>>> GOOD MORNING.
>> WE ARE RECORDING.
>> GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU FOR
JOINING THE FINANCE AND HOUSING
COMMITTEE MEETING. TODAY IS
JANUARY 18, 2023. THE TIME IS
9:30 3 AM. THE FINANCE AND
HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING WILL
COME TO ORDER. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> EXCUSE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> PRESENT.
>> FOUR PRESENT, WHEN EXCUSED.
>> THANK YOU. I WANT TO SAY
THANKS TO OUR CLERKS FOR BEING
HERE. ARE CLERK IN PERSON
THROUGHOUT THE LAST FIVE YEARS,
AND HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE, AS
SHE TRANSITIONS TO MOSTLY
REMOTE WORK WE ARE GOING TO
WELCOME MELANIE WHO WILL BE
WITH US IN PERSON AND WILL
HAVE DUAL WORKING FOR THE
FINANCE AND HOUSING COMMITTEE.
THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU AND
WELCOME, MELANIE. THANKS TO
THE TWO OF YOU AND OUR TEAM
FOR HELPING TO MANAGE THESE
MEETINGS. IN FRONT OF US TODAY
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE
A ROBUST DISCUSSION , FIRST
STARTING WITH THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WILL WE
WILL HEAR THE REPORT ON THE
FUTURE OF SEATTLE ECONOMY, YOU
MIGHT REMEMBER THIS IS A REPORT
AND BLUEPRINT WE REQUESTED ,
COMMISSIONED, VIA THE PASSAGE
OF JUMPSTART PROGRESSIVE
PAYROLL TAX. THE JUMPSTART TAX
LEGISLATION INCLUDED A ROBUST
DETAILED SPEND PLAN IN WHICH WE
ASKED THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT TO WORK WITH IS
THIS AND REPRESENTATIVES,
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LEADERS,
TO TALK ABOUT HOW THESE DOLLARS
COULD BE DEPLOYED. OVER THE
COURSE OF THE UPCOMING WE HAVE
$40 MILLION GOING INTO
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. FOR
2024, THE BLUEPRINT WE WILL
HERE TODAY IS HOW THOSE
DOLLARS IN THE SECOND PART OF
THE BIENNIUM WILL POTENTIALLY
BE DEPLOYED. THEY ARE SEEKING
FEEDBACK AND GIVING US UPDATE
ON THE STICKEL THE PROCESS THEY
HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN. THE
SECOND ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS AN
UPDATE FROM THE HOUSING
CONNECTOR UNITY WORKERS. THIS
IS THE SECOND TIME I REMEMBER
THEY HAVE BEEN IN OUR
COMMITTEE. I WANT TO THANK
HOUSING CONNECTOR FOR BE HERE
WHO WILL PROVIDE US AN UPDATE
ON HOW NOT ONLY THEIR PLATFORM
IS GOING, BUT THE PARTNERSHIP
THEY HAVE WITH REGIONAL
PARTNERS AND CITY PARTNERS AND
HOUSING FOLKS WHO NEED
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT ALSO
STABLE HOUSING. SO THAT WILL BE
A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION. AND
THEN WE WILL WRAP UP OUR
PRESENTATION TODAY WITH OUR
PARTNERS FROM KING COUNTY. WANT
TO THANK THE KING COUNTY
EXECUTIVE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
AS WELL WHO HAVE PUT FORWARD A
LEVY FOR THE APRIL BALLOT THAT
WILL HELP CREATE THE
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED FOR FOLKS
WHO HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CRISES TO GO TO, AS WE HEAR
FROM PEOPLE ACROSS THE
SPECTRUM, FROM FIREFIGHTERS TO
HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS, THEY
NEED A LANDING ZONE. THERE IS
NO PLACE TO REFER PEOPLE TO. TO
MAKE SURE THEY CAN GET THE
HELP, AND CARE THEY NEED AND
THE STAPLES AND SUPPORT
SERVICES THEY NEED SO PEOPLE
CAN GET STABILIZED. THIS IS A
WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR
ABOUT WHAT WILL BE ON THE
BALLOT FOR APRIL. AND VOTERS
WILL GET THE CHANCE TO MAKE A
DECISION ON HOW TO SUPPORT THAT
EFFORT. THIS IS OUR AGENDA FOR
TODAY. THE FIRST MEETING OF
2023. I AM EXCITED WE ARE
KICKING IT OFF WITH ALL OF
THESE THINGS THAT TOGETHER
CREATE A MORE HEALTHY
COMMUNITY. AND REALLY, I THINK
REPRESENT THE SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH . I HAD
TO GET THAT IN. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION TODAY'S AGENDA WILL
BE ADOPTED. HEARING AND SEEING
THE AT AGENDA OBJECTION IT IS
ADOPTED. THANK YOU FOR
PARTICIPATING IN A REMOTE
PUBLIC COMMENT. AND REMOTE
HEARING OPPORTUNITY. THANKS TO
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CONTINUE
TO DIAL IN REMOTELY AND
PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING. IF
YOU ARE IN THE AUDIENCE ALONG
WITH WEARING MASKS WHICH I WILL
PUT ON AFTER I'M DONE SPEAKING,
THERE WERE SOME HEADLINES
YESTERDAY FROM THE SEATTLE
TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES ABOUT
THE INCREASED NUMBER OF FOLKS
WHO ARE CONTRACTING THE FLU.
LITTLE ON THE ONGOING PANDEMIC
THAT WE HAVE THAT IS PERVASIVE
IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY. CONTINUE
TO MASK UP INDOORS ESPECIALLY
IN CROWDED AREAS AND ENSURE
THERE IS GOOD VENTILATION, THAT
IS WHY WE ALWAYS OPEN THE DOORS
IN HERE. TODAY I UNDERSTAND WE
HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT. IS THAT TRUE
FOR REMOTE AND IN PERSON? OKAY,
THANK YOU. THERE IS NO ONE
SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
TODAY. WE ARE GOING TO GET
RIGHT INTO IT. THE PUBLIC
PLUMMET PERIOD HAS BEEN OPENED
AND NOW IT IS CLOSED. IF YOU
HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS YOU WOULD
LIKE TO PROVIDE YOU CAN ALWAYS
EMAIL US COUNCIL SEATTLE.GOV.
THE FULL COUNCIL RECEIVES YOUR
COMMENT. WITH THAT , MADAME
CLERK, DO WE HAVE OUR
PRESENTERS FROM THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC ELEMENT ON THE LINE?
IC DIRECTOR MARKHAM McINTYRE.
WONDERFUL. GOOD MORNING TO YOU,
SIR. I FEET DONNA MOODIE, GOOD
MORNING. WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOU
HERE. I SEE ERIC GOODMAN.
WELCOME BACK. EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE SODO BIA. AND
IC I SEE ANGELA DUNLEAVY ,
SHE WILL BE WITH US AS WELL,
THE CEO OF FARESTART. IF
THERE'S ANYONE ELSE YOU HAVE
INVITED ANYONE TO MAKE SURE
THEY GET IN LET US KNOW AND
WE'LL MAKE SURE TO DO THAT. I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING
WITH US . BEFORE I TURN OVER
TO DIRECTOR MARKHAM McINTYRE I
WANT TO EXPLAIN TO THE VIEWING
AUDIENCE YOU WILL SEE FOLKS
CONTINUE TO PARTS OF THE
REMOTELY. WE DO FULL REMOTE TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE REDUCING THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN PERSON. I
WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE TEAM
OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS WERE NOT
JUST BEING HERE TODAY BUT FOR
THE MONTHS, IF NOT OVER A
YEAR'S WORTH OF WORK YOU HAVE
DONE IN HELPING TO CREATE THE
REPORT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT
TODAY. I AM REALLY THRILLED
THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
GET AN UPDATE FROM THE OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND
COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HELPED
CREATE THE BLUEPRINT FOR THE
JUMPSTART SEATTLE PROGRESSIVE
PAYROLL TAX IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE ECONOMIC RESILIENCE
SECTION. GOOD MORNING, ANGELA,
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAVE
YOU IN THE ZOOM WITH US AS
WELL. COLLEAGUES, I THINK ONE
THING IS TRUE WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT JUMPSTART, THE LARGE
NUMBER OF ADVOCATES AND THE
BREADTH OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS
WHO CAME TOGETHER ACROSS THE
POLITICAL SPECTRUM, ACROSS
LABOR AND BUSINESS, ACROSS
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND
TRANSIT ADVOCATES, FOLKS WHO
WORK ON FOOD SECURITY AND
IMMIGRANT RIGHTS, AND MUCH
MORE. TOGETHER THEY HELPED US
BUILD A SPEND PLAN FOR
JUMPSTART THE INCLUDES AS WELL
THE TENANTS OF THE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPED SECTION OR WHAT WE
CALL ECONOMIC RESILIENCE AS
PART OF JUMPSTART SPEND PLAN.
WE HAD, AT THE TIME IN 2020, A
SERIES OF COMPOUNDING CONCERNS.
AND MOUNTING CRISES. AS WE SAW
NOT ONLY THE COVID PANDEMIC
SPREAD ACROSS OUR GLOBE, BUT
WE ALSO SAW LOCAL RAMIFICATIONS
ON OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. BOTH IN
TERMS OF SMALL BUSINESSES
LOSING THEIR WORKPLACES AND
WORKERS THEMSELVES LOSING THEIR
LIVELIHOOD. EVERYONE DEALING
WITH THESE STRESSORS AS
FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND
NEIGHBORS ALSO POTENTIALLY
CONTRACTING COVID. AND LOSING
THEIR LIVES OR BEING SERIOUSLY
HARMED BY THE CRISIS. WE WANTED
TO ACT WITH URGENCY AND THAT IS
PART OF WHY WE PASSED JUMPSTART
PROGRESSIVE PAYROLL TAX TO
RESPOND TO THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS
FROM COVID BUT ALSO BE
PREPARED FOR A MORE JUST AND
ROBUST ECONOMY SO THAT WE COULD
SUSTAIN THE CRISIS THAT WAS
COMING DOWN ON US FROM OUR
LOCAL ECONOMY, MAKE SURE THAT
WE COVERED IN A MORE EQUITABLE
WAY AND THAT WE DID SO IN A
GREEN WAY AS WELL. WE WANTED
TO MAKE SURE WE SET ASIDE FUNDS
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND
WORKERS DURING THE MOMENTS OF
CRISES, WHICH WE THOUGHT MIGHT
BE ONE YEAR, MAYBE TWO. WE ARE
NOW IN YEAR THREE OF COVID. BUT
WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE A
RECOVERY AND MORE FOLKS COMING
DOWNTOWN AND MORE FOLKS HAVING
PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT OPEN AND
SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE
OPPORTUNITY. WANT THESE
JUMPSTART DOLLARS TO BE A
DIRECT INTO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY
TO CREATE THE JUST AN ECHO WILL
RECOVERY. FOLLOWING DISCUSSIONS
WITH A NUMBER OF THE SEATTLE
BUSINESSES, BUSINESS
ASSOCIATION, LABOR UNIONS,
WORKER REPRESENTATIVES
THEMSELVES, WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT LEADERS, WE DECIDED
TO DEDICATE 15% OF JUMPSTART
DOLLARS TO SMALL BUSINESS
SUPPORT AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT WITH A STRONG
EMPHASIS ON A JUST TRANSITION
TO A GREEN ECONOMY. REGARDING,
I JUST WANT TO READ FROM
RESOLUTION 31957, AND AGAIN,
THAT WAS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED BY
THE COUNCIL , SPECIFICALLY IT
SAYS, 15% OF THE PROCEEDS MAY
BE USED TO SUPPORT LOCAL
BUSINESS AND TOURISM TO SPUR
ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND PROVIDE
ECONOMIC STABILITY FOR THE
WORKFORCE. INVESTMENTS WILL
PRIORITIZE PROGRAMS, SERVICES,
THAT DIVERSIFY THE LOCAL
ECONOMY AND IMPROVE JOB
QUALITY. THIS SHOULD INCLUDE
INVESTING IN LABOR-MANAGEMENT
TRAINING PROGRAMS, AND
PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS
WHOSE WORK FOCUSES ON
INNOVATIVE WORKFORCE STRATEGIES
THAT SUPPORT AND CREATE JOBS
WITH STRONG PAY AND BENEFITS
AND PROVIDE FORCE TRAINING. I
JUST LOVE THAT WE COLLECTIVELY
DEFINED WHAT ECONOMIC
RESILIENCE MEANS. WE CODIFIED
IT IN THE SPEND PLAN THAT WAS
PASSED. AND I HOPE THAT THAT
REMINDER OF THE LINK WHICH
ITSELF IS A GOOD REFRESHER AS
IT HAS BEEN A LONG THREE YEARS
AND WE ARE NOW AT THE POINT OF
HEARING FROM THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDING
LABOR AND BUSINESS AND OUR
COMMUNITY AT LARGE, TO HEAR
ABOUT HOW THIS FRAMEWORK IS
GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED OVER
THE NEXT YEAR , AND THEN THIS
WILL BE OUR BLUEPRINT, IF YOU
WILL, FOR THE LIFETIME OF
JUMPSTART REALLY BEGINNING IN
2024. THANKS AGAIN TO DIRECTOR
MARKHAM McINTYRE, I KNOW YOU
ARE ALMOST A FULL YEAR INTO
YOUR DIRECTOR POSITION AND YOU
HAVE REALLY TAKEN THIS WORK
HEAD ON AND IT WAS SOMETHING I
THINK YOU WERE ABLE TO DO , YOU
DID THIS FROM SCRATCH, A LOT
OF THE WORK IN THIS ARENA
HADN'T BEEN DONE PRIOR TO YOUR
ARRIVAL. THANK YOU SO MUCH INTO
YOUR TEAM AT OED FOR TAKING
THIS SO SERIOUSLY IN THE WORK
YOU DID WITH THE DIVERSE
WORKGROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS
TO REALLY CENTER THEIR FEEDBACK
IN THE REPORT WE ARE ABOUT TO
RECEIVE TODAY. AND TO MAKE SURE
THAT THIS OUTLINE IS IN FRONT
SO WE CAN ACT ON AND MAINTAIN
THE INVESTMENT INTO OUR LOCAL
ECONOMY. COLLEAGUES, AGAIN,
OUTLINED IN THE RESOLUTION IS
$650,000 FOR THE CONTRACT WITH
AN ORGANIZATION TO GO THROUGH
OED TO MAKE SURE A REPORT
WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO
RECEIVE TODAY. THAT IS THE
REPORT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
THAT CONTRACT IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH OED AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS
PULLED TOGETHER EXPERTISE AND
EXPERIENCE FROM FOLKS AROUND
SEATTLE TO DEVELOP THIS PLAN.
IT SAYS, IN OUR SPEND PLAN THIS
REPORT IS TO ACT AS A CATALYST
TO LAUNCH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
THAT WILL HELP TRANSITION TO A
JUST ECONOMY AND PROVIDE
STABLE, SAFE AND HEALTHY
FAMILY WAGE JOBS AND ADVANCE
THE GOALS OF THE GREEN NEW
DEAL. AND THE COUNCIL EXPECTS
THE EXECUTIVE CONVENE THIS
WORKGROUP , THAT HAS BEEN
CONVENED BY THE DIRECTOR OF
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
TO INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES OF
THE CITY, LABOR, SMALL BUSINESS
AND ADVOCATES TO ADVANCE A
GREEN NEW DEAL, TO DEVELOP THE
SCOPE OF WORK TO CARRY OUT THIS
WORK GOING FORWARD. I WANT TO
THANK YOU AGAIN, DIRECTOR
MARKHAM McINTYRE, I TURN IT
OVER TO YOU AND THE TEAM IN
FRONT OF US , ERIC GOODMAN,
DONNA MOODIE, ANGELA DUNLEAVY.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I
KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE A
NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT
IS IN FRONT OF US AND YOU HAVE
PLENTY OF TIME. ABOUT 45
MINUTES. WITH THAT I WILL TURN
OVER TO YOU, DIRECTOR MARKHAM
McINTYRE AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE
A PRESENTATION.
