3:20 OR 3:25, AND WE WILL BE
OUT OF HERE IN THE EARLY
AFTERNOON.
WE DO HAVE FOLKS SIGNED UP FOR
PUBLIC COMMENTS WE WILL DO
THAT, FIRST.
I THINK, AS SOON AS SEATTLE
CHANNEL IS READY, WE HAVE
COLLEAGUES READY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING THE
FINANCE AND HOUSING COMMITTEE
MEETING, TODAY, IT IS FRIDAY,
JANUARY 2nd -- 22nd.
I AM THE CHAIR OF THE HOUSING
COMMITTEE, HAPPY NEW YEAR,
WELCOME TO 2021.
MADAM CLERK, WE PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE?
MADAM CLERK, YOU MAY BE ON
MUTE.
>> VICE-CHAIR HER BOLT?
>> HERE.
>> SANDERS?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER LOUIS?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> PRESENT.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
MADAM CLERK, THANK YOU.
OUR GUESTS ARE JOINING US TODAY
-- WE DO HAVE A PAST AGENDA FOR
A MEETING OF 2021, AS A
REMINDER, ITEMS ONE THROUGH 14
ARE ALL RELATED TO APPOINTMENTS
AND REAPPOINTMENTS TO VARIOUS
COMMISSIONS AND PUBLIC
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES.
THE SECOND CATEGORY ON OUR
AGENDA IS HOUSING UPDATE FROM
THE SEATTLE HOUSING AUTHORITY,
THANKS AGAIN TO DR. LAUGHLIN
AND TEAM FOR BEING WITH US IN
PROVIDING AN EXCELLENT UPDATE
ON HOUSING RELATED ACTIVITIES.
THE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS
ITEM 16, A BRIEF DISCUSSION AND
POSSIBLE VOTE RELATED TO THE
EMERGENCY HAZARD PAY AND
LEGISLATION.
IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN, I
APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR TIME.
IT LOOKS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL SUNNY
DAY IN SEATTLE.
THANKS FOR JOINING US ON A LATE
FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
IT IS SO BRIGHT, A BEAUTIFUL
SUNNY AFTERNOON, WE APPRECIATE
YOUR TIME AND APPRECIATE THE
FLEX ABILITY GIVEN THE HOLIDAY,
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY, AS
WELL AS EVERYONE ELSE CLOSING
OUT THIS WEEK.
FOLKS, THAT IS THE AGENDA FOR
TODAY.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
LET'S MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT
FIRST.
THERE ARE 21 PEOPLE SIGNED UP
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
FOLKS ON THE LINE, YOU ARE
PROBABLY USED TO US DOING ONE
MINUTE OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY
DURING THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS,
TODAY.
WE WILL GIVE YOU A MINUTE AND A
HALF TODAY TO TRY TO GET
THROUGH AS MANY PEOPLE AS
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE FIRST HALF-
HOUR, HERE.
WE WILL ENDEAVOR TO GET TO
EVERYONE ON THE LIST.
A MINUTE AND A HALF FOR OUR
TECHNOLOGY TEAM, IF WE COULD.
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE
THAT WE ARE GOING TO IN DENVER
TO TRY TO DO THIS AS ROBUSTLY
AS POSSIBLE, THERE IS THE
ABILITY TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT
AT THIS TIME WHEN WE ARE
WORKING FROM HOME DUE TO THE
MANDATE THAT WE STAY HOME TO
STAY HEALTHY FOR THE BETTERMENT
OF OUR POPULATION AS WE
STRUGGLE TO KEEP THE RATES OF
COVID TRANSMISSION DOWN, THANK
YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED
ENGAGEMENT ONLINE.
WE WILL CALL THE FIRST THREE
PEOPLE ON TODAY'S LIST TO OUR
PRESENT.
YOU HAVE A REMINDER.
YOU NEED TO HIT STAR SIX TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
PLEASE SPEAK TO THE ITEM ON THE
AGENDA FOR TODAY.
WE ARE ALL WORKING PLANS FOR
THIS COMMITTEE.
AFTER YOU'RE DONE SPEAKING,
PLEASE HANG UP EMMA AND GO
AHEAD AND LISTEN IN ON SEATTLE
CHANNEL OR LISTENING FOR OUR
AGENDA.
ALSO, PLEASE DO STATE YOUR NAME
AT THE BEGINNING, NOTE THAT YOU
WILL HEAR A 10 SECOND SHINE BY
THE END OF YOUR CALL.
THAT IS YOUR CUE TO WRAP IT UP
SO WE CAN HEAR YOUR FULL
THOUGHTS AND NOTHING GETS CUT
OFF.
WITH THAT, MOVING TO PUBLIC
COMMENT, THE FIRST THREE PEOPLE
LISTED ARE HOLLY, MAGGIE, AND
JERRY.
GOOD AFTERNOON HOLLY?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE
COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
NORTHWEST GROCERY ASSOCIATION
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, WE ARE
SUBMITTING A COMMENT TODAY, BUT
WE WANTED TO COMMENT ON 11 990,
I'M SORRY, THE FOUR DOLLAR
INCREASE IN PAY, THE PANDEMIC
HAS ASKED A GOOD DEAL OF OUR
EMPLOYEES.
THEY RESPONDED WITH AN EXPANDED
BENEFIT PACKAGE OFFERED BY
REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYERS.
THERE WERE A TEMPORARY INCREASE
IN WAGES AND OTHER BENEFITS.
MANY EMPLOYERS CHOSE TO SPAN
THESE BENEFITS ON THEIR OWN AS
WELL.
EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS ARE
STILL ALE AS ALWAYS TO RETURN
TO THE TABLE TO DISCUSS WAGES,
THAT'S THEIR RIGHT.
THE ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU
INTERVENES BY DICTATING WAGES
TO BE PAID TO GROCERY WORKERS
BY THE CITY INSTEAD OF AS A
DISCUSSION POINT BETWEEN
MANAGEMENT AND OUR EMPLOYEES.
AS THE HIRE TEMPORARY WAGES
INCREASE, THIS WOULD LEAD TO
SOME RETAIL WORKERS BUT NOT ALL
RETAIL WORKERS IN THE CITY.
THIS DOES NOT COVER OTHER
BUSINESS, THINGS THAT EXPECT TO
REMAIN OPEN LIKE DRUGSTORES OR
EMPLOYEES CHECKING ON OPEN
BUSINESSES TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
COMPLIANT WITH SAFETY PRACTICES.
WE DO HAVE CONCERNS THAT THIS
COULD BE A VIOLATION OF EQUAL
PAY LAW.
THERE'S ALSO NO ACKNOWLEDGMENT
IN THE ORDINANCE OF THOSE
EMPLOYERS TO CONTINUE TO PAY A
HIGHER WAGE DURING THE
PANDEMIC, FOUR DOLLAR AN HOUR
PAY IS REQUIRED ON TOP OF THE
ORIGINAL WAGES REQUIRED BY
EMPLOYERS.
THE ORDINANCE EXPRESSLY
PROHIBITS REDUCTION TO SALARY
TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THE FOUR
DOLLARS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY PAYING --
>> I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T WANT TO
HEAR A TIME, I WANT TO PROVIDE
YOU WITH A VERBAL TIME TO LET
YOU KNOW YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED
IF YOU WANT TO WRAP IT UP.
>> I BE HAPPY TO.
WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD LOOK FOR
THE WRITTEN COMMENT, BUT WOULD
BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
WE BELIEVE THIS IS A RUSHED
VOTE, PREMATURE, AND WE ASK YOU
NOT TO VOTE ON THE PROPOSAL,
TODAY, THANK YOU, APPRECIATE
YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAGGIE,
GOOD AFTERNOON.
MAGGIE, JUST AS A REMINDER,
STAR 6 TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AS
WELL.
ONE SECOND, AS MAGGIE IS
GETTING TEED UP, I WANT TO
KNOW, JERRY COLE, YOU ARE
LISTED AS NOT PRESENT, WE ARE
HAPPY TO GET YOUR TESTIMONY IF
YOU DIAL BACK IN.
WE WILL LOOK FOR YOU TO JOIN
US, SOON, IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE
TO GET IN.
AGAIN, MAGGIE IS UP NEXT,
FOLLOWED BY JERRY COLE, TAYLOR
FARLEY, AND JOE MIZRAHI.
DO WE HAVE MAGGIE WITH US?
OKAY, I AM NOT SEEING MAGGIE,
SO LET US GO AHEAD, AND I'M NOT
SEEING JERRY PRESENT, LET'S GO
OVER TO TAYLOR.
TAYLOR FARLEY, ARE YOU WITH US?
GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> YES, I AM.
>> YES, I AM, I AM TAYLOR
FARLEY, THANK YOU.
HI.
I AM THE PROGRAM AND
DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT LGBTQ
WORSHIP, I AM SUPPORTING THE
GROCERY HAZARD PAY ORDINANCE.
OUR COMMUNITY IS DEALING WITH
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON LGBTQ
COMMUNITY, IT HAS BEEN GREATER
THAN OUR HETEROSEXUAL
COUNTERPARTS.
LGBTQ PLUS FOLKS ARE MORE
LIKELY TO HAVE A WEAKENED
IMMUNE SYSTEM, DIABETES,
HYPERTENSION, OBESITY AND OTHER
CHRONIC ILLNESSES.
THEY ARE MORE VULNERABLE,
THEREFORE, LGBTQ PLUS GROCERY
WORKERS ARE EVEN MORE AT RISK
TO TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID-
19.
LGBTQ PLUS GROCERY WORKERS ARE
WORRIED ABOUT COMING IN CONTACT
WITH COVID-19 BECAUSE THEY ARE
WORKING ON THE FRONT LINES OF
THE COMMUNITY EVERY DAY.
THERE ARE SOME AND THE FAMILY
WHO PUT THEMSELVES AT RISK
WHILE COMPANIES MAKE A PROFIT.
WORKERS LOVE THEIR JOBS, BUT
DID NOT SIGN UP TO PUT
THEMSELVES IN HARMS WAY.
THE GROCERY WORKERS ARE
ESSENTIAL.
THEY PROVIDE ACCESS TO FOOD FOR
THE RESTOF THE POPULATION.
HAZARD PAY HELPS RETAIN WORKERS
TO KEEP STORES RUNNING SAFELY,
HAZARD PAY HELPS LGBTQ GROCERY
WORKERS FEEL SUPPORTED AS THEIR
HEALTH IS RISKED.
IN THIS LINE OF WORK -- THEY
COULD LEAD TO RISK OF THE WORK.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME AND SUPPORT OF
THE GROCERY HAZARD PAY
ORDINANCE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WE
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
JUST CHECKING WITH OUR I.T.
TEAM, IF WE CAN GET THE TIME TO
BE A LITTLE LOUDER, I AM ALSO
NOT HEARING IT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY,
TODAY.
WE WILL GO TO JOE MIZRAHI.
WE WILL COME BACK TO MAGGIE TO
SEE IF MAGGIE IS STILL PRESENT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, JOE.
AND JOE, JUST PRESS STAR 6 TO
UNMUTE YOURSELF.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
I AM THE COUNCILMEMBER FOR
2021, I AM THE SPEAKING MEMBER
FOR HOUSING GROCERY CARE
WORKERS.
THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF THE
PANDEMIC, GROCERY WORKERS WERE
AT WORK EVEN WHEN SEATTLE WAS
AT THE EPICENTER OF THE
OUTBREAK, NEARLY EVERYTHING
ELSE IS SHUT DOWN IN THOSE
EARLY DAYS, EVERYONE IS RUSHING
TO BUY TOILET PAPERS, EVEN WHEN
WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW COVID
SPREAD, WE WERE BEING TOLD
GROCERY WORKERS ARE BEING TOLD
NOT TO WEAR A MASK, GROCERY
STORE WORKERS WENT TO WORK.
IN MANY CASES, DEATH TOLLS
INCREASED.
GROCERY STORE WORKERS HAVE GONE
TO WORK.
WHEN GROCERY WORKERS HAVE FACED
EXTREME HAZARD DAY IN AND DAY
OUT, THEIR EMPLOYERS MAKE
RESPITE -- RECORD PROFITS.
THEY HAD A 99% INCREASE FROM
LAST YEAR.
ALBERTSON'S HAS SEEN 270%
INCREASE.
AND I DON'T EVEN THINK I CAN
MENTION AMAZON'S PROFITS.
THEY NEED HAZARD PAY FOR THEIR
EMPLOYEES.
THOSE PAYMENTS STOPPED, NOT
BECAUSE [ INDISCERNIBLE ], BUT
BECAUSE CORPORATE MACHINES
COULD GET AWAY WITH IT.
[ INDISCERNIBLE ] BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS.
WORKERS ARE PROUD OF THE WORK
THEY DO.
THEY ARE PROUD THAT THEY ARE
ESSENTIAL, THEY ARE PROUD AS
THE PANDEMIC OUTAGES,
SNOWSTORMS, PEOPLE GO TO THE
GROCERY STORE.
WE NEED TO SHOW CARE FOR THE
WORKERS WHO CARE FOR US.
THEY DESERVE HAZARD PAY FOR
HAZARDOUS WORK.
[ INDISCERNIBLE ] PAY FOR
GROCERY WORKERS WILL SEND A
STRONG MESSAGE THAT WORKERS
WERE VALUED FROM DAY ONE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
SECRETARY-TREASURER.
LET'S GO BACK TO MAGGIE,
MAGGIE, I SEE YOU ARE PRESENT.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE UNMUTE
IT, NOW, THANK YOU FOR WAITING.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> HI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
TAKING THE TIME.
I AM A UFC W 21, I'M TALKING
ABOUT THE ISSUE OF HAZARD PAY.
I LOVE MY JOB, I LOVE HELPING
PEOPLE, AND I WISH THIS HAZARD
WASN'T OUT THERE, BUT IT IS.
AND WHEN THE PANDEMIC HITS,
THEY TOLD EVERYONE TO STAY HOME
IN ORDER TO STAY SAFE.
THE GROCERY STORE WORKERS WENT
TO WORK.
WE ARE NOT OUT THERE SAVING
LIVES, RUNNING INTO BURNING
BUILDINGS ARE KEEPING THE
PEACE, BUT WE ARE NONETHELESS
ESSENTIAL.
EVEN THE ADDITIONAL RISKS NOW
PRESENT FOR GROCERY STORE
WORKERS, IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE
TO ASK FOR ADDED COMPENSATION,
ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THERE ARE
EVEN MORE CONTAGIOUS VARIANTS
EMERGING FROM SOCIETY THAT MAKE
THE JOB EVEN MORE DANGEROUS.
EACH PERSON WHO REFUSES TO
SOCIAL DISTANCE, WHO PULLS DOWN
THEIR MASK AND IS READY TO HAVE
A CONVERSATION, WHO REACHES
OVER ME, IS PUTTING ME, AND MY
FAMILY IN HARMS WAY.
I DID NOT SIGN UP TO SACRIFICE
MYSELF IN ORDER TO KEEP MY
COMMUNITY GOING DURING THE
WORST PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS OF
MY LIFETIME, THAT'S WHAT'S
BEING ASKED OF ME.
THAT'S WHAT'S BEING ASKED OF
ALL GROCERY STORE WORKERS.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING.
WE ARE DOING IT FOR THE SAME
PAY AS THE GREATEST RISK WE
FACED WAS CROSSING THE PARKING
LOT AT THE END OF THE SHIFT.
SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE PASS
THIS HEDGERS -- HAZARD PAY
LEGISLATION, AND LET EVERYONE
KNOW THAT YOU SACRIFICE --
VALUE THE SACRIFICE WE MADE TO
KEEP THIS COMMUNITY GOING,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME,
MAGGIE.
THE NEXT THREE SPEAKERS ARE
IRAN, TAMMY, AND KEITH VALERIE.
IS THAT BRIAN OR BYRON?
THAT AFTERNOON.
JUST PRESS STAR SIX, PERFECT,
SORRY FOR THE MISPRONUNCIATION.
>> HI, MY NAME IS BRIAN GILROY.
I WORK FOR FRED MYERS.
I AM HERE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF
AID FOR GROCERY WORKERS.
I'VE WORKED IN GROCERY FOR
NEARLY 20 YEARS, PRIMARILY IN
PRODUCE, I HAVE BEEN FACED WITH
MANY HARDSHIPS, BUT NONE WITH
THE MAGNITUDE SUCH AS THIS.
I COME TO WORK EVERY DAY WITH A
FEAR THAT I MIGHT CONTRACT THIS
HORRIBLE VIRUS, AND POSSIBLY
SPREAD IT TO MY LOVED ONES.
I SEE THE STRESS OF MY
COWORKERS, AND IT IS
OVERPOWERING AT TIMES.
WHEN THE PANDEMIC FIRST HIT, WE
WERE THOUGHT OF AS HEROES.
THERE WERE EVEN COMMERCIALS
ABOUT US.
SOME PEOPLE WERE CALLING FOR
HERO PAY, AND WERE ACTUALLY
PAID HERO PAY, LOOKING AT THEIR
PAYCHECK.
BUT THE STRESS HAS WORSENED.
PEOPLE'S LIVES WERE SUFFERING.
THE APPRECIATION THAT WE ONCE
FELT HAS SINCE DEPLETED.
WE ARE EXPECTED TO ENFORCE
SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASK
MANDATES, BUT ARE MET WITH
ANGER AND RESENTMENT FROM OUR
CUSTOMERS.
I'M EXPECTED TO STOP THE
PRODUCE SECTION -- BUT I'M
CONSTANTLY WORRIED BECAUSE THE
CONSUMERS TOWER OVER ME
DIRECTLY IGNORING THE SIX-FOOT
SOCIAL DISTANCE RULES.
MY STORES COVID POLICY LOOKS
GREAT ON PAPER, BUT LACKS
POLICY.
IF HAZARD PAY IS GIVEN TO US,
IT WOULD HAVE AN IMMEDIATE
IMPACT ON MY LIFE.
I WOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD UP MY
SAFETY NET AND HAVE SOME PEACE
OF MIND.
I FEEL IT, HARD WORK AND THE
RISK THAT I'M TAKING ARE WORTH
IT.
I LOVE WHERE I WORK.
I LOVE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO
PROVIDE THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES
TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
WE RISK OUR LIVES EVERY DAY.
WE NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED.
>> SORRY ABOUT THAT, PLEASE
WRAP UP.
>> OKAY.
VOTING FOR HAZARD PAY, TODAY,
WHICH SHOW US ALL -- SHOW ALL
OF US HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT
OUR HARD WORK AND OUR SAFETY,
THANK YOU.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU, BRIAN,
WE APPRECIATE YOU CALLING IN
TODAY.
TAMMY?
TAMMY IS FOLLOWED BY KEITH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, TAMMY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MY NAME IS TAMMY HENDRIX FROM
THE WASHINGTON FOOD INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATION.
I AM SIGNING IN OPPOSITION TO
COUNCIL BILL 1990.
WE REPRESENT THE INDEPENDENT
GROCERS, CONVENIENCE STORES AND
SUPPLIERS.
BECAUSE GROCERY STORES ARE OPEN
SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND SEVERAL
HOURS A DAY, THE GROCERY
INDUSTRY PROVIDES ANY AND
SEATTLE IN THIS INDUSTRY TO
REACH THE 500 EMPLOYEE
THRESHOLD.
THE SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND
DISTRIBUTORS CONTINUES TO BE
OUR TOP PRIORITY.
WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS
LEGISLATION WOULD DO TO
INDUSTRY STORES IN SEATTLE.
OUR INDEPENDENT GROCERY STORES
ARE UNIQUE.
IT WILL IMPACT THEM DIFFERENTLY
THAN LARGER CHAIN STORES.
WE WORK AT LOW PROFIT MARGINS,
COMMONLY IN THE SAME 1%.
COVID-19 HAD A SIGNIFICANT TASK
ON THOSE MARGINS, WITH
OPERATING MEASURES ON SAFETY,
PROTECTING OUR CUSTOMERS AND
EMPLOYEES.
OUR SEATTLE STORES PRIMARILY
COME FROM OFFICE WORKERS AND
SPORTS FANS.
THE SALES DECLINED SINCE THE
START OF THE PANDEMIC.
HIGH-RISK WORKERS ARE ELIGIBLE
FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, AND
MANY HAVE BEEN OFF DURING THIS
TIME TO HELP PROTECT THEM AND
KEEP THEM SAFE.
WITH THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE
KNOW OF THREE STORES IN
CRITICAL AREAS THAT HAVE SHUT
THEIR DOORS PERMANENTLY TO
INCREASE COST, INCREASE STAFF
AND LOW SALES.
WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE
LEGISLATION CHOOSES TO HEAR --
SINGLED OUT IN ONE INDUSTRY.
AND I DO HAVE WRITTEN
TESTIMONY, AND I WILL SUBMIT
THAT, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN,
TODAY.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
KEITH, YOU ARE UP NEXT,
FOLLOWED BY JAMES KELLY, JOHN
HARSHMAN, AND AMES REINHOLD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, KEITH.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MY NAME
IS KEITH, I WORK AT THE PCC
GURU VILLAGE.
[ INDISCERNIBLE ] I WAS A
TELEMARKETER.
I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO -- I'M
SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF HAZARD
PAY, BECAUSE [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
WILL PROVIDE FINANCIAL SECURITY
FOR MOST EVERYONE RIGHT NOW.
