>> WE ARE RECORDING.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR
TUNING IN AND WELCOME.
IT IS DECEMBER 15th OF 2020 AND
THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
SEATTLE CITY'S COUNSEL
COMMITTEE MEETING WILL COME TO
ORDER.
IT IS 2:00 P.M.
EXACTLY.
ALMOST ABOUT TO BE 2:01 P.M.,
I'M ANDREW LEWIS, CHAIRMAN.
WILL COMMITTEE CLERK JACOB
THORPE PLEASE CALL THE ROLE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> PRESENT.
>> THERE ARE SEVEN
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR.
CLERK.
AND I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBERS MOSQUEDA AND
SAWANT FOR INFORMING ME IN
ADVANCE THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO
ATTEND TODAY'S COMMITTEE
MEETING.
THEY ARE EXCUSED.
SO MOVING ONTO MATTER B,
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, IF
THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION.
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
CHAIR'S REPORT.
TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AT
THE TOP.
THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT ARE
ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS GOING TO
BE AN INITIAL HEARING ON THE
BILL THAT I INTRODUCED AND PUT
FORWARD A FEW WEEKS AGO ON
PERMANENT SUPPORT OF HOUSING
AND THAT IS COUNCIL BILL
119975, AND THERE IS NOT GOING
TO BE A VOTE OR CONSIDERATION
OF AMENDMENTS.
THIS IS THE FIRST HEARING ON
THE BILL FOR CENTRAL STAFF TO
ANSWER QUESTIONS, TO HEAR FROM
STAKEHOLDERS AND TO GIVE THE
PUBLIC A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF
WHAT THE BILL SEEKS TO
ACCOMPLISH AND HOW THAT CAME TO
FRUITION.
THE SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA
WILL BE A PRESENTATION FROM
FOLKS ON THE EXECUTIVE SIDE OF
THE CITY GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS
SOME OF OUR OUTREACH PARTNERS
FROM REACH AND THE PUBLIC
DEFENDER ASSOCIATION TO DISCUSS
HOW INVESTMENTS ARE BEING STOOD
UP, THAT THIS COUNCIL FUNDED IN
THE BUDGET, AND HOW WE ARE
GOING TO START MAKING MORE
PROGRESS ON IMPLEMENTING THOSE
BUDGET ADDS AND TURNING THEM
INTO REALITY OVER THE COURSE OF
2021 AND TO GIVE THE COUNCIL A
QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE
STAND ON THAT AND OPEN THE DOOR
TO MORE UPDATES AS WE GET INTO
JANUARY OF 2021.
SO GIVEN THAT, I WANT TO MOVE
ONTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL MOVE INTO
THE REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD.
I THANK EVERYONE FOR THE
ONGOING PATIENCE AND
COOPERATION AS WE CONTINUE TO
OPERATE THIS REMOTE PUBLIC
SYSTEM.
IT REMAINS THE STRONG INTENT OF
THE CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE PUBLIC
COMMENT REGULARLY INCLUDED ON
MEETING AGENDAS.
HOWEVER, THE CITY COUNCIL
RESERVES THE RIGHT TO END OR
ELIMINATE THESE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIODS AT ANY POINT IF WE DEEM
THAT THIS SYSTEM IS BEING
ABUSED OR IS UNSUITABLE FOR
ALLOWING OUR MEETINGS TO BE
CONDUCTED EFFICIENTLY AND IN A
MANNER IN WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO
CONDUCT OUR NECESSARY BUSINESS.
I WILL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER.
FIRST, THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD FOR THIS MEETING IS UP
TO 20 MINUTES AND EACH SPEAKER
WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO
SPEAK.
I WILL CALL ON TWO SPEAKERS AT
A TIME AND IN THE ORDER IN
WHICH REGISTERED ON COUNCIL'S
WEBSITE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED
TO SPEAK BUT WOULD LIKE TO, YOU
CAN SIGN UP BEFORE THE END OF
THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BY
GOING TO THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE
AT SEATTLE.GOV/COUNCIL.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT LINK IS ALSO
LISTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
ONCE I CALL A SPEAKER'S NAME,
STAFF WILL UNMUTE THE
APPROPRIATE MICROPHONE AND AN
AUTOMATIC PROMPT THAT YOU HAVE
BEEN UNMUTED WILL BE THE
SPEAKER'S CUE THAT IT IS THEIR
TURN TO SPEAK AND THAT THE
SPEAKER MUST PRESS STAR SIX TO
BEGIN SPEAKING.
PLEASE BEGIN SPEAKING BY
STATING YOUR NAME AND THE ITEM
THAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING.
AS A REMINDER, PUBLIC COMMENT
SHOULD RELATE TO AN ITEM ON
TODAY'S AGENDA.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT OF THE
ALLOCATED TIME.
ONCE YOU HEAR THE CHIME, WE ASK
THAT YOU BEGIN TO WRAP UP YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF SPEAKERS DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME PROVIDED, THE
SPEAKER'S MICROPHONE WILL BE
MUTED TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON
THE NEXT SPEAKER.
ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT, WE ASK THAT YOU
PLEASE DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE
AND IF YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE
FOLLOWING THIS MEETING, PLEASE
DO SO VIA SEATTLE CHANNEL OR
THE LISTENING OPTIONS LISTED ON
THE AGENDA.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW OPEN AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH
THE FIRST TWO SPEAKERS ON THE
LIST.
LET ME CALL THE FIRST SPEAKERS
OUT.
THE FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE DAVID
HANES, FOLLOWED BY NAOMI C.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRESS STAR
SIX AFTER YOU HEAR THE PROMPT
TO UNMUTE AND THEN UNMUTE IT.
I TURNED THE --
MR. HANES, ARE YOU WITH US?
WELL, MAYBE WE LOST MR. HANES.
SO WHY DON'T WE MOVE ON TO --
>> MR. HANES IS --
>> WAIT.
>> THERE HE IS.
>> HELLO.
>> YES, PLEASE.
PROCEED.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS -- OKAY.
HELLO, MY NAME IS DAVID HANES.
I AM HOMELESS AND I JUST GOT
OUT OF THE HOSPITAL FOUR TIMES
IN THE LAST NINE DAYS WITH A
I HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.
I TRIED 211 AND THERE'S NOTHING
SUITABLE FOR ME TO GET OFF THE
STREET AND ADD HERE TO THE
DOCTOR'S ORDERS.
I ASKED SOCIAL WORKER AT
HOSPITAL FOR A MOTEL VOUCHER
AND SHE SAYS I'M BETTER OFF
STAYING ON THE FRONT PORCH IN
UPPER QUEEN ANNE WHERE I'M AT
NOW.
MY ANKLE IS SWOLLEN AND I CAN'T
TAKE THE MRI BECAUSE IT'S
CONSTANTLY IRRITATED FROM
MOVING AROUND, NOT ABLE TO
ELEVATE AND ICE AND EAT PROPER
FOODS.
I AM ASKING CITY COUNCIL TO
RECLAIM THE $26.5 MILLION THAT
WAS SPECIFICALLY SENT TO SOLVE
THE HOMELESS CRISIS RIGHT NOW
AND HELP PEOPLE LIKE ME GET OFF
THE STREET INTO A ROOM SHARE
WITH FIRST MONTH, LAST MONTH
AND DEPOSIT.
I CAN TAKE OVER THE PAYMENTS
BUT I CAN'T -- I DON'T HAVE THE
LUMP SUM TO MOVE IN.
WE NEED THE HOMELESS CRISIS
MONEY SENT FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO BE USED NOW AS
THEY WERE INTENDED.
WE CAN DEMAND GOVERNOR DEPLOY
NATIONAL GUARD TO RAPIDLY BUILD
TINY VILLAGES NOW.
WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT ON SHARON
LEE OF LEHIGH AND URBAN REST
STOP WHO IS CLOSED ON WEEKENDS
IN BALCONY LAND.
WE DON'T NEED TO BUY OFF A
POLITICAL RE-ELECTION SUPPORT
NEXT YEAR AT EXPENSE OF
INNOCENT HOMELESS SUFFERING A
SIX-YEAR CRISIS FURTHERED BY
REDIRECTING MONEY MEANT TO
SOLVE THE HOMELESS CRISIS INTO
POLITICAL DONORS AND OWNERS OF
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS IN A TRADE
OF INTEGRITY AND FORTHRIGHT
EFFORT.
PLEASE REDIRECT THE $26.5
MILLION MEANT TO SOLVE THE
HOMELESS CRISIS RIGHT NOW,
TODAY.
MY PHONE NUMBER IS 206-712-
9621.
PLEASE CALL.
IF YOU CAN HELP ME.
I HAVE TRIED YOUR OFFICES AND
NO ONE WILL RETURN MY PHONE
CALL WITH HELP FOR ME AND
OTHERS SUFFERING UNNECESSARILY.
>> DAVID, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE NAOMI
C. ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE THEY
ARE CURRENTLY LISTED AS NOT
PRESENT.
SO NAOMI, IF YOU'RE OUT THERE,
SIGN IN AND WE WILL COME BACK
TO YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE HATTIE
RHODES.
AND HATTIE, YOU HAVE TWO
MINUTES.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS HATTIE RHODES.
I AM THE SITE COORDINATOR FOR
THE GEORGETOWN TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE.
I AM ON THE PHONE TODAY TO
ADVOCATE FOR A SAFE PARKING LOT
FOR RV CAMPERS.
LAST WEEK I WATCHED RVs BEING
TOWED INTO A SMALL AREA ACROSS
THE STREET FROM THE TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE HERE.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD ANYTHING
ABOUT THIS BY THE CITY.
THOUGH, WE FOUND OUT LATER THIS
MOVE HAD BEEN PLANNED SINCE
AUGUST.
THIS SITE HAS 12 RVs, TWO
TRAILERS AND MANY CARS AND IT
IS LOCATED IN AN AREA THAT
ISN'T SUITED FOR PARKING LONG
TERM.
IF THE CITY KNEW THESE RVs
NEEDED TO MOVE, WHY DIDN'T THEY
FIND SOMEWHERE THAT IS ON
ASPHALT?
WHY DIDN'T THEY TALK TO THE
NEIGHBORS?
THEY COULD HAVE FOUND A BETTER
SOLUTION.
AND I AM HOPING THAT THE CITY
BECOMES MORE FORWARD THINKING
IN THE FUTURE.
A SAFE PARKING LOT WITH PORT-A-
POTTIES AND PURPLE BAGS IS A
STARTING POINT AND I HOPE WE
CAN HELP THE RV CAMPERS WITH A
LONGER-TERM SOLUTION THAN WHAT
THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, HATTIE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HAROLD
O'ODHAM, ALTHOUGH, I DON'T
BELIEVE HAROLD IS CURRENTLY
PRESENT, FOLLOWED BY SEAN PAUL
WHO SIGNED UP BUT IS ALSO NOT
PRESENT.
AT THIS TIME, SINCE WE -- OH,
IT LOOKS LIKE NAOMI C IS NOW
PRESENT.
SO WE CAN GO BACK TO NAOMI AND
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED FOR TWO
MINUTES.
>> HELLO.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> OH, GREAT.
OKAY.
WELL, THANKS FOR COMING BACK TO
ME.
I WAS HAVING SOME PROBLEMS.
BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SPEAK,
MY NAME IS NAOMI C WITH THE LOW
INCOME HOUSING INSTITUTE AND I
FIRST WANT TO SPEAK ON COUNCIL
BILL 119975.
WE ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS
BILL AND ARE SO, SO EXCITED
THAT THIS LEGISLATION IS BEING
BROUGHT FORWARD.
AS YOU KNOW, ONE THING BARRIER
TO CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IS THE EXTENSIVE LAND USE
PROCESS.
AND WHILE FOR PROFIT DEVELOPERS
CAN ABSORB THE COST OF DELAYED
CONSTRUCTION STARTS AND
INCREASE KUNTZ PFIZER,
NONPROFITS ARE FORCED TO --
DELAY THEIR DELIVERY OF
DESPERATELY NEEDED UNITS.
DESIGN REVIEW CAN INTRODUCE
UNCERTAINTY INTO THE PROJECT
SCHEDULE, DELAY OUR TAX CREDIT
ALLOCATIONS, AND ADDITIONALLY,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS
ARE ALREADY HELD EXTREMELY
ACCOUNTABLE ON A VARIETY OF
LEVELS TO DELIVER HIGH-QUALITY
BUILDINGS.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO
SEEING THIS IMPLEMENTED.
AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO ECHO
HATTIE'S COMMENTS ON THE RV
SAFE SPOT.
WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE
GEORGETOWN COMMUNITY WHO HAS
EXPRESSED OVER MANY YEARS THEIR
FRUSTRATION WITH THIS.
IT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO THE
PEOPLE LIVING IN RVs.
THE GEORGETOWN COMMUNITY, AND
THE RESIDENTS OF THE TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE, TO CREATE THE SCENARIO
WHERE THERE'S TENSION AMONG
SERVICE PROVIDERS AND PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
INSTEAD OF COMING UP WITH A
SOLUTION THAT IS REALLY
MEANINGFUL AND CAN MAKE A
DIFFERENCE, WHICH IS AN RV SAFE
LOT.
THERE ARE PARKING LOTS THAT ARE
OWNED THROUGHOUT SODO AND
GEORGETOWN AND OTHER PLACES IN
THE CITY BY THE CITY AND BY FOR
PROFIT OWNERS THAT WOULD BE
READILY AVAILABLE TO USE FOR
THESE SAFE LOTS, WORKING WITH
THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY
ON COMING UP WITH A SOLUTION
FOR THE RVs.
SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.
SO WITH THAT, WE DON' HAVE ANY
OTHER SPEAKERS WHO ARE PRESENT,
SO AT THIS TIME I AM GOING TO
CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT
WINDOW.
IF WE COULDN'T GET TO YOU OR
FOR WHATEVER REASON YOU
COULDN'T LOG IN TODAY, FOLKS
ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT PUBLIC
COMMENT VIA EMAIL AT COUNCIL AT
SEATTLE.GOV AND THAT COMMENT
WILL BE FORWARDED ON TO THE
REST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE AND MYSELF AND I
APOLOGIZE IF WE WEREN'T ABLE TO
GET TO YOU TODAY.
MOVING ONTO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS.
SO ITEM 1, WE WILL NOW MOVE
ONTO THE PRESENTATION ON
COUNCIL BILL 119975.
SO MR. THORPE, WILL YOU PLEASE
READ ITEM 1 INTO THE RECORD.
>> DISCUSSION ON COUNCIL BILL
119975, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING LAND USE CODE
REGULATIONS, PRESENTATION OF
HOUSING, ERIC BELLGARD OF
SEATTLE CLUB AND FREEMAN OF
SEATTLE CENTRAL STAFF.
>> THANK YOU.
I ALSO SEE THAT JEFF SIMMS,
TRACY RATZLIFF AND BRIAN GOOD
KNIGHT HAVE JOINED US AS WELL
FROM COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF FOR
THIS DISCUSSION AND ARE
AVAILABLE TO BE A RESOURCE TO
US.
BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR
PRESENTATIONS, CAN WE DO A
QUICK ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS BY
STATING YOUR NAME AND THE
ORGANIZATION YOU ARE HERE
REPRESENTING TODAY?
AND WHY DON'T WE START WITH --
IN THE ORDER THAT YOU PUT THEM
OUT THERE, JACOB.
WHY DON'T WE START WITH TIM,
THEN DEREK AND THEN KEETLE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M TIM
PARHAM, THE DIRECTOR OF REAL
ESTATE AT PLYMOUTH HOUSING.
>> HELLO, EVERYBODY.
DEREK BELLGARD, DEPUTY DIRECTOR
FOR CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB.
>> I'M KEADLE FREEMAN, COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
>> JEFF SIMMS, COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF.
>> STACY RATZLIFF, COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
>> COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF.
>> EXCELLENT.
SO WHY DON'T WE MOVE ON, THEN,
TO THE DISCUSSION AND I'M HAPPY
THAT WE ARE ALL HERE TODAY TO
HAVE A BIG CONVERSATION ABOUT
THIS BEFORE WE GO ON RECESS SO
FOLKS CAN THINK ABOUT THIS AND
CAN -- OVER THE RECESS AS WE
TAKE THIS UP IN MORE DETAIL IN
JANUARY.
BUT WHAT I'M REALLY HOPING TO
GET OUT OF TODAY'S HEARING IS
TWOFOLD.
FIRST, FOR CENTRAL STAFF TO
WALK THROUGH THE TECHNICAL
ELEMENTS OF WHAT THIS
LEGISLATION WILL DO AND ALL OF
THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS AND
PARTS TO IT AND ANSWER
QUESTIONS THAT MYSELF AND MY
COLLEAGUES MIGHT HAVE ABOUT HOW
THOSE ELEMENTS WORK AND SOME
PERSPECTIVE AREAS COLLEAGUES
MIGHT BE THINKING ABOUT FOR
POTENTIAL AMENDMENT OR FLAGGING
FOR POTENTIAL CONCERN OR
SUPPORT.
AND THEN ALSO HEAR FROM SOME OF
OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO
HELPED MY OFFICE AND CENTRAL
STAFF DRAFT THIS LEGISLATION
ABOUT HOW THIS IS GOING TO
REALLY WORK IN PRACTICE.
FOR FOLKS WHO ARE BUILDING AND
OPERATING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING AND WHY THESE CHANGES
THAT WERE BROUGHT UP IN A
PROCESS THAT WAS LED AND
FACILITATED BY COMMUNITY AND
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING ARE GOING
TO HELP US ACHIEVE OUR LONG-
TERM GOAL ON SCALING THAT
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
WITH THAT, I WANT TO START WITH
THE TECHNICAL ELEMENTS AND
KEETLE FREEMAN FROM CENTRAL
STAFF HAS BEEN THE KEY PERSON
ON PREPARING AND DRAFTING THIS
LEGISLATION AND SHEPHERDING IT
THROUGH THE PROCESS SO FAR.
WHEN WE TRANSITION OUT OF THAT,
JEFF HAS SOME CONTEXT SETTING
INFORMATION GENERALLY ABOUT THE
NATURE OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING, THE CURRENT SUPPLY IN
KING COUNTY AND WHAT WE NEED TO
DO AS A REGION TO SCALE UP TO
MEET THE DEMAND AND I THINK
THAT WILL BE A GOOD SEGUE INTO
HEARING FROM OUR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS.
SO WHY DON'T WE START OFF BY
HEARING FROM KEETLE.
I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO TAKE THE
ADVANTAGE AFTER KEETLE'S
PRESENTATION TO HAVE A ROUND OF
TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, AND THEN
WHEN WE TRANSITION TO THE NEXT
PHASE, HOLD OUR QUESTIONS UNTIL
AFTER WE HAVE HEARD FROM JEFF
AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR
SOME OF THE MORE POLICY AND
IMPLEMENTATION-BASED
DISCUSSION.
SO KEETLE, WHY DON'T WE START
WITH YOU AND THEN FOLLOWING
YOUR PRESENTATION, I WILL PAUSE
FOR SOME QUESTIONS FROM
COLLEAGUES.
>> SURE.
HAPPY TO DO IT.
KEETLE FREEMAN, COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF.
ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA ARE A
COUPLE OF MEMOS FROM CENTRAL
STAFF.
ONE FROM ME THAT DESCRIBES THE
PARTICULARS OF COUNCIL BILL
119975 AND ANOTHER FROM JEFF
THAT PUT SOME NUMBERS AROUND
THE DEMAND FOR PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY THAT
INFORMS SOME CONTENT IN THE
BILL AND THE COUNCIL'S
CONSIDERING TO TAKE IT UP, WHAT
COUNCIL BILL 119975 WOULD DO
AND THEN REMIND THE COMMITTEE
ABOUT THE PROCEDURAL POSTURE OF
THE BILL.
I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD SHARE
THE MEMO IN THE INTEREST OF
HAVING SOMETHING ON THE SCREEN
THAT IS NOT MY FACE.
I'LL SHARE THE SCREEN HERE.
