>>> OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I AM GOING TO DABBLE IN THIS
MEETING.
AND CALL TO ORDER.
IT IS AUGUST 11th, 2021, THIS
SPECIAL MEETING OF STRATEGIES
AND INVESTMENTS WILL COME TO
ORDER.
IT IS TO: 01.
I AM ANDREW LEWIS CHAIR OF THE
SELECT STRATEGIES AND
INVESTMENTS COMMITTEE.
I WANT TO KNOW THAT COUNCIL
MEMBERS JUAREZ IS EXCUSED THIS
SPECIAL MEETING.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL ROLE
GIVING THOSE EXCUSED ABSENCES?
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ ?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
CHAIR LEWIS?
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE FIVE MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU, IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION THE AGENDA
IS ADOPTED.
CHAIRS REPORTS.
I WILL GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW
AND I WILL HAVE SOME COMMENTS
TO CUE UP THE DISCUSSION. I
FIRST WANT TO NOTE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN HAS
JOINED THE MEETING, I WANT TO
REFLECTED INTO THE RECORD.
TODAY WE WILL BE HEARING FROM A
PANEL.
AND ALSO MEMBER HERBOLD HAS
JOINED THE MEETING.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THOSE
MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE.
I DO WANT TO GIVE A BRIEF
OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE GOING
TO KIND OF GO HERE WITH THIS
MEETING.
AFTER OUR MEETING AT THE END OF
JULY, THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS
ABOUT THE RATE AT WHICH WE ARE
STANDING UP EMERGENCY SHELTER
INVESTMENTS THAT THE COUNCIL
HAS FULLY FUNDED.
IN THE 2020 ONE BUDGET -- ONE
HURDLE THAT IS REGULARLY
MENTIONED FROM OUR PARTNERS IN
THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH IS PROVIDER
CAPACITY AS A LIMITING FACTOR
AND HOW WE CAN STAND UP AND
DEPLOY EMERGENCY SHELTER
HOUSING ASSETS.
I FELT THAT IT WARRANTED A
SPECIAL EMERGENCY MEETING, AND
I WANT TO GIVE MY THANKS AT THE
BEGINNING TO COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ TO STAND UP THIS
MEETING. THIS WILL MAXIMIZE MY
TIME DURING RECESS TO RUN SOME
OF THIS DOWN IN ANTICIPATION OF
BUDGET DISCUSSIONS IN THE FALL,
TO SEE HOW WE CAN REALLY GET
AHEAD OF AND ADDRESS SOME OF
THE CAPACITY ISSUES, FOR SOME
OF THESE SHELTER OPTIONS.
THIS IS PARTLY A CONVERSATION I
HAD WITH MEMBERS OF THE
COMMUNITY, WHO ARE REGULARLY
IDEAS AROUND POTENTIAL FORMS OF
SHELTER, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE
TINY HOUSE VILLAGES OR HATS,
AND SOMEONE YESTERDAY TALKED
ABOUT A DECOMMISSIONED CRUISE
SHIP.
I THINK ONE THING THAT GETS
LOST IN THE CONVERSATIONS IS
THAT THE SHELTER ASSETS HAVE TO
BE STAFFED COMPANY HAVE TO BE
SUPPORTED THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO
HAVE CAPACITY.
FROM PROVIDERS.
THAT IS ALL WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT TODAY.
IT SHOULD BE A GREAT DISCUSSION.
IT WILL INFORM POLICY CHOICES
AS WE GO INTO THE FALL, TO
REALLY EXPAND OUR WORK, TO MEET
THE SCALE OF THE CHALLENGE THAT
WE FACE.
WITH THAT I HAVE A FEW MORE
COMMENTS TO CUE UP, THE
DISCUSSION, AFTER PUBLIC
COMMENT.
WITH YOU I WILL TURN TO THE
PUBLIC COMMENT I WILL MODERATE
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IN
THE FOLLOWING MANNER: PUBLIC
COMMENT IS PRETTY MINUTES, EACH
SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO
MINUTES TUESDAY, I WILL CALL ON
SPEAKERS MY NAME AND IN THE
ORDER IN WHICH THEY REGISTERED
ON THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE.
ONCE I CALL THE NAME, STAFF
WILL UNMUTE THE APPROPRIATE
MICROPHONE, THIS WILL BE THE
SPEAKER SKU THAT IT IS THEIR
TURN TO SPEAK.
THEY RUST PRESS á6 TO BEGIN
SPEAKING, ONCE YOU HEAR THE
CHIME, PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED PUBLIC
COMMENT DISCONNECT FROM THE
LINE.
IF YOU CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE
MEETING, PLEASE DO SO WITH THE
OPTIONS LISTED ON THE AGENDA.
THE COMMENT PERIOD IS OPEN.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE FIRST
SPEAKER IS TERESA GARDNER.
TERESA, IF YOU ARE OUT THERE,
PLEASE PRESS á4, -- á6.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, THIS IS
TERESA GARDNER.
I HAVE MET ANY OF YOU, AND AS
YOU KNOW I AM IN A COMMUNITY OF
200 NEIGHBORS, WHO HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON HOMELESSNESS FOR THE
LAST FOUR YEARS.
WHEN I SAW THIS TOPIC, THIS
AGENDA TOPIC TODAY, I WANTED TO
GET A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS
WE KNOW THAT THOSE LIVING
OUTDOORS NEED ASSISTANCE AND
PROTECTION.
AND LAST WEEK WE MET WITH
WRITERS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
THEIR WORK ESPECIALLY WITH YOUR
MODEL TO WHICH ARE VERY EXCITED
ABOUT.
BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS
AND THE CLIENT FIRST MODEL.
WE HAVE ADVOCATED FOR THIS MODEL
, I GET PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE
LAST READING TO THIS COMMITTEE,
ESPECIALLY THE VOLUNTARY
RELOCATION ASPECT AND THE
CULTURALLY SENSITIVE SUPPORT
THAT IS DONE FOR THOSE IN NEED.
THE LEAD STAFF, WE SPOKE THEM,
HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEIR
OPACITY IS VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE
AND A VERY HIGH RATE OF PEOPLE
ACCEPTING SERVICES UP WHATEVER
THEY NEED, FROM DOCUMENTS ON
FORWARD.
THE CAPACITY IS CRITICALLY
LIMITED.
THAT ACTUALLY COULDN'T TAKE ON
MORE THAN THEY ARE CURRENTLY
CONTRACTED FOR.
SO, I AM GIVING PUBLIC COMMENT
TODAY TO SAY WE NEED MORE
SUPPORT FOR THIS MODEL, AND OUR
COMMUNITY IS MORE THAN WILLING
TO HELP.
WE HAVE A POP-UP KITCHEN
OPERATING AMONG NEIGHBORS.
IT IS ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS.
THERE IS A WEEKLY MEAL ON
SUNDAY TO ANYONE WHO WALKS UP,
AT 60 FOR PARK-AND-RIDE, THEY
HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 2.5
YEARS.
THEY HAVE SUPPLIES DONATED SUCH
AS TOWELS AND SO ON.
THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING DURING
DOWN ON DONATIONS FROM
RESTAURANTS.
WE DON'T WANT TO GO OUT AND DO
THIS OURSELVES, BUT WE HAVE
DONE IT, AND WE JUST NEED
LEADERSHIP SUPPORT FROM THE CITY
, FOR THESE TWO EXPAND THE
PROVIDER CAPACITY FOR EFFECTIVE
AND MEANINGFUL SUPPORT FOR
THOSE IN NEED.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL PASS,
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH R WE HAVE
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTERS
SIGNED UP TO SPEAK?
>> THERE ARE NO OTHER PUBLIC
COMMENT REGISTRANTS.
>> THANK YOU, AND WITH THAT I
WILL END THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD.
MOVING ON TO ITEMS OF BUSINESS
WE HAVE ONE ITEM OF BUSINESS
TODAY.
SO THE STORE CLERK WILL YOU
READ ITEM 1 INTO THE RECORD?
>> PANEL DISCUSSION ON BUILDING
CAPACITY AND WORKFORCE
STABILIZATION AMONG CITY
CONTRACTED HOMELESSNESS
SERVICES PROVIDERS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CLARK.
I AM GOING TO GIVE, AS I SAID
EARLIER, A BIT OF A CUE UP
STATEMENT ON THIS, AND I WILL
INTRODUCE THE PANELISTS WHO WE
HAVE YOUR TODAY, FROM SEVERAL OF
OUR MERE PREMIER LOCAL
PROVIDERS OF SERVICES.
I DO WANT TO DO A BIT OF TABLE
SETTING AS INDICATED, AFTER
PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WANT TO ECHO MUCH AT THE
FRONT OF THIS MEETING THAT WE
ARE NEARLY 6 YEARS INTO A
DECLARED STATE OF EMERGENCY ON
HOMELESSNESS.
THE STATE OF EMERGENCY IS
CLEAR, AND APPARENT, AND BY FAR
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT THE
CITY IS FACING.
I SAY THAT KNOWING THAT WE ARE
CURRENTLY FACING AN
UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL PANDEMIC,
IT IS RESURGENT UNDER THE DELTA
VARIANCE.
I BELIEVE THAT HOMELESSNESS IS
A BIGGER STATE OF EMERGENCY
BASING OUR IMMUNITY, EVEN IN OUR
CURRENT STRUGGLES WE ARE FACING
WITH COVID.
WE KNOW THAT WHILE THIS RAISES
MULTIFACETED AND EVERY ONE OF
OUR NEIGHBORS EXPENSING
HOMELESSNESS HAS A DIFFERENT
LIVED EXPERIENCE, WE HAVE SEEN
THIS RAISES MANIFEST MOST
VISIBLY IN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER
OF OUR NEIGHBORS EXPENSING
HOMELESSNESS WHO ARE UTILIZING
AN UN-SANCTIONING CAMP AS THEIR
PRIMARY FORM OF SHELTER.
I DON'T WANT TO IMPLY THAT THE
UNSANCTIONED AND CABINETS ARE
ONLY POLICY CHALLENGE, STEMMING
FROM TACKLING MULTIFACETED
ISSUES OF HOMELESSNESS BUT I
WANT TO IMPLY THAT ONCE THE
UNSANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT ALBUM
IS SALT THAT HOMELESSNESS,
EXTENSION, WILL BE SOLVED FOR.
WE KNOW THAT IT WILL NOT.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE
UNSANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS
CURRENTLY ARE PRESENTING THE
MOST CHALLENGE THAT THE CITY IS
FACING IN A POLICY AREA THAT
HAS MANY PRESENT CHALLENGES.
AND, WE KNOW THAT THE PROBLEM
WITH ADDRESSING THE UN-
SANCTIONING ENCAMPMENTS ISN'T
OUTREACH.
WE HAVE SEEN COMPELLING
EVIDENCE THAT THE JUST CARE
MODEL DISCUSSED IN PUBLIC
MODEL, AND THAT WE HAVE BEEN
COVERED IN THE NEWS ON A
REGULAR BASIS, THAT CENTERS THE
AUTONOMY OF NEIGHBORS EXPENSING
HOMELESSNESS, THAT CENTERS
THEIR NEEDS AND IN SO DOING
CENTERS THE NEEDS OF THE
SURROUNDING COMMUNITY, THAT
CENTERS AN APPROACH THAT REALLY
RESPECT THE AUTONOMY OF
INDIVIDUALS TO ACCEPT AND OFFER
UP SOMETHING BETTER, AND
MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.
WE HAVE SEEN LITTLE EXAMPLES
THROUGH JUST CARES OUTREACH
MODEL OVER THE COURSE OF THE
PANDEMIC, THAT PROVES IT IS AN
EFFECTIVE WAY TO GIVE PEOPLE AN
OFFER TO GO SOMEWHERE BETTER.
IN SO DOING REMOVING THE
NECESSITY OF PEOPLE TO LIVE IN
UNSANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS.
WE KNOW THAT OUTREACH ISN'T THE
PROBLEM, THERE IS A WAY TO
STRUCTURE OUTREACH TO RESOLVE
THE ENCAMPMENT ALBUM.
WE KNOW THE PROBLEM ISN'T THE
ATTRACTIVENESS OF OUR ENHANCED
SHELTER OPTIONS. WE KNOW THAT
PEOPLE LIKE THE HOTELS WITH
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THAT ARE
OPERATED BY JUST CARE IN THE
LOW INCOME HOUSING INSTITUTE.
WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE LIKE THE
TINY HOUSES THAT ARE OPERATED
BY THE LOW INCOME HOUSING
INSTITUTE, AND CATHOLIC
COMMUNITY SERVICES IN THE
BROADER COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE LIKE THE
NAVIGATION CENTER BASEMENT, BUT
HAVE BEEN THE INTENSIFIED
DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND GIVEN
THE SUPPORTED HELP AND
ASSISTANCE PEOPLE NEED.
WE KNOW THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL
PROBLEM IS A VOLUME OF THOSE
PLACEMENT, AND THAT ANYWAY WE
DRESS THIS ISSUE UP, IN TERMS OF
TINKERING WITH OUR OUTREACH,
INCREASING THE PASS-THROUGH
FROM THE SHELTER, TWO
ULTIMATELY TO FIRM HOUSING
WHICH WE KNOW IS THE WAY WE
WILL ULTIMATELY SOLVE
HOMELESSNESS BY EXPENSING
HOUSING, WE KNOW THAT THROUGH
DENSITY REFORM AND EXPANDING
HOUSING TRUST IN MORE
NEIGHBORHOOD DOWN THE ROAD, IS
TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS.
WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE THIS
TACTICAL DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW
AS A CITY FAMILY, ABOUT THIS
SITUATION OF GIVING OUR
NEIGHBORS EXPENSING
HOMELESSNESS A CHOICE TO LIVE
SOMEWHERE THAT ISN'T AN
UNSANCTIONED AND KEVIN.
WE KNOW FROM OUR OUTREACH
CHOICES AND FROM THE TYPE OF
SHELTER WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
SET UP THAT PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE
THE SHELTER OPTIONS, THEY WILL
TAKE THE SHELTER OPTIONS, AND
IT WILL CENTER THEIR WELL-BEING
WELL-BEING OF OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES CAUGHT THE WELL-
BEING OF OUR HOUSED NEIGHBORS
UNSHELTERED NEIGHBORS
EVERYBODY, BY INCREASING THE
VOLUME OF THESE PLACEMENTS.