I AM LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE
SOMEONE WITH MY CHILD TO BE
HERE WITH THEM WHILE I GO TO
SCHOOL AT THE MOMENT.
BUT NONE OF MY COWORKERS DO
BECAUSE INCONSISTENCIES WITH
THE CALL OF WORK.
WE SUFFER BECAUSE OF THAT.
MY EMPLOYERS HAVE ACTUALLY [
INDISCERNIBLE ] AS A RESULT OF
THE PANDEMIC . VOTE IN FAVOR OF
THIS, BECAUSE IT WOULD MAKE US
ALL FEEL THAT MUCH MORE
APPRECIATED, AND GIVE US BACK
APPRECIATION PAY.
YEAH, JUST PLEASE PASS THE [
INDISCERNIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME,
TODAY.
JAMES KELLY, WE SEE YOU LISTED
AS NOT PRESENT.
IF YOU CALL BACK IN, WE WILL
COME BACK TO YOU.
AFTER THAT, JOHN, GOOD
AFTERNOON, JOHN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, I AM
A SEAFOOD CLERK AT METROPOLITAN
IN WEST SEATTLE.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK IN FAVOR OF PROVIDING
HAZARD PAY FOR GROCERY WORKERS.
I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE
DEVASTATING CHAOS OF THIS
PANDEMIC , FIRST HAND, LAST
DECEMBER WHEN I CONTRACTED
COVID-19 AND HAD TO USE MY
VACATION PAY AND SICK PAY TO
COVER TIME I MISSED.
I HAVE ASTHMA.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT
COVID-19 HAS ON MY LUNGS AND
BODY, MOVING FORWARD.
BECAUSE OF LOST WAGES AND
MOUNTING MEDICAL BILLS, I WORRY
ABOUT BEING ABLE TO GO TO THE
DOCTOR AS MUCH AS I MAY NEED
TO.
RECEIVING HAZARD PAY WOULD
PROVIDE RELIEF FOR MEDICAL
BILLS THAT ARE A CONSEQUENCE OF
HAVING COVID.
I AM NOT ALONE IN THE FEELING
OF DESPERATION.
MOST OF MY COWORKERS SHARE
SIMILAR CONCERN.
WE JUST WANT TO BE TREATED
FAIRLY.
WE ARE PUTTING OUR LIVES ON THE
LINE EVERY DAY WITH A SMILE ON
HER FACE, REQUIRING ESSENTIAL
SERVICES FOR ALL
WASHINGTONIANS.
IT IS TIME FOR US TO BE
COMPENSATED FOR RISKING OUR
HEALTH AND SAFETY, ASKING TO
PLEASE VOTE YES TO PROVIDE
GROCERY WORKERS WITH HAZARD PAY
THAT WE DESERVE, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JOHN.
THE NEXT PERSON IS AMES.
GOOD AFTERNON, AMES.
HI, AMES, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
SORRY, AMES, THAT MIGHT HAVE
BEEN MY MISTAKE.
YOU ARE MUTED AGAIN.
LET'S TRY ONE MORE TIME.
HELLO, AMES.
AND IF YOU COULD LOOK AT YOUR
PHONE REAL QUICK TO SEE IF IT
HAS MUTE ON THE PHONE, THE
ACTUAL PHYSICAL PHONE,
SOMETIMES THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
EXCELLENT -- WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> HELLO, TERESA MOSQUEDA, I AM
A FISHMONGER AT THE
METROPOLITAN MARKET UPTOWN
STORE.
I STARTED WEARING A MASK IN
EARLY MARCH BECAUSE I KNEW WHAT
COVID WAS GOING TO BE THE FIRST
DAY I WORE A MASK, MY STORE
DIRECTOR SAID IT WAS FINE.
THEN, THAT AFTERNOON, THEY SAID
THE CORPORATE OFFICE THOUGHT IT
SCARED THE CUSTOMERS.
THE NEXT DAY I CAME TO WORK AND
SAID IT WAS GOING TO WEAR A
MASK, AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NO
POLICY REGARDING WEARING A
MASK, SO I TOOK SICK LEAVE AND
WENT HOME AND TOLD THEM TO
FIGURE IT OUT.
NOW, WE HAVE TO WEAR A MASK.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE COVID HAS
BROUGHT OUT THE BEST AND WORST
IN PEOPLE.
I PRIDE MYSELF IN MY WORK,
BEING A GOOD CHEESEMONGER AND
HELPING PEOPLE PLAN ALL THEIR
MEALS.
I URGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON THIS,
AS A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY STORE
MY AGE, 68, ARE STILL HAVING TO
WORK 2 TO 3 JOBS JUST TO
SURVIVE.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER,
AND WE NEED TO TREAT EACH OTHER
BETTER.
WE ALL NEED TO END THE ECONOMIC
OPPRESSION THAT THE CORPORATE
PEOPLE ARE LAYING ON US, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, AND TAKE CARE.
>> THANK YOU, AMES.
IT IS GOOD TO HEAR YOUR VOICE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TIMES YOU
HAVE HELPED ME.
WE APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
DISCUSSION, TODAY.
THE NEXT THREE PEOPLE ARE
NICOLE GRANT, KIERSTEN WILDER,
AND SHARON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, NICOLE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND
EVERYONE ON THE COMMITTEE,
TODAY.
I AM FROM MLK LABOR
REPRESENTING WORKERS AND UNIONS
THROUGHOUT KING COUNTY.
WE WANTED TO JOIN THE VOICES IN
SUPPORT OF HAZARD PAY.
THE WORKERS, THEMSELVES, AND
THEIR UNION HAVE DONE AN
INCREDIBLE JOB OF EXPLAINING
WHAT IT'S LIKE TO RISK YOUR
LIFE AT WORK, THESE DAYS.
I KNOW JIM BAKER REPRESENTS
LONGSHOREMEN AND TEACHERS,
HEALTHCARE WORKERS LIKE NURSES,
PEOPLE WHO BUILD AIRCRAFT'S AND
DRY BUSES, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
AND MORE.
ONE THING THEY ALL HAVE IN
COMMON, IS THAT WE NEED TO EAT.
FOUR DOLLARS AN HOUR FOR HAZARD
PAY IS, IN NO WAY, EXCESSIVE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE RISK THAT THE
WORKERS WHO LITERALLY PROVIDE
OUR FOOD SUPPLY CONTRIBUTE
DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
PLEASE PASS IT IN THE SENATE,
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP AS WELL AT MLK
LABOR, WE APPRECIATE IT.
THE NEXT PERSON IS KIERSTEN
WILDER.
GOOD AFTERNOON, KIERSTEN.
>> HI, LIKE SHE SAID, MY NAME
IS KRISTEN, I WORK FOR QFC OF
TOWN AND THE SEA AREA SEATTLE
CENTER.
I'VE BEEN WORKING HERE FOR 5
YEARS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE SO
EXCITED ABOUT WAS HAZARD PAY
WHEN WE FIRST GOT IT, BECAUSE,
OH MY GOSH, YOU THINK THEY DO
CARE, THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY CARE.
THEN THEY TOOK IT AWAY FROM US.
THEN WE STARTED REALIZING THAT
WE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH POWER
AS MUCH AS TELLING PEOPLE TO
TAKE THEIR MASK OFF.
WE ENTERED SO MUCH AT QFC.
WE DON'T HAVE THE CHECK STAND
TABLES, SO THE CUSTOMERS ARE
HAVING TO COME UP STRAIGHT TO
US.
THEY COME UP TO US WITHOUT A
MASK.
FOR ME, IT BRINGS MY ANXIETY
UP.
IT MAKES IT HARDER FOR ME TO
GIVE THEM GOOD CUSTOMER
SERVICE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT
THEM TO BE UPSET, AND I'M ALSO
TRYING TO KEEP MY JOB AT THE
SAME TIME.
BUT THROUGH ALL OF THIS, I LIVE
IN A FAMILY HOME.
WHEN I WORK AROUND THESE
CONDITIONS, I THINK ABOUT MY
FAMILY, CONSTANTLY.
IT JUST WORRIES ME, BEING IN
THOSE SITUATIONS EVERY SINGLE
DAY AND NOT HAVING THE POWER TO
SAY TAKE OFF YOUR MASK, AND
FEELING LIKE MY JOB IS NOT
THERE TO SUPPORT ME.
IT HAS BEEN A HARD ONE TO DEAL
WITH, EVERY SINGLE DAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
CALLING IN, TODAY, KRISTIN.
>> NOW WE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY
THE LAST THREE SPEAKERS
PRESENT, ALANNA PEREZ, AND
YOLANDA SUAREZ.
JERRY COLE, JOHN HARSHMAN, AND
KRISTEN WILDER, THEY WERE
DUPLICATES ON THE LIST.
IT LOOKS LIKE JERRY IS STILL
NOT PRESENT.
SO WE WILL GO TO SARAH, GOOD
AFTERNOON, SARAH.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
OF UFC 21.
I'M TESTIFYING TODAY IN
SUPPORT, JUST WANTED TO TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THINGS THAT WE
MIGHT HEAR AS WE MOVE FORWARD,
AND WHY WE REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU
TO PASS THIS AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE, AND PASS IT OUT
TODAY, IF POSSIBLE.
WE HEARD FROM SOME WHO ARE
SAYING YES, GROCERY IS
PROFITABLE NATIONWIDE, BUT
THOSE ARE NATIONAL NUMBERS, AND
THE SEATTLE NUMBERS MIGHT NOT
BE AS HIGH.
WE KNOW THAT SEATTLE IS A BIG
CAPITAL MARKET FOR GROCERIES.
IN FACT, WE HAVE SEEN THREE
LARGE CHAIN GROCERY STORES OPEN
IN SEATTLE DURING THE PANDEMIC.
SO WE KNOW THAT GROCERY STORES
IN SEATTLE ARE MAKING MONEY.
SECOND, WHY ONLY GROCERIES?
THE QUESTION OF WHY ONLY
GROCERIES, THIS IS THE INDUSTRY
THAT PAIRS THE MOST PROFIT AND
UNPRECEDENTED PROFIT AND
UNPRECEDENTED HAZARD.
IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE,
OBVIOUSLY, IT MAKES SENSE AS
YOU SEE IT BEING PASSED IN
VARIOUS PLACES.
I WANT TO TALK TO BUT THE SENSE
OF URGENCY.
WHY DO IT SO QUICKLY?
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAD A
CHANCE TO READ THE ARTICLE
RECENTLY THAT SAID THE NEW
STRAIN, THE NEW VARIANT OF
COVID IS POTENTIALLY MORE
CONTAGIOUS.
NOT ONLY IS THE HAZARD REAL
RIGHT NOW FOR MEMBERS, IT IS
GOING UP.
IT IS INHERITED THAT YOU GUYS
DO IT NOW, NOT NINE MONTHS AGO,
NO MOMENT LIKE THE MOMENT RIGHT
NOW, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VICE
PRESIDENT CHAIRMAN.
THE LAST THREE SPEAKERS ARE
ALANNA PEREZ, DALIA, AND
YOLANDA.
GOOD AFTERNOON, ELENA.
>> HELLO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
I AM HERE IN SOLIDARITY WITH
GROCERY WORKERS TO ASK YOU TO
PLEASE PASS THE EMERGENCY
HAZARD PAY LEGISLATION.
WE ARE APPROACHING A GRIM ONE-
YEAR MARK OF WHEN COVID HIT
HOME HERE IN SEATTLE.
IT HAS BEEN A YEAR OF FRONT-
LINE AND CENTRAL WORKERS
STRUGGLING TO PROTECT
THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES AND
THEIR CUSTOMERS FROM THIS
DEADLY PANDEMIC.
EARLY LAST YEAR, I WAS INVITED
TO JOIN A CALL ORGANIZED BY AT
THE GROCERY WORKERS UNION TO
CREATE AN OPEN FORUM FOR
MEMBERS TO EXPRESS CONCERN,
FEARS, QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS.
IT WAS PACKED.
WORKERS WERE WITHOUT PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT.
THEY FELT EXPOSED TO CUSTOMERS
WITHOUT PROPER DISTANCING IN
THEIR STATION.
WORKERS WERE CONCERNED FOR
THEIR CUSTOMERS SAFETY,
ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY, AS THEY
CROWDED FOR ESSENTIAL ITEMS
LIKE TOILET PAPER, AND THINGS
WERE DISAPPEARING FROM THE
SHELF.
WORKERS WERE FEARFUL FOR
THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY
MEMBERS WITH UNDERLYING HEALTH
CONDITIONS. WITH UNION SUPPORT
AND ORGANIZING, THINGS HAVE
GOTTEN BETTER, BUT WE ARE NOT
OUT OF THE WOODS.
ONE TEEN FATIGUE IS AT AN ALL-
TIME HIGH.
VACCINES ARE BECOMING
AVAILABLE.
PEOPLE ARE LETTING DOWN THEIR
GUARD.
THERE IS A FALSE SENSE OF
SECURITY AMONG MANY OF US THAT
IS NOT FELT ON FRONT-LINE
WORKERS.
UNTIL WE ARE PAST THIS AND INTO
HERD IMMUNITY, WE NEED TO PASS
THE HAZARD PAY, IT DOESN'T FIX
THE RISK, THAT IT OFFERS
WORKERS THE ASSISTANCE THEY
NEED TO COPE WITH THE
ADDITIONAL BURDEN THEY AND
THEIR FAMILIES FACE.
LEESVILLE YES, THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ELENA.
TELL YOU, GOOD AFTERNOON?
STAR 6 TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
>> HELLO CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, MY NAME IS
DALIA PINTO.
I'M HERE AS A VOLUNTEER MEMBER
OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE
COMMUNITY, ALLIANCE FOR GLOBAL
JUSTICE.
THERE ARE TWO TERMS FOR TRADE
AND POLICIES AND PRACTICES
INFLUENCED BY CORPORATION,
GOVERNMENT AND INSTITUTIONS [
INDISCERNIBLE ] EMBODY SOCIAL
JUSTICE, DIVERSITY, AND
GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY.
AS A [ INDISCERNIBLE ] OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, I AM HERE FOR
GROCERY STORE WORKERS IN OUR
STATE , ADDRESSING AGENDA CD
119990 WHICH I THINK IS THE
SOCIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE
ISSUE.
AS TREATMENT YOU ARE AWARE OF,
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC MADE IT
VERY CLEAR THAT THERE ARE
SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL INEQUALITIES
IN HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
THE FRONT-LINE ESSENTIAL
WORKERS, GROCERY STORE WORKERS
ARE AT THE HIGHEST RATE FOR [
INDISCERNIBLE ] FOR HEALTH
EXPERTS, AT THE SAME TIME,
BEING PART OF COMMUNITY'S FOOD
SUPPLY.
SOME HAVE NOT BEEN GOING TO
GROCERY STORES SINCE THE
PANDEMIC STARTED LAST YEAR, YOU
CAN SEE HOW CONDITIONS HAVE
CHANGED FOR THESE WORKERS.
THEY'RE WORKING TO BE ABLE TO
FEED THEMSELVES, [
INDISCERNIBLE ] OUR FOOD
SUPPLY.
HAZARD PAY RECOGNIZES THAT WORK
IS TAKEN ON DUTIES THAT ARE
ESSENTIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITIES
HEALTH AND HELPS KEEP PEOPLE IN
THE WORKFORCE FOR THE [
INDISCERNIBLE ] FOR COMMUNITIES
TO CONTINUE.
I HAVE ANOTHER LINE.
CAN I FINISH?
>> PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> MANY HAVE SEEN A GREAT
INCREASE IN THEIR SALES AND IN
THIS CRISIS, WORKERS ARE MAKING
THE SAME HAZARD PAY SEVERAL
MONTHS AGO.
IT SEEMS TO ME THE PAY
INCREASES SHOULD INCLUDE COVID
INCREASE COMPENSATION FOR
WORKERS WHO ARE REDUCING THIS
WEALTH IN CONDITIONS THAT RISK
THEIR LIFE.
I SUPPORT THAT THIS IS BACKED,
AND WE HELP OUR LOCAL WORKERS
WHO ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, FAMILIES
AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THANK
YOU FOR CONSIDERING.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE LAST PERSON IS YOLANDA,
GOOD AFTERNOON, YOLANDA.
>> HELLO, THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY?
>> WE CAN, THANK YOU.
>> GREAT, I AM YOLANDA FLOREZ,
A GROCERY WORKER AT
METROPOLITAN MARKET.
I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A FIRST-
HAND ACCOUNT OF WORKING AT A
GROCERY STORE.
I DEFINITELY HAD FOUR DIFFERENT
COVID SCARES IN MY EMPLOYMENT
SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED.
EACH TIME, NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE
AMOUNT OF ANXIETY THAT I
ENDURED FELT THAT.
THE VERY FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD
I MAY HAVE CONTRACTED IT FROM A
COWORKER, I WAS SENT HOME.
THE COMPANY PAID FOR MY TIME
OFF.
THE OTHE THREE TIMES, IT WAS
TAKEN OUT OF MY OWN SICK LEAVE.
I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE
HAZARD PAY.
THE REASON I HAVE TO PAY FOR MY
OWN EXPERIENCES DURING THE
HAZARDOUS WORK ENVIRONMENT --
IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO ME.
I KNOW FOR OTHER GROCERY
WORKERS IN THE COUNCIL TO TELL
US, SEND US A MESSAGE THAT YOU
CARE, YOU CARE ABOUT HER WELL-
BEING, YOU CARE ABOUT OUR LIFE,
YOU CARE ABOUT THE WORKERS
CONDITIONS THAT WE ARE PUT
UNDER.
SOCIAL DISTANCING IS A LIE IN
THAT WE ARE IN CONFINED SPACES
WITH PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ADHERING
TO THE MANDATES.
WE HAVE TO ENDURE PEOPLE WHO DO
NOT WANT TO WEAR A MASK, AND
HAVE THOSE KIND OF
CONFRONTATIONS.
ONCE AGAIN, I URGE THE COUNCIL
TO TELL THE COMMUNITY -- HELP
US.
SHOW THAT YOU CARE FOR US OVER
PROFITS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
TIME.
THANKS TO EVERYBODY FOR CALLING
IN, TODAY.
THAT INCLUDES EVERYONE WHO WAS
ON OUR LIST AS OF THE PRESENT.
THAT WILL CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY FOR TODAY.
LET'S MOVE ON TO OTHER ITEMS ON
OUR AGENDA.
MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE
READ IN ITEMS NUMBER ONE
THROUGH NINE?
COLLEAGUES, THESE ARE ALL
APPOINTMENTS RELATED TO THE
COMMUNITY ROOTS HOUSING PDA.
THREE OF THESE ARE NEW
APPOINTMENTS, AND SIX OF THESE
ARE REAPPOINTMENTS.
WE WILL HAVE THE THREE NEW
APPOINTMENTS WITH US FOR A
BRIEF INTRODUCTION AND
CONVERSATION.
WE WILL GO ON TO THE REST OF
THE APPOINTMENTS ON THE AGENDA
AFTER WE DEAL WITH COMMUNITY
ROOTS HOUSING.
MADAM CLERK, ITEMS 19, IF YOU
CAN.
THANK YOU.
>> AGENDA ITEM 1 THROUGH NINE,
APPOINTMENTS OF SARA CUBILLOS,
MICHELLE MORLAN, BRECKENRIDGE,
JILLIAN, CROWBAR, BOB FIKSO,
GEORGE STARTERS, DEREK DEL
GUARD, AND RACHEL BEN-SHMUEL
FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY
ROOTS HOUSING PUBLIC
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY GOVERNING
COUNCIL FOR BRIEF DISCUSSION
AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE ARE ALSO JOINED BY HANNAH
SMITH, OFFICE OF
INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, HI
HANNAH, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
WITH US ON THE ZOOM TODAY IS
SARA CUBILLOS, MICHELLE MORLAN,
AND MARSHALL CANNELL HEPBURN,
ALL WITH NEW APPOINTMENTS TO
THE PDA.
HANNAH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO KICK
IT OFF WITH AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT
THE PDA IS ABOUT BEFORE WE HEAR
FROM OUR ESTEEMED GUEST?
>> IT IS FORMERLY KNOWN AS
CAPITOL HILL HOUSING
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, ONE OF THE
CITIES EIGHT PUBLIC
AUTHORITIES, FOUNDING IN 1978,
COMMUNITY ROOTS OWNS AND
MAINTAINS 50 APARTMENT
BUILDINGS ACROSS SEATTLE AND
PROVIDES AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS
FOR OVER 2000 RESIDENTS.
THE NEW NAME REFLECTS THE
GROWTH BEYOND CAPITOL HILL
NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE DEEP
CONNECTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY
THEY SERVE.
THEY ARE GOVERNED BY A
COMMUNITY COUNCIL.
AS YOU MENTIONED, WE HAVE NINE
OF THEIR MEMBERS UP TODAY, AND
THREE OF THEM ARE NEW MEMBERS
JOINING US.
ALL APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNING
COUNCIL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, HANNAH.
IT IS EXCELLENT TO SEE NEW
FRIENDS.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU HAVE
ALL DONE, SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE,
THESE ARE CENTERED ON HAVING A
PLACE TO LIVE.
I LOVE THE NAME, COMMUNITY
ROOTS HOUSING, WHY DON'T WE GO
IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER?
WE WILL HAVE SARA CUBILLOS,
THEN MICHELLE MORLAN , THEN M.
MICHELLE PURNELL-HEPBURN, IF
THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
WE HAVE OUR GUEST WITH US,
TODAY.