>> A DEFINITION IN THE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT ACT WHICH IS THE
BROAD FRAMEWORK FOR REGULATING
LAND USE AND REGULATING
PLANNING AND LAND USE IN THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON, INCLUDING
A DEFINITION FOR PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THAT BILL WAS NOT JUST ABOUT
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
IT WAS ALSO ABOUT OTHER CHANGES
TO THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT TO
ENCOURAGE PROVISION OF HOUSING
MORE BROADLY, INCLUDING ALL
FORMS OF LOW INCOME HOUSING BUT
AMONG OTHER THINGS, COUNCIL
BILL 1923 PRECLUDED
JURISDICTIONS PLANNING UNDER
THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT FROM
PROHIBITING CITING OF PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN
MULTIFAMILY AND MULTI-USE
ZONES.
IT DOESN'T HAVE SPECIFIC
REGULATIONS THAT GOVERNOR
DEVELOPMENT OF PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
WHAT WOULD COUNCIL BILL 119975
DO?
IT WOULD DEFINE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE
PURPOSES OF USE CODE, ELIMINATE
STANDARDS THAT CAN BE BARRIERS
TO SUPPORTIVE HOUSE AND --
WEIGH CERTAIN -- ADMINISTRATIVE
DECISION.
WITH RESPECT TO DEFINITION, I'M
HERE ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THE
MEMORANDUM.
THE DEFINITION FOR PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROPOSED BY
COUNCIL BILL 119975 WOULD
DEFINE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING AS A MULTIFAMILY
RESIDENTIAL USE WITH AT LEAST
90% OF UNITS AFFORDABLE TO
HOUSEHOLDS WITH INCOMES THAT DO
NOT EXCEED 50% OF -- INCOME BUT
THAT RECEIVES PUBLIC FUNDING
AND HAS A CONTRACTUAL TERM OF
AFFORDABILITY FOR AT LEAST 40
YEARS.
I'LL NOTE THAT THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING HAS SUGGESTED SOME
REVISIONS TO THIS DEFINITION
THAT WOULD NARROW THE
DEFINITION IN SOME SENSES TO
INCLUDE A MINIMUM PERCENTAGE OF
UNITS AFFORDABLE AT 30%, A VERY
MEDIUM INCOME.
THE DEFINITION ALSO
CONTEMPLATES THE PROVISION OF
ON-SITE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
WHICH IS A KEY ELEMENT OF
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
AND THOSE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
COULD BE AVAILABLE TO CLIENTS
AND RESIDENTS OF THE BUILDING
OR TO CLIENTS, MORE PROPERLY.
THE BILL WOULD ALSO ELIMINATE
SOME DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS THAT
CAN BE -- THOSE INCLUDE
EXEMPTING FLOOR AREA RATIO FOR
THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, FROM
FLOOR AREA RATIO MAXIMUMS,
EXEMPTING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING FROM REQUIRED STREET
LEVEL USES WHERE STREET LEVEL
USES REQUIREMENTS ARE IN PLACE
AND ALSO EXEMPTING PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FROM SHORT
AND LONG-TERM PARKING
REQUIREMENTS.
LOCATIONS FOR PERMANET ADEN THE
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING CAN BE
LOCATED, SPECIFICALLY IN OUR
COMMERCIAL TWO ZONES WHICH ARE
THE CITY'S MOST AUTO ORIENTED
COMMERCIAL ZONES, AFFORDABLE
HOUSING FOR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING
GENERALLY IS TYPICALLY
AUTHORIZED AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE
CONDITIONAL USE AND THIS BILL
WOULD ALLOW PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AS A USE
PERMIT.
FINALLY THE BILL WOULD
AUTHORIZE THE STCI DIRECTOR TO
WAIVE CERTAIN DEVELOPMENTS FOR
CERTAIN SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AS
AN ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION SO
PROJECTS WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM
DESIGN REVIEW BUT COULD STILL
RECEIVE SOME OF THE DESIGN
REVIEW TYPE BENEFITS BY MEETING
A TEST IN THE BILL WHICH IS THE
CERTAIN DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
CAN BE WAIVED IF IT LEADS TO
PROVISION OF MORE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS.
THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL BILL 911975
WOULD DO.
JUST A REMINDER ABOUT THE
PROCEDURAL POSTURE HERE, AS THE
COMMITTEE KNOWS, ANY CHANGES TO
THE LAND USE CODE COME WITH A
FAIR AMOUNT OF PROCEDURAL
FRICTION.
THIS BILL IS SUBJECT TO REVIEW
PURSUANT TO THE STATE OF OUR
MIDDLE POLICY ACT, STCI
PUBLISHED A THRESHOLD
DETERMINATION ABOUT
SIGNIFICANCE MEANING -- IS NOT
REQUIRED FOR THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION.
THAT DECISION IS AN APPEALABLE
DECISION AND COMES WITH A
COMMENT PERIOD.
THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS
BILL WOULD END ON DECEMBER
24th.
THE APPEAL PERIOD WILL END ON
DECEMBER 31st AND COUNCIL WILL
HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE
BILL IN JANUARY.
SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE -- AND IF
YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
ABOUT TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE
BILL, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
>> I HAVE ONE AT THE TOP,
KETIL, I'M HAPPY TO OPEN IT UP
FOR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS.
I WONDER IF YOU COULD SAY MORE
ABOUT THE CONVERSATION WITH
OFFICE OF HOUSING AROUND HOW
THE AMI GOAL POST MIGHT BE ABLE
TO BE ADJUSTED WHILE STILL
KEEPING THIS A WORKABLE BILL
THAT WILL HAVE THE INTENDED
EFFECT.
I REMEMBER PART OF OUR PROCESS
IN DRAFTING AND GOING BACK AND
FORTH WITH OFFICE OF HOUSING,
IT WAS ORIGINALLY -- YOU KNOW,
I DID WANT IT TO BE SET AT 30%,
YOU KNOW, 90% OF UNITS, 30% OR
BELOW, BUT THAT HAD CERTAIN
ISSUES IMPACTING SOURCES OF
FUNDS, ACCESS TO LENDING AND
OTHER PROBLEMS THAT NONPROFIT
DEVELOPERS ENCOUNTER.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE A
WAY AROUND THAT TO HAVE A MIXED
FORMULA THAT DOES INCLUDE AN
EXPLICIT 30% AMI LEVEL IN THAT
FORMULA.
I WONDER IF YOU MIGHT BE ABLE
TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THAT.
AND THEN I WILL OPEN IT UP TO
MORE QUESTIONS FROM COLLEAGUES.
>> SURE, YEAH.
HAPPY TO DO IT.
SO THE DEFINITION IN THE BILL
AS INTRODUCED WOULD REQUIRE
THAT 90% OF UNITS BE AFFORDABLE
TO HOUSEHOLDS WITH INCOMES THAT
ARE DEFINED THE LAND USE CODE
AS VERY LOW INCOME, THAT MEANS
50% OF VARIABLE INCOME OR LESS.
THE POPULATION MUST LIKELY TO
BE SERVED BY PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WOULD
QUALIFY AT A MUCH LOWER INCOME
THRESHOLD, THE ONE THAT'S OFTEN
USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF
PURSUING FEDERAL -- HOUSING TAX
CREDITS IS 30% AMI.
SO IT'S LIKELY THAT MOST OF THE
PROJECTS THAT ARE DEVELOPED
UNDER THESE CODE REVISIONS, IF
THEY ARE, PASSED BY THE COUNCIL
WOULD BE PROJECTS THAT SERVE
POPULATIONS OF 30% OF AMI AND
BELOW.
THE OFFICE OF HOUSING SOMETIMES
LIKES TO INCLUDE A MIX OF UNITS
AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING BECAUSE IT MAY MAKE
PROJECTS MORE ATTRACTIVE TO TAX
CREDIT INVESTORS.
AND THEY RECOMMENDED REQUIRING
THAT AT LEAST HALF OF THE UNITS
BE AFFORDABLE AT 30% AMI AND
BELOW WITH THE REST AFFORDABLE
UP TO 50% OF VERY MEDIUM
INCOME.
THEY THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT
UNIT MIX FOR ATTRACTING
TAXPAYER INVESTMENT FOR
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
>> REVISED FORMULA THAT WOULD
BE 50%, 30% AMI AND LOWER AND
THEN THE REST WOULD RETAIN THE
SAME LANGUAGE AS BETWEEN 30 AND
-- 30 AND 50% FOR THE OTHER
HALF?
IS THAT --
>> YES.
THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
I WOULD SAY AT LEAST 50% IS
LIKELY THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE
THAN 50% BUT IT SORT OF DEPENDS
ON WHO THE RESPONDENTS ARE TO
THE CITY'S -- ONE THING TO KEEP
IN MIND IS THIS IS A LAND USE
CODE DEFINITION FOR PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SO THIS IS A
DEFINITION NOT THAT THE OFFICE
OF HOUSING WILL USE IN MAKING
NO FUNDING DECISIONS, THIS IS A
DEFINITION THAT A LAND USE
PLANNER OR A ZONING PLANS
EXAMINER AT STCI WILL USE TO
DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A
PROJECT CAN AVAIL ITSELF OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION PROCESS
AND OTHER EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE
PROPOSED BY THIS BILL.
BUT TO GET IT CLOSER TO WHAT
THE OFFICE OF HOUSING EXPECTS
WHEN IT COMES TO AWARDING FUNDS
FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING THE MIX WOULD BE AT
LEAST 50% AT 30% OF AMI AND THE
REST UP TO AT LEAST -- I SHOULD
SAY AT LEAST HALF AT 30% OF AMI
WITH THE REST AFFORDABLE TO
HOUSEHOLDS EARNING UP TO 50% OF
MEDIAN INCOME.
>> THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
I WANT TO SIGNAL MY INTEREST
RIGHT NOW IN PURSUING THAT
AMENDMENT AS RECOMMENDED BY THE
OFFICE OF HOUSING, JUST FOR
CENTRAL STAFF TO BE AWARE OF
THAT, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE STILL
A LITTLE WHILE OFF FROM THIS.
SO THAT'S CERTAINLY A POST
RECESS PROJECT.
DON'T STRAIN YOURSELF PUTTING
THAT AMENDMENT TOGETHER RIGHT
NOW.
BUT I WANT TO FLAG THAT.
WITH THAT, I WANT TO OPEN IT
UP, COUNCIL COLLEAGUES,
TECHNICAL QUESTIONS FOR KETIL
BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE REST
OF THE PANEL
PANEL.
>> YES.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> THANK YOU, KETIL.
THIS IS HELPFUL.
MY FIRST QUESTION WAS ALSO
GOING TO BE ABOUT TRYING TO
REDUCE THE AMI LIMITS SO I'M
INTERESTED IN CONTINUING TO
HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.
I WONDER IF YOU COULD A LITTLE
FURTHER DOWN THE LIST, IT TALKS
ABOUT CCI'S ABILITY TO WAIVE OR
MODIFY SPECIFIED DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS WITH A COUPLE OF
EXCEPTIONS THERE.
I WONDER IF YOU COULD GIVE SOME
EXAMPLES OF WHAT THAT MIGHT BE,
IF IT'S NOT RELATED TO HIGH
BULK OR SCALE.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS
IF THER'S ANY MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY
RELATIONS PLAN THAT DEVELOPERS
ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT MIGHT
INCLUDE.
>> SURE.
MAYBE I CAN SHARE ANOTHER
SCREEN HERE TO SORT OF SHOW
WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
THAT COULD BE WAIVED OR
MODIFIED ARE PROPOSED TO BE.
APOLOGIES HERE IF I'M I'M NOT
DOING QUITE RIGHT.
ARE YOU ALL SEEING THE BILL
LANGUAGE ITSELF ON THE SCREEN?
>> NOT YET.
>> THAT DON'T NECESSARILY
PERTAIN -- A LOT HAVE TO DO
WITH ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL.
SO OVERHEAD WEATHER PROTECTION
REQUIREMENTS, FACADE OPENINGS,
ARTICULATION MODULATION,
DEPENDING ON THE ZONE, THERE
MAY BE REQUIREMENTS -- THERE
MAY BE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
INTENDED TO BREAK UP THE MASS
OF THE BUILDING SO THOSE
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS COULD BE
WAIVED.
COMMON RECREATIONAL AREA,
DEPENDING ON THE ZONE, THERE
MAY BE A REQUIREMENT THAT THERE
BE COMMUNITY ROOMS OR OUTDOOR
OR INDOOR AMENITY AREAS.
THOSE REQUIREMENTS COULD BE
WAIVED OR MODIFIED.
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME -- ALSO
DEPENDING ON -- THERE ARE SOME
OTHER STANDARDS LIKE
TRANSPARENCY STANDARDS.
SO -- OFTEN A REQUIREMENT THERE
BE SOME LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY
AT THE STREET LEVEL.
THOSE TYPES OF DWELLINGS
STANDARDS CAN BE WAIVED AS
WELL.
THERE'S ALSO A BLANKET
PERMISSION FROM THE DIRECTOR TO
IDENTIFY OTHER SIMILAR
STANDARDS, THERE COULD BE
WAIVABLE IF THEY DON'T AFFECT
THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING
ENVELOPE.
THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN
REQUIREMENT, THIS IS A
REQUIREMENT THAT GOES ALONG
WITH ANY RECEIPT OF CITY
FUNDING THROUGH THE -- PROCESS.
I'M HAPPY TO FORWARD YOU WHAT
THE OFFICE OF HOUSING REQUIRES
OF THOSE APPLICANTS.
BUT GENERALLY THERE HAS TO BE
AN EARLY ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT
WHERE THE RECIPIENT AND LOCAL
FUNDS GOES UP AND TALKS WITH
NEAR NEIGHBORS OF A PROJECT AND
úOTHER STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE
TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY
ARE PROPOSING TO BUILD AND THE
TIMELINE TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
THERE'S A REQUIREMENT NOW THAT
A DRAFT PLAN BE SUBMITTED TO OH
AND SO THAT SIMILAR REQUIREMENT
IS ECHOED HERE IN THE PROPOSED
REGULATIONS.
>> JUST TO JUMP IN FOR A
SECOND.
I'M SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER, DO
YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP?
>> THANK YOU, KETIL.
GOING BACK TO THE PREVIOUS
QUESTION, I GUESS WHAT I'M
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS HOW, IF
THERE'S AN INTEREST IN WAIVING
SOMETHING, CULINARY, FOR
EXAMPLE, AND THERE MIGHT BE --
I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THIS SO --
BUT I'LL CALL IT A THERAPEUTIC
REASON WHY A COMMON AREA MIGHT
BE APPROPRIATE OR ANY OF THESE
THINGS MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR
THE -- PROVIDING THE KIND OF
SUPPORT SERVICES THAT THE
PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE MIGHT
NEED, HOW DOES THAT INTERSECT,
YOU KNOW, WAIVING SOMETHING
THAT THE FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING
THERE MIGHT ACTUALLY BENEFIT
FROM HAVING?
>> YEAH.
AND SO THAT'S -- THERE IS --
ONE THING THAT THE CODE
PRESCRIBES A SORT OF MINIMUM
STANDARDS AND THOSE MINIMUM
STANDARDS THROUGH THE DESIGN
REVIEW PROCESS, FOR EXAMPLE,
CAN BE WAIVED BASED ON A
CRITERIA THAT THE PROJECT IS
SOMEHOW -- HAS A BETTER DESIGN
AS A RESULT OF THOSE WAIVERS.
HERE THE WAIVERS WOULD BE BASED
ON DETERMINATION BY THE STCI
DIRECTOR THAT MORE UNITS CAN BE
PROVIDED BY WAIVING THOSE
STANDARDS.
SO THERE WOULD PRESUMABLY BE
SOME KIND OF A TRADE-OFF.
I THINK THAT SORT OF THE
CONCERN THAT YOU'RE
HIGHLIGHTING IS ONE THAT WOULD
BE ADDRESSED NOT THROUGH A LAND
USE CODE REGULATION, BUT
THROUGH COMPETITION AMONG PSH
ROVIDERS FOR CITY FUNDING.
SO IF THERE'S A PSH PROVIDER
WHO WANTS TO RECEIVE SOME CITY
FUNDING AND INTENDS TO SERVE A
POPULATION THAT WOULD BENEFIT
FROM HAVING SOME OUTDOOR SPACE,
THEY MAY NOT BE AS SUCCESSFUL
AN APPLICANT FOR THOSE FUNDS IF
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PROVIDE
THAT SPACE.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>> AND KETIL, I WONDER TOO ON
THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE
COMMUNITY PLANS AND I KNOW
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN HAS
QUESTIONS, I'LL GET TO HIM IN
JUST A SECOND, BUT I JUST
WONDER SINCE WE DO HAVE TWO
PROVIDERS HERE, I KNOW WE ARE
SORT OF HEARING FROM THEM OUT
OF ORDER BUT IF TIM OR DEREK
MIGHT WANT TO JUMP IN AND MAYBE
PROVIDE AN ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
OF THAT COMMUNITY PLAN PROCESS,
THIS MIGHT BE AN APPROPRIATE
TIME TO DO THAT, EVEN THOUGH
YOU'RE NOT KIND OF ON THE PANEL
YET.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF EITHER ONE
OF YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT ON AND
MAYBE DISCUSS WHAT THAT LOOKS
LIKE IN PRACTICE, JUST TO, YOU
KNOW, PUT SOME MEAT ONTO -- BY
GIVING AN EXAMPLE INSTEAD OF
JUST HAVING THE TECHNICAL
EXPLANATION.
>> I'LL GO FIRST.
>> GREAT.
>> COUNCILWOMAN MORALES THAT
WAS WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT
WAS BEING TALKED ABOUT, THE ARM
THAT WAIVER COULD POSSIBLE DO.
THAT COMMUNITY SPACE, THAT
COMMON AREA, OUTDOOR SPACE IS
ALL IMPORTANT, CRUCIALLY
IMPORTANT TO OUR MODEL AND OUR
MODEL OF HEALING THE COMMUNITY,
BRINGING BACK THE SENSE OF
BELONGING, THE FAMILY THING WE
ARE TRYING TO CREATE.
WE KNOW THAT IS REALLY VITAL IN
THAT HEALING PROCESS OF THIS
PERIOD OF MENTAL HEALTH AND
THEIR PHYSICAL BEING.
AND IN ANY PROJECT WE ARE GOING
TO DO, IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR US TO ACTUALLY
MAKE SURE WE HAVE ACTIVITY
SPACE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER,
TO BREAK BREAD, TO ACTUALLY
HAVE EVENTS, HAVE CEREMONY,
OUTDOOR SPACE, SO WE CONNECT
PEOPLE WITH NATURE AGAIN, THE
BEST WE CAN.
OBVIOUSLY AT PIONEER SQUARE WE
DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION.
BUT WE NEED TO GET OUR PEOPLE
BACK OUT AND RETOUCH WITH
NATURE AGAIN.
THAT'S HEALING AS WELL.
SO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS ARE
VERY IMPORTANT TO US AND I
WOULD HATE FOR THAT TO
ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT SO
-- WHERE WE ARE PUSHED OUT OR
SOMETHING, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND
THE IMPORTANCE OF TRYING TO GET
AS -- SQUEEZE AS MANY UNITS OUT
WHEN WE HAVE SUCH A SHORTAGE OF
UNITS.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU SPEAKING TO
THAT HALF OF COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES' QUESTION.
I WONDER IF YOU COULD ALSO
MAYBE PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF THE
COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS THAT
CHIEF SEATTLE PUB ENGAGES IN AS
WELL, THE OTHER QUESTION THAT
WAS ASKED AND KETIL PROVIDED
THE EXAMPLE OF, THE REQUIREMENT
THAT OFFICE OF HOUSING HAS TO
RECEIVE THE PUBLIC MONEY AND
MAYBE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT
PROCESS IS LIKE.
>> KIND OF BROKE UP THERE.
I HAVE AN UNSTABLE CONNECTION.
BUT I THINK -- YEAH, I'M NOT
REALLY SURE.
I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT ONE.
I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO THAT.
>> NO, NO PROBLEM.
TIM, COULD YOU MAYBE JUMP IN ON
THIS TOO?
