIGHT HERE -- RIGHT NOW
IN KING COUNTY, THE RED LION IN
THE DESC, ALL COST INN, WORKS
OUT TO ABOUT $38,000 PER BED PER
YEAR.
WE INCREASED THAT COST AS PART
OF OUR BUDGET, AN APPROACH --
OUR PROGRAM APPROACH HERE, GIVEN
THE FACT THAT IS THESE HOTELS
LIKELY WOULD BE SITED IN SEATTLE
AND THE NIGHTLY ROOM RATE WOULD
BE HIGHER.
BUT YOU KNOW, I HAVE SEEN FROM
SOME OF THE PROVIDERS, YOU KNOW,
ROOM RATES THAT REFLECT THE ROOM
RATE WHEN THE ECONOMY'S GOING
STRONG AND HOTELS ARE FULL.
AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING WE
CANNOT AFFORD IF OUR GOAL IS TO
GET AS MANY FOLKS INSIDE AS
POSSIBLE.
AND THAT'S -- SO COST, YOU KNOW,
OBVIOUSLY HAS TO BE AN IMPORTANT
PART OF THE EQUATION.
NOT THE ENTIRE EQUATION.
IT'S GOT MANY DIFFERENT
COMPONENTS TO IT.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE WORKING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT.
HERE, I WANT TO BRING IN
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AND
CUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA ON THIS
TOPIC, WHO HAVE RAISED THEIR
HANDS.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I SAW
YOURS FIRST, AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, YOU'LL
FOLLOW THERE.
>> THANK YOU.
I RECOGNIZE THAT WE DON'T WANT
TO -- NOW THAT YOU HAVE SELECTED
A COUPLE PROVIDERS, WE DON'T
WANT TO GET IN THE POSITION OF
INTERFERING WITH YOUR
NEGOTIATION IN FULFILLING, I
THINK, OUR SHARED INTERESTS IN
STANDING UP THIS HOTELING
PROGRAM.
AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU,
DEPUTY MAYOR SIXKILLER, FOR
HEARING THIS COUNCIL LOUD AND
CLEARLY THAT THIS WAS A BIG
PRIORITY FOR US.
AND AS YOU SAY, WE'RE IN THE
WEEDS NOW.
NEAR THE DETAILS, AND I
APPRECIATE YOU, YOU KNOW,
GETTING INTO THAT LEVEL OF
DETAIL.
THE HSD WAS QUOTED TODAY AS
SAYING THAT THE TYPICAL ENHANCED
SHELTER OR TINY HOUSE VILLAGE
UNITS COST BETWEEN $16,000 AND
$22,000 A YEAR.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IS JUST THE
SERVICE COST, OR DOES THAT ALSO
INCLUDE THE CAPITAL COSTS?
>> IT ALSO -- HOLD ON --.
>> AND LET ME JUST SAY WHY I'M
ASKING.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHETHER OR
NOT THAT IS THE PROPER
COMPARISON AND WHETHER OR NOT A
HOTEL ROOM WITH WRAPAROUND
SERVICES LIKE WE'RE LOOKING AT
IS MORE COMPARABLE TO A
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
UNIT AND THAT THAT MIGHT BE FOR
PURPOSES OF A PER UNIT COST, IF
YOU SEPARATE THE OPERATION SIDE
FROM THE CAPITAL SIDE, MIGHT BE
AT A BETTER COMPARISON.
JUST -- IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING,
AGAIN, THAT THE DESIRE TO
DELIVER SERVICES TO THIS
POPULATION IS IN RECOGNITION
THAT THERE ARE VERY INTENSIVE
NEEDS FOR SERVICES THAT THE
PROVIDERS ARE SEEKING TO DELIVER
WITH THIS MODEL OF HOTELING.
AND AGAIN, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE,
FROM MY LAYMAN'S UNDERSTANDING
OF THE DIFFERENT MODELS, THAT IT
MORE MIRRORS PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING THAN THE
WRAPAROUND SERVICES I
ACKNOWLEDGED, BECAUSE OF COURSE
THERE ARE WRAPAROUND SERVICES
PROVIDED AT ENHANCED SHELTER
LOCATIONS AS WELL AS SOME CASE
MANAGEMENT SERVICES OFFERED AT
SOME -- WELL, I GUESS AT MOST,
NOW, TINY HOUSE VILLAGES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS, COUNCILMEMBER.
I WOULD SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE CAN
LOOK TO A MODEL THAT -- A
HOTELING MODEL THAT WE ARE
ALREADY SUPPORTING.
I AGREE, THERE'S -- TINY HOME
VILLAGES HAVE A START-UP COST
AND AN ONGOING COST.
IT'S THE SAME SORT OF IDEA HERE
IN HOTELING.
WE'RE TAKING THIS APPROACH OF
ONE-TIME MONEY, THERE'S GOING TO
BE ONE-TIME FIXED COSTS, AND
THEN THERE'S THE ONGOING.
SO THEY ARE VERY LARGE NUMBERS,
DON'T GET ME WRONG, BUT I DO
THINK, TO YOUR POINT, IF WE JUST
LOOK IN THE SERVICES COLUMN, YOU
KNOW, WE DO HAVE, AGAIN, I THINK
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY SORT
OF ZERO IN ON WHAT WE THINK
WORKS.
AND JUST BY COMPARISON, YOU
KNOW, DESC, WHO ALSO SERVES A
VERY HIGH NEEDS POPULATION,
RIGHT, THEIR SERVICE CONTRACT
WITH RED LION IS $18,981 PER
BED.
SO I REALIZE THERE ARE OTHER
SERVICE PROVIDER THAT IS HAVE
MAYBE BEEN PROVIDING A SERVICE
OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS THAT
IS, YOU KNOW, IN SOME CASES,
THREE OR FOUR TIMES HIGHER THAN
THAT.
BUT I WOULD JUST SAY THAT WHEN
WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE
LONGEST SERVING INSTITUTION, THE
LONGEST SERVING ORGANIZATION,
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT
WAS SORT OF OUR BALLPARK.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S NOT
ROOM FOR GROWTH.
AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT, YOU
KNOW, THAT IS SORT OF PART OF
WORKING THROUGH OUR CONTRACTING
PROCESS TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, I JUST OFFER THAT
AS A -- TO TRY TO GET A LITTLE
BIT OF AN APPLES TO APPLES
COMPARISON.
I DO WANT TO COME BACK TO THE
HOTELS, THE SITE SELECTION THING
FOR A MOMENT --
>> BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, A QUICK
FOLLOW UP.
I WANT TO KNOW IF DESC APPLIED
FOR THIS RFQ.
>> THEY DID.
OKAY.
>> BUT WITH NO -- BUT NOT --
YES, BUT FOR A VARIETY OF
REASONS, THEY WERE NOT SELECTED.
>> I UNDERSTAND.
I JUST WANTED TO, I MEAN, YOU'RE
USING THE RED LION AS THE
EXAMPLE OF A CONTRACT WHERE A
PROVIDER WHO, AS YOU SAY, DOES A
GREAT JOB OF PROVIDING SERVICES
TO PEOPLE IN NEED IN OUR
COMMUNITY AND HAS A LONG
HISTORY, JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF
THEY BID TO DO THIS WORK HERE IN
SEATTLE UNDER THE CURRENT
OPPORTUNITY THAT THE CITY IS
PROVIDING.
THANK YOU.