SARA CUBILLOS, I SEE YOU ON THE
SCREEN IN FRONT OF US, I WANT
TO SAY THANKS FOR JOINING US.
CURRENTLY SERVING AS A
STRATEGIC ADVISOR FOR SEATTLE
PUBLIC HEALTH UTILITIES, TELL
US ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHY YOU
ARE EXCITED TO SERVE ON THE
PDA.
>> HI, YEAH, I HAVE BEEN A
RESIDENT OF THE CABELLO
NEIGHBORHOOD FOR ABOUT A
DECADE.
OVER MY TIME, I HAVE INTERACT
DID WITH CAPITOL HILL HOUSING.
THEY WERE REALLY INTO THE TYPES
OF BUILDINGS THEY DO.
MY BACKGROUND IS IN URBAN
PLANNING.
I HAD A SPECIAL FOCUS ON REAL
ESTATE, BUT ENDED UP WORKING IN
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE [
INDISCERNIBLE ]. HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THE
BOARD HAS BEEN REALLY AWESOME
TO STAY CONNECTED TO AFFORDABLE
HOUSING ISSUES, AND I GET HAS A
GREAT INTERSECTION WITH
JUSTICES THINKING ABOUT THEIR
ECO-DISTRICT AND OTHER THINGS
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> EXCELLENT, I LOVE THAT
CONNECTION BETWEEN THE JUSTICE
OF HOUSING AND DRYING IT OUT,
THANK YOU.
LET'S GO TO MICHELLE MORLAN ,
GOOD AFTERNOON, MICHELLE MORLAN
.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAME
COUNCILMEMBER AND COUNCIL
MEMBERS, MICHELLE MORLAN , I
AM A FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL OF
LOTUS NON-PARTNERS, WHICH IS A
DEVELOPER OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
I HAVE BEEN DOING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING FOR ABOUT 25 OR 30
YEARS.
AT LEAST OVER 20 OF THOSE IN
THIS COMMUNITY, AND I HAVE
SUPPORTED THE WORK FORMERLY
KNOWN AS CAPITAL HOUSING
COMMUNITY ROOTS HOUSING IN THE
PAST.
I HAVE WORKED ON SPECIFIC
PROJECTS AND SUPPORTED THE WORK
OF THEIR 12th AVENUE ARTS
PROJECT IN PARTICULAR, AND HAVE
FOLLOWED THE WORK OF THE
ORGANIZATION FOR MANY YEARS.
I AM VERY INTERESTED IN
CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THAT WORK
IN THE CAPACITY OF A BOARD
MEMBER, JUST WITH THE SPECIFIC
SORT OF DEVELOPMENT AND REAL
ESTATE FINANCE SKILL SET THAT I
HAVE TO SUPPORT THE WORK --
VERY HARD WORK THAT THE STAFF
IS DOING ON A DAILY BASIS.
TRYING TO ADDRESS,
PARTICULARLY, THE CRISIS WE ARE
FACING RIGHT NOW WITH
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE WAYS.
I AM EXCITED TO BE CONTRIBUTING
WHAT I CAN TO THAT EFFORT.
>> THANK YOU, AND APOLOGIES FOR
NOT READING YOUR TITLE.
THANK YOU, AS YOU SAID, I JUST
WANT TO MAKE SURE I SAID THAT
FOR THE RECORD, VERY EXCITED TO
HAVE YOU WITH US, TODAY.
WE ALSO HAVE M. MICHELLE
PURNELL-HEPBURN, DI DIRECTOR OF
THE SADDLE FOUNDATION, THANK
YOU FOR JOINING US, PLEASE GO
AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU MADAME
COUNCILMEMBER.
GOOD AFTERNOON, ALL.
GOOD AFTERNOON CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS AND GUESTS.
I AM M. MICHELLE PURNELL-
HEPBURN, DIVERSITY INCLUSION
DIRECTOR AT THE SEATTLE
FOUNDATION.
I WAS ACTUALLY RECRUITED FROM
MY WORK WITH LIBERTY BANK OF
SEATTLE AND LIBERTY BANK OF
SEATTLE BUILDING.
THAT WAS FOUNDED BY MY PARENTS
BACK IN 1968.
I WAS RECRUITED TO BE ON THE
ADVISORY BOARD TO RAISE THAT
PROPERTY TO BE THE LIBERTY BANK
BUILDING.
I WAS VERY, VERY HONORED TO
SERVE ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MAINLY FOR THE POINT THAT
SEATTLE HAD HISTORY ON THAT
CORNER, THE CORNER OF 24th AND
UNION, AND I WAS MORE THAN
THRILLED THAT CAPITOL HILL
HOUSING WAS WILLING TO KEEP
THAT HISTORY ALIVE.
ONCE THE BUILDING WAS COMPLETE,
I WAS ASKED TO BE ON THEIR
BOARD.
MY FAMILY HAS SERVED THE PUBLIC
COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF BEING
PROSECUTORS FOR KING COUNTY,
BEING MAYOR OF THE CITY, THE
NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR
METRO OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS,
IF YOU WILL.
IT IS NOW MY TURN TO SERVE.
THANK YOU.
>> INCREDIBLE LEGACY, THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT STORY.
>> WE APPRECIATE THE THREE OF
YOU BEING WITH US, TODAY, AND
YOUR INTEREST IN SERVING ON THE
PDA.
I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUES TO SEE IF THERE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS
POINT.
IS THIS FOR COMMUNITY ROOTS
HOUSING PDA?
I AM SEEING NO ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS.
I THINK WE ARE ALL HUMBLED BY
YOUR EXPERTISE THAT YOU GIVE TO
THESE POSITIONS, AND EVERY
ANSWER FOR WHY YOU WANT TO DO
THIS, YOU HAVE LIFTED UP THE
INTERSECT BETWEEN RACIAL
JUSTICE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, GENDER
JUSTICE, AND WE STARTED WITH
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
WE CANNOT BE ENVIRONMENTALLY
FRIENDLY WHILE PUSHING FOLKS
OUT OF THE CITY, INTO THE
FOREST OR GREEN SPACE.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE
INTERSECTION AUDI THAT YOU ARE
ALL BRINGING TO THIS ROLE.
I KNOW ALL OF US HAVE THE
CHANCE TO WORK WITH THE ENTITY
BEFORE IT WAS THIS HOUSING.
THERE ARE INCREDIBLE PLACES THAT
ARE ALLOWED TO BE CALLED.
IT'S NOT JUST HOUSING, BUT HER
HOME.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK YOU
DO.
I DON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS EITHER.
OKAY?
OKAY, HANNAH, IS ANYTHING ELSE
YOU WOULD LIKE TO TELL US ABOUT
THE OTHER SIX REAPPOINTMENTS?
PAUL BRECKENRIDGE, JILLIAN
CRONAUER, BOB FIKSO, GEORGE
STIVERS, DEREK BELGRADE, AND
RACHEL BEN-SHMUEL?
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO
TELL US ABOUT THIS REAPPOINTED?
>> SURE.
THEY BRING A WIDE VARIETY OF
SKILLS, THIS REAPPOINTMENT
WOULD BE FOR THE SECOND TERM.
RACHEL BEN-SHMUEL WOULD BE HER
FOURTH TERM.
THE VARIETY OF EXPERTIS FROM
THE CENTRAL AREA OF DEVELOPMENT
ASSOCIATION, CHIEF SEATTLE
CLUB, HUNTER'S CAPITAL, AND
OTHER CONSULTING FIRMS.
IT IS A GREAT FIRM TO CONSIDER
FOR PDA.
>> EXCELLENT, ARE THERE ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
REAPPOINTMENTS?
OKAY, SEEING NO QUESTIONS ABOUT
THOSE EITHER, FOLKS, I THINK IT
IS TIME.
I'M VERY EXCITED THE THREE OF
YOU ARE WITH US.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THESE
APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENTS.
I MOVE THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
PASSAGE OF APPOINTMENTS ONE
THROUGH NINE.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ENTHUSIASTIC SECONDS FROM THE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, IT HAS BEEN
MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS?
>> NONE?
>> HEARING NONE, PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE PASSAGE OF
APPOINTMENT 19.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ?
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> MADAM CHAIR, THAT IS FIVE IN
FAVOR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THE
MOTION PASSES.
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
FOR THESE NINE APPOINTMENTS AND
REAPPOINTMENTS WILL BE SENT TO
THE VERY, VERY FIRST SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR FINAL
VOTE.
THERE IS NO NEED TO BE
PHYSICALLY OR REMOTELY PRESENT,
BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOUR
FACES ON THAT DAY, AND LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU
PENDING THE FINAL PASSAGE IN
FULL COUNCIL, AND WE REALLY
APPRECIATE ALL YOU ALREADY DO
IN YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE
PDA.
IT'S AN HONOR TO SEE ALL OF YOU
AND MEET SOME OF YOU FOR THE
FIRST TIME.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING
WITH YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, TODAY.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SET
OF APPOINTMENTS.
THIS IS THE LABOR STANDARDS
ADVISORY COMMITTEE, ITEM NUMBER
10 THROUGH 13, MADAM CLERK, IF
YOU COULD READ THOSE ITEMS INTO
THE RECORD, THAT WOULD BE
WONDERFUL.
>> AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH 13,
APPOINTMENT OF ILONA LOHREY,
JEANIE CHUNN, AND
REAPPOINTMENTS OF RT KNOWS
FRIDAY, AND SAMANTHA GRAD AS
LABOR STANDARDS ADVISORY
COMMISSION FOR A POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> EXCELLENT, IT IS REALLY
EXCELLENT TO SEE THESE MANY
FOLKS ON THE SCREEN WITH US
TODAY.
WE HAVE ANOTHER PERSON FROM THE
OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS, AND
KARINA FOLK FROM OFFICE STAFF.
AS YOU KNOW, THE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE IS COMPRISED OF 15
MEMBERS.
THIS IS MY HONOR TODAY TO BE
ABLE TO BRING FORWARD AS THE
COUNCIL HAS A CHANCE TO OFFER
MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THIS
COMMITTEE, THESE ARE FOR
COUNCIL MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
THAT WE ARE SEEKING, TODAY.
THE COUNCIL SPLITS APPOINTMENTS
WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR
US TO MAKE SURE THE WORK WE
HAVE DONE, ALL WE WANT TO DO
HAS THE CHANCE WITH OUR
EMPLOYERS, AND EMPLOYEE
ADVOCATES AT THE TABLE.
KARINA, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE
YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE
LABOR CENTER ADVISORY BOARD
BEFORE WE TURN IT OVER TO THE
LABOR CENTER?
>> DID YOU SAY KAREN OR KARINA?
>> I DID SAY KARINA, I'M SO
SORRY.
>> A LITTLE OVEREAGER.
>> MY COMMENT IS, I APPRECIATE
THE GOOD WORK THAT THE LABOR
STANDARDS AND ADVISORY
COMMISSION DOES.
I'VE JUST ISSUED AN INTERESTING
REPORT ON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM
THIS CLASSIFICATION ON HOW TO
PREVENT THIS CLASSIFICATION
WITHIN THE CONTRACTORS.
WE WOULD LEAVE IT TO KAREN TO
SAY THE REST.
>> THANKS, KARINA.
THE COMMISSION OF THE OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS, I JUST WANT TO
BRIEFLY ACKNOWLEDGE ONE STAFF
MEMBER, MEGAN JACKSON COULDN'T
BE HERE, SHE PROVIDES SUPPORT
FOR MANY YEARS.
I HAVE WORKED ON AND OFF WITH
THEM FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS.
AS COMMISSION LIAISON FOR THE
PAST TWO YEARS, I WANTED TO
BRIEFLY WELCOME THE NEW
NOMINEES AND SAY HI, AGAIN, TO
ARTY AND SAMANTHA, I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF
YOU OVER THE COMING MONTHS.
VERY QUICKLY ON L SACHS WORK,
I'LL SACK IS A VALUABLE
ADVISORY AT FUNCTION TO CITY
COUNCIL AS WELL, OF COURSE.
IT IS VERY UNIQUE IN THAT IT
BRINGS TOGETHER BUSINESS
GOVERNORS, BUSINESS ADVOCATES,
WORKERS AND WORKER ADVOCATES TO
PROVIDE INSIGHT ON LABOR
STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT.
AS THIS COMMITTEE KNOWS WELL,
FREQUENTLY, SEATTLE IS NOT
ADVANCING BEST PRACTICES FOR
LABOR STANDARDS, BUT IT IS
CREATING THAT.
AND GIVEN THAT GROUNDBREAKING
WORK, THE INSIDE OF ELSE THAT
HAS PROVED VALUABLE AS A
STAKEHOLDER GROUP TO ASSESS
REAL-WORLD IMPLICATIONS FOR
POLICY DEVELOPMENT, OUTREACH
AND ENFORCEMENT.
L SACK HAS PLAYED A ROLE IN
ADVISING OUR OFFICE, ENFORCING
METHODS, AND AS JUST MENTIONED,
DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
TRANSPARENCY PRINCIPLES FOR
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS.
SO THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO
SAY, MEGAN AND I LOOK FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.
THANKS FOR CREATING THE SPACE
FOR US.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, KEREM.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE
THIS LINE OF FOLKS WITH US,
TODAY.
LET'S START WITH NEW
APPOINTEES.
JEANNIE, I SEE YOU ON THE
SCREEN, HERE, JEANIE CHUNN, IF
FOLKS DON'T KNOW, THE FOUNDER
OF SEATTLE RESTAURANTS UNITED,
YOU HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY
OUTSPOKEN AS A SUPPORTER OF
SMALL BUSINESSES DURING THIS
úTIME.
I WILL GIVE YOU AN INTRODUCTION
OF YOURSELF, WHY YOU ARE
INTERESTED IN SERVING ON L
SACK.
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL FOR
YOUR TIME.
I APPRECIATE BEING HERE.
MY NAME IS JEANNIE.
I USUALLY HAVE PRONOUNS, I WANT
TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE
THE [ INDISCERNIBLE ] TERRITORY
HAVING THIS MEETING, A LITTLE
ABOUT MYSELF, I'VE BEEN IN THE
RESTAURANT INDUSTRY MY WHOLE
LIFE.
PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS
IMMIGRATED TO THIS COUNTRY AND
OPEN CHINESE RESTAURANT ON THE
EAST COAST.
AS COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA SAID,
I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN SEATTLE
FOR 20 YEARS, MOSTLY MANAGING
DINING RESTAURANTS, SO THE CAFE
AND [ INDISCERNIBLE ] ARE THE
TWO MOST NOTABLE.
I HAVE BEEN WITH COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT FOR SEA CREATURES,
WHICH IS WHEN A ERICKSON'S
RESTAURANT [ INDISCERNIBLE ]. I
FOUND IT SEATTLE RESTAURANTS
UNITED, 250 RESTAURANTS IN THE
SEATTLE AREA, HAVE BEEN
ADVOCATING AS CITY, STATE AND
FEDERAL LEVEL , BECAUSE OF THAT
WORK, I WAS INVITED TO SIT ON
THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE
POLICY AND COCHAIR THE
COMMITTEE SO I HELPED WRITE THE
RESTAURANT ACT OF 2020 WHICH
WOULD PROVIDE [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
GRANTS TO RESTAURANTS AROUND
THE COUNTRY.
THAT WAS VOLUNTEER WORK.
MY PAID POSITION, I AM THE
DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT FOR
RAISE, HIGHER RESTAURANTS, WE
ARE A NATIONAL NETWORK OF 800
RESTAURANTS AROUND THE COUNTRY
THAT CAN FIGHT FOR WORKERS
RIGHTS IN LABOR STANDARDS,
SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE AN
AFFILIATION FOR A FAIR WAGE.
WE ARE WORKING FOR WAGE
JUSTICE.
PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID IT WOULD
BE INTRODUCED ON TUESDAY.
THE BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION
HAS COME OUT AND SUPPORT THAT.
IT WOULD RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE
TO $15, AND RAISE THE MINIMUM
WAGE TO $20 BY 2026.
I'M INTERESTED IN [ LAUGHTER ]
LABOR STANDARDS COMMITTEE.
I'M HONORED AND HUMBLED THAT I
WOULD BE ASKED AND, YEAH, I
THINK MY EXPERIENCE PROBABLY
EXPLAINS I WOULD LOVE TO BE [
INDISCERNIBLE ].
>> IT CERTAINLY DOES, THANK YOU
FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
WE WILL GET THROUGH THE REST OF
THE FOLKS, AND WE WILL SEE IF
FOLKS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THE NEXT PERSON THAT COULD NOT
BE WITH US, I BELIEVE, IS ILONA
LOHREY.
DO I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WANT
TO PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE ON
THE NOMINEE?
>> SHE PROVIDED A STATEMENT TO
READ FOR THE RECORD.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
SO, SHE SAID, JOINING THE
SEATTLE THEY WERE STANDARDS
ADVISORY COMMISSION IS
PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
SMALL BUSINESS IS MY PASSION.
I COME FROM A FAMILY OF
ENTREPRENEURS, AND GREW UP
MANAGING THE FAMILY BUSINESSES
FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
AFTER IMMIGRATING TO THE UNITED
STATES, I ENTERED A CAREER IN
BANKING, BUSINESS BANKING
MANAGER IN THE SEATTLE REGION
FOR MANY YEARS.
SMALL BUSINESS IS AT THE HEART
AND SOUL OF EVERYTHING I DO.
THE CURRENT ROLE AS VICE
PRESIDENT MEMBERSHIP AND
PROGRAMS FOR SBA, WASHINGTON'S
LGBTQ AND ALLIED CHAMBER OF
CONGRESS ALLOWS ME TO COMBINE
MY PASSION FOR HIS NICE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE ON A DAILY
BASIS.
RESENTING 1400 MEMBERS
STATEWIDE WITH 900 OF THEM IN
SEATTLE, G SBA HAS A HISTORY OF
STRONG AND COLLABORATIVE WORK
BETWEEN CIVIL RIGHTS AND SMALL
BUSINESSES.
G SBA HAS SUPPORTED MANY
EFFORTS TO STRANGELY
COMMISSIONS FROM ANTI-[
INDISCERNIBLE ] TO RAISING
MINIMUM WAGE.
WE HAVE BEEN SAID WE ARE THE
ONLY BUSINESS WILLING TO SPEAK
OUT ON THESE ISSUES.
THIS IS A REFLECTION OF BROAD
AND DIVERSE MEMBERSHIP AND
PRIORITIES.
WE REPRESENT SMALL BUSINESSES
AND NONPROFITS WHO REPRESENT
THE NEED TO SET GUIDELINES ON
FAIR WORKING CONDITIONS, MAY
ALSO WANT TO MAKE COMPLIANCE
WITH THOSE GUIDELINES AS
PRACTICAL AS POSSIBLE.
G SBA HAS RECEIVED OUTREACH AND
EDUCATION GRANTS FROM THE CITY
OF SEATTLE FOR SEVERAL YEARS
AND COALITION AND CHAMBERS OF
COMMERCE -- COALITION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
READING THAT.
WE APPRECIATE THAT STATEMENT
BEING PROVIDED.
LET'S TURN IT OVER TO SAMANTHA
GRAD.
SAMANTHA, I'M EXCITED TO HAVE
YOU WITH US.
WE ARE TALKING TO OUR POLICY
DIRECTOR OR POLITICAL ACTION
DIRECTOR IN 2021.
TELL US MORE ABOUT YOURSELF AS
A REMINDER AND THE WORK YOU ARE
DOING.
>> THANK YOU, THERE'S A LOT OF
WORDS IN THAT TITLE.
WHAT MATTERS MOST IS THE
ORGANIZATION, AND THE MEMBERS
WE REPRESENT.
WE REPRESENT A LOT OF
INDUSTRIES, GROCERY,
HEALTHCARE, CANNABIS WORKERS,
LAUNDRY FACILITIES, MEAT AND
SEAFOOD PROCESSING, RETAIL,
PHARMACY, WE REPRESENT A LOT OF
INDUSTRIES.
WE HAVE 47,000 MEMBERS,
STATEWIDE.
WE HAVE ABOUT 10,000 OF THOSE
WITHIN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
THAT IS IN MANY OF THOSE
DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES.
I AM SUPER EXCITED.
I HAVE BEEN REALLY HUMBLED TO
SERVE THE LSAT COMMITTEE SO FAR
AND SEE THE GREAT WORK THAT THE
COMMITTEE IS DOING, MORE
IMPORTANTLY, WHAT OLS IS DOING,
THE HARD WORK OF THE ENTIRE
TEAM IS REALLY REMARKABLE.
I AM MOST EXCITED ABOUT
CONTINUING -- MAKING SURE THE
LAWS THAT YOU ALL FIGHT SO HARD
TO PASS ON BEHALF OF WORKERS
AREN'T REPELLED, AND ARE
PROPERLY ENFORCED, AND ALSO
MAKING SURE WE ARE DOING GOOD
AT IMPORTANT EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH.
WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT SOME
BUSINESS OWNERS UNDERSTAND THE
LAW.
SOMETIMES, THEY CAN BE
COLLOCATED THINKING BACK TO THE
SECURE SCHEDULING BILL THAT IS
SO IMPORTANT, BUT WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW
TO UNDERSTAND THOSE LAWS AND
MAKE SURE THAT THE EDUCATION
GOES HAND-IN-HAND WITH THE
ENFORCEMENT.
