>>> THE AUGUST 16, 2023 MEETING
OF THE PUBLIC ASSETS AND
HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE WILL COM
TO ORDER. IT IS 2:20 P.M. I'M
ANDREW LEWIS, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
JUAREZ HAS BEEN EXCUSED FROM TH
MEETING.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR LEWIS?
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE THREE
MEMBERS PRESENT.
>> WE WILL UPDATE THE RECORD AS
ADDITIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS
JOINED TO'S COMMITTEE MEETING.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA, IF NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. PUBLIC COMMENT, I'LL
MODERATE OR THE CLERK WILL
MODERATE THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD. THERE WILL BE ONE MINUT
ALLOTTED FOR EACH SPEAKER. HOW
MANY PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP, MR.
CLERK?
>> MR. CHAIR, 12 IN-PERSON
PUBLIC COMMENTERS AS WELL AS
FIVE ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
>> IF THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE
GALLERY WHO HAVE NOT YET SIGNED
UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT WOUL
LIKE TO, THEY CAN SIGN UP DURIN
THE PUBLIC EXCEPT PERIOD. I SAW
SOME FOLKS WITH THEIR HANDS UP
WHO MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY YET. FEEL FREE TO
APPROACH AND SIGN UP AT THE
COUNTER. IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE S
ALREADY. THE CLERK WILL COMMENC
WITH THE CURRENT SIGN-UP SHEET
AND WE WILL PROCEED WITH THE
PUBLIC COMMENT SHEET WITH TIME
SET AT ONE MINUTE.
>> OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTER I
KARI KAPLAN FOLLOWED BY BRUCE
DRAGER.
>> MY NAME IS KARI KAPLAN, AND
I'M A RESPIRATORY NEUROLOGICAL
SPECIALIST. I WOULD LIKE TO
START THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY BY
LEADING A QUICK 30-SECOND
EXERCISE AND SELF-CARE AS WE TR
TO HELP THIS COMMUNITY ON THIS
BEAUTIFUL PLANET. BEFORE I
START, I'D LIKE US TO TRY TO
IMAGINE OUR HOMELESS POPULATION
AS ONE THAT CAN BE A POSITIVE
BEAUTIFUL MOVEMENT BACK TO THE
EARTH COMMUNITY CREATIVITY
INNOVATION AND LOVE IN A WAY
FROM PROFIT EXISTENCE. SO I
WOULD LIKE US TO PUT OUR HANDS
DIRECTLY OUR THE HEARTS AND THE
OTHER HAND OUT IF YOU WOULD LIK
TO AND THINK ABOUT BREATHING
INTO YOUR DIAPHRAGM AND YOUR
LIVER AND STOMACH AND THE
ABDOMEN AND THEN PUT A SMILE ON
YOUR FACE AND THE NOSE HOLES
WILL OPEN UP AND GET YOUR MIND
TO WORK AND YOUR DIAPHRAGM TO
OPEN UP AND JUST REALLY THINK
AND IMAGINE A GOOD PLACE FOR US
ALL TO COME TOGETHER. JUST TAKE
SOME NICE DEEP BREATHS INTO YOU
DIAPHRAGM AND YOUR NOSE. AND
JUST FEEL THAT WE CAN ALL WORK
TOGETHER. THANK YOU.
>> WE SHOULD START EVERY
COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WAY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT PUBLIC
COMMENTER IS BRUCE DRAGER
FOLLOWED BY CHARLIE AMTH.
>> HI THERE, I'M BRUCE DRAGER,
AND I REPRESENT GREEN LAKE
HOMELESS ADVOCATES. AS I SAID A
COUPLE WEEKS AGO, MY JAM IS TO
GO OUT AND MEET PEOPLE THAT ARE
AT CAMPS THAT ARE GOING TO GET
SWEPT AND HELP GET THEM READY T
NAVIGATE A SWEEP. IT WAS A
PLEASURE YESTERDAY TO HAVE KING
5 INTERVIEW ME AND I HAD AN
INTERVIEW TO BEGIN TO TELL THE
TRUTH OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH
THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE
STREETS. I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THE
REPORT YESTERDAY, AND I WAS
WATCHING IT ON THE NEWS. ALL OF
A SUDDEN THEY REBUTTED
EVERYTHING I SAID BASED UPON
DATA THAT THE CITY HAS REPORTED
AND I WANTED TO GO DOWN TO THE
NEWSROOM AND SAY YOU KNOW WHAT,
DON'T YOU KNOW THE CITY IS LYIN
ABOUT THIS? AND THE THING IS I'
NOT GOING TO ARGUE THE VERACITY
OF THE CITY VERSES WHAT I DO.
SUFFICE TO SAY THE STORY THAT I
SEE READS DIFFERENTLY. PEOPLE
WANT HOUSING AND THEY WILL
ACCEPT HOUSING IF YOU MAKE A
VIABLE OFFER TO THEM. THANK YOU
>> THANK YOU. LET THE RECORD
NOTE THAT COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
HAS JOINED THE MEETING.
>> OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
CHARLIE AMTH FOLLOWED BY SCOTT.
>> HELLO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
HELLO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY
NAME IS CHARLIE, AND ALONG WITH
MY PARTNER, WE'RE THE OWNERS OF
MOSHI SUSHI IN BALLARD. I'M HER
TO SPEAK ABOUT COUNCILMEMBER
120463, CLAUSES IN NEW
COMMERCIAL LEASES. I JUST WANTE
TO GIVE A SHORT PERSONAL
ANECDOTE WHEN MY PARTNER AND I
PURCHASED IN 2019. WE HAD TO
ACCEPT A PERSONAL GUARANTEE ON
AN UP TO 10-YEAR LEASE, AND THA
IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST AND
SCARIEST LIABILITY. I BASICALLY
PUT MY OWN PERSONAL HOME ON THE
LINE FOR THAT. NOT ONLY IN
ADDITION TO THAT, OUR LANDLORD,
WHO IS A VERY WONDERFUL PERSON
TO WORK WITH, ACTUALLY DEMANDED
THAT THE SELLER OF THE BUSINESS
MAINTAIN HIS OWN PERSONAL
GUARANTEE BEHIND OURS AS WELL.
AND THAT I ENDED UP HAVE TO
PERSONALLY IDENTIFY HIM IN THE
BACKGROUND IN ORDER TO PROCEED
WITH THE SALE. MY POINT IN
SUMMARY IS THAT PERSONAL
GUARANTEES ON COMMERCIAL LEASES
CAN BE INCREDIBLY DEBILITATING
AND PAINFUL AND ARE A HUGE
BARRIER FOR ENTRY FOR
ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINES
OWNERS. I THOROUGHLY SUPPORT
THIS PROPOSAL. THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
SCOTT WHO WILL BE FOLLOWED BY
AIMEE GUNNER.
>> THANK YOU, MY NAME IS SCOTT,
AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
LODI5 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION.
THE DRAFT RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU
FOLLOWS AN IMPORTANT FEASIBILIT
STUDY THAT FOUND LIVING IN LODI
5 COULD EXPAND DENSE POPULATIO.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE 600
FAMILIES LIVING WITHIN A BLOCK
OF THE FREEWAY. AS WE'RE SEEING
THIS WEEK, THE URBAN HEAT ISLAN
IS WORSE IN OUR CENTRAL
NEIGHBORHOODS AND COULD BENEFIT
FOR MORE GREEN SPACE ON FREEWAY
LIDS. WHILE THE COMMUNITY HAS
ADJUSTED A FEW EDITS TO MAKE TH
RESOLUTION STRONGER SUCH AS
EXTENDING THE NORTHERN DOWNTOWN
AREAS AND ASKING SDOT TO INCLUD
FUNDS IN THE 2024 TRANSPORTATIO
LEVY, WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE
AMENDMENT COULD GET INTO THE
RESOLUTION AT FULL COUNCIL, AND
WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THE
PROPOSAL MOVE FORWARD AS WE
SUPPORT OPCD'S FEDERAL GRANT
APPLICATION NEXT MONTH. AND I
WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR
LEADERSHIP IN KEEPING THIS
MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER
AIMEE GUNNER FOLLOWED BY NOAH
UNG.
>> HI, MY NAME IS AIMEE GUNNER.
AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE SEATTLE
RESTAURANT ALLIANCE, AND I OWN
PORTAGE BAY CAFE. I'M HERE IN
SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL BILL,
CAPPING PERSONAL GUARANTEES ON
NEW COMMERCIAL LEASES. MY
COMPANY HAS SEVEN LEASES, THREE
SIGNED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS.
I'M A BIT BUMMED THAT THIS IS
HAPPENING NOW AND NOT LAST YEAR
BUT I HAD TO NEGOTIATE HARD TO
LIMIT THE LENGTH AND SCOPE OF M
PERSONAL GUARANTEES DESPITE
BEING IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 25
YEARS. I OPERATE AS A SINGLE
LLC. SO THE BACKING OF MY
COMPANY SHOULD HAVE BEEN
SUFFICIENT AND YET I HAD TO
FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, AND I HAD
TO END UP ON SOME LEVELS OF MY
LEASES. AND SO I, AS A LONG-TIM
SUCCESSFUL GROUP OF RESTAURANTS
WILL HAVE TO FIGHT THAT HARD,
AND HOW COULD ANY NEW RESTAURAN
OR BUSINESS IS SUPPOSE TO HAVE
CHANCE TO GET OUT FROM AN
ONEROUS PERSONAL GUARANTEE TO
LAST TEN YEARS OR LONGER. AND
GOING INTO, I'M GOING TO RUN OU
OF TIME. BUT YEAH, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT PUBLIC
COMMENTER IS NOAH WHO WILL BE
FOLLOWED BY NICK JACKAL.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M NOAH,
TESTIFYING IN SUPPORT OF
RESOLUTION 32100 ON BEHALF OF
COMMUTE SEATTLE, THE NON-PROFIT
THAT MAKES IT EASY TO WALK,
BIKE, AND ROLL FOR THOSE THAT
WALK TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. OUR
COMMUTE TO SEATTLE IS GUIDED BY
THREE CORE VALUES. A SEATTLE
SUSTAINABLE AND AFFORDABLE. AND
IT'S THE RARE PROJECT THAT WOUL
ADVANCE ALL THREE OF THESE
VALUES. AND IT WOULD RECONNECT
THE COMMUNITIES TORN APART BY
CONSTRUCTION OF THE INTERSTATE
WHILE PROVIDING NEW WALKING AND
BIKING CONNECTIONS THAT WILL
MAKE IT EASIER TO GET DOWNTOWN.
AND ADVANCE THEIR GOALS BY
CREATING NEW GREEN SPACE IN THE
HEART OF THE CITY WHILE LIMITIN
THE HIGHWAY'S AIR QUALITY
AFFECTS ON THE SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES. AND IT HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO OPEN UP NEW LAND I
THE DOWNTOWN CORE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF DESPERATELY
NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING. ON
BEHALF OF COMMUTE LEWIS, I URGE
THE COUNTY TO MOVE FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU. THE NEXT PUBLIC
COMMENTER IS NICK JACKAL
FOLLOWED BY GABRIEL NEWMAN.
>> GOOD EVENING AND MEMBERS OF
THIS COMMITTEE. I'M NICK, AND I
REPRESENT THE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
ASSOCIATION. MY COMMENTS TODAY
ARE IN SUPPORT OF RESOLUTION
32100. THIS RESOLUTION IS A
NATURAL PROGRESSION FOLLOWING
THE 2020 FEASIBILITY STUDY,
WHICH DEMONSTRATED THE VIABILIT
OF MORE SECTIONS OF I-5 IN
CENTRAL SEATTLE. HIGHLIGHTING
SUBSTANTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND
ECONOMIC SOCIAL ADVANTAGES,
WHICH STRONGLY ALIGN WITH THE
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE CITY'S MISSION
TO A HEALTHY VIBRANT DOWNTOWN
FOR ALL. THIS RESOLUTION SERVES
AS A RESOUNDING DECLARATION TO
THE PUBLIC AND OUR PARTNERS AT
THE COUNTY STATE AND FEDERAL
LEVELS THAT STANDS AS A
PARAMOUNT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
FUTURE OF OUR CITY. WE COMMEND
THIS RESOLUTION'S ENDORSEMENT
FOR THE CENTRAL SEATTLE SEGMENT
AND FOR POTENTIAL SITES IN THE
DISTRICT. THE RESOLUTION RIGHTL
ACKNOWLEDGES THE PRESSING NEEDS
FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION AND
ADDRESSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL AN
EQUITIES STEMMING FROM THE I-5'
PASSAGE THROUGH THE DISTRICT,
I'M SIRE, THE CID, AND IT IS
CRUCIAL FOR THE FULL COUNCIL TO
RATIFY THIS RESOLUTION BY THE
SECOND WEEK OF SEPTEMBER BY
ALLOWING AMPLE TIME TO BACK THE
FEDERAL GRANT APPLICATION. THAN
YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND
TIME.
>> OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
GABRIEL NEWMAN FOLLOWED BY
JESSIE FREEDMAN.
>> HELLO, SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL,
I'M GABRIEL NEWMAN AT GSPA, WIT
WASHINGTON'S LGBTQ CHAMBERS OF
COMMERCE. I'M HAPPY TO TESTIFY
IN SUPPORT OF CB 12643. SEATTLE
IS HOME TO CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS
AND HOSPITALITY ARTISTS,
CLOTHING DESIGNERS, EQUITY
CONSULTANTS, AND MORE, WHO WANT
THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THE
SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY. MANY
ADVENTURES ARE NEW POPPING UP I
A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. STARTING
A BUSINESS IS AN EXPENSIVE
PROCESS. WHILE FOLKS CAN COVER
THE INITIAL LICENSING COST,
THEY'RE UNABLE TO OPEN UP A
PHYSICAL LOCATION. THIS IS
ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR MANY YOUNGE
ENTREPRENEURS WHO HAVE NOT BUIL
UP CREDIT OR CAPITAL. HELPING T
EASE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF
OWNERSHIP, THE PATH OF MANY, BU
FOR MANY ENTREPRENEURS WHO WOUL
HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THE
REALIZATION OF THAT DREAM. WE
APPLAUD CITY COUNCIL FOR TAKING
THE FIRST ACCEPTS. WE HOPE TO
SEE THE CITY ENGAGE IN FUTURE
LEGISLATION TO SUPPORT
BUSINESSES THAT RENT IN OFFICE
SPACE AND AS WELL AS ADDRESS TH
SECURITY DEPOSITS. HOWEVER, WE
THINK THIS IS A FANTASTIC FIRST
STEP TOWARDS MAKING BUSINESS
OWNERSHIP EQUITABLE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU.
>>> OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER I
JESSIE FREEDMAN FOLLOWED BY
ALLISON.
>> SORRY, WHOEVER IS NEXT. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIR LEWIS AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I'M JESSIE
FREEDMAN, THE POLICY AND
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR
YOUTH CARE, AND A MEMBER OF KIN
COUNTY COALITION OF
HOMELESSNESS. IN TODAY'S
PRESENTATION, YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT
THE ONE-TIME FUNDING CLIFF
FACING HOMELESS SERVICE
PROVIDERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
INCLUDED IN THAT CLIP IS OVER
$700,000 IN FUNDING FOR YOUTH
CARES REENGAGEMENT CENTERS IN
RAINIER BEACH, THE UNIVERSITY
DISTRICT, AND SOUTH LAKE UNION.
WHILE WE RECOGNIZE THIS WAS
INITIALLY INTENDED AS ONE-TIME
FUNDING, THERE IS NOTHING ONE
TIME ABOUT THE URGENT NEED TO
PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE TO COME IN
PLACE FOR A SAFE MEAL, SHOWER,
CONNECTION TO A SAFE PLACE TO
SLEEP, AND STABLE AND LONG-TERM
HOUSING, ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE
BEHAVIORAL SERVICES, AND MORE.
DURING FREQUENT EXTREME WEATHER
EVENTS LIKE THE ONES WE'RE ALL
EXPERIENCING NOW, YOU CAN SEE
THE URGENCY OF ENSURING OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE A SAFE PLACE.