WE HEARD AT THE END OF OUR
MEETING, IN JULY, THAT THE
COUNCIL HAS FUNDED 2250
ADDITIONAL ENHANCED SHELTER
PLACEMENTS FULLY, FOR 2021,
ABOUT 1650 OF THOSE PLACEMENTS
IN OUR BUDGET, WE APPROVED LAST
NOVEMBER FOUR 2021.
SEVERAL HUNDRED ADDITIONAL
PLACEMENTS IN OUR SUPPLEMENTAL
PACKAGE. WE KNOW THAT THOSE
2250 SPACES, WHEN FULLY STOOD
UP, WENT TO MAKE A MASSIVE
VISIBLE IMPACT, AND IN SOME
CASES ARE GOING TO ME THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND
DEATH FOR SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS
EXPENSING HOMELESSNESS WHO ARE
CURRENTLY LIVING IN A VERY
PRECARIOUS STATE, WITH NOWHERE
ELSE TO GO BUT UNSANCTIONED
ENCAMPMENTS.
IT HAS NEVER BEEN THE POLICY OF
THIS COUNCIL AND IT WILL NEVER
BE THE POLICY OF THIS COUNCIL
TO HAVE A POLICY THAT CONDONES
OR EXPECTS UN-SANCTIONING
ENCAMPMENTS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT
PORTION OF THE SHELTER PORTFOLIO
OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS COUNCIL
HAS ADVOCATED FOR.
THIS COUNCIL HAS ADVOCATED FOR
STANDING UP DESIRABLE ENHANCED
SHELTER SOWETO PEOPLE WILL
ACCEPT AND HOUSING AND ZONING
POLICIES THAT WE KNOW IN THE
LONG-TERM ARE GOING TO GIVE
EVERYONE A PLACE TO LIVE IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
SO, DO I WANT TO PIVOT TO OUR
PANEL, BECAUSE WE SHOULD HAVE A
NUMBER STATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN
DEVELOP CAPACITY AND RESOURCE
TO STAFF 2250 FULLY FUNDED
ENHANCED SHELTER SPACES FOR
2021, KNOWING THAT MORE
INVESTMENT IS LIKELY ON THE
WAY, AND THAT MORE INVESTMENT
IS GOING TO NEED TO BE STOOD UP
IN 2022 TO RESPOND TO THE SKILL
OF OUR CRISIS.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE EACH
PERSON IN -- AFTER I
INTRODUCED THE PANEL I WOULD
LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO FOLKS
ONE BY ONE, TO GIVE SOME
OPENING REMARKS, AND THEN HAVE
A CONVERSATION WITH COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES TO DELVE IN TO SOME
OF THESE TOPICS.
I WANT TO START BY GOING THROUGH
EVERYONE WHO HAS JOINED US
TODAY, WE HAVE DEREK BELGARD,
HELLO AND. WE HAVE BILL
HALLERMAN, WELCOME.
I'M SORRY, I AM LOOKING THROUGH
THE LIST, ON WHOM.
WE HAVE TERESA HOLMAN, WELCOME.
AND WE HAVE -- COOPER, HAVE I
MISSED ANY PANELIST?
>> I AM WITH THE METROPOLITAN
URBAN LEAGUE -- >> MYA,
THANK YOU.
DERRICK, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND
PASS ON POPCORN STYLE AFTER YOUR
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING
REMARKS, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND
PASSING IT TO ANOTHER FELLOW
PANELIST, UNTIL WE GO THROUGH
THE WHOLE PANEL AND THEN WE CAN
OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS AND
COMMENTS.
TAKE IT AWAY.
>> YES, I AM GLAD TO BE HERE,
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THIS
SPACE.
I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS
DECISION AND I AM THRILLED
ABOUT TALKING ABOUT THE ENHANCED
SHELTER IDEA AND ALSO WITH JUST
CARE, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH
JUST CARE AND FOR A LITTLE
WHILE THERE IT WORKED VERY WELL.
I WILL SAY, THOUGH, THAT TYPE
OF PROGRAM AND OUTREACH WE
WOULD HAVE DONE WELL WITH THE
NATIVE COMMUNITY WITH THE PBA
NOT INTENTIONALLY COMING OUT AND
PARTNERING.
IF THAT HADN'T HAPPENED IT
REALLY WOULDN'T HAVE GONE VERY
WELL FOR THE NATIVE COMMUNITY.
I WILL PUT A PLUG OUT THERE
THAT HAS TO BE APPROPRIATE THE
AUCTION FOCUS WITHIN THAT
MODEL.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT SOME OF
THE POTENTIAL OF THE FUTURE
SHELTERS AND WE DO KNOW THAT
THAT IS NOT THE SOLUTION, BUT
WE DO NEED SHELTERS RIGHT NOW
WE HAVE THROUGH THE CITY, SOME
ISSUES, MORE THAN JUST A
SHELTER, THIS COMES WITH A
HOUSING FOCUS WHICH CAUSES
PROBLEM ACTUALLY TRYING TO GET
PEOPLE HOUSED THAT YOU KNOW
HAVE VERY HIGH NEEDS, AND
HAVING A PROGRAM FOR THAT TYPE
OF THING.
WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS A
SHELTER, TO ACTUALLY DO SOME
DEEP, INTENSIVE TRAUMA WORK
WITH OUR RELATIVES TO GET THEM
INTO THE NEXT STAGE, AND GET
THEM INTO THE SUPPORT HOUSING,
A PERMANENT SOLUTION.
WITHOUT THAT PRESSURE OF TRYING
TO GET PEOPLE RAPIDLY WE HOUSED
, IT ISN'T WORKING. THE CONCEPT
ISN'T VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT.
THAT IS ONE PROBLEM THE SHELTER
ITSELF WE FEEL THAT WITH 69
NATIVES IN A MATTER OF DAYS, NO
SHELTER HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO
THAT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY NATIVE
REPRESENTATION.
WE CAN DO ANOTHER TOMORROW.
THE SHELTER IDEA IS REALLY
WORKING, AND IS GETTING PEOPLE
OFF THE STREET.
WE NEED TO DO SOME TRAUMA WORK
WITH THEM, SO SOME SORT OF
HEALING COMPONENT WITH THAT,
AND ALSO STAFF RETENTION.
I AM SURE EVERYONE WILL TALK
ABOUT TODAY, YOU KNOW, THAT IS
DOING THIS WORK.
WE NEED TO GET MORE COMPETITIVE
PAY AND PAY INCREASE, PAY OUR
STAFF WELL, AND TO ACTUALLY
STAY IN THE FIELD IT IS VERY
HARD WORK.
SOCIAL WORK HAS GOTTEN US
THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC, IT
DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT IS VERY
VALUED, AS A SOCIETY WE NEED TO
START INCREASING DEBT AND PAY
PEOPLE VALUE AND WORTH, AND
WHAT THEY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR
SOCIETY.
SOCIAL WORKERS NEED TO GET PAID
AND ACTUALLY TO RETAIN THEM AND
KEEP QUALITY WORKERS THAT WE
NEED TO INVEST MORE INTO THAT.
AND BEYOND EXTENDING CAPACITY
AND MORE EMPLOYEES CALL WE NEED
TO BE ABLE TO PAY EVERYONE WHAT
THEY ARE TRULY WORTH IN THIS
SOCIETY.
I WILL PASS IT ON, I WILL TAKE
UP TOO MUCH TIME.
HOLMAN?
IS YOUR NAME IS ON HERE.
>> THANK YOU, DERRICK.
I AM BILL HOLLIMAN WITH
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES I
WANT TO ECHO A FEW THINGS THAT
DERRICK SHARED I THINK THIS IS
THE HARDEST TIME I HAVE SEEN IN
TERMS OF HIRING AND RETAINING
STAFF TO DO THIS WORK.
A PIECE OF THAT IS THE CONTENT,
OF WHERE WE ARE. FOR THOSE
FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDING
SERVICES IN THE LAST 16 MONTHS
OF THE PANDEMIC, IN ADDITION TO
WALKING THROUGH THAT WITH SO
MANY FOLKS A NUMBER OF US
CONVERTED NIGHTTIME ONLY
SHELTERS AND CHURCHES TO 24
SEVEN LOW BARRIER ENHANCED
SHELTERS WHICH IS THE RIGHT
THING TO DO.
IT ENABLES US TO WORK WITH
FOLKS IN A FOCUSED WAY. DOING
THAT HAS MEANT ADDING A WHOLE
BUNCH OF STAFF, JUST TO MAKE
THAT TRANSITION. SO, A NUMBER
OF US PROVIDERS HAVE DONE THAT
AND ADDED CAPACITY OVER THE
LAST 16 OR 17 MONTHS, EVEN
THOUGH IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO
HIRE FOLKS TO DO THAT I WOULD
ECHO WHAT DERRICK SAID, WE HAVE
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT SALARY
FOR THE FOLKS DOING THIS WORK.
FOR THE FOLKS AND LINE STAFF AT
SHELTERS, START AT $18.00 OUR,
AND THAT IS NOT BECAUSE WE
DON'T WANT TO PAY THEM MORE,
BUT THAT IS BECAUSE THE
CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH THE
GOVERNMENT AND THE DOLLARS WE
ARE ABLE TO RAISE, THAT IS ALL
WE CAN AFFORD TO PAY THEM.
THAT IS REALLY SIMPLE.
I WOULD SAY THERE IS NO WAY TO
ADJUST THE CAPACITY WHEN YOU
AND OTHER GOVERNMENT FOLKS COME
AND SAY COULD YOU EXPAND, CAN
YOU DO MORE, MY GUEST FEAR IS I
WON'T BE ABLE TO HIRE PEOPLE TO
FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT.
I THINK THAT IS THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGE THAT IS IN FRONT OF
US, I AM GLAD WE HAVE MOVED TO
LOW BARRIER 24/7 SHELTER, IT IS
NECESSARY, WE ARE GETTING
BETTER OUTCOMES WITH FOLKS FOR
IT.
THE ONLY ONE HOPEFUL THING I
WILL SHARE, BEFORE I PASS IT
ON, IS WE ARE DOING A WHOLE LOT
AND OTHER PROVIDERS ARE, TOO,
WITH HIRING FOLKS WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE MORE AND MORE IN OUR
SHELTERS AND HOUSING.
WE ARE DRAWING FROM PEOPLE THAT
HAVE STABILIZED IN HOUSING,
THAT A FEW YEARS AGO YOU KNOW
MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN A SHELTER
SYSTEM.
THEY HAVE GOTTEN STABLE WITH
THE FOCUS OF HOUSING WE HAVE
HAD, PERMANENT HOUSING WITH SO
MANY FOLKS COMING TO THE
SYSTEM, MANY OF THEM STABILIZE,
AND WE ARE HIRING MORE AND MORE
OF THOSE BOOKS.
IN FACT, WE HAVE A PROGRAM BUT
KIND OF DOES A SPECIAL TRAINING
WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY
BEEN HOMELESS IN ORDER TO GET
THEM IN A WORKFORCE IN THE GOOD
WAY.
THOSE FOLKS HAVE A SPECIAL
GIFT, I THINK, AND A SPECIAL
WAY OF APPROACHING THE WORK
THAT IS REALLY WONDERFUL AND
REALLY GOOD.
THAT IS A HOPEFUL THING, AND WE
NEED TO DO MORE TO SUPPORT
THOSE FOLKS IN THEIR STABILITY
AND THEIR CONTINUING TO WORK
FOR US AND TAKING MORE AND MORE
OF THAT LEADERSHIP WITH US WE
HAVE TO PAY THEM A JUST WAGE
AND INCOME.
OKAY.
I WILL PASS IT NOW TO LAUREN.
>> THINK YOU CAN SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, BILL.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE
INVITATION TO SPEAK TODAY.
I AM THE SENIOR MANAGER AT THE
SD WHERE I HAVE WORKED FOR THE
PAST 13 YEARS IN A VARIETY OF
ROLES.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE STARTED
OFF AS AN EMERGENCY SHELTER BUT
WE DO A LOT MORE THAN THAT
TODAY.
AND WE DO ENHANCED SHELTER,
BUILD SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WE
ARE LICENSED AND A HEALTHCARE
PROVIDER CAN WE DO MOBILE
PRICES WORK AND SO ON.
WE REALLY SPECIALIZED IN
SERVING FOLKS WHO HAVE A LONG-
TERM EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS
IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHO ARE LIVING WITH SEVERE
SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER, CO-
OCCURRING DISORDERS, POLY
ABUSE, AND OTHER PERVASIVE
STATE LINE CONDITIONS.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE
OF JOBS AT DESC WITH ALL OF
THAT THAT I HAVE MENTIONED . IT
STARTS AT A SHELTER, AND NOW
WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS AND LOCATIONS, WE
CURRENTLY HAVE 839 DIFFERENT
JOBS AT DESC, FULL-TIME
EMPLOYEES AT DESC . WE HAVE
WELL OVER 100 VACANT POSITIONS
RIGHT NOW.
I WOULD SAY CLOSER TO 150.
I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN
STOPPING WORK AND WORKFORCE
ISSUES FOR A LONG TIME, AT
DESC, AND I AM NOT
EXAGGERATING WHEN I SAY THIS IS
THE MOST CHALLENGING TIME THAT
WE HAVE EXPERIENCED, IT IS
DEFINITELY ECHOING WHAT YOU
WERE SAYING, BUT THE YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE AS WELL.
AND OF COURSE THERE HAVE BEEN
OTHER BLIPS BEFORE, BUT THIS
TIME IN PARTICULAR IT IS A
DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN
OUR STAFF I REALLY THINK THIS
HAS BEEN COMPOUNDED BY THE NEW
STRESSORS OF DOING THIS WORK
DURING A PANDEMIC, OUR CLIENTS
ARE STRUGGLING MORE THAN WE
HAVE SEEN BEFORE.
AND OUR STAFF ARE STRUGGLING
MORE, IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVES
THAN WE HAVE SEEN BEFORE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK AS YOU START
THINKING ABOUT THE 2022 BUDGET
PROCESS, THERE ARE A FEW KEY
THINGS THAT I THINK WILL BE
IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND.