>> I DO INDEED.
>> WONDERFUL. JUST ONE MOMENT.
WHAT WAS THAT? WE NEED TO
READ THE ITEM INTO THE RECORD.
PLEASE READ ITEM ONE INTO THE
RECORD.
>> FUTURE OF THE SEATTLE
ECONOMY REPORT FOR DISCUSSION.
>> DO YOU WANT US TO PLOT THE
PRESENTATION OR WOULD THAT BE
SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO ON
YOUR END?
>> I'M GOING TO SHARE IT ON MY
END.
>> PERFECT. WE WILL TURN IT TO
YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA. LET ME
SHARE MY SCREEN. GIVE ME ONE
SECOND. AND THEN, LET ME START
THE SLIDESHOW. CAN EVERYONE
SEE THAT?
>> WE CAN, THANK YOU.
>> GREAT. GOOD MORNING FINANCE
AND HOUSING COMMITTEE, MY NAME
IS MARKHAM McINTYRE, DIRECTOR
OF THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
ELEMENT HERE IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, I APPRECIATE YOU
GIVING THAT BACKGROUND. I'M
GOING TO ECHO SOME OF YOUR
COMMENTS AS A KIND OF REFRESH
THE GROUP ON WHAT WE TRIED TO
DO HERE , THE BACKGROUND AND
INTENT OF THIS PROJECT, THEN WE
ARE GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH
THE PROCESS WE USED TO GET
THERE. TALK ABOUT WHAT WE FOUND
AND THE REALLY INTERESTING AND
COMMUNITY INFORMED INVESTMENT
AGENDA WE HAVE DEVELOPED. AND
THEN TALK ABOUT WHAT OED IS
GOING TO DO NEXT WITH IT. THAT
IS KIND OF THE OUTLINE OF THE
PRESENTATION. I'M JOINED TODAY
WITH COMMUNITY ALL-STARS, WE
HAVE ANGELA DUNLEAVY, WHO IS
THE CHAIR OF OUR TALENTED
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORKGROUP
FOR THIS PROJECT. SHE IS ALSO
THE BOARD CHAIR FOR THE
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OF
SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY AS WELL
AS THE CEO OF FARESTART. WE
HAVE ERIN GOODMAN CHAIR OF OUR
WORKGROUP, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF THE SODO BIA. AND DONNA
MOODIE WHO SUPPORTING OUR
WORKGROUP. SHE HAS MANY TITLES
INCLUDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
ECO-DISTRICT, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ROOTS
HOUSING AND OWNER OF THE
RESTAURANT.
>> I'M GLAD YOU PUT ALL THOSE
TITLES IN THERE BECAUSE I DON'T
THINK I HAD THE CAPACITY TO
READ ALL OF THOSE, NOW IT'S FOR
THE OFFICIAL RECORD AND I AM
VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE PANEL.
THANK YOU.
>> YES. WE REALLY HAD SOME
INCREDIBLE PARTICIPANTS. I'M
GOING TO START THERE. AND
PROBABLY GOING TO THINK THEM
LATER ON BUT I WANT TO THINK
EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED, WE
DID A HUSTLE UP PROJECT, WE HAD
A LOT OF FOLKS PUTTING A LOT OF
TIME IN THE PROJECT. SO I WANT
TO THANK EVERYONE WHO
PARTICIPATED. REITERATING SOME
OF WHAT COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA SAID, THE BACKGROUND,
WE FELT DEEP IMPACT TO OUR
SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR WORKERS,
AND THEN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT THERE WERE
DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECTS,
PARTICULARLY ON COMMUNITIES OF
PEOPLE OF COLOR. FOR THOSE DEEP
IMPACTS, DEEP IMPACTS. WE HAVE
BEEN LIVING IN THESE UNCERTAIN
ECONOMIC TIMES SINCE 2020. WE
KNOW THOSE CONTINUE IN 2023 AS
WE CONTINUE TO FACE CHALLENGING
HEADWINDS, HURTS DUE TO SUPPLY
CHAIN ISSUES, INTEREST RATES,
OR INFLATION, IT HAS BEEN
UNCERTAIN. WE ARE NAVIGATING
THIS CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT
AGAIN , THOSE IMPACTS ARE FELT
DISPROPORTIONATELY BY OUR
GENERALIZED COMMUNITIES WHO
ARE OFTEN LEFT, HAVE BEEN
HISTORICALLY LEFT OUT OF THE
PROCESS OF HOW TO RECOVER OR
SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS IN THE
FUTURE. IT IS WITH THAT
CONTEXT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL
CHARGED THE OED WITH CHARTING A
COMMUNITY FORMED EFFORT TO NOT
RECOVER SEATTLE'S ECONOMY,
REALLY REBUILD IT, AS
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
MENTIONED, A MORE EQUITABLE,
JUST AND RESILIENT MANNER. WE
NEEDED TO FOCUS ON DEVELOPING A
PLAN THAT WOULD HIGHLIGHT
INVESTMENTS TO MAKE SEATTLE A
DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE, WORK
AND VISIT. BUT ALSO, HOW WE
ARE GOING TO ADDRESS SOME OF
THE DISPARITIES THAT WERE LAID
BARE THE IMPACTS OF COVID. SO
WE TOOK THAT ON AND AGAIN,
THAT IS WHAT CREATED THIS
COMMUNITY FORMED INVESTMENT
AGENDA THAT'S GOING TO PROMOTE
INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND
DID IT IDEALLY IN COOPERATION
WITH A LOVER COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I WILL ALSO NOTE HERE DURING
THE PANDEMIC, THE CHAIR OF THE
ATLANTA FEDERAL RESERVE WROTE
A PIECE THAT REALLY SPOKE TO
ME, BECAUSE HE OUTLINED THERE
IS A CLEAR MORAL AND ECONOMIC
IMPERATIVE TO END RACISM IN
AMERICA. AND I JUST WANT TO
SAY THAT IS REALLY DRIVING A
LOT OF OUR WORK AT OED, IT'S
NOT JUST THE MORAL IMPERATIVE
THAT THE ECONOMIC IMPERATIVE,
AND THAT IS ACTUALLY THE
PATHWAY TO A MORE PROSPEROUS
ECONOMY. THAT REALLY FORMED A
GUIDING PRINCIPLE. AND
INCLUSIVE ECONOMY IS A
COMPETITIVE AND PROSPEROUS
ECONOMY. THIS THEORY FOLLOWS
THAT IF YOU CREATE A MORE
INCLUSIVE ECONOMY YOU WILL BE
MORE COMPETITIVE AND MORE
PROSPEROUS. OUR GOALS
THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT WERE
NOT ONLY TO DEFINE THE FUTURE
OF SEATTLE'S ECONOMY AND CHART
THAT PATH, BUT FIGURE OUT WHAT
IS THE VENN DIAGRAM OF SHARED
PRIORITIES. I STRONGLY BELIEVE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TEAM
SPORTS. YOU REALLY HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU ALIGN TO
REALLY MAKE PROGRESS. IT'S NOT
ENOUGH FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE
OR OED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT'S
GOING TO DO, IT HAS TO BE IN
RELATION TO ALL THE OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS, PEOPLE AND
ENTITIES THAT MAKE UP OUR
ECONOMY. SECOND, WE NEEDED TO
FIGURE OUT WITHIN THAT
ALIGNMENT, WHAT WERE THE
INVESTMENTS REQUIRED. IT CAN'T
JUST BE THE CITY OF SEATTLE
SPENDING DOLLARS AND HOPING
THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE
IMPACT. TO REALLY HAVE THE
BROAD AND DEEP IMPACT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT FOR TRANSPORTING
OUR ECONOMY GOING FORWARD WE
HAVE TO ALIGN THOSE INVESTMENTS
ACROSS PRIVATE AND PUBLIC
PHILANTHROPIC SECTORS. THROUGH
ALL OF THAT, THIS WAS AN
IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR ME
STEPPING INTO THIS ROLE,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, IT'S
ABOUT 10 MONTHS, NOT QUITE ONE
YEAR, 10 MONTHS, WE NEED TO
FIGURE OUT THE ROLE OF OED IN
THAT ENVIRONMENT AND THE CITY'S
ROLE RELATIVE TO KEY PARTNERS.
CAN'T TRY TO DO ALL OF IT,
THAT WILL PEANUT BUTTER OUR
MONEY AND ENERGY. WE HAVE TO
CLEARLY DEFINE OUR IDENTITY AND
ROLE FOR ECONOMIC ELEMENT . SO,
AGAIN, THAT LED TO US CREATING
THIS COMMUNITY INFORMED
INVESTMENT AGENDA TO PROMOTE
ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE CITY. I
WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE
PROCESS. WHILE WE ARE DOING IT
ON A FAIRLY TIGHT TIMELINE, WE
DID A LOT OF WORK IN THERE AND
HAD A LOT OF SCHOLARSHIP
UNDERGIRDING ALL OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS WE ARE MAKING
GOING FORWARD. FIRST, WE
RECOGNIZE THAT STARTING OUT,
WE DIDN'T WANT TO START WITH A
BLANK PIECE OF PAPER. THAT
THERE WERE A LOT OF REALLY
SMART PEOPLE WHO HAD DONE A
LOT OF THINKING ABOUT WHAT SOME
OF THE CHALLENGES WERE AS WELL
AS WITH SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS
MIGHT BE. HE WANTED TO START
READING AND DOING THE
INFORMATION SCAN OF WHAT WAS
ALREADY OUT THERE . WE READ A
LOT OF STRATEGIC PLANS FROM
VARIOUS ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS. WE
ALSO RECOGNIZED THAT NOT EVERY
ORGANIZATION IN THIS ECOSYSTEM
HAD A STRATEGIC PLAN. WE ALSO
DID A NUMBER OF ONE-ON-ONE
INTERVIEWS AND GROUP INTERVIEWS
TO TRY TO ELICIT INFORMATION
ABOUT, WHERE THOSE PRIORITIES
MIGHT BE AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE THEY ARE SHARED AND HOW
THEY MIGHT MAP TOGETHER. ONCE
WE SYNTHESIZED THAT WE CAME UP
WITH FIVE PILLARS FOR OUR WORK
GOING FORWARD. WE HAVE
SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS
CENTER ENTERPRISES, GROWING KEY
BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES.
ASSET OWNERSHIP AS A PATHWAY TO
WEALTH, PLACE BASED
INVESTMENTS AND GROWING OUR
TALENTED WORKFORCE. WE THEN
TOOK THOSE FIVE WORKGROUPS OR
FIVE BUCKETS AND CREATED
WORKGROUPS FOR EACH OF THEM
THAT WERE TASKED WITH COMING UP
WITH SOME IMMEDIATE INVESTMENTS
THE CITY COULD MAKE TO CHART
THE COURSE AND PUT US ON THE
TRAJECTORY FOR THE MORE
EQUITABLE AND JUST AND
RESILIENT ECONOMY. ALSO WHAT
WERE SOME BETS IN EACH OF THE
BUCKETS THAT WOULD BE
TRANSFORMATIVE, THE MIGHT BE
HARDER, MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT IF
WE WERE TO DO THEM, WOULD
REALLY CHANGE THE GAME. AND,
THROUGH IT ALL, AS I MENTIONED,
JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
IS OED'S ROLE, KNOWING WE
CAN'T DO SOME OF THESE THINGS
ALONE, KNOWING WE HAVE TO PLAY
A ROLE, AND DO IT REALLY WELL,
WE CAN'T TRY TO DO THINGS OUT
OF OUR WHEELHOUSE. WITH THAT, I
JUST WANT TO PAUSE AND TURN TO
MY FELLOW PANELISTS TO SEE IF
THEY HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT
THE PROCESS OR HOW WE SET THIS
UP. THEY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN
MAKING THIS WORK, BEING CHAIRS
OF THREE OF THE WORKGROUPS, AND
THEIR LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT
TO THIS WORK WAS REALLY WHAT
MADE THIS SUCCESSFUL IN THE
LONG RUN. I WILL PAUSE AND SEE
IF ANYONE HAS ANYTHING THEY
WANT TO SHARE.
>> GO HAD. GOOD MORNING. I
JUST WANTED TO SAY, I'M VERY
IMPRESSED WITH THE PROCESS.
MANY OF YOU KNOW I SERVED ON
MANY COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS
AND TASK FORCE OVER THE YEARS
AND WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY
THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT OED GAVE
THE CHAIRS AND THE WHOLE
PROCESS. I'M TALKING ABOUT
SUPPORT, NOT ONLY IN CITY STAFF
BUT IN CONSULTANTS AND THAT
REALLY WAS A STRUCTURE THAT
ALLOWED CHAIRS TO WORK
DIRECTLY WITH COMMITTEE MEMBERS
AND FOCUS ON THE MAIN ISSUE
RATHER THAN ADMINISTRATION.
INCLUSIVITY, THERE WERE A LOT
OF MY COMMITTEE AND OTHERS
THAT WERE FROM NEIGHBORHOODS
THAT ARE OFTEN REPRESENTED BUT
NEW VOICES FROM THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS. THE VAST
TIMELINE AND SHARP FOCUS. THIS
REQUIRED A LOT OF WORK FROM OUR
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, BOTH IN
MEETINGS AND A LOT OF READING
HOMEWORK. AND I JUST WANT TO
TAKE A SECOND TO THANK MY
COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THEIR
INVESTMENT OF THEIR TIME,
ENERGY AND EXPERIENCE. AND
THANK OED.
>> THANKS, ERIN.
>> I CAN ALSO ECHO WHAT ERIN
HAS SAID, JUST EXPRESSING
GRATITUDE FOR THE EFFORT THAT
WAS VOLUNTEERED BY THE
COMMITTEE FROM THE WOMEN AND
MINORITY BUSINESS COMMUNITY,
AND ALSO JUST POINT OUT THAT,
WHEN WE ARE ASKED TO SERVE, SO
MANY OF US ASK IMMEDIATELY,
WILL MY TIME MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
AND THIS WAS SO WELL PUT
TOGETHER AND SO ORGANIZED THAT
IT WAS A RESOUNDING YES. WE
WERE ABLE TO ANALYZE
SOMETHING, EVALUATE IT, AND
OFFERED TO YOU TODAY IS
SOMETHING I THINK COULD BE A
GAME CHANGER FOR HOW THE CITY
SUPPORTS SMALL BUSINESS. I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO PARTICIPATE AND BE SUPPORTED
IN THE WAY WE WERE.
>> THANK YOU, DONNA.
>> IF I COULD QUICKLY PIGGYBACK
ON BOTH OF THOSE, AGAIN,
GRATITUDE FOR THIS PROCESS.