>> IF I COULD JUST -- I DO WANT
TO SAY ON THE, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS AND COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD,
IF THERE ARE OTHER HOTEL OPTIONS
THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK
AT, I AM NOT SAYING NO.
I JUST WANT TO BE MY INFO OF OUR
PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH
ALL OF THESE THINGS, AND UNTIL
THE DEAL'S DONE, THE DEAL'S NOT
DONE.
WE VERY MUCH WANT TO GET THE
DEAL DONE AND GET GOING.
>> YEAH, DEPUTY MAYOR SIXKILLER,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA IS IN THE
QUEUE, BUT I'M GOING TO JUMP IN
REAL QUICK SINCE YOU SOLICITED
SUGGESTIONS.
JUST GENERALLY, SOME FEEDBACK
I'VE HEARD TALKING TO PROVIDERS
HAS BEEN POTENTIALLY LOOKING
INTO SPOT RENTALS OF HOTEL
PLACEMENTS, WHICH IS SOMETHING
THAT JUST CARE HAS DONE, WHICH
HAS WORKED FOR THEM IN SORT OF
ACHIEVING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A
LOWER INTENSITY OF PLACEMENTS IN
ANY ONE LOCATION SPREAD OUT
ACROSS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT
HOTELS THAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN
DOING.
I'VE HEARD THAT'S NOT SOMETHING
WE'VE BEEN EXPLORING YET AT THE
CITY, BUT THAT'S JUST ME
RELAYING SOME OF THE FEEDBACK
I'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE
PROVIDERS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS
SOMETHING WE'RE OPEN TO LOOKING
INTO.
I DID JUST WANT TO FLAG THAT AS
YOU SOLICITED SUGGESTIONS.
IF YOU WANT TO RESPOND BRIEFLY
TO THAT, I'LL RECOGNIZE
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, WHO'S
BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT
OUT THERE.
>> YEAH, I DON'T WANT TO SAY NO,
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF
THE DAY, WE WANT THE PROGRAM TO
BE SUCCESSFUL.
I THINK THAT'S ALL OF OUR GOAL,
TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM WE
CAN STAND UP QUICKLY AND QUICKLY
BEGIN TO MOVE PEOPLE INSIDE.
TWO PIECES TO THAT, HOWEVER, I
THINK ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND ONE IS, YOU KNOW, HARDLY --
YOU KNOW, OUR PROVIDER AND
OPERATORS HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR.
THE SALVATION ARMY IS PROBABLY A
VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS, YOU
KNOW.
JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO THEY WERE
AT CITY HALL, UP AT THE SEATTLE
CENTER AND THE KING COUNTY ADMIN
BUILDING, OTHER PLACES.
PART OF THIS SODO SHELTER THAT
WAS STOOD UP IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE COUNTY WAS TO BE ABLE TO
CONSOLIDATE STAFFING RESOURCES
SO THAT THEY COULD OPERATE THAT
FACILITY THE WAY IN WHICH THEY
WANTED TO OPERATE EXCITE NOT
HAVE FOLKS SPREAD ALL OVER THE
PLACE.
SO THAT DEFINITELY INFORMED OUR
APPROACH ON THE HOTELING MODEL,
WAS SORT OF WHAT COULD MAKE
SENSE FROM A STAFFING
PERSPECTIVE.
SO THAT'S IMPORTANT SO AS WE GET
MORE DISPERSED, THAT DOES
TRICKLE BACK.
FOLKS ARE VERY OVERTAXED RIGHT
NOW AS THEY ARE ON THE FRONT
LINES OF RESPONDING TO THE
PANDEMIC FOR OUR VULNERABLE
POPULATION.
THE SECOND THING I'D SAY IS,
LOOK, AS I SAID, WE ARE IN
ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH KING
COUNTY.
AND EVEN KING COUNTY, WHO HAS
GOT ROOM -- UTILIZING HOTELS
HERE IN SEATTLE, YOU KNOW, ONE
OF THOSE HOTELS, THE ROOM RATE
IS $67.
I'VE SEEN UP TO $165 PER NIGHT.
$100 PER NIGHT PER ROOM ADDS UP
VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
AND SO, AGAIN, AS WE'RE TRYING
TO BALANCE ALL OF THESE THINGS
TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, NOT LET THE
PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF THE
GOOD, BUT MAKE SURE WE LAND A
PROGRAM AND AN APPROACH THAT CAN
BE SUCCESSFUL AND THE MAYOR AND
COUNCIL AND EVERYONE ELSE CAN
REALLY SEE AS A POSITIVE
CONTRIBUTION TO OUR ONGOING
COVID RESPONSE TO OUR VULNERABLE
POPULATION.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, THANK
YOU FOR WAITING PATIENTLY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MR. CHAIR.
SO FIRST I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT, YOU KNOW, THE REASON THAT
I THINK YOU ARE ABLE TO SAY THAT
YOU CAN LOOK AT OTHER
JURISDICTIONS AND OTHER MODELS
IS BECAUSE SO MANY OTHER
JURISDICTIONS, INCLUDING KING
COUNTY, HAVE DONE THIS SO MUCH
EARLIER.
AND UP AND DOWN THE WEST COAST,
AS YOU'VE REFERENCED, I FEEL
LIKE I AM STILL REELING FROM OUR
CONVERSATION LAST MARCH AND
APRIL WHERE, FOR WEEKS ON END,
WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATION FOR
THE NEED TO PUT FOLKS INTO
HOTELS.
AND NOW HERE WE ARE TWO MONTHS
AFTER THE BUDGETS PASS, AND
WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT A
PROCUREMENT PROCESS, AND THESE
CONCERNS ARE COMING UP.
I AM NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THE
ARTICLES THAT ARE BEING
REFERENCED HERE.
I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE FOLKS WHO
HAVE THE EXPERTISE ON THE
GROUND.
AND AS I THINK THE GOOD CHAIR
NOTED, NONE OF US PURPORT TO
KNOW HOW TO BEST SHELTER FOLKS
DURING THIS EMERGENCY, THAT IS
HOMELESSNESS, AND THE EMERGENCY
WORSENED BY COVID.
BUT WE KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO DO
HAVE THAT EXPERTISE.
AND AGAIN, MY CONCERN IS THAT
THOSE FOLKS, IT APPEARS, HAVE
NOT TOTALLY BEEN AT THE TABLE TO
IDENTIFY THE BEST HOTELING
STRATEGY.
I AM STILL VERY CONFUSED AND
CONCERNED THAT WE HAVE NOT USED
A DISPERSED HOTELING STRATEGY.
IF THERE'S 150 OR SO HOTEL ROOMS
IN EXISTING HOTELS AND MOTELS
RIGHT NOW THAT ARE COMMUNITY
PARTNERS WE'RE WORKING WITH, WHO
NOT ONLY HAVE THE ROOM, THE
ROOF, THE DOOR AVAILABLE, THEY
ALSO HAVE STAFF ON SITE TO CUT
DOWN ON THE INITIAL COST.
THEY JUST HAVE THE ONGOING COST.
WE COULD DO IT IN A MORE
EFFECTIVE WAY, AND IDEALLY IN A
WAY THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACES
WHERE STAFF ARE LOCATED ACROSS
THE CITY.
THAT, IN MANY WAYS, SEEMS A MUCH
MORE QUICK WAY TO STAND UP HOTEL
SERVICES BUT ALSO POTENTIALLY A
MORE HUMANE WAY TO DO IT SO THAT
YOU DON'T HAVE 150 OR SO PEOPLE
GOING INTO ONE HOTEL ROOM ON
FOURTH AVENUE THAT DOESN'T HAVE
THE TYPE OF ACCOMMODATION THAT
IS ARE NECESSARY.