I'M HOPEFUL OUR GOVERNMENTAL
PARTNERS WILL COME TOGETHER TO
FILL THIS GAP TO ENSURE THERE I
NOTHING LOST AND THAT YOUTH CAR
SERVES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU. THE NEXT PUBLIC
COMMENTER WILL BE ALLISON,
FOLLOWED BY JAVIER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR LEWIS
AND COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD. I'M
THE DIRECTOR OF THE SEATTLE KIN
COUNTY DIRECTOR OF HOMELESSNESS
I'M HERE TO COMMENT ON THE
FIVE-YEAR PLAN AND THE NECESSAR
BUDGET, AS I THINK YOU
UNDERSTAND AND I JUST HANDED TO
STAFF THE LATEST LIST FROM THE
WOMEN IN BLACK OF 34 PEOPLE WHO
DIED WHILE OUTSIDE OR BY
VIOLENCE. WE HAVE AN URGENT
UNMET NEED FOR SHELTER AND
HOUSING AS I KNOW THEY'RE
PROFOUNDLY AWARE. BUT WHAT'S
BEFORE YOU RIGHT NOW IS TO
MAINTAIN THE SERVICES AND NOT
LOSE CAPACITY. I WISH I WAS HER
TALKING TO YOU ABOUT IT. BUT I
WANT TO FLAG TO YOU THE CLIFF
THAT YOU WERE HEARING ABOUT, BU
THE NEED FOR ADJUSTING INFLATIO
FOR ALL HOMELESS CONTRACTS THAT
ARE CURRENTLY AROUND AND
INCREASE WAGES FOR PEOPLE WHO D
THIS VITAL WORK. THANK YOU.
>>> OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER,
HEAVIER, FOLLOWED BY WHO DAY II
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
JAVIER, AND I'M BASED HERE. AND
ONE OF OUR GOAL IN 2023 IS TO
OPEN UP OUR THIRD
SELF-MANAGEMENT TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE. THIS SUMMER TO HELP
MEET OUR DEMANDS FOR OUR SHELTE
ON FEBRUARY 28, 2023,
NICKELVILLE MET WITH HSD, DEPUT
DIRECTOR OF MICHAEL BAILEY AND
TWO OTHER STAFFERS. TO ASK
ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING PUBLI
PROPERTIES THAT MAY BE VALUABLE
FOR THE THIRD VILLAGE. AND
OVERALL IT'S A SHELTER
OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY HOMELESS
PEOPLE. ON MAY 17, ALMOST THREE
MONTHS AGO, IT WAS -- [
INAUDIBLE ] THE LIST OF UNUSED
CITY OWNED LANDS THAT MAY BE
POTENTIAL FOR OUR THIRD VILLAGE
BUT THAT HAD TO COME THROUGH TH
RHA, AND THEY NEEDED TO BE IN
THE LOOP. WE ARE NOW IN THE
MIDDLE OF AUGUST. NICKELVILLE
HAS NOT YET RECEIVED ANY OF THE
LIST OF THE LANDS OF THE
PROPERTIES THAT THEY POTENTIALL
SAID THEY WOULD GIVE US.
>> THANK YOU, JAVIER. OUR NEXT
PUBLIC COMMENTER IS JORGE CHAVE
II.
>> MY NAME IS JORGE CHAVEZ II.
SINCE NICKELODEON HAS MET WITH
THE STAFF AT THE END OF
FEBRUARY, 112 HOMELESS PEOPLE
DIED OUTSIDE IN PUBLIC ACCORDIN
TO HOMELESS DEATHS. ON AUGUST 4
THE NICHOLSVILLE ROAD EXPRESSIN
OUR DISAPPOINTMENT AND LACK OF
URGENCY IN ADDRESSING OUR
REQUEST FOR LAND. HIS RESPONSE,
DEPUTY DIRECTOR MICHAEL BAILEY
E-MAILED US ASKING HIS TEAM TO
FIND A PATH FORWARD. BUT THERE
WAS NO RESPONSE. AS OF TODAY, W
HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM HS
STAFF. ONE, WHY HAS THEIR LIST
OF UNUSED CITY OWNED LAND
IDENTIFY FOR NICHOLSVILLE THE
ENCAMP FROM NICHOLSVILLE? TWO,
WHY DID RHA CLAIM THERE WASN'T
ENOUGH MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO
OPERATE A THIRD VILLAGE? AND
TELL THEM TO LIST THEM AS VIABL
LOCATIONS FOR NICHOLSVILLE'S
TINY VILLAGE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU TO ALL THE
IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC
COMMENTERS WHO HAVE CALLED IN
ONLINE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENT. I WOULD ASK OUR VIRTUA
COMMENTERS TO PLEASE PRESS STAR
SIX, SO THEIR NAMES WILL BE
CALLS TO REMEMBER THEY WILL HAV
TEN SECONDS TO COMPLETE THEIR
PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER A CHIME.
OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
STEVE HOOPER. IF YOU PRESS STAR
SIX, YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. I'M STEVE HOOPER, THE
PRESIDENT OF THE SEATTLE
RESTAURANT ALLIANCE. I'M HERE
TALKING IN SUPPORT OF COUNCIL
BILL 120436 FOR CAPS AND
PERSONAL GUARANTEES FOR NEW
COMMERCIAL LEASES. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS OR CHAIR LEWIS I SHOULD
SAY IN THIS INSTANCE AND YOUR
STAFF. YOU'VE BEEN ABSOLUTELY
EXCEPTIONAL TO WORK WITH OVER
THE LAST NINE MONTHS AS WE HAVE
PUT THIS TOGETHER. A FIRST IN
ITS NATION OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE
SMALL BUSINESSES A CHANCE TO
NEGOTIATE AGAINST LARGE
COMMERCIAL LANDLORDS AND OTHER
MAJOR WELL-FUNDED STAKEHOLDERS.
AS AMY MENTIONED IN HER CAFE
CONGRESSMEN ENTIES HAVE NO
PROBLEM GUARANTEE AND JUST TO
START A NEW BUSINESS AND SEE
THEMSELVES. WE SEE THIS AS AN
EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY
TO ENGAGE IN AND SET A PRECEDEN
FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY TO
GIVE POWER BACK TO SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YO
VERY MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS
FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
HAVE A GREAT DAY.
>> OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
TREY LAMONT. PLEASE PRESS STAR
SIX AND YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE
TO PROVIDE COMMENT.
>> HELLO?
>> HI, TREY. WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> OKAY, SURE. SORRY. HI, I'M
TREY LAMONT. AND I AM HERE TO
ASK FOR SUPPORT FOR COUNCIL BIL
120463, WHICH CAPS PERSONAL
GUARANTEE CLAUSES IN COMMERCIAL
LEASES. AND TO PUT MY HOUSE UP.
AND THAT WE WOULD TRY TO FINANC
AND THE PERSONAL GUARANTEE. AND
TO REFINANCE GET THE LOWER RATE
AND THAT THEY WILL NEED TO PUT
THE WHOLE SITUATION IN A BAD
POSITION. AND FOR TEN YEARS,
SINCE MISSING OUT IN THAT
OPPORTUNITY THAT COULD HELP
DEVELOP THEIR HOME LIFE.
>> AND I SEE THAT TODD SIGNED U
FOR VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU'RE NOT PRESENT. IF YOU CAN
PLEASE CALL IN TO THE E-MAIL, W
WILL TRY TO GET TO YOU BEFORE
PUBLIC COMMENT CONCLUDES. OUR
NEXT PRESENT IN-PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENTER IS KATIE RICHIO.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX, AND
YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE.
>> HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, WE CAN.
>> HI, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME
IS KATIE, AND I WORK FOR THE U
DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP IN THE
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT. I'M
SPEAKING TODAY IN SUPPORT OF
RESOLUTION 32100 SUPPORTING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHWAY LIDS IN
SEATTLE. WHEN THEY OPENED, IT
DIVIDED MUCH OF SEATTLE AND THE
ARE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS TO RECLAIM PUBLIC SAFE
IT IS ONE OF THE MOST RACIALLY
AND ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE
NEIGHBORHOODS, YET IT LACKS OPE
SPACE AND LAND FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. AND SO ON TOP OF THE
WORK TO LID I-5 DOWNTOWN, THE
EFFORT BETWEEN THE STREETS COUL
RESULT IN UP TO 14 NEW ACRES OF
LAND THAT COULD BE USED FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OPEN SPACE,
RETAIL, AND SAFE CROSSINGS FOR
PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS. THIS
RESOLUTION WILL DEMONSTRATE THE
CITY'S COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING
THE LID CONVERSATIONS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE DOWNTOWN AND
THE U DISTRICT, AND I URGE YOU
TO SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
JOHN FIGHT. PLEASE PRESS STAR
SIX AND YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. JOHN, WE
CAN'T HEAR YOU. PLEASE PRESS
STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF, SO
THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE COMMENT.
JOHN?
>> I HIT IT TWICE, SORRY. YES,
I'M HERE.
>> HI, WE CAN HEAR YOU. WHENEVE
YOU'RE READY.
>> I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF
RESOLUTION 32100. THROUGHOUT OU
12-YEAR CAMPAIGN WHEN WE MET
WITH COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL
OFFICIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES,
WE'VE BEEN TOLD CITY COUNCIL
SUPPORT IS KEY TO OUR SUCCESS.
YOUR SUPPORT SHOWS THE CITY
WANTS TO SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVE
THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND I-5 AND
YOU WERE WILLING TO WORK WITH
COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL
OFFICIALS TO ACHIEVE THAT AND A
WELL AS THE HOUSING AND OPEN
SPACE AND TRANSPORTATION
ADVOCATES THAT WE MET WITH OVER
THE YEARS. WHETHER BY EARTHQUAK
AS WE DIVIDE THE WATERFRONT OR
LEGISLATIVE ACTION AS WITH THE
520 BRIDGE AND I-5 WILL MOST
CERTAINLY NEED MASSIVE WORK. AN
YOUR VOTE TODAY WITH THE STRONG
SIGNAL THAT THE FUTURE I-5 WITH
THE LID IS IMPORTANT TO THE CIT
AND IT WILL BE A LEADER IN THE
DECISION MAKING PROCESS FOR THA
FUTURE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, THAT CONCLUDES TH
LIST OF PRESENT VIRTUAL PUBLIC
COMMENTERS. IF ANYONE DID NOT
GET TO PROVIDE COMMENT WHO DID
NOT LUKE TO, PLEASE E-MAIL
COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MANY
CLERK, THANK YOU EVERYBODY WHO
COMMENTED. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON
TO THE ITEMS OF BUSINESS. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM ONE
INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA 1, UPDATES TO THE KIN
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY.
>> THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW JOINED
BY JEFF SIMMS FROM THE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY. AND JENNIFER
LABRECQUE. AND JEFF, IS THE PLA
FOR YOU TO WALK US THROUGH THE
PRESENTATION?
>> I'M NOT GETTING A GREEN
LIGHT. IS IT WORKING?
>> YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY BE THIS
OUT OF PRACTICE, JEFF. [
LAUGHTER ] IS IT IN THERE?
>> YES, I THINK WE HAVE A BROKE
LIGHT.
>> I CAN HEAR YOU.
>> EXCELLENT. YES, I'LL BE WALK
US THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, I
BELIEVE WAS THE QUESTION.
>> YES, IS IT UP, OKAY, PERFECT
WE ARE BEING JOINED REMOTELY BY
JEN, IS THAT THE CASE?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> EXCELLENT. JEFF, WHY DON'T
YOU GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION
AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP.
PERFECT. AND IF COLLEAGUES COUL
PLEASE HOLD THEIR QUESTIONS TIL
THE END OF THE PRESENTATION AND
NOTE SLIDES WHERE THEY HAVE
RELEVANT QUESTIONS, ALTHOUGH WE
WON'T STICK TO THAT. WE MIGHT
STOP YOU ON A SLIDE OR TWO, BUT
GO AHEAD. WE'LL SEE WHAT
HAPPENS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. AS
YOU'LL SEE, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AN
GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, MR. CLERK
THERE'S A RANGE OF TOPICS
BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A PERIOD SINC
I WAS HERE TO PROVIDE UPDATES T
THE COMMITTEE. WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE'RE COVERING THE FULL
BREATHS OF AREAS THAT WE'RE IN.
I'LL MOVE THROUGH RATHER
QUICKLY. TWO MINUTES PER SLIDE,
SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND ALLOW
MOST OF YOUR TIME FOR QUESTIONS
BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE
WE'RE GETTING TO ALL THE ITEMS
YOU'RE INTERESTED IN. AND LET'S
GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. I'M HAPPY
TO REPORT THAT SINCE THE LAST
TIME I WAS HERE, WE HAVE NOW
SUCCESSFULLY HAD BOTH OF OUR
BOARDS ADOPT THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN
FOR KCHA. YOU CAN SEE IT ON OUR
WEBSITE. WE ANTICIPATE TWO NEXT
STEPS RELATED TO THAT. THE FIRS
YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT, THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUB REGIONAL
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND THE
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT
REQUIRES THOSE. WE THINK THE
DRAFTS FOR THOSE WILL BE DONE A
THE END OF THE YEAR. THE SECOND
ITEM, I SHOULD NOTE, PROBABLY
MORE LETTERS THAT IT IS PENDING
ADDS CHAIR LEWIS IS AWARE. THIS
IS A PENDING RESOLUTION TO THE
COMMITTEE THAT WOULD REQUIRE TH
CREATION OF AN OPERATIONAL WORK
PLAN IS THE TITLE THAT'S USED.
IT WOULD BE THE VARIOUS
COMPONENT AND INCORPORATING
THEIR ANTICIPATED WORK OVER THE
NEXT TWO YEARS INTO A REPORT.
EVEN WITHOUT THIS, WE WOULD
STILL BE REPORTING ON A LOT OF
THESE THINGS AND A LOT OF
INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD WANT
TO MAKE SURE THEY RECEIVED. WE
ANTICIPATE THAT THIS WILL BE
DISCUSSED AT THE FALL MEETING.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PLAN
WOULD BE ADOPTED BY A RESOLUTIO
SIX MONTHS AFTERWARDS WITH THE
ROUTINE ON THAT. THE NEXT SLIDE
PLEASE. WE HAVEN'T BEEN WITHOUT
OUR SHARE OF OBSTACLES AS
EVERYONE IS AWARE. THE HOTEL
PROGRAM HAD FINANCIAL
INSOLVENCIES EARLIER THIS YEAR.
ASKED TO STEP IN TO HELP WIND
DOWN THAT PROGRAM ESPECIALLY
PREVENT THE RETURN TO
HOMELESSNESS FOR THOSE PEOPLE
SHELTERED THERE. AS YOU CAN SEE
I WANT A FLAG THAT IT'S THE
FIRST NUMBER AND THEN BELOW IS
HOUSEHOLDS. THE 285 IS THE BROA
NUMBER THAT WE'RE GIVEN AS WE'R
ENTERING THE SITUATION. BUT THE
THE NUMBERS AT THE END ARE THE
ONES WE TRACK AND HAVE CONTROL
OVER. WE WERE INITIALLY AFTER
SOME ROUNDS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOT
HAVE THAT EXTENDED AND THEN WE
WERE BROUGHT IN. PROVIDED
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR BOTH KIN
COUNTY FROM THE STATE
LEGISLATURE TO BE ABLE TO EXTEN
THOSE HOTEL STAYS THROUGH JUNE
30. OVER THAT TIME WE WOULD HAV
NUMEROUS PARTNERS AND I ACTUALL
WISH I BROUGHT THE LIST OF THEM
BECAUSE OF NUMEROUS PARTNERS
HELPING US TO CONNECT WITH
INDIVIDUALS AND FOUR DIFFERENT
HOTELS AND IDENTIFY THE
PLACEMENTS, MOVING INTO THE
PERMANENT HOUSING. I WON'T READ
THROUGH THE NUMBERS, BUT I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS
AND THE JUT COMES THAT WE HAVE
TRACKED FOR ALL THE HOUSEHOLDS
AND THE INDIVIDUALS.