THE TEAM AT OED AND CONSULTANTS
WERE REALLY WORKING HAND IN
GLOVE WITH COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. AND I THINK
WHAT I CAN REFLECT FROM OUR
COMMITTEE, WHICH IS WORKFORCE,
TALENTED WORKFORCE, THERE IS
NO ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL TO
WORKFORCE. I REALLY THINK A
LOT OF THOUGHT AND TIME WAS
PUT IN TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THE
RIGHT MIX OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS
WHICH INCLUDED LABOR, BUSINESS,
EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT AT THE
CITY AND COUNTY LEVEL, SUPPORT,
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
PROVIDERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS,
IN AND OUT OF SEATTLE. AND
EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT AGENDAS
BASED ON THE GROUPS THAT THE
COME FROM . BUT EVERYONE CAME
TOGETHER I THINK IN A REALLY
RESPECTFUL AND THOUGHTFUL WAY
TO GET SOMETHING DONE THAT WILL
BE MEANINGFUL AND IMPACT
WORKERS. AND BUSINESSES AND
THE ECONOMY IN SEATTLE. SO,
MUCH GRATITUDE TO YOU, MARKHAM
McINTYRE AND YOUR TEAM.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> I WANT TO ECHO THE
APPRECIATION FOR YOUR TIME AND
AM EXCITED TO HEAR THAT IT WAS
A VALUABLE USE OF YOUR TIME. I
KNOW MANY OF YOU PARTICIPATE IN
A LOT OF WORKGROUPS. THE CITY
ASKED A LOT OF YOU. IN ADDITION
TO THE MULTIPLE TITLES YOU
ALREADY HAVE, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME. IN THE SPIRIT OF THE
CONVERSATION YOU ALL JUST
BROUGHT UP, CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS
THAT YOU USED FOR CHOOSING THE
MEMBERS AT THE TABLE? WE
HEARD ABOUT THE BROAD
REPRESENTATION AND I KNOW THAT
ON PAGE 12 THERE IS A LIST OF
THE WORKGROUP MEMBERS. SOME OF
THOSE FOLKS ARE NAMES I SAW
FOR THE FIRST TIME. CAN YOU
TALK MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS THE
GROUP WENT THROUGH. I KNOW
THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT
ABOUT BEING ABLE TO TAP INTO
SUPPORT FOR YEARS TO COME.
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON FOR
EXAMPLE IS CHAIR OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IS DOING A LOT OF
WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT ON THE
PLAN. I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS
RANGE OF PEOPLE PROVIDING
FEEDBACK TO THIS SPECIFIC
REPORT AND I KNOW THIS WILL
CONTINUE TO LIVE IN OTHER
ARENAS AS WELL. IF YOU DON'T
MIND ELABORATING MORE ON HOW
THE FOLKS WERE CHOSEN AND THE
PROCESS YOU WENT THROUGH.
>> SURE. LET ME GO BACK ONE
SLIDE. FIRST AND FOREMOST WE
WANTED TO HAVE DIVERSE
REPRESENTATION THAT REPRESENTED
THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THE
SEATTLE ECONOMY IN EACH OF
THESE WORKGROUPS. SECOND, YOU
WILL HEAR ME SAY IT IN EVERY
PRESENTATION, I LOVE LINEMEN,
ESPECIALLY REGIONAL LINEMEN,
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE
WERE PLAYERS ON HERE THAT HAD
DIFFERENT ROLES IN THE
REGIONAL ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM SO THAT AS
WE WERE COMING UP WITH THESE
IDEAS, WE COULD NATURALLY TRY
TO REACH SOME ALIGNMENT.
WHETHER THROUGH FUNDING OR
PROGRAMS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
THIRD, AS ERIN MENTIONED, WE
WANTED TO FIND VOICES THAT
AREN'T ALWAYS INCLUDED IN THESE
CONVERSATIONS. WE NEEDED A
BALANCE OF FOLKS THAT WERE OLD
HANDS AT DOING THIS. WE ALSO
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WERE
BRINGING NEW AND FRESH IDEAS TO
THE TABLE. AND THEN, FINALLY I
THINK IT WAS JUST, SOME OF IT
WAS AS WE WERE DOING THAT SCAN
OF WHAT THE CURRENT THINKING
WAS AND WHO WAS REALLY PUTTING
FORTH INTERESTING IDEAS OR
STRATEGIES, TO COME OUT OF THE
PANDEMIC, THAT HIGHLIGHTED
SOME FOLKS WE THOUGHT SHOULD BE
ON THESE DIFFERENT WORKGROUPS.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THE
OTHER CHAIRS WANTED TO SPEAK TO
THAT. I THINK THOSE ARE SOME
OF THE FACTORS WE WERE TRYING
TO INCLUDE.WE ALSO TALKED TO A
LOT OF THESE FOLKS AND GOT
THEIR IDEAS. WE DIDN'T WANT TO
JUST BE WHO WAS IN OUR
NETWORKS, BUT WHO WAS IN TWO OR
THREE STEPS OUT OF SOMEONE'S
NETWORK, THAT WAS ANOTHER WAY
HE FOUND SOME OF THESE NAMES.
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE A QUICK
COMMENT, I REALLY APPRECIATED
THE OPENNESS FOR A COUPLE OF
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS WHEN I
WAS KIND OF GIVEN , WHOM I
WORKGROUP WAS AND NOTED THAT
THERE WERE A COUPLE PEOPLE I
THINK COULD REALLY CONTRIBUTE ,
AND THEY WERE QUICKLY WELCOMED,
BROUGHT UP TO SPEED AND WERE
ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A VERY
MEANINGFUL WAY TO THE OUTCOMES
PRESENTED.
>> WHILE WE ARE ON THIS SLIDE I
WANT TO MENTION, I MENTIONED IT
EARLIER, BUT MY GOAL, ONE OF
OUR GOALS WAS TO NOT JUST HAVE
THE PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX DOLLARS
BE THE ONLY MONEY ON THE TABLE.
THAT'S WHY WE HAD THE, WE HAD
THE FIVE WERE GROUPS IN THE
SIX WORKGROUP WE CALLED THE
INVESTMENT ALIGNMENT WHERE WE
WERE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT
AS WE WERE COMING UP WITH THESE
IDEAS, WE WERE CHECKING THEM
WITH OTHER FOLKS THAT HAD
FUNDING SOURCES OR WERE
THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO BRING
FEDERAL DOLLARS TO THE TABLE ,
OR WHAT HAVE YOU, SO WE COULD
TRY TO BUILD LAYER CAKES TO
BROADEN THE IMPACT OF THESE
IDEAS. THAT IS GOING TO BE AN
ONGOING THING IN THE FUTURE,
THAT DOES NOT END WITH THIS
PROJECT, THAT'S GOING TO BE A
CONSTANT THING OED IS LOOKING
FOR. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
-- REAL QUICK ON THE PREVIOUS
SLIDE, THANK YOU FOR THE
BACKGROUND. THAT IS REALLY
EXCITING. I WANT TO THANK
EVERY NAME ON HERE AND THE TEAM
AT OED WHO HELPED PROVIDE
SUPPORT. IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO
HAVE A LIST OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS
THE FOLKS CAME FROM OR THE
SECTOR, IF THAT IS MORE
APPROPRIATE. JUST I THINK IT'S
GOING TO BE A GROUP THAT WILL
CONTINUE TO GLEAN INFORMATION
FROM, SO HAVING THE
INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTATION OR
TITLE WILL BE HELPFUL TO HAVE
AT SOME POINT. AND, ALSO, IF
THERE ARE FOLKS ON HERE THAT
ARE IN SPECIFICALLY, INTERESTED
IN THE GREEN ECONOMY , TIED TO
THE GREEN NEW DEAL, THAT WOULD
BE OF INTEREST AS WELL AS THE
OTHER COMPONENTS WERE LATE TO
GREEN NEW DEAL IMPLEMENTATION
BUT HEAVILY RELIANT ON THE
GREEN NEW DEAL ADVISORY BOARD,
BUT KNOWING IF THERE IS PEOPLE
WITH THAT EXPERTISE IN THIS
LIST AS WELL CAN ALLOW FOR US
TO CONTINUE TO HAVE GREATER
SYNERGY AMONGST THOSE PARTS OF
JUMPSTART. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE
FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
>> HAPPY TO SHARE A ROSTER WITH
CONTACT INFO AND ORGANIZATIONAL
INFO. WHICH ACTUALLY BRINGS UP
ANOTHER POINT, WE WERE
INTENTIONAL ABOUT INCLUDING
STAFF FROM A VARIETY OF OTHER
CITY DEPARTMENTS IN AN EFFORT
TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT IS
ALREADY ON THE TABLE AND WHERE
THERE CAN BE ALIGNMENT . AND
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, I THINK
THAT WAS PRETTY GIRL IMPORTANT
FOR THE GREEN NEW DEAL BECAUSE
IT DOES SPAN A NUMBER OF
DEPARTMENTS. MAKING SURE THEY
WERE INCLUDED, THAT IS AN
ONGOING CONVERSATION, THAT WAS
IMPORTANT AND HOW WE MADE SOME
SELECTIONS. WE WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT, WE SENT THESE
WORKGROUPS OFF TO DREAM BIG AND
COME UP WITH THEIR AGENDAS. BUT
THERE WERE SOME COMMON THEMES I
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT. ONE IS HIS
IDEA OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS, YOU
CAN SEE OUR COOL VENN DIAGRAM
HERE. THESE ISSUES DON'T
EXIST IN SILOS. THEY ARE ALL
DEEPLY CONNECTED. AND THAT CAME
UP, EVEN THOUGH WE SENT THEM
OFF AND DEVELOPED SEPARATE
LIST, ONCE WE SYNTHESIZED,
THERE WAS A LOT OF CROSS
POLLINATION OF IDEAS AND NEEDS
IDENTIFIED. SECOND, WE DON'T
NEED TO START FROM THE
BEGINNING OR RUN A BUNCH OF
PILOTS. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
CURRENT INITIATIVES AND
PROGRAMS THAT ARE WORKING AND
DRIVING OUTCOMES THAT WE WANT
TO SEE IN ECONOMIC AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT
COULD BE SCALED OR DIVERSIFIED
TO AGAIN BROADEN AND DEEPEN THE
IMPACT. THAT WAS EXCITING WE
COULD MOVE WITH THINGS THAT
WERE ALREADY WORKING. AND THEN
FINALLY, THIS KIND OF IS A
REPEATED DRUMBEAT, YOU CAN
DEVELOP THE NICEST PROGRAM IN
THE WORLD, BUT IF IT DOESN'T
HAVE ACCESS BAKED INTO IT FROM
THE BEGINNING, WHERE YOUR
THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHO IS ABLE TO
ACCESS IT AND HOW AND WHAT KIND
OF OUTCOMES IT'S GOING TO DRIVE
FOR THEM, IT'S JUST NOT GOING
TO ACTUALLY ACHIEVE WHAT YOU
WANTED TO ACHIEVE. SO THAT IS
SOMETHING OED IS GOING TO CARRY
FORWARD AS WE THINK ABOUT
THE PROGRAMS WE ARE CURRENTLY -
USING, HOW TO MAKE ACCESS A
CORE PILLAR OF OUR THINKING.
SO, JUST VERY QUICKLY ON THE
RESULT, AS I MENTIONED THERE
WAS A LOT OF SCHOLARSHIP
UNDERGIRDING WE'RE GOING TO
SEE FOR THE INVESTMENT CHART.
PHASE ONE WE TOOK ALL THE STUFF
ON THE TABLE AND TRY TO
SYNTHESIZE IT, WAS THE 63 PAGE
REPORT THAT HAS A LOT IN IT.
AND THEN, THIS PHASE TWO,
INVESTMENTS, ATTENTIVE
WORKGROUP MEMBERS . AND 95
PAGES OF REPORTS SPELLING OUT
WHERE WE ARE GOING. SO WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT THE INVESTMENT
AGENDA, IT IS AN ICEBERG WHERE
THAT IS THE TOP WE SYNTHESIZED
OUT OF IT BUT THERE'S A LOT OF
IDEAS AND THOUGHTS BENEATH IT I
ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO TAKE
A LOOK AT TO INFORM YOUR
THINKING ABOUT ECONOMIC AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN THE
FUTURE. I'M ONLY GOING TO
FLASH THIS BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF
AN OVERWHELMING SLIDE WITH A
LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT THIS IS
A LIST OF INVESTMENTS THAT THE
GROUPS CAME UP WITH. ON THE
LEFT YOU CAN SEE IT IS DIVIDED
BY THE DIFFERENT WORKGROUPS
AND ON THE RIGHT WE KIND OF
CROSSWALK THEM AGAINST THE
DIFFERENT WORKGROUPS. AGAIN
SOME OF THESE CAME UP IN
DIFFERENT -- AND MULTIPLE TIMES
IN DIFFERENT WORKGROUPS. AND
THE BIG ONES ARE DENOTED BY THE
STARS IN EACH BUCKET. I'M
GOING TO MOVE NOW, HE WANTED
TO JUST TALK QUICKLY ABOUT SOME
OF THE SPECIFIC INVESTMENTS.
THAT WE THINK ARE GOING TO BE
MEANINGFUL. ALSO, THIS IS GOING
TO LEAN INTO HOW OED IS
PLANNING ON DOING THIS,
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING THIS
INTO THE FUTURE. FIRST UP WE
HAVE INVESTING AND BUILDING
CITY NAVIGATION SUPPORT FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES AND WOMEN AND
MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES. AS
WE THINK ABOUT KIND OF THE
BROADER TECHNICAL LANDSCAPE,
ONE OF THE ONES THE CITY NEEDS
TO DO WELL IS NAVIGATING THE
CITY. THERE'S NO ONE ELSE I CAN
DO THAT BUT US. I SEE THAT IS A
CHIEF ROLE, IF THERE IS A NEED
FOR PERMITS, OR A NEED TO GET
IN TOUCH WITH SDOT TO
UNDERSTAND CONSTRUCTION IMPACT,
WE HAVE GOT TO DO A REALLY GOOD
JOB OF MAKING IT CLEAN, SIMPLE
AND EASY FOR BUSINESSES TO GET
WHAT THEY NEED FROM THE CITY TO
BE SUCCESSFUL DOING BUSINESS IN
AND WITH THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THERE IS A
COLUMN THAT HAS THE OED PLANNED
FOR 2023, THAT IS GOING TO BE A
BIG PROJECT FOR US, TO FIGURE
OUT HOW WE DO THAT BETTER. THE
TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE,
TECHNOLOGY WE NEED TO BUILD,
AND THE STAFFING WE NEED TO
SCALE UP TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
DOING THAT REALLY WELL. DONNA,
I WANT TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO
SEE IF YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING
IN ADDITIONAL SINCE THIS WAS
COMING OUT OF YOUR WORKGROUP.
>> YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING I
WOULD SAY IS THAT, AS WE
CONTINUALLY REACH OUT TO WOMEN
AND MINORITIES SMALL
BUSINESSES, A LOT OF THEM
BECOME FRUSTRATED WITH THE
INABILITY TO ACCESS THE SYSTEMS
OR TO KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE
THEM. AND SOMETIMES JUST
PROVIDING, NOT JUST THE INITIAL
HELPING HAND, BUT A
FOLLOW-THROUGH TO SEE HOW
PEOPLE HAVE DONE WITH
APPLICATIONS, WITH PROGRAMS
THAT THE CITY IS OFFERING,
CHECKING BACK AND HAVING THE
KIND OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
THAT ACTUALLY CREATES A CLOSER
CONTACT AND PROVIDES A PATH TO
COMPLETION OF GETTING THOSE
SMALL BUSINESSES, NOT JUST UP
AND RUNNING BUT ALSO SCALING
TO BECOME MEDIUM AND LARGER
STYLE BUSINESSES. I THINK THAT
IS AN ESSENTIAL PRODUCT THAT WE
CAN OFFER.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THAT IS SOMETHING I HEAR
ABOUT AS WELL, DONNA, PEOPLE
WHO SAID, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES , I'M EXCITED TO
LEARN ABOUT THE APPLICATION.