SO WHY ARE WE NOT JUST
PARTNERING WITH THE EXISTING
ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE ALMOST
150 HOTEL ROOMS.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS AROUND 144
ROOMS RIGHT NOW AND THE STAFF ON
SITE THAT COULD HOUSE AND
SHELTER THESE FOLKS.
HOW COME WE CAN'T JUST PARTNER
WITH THOSE FOLKS, GIVEN THE
URGENCY THAT'S HERE?
>> WELL, COUNCILMEMBER, THANK
YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION AND YOUR
COMMENTS.
I WOULD SAY, AS A REMINDER, WE
HAVE BEEN IN THE HOTELING
BUSINESS THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD.
AND THAT BEGAN LAST YEAR WHEN
DESC BEGAN MOVING ITS FOLKS FROM
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE TO RENTON.
AND WE ARE SPENDING MILLIONS
SUPPORTING THAT HOTELING WORK.
AND I WOULD ARGUE, AT THAT TIME,
NONE OF US --
>> TEPTY MAYOR SIXKILLER, I'M
NOT INTERESTED IN ARGUING.
I'M TALKING ABOUT OPENING
ADDITIONAL HOTEL ROOMS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SUPPORT
WE OFFERED TO KING COUNTY.
WE APPLAUDED YOU FOR THIS.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE PAST.
I'M ASKING, HERE WE ARE TRYING
TO OFFER ADDITIONAL ROOMS, NOT
JUST SUPPORT KING COUNTY
EFFORTS, BUT THOSE ADDITIONAL
ROOMS, 150 POTENTIAL ROOMS THAT
ARE IN HOTELS AND MOTELS RIGHT
NOW WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
THAT'S THE QUESTION.
>> AND I HEAR WHAT YOU ARE
SAYING, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO
LOOK AT THOSE OPTIONS.
AND AGAIN, AS I -- IN RESPONSE
TO COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, LOOK
AT WAYS TO PIGGY BACK ON THOSE
EXISTING RELATION SHARES, BUT I
DO WANT TO SAY, AND THIS IS
IMPORTANT, AS PART OF OUR
PROCUREMENT PROCESS, WHEN WE RUN
AN OFFICIAL PROCUREMENT WE HAVE
TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE BRING
FOLKS INTO THAT CONVERSATION AND
WHEN.
BUT I DO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE
SAYING, AND I JUST, AGAIN, YOU
KNOW, AS WE'RE TRYING TO
FINALIZE THESE AGREEMENTS WITH
OUR OPERATORS, WE ARE LISTENING
TO THEM, AND WE ARE TRYING TO
NOT BE SUPER RIGID AND
BUREAUCRATIC ABOUT IT.
AND TO YOUR POINT, AND I WILL
COMMIT TO YOU THAT WE WILL
APPROACH IT FROM A
PROBLEM-SOLVING APPROACH WITH
THE GOAL, YOU KNOW, SORT OF
BEING CENTERED ON THE PRIMARY
GOAL OF GETTING FOLKS INSIDE AND
NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL.
SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, WE WILL
CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER.
MR. CHAIR, JUST A FOLLOW-UP,
PLEASE?
>> GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
>> YES.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THAT THERE
IS NOW INTEREST IN HOTELING
FOLKS.
ABSOLUTELY.
OUR BUDGET MADE IT CLEAR, OVER
$2 MILLION.
I WISH WE COULD HAVE DONE MORE.
SO YES, I APPRECIATE IT, BUT
WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU DON'T WANT
TO BE TOO RIGID OR BUREAUCRATIC
ABOUT THE PROCESS, IT FEELS
RIGID AND BUREAUCRATIC TO SAY
THE CITY'S MODEL IS ONLY GOING
TO LOOK AT TWO HOTELS THAT CAN
HOUSE 150 PEOPLE IF WHAT THE
PROVIDERS ARE SAYING IS THAT
THERE'S DIFFERENT STRATEGIES
THAT IN EXISTING ROOMS RIGHT
NOW, IT FEELS BUREAUCRATIC TO
SAY THIS IS THE ONLY MODEL THAT
WE WANT.
ARE YOU -- CAN WE WORK WITH YOU
TO PLACE FOLKS IN HOTEL ROOMS,
WHICH I UNDERSTAND ARE AVAILABLE
TODAY, TOMORROW, TONIGHT AND GET
FOLKS INTO THOSE SERVICES TO
FILL THOSE 144, 150 ROOMS
INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIT THIS
SQUARE PEG INTO A ROUND HOLE
WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE ROOMS
THAT ARE OPEN.
>> I WOULD JUST SAY I THINK
YOU'RE REFERRING TO ONE PROVIDER
IN PARTICULAR, AND WE ARE
DIGGING INTO THE COST.
WE'VE ASKED FOR A DETAILED
BUDGET, BUT I HAVE TO BE HONEST
WITH YOU, THAT PROVIDER RIGHT
NOW, MY UNDERSTANDING IN LOOKING
AT THE NUMBERS FOR THEIR PROGRAM
IS BEING FUNDED BY KING COUNTY,
IS THAT $100,000 OR MORE PER BED
PER YEAR.
THAT IS NOT WHAT WE BUDGETED.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT THEY
HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, THEY ARE PART OF THE
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS RIGHT NOW,
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH THEM.
AND I HAVE ASKED FOR AND HAVE
NOT YET RECEIVED A DETAILED
BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR THEM.
REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF HOTEL
FACILITY, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
PARTNER WITH THEM TO DELIVER
THIS VERY IMPORTANT SERVICE.
I HOPE WE DO.
BUT, AS I SAID, WE RAN AN RFQ,
WE HAVE OTHER RESPONDENTS TO
THAT.
IF WE ARE UNABLE TO REACH AN
AGREEMENT, WE'LL TALK TO OTHER
RESPONDENTS TO BRING THIS ON AS
QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
>> OKAY.
MR. CHAIR, JUST A FEW MORE
ITEMS, IF I MIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I JUST WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ANY
SPECIFIC PROVIDER.
THIS IS A HANDFUL OF
CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD, SO
I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT
THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST.
SECOND OF ALL, I UNDERSTAND THAT
PART OF THE REASON THAT DESC IS
NOT CONSIDERED HERE, EVEN THOUGH
THAT'S THE DOLLAR FIGURE THAT
YOU CONTINUE TO REFERENCE, IS
THAT DESC WAS VERY INTENT ON
WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS
WERE BEING MOVED OUT OF THE
EXHIBITION HALL AND INTO
NONCONGREGATE OPTIONS.
AND BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT PART OF
THE SORT OF OVERALL, I GUESS,
PROPOSAL AT THE TIME, THAT THAT
WASN'T PURSUED.
CAN YOU COMMENT MORE ABOUT THAT?
THAT SEEMS LIKE A FAIR TRADE OFF
TO MOVE FOLKS OUT OF
NONCONGREGATE SHELTERS.
>> CERTAINLY WE AGREE THAT
CONTINUING TO MIC SURE OUR
CONGREGATE SHELTERS REMAIN
DEINTENSIFIED.
WE ARE TRYING TO CREATE NET NEW
SHELTER UNITS.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT
THING FOR US.