>> AND CAN YOU CONFIRM THE
LOCATIONS OF THE FOUR HOTELS?
>> IT IS IN MY MEMORY BANK. LET
ME GET BACK TO YOU. AND THEY
WERE MOSTLY OUTSIDE OF SEATTLE
AND IN SOUTHERN KING COUNTY.
>> YEAH, I DON'T RECALL THAT AN
OF THE FOUR WERE IN SEATTLE, BU
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S CORRECT.
>> I DON'T RECALL THEY WERE IN
SEATTLE WHEN THEY TOOK OVER
EITHER. THERE WAS YEAH, I GET
THAT COMFORT IN CLEARING THE
TERMS AND THE HOTEL NAMES. THAT
I DON'T WANT TO SAY THE FIRST
ONE AND ONE IN KENT AND I
BELIEVE ONE IN RENNETON, AND I
BELIEVE, I DON'T REMEMBER THE
FOURTH LOCATION.
>> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING
THAT.
>> THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND
ANOTHER MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR US
IS AS EVERYONE HERE, I ASSUME
THEY'RE AWARE OF THE CEO THAT
WOULD STEP DOWN AFTER JUNE. AND
SO WE HAVE A PROCESS TO IDENTIF
A NEW CEO. FIRST AT THE MOST
RECENT MEETING. THE RESOLUTION
WAS ADOPTED TO PUT TOGETHER THA
SEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND
THAT ROLE, THE PICTURE THAT YOU
SEE IS THAT RESOLUTION THAT HAS
MEMBERS IDENTIFIED AND THEIR
ROLE IS TO HELP IDENTIFY THE
SEARCH FIRM TO HELP THAT SEARCH
FIRM IDENTIFY TWO TO FIVE
HIGH-QUALITY CANDIDATES THAT
WOULD BE RECOMMENDED TO THE
IMPLEMENTATION BOARD AND THE
GOVERNING COMMITTEE FOR
INTERVIEWS, BOTH THE INTERLOCAL
AGREEMENT THAT WILL FIND US.
I'LL START USING THAT TERM. AND
THEY REQUIRE FIRST THAT THE
IMPLEMENTATION BOARD WILL
RECOMMEND AND THEN THE GOVERNIN
COMMITTEE WILL APPROVE. IN THE
PAST WITH THE HIRING OF THE CEO
AND MANY OF THOSE INTERVIEWS
WERE DONE CONCURRENTLY AS THE
JOINT SESSIONS. THE SEARCH FIRM
HAD TO NOTICE THEIR BID AND
ACTUALLY BY YESTERDAY. AND SO I
WAS HOPING THAT THE TIMING WOUL
WORK OUT THAT I COULD SAY GET I
IN TODAY, BUT THAT DID NOT WORK
OUT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND ON
OF THE MAJOR AREAS THAT'S
OBVIOUSLY UNDER OUR
RESPONSIBILITY IS THE
EXPENDITURE OF NEW FUNDS. I'LL
GO THROUGH A LITTLE ORDER NOW.
FIRST SALMON BAY AND THE LOT WA
AWARDED TO LEHIGH LAST YEAR.
IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO LOCATE A
SITE THAT WOULD WORK. HOWEVER,
THEY WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY
LOCATE A SITE FOR OPERATIONS IN
APRIL. INTENTIONALLY THEIR
ANTICIPATED DATE WAS JULY OR
EARLY AUGUST OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT. THE START DATE RIGHT AS W
WERE APPROACHING OPENING, SOME
SITE ISSUES THAT WERE
IDENTIFIED. THE START DATE HAD
TO BE DELAYED. THE TIME THE
PRESENTATION WAS PUT TOGETHER,
WE DIDN'T HAVE A VERY GOOD
WINDOW. IT IS LIKELY VERY CLOSE
TO THE THREE TO FOUR-WEEK TIME
FRAME HERE AND NOT THAT
SIX-MONTH END, BUT STILL MORE
DILIGENCE UNDERWAY TO MAKE SURE
THAT'LL BE THE CASE.
>> THREE WEEKS TO SIX MONTHS IS
THREE TO 24 WEEKS, WHICH IS VER
MUCH A HELPFUL SPAN AND SPECIFI
TO HEAR.
>> THERE IS A LOT THAT HAS TO B
RELATED TO THE WASTEWATER, I
BELIEVE, IT'S NOT MY AREA OF
EXPERTISE. BUT THEY TOLD US THE
ANTICIPATE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEK
IS LIKELY OUR TIMELINE. THEY
STILL HAVE FURTHER WORK TO
CONFIRM THAT.
>> DOES THAT PUT US INTO A
MID-SEPTEMBER SORT OF TIMELINE?
>> THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE
MID-SEPTEMBER.
>> OKAY, GREAT, THANK YOU.
>> AND OBVIOUSLY THE SUBJECT TO
CLEARLY A CODE REQUIREMENT THAT
WILL NEED TO BE MET AND THINGS
LIKE THAT. ON THE OTHER NEW
FUNDS TO EXPAND. I WANTED TO
FLAG THESE ARE THE VARIOUS
BUCKETS OF NEW FUNDING THAT WER
APPROPRIATED. AND THE 2023
BUDGET PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. I SHOULD NOTE IT HAD I
ONLY HALF OF WHAT WE'VE DONE
THIS YEAR. I UNDERSTAND THAT'S
TWO-PERSON TEAM AND THAT THEY
HAVE DONE THE SAME NUMBER OF
RFPs THIS YEAR. I WANTED TO FLA
THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE AWARDED
AND EFFECTIVE. THE SAFE LOT AND
THE SHELTERS, THOSE ARE TWO THA
CLOSED IN JUNE. THE AWARD
LETTERS HAVE NOT YET GONE OUT
FOR THOSE AND I KNOW THERE IS A
LITTLE BIT OF WORK TO FINALIZE
SOME OF THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT
ALL THE REQUIREMENTS, THINGS
LIKE THAT WILL MATCH UP. I'M
HAPPY TO GO INTO DETAIL. BUT WE
ANTICIPATE THOSE COMING ONLINE
SHORTLY. AND THEY ACTUALLY
REQUESTED THAT THEY WOULD RATE
MORE HIGHLY PROPOSALS TO
COMMENCE MORE THIS FALL. SO WE
DO THINK THAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF
THESE LOCATIONS WILL COME ONLIN
MORE RAPIDLY THAN WHAT WE
EXPERIENCED, IT IS GOOD. AND
THEN THERE IS ONE MORE IT'S A
AWAITING SOME ADDITION FALL
GUIDANCE FROM THE CITY AROUND
THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS THAT
WE'LL NEED TO OPERATE. BUT WE
HOPE TO GET THAT OUT SOON. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. AND I ALSO WANTE
TO RUN THROUGH THE STATE RIGHT
OF WAY. THIS IS FOR CONTEXT
AGAIN, WHAT THE FIRST SLIDE IS
FOR. THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS
THIS INITIATIVE. THE ALLOCATION
ON BEHALF OF KING COUNTY IS
$49.2 MILLION. $20 MILLION
ALMOST OF THAT $19 WAS TO
REQUIRE A NEW BUILDING IN ORDER
TO BE PERMANENT HOUSING. YOU CA
SEE AN EMERGENCY HOUSING, THE
HOTEL LOCATION AS WELL. AND THE
ANOTHER $17 MILLION FOR
PERMANENT HOUSING. OVERALL THE
DESIGN OF THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE
YOU CAN SEE THAT ONGOING FUNDIN
IS $16.6 MILLION. THE DESIGN WA
TO STAND UP FOR LEGISLATIVE
DIRECTION AT THE LEGISLATURE AN
PERMANENT HOUSING WITH THESE
FUNDS. THEN ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE
ON THE STATE-OWNED RIGHT OF
WAYS. AND IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE
THAT AND THAT EMERGENCY HOUSING
COMPONENT, ESPECIALLY IN ORDER
TO ACHIEVE IT ON THE TIMELY
BASIS. THAT'S WHY WITH THE ONE
TIME FUNDING WE WERE PROVIDED,
ALSO PROCURED WHAT I KNOW
COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL REMEMBER.
WE PAID FOR A PORTION OF THAT T
CONTINUE AND SO WE WOULD HAVE A
HOTEL SHELTERING OPERATION THAT
COULD SERVE AS A TEMPORARY
DESTINATION FOR PEOPLE AND AS
THE PERMANENT HOUSING OPTION
THAT WE WANTED TO CREATE CAME
ONLINE. AND FOR EXAMPLE THE
BUILDING THAT WAS ACQUIRED WITH
THE $19 MILLION, THE
CONSTRUCTION IS NOT YET COMPLET
AND THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANC
RECEIPT WERE IN AUGUST, AND
LOOKING AT SOMETHING LIKE A
MID-OCTOBER DATE NOW. INITIALLY
WHEN THE APPLICATION WAS PUT
TOGETHER, WE WERE TOLD THAT
WOULD BE FEBRUARY. BUT WE'VE HA
A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THE OTHER
LOCATIONS, ESPECIALLY THROUGH
THE RELEASING OF UNITS, MOVING
LOT OF PEOPLE INSIDE. THAT'LL
TAKE ME TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE
HAVE ENGAGED AT APPROXIMATELY A
DOZEN DIFFERENT, ACTUALLY MAYBE
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT
NUMBER. LET'S SAY 10 DIFFERENT
ENCAMPMENTS OVER THE COURSE OF
THE INITIATIVE. IN TOTAL WHEN W
HAVE DEVELOPED THE LIST OF
PEOPLE WHO WERE LIVING ON SITE
THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT
THOSE INDIVIDUALS. YOU'LL SEE A
LITTLE BIT OF A DROP OFF THERE
TO MOVE INSIDE. AND THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO,
THAT THERE ARE OFTEN PEOPLE WHO
HAVE MOVED AS IT'S A MOBILE
POPULATION AND THEY ARE NOT ON
SITE. EVEN THOUGH WE HELD A
SPACE FOR THEM TO MOVE IN TO AN
WE LOST CONTACT WITH THEM. THIS
NUMBER WOULD ALSO BE PEOPLE WHO
REFUSED ENTRANCE INTO THE
LOCATION, ALTHOUGH THAT'S AN
ACTUAL SMALL NUMBER. OF THE 292
PEOPLE WHO MOVED INSIDE, SOME
MOVED DIRECTLY INTO PERMANENT
HOUSING, USUALLY SUPPORTIVE
PERMANENT HOUSING. THEN YOU CAN
SEE THE OUTCOMES OF WHERE WE AR
AT AFTER THAT. TAKE THE 273 THA
WENT TO A SHELTER. YOU CAN SEE
WHERE THEY WENT FROM THAT POINT
ONWARD.
>> JEFF, CAN YOU BRIEFLY REMIND
THE COMMITTEE WHEN THE RIGHT OF
WAY INITIATIVE PROGRAM STARTED?
>> WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED OUR
FUNDING FROM THE STATE. WE
RECEIVED IT IN ADVANCE THAT
ALLOWED US TO BEGIN SOME
OPERATIONS IN JUNE.
>> JUNE OF?
>> 2022 LAST YEAR.
>> OKAY, GO AHEAD, SORRY. THE
MAJORITY OF OUR FUNDING WAS
AWARDED TO US IN EITHER
SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER. I DON'T
REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE OF 2022
>> AND SO WILL YOU COUNT YOUR
EFFECTIVE START DATE AS AN
AGENCY AS JUNE OR SEPTEMBER?
>> I WOULD SAY SEPTEMBER. THE
REASON WE RECEIVED THAT ADVANCE
WAS SO WE COULD PROCURE THAT
ACCESS SITE AND START RESPONDIN
TO ENCAMPMENTS. THERE WERE TWO
OR THREE SMALL ONES OFF THE BAT
THAT WE WERE ENGAGED IN.
>> SO THIS PARTICULAR SET OF
DATA. YOU HAVE JULY 1 AS THE
MOST RECENT REPORT DATE. BUT
IT'S HELPFUL FOR ME TO TRACK
ALONG. THAT SHOULD BE BETWEEN
SEPTEMBER OF 2022 AND JULY 1 OF
2023. THESE ARE THE OUTCOMES?
>> LET'S USE -- LET'S CALL IT
JULY 1 OF 2022. SO A YEAR AGO T
JULY 1 OF 2023. IF YOU COULD
ALLOW ME A FEW DAYS TO FUDGE
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY
WHEN THE ADVANCES WERE RECEIVED
IT WAS THE END OF JUNE OF 2022
AND THEN THAT WE RECEIVED THE
INITIAL ADVANCE. AND THEN THAT
PROGRAM WAS OPERATING. AND SO W
IMMEDIATELY HAD UNITS AVAILABLE
IT WAS WITHIN A FEW DAYS AFTER
THAT WHEN THE FIRST RESOLUTIONS
BEGAN.
>> OKAY, I APPRECIATE THE
CLARIFICATIONS. IT'S HELPFUL FO
THE COMMITTEE IN PROVIDING
OVERSIGHTS OF THE COMMITTEE TO
HAVE THAT INFORMATION ON THE
PERIOD OF TIME THAT WE'RE
MONITORING THE MOVEMENT AND THE
ENCAMPMENT REMEDIATION AND THE
HOUSING REPLACEMENTS, JUST FOR
LEVEL OF COMPARISON. AND
OBVIOUSLY THE ANNUAL OVERALL
INVESTMENTS RELATIVE TO THE
PLACEMENTS. BUT THANK YOU. THIS
IS GOOD INFORMATION.
>> PERFECT. SO I DON'T WANT IT
LOST THAT WE ALREADY HAVE 86
PEOPLE IN PERMANENT HOUSING.
AGAIN, THAT'S THE POINT OF OUR
INITIATIVE. WE'RE MOVING PEOPLE
FROM ENCAMPMENTS INTO PERMANENT
HOUSING. THAT NUMBER IS
DEFINITELY OUTDATED. THERE WAS
BUILDING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO
MASS RELEASE ALL THE UNITS IN
THE BUILDING. THAT BUILDING IS
NOW FULL. AND SO MOST OF THOSE
MOVE-INS ARE NOT REFLECTING THI
NUMBER.
>> OKAY, LOOKING FORWARD TO
GETTING THAT, I GUESS, IN THE
NEXT PRESENTATION LATER THIS
FALL.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
>> I DO WANT TO FLAG THAT AS WE
DO HAVE SOME CHALLENGES THAT AR
STILL COMING DESPITE SOME
SUCCESSES LIKE THE RESOLUTION O
THE HOTEL SITUATION AND THE
SUCCESSFUL RIGHT OF WAY. THE
MOST SIGNIFICANT WAS ELUDED TO
BY YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS
EARLIER. LOOKING AT A FEW PLACE
WHERE WE HAVE SOME FUNDING
UNCERTAINTY. THE ONE I WANT TO
FOCUS ON IS THE FIRST BULLET,
WHICH ACTUALLY WAS OUR BOARDS,
WHICH COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AND
LEWIS SIT ON, AUTHORIZES TO
ENGAGE WITH THE CITY AND THE
COUNTY TO DISCUSS AND EXPLORE
MORE. BUT THERE ARE OTHER AREAS
WHERE WE ALSO HAVE SOME FUNDING
UNCERTAINTY GOING FORWARD, AND
WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
HIGHLIGHTED CONTINUING THE
PUBLIC COMMENTER THAT MENTIONED
THOSE, THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN
INFLATION INCREASE YET, THE LAC
OF INFLATIONARY INCREASES OR TH
OTHER KINDS OF AWARDS. AND THEN
ALSO THERE ARE SOME UNCERTAINTY
AND SOME STATE SUPPORTED
PROGRAMS, THE LEGISLATURE DID
ACTUALLY EXTEND THOSE PROGRAMS,
BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE FINAL
AGREEMENT ON IT. TO BE
TRANSPARENT, I PUT IT ON THE
SLIDE. THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO
FOCUS OUR ATTENTION. THESE ARE
THE PROGRAMS IN CASE YOU'VE BEE
HIGHLIGHTING SINCE LAST YEAR,
BUT ALSO WITH OUR BOARDS. AREAS
WHERE THESE PROGRAMS INITIALLY
RECEIVE AN AMOUNT OF FUNDING IN
SEPTEMBER OF 2020 AND SUCCESSFU
FUNDING GROUND SINCE THEN HAVE
BEEN RECEIVING ONE TIME FUNDING
PLUGS TO MAINTAIN THE OPERATION
AND THE MODIFICATIONS THAT THEY
WERE ASKED TO UNDERTAKE. YOU CA
SEE THAT FOR INSTANCE THE
DIVERSION FUND, IT'S THE FUNDIN
FOR THAT PROGRAM AND AT LEAST
FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE THAT THE
DO HAVE OTHER CONTRIBUTORS. YOU
CAN SEE WHERE OTHERS ARE
IMPACTED AS WELL AND THAT I
PROVIDED ALL THE INFORMATION
NUMERICALLY ON HOW MUCH FUNDING
WE'RE LOOKING AT AND THINGS LIK
THAT. AND THAT I NOTIFIED THE
PROVIDERS ALREADY AND OF THE
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE'RE
FUNDING. AND ENGAGE WITH
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WERE
THE IMPACT OF THESE FUNDING
CHANGES THAT WOULD BE FOR THEM
IN 2024. AND THAT ACTUALLY IS
ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT I HAVE
ASKED TO COVER. I ACTUALLY MADE
IT WITHIN 15 MINUTES, SO THAT'S
GOOD.