>> YEAH.
>> BEFORE WE MOVE ON?
>> THANK YOU.
>> YEAH.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN IS
SOMETHING THAT'S LONG BEEN
REQUIRED BY OFFICE OF HOUSING
FOR ANY APPLICANT, SO WE WOULD
-- I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT
TIMING BUT WE MAIL HARD COPY
LETTERS TO PEOPLE WITHIN 500
FEET AND THEN WE NEED TO
DESIGNATE POINT PEOPLE
THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, BOTH IN
THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE,
CONSTRUCTION AND THEN ONGOING
TO BE A POINT OF CONTACT FOR
THE COMMUNITY.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY MANY,
ESPECIALLY PSH PROVIDERS GO
ABOVE AND BEYOND.
PERCEIVED COMMUNITIES HAVE
CONCERNS THROUGHOUT OUR
PROJECTS OR QUESTIONS AND WE
HAVE TO BE OUT THERE INVESTING
THOSE FRONT, HEAD ON AND THAT
WOULDN'T CHANGE WITH THIS
LEGISLATION.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PRACTICE
THAT'S ENFORCED BY OUR -- AT
THE OFFICE OF HOUSING.
WE ARE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT
MORE.
IF I CAN JUST ADDRESS THE
COMMUNITY SPACE AS WELL REAL
QUICK.
IT'S A GOOD POINT AND I THINK
THIS LEGISLATION DOESN'T
PRECLUDE THAT.
A PROVIDER BEING ROBUST
COMMUNITY SPACE INDOORS AND
OUTDOORS.
I THINK AT PLYMOUTH AND PERHAPS
SOME OTHER PROVIDERS HAVE FOUND
THAT THE CITY HAS REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE OUTDOOR SPACE IN
PARTICULAR, CAN MAKE IT
DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE THE
OUTDOOR SPACE AND KEEP TENANTS
AND STAFF SAFE.
AND THAT'S A LOT OF -- YOU
KNOW, HOW WE ARE GOING TO KEEP
SOMETHING SAFE AND LIKE MANY OF
THE THINGS IN THIS LEGISLATION
WE ARE MISSING OUT ON HOUSING
UNITS BY SOME OF THESE
REQUIREMENTS SO I'M IN SUPPORT
OF ALLOWING FOR MORE FOR
FLEXIBILITY HERE WITH THE
PROVIDERS.
>> THANK YOU.
SO WITH THAT, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN, YOU HAVE BEEN
PATIENTLY WAITING.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR LEWIS.
THANKS TO OUR GUESTS FOR BEING
HERE WITH US TODAY.
APPRECIATE IT, FOR YOUR WISDOM
ON THESE ISSUES.
AND MY QUESTION IS ABOUT -- THE
THRUST OF MY QUESTION IS TRYING
TO -- THE NONPROFITS THAT WE
WORK WITH DO AN EXCELLENT JOB
WITH DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
AND OPERATION OF LOW-INCOME
HOUSING AND EXTREMELY LOW-
INCOME HOUSING.
THERE ARE FOR PROFIT DEVELOPERS
WHO ALSO TRY TO WORK IN THIS
SPACE AND WHAT I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT IS, IF SOMEBODY IS GOING
IN AT THE BEGINNING SAYING THEY
ARE GOING TO DO PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING BUT THEN
THEY, FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY
DON'T GET THE EXTRA FINANCING
THEY NEED TO SUPPORT THOSE
SERVICES OR THEY SWITCH TO A
DIFFERENT MODEL OF LOW-INCOME
HOUSING, WHICH IS NOT PROVIDING
THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES BUT
THEN THEY GOT THROUGH ON THE
LOWER THRESHOLD DESIGN REVIEW,
THE ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN
REVIEW, I KNOW THERE'S A
REGULATORY AGREEMENT, BUT I'M
CERTAIN IN READING THE
LEGISLATION HOW WE WOULD ENSURE
THAT SOMEBODY SAYING THAT THEY
ARE GOING TO DO PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, THEY GET
THE EXEMPTION TO NOT DO THE
FULL DESIGN REVIEW AND THEN A
YEAR LATER THEY GO BACK TO
LOWER SERVICES OR NOT PROVIDING
THOSE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
ANYMORE FOR WHATEVER REASON.
HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THERE
WASN'T A BAIT AND SWITCH?
>> I CAN ANSWER PART OF THAT
QUESTION.
I'M GOING TO TURN TO MY
COLLEAGUE TRACY TO SEE IF SHE
HAS ANY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
MAYBE THE OFFICE OF HOUSING
WOULD DO.
FROM A LAND USE REGULATORY
STANDPOINT, IT'S PROBABLY NOT
LIKELY THAT THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTION WOULD REQUIRE THAT
APPLICANT TO GO BACK AND GO
THROUGH DESIGN REVIEW OR
SOMETHING ELSE LIKE THAT OR GO
THROUGH SOME ENTITLEMENT
PROCESS FOR A BUILDING THAT HAS
ALREADY BEEN BUILT.
IT MAY BE THE CASE THAT IF THEY
ARE NOT LIVING UP TO THE
REGULATORY AGREEMENT, THERE MAY
BE SOME POTENTIAL FOR THERE TO
BE A CIVIL ACTION TO ENFORCE
THAT AGREEMENT UNDER SOME LAND
USE CODE OR PROVISION RELATED
TO ENFORCING THE LAND USE CODE.
BUT I SUSPECT THAT THE REMEDY
WOULD COME FROM WHATEVER IS
CONTAINED IN THE REGULATORY
AGREEMENT AND HOW THOSE ARE
ENFORCED.
>> TRACY, WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS ON THAT?
>> SO COUNCILMEMBERS, IT'S HARD
FOR ME TO IMAGINE THERE WOULD
BE A FOR PROFIT DEVELOPER WHO
WOULD WANT TO ACT LIKE THEY ARE
GOING TO DO A PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECT.
I THINK THERE MIGHT BE ALREADY
EXISTING TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT
THEY CAN DO THAT WOULD BE
SIMILAR TO IT THAT MAY HAVE
SOME REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
RELATED TO IT.
I'M THINKING OF SMALL
EFFICIENCY DWELLING UNITS BUT
IT'S QUITE A TASK TO PUT
TOGETHER A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING PROJECT AND AS SOME OF
THE CURRENT PROVIDERS HAVE
INDICATED, THERE'S A COMMUNITY
RELATIONS PROCESS THAT THEY
WOULD HAVE TO BE GOING THROUGH
TO NOTIFY THE COMMUNITY.
THE CITY, OBVIOUSLY, IS LOOKING
AT THAT, PARTICULARLY IF THEY
WERE TO COME IN LOOKING FOR
FUNDING AND AGAIN, THAT
ACTIVITY TAKES PLACE WELL
BEFORE THEY COME IN TO GET
FUNDING BECAUSE WE REQUIRE THAT
AND IT'S ACTUALLY ACQUIRED --
REQUIRED UNDERNEATH OUR HOUSING
FUNDING POLICIES THAT COUNCIL
HAS ADOPTED.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO IMAGINE
THAT THERE WILL BE A FOR PROFIT
DEVELOPER WHO WOULD GO THROUGH
THE GUISE, I GUESS, OF LOOKING
LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO DEVELOP
THE PSH WHEN THEY HAD NO
INTENTION OF DOING SO AND THERE
ARE A LIMITED NUMBER OF EVEN
NONPROFITS WHO ARE IN THE PSH
WORLD JUST BECAUSE OF THE
REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO DOING
THAT TYPE OF HOUSING.
>> IF I MAY FOLLOW UP WITH
THAT, JUST LOOKING AT THE
LEGISLATION AND MAYBE I'M NOT
READING THE RIGHT SECTION, BUT
LOOKING AT PAGE 20 WHERE IT
TALKS ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING,
IT JUST SAYS THAT RECEIVES
PUBLIC FUNDING OR AN ALLOCATION
OF FEDERAL LOW-INCOME HOUSING
TAX CREDIT.
WHAT IS LOCKING THEM IN?
I DON'T SEE WHAT'S LOCKING THEM
INTO DOING THE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THAT'S MY CONCERN.
I SUPPORT THE -- I SUPPORT THE
INTENT OF THIS LEGISLATION AND
HAPPY TO SEE, WE WANT TO SEE
MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING BUILT AND WE WANT TO
SEE THINGS STREAMLINED FOR
THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS, WHICH
ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PROJECTS
WE CAN BUILD FOR THE GREATEST
NEED.
I'M CONCERNED THAT THE WAY IT'S
WRITTEN CURRENTLY IN THIS DRAFT
SOMEBODY COULD COME IN AND TRY
TO BUILD SOMETHING AND THEN
THEY LOSE THEIR FUNDING OR THEY
SWITCH THEIR PLANS AFTER THEY
HAVE ALREADY SKIPPED THE DESIGN
REVIEW PROCESS.
>> SO ANOTHER COMPONENT TO THE
DEFINITION IS THAT THEY ARE
UBJECT TO A REGULATORY
AGREEMENT AS WELL SO SEVERAL
COMPONENTS TO THE DEFINITION.
THE LEVEL OF AFFORDABILITY AND
THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT ARE
AFFORDABLE, THE FACT THAT THE
FUNDING IS COMING FROM THE
PUBLIC AND THEN ALSO THAT
THERE'S REGULATORY AGREEMENT
WITH A MINIMUM PERIOD OF TIME,
40 YEARS.
>> KETIL, IF I MAY, IT SAYS
THAT RECEIVES PUBLIC FUNDING OR
AN ALLOCATION OF FEDERAL LOW-
INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO RECEIVE
PUBLIC.
THEY CAN JUST GET TAX CREDITS,
RIGHT?
>> AND THEY HAVE TO BE SUBJECT
TO REGULATORY AGREEMENT.
>> UH-HUH.
>> BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE FORMER
REGULATORY AGREEMENT ATTACHED
TO THIS LEGISLATION AT THIS
TIME.
IS THAT RIGHT?
>> THE FORM OF REGULATORY
AGREEMENT?
>> WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S
GOING TO SAY YET.
>> IT WOULD BE THE STANDARD
REGULATORY AGREEMENT THAT I --
I'M NOT SURE.
THERE MAY BE DIFFERENT KINDS
BUT EVERY RECIPIENT OF THE CITY
FUNDING HAS A REGULATORY
AGREEMENT.
TRACY, MAYBE YOU COULD SPEAK TO
--
>> YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
>> MAYBE THAT'S A SOLUTION, IS
TO SAY THAT IT HAS TO BE A
RECIPIENT OF CITY FUNDING,
BECAUSE THE OFFICE OF HOUSING
DOES A GREAT JOB WITH THEIR
REGULATORY AGREEMENTS FOR THAT
SEATTLE HOUSING LEVEE FUND BUT
THE WAY THIS IS WRITTEN IT SAYS
PUBLIC FUNDING OR LOW-INCOME
HOUSING TAX CREDIT SO IT
DOESN'T DIRECTLY TIE IT DOWN TO
THE OFFICE OF HOUSING STANDARD
REGULATORY AGREEMENT WHICH IS
EXCELLENT.
>> YEAH.
TRACY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW
OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BUT
ARE THERE ANY PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECTS
THAT ONLY RECEIVE FEDERAL LOW-
INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS AS
THEIR FINANCING MECHANISM?
>> NOT RIGHT NOW BUT I WOULD
EIGHT TO FOR STALL THE
POSSIBILITY FOR THE -- THAT
ACTUALLY MIGHT BECOME A SOURCE
DOWN THE ROAD OF BEING CAPITAL,
PROVIDING SOME CAPITAL FOR PSH
THAT MIGHT REPLACE THE CITY'S
FUNDING, FOR EXAMPLE.
YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY I WOULD
SAY, NO, THE CITY IS IN ALL OF
THE PSHs BEING BUILT IN THE
CITY.
I CAN'T THINK OF ONE PROJECT IN
15 OR 20 YEARS WHERE THE CITY
HASN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT
PROJECT AND FOR THE MOST PART
HAVE ALSO GOTTEN THE TAX
CREDIT.
BUT WITH THIS, YOU KNOW, SLIGHT
CHANGE IN THE FUNDING
ENVIRONMENT, DOES IT
NECESSARILY MEAN THAT EVERY
PROJECT WOULD HAVE TO HAVE CITY
FUNDING PLUS A TAX CREDIT?
POSSIBLY NOT.
SO I WOULD -- IT WOULD BE WORTH
TALKING TO HOUSING TO SEE IF
THEY AGREE WITH ME ABOUT THAT,
NOT WANTING TO FORECLOSE THAT
POSSIBILITY TO MAKE THAT AN AND
VERSUS AN OR.
BUT I WOULD WANT TO CHECK WITH
THEM ABOUT THAT BECAUSE OF THIS
MOST RECENT CHANGE, THAT MAY
HAVE A SUBSET OF PSH THAT COULD
BE FUNDED WITH TAX DRIEST AND
THE COUNTY BUT NOT NECESSARILY
THE CITY.
AT LEAST ON THE CAPITAL SIDE.
WE WILL SEE ON THE OPERATING
SIDE AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
AND CHAIR LEWIS, JUST ONE MORE
QUESTION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES' QUESTION
WHICH TALKED ABOUT THE
AMENITIES AND THAT DESIGN
REVIEW, ESPECIALLY WHEN FOCUSED
ON THE AMENITIES PORTION CAN
ACTUALLY BENEFIT THE LOW-INCOME
HOUSING -- OR THE LOW-INCOME
TENANTS.
SO SPEAKING OF AMENITIES, IS
THERE -- WE HAVE PASSED AN
INTERNET FOR ALL RESOLUTION TO
TRY TO INCREASE ACCESS TO THE
INTERNET.
IS THERE A WAY TO ENSURE
PROJECTS LIKE THIS HAVE
INTERNET CONNECTIONS?
>> SO I UNDERSTAND THAT H.U.D.
HAS RECENTLY PUT FORWARD
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR
CONNECTIVITY.
I THINK THAT IF THE CITY WERE
TO HAVE SIMILAR REQUIREMENTS
FOR PROJECTS THAT RECEIVE CITY
FUNDING, PROBABLY THE BEST
VEHICLE FOR THAT WOULD NOT BE A
LAND USE CODE REQUIREMENT.
IT WOULD PROBABLY BE SOMETHING
IN OUR HOUSING FUNDING
POLICIES.
AND THOSE RESIDE IN A COUPLE OF
PLACES.
THERE'S THE ADMINISTRATION AND
FINANCE PLAN FOR THE HOUSING
LEVY WHICH GOVERNORS LEVY
DOLLARS AND THOSE ARE NOT THE
ONLY SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY.
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER PLAN, I
THINK IT'S CALLED THE HOUSING
POLICIES DOCUMENTS, THAT'S
PERIODICALLY AMENDED THAT HAS
OTHER STANDARDS THAT APPLY TO
PROJECTS THAT RECEIVE CITY
FUNDING.
SO PROBABLY AN AMENDMENT TO
THAT POLICY DOCUMENT WOULD BE
THE APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR SUCH
A REQUIREMENT.
>> AND THOSE WILL BE COMING TO
COUNCIL FOR READOPTION IN 2021
THERE, THE A AND F PLAN HAS TO
BE ADOPTED EVERY TWO YEARS SO
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT MAKING
SOME CHANGES TO THE ENF PLAN
POLICIES IN 2021.
AND I ALSO HAVE GOT THE OFFICE
OF HOUSING BEGINNING TO COLLECT
INFORMATION AT YOUR OFFICE'S
REQUEST TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THE
CURRENT PRACTICE FOR NONPROFIT
PROVIDERS IN TERMS OF PROVIDING
INTERNET ACCESS TO THE
RESIDENTS OF THEIR BUILDINGS
AND SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE
SOME DATA TO HELP FRAME THAT
CONVERSATION THAT MIGHT COME UP
IN 2021 ON THIS ISSUE.
>> THANK YOU.
THE ONLY REASON I ASK -- WELL,
ANOTHER REASON IS BECAUSE IF A
DEVELOPER IS NOT GETTING OFFICE
OF HOUSING FUND, THEN THEY
MIGHT -- IT WOULDN'T BE SUBJECT
TO THAT, THAT PLAN YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT, I DON'T THINK.
SO -- BUT WE WILL KEEP TALKING
ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR
OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE
INTERNET ACCESS, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU.
JUST A CLARIFICATION.
I HEARD A COUPLE OF THINGS --
OR I THOUGHT I HEARD A COUPLE
OF THINGS THAT ARE
CONTRADICTORY.
THIS PROPOSED LEGISLATION, AS I
UNDERSTAND IT, WOULD EXEMPT
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
FROM ALL DESIGN REVIEW,
CORRECT, INCLUDING NO
ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> I THOUGHT I HAD HEARD
SOMETHING THAT SUGGESTED THAT
THESE PROPERTIES WOULD STILL BE
SUBJECT TO ADMINISTRATIVE
DESIGN REVIEW, WHICH I THINK
MANY OF THEM ALREADY ARE ONLY
SUBJECT TO ADMINISTRATIVE
DESIGN REVIEW.
>> THAT'S CORRECT, YEAH.
SO YES.
AS IT STANDS NOW, BECAUSE OF
THE ONGOING COVID CIVIL
EMERGENCY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS ARE SUBJECT TO DESIGN
REVIEW AT ALL BUT THAT IS A
TEMPORARY PROVISION THAT WILL
EXPIRE I THINK WITHIN A MONTH
OR TWO AFTER THE COVID CIVIL
EMERGENCY ENDING.
WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO KIND OF
THE OLD NORMAL AND UNDER THE
OLD NORMAL, AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS ARE SUBJECT TO
ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW
ONLY.
>> AND DO WE HAVE -- IT MAY
HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE STAFF
MEMO AND I APOLOGIZE IF I DID
NOT SEE THAT.
IS THERE INFORMATION THAT GIVES
US SOME DATA AROUND HOW MANY
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
PROJECTS HAVE GONE THROUGH
ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND HOW
LONG THAT USUALLY TAKES?
>> THERE IS NOT -- WE CAN GET
THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU, BUT
THAT INFORMATION IS NOT IN THE
--
>> THANK YOU.
I WOULD LOVE TO GET A SENSE OF
WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE AS IT
RELATES TO SAVING TIME
ASSOCIATED WITH NO DESIGN
REVIEW AT ALL, INCLUDING NO
ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW
AND THAT WOULD BE VERY, VERY
HELPFUL.
>> YEAH, AND I THINK DUE TO
COVID IN SOME RESPECTS WE MAY
HAVE BETTER INFORMATION THERE.
WE KNOW HOW LONG WE HAVE
INFORMATION ABOUT GENERALLY HOW
LONG IT TAKES FOR PROJECTS TO
GET THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE
DESIGN REVIEW, BUT WE NOW HAVE
A SUITE OF PROJECTS THAT ARE
BEING -- A SUITE OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING
ENTITLED UNDER THESE CURRENT
REGULATIONS.
>> COMPARISON OF ADMINISTRATIVE
DESIGN REVIEW TO THE COVID
PROJECTS THAT ARE NO DESIGN
REVIEW AT ALL.
>> CORRECT, YEAH.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER TECHNICAL
QUESTIONS AT THIS PHASE?
I MIGHT ASK ONE MORE BEFORE WE
BROADEN IS OUT TO THE REST OF
OUR PANELISTS. OKAY.
THE LAST QUESTION I WANT TO
ASK, KETIL, NO ONE ASKED THIS
YET BUT I DO THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO START THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT THE BIKE
STORAGE REQUIREMENTS AND THIS
IS SOMETHING I WANT TO FLAG FOR
DEREK AND TIM ALSO WHEN WE MOVE
ON AND TALK MORE ABOUT SITE
SPECIFIC NEEDS AND THE IMPACT
SOME OF THESE REGULATIONS HAVE
HAD ON THEM AS PROVIDERS.
BUT I WONDER IF YOU MIGHT GIVE
AN OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT
NATURE OF THOSE REGULATIONS AND
WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE OF THE
ORDINANCE, IF IT WENT THROUGH
ON THOSE.
>> SURE.