ONE IS TO HELP ALL OF THE
PROVIDERS KEEP PACE WITH THE
RATE OF INFLATION.
RIGHT NOW, TRACKING 6.2%, AND
FOR US TO MAINTAIN EVEN SOME OF
THE GROUND THAT WE HAVE OVER
THE PAST FEW YEARS, TO TRY TO
GET OUR WAGES EVEN CLOSE TO
MARKET MEDIAN, WHICH WE ARE NOT
AT FORMALLY ACROSS THE BOARD
YET, WE WOULD NEED A COLA OF
6.3% SO THAT THEY HAVE THE
PURCHASING POWER HERE IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER IS
YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO I
THINK CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE
GETTING OUT OF THIS HOLE THAT
WE ARE IN, WITH RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION. WE CANNOT COMPETE
WITH A WORK MARKET WHERE THERE
IS SUCH A BROAD CHOICE IN THE
IMMUNITY NOW.
PEOPLE ARE SEEING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TRY OUT A
VARIETY OF JOBS, AND WE, IN
PARTICULAR, IT CANNOT COMPETE
WITH THE WAGES THAT SIMILAR
WORK ARE ABLE OR SIMILAR
POSITIONS ARE ABLE TO PAY IN
OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR SETTINGS.
FOR EXAMPLE, ONE QUICK EXAMPLE
WOULD BE LIKE A PARAPROFESSIONAL
AT THE SEATTLE SCHOOL DISTRICT
ON AVERAGE START AT A MIDPOINT
OF AROUND $24.00, AND OUR
STAFFING EQUIVALENT WOULD BE
$19.00 PER HOUR.
KNOWING HOW MANY OPEN POSITIONS
THERE ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY
REALLY MEANS THAT WE CANNOT
COMPETE.
IF YOU ARE MOLLIFIED FOR BOTH,
WHICH IN MANY OF THESE CASES
THE FOLKS THAT WE ARE SEEING
ARE, THEY ARE GOING TO OPT FOR
THE HIGHER PAY, OBVIOUSLY.
IN ADDITION, WE ALSO NEED TO BE
THINKING ABOUT HOW OUR
LANDSCAPE IN HUMAN SERVICES AND
SOCIAL SERVICES HAS CHANGED DUE
TO THE PANDEMIC.
WE NEED TO KIND OF RETHINK HOW
WE ARE PROVIDING OUR SERVICES,
AND MOVING INTO WHAT WILL
HOPEFULLY BE A POST PANDEMIC
ESTATE AT SOME POINT IN THE
NEAR FUTURE.
WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE TRAUMA
THAT HAS BEEN CAUSED BY THIS
PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW PILING ON
TOP OF ALL OF THE OTHER TRAUMAS
OF THE FOLKS WE ARE SERVING,
ALREADY EXPERIENCING
DISPROPORTIONALLY, AND BEING
MARGINALIZED ACROSS HAVING
SERIOUS ISSUES WITH INCOME AND
EQUALITY AND SO ON.
AND NOW ADDING ON THE STRESSORS
OF COVID, SIMILAR TO WHAT BILL
WAS SAYING, WE HAVE SEEN IT TO
BE CRUCIAL FOR THERE TO BE
FOLKS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE IN
OUR WORKFORCE, THINKING ABOUT
HOW WE CAN GET NEW KINDS OF
POSITIONS FUNDED, THAT REALLY
CAN BRIDGE THE GAPS THAT ARE
TRADITIONAL POSITIONS. AND
OVERALL I WOULD SAY COVID IS
HAVING LASTING IMPACT, MORALE
IS LOW, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND OUR WORKERS ARE BEING
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY THIS.
YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS, I
AM EAGER TO WORK WITH YOU
FURTHER AT ANY OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND I WILL PASS IT OVER, I AM SO
SORRY, LET ME SEE HERE.
WHO ARE OUR OPTIONS?
>> SHARON --
>> OKAY, SHARON, GO FOR IT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, I AM
SHARON LEE, I AM THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR AT THE HOUSING
INSTITUTE, AND I HAVE THERE IS
A HOLMAN WITH ME AS WELL.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT CAPACITY.
RIGHT NOW WE OPERATE EIGHT TINY
HOUSE VILLAGES IN SEATTLE, AND
WE OPERATE THE EXECUTIVE
PACIFIC HOTEL AND LAKEFRONT. WE
ALSO OPERATE OTHER TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES IN OLYMPIA, TACOMA,
AND WE ARE OPENING ONE IN
BELLINGHAM.
IN THE SEATTLE AREA, AND WE
ALSO HAVE ONE IN SKYWAY, A TINY
HOUSE VILLAGES.
WE ARE HOUSING OVER 800
HOMELESS MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN,
PEOPLE WITH PETS, VETERANS,
SENIORS, IN WHAT IS CALLED
ENHANCED WHAT HE 47 ENHANCED
SHELTERS.
WE HAVE BEEN EAGERLY AWAITING
OPENING THREE MORE VILLAGES, I
KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL, WANT TO
THANK THE COUNCIL FOR FUNDING
THREE NEW VILLAGES.
AND THERE ARE THREE NEW
VILLAGES -- WE HAVE NOT
EXPERIENCED THE SAME LEVEL OF
CONCERN AROUND HIRING, MOST
RECENTLY WE HAVE 32 CASE
MANAGER POSITIONS THAT ARE
PLACED IN OUR HOUSING, OR
PLACED IN OUR TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES.
WE ONLY HAVE ONE VACANCY.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE CASE
MANAGERS AND WE OFFER THE CASE
MANAGERS AND THE VILLAGE
ORGANIZERS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
AROUND-THE-CLOCK PROVIDING
ASSISTANCE AND SECURITY, THEY
HAVE UNION WAGE JOBS AND YOU
KNOW UNION BENEFITS. WE HAVE A
PACKAGE, WE BELIEVE, LIKE WE
PAY 100% OF THE HEALTHCARE,
THERE IS NO COST SHARE.
WE HAVE VACATION AND THAT IS
NOT TO SAY THAT WE COULDN'T DO
BETTER, BUT I WILL TELL YOU
WHERE WE ARE BEING SQUEEZED.
WE ARE BEING SQUEEZED BECAUSE
SOME OF THE CONTRACTS FROM THE
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT ARE
SORT OF, IN SOME WAYS, SO BUDGET
CONSCIOUS THAT THERE IS VERY
LITTLE MONEY FOR TRAINING,
THERE IS VERY LITTLE MONEY FOR
SECURITY.
AND THERE IS VERY LITTLE MONEY
YOU KNOW FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
DURING THE PANDEMIC WE NEEDED
ONEY FOR FOOD.
AS ONE EXAMPLE, WE ARE TRYING
TO OPEN UP ROSES VILLAGE, IN A
NEW DISTRICT AND IN BUNCH OF
HEIGHTS WHICH IS 125th AND
AURORA.
WE ARE ASKING HSD TO PLEASE
GIVE US A SECOND PERSON, A
SECOND STAFF PERSON, TO BE IN
THE EVENINGS, AT NIGHT, ON
WEEKENDS, RIGHT?
THESE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
HAVE SEEN A LOT OF DRUG
ACTIVITY, AND ISSUES THAT WE
NEED TWO PEOPLE AWAKE.
RIGHT?
WE STILL HAVE THIS PROPOSAL
BEFORE THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT TO PLEASE GIVE US
ADEQUATE FUNDING, SO THAT WE
CAN REALLY DO A TERRIFIC JOB
MANAGING THE VILLAGE AND
KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE, AND
BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
SO WE FEEL THAT THE CAPACITY
ISSUES WE HAVE ARE YOU KNOW,
BUDGET CONSTRAINED BY THE
CONTRACTS THAT ARE SORT OF
UNDERFUNDED, IF THAT MAKES ANY
SENSE.
I KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL, AND
THANK YOU, YOU HAVE PROVIDED
$4.6 MILLION FOR THREE NEW
VILLAGES ALL OF THOSE NEW
VILLAGES THREE ARE DELAYED IN
TERMS OF BEING OPEN.
THERE IS MONEY FOR US TO STAFF
ADEQUATELY.
SO THE OTHER THING IS, YOU
SHOULD KNOW, I THINK WE ARE THE
THIRD LARGEST PROVIDER WITH HSD
WITH THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS
VETS.
WE HAVE ABOUT 700 UNITS OF
UNSUPPORTED HOUSING AND
HOMELESS HOUSING.
AS A HOUSING ORGANIZATION, WE
CAN GET PEOPLE FROM A TINY
HOUSE, INTO LONG-TERM HOUSING,
BECAUSE WE PRIORITIZE THEM INTO
LEHIGH HOUSING.
WE HAVE HOUSING ALL OVER
SEATTLE, AND IN SNOHOMISH
COUNTY, OLYMPIA -- SO WE
WANT TO FOCUS YOU KNOW, ON THE
GROUND CASE INTEGERS, AND AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE PEOPLE INTO
OUR HOUSING, SECTION 8 HOUSING
AND OTHER SUBSIDIZED HOUSING.
WE HAVE ASKED THE HUMAN SERVICE
DEBARMENT FOR MORE CASE
MANAGEMENT HELP AND WE HAVE
ALSO ASKED THEM FOR ACCESS TO
RECORD REHOUSING AND EMERGENCY
HOUSING VOUCHERS DO WE ARE
STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK.
AS YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE
MORATORIUM, ON EVICTION, WE
CANNOT BE LIKE FORCING COUNTRY
EVERYONE IS STAYING PUT.
THERE ARE FEWER UNITS AVAILABLE
FOR PEOPLE LEAVING A TINY HOUSE
RELIEVING A SHELTER WE DO WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A
QUICK AND EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE
PATHWAY INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
DURING COVID WE DID NOT HAVE
TO PIVOT MUCH, BECAUSE THE TINY
HOUSES ARE ACTUALLY VERY SAFE,
DURING COVID AND EVEN NOW,
BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE FRESH AIR,
THEY ARE NOT SHARING A HALLWAY,
THEY ARE NOT SHARING A DORM
ROOM.
THEY CAN CLOSE THE DOOR AND
OPEN THE DOOR AND GET FRESH
AIR.
SO TERESA, IF YOU COULD SEE A
BIT MORE ABOUT HOW EFFECTIVE WE
HAVE BEEN, DURING COVID?
>> YES.
DEFINITELY. AND THANK YOU,
SHARON.
WE HAVE BEEN EXTRAORDINARILY
MINDFUL ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
FOLLOWING ALL OF THE GUIDELINES
AND INSURING THAT THE VILLAGE
IS SANITIZED EVERY TWO HOURS,
THE TEMPERATURES ARE TAKEN OF
EVERY PERSON STEPPING INTO THE
VILLAGE, THAT WE ARE MONITORING
HOW MUCH PEOPLE ARE SOCIALLY
DISTANCING, AND WHEN WE SEE TOO
MANY PEOPLE CONGREGATING IN THE
KITCHEN WE GO AND ASKED THEM TO
TAKE TURNS AND HAVE TO GO IN
THERE AT A TIME.
THAT HAS BEEN QUITE EFFECTIVE.
I HAVE BEEN WITH THE TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE PROGRAM NOW FOR ABOUT
TWO YEARS I AM THE PROGRAM
MANAGER.
I HAVE TO SAY, I WAS IN SUPPORT
OF HOUSING WITH CATHOLIC
HOUSING FOR PROXIMALLY 10 YEARS
AGO AND THE COUNTRY THE REASON
I AM SOLD ON THE IDEA OF TINY
HOUSE VILLAGES IS BECAUSE THEY
SEEM TO BE THE PERFECT
STEPPINGSTONE TO HOUSING, A SAFE
PLACE TO WAIT IT OUT. WE HAVE
NOT MEASURED THIS, BUT I AM
GOING TO, I BELIEVE THAT HAVING
BEEN A BUILDING MANAGER, IF YOU
COME THROUGH A TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE, YOU ARE GETTING OVER
THE LEARNING CURVES TO BE
SUCCESSFUL IN PERMANENT
HOUSING.
THAT WOULD BE LIVING AGAIN WITH
A COMMUNITY, AND LIVING WITH IN
A SYSTEM OF RULES.
AND AS PEOPLE MOVE THROUGH THOSE
THINGS AND GET BETTER AND WORK
COMFORTABLE WITH THEM, AND TO
THEN MOVE THEM INTO PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING I AM
POSITIVE THAT THEIR SUCCESS
RATE IS HIGHER THAN THOSE WHO
HAVE COME RIGHT OFF THE STREET
INTO PERMANENT HOUSING, AND I
KNOW THAT I WOULD HAVE ASKED
FEWER PEOPLE TO LEAVE IF THEY
HAD COME THROUGH TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES, AND HAVE THAT SPACE
TO ACCLIMATE.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY YOU KNOW, A
LOT OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
RINGS TRUE, HOWEVER I FEEL LIKE
IN LIHI WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY,/
SUCCESSFUL IN ATTRACTING PEOPLE
AND I WILL TELL YOU OUR WAGES
ARE THAT DIFFERENT.
SO, IT IS TRUE THAT WE HAVE
VERY FEW -- ONE CASE MANAGER
POSITION OPEN AND OUR CASE
MANAGERS ARE EXTRAORDINARILY
COMPETENT IN WHAT THEY DO IN
THAT THEY ARE HITTING 50%
MOVING INTO PERMANENT HOUSING
FROM OUR TINY HOUSE VILLAGES
THAT WAS FOR LAST YEAR.
WE HAD 162 PEOPLE EXIT, 81
WHICH IS THAT THE 1% INTO
PERMANENT HOUSING AND ABOUT 10
MORE INTO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL THAT NOT
ONLY IS THE TINY HOUSE VILLAGE
MODEL GOOD IN TERMS OF MOVING
PEOPLE FORWARD INTO PERMANENT
HOUSING, BUT IT DOES DIVIDE
IMMEDIATE, AND I MEAN
IMMEDIATE, WE CAN BUILD THEM IN
THREE WEEKS, IMMEDIATE SAFETY,
IMMEDIATE SAFETY FROM OR WITH A
LOCKING DOOR, NO MORE THREAT OF
SOMEONE COMING IN, NO MORE
THREAT OF ANYTHING GETTING IN
AND SAFETY IN TERMS OF SPACE TO
GRIEVE AND THINK AND HEAL AND
MOVE FORWARD, AND START TO
DREAM.