I THINK WE'VE BEEN REMINDED OVER
AND OVER AGAIN, NOT JUST BY --
YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS WORKING
WITH OUR POPULATION, BUT ALL OF
OUR RESIDENTS, EVEN IN THE
PUBLIC COMMENT EARLIER TODAY,
THAT, YOU KNOW, ADDING
ADDITIONAL UNITS IS OUR
PRIORITY.
AND THAT IS WHAT THE COUNCIL
ADOPTED.
YES, THERE ARE OTHER CONGREGATE
SPACES THAT ARE IN EXISTENCE.
WE ARE WORKING WITH KING COUNTY
ON THAT AS WELL TO CONTINUE TO
DEINTENSIFY AND SUPPORT THEIR
EFFORTS TO DEINTENSIFY, BUT
AGAIN, OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN ADDING
NET NEW SHELTER UNITS TO THE
SYSTEM SO WE CAN GET MORE FOLKS
WHO ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING
UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS INSIDE.
BUT I AGREE, COUNCILMEMBER,
THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF NEED TO
CONTINUE TO BRING ON MORE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS FOR
STRICTER HOUSING BUT ALSO WHO
ARE IN TEMPORARY SHELTER SPACES.
>> TO SO DESC WASN'T ALLOWED TO
CONTINUE OF DOWN THE PROCESS TO
BEING CONSIDERED BECAUSE THAT
FIRST ACCOMMODATION WASN'T
ACCOUNTED FOR YET.
YET THEIR INITIAL OFFER, AND I
DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS, BUT
BASED ON WHAT YOU SHARED WITH US
TODAY, IT SOUNDS LIKE DESC'S
INITIAL PROPOSAL IS WHAT YOU'RE
LOOKING AT AS THE BENCHMARK.
PART OF THE THE REASON THAT
POTENTIALLY DESC HAS A LOWER
AMOUNT IS BECAUSE WE'VE
CONTINUED TO UNDERFUND WHAT
THOSE SERVICE PROVIDERS SHOULD
BE GETTING PAID.
AND THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING I'VE
WORKED ON FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS
AND KNOW THAT A COST OF LIVING
ADJUSTMENT WAS SOMETHING PEOPLE
CELEBRATED BECAUSE THEY HADN'T
HAD IT FOR TEN YEARS, BUT THEY
ARE STILL WOEFULLY UNDERPAID
COMPARED TO OTHER PROVIDERS IN
THE, QUOTE, MARKET.
THESE ARE NONPROFIT PROVIDERS
WHO ARE HOPING TO STILL PAY A
RATE THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE
WORKERS THAT ARE IN THESE
ORGANIZATIONS NEED THE SERVICES
THAT ARE BEING OFFERED FROM
THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO I THINK THAT THERE IS A REAL
DESIRE BOTH, YOU KNOW, FROM THE
COUNCIL, FROM THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, AND I APPRECIATE THE
MAYOR'S ULTIMATE SUPPORT OF THE
COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT WHICH
HAD BEEN WORKED ON FOR A NUMBER
OF YEARS, BUT I DON'T WANT US TO
SET A BAR THAT IS UNJUSTIFIABLY
LOW AND USE THAT AS AN
INDICATION OF WHAT SOMETHING
SHOULD COST WHEN THE ACTUAL COST
OF DELIVERING SERVICES SHOULD
NOT BE THAT LOW.
A CHEMICAL DEPENSY COUNSELOR
WITH A MASTERS SHOULD NOT BE
MAKING $33,000 IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
SO THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT I AM
CONCERNED WITH, IF WE ARE USING
A BAR THAT IS DRIVING DOWN OR
PUSHING DOWN WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO
OFFER TO FOLKS WHO CAN PROVIDE
THESE SERVICES RIGHT NOW.
AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT FROM
ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE
HAD WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS,
THE DELEGATION AND THE BUDGET
CONVERSATIONS WE'VE BEEN
INVOLVED IN AS THE BUDGET CHAIR,
IN ADDITION TO MY DISCUSSIONS
WITH THE FOLKS IN THE STATE
LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW, WE KNOW
THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,
ESPECIALLY UNDER THIS NEW
ADMINISTRATION, HAS NOW SAID
THAT CITIES CAN GET 100% OF THE
FEMA REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANYTHING
THAT'S COVID-RELATED.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY
COVID-RELATED, SO I WOULD
STRONGLY URGE US AND WELCOME
COMMENTS YOU HAVE ON THIS ABOUT
NOT HAVING THAT LOW BAR, FIRST
OF ALL, TO COMPARE TO EXISTING
COSTS FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
ALREADY UNDERFUNDED, BUT ALSO
WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO GET
THOSE FOLKS IN HOTEL ROOMS, BUMP
UP WHAT WE CAN OFFER.
AND IF THE FEDS WON'T REPAY
THAT, AT LEAST WE'RE REDUCING
EXPOSURE TO THE ABILITY TO
CONTRACT COVID, PLEASE CAN WE
MOVE FORWARD WITH BOTH THE HOTEL
STRATEGY.
IF WE WANT TWO LARGE HOTEL
ROOMS, IF PROVIDERS MAKE IT
WORK, BUT IF THERE ARE ROOMS
AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW, LET'S JUST
FILL THOSE ROOMS AND ASK FOR
REIMBURSEMENT PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
WE WILL -- I'M HAPPY TO WORK
WITH YOU ON EVERYTHING THAT YOU
JUST SAID.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE -- IT'S A BIG
CHANGE ON JANUARY 20th AT ABOUT
8:54 A.M.
OUR TIME, AND WE ARE
VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT NEW
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
AND YOU KNOW, STILL DIGESTING
SOME OF THE NEW GUIDANCE THAT
WE'RE RECEIVING.
IT'S VERY ENCOURAGING TO US.
WE ACTUALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, PUTTING
EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR THAT WE CAN
TOWARD NOT JUST HOTELING BUT ALL
OF THE DIFFERENT FACETS OF THE
CITY'S ONGOING COVID-19
RESPONSE.
ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW -- WE'RE
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT
WITH FEMA PER SPECTIVE AND THE
COLOR OF THE MONEY FROM THE FEDS
THAT WE'RE USING FOR THE HOTEL
PROGRAM, OF WHICH THERE WAS A
BRIGHT LINE BETWEEN FEMA AND
THIS.
WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ALL
OF THAT AND SEE HOW THOSE THINGS
MAY BE CHANGING IN LIGHT OF THE
NEW ADMINISTRATION IN
WASHINGTON, D.C.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
I LOOK FORWARD TO FOLLOWING UP
WITH YOU AS WELL SO THAT WE CAN
HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF THE
TIMELINE FOR WHEN THOSE DOLLARS
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED
WILL BE SENT OUT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DEPUTY
MAYOR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
AND I BELIEVE VICE CHAIR
HERBOLD, DID YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS AS WELL?
>> IT WAS MERELY GOING TO RAISE
THE SAME POINTS THAT
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA MADE
ABOUT THE NEW FEMA REIMBURSABLE
RATES COMING OUT OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND WANTING TO HEAR
FROM DEPUTY MAYOR SIXKILLER
ABOUT OUR INTENTS TO PURSUE THAT
ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN ORDER TO
BRING ON MORE UNITS.
>> GREAT.
OKAY, THANK YOU.
I DO JUST WANT TO CLOSE OUT
TALKING ABOUT THE HOTELING PILOT
BY ASKING A QUESTION ABOUT SOME
OF THE DECISIONS THE COUNCIL
MADE IN DECEMBER AROUND THE
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET REGARDING
POTENTIAL UNDERSPEND OF SOME OF
THAT MONEY.