SO CURRENTLY MULTIFAMILY
STRUCTURES ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE
ONE LONG-TERM BICYCLE PARKING
SPACE PER UNIT AND ONE SHORT-
TERM SPACE BETWEEN UNITS, AND
SHORT-TERM SPACES ARE INTENDED
FOR VISITORS.
ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, THEY
DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE
PROVIDED IN THE PROJECT.
THEY CAN ALSO BE PROVIDED
OUTSIDE OF THE PROJECT.
BUT THERE IS -- THERE ARE
EXISTING REGULATIONS, THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STCI
DIRECTOR TO MODIFY THOSE
REQUIREMENTS BASED ON THE
POPULATIONS BEING SERVED IN THE
BUILDING.
SO AND THERE'S -- I'M NOT GREAT
HERE WITH ZOOM STUFF SO I'M NOT
SURE IF YOU'RE SEEING THE
SCREEN THAT I'M LOOKING AT OR
NOT.
I'M NOT SEEING THE PRESENTATION
SCREEN THAT IS ON THE SEATTLE
CHANNEL SO IF YOU ARE NOT
SEEING THESE PARTICULAR
REGULATIONS IN FRONT OF YOU,
MAYBE I WILL READ THEM JUST IN
CASE.
SO FOR EACH YELLING UNIT AND
INCOME RESTRICTED UNIT AT 30%
OF MEDIAN INCOME AND BELOW,
WHICH IS LIKELY THE POPULATION
THAT WOULD BE SERVED, THERE IS
NO MINIMUM REQUIRED LONG-TERM
BICYCLE PARKING SO THAT'S
EXISTING REGULATIONS.
EACH DWELLING INCOME RESTRICTED
AT 61% TO 31% OF MEDIAN INCOME,
LONG-TERM BICYCLE PARKING
REQUIREMENTS CAN BE WHOLLY OR
PARTIALLY WAIVED BY THE STCI
DIRECTOR.
THAT'S THE CURRENT STATE OF
REGULATIONS.
THE PROPOSED BILL WOULD
ELIMINATE PERMANENT -- THE
REQUIREMENT OF LONG AND SHORT-
TERM BICYCLE PARKING FOR
PERMANENT -- FOR THOSE UNITS
THAT WERE PROVIDED BETWEEN 31
AND 50% OF AMI, THERE WOULD NOT
BE ANY BICYCLE PARKING
REQUIREMENT.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THE
DEPARTMENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
DEVELOPER MIGHT CHOOSE TO
PROVIDE BICYCLE PARKING BUT
THERE WOULD NOT BE A REGULATORY
REQUIREMENT THAT WOULD COMPEL
THEM TO.
>> SO IT WOULD AFFORD MORE
FLEXIBILITY TO THE BUILDER AND
I THINK NOW WE ARE GETTING INTO
A POINT WHERE THESE ARE MORE
QUESTIONS FOR TIM AND DEREK
ABOUT HOW THIS MIGHT INFLUENCE
PLANS TO CREATE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, MAXIMIZE
UNITS, BUT STILL ACCOMPLISH
THOSE GOALS AROUND PROVIDING
SUFFICIENT BIKE STORAGE.
SO MAYBE IT WOULD BE BEST TO
TRANSITION ON TO THEM AND HAVE
THAT DISCUSSION IN MORE DETAIL.
I DID JUST WANT TO HAVE A
LITTLE BIT MORE OF A PREVIEW OF
WHAT THAT PARTICULAR ELEMENT IS
THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ASKED AS A
QUESTION.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD TRANSITION
TO TRANSITION THIS CONVERSATION
OVER TO TALKING WITH TIM AND
DEREK A BIT MORE ABOUT
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
AND THE WAY THIS BILL AND
PERHAPS SOME OTHER THINGS THAT
AREN'T IN IT YET COULD HELP TO
FACILITATE THE CREATION OF MORE
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE YOU
HOUSING AND MORE UNITS PER
PROJECT.
FIRST I WANT TO GO TO JEFF AND
HAVE JEFF MAYBE GIVE A BRIEF
OVERVIEW, KIND OF ABOUT WHERE
WE ARE AND WHERE WE NEED TO GO
WITH PERMANENT RESPONSIVE
HOUSING.
HE GENERATED A MEMO EARLIER
THIS WEEK TALKING ABOUT SOME OF
THE STATISTICS AROUND CURRENT
SUPPLY OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING AND THE CURRENT NEED
AND SO I WANT TO GIVE JEFF THAT
OPPORTUNITY FIRST.
AND THEN HEAR SEPARATELY FROM
DEREK AND TIM AND HAVE A BIT
MORE OF A CONVERSATION WITH
THEM.
SO, JEFF, WHY DON'T YOU KICK US
OFF HERE.
>> SURE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
JEFF SIMMS, COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF.
SO THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING AS JUST DISCUSSED BY
KETIL AND IS THE SUBJECT OF THE
LEGISLATION ON THE AGENDA IS
THE PRIMARY EVIDENCE-BASED
STRATEGY TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO
PEOPLE THAT EXPERIENCE CHRONIC
HOMELESSNESS.
CHRONIC HOMELESS IS AN ACUTE
EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS.
THERE'S A TWO PART DIVISION TO
DETERMINE WHEN A PERSON IS
DEFINED AS CHRONICALLY
HOMELESS.
FIRST THEY EITHER WOULD HAVE
EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS FOR
MORE THAN A YEAR OR OVER THE
COURSE OF FOUR SEPARATE
EPISODES OF HOMELESSNESS OVER
THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS
EXPERIENCED A TOTALITY OF 12
MONTHS OF HOMELESSNESS AND IN
ADDITION TO ONE OF THOSE PIECES
ON JUST -- BASED ON THE
DURATION OR THE LENGTH OF TIME
THEY EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS,
THE PERSON ALSO HAS TO HAVE A
DISABLING CONDITION, SO
SOMETHING LIKE A SERIOUS
ILLNESS, PERHAPS SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER OR SOMETHING ALONG
THOSE LINES.
EVERY YEAR IN JANUARY OUR
CONTINUING OF CARE DOES A COUNT
AT THE END OF JANUARY TO
ESTIMATE JUST AT THAT POINT IN
TIME HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS,
BECAUSE IT'S AN ATTEMPT AT
CAPTURING POPULATION IT'S
DIFFICULT TO FIND.
WHY THEY ARE REGARDED AS AN
UNDERCOUNT BUT SOME OF THE BEST
DATA THAT WE HAVE AND IT'S DONE
NATIONALLY.
OUR POINT IN TIME COUNTS THIS
MOST RECENT JANUARY IDENTIFIED
3,355 PEOPLE OR ESTIMATED 3,355
PEOPLE THAT EXPERIENCED CHRONIC
HOMELESSNESS.
THAT IS THERE ARE OTHER GROUPS
THAT ESTIMATE HIGHER NUMBERS,
FOR EXAMPLE, THE THIRD DOOR
COALITION HAS NOTED IN A MEMO,
HAS DEVELOPED A METHODOLOGY
THAT ESTIMATES WE HAVE A LARGER
POPULATION THAN THAT, CLOSER TO
6,500 PEOPLE THAT WOULD REQUIRE
PSH.
I'M STILL WORKING TO GET A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR
METHODOLOGY.
THEY HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IN
PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION ON
THAT.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY
-- ACTUALLY WANT TO BE CAUTIOUS
IN GIVING EXACT NUMBERS.
LET'S SAY WE HAVE AROUND 5500
PSH UNITS AND MAYBE AROUND
1,000 COMING ONLINE AND THE
CHALLENGE IN GIVING THAT NUMBER
PRECISELY IS BECAUSE WHAT GETS
DEFINED AS A PSH UNIT IN TERMS
OF THE LEVEL OF SERVICES OR
WHAT WOULD BE COUNTED AS ACTIVE
VERSUS IN THE PIPELINE, THOSE
TYPES OF THINGS CAN VARY AND
SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO CALL
SOMETHING AS IT'S DEFINITELY IN
THIS BUCKET VERSUS A DIFFERENT
ONE.
BUT OVERALL YOU WILL BE TALKING
ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE 6,500
UNITS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING THAT ARE ALREADY
AVAILABLE AND THAT'S IN
ADDITION -- MORE THAN 3,000
PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED AS CHRONICALLY
HOMELESS.
THEY ARE STILL CURRENTLY
HOMELESS.
THEY ARE NOT HOUSED.
AND LIKELY THE 6,500 OR SOME
UNITS THAT WE HAVE OF PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING --
EXPERIENCED CHRONIC HOMELESS IN
THE PAST.
YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
NUMBERS DIFFERENTLY.
WITH THAT, SOMETHING IN THE
RANGE OF 2,000, 2,500 GAP IF
YOU USE THAT ESTIMATE, THOUGH
THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER
APPROACHES SOMEONE CAN USE.
WITH THAT, I WILL STOP AND TAKE
ANY QUESTIONS OR TURN IT OVER
TO OUR OTHER PRESENTERS.
>> ARE THERE ANY INITIAL
QUESTIONS FOR JEFF?
OKAY.
THANK YOU, JEFF.
FOR PROVIDING THAT BASELINE
INFORMATION.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE
THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND
CONVERSATIONS FOR ANY OF THE
MEDIA ON A REGULAR BASIS ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO
DO TO MAKE PROGRESS ON
HOMELESSNESS.
WE REALLY KNOW WHAT WE DO NEED
TO DO AND THE METRICS THAT YOU
JUST LAID DOWN HELPS MAKE THAT
CLEAR IN THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF
THE NEED AND HOW WE CAN KEEP
MAKING PROGRESS ON IT.
AND THAT'S A PERFECT
INTRODUCTION TO TIM AND DEREK
TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
WHAT THEIR PROVIDERS DO IN THAT
CRITICAL SPACE.
TIM WITH HOUSING, DEREK WITH
CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB, BOTH DOING
REALLY OUTSTANDING WORK IN THE
COMMUNITY, PROVIDING REALLY
GREAT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING PLACEMENTS AND BOTH
CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB AND PLYMOUTH
WERE REALLY KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN
CRAFTING THIS INITIAL DRAFT OF
THE LEGISLATION AND REALLY
APPRECIATE THEIR FEEDBACK AND
INPUT.
SO, TIM, WHY DON'T WE START
WITH YOU.
JUST PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF HOW
THIS LEGISLATION IS GOING TO
IMPACT PROJECTS PLYMOUTH IS
PUTTING TOGETHER.
AND EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE
EXPERIENCED AS A DEVELOPER IN
GETTING MORE UNITS ONLINE
BECAUSE OF REGULATIONS THAT
DON'T NECESSARILY APPLY TO
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
BUT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR
MARKET RATE HOUSING.
SO WITH THAT, TIM, I WILL TURN
IT OVER TO YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
FORESIGHT ON THIS, THIS
LEGISLATION.
SO AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED I WORK
AT PLYMOUTH HOUSING, PLYMOUTH
HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 40 YEARS
PROVIDING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING IN AND AROUND DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE AND WE SERVE THAT
POPULATION THAT JEFF WAS
MENTIONING, FOLKS THAT ARE
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS.
SO NOT FOLKS THAT HAVE RUN
ACROSS HARD TIMES AND NEED
SOMEWHERE FOR A FEW MONTHS TO
GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.
THESE ARE FOLKS WITH MANY
ISSUES LIKE MANY OF US HAVE AND
THEY NEED PERMANENT HOUSING
BEFORE THEY CAN ADDRESS ANY
OTHER ISSUES IN THEIR LIFE.
WE OPERATE 15 BUILDINGS WITH
LITTLE OVER 1,000 APARTMENTS
FOR FOLKS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS AND THEY ARE ALL
STUDIOS OR SINGLE-ROOM
OCCUPANCY FOR HOMELESS
INDIVIDUALS.
WE ARE JUST REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION AND, YOU
KNOW, WE ARE FIVE YEARS INTO
THIS STATE OF EMERGENCY ON
HOMELESSNESS AND TO ME THIS IS
JUST THE FIRST MOST LOGICAL
STEP THAT IS THE MOST OBVIOUS
FOR THE CITY.
THERE'S NO COST IMPACTS, BUT
THERE IS HUGE POTENTIAL
BENEFITS AND INCREASING THE
EFFICIENCY, WHICH PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROVIDERS
CAN BRING THESE UNITS ONLINE
DURING THIS PERIOD OF CRITICAL
MEDIA OF WHETHER THAT'S, YOU
KNOW, THERE'S SOME DEBATE ON
THE NUMBERS, LIKE JEFF SAID,
3,000 OR 6,000 UNITS FOR A
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL
THAT WE NEED.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIX PROJECTS
IN DEVELOPMENT, AROUND 600
APARTMENTS, AND MANY OF THEM
WOULD, FRANKLY, BE BUILT
ALREADY IF WE HAD LEGISLATION
LIKE THIS ENACTED, YOU KNOW,
PREVIOUSLY, AND I DON'T HAVE
MUCH OF A PRESENTATION PREPARED
BUT THE OTHER FACTOR I WILL
TOUCH ON THAT RELATES TO SOME
OF THESE FOLKS, WHAT ARE THE
FOLKS LIKE THAT LIVE AT
PLYMOUTH AND SEATTLE CLUB
MAYBE?
OUR DEMOGRAPHICS ARE THAT
ALMOST EVERYONE HAS SOME SORT
OF DISABILITY OR MOBILITY
CHALLENGE.
SO I THINK LIKE 96% OF OUR
THOUSAND OR SO RESIDENTS HAVE
SOME SORT OF DISABILITY.
ALMOST 60% OF THEM HAVE A
MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION, AND I
THINK WE ARE APPROACHING HALF
OF OUR PORTFOLIO, BEING AT OR
ABOVE THE AGE OF 55, AND MANY
OF THE FOLKS ARE PEOPLE OF
COLOR, ABOUT HALF ARE PEOPLE OF
COLOR.
AND I GIVE YOU THAT BECAUSE THE
DEMOGRAPHICS MATTER.
LEGISLATIVE THINGS WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT, PARTICULAR
AROUND BICYCLE PARKING.
I'LL TOUCH ON THAT FIRST.
YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG BIKE FAN
MYSELF, AND I AM TRAINED AS A
CITY PLANNER SO IT'S A LITTLE
AWKWARD, BUT IN THIS
CIRCUMSTANCE I JUST DON'T THINK
IT MAKES SENSE FOR PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO BE SO
RESTRICTIVE ON THE LOCATION AND
THE AMOUNT OF BIKE PARKING.
OUR TENANTS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
LIKE A HANDFUL ACROSS OUR
THOUSAND APARTMENTS THAT EVEN
OWN A BICYCLE AND IF THEY DO,
THEY USUALLY PREFER TO KEEP IT
IN THEIR APARTMENT.
WE ARE MAKING DESIGN
ACCOMMODATIONS IN OUR NEW
BUILDINGS IN ADDITION TO THE
CODE REQUIRED BIKE PARKING.
OUR TEAM COSTED IT OUT ON A
COUPLE OF PROJECTS.
WE ARE TALKING AROUND THREE OR
$500,000 PER BIKE ROOM AT
CURRENTLY REQUIRED, WHICH
COINCIDENTALLY IS ABOUT THE
COST OF PROVIDING ANOTHER
HOUSING UNIT, GETTING ANOTHER
PERSON THAT'S CHRONICALLY
HOMELESS OFF THE STREET.
SO WE DO DEFINITELY PROVIDE
MORE HOUSING WITHOUT THAT BIKE
REQUIREMENT -- BIKE PARKING
REQUIREMENT.
IT'S ALSO THE LOCATION OF THAT
SPACE.
IT HAS TO BE CLOSE TO THE ENTRY
AND MOST OF OUR BUILDINGS ARE
WHAT'S CALLED FIVE OVER TWO
CONSTRUCTION SO WE ARE BUILDING
THE BIKE ROOMS AND REALLY
EXPENSIVE, THE MOST EXPENSIVE
PART OF THE BUILDING IN
CONCRETE WALLS NEAR THE FRONT
OF THE
I WANTED TO GO BACK A LITTLE
BIT ON COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
THOUGHTS AROUND DESIGN REVIEW.
I WILL BE INTERESTED TO SEE
WHAT THE CITY REPORTS ON THESE
PILOT PROJECTS THAT ARE
CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT
WITHOUT THE DESIGN REVIEW
PROCESS BUT I THINK WHICH WOULD
SEE AROUND A FOUR TO SIX-MONTH
FASTER PERMANENTLY SCHEDULE
WITHOUT DESIGN REVIEW AND THEN
YOU GET INTO THE HARDER TO
QUANTITY BENEFITS.
THERE'S ONE THAT I KNOW OF
RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD AS
A DEVELOPER AND THAT'S HOW MUCH
WE HAVE TO PAY OUR ARCHITECTS.
I WOULD SAY IT'S PROBABLY TWO
TO $300,000 FOR A PROJECT LESS
TO NOT HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER A
DESIGN REVIEW PROJECT PACKET,
WHETHER IT'S BEING REVIEWED BY
SOMEBODY IN ADMINISTRATIVE OR
BY THE PUBLIC.
THERE IS SIGNIFICANT COST
SAVINGS, TIME SAVINGS AND
AGAIN, THERE'S STILL A
COMMITMENT BY PROVIDERS TO DO A
GOOD JOB WITH THE COMMUNITY TO
ENSURE IF DESIGN IS A PRESSING
ISSUE IN A COMMUNITY, WE ARE
GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THAT AND
HOPEFULLY MAKE THOSE CHANGES AS
APPROPRIATE.
SO I WANTED TO TOUCH ON THAT.
BUT I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
DEREK TO HAD ANYTHING ELSE HE
WANTS
TO.
>> THANK YOU, TIM.
YEAH.
SO, OBVIOUSLY, TIM HAS BEEN IN
THIS GAME A LOT LONGER THAN WE
HAVE.
CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB WE HAVE
GOTTEN TWO DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
UNDERWAY NOW.
OUR FIRST ONE, DOWNTOWN PIONEER
SQUARE.
30% OF THE WAY THROUGH THE
PROJECT NOW.
IT'S OUR FIRST ONE.
SCHEDULED TO BE FINISHED, WHICH
WE DID, OCTOBER 6th.
AND OUR OTHER ONE, PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECT IN
LAKE CITY, WE ARE LOOKING AT
LATE '21 BREAK GROUND, I'M
THINKING.
SO WE HAVEN'T REALLY GOT IN
THERE YET.
BUT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE
PROCESS NOW A COUPLE OF TIMES
IN SOME OF THIS EARLY DESIGN
PHASE AND I DO KNOW IT'S VERY
STRESSFUL AND WE HAVE THAT
ARGUMENT INTERNALLY ABOUT THE
SPACE THAT WE ARE LOSING
BECAUSE OF THE BIKE ROOM.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT EVEN JUST
THE UNITS.
KEEP IN MIND TOO IT'S VALUABLE
SPACE USUALLY ON THE FIRST
FLOOR THAT WE ARE THINKING OF
-- YOU KNOW, I SAID EARLIER THE
ACTIVITY SPACE THAT'S SO
CRUCIAL, BRINGING PEOPLE
TOGETHER, HEALING.
WE WANT TO MAKE A NURSES'
STATION, WE HAVE TO DECIDE
WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE GOING TO
DO THAT OR THE BIKE ROOM.
SO WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THAT.
AND WE HAVE -- I FELT THE
HEADACHES TOO OF THE DESIGN
REVIEW AND ALL THAT TOO.
SO -- AND JUST THE TEMPERATURE
CHECK I HAVE DONE WITH OUR
DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANTS.
THESE ARE ALL COMMON PROBLEMS
THAT I KNOW I HAVE HEARD
EVERYBODY TALK ABOUT, LIKE TIM
WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT, THE
COST SAVINGS, THE TIME SAVING,
SO MANY BENEFITS TO ACTUALLY
REVAMP AND STREAMLINE THIS
PROCESS.
WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE PEOPLE'S
LIVES AND GET PEOPLE HOUSED,
ESPECIALLY THE MOST CHRONIC,
THE MOST VULNERABLE.