THAT'S THE PART I HAVE ENJOYED
THE MOST, MAKING SURE WE CAN
SUPPORT THE INVESTIGATORS AND
AGENCY IN DOING ALL THAT HARD
WORK.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU VERY
MCH, SAMANTHA.
THEN, RT, WE WILL COME BACK.
THE FIELD DIRECTOR WORKING IN
WASHINGTON, HE REMINDS US ABOUT
WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN L SACK.
>> YEAH, I HAVE BEEN IN LABOR
ORGANIZING FOR I GUESS, 10
YEARS NOW?
I'M GOING TO SAY IT HAS NOT
ALWAYS BEEN A PASSION OF MINE.
I DID START OUT AS A RETAIL
WORKER WHO WAS BROKE, COMING
FROM A BROKE FAMILY.
I THINK THAT IS WHERE MY
INTEREST IN THE ISSUES COME
FROM.
I JUST DID A REALLY PERSONAL
NOTE, IF I SEEM UNPREPARED -- I
AM IN A HOTEL IN MINNEAPOIS ON
THE WAY TO WISCONSIN TO VISIT
MY MOTHER.
OUR FAMILY HAS BEEN PRETTY
WRECKED BY POVERTY.
SHE IS TERMINAL, ON HER WAY
OUT, STARTING HOSPICE.
AFTER WORKING FOR 20 YEARS AT
WALMART, THE FIRST THING I
THOUGHT WAS, CAN SHE AFFORD
HOSPICE?
THAT IS, NOT, WHERE I THINK WE
WANT TO BE AS A SOCIETY,
WORKERS HAVE THAT KIND OF WORRY
WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER
THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT.
I DON'T THINK THE CITY OF
SEATTLE CAN SOLVE ALL THESE
PROBLEMS.
I DON'T TAKE A VOLUNTEER
COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF
SEATTLE CAN SOLVE THESE
PROBLEMS, BUT THE BIGGER THE
PROBLEMS ARE, THE MORE
IMPORTANT EACH PAYCHECK IS, AND
THE MORE FRAGILE PEOPLE'S
SITUATION IS.
I WAS HAPPY TO WORK ON THE
NOTICE AND COST BY INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS, IF EVEN ONE
PAYCHECK CAN BE CONSERVED,
THERE IS A LOT FOR DISABILITY
FOR FAMILIES, AT LEAST SOME
AMOUNT OF PROBLEM -- I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING
THAT WORK, AS SAMANTHA SAID,
YOU KNOW, THE ENFORCEMENT OF
THAT IS WHAT MAKES IT REAL.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO
CONTINUING THAT WORK AS WE GO.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
DO SO.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RT, IT
HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE AND HONOR
TO WORK WITH YOU OVER THE
YEARS.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR
STORY, I'M VERY SORRY TO HEAR
ABOUT THE HEALTH OF YOUR
MOTHER.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT AS
AN EXAMPLE OF WHY THIS WAS SO
IMPORTANT IN THE LONG HAUL, I'M
SENDING YOU A BIG HUG,
VIRTUALLY.
FOLKS, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS,
QUESTIONS FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE
STEPPING UP TO BE APPOINTEES
AND RE-APPOINTEES TO THE L SACK
COUNCIL?
>> THANKS, I JUST WANT TO SAY
HOW HAPPY I AM TO HEAR SO MANY
PEOPLE REFERENCE YOUR RECENT
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING
TRANSPARENCY FOR BOTH PROPERLY
CLASSIFIED CONTRACT WORKERS AND
IMPROPERLY CLASSIFIED CONTRACT
WORKERS, AND REALLY APPRECIATIVE
THAT L SACK AND OLS RESPONDED
SO FAVORABLY TO THE RESOLUTION
THAT THE COUNCIL PASSED IN
FEBRUARY OF 2019, ASKING YOU TO
LOOK AT THIS PARTICULAR BODY OF
WORK. THESE ARE NOT WORKERS
WERE WELL REPRESENTED BY
UNIONS.
THEY ARE NOT PROTECTED IN MANY
INSTANCES BY OUR LABOR LAWS.
I THINK IT'S REALLY COMMENDABLE
THAT YOU TOOK A STEP, REALLY,
AWAY FROM SELF-INTEREST AS
WORKERS WHO TAKE THIS WORK
SERIOUSLY -- AND I'M REALLY
EXCITED TO, IN THE NEXT MONTHS,
WITH THE AGREEMENT WITH, OF
COURSE, MADAM CHAIR, TO ROLL
OUT SOME LEGISLATIVE ACTION
ASSOCIATED WITH THE
LEGISLATION.
I'M REALLY THRILLED TO HEAR
THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS MENTIONED
MULTIPLE TIMES.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK.
>> THANK YOU, VICE-CHAIR.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS?
I'M NOT SEEING ANY, OH,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, PLEASE
GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.
I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR
APPOINTEES, SOME HAVE COME UP
IN CONVESATION IN MY OFFICE.
YOUR WORK WITH RESTAURANTS
UNITED, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
WORK, THEY ARE.
SAM, YOUR WORK HAS ALSO COME UP
IN OUR OFFICE A NUMBER OF
TIMES, AND RT, I JUST WANT TO
SHARE MY CONDOLENCES, NO ONE
SHOULD EVER HAVE TO BE IN A
POSITION TO THINK WHETHER OR
NOT HOSPICE IS AN OPTION FOR
THEM.
MY MOM WAS A HOSPICE SOCIAL
WORKER.
MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES, THANK
YOU CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I WILL ALSO REITERATE
APPRECIATION FOR THE LSAC
CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS AND ALSO
LABORS AND STANDARDS, THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU ARE
DOING.
I KNOW LSAC HAS BEEN CONTINUING
TO BE A CHAMPION TO MAKE SURE
THAT YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS
OUTREACH AND ENFORCEMENT. WE
WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK
WITH YOU AS WE CONTINUE TO
EXPECT MORE AND MORE OUT OF OUR
OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
INCLUDING FROM TODAY'S
CONVERSATION, SO THEY WILL BE
MORE WORK TO COME IN THAT
ARENA.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY, THANKS
AGAIN TO FOLKS FOR SETTING UP
AND BEING PART OF THIS WORK
ALREADY, JEANNIE, FOR YOUR
STEPPING UP AND WANTING TO BE A
NEW MEMBER HERE TODAY, I REALLY
APPRECIATE IT.
THE FOLKS HAVE NOT SEEN THE
INCREDIBLE LIST OF SMALL
BUSINESSES AND SEATTLE
RESTAURANTS UNITED, IT IS TRULY
A REPRESENTATION OF THE ENTIRE
CITY AND ALMOST ANY CORNER OF
OUR CITY, AND REALLY APPRECIATE
THAT YOU LIFT UP THOSE VOICES,
I WANT TO SEND A NOTE BACK TO
YOU, NOTE OF SOLIDARITY FOR YOU
AND YOUR MEMBERS ASKING YOU IN
THIS COVID STORM, SO MANY OF
OUR SMALL MOM AND POP SHOPS
WITH WINDOWS BOARDED ARE
STRUGGLING.
WE KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR OF
PERSONAL LOSS AND FINANCIAL
LOSS.
WE ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY PROUD OF
WHAT WE INSTITUTED TOGETHER,
BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE IS MUCH
MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN
ADDITION TO THAT, ANY ONGOING
BREAKING OF WINDOWS AND HARM TO
SMALL BUSINESSES IS SOMETHING
WE DO NOT STAND FOR.
WE CONTINUED TO SAY WE CONDEMN
THAT KIND OF ACTION, ESPECIALLY
ON SMALL MOM-AND-POP SHOPS WERE
LARGELY OWNED BY WOMEN AND
PEOPLE OF COLOR.
WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT
HOW WE ARE CREATING RESILIENCY
IN THIS TIME AND NOT MAKING IT
HARDER FOR FOLKS TO WHETHER
THIS CRISIS AND PANDEMIC.
SHE WILL BE THERE WITH YOU AS
YOU SEEK TO REOPEN AND MORE TO
COME ON THAT, BUT JUST WANTED
TO SEND A MESSAGE OF CALLING
OUT THE BAD BEHAVIOR IN TERMS
OF WORKING WINDOWS BUT ALSO
KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY BROKEN
HEARTS OUT THERE AS YOU SEE
THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES
SHUTTERED, AND WE WILL CONTINUE
TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU TO MAKE
SURE YOU ALL HAVE THE SUPPORT
YOU NEED TO REOPEN AND -- JUST
A NOTE OF SOLIDARITY ON THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, TODAY?
I'M EXCITED ABOUT LSAC, I CAN'T
WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU ALL HAVE
COMING FORWARD.
I KNOW THERE'S A LONG LIST OF
TO DO ITEMS FOR THE LSAC
DEVIOUS CONVERSATIONS.
WE WILL BE EVEN MORE INFORMED
BY ALL OF THESE GREAT
APPOINTEES, AND REAPPOINTMENTS.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE THIS.
I'M GOING TO MOVE THAT THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PASSAGE OF
APPOINTMENTS 10 THROUGH 13.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IS THERE ANY FURTHER
COMMENTS?
HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR, I'M
SORRY, MADAM CLERK WILL YOU
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
PASSAGE OF APPOINTMENTS 10
THROUGH 13?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ ?
>> EYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR MOSQUEDA?
>> MADAM CHAIR, THAT IS FIVE IN
FAVOR AND NONE UNOPPOSED.
>> COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR STEPPING UP.
THE MOTION CARRIES.
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION,
THESE APPOINTMENT AND
REAPPOINTMENTS WILL BE SENT TO
THE FEBRUARY 1st SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL MEETING FOR FINAL VOTE.
FOR JOINING US, TODAY.
THERE IS NO NEED TO TUNE IN ON
THE FIRST, BUT WE WILL MAKE
SURE TO LET YOU KNOW HOW TO GET
ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
FINAL CONFIRMATION.
WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR ALL OF
YOUR TIME, TODAY.
THANKS, EVERYONE.
>> WE HAVE ONE MORE
APPOINTMENT.
THIS WILL FEED INTO OUR NEXT
AGENDA ITEM.
THE REAPPOINTMENT OF THE
SEATTLE HOUSING AUTHORITY,
CLERK, CAN YOU READ ITEM 14?
>> AGENDA ITEM 14,
REAPPOINTMENT OF PAULA HOUSTON
AS A MEMBER OF THE SEATTLE
HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR A BRIEF
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I SEE YOU
HERE FOR THIS ITEM IN THE NEXT
ITEM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT DR. PAULA
HOUSTON IS NOT WITH US, BUT THE
MEMBER OF HEALTHCARE AND EQUITY
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
MESSAGE, WHO HAS BEEN SERVING
AS THE COCHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE
BOARD, AND INCREDIBLE
RECOMMENDATION, I WILL TRY TO
YOU AND SEE IF THERE'S A
MEETING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD
TO HER CREDENTIALS?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, IT IS
MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO BRING
BEFORE YOU AND SPEAK ON BEHALF
OF DR. PAULA HOUSTON.
SHE HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL BOARD
MEMBER HELPING GUIDE THE
HOUSING AUTHORITY OVER THE LAST
FOUR YEARS ON THE LARGER
PROJECTS WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED
IN, YOU ARE AWARE OF, AND WE
WILL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON A
COUPLE OF THEM HERE LATER
TODAY.
SHE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS
LEADER FOR THE BOARD.
SHE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS
ADVOCATE FOR RESIDENTS
PARTICULARLY AROUND THE ISSUES
OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND HEALTH
OUTCOMES.
WE HAVE REALLY BEEN PLEASED
WITH HER COMMITMENT AND
DEDICATION TO THE HOUSING
AUTHORITY AND IS RESIDENCE AND
THE WORK THAT WE DO.
SHE IS CONTINUING HER TENURE ON
THE BOARD.
WE OFFER HER NAME ON BEHALF OF
THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE
BOARD FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU SO VERY
MUCH, WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT
DR. HOUSTON IS INTERESTING IN
SERVING AGAIN.
I VERY MUCH RECOMMEND THIS
APPOINTMENT.
IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR
DIRECTOR LOCKED IN?
OKAY, DIRECTOR, I DON'T SEE
ANY, VICE-CHAIR HERBERT, DID
YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
>> SECOND.
>> I WAS MOVING TO VOTE.
>> I MOVE THAT THE
REAPPOINTMENT OF DR. HOUSTON TO
úTHE SEA BATTLE HOUSING
AUTHORITY BOARD.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> ARE THERE ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
HEARING NONE, MADAM CLERK, WILL
YOU PLEASE CALLABLE ON THE
ADOPTION OF THE REAPPOINTMENT
OF DR. HOUSTON?
>> VICE-CHAIR HERBERT?
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ?
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
CHAIR MOSQUEDA?
MADAM CHAIR, THAT IS FIVE IN
FAVOR, NONE UNOPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
CLERK.
THE RECOMMENDATION WILL BE SENT
TO THE FEBRUARY 1st COUNCIL
MEETING FOR A FINAL VOTE.
IF YOU CAN PASS ON OUR
APPRECIATION AND THE GOOD NEWS,
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
ALL OF YOU AND YOUR BOARD TO
MOVE FORWARD.
THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM NUMBER
ú15.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD A PREVIEW OF
THE INCREDIBLE WORK AND THE
CHANCE TO SEE OUR FRIEND FROM
THE SEATTLE HOUSING AUTHORITY,
DIRECTOR LAUGHLIN, I WILL GIVE
YOU A CHANCE TO GIVE US AN
UPDATE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE WAS NEWS
SHARED IN THE FALL ABOUT YOUR
SOON TO BE RETIREMENT.
I'M GLAD IT'S NOT IMMEDIATE.
IN 2021, AND I JUST WANTED TO
GET A CHANCE TO HAVE YOU TELL
US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT,
BUT BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR DOWN
THE ROAD, MADAM CLERK McKINNEY
READ ITEM NUMBER 15 INTO THE
RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 15,
YESLER TERRACE UPDATE AND SHA
ACQUISITIONS PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU.
WE ARE JOINED BY DIRECTOR
LOFTON, TERRY, DIRECTOR OF
DEVELOPMENT, THE DIRECTOR OF
HOUSING, SEATTLE HOUSING
AUTHORITY, AND OUR VERY OWN
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF, THE POINT ON ALL THINGS
HOUSING.
DR. LAUGHLIN, DO YOU WANT TO
GET THINGS KICKED OFF WITH THIS
ITEM, AND I WILL SAY A FEW
WORDS BEFORE WE GO OVER TO --
TO THE DISCUSSION?
>> YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TALK WITH THE COMMITTEE ABOUT
PROGRESS WE MADE ABOUT ONE OF
THE NEW INITIATIVES THAT WE
HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH SINCE
2018 TO BRING UPDATES ON SOME
OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO DO IN THE WORLD OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING WITH
YOU THAT PROGRESS, AND SOMEBODY
WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO DELVE
INTO ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
YOU MIGHT HAVE, WE CAN FINISH
THE PRESENTATION.
>> THINGS, I KNOW WE HAVE A
PRESENTATION PULL-UP, HERE,
TRACY, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
YOU TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING
TO ADD.
AND WE WERE HAVING A
CONVERSATION IN DECEMBER, AND
DIRECTOR LOFTON, YOU ARE GIVING
US WHAT SEATTLE HOUSING
AUTHORITY HAS BEEN INVOLVED
WITH, JUST AN UPDATE ON THE
TREMENDOUS WORK YOU HAVE DONE,
NOT ONLY WITH IMPLEMENTING
STRATEGIES THAT BRING BACK
FOLKS WHO DEVELOPMENT AREAS WHO
HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN DISPLACED
AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE LOWEST
INCOME NEIGHBORS IN THE SEATTLE
HOUSING AUTHORITY, WHO THEY
SEEK TO SERVE, WE CREATED A
SYSTEM TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT
FOR HOUSING AND NEW
OPPORTUNITIES.
MIXED HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES --
THERE ARE GREAT EXAMPLES WE
HAVE ASKED YOU HERE TODAY TO
HIGHLIGHT TO SET THE TONE FOR
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE ON OUR
AGENDA THIS YEAR AS WE THINK
ABOUT TAKING THESE STRATEGIES
AND AMPLIFYING THEM ESPECIALLY
AS IT RELATES TO STRATEGIC
ACQUISITION AND ACQUIRING NEW
PRIORITIES SO WE CAN DRIVE DOWN
THE COST OF THE LAND AND
PROVIDE TRULY AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND HOUSING
OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR RESIDENTS
AND NEIGHBORS WHO HAD
PREVIOUSLY BEEN EXCLUDED FROM
THESE OPPORTUNITIES, SO FOLKS,
THIS WAS OUR CHANCE TO REALLY
SET THE TONE FOR HOUSING FRAME
THAT COULD INFORM FUTURE
DISCUSSIONS, WE ARE RIGHT ON
TIME, WE HAVE ABOUT UNTIL 3:30,
I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO
DIRECTOR LAUGHLIN, SEEING A NOD
FROM TRACY, WE WILL LET YOU
TALK A STATUS UPDATE.
>> OKAY.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO SHARE MY
SCREEN.
I'M PROBABLY NOT THE BEST
PERSON TO DO THE TECHNOLOGICAL
PIECE OF THIS.
WE WILL GET OUR WAY THROUGH IT,
I HOPE.
CAN YOU SEE THE SCREEN?
>> YES, WE CAN.
>> SO WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO
WALK YOU THROUGH, VERY QUICKLY,
PROGRESS FOR THE TERRACE AND
DEVELOPMENT, GIVING THE
BACKGROUND OF OUR PRESENTATION
PROGRAM, WE HAVE TALKED JUST
BRIEFLY ABOUT THE MOST RECENT
ACQUISITION UNDER THAT PROGRAM,
THE COMMONS, WE WILL GIVE YOU A
SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE WITH
THAT, THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT
PROJECT THAT WILL REQUIRE A
POINT-AND-SHOOT WITH THE CITY.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT
OPPORTUNITY THAT IT BRINGS FOR
THE CITY AS WELL AS THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M GOING TO ASK ROD BRANDON,
WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING
OPERATIONS TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE PEOPLE SIDE OF THE
DEVELOPMENT, THEN I WILL TURN
IT OVER TO TERRY, HE WILL GIVE
YOU AN UPDATE ON THE PHYSICAL
PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT.
THEN JARED, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR
OF THE HOUSING FINANCE UNIT
WILL TALK ABOUT THE ACQUISITION
AND PRESERVATION AND WHY WE GOT
INVOLVED IN THAT PROGRAM, AND
WHAT WE BELIEVE HAS BEEN A
TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.
AS YOU RECALL, YESLER TERRACE
IS A MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT . WHAT
WE TEND TO LOSE SIGHT OF YOU IS
THE FUNDAMENTAL CORE OF
REDEVELOPMENT IS ABOUT THE
ABILITY TO ASSIST OUR RESIDENTS
AND TO HELP THEM IN THEIR
ABILITY TO SUCCEED.
IN COMBINATION WITH THE
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT [
INDISCERNIBLE ] SUCCEEDING
WITH OUR RESIDENTS, PROGRAMS
THAT WOULD SUPPORT THEIR
ONGOING SUCCESS.
THAT'S WHAT WE MEAN BY THE
PEOPLE'S SIDE, ACHING SURE THEY
HAVE GOOD HEALTH OUTCOMES,
MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO
GREAT EDUCATION, MAKING SURE
THAT THEY CAN COMPETE IN THE
ECONOMIC SETTING OF SEATTLE AS
WELL.
WITH THAT, LET ME LET ROD RUN
THROUGH THESE VERY QUICKLY.
CARRIE WILL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE
ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE
DEVELOPMENT.
>> THANK YOU, ANDREW, FOR THAT.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL, FOR ONCE
AGAIN INVITING US TO SHARE THE
GOOD WORK WE ARE DOING AT
YESLER.
I'M REALLY GLAD THE ORDER OF
THE SLIDES ARE LIKE THIS.
A LOT OF TIMES IN THE
PRESENTATION YOU WANT TO SEE
THE BRICK-AND-MORTAR OF THE
PROJECTS.
THE PEOPLE COME AFTERWARDS.
IT IS NICE TO SEE THAT THE
PEOPLE WHICH WE HAVE EMPHASIZED
THROUGHOUT THE YESLER PROJECT
HAVE BEEN COMING 1st FOR US.
IT HAS BEEN RESIDENT CENTRIC
FROM DAY ONE.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY BUSY
RECENTLY AT YESLER WITH COVID
AND THE PANDEMIC.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
RESIDENTS THERE HAD A CHANCE TO
ACCESS TESTING SITES AND ACCESS
THE FLU VACCINATION AS IT
BECAME AVAILABLE.
WE DROPPED THOSE SERVICES TO
YESLER.
WE DID NOT WANT TO ENCOURAGE
FOLKS TO SEEK IT ON THEIR OWN.
WE WORKED WITH DIFFERENT
MEDICAL PROVIDERS TO BRING
MOBILE UNITS TO YESLER SO WE
CAN HAVE OUR RESIDENTS GET
TESTED ON SITE.
THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON VERY
WELL SO FAR.
WE HAD FOUR DIFFERENT EVENTS OF
VARIOUS TESTING.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE THAT
AS THE VACCINATION BECOMES
AVAILABLE AND FINDING CONCRETE
WAYS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AS
WELL.