THE COUNCIL APPROPRIATED
$800,000 TO GO TO YOUTH SHELTERS
OPERATED BY YOUTH CARE AND TO
KEEP THAT AS A VITAL 24-HOUR
SERVICE.
WE HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD AN
UPDATE ON THE PROCESS TO AWARD
THOSE FUNDS.
COULD YOU PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON
WHERE WE ARE ON THAT SUPPORT FOR
YOUTH CARE, DEPUTY MAYOR?
>> YEAH.
SO I -- PART OF THAT IS -- THE
FINAL DECISION ON THAT IS
TETHERED TO WHAT THE FINAL
PROGRAM COSTS, OR ESTIMATED
COSTS ARE GOING TO BE FOR THE
HOTELING PROGRAM.
SO THAT $800,000 WAS HELD BACK
FROM THE SOURCE OF FUNDING WE'RE
USING TO MOVE FORWARD THE
HOTELING PROGRAM.
AND SO, AGAIN, AS WE TRY TO
FINALIZE AND LAND THE FINAL
SITES AND THE OPERATORS AND
THOSE COSTS, THEY WILL TELL US
WHAT WE HAVE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, OUR HOPE IS,
YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN STAY WITHIN
ALL OF OUR BUDGET PARAMETERS AND
LAND THOSE DEALS HERE, THAT
WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD
WITH LEASING ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES.
BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN
DELIVER ON THE HOTELING PLAN AS
WELL.
AND OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE HAD A VERY
SPIRITED DISCUSSION TODAY ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE FINAL
CONSIDERATIONS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
I JUST WANTED TO FLAG THAT
BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S --
WAS FLAGGED, A VERY BIG PRIORITY
BY YOUTH CARE.
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT
STAYS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS
COMMITTEE MONITORING THAT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO AN UPDATE
ON THAT WHEN WE CONVENE NEXT
MONTH ON THAT TOPIC AS WELL.
COUNCIL COLLEAGUES R THERE ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DEPUTY MAYOR
SIXKILLER WHILE WE HAVE HIM
HERE?
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> THANK YOU.
I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A SIDE
ISSUE BUT RELATED TO THE
HOMELESSNESS INVESTMENTS AROUND
COORDINATION WITH THE HOPE TEAM.
THERE IS SOME CONCERN FROM OUR
OUTREACH PROVIDERS THAT WHEN
THEY'RE ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE
IN, YOU KNOW, CITY COORDINATION
ON SITE WITH TRASH PICKUP, FOR
EXAMPLE, COORDINATING PURPLE BAG
AND OTHER ISSUES THAT THERE HAS
BEEN A PUSHBACK FROM THE STAFF
THAT THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
ENGAGE, THAT THEY AREN'T ALLOWED
TO BE ON SITE HELPING WITH
COORDINATION.
UNDERSTANDING THEIR ROLE IS NOT
TO BE DOING REFERRALS OR, YOU
KNOW, DOING OUTREACH WITH THE
HOMELESS COMMUNITY BUT RATHER TO
SERVE ON THE CITY SIDE AND
COORDINATING THE OTHER KINDS OF
SERVICES.
SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD
SPEAK TO THE PERCEPTION THAT
CITY STAFF ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO
BE ENGAGING WITH OUR OUTREACH
PROVIDERS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
OUR OUTREACH -- THE HOPE TEAM
CERTAINLY IS ENGAGING WITH OUR
SERVICE PROVIDERS.
THEY'VE GOT WEEKLY STANDING
MEETINGS IN COORDINATING.
I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE,
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A LITTLE
BETTER OF A CHANGE FOR OUR CITY
TEAM, AND WE'RE ALL TRYING TO
SETTLE IN TO THE NEW NORMAL, AS
I'VE BEEN CALLING IT, AND TRYING
TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF THE
PERCEPTION THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT
CITY STAFF, THAT THE HOPE TEAM
MEMBERS THEMSELVES ARE OUT AND
ABOUT AND ON THE GROUND AND MAY
NOT BE THIS THE SAME SPIRIT AS
WHAT COUNCIL INTENDED.
SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR
-- YOUR RAISING THIS AS AN
ISSUE.
I'M HAPPY TO TALK WITH HSD AND
OUTREACH ABOUT THAT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW -- THE
GOAL HERE IS AS MUCH
COORDINATION AND TRANSPARENCY AS
POSSIBLE AND NOT TO SEND MIXED
MESSAGES ABOUT WHAT WE CAN AND
CAN'T BE DOING BUT REALLY TO
WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE
ANOTHER.
SO I WILL VERY MUCH FOLLOW UP --
I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU
AND YOUR STAFF ON THAT AND TALK
WITH HSD AND THE HOPE TEAM
MEMBERS AS WELL.
>> YEAH, WE WILL PROBABLY BE
SENDING A LETTER.
I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THE
INTENT WITH THE LANGUAGE WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT THERE WAS TO
ENSURE COORDINATION WOULD
CONTINUE BUT THAT WE WERE GIVING
THE DEFERENCE TO OUR OUTREACH
PROVIDERS IN TERMS OF MAKING
REFERRALS FOR SERVICES, MAKING
DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER A PLACE
SHOULD BE AN -- AN ENCAMPMENT
SHOULD BE REMOVED OR NOT, BUT
THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE IS
NO NEED FOR THE CITY TO ENGAGE
WITH PROVIDERS IN PROVIDING
OTHER SERVICE THAT IS THE CITY
DOES.
SO WE WILL FOLLOW UP AND BE BACK
IN TOUCH WITH YOU ABOUT THAT
LATER.
>> I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE AN
OFFLINE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
WOULD WELCOME IT, ACTUALLY.
>> THANK YOU.
AND COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, DO
YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION?
AND AFTER THAT I'LL CLOSE OUT
THIS AGENDA ITEM.
>> THANK YOU AGAIN, DEPUTY
MAYOR.
SO COUNCILMEMBER MORALES'
QUESTION REALLY GETS TO THE
HEART OF, I THINK, SOMETHING
THAT'S COME UP FOR THE LAST TWO
YEARS NOW.
THIS MIGHT PREDATE YOU, DEPUTY
MAYOR, I CAN'T QUITE EXACTLY
REMEMBER GIVEN THAT LAST YEAR
FELT LIKE IT WAS FIVE YEARS
ROLLED INTO ONE.
>> HOPEFULLY IT DOES PREDATE ME.
>> YEAH, YEAH.
WE HAD -- I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY,
AS I KNOW THE MAYOR DID AS WELL,
TO GO DOWN TO THE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES AND VISIT WITH THE CITY
AND COUNTY ELECT ODD OFFICIALS
TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF HOW THEY ARE DEALING WITH THE
CRISIS OF HOMELESSNESS.
OBVIOUSLY, L.A.
AND SEATTLE HAVE
VERY SIMILAR STATISTICS ONCE YOU
ACCOUNT FOR HOMELESSNESS PER
CAPITA IN THE CITIES.
AND TRYING TO LEARN FROM EACH
OTHER.
WHAT I SAW WITHIN CITY HALL IN
LOS ANGELES WAS A PHYSICAL ROOM,
OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN'T HAVE A
PHYSICAL ROOM THESE DAYS, BUT A
PLACE WHERE VARIOUS AGENCIES
CAME TOGETHER WITH
ORGANIZATIONS, WITH THE
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO
ARE OUT THERE ON A DAILY BASIS
IDENTIFYING WHERE THERE'S HOT
SPOTS OR ENCAMPMENTS THAT
POTENTIALLY PROBLEMATIC.