OUR CASE MANAGERS -- WE HAVE
STRETCHED THE TRAINING DOLLARS
THAT WE WERE HOPING CAN
INCREASE IN THE FUTURE.
WE STRETCH THEM SO THAT
EVERYBODY DOES GET AS MUCH
TRAINING AS POSSIBLE ON WHO IT
IS WE ARE WORKING WITH, WHO IS
OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE
SERVING AND HELPING HEAL, AND
HOW TO BE BEST DO THAT?
THERE IS TRAINING ON
EVERYTHING.
MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEW,
BOARDING, A WHOLE LIST.
THERE ARE 89 TRAININGS THAT OUR
TEAM DOES OUR CONSTRAINTS ARE
AROUND THE FUNDING.
AND, TO ME, IT FEELS LIKE IF WE
CAN JUST RELEASE SOME DOLLARS
TO MORE TINY HOUSE VILLAGES
BEING FUNDED, FOR ALL, THEN
THAT WILL SOLVE SOME OF THE
PROBLEMS WE ARE HAVING WITH THE
COMMUNITY THAT IT FEELS LIKE WE
ARE BEING OVERRUN BY PEOPLE WHO
ARE ON HOUSED. IT IS A SHORT-
TERM SOLUTION, NOBODY THINKS
THIS IS THE WAY TO GO,
PERMANENTLY, BUT MAN IN THE
SHORT TERM, I CAN'T IMAGINE A
BETTER SET UP.
THANK YOU.
>> YOU GOT THERESA.
LET'S MOVE NOW TO MYA.
>> THINK YOU, YOU SAID EARLIER,
I AM WITH THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT
OF SEATTLE.
I WOULD ADD THAT IS UNIQUE AT
THE URBAN LEAGUE COMPARED TO
WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID TODAY, IS
THAT WE DO NOT ONLY HELP WITH
THOSE EXPRESSING HOMELESSNESS,
AND TO LOOK AT HOUSING, ALSO
LOCATE EMPLOYMENT.
I WOULD SAY THAT THERE HAS BEEN
AN ISSUE FINDING ADEQUATE
EMPLOYMENT, ADEQUATE WAGES FOR
ANYONE, I WOULD SAY, NOT ONLY
FOR US AT THE URBAN LEAGUE TO
HAVE JOBS FOR PEOPLE TO WORK AT
OR SHELTERS OR WHAT HAVE YOU,
BUT ALSO FINDING JOBS FOR THOSE
THAT ARE PARTICIPANTS IN OUR
PROGRAM DO IF THERE WAS
ADEQUATE OR DIRECT FUNDING FOR
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE URBAN
LEAGUE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
DIFFERENT CERTIFICATION OR
EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS AND VERY
SIMILAR SIGNATURE PROGRAMS, IT
WILL BE BENEFICIAL, BECAUSE NOT
ONLY DOES THE PARTICIPANT NEED
STABLE HOUSING BUT THEY NEED
STABLE IMPLEMENT AS WELL.
AND SO, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
HAVE SHELTERS AS WELL AS HELP
SUPPORT THEM THROUGH THOSE
CURRENTLY IN HOTELS.
AND HAVING THE DUAL MODEL OF
TRYING TO NOT ONLY FIND THEM
STABLE HOUSING BUT IMPLEMENT AT
THE SAME TIME IS VERY BENEFICIAL
, AND FINDING HOUSING IS THE
FIRST STEP, OF COURSE, SO THAT
THEY CAN HAVE THAT
SUSTAINABILITY SO THAT THEY CAN
GO HOME EACH NIGHT AND GO TO
WORK EACH DAY, AS WELL AS HAVE
OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE A SHOWER,
UNWIND, ET CETERA.
AND SPECIFICALLY IN TERMS OF
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN -- AND WHAT
EVERYONE HAS ALSO SAID, WE HAVE
SOMETHING THAT IS DIFFERENT
WHICH IS FINDING ADEQUATE
IMPLEMENT FOR THOSE GOING
THROUGH HOMELESSNESS, AS WELL
AS WE ARE EXTENDING OUR USE, WE
HAVE ADULT SHELTER AT THE URBAN
LEAGUE, AND BEING ABLE TO
ADEQUATELY FIND PEOPLE THAT NEED
THEIR SERVICE CALL WE KNOW THAT
THEY NEED THE SERVICE, BEING
ABLE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF
RESOURCE -- I KNOW THAT THERE
ARE SOME RESOURCES IN
COMMUNITY COLLEGES AS WELL AS
HIGH SCHOOLS.
INCREASING THE SUPPORT FOR
HAVING ACCESS FOR THOSE WHO NEED
HELP FINDING RESOURCES TO BE
ABLE TO FIND THEM, IF THEY ARE
IN SCHOOL OR WITHIN COMMUNITY.
COMPARED TO WHAT EVERYONE ELSE
WAS SAYING, THOSE ARE TWO
THINGS THAT I WOULD ALSO ADD IN
TERMS OF WHAT, IF NEEDED, IN
TERMS OF SUPPORTING OUR STAFF.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> GREAT.
AND I AM SORRY, WHO HASN'T GONE
YET? I THINK THAT THERE IS ONE
PANELIST WHO HAS NOT PRESENTED
YET?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I AM THE CHIEF PROGRAM AND
IMPACT OFFICER AT YOUTHCARE.
I AM HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE
SUPER HANSEN WHO WILL ALSO
SPEAK WITH ME TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE HERE TODAY, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS PROVIDER
CAPACITY, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD
TO YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS,
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE
ALWAYS HEARING ABOUT IS WHAT
THE NEEDS ARE FOR THE ADULT
HOMELESS POPULATION.
THERE ARE SOME VERY SPECIFIC
NEEDS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, BETWEEN
THE AGES OF 18 TO AGE 25 OR 26,
FOR A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMS.
AT YOUTHCARE WE TRY -- A
COUPLE OF OUR SERVICES PROVIDE
HOUSING AND ALSO WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT, FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE, AS WELL AS FOCUSING ON
YOU KNOW CONNECTING THEM TO THE
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE
RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.
WHAT WE WOULD REALLY BE ASKING
FOR IS MORE DOLLARS NEED TO BE
FOCUSED ON PROVIDING ADEQUATE,
SKILLED, AND QUALIFIED MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES AND SUBSTANCE
ABUSE SERVICES FOR THE YOUNG
ADULT POPULATION AND THAT
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOUTHCARE
HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE RESOURCES
AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE
SURE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AREN'T
GOING UNSERVED IN THESE AREAS.
THE OTHER PIECE THAT I WOULD
LIKE TO FOCUS ON, TOO, IS
AROUND -- I HAVE HEARD A LOT
OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE NEED
FOR STAFF.
I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S
CONCERN AROUND BEING ABLE TO
PAY STAFF ADEQUATE WAGES.
THE OTHER PART THAT WE NEED FOR
THE YOUNG ADULT POPULATION IS
MORE QUALIFIED STAFF STAFF WHO
COME WITH NOT JUST EXPERIENCE,
BUT THE EXPERTISE IN SERVING.
THEREFORE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
PAY THEM HIGHER WAGES IN ORDER
TO MEET THE NEEDS FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE.
AND ANOTHER AREA THAT I THINK IS
CRITICAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
ESPECIALLY, THAT WE DON'T OFTEN
TALK ABOUT IS THE CULTURAL
ISSUES AND HOUSING POLICIES
THAT AE IN PLACE.
OFTENTIMES YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE
YOU KNOW NOT PART OF THE
DOMINANT CULTURE OF PEOPLE OUT
THERE WHO HAVE SPECIALIZED
NEEDS OR THEY ARE LGBT CUE
YOUNG PEOPLE, THERE ARE
SPECIFIC NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE.
WE ARE TRYING TO FOCUS OUR
HIRING PROCESSES ON STAFF WHO
BETTER REFLECT THE YOUNG PEOPLE
IN OUR PROGRAM AND RECEIVING OUR
SERVICES, AND OFTENTIMES IN
ORDER TO KEEP THOSE
PROFESSIONALS AT AGENCIES LIKE
YOUTHCARE WE ALSO NEED TO BE
ABLE TO PAY THEM MORE.
WE ALSO NEED TO BE ABLE TO
ATTRACT THEM TO AN ORGANIZATION
LIKE OURS.
THE WAY TO DO THAT IS THAT WE
HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES, WE
HAVE HIGHER WAGES AND WE ALSO
HAVE POLICIES AND PRACTICES
ACROSS OUR NETWORK OF SERVING
HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS YOU KNOW
THAT HONOR THE WORK OF BIPOC
COMMUNITIES.
THAT IS A CULTURAL PIECE THAT
DOESN'T REQUIRE ADDITIONAL
FUNDING ON THE COUNCIL: IT DOES
REQUIRE OUR ATTENTION TO THIS
TYPE OF NEED.
CHRISTOPHER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
ADD OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE ARE
LOOKING AT?
>> THANK YOU, MY INTERNET IS
SHODDY.
MY APOLOGIES. TO THAT POINT, I
DON'T THANK I HAVE TOO MUCH
MORE TO ADD.
I THINK ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES
MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE HEARD
FROM EVERYONE THE ADVOCACY FOR
INCREASED WAGES FOR STAFF, OUR
WORKERS HAVE BEEN THE FOLKS
THAT HAVE SHOWED UP EVERY DAY
DURING THE PANDEMIC TO KEEP HER
ON HOUSED NEIGHBORS, ADULTS AND
YOUTH AND FAMILIES SAFE
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PANDEMIC.
IS AN ETHICAL MANDATE FOR US TO
PAY A LIVING WAGE, AND NOT JUST
TO SURVIVE, BUT TO THRIVE THEY
ARE DOING LIFE-SAVING WORK.
BUT, ALSO OUR OTHER COST ALSO
CONTINUE TO GO UP AS WELL.
AND, SO, WE NEED A HOLISTIC
LOOK ABOUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY
SUSTAINABLE FOR AN INCREASE OF A
CONTRACT YEAR AFTER YEAR
LOOKING AT THE RATE OF
INFLATION IN OUR AREA. THE LAST
THING I WANT TO UNDERSCORE IS
TO ECHO WHAT WAS SHARED AROUND
THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT SYSTEMIC
RACISM IS A MAIN DRIVING FACTOR
IN HOMELESSNESS, AND THAT WE
NEED REAL ATTENTION AND
RESOURCES.
THE RESOURCES TO OR THAT ARE
SPECIFICALLY FOR BRINGING
AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY AND
PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPRESSING
HOMELESSNESS AND RACISM, FOR
LIKE REAL HEALING SOLUTIONS.
THAT IS WORK THAT OTHER,
SMALLER, COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALREADY
DOING.
IT IS WORK THAT OTHER AGENCIES
ON THIS CALL ARE DOING, BUT
THEY ARE DOING IT UNDER
RESOURCED.
WE NEED THAT TO BE SOMETHING
THAT IS LOOKED AT, WHEN WE ARE
ADVOCATING FOR DOLLARS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, GUYS.
AND VERY, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE
ALL OF THE COMMENTS HERE TO CUE
UP THIS CONVERSATION FROM THIS
DISTINGUISHED PANEL WE HAVE
ESTABLISHED.
I WANT TO ASK IF YOU CLARIFYING
THINGS AND THEN I WANT TO OPEN
IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE
COMMITTEE.
LAUREN, GOING BACK TO SOMETHING
YOU HAD SAID THAT I WANTED
DRILL INTO A BIT, A LOT OF THE
CURRENT POSTED VACANCIES THAT
DESC HAS, IS THERE A
PARTICULAR THEME TO THOSE
VACANCIES, ARE THERE PARTICULAR
COMPETENCIES THAT DESC IS
HAVING A HARD TIME FILLING OR
IS IT A LITTLE BIT ALL OVER
THE PLACE?
I AM CURIOUS TO HEAR ABOUT THE
VACANCY ISSUE AND IF THERE IS A
PARTICULAR SUBJECT AREA THAT IS
PARTICULARLY HARD TO FILL RIGHT
NOW?
>> YES, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
IT IS A LITTLE BIT ALL OVER THE
BOARD, I CAN SAY IN PARTICULAR
WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH OUR
MASTERS LEVEL POSITION THAT
REQUIRE MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS AND SOCIAL WORK
TYPE DEGREES.
THOSE WE ARE REALLY STRUGGLING
TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN FOR.
I HAVE THE NUMBERS HERE QUICKLY.
I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW WHAT WE ARE
LOOKING AT IS A DISCREPANCY IN
PAY, OF ABOUT 39%.
WHAT WE CAN OFFER IS WE WOULD
NEED ABOUT EIGHT 39% INCREASE
TO OUR WAGES FOR THOSE
POSITIONS TO BE ON PAR WITH
SIMILAR POSITIONS AT THE COUNTY
OR OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR SETTINGS
, HOSPITALS, AND SO ON.
IN GENERAL, IT IS A VAST ARRAY
OF POSITIONS, ENTRY-LEVEL,
MANAGERIAL, AND A LOT OF THEM
DO REQUIRE EXPERIENCE IN THE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FIELD OR WORK
WITH OUR POPULATION.
WE ARE SEEING ISSUES THERE WITH
THE PIPELINE OF FOLKS WHO HAVE
EVEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF
EXPERIENCE OF HUMAN SERVICE
WORK.
>> I THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING
THAT CLARIFICATION.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL
CUSTOMS BUT I WANT TO OPEN IT
UP TO OUR COLLEAGUES IF THERE
ARE THINGS THAT FOLKS WANT TO
ASK, TO GET THE CONVERSATION
GOING.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH
STRICTURE, THANK YOU TO THE
ENTIRE PANEL HERE WITH US
TODAY.
I KNOW THAT WHAT YOU HAVE
RAISED TODAY IS NOT NEW. IN
FACT, MANY OF US ON COUNCIL
HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
STAND WITH YOU, AND TO DEMAND A
COST-OF-LIVING INCREASE.