WE HAVE BEEN DOING A PULITZER
OF SERVICES FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
WE REALIZE THAT THE PANDEMIC
HAS HIT IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
WE LOOKED AT WAYS OF CHECKING
IN OUR RESIDENTS AND GIVING
THEM NUMBERS THEY CAN CALL US
TO CHECK IN AND SEE HOW THEY
ARE DOING.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT FOOD
DELIVERY PROGRAMS AND OTHER
PRIMARY SUPPLIES THAT THEY USE
FOR THEIR HOUSEHOLD, AND
FIGURING OUT WAYS TO PARTNER
WITH FOLKS AND PRIVATE ENTITIES
TO BRING THAT TO RESIDENTS.
IT HAS BEEN GOING REALLY WELL.
THOSE FOLKS ARE ON SITE.
WE LOOK AT DOING VISUAL EVENTS
FOR OUR YOUTH TO KEEP THEM
ACTIVE AS WELL AS JUST TO KEEP
A TIGHT COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE DONE THIS THROUGH A
SMALL NEWSPAPER THAT ARE
ARTISAN RESIDENTS HELP
FACILITATE FOR US TO KEEP GOOD,
STRONG COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE
COMMUNITY.
THE PRESENCE OF THE BLACK
FARMERS COLLECTIVE HAS BEEN
GREAT.
HAVING THEM THERE, HAVING THEM
CONTINUE TO SHOW GOOD HABITS OF
FARMING, AND INFORMING THE
RESIDENTS AND PRODUCING PRODUCE
IS GREAT.
SEATTLE SCHOOLS, LOCAL
NONPROFITS, WE PARTNER WITH
THEM TO HELP STUDENTS.
THEY ARE NAVIGATING THROUGH THE
CHALLENGES OF GOING TO SCHOOL
DURING THE PANDEMIC.
WE ARE MAKING SURE THEY DO
THINGS AS THEY COME OUT TO
SUPPORT THOSE FAMILIES, AS THEY
INTERACT WITH THE SCHOOL
SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE KIDS.
THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO GET THEIR HOMEWORK DONE
AND TAKE BREAKS THROUGHOUT THE
DAY, ENGAGING IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE CONTINUE TO KEEP THE
COMMUNITY COUNCIL INVOLVED IN
THE ACTIVITIES THAT YESLER, AS
WELL AS THE FUTURE AND ONGOING
REDEVELOPMENTS -- SO THOSE ARE
JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT
OUR STAFF IS ENGAGED IN, AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO DOING MORE AND
MORE AS TIME GOES ON.
I'M GOING TO LET TERRY JUMP
DOWN TO RELOCATION.
AS YOU KNOW, RELOCATION HAS
BEEN A VERY, VERY BIG DEAL FOR
US AT YESLER.
WHEN WE STARTED RELOCATION IN
2013, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE
DID IT RIGHT.
WE WANTED TO TAKE OUR TIME, GET
THE RESIDENTS INVOLVED, HELP
THEM ESTABLISH THEIR CRITERIA
ON WHICH THINGS WE SHOULD BE
CONSERVING AS WE NAVIGATE AND
MOVE PEOPLE AROUND YESLER, OFF
YESLER, AND BACK TO YESLER.
WE MADE SOME BOLD THOMASES.
WE MADE SOME PROMISES THAT
FOCUS ON EVERY SINGLE ONE OF
THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE AT YESLER
HAVING A RIGHT TO RETURN BACK
TO YESLER.
SO IF YOU CHOOSE TO COME BACK
AT ANY POINT IN TIME AS WE
REDEVELOP THIS COMMUNITY, YOU
HAVE A RIGHT TO DO THAT.
WE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO WE HAVE SET PROCEDURES IN
PLACE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
WE HAVE HAD 493 HOUSEHOLDS NOW
WHO HAVE RELOCATED FROM YESLER,
A NUMBER OF THOSE STAYED ON
SITE.
A NUMBER OF THOSE WENT OFF
SITE.
THEN RETURNED -- THOSE WHO WENT
OFF SITE, AS WE CONTINUE TO
CHECK IN WITH THEM, THEY ARE
PLEASED ON WHERE THEY ARE AT.
THOSE WHO CHOSE TO BE OFF SITE
TEMPORARILY AND COME BACK, IT
MADE IT EASY FOR THEM TO COME
BACK.
THEY CAN COME BACK IN ANY PHASE
OF YESLER THAT THEY CHOOSE.
EACH TIME WE REDEVELOP A
PROPERTY AT YESLER, WE GO BACK
OVER THAT LIST, AND CALL THEM
AGAIN, INVITE THEM AGAIN TO SEE
IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN
COMING BACK TO THE NEW
REDEVELOP UNIT.
SO FAR, ROUGHLY ABOUT 20 JUST
UNDER 20% OF THE FOLKS WHO LEFT
YESLER HAVE DECIDED TO COME
BACK TO THE NEW REDEVELOP TO
YESLER.
A VAST MAJORITY OF THEM STAYED
ON SITE AND MOVED AROUND YESLER
IN A PERMANENT PLACE AT YESLER.
>> A QUESTION REAL QUICK MAMA
VICE-CHAIR HER BELT.
>> QUICKLY, SORRY, I KNOW THE
RIGHT OF RETURN GUARANTEED TO
RESIDENTS AT YESLER TERRACE WAS
A REQUIREMENT OF THE
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE
CITY OF SEATTLE PAST BY THE
CITY COUNCIL.
I ALSO KNOW THAT IT HAS BEEN
RETAINED IN PREVIOUS MLA'S FOR
HOPE SIX REDEVELOPMENT AT OTHER
SITES.
I RECALL ONE YEAR, I DON'T
REMEMBER IF IT WAS RAINIER
VISTA OR HIGH POINT, BUT ONE
YEAR, THERE WAS A CITY ON IT,
THE FULFILLMENT OF THE
OBLIGATION TO GIVE TENANTS A
RIGHT OF RETURN, I'M JUST
WONDERING IF, GENERALLY, YOU
HAVE DONE ANY SORT OF
COMPARISON TO THE RATE OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE RETURNED AT
YESLER TERRACE AS TO THE RATE
OF RETURN FOR TENANTS IN YOUR
OTHER REDEVELOPMENTS?
>> NO.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT A BAD
IDEA.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY ANALYSIS
WE HAVE DONE ALONG THOSE LINES.
ANDREW, ARE YOU --
>> I HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO
A NEW TO MYSELF.
I APOLOGIZE.
YEAH, THE PROJECT WAS SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT THAN YESLER.
WE WORKED WITH AND GAVE
AUTHORITY TO THE RESIDENTS AT
THE TIME OF THE PROJECTS TO
DETERMINE WHO AND WHAT CRITERIA
WOULD BE USED TO ALLOW PEOPLE
TO COME BACK.
SO WE FOLLOWED THOSE CRITERIA
IN THE PREVIOUS HOPE SIX
DEVELOPMENT.
YESLER WE DID DO DIFFERENTLY.
WE GIVE A RIGHT TO RETURN
WITHOUT CRITERIA.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT CRITERIA WE
WERE USING FOR THOSE RIGHT TO
RETURN COMMITMENTS, BUT YES, IF
YOU WOULD LIKE TO, WE COULD PUT
THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER AND
LOOK AT THE HOPE SIX
INFORMATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME
AS THEY HAVE BEEN COMMUTING FOR
A WHILE.
WE CAN GO BACK AND [
INDISCERNIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU.
IN GENERAL, IT IS GOOD TO SEE
PEOPLE EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT
TO RETURN WHILE ALSO RESPECTING
THEIR SELF-DETERMINATION FOR
WHERE THEY WANT TO LIVE.
AGAIN, GIVEN THAT THERE HAVE
BEEN SO MANY IMPORTANT
INVESTMENTS IN THESE
COMMUNITIES, WE HOPE THAT THE
FOLKS WHO ONCE LIVED THERE CAN
RETURN AND BENEFIT FROM THOSE
DEEP INVESTMENTS THAT WE HAVE
ALL MADE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
>> THAT IS A GREAT POINT.
THAT IS A GREAT POINT.
WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT FOR
THEM.
THANK YOU FOR WRITING THAT UP.
IN ADDITION, WE JUST DID
ATTENTION EARLY ON TO THE
FAMILIES.
THE FAMILIES WITH SCHOOL-AGED
KIDS -- WE NORMALLY, WITH THREE
LOCATIONS, WE ARE NOT REQUIRED
TO GIVE 90 DAY NOTICE THAT YOU
ARE DOING RELOCATION,
OFFICIALLY.
WE WENT BEYOND THAT.
WE TOOK 18 MONTHS NOTICE FOR
EACH OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS.
THAT GAVE US SEND THEM THE TIME
TO PLAN, TO THINK, TO MAKE
TIMING WORK, THAT WORKED OUT ON
THEIR SCHEDULE.
WE ARE REALLY GLAD TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD
COUNSELING SESSIONS DURING THAT
WINDOW WITH FAMILIES.
THEY CHANGED THEIR MINDS A
COUPLE TIMES.
THAT ALLOWED THEM TO DO THAT AS
THEY WERE PROCESSING AND
ALLOWED US TO BE BETTER
PREPARED TO SECURE AN INTERIM
HOME FOR THEM.
AND THEN, WE TRY TO DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE
THEY WERE NOT GOING TO BE
PAYING OUT OF POCKET FOR THEIR
RELOCATION.
SO WE TOOK THOSE EXPENSES AND
MADE SURE THAT THAT EXPENSE WAS
BARED BY US, THE SHA, AND NOT
BY THEM, IN CASES WHERE THEY
NEEDED TO DO, SOMETIMES DOUBLE
MOVES TO GET TO THE RIGHT
LOCATION, WE TOOK ON THAT
EXPENSE TO MAKE IT EASY FOR
THEM.
WE TOOK ON THE EXTRA TIME TO
HELP THEM, ORGANIZE, PACK, DO
THE THINGS THEY NEED TO DO, SO
VERY PROUD OF THAT, AND WE WILL
CONTINUE TO LEARN FROM THAT.
THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD MODEL,
BOTH FOR SHA AND FOR FOLKS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS THEY
REACH OUT TO US TO ADMIRE SOME
OF THE WORK WE HAVE DONE IN
THIS AREA, SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THAT.
AND JUST A QUICK SUMMARY FOR
THE COUNCIL ON THE RELOCATION,
THIS SLIDE HERE GIVES YOU SOME
OF THE RAW STATISTICS OF THE
493 HOUSEHOLDS FOR TODAY, 259
-- THEY HAVE NOW RETURNED AND
ARE NOW LIVING IN THE YESLER
TERRACE.
THERE'S ANOTHER 116 WHO ARE
LIVING OFF SITE, LIVING IN THE
SHA PROPERTIES.
THOSE ARE GENERALLY THE FOLKS
WHO ARE SATISFIED WITH THEIR
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS, AND
PROBABLY WILL NOT EXERCISE THE
RIGHT TO RETURN BECAUSE THEY
ARE SATISFIED WITH WHERE THEY
ARE, BUT THEY STILL HAVE THAT
RIGHT.
THERE IS ANOTHER 89 HOUSEHOLDS
WHO ARE LIVING IN NON-SHA
PROPERTIES OUT IN THE
COMMUNITY, OFF-SITE.
THOSE, WE CONTACT THEM EVERY
TIME A NEW BUILDING COMES
ONLINE.
THEY GET THE CHANCE TO EXERCISE
THEIR RIGHT IF THEY NEED TO.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
THERE'S BEEN ABOUT 29
HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE EXERCISE
THE PROGRAM FOR A VARIETY OF
REASONS.
WE ARE FEELING REALLY GOOD
ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH
RELOCATION.
WE HAVE ONE BUILDING THAT IS
UNDER CONSTRUCTION, NOW.
WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER 80+
REPLACEMENT UNITS INCLUDED IN
IT.
WE HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL
BUILDINGS THAT ARE UNDER DESIGN
THAT WILL BE COMPLETED IN THE
COMING YEARS THAT WILL COMPLETE
THE REPLACEMENT HOUSING OF ALL
561 UNITS.
THOSE ARE KIND OF WHAT WE SAID,
TODAY, WITH RELOCATION STATS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE SOME
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THAT,
WE CAN GO DOWN FOR THAT IN THE
FUTURE.
SO LET ME TURN NOW, IF THERE
ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, TO
THE PHYSICAL PROGRESS AND ASKED
TERRY TO GIVE YOU A QUICK
UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE
ACTUAL PHYSICAL PROGRESS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
REALLY QUICKLY, TRYING TO GET
THROUGH THIS TO RESPECT
EVERYONE'S TIME, TO DATE, AS WE
UNDERSTAND, WE HAVE COMPLETED
FIVE BUILDINGS.
WE HAVE COMPLETED MORE THAN
HALF OF THE 561 REPLACEMENT
UNITS.
THEY HAVE BEEN BUILT AND ARE
OCCUPIED ON SITE.
SO THAT IS A GREAT MILESTONE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE
BUILT ANOTHER HUNDRED, WHAT WE
CALL REGULAR AFFORDABLE UNITS
ON SITE, WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY
TO 290, 60% AND BELOW UNITS.
ONE THING WE ARE ALL VERY PROUD
OF IS YESLER COMPLETED ON SITE
RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE 624 INCOME
RESTRICTED UNITS THAT ARE AT
YESLER RIGHT NOW.
THAT INCLUDES THE REPLACEMENT
UNIT, THAT INCLUDES THE
ADDITIONAL 60% UNITS WE HAVE
BUILT AS WELL AS THE 80% UNITS
THAT MARKET PARTNERS HAVE BUILT
ON SITE.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE REALLY
PROUD OF.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE ARE
865 ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE UNITS
IN THE INCOME RESTRICTED UNITS,
THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN
EVELOPMENT.
THEY ARE EITHER UNDER
CONSTRUCTION OR WELL INTO THE
DESIGN PERMITTING PROCESS.
SO BEYOND UNITS, THERE HAVE
BEEN MORE THAN $50 MILLION
INVESTED IN INFRASTRUCTURE IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT INCLUDES
PARKS, OPEN SPACE,
INFRASTRUCTURE, ARTS PROGRAMS,
AND UTILITIES, ET CETERA.
GETTING BACK TO A COMMENT
EARLIER ABOUT HAVING OUR
RESIDENTS REAP THE BENEFITS OF
SOME OF THOSE, WE HAVE ONGOING
PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE MARKET
DEVELOPERS, WE MENTIONED
EARLIER, THEY PROVIDE QUITE A
FEW, 80% UNITS ON SITE.
THAT IS CONTINUING TO BE THE
STORY OUT THERE, 226 80% UNITS,
THEN MARKET RATE UNITS ARE
CURRENTLY ON SITE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU MIGHT
NOTICE, RECENTLY, WE COMPLETED
A PURCHASE.
ONE OF THE SITES WITH KAISER
PERMANENTE, WE ARE REALLY
EXCITED TO HAVE THEM THERE,
GOING TO BUILD A MAJOR MEDICAL
FACILITY AT YESLER, YOU KNOW,
MORE MOVING TOWARDS THE VISION
OF YESLER AS A MIXED INCOME
MIXED-USE NEIGHBORHOOD, REALLY
HOPEFUL ABOUT PARTNERING WITH
THEM AND HAVING JOBS IN
NEIGHBORHOODS AND DIVERSITY [
INDISCERNIBLE ].
>> [ INDISCERNIBLE ] JERRY IS
GOING TO RUN YOU THROUGH THAT,
QUICKLY.
IT IS AN EFFORT THAT WE
INITIATED ON BEHALF OF [
INDISCERNIBLE ] TO EXPAND THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOOTPRINT
AND FOR THE PORTFOLIO, WE DO
IT IN A WAY WE THOUGHT WAS
FINANCIALLY PRUDENT AS WELL.
JARED?
>> THANK YOU, ANDREW.
I APOLOGIZE IF THERE IS SOME
BACKGROUND NOISE.
MY NEIGHBOR HAS DECIDED TO DO
SOME JACKHAMMERING ON A FRIDAY
AFTERNOON.
IF IT GETS A BIT TOO LOUD, I
MIGHT HAVE TO TURN IT BACK TO
ANDREW TO CARRY ON.
SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU'RE
HAVING PROBLEMS HEARING.
SO, WITH THE ACQUISITION
PROGRAM IN 2018, WE SET AN
INITIAL PROGRAM GOAL WITH THE
BOARD OF ACQUIRING 500 UNITS.
OF THOSE 500 UNITS, THE GOAL
WAS TO HAVE 50% OF THE UNITS
SERVE HOUSEHOLDS AT OR BELOW
30% OF VARIANT MEDIAN INCOMES,
SO EXTREMELY LOW INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS IN THE CITY, AND THE
OTHER 50 SERVING ABOVE [
INDISCERNIBLE ] INCOME.
WE ALSO ESTABLISHED SOME
GUIDING QUESTIONS AROUND HOW WE
WOULD EVALUATE PROPERTIES FOR
ACQUISITION.
THOSE WERE BASED ON THE SIX
QUESTIONS ON THE SLIDE, HERE.
WITH OUR MISSION AND WHAT THE
GOALS ARE FOR WHO WE SERVE IN
THE CITY, SERVING MORE LOW
INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IS A
PRIORITY, AND THEREFORE, SHOULD
HAVE BEEN ON THE ACQUISITION
PROGRAM.
WE ALSO WANTED TO ENSURE THAT
ANY ACQUISITION THAT WE BROUGHT
ON DID NOT PUT THE HOUSING
AUTHORITY IN A FINANCIAL
POSITION THAT WAS NOT
SUSTAINABLE, BECAUSE THEIR
FINANCIAL STRENGTH IS ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT ALLOWS US TO
CONTINUE TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE
AND EXTREMELY LOW INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS AS WELL.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO ALWAYS
PRESERVE UNITS.
THAT IS BOTH HOUSEHOLDS THAT
ARE SUBSIDIZED RIGHT NOW, BUT
ALSO SOME PEOPLE REFER TO IT AS
NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, RAPIDLY BEING
GENTRIFIED IN THE CITY.
THAT WAS THE POINT OF THE NEXT
QUESTION, THERE.
THEN, WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO
IMPROVE ACCESS TO NEIGHBORHOODS
AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
TRADITIONALLY LOW INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS HAVE BEEN PRICED OUT
OF.
THAT IS WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT
HIGH OPPORTUNITY NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEN, ANOTHER THING WITH THE
SEATTLE HOUSING AUTHORITY
PROVIDING IN THE CITY, LARGE
FAMILY UNITS.
THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE BEDROOM
UNITS, THAT IS A VERY DIFFICULT
UNIT SIZE TO FIND, ESPECIALLY
WITH THE WAY NEW CONSTRUCTION
IS GOING IN THE CITY.
THAT WAS ANOTHER GOAL OF THE
PROGRAM AND ANOTHER CRITERIA
THAT WE LOOKED AT.
FINALLY, YOU KNOW, CAN WE
PURCHASE THESE NEW UNITS AT A
LOWER COST THAN NEW
DEVELOPMENT?
IF WE ARE BUYING AN OLDER
BUILDING AT A HIGHER COST, THE
ECONOMICS WOULD NOT MAKE AS
MUCH SENSE.
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE
VALUE, THERE.
>> I'M JUST GOING TO NOTE, WE
ARE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF
OUR TIME.
THOSE LAST FEW QUESTIONS --
RELATED TO THE ACQUISITION,
RIGHT NOW, WE SEE THE
POSSIBILITY OF LANDLORDS, SMALL
LANDLORDS WITH PROPERTIES THAT
MIGHT GO DERELICT IF WE DON'T
THINK OF OPPORTUNITIES TO
PURCHASE THEM THROUGH STRATEGIC
ACQUISITION POLICIES, WE COULD
BE MISSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR 3
OR FOUR BEDROOM UNITS AND
AFFORDABLE UNITS POTENTIALLY AT
THAT IF IT'S DONE THROUGH THE
SEATTLE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE TIMING WAS
REALLY GOOD TO LIFT UP THE WAYS
IN WHICH SHA HAS BEEN PURSUING
THIS POLICY ESPECIALLY IN THE
TIME OF THE PANDEMIC WHEN WE
SEE SO MUCH HARM AND HURT IN
THE LOCAL ECONOMY SO I JUST
WANTED TO FLAG THAT SORT OF
WINE NOW HAVE THIS DISCUSSION
AND TRY TO ELABORATE MORE ON
OPTIONS FOR THE CITY AND ARE
PARTNERING CITIES IN THE COUNTY
TO THINK OF THESE STRATEGIC
ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITIES IS A
TRUE WIN-WIN ESPECIALLY FOR
LANDLORDS WHO MIGHT BE
STRUGGLING AS WELL WHO ARE
LOOKING TO SELL --
>> ABSOLUTELY, THANK YOU.
SO, THUS FAR, WE HAVE
PURCHASED, IN 2018 AND 2019, WE
PURCHASED FIVE PROPERTIES
THROUGHOUT THE CITY FOR A TOTAL
OF 540 UNITS.
THE TOTAL PROGRAM COST WAS 112
MILLION WITH AN AVERAGE OF
208,000 PER UNIT.
YOU COULD SEE THE DISTRIBUTION.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF STUDIOS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF TWOS.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME
THREES, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT.
ONE THING TO NOTE AS WELL, THE
MLK APARTMENTS AS WELL AS
GOLDEN SUNSET AND THE WELLER
APARTMENTS, WE PARTNERED WITH
THE CITY ON THOSE AND RECEIVED
A LOAN, AND ACQUISITION LOAN
FOR OVER $50 MILLION THAT
HELPED OFFSET SOME OF THE
ACQUISITION COST.