HAVING THAT ONE PLACE TO PULL
PEOPLE TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY
WHICH AREAS WERE ON THE LIST
SEEMED TO BE VERY BENEFICIAL
BOTH FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE
AND FROM THE COMMITTEE'S
PERSPECTIVE.
THE LIST MIGHT HAVE EIGHT
DIFFERENT SITES ON IT NOW TO
IDENTIFY PROBLEM SITES OR
REMOVAL SITES, AND I AM
CONCERNED THAT WHAT I'M HEARING
IS THAT THIS LIST IS NOT BEING
GENERATED WITH ORGANIZATIONS ON
THE GROUND LEVEL SO THAT THEY
CAN HAVE THE CHANCE TO BASICALLY
REPORT BACK ON WHAT IS HAPPENING
AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY PROVIDE
THE IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK ON WHAT
THE COMMUNITY NEEDS IN THOSE
AREAS BEFORE SOMETHING GETS
ADDED TO A LIST, BEFORE AN AREA
GETS ADDED TO A LIST FOR
REMOVALS.
I AGREE WITH THE FOLKS WHO HAVE
BEEN CALLING IN AND TESTIFYING
TODAY.
WE SHOULD NOT HAVE FOLKS
SLEEPING OUTSIDE IN OUR PARKS
AND SLEEPING ALONG THE ROADWAYS
IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
NOBODY WANTS THAT.
BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
HAVE A PLACE TO MOVE FOLKS THAT
CAN HELP MOVE THEM SO THAT THEY
CAN STAY HOUSED AND SHELTERED
AND ALLOWS THEM TO STAY WITH
LOVED ONES AND BE MORE LIKELY TO
NOT CYCLE BACK INTO THAT SAME
LOCATION IN A PARK OR ALONG THE
SIDE OF THE STREET.
IN ORDER FOR US TO DO THAT,
THOUGH, I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE
THOSE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS,
THOSE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS IN A
SAME VIRTUAL ROOM WITH ALL OF
YOU BEFORE REMOVAL SITES ARE
IDENTIFIED, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T
SOUND LIKE THAT'S HAPPENING.
CAN YOU PLEASE COMMENT ON
WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS THE
ABILITY TO DO THAT SO PEOPLE CAN
TRIAGE BEFORE A SITE IS PUT ON
THAT LIST?
>> YEAH, SURE.
COUNCILMEMBER, MAYBE A COUPLE
DIFFERENT THINGS.
ONE IS I'M NOT AWARE OF A
REMOVAL LIST THAT'S BEING
DEVELOPED.
THERE ARE -- YOU KNOW, THERE IS
ONGOING CONVERSATION WITH
VARIOUS PARTS OF THE CITY ABOUT
CONSTRUCTION, UPCOMING
CONSTRUCTION, THINGS LIKE THAT,
SORT OF LIKE A -- YOU KNOW,
THERE ARE CERTAINLY
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT A WATCH
LIST.
I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S A REMOVAL.
THIS NEW APPROACH IS MAKING SURE
THAT WE THEN ARE CREATING
ONGOING DIALOGUE WITH OUR
OUTREACH, CONTRACTED OUTREACH
PROVIDERS TO SORT OF PROBLEM
SOLVE HOW WE DEAL WITH THESE
AREAS OR THESE INDIVIDUAL CASES.
I THINK CONSTRUCTION WILL
PROBABLY BE ONE OF THE EASIEST
ONES FOR US TO WORK WITH.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE, YOU KNOW
-- WE'VE GOT THE WEEKLY
MEETINGS.
WE HAVE STOOD UP WITHIN THE
CITY'S SIDE, THAT
INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM, I KNOW
THAT SOUNDS BUREAUCRATIC.
BUT ALSO TO FIGURE OUT AND LEARN
HOW WE HAVE INTEGRATION.
IT'S NOT REMOVAL FOCUSED.
IT IS REALLY LIKE WHERE ARE
THESE HOT SPOTS, HOW ARE WE
COORDINATING WITH OUTREACH.
I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT TODAY AND
I WON'T TAKE TIME TALKING ABOUT
IT RIGHT NOW, BUT OUR CLEAN
CITIES PROGRAM, MAKING SURE
THERE'S NOT ANY CONFUSION THAT
THAT IS A CODE WORD FOR REMOVAL.
IT IS NOT.
BUT ALSO MAKING SURE CONTRACT OF
OUTREACH KNOWS WHERE WE'RE GOING
TO BE AND IF THERE ARE AREAS WE
CAN PARTNER WITH THEM, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE IT'S REMOVAL OF ABANDONED
TENTS, OR WHAT ARE THE OTHER
THINGS WE NEED TO BE DOING?
WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A LOT OF
MUSCLE MEMORY RIGHT NOW.
I FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE'RE
HEADED, BUT I WILL ADMIT TO YOU
THAT WE'RE NOT -- WE'RE NOT
THERE YET.
AND I DO FEEL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE
TRYING TO GET INFORMATION.
AS I SAID, MAYBE TO SEVERAL OF
YOU OFFLINE, NEAR THE PROCESS OF
REBUILDING TRUST.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT.
SO CERTAINLY FOLKS FEEL LIKE
WE'VE COME UP WITH A REMOVAL
LIST, YOU KNOW, WE'LL NEED TO
ADDRESS THAT CERTAINLY, BECAUSE
THAT'S NOT THE GOAL.
SO I'LL DEAL WITH THAT.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S THE
RESOLUTION DATES AND HAVING A
BETTER SENSE OF HOW WE'RE
COMMUNICATING WITH COMMUNITY
PARTNERS WHEN THOSE AREAS GET
PUT ON THE LIST FOR THE
RESOLUTION DATES.
AND I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
HAS HER HAND UP, JUST ALSO WANT
TO SAY, THIS IS THE SAME WEEK WE
PASSED HAZARD PAY.
AS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT WHO IS
BEING PUT IN HARM'S WAY TO HELP
THESE FOLKS, WE'VE OFFERED $4
MORE AN HOUR TO GROCERY WORKERS.
AND SO I REALLY HOPE THAT THE
NEXT TIME WE HAVE A
CONVERSATION, THE ISSUE IS
RESOLVED AND THE FEDERAL FEMA
DOLLARS ARE MADE AVAILABLE
BECAUSE SAYING HERE'S THE BOX
THAT COUNCIL GAVE US, WE ALL
WANT TO BE FLEXIBLE ON THAT.
WE ARE RECOGNIZING ESPECIALLY
THAT THE FOLKS THAT ARE
PROVIDING OUTREACH TO OUR
HOMELESS COMMUNITY AND OFFERING
THOSE SERVICES, THEY ALSO SHOULD
BE ABLE TO EARN A LIVING WAGE
AND ARE PUT IN HAZARD'S WAY
EVERY DAY.
SO IF FOLKS ARE ASKING FOR A
LITTLE BIT MORE, AND I DON'T
THINK IT'S THREE TIMES THE
AMOUNT, MIGHT BE 25% MORE THAN
THE AMOUNT YOU WERE TALKING
ABOUT, I THINK IT'S WORTH IT,
ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME.
THAT'S MY LAST PLUG TO TIE IN TO
MONDAY'S VOTE.
SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANKS, COUNCILMEMBER.