BUT THAT THEY NEED SO MUCH
ASSISTANCE TO GET THROUGH THE
PROCESS, AND THAT IS OFTEN
WHERE OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
STOPS. AND MORE LATELY I'VE
BEEN HEARING, THEN WE NEED
ASSISTANCE WITH HOW TO GET THE
FUNDS AND OFTEN SOME OF THE
SMALLEST BUSINESSES IS THAT
IT'S A PORTION OF THE OVERALL
NEED FROM THE CITY, AND WITH
THEY NEED HIS TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO BE ABLE TO BRAID
THE FUNDING WITH OTHER FUNDING
RESOURCES AND LEVERAGE OTHER
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH
THAT PART OF WHAT YOU ARE
HEARING AS WELL IN TERMS OF
LEVERAGING OR BREEDING FUNDING
AFTER THE CITY PROVIDES
SUPPORT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA,
NOT ONLY IS THAT WHAT I'M
HEARING BUT ALSO FINDING THAT
WE ARE NOT KIND OF CALCULATING
OR COUNTING FOR THE REDUCED
LABOR FORCE AND THAT MANY SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE BECOME
ONE, TWO OR THREE POSITIONS IN
THE SMALL BUSINESS. SO ADDING
A LOT OF PAPERWORK OR THINGS
THAT ARE COMPLICATED TO THE
PROCESS OF GETTING HELP ONLY
MAGNIFIES THE ALREADY
OVERBEARING WORKLOAD. SO I
THINK JUST TO MAKE THINGS
SIMPLER, TO PROVIDE SUPPORT IN
ACCESSING APPLICATIONS, AND
HAVING SOME KIND OF FOLLOW
THROUGH, WHEN YOU DON'T HEAR
BACK FROM SOMEONE, MAYBE HAVING
A PERSONAL TOUCH OF CHECKING IN
AND SEEING IF THEY NEED FURTHER
ASSISTANCE , IT WOULD BE REALLY
GREAT AND I THINK IT WOULD
SUPPORT AN INCREASE IN SEEING
MORE MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED
BUSINESSES IN THE CITY. AFTER
ALL, THEY ARE THE FABRIC OF AN
INNOVATIVE AND VIBRANT CITY.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
LIFTING THAT UP. AND SOSA
SINGLY. I WANT TO CAPTURE THAT
VIDEO AND REPEAT THAT OVER AND
OVER. THAT WAS ALSO PART OF THE
REASON SOME OF THE AMERICAN
RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS, WHEN WE
DEDICATED ABOUT $5 MILLION TO
CHILDCARE PROVIDER WAGE
ENHANCEMENTS, WE ASKED THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND
EARLY LEARNING TO DO A ONE PAGE
ATTESTATION VERSUS AN
APPLICATION. ATTEST TO US AND
SIGN HERE YOU WILL USE THE
FUNDS IN THE FOLLOWING WAY AND
WE WILL FOLLOW-UP TO SEE IF YOU
NEED SUPPORT. BUT AN
ATTESTATION VERSUS AN
APPLICATION MADE IT POSSIBLE
FOR MANY SMALL BUSINESSES,
CHILDCARE PROVIDERS THEMSELVES,
TO BE ABLE TO PUSH THAT
PAPERWORK THROUGH WITHOUT
ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON THEIR
SHOULDERS. AND SO I WOULD LOVE
FOR US TO COME BACK TO THE
TOPIC OF CHILDCARE AND HOW
THIS IS NEEDED ACROSS THE BOARD
TO SUPPORT WORKERS AND SMALL
BUSINESSES. THIS IS SOMETHING
I KNOW DIRECTOR MARKHAM
McINTYRE AND I HAVE SPENT TIME
WORKING TALKING ABOUT. WE CAN
LEARN FROM THAT EXAMPLE IN
OTHER DEPARTMENTS, NOT JUST
OED, ABOUT HOW TO USE AN
ATTESTATION, A SINGLE PAGE,
WHEN WE DEPLOY RESOURCES IN
THESE CRISES. I AM SO LIKE TO
HEAR YOU LIFT THAT UP AND
EXCITED THAT IS PART OF THE
APPROACH YOU ARE USING, BUT
JUST APPLYING FOR FUNDS BUT
SUPPORT PEOPLE AFTERWARDS. I'M
GOING TO CALL ON COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TO
THAT POINT, DONNA, ABOUT
STAFFING ISSUES, I HAD A
QUESTION BROUGHT UP ABOUT
ANOTHER BIG LIFT THAT OED IS
DOING RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND
YOU'RE GOING TO DEVELOP ,
PRESENT THAT LATER IN THE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPED COMMITTEE,
BUT TO WHAT EXTENT WILL SOME OF
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS FEED
INTO THE WORK IN THE WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT? I'M JUST ASSUMING
THERE WILL BE INTERPLAY
BETWEEN THESE BODIES OF WORK.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I APPRECIATE
YOU CALLING THAT OUT. ONE OF
THE DELIVERABLES WAS THIS
COMMUNITY INFORMED AGENDA THAT
AS COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
SAID, SETS A FRAMEWORK FOR THE
ECONOMIC ZILLIONS DOLLARS IN
PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX. ANOTHER
ONE WAS A CITYWIDE WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN. WE
KIND OF HAVE A MESSY WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM HERE AT THE
CITY. AS WELL AS, WE NEED TO
ALIGN WITH THE SEATTLE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. SO YEAH,
THEY ARE VERY INTERCONNECTED.
WE'RE TRYING TO EVALUATE ,
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO
BE PARTLY DRIVEN BY WHAT
WORKERS NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL
AND ALSO BY WILL BUSINESSES
NEED TO DO THEIR BUSINESS. I
THINK THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE
GETTING AT, COUNCILMAN NELSON,
THERE'S A NEED FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES WITH TALENT, WE HAVE
TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO A
BETTER JOB OF CONNECTING
WORKERS WITH THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES. SINCE WE ARE
ALREADY THERE, LET'S SKIP TO
THE BOTTOM, COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON, READY TO TALK ABOUT
CHILDCARE, THIS IS ONE OF OUR
BIG BETS AND I WILL HAVE
ANGELA TALK ABOUT THIS SINCE
THIS WAS IN HER WORKGROUP. AS
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA SAID, I
THINK IT'S EXCITING THAT THIS
CAME UP AS A BIG BET
OPPORTUNITY AND THEY REALLY
WANT OED TO PUT SOME THOUGHT
INTO THE CITY'S POINT OF VIEW
ABOUT THE BROADER CARE ECONOMY
AND THE ROLE WE ARE PLAYING IN
THAT. I THINK THIS IS AN
EXCITING DEVELOPMENT AND I
THINK IT LINKS WITH A LOT OF
OTHER EFFORTS WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS OTHER
PARTNERS WITHIN THE REGION AND
STATES. ANGELA, IF I CAN ASK
YOU TO CHIME IN ABOUT THIS
PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATION, THIS
BIG BET.
>> THANK YOU. AS A PARENT, I
ALSO FEEL INCREDIBLY AND
PASSIONATELY ABOUT INVESTING IN
CHILDCARE WORKERS AND THEIR
CHILDCARE SYSTEM. AS WE WERE
WORKING WITHIN OUR GROUP,
ACROSS THE BOARD , LABOR,
BUSINESS, EDUCATION, SERVICE
PROVIDERS, IT CAME UP TIME AND
TIME AGAIN THAT IF WE ARE GOING
TO CREATE AN INCLUSIVE ECONOMY
IN WHICH WE ARE UP SKILLING
WORKERS IN THOSE MOST
VIRTUALIZED FROM TRADITIONAL
NON-GIG ECONOMY WORK, WE NEED
TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS. ONE
OF THOSE VERY BASIC NOTIONS IS
THAT FOLKS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO
ADEQUATE CHILDCARE. EITHER IN
PROXIMITY TO WHERE THEY LIVE OR
PROXIMITY TO WHERE THEY WORK.
WE CAN'T START THINKING ABOUT
ALL OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WE ARE
GOING TO INVEST IN OUR
WORKFORCE WITHOUT THINKING
ABOUT HOW WE ARE TAKING CARE OF
PEOPLE A HOME. SO WE FEEL LIKE
THIS IS A REALLY GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME CROSS
DEPARTMENTAL AND CROSS
GOVERNMENTAL TOTAL REGIONAL
APPROACH TO HOW WE APPROACH
CHILDCARE. NOT ONLY FROM THE
CHILDCARE WORKERS AND MAKING
SURE THE CHILDCARE WORKERS
RECEIVE A LIVING WAGE AND
BEYOND, BUT ALSO HOW CAN WE
MAKE SURE THAT OUR WORKERS ,
OUR WORKFORCE HAVE ACCESS IN
THE WAY THAT THEY NEED. IT'S
NOT LISTED ON HERE, BUT THE
OTHER BIG BET WE CAME UP WITH
WAS, REALLY LOOKING AT THE
BENEFITS CLIFF AND HOW WE CAN
REDUCE SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS,
ESPECIALLY AS LOW-WAGE WORKERS
CONTINUE TO INCREASE THEIR
SKILLS AND WORKFORCE , IT'S
ALL REALLY CONNECTED. FOLKS
SHOULD NOT BE LOSING CHILDCARE
SUBSIDIES BECAUSE THEY GET A
RAISE, MUCH THE SAME , THAT
NEEDS TO APPLY TO CHILDCARE. WE
FEEL LIKE THIS IS PROBABLY THE
BEST FIRST INITIAL INVESTMENT
WE CAN DO TO ENSURE THOSE WHO
ARE FURTHEST FROM OPPORTUNITY
HAVE THE BASICS THEY NEED TO
GET WHERE THEY ARE GOING.
>> IF I CAN ALSO ECHO WHAT
ANGELA IS SAYING, WORKING FOR
AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING
DEVELOPER, WHAT WE ARE SEEING
IS A TREND RIGHT NOW IS FAMILY
HOUSING THAT HAS MULTIPLE
BEDROOM UNITS AND ALSO
CHILDCARE ON THE GROUND FLOOR.
SO GAINING SOME KIND OF SUPPORT
FROM THE OFFICE OF HOUSING TO
SEE MORE OF THESE, ESPECIALLY
AS WE LOOK AT COMMUNITIES WHERE
THERE ARE MANY VACANT
STOREFRONTS, AND ERIN CAN
CONTINUE TO TRY TO FILL THOSE
AND TRY TO REACTIVATE
NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT WE ALSO HAVE
THAT NEED FOR CHILDCARE. IF WE
START SUPPORTING THE BUILDING
OF THOSE CHILDCARE UNITS IN
GROUND FLOORS OF SOME OF THE
FAMILY HOUSING, MULTI-UNITS
THAT ARE BEING BUILT, I THINK
WE CAN SEE A REALLY AGGRESSIVE
CHANGE IN OUR CITY, PROVIDING
ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE IT
TO WORK AND CHOOSE WORK OVER
STAYING AT HOME AND START TO
REBUILD THEIR CITY.
>> THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. IT
RESONATES EVERYTHING I HEAR AS
WELL, WE HAVE A PBIA
REPRESENTATIVE WITH THIS. THAT
IS EXACTLY WHAT I HEAR FROM
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AS WELL.
FOR EXAMPLE, I'M GOING TO SHOW
THE STORY, I AM SURE PEOPLE
HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THIS
BEFORE, IN WEST SEATTLE WHEN I
WAS VISITING WITH THE WEST
SEATTLE CHAMBER, ALONG
CALIFORNIA AVENUE, I ASKED A
BUSINESS OWNER, IF THERE IS ONE
THING I COULD DO TO HELP TODAY,
THIS WAS PRE-PANDEMIC. AND
THEY SAID, LOOK ACROSS THE
STREET AT THE EMPTY PARKING
LOT. IF THAT HAD HOUSING AND
CHILDCARE THAN MY WORKERS WOULD
NOT BE SO STRESSED OUT ABOUT
HAVING TO COMMUTE HOME IN HEAVY
TRAFFIC AND WONDER IF THEY'RE
GOING TO MAKE IT IN TIME TO
GET THEIR KID FROM DAYCARE. IF
WE HAD MORE CHILDCARE AND MORE
HOUSING IN THIS CITY, WE WOULD
BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE WORKERS
. THAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE ASK.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE OFTEN
THINK ABOUT THAT WHEN THEY
THINK IS THE NUMBER ONE THING
WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT SMALL
BUSINESSES? WE CLEARLY HAVE A
MENU OF THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED.
BUT FOR THAT ONE SMALL
BUSINESS, AND MANY OTHERS I
HAVE TALKED TO, THAT IS AT THE
TOP OF THEIR LIST. I REALLY
APPRECIATE IT'S BEING LIFTED UP
IN THIS REPORT. I ALSO LOOK
FORWARD TO FUTURE CONVERSATIONS
WITH OTHER APARTMENTS ABOUT HOW
WE CAN SEE THAT ECONOMIC
ENGINE FOR CITY IN TERMS OF
CHILDCARE. I HAVE TO SAY, I
THINK THERE ARE GOOD
CONVERSATIONS WE SHOULD HAVE
WITH SOUND TRANSIT AS WELL AS A
LOOK AT WHERE THEY ARE PLACING
SOME OF THEIR FUTURE STATIONS.
ESPECIALLY IN WEST SEATTLE. WE
WANT THERE TO BE TRANSIT NEXT
TO CHILDCARE, TRANSIT NEXT TO
MULTIUSE BUILDINGS INCLUDING
CHILDCARE AND HOUSING. AND I
THINK THERE ARE SOME
CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO HAVE
WITH OUR SOUND TRANSIT
PARTNERS ESPECIALLY WHEN WE
LOOK AT SEATTLE. I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE AS
WELL FROM THE WORKER
PERSPECTIVE, THAT AS WE INVEST
IN MORE CHILDCARE CENTERS AND
OPPORTUNITIES AROUND OUR CITY,
THAT DOESN'T JUST HELP THE
CHILDCARE, THAT DOESN'T JUST
HELP THE WORKER WHO NEEDS
CHILDCARE IN ORDER TO TO WORK
AND THE EMPLOYER WHO NEEDS THE
WORKER, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO
INVEST IN THE WORKERS IN THE
CHILDCARE INDUSTRY AND SEE THAT
AS A SKILLED WORKFORCETHAT IT
IS. THAT COULD BE PART OF HER
ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION PLAN TO
THINK ABOUT HOW WE SUPPORT
WORKERS IN THAT INDUSTRY. I
THINK IT COULD GO A LONG WAY,
GIVEN THE IMMENSE NEED IN OUR
REGION.
>> YOU ARE SEEING THE
OPPORTUNITY WITH THESE BIG
BETS. THEY ARE TRANSFORMATIVE.
BUT THEY ARE COMPLEX. THEY'RE
GOING TO REQUIRE, AS ANGELA
SAID, MULTIJURISDICTIONAL,
MULTI-DEPARTMENT APPROACHES. US
SETTING THIS OUT THERE IS KIND
OF CREATING -- WE ARE TRYING
TO CREATE THE INTENTION THAT WE
DO WANTS TO BE PART OF THOSE
CONVERSATIONS AND FIGURE OUT
WHAT OUR ROLE IS TO HELP DRIVE
THAT FORWARD AND EXERT
LEADERSHIP. BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE
WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE AND IT'S
GOING TO REQUIRE A TEAM EFFORT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS
EXPLANATION OF VACANT
STOREFRONT INITIATIVES. A LOT
OF WHAT I HEAR FROM SMALL
BUSINESSES IN MY DISTRICT IS
THE CONCERN ABOUT CRIME AND
THAT VACANT STOREFRONTS ATTRACT
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY . SO, I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR FOCUSING
ON ACTIVATING THESE VACANT
STOREFRONTS. AND ALSO, WE ARE
SEEING -- I'M GETTING SOME
SMALL BUSINESSES REACHING OUT
TO MY OFFICE WHO ARE CONCERNED
BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING
DISPLACED BY REDEVELOPMENT. SO
AS WE PUT IN NEW BUILDINGS,
THE OWNERS ARE ASKING , THEY
ARE NOT RENEWING THE LEASES
WITH THE SMALL BUSINESSES AND
THE SMALL BUSINESSES THEN HAVE
TO FIND ANOTHER HOME. I DON'T
KNOW IF THERE IS A WIN-WIN HERE
WHERE AS WE SEE REDEVELOPMENT
OCCURRING, IF WE CAN CONNECT
THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES BEING
DISPLACED TO THE EMPTY
STOREFRONTS ELSEWHERE IN THE
CITY, TO ACTIVATE THEM. IF OED
CAN ACT AS SORT OF A GO-BETWEEN
TO CONNECT THOSE TWO DYNAMICS
THAT ARE HAPPENING.
>> THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT
UP.
>> LET ME TAKE IT BECAUSE IT
WAS A PERFECT INTRO TO MY
SECTION.
>> AN ISSUE I DEAL WITH VERY
CLEARLY. MY COMMITTEE FOCUSED
ON A LOT OF PLACE-BASED
INVESTMENTS. LAKE
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICTS
OF THE HEART DIVERSITY. THAT IS
HOW PEOPLE IDENTIFY WITH THEIR
NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THE HEART OF
WHAT THEY DO . AND THEY WERE
HIT VERY HARD. WE SAW , IN
COUNCIL MEMBER NELSON'S
COMMITTEE WE TALKED ABOUT OED,
AND WE THINK THE CITY FOR THE
REPAIR PROGRAM, WE WERE
FOCUSED ON LOOKING AT HOW TO
INCREASE RECOVERY FOR CURRENT
BUSINESSES. AND TO INVEST IN
EMERGING BUSINESSES,
SPECIFICALLY BIPOC, LGBTQ,
WOMEN OWNED, SO WE ARE CREATING
AN EQUITABLE PIPELINE FOR
WEALTH GENERATION AND GROWTH.
ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE
SAW DURING THIS RECOVERY
PERIOD , THAT SEEMS LIKE IT HAD
THE BEST POTENTIAL TO CONTINUE
AND EXPAND, WAS THE SEATTLE
RESTORE PROGRAM. IT ALLOWED
BUSINESSES TO COME IN , THAT
MIGHT NOT BE QUITE READY FOR A
FULL TRADITIONAL COMMERCIAL
LEASE, WE NEEDED A POP UP
OPPORTUNITY, WHO NEEDED AN
OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE A
CUSTOMER BASE . AND ANOTHER
ELEMENT ON OUR BIG LIST THAT
IS NOT ON THE HIGHLIGHT LIST
HERE IS WHAT WE CALLED SPACE
MATCHMAKING. THIS IS SOMETHING
WE DO HERE AT PBIA AND WE DO
IT A LOT IN AD HOC FASHION
WITH OED, THE PERFECT EXAMPLE
IS WE WERE GIVEN OUTREACH BY
THE OWNERS AS TO LOOK FOR NEW
SPACE BECAUSE THEY HAD LOST
THEIR LONG-TERM LEASE. WE WERE
ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM TO
CREATE A NEW SPACE, TO FIND A
SPACE, TO WORK WITH THEM,
NAVIGATE THE PERMITTING
PROCESSES. AND SO BUILDING ON
THAT MODEL, THAT IS ONE OF OUR
OTHER STRATEGIES, CREATING THAT
MATCHMAKING CAPACITY IN THE
CITY. IT COULD BE, AS YOU
SAID, IN THE REDEVELOPMENT, SO
A BUSINESS THAT HAS DEVELOPED
A GOOD RELATIONSHIP CAN
MAINTAIN THOSE. OR, FINDING A
COMPARABLE OR NEW SPACE, A
BUSINESS SHOULDN'T JUST BE
LEFT HANGING AND NOT KNOWING
WHERE TO GO. I THINK THAT IS
KIND OF A HIGHLIGHT OF HOW
INTERTWINED ALL OF THESE ARE
AND THAT YOU NEED THE CITY
NAVIGATION, YOU NEED THE
ACCESS, AND SO, I TOTALLY HEAR
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING,
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, AND
AGREE. I THINK THE PLACE-BASED
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE WAS TAKING
THAT PERSPECTIVE WHEN WE WERE
LOOKING AT THAT.
>> THANK YOU. JUST TO BUILD ON
THAT, THIS GOES TO THE ASSET
OWNERSHIP BUCKET, WHAT ERIN IS
DESCRIBING ABOUT THE
MATCHMAKING, I THINK WHAT YOU
ARE ASKING FOR, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN, IS KIND OF LIKE
PARTLY HINGING ON
AFFORDABILITY AND THE CHANGE
OUR CITY IS GOING THROUGH. OED
WANTS TO HAVE A CONTINUUM OF
STRATEGIES OF HOW WE ARE
GETTING BUSINESSES IN THE
DOORS, ERIN MENTIONED MAYBE
SOMEONE IS AN AUDITOR WORK TO
MAYBE TEST THE WATERS FOR A
BRICK-AND-MORTAR, HOW ARE WE
GETTING THEM TO IMPROVE OR
EXPAND THEIR SPACE, AND THEN
FOR SOME, HOW ARE WE GETTING
THEM TO ACTUALLY OWN THEIR
SPACE. AND SO, ERIN MENTIONED
A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES. ANOTHER I
POINT TO IS UP ON BEACON HILL,
AT THE NEW KALINA WEST
BUILDING, A NEW DEVELOPMENT
NEAR LIGHT RAIL ON TOP OF
BEACON HILL, BECAUSE OF OUR
INVESTMENTS IN CAPACITY
BUILDING, WITH FEET BEACON
HILL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION,
THEY HAD STAFF THAT WERE ABLE
TO HELP TWO DISPLACED
BUSINESSES, HOT BISTRO AND
SHEA BOGGS WORK WITH THE
BUILDING OWNER TO SECURE A
COMMERCIAL SPACE ON THE GROUND
FLOOR. WE WERE ABLE TO LAYER IN
SOME OF OUR TENANT IMPROVEMENT
FUNDING TO HELP BUILD IT OUT.
TWO BUSINESSES THAT HAD BEEN
DISPLACED THROUGH KIND OF
LONGER-TERM INVESTMENTS AS WELL
AS NEW PROGRAMS, ARE ABLE TO
COME BACK. THEY ARE NOT OPEN
YET, BUT IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE
TO GO TO BEACON HILL YOU CAN
SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S A PERFECT INSTALLATION OF
THE NEED FOR A CONTINUUM OF
SUPPORT FOR THOSE BUSINESSES
THROUGHOUT A LONG AND
CHALLENGING PROCESS. BUT, IF WE
ARE DOING IT RIGHT AND IN
PARTNERSHIP, AND BEING
THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE ALIGN
FUNDING, IT CAN GENERATE SOME
REALLY COOL RESULTS. AND MAKE
SURE WE ARE NOT LOSING THOSE
BUSINESSES, EVEN AS THE CITY
GROWS AND TRANSFORMS. THE FINAL
THING I WILL MENTION IS THIS
MIDDLE ONE, SPECIALIZED
ASSISTANCE FOR MIDSIZE
BUSINESSES. WE SPENT A LOT OF
TIME ON SMALL BUSINESSES THAT
ARE STRUGGLING OR TRYING TO GET
GOING. OR LARGE BUSINESSES
OFTEN HAVE STAFF DEDICATED TO
TALKING TO GOVERNMENT AND
INTERFACING WITH GOVERNMENT AND
NAVIGATING REGULATIONS AND
WHATNOT. SO WE SOMETIMES HAVE A
MISSING LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR
MIDSIZE BUSINESSES. AND YET
WHEN WE ARE THINKING ABOUT
TRYING TO CREATE QUALITY JOBS
AND PATHWAYS TO THE QUALITY
JOBS, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT
DON'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE A
FOUR YEAR EDUCATION, A LOT OF
THAT JOB GROWTH IS GOING TO
HAPPEN WITH MIDSIZE BUSINESSES.
AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE SOME
STRATEGIES AND SPECIFIC SUPPORT
FOR THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE
MOVING OUT OF SMALL IS THIS
INTO MIDSIZE, PERHAPS ONTO
LARGER SIZE BUSINESS. AGAIN WE
HAVE A CONTINUUM OF SUPPORT. WE
DON'T HAVE A BARBELL, WITH
ONLY SUPPORT AT THE FRONT END
AND THEN WE LEAVE THEM AND IF
THEY MAKE IT TO THE LARGER
STAGE WE ARE BACK HELPING. WE
GOT TO HAVE SOMETHING IN THE
MIDDLE. I THINK THAT IS GOING
TO BE IMPORTANT FOR NOT ONLY
WEALTH CREATION OPPORTUNITIES,
BUT ALSO AGAIN FOR GENERATING
THIS QUALITY JOBS. AGAIN, THIS
IS A SNAPSHOT, THESE ARE THE
HIGHLIGHTS WE WANTED TO BRING
TO YOUR ATTENTION. I DO, IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME WANT TO MOVE
ON AND TALK A LITTLE ABOUT NEXT
STEPS. AS MENTIONED AT THE TOP,
WE ARE CONSTANTLY THINKING
ABOUT THE ROLE OF OED
THROUGHOUT THIS. WE REALLY
NARROWED IT INTO THREE
STRATEGIES. RESPONDING AND
IMPLEMENTING. THAT IS THOSE
BUSINESSES, AS DONNA WAS
TALKING, THAT REALLY NEED
SUPPORT NAVIGATING EITHER CITY
RESOURCES OR CONNECTION TO
OTHER RESOURCES OR TYPES OF
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. HOW ARE
WE, AS THE FRONT DOOR OF THE
CITY FOR BUSINESSES DOING A
GREAT JOB OF NAVIGATING AND
DOING THAT CONNECTION FOR THEM?
SECOND, LOOKING AT WORKFORCE
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS A
SYSTEM IN UNDERSTANDING WHERE
THERE ARE GAPS. HOW CAN OED
HELP FILL THE GAPS, DO THAT
LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE CAPACITY
BUILDING, IN NEIGHBORHOOD
BISTRO BUSINESS DISTRICTS AND
ELSEWHERE ANY COORDINATED
CONTINUUM OF SUPPORT. IT IS NOT
A SCATTERSHOT APPROACH NOR AN
OVER INDEX IN CERTAIN AREAS AND
LEAVING OTHERS VACANT. AND
FINALLY, AND THIS WAS MOST
INTERESTING COMING OUT OF THE
WORKGROUPS, REALLY THERE'S AN
EXPECTATION THAT THE CITY HAS A
CLEAR AND COMPELLING VISION
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SEATTLE'S
ECONOMY. AND THAT WE DO TRY TO
HAVE SOME OF THESE BIG BETS,
THESE MOON SHOTS THAT ARE GOING
TO BE TRANSFORMATIVE THAT WE
ARE WORKING ON THOSE AND WE ARE
NOT JUST KIND OF BEING
REACTIVE, BUT WE ARE BEING
PROACTIVE AND THOUGHTFUL ABOUT
WHERE WE WANT TO GO IN THE BIG
INVESTMENTS AND CHALLENGING
THINGS WE NEED TO DO AND THE
BIG CHOICES WE NEED TO GET
THERE. FOR NEXT STEPS, ONE,
YOU'RE GOING TO GET A BUDGET
PROPOSAL FROM OED THAT'S GOING
TO INCLUDE A LOT OF THESE
INVESTMENT IDEAS. SEE THIS AS A
PRELUDE TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT IN OUR BUDGET
PRESENTATION LATER THIS YEAR
FOR 2024. TWO, THE NICE THING
IS AS ALL OF THESE WORKGROUPS
WERE OFF AND RUNNING, OED WAS
BUILDING ITS CURRENT BUDGET
PROPOSAL. WE WERE ABLE TO PUT A
BUNCH OF THOSE IDEAS AND WORK
IT INTO THE 2023 BUDGET. RIGHT
NOW OED TEAMS ARE WORKING ON
THEIR WORK PLANS AND USING THE
INPUT FROM THIS REPORT IS ONE
OF THE MAIN KIND OF DRIVERS FOR
THE WORKPLAN. AND THEN WE ARE
USING ART RESULTS BASED
ECONOMY FRAMEWORK TO HOLD
OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE AND
MEASURE PROGRESS. I AM REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT US HAVING CLEAR
WORK PLANS REACH FOR TEAMS AND
SEEING HOW WE ARE EMBEDDING
SOME OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IF I SCALE BACK, YOU CAN SEE
THERE IS A COLUMN THAT SHOWS WE
ARE ALREADY PLANNING A LOT OF
THESE ITEMS IN OUR 2023
WORKPLAN. WE CAN KEEP YOU
UPDATED THERE. WE ARE ALSO
GOING TO BE RECONVENING
INVESTMENT ALIGNMENT WORKGROUP.
NOT JUST CITY MONEY ON THE
TABLE, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT
HOW SBA AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT ARE PLAYING A ROLE,
STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE,
THE COUNTY, COURTS, THERE ARE
PLENTY OF PARTNERS OUT THERE,
BUT WE NEED TO GET CORRELATED
SO WE CAN MAKE SOME OF THESE
THINGS GO. AND FINALLY, JUST
CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU
ALL, MAKING SURE YOU'RE
LISTENING TO WHAT YOU ARE
HEARING FROM CONSTITUENTS, THE
IDEAS YOU HAVE. ALSO THAT WE
ARE GETTING OUT AND ABOUT. IF
YOU WANT TO GO ON NEIGHBORHOOD
TOURS OR VISIT BUSINESS
DISTRICTS OR SEE SOME OF THESE
PROJECTS, I WELCOME YOU TO DO
THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
NOT JUST TO TALK ABOUT IT AND
SEE IT IN THEORY BUT TO VISIT
WITH THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND
WORKERS AND SEE ON THE GROUND
WHAT SOME OF OUR INVESTMENTS
ARE DOING. TO THEN INFORM
FUTURE INVESTMENTS WE MIGHT
MAKE. WITH THAT, BEFORE WE
GET TO QUESTIONS, I WANT TO
PAUSE AND SEE IF ANYONE, ERIN,
ANGELA DONNA, IF YOU HAVE ANY
FINAL CLOSING REMARKS YOU WANT
TO MAKE AND THEN WE WILL OPEN
IT FOR QUESTIONS.
>> I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT I
SAID BEFORE, HAVING WORKED WITH
THE CITY FOR DECADES, I
REALLY LIKE THE PROACTIVE AND
FORWARD THINKING TIMELINE ,
SEATTLE GETS ACCUSED OF BEING
PROCESS HEAVY SOMETIMES.
PROCESS IS IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO
ACTION IS IMPORTANT. AND SO, I
AM REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS
NEW ITERATION OF THE
DEVELOPMENT AS OUR PARTNER,
IS WORKING ON THINGS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT, THAT ARE COMING UP
FROM THE COMMUNITIES WE WORK
WITH. THANK YOU.