THOSE PROPERTIES, THE MLK
APARTMENTS, SUNSET AND OTHERS,
THEY SERVE HOUSEHOLDS AT 30% OF
THEIR IMMEDIATE INCOME.
THEY ARE SUBSIDIZED PROPERTY.
THEN, NORTHGATE IS ON THERE,
AND WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT
THAT IN A BIT, THEN SPRING LINE
APARTMENTS IS UP IN THE LAKE
CITY NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS UNDER A 70 UNIT APARTMENT
BUILDING, 69 UNITS, AND IT WAS
NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING HOUSEHOLDS IN THE 60 TO
70% OF THE AMI RANGE.
THOSE HOUSEHOLDS, WHEN WE
PURCHASED THE BUILDING, IT WAS
100% OCCUPIED, I APOLOGIZE,
NONE VACANT, AND THOSE
HOUSEHOLDS HAVE REMAINED IN
PLACE, SO THAT'S GREAT.
>> EXCELLENT, DO YOU MIND IF I
ASK US TO GO TO SOME OF THE
SUMMARY SLIDES THAT YOU HAVE --
THE STRATEGIES THE
OPPORTUNITIES YOU CONTINUE TO
PURSUE AS YOU GO FORWARD?
WE WOULD LOVE TO COME BACK TO
THE AREAS YOU SHOWED, BUT I'M
WONDERING IF THERE IS A BIG TO
DO ITEM FOR US TO KEEP OUR EYES
ON IN 2021.
>> I APPRECIATE THE TIME
CHALLENGE WE HAVE.
WITH THIS, I WILL SAY THAT
NORTHGATE IS AN EXAMPLE, AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY AND SHA
TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOTH IN
TERMS OF INCREASING THE SUPPLY
OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WELL
AS CREATING THE COMMUNITY THAT
WILL SERVE A POPULATION THAT IS
GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR THE
TRANSIT ORIENTED AREA SO WE ARE
IN CONVERSATIONS NOW WITH
HOUSING, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THEM, WE WILL BE COMING BACK TO
THE COUNCIL TO LAYOUT CRITERIA,
TO LAY OUT OUR ROLES, TO LAYOUT
THE TIMELINE FOR THE
REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT PROJECT,
AND THE AGREEMENT, THE GOALS OF
WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, AND
THE PARTNERSHIP FOR THE CITY
AND SHA TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO I DON'T GO INTO NORTHGATE
ANY MORE THAN THAT OTHER THAN
TO SAY THAT IT IS A SIGNIFICANT
PROJECT THAT WILL COME BEFORE
THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION, AND IT IS, AS
YOU CAN SEE, THE CORE GOALS AND
COMMITMENTS ARE THE KIND OF
THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE
CONSISTENT WITH PRIORITIES AS
WELL AS PRIORITIES AS IT
PERTAINS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING
AS IT RELATES TO COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO, I THINK WE CAN STOP THERE.
IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE OR COUNCIL MEMBERS,
WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN
THEM.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
TO THE ENTIRE TEAM, SORRY FOR
CUTTING YOU SHORT, WE
APPRECIATE THE DETAILS PROVIDED
IN THE POWERPOINT AS WELL, AND
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET OUR
COLLEAGUES OUT BY 4:30 AT THE
LATEST.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, TODAY?
WE APPRECIATE AS ALWAYS YOUR
EXPERTISE AND YOUR HISTORY AS
THESE ISSUES -- WE ARE LOOKING
AT POLICY AND LAW TO MAKE SURE
THESE ITEMS ARE BEING ADHERED
TO.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A LONG HISTORY
WITH TRACKING THESE ITEMS,
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> I APPRECIATE KNOWING FROM
SHA THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE
HEARING MORE FROM NORTHGATE,
THE AREA IS AN AREA THAT HAS
BEEN ON THE LIST OF A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO WORRY ABOUT
DISPLACEMENT.
IT'S AN AREA THAT WAS LIKELY TO
BE SOLD AND REDEVELOPED.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT SHA
HAS SWOOPED IN AND SAVED THE
DAY.
BEFORE WE HEAR MORE ABOUT THE
REDEVELOPMENT PLANS AND THE
EXTRA INCLUSION OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IN THE FUTURE, MY
QUESTION, THOUGH, RELATES TO
THE ISSUE THAT I KNOW IS NEAR
AND DEAR TO THE HEARTS OF MY
COLLEAGUES, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GONZALES RELATED TO THE
CHILDCARE AT YESLER.
THE SLIDE EARLIER SHOWED ONLY A
THIRD OF THE CHILDCARE
PROVIDERS CHOSE TO RETURN TO
YESLER TERRACE.
A LOT OF THOSE WERE IN-HOME
CHILDCARE.
I'M WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT
THERE IS NOW A GAP IN CHILDCARE
PROVIDERS FOR THIS COMMUNITY
AND WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE ANY
WORK UNDERWAY TO ADDRESS THE
NEED?
>> YOU ARE CORRECT IN THAT THAT
IS WHO HAS, TO DATE, DECIDED TO
COME BACK TO YESLER.
IN THE REDEVELOPMENT OF YESLER,
A NUMBER OF CHILDCARE -- BIG
DAY CARE UNITS WERE REPLACED
ONE FOR ONE.
THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT WERE
USED FOR DAYCARE AT THE TIME OF
THE REDEVELOPMENT HAVE BEEN
REPLACED, OR WILL BE REPLACED.
AS I RECALL, THERE WERE 26
BUSINESSES AT THAT TIME.
SO WE HAVE 26 UNITS THAT ARE
EQUIPPED TO HAVE FROM DAYCARE.
SOME OF THEM, THERE HAVE BEEN A
FEW DAYCARE PROVIDERS WHO ARE
HAPPY WHERE THEY HAVE LANDED.
WHILE THEY MAY NOT COME BACK,
THEY ARE STILL IN BUSINESS, AND
STILL PROVIDING THAT SERVICE TO
A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY
WE DO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO
INCLUDE THE SAME NUMBER OF
DAYCARE PROVIDERS THAT WERE ON
THE SITE WHEN WE STARTED THE
REDEVELOPMENT.
>> YOU HAD THE CAPACITY, BUT
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE SAME
NUMBER OF PEOPLE OF CHILDCARE
SLOTS ARE IN OPERATION RIGHT
NOW.
SOME OF THE UNITS THAT WERE
ABLE TO BE USED AS IN-HOME
CHILDCARE FACILITIES ARE STILL
ABLE TO BE USED FOR THAT
PURPOSE.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> ARE THEY RESERVED FOR
SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO DO THAT?
OR CAN THEY BE USED BY SOMEONE
WHO HAS NO INTENTION OF RUNNING
A DAYCARE OUT OF THEIR HOME?
>> THEY CAN BE USED BY SOMEONE
WHO HAS NO INTENTION.
WE WOULD NOT HOLD THE UNIT
VACANT UNTIL SOMEONE DECIDED TO
START A DAYCARE.
BUT IF SOMEONE HAD THAT
INTENTION, WE WOULD TRY TO
ACCOMMODATE THEM, BECAUSE THERE
ARE ONLY SO MANY UNITS THAT CAN
BE USED FOR THAT.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER -- THAT'S
CORRECT.
WE CAN MOVE FOLKS ON SITE TO
FREE UP THE DAYCARE UNIT IF WE
HAVE A NEED FOR SOMEONE COMING
BACK WHO WANTS TO OPERATE A
DAYCARE.
WE CAN DEAL WITH THAT SO THEY
DON'T HAVE TO GO ON A LONG LIST
AND WAIT THREE OR FOUR YEARS TO
OPERATE ADAYCARE.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWERS,
I APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU AS WELL.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS ON THIS.
OKAY, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN, THANK
YOU TO THE OFFICE OF HOUSING
FOR RESENTING THIS GREAT
INFORMATION.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK, SUNSET
WEST IN DISTRICT SIX, I HAVE
THE PRIVILEGE OF LIVING NEXT
DOOR TO THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITS
HISTORY.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT BY THE
AIR AND SPACE MACHINISTS
INDUSTRIAL LOCAL 751 AS A
RETIREMENT FACILITY, AND I'M
JUST GLAD TO SEE THAT IT IS
BEING PRESERVED TO SERVE PEOPLE
WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD
THANK YOU ALL, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR HARD WORK.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
I HAVE HEARD A DESIRE TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE YOU BACK ON
THE AGENDA HERE SOON TO GET AN
UPDATE ON NORTHGATE, AND
PERHAPS, WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON
SOME STRATEGIC REQUISITION.
I WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT AS WELL,
DOES THAT SOUND OKAY?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE ARE AT YOUR DISPOSAL.
>> WE KNOW WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU
UNTIL JULY.
IS THAT RIGHT?
>> ACTUALLY, IT IS UNTIL MAY.
>> I THOUGHT I WOULD PUSH IT A
LITTLE.
>> WE HAVE BEEN TRYING.
>> WE WILL DEFINITELY GET YOU
BACK WELL BEFORE THEN, AND WE
WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO CELEBRATE
THE AMAZING TENURE YOU HAVE HAD
IT SHA.
THANK YOU FOR THAT REMINDER,
AND EARLY CONGRATULATIONS, BUT
WE ARE NOT READY TO GO YET.
YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS
AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU FOR
THE PRESENTATION.
I DON'T SEE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE
LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA, TODAY.
WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 16, IF I'M
NOT MISTAKEN, MADAM CLERK, CAN
YOU PLEASE READ THE LAST ITEM
INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 16, CB
119990, AND ORDINANCE RELATING
TO EMPLOYMENT IN SEATTLE
ESTABLISHING LABOR STANDARDS
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL
COMPENSATION FOR GROCERY
EMPLOYEES WORKING IN SEATTLE,
FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE
VOTE.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
WE HAVE WITH US THE ESTEEMED
KARINA BULL, WHO SPENT AND A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME
WORKING WITH -- TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT IS GOING ON IN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS AS WE UNDERSTAND
THE HAZARD PAY IN FRONT OF US.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, TODAY.
I HAVE ASKED OUR TEAM TO LET
YOUR OFFICES KNOW THAT WE ARE
HOPING TO BE DONE NO LATER THAN
4:30.
THAT GIVES US ABOUT 45 MINUTES.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION
YOU WILL BE WALKING US THROUGH
ALONG WITH THE LEGISLATION IN
FRONT OF US.
I AM THANKFUL IN ADVANCE FOR
YOUR TIME.
COLLEAGUES, I WILL KEEP MY
COMMENTS VERY BRIEF, HERE, YOU
HAVE HEARD FROM WORKERS WHO
CALLED IN AND SPOKE THIS
MORNING, PEOPLE LEANING OVER
THEM, REACHING FOR ZUCCHINI,
THEY CAN FEEL THEIR BREATH,
THEY SEE THE MASK BELOW THEIR
NOSE AND MOUTH, AND THEY ARE
PUTTING THEIR LIVES AT RISK
JUST TO GO TO WORK.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO WORK FROM HOME LIKE MANY OF
US ON THIS CALL DO, TODAY.
THEY ARE MAKING SURE WE HAVE
FOOD ON THE TABLE AND ACCESS TO
TOILET PAPER AND ESSENTIALS AND
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WORKERS
BEING HEROES OR PUTTING
THEMSELVES OUT ON THE LINE
BEING ESSENTIAL AND SACRIFICING
THEIR HEALTH, WE SHOULD NOT
TREAT THEM AS SACRIFICIAL.
WE SHOULD COMPENSATE THEM FOR
THE HAZARD THEY ARE IN.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
IT'S WHAT THE CITIES LOS
ANGELES -- THE COUNTY OF LOS
ANGELES, BERKELEY, SACRAMENTO,
AND SO MANY OTHERS ARE
CONSIDERING RIGHT NOW AT THIS
VERY MOMENT, SANTA MONICA IS
COMING UP -- SANTA MONICA HAS
PASSED THEIRS AS WELL.
ELLIE IS PASSING THERE'S NEXT
WEEK.
MONTEBELLO IS PASSING ON THE
27th, OAKLAND AND SAN JOSE, THE
FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY, SO LIKE
MANY CITIES UP AND DOWN THE
WEST COAST, THE SKYROCKETING
COST OF HOUSING AND GOODS AND
ALSO SKYROCKETING CASES OF
COVID, I'M EXCITED TO BRING THE
LEGISLATION FORWARD TO YOU FOR
CONSIDERATION TODAY AND
APPRECIATE YOUR THE TIME -- [
INDISCERNIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU.
[ INDISCERNIBLE ] I HAVE A
POWERPOINT PRESENTATION.
THERE IT IS.
I AM KARINA BULL.
I AM WITH COUNCIL COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
I'VE PUT TOGETHER A
PRESENTATION FOR THE COMMITTEE
THAT INCLUDES AN OVERVIEW OF
THE INTRODUCED LEGISLATION.
IT WAS INTRODUCED ON TUESDAY.
ALONG WITH A SUBSTITUTE BILL,
IT MAKES IT A SMALL NUMBER OF
AMENDMENTS AS WELL.
SO, TO BEGIN, THIS LEGISLATION
IS EMERGENCY LEGISLATION, WHICH
MEANS THAT THERE ARE A HOST OF
FINDINGS THAT SHOW THE NEED FOR
EMERGENCY LEGISLATION THAT
WOULD HAVE AN IMMEDIATELY
EFFECTIVE DATE DUE TO THE
EXISTENCE OF THE COVID-19
EMERGENCY, AND THE DIRE NATURE
OF THE GROCERY WORKERS WHO ARE
ON THE FRONT LINES WITH THE
PUBLIC PERFORMING THEIR WORK.
THIS LEGISLATION, AT ITS HEART,
WOULD REQUIRE GROCERY
BUSINESSES OPERATING IN SEATTLE
TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEES HAZARD PAY
AT A RATE OF FOUR DOLLARS PER
HOUR FOR WORK PERFORMED IN
SEATTLE URING THE COVID-19
EMERGENCY.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROVISIONS
THAT COULD BE GIVEN TO THOSE
WHO ALREADY KNOW OUR LABOR
STANDARDS, AND THEY WILL BE
GOING THROUGH EACH OF THESE IN
THESE PRESENTATION.
TO BEGIN, THE EMPLOYERS THAT
ARE COVERED BY THIS PROPOSED
LAW WOULD BE GROCERY
BUSINESSES, THAT IS A TERM OF
THE LEGISLATION, WITH 500 OR
MORE EMPLOYEES WORLDWIDE, AND
THAT 500 COUNT WOULD INCLUDE
EMPLOYEES IN A FRANCHISE
NETWORK, AND IT WOULD INCLUDE
ALL THE EMPLOYEES IN WHAT'S
CALLED THE INTEGRATED
ENTERPRISE.
IF IT'S A SUBSIDIARY OF A
BUSINESS, ALL THE EMPLOYEES
ACROSS THE GLOBE AND THE PARENT
COMPANY WILL BE COUNTED.
COVERED EMPLOYEES WILL BE THOSE
WHO ARE HOURLY, AND COVERED BY
SEATTLE'S ORDINANCE.
>> KARINA, JUST ON THAT LAST
SLIDE, I WANT TO KNOW, YES, WE
ARE RECOGNIZING THE URGENCY OF
THE COVID CRISIS, BUT WE HAVE
ALSO DONE DUDE DILIGENCE TO
CHECK IN WITH OTHER
JURISDICTIONS.
I ASKED THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
WE WERE DEFINING THE SIZE.
SOME JURISDICTIONS THAT I
MENTIONED EARLIER, MANY OF THEM
ARE USING 300 EMPLOYEES, WE
DECIDED TO GO WITH A 500 NUMBER
JUST IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING
HOW IT COMPARES [ INDISCERNIBLE
].
>> YEAH, THE 500 NUMBER IS
CONSISTENT WITH "CITY OF
SEATTLE'S LABOR STANDARDS,
SECURE SCHEDULING, MINIMUM
WAGE, IT ALSO USES THE 500
THRESHOLD, AND IT ALSO COUNTS
EMPLOYEES ACROSS THAN FRANCHISE
NETWORK AS WELL.
IN THE SUBSTITUTE BILL, THERE
IS A PROPOSED REVISION TO
EMPLOYER COVERAGE, ACTUALLY, IN
THE BASE JUMP FOR COVERAGE, BUT
I'M GOING TO BRING IT UP AGAIN
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GROCERY
BUSINESSES, SO SLIGHT PAUSE ON
THIS.
REGARDING EMPLOYEE COVERAGE,
THE SUBSTITUTE BILL PRODUCES A
CLARIFICATION THAT EMPLOYEES
ARE COVERED IF THEY WORK FOR A
GROCERY BUSINESS AT A RETAIL
LOCATION.
WHAT THAT MEANS, IF THE GROCERY
BUSINESS HAS A SPACE THAT IS
PURELY COMPRISED OF
ADMINISTRATIVE WORKERS, PURELY
ADMIN, THOSE WORKERS WOULD NOT
BE COVERED.
IT IS THE WORKERS AT A RETAIL
LOCATION, AND FOR THOSE RETAIL
LOCATIONS, IT IS EVERYONE WHO
IS COVERED, EVEN IF THERE IS A
BACK ROOM WITH A BOOKKEEPER,
THOSE WORKERS STILL MIGHT MEET
IN THE BREAK ROOM, THEY MIGHT
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CO-
MINGLE WITH WORKERS WHO ARE ON
THE FLOOR INTERACTING WITH
CUSTOMERS.
THE PROPOSALS TO COVER ALL OF
THEM.
>> THE DEFINITION OF THE
GROCERY BUSINESS IS SOMETHING
THAT WAS ADOPTED FROM THE LOS
ANGELES PROPOSAL FOR HAZARD
PAY.
IT HAS BEEN ADOPTED TO FIT THE
NEEDS OF SEATTLE.
IT WOULD COVER TWO KINDS OF
BUSINESSES.
ONE OF THEM IS OVER [
INDISCERNIBLE ] IN SIZE WHICH
IS PRIMARILY ENGAGED IN THE
SALE OF GROCERIES, AND THAT
WOULD BE THE MORE CLASSIC KIND
OF GROCERY STORE.
ANOTHER ONE IS OVER 85,000
SQUARE FEET WITH 30% OR MORE OF
ITS SALES ROUGHLY DEDICATED TO
THE SALE OF GROCERIES.
THAT IS A KIND OF SITUATION
WHERE IT IS A VERY LARGE STORE
THAT IS ENGAGED IN SELLING
GENERAL MERCHANDISE, SOME OF
WHICH INCLUDES THE SALE OF
TREES.
THIS WOULD PRECISELY PINPOINTED
AT 30% OR MORE OF SALES
WORKSPACE.
TO CLARIFY THE TYPES OF
BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT COVERED,
THE LEGISLATION SPECIFICALLY
SAYS IT DOES NOT INCLUDE
CONVENIENCE STORES OR FOOD
MARTS.
THAT IS TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL
CLEAR BOTH FOR OUTREACH AND
ENFORCEMENT AND THE GENERAL
PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT KINDS OF
BUSINESSES ARE NOT COVERED.
IN THE SUBSTITUTE BILL, THERE
IS A PROPOSED REVISION TO ALSO
MAKE IT ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT
FARMERS MARKETS ARE NOT COVERED
BY THIS LAW AS WELL.
THEY ARE OUTSIDE.
THE SQUARE FOOTAGE WOULD NOT
APPLY, NECESSARILY, TO THOSE
KINDS OF OPERATIONS.
GOING BACK TO AN EARLIER
PROPOSED REVISION REGARDING
EMPLOYER COVERAGE, WHEN THE
OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS IS
CONSIDERING WHAT KIND OF
EMPLOYER IS COVERED, THERE MAY
BE SOME OF THE INFORMATION, THE
DEFINITION IS NOT IMMEDIATELY
AVAILABLE, PRIMARILY ENGAGED,
WHETHER IT IS 30% OF FLOOR
SPACE, THIS PROVISION WOULD
ALLOW OLS TO TAKE A NUMBER OF
FACTORS INTO CONSIDERATION TO
FIGURE OUT IF A BUSINESS IS
COVERED.
DOCKETING AND PROMOTION
MATERIAL, STATE REPRESENTATIVES
OF THE EMPLOYER AND OTHER
ITEMS, SO THIS IS A PART OF THE
LAW THAT SEEKS TO HELP OLS MAKE
A -- EFFICIENT DETERMINATIONS
AND BE ABLE TO HAVE A QUICKER
INVESTIGATION.
SO, MOVING ON TO THE HOUSING
PAY REQUIREMENTS, AS I STATED
PREVIOUSLY, IT IS FOUR DOLLARS
FOR EACH HOUR WORKED IN
SEATTLE, THE HAZARD PAY IS ON
TOP OF THE EMPLOYEES OTHER
COMPENSATION.
WHAT THAT MEANS, IF YOUR
EMPLOYEE IS EARNING $20 AN HOUR
IN WAGES, THIS HAZARD PAY WOULD
BE ON TOP OF THAT.
THE EMPLOYEE WOULD BE EARNING
$24 AN HOUR FOR THE PERIOD OF
TIME THAT THIS LAW IS IN
EFFECT.
THE LAW DOES INCLUDE A
PROHIBITION ON REDUCING THE
EMPLOYEES COMPENSATION TO MEET
THESE HAZARD PAY REQUIREMENTS.