>> GREAT. AND I'M SURE WE'RE
GOING TO EAT UP ALL THAT SAVED
TIME IN QUESTIONS. I'LL OPEN IT
UP TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS FIRST.
TRYING TO GET IN HERE TO SEE IF
ANYONE HAS THEIR HANDS UP.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> THANKS. A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. FIRST IF YOU COULD
EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW
KING COUNTY RHA IS ENGAGING WIT
THE CITY OF SEATTLE ITSELF IN
SUB REGIONAL PLANNING GIVEN THA
WE ARE ONE OF THE SUBS.
WONDERING IF YOU COULD TALK
ABOUT THAT. JUST FOCUSING ON TH
SLIDE WITH THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN.
AND THEN SECONDLY ON THAT SLIDE
I'M REMINDED OF THE INTEREST IN
TOPICAL CONSIDERING THE HEAT WE
ARE EXPERIENCING IF YOU COULD
SPEAK TO THE GEOGRAPHIC APPROAC
THAT THEY ARE TAKING IN THE SUB
REGIONAL PLANS THEMSELVES FOR
SEVERE WEATHER RESPONSE?
>> JUST THOSE TWO?
>> I FIGURED I WOULD DO JUST
THAT ONE SLIDE BEFORE MOVING TO
ANOTHER SLIDE.
>> IT'S A SINGLE SUB REGION IN
THE APPROACH TO SUB REGIONAL
PLANNING. IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT
APPROACH BECAUSE OF THAT. FOR
EXAMPLE, THE SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT
ON THE SYSTEM GIVEN THE NATURE
OF THE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN
RECEIVED FROM SEATTLE IS THAT
THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IS GOING TO B
ONE OF THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL
IMPACT. AND LEADING INTO THE
CARE AND APPROACHES THAT ARE
HEALING BASED SERVICES THAT WIL
HELP TRANSITION WITH HOUSING AN
THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THE REBIT
OF THE SYSTEM THAT WILL SHOW
CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS ARE ALSO
RESULTING IN THE SHUFFLING OF
FUNDS BETWEEN ONE PROGRAMMER AN
THE OTHER. THOSE ARE SIGNIFICAN
WAYS THAT WE WILL ANTICIPATE
ACHIEVING THAT PLAN. AND A LOT
OF ENGAGEMENT IN THE DEVELOPMEN
OF THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN THAT THE
TEAM HAS BEEN RELYING ON. AT
LEAST IN THE SEATTLE REGION THA
IT THERE WAS AN ENGAGEMENT THAT
WAS CONVENED WITH EACH DISTRICT
AND THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT AND
NOT CITY WIDE AND A MEETING WIT
THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT
THEY WOULD IDENTIFY AS SORT OF
WAS THERE ANYBODY THAT WE
SOMEHOW MISSED, WHICH I DON'T
THINK THAT THERE WAS AND THAT I
WAS GOOD TO HAVE SOME OF THAT
DUPLICATION OVERSHARING AND
OVERENGAGING THAT'S USUALLY GOO
AND NOT BAD. AND THEN I WILL
NOTE THAT WE DID HAVE SOME
CHALLENGES IN THE FIRST DISTRIC
ONE SESSION THAT I BELIEVE IT
WAS A HEAT EMERGENCY THAT
BASICALLY MEANT NO ONE COULD
SHOW UP. BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE
REENGAGEMENT ON THAT, MOSTLY HA
TO BE DONE VIRTUALLY, I BELIEVE
AND I BELIEVE THAT DID OCCUR AS
WELL. IF I'M THOSE DRAFTS, I
ANTICIPATE WILL ALSO BE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER FEEDBAC
AND ANALYSIS WITH WHAT THEY'RE
TRYING TO DO IS TO TAKE WHAT HA
BEEN GIVEN BY THE COMMUNITY TO
SHOW THAT THEY HEARD IT AND PUT
IT INTO A PLAN BEFORE THEY STAR
ASKING FOR MORE FEEDBACK.
>> AND SO I APPRECIATE BEING
REMINDED OF THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT WORK THAT YOU'VE
DONE. I THINK MY QUESTION IS
MORE FOCUSED ON WHAT IS THE WOR
WE'RE DOING NOW WITHIN --
BETWEEN KING COUNTY RHA AND THE
CITY OF SEATTLE, SPECIFICALLY
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT I
SORT OF TAKING THE NEXT STEPS O
THE SUB REGIONAL PLANNING?
>> AND WHAT IS GOING ON
INTERNALLY WITH NOW. IT
IS MOSTLY --
>> IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THIS KIND
OF CONTACT WITH THE ELECTIVES
AND REPRESENTATIVES OF
ELECTIVES. AND I'M JUST
INTERESTED TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT HOW THOSE CONVERSATIONS
BETWEEN KING COUNTY RH A AND TH
DEPARTMENT THAT WORKS MOST
CLOSELY ON THESE ISSUES THAT HS
IS GOING.
>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE
ARE GOING ON THE STAGE OF
SHARING WHAT HAS BEEN PUT
TOGETHER SO FAR. I DON'T BELIEV
WE'VE ARRIVED YET AT THE POINT
OF HAVING DEVELOPED ENOUGH PLAN
TO BE ABLE TO THAT
FEEDBACK INTO SPECIFIC
ACTIONABLE ITEMS. LOOKING AT HO
THEY TIED IT TO A FIVE-YEAR PLA
FOR ORGANIZATION, AND EXAMINING
WHAT IS THE CONCRETE STEPS BY
WHICH THOSE WILL OCCUR. AND AS
NOTED LIKE A LOT OF THAT IS
REBID, OTHER THINGS JUST LIKE
OUR GENERAL CONTRACTING
PROCESSES. EVEN IF WE WERE NOT
REBIDDING CONTRACTS, FOR
EXAMPLE, POLICIES AROUND SERVIN
LGBTQ INDIVIDUALS, HAVING
WELCOMING SERVICES, THINGS LIKE
THAT ARE THINGS WE COULD
INCORPORATE EVEN IN OUR CONTRAC
SEPARATE AND THAT KIND OF WORK
IS BEING NOTED AND ADDED TO THE
PLAN.
>> AND THEN EXTREME WEATHER?
>> I FORGOT THE QUESTION IF YOU
COULD REMIND ME?
>> JUST THE -- THE APPROACH THA
RHA IS TAKING IN THE
SUB-REGIONAL PLANS FOR SEVERE
WEATHER.
>> I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO
YOU ON THAT BECAUSE I DON'T KNO
THE SPECIFICS ON HOW THEY'RE
DISCUSSING IT. SEATTLE IS THE
GEOGRAPHY WHERE WE HOLD THE
CONTRACTS AND THE FUNDING,
ACTUALLY I SHOULD AMEND THAT.
SEATTLE AND ALSO FOR NORTH KING
COUNTY WHERE THEY RECENTLY
ENTERED AND PROVIDED THE FUNDIN
TO US. WE ARE ACTUALLY THE
ENTITY THAT HOLDS THE CONTRACTS
FOR THE STAND UP OF SEVERE
WEATHER RESPONSES INCLUDING
SMOKE RESPONSES. AND THE REST O
THE COUNTY, WE'RE A
COLLABORATOR. WE CAN HELP TO
IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES LIKE TH
COOLING CANOPIES THAT WE DID
LAST YEAR RATHER THAN EXPECTING
PEOPLE TO COME TO DESIGNATED
LOCATIONS. BUT WE ARE
INCREASINGLY TRYING TO BUILD
THAT COORDINATION. THERE IS
ACTUALLY A STRONG DESIRE TO MOV
THAT FORWARD, SO WE ARE ALL
OPERATING ON THE SAME NATIONAL
WEATHER THRESHOLDS FOR
ACTIVATION AND THE VARIOUS
AGREEMENTS. SO INSTEAD OF EVERY
TIME THERE'S AN EVENT, HAVING
TWO STAFF THAT ARE CALLING LARG
NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS,
CONFIRMING IF THEY'RE GOING TO
OPEN OR NOT, THAT WE HAVE MORE
OF A SYSTEMATIC ACROSS-THE-COUN
Y APPROACH. OKAY, TIER 1, WE'RE
ALL DOING THIS.
>> YEAH, OKAY, GREAT.
>> AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE
RIGHT OF WAY INITIATIVE, IF I
MAY, MR. CHAIR?
>> PLEASE.
>> JUST VERY APPRECIATIVE OF HO
THAT INITIATIVE HAS DONE WORK I
DISTRICT ONE AND IS CONTINUING
TO DO WORK AT OTHER LOCATIONS.
AND NEAR ARROWHEAD GARDENS. VER
LARGE SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY.
AND MY APPRECIATION FOR THE WOR
THAT YOU'RE DOING AT THIS
LOCATION AND AT ANOTHER LOCATIO
IN DISTRICT ONE EARLIER THIS
YEAR MAKES VERY CRITICAL TO HAV
A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT TH
OUTLOOK FOR CONTINUED STATE
FUNDING FOR THE APPROACH IS
MOVING FORWARD IN WHAT WE COULD
DO AS A COUNCIL TO ADVOCATE FOR
IT AND JUST APPRECIATIVE OF THE
APPROACH THAT THE RIGHT OF WAY
PROGRAM USES TO MITIGATING THE
IMPACTS OF PEOPLE LIVING OUTSID
AND DOING IT IN A WAY THAT
BUILDS TRUST WITH THE
INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LIVING
OUTSIDE, COMMUNICATES WITH
COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE
EITHER HOUSED. AND A HANDOFF TO
A SAFE INDOOR LOCATION. AND IT
IS -- IT'S AN APPROACH THAT, YO
KNOW, TO BE HONEST, WE AREN'T,
WE HAVEN'T IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE FULLY EMBRACED. I'M SO
APPRECIATIVE BECAUSE IT IS THIS
APPROACH THAT RESULTS IN PEOPLE
NOT RETURNING TO THE LOCATION
AFTER IT'S BEEN REMEDIATED OR
GOING TO ANOTHER NEARBY
LOCATION. IT IS ACTUALLY THE
ONLY APPROACH THAT IS TRULY
EFFECTIVE IN THE FACT THAT THIS
FUNDING MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE IN
THE FUTURE SUGGEST TO ME THAT W
MAY NOT, IN THE FUTURE, HAVE
SUPPORT FOR THE ONLY EFFECTIVE
APPROACH. AND SO JUST WONDERING
IF YOU COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT
ON THAT?
>> YES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PARTNERSHIP. WE WOULD BE EAGER
TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY COUNCI
IN WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT
THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO MAKE
SURE THEY HAVE INFORMATION THAT
THEY NEED FOR THEIR
DELIBERATIONS AND CONSIDER HOW
THIS PROGRAM SHOULD CONTINUE
INTO THE FUTURE. YOU'RE CORRECT
AS I NOTED, WE HAVE $16.6
MILLION THAT'S ONGOING FUNDING.
THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT THAT,
THAT'S THE COST OF ALL OF THE
PERMANENT PLACES THAT WE'VE
EITHER PURCHASED OR LEASED. IN
ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE SERVICES
AT ALL OF THOSE LOCATIONS. AND
SO IT SAN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION
FROM THE WAY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
UCT AND THE HOPE TEAM ARE
WORKING IN THAT. WE WILL HAVE A
POINT THAT WE REACHED WHERE WE
WOULD HAVE SPENT EVERY DOLLAR
THAT WE HAVE TO REQUIRE THE
PERMANENT HOUSING UNIT. IT ADDS
UP TO SOMETHING IN THE RANGE OF
$16 MILLION, $17 MILLION A YEAR
THAT WE'RE SPENDING ON HOUSING
THEN. WE WOULD THEN RAMP DOWN
OUR HOTEL. WE DO NOT HAVE THAT
ONGOING FUNDING TO MAINTAIN OUR
FIELD TEAMS AND OUR HOTEL
SHELTERING PROGRAMS. THOSE WOUL
BE RAMPED DOWN. INSTEAD, WE
WOULD ONLY MAINTAIN PEOPLE IN
THE HOUSING THAT THEY'RE IN,
WHICH YOU KNOW, THESE ARE MOSTL
OPERATING AT THE LEVEL OF
SUPPORT, OFTEN FOR THE
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAMS, IN
MANY CASES. AND SO THAT WE
BELIEVE WE ARE REALLY PROVIDING
THE ROBUST LEVEL OF SERVICES TO
MAINTAIN THE HOUSING FOR THOSE
FOLKS GOING FORWARD. AND THE
ADDITIONAL FUNDING, THAT IT DID
PROVIDE THIS YEAR. OVERALL, IT
IS STILL A REDUCTION FROM WHERE
THAT INITIATIVE OPERATED FOR
THIS YEAR. I JUST WANTED TO NOT
THAT THE STATE FISCAL YEAR IS
SIX MONTHS OUT OF ALIGNMENT, SO
THAT WE WILL JUST TALK ABOUT
YEARS GENERALLY. AND THAT THERE
WAS HOME SECURITY FUNDING. THER
WAS ONE TIME HOUSING ACQUISITIO
FUNDING, AND ALSO OPERATION FAL
DOLLARS THAT WERE ONGOING. AND
THEY WOULD MERGE ALL THOSE POTS
I DON'T RECALL THE NUMBERS, BUT
MORE THAN $100 MILLION. I
ACTUALLY DON'T REMEMBER. BUT IT
IS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT. AND
THOSE TWO ONE-TIME POTS WERE
GONE NOW. THEY DID INCREASE THE
AMOUNT OF ONGOING FUNDING THAT'
AVAILABLE, BUT NOT TO THE POINT
THAT EVERYTHING IS GETTING
MAINTAINED. AND SO WE UNDERSTAN
THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT THE RFP
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
SOON THAT THEY WILL LIKELY HAVE
ANOTHER ALLOCATION FOR THE
ONE-TIME FUNDING FOR KING
COUNTY, BUT IT IS ONE-TIME
FUNDING, NOT OPERATIONAL, AND
THAT THEY WILL CHANGE THE
OUTCOMES. AND THAT THEY COULD
HAVE AN IMPACT ON PLANS FOR WHE
THEY NEED TO RAMP DOWN THE
SHELTERING AND THE FIELD TEAM T
A LEVEL THAT'S SUSTAINABLE. BUT
WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET. WE DON'
KNOW THE NUMBER OF THE TOTAL
AMOUNT OF THAT FUNDING OR THE
KINDS OF REQUIREMENTS IN IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE
NEED TO SEE ONCE THEY COME OUT.
NOW REGARDLESS OF THAT. WE
DEFINITELY WANT TO WORK WITH YO
ALL AND OUR PARTNERS AT THE
STATE LEGISLATURE TO SHARE THE
SUCCESSES THAT WE'VE HAD HERE.