I'D ALSO SAY, I THINK OBVIOUSLY
OUR FRONTLINE WORKERS AND HOW WE
ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PART OF THE
VACCINATION STRATEGY EARLY I
THINK ALSO IS AN IMPORTANT PART
OF ALL OF THIS AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'LL JOIN IN THE CHORUS OF
APOLOGIZING TO COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD AND CLOSE THIS OUT WITH
HER QUESTION OR COMMENT.
THIS ACTUALLY WILL BE THE LAST
QUESTION OR COMMENT.
GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> THIS IS ANOTHER ROUND OF
THANKS FROM ME BUT WITH A
QUESTION SOMEWHAT RELATED TO
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA'S.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AS WELL AS
HSD STAFF, CUSTOMER SERVICE
BUREAU STAFF AND MY OWN STAFF IN
WORKING TO UPDATE THE RESPONSE
THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
RECEIVE WHEN THEY CONTACT THE
CITY ABOUT AN ENCAMPMENT.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE CONTACTING
THE CITY BECAUSE THEY'RE WORRIED
ABOUT THE WELL BEING OF THE
PERSON LIVING OUTSIDE, SOMETIMES
THEY'RE COMPLAINING.
BUT I'M REALLY PLEASED TO SEE
THAT THE RESPONSE THE CITY IS
SENDING IS NO LONGER A RESPONSE
THAT JUST SIMPLY SAYS, YOU KNOW,
THE CDC SAYS WE CAN'T MOVE
ENCAMPMENTS AND THE COUNCIL HAS
DEFUNDED THE NAV TEAM SO WE
CAN'T RESPOND ANYMORE.
THE NEW RESPONSE RECOGNIZES THAT
WE HAVE SET UP A NEW APPROACH
WITH THE HOPE TEAM, DESCRIBES
THE HOPE TEAM, DESCRIBES THE
CLEAN CITIES INITIATIVE SO THAT
THE PUBLIC DOES HAVE
EXPECTATIONS THAT THEY WILL
RECEIVE ASSISTANCE WITH GARBAGE
PICKUP.
NOTIFIES THE PERSON CONTACTING
THE CITY THAT THE REPORT OF
UNAUTHORIZED ENCAMPMENT WILL BE
ROUTED TO THE APPROPRIATE
DEPARTMENT.
AND EXPLAIN THAT IS THE HOPE
TEAM WILL ASSESS FOR ASSISTANCE
TO THE INDIVIDUAL AS WELL AS
ASSESSING FOR THE IMPACTS TO THE
AREA FROM THE OUTDOOR
ENCAMPMENT.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU
HAVE HELPED US ENSURE THAT THE
PUBLIC HAS REASONABLE
EXPECTATIONS.
THE PIECE THAT I'M STILL
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE
ABOUT, WE DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO
IT NOW, BUT COULD BE A TOPIC OF
CONVERSATION FOR A FUTURE
HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE MEETING
IS I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE
ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO HAVE THE
EXPECTATION THAT EVERY LOCATION
THAT THEY CONTACT US WITH IS
GOING TO RECEIVE THE RESPONSE OF
THE HOPE TEAM.
I REALLY -- I BELIEVE IN
MANAGING PEOPLE'S EXPECTATION IN
A WAY THAT'S REALISTIC, EVEN IF
IT'S SOMETIMES NOT WHAT THEY
WANT TO HEAR.
AND SO IT WOULD HELP, I THINK,
TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT HOW THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL
TEAM WORKING WITH OUR EXTERNAL
PROVIDERS MAKES DECISIONS ABOUT
WHEN THEY -- WHEN LOCATIONS ARE
ROUTED FROM MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC TO THE DEPARTMENT HOW
THEY MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH
ONES THEY GO OUT AND VISIT TO
OFFER BOTH RESOURCES TO THE
PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE AS WELL AS
MITIGATING THE IMPACTS OF PEOPLE
LIVING OUTSIDE.
>> YEAH, COUNCILMEMBER, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT'S A -- BOTH A -- OBVIOUSLY
A GREAT BUT A VERY TIMELY
QUESTION.
AND I WOULD SAY THE EXPECTATION
MANAGEMENT, EVEN FOR OURSELVES
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO
ACCOMPLISH AND I THINK, OF
COURSE, ALSO OUR CONTRACTED
PARTNER AGENCIES.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY SO MANY
PEOPLE AND SO MANY DAYS IN THE
WEEK AND HOURS IN THE DAY.
SO WE ARE -- HAVE BEEN WORKING,
DRAFTING SORT OF A SET OF
CRITERIA OF HOW WE TRIAGE AND
WHAT GETS PRIORITY, WHAT KIND OF
MOVES THE BACK OF THE ROOM, SO
TO SPEAK.
SO THAT -- IF THE COUNCIL WOULD
LIKE OR THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE
THAT, MAYBE THAT COULD BE AN
AREA WE COULD TALK ABOUT AT OUR
NEXT SESSION LIKE THIS AND KIND
OF WALK FOLKS THROUGH THAT AND
GET COUNCIL'S FEEDBACK.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'LL BE WORKING WITH
OUR PARTNERS ON MAKING SURE THAT
WE HAVE ALIGNMENT ON HOW AREAS
ARE PRIORITIZE, NOT FROM A
REMOVAL PERSPECTIVE BUT FROM HOW
WE START TO PROBLEM SOLVE AND
MAKE SURE WE'RE CONNECTING, YOU
KNOW, OUTREACH AND OTHER
SERVICES TO THAT PARTICULAR
AREA.
SO THANK YOU FOR FLAGGING THAT.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH,
EVERYBODY, FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
AND DEPUTY MAYOR SIXKILLER,
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND
ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS OF THE
COUNCIL.
A LOT OF MATTERS TO FOLLOW UP ON
AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU OVER THE NEXT MONTH LEADING
INTO THE NEXT COUNCIL HEARING
WHERE WE WILL AGAIN GET AN
UPDATE ON A LOT OF THESE
INITIATIVES AND INVESTMENTS.
APPRECIATE YOU COMING BY AND I'M
SURE THAT WE WILL SPEAK SOON
ABOUT THESE AND OTHER MATTERS.
SO APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
>> OKAY.
COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE ONE
LAST ITEM OF BUSINESS.
FORTUNATELY, IT IS A FAIRLY
QUICK ITEM OF BUSINESS.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S
INDULGENCE IN GOING A LITTLE
LONG GIVEN THE -- HOW TOPICAL
THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT THE
HOMELESSNESS EMERGENCY IS AND
GETTING A FEW MORE QUESTIONS IN.
SO WE WILL NOW CUE UP ITEM
NUMBER THREE, THE FINAL ITEM ON
THE AGENDA.
MR. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ
THE NEXT ITEM INTO THE RECORD.
>> RESOLUTION 31987, A
RESOLUTION SPONSORING THE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY'S APPLICATION FOR
MEMBERSHIP TO THE ASSOCIATION OF
WASHINGTON'S RISK MANAGEMENT
SERVICE AGENCY.
>> SO, AS THE NAME IMPLIES, THIS
IS THE RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE
ENTRANCE OF THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY
INTO THE ASSOCIATION OF
WASHINGTON CITY'S INSURANCE RISK
POOL.
THIS HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A
STRONG OPTION FOR PROVIDING
INSURANCE FOR THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY.
IT INCLUNDZ COMMERCIAL GENERAL
LIABILITY, WORKERS COMPENSATION,
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
LIABILITY, AND BECAUSE THE
REGIONAL AUTHORITY IS A NONCITY
ENTITY, THE SPONSORSHIP OF A
MEMBER CITY IS REQUIRED.