WHAT THAT MEANS, IS THE
EMPLOYER WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED
TO REDUCE THE COMPENSATION FROM
$20 TO JUST THE MINIMUM WAGE AT
$16.69, THEN LAYER THE FOUR
CENTS ON TOP OF THAT.
INSTEAD, THIS HAZARD PAY IS
CLEARLY TO BE PAID ON TOP OF
WHAT EMPLOYEES ARE ALREADY
EARNING.
AND, CONSISTENT WITH
REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE ALREADY
IN LAW UNDER THE WAGE THEFT
ORDINANCE, THERE ARE NOTICE
REQUIREMENTS.
EMPLOYERS MUST PROVIDE A
REVISED NOTICE OF EMPLOYMENT,
THAT IS TO THE EMPLOYEE THAT
THEY WILL BE GETTING THIS
HAZARD PAY, TYPICALLY, THAT
KIND OF NOTICE IS REQUIRED
BEFORE THE CHANGE IN PAY
HAPPENS.
IN RECOGNITION THAT THIS IS
EMERGENCY LEGISLATION, IT IS
GOING INTO EFFECT, QUICKLY.
THE LAW DOES ALLOW 30 DAYS TO
PROVIDE THAT KIND OF
INFORMATION TO EMPLOYEES.
ALSO, THE HAZARD PAY NEEDS TO
BE PROVIDED ON A REGULAR PAY
DAY THAT WAGES ARE PAID.
HAZARD PAY NEEDS TO BE
SEPARATELY ITEMIZED ON EACH
PAYCHECK.
THAT WAY, AND PLEASE KNOW THAT
THEY ARE GETTING IT.
ONE THING TO MENTION, WE KNOW
THAT SOME BUSINESSES HAVE
AREADY BEEN PROVIDING HAZARD
PAY.
WHETHER IT BE AT AN INCREASED
RATE PER HOUR, TWO DOLLARS PER
HOUR, THE BONUS, THAT MIGHT BE
FOUR DOLLARS PER HOUR AVERAGED
OUT OVER A PERIOD OF WEEKS,
THIS PARTICULAR HAZARD PAY
WOULD BE PAID OUT, A LUMP-SUM
PAYMENT ONCE A MONTH WOULD NOT
COMPLY WITH THIS ORDINANCE.
HOWEVER, THIS NEXT PAGE, WHICH
IS IN THE SUBSTITUTE BILL,
SORRY, I'M GOING TO MOVE AHEAD.
THIS RECOGNIZES THAT SOME
EMPLOYEES, BY THE TIME THIS LAW
GOES INTO EFFECT, MAY ALREADY
BE PAYING EMPLOYEES HAZARD PAY,
SAY THEY ARE ALREADY PAYING
THEM TWO DOLLARS AN HOUR.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS LAW IS NOT
TO AUGMENT EMPLOYEES PAY SIX
DOLLARS, THE EXISTING TWO
DOLLARS PLUS ANOTHER FOUR
DOLLARS, THIS LAW IS TO MAKE
SURE THAT EMPLOYEES GET A SUM
TOTAL OF FOUR DOLLARS PER HOUR
IN HAZARD PAY.
IN A PROPOSED REVISION, THERE
IS WHAT IS CALLED HAZARD PAY
OFFSET, AND WHAT THAT WOULD
ALLOW IS AN EMPLOYER TO COUNT
THE ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION
THEY ARE ALREADY PROVIDING
TOWARDS THE FOUR DOLLAR HAZARD
PAY OBLIGATION.
THERE WOULD NEED TO BE SOME
THINGS IN PLACE, IN CASE IT
EVER CAME TO OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS FOR A DEEPER LOOK TO
MAKE SURE THAT EMPLOYEES ARE
AWARE OF WHY AN EMPLOYER MAY BE
INCREASING THEIR PAY BY TWO
DOLLARS RATHER THAN FOUR
DOLLARS, PREVIOUS VACATION TO
WORKERS, THIS IS ADDITIONAL
COMPENSATION, THIS IS BEING
PAID DUE TO WORKING THE COVID-
19 EMERGENCY.
EMPLOYERS WOULD BEAR THE BURDEN
OF PROOF TO SHOW THAT THE
ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION WAS FOR
THE PURPOSES OF WORKING DURING
THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY.
AT THE END, WHEN AN EMPLOYER
MAY BLEND COMPENSATION WITH NEW
COMPENSATION, THE EMPLOYER
WOULD NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
ALL OF THE PAY IS BEING
PROVIDED, ON THE EMPLOYEE'S
REGULAR PAY DATE, NOT SOME ON
THE PAY DATE AND SOME ONCE A
MONTH.
THAT IS WHAT THESE PROPOSED
REVISIONS ARE SEEKING TO
ACCOMPLISH.
I WILL GO BACK AND SAY THAT
ANOTHER SUBSTITUTE BILL REVISED
PROVISION IS THAT LAWYERS ARE
REQUIRED TO KEEP RECORDS OF ANY
REASON FOR REDUCTION IN AN
EMPLOYEE'S PAY, SO THAT WILL
HELP ESTABLISH THE REDUCTION IN
PAY IS DUE TO A DIFFERENT
REASON THAN ANYTHING RELATED TO
THIS LAW.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW
INCLUDE A STANDARD DISPLAY OF
THE POSTER IN THE WORKPLACE,
SIMILAR TO THE WORKER
LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED
LAST SUMMER, THE RESPONSIBILITY
IS ON THE EMPLOYER TO DEVELOP
THIS NOTICE OF RIGHTS AND PUT
IT IN THE WORKPLACE.
THE EMPLOYER HAS 30 DAYS TO DO
THAT.
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
MAY DEVELOP A MODEL POSTER, BUT
IT IS ULTIMATELY THE EMPLOYER'S
RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING THAT
POSTER RECORD-KEEPING IS A
STANDARD WITH OTHER LABOR
STANDARDS, A THREE-YEAR
OBLIGATION TO KEEP RECORDS, AND
OF COURSE, THE RETALIATION IS [
INDISCERNIBLE ] FOR WORKERS
EXERCISING THEIR RIGHTS.
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND
LAMENTING THIS LAW, THAT IS
POLICY DEVELOPMENT, OUTREACH
AND ENFORCEMENT, THERE IS ALSO
A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.
EMPLOYEES MIGHT BE ABLE TO FILE
A LAWSUIT, AND REMEDIES, AGAIN,
SIMILAR TO OTHER LABOR
STANDARDS, UP TO 3 TIMES THE
AMOUNT OWED, PENALTIES PAID TO
THE CITY TO THE AGGRIEVED PARTY
AND FINDS -- A COUPLE OF
PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE
PROPOSED SECTION, THE DIRECTOR
IS REQUIRED TO CONSIDER A RANGE
OF ACTORS WHEN DETERMINING
REMEDIES WHICH MIGHT HELP THE
DIRECT OR DECIDE TO NOT IMPOSE
THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE REMEDY
THAT IS OWED, SAY THE FULL
AMOUNT OF REMEDY IS ALWAYS PAID
TO THE WORKER, BUT THERE ARE
PENALTIES THAT CAN BE UP TO
$500 AGAINST THE EMPLOYER.
THERE ARE SITUATIONS WHEN THE
DIRECTOR DECIDES NOT TO LEVY
THE FULL $500 PER WORKER
PENALTY.
RIGHT NOW, THE DIRECTOR IS
REQUIRED TO CONSIDER THESE FACT
ERRORS.
THIS WOULD GIVE THE DISCRETION
TO CONSIDER THOSE.
THERE IS A PENALTY IF THEY DO
NOT PROVIDE ACCURATE RECORDS.
THIS REVISION WOULD MAKE IT
CLEAR THAT THAT PENALTY IS $50
PER DAY.
AGAIN, THAT GOES TO THE WORKER.
THAT PENALTY WOULD ONLY BE IN
PLACE WHEN AN EMPLOYER IS NOT
PROVIDING SUFFICIENT RECORDS.
THE DURATION OF THE
LEGISLATION, RIGHT NOW,
EMPLOYERS WOULD BE REQUIRED --
I'M SORRY, IT SAYS PREMIUM PAY
ON THERE, BUT IT SHOULD SAY
HAZARD PAY.
HAZARD PAY FOR THE DURATION OF
THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY DECLARED
BY THE MAYOR, THE RECITALS MAKE
IT VERY CLEAR THAT THE COUNCIL
HAS CONSIDERED MODIFYING OR
ELIMINATING THIS REQUIREMENT
AFTER FOUR OR MORE MONTHS OF
IMPLEMENTATION AND RECOGNITION
THAT AFTER FOUR MONTHS
EMPLOYEES MIGHT BE FULLY
VACCINATED, AND IT MIGHT BE
APPROPRIATE FOR THE COUNCIL TO
CONSIDER LIMITING THOSE
REQUIREMENTS.
THE LEGISLATION IS SET UP RIGHT
NOW THAT THE HAZARD PAY WOULD
CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE
DURATION OF THE EMERGENCY, EVEN
THE FACT THAT RIGHT NOW, IT IS
A RAPIDLY EVOLVING SITUATION,
NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IS GOING TO
HAPPEN IN FOUR MONTHS.
THE FOUNDATION IS, IT CONTINUES
THROUGHOUT THE EMERGENCY AND
COUNCIL MAY COME BACK AND
DECIDE TO MODIFY THAT.
THE REST OF THE LEGISLATION IS
IN PLACE FOR 3 YEARS AFTER THE
EMERGENCY.
THAT GIVES ALLIES THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THOSE
RECORDS AND TO ENFORCE
COMPLAINTS OF VIOLATION.
SO, THE NEXT STEPS, THIS MAY BE
UP FOR A FULL COUNCIL VOTE ON
MONDAY.
OF COURSE, THE COMMITTEE MAY
TAKE ACTION, TODAY.
I DO WANT TO ADD A FEW WORDS
ABOUT THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS BECAUSE I HAVE
RECEIVED QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR
CAPACITY TO TAKE ON A NEW LAW
GIVEN THEIR HIGH WORKLOAD.
SO I DO WANT TO GIVE AN
OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS HAPPENING
IN THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS RIGHT NOW, AND WHAT
THEY DID TO IMPLEMENT LAST
SUMMER'S REGULATION FOR
WORKERS, THAT WAS PREMIUM PAY
FOR WORKERS, IT IS SORT OF LIKE
THE EQUIVALENT OF HAZARD PAY
FOR WORKERS WHO ARE DELIVERING
ITEMS FOR FOOD DELIVERY NETWORK
COMPANIES AND ALSO PAID SICK
TIE FOR THOSE WORKERS.
SO, OLS DID A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF WORK TO IMPLEMENT THOSE LAWS.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DEVELOP
FAQS OR RULES, BECAUSE THE LAWS
ALREADY ADDRESSED THOSE ISSUES.
SIMILAR FOR THIS LAW, OLS WAS A
VERY CLOSE COLLABORATOR AND
PROVIDER OF FEEDBACK, SO THIS
LAW REFLECTS A LOT OF THE ITEMS
THAT USUALLY WOULD NEED TO
ADDRESS, MAKING Q AND DAYS IF
THIS LAW ALREADY ADDRESSES
THOSE ISSUES, AND IF THEY HAD A
CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ON THE
LEGISLATION, WE REALLY HAVE
APPRECIATED THEIR INPUT AND
COLLABORATION.
GOING BACK TO LAST SUMMER, OLS
WAS ABLE TO CREATE FAQS AND WEB
SHEETS IN UP TO 10 LANGUAGES,
THEY HAD WEBINARS, THEY WERE
ABLE TO HAVE PREDETERMINED
INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE PAY
LEGISLATION -- THEY
ACCOMPLISHED A GREAT DEAL.
THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS
PARTICULAR LAW -- WHILE SIMILAR
TO THE [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
LEGISLATION, IS DIFFERENT THAT
COULD RESULT IN WORK FOR THEM.
ONE OF THEM IS TO HAVE THE
OCCURRENCE THAT THE FALL
COVERS EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS
THAT ARE ALREADY COVERED BY
SOME OF THEIR OTHER LAWS.
SO THOSE FOLKS -- THEY ARE
READY TO ASK AND REACH OUT TO
OLS FOR QUESTIONS AND
ASSISTANCE AND THAT CAN CREATE
MORE WORK FOR THEM IF THERE IS
AN INVESTIGATION THAT IS OPENED
UP FOR THIS LAW THEN THAT MIGHT
INCLUDE INVESTIGATION OF THOSE
OTHER LAWS AS WELL THAT TOUCHED
THE EMPLOYERS, THE WAGE THEFT
MINIMUM WAGE, SECURE
SCHEDULING, ET CETERA.
THAT IS AT THE TOP OF OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS MIND.
THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY
SEE THE NEED FOR $10,000 FOR
OUTREACH, AND ABOUT $112,000 TO
FILL A POCKET THAT WAS NOT
FUNDED FOR AN OUTREACH PERSON.
THIS POCKET IS STILL THERE.
IT WAS NOT FUNDED AS THE PART
OF THE LAST BUDGET.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE
COUNCIL COULD CONSIDER AS FAR
AS A SUPPLEMENT TO BUDGET OR
SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS OLS
COULD HAVE ON AN EMERGENCY
BASIS.
ONE LAST PIECE, OLS
ACCOMPLISHED EVERYTHING LAST
SUMMER IN THE MIDST OF A HIRING
FREEZE.
THEY WERE SHORT STAFFED AND
COULDN'T HIRE FOLKS.
AT THIS MOMENT, THEY HIRED TWO
INVESTIGATORS, THEY HAVE SEVEN
VACANT POSITIONS, THAT'S A
QUARTER OF THEIR OFFICE.
THEY ARE BUDGETED FOR FTEs.
THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF
HIRING FOR 4 OF THOSE
POSITIONS.
THERE ARE JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR
THE TWO POSITIONS THAT WERE
OPENED IN THE 2021 BUDGET AS
OON AS THE HR PAPERWORK IS
DONE, AND THEY ARE WAITING ON
NEXT STEPS FOR THE VACANT
OUTREACH MANAGER POSITION WHEN
THE NEW DIRECTOR COMES ON
BOARD, WHICH IS THE LAST THING
I WILL SAY, OF COURSE, OLS HAS
NOMINATED DIRECTORS THAT WILL
COME ON BOARD IN THE WEEKEND OF
FEBRUARY AND [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
PROCESS.
THAT IS MY PRESENTATION FOR
THIS LEGISLATION.
I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I SEE COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB
WALKING US THROUGH THE
SUPPLEMENTAL BILL AS WELL AS
THE UNDERLYING BILL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESEARCH AND
YOUR TIME.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY CHIEF
OF STAFF WHO HAS BEEN DOING
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF OUTREACH
AND ENGAGEMENT ON THIS ISSUE,
AND REALLY KNOWS THE ISSUE IN
AND OUT IN THE URGENCY, REALLY
STEPPING IN AFTER THE HOLIDAYS
TO HELP MAKE THIS POSSIBLE,
THIS WEEK.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK [
INDISCERNIBLE ]. YOU HEARD
PUBLIC TESTIMONY WITH THE
GROCERIES.
WE HAD A FEW CONVERSATIONS.
I ALWAYS TRY TO REACH OUT AND
GET FEEDBACK ON ITEMS, EVEN IF
THERE IS DISAGREEMENT , THE
FEEDBACK HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
IT HAS HELPED INFORM MANY OF
THE CHANGES YOU SEE IN THE
SUPPLEMENTAL BILL IN FRONT OF
US.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE
GROCERIES TIME ON THIS AND
LETTING US KNOW SOME THINGS
THAT ARE MORE WORKABLE OR SOME
CONCERNS THAT CAME UP SO WE CAN
FIND SOME SOLUTIONS.
OF COURSE, THE FOLKS AT UFC W
21, SAMANTHA, DOING OUTREACH TO
JURISDICTIONS DOING SIMILAR
LEGISLATION, WE WILL REITERATE
IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, I JUST
WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL
OF YOUR WORK AND I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO VICE-CHAIR HERBOLD FOR
HER QUESTION I BELIEVE ON THE
LAST QUESTION RELATED TO OLS.
>> YEAH, I HAVE A SUGGESTION AT
A QUESTION.
THE SUGGESTION AS IT RELATES TO
FUNDING IS WHETHER OR NOT WE
COULD INVESTIGATE FEDERAL
REIMBURSEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH
COVID RESPONSE.
I'M HEARING THAT POTENTIALLY
THE CITY MIGHT WANT TO THINK
ABOUT BEING MORE CREATIVE IN
SOME OF OUR REQUESTS TO THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FOR
INSTANCE, KING COUNTY HAS DONE
A REIMBURSEMENT UNDER COVID FOR
THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE BEEN
DOING AROUND HATE CRIMES,
BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN AN
INCREASE IN HATE CRIMES DURING
THE TIME OF COVID, SIMILARLY,
THIS IS NOT LEGISLATION WE
WOULD NEED ANYONE TO ENFORCE,
BUT FOR THE PRESIDENTS --
PRESENCE OF COVID.
JUST FILLING THAT OUT, THAT
MIGHT BE SOMETHING WORTH
CHECKING WITH THE BUDGET
OFFICES THEY MANAGE, THE THINGS
THAT THEY ARE REQUESTING
REIMBURSEMENT FOR FOR THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
MY QUESTION GOES BACK TO THE
DEFINITION -- EXCUSE ME, A
GROCERY STORE, FOR PURPOSES OF
APPLICATION OF THIS LAW, I ASK
BECAUSE I KNOW I WILL BE ASKED.
I WILL BE ASKED, WHY ARE WE
JUST USING THE CODE?
THE DEFINITION SEEMS REALLY
COMPLICATED, SO, I WANT TO BE
ABLE TO ANSWER FOLKS WHO ASKED
WHY WE ARE NOT SIMPLY RELYING
ON THE [ INDISCERNIBLE ].
THANK YOU.
>> WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION AS
WELL.
I KNOW YOU HAVE GOOD ANSWERS ON
THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE SUGGESTION ON
THE FEDERAL FUNDS, ESPECIALLY
FOR COVID RELIEF, THIS IS VERY
MUCH IN LINE WITH SOME OF THE
OTHER CONVERSATIONS THAT WE
HAVE HAD WITH THE DIRECTOR OF
BUDGET, AND WE WOULD VERY MUCH
LIKE TO TAKE THAT UP AS WE
THINK ABOUT WAYS TO HELP
PROVIDE SOME IMMEDIATE RELIEF
TO OUR FRIENDS AND FELLOWS
THANK YOU FOR THAT [
INDISCERNIBLE ], THANK YOU.
>> THERE WERE A RANGE OF THINGS
CONSIDERED, THE MIX CODE, THE
LANDINGS CODE, WHAT WAS
ACTUALLY LANDED ON, AND THE MIX
CODE CAN BE HELPFUL, IT CAN
ALSO BE A BIT CONFUSING,
BECAUSE EMPLOYERS CHOOSE THEIR
CODE, THEN THEY USE THAT FOR
THEIR BUSINESS LICENSE.
SOMETIMES THEY CHOOSE A CODE
THAT ISN'T ACTUALLY APPROPRIATE
FOR THEIR BUSINESS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I LOOKED AT
THE CODES AT QFC, IT WAS LISTED
AS A GENERAL MERCHANDISE -- [
INDISCERNIBLE ] RATHER THAN A
SUPERMARKET, IN OTHER WORDS, [
INDISCERNIBLE ] SUPERMARKET.
I FOUND THAT MANY CONVENIENCE
STORES CHOSE TO CLASSIFY
THEMSELVES BY THE CODE FOR
SUPERMARKETS RATHER THAN
CONVENIENCE STORES, WHEN THERE
IS ACTUALLY A CODE FOR
CONVENIENCE STORES.
SO THAT CAN GET CONFUSING BOTH
FOR BUSINESSES AND FOR THE
OFFICES OF LABOR STANDARDS WHEN
THEY ARE TRYING TO DO
ENFORCEMENT, IF THEY HAVE TO
RELY SOLELY ON THE CODE -- IF
THEY HAVE GRAPPLED WITH THAT
AND THE LIMITATION OF SECURE
SCHEDULE AND ORDINANCE WHICH IS
ACTUALLY EASIER BECAUSE IT IS
BROADER BUT STILL FOR THIS
LEGISLATION WE ARE JUST MORE
NARROWLY FOCUSED ON PARTICULAR
EMPLOYERS THAT ARE PRIMARILY
ENGAGED IN GROCERIES OR THAT DO
IT AS PART OF THEIR LARGER
GENERAL MERCHANDISE SALE OF
ITEMS.
IT WAS DETERMINED TO GO AHEAD
AND BASE IT ON THIS BY BROCADED
DEFINITION THAT TESTING WISHES
BETWEEN PRIMARILY SUPERMARKETS
AND GENERAL MERCHANDISE WHICH
HAS 30% OF THE SALES FORCE
SPACE AND GROCERIES.
DOES THAT HELP?
>> THANK YOU.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU, GREAT
QUESTION, AND I KNOW WE WILL BE
ASKED, SO GREAT, THANK YOU FOR
ALLOWING US TO HAVE THE BENEFIT
OF THAT ANSWER.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS ON THE PRESENTATION
FROM KARINA?
PRESIDENT GONZALES?