IT HAD BEEN, FOR 10 YEARS,
ALLOCATED BY THE CITIES
DEPARTMENT.
WHEN WE PASSED THE COST-OF-
LIVING INCREASE WE WERE SCOLDED,
WE WERE SLAPPED ON THE HANDS,
WE WERE PATTED ON THE HEAD, WE
WERE TOLD IT WASN'T NECESSARY.
AND YOUR VOICE AND YOUR
EXPERIENCE AND YOUR REPEATED
CALLS FOR EQUITY ESPECIALLY IN
THIS AREA, PREVAILED.
DAY PREVAILED BECAUSE OF
COUNCIL, THEY PREVAILED BECAUSE
COUNCIL HEARD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO ADVANCE, GIVING A COST-OF-
LIVING INCREASE OUT THERE.
I THINK THAT WHAT YOU ARE
RAISING IS THE UNDERBELLY OF
THE ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN LONG
PERVASIVE WHICH IS THE HISTORIC
UNDERPAYMENT IN THIS SECTOR.
I RAISE THAT TO NOTE HOW
IMPORTANT IT HAS BEEN FOR YOU
TO BE ON THE FRONTLINES
INVITING THIS WORK AND I ASSUME
HOW DEMORALIZING IT MUST'VE
BEEN TO EVEN BE ASKING FOR A
COST-OF-LIVING INCREASE AND TO
HAVE BEEN TOLD VIA THE
ACCUSATIONS PASSED ON TO
COUNCIL, OR EVEN JUST TRYING
TO GIVE YOU A COST-OF-LIVING
INCREASE, WHICH AT THE TIME
WOULD HAVE BEEN STILL ALLOWING
FOR SEVEN NEW POLICE OFFICERS
TO GO TO THE NAVIGATION TEAM,
INSTEAD OF NINE NEW, WE WERE
SUGGESTING SEVEN, SO THAT THERE
COULD BE THE COST OF LIVING
INCREASE.
I AM REALLY PROUD THAT THE
COUNCIL AT THE TIME PASSED THE
COST-OF-LIVING INCREASE, I KNOW
HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS, MORE
SYMBOLICALLY FOR SOME OF THE
MEMBERS, AND I THINK THAT THERE
IS UNIFIED INTEREST, ESPECIALLY
BECAUSE OF THIS HEARING, AND
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE WORKED ON
TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE
UNDERPAYMENT. I THINK ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO
KNOW MORE ABOUT IS SORT OF
WHERE THE BOTTLENECK OCCURS,
BECAUSE AS WE HEARD IN
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS'S MEETING
LAST TIME FOR THIS COUNCIL OVER
THE LAST 12 MONTHS OR SO,
THROUGH FEDERAL DOLLARS AND THE
LAST BUDGET, THROUGH THE EFFORT
OF COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AND
OTHERS CHAMPIONED EARLIER THIS
YEAR, WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE
ALLOCATED $85 MILLION DIRECTLY
IN TO ADDRESSING THE ISSUES OF
HOMELESSNESS SERVICES AND
CREATING ADDITIONAL SHELTERS.
MY FIRST WESTERN, AND I DO HAVE
ANOTHER ONE, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS, BUT MY FIRST QUESTION
IS OF THE $45 MILLION, AND
PERHAPS CENTRAL STUFF CAN HELP
WITH THIS ANSWER, IS DO WE HAVE
ANY SENSE OF WHETHER OR NOT ALL
OF THAT MONEY HAS BEEN
ALLOCATED?
HAS THAT BEEN GIVEN TO THE VERY
ENTITIES WHO WE ARE ASKING TO
HELP RESPOND TO THIS PROCESS,
AND NOW WE ARE BEING TOLD OR
THE COUNCIL HAS KNOWN FOR A
LONG TIME, THE CONTRACTS ARE
WOEFULLY INADEQUATE TO SERVE
THE HIGH NEEDS RELATION.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, DO WE
KNOW OF THE $5 MILLION THE
COUNCIL HAS ALL ALLOCATED TO
HOW MUCH HAS BEEN SPENT IN THE
DEPARTMENT?
>> CHAIR, I CAN TAKE A SWING AT
THAT.
THAT IS DIFFICULT TO BREAK DOWN
BECAUSE IN SOME CASES, FOR
EXAMPLE WE HAD BEDS NOT YET
OPERATIONAL FOR TINY HOME
VILLAGES, THE ONE OF THE
VILLAGES AS OF THIS WEEK, AND
ACTION TAKEN BY THE COUNCIL
WILL BEGIN TOWARD THAT AND
ACTUALLY OPENING UP BEDS SOON.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT FUNDS
HAVEN'T NECESSARILY BEEN
PROVIDED.
THERE HAS BEEN I BELIEVE THEY
MAY HAVE BEEN ENCUMBERED AND
NOT YET EXPENDED OR THEY MAY
HAVE BEEN SPENT TO SOME DEGREE
BUT NOT FULLY, THEY MAY BE IN
THE PROCESS.
WE DO KNOW THAT ONLY 280 OF THE
675 SHELTER BEDS, WHETHER THAT
IS A TINY BIT OR SHELTER OR A
HOTEL HAVE ACTUALLY COME ONLINE
, AND STARTED ACCEPTING PEOPLE
THAT ARE OR THAT HAVE BEEN
EXPERIENCE IN HOMELESSNESS.
IN ADDITION, UNTIL LAST
COMMITTEE, THERE HAD BEEN $9.8
MILLION FOR ADDITIONAL
SHELTERING THROUGH SUPPLEMENTAL
ACTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL OR
$800,000 PROVIDED FOR SELF
MANAGED AND CANTONS THAT HAD
NOT BEEN EXPENDED.
I BELIEVE NOW IN THE LAST WEEK
OR SO JUST CARE IN THE PUBLIC
DEFENDER ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN
CONTRACTED TO SPEND A PORTION
OF THAT, PROBABLY 5.5 MILLION,
I DON'T HAVE THAT CONTRACT
NUMBER.
THERE IS STILL GENTRY OBVIOUSLY
THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL AND IT IS
NOT THERE COMPANY THINK ABOUT
THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN OF
SEATTLE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN
PROVIDED, BUT IS ABOUT $45
MILLION, AND WHILE SOME
ACQUISITION IS UNDERWAY, I
CANNOT NECESSARILY SPEAK TO THE
AMOUNT OF HOUSING FOR EXAMPLE
THAT IS BEING REQUIRED, THAT
YOU ARE HEARING ABOUT PROGRESS
MOVING THERE, OVERALL, NONE OF
THE SHELTER BEDS OR FOR EXAMPLE
THE SAFE LOT PROGRAM, NONE OF
THOSE PROGRAMS ARE CURRENTLY
OPERATIONAL.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT
THOSE ARE ALWAYS -- ONLY
PASSED ONE MONTH AGO, THERE ARE
BUSES UNDERWAY.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> CAN I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT
THIS, BECAUSE WE WERE REALLY
DELIGHTED TO --
>> SHARON, ONE MOMENT I WANT
TO UNDERSTAND, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, DID JEFF UNDERSTAND
AND ANSWER THE QUESTION?
>> YES, AND I AM SORRY TO
INTERRUPT AS WELL, I DO
APPRECIATE THAT ANSWER, AND I
THINK THAT MIGHT INTEREST IS
MAKING SURE THAT EVERY DOLLAR
THAT THE COUNCIL HAS ALLOCATED
IS GETTING OUT THE DOOR IN 2021
. I THINK I, BUT ONE ON THIS
COUNCIL CONFLICT EVERYONE OF
THE HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS,
EVERY RESIDENT AND CONSTITUENT
THAT WE HEAR FROM YOU WE ALL
UNDERSTAND THAT OUR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WHO ARE LIVING ON HOUSED
WANT TO BE IN A BETTER PLACE,
THEY NEED TO BE IN PLACES THAT
ARE SAFER THAN LIVING OUT IN
THE ELEMENTS.
WE ALL WALK AROUND THE CITY AND
WE SEE THE SAME THING.
WE NEED TO BE PUTTING POLITICS
ASIDE, AND BE PUTTING THE
DOLLARS TO USE, AND MAKING SURE
THAT FOLKS HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO
LIVE.
MY REAL EMPHASIS IS TRYING TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE DOLLARS ARE
NOT SITTING THERE WAITING FOR
REINVENTION OF BEST PRACTICES
THAT WE HAVE ALREADY DEPLOYED
HERE IN THE CITY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE
THAT ALL OF THE DOLLARS ARE PUT
OUT THERE.
AND MAYBE MR. CHAIR, SINCE MY
MICROPHONE IS ON, I WILL ASK MY
SECOND QUESTION.
I LIKE TO HEAR MORE FROM SHARON
IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ON THAT
FIRST ONE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, IS
IT A CHANGE IN SUBJECT ?
>> I WILL HOLD IT, MR. CHAIR.
>> IF IT IS A CHANGE IN
SUBJECT, LET'S LET SHARON, I
THINK SHE HAS SOMETHING GERMANE
TO JEFF'S STATEMENT HERE.
SHARON?
GO AHEAD, AND THEN WE WILL GET
WITH COUNCIL NUMBERS AND 11
NEXT QUESTION.
>> I AM SORRY ABOUT THAT.
WE WERE REALLY THRILLED WITH THE
COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER, VOTING FOR
THREE ADDITIONAL TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES AND THEN OF COURSE THE
BUDGET AND $2 MILLION FOR TINY
HOMES EARMARKED, WE WERE
EXCITED ABOUT THE WE WERE TOLD
RIGHT AWAY, EARLIER THIS YEAR
THAT THERE WOULD BE AN RFP TO
IDENTIFY THE THREE NEW VILLAGES.
EVERYTHING CAME TO A GRINDING
HALT.
EVEN THOUGH WE ARE STAFFED UP,
AND WE ARE WORKING WITH OTHER
PROVIDERS THAT ARE INTERESTED
IN RUNNING THE TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE OR PROVIDING SERVICES,
WE DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
APPLY FOR THE RFP AND NOT OF US
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY
FOR RFP BECAUSE THEY TOLD US
THERE WOULD BE AN RFP.
IT HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED.
I DON'T WANT TO BE FATALISTIC
BUT MAYBE WE THINK THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE IS SUPPORTIVE BUT WE
DON'T THINK HUMAN SERVICE STAFF
WANTS TO DO IT, SO THEY ARE
DRAGGING IT OUT, AND DRAGGING
IT OUT.
COULD YOU PLEASE ASK WHAT IS
GOING ON WITH THE RFP, SHE SAID
I HAVE TO TALK TO MARK DON'T
-- IT IS ALMOST LIKE IN LIMBO
LAND.
IT IS LIKE WHAT WAS PROMISED
ISN'T HAPPENING.
I FEEL REALLY BADLY, BECAUSE WE
WERE HOPING TO STAND UP THESE
THREE NEW RELIGIOUS FOR WINTER .
I THINK WE NEED SOME HELP
BECAUSE WE ARE IN THIS
BUREAUCRATIC LOGJAM.
>> I DO APPRECIATE THOSE
COMMENTS.
AS I SAID IN THE BRIEFING THIS
WEEK WE HAVE RECEIVED A
COMMITMENT FROM THE EXECUTIVE
TO SUBMIT RFQ AND DO THE
PREDEVELOPMENT WORK. WE CAN
DEFINITELY TALK MORE OFF-LINE
ABOUT THAT AND CONNECT WITH THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH.
I APPRECIATE SOME OF THOSE
COMMENTS THAT ARE SOMEWHAT
RELATED TO THE CAPACITY ISSUE
LIKE SUBMITTING THE RFQ IS
ESSENTIAL TO DETERMINE IF THERE
IS CAPACITY OUT THERE TO
RESPOND TO THE RFQ.
IN ANY EVENT, THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER, YOUR NEXT
QUESTION?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I DO WANT TO SAY I KNOW THERE
ARE FOLKS WITHIN HSD AND HSI
THAT HAVE BEEN DESPERATE TO TRY
TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO GET
THE CONTRACTS OUT.
THIS GOES UPWARD.
THIS NEEDS TO FOLLOW UPWARDS TO
MANAGEMENT TO THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND WE NEED TO HAVE A
JOINT UNDERSTANDING THE
LEGISLATION THAT WE CAST AND
SIGN INTO LAW, THOSE DOLLARS
ARE AVAILABLE AND NEED TO GET
OUT NOW.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
COUNCILMEMBERS HERE AND THE
CHAIR TO MAKE SURE THOSE
DOLLARS ARE GETTING STOOD UP
AND HOPEFULLY AS YOU SAID THAT
WE CAN STAND UP THESE VILLAGES
EVEN LATER THIS YEAR BEFORE
WINTER COMES.
THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO
SAY IS IT TAKES A LOT OF
COURAGE TO BE HERE.
I'VE HEARD FROM SOME IN THE
PAST THAT THERE WAS HESITATION
TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT SOME OF THE
CONCERNS AND PROCESS ISSUES FOR
FEAR OF RETALIATION FOR
EXISTING CONTRACTS.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS
INFORMATION.
I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME
PRESSURE OVER THE LAST YEAR TO
HAVE A DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON
EVEN THE WAGES OFFER TO SOME
EMPLOYEES VIA THE CONTRACTS
THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED.
I WONDER IF FOLKS WOULD BE
WILLING TO SPEAK ABOUT SOME OF
THE EXPERIENCES YOU HAD.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE SEATTLE
CENTER SHELTER WAS CLOSED AND
WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE OPENING
UP THE ADDITIONAL HOTEL -- I
SEE LAUREN SMILING -- THERE WAS
DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON HOW THE
CITY WAS GOING TO BE WILLING TO
OFFER.
WE HEARD THIS REPEATEDLY FOLKS
FROM JUST CARES.
WE UNDERSTAND THERE WAS ALREADY
AN EXISTING UNDERPAYMENT OF
THESE CONTRACTS TO BE IN THE
MIDST OF A PANDEMIC WHEN
PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE LITERALLY AT
RISK, BOTH THE PROVIDERS AND
THOSE LIVING IN THE SHELTER
BEING TOLD WE WILL NOT PAY YOU
MORE THAN X. THAT CREATES
DOWNWARD PRESSURE AND HAS
CONTRIBUTED TO THIS WORKFORCE
SHORTAGE.