IT WASN'T MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE,
WE HAVE GOT TO GET THEM HOUSED
AND WE NEED TO STREAMLINE THE
PROCESS.
ANYTHING THAT CAN DO THAT AND
BRING OUR PEOPLE BACK IN,
INDOORS AND SAFE IS GOOD.
>> THANK YOU.
I AM SURE THERE'S GOING TO BE A
LOT OF QUESTIONS.
I WANT TO JUMP ON THIS THEME
WITH BOTH OF YOU A LITTLE BIT
MORE ON THE BIKE STORAGE
QUESTION.
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A DELICATE
AREA FOR A LOT OF US.
YOU KNOW, I INCLUDED IT IN THE
FIRST DRAFT BECAUSE I WANTED TO
CENTER YOUR EXPERIENCE, CENTER
BUILDINGS, WHAT YOU GO THROUGH
AS DEVELOPERS AND COMMUNITY
LEADERS IN PUTTING THESE
PROJECTS TOGETHER AND I HEARD
UNIFORMLY THIS WAS SOMETHING
THAT REALLY NEEDED TO BE IN
THIS BILL.
I WONDER IF YOU GUYS COULD
EXPAND A LITTLE BIT MORE
BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE ARE FOLKS
IN PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
WHO DO USE BIKES AND HOW IT'S A
PRIMARY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
FOR THEM, NOT AT THE SAME
DENSITY AS THERE ARE IN MARKET
RATE HOUSING.
BUT TIM IN PARTICULAR, YOU
MENTIONED THAT A LOT OF
RESIDENTS, IF THEY DO HAVE
BIKES, TEND TO PREFER TO STORE
THEM IN THEIR UNIT OR THERE ARE
OTHER WAYS TO DEAL WITH BIKING
AS AN OPTION FOR THE RESIDENTS
WHO DO WANT TO USE IT.
I WONDER IF YOU MIGHT JUST
EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON THAT,
CENTERING THE NEEDS AND THE
EXPERIENCES OF THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVE IN YOUR UNITS WHO DO USE
BIKES AND THE KINDS OF PLANNING
YOU GUYS WILL CONTINUE TO
INCORPORATE IN YOUR PROJECTS IF
THIS REQUIREMENT ISN'T THERE TO
REFLECT YOUR UNIQUE NEEDS AND
IT CURRENT -- IS KIND OF A
BLUNT OBJECT.
TIM, WHY DON'T YOU GO FIRST AND
THEN DEREK.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE
DOING AT ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS
UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND LOOKING
TO DO AT ALL OF THEM, ACTUALLY,
IS ADDING HOOKS FOR PEOPLE TO
STORE CONVENIENTLY AND GIVING
SOME FORESIGHT TO THE DESIGN
INSIDE PEOPLE'S APARTMENTS
WHERE YOU CAN HANG UP A BIKE,
KEEP IT SAFE AND I THINK THAT'S
OFTEN THE CASE WHAT WE HEAR OF
THE FEW TENANTS THAT WE HAVE
THAT ARE BICYCLE OWNERS, IS
THEY WANT TO KEEP IT WITH THEM.
IT'S ONE OF THEIR VALUED
POSSESSIONS AND THEY WANT TO
KEEP EYES ON IT.
THE OTHER THING I WILL GO BACK
TO IS OUR POPULATION.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE BICYCLE
OWNERS, BUT I FEEL LIKE THIS
MAY BE, YOU KNOW, TO DEREK'S
POINT, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE
POLICY CONTEXT HERE.
WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE PEOPLE'S
LIVES AND GET THEM OFF THE
STREET.
TIME WILL CHANGE AND
ENCOURAGING BIKE RIDING IS
IMPORTANT BUT I JUST WOULD
DEFER TO THE PROVIDERS HERE TO
ALLOW US TO BE FLEXIBLE AND NOT
NECESSARILY BE LEGISLATED INTO
EXACTLY HOW BIG THE BIKE AREAS
ARE.
WE WILL STILL CONTINUE TO PLAN
FOR BIKES IN OUR NEW BUILDINGS,
BUT WE WILL WORK WITH OUR STAFF
AND OUR RESIDENTS TO FIND THEM
THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
DEREK.
>> YES.
WE HAVEN'T HAD OUR STRUCTURES
BUILT YET BUT WE HAVE EQUAL
VILLAGE IN SODO, 29 ROOMS THERE
AND IT OPENED UP LAST OCTOBER
SO IT'S BEEN OPEN ABOUT A YEAR
AND I THINK WE HAVE TWO BIKE
RACKS IN THERE AND NOW IT'S --
I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT THREE
BIKES WE SEE IN THERE AND
THAT'S PROBABLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE
BEEN HOUSED FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
AND I AGREE WITH TIM.
PEOPLE, WHENEVER THEY HAVE
BIKES, THEY ARE JUST AS
VALUABLE TO THEM AS CAR ARE TO
CAR OWNERS.
AND I DON'T SEE THEM BEING USED
UNIT PER PARKING SPACE OR
WHATEVER IT IS, THE FORMULA, IT
SEEMS RIDICULOUS.
DAY TO DAY AT SEATTLE CLUB,
OBVIOUSLY, PRE-COVID, WE WERE
SEEING ABOUT 130, MAYBE 140
PEOPLE A DAY HOMELESS AND, YOU
KNOW, WE WOULD SEE MAYBE TWO OR
THREE BIKES COME THROUGH.
SO THAT TELLS YOU, YOU KNOW,
WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH AND
THE FLEET FOR BIKES.
BUT, I MEAN, PUT OUT THERE,
THOUGH, SOMEBODY HOUSED, THEIR
WILLINGNESS TO GET A BIKE MIGHT
CHANGE.
BUT WE DON'T REALLY SEE A NEED
FOR A LOT OF BIKE STORAGE.
>> REALLY APPRECIATE THAT
CONTEXT FROM BOTH OF YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO OPEN IT
UP TO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES.
ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR TIM
AND DEREK?
GREAT.
LOOK HOW THOROUGH YOU GUYS
WERE.
GREAT JOB.
PLENTY OF TIME FOR THAT LATER,
GIVEN THAT WE ARE VERY EARLY IN
THIS PROCESS.
THIS WAS JUST A FIRST BITE AT
THE APPLE FOR PEOPLE TO
IDENTIFY ISSUES, TO REALLY HEAR
THE NEED DIRECTLY FROM TIM AND
DEREK WHO ARE ON THE FRONT
LINES AND BY NO MEANS ARE TIM
AND DEREK THE EXHAUSTIVE
REPRESENTATIVES.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD -- WE ARE
PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE FOLKS IN
THE FUTURE FROM DESC AND FROM
LEHIGH AND SO MANY OF THE OTHER
LOCAL PROVIDERS AND DEVELOPERS
WHO ARE DOING THIS CRITICAL
WORK ALL WITH VERY SIMILAR
CONCERNS AND WHO HAVE BEEN VERY
HELPFUL THROUGHOUT THIS
PROCESS.
SO TIM AND DEREK, THANK YOU FOR
BEING AVAILABLE TODAY TO KICK
THIS PROCESS OFF AND REALLY GET
US ROLLING.
WE WILL CERTAINLY CALL YOU BACK
AS WE HAVE MORE QUESTIONS AND
AS WE CONTINUE TO VET THIS
LEGISLATION IN JANUARY AND
APPRECIATE YOU MAKING
YOURSELVES AVAILABLE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THANK YOU TO CENTRAL STAFF
FOR CUING THIS UP AND ANSWERING
THE CRITICAL TECHNICAL
QUESTIONS AT THAT EARLY STAGE.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO GET THOSE
FLAGGED EARLY AND START WORKING
ON THOSE ISSUES WELL IN
ADVANCE.
SO I WANT TO PIVOT NOW, SINCE
WE ARE DOING PRETTY GOOD ON
TIME --
>> HEY.
>> YES.
OH.
YES.
>> JUST SAYING GOODBYE TO
DEREK.
>> YEAH.
I SAW.
THAT'S GREAT.
IT WAS -- YOU KNOW, I REALLY
APPRECIATE WHEN WE AS A COUNCIL
CAN JUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE
AWESOME WEALTH OF COMMUNITY
THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY AND
WITHOUT DEREK THIS BILL
WOULDN'T BE HERE SO I WANT TO
EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO HIM
TOO.
MOVING ONTO ITEM 2, SO I
THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT --
WELL, FIRST, JACOB, CAN YOU
PLEASE READ ITEM 2 INTO THE
RECORD.
>> BRIEFING IN DISCUSSION ON
2021 HOMELESSNESS STRATEGIES
AND INVESTMENT.
>> THANK YOU, JACOB.
AND THE PRESENTERS ARE GOING TO
BE DEPUTY MAYOR -- AND FROM THE
PUBLIC DEFENDER ASSOCIATION AND
I BELIEVE THEY ARE ALL PRESENT
WITH US, WHICH IS GREAT.
SO I DID JUST WANT TO SAY AT
THE TOP OF THIS, WE MADE A
CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF
INVESTMENTS FOR OUTREACH, FOR
TRANSITIONAL SHELTER, FOR
COMPLETELY REDEFINING HOW WE
ARE GOING TO CONDUCT BUSINESS
AS A CITY IN TERMS OF LEADING
WITH ENGAGEMENT, LEADING WITH
OUTREACH, GOING FORWARD IN
2021.
AS A COUNCIL, THAT'S THE VISION
THAT WE MANIFESTED IN OUR
BUDGET THAT WE PASSED AT THE
END OF LAST MONTH.
I REALIZE IT IS STILL 2020 AND
THESE ARE 2021 INVESTMENTS BUT
IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO HEAR
FROM SOME OF OUR PARTNERS WHO
ARE GOING TO BE THE RECIPIENTS
OF MANY OF THOSE RESOURCES AND
FROM THE EXECUTIVE ON THE
STATUS AND SCALING UP THESE NEW
INVESTMENTS AND THESE NEW
APPROACHES FOR 2021 TO MAKE
PROGRESS ON WHAT ALL OF US SEE
EVERY DAY IN OUR COMMUNITIES,
THE INCREDIBLE CRISIS SEVERAL
YEARS INTO THE STATE OF
EMERGENCY ON THIS CRISIS OF
HOMELESSNESS IN SEATTLE AND
KING COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE KEY
THINGS I WANT TO FLAG AT THE
TOP BUT I DO WANT TO GO THROUGH
AND GIVE OUR PANELISTS
OPPORTUNITIES TO BRIEFLY
INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND THEN
IF WE MIGHT HAVE A CONVERSATION
FIRST ABOUT MAYBE WHERE WE ARE
ON SOME OF THE TIMELINE TO
STANDING UP SOME OF THESE ADDED
INVESTMENTS, MIGHT BE GOOD TO
HEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW,
WHERE WE ARE ON THE HOTELING,
WHERE WE ARE ON TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES, WHERE WE ARE ON THE
ENHANCED SHELTER AND THEN ALSO
AN UPDATE ON THE HOPE TEAM AND
THE WORK THAT THAT CHLOE, LISA
AND THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN DOING TO
STRENGTHEN OUR OUTREACH
EFFORTS.
I KNOW THAT WORK CONTINUES TO
BE ONGOING AND IT WOULD BE GOOD
TO GET AN UPDATE FOR THE
COMMITTEE AND FOR THE PUBLIC
TODAY.
BUT THEN GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO HAVE
AN OPEN-ENDED DISCUSSION
GENERALLY ABOUT THESE
HOMELESSNESS INVESTMENTS AND
I'M SURE IT WILL BE A
CONVERSATION WE WILL BE
RECONVENING IN AT THE COMMITTEE
IN JANUARY FOR ANOTHER UPDATE.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO GIVE
OUR PANELISTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
CASEY, WHY DON'T WE START WITH
YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR SIXKILLER AND
THEN CHLOE AND THEN LISA.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU JUST
WANT ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF OR
LAUNCH IN?
>> WHY DON'T WE GO THROUGH AND
JUST SAY NAME AND ROLE,
INTRODUCTIONS.
AND THEN WHY DON'T WE GO ON
AFTER WE GO THROUGH THAT ROUND
OF INTRODUCTIONS, CASEY, WHY
DON'T WE COME BACK TO YOU FIRST
AND THEN HEAR FROM LISA AND
CHLOE AND THEN OPEN IT UP TO
GENERAL QUESTIONS.
>> THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
INAME IS CASEY SIXKILLER,
DEPUTY MAYOR, MAYOR'S OFFICE.
>> MY NAME OTHER CHLOE GAYLE,
I'M RAY DIRECTOR FOR THE REACH
PROGRAM.
>> I'M LUISA DUGARD, AT THE
PUBLIC DEFENDER ASSOCIATION.
>> SO CASEY, NOW THAT WE ARE
ALL INTRODUCED, WHY DON'T WE GO
BACK TO YOU AND GET A BROAD
OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET ADDS THE
COUNCIL HAS MADE AND HOW THE
EXECUTIVE TEAM IS APPROACHING
THIS.
I WANT TO CLARIFY SOME OF MY
EARLY REMARKS.
WE DID MAKE SOME OF THESE
OUTREACH INVESTMENTS AND
OUTREACH CHANGES THROUGH
LEGISLATION I INTRODUCED IN THE
2020 BUDGET AS WELL.
THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE 2021
INVESTMENTS, WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT AN ONGOING OUTREACH
PROJECT THAT WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON FOR THE LAST SEVERAL
MONTHS.
FEEL FREE TO INCLUDE THAT IN
YOUR REMARKS.
I DON'T WANT THE PANELISTS TO
FEEL LIKE THEY WERE HEMMED INTO
WHAT IS PROSPECTIVE.
THERE ARE ONGOING ISSUES AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER AND
COUNCIL, I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU
TOWARD THE END OF THE YEAR AND
PROVIDE AN UPDATE ABOUT A
NUMBER OF EFFORTS THAT ARE
UNDERWAY WITHIN HSD IN
PARTICULAR.
MANY OF THEM, ALL OF THEM,
ACTUALLY, SUPPORTED BY COUNCIL
THROUGH THE 2021 ADOPTED BUDGET
AND AS COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS JUST
REFERENCED SOME ADDITIONAL
THINGS WE ARE WORKING ON
BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE
YEAR THAT ARE A HOLDOVER FROM
THE 2020 BUDGET.
IF YOU CAN HIT A FEW OF THOSE
HIGHLIGHTS, GIVE YOU AN UPDATE
OF WHERE WE ARE AT AND THEN
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHLOE AND
LISA.
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST AS WE
THINK ABOUT, AS WE WORK TOWARD
OUR SURGE AND OUR STREET TO
HOUSING EFFORTS IN 2021, WE ARE
IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING
THREE DIFFERENT RFQs TO DO THAT
WORK AND THAT INCLUDES NUMBER
ONE, WE HAVE NOW NARROWED THE
FIELD DOWN TO THREE OF FIVE
POTENTIAL HOTELS TO LEASE.
SO FAS IS WORKING THROUGH THAT
PROCESS NOW WITH POTENTIAL
LOCATIONS THAT -- AFTER A
REALLY PRETTY WIDE SEARCH THAT
WENT FROM, I THINK, SOMEWHERE
IN THE '90s, POTENTIAL
PROPERTIES TO, AGAIN, NOW AS WE
HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SERIES OF
SITE VISITS AND OTHER WORK WITH
POTENTIAL HOST HOTELS, DOWN TO
35.
SO OUR GOAL IS STILL TO BRING
ONE OF THOSE HOTELS ONLINE
POTENTIALLY TOWARD LAST WEEK OF
THIS MONTH, PROBABLY MORE
LIKELY AT THIS POINT NOT UNTIL
THE BEGINNING, EARLY PART OF
JANUARY.
SO THAT'S VERY EXCITING FOR US.
THE SECOND IS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE
WORKING AND WE WILL BE
ANNOUNCING SOON WHO OUR HOTEL
OPERATOR OR OPERATORS ARE GOING
TO BE, SO WE HAVE HOTELS
THEMSELVES AND THEN WE HAVE THE
FOLKS, THOSE AGENCIES WHO ARE
GOING TO BE ACTUALLY MANAGING
THESE SHELTER ASSETS FOR THE
CITY AND SO WE HAVE FINALIZED
THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
AND WE WILL BE SENDING OUT
THOSE AWARD LETTERS HERE
SHORTLY AND BEGINNING TO
NEGOTIATE THOSE CONTRACTS.
THE THIRD PART OF THAT, OF THE
RFQ WORLD IS OUR STREET TO
HOUSING RFQ SO THIS IS OUR
RAPID REHOUSING SERVICES THAT
WE FEEL CONFIDENT WILL BE ABLE
TO SERVE UP TO 231 PEOPLE.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A SERVICE
PROVIDER FOR THAT AS WELL AND
WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT
ANNOUNCEMENT HERE SHORTLY.
SO BY, YOU KNOW, VERY BEGINNING
OF DECEMBER -- OF JANUARY,
ANNOUNCED THE LOCATION OF OUR
HOTELS, ANNOUNCE OUR HOTEL
OPERATOR OR OPERATORS AND THEN
ALSO ANNOUNCE OUR RAPID RE-
HOUSING SERVICE PROVIDER.
JUST AS A REMINDER, OUR GOAL IS
TO STAND UP 300 NEW TEMPORARY
SHELTER UNITS AND IN ADDITION
TO THAT, 125 NEW ENHANCED
NONCONGREGANT SHELTER SPACES
USING -- THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO
COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING THAT
PROPOSAL BY THE MAYOR AND
WORKING WITH US IN THAT.
WE ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO
BRING ON THESE NEW ASSETS.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS MENTIONED
HIS LEGISLATION AND OUR 2020
OUTREACH DOLLARS THAT REMAIN
FROM A FEW DIFFERENT MOVES
EARLIER THIS FALL.
WE HAVE ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS
IN MONEY SET ASIDE FOR
ADDITIONAL OUTREACH ACTIVITY.
ABOUT $265,000 OF THAT WILL BE
SPENT EXTENDING THE HOTEL STAY
FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO PREVIOUSLY
WERE RESIDING AT THE EVER
SPRING INN SO WE HAVE
úAUTHORIZED THAT WORK THAT WAS
UNIVERSAL REQUEST FROM AN
OUTREACH CONTINUUM OF
PREVENTING THE POTENTIAL FOR
THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO EXIT FROM
HOTELS INTO HOMELESSNESS AND SO
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND
UNIFIED RESPONSE SO THAT WORK
IS MOVING FORWARD AND I WANT TO
THANK LISA DUGARD AND THE PD
FOR STEPPING IN AND STEPPING UP
TO TO SUPPORT THOSE INDIVIDUALS
AND WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
US.
SO THAT LEAVES ABOUT $800,000
LEFT.
WE HAVE BEEN COLLATING REQUESTS
FROM THE SERVICE OUTREACH
PROVIDER CONTINUUM ABOUT THINGS
THEY COULD USE.
THOSE TYPES OF -- THAT THEY CAN
PROCURE HERE AT THE END OF
2020.
THOSE INCLUDE TENTS, SLEEPING
BAGS, HEATERS, BLANKETS, SOCKS,
SHOES, GIFT CARDS, LOTS OF
DIFFERENT THINGS TO TRY TO KEEP
PEOPLE WARM AND SAFE AS WE HEAD
INTO CONTINUED DARK COLD AND
OFTEN WET DAYS OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL WEEKS AND MONTHS.
SO THAT PROCESS IS MOVING
FORWARD AS WELL.
WE ARE NOT MAKING IT HARD.
WE ARE NOT AMENDING CONTRACTS
AND CREATING SOME NEW RFP
PROCESS.
WE EVER TRYING TO MAKE IT AS
SIMPLE AND STREAMLINED AS
PARTNERS SO OUR OUTREACH
PARTNERS CAN BE FOCUSED ON WHAT
THEY DO AND NOT A BUNCH OF
PAPERWORK THAT SLOWS EVERYTHING
DOWN.
ALSO RELATED TO COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS' LEGISLATION WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING WITH THE OUTREACH
CONTINUUM ON A MUTUAL VISION
FOR OUTREACH IN THE CITY.