DO THINK THAT YOU'RE RIGHT AND
SUCCESSFULLY HAVING 86 PEOPLE I
THAT HOUSING IDEALLY THAT IT IS
NOT 292 BECAUSE WE LOST THEM
ALREADY. BUT CLOSE TO THAT MANY
PLUS MORE AS A LOCATION IN THEI
PERMANENT HOUSING LOCATION IS A
STORY THAT WE SHOULD BE TELLING
AND WE HOPE TO SECURE MONEY TO
KEEP DOING THIS GOING FORWARD.
>> AND I'M GOING TO JUMP IN AND
DO A LINE OF QUESTIONING, AS
LONG AS WE HAVE BEEN NAVIGATING
TO THIS TOPIC AND COUNCIL MEMBE
HERBOLD IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS. I'LL HAND THE MIC
BACK OVER TO YOU OBVIOUSLY. AND
SO JEFF, I APPRECIATE THE
PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT WITH THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESS AUTHORITY AND
REMEDIATIONS OF THE ENCAMPMENT
LOCATIONS ON OUR INTERSTATE
RIGHT OF WAYS. BUT WE KNOW THAT
THIS CURRENT INVESTMENT IS NOT
MEETING THE SCALE OF THE NEED.
WHAT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT NOW THAT
WE ARE, I GUESS SINCE THE FALL
OF 2022 MAY BE THE SUMMER OF
2022 DEPENDING ON HOW TO DRAW
THAT TIMELINE INTO THE RIGHT OF
WAY INITIATIVE. I WOULD BE
CURIOUS TO HEAR WHAT THE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESS
AUTHORITIES, THE FEEDBACK TO TH
LEGISLATURE ON THE SCOPE AND TO
REQUEST THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE
PROGRAM BASED ON THE SCALE OF
THE NEED. AND JUST TO PUT IN A
LITTLE BIT MORE IN CONTEXT. MY
DISTRICT HAS A NUMBER OF
PERSISTENT LOCATIONS ALONG THE
STATE RIGHT OF WAYS. AND THAT
HAVE YET TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE
INITIATIVE. I UNDERSTAND NOTHIN
IS RESOURCED TO MEET THAT FULL
SCALE OF WHAT WE'RE FACING IN
THE CITY. BUT YOU KNOW, FOR
EXAMPLE, WE DON'T NECESSARILY,
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, HAVE A TIMELIN
YET ON REMEDIATION OF THE SITE
ON MERCER THAT RECENTLY HAD A
SIGNIFICANT FIRE. THE OTHER
SITES THAT HAVE BEEN MORE
CONCERNED WHERE THEY WERE
EXPRESSED. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE
IS TWO INTERVENTIONS AND HOW
YOU'VE STRUCTURED THIS
INVESTMENT. IDEALLY YOU'LL NEED
TO MOVE PEOPLE DIRECTLY FROM TH
ENCAMPMENT INTO THE HOUSING AND
THE PREVIOUS SLIDE. THAT WAS
ABOUT 19 PEOPLE. AND THAT IS
GREAT. AND THE OVERWHELMING
BALANCE OF PEOPLE WILL NEED TO
MOVE TO SOMETHING SHORT OF FULL
HOUSING LIKE A TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE OR THE LEASED HOTEL THA
I BELIEVE IS THE CIVIC HOTEL.
>> IT IS ACTUALLY FOUR DIFFEREN
LOCATIONS THAT WE REALIZED.
>> BUT THEY ARE JUST CARE
HOTELS?
>> AND THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY
USED.
>> AND SOME OF THEM.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANY
TURNOVER OR NOT. I'M NOT
POSITIVE ON THAT.
>> BUT I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING.
I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF
WHAT STRATEGY THEY WILL BE
PURSUING WITH THE LEGISLATURE T
EXPAND THAT UTILITY OF THE
SERVICE TO BE ABLE TO REMEDIATE
MORE LOCATION AND WHAT THAT
MEANS IS THE THINGS LIKE THE
TINY HOMES AND THINGS LIKE THE
HOTEL LEASES, RATHER THAN FULL
ON HOUSING, UNFORTUNATELY. GIVE
THE EXPENSE OF THAT RESOURCE.
BUT I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO HEAR
YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT AND HOW
THEY INTEND TO INTERACT IN THAT
UPCOMING SESSION TO WORK ON
INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
THIS PROGRAM AND GETTING PEOPLE
INSIDE AND REMEDIATING THESE
LOCATIONS.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT. I
THINK CERTAINLY YOU'RE RIGHT AN
THE SCALE OF NEED JUST THAT
THERE WAS A FAIR NUMBER OF
ENCAMPMENTS THAT WE HAVE
WONDERFUL PARTNERS IN COMMERCE
AND IN WORKING WITH US ON THIS
INITIATIVE. THAT THEY WILL ALLO
US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE
WITH THE LOCATIONS AND
THOROUGHLY ASSESS THINGS WITH
THE GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
CITY OF SEATTLE MORE THAN ONCE
NOW AND WHERE THERE ARE A LOT O
DIFFERENT PROPERTIES. YOU'RE
RIGHT. WE ARE NOT COVERING
ANYWHERE NEAR THE NUMBER OF
POSSIBLE LOCATIONS. WE'RE DOING
ABOUT ONE AT A TIME AND THAT
THERE IS A LARGE NUMBER OF THAT
AND I DON'T WANT TO SPECULATE
WHERE WE COULD BE AT. I DON'T
KNOW IF THE REALM OF FUNDING
POSSIBILITY IS ANYWHERE NEAR
WHERE THEY WOULD COVER, IT COUL
BE. AND THE STATUS OF THE
LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW AND WHAT
THEY'RE DEALING WITH TO KNOW
THAT THEY WOULD HAVE ENOUGH TO
ADDRESS EVERY LOCATION, NOT ONL
IN KING COUNTY, BUT THE OTHER
FOUR COUNTIES IN THE STATE THAT
ARE A PART OF THE LEGISLATION.
AND THAT WE DEFINITELY WOULD
LIKE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS
AT THE STATE LEVEL TO FIND A WA
TO KEEP DOING THIS AND MORE
LOCATIONS. TO YOUR POINT ABOUT
THE LONG-TERM COST, YOU'RE
CERTAINLY CORRECT THAT THE
CAPITAL COST OF LEASING THE
HOTEL IS SUBSTANTIAL AND
COMPARED TO THE ONE-TIME COST T
STAND UP THE TINY HOME VILLAGE
IS MUCH LESS THAN THE HOTEL.
LONG-TERM HOUSING IS USUALLY A
CHEAPER OPTION. THE SERVICES
THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY IN ORDER T
OPERATE A SHELTER LOCATION,
THEY'RE ACTUALLY USUALLY MORE
EXPENSIVE EVEN WITH SOMETHING
LIKE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. SO IT'
A WISER INVESTMENT FOR US TO
LONG-TERM PUT PEOPLE IN HOUSING
AND HOMELESSNESS THAN IT IS TO
OVERFOCUS ON THE SHELTER SYSTEM
AND OUR DESIGN IN THIS WAS VERY
INTENTIONAL TO HAVE ABOUT 80
BEDS OF EVENTUALLY GOING AWAY.
CAPTIONERS TRANSITIONING ]
>> THERE ARE, TO YOUR POINT,
PLACES WERE THINGS LIKE TINY
HOME VILLAGE APPROACH MIGHT BE
POSSIBLE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
WE WERE RESPONSIVE. WE DIDN'T
WANT TO LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY FO
$50 MILLION FOR ACCOUNTING. PAR
OF THE HIGH-PRIORITY REQUIREMEN
IS EXPEDIENCY AND WHAT WAS
AVAILABLE TO US THAT COULD BE
OPEN REVEALING IMMEDIATELY, NO
IN THE FUTURE BUT WE KNEW WITH
CERTAINTY WE HAD FOR THE
SHELTERING PROGRAM. IT HAS
SUCCEEDED VERY WELL. WE HAD
TREMENDOUS SUCCESS WITH THAT, A
YOU CAN SEE FROM THE NUMBERS,
TREMENDOUS RETENTION. AND, VERY
GOOD SERVICES. YOU NAMED ONE
LOCATION, THE PEOPLE DON'T KNO
WHERE THE HOTELS ARE AT, I THIN
IS A GOOD INDICATION WE ARE
DOING WELL.
>> YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT. I D
JUST WANT TO CLEARLY STATE, I'
ALL FOR HAVING A HOUSING FIRST
APPROACH. I THINK THAT IS
CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT. I THINK
THE BALANCE WE NEED TO STRIKE
IS, WELL I APPRECIATE THE DATA
ON PROVISIONALLY, 86, AND
PRESUMABLY MORE BECAUSE OF THE
MASTER LEASE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE
A HIGHER NUMBER, THERE IS A
DUAL POLICY INTEREST OF ALSO
BEING ABLE TO MITIGATE SITES
THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO CENSUS
AND REAL IMPACT IN THE CITY.
THAT REQUIRE US TO HAVE A
DIVERSIFIED PORTFOLIO OF
RESPONSES. I DON'T THINK THAT
NECESSARILY DISAGREE WITH THAT
POSITION. I KNOW IT'S A
STRUGGLE TO FIND PERMANENT
HOUSING PLACEMENTS, DESPITE THE
CITY MAKING INVESTMENTS OVER
THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I
THINK WE'VE HAD SOMETHING LIKE
50% INCREASE IN PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PORTFOLIO
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF HOUSING
INVESTMENTS, MANDATORY HOUSING
FOR ABILITY JUMPSTART. GOING
DOWN THE LIST. WE HAVE PUT THAT
THE USE AND THAT MADE A BIG
DIFFERENCE. I THINK THE
CHALLENGES IF WE DON'T CONTINUE
TO DIVERSIFY A LOOK AT HOLDING
AND ADDING TO SOME OF THOSE
ENHANCED SHELTER INTERIM
SOLUTIONS, THERE IS NOT GOING T
BE A VISIBLE CHANGE OR IMPACT
COMMENSURATE WITH WHAT THE
PUBLIC RIGHTLY EXPECTS TO SEE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU HAV
A LOT OF FOLKS WERE LIVING IN
ENCAMPMENTS WHO WOULD GLADLY
TRANSITION TO LIVING IN A TINY
HOUSE VILLAGE OR HOTEL SITUATIO
IF WE CAN'T IMMINENTLY PROVIDE
A HOUSING OPTION. BUT THIS ALSO
PUTS FRONT AND CENTER, AND I AM
JUST EDITORIALIZING AT THIS
POINT, I DON'T THINK WE NEED
ANOTHER ANSWER, I WANT TO ANSWE
THE QUESTION AT THE END OF THIS
IT ALSO PUTS FRONT AND CENTER
HARD DECISIONS THE CITY NEEDS T
MAKE IN TERMS OF THE TYPES OF
HOUSING WE ARE ALLOWED TO BUILD
THE TYPE OF HOUSING DIVERSITY
WE ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE, OUR COMMITMENT
TO INCREASING DENSITY IN PLACE
WHERE HISTORICALLY IT HASN'T
BEEN. THAT IS ALL PART OF THIS
CONVERSATION AS WELL. AND
UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T ALWAYS
MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS WHEN WE
ARE HAVING THESE POLICY
DISCUSSIONS. BUT, FUNDAMENTALLY
WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO, ANYTHING
WE CAN DO TO REALLY COME
TOGETHER AND RESPOND TO THIS,
LIKE THE EMERGENCY THAT IT IS,
TO SCALE UP THINGS THAT EVEN IF
THEY MIGHT BE SHORTER-TERM ARE
BETTER THAN ENCAMPMENTS, IS
SOMETHING I'M GOING TO CONTINUE
TO ADVOCATE FOR AND WANT TO WOR
WITH IN ADVANCING WHAT WE ARE
BUILDING TOWARD THAT FUTURE OF
SCALED INDIVISIBLE AVAILABLE
HOUSING MAILED TO BUILD. I
WOULD HOPE THAT AS WE ARE
GETTING TO THE NEXT SESSION,
THAT INFORMS SOME OF OUR
CONVERSATIONS ON HOW WE MIGHT
BUILD ON THE SUCCESS WE HAVE
SEEN IN THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCE
WE MIGHT ASK FOR IS A CITY IN
THE COUNTY. ARE THERE OTHER
COMMITTEE QUESTIONS?
>> HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ANOTHE
SLIDE.
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
.
>> SLIDE 10, IT LOOKS LIKE
THERE ARE 18 PROGRAMS THAT WERE
FUNDED WITH ONE-TIME FUNDING .
JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD
SPEAK TO WILL KIND OF PLANNING
AND COMMUNICATION KING COUNTY
RHA HAS BEEN HAVING ?
>> ALL OF THOSE, THEY ARE
LISTED ON THE NEXT SLIDE, ALL
18. THAT IS WHY, FIRST
RESPONSIBLY CAN INDICATING AHEA
OF TIME TO KNOW THAT IS WHAT WE
ARE DEALING WITH. CASEY RHA I
EXAMINING ITS OWN FUNDING WHERE
THERE WOULD BE UNDER SPEND OR
ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES OR
SOLUTION TEMPORARILY. AS I NOTE
BEFORE WE CONTINUE ENGAGEMENT
WITH BOTH OF OUR PRIMARY
FUNDING PARTNERS, THE COUNTY AN
CITY, TO EXPLORE WAYS AND
DISCUSS THIS AS AN OPTION AND
IDEALLY JOINTLY IDENTIFY A
SOLUTION. WE ARE NOT AT THAT
POINT YET. IT IS TOO EARLY TO B
TALKING ABOUT HOW SOME OF THOSE
CONVERSATIONS HAVE GONE, BUT OU
HOPE IS WE CAN FIND A SOLUTION.
>> THIS SLIDE ALSO MENTIONS
INFLATIONARY INCREASES . I
THINK YOU KNOW , JEFF, AS WELL
AS MANY PEOPLE HERE WITH US, BU
FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC, THE CIT
OF SEATTLE IS REQUIRED BY LAW T
PROVIDE INFLATIONARY INCREASES
FOR THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT ADMINISTERED
CONTRACTS INCLUDING CONTRACTS
WITH KING COUNTY RHA . THIS
COUNCIL HAS GONE TO GREAT
LENGTHS IN THE PAST TO ENSURE
THESE INCREASES ARE INCLUDED IN
THE FINAL APPROVED CITY BUDGET
IN PARTICULAR TO KING COUNTY
RHA FOR 2023, THERE WERE $6
MILLION IN INFLATIONARY
INCREASES. I HAVE HEARD FROM
CENTRAL STAFF THAT STARTING IN
2024 AT LEAST SOME HUD FUNDING
WILL BE FLOWING DIRECTLY TO
KING COUNTY RHA, RATHER THAN
GOING THROUGH THE CITY. SO, AM
CONCERNED THAT MIGHT MEAN IT
WILL NOT INCLUDE THE CITY
STATUTORILY REQUIRED
INFLATIONARY INCREASES. I AM
WONDERING IF YOU HAVE A SENSE O
WHICH CONTRACTS THAT MAY BE THE
CASE FOR AND HOW MUCH FUNDING
THAT MIGHT REPRESENT?