IF ANYBODY WOULD BE WILLING TO
ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT
SO WE CAN WEAVE TOGETHER MORE
OF THAT NARRATIVE.
I'VE HEARD BITS AND PIECES.
THAT WOULD BE ILLUMINATING SO
WE COULD HAVE THAT IN THE
FUTURE.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
I AM HAPPY TO SPEAK TO THAT.
I AM LAUREN FROM DESC.
MUCH OF WHAT YOU SAID OR ALL OF
WHAT YOU SAID IS HOW WE HAVE
EXPERIENCED THE SITUATION,
PARTICULARLY WITH OUR LOSS OF
SHELTER BED CAPACITY IN THE
CITY.
WE REALLY WERE INTENDING TO DO
WHATEVER WE COULD DO TO MAINTAIN
THOSE BEDS THAT WE HAD AT
EXHIBITION HALL.
NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT SPACE,
BUT WHEREVER WE COULD CREATE
SPACE TO DO SO.
WE DID NOT WANT TO LOSE THAT
SHELTER CAPACITY.
IT DID FEEL LIKE WE DIDN'T HAVE
THE ABILITY TO REALLY HAVE THAT
REAL CONVERSATION AND
NEGOTIATION WITH OUR PARTNERS
AT THE CITY ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD
TAKE TO OPERATIONALIZE THOSE
BEDS BASES ELSEWHERE. IT WAS
DISAPPOINTING, I THINK. TIMES
ARE STRETCHED AND OUR STAFF
FEEL IT ON THE GROUND
ESPECIALLY IN OUR SHELTER
SETTINGS.
EXHIBITION HALL, FOR EXAMPLE,
WAS STILL A CONGREGATE SETTING,
ALTHOUGH IT WAS VERY WELL
DISTANCED AND WE HAD A
WONDERFUL TEAM WORKING THERE.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL
PLACE TO BE AND WE KNEW WHAT IT
WAS GOING TO TAKE TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE THE RIGHT LEVEL OF
STAFFING.
THE WAGES THAT WE ARE
CONTRACTED TO PAY, WE ARE A
UNION EMPLOYER.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO HAVE THOSE
NEGOTIATIONS AND CONVERSATIONS
TO KEEP THAT CAPACITY IN OUR
SYSTEM AT A TIME WHEN WE HAVE
SEEN SO MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS
LIVING OUTDOORS.
IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE.
WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT
THAT OPPORTUNITY HAS BEEN LOST.
I THINK WE AT DESC IN
PARTICULAR REMAIN INCREDIBLY
CONCERNED FOR OUR UNSHELTERED
FOLKS THAT WE ARE SERVING AND
THE BED CAPACITY THAT'S
AVAILABLE TO THEM.
THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS
AND MODELS OUT THERE FOR
DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN
BRING PEOPLE INDOORS, BUT WE
KNOW THAT SOME SITUATIONS WORK
BETTER THAN OTHERS, BUT OUR
HIGHLY ACUTE POPULATION OF
FOLKS STRUGGLING WITH COMPLEX
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.
FOR OUR EXPERIENCE, THE
ENHANCED SHELTER MODEL, WHEN
THERE ISN'T ENOUGH HOUSING, IS
KIND OF WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
IN PARTICULAR, WE ENHANCE TO
NON-CONGREGATE SETTINGS IN
HOTELS PROVIDING THOSE ROUND-
THE-CLOCK WRAPAROUND SERVICES
FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN REALLY
SUCCESSFUL AT THAT THROUGH THE
PANDEMIC.
WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
CONTINUE THAT.
>> CAN I ASK A FOLLOW-UP
QUESTION ON THAT REAL QUICK?
I DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA'S LINE
OF QUESTIONING.
I JUST WANT TO DRILL INTO THAT
A LITTLE BIT MORE.
HOW MANY UNITS WAS DESC
OPERATING AT EXPOSITION HALL?
DO YOU RECALL?
>> YEAH.
I WANT TO SAY IT WAS 100 OR
130.
I WOULD NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK.
I THINK IT WAS 100.
>> DOES DESC OR DID DESC HAVE
THE STAFFING AVAILABLE?
I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE BEST
WAY TO PHRASE THIS.
YOU INTIMATED EARLIER THAT
THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A WAY TO
SOLVE OR MAINTAIN THAT
CAPACITY.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT
CAPACITY NO LONGER EXIST.
THAT DESC IS NO LONGER
OPERATING THOSE SPACES.
MY QUESTION IS THIS BECAUSE WE
ARE REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT
PROVIDER CAPACITY IS A BARRIER
HERE.
DID DESC HAVE THE CAPACITY TO
CONTINUE TO OPERATE THOSE SPACES
? IF THERE WAS AN RFQ OR RFP OR
WHATEVER THAT WENT OUT IN THE
WORLD TODAY, WOULD DESC HAVE
THE ABILITY TO BID TO TRY TO
BRING THAT CAPACITY BACK?
>> I THINK WHERE THE ISSUE WAS
IS THAT WE HAD CAPACITY TO HAVE
THE STAFFING MODEL THAT WE HAD
IN THAT ONE SINGULAR LOCATION.
BUT I THINK THE IDEA HAD BEEN
TO PIECEMEAL IT INTO A BUNCH OF
DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, WHICH
MEANS THAT WE NEED MORE STAFF.
AND SO, WITH THE CURRENT
STAFFING MAKEUP THAT WE HAVE TO
ENSURE PROPER ROUND-THE-CLOCK
COVERAGE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
POSSIBLE IF IT WAS A SIMILARLY
SIZED PROGRAM.
JUST PICK IT UP AND PLOP ALL
THE STAFF INTO THE NEW
LOCATION.
BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT
OPPORTUNITY HAD PRESENTED
ITSELF TO US AS AN OPTION.
IT WAS MORE LIKE I THINK WE
ALSO FELT THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE
SEEN SUCH SUCCESS WITH REALLY
HE CAN JESTING OUR SHELTER
SPACES, SPLITTING IT UP IS KIND
OF PREFERRED AT THIS POINT. IT
WOULD HAVE BEEN THE NECESSITY
TO REPLICATE INTO TWO DIFFERENT
TEAMS INSTEAD OF JUST ONE TEAM.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT FULLY
ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
I CAN CERTAINLY DO MORE INTO
THESE DETAILS WITH OUR HOUSING
DIRECTOR.
>> I'M JUST TRYING TO DETERMINE
IF THERE WAS AND STILL IS
POTENTIALLY CAPACITY FROM DESC
TO EXPAND THESE SERVICES?
>> YEAH.
I THINK AT THIS POINT ALL OF
THOSE STAFF THAT HAD BEEN
OPERATING IN THAT SHELTER HAVE
BEEN ABSORBED INTO OTHER
PROGRAMS AND OTHER VACANCIES
WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
WE WOULD BE, I'M GUESSING, IN
THIS SAME SITUATION WE ARE IN
CURRENTLY WHERE WE WOULD BE
NEEDING TO HIRE A FRESH GROUP
OF FOLKS TO COME IN AND RUN
SOMETHING.
BECAUSE WE ARE VERY COMMITTED
TO MAKING SURE NOBODY WAS GOING
TO LOSE THEIR EMPLOYMENT AS A
RESULT OF THAT SHELTER NOT
CONTINUING.
>> OKAY.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE MISSED AN
OPPORTUNITY AS A CITY FAMILY,
WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE WORK THE
CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE ON THAT
CASELOAD ARE CERTAINLY FOLKS
THAT ARE IN NEED OF THAT KIND
OF SUPPORT.
CAN I ALSO JUST ASK REAL
QUICKLY HERE IN TERMS OF MOVING
FORWARD WITH THE NEXT STEPS.
IF YOU HAD TO BRING ON A NEW
TEAM TO BID FOR A NEW
OPPORTUNITY LIKE THAT, IS THAT
GETTING INTO TALKING ABOUT THE
VACANCY BACKLOG THAT YOU GUYS
HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH HIRING?
THOSE ISSUES WOULD PROBABLY
PRESENT IF WE HAD A SCALE AT
SOME CAPACITY, I WOULD IMAGINE?
>> YEAH.
I WOULD IMAGINE SO.
I DO THINK WE HAVE IDEAS FOR
WAYS THAT SOME OF THESE ISSUES
CAN BE SOLVED FOR.
BUT OF COURSE, THEY ARE LONGER-
TERM SOLUTIONS.
IT'S NOT JUST WAGE INCREASES.
IT WOULD ALSO BE OUR TRAINING
CAPACITY.
I KNOW OTHER FOLKS HAVE
MENTIONED THAT BEFORE.
PARTICULARLY AMONGST OUR
SUPERVISOR AND MANAGERIAL GROUP,
WE ARE VERY BIG AT HIRING FROM
WITHIN.
WE ARE PROMOTING WONDERFUL CASE
MANAGERS BUT NEED A LOT OF THAT
DEVELOPMENT AND SLOW GROWTH TO
BE GREAT SUPERVISORS AND
ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS AND THAT
SORT OF THING.
THAT'S A HUGE AREA OF STRUGGLE
FOR US.
I THINK THERE'S WAYS OTHER THAN
JUST WAGES THAT WE COULD SEE
SOME IMPROVEMENTS HOPEFULLY IN
THE NEAR FUTURE.
BUT I AGREE WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT
THAT WE ARE PRETTY TAPPED OUT
IN THE LABOR MARKET RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE KIND OF PULL EVERY
LEVER WE KNOW HOW TO PULL IN
TERMS OF ADVERTISING AND ALL OF
THAT.
IN OUR 13 YEARS WE REALLY ARE A
GOOD EMPLOYER.
WE HAVE WONDERFUL BENEFITS,
WONDERFUL HEALTHCARE AND ALL OF
THAT.
THOSE TRADITIONAL THINGS THAT WE
NEED, SIX WEEKS OF PAID TIME
OFF AND ALL OF THAT.
IT'S NO LONGER AT A PLACE WHERE
IT'S WORKING ANYMORE.
>> CAN I JUMP IN?
>> GO AHEAD.
>> THE PRESSURE THAT IS ON US
IS THAT EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE
WOULD NEED TO RAISE SALARIES
FOR THE STAFF THAT ARE HERE IS
IN CONFLICT ALMOST WITH THE NEW
DOLLAR FOR US TO ADDRESS THE
NUMBERS OF FOLKS THAT ARE ON
OUR STREETS.
IT'S KIND OF AN UNPRECEDENTED
TIME.
THERE'S NEW DOLLARS AND NEW
ENERGY ABOUT SOLVING
HOMELESSNESS THAT SOME OF US
HAVE ADVOCATED FOR 25 YEARS
FOUR AND HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR.
FINALLY THERE IS SOME NEW
DOLLARS TO INVEST IN THOSE AND
TO GET MORE FOLKS OFF THE
STREET AND GET MORE PEOPLE INTO
HOUSING.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE PROGRAMS
THAT HAVE BEEN HERE ARE
WOEFULLY UNDERFUNDED.
THE PRESSURE IS ON BOTH SIDES.
THAT'S WHAT'S SO DIFFICULT.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO
DIFFICULT.
YOU ARE TRYING TO TAKE THIS
UNPRECEDENTED MOMENT TO RESPOND
IN A MORE FULL WAY THAN YOU
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK AT THE
SAME TIME, WHEN YOU ARE SLOWLY
BLEEDING STAFF DURING THE
PANDEMIC FOR THE PROGRAMS AND
CARRYING YOU ALL THROUGH. OUR
FOLKS ARE TIRED.
THEY ARE JUST TIRED.
JUST LIKE HEALTHCARE FOLKS ARE.
IT'S BEEN A LONG, HARD ROAD.
THOSE TWO THINGS ARE HAPPENING
AT THE SAME TIME WHICH IS
REALLY DIFFICULT, I THINK.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
COUNCILMEMBER, DID YOU HAVE ANY
FINAL QUESTIONS ON YOUR LINE
THERE?
>> JUST TO SAY THANK YOU.
I AGREE, COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
IT DOES SEEM LIKE A HUGE MISSED
OPPORTUNITY ESPECIALLY WHEN WE
KNOW THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS
REPRESENTED HERE. I HAVE HAD
THE CHANCE TO VISIT WITH SO
MANY OF YOU AND I KNOW YOU
SERVE THE HIGHEST NEEDS OF THE
POPULATION IN MANY CASES.
FOLKS WITH COMPLEX BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH ISSUES OFTEN HAVE
COMPOUNDING HEALTH ISSUES IF
THERE'S A SUBSTANCE ABUSE
INVOLVED ESPECIALLY SERVING OUR
YOUTH WITH YOUTH CARE.
YOU ALL HAVE EXPERTS THAT WE
NEED TO BE FUNDING AND THE LAST
THING WE NEED TO BE DOING AS A
CITY IS APPLYING ANY DOWNWARD
PRESSURE AND PUTTING A CAP ON
HOW MUCH WE SHOULD BE OFFERING
YOU.
WHEN I HEARD THAT SOMEONE WITH
A MASTERS DEGREE IN CHEMICAL
DEPENDENCY WAS EARNING $33,000
AS A STARTING WAGE, IT'S NO
WONDER THERE'S A HIGH TURNOVER.
AND THEN DURING A PANDEMIC TO
BE TOLD WE ARE NOT GOING TO
ALLOW YOU TO OPEN UP AN
ALTERNATIVE TO THE SEATTLE
CENTER SITE AT THIS HOTEL
UNLESS YOU CAN GET HELLO THIS
DOLLAR AMOUNT.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR
SKIMMING.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR
PUSHING PRESSURE DOWN
ESPECIALLY ON THOSE WE ARE
RELYING ON TO HELP PEOPLE
SURVIVE IN THIS MOMENT.
I KNOW THAT GOING FROM OVER 500
BEDS AT DESC TO NOW JUST AROUND
98 BEDS OR 96 BEDS ACTUALLY,
THAT'S A HUGE LOSS IN BEDS AT
THE VERY MOMENT WE NEED IT.