>> I THINK I JUST WANTED TO
ONCE AGAIN EXPRESS GRATITUDE
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
WITH THIS PLAN. AND ALSO, TO
MENTION, AS MARKHAM McINTYRE
POINTED OUT PARTICULARLY,
THESE THINGS CAN'T BE FROM ONE
DEPARTMENT. IT HAS TO BE A CITY
PERSPECTIVE. AND THE CITY
REALLY HAS TO TAKE A POINT OF
VIEW THAT THESE SMALL
BUSINESSES ARE THE FABRIC OF
THE CITY, THERE WHAT MAKES
SEATTLE UNIQUE. WITHOUT
SUPPORT AND REINFORCEMENT AND
COLLABORATION FROM DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE TO BE
LOOKING AT HOUSING, WE HAVE TO
LOOK AT CHILDCARE, WE HAVE TO
LOOK AT WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS
DEVELOPING AND THE IDEA THAT
WHEN DEVELOPS COME INTO A
NEIGHBORHOOD, WE HAVE TO
RETAIN SOME OF THE SMALL
BUSINESS PRESENCE AND WHATEVER
IT TAKES TO SUPPORT THOSE
THINGS TO KEEP OUR CITY
VIBRANT, FEELING SAFE,
ATTRACTING NOT JUST THE ESSENCE
OF THE CITY BUT TOURISTS AND
OUT-OF-TOWNERS TO FREELY AND
SAFELY WALK AROUND THE CITY
AND SEE NEIGHBORHOODS. AND
STILL WE START DOING THAT I
THINK WE WILL BE STUCK IN A
SPOT. THIS PLAN AGGRESSIVELY
MOVES FORWARD A AU GRES --
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT THAT IS
STILL NEEDED.
>> EXCELLENT. ANY ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS?
>> I WILL CLOSE BY SAYING
THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR
WONDERFUL COCHAIRS. ARE
WONDERFUL CHAIRS AND ALL THE
FOLKS THAT PARTICIPATED, IT
REALLY WAS A TEAM EFFORT AND
EVERYONE STUCK WITH IT. THANKS
TO EVERYONE.
>> THANK YOU. A FEW QUESTIONS.
NELSON?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
DIRECTOR MARKHAM McINTYRE AND
TEAM, ANGELA, ERIN AND DONNA,
I KNOW HAVING BEEN IN THE
BACKGROUND, LISTENING TO THE
PROCESS, AS IT'S UNFOLDED, IT
WAS REALLY INTENSIVE WORK AND
YOU PRODUCED WONDERFUL
RECOMMENDATIONS. I JUST WANT TO
SAY, THE SUBSET ON PAGE OF
IDEAS RECOMMENDATIONS ON PAGE
I BELIEVE IT IS EIGHT, IT
REALLY DOES POINT TO THE FULL
LIST ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE WITH
THE FULL LIST, I LIKE THE FACT
THAT THE IDEAS RANGE FROM
EASY TO DO, I SAY THAT
RELATIVELY SPEAKING, OR
IMPLEMENTABLE, TO THE BIG
STRETCH, THE BIG BET IDEAS.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, FUND A SMALL
BUSINESS MATCHMAKING TEAM, THAT
IS SOMETHING YOU DO, ERIN, ALL
THE TIME. I THINK WHAT YOU'RE
GETTING AT IS MATCHING SMALL
BUSINESSES WITH BUILDING OWNERS
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU CAN
DO THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE THOSE
CONNECTIONS. BUT FORMALIZING
THAT SERVICE TO SMALL BUSINESS
IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS
DISTRICTS, THAT IS PRETTY MUCH
A PRAGMATIC SERVICE THAT THE
CITY CAN PROVIDE. ALL THE WAY
TO INCREASING ACCESS TO
AFFORDABLE CAPITAL , A BIG BET,
THAT IS ONE OF THE HUGEST
BARRIERS TO ANY BUSINESS OWNER,
BUT ESPECIALLY OUR BIPOC
VISITS OWNERS . AND SO THAT
REQUIRES REALLY SPECIALIZED
KNOWLEDGE LIKE PEOPLE IN THE
FINANCE COMMUNITY, SO I JUST
WANT TO SAY, THE AMBITION ,
THE RANGE OF AMBITION IS
INSPIRING AND I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO GETTING TO WORK ON
A LOT OF THESE THINGS. AND I
ALSO WANTED TO NOTE THAT IT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE NEW
PEOPLE AT THE TABLE, THAT IS
KIND OF THE BEAUTY OF HAVING
UNFAMILIAR NAMES IS THAT THEY
BRING IDEAS WE MIGHT NOT OF
THOUGHT ABOUT. AND HELP BRIDGE
OUR POLICY GOALS WITH THE REAL
NEEDS OUT THERE. SO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD AND I AM SURE WE CAN
TALK A LOT LONGER. I LOOK
FORWARD TO DOING SO. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD,
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> THANK YOU, JUST FOR THE
VIEWING AUDIENCE, THAT REPORT
REFERENCED ON PAGE 8 OF THE
POWERPOINT , SHAPING THE FUTURE
OF SEATTLE ECONOMY, THAT IS ON
OED'S WEBSITE?
>> NO. WE ARE ACTUALLY WORKING
ON THE PUBLIC FACING DOCUMENTS.
WE DID WANT TO GET THROUGH THIS
AND MAKE SURE WE GOT SOME OF
YOUR FEEDBACK AND THEN WE ARE
WORKING ON THE PUBLIC FACING
LOOK OF THIS. THAT IS PART OF
OUR INDICATIONS WORKPLAN.
>> OKAY. THEN, CHAIR, IF I
MIGHT ADD ONE MORE COMMENT.
SINCE WE ARE -- OUR CITY IS
GROWING, WE ARE GOING THROUGH
A CONFERENCE OF PLANNING
PROCESS WITH THE CITY, SO WE
EXPECT THAT TO ENERGIZE
ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVITIES, THE TRANSPORTATION
DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY IS
WORKING ON SEVERAL PROJECTS
WHERE WE ARE HOPING TO IMPROVE
THE FREQUENCY AND RELIABILITY
OF BUSES THROUGH CITY, THIS
COMES WITH GROWING PAINS. SO
SDOT HAS TO TEAR UP THE STREET
SO THAT OUR UTILITIES , OUR
UTILITY DEPARTMENTS CAN PUT IN
UTILITIES SO WE CAN PUT IN THE
ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO THOSE BUS
STOPS. AND SO, AGAIN, AS I
MENTIONED BEFORE, THE NEW REAL
ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND UP SOWN
AREAS, IT CREATES
DISPLACEMENT, ALSO NEW
OPPORTUNITIES. I GUESS, IN A
TRADITIONAL CITY THAT MIGHT BE
STRUGGLING TO GENERATE GROWTH,
I WOULD SEE THE OFFICE OF CAN
MAKE DEVELOPMENT WORKING HARD
TO GENERATE JOBS AND RETAIN
BUSINESSES, HERE WE HAVE A
SITUATION WE ARE GROWING SO
FAST WE NEED TO TAKE THE SHARP
EDGES OFF OF THAT GROWTH AND
HELP THOSE IMPACTED
NEGATIVELY, AT LEAST INITIALLY,
I SOME OF THE GROWING PAINS,
WHETHER IT'S TEARING UP THE
STREET OR REDEVELOPMENT. WHICH
WE ARE DOING FOR GOOD REASONS,
TO IMPROVE TRANSIT, OR TO
MANAGE GROWTH. BUT, I AM
WONDERING, IF THIS REPORT IS
GOING TO DELVE INTO THAT AS
WELL, ABOUT WHAT OED'S ROLE IS
IN TERMS OF HELPING WITH
DISPLACEMENT WHEN SDOT IS
TEARING UP STREETS, HOW DO WE
HELP THOSE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE
LIMITED ACCESS NOW FOR A YEAR
OR TWO , LIKE WE SEE ON MADISON
STREET RIGHT NOW WITH THE G
LINE.
>> YET, I'M GLAD YOU RAISED IT.
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR
DEDICATION TO MITIGATING THE
IMPACT OF CITY ACTIVITY ON
THOSE BUSINESSES. BECAUSE IT
HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR A
LONG, LONG TIME. UNFORTUNATELY
THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE KIND OF
A COMPELLING STRATEGY TO
MITIGATE THOSE IMPACTS. SOME OF
THAT IS DUE TO THE
RESTRICTIONS, AS WE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT, OF KIND OF GIFT OF
PUBLIC FUNDS. BUT WE HAVE TO
GET MORE CREATIVE IN THINKING
ABOUT HOW WE SUPPORT THOSE
BUSINESSES. YOU AND I HAVE
TALKED ABOUT, FOR
BRICK-AND-MORTAR BUSINESSES, IS
THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO IN
HELPING THEIR DIGITAL ACCESS OR
ONLINE PROFILE, IF THAT IS ONE
WAY TO GET MAYBE SUPPORT .
DIFFERENT REVENUE STREAMS,
PARTICULARLY WHILE THEY ARE
BEING IMPACTED. BUT I ALSO
BELIEVE WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE
DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO THOSE
BUSINESSES. PUTTING A-FRAME
SIGNS OUTSIDE SAYING THEY ARE
OPEN ISN'T QUITE ENOUGH. WE
HAVE TO GET CREATIVE AND
THOUGHTFUL WITH HOW WE CAN
PROVIDE MORE ASSISTANCE TO THE
BUSINESSES. THAT IS A
CONVERSATION OED WANTS TO LEAD
AS PART OF CITY NAVIGATION ,
THE CONVERSATION DONNA AND I
WERE TALKING ABOUT, AGAIN THAT
IS KIND OF WITHIN THE CITY'S
SPAN OF CONTROL AND SOMETHING
WE ARE DOING, SO WE HAVE TO
HAVE A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH FOR
HOW WE ARE MITIGATING THE
IMPACT. IT SOMETHING WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, WANT TO CONTINUE
TALKING WITH YOU ABOUT, TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT THE RANGE OF
STRATEGIES ARE WE CAN OFFER.
SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON WAS DESCRIBING, THERE
ARE GOING TO BE SOME THINGS WE
CAN DO QUICKLY AND WITHIN THE
CURRENT BUDGET AND STAFFING
CONSTRAINTS, AND THERE ARE SOME
THINGS THAT ARE PROBABLY GOING
TO REQUIRE POLICY CHANGES OR
LONGER-TERM CONVERSATIONS. BUT
I THINK WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD
TO LEAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS
WITHIN THE CITY
>> CHAIR, ONE LAST QUESTION IF
I MAY. SPOKE QUICKLY, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU. WE ARE HEARING A
LOT ABOUT VACANCIES DOWNTOWN
WITH COMMERCIAL LEASES, AS WE
KNOW, OR MULTIYEAR LEASES, SO
THERE MIGHT BE A THREE-YEAR
LEASE THAT IS COMING DUE NOW
AND A BUSINESS MIGHT DOWNSIZE
BECAUSE WORKERS ARE
TELECOMMUTING OR THEY MIGHT BE
RELOCATING. THERE HAS BEEN
TALK ABOUT CONVERTING OFFICE
BUILDINGS TO RESIDENTIAL
HOUSING TO DEAL WITH THE
HOUSING SHORTAGE. I KNOW THAT
IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE,
HAVING WORKED ON TYPES OF
PROJECTS LIKE THAT IN THE PAST.
BUT, COULD YOU CONFIRM , WHICH
CITY DEPARTMENT WOULD BE
TAKING A LEAD ON THAT? OFFICE
OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD TAKE THE
LEAD ON CONVERTING OFFICE
BUILDINGS TO RESIDENTIAL?
>> OPCD IS DEFINITELY TAKING
THE LEAD. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND
CHECKING IN WITH RICO AND HIS
TEAM. BUT SIMILAR, IT'S NOT A
ONE DEPARTMENT WILL THING.
THOSE ARE COMPLEX CONVERSIONS
THAT ARE GOING TO REQUIRE
MULTI DEPARTMENT'S COMING
TOGETHER AND AGREEING ON THE
OUTCOME THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AND
WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO GET
THERE. SO, IT IS A HOT TOPIC
HERE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY. WE
HAVE SEEN OTHER CITIES
RELEASING PLANS, I KNOW THAT
OPCD IS LOOKING AT THIS KEENLY
AS PART OF A STRATEGY TO BOTH
GET MORE HOUSING OPTIONS OUT
THERE, BUT ALSO AS A WAY FOR
CONVERTING THE OFFICE SPACE. I
WOULD CHECK IN WITH OPCD.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THAT IS THE EXACT QUESTION I
HAD EARLIER THIS MONTH. SO WE
ARE ALSO SCHEDULING A MEETING
WITH THE DIRECTOR AS WELL TO
HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT THEIR
PLANS ARE. AND, I KNOW THAT IS
AN EXTENSIVE AND COMPLICATED
CONVERSION, AS WELL AS
CHILDCARE MIGHT BE. BUT IT
MIGHT BE WORTH PURSUING BOTH
CONCEPTS AS WE THINK ABOUT
VACANT SPACE AND HOW TO SUPPORT
THE INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND OUR
SMALL BUSINESSES AND WORKFORCE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME HERE TODAY, THE WORK
YOU'VE DONE TO PUT TOGETHER THE
PRESENTATION, AND REALLY THE
DEEP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT YOU
HAVE DONE TO BRING FORTH SUCH
A ROBUST LIST OF PROPOSALS. AND
AS YOU MENTIONED, WE HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THIS DOES NOT SIT ON
THE SHELF AND GAINED DUST, HE
NEEDS TO GAIN TRACTION AND THAT
IS WHAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO
DOING WITH YOU. I ALSO WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR LIFTING UP, I
CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT WORDS
YOU USED, BUT I WANT TO
MEMORIZE IT, AND I THINK
DIRECTOR MARKHAM McINTYRE, YOU
MENTIONED HOW THEY GO IN A
PARTNERSHIP AND HOW WE SHOULD
LIFT UP AND CELEBRATE WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
ACROSS OUR CITY. THIS IS A
GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW
INVESTMENTS AND WORKERS AND
THE ELEMENT ARE COMPONENTRY.
THANK YOU FOR LIFTING UP THAT
PARTNERSHIP AND THE IMPORTANCE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING MORE
CONVERSATIONS, SPECIFICALLY
ABOUT THE JUMPSTART SPEND
PLANNED FOR FUTURE DEPLOYMENT
AS WE PUT MANY OF THOSE DOLLARS
FOR 2024 ON HOLD FOR FLEXIBLE
USE FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND THE
CITY TO USE GOING FORWARD. AND
WE LOOK FOR TO HEARING MORE
AS IT RELATES TO THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS AND THIS JOINT
EFFORT OUR CITY MUST EMBARK ON
TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ECONOMY IN
ALL ASPECTS. THANKS AGAIN FOR
ALL OF YOUR WORK AND FOR BEING
WITH US TODAY AND FOR THE
PRESENTATION.
>> A PLEASURE. I FINAL REMARK
IS I'M A PROUD BOARD MEMBER OF
HOUSING CONNECTOR SO LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE NEXT
PRESENTATION AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT
UP. MADAME CLERK COULD YOU READ
ITEM NUMBER TWO INTO THE
RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, AN
UPDATE ON HOUSING CONNECTOR
FOR BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> VERY EXCITING. WE HAVE WITH
US SHKELQIM KELMENDI,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING
CONNECTOR, ALONG WITH ELIZABETH
KIRK AND CHINNELL DAVIS.
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE WITH US FOR HOUSING
CONNECTOR. WE'VE HAD YOU IN OUR
COMMITTEE BEFORE, BEFORE COVID.
YOUR ORGANIZATION CAME UP
RECENTLY AS HE WENT TO A
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE
MEETING , LET ME REPHRASE THAT,
THE REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY HAS DAILY BRIEFINGS
WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS , KING
COUNTY, CITY PROVIDERS,
INTERNAL TO THE CITY, THOSE WHO
WORK AT RHA, THOSE WHO WORK AT
THE COUNTY AND YOUR NAME
CONTINUE TO COME UP UPDATING A
CRITICAL PARTNER FOR HELPING
FOLKS FIND STABLE HOUSING IN
OUR REGION. WE THOUGHT IT WAS A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE YOU
BACK IN OUR COMMITTEE.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK
RELATED TO HOUSING COMING UP
THIS YEAR THE UPCOMING WORK ON
THE HOUSING LEVY WHICH WILL BE
ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER FOR
VOTERS TO CONSIDER. WE WANTED
TO START WITH A FOUNDATIONAL
SETTING IN OUR HOUSING
COMMITTEE ABOUT HOW HOUSING
CONNECTOR IS EVOLVING TO
SUPPORT FOLKS FINDING ACCESS TO
HOUSING AND ANY OTHER WAYS
THAT THIS TOOL HAS CONTINUED TO
GROW TO RESPOND TO THE MOST
PRESSING NEED IN OUR REGION,
WHICH IS THE NEED FOR STABLE
HOUSING FOR ALL. THANKS AGAIN.