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU KARINA, FOR THE GOOD
WORK ON THIS, AS ALWAYS, VERY
THOROUGH.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE -- ON THE
COVID FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT
POTENTIAL, I JUST WANTED TO
REMIND FOLKS THAT WE WILL
ACTUALLY HAVE OUR FEDERAL
LOBBYIST WITH US ON FRIDAY
DURING THE COUNCIL BRIEFING.
PUT A PIN IN THAT.
LET'S BRING THAT UP ON MONDAY
TO MAKE SURE WE SIGNAL THAT
INTEREST TO OUR FEDERAL
LOBBYING TEAM.
IT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION.
KARINA, REALLY QUICKLY, ON THE
ISSUE OF DEDUCTION, SO THERE
WAS A SLIDE YOU WENT THROUGH
WHERE YOU LAID OUT THAT YOU
CANNOT COME OUT OF COMPENSATION
FOR EMPLOYEES, THE FIRST THING
I THOUGHT OF, ARE WE GOING TO
SEE EMPLOYERS DO A DEDUCTION ON
EMPLOYEES PAGE TAX -- WHICH,
YOU KNOW, CAN ARGUABLY BE
CONSIDERED NOT TAKEN AWAY FROM
COMPENSATION, BECAUSE IT IS NOT
PART OF THE HOURLY WAGE, IT IS
SOMETHING ELSE, IT'S A
DIFFERENCE IN OTHER DEDUCTION.
THEN HE WENT ON IN YOUR
PRESENTATION, YOU HAD A
DIFFERENT SLIDE THAT TALKED
ABOUT DEDUCTIONS, THEY HAVE TO
BE REPORTED AND DOCUMENTED.
SO I AM NOT QUITE CLEAR IF THE
LEGISLATION EXPLICITLY
PROHIBITS DEDUCTIONS FOR
PURPOSES OF ACCOUNTING FOR THE
REQUIREMENTS THAT PAY FOR
HAZARD PAY.
DOES THE LEGISLATION EXPLICITLY
PROHIBITS AN EMPLOYER WHO THIS
LAW WOULD APPLY TO?
DOES IT EXPLICITLY PROHIBIT THE
EMPLOYER FROM IMPOSING A
DEDUCTION ON AN EMPLOYEE'S
PAYCHECK FOR PURPOSES OF, YOU
KNOW, MAKING UP THE DIFFERENCE
ON THE HAZARD PAY?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
MY MEMORY OF STATE [
INDISCERNIBLE ] LAW ON
DEDUCTIONS IS RECALLING THAT
FOR AN EMPLOYER TO TAKE MONEY
OUT OF AN EMPLOYEE'S PAY, THERE
NEEDS TO BE AN AGREEMENT FROM
THE EMPLOYEE TO DO THAT.
IT CANNOT BE SOMETHING THAT THE
EMPLOYER UNILATERALLY DOES.
SO, THAT IS THE FIRST PART OF
MY ANSWER.
THE NEXT PART IS, [
INDISCERNIBLE ] , I BELIEVE THE
LEGISLATION COVERS THIS.
IT HAS A VERY BROADLY WORDED
STATEMENT.
THIS IS ON SLIDE 10 OF THE
PRESENTATION.
[ INDISCERNIBLE ] EMPLOYERS AS
A RESULT OF THIS ORDINANCE
SHALL NOT TAKE STEPS TO REDUCE
EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION SO AS TO
PREVENT THEM FROM RECEIVING THE
HAZARD PAY AT A RATE OF FOUR
DLLARS PER HOUR.
AND SO, ANY DEDUCTION FROM
COMPENSATION IS A STEP TO
REDUCE THE COMPENSATION.
I WOULD THINK THAT KIND OF
ACTION WOULD FALL INTO
PROHIBITION AGAINST EMPLOYERS
WHO ARE TAKING ANY KIND OF STEP
TO REDUCE THE COMPENSATION TO
NOT REFLECT THE FULL FOUR
DOLLARS AN HOUR HAZARD PAY.
>> DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
>> NOT REALLY.
I'M STILL CONCERNED THAT -- AND
PART OF IT IS BECAUSE I DON'T
HAVE THE ACTUAL DEFINITION OF
COMPENSATION IN FRONT OF ME,
WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT IS THAT
-- I NEED TO GET A CLEAR
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
COMPENSATION IS IN THIS
ORDINANCE.
BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S AN
ARGUMENT THAT COULD BE MADE
DEPENDING ON WHAT THE
DEFINITION OF COMPOSITION IS,
THAT WOULD BE SORT OF NARROWLY
SCOPED TO THE HOURLY WAGE. SO,
IN OTHER WORDS, IF COMPENSATION
IS DEFINED AS $15 PER HOUR, BUT
I AM BASICALLY SAYING I'M GOING
TO DEDUCT FOUR DOLLARS FROM
YOUR PAYCHECK FOR OTHER
REASONS, DOES THAT ACTUALLY
MEAN THAT THAT EMPLOYER IS
IMPACTING COMPENSATION, OR
WOULD IT BE CONSIDERED IN A
DIFFERENT NON-COMPENSATION
CATEGORY FOR WHICH AN EMPLOYER
CAN JUSTIFY THE DEDUCTION?
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT
THERE MIGHT BE SOME VAGUENESS
IN THERE.
MAYBE THERE ISN'T, WE PROBABLY
DEFINED WHAT COMPENSATION
MEANS.
BUT I WOULD LIKE THAT CLARITY.
WHAT I DON'T WANT IS TO HAVE,
YOU KNOW, VAGUENESS AROUND THAT
DEDUCTION COMPONENT, SEEING
EMPLOYERS REDUCING PAYCHECKS IN
A DIFFERENT WAY UNDER A
DIFFERENT DEDUCTIONS CATEGORY.
>> YES, THE FIRST THING I WILL
SAY, I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU
OFF-LINE TO MAKE SURE THAT
THESE CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED.
AND THEN, I WILL ALSO SAY THAT
COMPENSATION IS DEFINED IN THIS
ORDINANCE THE SAME WAY IT IS
DEFINED IN THE WAGE THEFT
ORDINANCE.
AGAIN, IT IS QUITE BROAD.
IT MEANS THE PAYMENT OWED TO AN
EMPLOYMENT FOR REASONS OF
EMPLOYMENT.
ANY PAYMENT THAT IS DUE BY
VIRTUE OF BEING AN EMPLOYEE,
WHETHER IT BE WAGES, TIPS,
SERVICE CHARGE DISTRIBUTIONS,
OVERTIME, REST BREAKS, PROMISED
LEGISLATIVELY, REQUIRED PAY OR
PAY LEAVE, IT COULD BE
REIMBURSEMENT FOR EMPLOYMENT OR
EMPLOYER EXPENSES, ALL OF THAT
IS IN THE DEFINITION OF
COMPENSATION.
SO I'M FEELING CONFIDENT IT
ADDRESSES THE SITUATION YOU
SAID.
AGAIN, I WILL FOLLOW-UP TO
CONFIRM THAT AND GET BACK IN
TOUCH WITH YOU.
>> AWESOME, THANKS, KARINA.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
CLEAR ON WHAT CAN BE DEDUCTED
FROM THE FINAL PAGE AND WHAT
CANNOT BE UNDER THIS HAZARD PAY
LEGISLATION BECAUSE IT IS THE
COUNCIL'S INTENT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THAT DOES NOT -- THAT A
DEDUCTION FRAMEWORK IS NOT USED
AS A VEHICLE TO CIRCUMVENT THE
COMPENSATION COMPONENTS AND
RESTRICTIONS OF THE BILL AS
PROPOSED BY THE CHAIR SO IF YOU
COULD JUST CONFIRM THAT FOR ME,
THAT WOULD BE GREAT, AND IF WE
CAN'T CONFIRM IT, AND WE SORT
OF REALIZE THAT THERE MIGHT BE
A LITTLE BIT OF CLEANUP NEEDED,
I WOULD CERTAINLY BE INTERESTED
IN WORKING WITH THE CHAIR IN
ADVANCING SOME TECHNICAL
CLARIFICATION TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE DEDUCTION COMPONENT IS NOT
GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE UTILIZED
IN A WAY THAT WOULD BE CONTRARY
TO THE INTENT OF THE
LEGISLATION, THANK YOU MANAGER.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
I APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS.
I KNOW WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT
EVERY EYE IS DOTTED AND EVERY T
IS CROSSED, SO THANK YOU FOR
FOLLOWING UP ON THAT.
I ALSO SHARE A SIMILAR LEVEL OF
CONFIDENCE IN HAVING FEEDBACK
FROM SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO HAVE
RECEIVED THIS FROM THE WORKER
-- SORT OF ADVOCATE SIDE IN
ENSURING THAT THE LANGUAGE WAS
CLEAR.
THE THING THAT WAS MOST
IMPORTANT IN THE RESPONSE THAT
WE RECEIVED WAS THAT THERE IS A
FAIR REPRESENTATIVE BEING KEPT,
SOMETHING WE WANTED TO MAKE
SURE OF.
I THINK THERE ARE SIMILAR
CROSSOVERS IN THE DESIRE OF THE
OUTCOME OF THE LEGISLATION AND
THE INTENT OF BEING REPLICATED
ON THIS AND I BELIEVE I HEAR
THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT SAYING IF
THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS BY
MONDAY, WE WOULD POTENTIALLY
WORK ON SOME TECHNICAL CLEANUP.
>> YEAH, AND I THINK THE SORT
OF RECORD-KEEPING PIECES ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT.
BUT IF THE LAW IS AT ALL
AMBIGUOUS ABOUT HOW DEDUCTIONS
CAN OR CANNOT BE UTILIZED IN
THE CONTEXT OF HAZARD PAY, THEN
I AM NERVOUS THAT WE WILL HAVE
RECORD-KEEPING ON DEDUCTIONS,
BUT NOT AWAY TO SORT OF DO
COURSE CORRECTION IN THE EVENT
WE ARE SEEING EMPLOYERS
UTILIZING THE DEDUCTION ASPECTS
ON A FINAL PAYCHECK TO
CIRCUMVENT THE INTENT OF THE
LAW.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE
ADDRESSED THAT IN THE BILL, AND
THAT IS NOT A CONCERN, AND I AM
APPRECIATIVE OF KARINA SAYING
THAT, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO KARINA CONFIRMING THAT OFF-
LINE.
ONCE WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE
TIME, JUST TO MAKE SURE OF
THAT, THAT IS TRIPLE QUADRUPLE
CONFIRMED.
>> EXCELLENT, I APPRECIATE
THAT.
AND THANK YOU, KARINA, AS WELL,
FOR YOUR ANSWERING US HERE,
TODAY.
ALSO, WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH
OUR COLLEAGUES TO MAKE SURE
THAT THAT ANSWER IS REFLECTED
IN THE RECORD FOR OUR
DISCUSSION.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS,
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS?
>> MADAM CHAIR, [ INDISCERNIBLE
].
>> GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
>> I HAVE A BRIEF COMMENT.
I APPRECIATE KATRINA'S
PRESENTATION, SOME OF THE
RULEMAKING AND SOME OF THE
BACKEND ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF AT
POSSIBLY REDUCED STANDARDS THAT
WAS DONE FOR THE GIG -- THE APP
BASED GIG WORKER THAT
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AND I
PROPOSED LAST YEAR, IS
IMPLEMENT IN THIS, WHICH IS
GOOD TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, I WAS
PROUD TO PUT THAT FORWARD AND
PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS
LEGISLATION, I WOULD JUST --
THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT I WOULD
MAKE AT THIS TIME, I WILL
RESERVE MY COMMENTS FOR MONDAY,
IS I WOULD EXPRESS, GIVEN MY
PAST SUPPORT, THE GIG WORKER
HAS YOUR PAY LEGISLATION.
I REALLY, REALLY HAVE A DEEP
INTEREST IN THIS GENERAL ISSUE
OF [ INDISCERNIBLE ] HAZARD PAY
RELIEF FOR WORKERS. I WOULD
LIKE TO EXPRESS MY INTEREST AT
THIS TIME TO BE ADDED AS A
COSPONSOR TO THIS LEGISLATION
AND REALLY THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND THE
COALITION THAT HAS BEEN
ASSEMBLED IN SUPPORT OF THIS
AND I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT IT
TODAY AND ON MONDAY.
>> THANK YOU MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, WE WOULD
WELCOME YOUR COSPONSORSHIP, AND
WE WOULD ALSO LET THE COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES KNOW ON THE HOUSING
COMMITTEE YOUR INCREDIBLE
SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP ON LABOR
ISSUES, NOT ONLY THIS LAST YEAR,
BUT BEFORE, IT HAS BEEN
INCREDIBLY APPRECIATED.
IF ANY WOULD LIKE TO ADD THEIR
NAME AS A COSPONSOR, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, WE WOULD BE HAPPY,
COUNCILMEMBER, GONZALES,
COUNCIL MEMBER HELLO, THANK YOU
FOR ADDING YOUR NAME AS A
COSPONSOR, KARINA, THAT IS A
TESTAMENT TO YOUR WORK IN YOUR
PRESENTATION, TODAY.
WE APPRECIATE IT, ALSO
ACKNOWLEDGING, WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE FOLLOW UP ON THE
QUESTIONS ENSURE WE WILL
RECEIVE -- ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TODAY?
KARINA, THIS HAS BEEN VERY,
VERY HELPFUL WALK-THROUGH --
YOU HAVE PROVIDED THIS IN A
WAY, WE CAN ALL KEEP UP TO
SPEED WITH YOUR RESEARCH.
THANK YOU FOR THAT AS WELL.
COLLEAGUES, I AM SENSING THAT
YOUR COSPONSORSHIP, FOLKS ARE
FEELING PRETTY PASSIONATE ABOUT
WANTING TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS
LEGISLATION IN A SENSE OF
URGENCY AROUND THIS, I THINK WE
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF
US TO ADDRESS WHAT THE DATA IS
SHOWING, AND THAT IS THAT
GROCERY STORE WORKERS ,
ACCORDING TO THE BRITISH
MEDICAL JOURNAL WHO LOOKED AT
GROCERY STORE WORKERS IN THE
CITY OF BOSTON JUST LAST
OCTOBER, FOUND THAT EMPLOYEES
WERE WORKING ON THE GROCERY
STORE FLOORS WERE FIVE TIMES AS
LIKELY AS THOSE WHO INTERACTED
WITH CUSTOMERS BECAUSE OF THEIR
INTERACTION WITH CUSTOMERS TO
CONTRACT COVID COMPARED TO
OTHERS WHO DID NOT HAVE TO
ENGAGE WITH CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE
OF A GROCERY STORE AISLE.
THIS IS A TIME TO ACT, IT IS
NOW, WE KNOW THAT THERE WAS
OVER 400 CASES IN JUST ONE DAY
OF PEOPLE DYING.
WITH THE NEW STRAIN THAT IS
MAKING ITS WAY INTO OUR
COMMUNITIES AND BECOMING EVER
MORE PREVALENT, THE VACCINE
CANNOT GET HERE FAST ENOUGH.
WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
PROTECT OUR FRIENDS AND
NEIGHBORS AND FAMILY MEMBERS
WHO ARE WORKING AT GROCERY
STORES.
AS A REMINDER, THE CITY OF
BERKELEY PAST THEIR LEGISLATION
WITH FIVE DOLLARS AN HOUR
HAZARD PAY, LONG BEACH PAST AS
WELL, FOUR DOLLARS AN HOUR,
CITIES COMMUNITY MEETING IS [
INDISCERNIBLE ]. L.A.
COUNTY WILL BE ON THE 26th, AND
MONTEBELLO IS ON THE 27th OF
JANUARY , BROOKLYN AND SAN JOSE
ARE SET TO ACT THE FIRST WEEK
OF FEBRUARY.
UP AND DOWN THE WEST COAST,
FOLKS WHO ARE IN SIMILAR
SITUATIONS DEALING WITH THE
HIGH COST OF LIVING AND THE
PREVALENCE OF COVID ARE ACTING
IN MANY ASPECTS LIKE WE ARE
TODAY WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY
AND CENTERING DISCUSSION ON
THOSE MOST IMPACTED OUR FRONT-
LINE GROCERY STORE WORKERS HERE
TODAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THE
COMMUNITY RECOMMENDS PASSAGE OF
CB 119990 , AND I WILL MOVE TO
AMEND IT.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> IS THE MOVE TO 2nd AND AMEND
CB 119990 BEFORE WE TAKE
COMMENTS, LET'S GO AHEAD AND
MOVE THE AMENDED VERSION.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THE
COUNCIL BILL -- I WOULD LIKE TO
AMEND COUNCIL BILL 11990 BY
SUBSTITUTING VERSION ONE OR
VERSION 2, IS THAT CORRECT,
KARINA?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
I HEARD THE SECOND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT HAS MOVED AND SECONDED THAT
WE SUBSTITUTE FOR VERSION 2.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS ON THIS BILL IN FRONT
OF US?
YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY SAID
POWERFUL STATEMENTS IN YOUR
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ALREADY,
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IF THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL WITH
THE ADOPTION OF THIS BILL?
>> HER BOLD, GONZALES?
MEMBER LEWIS?
COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS, CHAIR
MUSCULAR?
MADAM CHAIR, THAT IS FIVE IN
FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU, THE
MOTION CARRIES, THE SUBSTITUTE
BILL IS ADOPTED AS AMENDED, IT
IS IN FRONT OF US AS A
COMMITTEE, ARE THERE ANY
FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE BILL AS
AMENDED?
>> I WILL NOTE, THANK YOU, AS
WELL, TO THE MAYOR AND HER TEAM
WHO HAVE INDICATED SUPPORT FOR
THIS SPECIAL EMERGENCY ASPECT,
WE APPRECIATE THE ENCOURAGEMENT
FROM HER OFFICE AS WELL.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE GO AHEAD
AND CALL THE FINAL PASSAGE
SUBSTITUTE COUNCIL BILL
119990.
>> VICE-CHAIR HERBOLD?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER GONZALES?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> CONSUMMATE HER STRESS?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR MUSCULAR?
>> MADAM CHAIR, THAT IS FIVE IN
FAVOR NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK.
THE MOTION CARRIES.
THE SUBSTITUTE WILL AS ADOPTED
WILL BE SENT TO THE FULL
COUNCIL, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I
BELIEVE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 25th
FOR CONSIDERATION?
>> YES.
I DO BELIEVE, BUT I LOOK TO THE
CLERK, I MIGHT HAVE TO MOVE TO
SUSPEND THE RULES BEFORE WE
ADJOURN TODAY IN ORDER FOR
ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN, BUT
YES, I HAVE PREVIOUSLY WITH
COUNCIL RULES AGREED WITH THE
CHAIRS FOR A REQUEST FOR ALLOW
FOR THAT MOTION TO OCCUR TO
ALLOW THE FULL CITY COUNCIL TO
CONSIDER THIS LEGISLATION ON
THE DAY OF THE 25th.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
CONSISTENT WITH THOSE RULES,
BECAUSE THE MEETING IS ON A
FRIDAY, COUNCIL RULES WOULD
REFER TO FIGURE 21st COUNCIL
MEETING, BUT WE, UNLESS WE
SUSPEND THE RULES, THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, AS YOU HEARD, HAS
PROVIDED RULES TO BE PLACED ON
JANUARY 5th MEETING FOR THE
COUNCIL'S FULL AGENDA.
I MOVED TO SUSPEND THE RULE TO
ALLOW THIS BILL TO BE REFERRED
TO THE JANUARY 25th MEETING.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION,
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
COUNCIL RULES RELATED TO THE
REFERRAL OF LEGISLATION AT 12
NOON WILL BE SUSPENDED TO ALLOW
FOR THE REFERRAL OF COUNCIL
BILL 119990 AS AMENDED TO BE
ON THE JANUARY 25th SEATTLE
COUNCIL MEETING.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE RULE
IS SUSPENDED, IT IS NOW
OFFICIALLY REFERRED, THANK YOU
AGAIN COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR
CONSIDERING THAT AS PART OF
YOUR AGENDA, THANK YOU ALL FOR
YOUR FEEDBACK AND YOUR QUICK
ACTION TO HELP SAVE LIVES AND
HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF
COVID AS WE ALL STAY HOME TO
STAY HEALTHY, APPRECIATE
EVERYTHING OUR GROCERY WORKERS
AND THEIR EMPLOYERS ARE DOING
TO HELP PROTECT THE HEALTH AND
SAFETY OF EMPLOYEES ON THE
FRONT LINE AND THIS WILL BE A
TRUE WAY FOR US TO RECOGNIZE
THEY ARE IN HARMS WAY AND
EXPOSING THEMSELVES TO THE
HEALTH HAZARD OF COVID EVERY
DAY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
PASSING EVERY DAY, IF THERE IS
NO OTHER COUNTS, IT IS 4:30, I
PROMISE TO GET YOU OUT OF HERE,
THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH ME A
LITTLE EXTRA, AND OUR NEXT
MEETING WILL BE ON DEBBIE RAY
SECOND AT 9:30 A.M.
AT OUR NORMAL TIME ON TUESDAY,
WE WILL HAVE APARTMENTS FOR THE
HOUSING AUTHORITY, ANOTHER
APPOINTED FOR HOUSING AUTHORITY
AND TWO APPOINTMENTS FOR THE [
INDISCERNIBLE ] AND POTENTIALLY
A FEW OTHER ITEMS WITH YOUR [
INDISCERNIBLE ]. WITH THAT,
TODAY'S MEETING IS ADJOURNED,
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, THANK YOU
ALL FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK,
TODAY.