THAT NUMBER WILL BE CLIMBING UP
, THANK GOODNESS, 2/300 BY THE
END OF THE YEAR, BUT THAT'S
STILL A 40% REDUCTION IN THE
NUMBER OF BEDS AT THE MOMENT WE
NEED IT.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN
CONTINUE TO PUSH THOSE DOLLARS
THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED OUT THE
DOOR.
PUSHED POLITICS ASIDE AND HELP
FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE AND
KEEP WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
THIS IS AN EMERGENCY AND WE
NEED TO BE DEPLOYING OUR
RESOURCES TO REFLECT THE
EMERGENCY ON THE STREET.
QUESTIONS FROM OTHER COLLEAGUES
ON THE COMMITTEE?
COUNCILMEMBER MORALE IS?
>> THANK YOU.
I MIGHT BE SHIFTING GEARS A
LITTLE BIT HERE, BUT I WANTED
TO TALK ABOUT THE CARE IN
PIONEER SQUARE AND
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS'S DISTRICT.
WE SAW THAT PROGRAM ACHIEVE
IMPORTANT SUCCESS THROUGH
TARGETED OUTREACH, THROUGH
TARGETED RELATIONSHIPS AND
CONNECTING PEOPLE, GETTING
FOLKS OFF THE STREET AND INTO
NON-CONGREGANT SHELTER.
INCLUDING ALL OF THE REALLY
INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT THAT
GOES ALONG WITH THAT AND HELP
PEOPLE GET INTO MORE STABLE
LONG-TERM HOUSING.
I THINK WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE
HOW TO SCALE THAT UP AND I
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR -- PUTTING
ASIDE THE BUDGET, WHICH IS A
HUGE ISSUE WE HAVE BEEN
DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU THINK THAT SCALING
SOMETHING LIKE THAT UP FOR
CITYWIDE USE IS POSSIBLE? WHAT
KIND OF TWEAKS WOULD WE HAVE TO
MAKE TO THE MODEL OR HOW COULD
WE MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT
WORK SO WE HAVE ADDITIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES?
>> WHO WANTS TO TAKE THAT ONE
ON?
IT'S A SHAME WE DON'T HAVE A
REACH PANELIST.
DEREK? I WILL HAND IT OVER TO
DEREK.
>> I HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH
THAT.
IT REALLY WORKED OUT WELL, BUT
THERE WAS SOME ISSUES THAT WE
COULD HAVE WORKED OUT BETTER.
THE ONE THING AND THE COUPLE
THINGS THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT
WELL WAS TARGETED LOCATIONS IN
AREAS WHERE OUR COMMUNITY
DOESN'T TEND TO HAVE LARGE
NUMBERS WITHIN THOSE AREAS.
SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL
DIDN'T WORK. I DON'T KNOW IF
EVERYONE IS AWARE.
WE HAD TO COMMIT AND HAVE THE
HOTEL THAT WAS GOING TO BE 17
ROOMS FOR FOLKS THAT WERE FOUND
FROM OUTREACH.
THEY WEREN'T FINDING ANY IN
PIONEER SQUARE.
WE FOUND THEM OVER THERE OFF OF
úDENNY PARK.
WE HAD EXPANDED.
ANY KIND OF TARGETED
GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS NOT GOOD FOR
OUR COMMUNITY AT ALL FOR THAT
REASON.
A LOT OF OUR MOST CHRONIC TEND
TO CAMP ALONE AND NOT IN LARGE
ENCAMPMENTS.
THAT'S ONE AREA OF FOCUS THAT
DIDN'T WORK WELL.
THAT WAS REALLY THE BIG ONE.
IT REALLY WORKED WELL AS FAR AS
HAVING THE RESOURCES.
THEY SEEM TO HAVE AN ABUNDANCE
OF RESOURCES TO DO SOME
INTENSIVE WORK.
LIKE WHAT IS GOING ON WITH
KINGS IN.
IT'S THAT MERGER BETWEEN THE
HOUSING.
WE ARE HOUSING PEOPLE
TEMPORARILY IN A SHELTER TO
FORCE THEM OUT THE DOOR INTO A
PROGRAM.
WE NEED A SPOT TO DO SOME
INTENSIVE WORK AND WORK ON THE
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE.
ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE NEED THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THAT REALLY WORKED WELL.
THAT IS REALLY COSTLY. I THINK
WHAT WOULD WORK BETTER IS TO DO
OUR OWN OUTREACH AND HAVE A
HOTEL LIKE WE DID.
IT WAS HANDED OVER TO US AND IT
WAS ON A SMALL SCALE.
WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING
LIKE THAT ON A LARGE SCALE.
A REAL HOTEL THAT'S NOT LIKE
THE KINGS IN.
ALSO, ONE MORE THING THAT'S NOT
WORKING WELL WITH KINGS AND IS
HAVING A THIRD ARTY MANAGER OR
THIRD-PARTY OWNER INVOLVED.
THE OWNER IS INVOLVED IN THE
MIX AND IT'S NOT WORKING WELL
AT ALL.
THERE IS SOME TENSION THERE.
IT'S LIKE WALKING ON EGGSHELLS
WHEN WE ARE ON-SITE.
ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF IS AN
ISSUE.
THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE I WOULD
SUGGEST.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN
THIS COUNCIL CREATED THE HOPE
PROGRAM DURING THE LAST BUDGET
THE INTENT WAS THAT PROVIDERS
WOULD BE THE ONES DETERMINING
THE POPULATIONS WHO WERE IN THE
GREATEST NEED AND WHAT
STRATEGIES FOR OUTREACH SHOULD
BE USED.
I KNOW WE DID HEAR LOTS OF
FRUSTRATION FROM FOLKS WHO WERE
DOING INTENSIVE OUTREACH
ENCAMPMENTS AND HAVING SOME OF
OUR DEPARTMENTS IDENTIFY
DIFFERENT PRIORITIES FOR
DIFFERENT REASONS.
REALLY HOPE WE CAN GET BACK
TO THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THAT
LEGISLATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
>> CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO THIS
DISCUSSION?
PART OF IT IS THAT DEREK TALKED
ABOUT THE KINGS IN.
LIHI HAS 163 PEOPLE, MANY OF
THEM WHO WERE IN ENCAMPMENTS
WHO WERE SWEPT AND WE HAVE TO
MOVE EVERYBODY OUT BY FEBRUARY.
DEREK AND LIHI HAVE TO MOVE
EVERYBODY.
THAT'S OVER 200 HOMELESS PEOPLE
OUT BECAUSE THE LEASE
TERMINATES AT THE END OF
FEBRUARY.
RIGHT NOW, INITIALLY THE HUMAN
SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THE
PATHWAY OUT WAS GOING TO BE
HOUSING.
THAT IS NOT TURNING OUT TO BE
THE RIGHT WAY TO GO FOR VARIOUS
REASONS.
THE OTHER WAY OUT WAS GOING TO
BE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
WE HAVE NOT FOUND A PATHWAY
WHERE COORDINATED ENTRY WHERE
KING COUNTY AND THE HUMAN
ERVICE DEPARTMENT ARE GOING
LET US AT THE END OF FEBRUARY
MOVE 200 SOMETHING PEOPLE INTO
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
WE ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT
THIS.
THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH
LEASING HOTELS.
THE HOTEL OWNERS ARE GETTING
BASICALLY MARKET RENT FOR THEIR
HOTEL ROOMS.
AT THE END OF THE TERM, RIGHT,
YOU STILL HAVE HOMELESS PEOPLE
WITH NOWHERE TO GO.
WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
THIS DEADLINE COMING UP OF
FEBRUARY.
WE REALLY NEED AWAY.
I WILL WORK WITH DEREK AND WORK
WITH SEATTLE BECAUSE WE ARE IN
THE SAME BOAT.
FEBRUARY EVERYBODY HAS TO
LEAVE.
RIGHT NOW THE HOUSING DID NOT
WORK AND ACCESS TO COORDINATED
ENTRY DOES NOT WORK.
WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.
>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT,
SHARON.
I WANT TO MOVE ON TO
COUNCILMEMBER HER BOLD WHO HAS
BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING WITH A
QUESTION.
I HAVE ONE THAT MIGHT BE A
CLOSING QUESTION, BUT I WON'T
CUT IT SHORT OF COMMITTEE
MEMBERS.
COUNCILMEMBER?
>> I WAS GOING TO MOVE TO A
DIFFERENT TOPIC BUT SHARON JUST
SAID SOMETHING THAT MADE ME
WANT TO FOR THE VIEWING
PUBLIC'S BENEFIT MAKE SURE THAT
WE HAVE CLARIFICATION.
THE ISSUE AS I UNDERSTAND IT
WITH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING THAT MIGHT COME ONLINE
NEAR THE TIME WHEN THE LEASE IS
UP AND COORDINATED ENTRY IS
THAT YOUR FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE
HOTELS WILL NOT BE PRIORITIZED
THROUGH COORDINATED ENTRY TO
ACCESS THOSE UNITS?
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> CORRECT.
THINK THAT'S THE PROBLEM WE
NEED TO SOLVE.
THANK YOU.
NOT A NEW ISSUE, BUT AN ISSUE
YOU BROUGHT UP EARLIER, SHARON,
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
INCREASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
NEEDS?
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I AM
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT.
YOU RAISED IT, SHARON, IN YOUR
OPENING REMARKS.
I THINK EVERYBODY HAS HEARD ME
TALK ABOUT THE SHADOW PANDEMIC.
IT'S USUALLY USED TO REFER TO
INCREASED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
BUT IT IS REALLY A CROSS OF A
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ELDER
ABUSE, GUN VIOLENCE, SUBSTANCE
ABUSE DISORDER.
EVERYBODY, I THINK, AGREES IN
THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC THAT
WE ARE SEEING INCREASED
SUICIDES.
WE ARE SEEING ACROSS A NUMBER
OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES A
REALLY STARK INCREASE IN HELP
THAT PEOPLE NEED.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD
TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT MORE TO THAT?
I APPRECIATE YOUR REFERENCE TO
WANTING TO HAVE MORE STAFF ON-
SITE.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
I DON'T WANT TO DIMINISH THAT
AS A COMMUNITY SAFETY ELEMENT
THAT I THINK FIGURING OUT WAYS
TO GET TO SOME OF THE
UNDERLYING ISSUES OF FOLKS WHO
ARE IN NEED IS REALLY IMPORTANT
FOR US TO GRAPPLE WITH.
THANKS
>> THANKS TERESA, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO DISCUSS THE BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SERVICES WE HAVE?
>> VERY MUCH SO.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT THE PROBLEM YOU
MENTIONED DB AND THEN EXPANDED
THEM.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU FROM
READING THE INCIDENT REPORTS
AND BEING ONE OF THE KEY PEOPLE
RESPONDING TO THE SERIOUSNESS
OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE
VILLAGES, WE ARE SEEING A HUGE
UPTICK IN THE INTENSITY OF THE
EPISODES.
WE DIDN'T TALK SO MUCH BEFORE
ABOUT GUNS. THE THREATS ARE
MUCH MORE GRAPHIC AND INTENSE.
IT IS GETTING MORE DIFFICULT TO
DETERMINE WHO IS MAKING AN IDLE
THREAT TO GET ATTENTION AND WHO
IS ACTUALLY MAKING A THREAT.
THAT SAID, OUR SOCIAL SERVICES
TEAM, THEY AS WELL AS OUR
ORGANIZERS AND OUR PEOPLE ON-
SITE, GET VERY STRONG SUPPORT.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS.
WE HAVE A SOLID INFRASTRUCTURE
OF MANAGERS AND SUPPORTIVE
PEOPLE SUPPORTING EVERY SINGLE
TEAM ON THE GROUND AND THE
TRAINING.
LIKE I SAID, WE REALLY
STRETCHED THE DOLLARS SO THAT
THE TRAINING GOES BEYOND EVEN
THE REGULAR THINGS WE HAVE
ALWAYS TRAINED IN.
TODAY WE ARE TRAINING MORE IN
MENTAL ILLNESS AND DRUG AND
ALCOHOL DEPENDENCY.
WE ARE WORKING EXTRA HARD WITH
OUR TEAM TO ENSURE THAT THEY
ARE MAINTAINING AN ATTITUDE OF
HELPFULNESS.
THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING
EXTRA KIND, PRESERVING DIGNITY.
I KNOW THOSE ARE THE BASICS AND
WE WOULD ALL EXPECT TO THAT,
BUT THE PATIENTS REQUIRED OF
OUR TEAMS, BECAUSE WE DO NOT
HAVE THE EXTRA SUPPORT OF A
SECOND ORGANIZER, THAT THE
PATIENTS AND LEVELHEADEDNESS,
ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE ARE
ASKING OUR GREATER TODAY THAN I
HAVE EVER SEEN.
I HAVE LITERALLY BEEN WORKING
WITH THE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS
COMMUNITY FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS.
ANY HELP THE CITY COULD GIVE IN
FUNDING NOT ONLY FOR THE
POSITIONS THAT WE COULD PAY FOR
PEOPLE WITH MORE EXPERIENCE,
THAT WE COULD RECOGNIZE THE
BURNOUT.
I DO NOT KNOW WHY WE HAVE BEEN
SO FORTUNATE. I WANT TO GUESS
THAT IT'S BECAUSE THE
ORGANIZERS FEEL SUPPORTED.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY MORE THAN ANY
OTHER ORGANIZATION, BUT IT IS
TO SAY THAT WE TALK A LOT ABOUT
LOVE.
WE TALK ABOUT COMPASSION.
WE LISTEN CAREFULLY WHEN THEY
TALK ABOUT BURNOUT.
WE WORK WITH EVERYBODY TO MAKE
SURE THEY ARE GETTING
APPROPRIATE TIME AWAY AND THEY
CAN HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH DAY
WHEN SOMETHING BIG HAS
OCCURRED.
WE ARE SEEING MORE INTENSITY IN
OUR HARM REDUCTION VILLAGES
SPECIFICALLY AROUND THINGS
WHERE 911 HAS HELPED WHEN
SOMEONE IS IN A MEDICAL CRISIS.
I CAN TELL YOU FOR OUR
ORGANIZERS IT INTENDS.