SHKELQIM, I THINK I WILL TURN
IT TO YOU. AFTER THIS WE WILL
GO TO KING COUNTY TO HEAR ABOUT
HOW WE HELP FOLKS STAY SAFELY
HOUSE BY WEEK GET THEM ACCESS
TO SERVICES. WELCOME, THANK
YOU FOR COMING BACK.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
THE LAST MEETING I ATTENDED
BEFORE COVID WAS PRESENTING TO
THIS COMMITTEE. IT IS GOOD TO
BE BACK. OR CONTEXT, FOR FOLKS
WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT HOUSING
CONNECTOR, OR ME, I'M GOING TO
PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW ABOUT
WHAT HOUSING CONNECTOR DOES AND
IMPACT WE HAVE AND THE MODEL WE
TAKE TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO
HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS IN OUR
COMMUNITY. AND THEN TALK ABOUT
THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST YEAR
AS WELL AS THE LOW LIGHTS. AND
DISCUSS THE VISION MOVING
FORWARD. JUST FOR CONTEXT, MY
NAME IS SHKELQIM, I'M
ORIGINALLY FROM KOSOVO,
IMMIGRATED TO THE U.S. AS A
REFUGEE AND STRUGGLED
FIRSTHAND. MY FAMILY DID, IN
IDENTIFYING HOUSING. THIS IS
SOMETHING PERSONAL TO ME.
SOMETHING WITH HOUSING
CONNECTOR WE ARE HOPING TO
PROVIDE THE ACCESS MY FAMILY
WAS GIVEN WHEN WE MOVED TO THE
U.S., TO OTHER MEMBERS IN THE
COMMUNITY BUT TRYING TO DO IT
AT SCALE. AS FAR AS OUR
PURPOSE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE
NEED TO THINK ABOUT WE TALK
ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, THERE
ABOUT HALF 1 MILLION
INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
THAT ARE EXPENSING
HOMELESSNESS ON ANY GIVEN DAY.
AT THE SAME TIME, A RECENT
STUDY SHOWED THERE ABOUT TWO
AND HALF MILLION UNITS SIT
VACANT EVERY DAY. LET ME BE
CLEAR, NOT ALL OF THOSE 2.5
MILLION UNITS ARE NECESSARILY
A GOOD FIT FOR THE INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE EXPENSING HOMELESSNESS.
BUT EVEN ONE OUT OF THE FIVE
COULD BE A GOOD FIT, WE NEED
TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO
TRY TO CONNECT FOLKS THROUGH
THE EXISTING CAPACITIES WE
HAVE. FOR US WE BELIEVE THOSE
UNITS SHOULD NOT BE SITTING
VACANT OTHER PEOPLE IN NEED OF
A HOME. WHAT IS A LITTLE
DIFFERENT ABOUT US AS A
NONPROFIT WE ARE A B2B
ORGANIZATION, WE ARE AT THE
INTERSECTION BETWEEN PROPERTY
OWNERS AND MANAGERS AND THE
SAVIOR -- SERVICE PROVIDERS
TRYING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.
THE SPECIFIC AREA, WE HAVE A
UNIQUE AND NARROW SCOPE, WHICH
IS REALLY ELIMINATING THE
BARRIERS TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM
ACCESSING A HOME. THINGS LIKE
CREDIT SCORE, PAST EVICTIONS,
RENTAL DECK, THESE INDICATORS
ARE OFTEN UTILIZED TO DETERMINE
WHETHER SOMEONE HAS A SECOND
CHANCE AT HOUSING.
UNFORTUNATELY THESE ARE
BARRIERS THAT CONTINUE TO
EXASPERATE HER HOMELESSNESS
CRISIS, LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.
THE SOLUTION IS A SIMPLE
SOLUTION. WE LOOK AT BEST
PRACTICES IN OTHER INDUSTRIES
AND WE REALIZED THE SOLUTION
HERE IS ONE THAT REQUIRES A
STREAMLINED APPROACH TO REMOVE
THE FRICTION IN THE HOUSING
SEARCH PROCESS AND ALSO REMOVE
SOME OF THE CONCERNS AND
BARRIERS THAT THE BUSINESS
COMMUNITY HAS , THAT THE
PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE WHY THEY
UTILIZE THESE CRITERIA TO
DETERMINE WHETHER SOMEBODY GETS
IN OR NOT. SPECIFICALLY WHEN
WE THINK ABOUT PROPERTIES, THE
REASON WHY DEPUTIES UTILIZE
SCREENING CRITERIA IS BECAUSE
OF RISK. AS WE THINK ABOUT
RISK, THIS IS SOMETHING OTHER
INDUSTRIES HAVE DETERMINED HOW
TO ADDRESS. REALLY THE BEST WAY
TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF RISK IS
UTILIZING INSURANCE PRODUCTS.
WHAT HOUSING CONNECTOR HAS DONE
IS WE HAVE GENERATED A SOLUTION
THAT ADDRESSES THE MAIN
BUSINESS CONCERNS OF PROPERTY
OWNERS AND MANAGERS,
SPECIFICALLY AROUND FILLING
UNITS, MAKING SURE RENT IS
PAID, MAKING SURE PROPERTY IS
NOT DAMAGED, AND IN EXCHANGE WE
ASK IN RETURN IS THAT THEY
LOWER OR ELIMINATE THE
CRITERIA, MAKING UNITS
CURRENTLY IN OUR COMMUNITY MORE
ACCESSIBLE TO MORE FOLKS. BUT
THAT IS JUST ONE SIDE, THAT IS
A SUPPLY-SIDE. ON THE DEMAND
SIDE WE DO IS WE WORK WITH
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
MARY'S PLACE, CATHOLIC
COMMUNITY SERVICES, TO MAKE
SURE THEIR CASE MANAGERS AND
CLIENTS HAVE A CENTRALIZED
LOCATION TO TO TO IDENTIFY
UNITS IN REAL TIME AND ENSURE
THESE UNITS HAVE REDUCED
BARRIERS TO THEIR CLIENTS COULD
BE ACCEPTED AT HIGHER RATES. WE
ALSO DO IN THIS PROCESS, WE
MAKE SURE FOLKS ARE ACCESSING
THESE UNITS QUICKER AND
REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF TIME
THEY ARE EXPENSING
HOMELESSNESS. THE FINAL PIECE
IN OUR EQUATION IS A MECHANISM
BY WHICH WE BRING THESE TWO
SIDES TOGETHER. WE ARE
FORTUNATE WE HAVE A LEADER IN
THE SPACE HERE IN OUR BACKYARD
, ZILLOW. ZILLOW HAS BEEN PART
OF THIS MODEL AND CAME TO THE
TABLE TO SAY, INSTEAD OF
HOUSING CONNECTOR DESIGNING
THEIR OWN PRODUCT AND PLATFORM,
WHAT IF WE EMBED THIS
FUNCTIONALITY IN ZILLOW.COM.
WAS INCREDIBLE ABOUT THIS IS WE
HAVE THE BENEFITS OF ALL THE
ZILLOW DEVELOPMENT'S, THE
UPDATES, AND ALSO WHAT IT DOES
IS INCREASES THE ADOPTION RATE.
BECAUSE ZILLOW IS A KNOWN
QUANTITY AN ENTITY, SO THEY
ARE ALREADY UTILIZING THIS. BUT
IN A SENSE WHAT HAPPENS NOW IS
WHEN ONE OF THESE CASE MANAGERS
OR CLIENTS LOG INTO ZILLOW,
THEIR ACCOUNT IS FLAG ON THE
BACK AND BY OUR TEAM AND THEY
ARE ABLE TO SEE UNITS NOT
VISIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC,
DIRECTLY FILTER FOR THE UNITS
THAT FIT THEIR NEEDS, AND GET
THEM THEIR CLIENTS OR CELLS
HELP. THIS IS JUST A QUICK
SCREENSHOT OF WHAT THAT LOOKS
LIKE FOR THE CASE MANAGERS IN
THE COMMUNITY. SINCE I LAST
TALK , WE'VE HAD A LOT OF
GROWTH. WE RIGHT NOW HAVE OVER
1300 PROPERTIES THAT ARE
PARTNERING WITH HOUSING
CONNECTOR, 75,000 UNITS IN THAT
PORTFOLIO. MOST OF THOSE
PROPERTIES ARE IN KING COUNTY
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME IN PIERCE
COUNTY AND RECENTLY LAUNCHING
IN DENVER AS WELL. ANOTHER
THING I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO
CALL OUT IS, AS I THINK THIS
COMMITTEE KNOWS, THE HOUSING
SECTOR IS ONE THAT IS OBVIOUSLY
REALLY HAS A BAD TRACK RECORD
AROUND DISCRIMINATION AND
RACISM. AND OFTEN TIMES THESE
LEVERS OF DISCRIMINATION SUCH
AS CRIMINAL HISTORY OR CREDIT
SCORE, ARE USED TO
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT
HOUSEHOLDS OF COLOR. BY HOUSING
CONNECTOR PRE-NEGOTIATING THESE
CRITERIA, WE ARE COME IN A
SENSE MAKING THESE LEVERS OF
DISCRIMINATION OBSOLETE AND
ALLOWING MORE FAMILIES ACCESS
TO A HOME. I KNOW OUR FRIENDS
IN KING COUNTY ARE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT PREVENTION, MAKING
SURE FOLKS STAY HOUSED. THAT IS
A KEY AREA FOR HOUSING
CONNECTOR AS WELL, WE STICK
AROUND FOR TWO YEARS. WE DON'T
HAVE A REVOLVING DOOR BACK AT
HOMELESSNESS. WHAT HAS BEEN
INCREDIBLE, NINE OF 10
HOUSEHOLDS STAY HOUSED IN THE
SAME UNIT AFTER ONE YEAR. WE
ARE SEEING EIGHT IN 10 THING IN
THE SAME UNIT TWO YEARS LATER.
WHAT THIS INDICATES IS IF WE
CAN GET HOUSEHOLDS TO THE
ONE-YEAR MARK THE LIKELIHOOD
THEY CAN MAINTAIN STABILITY IS
INCREDIBLY HIGH IN ALLOWING
THEM TO HAVE THAT
SELF-SUFFICIENCY. LET'S TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT 2022, IT WAS
AN INTERESTING YEAR.
HIGHLIGHTS, WE CONNECTED OVER
1300 INDIVIDUALS TO HOUSING.
35% YEAR-OVER-YEAR INCREASE.
AS WE THINK ABOUT ENGAGEMENT,
WE HAD CLOSE TO 5000 MESSAGES
SENT BY COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO
PROPERTIES. A 76 PERCENT
YEAR-OVER-YEAR . WE HAD OVER
1000 CASE MANAGERS THAT
UTILIZED OUR SERVICES. I WANT
TO PUT A CAVEAT, THIS IS A
LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE, THE
FACT THAT THERE ARE 1000 CASE
MANAGERS IS AN INDICATION THAT
THERE IS SO MUCH TURNOVER IN
THIS SPACE, I WILL TALK ABOUT
THAT AS WELL. BUT, THEY ARE NOT
NECESSARILY 1000 CASE MANAGERS
IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT BECAUSE
OF TURNOVER WE ARE SEEING MORE
AND MORE FOLKS GO THROUGH THE
SYSTEM. IT ALSO IS CAUSING US
TO HAVE TO SPEND A LOT MORE
RESOURCES TRAINING NEW STAFF
GIVEN THE HIGH TURNOVER. BUT
THE POSITIVE IS, THIS IS A
RESOURCE BEING UTILIZED BY OUR
COMMUNITY AND SEEN AS A VALUE.
IN THAT TIMEFRAME UNLOCKED 4000
UNITS TO THE COMMUNITY. AS I
MENTIONED, 78% OF HOUSEHOLDS
REACHED THE TO YOUR GRADUATION
MARK. COMMUNITYWIDE IMPACTS,
WE HELPED ACHIEVE THE HIGHEST
EMERGENCY HOUSING A
UTILIZATION RATE IN THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY. KING COUNTY LED THE
ENTIRE NATION IN UTILIZATIONS,
AND WILL I DO NOT TAKE CREDIT
FOR THAT, WE WERE JUST A SMALL
PART OF THAT, THE FACT THAT
HOUSING CONNECTOR WAS IN THE
COMMUNITY, THE FACT THAT WE
HAD CONNECTIONS TO PROPERTIES
MEANT WE ALREADY HAD A SMOOTH
PATH TO GET THESE EHV UTILIZED
AND GET FOLKS INTO HOUSING,
WHEREAS A LOT OF OTHER
COMMUNITIES DID NOT HAVE THAT.
LACES LIKE L.A., HOVERING AT
7%-10% FOR LARGE PART OF LAST
YEAR, WHEN WE WERE UPWARDS OF
70 PERCENT. ONE THING I AM
PROUD OF IS WE ARE TRYING TO
FIND NEW WAYS TO KEEP PEOPLE
HOUSED. ONE WAY HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO DO THAT IS BY MEETING THE
NEEDS OF OUR PARTNERS BY
LAUNCHING A MEDIATION AND
CONFLICT INTERVENTION SERVICE.
WHAT WE REALIZED IS, WE CAN
PREVENT FOLKS FROM GOING DOWN
THE EVICTION ROUTE IF WE CAN
STEP IN EARLY AND DE-ESCALATE
ISSUES. OFTEN TIMES THERE'S MR.
INDICATION BETWEEN A RENTER AND
A PROPERTY , US COMING IN AS A
THIRD PARTY IN PROVIDING THE
SERVICE HAS BEEN CRITICAL IN
MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE STAYING
HOUSED AND THINGS ARE NOT
ESCALATING TO THE POINT OF
EVICTION. IT IS NOT ALL GOOD
NEWS. SOME OF THE LIGHTS FROM
LAST YEAR, ONE OF THE BIGGEST
ONES IS WE SAW A 341%
YEAR-OVER-YEAR INCREASE IN THE
AMOUNT OF RENT PAYMENTS PAID.
WE PAID OVER $900,000 IN RENT
SUPPORT. AND OBVIOUSLY THIS
WAS SOMETHING UNEXPECTED , IT
PUT US IN QUITE A DEFICIT IN
THE FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE. PART
OF THAT IS WHEN FOLKS WERE
ABLE TO BE EVICTED, WE SAW IS
THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAD NO
OTHER RESOURCES IN THE RENTAL
SUBSIDIES IN THE COMMUNITY HAD
DRIED UP, HOUSING CONNECTOR WAS
BEING ASKED TO STEP IN MORE AND
MORE AT HIGHER RATES TO MAKE
SURE WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THAT
BRIDGE FOR FOLKS TO STAY
HOUSED. THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE
LONG-TERM AND I'M HAPPY IT'S
TAILORED OFF A LITTLE BIT, BUT
NONETHELESS, IT INDICATES THE
NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY PARENTAL
SUPPORT. BECAUSE WELL COVID,
IT'S NOT BEHIND US, I JUST HAD
IT LAST WEEK, SOME OF THE
FINANCIAL IMPACTS MAY BE
FORGOTTEN, THE IMPACTS ON
RENTERS IS STILL THERE, SO MANY
FAMILIES ARE STILL STRUGGLING.