WE ARE LEARNING A LOT ABOUT
EACH OTHER, AT LEAST NOW THAT I
AM INVOLVED IN THAT, LEARNING
MORE ABOUT WHERE WE HAVE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT,
WHERE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE
PERHAPS SOME FRICTION, BUT I
HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAVE REALLY
APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK WITH OUR OUTREACH
CONTINUUM AND THINK THROUGH
SOLUTIONS AND NEW APPROACHES
FOR A NUMBER OF -- YOU KNOW,
FOR OUR OVERALL RESPONSE TO
UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
THERE IS WORK GOING ON.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK
PUBLICLY ABOUT OUTREACH IS NO
LONGER OCCURRING, THAT IS NOT
TRUE.
ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS ARE
ACTIVE.
I THINK CHLOE GAYLE CAN TALK
ABOUT THE WORK HER TEAM IS
DOING ACROSS THE CITY, THE PDA
HAS DEPLOYED, A LOT OF FOLKS
ARE INVOLVED IN BOTH HELPING
MOVE FOLKS OUT OF SHELTER --
EXCUSE ME, OFF THE STREET AND
INTO SOME FORM OF SHELTER WHILE
ALSO TRYING TO MEET THEIR NEEDS
GIVEN THAT THEY ARE GOING TO
REMAIN OUTSIDE.
SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S WORK GOING
ON IN A NUMBER OF PARKS ACROSS
OUR PARK SYSTEM TODAY.
LISA DUGARD I'M SURE WILL TALK
ABOUT THE WORK THAT THE PDA AND
REACH AND OTHERS ARE DOING WITH
COUNTY RESOURCES CALLED JUST
CARE IN THE CHINA TOWN AND
PIONEER SQUARE AREA.
WE ARE LEARNING A LOT ABOUT
WHAT THAT WORK LOOKS LIKE.
A FEW OTHER PLACES AROUND THE
CITY AS WELL AS WORKING WITH
OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ON -- YOU
KNOW, WHETHER IT'S CONSTRUCTION
PROJECTS OR OTHER OBSTRUCTIONS
THAT WERE COORDINATED WORK AND
OUTREACH FROM OUR CONTRACTED
PROVIDERS HELPFUL IN RESOLVING
SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH
THAT.
AND ALSO WORKING THROUGH HOW WE
CAN HAVE A MORE COORDINATED AND
GEOGRAPHIC APPROACH TO HOW WE
ARE CONDUCTING OUTREACH AND
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK CHLOE
AND HER TEAM AND OTHERS FOR
THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THAT
WORK.
WE ALSO ARE LARNING AS PART OF
THIS CONVERSATION WHERE OUR
TECHNOLOGY LAGS BEHIND AND I
THINK THAT IS IN PARTICULAR
AROUND THE SHELTER, YOU KNOW,
JUST THE DATABASE AROUND
AVAILABLE SHELTER ON A DAILY
BASIS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER
THINGS.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR HOPE
TEAM AND AGAIN FOLKS THAT WORK
WITH OUR OUTREACH CONTINUING
FOR PARTICIPATING IN
CONVERSATIONS AND TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THE
TECHNOLOGY WORK FOR US AND FOR
THOSE WHO ARE IN SHELTER AND
RATHER THAN WORKING AGAINST US
AND BEING SORT OF AN IMPEDIMENT
TO GETTING RESOURCES OUT IN THE
FIELD.
I'M SURE CHLOE WILL TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE INNOVATIVE THINGS
THAT REACH IS DOING, BOTH TO
CONNECT PEOPLE TO SHELTER BUT
ALSO MEET THEIR NEEDS AS WE GO
INTO COLD MONTHS.
SO I WON'T GO INTO THAT HERE.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE HOPE
TEAM.
I MENTIONED THEY HAVE BEEN
INVOLVED IN ALL THESE
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF
OUTREACH AND ALSO WORKING WITH
THEM TO HELP COORDINATE
REFERRALS INTO THE SHELTER
SYSTEMS SO OVER JUST THE FIRST
MONTH, FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF
THIS NEW HOPE TEAM -- SEATTLE
HEALTH CORPS, THE MID AND
OTHERS.
AGAIN, THE HOPE TEAM IT IS --
WHO ARE THEY FINDING THE BEST
MATCH FOR AVAILABLE RESOURCES
FORE THEIR CLIENTS.
ALSO MEANS THAT WE ARE WORKING
TO CROSS 15 DIFFERENT OUTREACH
AGENCIES OR CONTRACT -- SO BOTH
ARE CONTRACTED AND
NONCONTRACTED PARTNERS TO
SUBMIT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR REFERRALS INTO VACANT
SPOTS.
A LOT OF WORK GOING ON ON THE
BACK END FROM THE HOPE TEAM.
I THINK THOSE FOLKS, OUR TEAM
HAS REALLY STARTED TO SETTLE
INTO ITS NEW ROLE AND I THINK
REALLY APPROACHED THAT WORK IN
COLLABORATIVE -- A
COLLABORATIVE WAY.
TRY AND THINK WHAT ELSE.
LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS WE
ARE MAKING A NUMBER OF SEVERE
WEATHER PREPARATIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE FORTUNATE
LAST YEAR, FORTUNATE LAST YEAR
THAT THE ONSET OF COVID CAME
AFTER OUR WINTER -- OUR FIRST
WINTER SNOW.
WE DID HAVE A COLD BATCH, A
LITTLE LITTLE SPOT IN MARCH,
APRIL, BUT NEVERTHELESS WE ARE
WORKING TO PREPARE OUR SEVERE
WEATHER SPACES, THAT INCLUDES
CITY HALL, SMT, PAVILION,
COMMUNITY CENTERS, WORKING WITH
OUR CONTRACTED PARTNERS AND
OTHERS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE
PREPARED SO WE CAN STAND UP THE
RESOURCES AS NECESSARY.
AGAIN THE HOPE TEAM WILL BE THE
ONE COORDINATING THAT OUTREACH
AND TRANSPORTATION TO SITES AS
PARTED OF OUR WINTER WEATHER
RESPONSE FOR THE CITY.
THE LAST THING I WANTED TO
MENTION IS OUR -- IS WHAT WE
ARE DOING AROUND ENCAMPMENT
TRASH MITIGATION AND AS WELL AS
THE CLEAN CITIES INITIATIVE,
THERE IS, I WANT TO BE CLEAR,
THAT THE CLEAN CITIES
INITIATIVE WHICH THE COUNCIL
SUPPORTED IS NOT FOCUSED
EXCLUSIVELY ON ENCAMPMENT TRASH
MITIGATION AND REMOVAL.
THEY ARE NOT IN CHARGE OF
REMOVALS AT ALL.
THE CLEAN CITIES INITIATIVE IS
AN INTER DEPARTMENTAL
COORDINATED EFFORT WITH PARKS
AND SDOT STAFF, THE SUPPORT
FROM SPU CONTRACTORS.
IT'S AN ALL HANDS ON DECK FOR
TRASH, GRAFFITI REMOVAL, TRASH
REMOVAL, SIX PLUS MONTHS OF
DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ACROSS THE
CITY.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THAT WORK
WILL INTERSECT WITH
ENCAMPMENTS.
THAT'S WHY OUR PARKS TEAM AND
OUR -- WHICH HAS FIELD
COORDINATORS WHO DID WORK WITH
ENCAMPMENT INHABITANTS TO DEAL
WITH PERSONAL PROPERTY OR, MOST
IMPORTANTLY, I THINK BE ABLE TO
WORK WITH THEM TO IDENTIFY WHAT
TRASH AND OTHER RESOURCES -- OR
WHAT TRASH AND OTHER REFUSE
THEY MAY WANT REMOVED FROM THAT
ENCAMPMENT AND THAT SEEMS TO BE
GOING WELL.
TO SAY THAT LAST WEEK ALONE WE
COLLECTED 110,000 POUNDS OF
TRASH FROM OUR NEW COMMUNITY
LITTER ROUTES TO PARKS,
JAMBOREES AND OTHER CITYWIDE
TRASH COLLECTING EFFORTS.
LAST YEAR THEY WERE AT COUNTY
PARK AND A FEW OTHER PLACES
DOING A MORE FOCUSED EFFORT.
SO JUST TO RECAP COUNCIL,
HOTELS COMING IN LINE BEGINNING
IN JANUARY.
HOTEL OPERATOR AND OTHER
PARTNERS WHO WILL HELP US OUR
STREET TO HOUSING APPROACH WILL
BE ANNOUNCED IN THE NEXT COUPLE
OF WEEKS.
WE ARE CONTINUING OUR WORK WITH
OUR CONTRACTED OUTREACH
PROVIDERS.
WE HAVE A WINTER WEATHER PLAN
IN PLACE AND READY TO GO IF AND
WHEN WE FET TO THAT.
AND THEN OUR CLEAN CITIES
PROGRAM IS NOW UP AND RUNNING
AND WE WILL BE DOING REGULAR
REPORTING, HAVE A PUBLIC
DASHBOARD SO EVERYONE CAN TRACK
WHERE WE HAVE BEEN, WHERE WE
ARE PLANNING TO GO AND WHAT THE
OUTPUT FROM THAT EFFORT IS.
COUNCILMEMBER.
>> THANK YOU.
VERY THOROUGH, MR. DEPUTY
MAYOR.
AND FOLKS CAN HOLD THEIR
QUESTIONS UNTIL AFTER WE HEAR
IN CHLOE AND LISA AS WELL AND
THEN WE WILL DO ALL THE
QUESTIONS AT ONCE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE BEST AND
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT INITIAL
PRESENTATION.
SO CHLOE, CAN WE HEAR AN UPDATE
FROM YOU NEXT?
>> SURE.
I AM HAPPY TO BUILD ON WHAT
DEPUTY MAYOR SIXKILLER HAS
SPOKEN TO.
THE REACH HAS BEEN REALLY
ENGAGED AS PART OF THE EFFORT
TO TRY TO REDESIGN OUR
UNSHELTERED RESPONSE.
AND I'M ACTUALLY REALLY EXCITED
THAT WE ARE GOING AFTER YOUR
WHOLE PRESENTATION ON PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING BECAUSE THAT
IS THE SOLUTION TO OUR
UNSHELTERED RESPONSE, IS THAT
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS
THAT WE ARE FINDING OUTSIDE
REALLY NEED LONG-TERM HOUSING
AND MANY, MANY OF THEM NEED
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
EXCELLENT PROGRAMS YOU
DESCRIBED EARLIER.
IN THE MEANTIME WHILE WE HAVE A
LOT OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE AND NOT
IN SAFE PLACES FOR THEM TO GO
INDOORS, WE ARE TRYING TO
CREATE A BETTER SYSTEM.
I WILL CALL IT A COUPLE OF
ITEMS WE ARE DEFINITELY TRYING
TO IMPROVE OUR REFERRAL SYSTEM
TO GET PEOPLE TO SHELTERS WITH
THE NEW HOTELS COMING ONLINE
AND I WANT TO THANK THE HOPE
TEAM MEMBERS WHO ARE VERY
ACTIVE IN REDESIGNING THAT
PROCESS AND TRYING TO ENSURE
THAT THEIR SERVICE MATCH SO THE
PEOPLE WHO COME INSIDE AND GET
THEIR NEEDS MET INSIDE OF THE
SHELTERS AND THAT THEY ALSO ARE
PUT ON A PATHWAY TOWARDS
PERMANENT HOUSING, WHICH IS
WHAT THEY NEED.
SO THAT'S BEEN A CRITICAL PIECE
AND IT IS A LOT TO MANAGE ALL
IN THE OTHER OUTREACH -- OR
OUTREACH PARTNERS WHO HAVE ALSO
BEEN AT THE TABLE HELPING TO
DESIGN THAT PLAN.
I ALSO WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT OUR PRINCIPALS COMING
IN IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING THE
HOPE TEAM HAS HELPED SUPPORT US
THINKING ABOUT HYGIENE AND
SANITATION SERVICES AND THAT IS
CRITICAL AND STILL -- [ AUDIO
DIFFICULTY ]
>> THERE IS NOT ADEQUATE
HYGIENE AND SANITATION FOR
PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE.
SECONDLY, THE TRASH MITIGATION
WHICH IS SPOKEN TO A LITTLE
BIT.
THE SPU TEAMS HAVE BEEN
COOPERATIVE AND HELPFUL AND AS
ONE OF MY STAFF RECENTLY SAID A
COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WHEN WE ARE
WORKING IN COORDINATION WITH
PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE, PEOPLE
WANT THEIR TRASH PICKED UP.
HE SAID, I'VE NEVER FOUND
ANYBODY WHO DIDN'T ACTUALLY
WANT THEIR TRASH PICKED UP.
IT REALLY IS HOW WE GO ABOUT
THAT IN A WAY THAT IS
SUPPORTIVE OF THEM AND MAKES
SENSE FOR THE AREA, SO
SOMETIMES PEOPLE COLLECT THEIR
OWN TRASH AND PUT THEM INTO
PURPLE BAGS.
AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE REALLY
NEED HELP AND THERE'S
DEFINITELY A LOT OF ILLEGAL
DUMPING HAPPENING ALL OVER OUR
COMMUNITY THAT IS EXACERBATING
THE AMOUNT OF TRASH OUTSIDE AND
THAT PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE ARE
HAVING TO CONTEST WITH.
SO WE HAVE REALLY APPRECIATED
THE SPU PARTNERS ON DESIGNING
THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY, SURVIVAL
SUPPLIES ARE REALLY
SIGNIFICANT.
PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE A WAY TO
STAY WARM, GET FOOD, TRY TO
STAY DRY IN THIS WEATHER.
IT'S REALLY -- AS AN INCREDIBLE
CHALLENGE.
AND PART OF THAT, I'LL JUST
MENTION THE REACH PROGRAM IS --
HAS STARTED A NEW PROJECT WHICH
IS A POP-UP OUTSIDE OFFICE
MODEL SO YOU MAY SEE THOSE
AROUND THE COMMUNITY AND WE ARE
HAPPY TO COMMUNICATE MORE ABOUT
THAT, WHICH IS WE HAVE HAD
TENTS AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY
WORKED WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS
AND NEIGHBORHOODS ALL OVER THE
CITY AND ARE STAFF ARE THERE ON
A REGULAR BASIS SO PEOPLE CAN
COME, REACH OUT, THEY CAN HAVE
ACCESS TO WI-FI AND CONNECTIVE
SERVICES AND IDEALLY THEY CAN
GET WARM AND WE ARE QUITE
CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE STAYING
WARM THROUGH THE SEVERE WEATHER
IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT ALL OF
THIS WORK FOR US HAS REALLY
BEEN TOWARDS AND I THINK LISA
IS GOING TO SPEAK MORE TOWARDS
THE PROVIDER, THE PROVIDERS
WORKING WITH THE CITY TO DESIGN
A FRAMEWORK IN TERMS OF HOW WE
DAK ABOUT UNSHELTERED RESPONSE.
FOR US ON THE GROUND WE ARE
LOOKING AT CREATING A PROBLEM
SOLVING STRATEGIES SO I WANT TO
NAME SOME OF THOSE THINGS,
WHICH IS THAT WE ARE PREVENTING
REMOVALS OR MOVING PEOPLE
WHENEVER POSSIBLE AS WE KNOW
THE CDC DOES NOT WANT ANYONE
DISPLACED AND MOVED AROUND
DURING THIS REALLY CRITICAL
TIME OF DISEASE MITIGATION.
WE WANT TO COORDINATE WITH THE
PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE SO WE
START WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH WHERE
WE KNOW WHO IS THERE AND THAT
WE DESIGN SOLUTIONS IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.
SO IF THAT'S A PORT-A-POTT FOR
THEIR AREA, IF THAT'S A HAND
WASHING STATION, IF THAT'S
GETTING THEIR TRASH REMOVED, IF
THAT'S -- SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER
FOR THEM TO MOVE TO ANOTHER
LOCATION THAT WE CAN WORK IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH PEOPLE TO HELP
FIGURE THAT OUT.
IDEALLY TO MOVE PEOPLE INSIDE.
AND FINALLY, TO DO MORE
COMMUNITY COORDINATION.
SO OUR PROBLEM-SOLVING MODEL IS
REALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE
ALSO SOLVE FOR THE COMMUNITY
BECAUSE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES
HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS.
I'M GOING TO TALK ONE MINUTE
ABOUT THE JUST CARE PROJECT.
I KNOW LISA WILL HAVE A LOT
MORE TO SAY.
THE ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN THE
ARCHITECT OF THAT SO THEY GET
THE CREDIT.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT'S BEEN AN
INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY USING
SOME FUNDS FROM THE COUNTY TO
REALLY TRY TO CREATE A
DEMONSTRATION MODEL IN TWO
CRITICAL NEIGHBORHOODS IN CHINA
TOWN INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT AND
IN PIONEER SQUARE AND I'M GOING
TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT.
WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING -- REACH
HAS BEEN TRYING TO ORGANIZE THE
STREET RESPONSE AND WE DID IT
WITH A LOT OF INTENTIONALITY TO
BRING IN OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER
SO WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO
-- AND THEN TO REALLY LEARN
ABOUT WHO IS LIVING OUTSIDE AND
WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
AND I AM GOING TO SPEAK A
LITTLE BIT TO WHAT WE LEARNED
JUST BY DOING INTENSIVE
ASSESSMENTS IN THAT AREA.
WE HAVE TO DATE IN THOSE TWO
NEIGHBORHOODS ASSESSED -- HAD
ASSESSMENTS OF 165 INDIVIDUALS
AND THOSE ARE PRETTY INTENSIVE.
PEOPLE SIGN A RELEASE OF
INFORMATION AND WE TRY TO GET
SOME KIND OF A SENSE OF WHAT
THEIR NEEDS ARE SO WE CAN
ACCURATELY MATCH THEM TO
RESOURCES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE PUTTING THEM ON A GOOD
FAITH FOR STABILITY.
APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE FOLKS
THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THAT AREA
HAVE BEEN
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS.
IT IS A SIGNIFICANT NEED
ESPECIALLY IN NEIGHBORHOODS
THAT HAVE HIGH CONCENTRATIONS
OF PEOPLE AND OF SERVICES AND
HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN WHERE
PEOPLE WITH HIGH NEEDS HAVE
CONGREGATED SO 80% HAVE BEEN
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS OVER A
YEAR.
THE NEEDS THAT THEY REQUESTED
OVER 95% WAS HOUSING.
THAT'S NUMBER ONE CHOICE BUT
THEY ALSO REQUESTED -- 79%
REQUESTED SUBSTANCE ABUSE
REPORT.
40% REQUESTED PHYSICAL HEALTH
SUPPORT.
OVER 50% HAD LEGAL ISSUES THAT
THEY NEEDED TO RESOLVE.
AND 45% HAD BENEFITS ISSUES.
SO PEOPLE ARE HAVING VERY HIGH
NEEDS THAT ARE TRYING TO
SURVIVE WITH AND THEY ARE
PRESENTED WITH SIGNIFICANT
BARRIERS TO MOVE INSIDE.
IN SPITE OF THAT, WITH THE
EXCELLENT -- WE WILL SPEAK TO
THE RESOURCES THAT HAVE COME
ONLINE AND THE EXCELLENT
PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE HAD WITH
ASIAN COUNSELING AND REFERRAL
SERVICE, THE DEFENDERS
CLUB AND OTHER PARTNERS WHO LE
HELP DESIGN MODELS TO BUILD
THEM IN.
WE HAVE MANAGED TO MOVE 71
PEOPLE INTO MOTELS.
AND THEY HAVE -- AND THOSE
MOTELS ARE INTENTIONALLY
STAFFED TO RESPOND TO PEOPLE'S
CULTURAL AND THEIR BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH NEEDS SO THAT WE KNOW
THAT THEY ARE BEING
APPROPRIATELY MATCHED.
I'LL HAND IT OVER TO LISA,
THEN.
THANKS.
>> THANKS SO MUCH, CHLOE, AND
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US,
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AND
COLLEAGUES.