IT'S INTENSE FOR ANY OF US TO
SEE SOMEONE IN MEDICAL DISTRESS
OR SOMEONE WHO HAS OD. AND ALL
THE THINGS THAT OUR TEAMS BEAR
WITNESS TO.
THIS IS TRUE FOR ALL OF US.
I AM HAPPY TO HEAR THAT WE ARE
THINKING NOW ABOUT THE IMPACT
COVID HAS HAD.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO JUST
EXIT PEOPLE FOR ALMOST A LINE
OF GOING TOO FAR.
IT'S TODAY ONLY WHEN THEY ARE
TRULY AN IMMINENT THREAT AND WE
ARE CLEAR THEY ARE AN EMINENT
THREAT.
THAT LINE GETS BLURRED AND IT'S
HARD TO KNOW SOMETIMES WHEN
SOMEONE IS MAKING A THREAT, AND
THEY ARE GRAPHIC.
MENTAL ILLNESS IS COMING INTO
PLAY.
ARE THEY VERY INTOXICATED IN
THIS MOMENT?
IN OUR TRAINING, I WILL TELL
YOU REALLY QUICK THAT WE SHARE
30 SCENARIOS.
EVERY SINGLE TEAM DOES ONE DAY
TRAINING.
IN THAT TRAINING AND THE PART
ABOUT DE-ESCALATION AND
BOUNDARIES, WE SHARE LITERALLY
30 OF THE MOST EXTREME
SCENARIOS THAT HAPPENED IN OUR
VILLAGES.
AND THEN WE PUT IT OUT THERE.
WE BREAK THEM INTO GROUPS AND
EACH GROUP HAS TO SORT OF
DECIDE HOW ARE THEY GOING TO
HANDLE THAT.
THAT IS SO THEY WALK OUT OF
THAT DAY FEELING A LITTLE MORE
EMPOWERED AND A LITTLE STEADIER
IN THEIR SHOES AND IN THEIR
POSITION.
AS I SAID, WE ARE STRETCHING
THOSE TRAINING DOLLARS AS FAR
AS WE CAN.
BUT TRULY, IT IS TIME TO
RECOGNIZE COVID HAS BURNED OUR
PEOPLE OUT AND ALL OF US,
EVERYONE HERE.
IT HAS TRIED THE PATIENCE OF
OUR VILLAGERS, OUR SHELTERS AND
OUR STAFF IN A NEW WAY THAT WE
COULDN'T HAVE SEEN.
AND YET, WE DO OUR VERY BEST TO
ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IS FEELING
SUPPORTED, THAT WE DO HAVE THE
CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH BURNOUT
AND DEAL WITH TRAUMA. WE WORK
FROM A TRAUMA CARE APPROACH NOT
ONLY WITH STAFF BUT WITH OUR
CLIENTS.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE SEEING, A
DEFINITE UPTICK.
>> I DO WANT TO ADD SOMETHING,
WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING.
WE HAVE ALSO HAD MANY VILLAGES
THAT STARTED OUT AS SELF
MANAGED.
THEY STARTED WITH TENT CITIES
AND SELF-MANAGEMENT.
AND THEN IT HAS EVOLVED OVER
TIME.
TO LIHI'S CREDIT AND TERESA'S
CREDIT WE HAVE HIRED OVER 40
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING IN
A VILLAGE ON STAFF.
WE HAVE TAKEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE
BEEN HOMELESS AND TRAINED THEM.
WE HAVE OVER 40 FORMERLY
HOMELESS PEOPLE SERVING AS
STAFF.
10 OF THEM HAVE BEEN PROMOTED
TO HIGHER POSITIONS INCLUDING
MANAGEMENT POSITIONS.
HALF THE PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE OF
COLOR.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE FACT
THAT WE DO HAVE THIS
PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITY,
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY, FOR
FORMERLY HOMELESS PEOPLE AND
FORMER CLIENTS OF HOURS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, DID YOU
HAVE A FOLLOW-UP?
OKAY.
I DO WANT TO MOVE TOWARD SOME
BOTTOM-LINE QUESTIONS HERE AND
THEN OPEN IT UP IF ANYONE HAS
CLOSING QUESTIONS.
I DO WANT TO ASK, AND
UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T HAVE
DEREK AND BILL HERE WITH US. I
THINK HE HAD TO LEAVE.
I WANT TO ASK THE BOTTOM LINE
ON WHAT ARE THE HURDLES AS AN
ORGANIZATIONS THAT CURRENTLY
GIVE YOU PAUSE IN APPLYING FOR
RFQ'S AND WHAT CAN WE DO AS A
COUNCIL AND CONSTRUCTING
POLICY IN THE FALL GOING
FORWARD TO INCENTIVIZE OR
RESPOND TO THOSE CONCERNS SO
THAT WE CAN SCALE CAPACITY
TOGETHER AND BE A GOOD PARTNER
AS A CITY IN SCALING UP A LOT
OF THESE ASSETS?
FRANKLY, IT'S NOT FOR A LACK OF
RESOURCES. THE COUNCIL HAS
APPROPRIATED CONSIDERABLE
AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR SHELTERS
THIS YEAR.
A LOT OF IT IS UNREALIZED.
IT CAN ONLY HAPPEN IF WE CAN
PUT TOGETHER ATTRACTIVE RFQ'S
THAT PEOPLE WILL BID ON.
TO OPEN IT UP HERE TO ANYONE
WHO WANTS TO JUMP ON THAT FIRST
, FEEDBACK WOULD BE
APPRECIATED.
WE CAN DULY RESPOND AND CRAFT
POLICY ACCORDINGLY.
>> THIS IS THE URBAN LEAGUE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I AM THINKING
OF OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A GRANT
WRITER.
IF YOU RECEIVED XYZ GRANT, THAT
SHOULD GIVE YOU SOME EXTRA
POINTS.
FOR BEING ABLE TO APPLY FOR THE
GRANT THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING
ABOUT.
THAT WOULD HELP SOME IN HELPING
US WRITE THEM A LITTLE BIT
FASTER.
>> I THINK ONE THING THAT THE
CITY COULD DO, JUST LIKE ON
MONDAY, YOU SIGNED A LEASE WITH
SOUND TRANSIT FOR A NEW VILLAGE
SITE.
THE CITY ALSO OWNS LAND THAT
COULD BE QUICKLY USED FOR TINY
HOUSE VILLAGES.
WHETHER IT SEATTLE CITY LIGHT
OR SPU OR SDOT PROPERTY.
I THINK THE CITY HAS RESOURCES
INSTEAD OF LEASING IT FROM
SOMEBODY OR A PRIVATE OWNER,
THE CITY DOES HAVE LAND
CURRENTLY.
SOUND TRANSIT IS LEASING THE
LAND TO THE CITY FOR NOTHING.
WE HAVE CITY PROPERTY THAT
COULD QUICKLY BE CONVERTED INTO
TINY HOUSE VILLAGES FOR ONE.
THE OTHER THING, MY NEW
CONTRACT, WE ARE HOPING THE
CONTRACT GOES BETTER WHEN IT
GETS MOVED OVER TO THE REGIONAL
AUTHORITY.
THERE IS SO MUCH DOCUMENTATION.
I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT BECAUSE
THE CITY IS GETTING REQUESTS
FOR FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
INFORMATION, WE HAVE TO
DOCUMENT EVERYTHING.
IF WE GIVE THE CLIENT A
SANDWICH, RIGHT, OR WE BUY THEM
SOME WORKBOOKS -- WORKBOOTS,
OUR CASE MANAGER HAS TO FILL
OUT A FORM THAT SAYS THIS
PERSON HAS A SANDWICH OR THIS
PERSON HAS WORKBOOTS AND PERT
THE HMI S NUMBER, THEIR
IDENTIFYING NUMBER, ON THAT.
CAN YOU IMAGINE IF YOU ARE A
SOCIAL WORKER OR CASE MANAGER
WORKING WITH A CASELOAD AND
EVERY TIME YOU HELP SOMEBODY
YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS
CRAZINESS OF FILLING OUT ALL OF
THIS.
OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND I
THINK OUR CASE MANAGERS ARE
OVERBURDENED WITH REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS.
WE ARE HOPING THAT THAT CAN
EASE UP.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE
WOULD HOPE COULD HAPPEN.
THAT'S WHY SOMETIMES LIKE
BEFORE YOU CONTRACT WITH THE
CITY, IT SHOULD BE MORE USER-
FRIENDLY AND MORE EFFICIENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER PEOPLE
FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT CITY
CONTRACTS.
>> LAUREN?
>> YEAH.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I THINK ONE KEY THING TO KEEP
IN MIND.
PARTNERSHIPS TAKE COLLABORATION
AND RESPECT.
WE NEED THE CITY TO ENGAGE WITH
PROVIDERS ON THESE SPECIALTY
TYPES OF SERVICES THAT THEY
PROVIDE. WE HAVE A REALLY HIGH
GROUP THAT IS WORKING IN FOLKS
WITH MULTIPLE COMPLEX
CHALLENGES.
SOMETIMES IT DOES FEEL LIKE WE
ARE ASKED TO FIT A DIFFERENT
DESCRIPTION OR DO SOMETHING
OTHER THAN WHAT WE ARE REALLY
GOOD AT AND EXPERTS IT.
I REALLY FEEL LIKE ENGAGING
WITH PROVIDERS AND MORE
INTERACTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE
DISCUSSIONS AROUND WHAT IT'S
GOING TO TAKE TO ADD THIS
CAPACITY TO OUR SYSTEM.
IT WOULD YIELD CREATIVE IDEAS
AND JUST OVERALL BETTER RESULTS
FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE REALLY DO WANT TO DO THIS
WORK AND TO CONTINUE DOING THIS
WORK IN PARTNERSHIP.
>> LAURA, I THINK THAT'S A
REALLY GOOD POINT. CAN YOU
PROVIDE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT
MORE OF AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE
ENGAGEMENT WOULD LOOK LIKE?
YOU USE THE TERM ENGAGEMENT ON
SPECIALTY SERVICES.
WHAT FORM WITH THAT ENGAGEMENT
TAKE?
>> YEAH.
I DON'T HAVE A TON OF IDEAS OFF
THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I WOULD
SAY FOR CERTAIN MAYBE PRIOR TO
THE RFQ PROCESS, SOME
ENGAGEMENT AROUND WHAT KIND OF
ENHANCED SHELTER CAPACITY WE
MIGHT BE ABLE TO OFFER OR IDEAS
FOR OPTIMAL PROGRAMMING OR THE
FOLKS THAT WE ARE SERVING WITH
THOSE REALLY HIGH AND INTENSE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS.
LOOPING BACK TO SOMETHING SOME
OF OUR FRIENDS WERE TALKING
ABOUT WITH JUST CARE, I AM
SEEING THAT THAT MODEL IS
WORKING IN A LOT OF CASELOADS
FOR MANY PEOPLE.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGE AREAS IS
ALMOST LIKE IN SOME CASES A
SCATTERED SITE SHELTER
APPROACH.
A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT WE ARE
SERVING REALLY TRULY NEED THAT
24/7 SUPPORT.
SOMEBODY TO REMIND THEM THAT
IT'S 9:00 AND TIME FOR BEDTIME
MEDS.
THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
HERE'S A MEAL WE HAVE PREPARED
FOR YOU AND ALL OF THAT.
I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ONE OF THE
PIECES THAT HAS BEEN MISSING IN
THESE CONVERSATIONS AROUND SOME
OF THE NEWER OUTREACH MODELS
AND THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN
COMING TO BEAR.
WITH THAT, TOO, I KNOW THERE IS
A LOT OF RESOURCES GOING TOWARD
THE JUST CARE MODEL.
IT'S FABULOUS, BUT OUR CHALLENGE
IS WE HAVE 839 EXISTING
POSITIONS THAT WERE CREATED
WELL BEFORE THESE NEW MODELS
THAT WE JUST CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
LOOPING BACK TO THIS WHOLE
CONVERSATION AROUND WAGES AND
GROWTH AND INFLATION AND ALL OF
THAT.
I DO SEE A BETTER HORIZON FOR
THE WAY WE ARE THINKING ABOUT
STRUCTURING PROGRAMS MOVING
FORWARD IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT WE HAVE TO BACKTRACK AND
REALLY THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE
POSITIONS THAT CURRENTLY EXIST
TODAY THAT AREN'T GOING TO BE
ABLE TO TAP INTO THOSE NEW AND
EXISTING RESOURCES.
>> THANK YOU FOR EXPANDING ON
THOSE POINTS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
ANY OTHER RESPONSES TO MY
INITIAL QUESTION ABOUT
INCENTIVIZING THE RFQ? OKAY.
FOR BILL AND DEREK, IF YOU ARE
WATCHING, FEEL FREE TO CALL
ANYTIME AND RESPOND TO THAT
QUESTION.
OKAY.
FROM THAT MATTER, OUR PARTNERS
AT EVERGREEN TREATMENT SERVICES
AND OTHER PROVIDERS.
ARE THERE ANY FINAL QUESTIONS
OR STATEMENTS FROM COMMITTEE
MEMBERS BEFORE WE WRAP UP THE
COMMITTEE TODAY?
OKAY.
WITH THAT, I THINK I WILL GO
AHEAD AND EXCUSE THE PANEL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
GENEROUS WITH YOUR TIME THIS
AFTERNOON.
MOVING ON TO STATEMENTS FOR THE
GOOD OF THE ORDER, I DON'T HAVE
ANY CLOSING STATEMENTS WERE
GOOD OF THE ORDER.
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYBODY
ELSE DOES.
I APPRECIATE FOLKS
ACCOMMODATING THIS MEETING
BEFORE WE GO OFF ON RECESS.
DEFINITELY A LOT OF GOOD POINTS
WERE RAISED HERE TO GIVE US A
LITTLE BIT OF GUIDANCE ON HOW
WE WILL PREPARE TO STRUCTURE
OUR BUDGET IN THE FALL AND
STRUCTURE OUR ONGOING
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GETTING
CURRENTLY APPROPRIATED MONEY
FOR 2021 OUT THE DOOR.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING
THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES, EXECUTIVE PARTNERS
AND ALL OF THE PROVIDERS
PRESENT TODAY . EVERYBODY HAVE
A GOOD WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.