>> I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT
LIST, I DO HAVE THAT BUT I DON'
HAVE IT WITH ME TODAY. YOU
DESCRIBED THE SITUATION EXACTLY
RIGHT. IN THOSE CONTRACTS, THER
IS OF COURSE SOME HAVE BEEN
HISTORICALLY HELD BY THE COUNTY
WE WILL SET THOSE ASIDE. BUT
ONES THAT, 20 PROJECTS, THAT I
WHY THE NUMBERS THERE, THE
HISTORICALLY WERE GIVEN TO THE
CITY OF SEATTLE BY HUD AS PART
OF OUR CONTINUING CARE, WHEN
CONTRACTS TRANSITIONED TO BEING
DIRECTLY TO KCRHA, YOU ARE
CORRECT THE CITY'S LEGISLATION
REQUIRING THE APPROPRIATION OF
AN INFLATIONARY INCREASE NO
LONGER APPLIES, THEY ARE NOT
HELD BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE. SO
REALLY THROUGH THE SHUFFLING OF
GOVERNMENT, OF WHO HOLDS
SOMETHING, NO INPUT OF THE
PEOPLE ACTUALLY AFFECTED, LIKE
THE AGENCIES THAT RECEIVE THE
FUNDS, THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE AN
EMPLOY, WE ARE FACING A
SITUATION WHERE THOSE CONTRACTS
WOULD NOT RECEIVE AN
INFLATIONARY INCREASE. WHEREAS,
I DON'T WANT TO UNDERSELL THIS
BECAUSE I KNOW IT TOOK A LOT O
WORK FOR ALL THE MEMBERS OF THI
COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE FUNDING
IS THERE. BUT, THE INFLATIONARY
INCREASE THAT GOES TO THE
SERVICES PROVIDERS, WHICH IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, WE ARE
INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE
TREMENDOUS WORK WE KNOW IT TAKE
TO FIND , NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S
LEGISLATIVELY REQUIRED BUT THE
COMMITMENT THE COUNCIL AND CITY
SHOW FOR THAT, AND WE HOPE THAT
MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT CAN
WORK FOR THESE COC CONTRACTS.
>> IS THAT SOMETHING THAT RHA,
TOGETHER WITH THE CITY IN THE
COUNTY, FOR THAT MATTER, CAN D
ANY ADVOCACY WITH HUD ON? MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION UNDERSTANDS OR
HAS SPOKEN TO UNDERSTANDING THE
IMPACTS OF WAGES ON THE ABILITY
TO PROVIDE LIFE-SAVING
MISSION-CRITICAL SERVICES. I
WOULD HOPE THAT THE
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW COMPRESSED
WAGES HAVE LED TO STAFF
TURNOVER, VACANCIES, AND
INABILITY TO PROVIDE THE
SERVICES WE ARE ALL PROVIDING
PRECIOUS DOLLARS TO PROVIDE ,
HOPEFULLY WE WOULD HAVE SOME
ASSISTANCE IN ADDRESSING THAT
ISSUE. FOR THOSE CONTRACTS .
I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT THE
LIKELIHOOD OF ANY OF THAT IS.
>> AN IMPORTANT NUANCE THERE,
YOU ARE ACTUALLY RIGHT, IT WAS
REGULARLY ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH
FEDERAL PARTNERS AND HIGHLIGHT
THE ISSUE OF WAGES AND THE NEED
TO MAINTAIN THE FUNDING, LIKE
IN THE TRUE SENSE OF PROVIDING
INFLATIONARY INCREASES FOR THES
CONTRACTS. I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S
STATUTORY OR REGULATORY, I
WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT
ISSUE MORE. BUT THE WAY THE
CONTINUUM OF CARE GRANTS WORK,
IF YOU HAVE THE HOUSING COST, I
YOU HAVE A PSH BUILDING THE HAS
A CERTAIN OPERATIONAL LEASE,
LIKE RAPID REHOUSING UNIT HAS A
COST, THOSE DO RECEIVE
INFLATIONARY INCREASE. THEY ARE
THE HARD, BUILDING LIKE RENT
COSTS THE GO BURY YOUR. HAD
PROVIDES THAT. IT'S ON THE
SERVICES SIDE THAT IS NOT THE
CASE. WE CERTAINLY ARE SHARING
INFORMATION EVERY OPPORTUNITY W
HAVE ON WHY THAT IS NOT HELPFUL
. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT
CHANGED. IN THE MEANTIME WE ALS
TRY TO MAKE SURE WE MAXIMIZE TH
AMOUNT OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE
GRANT TO HAVE AS MUCH RECEIVE
SOME TYPE OF INFLATIONARY
INCREASE AS POSSIBLE.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT
THAT IS ALL I HAVE GOT, MR.
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD . I DO NOT SEE ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL
MEMBERS. JEFF, WOULD BE
PREMATURE FOR US TO TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE OPERATIONA
PLAN RESOLUTION IN THIS
HEARING, WHILE YOU ARE HERE? O
DO YOU THINK THAT IS BETTER LEF
TO ANOTHER DATE?
>> I'M NOT SURE HOW TO ANSWER
THAT. IS NOT YET REQUIRED. I
DON'T FEEL LIKE I CAN DICTATE
WHAT THIS COMMITTEE WANTS TO
TALK ABOUT.
>> THAT'S TRUE, I CAN. NO, I'M
JUST GETTING. I DON'T PUT YOU O
THE SPOT IF THAT WOULD BE A
GOOD USE OF TIME AT THIS POINT.
I WILL JUST SAY FOR THE PUBLIC
RECORD, IT WAS ALLUDED TO IN AN
EARLIER SLIDE THAT I PROPOSED A
A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNING BOARD
A RESOLUTION REQUIRING AN
OPERATIONAL WORK PLAN FOR THE
AUTHORITY TO BE PUT TOGETHER
THIS FALL, AND THAT IS SOMETHIN
THAT IS ONGOING THAT WE ARE
WORKING ON WITH COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF AND KING COUNTY
HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY STAFF. I
THINK IT'S GOING WELL. I WANT T
PUT AN UPDATE ON THE RECORD AN
THAT COMMENT FOR ME IS PROBABLY
SUFFICIENT.
>> I'M HAPPY TO HIGHLIGHT THE W
ANTICIPATE THAT IN THE OCTOBER
MEETING OF THE GOVERNING
COMMITTEE IT WILL BE PRESENTED
TO ALL THE GOVERNING COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. IT WAS PREVIOUSLY
PRESENTED, THERE HAVE BEEN
REVISIONS. MOSTLY THE BROAD
SUBSTANCE REMAINS THE SAME. I
CAN'T OBVIOUSLY SPEAK TO ITS
PROSPECTS WITH THE GOVERNING
COMMITTEE, BUT RHA, AS I
MENTIONED BEFORE, SEES WHAT IT
ENCOMPASSES AS THINGS THAT ARE
APPROPRIATE TO ASK US TO PROVID
REGULAR UPDATES ON AND PRESENT
AS OUR STEPS WE ARE GOING TO BE
DOING.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU SO MUCH
I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT WORK AND
EVERYTHING DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S
UPDATE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
COMING BY. THANK YOU FOR THE
SLIDE DECK AND WE LOOK FORWARD
TO FOLLOWING UP ON AREAS OF
INTEREST. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, AND THINK YOU ALL
FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON MANY OF THE
ISSUES RAISED TODAY.
>> OKAY, NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
NUMBER TWO TO THE RECORD?
>> RESOLUTION 32100 A
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF LIDS ACROSS
INTERSTATE 5.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. CLERK
WE HEARD FROM THE OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMITTEE
DEVELOPMENT AND WE HAVE LISH
WHITSON FROM CENTRAL STAFF TO
ANSWER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
FIRST WE HEARD FROM STAKEHOLDER
REGARDING SOME REQUESTED
AMENDMENTS TO THE RESOLUTION ,
ONE OF THOSE REQUEST HAS BEEN
FOR A TECHNICAL REVISION TO
INCREASE THE STUDY AREA BY TWO
BLOCKS. THAT IS AGREED TO BY
THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE
THE CITY MORE COMPETITIVE FOR
THE GRANTS WE ARE SEEKING AS
PART OF THIS LIVING PROCESS.
FOR THAT REASON I AM BRINGING
FORWARD A TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.
WHAT WE START BY DESCRIBING
THAT AMENDMENT AND THEN HAVE A
BROAD DISCUSSION. LISH, CAN YO
DESCRIBE THE AMENDMENT?
>> SURE. YOU BASICALLY
DESCRIBED IT. IT WOULD EXTEND
THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE
DOWNTOWN SECTION OF THE STUDY
AREA FROM BENNY WAY TO THOMAS
STREET, WHICH WOULD IN PART
VOICE SUPPORT FOR LIDS NEXT T
A LARGE SCALE HOUSING AUTHORIT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT
THAT SITS AT DENNY AND I-5.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ARE
THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS
AMENDMENT BEFORE I FORMALLY
MOVE THE AMENDMENT? ACTUALLY,
I THINK TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
AFTER MOVE THE RESOLUTION FIRST
WHY DON'T I JUST BACKTRACK A
LITTLE BIT? I MOVE RESOLUTION
32100, A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING
THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIDS ACROSS
INTERSTATE 5. IS THERE A SECOND
>> SECOND.
>> MOVED AND SECONDED.
RESOLUTION IS IN FRONT OF THE
COMMITTEE. I MOVE THE COMMITTEE
ADOPT AMENDMENT 1, IS THERE A
SECOND FOR THE AMENDMENT?
>> SECOND.
>> THE AMENDMENT HAS BEEN
SECONDED. WITH THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON ADOPTION OF
AMENDMENT ONE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> YES. COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
>> AYE.
>> CHAIR LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR AND NONE
OPPOSED.
>> THE AMENDMENT HANGS. WE NOW
HAVE THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED
IN FRONT OF THE COMMITTEE. I'M
GOING TO MAKE A COUPLE OF
REMARKS ON THE RESOLUTION AS
AMENDED. I REALLY APPRECIATE
THE DISCUSSION WE HAD A COUPLE
WEEKS AGO IN THE COMMITTEE
DURING THE INTERIM PERIOD OF
TIME BETWEEN THAT MEETING AND
THIS MEETING WE MET WITH
REPRESENTATIVES FROM WSDOT WAS
VERY PRODUCTIVE TO TALK ABOUT
THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF PLANS
THAT WSDOT HAS FOR THE I-5
CORRIDOR PUTTING THE PORTION I
SEATTLE AND THAT WOULD BE IN TH
LID ZONE, TALKING ABOUT FUTURE
INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES AND
IMPROVEMENTS AND ABOUT FUTURE
CAPACITY UPGRADES, CHANGES,
STUDIES, DIFFERENT PROJECTS THA
WSDOT WILL BE PURSUING. THIS
RESOLUTION IS TIMELY TO
INTEGRATE OUR PLANNING WORK WIT
THAT WORK THAT WSDOT IS DOING
SO ANY CHANGES, IMPROVEMENTS O
MODIFICATIONS TO I-5 ARE DONE
WITH THE IDEA THAT ULTIMATELY
THERE WILL BE LIDS IN THESE
FILLABLE ZONES IN THE I-5
CORRIDOR. REALLY EXCITED TO BE
MOVING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD
TO HAVE THE CITY FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN OUR HISTORY PUT THIS
LID I-5 MOVEMENT WHICH HAS BEEN
A VERY STRONG ORGANIZING EFFORT
THAT HAS PRODUCED IMPACT
STUDIES, DEVELOPMENT, DESIGN ,
THAT HAS REALLY MOVED THIS
FORWARD IN A VERY PROFOUND WAY.
TO MAKE THIS A REALITY. THIS I
OUR OPPORTUNITY AS A CITY TO
TAKE THAT NEXT STEP IN FOR THE
FIRST TIME FORMALLY ADOPT THIS
POLICY OUR DESIRE TO PURSUE
LIDDING PROJECTS IN THESE ZONES
TO HAVE INCORPORATED IN
LONG-TERM PLANNING, INTO
INTERGOVERNMENTAL STRATEGY, TO
SEEK FUNDING, GRANTS AND SUPPOR
FROM THE FEDERAL, STATE AND
OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. TO
SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS TO REUNIT
NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO BRING BACK
VIBRANCY TO PLACES WHERE IT HA
LONG BEEN LIMITED AND LOST FRO
THE DIVISION OF THESE
COMMUNITIES THAT THIS FREEWAY
HAS BROUGHT. SO, WITH THAT, I
AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS AND
HAPPY TO HAVE THIS OVER TO OTHE
COUNCILMEMBERS TO MAKE REMARKS
ON THE RESOLUTION BEFORE WE
VOTE. ARE THERE COUNCILMEMBERS
WISHING TO BE RECOGNIZED TO
SPEAK? SEEING NONE, LET US
CALL THE QUESTION ON THIS
RESOLUTION. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLE ON
RECOMMENDING THE PASSAGE OF
RESOLUTION 32100. SORRY,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, I WAS
WONDERING WHAT YOUR HAND WAS IN
THE. THIS IS SOMETHING YOU ARE
REALLY INTO. GO AHEAD. PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. CHAIR
I AM SORRY, I AM HAPPY TO
SUPPORT THIS TODAY. I JUST
WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL
OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE
BY THIS COMMITTEE, BY THE
DEPARTMENTS AND ALSO HIGHLIGHT
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A FEDERA
ADMINISTRATION THAT CONTINUES T
TALK ABOUT HOW THE
INFRASTRUCTURE, ESPECIALLY
INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND HIGHWAYS
THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY USE
AS A WAY TO DIVIDE COMMITTEES O
COLOR, AS A WAY TO PUSH NOT
ONLY FREEWAYS AND HIGHWAYS
BETWEEN COMMUNITIES THAT ALSO
USE PLACEMENT OF THINGS LIKE
DUMPS AND RECYCLING CENTERS AS
ANOTHER WAY TO DIVIDE
COMMUNITIES. THAT THEY HAVE PU
FORWARD FUNDING AND
INFRASTRUCTURE ACT TO TRY TO
WRITE SOME OF THOSE WRONGS. AM
HOPEFUL WE CAN CONTINUE NOT
ONLY TO ADVANCE THIS CONCEPT BU
ALSO TO CAPITALIZE ON THE
INTEREST IN REUNITING
COMMUNITIES. I'M VERY THANKFUL
THIS IS MOVING FORWARD. AND
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT PUTTING
MORE ACTION ONTO THIS
RESOLUTION AS IT MOVES FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA. ARE THERE OTHER
COUNCIL MEMBERS LOOKING TO BE
RECOGNIZED? SEEING NONE, WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLE
ON THE PASSAGE OF 32100 AS
AMENDED?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> AYE.
>> CHAIR LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR AND NONE
OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU. THE RESOLUTION
WILL BE REFERRED TO THE NEXT TH
FULL COUNCIL. ITEM NUMBER
THREE, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM NUMBER THREE INTO TH
RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 3 COUNCIL BUILT
120643. AN ORDINANCE RELATING T
COMMERCIAL TENANCIES;
ESTABLISHING LIMITS ON THE
MAXIMUM PERSONAL GUARANTY THAT
MAY BE INCLUDED IN OR AS A
CONDITION OF COMMERCIAL LEASES;
AND ESTABLISHING LIMITS ON THE
VALUE OF A COMMERCIAL LEASE'S
REQUIRED SECURITY DEPOSIT AND/O
LETTERS OF CREDIT; AND ADDING A
NEW CHAPTER TO THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE.
>> THANK YOU. WE ARE JOINED BY
ANN GORMAN , DO WE HAVE OTHER
PRESENTERS ON THIS MEASURE FOR
TODAY?
>>.TODAY.
>> I DO KNOW WE HAVE
REPRESENTATIVES FROM WASHINGTON
HOSPITALITY IN THE GALLERY, I
WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR
WORK AT THE FRONT FOR HELPING
GET US TO THIS PLACE. I THINK I
WAS ELUDED IN PUBLIC COMMENT
THAT THIS IS THE RESULT OF NINE
MONTHS OF VERY INTENSIE
STAKEHOLDER AND STAFF ANALYSIS
AND WORK. I WANT TO START BY
ACKNOWLEDGING AT THE FRONT MY
PERSONAL GRATITUDE TO ANN
GORMAN FOR HER WORK IN
SHEPHERDING THIS THROUGH AMID
LOTS OF POTENTIAL ISSUES WE HAD
TO WORKSHOP THAT HAVE BEEN
MANIFESTED INTO THIS POLICY TO
MAKE IT A STRONG POLICY. AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE HER WORK
THROUGH WHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF TH
MORE COMPLICATED BUT VERY
REWARDING POLICY PROJECTS THAT
HAVE TAKEN ON AS A
COUNCILMEMBER. WITH THAT, I WAN
TO ACTUALLY TURN OVER TO ANN T
HAVE THE CENTRAL STAFF
PRESENTATION. WE ARE NOT VOTIN
ON THIS POLICY IN TODAY'S
MEETING. THIS POLICY, AS WAS
ALLUDED TO IN PUBLIC COMMENT,
IS A VERY IMPORTANT BUT ALSO
COMPLICATED POLICY THAT I WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE SPEND TIME WITH
AS A COMMITTEE IN REALLY
SCRUTINIZING AND LOOKING AT AND
GETTING ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK
FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO ARE
IMPACTED. AND WE DID HEAR FROM
SEVERAL IN PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS
FIRST SESSION IS REALLY ABOUT
AN INTRODUCTION TO THIS POLICY.