LET ME JUST EXPLAIN HOW --
FIRST OF ALL, THE ORGANIZATION
THAT I WORK WITH, THE PUBLIC
DEFENDER ASSOCIATION HASN'T
PROVIDED PUBLIC DEFENSE
SERVICES FOR A FEW YEARS AND WE
ARE ABOUT TO GO THROUGH A
RENAMING PROCESS SO NEXT YEAR
YOU WILL PROBABLY HEAR ME
INTRODUCING MYSELF FROM ANOTHER
-- USING ANOTHER NAME.
BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, PDA
FINDS ITSELF IN THIS
CONVERSATION, NOT -- WE ARE
ACTUALLY NOT A CITY CONTRACTOR
TO PROVIDE HOMELESSNESS
RESPONSE OR OUTREACH, BUT WE
HAVE A CITY CONTRACT TO MANAGE
THE LEAD PROGRAM.
NOW LEAD STANDS FOR LET
EVERYONE STAND WITH DIGNITY,
PREVIOUSLY LAW ENFORCEMENT
DIVERSION.
IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY-
BASED CARE RESPONSE TO
PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR AND LAW
VIOLATIONS, BUT OVER THE
LIFETIME OF THAT PROGRAM,
BETWEEN 75 AND 80% OF THOSE
THAT ARE REFERRED TO LEAD AT
POINT OF REFERRAL ARE
UNSHELTERED.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A VERY
STRONG DEGREE OF OVERLAP AND IN
2020, LET ME RUSH THROUGH THIS
BACKGROUND HERE, BY WAY OF
INTRODUCING WHY I'M EVEN
SITTING WITH YOU, IN 2020, AS
COVID HIT AND REALLY NOT ONLY
THE JAIL, THE COURTS, AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT REALLY CLOSED DOWN
AND DREW BACK IN THEIR CAPACITY
TO ENGAGE WITH LOW-LEVEL PUBLIC
ORDER ISSUES OUT OF CONCERN FOR
COVID TRANSMISSION, BUT THOSE
PUBLIC ORDER ISSUES BECAME MORE
AND MORE ACUTE IN NEIGHBORHOODS
AS PEOPLE EXPERIENCED GREAT
NEED, SHELTERS WERE
DEINTENSIFIED DUE TO COVID.
LAWFUL SOURCES OF INCOME WERE
CUT OFF TO PEOPLE AND
NEIGHBORHOODS WERE REALLY, YOU
KNOW, EMPTIED OUT OF ORDINARY
TRAFFIC.
SO AS I THINK WE ALL KNOW IN
THE CITY AND REGIONALLY, THE
IMPACT OF PEOPLE LIVING
UNSHELTERED IN NEIGHBORHOODS
BECAME MORE AND MORE ACUTE AND
WE JUST NOTICED THAT OUR LEAD
RESOURCES MIGHT BE USEFUL IN
RESPONSE TO THOSE CONDITIONS,
SO EVEN THOUGH LEAD HAS NEVER
BEEN DEFINED AS A HOMELESSNESS
RESPONSE USING LEAD RESOURCES
TO RESPOND TO THE CONDITION OF
PEOPLE LIVING UNSHELTERED
SEEMED AN OBVIOUS PRIORITY IN
TERMS OF AN ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE TO LAW VIOLATIONS AND
PUBLIC ORDER ISSUES.
SO WE CREATED THE CO-LEAD
ADAPTATION OF LEAD EARLIER THIS
YEAR THAT COUNCIL HAS
PREVIOUSLY HEARD SHORT
BRIEFINGS ABOUT, CO-LEAD AND
THERE WILL BE ONE LEADER THIS
WEEK ON THURSDAY AS WELL.
THAT INVOLVED -- THAT ENTAILED
RECOGNIZING THAT MANY PEOPLE
LIVING IN HIGH IMPACT
SITUATIONS OUTSIDE, HIGH IMPACT
THEY WERE IMPOSE THE FACT --
POSED PUBLIC ORDER ISSUES FOR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUSINESSES
OFTENTIMES THAT POPULATION IS
STRUGGLING WITH REALLY ACUTE
NEED, AS CHLOE DETAILED.
AND IT HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR A
LONG TIME THAT THE ORDINARY
SYSTEMS OF HEALTHCARE AND
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ARE NOT
PARTICULARLY RESPONSIVE TO OUR
ACCESSIBLE TO THIS POPULATION.
THIS YEAR THAT HAS BEEN ALL THE
MORE TRUE AS -- SUCH AS IT IS
THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE
SYSTEM SORT OF WITH DREW BEHIND
A TELECARE WALL AND FOR SOME
PEOPLE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME
VERY FAVORABLE MEDIA COVERAGE
-- OR MEDIA STORIES ABOUT HOW
THAT'S MADE BEHAVIORAL
HEALTHCARE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO
SOME PEOPLE.
THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING
UNSHELTERED OR IN ENCAMPMENTS,
HIGHLY MARGINALIZED.
THIS JUST MADE AN ALREADY
PRETTY INACCESSIBLE SYSTEM EVEN
LESS ACCESSIBLE.
SO WE BUILT A CO-LEAD TO REALLY
SORT OF STEP INTO THAT GAP AND
ATTEMPT TO DO KIND OF LIKE POP-
UP BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES,
BUT ALSO NOTICING, AS MANY --
AS OTHERS DID AROUND THE
COUNTRY THAT THERE WAS THIS
SUDDEN AVAILABILITY OF HOTEL
SPACE THAT WAS NOT IN USE FOR
OTHER PURPOSES AND WHERE THE
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY ACTUALLY
ITSELF WAS SUFFERING AND NEEDED
TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE USE
BECAUSE OF CONNECTINS IN THE
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WE
IDENTIFIED HOTELS THAT WERE
INTERESTED IN TAKING SOME OF
OUR PARTICIPANTS IN.
WE CO-LEAD SORT OF STRAIGHT UP
RAPIDLY A SYSTEM OF INTENSIVE
CASE MANAGEMENT SPECIFICALLY TO
PROVIDE WRAPAROUND CARE FOR
PEOPLE WITH ACUTE BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH ISSUES IN HOTELS.
AND SO THAT WAS A SHORT-TERM
ADAPTATION OF AN EXISTING
PROGRAM.
STARTING IN THE LATE SUMMER AS
KING COUNTY WAS EXPLORING WHAT
TO DO -- WHAT BEST TO DO WITH
ITS REMAINING C.A.R.E.S.
FUNDING FOR 2020, THERE WAS
DISCUSSION ABOUT THE VERY
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT OF PEOPLE
LIVING UNSHELTERED IN PIONEER
SQUARE AND THE CID AND --
NATIONAL DISTRICT AND I WANT TO
PAUSE AND CALL OUT.
THE LEADERSHIP OF BUSINESS AND
RESIDENTIAL ORGANIZATIONS IN
BOTH NEIGHBORHOODS WHO
SIMULTANEOUSLY SAID THE
CONDITIONS THAT THEY WERE
CONFRONTING IN THE
NEIGHBORHOODS WERE VIABLE,
PROBLEM PACK FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS
VULNERABLE IN -- PARTICULARLY
IN THE CID, VERY VULNERABLE
BUSINESSES AND YET THEY WERE
NOT -- THEY WERE CALLING
FORWARD A RESPONSE BUT THEY
WERE NOT ASKING FOR AN
ENFORCEMENT-BASED RESPONSE AND
THEY WERE NOT ASKING FOR WHAT
ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS
SWEEPS.
JUST SORT OF A PER SE DECISION
THAT AN ENCAMPMENT WOULD BE
CLEARED REGARDLESS OF WHERE
PEOPLE WENT.
THEY SAID WE WANT TO KNOW THAT
PEOPLE ARE GOING SOMEWHERE
WHERE THERE WILL BE SECURELY
LODGED AND WE ARE ASKING FOR
THAT.
SO WHEN THAT -- PARTICULARLY
BUSINESSES AND NEIGHBORHOOD
ORGANIZATIONS AND THE CID IN
THE SUMMER WROTE TO YOU ALL AND
SAID, WE WANT ACTION BUT WE
DON'T -- BUT WE WANT ACTION
THAT ENTAILS PEOPLE BEING
LODGED AND CARED FOR, NOT JUST
SWEPT, DISPERSED OR MET WITH AN
ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE, THERE WAS
NOT AN IMMEDIATE SORT OF OPTION
LIKE THAT TO PLUG INTO, BUT AS
WE WERE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE
COUNTY ABOUT HOW TO USE COUNTY
C.A.R.E.S.
FUNDS, THE IDEA OF BRINGING
SORT OF A CO-LEAD STYLE
RESPONSE TO SCALE IN THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE ARE
ASKING FOR SUCH A RESPONSE CAME
TO FRUITION AND THAT IS WHAT
BECAME JUST CARE.
SO JUST CARE IS A SHORT-TERM
C.A.R.E.S.
ACT FUNDED RESPONSE PRESENTLY
FUNDED THROUGH DECEMBER 30th
WITH C.A.R.E.S.
MONEY AND THEN THROUGH THE END
OF JANUARY WITH THE KING COUNTY
BRIDGE AWARD, JUST FOR THAT ONE
MONTH TO SEE IF WE CAN BRIDGE
TO ADDITIONAL C.A.R.E.S.
FUNDS.
IT INVOLVES PLACING PEOPLE FOR
WHOM WE CAN PROVIDE APPROPRIATE
SUPPORT IN HOTELS, IN HOTELS
STAFF BY A MULTIAGENCY
CONSORTIUM, OUR CO-LEAD
PROGRAM, ASIAN COUNSELING AND
REFERRAL SERVICE AND CHIEF
SEATTLE CLUB.
EACH OF THESE TEAMS IS GEARED
TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR A
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT POPULATION
AND IN SO DOING, WE CAN PROVIDE
STRONG QUALITY CARE FOR A
DIVERSE ARRAY OF PEOPLE.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE PERFECT
MATCH FOR EVERYBODY OUT THERE
AND IN PARTICULAR WE NEED AN
ADDITIONAL PROVIDER OR PARTNER
TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WITH
HIGHEST ACUITY MENTAL HEALTH
NEEDS.
SO THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT
-- WHOM REACH IS ENGAGING IN
THE FIELD FOR WHOM WE DON'T
HAVE THE RIGHT HOTEL-BASED CARE
RESPONSE.
SO THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY QUASI
RESIDENTIAL C.A.R.E.S.
STRATEGIES.
CO-LEADS FOCUSES ON PEOPLE WITH
ACUTE SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES.
ACRS IS FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON
PEOPLE WITH HIGHER ACUTE AND
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
AND CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB IS
FOCUSING ON NATIVE FOLKS.
SO REACH IS LEADING THE FIELD
OUTREACH WORK AND I AM
DESCRIBING THIS JUST BECAUSE IT
HAS BECOME, PARTICULAR MODEL
THAT COULD BE IN USE CITYWIDE
MORE BROADLY.
REACH IS IDENTIFYING, ASSESSING
AND IDENTIFYING NEEDS AND
CIRCUMSTANCES OF PEOPLE IN THE
FIELD AND ON A PURELY VOLUNTARY
BASIS CONNECTING THEM TO THESE
LODGING OFFICERS R OFFERS,
BASED ON THEIR NEEDS AND BASED
ON THE COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS
AND CAPACITY OF THE HOTEL-BASED
SERVICE PROVIDERS.
WITH THOSE RESOURCES, REACH HAS
BEEN ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE
SOMETHING THAT CHLOE OFTEN
SAYS, WHICH IS THAT IT'S VERY
UNUSUALTO ENCOUNTER SOMEBODY
WHO IS UNWILLING TO ACCEPT AN
APPROPRIATE OFFER OF HOUSING OR
LODGING.
SO THE UPTAKE RATE, IF YOU
WILL, IN THESE JUST CARE
EFFORTS IN THE TWO
NEIGHBORHOODS HAS BEEN
EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH, VERY FEW
PEOPLE HAVE DECLINED THESE
OFFERS.
IT HASN'T BEEN AN INSTANT OR
OVERNIGHT TURNAROUND, BUT THE
ABSORPTION LEVEL HAS BEEN VERY
HIGH.
SO LET ME JUST PAUSE AND SAY
PARTNERSHIP WORK THAT WE HAVE
BEGUN TO DO WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND WHICH HSD IN TRYING
TO DESIGN A NEW APPROACH THAT
NEITHER CENTERS ON ENFORCEMENT
NOR IS BUILT ON DISPLACEMENT,
BUT IS BUILT ON VOLUNTARY
ENGAGEMENT.
THE COUNCIL HEARD DURING BUDGET
ABOUT AN AGREED FRAMEWORK THAT
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND A
CONSORTIUM OF SERVICE PROVIDERS
TRIED TO WORK THROUGH AS A WAY
TO TRY A NEW APPROACH IN 2021.
AND THE KEY PRINCIPLES OF THAT
FRAMEWORK I JUST WANT TO NAME
ARE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE,
NO MATTER WHAT, A LIMITED POOL
OF APPROPRIATE SORT OF COVID
APPROPRIATE SHELTERING
RESOURCES TO OFFER, WHILE THE
CITY'S INVESTMENTS ARE GOING TO
INCREASE THAT POOL.
IT WILL STILL FALL FAR SHORT OF
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
LIVING UNSHELTERED IN THE CITY.
SO IT BECOMES A CHALLENGE OF
ALLOCATING THOSE SCARCE
SHELTERING RESOURCES IN A WAY
THAT IS MOST IMPACTFUL AND
MEETS THE NEEDS OF THOSE WITH
GREATEST BARRIERS AND HIGHEST
IMPACT IN THE CITY.
HOW EXACTLY TO DO THAT IS THE
SUBJECT OF ONGOING
CONVERSATIONS AND I DON'T THINK
THAT ANYBODY FEELS THAT THOSE
CONVERSATIONS ARE COMPLETED.
YOU KNOW, HOW TO IDENTIFY WHERE
TO MAKE THOSE OFFERS.
IT THEN BECOMES IMPORTANT FOR
EVERYONE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
BECAUSE OF THAT RESOURCE
SCARCITY, MOST PEOPLE CURRENTLY
LIVING UNSHELTERED WILL
CONTINUE TO BE UNSHELTERED FOR
THE NEAR TERM OVER THE NEXT
MANY MONTHS.
SO THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF
OUTREACH IS TO MAKE THAT
VIABLE, AS VIABLE AS POSSIBLE,
ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SHELTER IN
PLACE AS SAFELY AND HUMANLY AS
POSSIBLE AND WITH -- AND
IMPROVING THE IMPACTS OF THAT
SITUATION ON SURROUNDING
NEIGHBORHOODS SO REALLY
FOCUSING ON PROBLEM SOLVING,
HYGIENE, SANITATION AND PROBLEM
SOLVING, RESOLVING ISSUES
WITHOUT DISPLACEMENT.
THAT'S A NEW FRAMEWORK.
IT IS -- IT IS ONE ON WHICH
THERE WAS A VALUE SPACED
AGREEMENT BUT WHAT IT REALLY
LOOKS LIKE IN IMPLEMENTATION IS
STILL, I THINK, TO BE SEEN.
I WANT TO NAME THE OTHER
PARTNERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN
FRAMING UP THAT AGREEMENT ALONG
WITH REACH EVERGREEN TREE
SERVICES AND MY OFFICE THAT
INCLUDED THE SEATTLE CLUB, THE
URBAN LEAGUE, DOWNTOWN
EMERGENCY SERVICE CENTER AND
THE SEATTLE/KING COUNTY
COALITION ON HOMELESSNESS.
SO WE CONTINUE TO MEET WITH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND I THINK WE
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SKETCH OUT
THE -- SORT OF THE HARD
DECISION POINTS THAT NEED TO BE
GRANLED WITH AND IN THE COMING
WEEKS WE WILL MAKE AN EFFORT TO
FIRM UP THE FRAMEWORK SO THAT
IT GETS IMPLEMENTED IN A WAY
THAT HAS LEGITIMACY AS WELL AS
TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE AND
ACHIEVES THE MOST THAT WE CAN
WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE
WHILE BEING REAL WITH THE
PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT -- WHEN THEY
ARE -- WHEN THERE IS NOT AN
APPROPRIATE MATCH TO MEET THE
NEEDS OF EVERYBODY OUT THERE,
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ABOUT WHAT
THE PLAN IS GOING TO BE AND
WHAT THE ROLE OF OUTREACH WILL
BE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK
PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS FOR SOME
PANEL MEMBERS AND THEN I WANT
TO TURN IT OVER TO THE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK
EVERYBODY HERE FOR BEING
COLLABORATIVE, ENERGETIC,
COMING FORWARD WITH A PROBLEM-
SOLVING ATTITUDE TO ENGAGE IN
THIS, SINCE WE REALLY STARTED
TALKING ON A REGULAR BASIS AS A
PROVIDER COMMUNITY EXECUTIVE
BRANCH AND LEGISLATIVE BODY IN
THE FALL.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IN A LOT
OF WAYS HAS SET UP SOME GREAT
SUCCESS FOR 2021 AND I THINK,
YOU KNOW, THE OVERVIEW AND THE
PRESENTATION REALLY SPEAKS TO A
LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN
MOTION AND THAT ARE HAPPENING
ON THE GROUND.
I WANTED TO ASK A COUPLE OF
JUST QUICK QUESTIONS FROM THE
PRESENTATION.
THE FIRST ONE FROM CHLOE OR
ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTS TO JUMP
IN AND ADDRESS THIS.
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT'S BEING
GRAPPLED WITH IS AN APPROVAL --
IMPROVING THE REFERRAL SYSTEM,
WHICH IS A CONVERSATION THAT
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF BACK AND
FORTH ABOUT FOR YEARS.
AND I WONDER IF THE PANEL COULD
MAYBE DIG DEEPER INTO WHAT THAT
PROCESS HAS ENTAILED AND WHAT
THE VISION IS FOR FINE TUNING
THAT REFERRAL SYSTEM TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING IT AS
SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE TO GET
PEOPLE APPROPRIATELY MATCHED
AND INTO A LOT OF THESE
ADDITIVE TRANSITIONAL SHELTER
ASSETS THAT WE ARE STANDING UP
AND FOR
THEY ARE DISTAL PORTION OF THE
REPRESENTED IT OUT SIDE.
AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE.
THERE IS A PRIORITY DISCUSSION
AND A TECHNICAL DISCUSSION.
THERE WILL BE SOME RAPID WAS
ONCE SHELTER BEDS FOR IMMEDIATE
NEED THAT NOBODY
WE MAY SLOW THAT DOWN SO WE
HAVE A POOL OF APPLICANTS AND
CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
PEOPLE ARE MATCHING OUR MORE
ADVANCED RESOURCES.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING
MORE ABOUT THAT PROJECT AS IT
DEVELOPS AND I'M GLAD THAT WORK
IS UNDERWAY AND THAT Y'ALL ARE
INVOLVED IN THAT.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A
CONVERSATION THAT HAS BEEN
GOING ON A LONG TIME AND I
APPRECIATE IT MIGHT BE GETTING
SO I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE ANY
ADDITIONAL FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS
FROM THE PRESENTATION.
I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP MORE
BROADLY TO OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS, IF THERE'S
FOLKS HERE WHO HAVE A QUESTION
FOR ANY OF THE PANEL MEMBERS.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT.
>> WHEN PRESSED TO ASK A
QUESTION, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD
AND DO IT.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL
TO HEAR -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S
THE REFERRAL PROCESS AND I
THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M
HEARTENED TO HEAR THAT WE ARE
MOVING TOWARDS A DIRECTION
WHERE WE HAVE A BETTER WAY TO
DO THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S -- I WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN JUST HEARING FROM
EITHER LISA, CHLOE OR DEPUTY
MAYOR SIXKILLER, HOW, IN TERMS
OF THE INVENTORY SIDE OF THE
REFERRAL QUESTION, RIGHT, SO
WHAT ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO
BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON
SORT OF THAT SUPPLY SIDE OF THE
REFERRAL EQUATION, RIGHT, LIKE
WHAT CAN THIS -- I KNOW THAT IN
THE PAST, THE SERVICE PROVIDERS
HAVE BEEN REALLY CONCERNED
ABOUT PARTICULARLY AS IT
RELATED TO THE NAVIGATION TEAM
MODEL, THE CITY HOLDING ONTO
WHAT AVAILABILITY WAS IN TERMS
OF SHELTER BEDS ACROSS THE CITY
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, MY HOPE
IS THAT THAT'S NOW EVOLVING
INTO SOMETHING THAT'S DIFFERENT
AND MUCH MORE ITERATIVE AND SO
WANTED TO HEAR FROM THE PANEL,
SORT OF, AGAIN, WHERE THE
OPPORTUNITIES AND ONGOING
CHALLENGES AS IT RELATES TO NOT
JUST HAVING A ROBUST REFERRAL
SYSTEM BUT SORT OF RESOLVING
THE ISSUES AROUND THE SUPPLY
SIDE OF THE REFERRAL SYSTEM IN
TERMS OF,
WHAT ARE THE SHELTER OPTIONS
NEEDED AND WHERE DO WE KNOW THE
ONGOING GAPS THAT THE CITY
COUNCIL NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO
PRIORITIZE?