AS WE ARE THE LARGEST CITY IN
THE COUNTY AND ONE OF THE
BIGGEST REGIONAL LEADERS, WE ARE
SO PRESENTING.
WE DO HAVE JEFF SIMS FROM
CENTRAL STAFF AVAILABLE IF
PEOPLE HAVE ANY --
COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS.
IF THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS
FOR JEFF, I'LL MOVE ON TO
SUSPENDING THE RULES SO WE CAN
CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION, BUT
FIRST LET'S GO AHEAD AND SEE IF
THERE ARE QUESTIONS.
I THINK COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
HAD HIS HAND RAISED.
SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> OH, YOU CAN TAKE
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA'S
QUESTION FIRST IF --
>> OH, SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, YOU HAVE A QUESTION AS
WELL.
OKAY, SO I GUESS COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA THEN COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> WELL, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR,
AND THANK YOU, MR. STRAUSS.
I WILL BE SHORT.
MY QUESTION IS.
DO WE KNOW IF THE THEY'RE ABLE
TO
OFFER CHOICES TO THE EMPLOYEE
THAT IS WILL ULTIMATELY BE IN
THE REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY.
I SEE FROM THEIR WEBSITE IT SAYS
TWO CHOICES, BUT ARE YOU
FAMILIAR WITH WHETHER OR NOT AN
EMPLOYEE IS GOING BE ABLE TO
HAVE CHOICE.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR
OFFERS RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A
NUMBER OF HEALTH PLANS WE CAN
CHOOSE FROM.
SO I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT THIS
WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE
OF INTEREST TO THE EMPLOYEES WHO
ARE TRANSITIONING OVER AND
PERHAPS EVEN THE SUBJECT OF
BARGAINING.
SO I'M WONDERING AT THE FRONT
END, DO WE KNOW IF THERE'S
SUFFICIENT CHOICE?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
FOR RECORD, JEFF SIMS FROM
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF.
SO THE ENTRANCE INTO THE AGENCY
IS ACTUALLY THE INSURANCE NOT
FOR EMPLOYEES TO BE OFFERED
INSURANCE, LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE
BENEFITS, BUT ACTUALLY BE
INSURANCE THAT WOULD BE HELD ON
ANY FACILITIES OR EITHER
CONTROLLED OR OPERATED BY THE
AUTHORITY AS WELL AS THE ACTIONS
OF ITS EMPLOYEES.
SO IT'S NOT THE WAY THAT YOU
WOULD GET YOUR HEALTH BENEFITS
PLAN.
BUT ACTUALLY THE RESOLUTION, THE
COUNCIL ALREADY PASSED THE
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY TO THE
BENEFITS TRUST THAT AWC
PROVIDES.
THAT WOULD BE THE PATHWAY THAT
YOU MIGHT HAVE MULTIPLE HEALTH
INSURANCE OPTIONS.
I BELIEVE THAT'S THE PATHWAY
WE'RE GOING GO WITH, BUT I DON'T
HAVE THAT CURRENT INFORMATION.
I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU
WITH MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS.
IN AUTHORIZING THE INTERLOCAL
AGREEMENT, THE COUNCIL ASKED FOR
A TRANSITION PLAN.
THAT INCLUDES A DISCUSSION OF
THE TYPES OF BENEFITS THAT WILL
BE AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES OF THE
NEW AUTHORITY.
SO THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE
RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE
EXECUTIVE AS THESE THINGS MOVE
FORWARD THAT WILL SUMMARIZE A
LOT OF DETAILS LIKE THAT.
>> THANKS.
SORRY FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING.
THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AND JEFF, THIS MIGHT NOT BE A
QUESTION THAT YOU CAN ANSWER,
AND I'M HAPPEN TO RECEIVE THE
ANSWER IN A FOLLOW UP.
IF WE WERE NOT A MEMBER OF THE
ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON
CITIES, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO
ACCEPT THIS INSURANCE POLICY?
>> I THINK THAT THE --
>> OR SPONSOR.
>> THERE YOU GO, YES.
NO, YOU HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF
THE AWC, THE CITY THAT IS
SPONSORING MUST BE A MEMBER OF
THE AWC TO SPONSOR A
NONGOVERNMENT AGENCY.
>> THANK YOU, JEFF.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE OFF
OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
FOR FINDING ADDITIONAL DOLLARS
WITHIN THEIR BUDGET FROM THIS
LAST YEAR AS THE TRANSMITTED
BUDGET THAT WE RECEIVED DID NOT
HAVE THE FULL FUNDING FOR OUR
DUES, WHICH WOULD HAVE PUT US IN
A POSITION WHERE WE COULDN'T
SPONSOR THIS INSURANCE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I
WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH MY MOTION
TO SUSPEND THE RULES.
COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, I NEED TO
MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO
ALLOW THE COMMITTEE TO VOTE ON
THIS RESOLUTION BECAUSE THE
AGENDA DID NOT LIST THE
COMMITTEE'S INTENT TO TAKE
ACTION AND POSSIBLE VOTE ON THIS
MATTER.
SO IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
COUNCIL RULE RELATING TO THE
LISTING POSSIBLE VOTE ON THE
AGENDA WILL BE SUSPENDED TO
ALLOW THE COMMITTEE TO VOTE ON
RESOLUTION 31987.
>> SECOND.
>> HEARING A SECOND BUT NO
OBJECTION, I WILL GO AHEAD AND
JUST MAKE THE PARLIAMENTARY CALL
THAT THAT PROBABLY MEANS WE'RE
FINE AND THE COUNCIL RULE IS
SUSPENDED.
AND THE COMMITTEE WILL PROCEED
WITH VOTING ON THE RESOLUTION.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>> SORRY.
PARDON, BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE A
MOTION FOR US TO CONSIDER.
>> I'M SORRY.
YES, YES.
SORRY.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, YOUR
SECOND BROKE OFF MY RHYTHM
THERE.
>> APOLOGIES.
>> SORRY.
>> I SECOND YOUR MOTION.
>> HOLD ON, WE'RE CUEING IT UP.
WE'LL GET THE ORDER RIGHT THIS
TIME.
I MOVE THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 31987.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> AW, I THOUGHT DAN WAS GOING
TO -- ANYWAY.
>> HE WASN'T FAST ENOUGH.
>> WASN'T FAST ENOUGH THAT TIME.
ARE THERE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON
THE RESOLUTION?
SEEING NO COMMENTS, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON
THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION?
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> I'M SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> THERE ARE EIGHT IN FAVOR,
NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU.
I SHOULD HAVE ALSO ANNOUNCED
EARLIER COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT DID
INFORM THE COMMITTEE THAT SHE
WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE EARLY.
SO FOLLOWING THE ROLL CALL, THE
MOTION CARRIES AND THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION THAT THE
RESOLUTION BE ADOPTED WILL BE
FORWARDED TO THE FEBRUARY 1st
CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
MOVING ON TO ADJOURNMENT, I WILL
NOT MAKE ANY CLOSING REMARKS.
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S PATIENCE
HANGING IN THERE THIS AFTERNOON.
THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINES
BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY REMARKS, NOW
WOULD BE THE TIME TO BE
RECOGNIZED.
SEEING NO REMARKS, THIS
COMMITTEE IS HEREBY ADJOURNED.