SOME OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE HAVE
BEEN ON A COVID AREA EMERGENCY
PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT I
SPONSORED THAT PROVIDED
TEMPORARY RELIEF FOR THIS ISSU
AROUND PERSONAL GUARANTEES. AND
A WAY TO MAKE THIS PROTECTION
MORE LASTING, TO GIVE THE
SECURITY NECESSARY FOR THE
INSECURITIES WE HEARD TODAY IN
OUR PUBLIC COMMENT THAT A LOT O
PEOPLE IN OUR COMMITTEE ARE
STILL FACING AS WE COME OUT OF
THE UNCERTAINTY OF COVID. I WIL
TURN OVER TO ANN AND, I DO WAN
TO MAKE SURE I STATE, BEFORE
THE PRESENTATION, THAT THIS
PRESENTATION WAS NOT LISTED ON
THE COMMITTEE AGENDA. BUT A
PHYSICAL COPY OF THE
PRESENTATION HAS BEEN MADE
AVAILABLE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS
AND THE PRESENTATION WAS
DISTRIBUTED BY EMAIL TO
COMMITTEE MEMBERS THIS MORNING.
THE ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE
PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE
POSTED ON COMMITTEE RECORDS
AFTER THIS MEETING FOR MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC WHO MAYBE HAVE
NOT SEEN IT IN ADVANCE. IT WILL
BE POSTED WITH THE RECORDS AFTE
THIS MEETING AND FOR COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, IT WAS DISTRIBUTED VIA
EMAIL EARLIER TODAY. WITH THAT
I WILL PASS IT OVER TO ANN TO G
THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR
LEWIS, AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
ANN GORMAN OF COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF. I'M HERE TO PROVIDE AN
OVERVIEW OF COUNCIL BILL 120643
BUT I HAVE THE FIRST SLIDE,
PLEASE? THIS BILL, I SHOULD
MENTION, IS SPONSORED BY CHAIR
LEWIS. CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THA
THIS BILL IS COMPLEX. THE
PATIENT'S OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS
GOING INTO DETAILS, BUT THE
DETAILS ARE IMPORTANT. THIS
BILL WOULD IMPOSE REQUIREMENTS
ON NEW COMMERCIAL LEASES, ME
FIRST WALK-THROUGH WITH THE BIL
MEANS BY COMMERCIAL LEASES.
LIKE ALL LEASES, THEY ARE
LEGALLY BINDING CONTRACTS
BETWEEN A LESSER AND TENANT FOR
THE RENTAL PROPERTY. LEASES
ALLOW A TENANT TO OCCUPY AND US
THE PROPERTY IN EXCHANGE FOR
RENT. THE BILL SPECIFICALLY
DEFINES THIS RENTAL PROPERTY AS
FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING
BUSINESS. IS IN THE TENANT'S
INTEREST TO HAVE A PHYSICAL
PLACE FROM WHICH TO CONDUCT THA
BUSINESS. AND IT IS A LESSER'S
INTEREST TO BE ABLE TO GENERATE
PROFIT FROM THE PROPERTY. THE
CENTRAL STAFF MEMO PROVIDES
INFORMATION ABOUT VARIOUS WAYS
AND TIME FRAMES IN WHICH THE
PROCESS MIGHT BE REALIZED.
COMMERCIAL LEASE TERMS OF
VARYING LENGTH AS SOME OF THE
PUBLIC COMMENTERS MENTIONED,
THEY CAN LAST UP TO 20 YEARS AN
INCLUDE OPTIONS TO RENEW. THIS
WOULD APPLY TO NEW LEASES ONLY
AND NOT TO LEASE RENEWALS. MOS
COMMERCIAL LEASES REQUIRE A
PERSONAL GUARANTEE AND MANY ALS
REQUIRE A SECURITY DEPOSIT
AND/OR LETTERS OF CREDIT. THES
COMMITMENTS CAN BE DESCRIBED
EITHER IN THE LEASE ITSELF, OR
IN LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT ARE
EXECUTED SEPARATELY AND IN
TANDEM WITH THE LEASE. I WILL
NEXT DESCRIBE EACH OF THESE
COMMITMENTS. NEXT SLIDE.
PERSONAL GUARANTEE. WHAT IS A
PERSONAL GUARANTEE? THIS COUL
BE CONSIDERED THE MAIN SUBJECT
OF THIS BILL AND IT IS A TERM
THAT MIGHT NOT BE FAMILIAR TO
THOSE OF US WHOSE ONLY
EXPERIENCES WITH RESIDENTIAL
LEASES. I WILL SPEND SOME TIME
HERE. A PERSONAL GUARANTEES A
COMMITMENT THAT CERTAIN EXPENSE
WILL BE PAID OVER A CERTAIN
DURATION OR DURATIONS OF TIME.
AS AN EXAMPLE, IF I OPEN A
COFFEE SHOP, THE LESSOR COULD
HAVE ME COMMIT TO FIVE YEARS O
RENTAL PAYMENT AND UPGRADING TH
PLUMBING SO I CAN RUN THE
ESPRESSO MACHINES AS A PERSONAL
GUARANTEE. IT'S A LEGALLY
BINDING COMMITMENT THAT MAKES
ME PERSONAL LIABLE TO PAY FIVE
YEARS OF RENT AND THE PLUMBING
COSTS. IN THEORY SOMEONE ELSE
COULD TAKE ON THE LIABILITY, FO
INSTANCE A RELATIVE OR FRIEND
WHO REALLY BELIEVES IN MY
COFFEE. BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT
IS THE BUSINESS OWNER WHO HAS A
LIABILITY. WHAT HAPPENS IF MY
COFFEE IS ACTUALLY NOT THAT
GREAT IN MY SHOP GOES OUT OF
BUSINESS AFTER TWO YEARS? I AM
STILL PERSONALLY LIABLE TO PAY
THE LESSOR AN ADDITIONAL THREE
YEARS OF RENT PAYMENTS PLUS THE
PLUMBING COSTS. I'M NOT EARNING
ANYTHING FROM THE BUSINESS
ANYMORE SO I HAVE TO PAY THESE
COSTS FROM A PERSONAL ASSETS.
THE LEASE ITSELF IS A CONTRACT
THAT ALLOWS THE TENANT TO OCCUP
AND USE THE PROPERTY IN EXCHANG
FOR RENT IN THE PERSONAL
GUARANTEE IS AN ADDITIONAL
COMMITMENT THAT THE TENANT HAS
TO MAKE ON TOP OF SIGNING THE
LEASE. NEXT SLIDE. THE NEXT
ITEM THAT MIGHT BE INCLUDED IN
OR AS A CONDITION OF A
COMMERCIAL LEASE IS A SECURITY
DEPOSIT. MOST OF US HAVE
FAMILIARITY WITH SECURITY
DEPOSITS. THIS IS A PAYMENT MAD
TO THE LESSOR PRIOR TO THE
TENANT'S USE AND OCCUPATION OF
THE PROPERTY. IT IS NOT A RENT
PAYMENT. IT CAN BE MADE BY A
BUSINESS OWNER OR INDIVIDUAL,
THE CASH HAS TO MAKE IT WAY TO
THE LESSOR SUMMIT. A SECURITY
DEPOSIT, THEY HAVE THIS CASH O
HAND IF THE TENANT DOES NOT MEE
CERTAIN FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEASE.
TYPICALLY THOSE OBLIGATIONS
INCLUDE RENT, SOMETIMES UTILITY
PAYMENTS, BUT A LESSOR COULD
CHOOSE TO MAKE THE SECURITY
DEPOSIT APPLICABLE TO OTHER
POTENTIAL NON-PAYMENTS ON THE
TENANT'S PART. WHAT A SECURITY
DEPOSIT DOES IS IT MITIGATES TH
FINANCIAL RISK THAT THE LESSOR
TAKES ON IN LEASING THE
PROPERTY. THERE IS ALWAYS THE
POSSIBILITY THAT THE TENANT WIL
TURN OUT TO BE DETRIMENTAL TO
THE LESSOR'S INTEREST IN
EARNING A PROFIT. WHEN THE
LESSOR HAS A SECURITY DEPOSIT,
THAT DETRIMENT IS LESS KEENLY
FELT. FOR ATTENDANCE
PERSPECTIVE, A SECURITY DEPOSIT
IS A COMMITMENT OF CAPITAL.
MONEY SPENT TO MAKE A SECURITY
DEPOSIT IS MONEY THAT IS NOT
AVAILABLE FOR OTHER COSTS
ASSOCIATED WITH STARTING A
BUSINESS OR CONTINUING TO
OPERATE THAT BUSINESS. WILL
DESCRIBE SOME OF THESE COSTS.
SUPPLIES, EMPLOYEE UNIFORMS.
NEXT SLIDE. THE NEXT ITEM THAT
MIGHT BE INCLUDED IN OR AS A
CONDITION OF A COMMERCIAL LEASE
ARE LETTERS OF CREDIT. LETTERS
OF CREDIT ARE LIKE A SECURITY
DEPOSIT IN THAT THEY MITIGATE
THE RISK THAT A LESSOR TAKES ON
BUT THEY ARE DIFFERENT FROM A
SECURITY DEPOSIT IN THAT THEY
DON'T INVOLVE A CASH PAYMENT TO
THE LESSOR. THERE ARE TWO TYPE
OF LETTERS OF CREDIT THAT TEND
TO BE INCLUDED IN PARTIAL
LEASES. THEY BOTH INVOLVE A BAN
OR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION AND A
TRANSACTIONAL WAY, THEY'RE
GOING TO INVOLVE ADDITIONAL
FEES, FEES IT WILL BE PAID
EITHER BY THE INDIVIDUAL WHO I
OBTAINING THE LETTERS OF CREDIT
USUALLY THE BUSINESS OWNER, OR
BY THE BUSINESS ITSELF. THE
FIRST TYPE IS A LINE OF CREDIT
WHICH THE BANK ISSUES TO A
PERSON OR BUSINESS FOR THE
PURPOSE OF AVAILABILITY TO THE
LESSOR. THE OTHER IS ACCESS T
FUNDS OR SECURITIES THAT THE
BANK IS HOLDING ON BEHALF OF A
PERSON OR BUSINESS. BOTH OF
THESE SCENARIOS ARE FOR THE
PURPOSE OF MAKING CASH AVILABLE
TO THE LESSOR IF THE TENANT
DOES NOT MEET CERTAIN FINANCIAL
OBLIGATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
LEASE. SO THE SAME PURPOSE AS A
SECURITY DEPOSIT, BUT IF
MECHANISMS. AND LIKE A SECURIT
DEPOSIT, FROM ATTENDANCE
PERSPECTIVE, LETTERS OF CREDIT
MEAN ACADEMIC TO EITHER
EQUIPMENT OR CAPITAL WHICH
WOULD OTHERWISE BE USED TO
SUPPORT BUSINESS NEEDS. NEXT
SLIDE. WHAT WOULD COUNCIL BILL
120643 DO RELATED TO THESE
THREE THINGS? FIRST OF ALL, I
WOULD LIMIT A PERSONAL GUARANTE
LIABILITY THAT CAN BE INCLUDED
IN A COMMERCIAL LEASE TO THE
FIRST TWO YEARS OF RENT PAYMENT
, PLUS A TOTAL COST OF ANY
TENANT IMPROVEMENTS PROVIDED BY
THE LESSOR. NO SUCH LIMIT
CURRENTLY PERTAINS IN SEATTLE.
IT WOULD ALSO LIMIT THE VALUE O
THE SECURITY DEPOSIT AND LETTER
OF CREDIT IN THE AGGREGATE TO
TWO MONTHS OF RENT PAYMENTS.
AGAIN NO SUCH LIMIT CURRENTLY
EXISTS. ADMINISTRATIVELY, IT
WOULD OPPOSE SOME REQUIREMENTS
ON LESSORS AFTER THE PASSAGE OF
THE LEGISLATION. THEY WOULD HAV
TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF THE NEW
LIMITS TO ALL CURRENT TENANTS,
EVEN THOUGH THE ONLY BENEFIT TO
THOSE TENANTS WOULD BE IN THE
FUTURE AFTER THEIR CURRENT
LEASES HAVE EXPIRED AND THEY AR
IN THE MARKET FOR NEW ONES. AND
IN THE FUTURE, LESSORS WOULD
HAVE TO PROVIDE THE SAME
INFORMATION TO ALL NEW AND
PROSPECTIVE TENANTS. AS A NOTE
CHAPTER 7 OF THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE ADDRESSES THIS
TYPE OF MANDATORY DISCLOSURE
RELATED TO RESIDENTIAL LEASES.
SO THIS ASPECT OF THE BILL IS
NOT AN ENTIRELY NEW AREA. THE
BILL ALSO CREATES A STRUCTURE
FOR THE ISSUANCE OF CITATIONS
INCLUDING MONETARY PENALTIES,
AND HEARINGS BY THE CITY HEARIN
EXAMINER. NEXT SLIDE. THE
CENTRAL STAFF MEMO PROVIDES SOM
ADDITIONAL TEXTUAL INFORMATION
ABOUT THE BILL. I WILL BRIEFLY
TOUCH ON THOSE FACTORS. ONE OF
THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS TODAY MAD
REFERENCE TO THIS BEING FIRST
IN THE NATION A LEGISLATION. I
IMPORTANT TO STATE UP FRONT THA
THAT IS TRUE AND THIS
LEGISLATION WOULD BE INNOVATIVE
WE OFTEN LOOK TO OTHER
JURISDICTIONS , OTHER CITIES AN
STATES WITH SIMILAR REGULATION
WHEN WE ARE THINKING ABOUT
IMPLEMENTING NEW LEGISLATION,
AND WE ARE JUST NOT ABLE TO DO
THAT IN THIS CASE. AND PREDICT
WHAT IMPACTS WOULD BE HERE IN
SEATTLE BECAUSE THERE IS NO
SIMILAR REGULATION ELSEWHERE IN
THE COUNTRY. ALSO IN ANALYZING
A BILL WE OFTEN LOOK TO
AVAILABLE DATA TO UNDERSTAND
QUANTITATIVELY THE CASE FOR THA
BILL. HERE WE HAVE RUN INTO A
COMMON PITFALL OF BEING
INNOVATIVE, WHICH IS THAT WE
WEREN'T ABLE TO FIND DATA SETS
SUGGESTING THAT REGULATION IS
NEEDED REGARDING PERSONAL
GUARANTEES, SECURITY DEPOSITS,
AND/OR LETTERS OF CREDIT. OR
SPECIFICALLY, WHAT THOSE
REGULATIONS SHOULD BE. WE
WEREN'T ABLE TO FIND MUCH
RESEARCH ON THESE TOPICS, EVEN
ASHLEY. RESEARCH IS FOCUSED MOR
ON HOW INCREASED ACCESS TO
CAPITAL AND CREDIT HELPS NEW
BUSINESSES SURVIVE. AND THIS
BILL WOULD LEAD TO FORGONE
EXPENDITURES BY BUSINESS
OWNERS, IT WOULD PROVIDE THAT
INCREASED ACCESS. BUT, THIS IS
A CASE, OR ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE
IS NOT EVIDENCE OF ABSENCE.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE COSTS
OF LEADING THE FIELD. AND
REDUCING /PRODUCING INNOVATIVE
LEGISLATION. COMMITTEE MEMBERS
SHOULD BE AWARE THE BILL WAS
DRAFTED BASED ON A GREAT DEAL O
STAKEHOLDER INPUT FROM
COMMERCIAL TENANTS. BUT, WITHOU
SIMILARLY BROUGHT ENGAGEMENT OF
LESSORS. IN A SENSE THAT THE
BILL SEEKS TO BALANCE THE
FINANCIAL INTERESTS OF THESE
PARTIES, IT IS NOT CLEAR THAT
IT HAS DONE THAT. THE MEMO ALSO
DISCUSSES THE FACT THAT NOT ALL
COMMERCIAL LESSORS ARE CREATED
EQUAL. THERE ARE HUGE NATIONAL
CONGLOMERATES AND THEIR OWNERS
OF A SINGLE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
WHO MAY NOT EVEN BE EARNING
MONTHLY PROFIT FROM LEASE
PAYMENTS. GIVEN THIS
DIFFERENCE, EVEN CREATING A
HYPOTHETICAL LESSOR STAKEHOLDER
GROUP , SUCH THAT IT SPOKE WITH
ONE VOICE, MIGHT NOT BE
REALISTIC. FINALLY, THERE COUL
BE COSTS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES TO IMPLEMENT THE
LEGISLATION. THE BILL DOES NOT
INCLUDE ANY OR ENFORCEMENT
STRUCTURE. THERE ARE NO STAFF
ADS, BUT IT DOES CREATE
INCREMENTAL WORKED FOR STAFF
THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE
ABSORBED. AS WE LEARN MORE, WE
WILL KEEP COMMITTEE MEMBERS
UPDATED ABOUT THOSE POTENTIAL
COSTS. NEXT SLIDE. NOW IS THE
TIME, I WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS A
BEST AS I CAN.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> THANK YOU. A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. SO, FOLKS MAY
RECALL THAT DURING COVID I
SPONSORED LEGISLATION THAT THI
COUNCIL PASSED THAT ONLY WAS I
PLACE DURING THE STATE OF
EMERGENCY, ORDINANCE 12 6066
THE PROHIBITED ALL RENT
INCREASES TO SMALL BUSINESSES
AND ALSO REQUIRED THAT LESSORS
NEGOTIATE PAYMENT PLANS FOR
RENT THAT SMALL BUSINESSES HAD
FALLEN BEHIND ON. WE DEFINED
BUSINESSES IN THAT LEGISLATION
AS INCLUSIVE OF NONPROFITS. I A
WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT THIS
LEGISLATION IS INCLUSIVE OF
NONPROFITS AS A TYPE OF BUSINES
. THAT IS MY FIRST QUESTION.