I THINK THAT FOR ME, AS A
CITYWIDE REPRESENTATIVE, I WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE ARE TAKING A
VERY GEOGRAPHICALLY EQUITABLE
PERSPECTIVE ON THAT.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU REACH EVERY
IMPACTED CORNER OF THE CITY.
>> I CAN START, SINCE WE FIND
OURSELVES ON THAT INVENTORIES
SIDE OF THE BALANCE. I THINK IT
HASN'T -- THE CITY HAS NOT YET
ANNOUNCED WHO WILL BE STAFFING
THE HOTEL FACILITIES THAT THEY
WILL BRING ONLINE, AND IT WILL
MATTER WHO THAT IS.
OPTIMALLY, WE MATCH -- OPTIMALLY
, THE OUTREACH TEAMS ARE DOING
A REALLY GOOD JOB OF MATCHING
INDIVIDUALS TO THE RIGHT CARE
TEAM WHO CAN MEET THEIR NEEDS
AND HAVE THAT GO WELL AND HAVE
IT BE A REALLY MEANINGFUL NEXT
STEP FOR THAT PERSON THAT SET
THEM UP WELL.
AN ARRAY OF DIFFERENT, SORT OF
TEAMS WITH DIFFERENT SKILL SETS
AND THE RIGHT EXPERTISE AND THE
RIGHT LEVEL OF'S LAUGHING TO
MATCH THE NEED WILL ALLOW THOSE
OUTREACH REFERRALS. IT GIVES
THEM OPTIONS, AND FOR GREATEST
IMPACT OF THIS WHOLE UNDERTAKING
, THOSE MATCHES NEED TO BE
REALLY GOOD. THERE HAS BEEN
REALLY HEARTENING DISCUSSION
FROM SOME PROVIDERS WHO FEEL
LIKE THEY ARE EXISTING
FACILITIES MAY NOT BE BEING USED
FOR OPTIMAL IMPACT.
DSC AND THE NAVIGATION CENTER
HAS NAMED THAT THEY HAVE PED
PEOPLE PLACED THEIR THAT DIDN'T
NEED A COMPLEMENT OF SERVICES
FOR PEEPER WITH HIGHER ACUITY
MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.
THEY ARE IN A POSITION TO OFFER.
YOU TAKE ALL THE MOVING PARTS
AND LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE GOT,
FIGURE OUT WHAT EACH PARTNER
CAN DO, WE CAN GET THE MOST OUT
OF THE SLOTS OR PLACEMENTS THAT
WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THAT TEAM.
IT STILL BEGS THE QUESTION OF,
WHERE ARE THE PRIORITY -- WHERE
WILL SHELTER BE ALLOCATED?
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY
ASSUREDLY BELIEVES THAT THEY
ARE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY PLACE.
EVERYBODY CAN BE RIGHT ABOUT
THAT, AND YET THE NUMBER WILL
NOT ALLOW FOR THAT OFFER TO BE
MADE EVERYWHERE.
INTENTIONALITY, AND I'M NOT
TRYING TO SAY THAT ANYONE OF US
KNOWS THE ANSWER, BUT CLARITY
ABOUT HOW THOSE DECISIONS ARE
BEING MADE AND THE ABILITY TO
EXPLAIN THAT OR SHOULDER AND
EXPLAIN HOW THOSE DECISIONS ARE
BEING MADE WILL BE VERY
IMPORTANT.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE QUITE THERE
YET TO BE ABLE TO NAME HOW THAT
DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, THE
PRINCIPLES ON WHICH THAT
DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WILL
RUN, BUT WE NEED TO BE.
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND THAT.
>> COUNSEL AND PRESIDENT, MAYBE
I JUST ADD BASIC COMMENTS TO
WHAT LISA JUST SAID. I THINK A
LOT OF THE WORK THAT THE HOPE
TEAM AND CONTRACTING PARTNERS
ARE WORKING WITH IS TRYING TO
IMPROVE THE BACKBONE OF THE
REFERRAL SYSTEM ITSELF. THE CITY
HAS SHELTER BEDS, OTHERS
SHELTER BEDS THAT ARE NOT
CONTRACTED WITH THE CITY.
IT CAN KEEP A DISJOINTED VIEW
OF WHAT SHELTER AVAILABILITY
ACTUALLY IS.
TO LISA'S POINT, WHAT KIND OF
TRANSFER THERE IS.
AS WE DO THIS WORK, VISIBILITY
ACROSS THE ENTIRE SHELTER
NETWORK AND THEN ALSO GOING THE
NEXT STEP TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
OUTREACH, THE FOLKS ON THE
GROUND ACTUALLY DOING
ENGAGEMENT WITH INDIVIDUALS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS HAVE
THAT INFORMATION.
WHEN SOMEONE DECIDES THEY ARE
READY TO COME IN, IT IS NOT
FOUR DAYS AWAY.
THE GOAL IS -- AND I KEEP
SAYING, IT IS LIKE TICKETMASTER
. YOU ARE ABLE TO SELECT YOUR
SEAT AND KNOW WHERE YOU ARE
GOING, IF IT IS ENHANCED OR
NOT.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE FUNNY, BUT
THAT LEVEL, IF I WERE IN
OUTREACH PROVIDER, I WOULD WANT
TO KNOW WHICH TOOLS I HAVE
AVAILABLE TO BRING PEOPLE
INSIDE.
I THINK THAT IS THE GOAL OF A
LOT OF THIS WORK.
HOW DO WE DO THAT?
HOW CAN WE DO THAT BETTER?
TECHNOLOGY IS PART OF IT, AND
WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. I ALSO
THINK MANY OF THE THINGS THAT
LISA AND CHLOE SAID RING TRUE
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ARE
NAVIGATING YOU AND WHO WE ARE
PRIORITIZING IN THAT WORK.
>> THANK YOU. DOES THAT ANSWER
ALL YOUR QUESTIONS, MADAM
PRESIDENT?
>> IT DOES.
COUNCILMEMBER ALICE HAS A
QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU. I GUESS IT'S NOT
SO MUCH A QUESTION. I DO WANT
TO THANK YOU, LISA, AS YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT A FRAMEWORK THAT
I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF
CONVERSATION ABOUT OVER THE
LAST SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, THE
IDEA THAT THE FRAMEWORK IS
REALLY ROOTED IN NEITHER
ENFORCEMENT NOR DISPLACEMENT. I
THINK THAT IS WORTH REPEATING.
THE WAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING
THIS FOR A LONG TIME IS NOT
REALLY SERVING MANY PEOPLE OR
OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I DO
THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO
BE REALISTIC ABOUT THE FACT THAT
THERE ARE LIMITED SHELTER
SPACES RIGHT NOW, PARTICULARLY
FOR ADULTS. THERE ARE MANY
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO WILL
SPEND THE WINTER OUTDOORS.
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE SPACE
. WE HAVE ADDITIONAL SHELTER
PLANS, PLANS FOR MORE
PERMANENT, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THOSE THINGS ARE
NOT AVAILABLE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
BE STRAIGHT WITH OUR COMMUNITY,
WITH OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY,
WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, THAT WE ARE
IN THIS POSITION, AND WE ARE
WORKING TOWARD MOVING OUT OF
THIS SITUATION. WHEN I HEAR
ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING,
YOU KNOW, IT IS CERTAINLY AN
EXCEPT DOUBLE FOR CITY WORKERS
TO FEEL AND SAFE AND FEEL THEY
CAN'T DO THEIR JOB WHEN THEY
ARE TRYING TO DO REGULAR
MAINTENANCE IN AN AREA. BUT IT
IS ALSO UNACCEPTABLE TO BE
MOVING PEOPLE WHEN WE KNOW THAT
THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PLACES FOR
THEM TO GO, THAT WE ARE GOING
TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO
BE LIVING OUTDOORS DURING THE
WINTER.
WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING MORE
SPACE, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE
IT RIGHT NOW. I THINK IF WE ARE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE
CONVERSATIONS AND CONTINUE TO
GROUND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO
IN THE NOTION THAT THE BEST WAY
TO MOVE FORWARD IS NOT TO
DISPLACE AND IS NOT TO ENFORCE
WHAT ARE BASICALLY PEOPLE
TRYING TO SURVIVE OUTDOORS.
THEN THE WAY WE REBUILD TRUST
AMONG ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS IS
TO BE STRAIGHT ABOUT WHAT OUR
LIMITATIONS ARE AND THE WORK
THAT WE ARE WORKING HARD TO
ACCOMPLISH, BUT IT'S GOING TO
TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. I
JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU
AGAIN.
THIS IS COMPLEX AND WILL TAKE
TIME.
I AM EXCITED FOR ALL OF THE
WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
THAT.
>> YEAH.
I WILL SPEAK TO THAT.
IT WASN'T REALLY A QUESTION,
BUT I DO FEEL, TO THE QUESTION
ABOUT THE REFERRALS AND
GEOGRAPHY, PART OF THE ISSUE
WAS THAT PEOPLE WERE CONNECTED
TO ENCAMPMENT REMOVALS. I THINK
THAT WE HAVE SLOWED THEM DOWN.
IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO
DESCRIBE THE GAP OF RESOURCES
EVERY DAY AND WHAT WE SEE
OUTSIDE. WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO
DO THAT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE CITY, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
YOU SAID IT EXACTLY RIGHT.
THERE ARE NOT DEFICIENT PLACES,
PARTICULARLY SINGLE ADULT MEN.
THERE ARE VERY FEW AVAILABLE
SPOTS. THAT IS THE REALITY FOR
PEOPLE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBAL.
>> ALONG THE LINES OF THIS
IMPORTANT VALUE THAT WE ALL HAVE
IN ADDITION TO SERVING THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE UNFORTUNATELY
LIVING OUTDOORS, FOR MANY YEARS
NOW AND NOW IN THIS CRISIS AS
WE ARE ABOUT TO ENTER THE
WINTER MONTHS.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT VALUE IS TO
BE STRAIGHT WITH MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHO ARE CONTACTING US
ABOUT ENCAMPMENTS IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES, WHETHER OR NOT
THEY ARE MOTIVATED BY CONCERN
ABOUT THEIR ON HOUSE NEIGHBORS
OR ARE TRYING TO FILE A
COMPLAINT SEEKING A REMOVAL.
ONE OF THE THINGS I AM REALLY
INTERESTED IN IS KNOWING MORE
ABOUT HOW THE CITY ACCEPTS
INFORMATION FROM SEATTLE
RESIDENTS ABOUT ENCAMPMENT AND
WHAT RESPONSE THEY RECEIVED.
WHAT INFORMATION IS PROVIDED
UPON MAKING A REPORT TO THE
CITY THAT BOTH INFORMS THEM IN
A WAY THAT ACCURATELY EXPLAINS
THE SCOPE OF THE CHALLENGE AND
SETS COMMON EXPECTATIONS FOR
WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE AND WHEN
THERE MIGHT A RESPONSE. I AM
JUST REALLY WANTING TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT HOPE DOES WITH
THE INFORMATION IT RECEIVES
FROM RESIDENT SUITS ABOUT
ENCAMPMENTS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES
, HOW THE CITY PRIORITIZES WITH
OUR OUTREACH PROVIDERS, WHICH
LOCATIONS TO RESPOND TO, AND WE
HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS
AT THE BEGINNING, BUT I JUST
WANT TO AFFIRM AGAIN FOR THE
VIEWING PUBLIC THAT OUTREACH IS
CURRENTLY HAPPENING TODAY.
THERE IS THIS BELIEF, THIS
CONTINUED BELIEF THAT SINCE THE
NAVIGATION TEAM IS NOT OPERATING
, THAT MEANS THAT OUTREACH HAS
STOPPED.
AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF
UNDOING THAT THINKING IS THAT
WE HAVE A ROBUST RESPONSE TO
PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING REPORTS
OF ENCAMPMENTS. AGAIN, IT
EXPLAINS THE SCOPE OF THE
PROBLEM IT ALSO EXPLAINS HOW WE
ARE PRIORITIZING ENCAMPMENT
LOCATIONS FOR OUTREACH. WHAT
THAT MEANS, SOME ENCAMPMENT
LOCATIONS WILL NOT BE
PRIORITIZED FOR OUTREACH. SOME
WILL BE. WE MAY NOT HAVE PLACES
FOR PEOPLE IN THOSE LOCATIONS
TO GO, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
AND AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE
TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE
COMPLEXITY OF THIS ISSUE, AND I
ALSO WANT TO JUST THANK
EVERYBODY FOR ENGAGING IN THIS
CONVERSATION OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL MONTHS. I THINK IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT TO MOVE TOWARD
THIS PROBLEM-SOLVING APPROACH
THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER
WITH OUR ADVOCACY COMMUNITY,
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE
COUNCIL. I REALLY APPRECIATE
THE PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT IN
THIS ISSUE. IT JUST REALLY SHOWS
YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR SHARED
GOALS. AGAIN, MY HEARTFELT AND
SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR YOU AND
THE WORK AND TIME YOU HAVE BEEN
SPENDING.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
ALSO FOR THE QUESTIONS. YOU
KNOW, I THINK, TO YOUR QUESTION
ABOUT, WHERE IS OUTREACH?
OUTREACH IS STILL OCCURRING. I
WANT TO SAY THAT AGAIN AND
AGAIN.
OUTREACH IS STILL OCCURRING
THROUGHOUT OUR OUTREACH
CONTINUUM. THEY ARE WORKING
EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE HAVE BEEN
IN SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH
CHLOE AND HER TEAM IN THE
OUTREACH WORKER WHO SPENDS
EVERY SINGLE DAY WORKING FOR
FOLKS THERE. I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THROUGH THE
COLLABORATION AND CROSS AGENCY
WORK THAT IS OCCURRING TODAY,
AND TWO OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS
ARE ALSO ON THIS CALL, WORKING
TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW BEST
TO PRAY TOGETHER RESOURCES, TO
STEELY PHRASE FROM LISA DO GUARD
, TO MATCH THOSE RESOURCES
WHERE WE HAVE THEM AND WHEN WE
HAVE THEM.
A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT IS
EDDIE PARK. CHLOE'S TEAM WAS
ABLE TO IDENTIFY A GROUP OF
NATIVE PEOPLE THAT WERE LIVING
IN THE PARK. BECAUSE OF THE
WORK THROUGH JUST CARE, LISA
AND HER TEAM WERE AWARE THAT
THEY HAD SOME VACANCIES IN A
HOTEL, A BLOCK THEY ARE
OPERATING.
THE CITY TEAM WAS ABLE TO WORK
WITH THEM AND SUPPORT THAT
VOLUNTARY MOVEMENT INTO THE
HOTEL UNIT WITH SERVICES BEING
PROVIDED. THAT, I THINK, IS
WHERE WE ALL WANT TO GET TO.
HOPEFULLY AS MORE RESOURCES
COME ON AND AS LISA MENTIONED,
HOW WE ARE PRIORITIZING AND
WHERE WE ARE PRIORITIZING.
WE WANT A GEOGRAPHIC APPROACH.
ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE
LEARNED TALKING TO CHLOE AND
OTHERS, AND WHAT I HAVE COME TO
APPRECIATE MORE IS THAT
HOMELESSNESS LOOKS DIFFERENT IN
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY.
IN SO FAR AS WHO IS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
WE HAVE A LARGER GROUP OF ON
HOUSE YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUNG
ADULTS.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
WITH THESE PEOPLE. WE ARE
WORKING HARD ON TRYING TO REALLY
BRING FORWARD, AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO DOING THIS OVER THE
NEXT FEW WEEKS AND THE
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR THAT WAS
MORE ROBUST AND VISIBLE FOR HOW
WE WILL BE CONDUCTING OUTREACH.
HOW WE ARE SUPPORTING
INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL CONTINUE
TO REMAIN OUTSIDE. I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IS A BIG
ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM OUR FOLKS
WHO DEDICATE THEIR DAILY LIVES
TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF
INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO REMAIN
OUTSIDE.
THAT ALSO MEANS WORKING WITH
THOSE AGENCIES TO SUPPORT AS
BEST WE CAN THE ABILITY,
ESPECIALLY IN THE COLD WINTER
MONTHS TO GET THROUGH THEM.
JUST EVEN CLEAN, DRY SOX,
WARMING CENTERS.
WE ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH THEM
AND STANDING UP AROUND THE CITY.
WE HAVE TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT
THAT. I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN
THE CALLS I HAVE HAD, SOME PLANS
, SOME DON'T WANT TO ANSWER THE
PHONE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. A
RESIDENT IS CONCERNED ABOUT
ENCAMPMENT OR THE CONDITION.
WHEN WE BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO,
PEOPLE REALLY APPRECIATE AND
ARE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE
LIMITATIONS OF WHAT WE ARE ABLE
TO DO. WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB
AND NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF
ARTICULATING THE PLAN AND
EXECUTING ON THAT.
THAT IS WHAT I AM VERY EXCITED
ABOUT, WORKING NOT JUST WITH
LISA AND CHLOE BUT OTHER FOLKS
AND WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT IN
THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
COMMENTS AND SUPPORT FOR THE
WORK WE ARE DOING COLLECTIVELY.
>> MAY I FOLLOW-UP?
>> GO FOR IT.
>> AGAIN, I AM TRYING TO -- I
WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT WE
WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE
NOT JUST WHAT THE PLAN IS BUT
TO TELL PEOPLE WHETHER OR NOT
IS THERE A PROCESS FOR ASSESSING
A PARTICULAR LOCATION THAT
SOMEBODY CALLS US ABOUT.
WE CAN ASSESS THE LOCATION.
IT DOESN'T MEET SOME OTHER
CRITERIA THAT WE CREATE. IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR US AS ELECTED
OFFICIALS AND OUR DEPARTMENTS
AS WELL TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THE
GOOD NEWS THAT THERE IS
SOMEBODY COMING TO HELP WHEN WE
CAN SHARE THAT. THE BAD NEWS,
NO, I'M SORRY, THIS IS NOT A
HIGH PRIORITY LOCATION AND
HERE'S WHY. I JUST THINK THAT
IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR US
TO BE ABLE TO DO, AS DIFFICULT
úAS IT CAN BE. I WOULD VERY MUC
AGREE WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH EMMA
EVERYBODY. I DON'T THINK WE
HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS,
UNLESS THERE IS ANYONE ELSE WHO
WANTS TO JUMP IN FOR ONE MORE.
I THINK IT IS GETTING CLOSE TO
WRAPPING IT IN FOR TODAY.
IF ANYONE ELSE HAS A FINAL
QUESTION, I AM HAPPY TO INDULGE
ONE LAST QUESTION.
SEEING NONE, THANK YOU, PANEL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES FOR MAKING THE TIME.
I KNOW WE ARE STARTING TO CLOSE
IN ON THE RECESSED DEADLINE.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S
CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS THIS
AFTERNOON. WITH THAT, UNLESS
THERE IS ANYTHING FOR THE GOOD
OF THE ORDER, SEEING NO HANDS.
ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, THIS
COMMITTEE IS ADJOURNED.
EVERYONE HAVE A GREAT RECESS.
WE WILL COME BACK IN JANUARY TO
TALK ABOUT THESE SAME ITEMS
WITH SOME UPDATES IN MID-
JANUARY.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
BYE.
>> THANK YOU.