>> I WILL ANSWER. I AM NOT SUR
THE EXTENT TO WHICH STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGEMENT INCLUDED NONPROFIT
BUSINESSES. I RECEIVED A CALL
FROM A STAKEHOLDER HERE THIS
WEEK ASKING ABOUT JUST THAT
POINT. ASSUMING THAT THIS IS
CONSISTENT WITH THE SPONSORS
INTEREST, I THINK IT IS WORTH
ENGAGING WITH LAW AND SEEING
WHETHER WE SHOULD BROADEN THE
DEFINITION OF COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY TO MAKE CLEAR THAT,
ALTHOUGH IT IS COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY, A NONPROFIT BUSINESS
MIGHT BE CONDUCTED FROM IT.
>> ALSO, YOU HAD MENTIONED THA
THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF DATA T
EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS
OF THE BILL LIKE THIS, NO OTHE
BILLS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
DO WE HAVE AT LEAST ANECDOTAL
INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE
COLLECTED ABOUT THE BILL THAT
WAS SIMILAR THAT WAS IN PLACE
DURING THE STATE OF EMERGENCY
THAT MIGHT BE ILLUSTRATIVE TO
OUR DELIBERATIONS HERE?
>> I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY DATA
THAT WAS COLLECTED REGARDING
THAT BILL. I SUSPECT THAT
STAKEHOLDERS MIGHT THEMSELVES
HAVE SOME INFORMATION AND I CA
WORK WITH THEM TO GATHER WHAT
INFORMATION THEY HAVE AND TO
MAKE SURE THAT IT IS PUBLICLY
PRESENTED AT THE NEXT MEETING O
THIS COMMITTEE.
>> I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY
HELPFUL.
>> YEAH, TO JUMPING ON THAT,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD , WE DO
HAVE PRETTY EXTENSIVE ANECDOTA
EXPERIENCES WE HAVE COLLECTED
AND CAN BRING AN ENDLESS
PARADE OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
WHO WILL SHARE THEIR STORIES
ABOUT THIS. WE HEARD A COUPLE
OF THOSE AT PUBLIC COMMENT
TODAY. PER THE INFORMATION YOU
SORT OF RAISE, WHICH IS
ANECDOTAL INFORMATION, SPECIFIC
INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE
IMPACTED AND AFFECTED THE HAS
MADE THIS RISE TO THIS LEVEL, I
WOULD ALSO ADD THAT WE PROBABLY
THERE MIGHT BE SOME NATIONAL
SOURCES OF INFORMATION WE COULD
LOOK AT PERTAINING TO SIMILAR
EMERGENCY MEASURES. WE WERE NOT
THE ONLY CITY TO PROPOSE
EMERGENCY MEASURES AROUND
PERSONAL GUARANTEES DURING
COVID. NEW YORK CITY , I
BELIEVE HAD SUCH A PROPOSAL. SO
THERE ARE OTHER PLACES WE CAN
LOOK TO FOR THE COVID ERA
POLICIES WERE A SIMILAR RECORD
WAS BUILT. YES, WORKING WITH
WASHINGTON HOSPITALITY AND
SEATTLE RESTAURANT ALLIANCE, WE
CAN WORK ON A WAY TO MORE
FORMALLY AGGREGATE THAT
ANECDOTAL INFORMATION INTO A
PACKAGE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION
>> GREAT, MY LAST QUESTION
RELATES TO HOW THE ISSUE OF
TENANT IMPROVEMENTS FITS INTO
THE MAXIMUM PERSONAL GUARANTEE
THAT IS PERMITTED BY THE
LEGISLATION. AND I UNDERSTAND
THIS TO SAY THAT THERE IS A
LIMIT ON RENT THAT WILL GO
TOWARDS THE MAXIMUM PERSONAL
GUARANTEE PERMITTED. BUT, THER
IS NO TOTAL LIMIT ON THE TENAN
IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD BE
REQUIRED , JUST THAT THE TOTAL
OF THOSE TENANT IMPROVEMENTS
COUNT TOWARDS THE MAXIMUM
PERSONAL GUARANTEE. IN A
SITUATION THAT I RAN INTO ,
RECENTLY, MAYBE A YEAR AGO, A
LOCAL BUSINESS IN MY DISTRICT
RECENTLY CLOSED AND THEY HAD A
SITUATION WHERE THERE WAS
SIGNIFICANT TENANT IMPROVEMENT
REQUIRED BY THE LANDLORD. AND
AFTER SHE MADE THOSE VERY
COSTLY TENANT IMPROVEMENTS, SH
STAYED TO THE END OF HER TERM,
AND THEN THE LANDLORD CHOSE NO
TO UP RELEASE. I'M JUST
WONDERING, WITHOUT CAPPING THE
TENANT IMPROVEMENTS OR WITHOUT
HAVING A REQUIREMENT THAT IF YO
THINK A LOT OF YOUR OWN MONEY
INTO PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS,
THERE SHOULD BE AN EXPECTATION
THAT THE LEASE LIVES ON FOR
CERTAIN MEN OF TIME OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I DON'T
UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTION OF
INCLUDING THE TOTAL COST OF TH
TENANT IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS
MAXIM GUARANTEE IF THAT COULD
BE AN UNLIMITED NUMBER OF
DOLLARS AND THERE IS NO SORT OF
PROTECTION ASSOCIATED WITH
THAT INVESTMENT.
>> WE COULD CERTAINLY EXPLORE
WHAT A REASONABLE PATH ON THE
TENANT IMPROVEMENTS MIGHT BE. I
IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES THESE COST
CAN BE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, AS
WITH THE COMMERCIAL KITCHEN
EXAMPLE. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT
AT SOME POINT , IF THERE IS A
CAP, LESSORS WILL BE LESS
WILLING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS
AND EXTEND THESE LEASES TO NEW
TENANTS. SO THIS IS A BIT OF A
BALANCING ACT. BUT IN THE
EXAMPLE YOU CITE, IT DOES SEEM
THAT THE LANDLORD SHOULD NOT
HAVE THE UNILATERAL ABILITY TO
SAY, YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR
ALL THESE THINGS, AND BY THE
WAY, I'M NOT GOING TO RENEW YOU
LEASE. THAT COULD BE
POTENTIALLY ANOTHER AREA OF
COMMERCIAL LEASE REGULATION FO
COUNCIL TO EXPLORE IN THE
FUTURE.
>> THANK YOU FOR STATING BACK M
INARTICULATE EXCELLENT NATION
OF THE SITUATION. BECAUSE IT
SHOWS TO ME YOU REALLY
UNDERSTOOD THE POINT I WAS
GETTING ACROSS. I REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD . COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES?
>> THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE
QUESTIONS, BUT I DO WANT TO
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, FOR
RAISING THIS ISSUE AND, YOU
KNOW, WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUS
RESIDENTIAL TENANTS IN THE CITY
WHO WERE DEALING WITH A REAL
NEED FOR TENANT PROTECTIONS.
ARE SMALL BUSINESSES ARE ALSO
GETTING PUSHED OUT OF THE CITY
BY THE INCREASING COST OF DOING
BUSINESS HERE. SO, IT SOUNDS
LIKE THIS IS A REALLY GOOD FIRS
STEP FOR US TO START TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE OPTIONS AR
FOR MAKING SURE WE ARE PROVIDIN
SOME TENANT PROTECTION TO OUR
SMALL BUSINESSES. I HAVE
HUNDREDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN
MY DISTRICT AS WELL . AND, MANY
OF THEM ARE BUSINESS OWNERS WH
DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH AS A FIRST
LANGUAGE , FOR EXAMPLE. THERE I
AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE OF
BARRIER TO THEM UNDERSTANDING
WHAT KIND OF LEASES THEY ARE
GETTING THEMSELVES INTO, HOW
THEY MIGHT GET OUT OF SUCH A
LEASE, WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS AR
FOR ENSURING THEY HAVE ACCESS T
STABILITY FOR THEIR BUSINESSES.
SO I THINK THIS IS -- I HAVE A
FEELING ONCE WE STICK OUR NOSE
UNDER THIS TENT WERE GOING TO
REALIZE THERE ARE A LOT OF
ISSUES WHEN WORKING ON AS A CIT
TO MAKE SURE OUR SMALL BUSINESS
COMMUNITY HAS GREATER
PROTECTIONS IN THE CITY. AND I
AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND
JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
RAISING THIS ISSUE AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING ON IT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES. JUST TO
DIGRESS FOR A MOMENT, I DO THIN
THAT LOTS OF THINGS WERE REALLY
PUT INTO FOCUS FOR US AS
COMMUNITY MEMBERS DURING COVID.
THINGS WE REALLY TOOK FOR
GRANTED, AND THINGS THAT WHEN
FACED WITH EXTREME PRESSURES,
CAUSED A LOT OF ANXIETY AND
HURT IN THE COMMUNITY. ONE OF
THOSE THINGS WAS LOOKING AT TH
MASSIVE AMOUNT OF INSECURITY A
LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES, THEY
ARE NOT, STRICTLY SPEAKING, A
GOVERNMENT SERVICE, THEY ARE NO
STRICTLY SPEAKING, LIKE AN ART
AND CULTURAL INSTITUTION
THEMSELVES, BUT THEY ARE
FOUNDATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND
GATHERING PLACES IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL TO US.
AND AS YOU STATE, THEY ARE
FACING INCREASING PRESSURES TO
EXIST, TO THRIVE AND REMAIN
HERE. AND A LITTLE PART OF ALL
OF US GOES AWAY WHEN WE LOSE
THESE BUSINESSES. THIS IS ONE O
THE THINGS THAT REALLY CAME FRO
COMMUNITY, I TOOK PROPERTY LIEN
LAW SCHOOL BUT I WASN'T SITTIN
AROUND THINKING, WHAT RK
PROBABLY LAUGHING CAN I DO TO
HELP RESTAURANTS. I DID IT
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME TO
ME AND SAID, WE NEED THIS OR WE
WILL NOT BE HERE WHEN COVID IS
OVER. TO BUILD ON AND WORK ON
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL
FOR US AS A COUNCIL AND CITY
LEADERS. BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT
TO LOSE THESE REALLY CRITICAL
AND IMPORTANT PLACES IN OUR
COMMUNITY AND THE SENSE OF
COMMUNITY THAT THEY BUILT.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> JUST A FOLLOW-UP ON BOTH OF
YOUR COMMENTS . SOMETHING I SOR
OF ALLUDED TO IN MIND, I JUST
WANT TO REMIND COUNCIL MEMBERS
AND THE VIEWING PUBLIC , ONE OF
THE THINGS WE FOUND OUT DURING
COVID , OR FOR SOME OF US, MAYB
NOT FOUND OUT BUT WERE REMINDED
OF, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT A
FREEZE , TO BAN RENT INCREASES
FOR COMMERCIAL LEASES, BECAUSE
THERE IS NOT A STATE PREEMPTION
FOR COMMERCIAL LEASES. AND SO,
DID, AFTER THAT LAW LAPSED
WITH THE STATE OF EMERGENCY, I
DID DO SOME STAKEHOLDER
MEETINGS TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT
THERE WAS INTEREST IN REPLACING
THE BAN WITH SOME SORT OF A
RENT REGULATION. I THINK THERE
WAS INTEREST, JUST NOT THE
BANDWIDTH TO ENGAGE IN WHAT I
THINK WOULD BE A BIG POLICY BIT
TO TAKE ON. AND SO I JUST FLA
THAT FOR FUTURE WORK IN THIS
AREA. AS COUNCILMEMBER MORALE
SAID, THERE'S A LOT TO BE DONE
AND I THINK WE ARE JUST
BEGINNING TO PEEL THE ONION.
THANK YOU, CHAIR LEWIS, FOR
HELPING US TO SO.
>> THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
FROM COUNCIL COLLEAGUES? THIS I
OUR FIRST HEARING ON THIS TOPIC
I WANTED TO GET IT IN BEFORE
THE COUNCIL RECESS. I WANT TO
GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO FAMILIARIZE
THEMSELVES WITH THE POLICY. AS
ANN INDICATED, THERE'S GOING TO
BE ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDER
DURING THAT HER OFFICE IS GOIN
TO WANT TO DO WITH IMPACT
PARTIES. BUT, I WANTED TO MAKE
SURE WE GOT THIS INITIAL HEARIN
OUT THERE MAKE SURE OFFICES CA
PREPARE AND START THINKING ABOU
THIS POLICY AND HOPEFULLY BE IN
A POSITION TO TAKE ACTION ON
THIS POLICY FOR THE BUDGET THIS
FALL. ARE THERE ANY CLOSING
COMMENTS , NOT SEEING ANY. LET'
CLOSE OUT A NUMBER THREE , THAN
YOU. AGAIN, ANN, THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THIS IS BEEN A VERY BIG
AND TIME-CONSUMING POLICY
PROJECT TO SHEPHERD. I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR DILIGENCE,
PROFESSIONALISM, AND ABILITY I
WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS, KIN
WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND MY
OFFICE TO BRING THIS FORWARD. T
THANK MY STAFF AS WELL AS MY
CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THEIR WORK O
THIS POLICY. AND OF COURSE,
SEATTLE RESTAURANT CLIENTS AND
WASHINGTON HOSPITALITY, AUSTIN
MILLER WHO IS IN THE GALLERY HA
BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL IN
GETTING US WHAT WE NEED, GETTIN
THIS POLICY IN FRONT OF US.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I AM
LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING
THIS DISCUSSION IN THE COMING
WEEKS. WITH THAT, COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES, THAT IS OUR LAST
AGENDA ITEM. IS THERE ANYTHING
FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER?
SEEING NOTHING FOR THE GOOD OF
THE ORDER, IT IS 3:50 PM AND
THIS COMMITTEE MEETING IS
ADJOURNED.