THAT REALLY HITS THE POINT
NUMBER TWO WHICH IS, AS WE
TALKED TO PROPERTY PARTNERS,
THEY ARE INDICATING THE NUMBER
OF HOUSEHOLDS STILL BEHIND ON
RENT AND ON THE VERGE OF LOSING
THE HOUSING, I KNOW WE HAVE
PROTECTIONS AND STEPS THAT
PROPERTIES HAVE TO GO THROUGH
BEFORE THEY GO DOWN THE
EVICTION PATH, BUT NONETHELESS,
EVEN IF THAT TIMEFRAME IS
ELONGATED, FOLKS ARE HAVING
NOTICES ISSUED, ON THE VERGE
OF LOSING HOUSING, UNLESS WE
CAN FIND WAYS TO STEP IN AND
PROVIDE SUPPORT ON THE RENTAL
SIDE. I MENTIONED THIS EARLIER,
THERE IS A HIGH TURNOVER RATE
IN CASE MANAGEMENT, WHAT THIS
DOES IS CREATE DISRUPTION AND
SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS. WHEN
SOMEONE'S CASE MANAGER IS
LEAVING THE ORGANIZATION,
THERE IS NOT THE CONTINUITY,
THERE'S NOT THE RELATIONSHIP
AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS
HIGHER RATES OF DISENGAGEMENT
FROM RESIDENTS WHEN YOU HAVE A
HIGH TURNOVER IN THEIR MAIN
SUPPORT PARTNER. FOR US IT
HOUSING CONNECTOR THIS IMPACTS
US BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO
FIND WAYS TO FILL THAT GAP TO
THE RESIDENT CAN GET THE
SUPPORT THEY NEED AND AVOID
HAVING A BEHAVIORAL ISSUE LEAD
TO A TEN-DAY NOTICE OR
EVICTION. THE FINAL PIECE
AGAIN IS MARRIED TO THE CASE
MANAGEMENT, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WAS CRITICAL AROUND THE
EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHER
PROGRAM WAS THAT IT CAME WITH
STABILITY SUPPORT DOLLARS. THE
CHALLENGE IS, WE WERE ABLE TO
HOUSE SO MANY FOLKS THROUGH
COMMUNITY WITH THE PROGRAM,
WHAT'S HAPPENED NOW IS A LOT OF
THOSE SUPPORT SERVICES ARE NOT
NECESSARILY BEING PROVIDED IN
THEIR VERY INCONSISTENT. WE ARE
DOING TEAR GRUMBLINGS FROM
PROPERTIES AROUND THE FACT THAT
THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE
FOLLOW-THROUGH OF CASE
MANAGEMENT FOR RESIDENTS WHEN
THEY ARE STRUGGLING THAT WAS
PROMISED AT THE START OF THE
EHV PROGRAM. THAT OBVIOUSLY IS
A TON OF COURT NATION BEING
DONE BETWEEN RHA, SHA, KING
COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY, BUT
FOR ME IT'S A RED FLAG IF WE
DON'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADDRESS
THIS IT COULD BE A GAP THE
COULD SEE A LOT OF THESE EHV
HOUSEHOLDS EVENTUALLY LOSE
THEIR HOUSING IN THE FUTURE. I
WILL POSIT HERE TO PROVIDE OUR
VISION FOR THE FUTURE, WITH
HOUSING CONNECTOR, BEFORE I DO
THAT, I WILL PAUSE AND SEE IF
THERE ANY QUESTIONS GUARDING
WHAT I'VE COVERED SO FAR.
>> I THINK MAYBE WE SHOULD GO
THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND
THEN WE CAN SEE IF THERE
QUESTIONS AT THE END. FOR THE
PURPOSE OF TIME. AND THEN HAVE
THE FULLER PICTURE.
>> YOU BET. THIS WILL BE
BRIEF. FOR US ONE OF THE THINGS
WE REALIZED IS, AGAIN, GETTING
FOLKS INTO HOUSING IS STEP ONE,
KEEPING THEM HOUSED IS JUST AS
IMPORTANT. WHAT WE ARE DOING
MORE AND MORE IS LEANING INTO
PREVENTION WORK AND TRYING TO
FIND WAYS TO LEVERAGE
TECHNOLOGY AND AUTOMATION TO
GET EARLY INDICATIONS OF WHEN
ISSUES ARISE FOR RESIDENTS SO
WE CAN ACTIVATE RESOURCES.
LOOKS LIKE AUTOMATED REMINDERS
FOR PROPERTIES, EVERY SINGLE
MONTH ON THE FIFTH OF THE MONTH
TO SAY HERE THE RESIDENCE
HOUSED HOUSING CONNECTOR, OR
ANY OF THESE FOLKS FALLING
BEHIND ON RENT OR HAVE LEASE
VIOLATIONS SO THE PROPERTY CAN
LET US KNOW AND WE CAN PROVIDE
SERVICES EARLIER. WE ARE ALSO
PLANNING TO SCALE OUR
MEDIATION SERVICES ACROSS THE
COMMUNITY. THE FINAL PIECE WE
ARE TRAINED TO DO IS WE HAVE
TESTED A NEW TECHNOLOGY AND
PRODUCT WITH THE SEATTLE
HOUSING AUTHORITY WE ARE
LOOKING TO SCALE WHICH IS
HELPING AUTOMATE THE HOUSING
SEARCH COMPLETELY. FOR
INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, WHEN A
CASE MANAGER DOESN'T ENROLLMENT
WITH CLIENTS AND GETS BASIC
INFORMATION AROUND PREFERENCES
AND BARRIERS, IN THAT MOMENT
WHEN THEY UPLOAD THAT
INFORMATION, WITH HOUSING
CONNECTOR, WE ARE ABLE TO
SCRUB THE WEBINAR PLATFORM AND
BASICALLY PULL THE UNITS THAT
MATCH THEIR NEEDS. WE CAN GET
THOSE UNITS IMMEDIATELY TO THAT
CASE MANAGER OR CLIENT IN
ABOUT 30 SECONDS SO THEY CAN
START IMMEDIATELY ENGAGING WITH
UNITS. THE KEY HERE IS, AS WE
KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE'S
ATTENTION, WHEN YOU HAVE AN
INDIVIDUAL'S ATTENTION AT THAT
MOMENT, THAT OF THE GOAL IS TO
GIVE THEM OPTIONS AND HOPE. WE
ARE TRAINED TO AVOID IS A
SCENARIO WHERE YOU SAY THANKS
FOR THE INFORMATIN, I'M GOING
TO LOOK FOR UNITS AND TRY TO
FIND YOU IN A DAY OR TWO OR
WEEK. OFTENTIMES THEY CAN'T
REACH THE CLIENT. THE GOAL IS
TO STAY IN THAT MOMENT, WHEN
YOU HAVE SOMEONE'S ATTENTION,
GIVE THEM REAL TANGIBLE RESULTS
SO THEY STAY ENGAGED AND
INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THEY
WILL MOVE INTO HOUSING. AGAIN,
THIS IS A HYPOTHESIS WE HAVE
WE ARE TESTING OUT. BUT I THINK
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVE A
TON OF PROMISE AS WE BEGIN
TESTING AND SCALING FOR OUR
COMMUNITY LOCALLY AND
HOPEFULLY NATIONALLY AS WELL.
WITH THAT, I WILL END MY
PRESENTATION AND I'M HAPPY TO
TAKE QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ELIZABETH, CHINNELL DAVIS, DID
YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO
ADD?
>> WE ARE SO THANKFUL YOU ARE
ALL HERE AND FOR THE WORK THAT
HOUSING CONNECTOR DOES. I WANT
TO REITERATE A FEW OF THE
POINTS I THINK AVOID , PROVIDE
THE CONNECTION , I'M VERY
THANKFUL FOR EXAMPLE THAT WE
WERE ABLE TO INCLUDE $1 MILLION
AGAIN IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET
FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE. BUT AS
YOU NOTED, STANDING UP
AFFORDABLE UNITS , PROVIDING
RENTAL ASSISTANCE DOLLARS,
PROVIDING EMERGENCY HOUSING
VOUCHERS, AND DOING THESE
INVESTMENTS IN EVICTION
PREVENTION, ALL OF THESE
INVESTMENTS ARE NEEDED ALONG
WITH THE SPECTRUM TO ADDRESS
THE CASCADING EVENTS THAT
HAPPEN TO AN INDIVIDUAL OR
FAMILY WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO BEGIN
WITH OR STABILITY TO STATE
STABLY HOUSED. SO WE ARE
REALLY THINK OVER YOUR WORK ON
THE PREVENTION SIDE AND THE
WORK YOU'RE DOING IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH RHA AND KING
COUNTY AND SEATTLE TO FIND
HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE WHEN PEOPLE ARE
READY AND ABLE TO MOVE IN. SO,
YOU'RE COMING AT THIS FROM ALL
SIDES, WE GREATLY APPRECIATE
THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND WE
KNOW THERE IS SO MUCH MORE
NEEDED. SUPPORT, JUMPSTART
FUNDS, MAKE SURE THE LEVY
PASSES THIS YEAR, CONTINUING TO
GET THE AFFORDABILITY DOLLARS
AND BUILDING UNITS AND CONTINUE
TO SUPPORT THE WORK YOU'RE
DOING ON THE PREVENTION AND
QUICK APPLICATION SITE. I JUST
WANT TO THANK YOU HOUSING
CONNECTOR FOR THE ROLE YOU ARE
PLAYING WITH PROPERTY OWNERS.
YOU MENTIONED A LOT OF THAT,
THE OWNERS AND MANAGERS IN
PART A SHIP WITH YOU, YOU'RE
HELPING TO LOWER THE BARRIERS
TO MAKING SURE PEOPLE CAN
ACTUALLY ACCESS HOUSING AND
INCREASE THE OPTIONS THE FOLKS
HAVE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM IS
INCREDIBLY COMPLEX AS WE KNOW,
YOU ARE TRULY BREAKING DOWN
BARRIERS AND BREAKING THROUGH
WALLS. THANK YOU FOR HELPING
FOUTS FOLKS PREVENT
HOMELESSNESS AND FOR THOSE
EXPERIENCE IT TO FIND
STABILITY. I WANT TO JUST SAY
THAT, YOU MAY HAVE MENTIONED
IT, BUT THIS IS , IT HAS A
COMPOUNDING EFFECT, MORE YOU
HELP INDIVIDUALS, THE MORE YOU
HELP FAMILIES, THEN WE HOPE
WORKERS, THE MORE YOU HELP
SMALL BUSINESSES, IT IS TRULY
PART OF THE EARLIER
CONVERSATION WE HAD ABOUT A
MORE STABLE AND SUSTAINABLE AND
EQUITABLE LOCAL ECONOMY AS
WELL. BECAUSE WE NOTE MANY
FOLKS WERE EXPENSING
HOMELESSNESS ALSO HAVE A JOB,
THEY DON'T HAVE IS AFFORDABLE
OR STABLE HOUSING. SO THANK YOU
FOR HELPING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE
HAVE A PLACE TO GO HOME SO THEY
CAN TAKE A SHOWER AND HAVE A
PLACE TO CLEAN THEIR CLOTHES
AND THUS BE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR
JOBS AS WELL. THIS IS THE
COMPOUNDING EFFECT, THE
MULTIPLIER EFFECT YOU HAVE
THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND
ECONOMY, IT IS COUNTLESS. THANK
YOU FOR THE SLIDES. I WOULD
LOVE TO MAKE SURE WE GET THOSE
MATERIALS POST COMMITTEE, BUT
THIS IS WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU
BACK IN COMMITTEE AGAIN. ARE
THERE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS?
EXCUSE ME, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN, I SEE YOUR HAND.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU . I WANTED TO GET
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
HOUSING CONNECTOR FUNDING
SOURCES. DO A LOT OF THE
TENANTS, DO THEY ALREADY HAVE A
VOUCHER FROM THE HOUSING
AUTHORITY? OR, OTHER ALSO
SITUATIONS WHERE YOU ARE
PROVIDING VOUCHERS? HOW DOES
YOUR FUNDING WORK IN GENERAL?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
>> THAT I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP.
>> YOU BET. I WILL GIVE YOU
EXACT NUMBERS. AS FAR AS
FUNDING, THE MAJORITY WE
RECEIVE IN THE SEATTLE AND
KING COUNTY COMMUNITY COMES
THROUGH THE REGIONAL HOMELESS
AUTHORITY. ABOUT $2 MILLION,
THE REST WE ARE TRYING TO RAISE
FROM PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS .
AND JUST CANDIDLY, ONE OF THE
CHALLENGES IS WE HAVE BEEN
SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING A LOT OF
FOLKS HOUSED, BUT THE WAY OUR
MODEL WORKS IS THE MORE PEOPLE
WE HOUSE, THE HIGHER OUR
LIABILITY AND EXPOSURE IS AT
OUR COST. SO IT'S A GOOD
PROBLEM TO HAVE, I WOULD MUCH
RATHER GO TO FOLKS AND SAY,
LOOK, YOU'RE GETTING SO MANY
FOLKS HOUSED WE NEED TO RAISE
MORE MONEY. AS OPPOSED TO
HAVING THE OTHER PROBLEM. THAT
IT IS PART OF THE CHALLENGE. TO
ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AROUND THE
SUBSIDY SOURCE, LOOKING
DIRECTLY AT THE DATA, WE SEE
THAT ABOUT 20% OF THE
HOUSEHOLDS WE HOUSE HAVE RAPID
REHOUSING. ANOTHER 22% OR SO
HAVE A VOUCHER OF SORTS.
WHETHER THAT IS A TRADITIONAL
VOUCHER OR IT MIGHT BE
EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHER, WE
SEE ABOUT 16% OF HOUSEHOLDS
HAVE SOLELY, FOR THEM IT'S
HAVING THE ABILITY TO PAY RENT.
WHAT THEY NEED IS THE LOWER
BARRIERS. SOMETHING THAT IS
INTERESTING IS WE HAVE A DECENT
NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT HAVE NO
SUBSIDY WHATSOEVER. WHAT THIS
TELLS ME IS AGAIN, THOSE
BARRIERS, CREDIT SCORE, KERNEL
HISTORY AND PAST EVICTIONS,
THERE IS A PORTION OF OUR
COMMUNITY THAT FOR THEM, THAT
IS THE SOLE BARRIER KEEPING
THEM BETWEEN HAVING A HOME OR
BEING ON THE STREET WERE LIVING
IN THEIR CAR. WE HAD A STORY OF
A FATHER WHO WAS SLEEPING IN
HIS CAR BUT HAD A CRIMINAL
RECORD, HAD A JOB, BUT
COULDN'T GET A UNIT BECAUSE OF
OTHER CRIMINAL HISTORY. THIS
WAS AN SOUTH KING COUNTY.
AGAIN, THAT WAS EASY, MOST
OLDER PARTNERS ARE ABLE TO
WAIVE THAT TO GET THEM
CONNECTED. HOPEFULLY THAT
ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
>> YES. A FOLLOW-UP. IF OTHERS
NEED HELP OVERCOMING BARRIERS,
OTHERS NEED HELP WITH COST, AND
SUCH AS HISTORICAL BARRIER THAT
IS THERE, IN TERMS OF YOUR
ABILITY TO FIND UNITS, IS
THERE -- ARE YOU HAVING
TROUBLE FINDING THE AVAILABLE
UNITS IN SEATTLE? IS THAT
ALSO -- HOW MUCH IS A HURDLE
FOR HOUSING CONNECTOR?
>> FIRST OF ALL, OUR ABILITY
TO EVEN NEED TO BE IN
EXISTENCE IS DEPENDENT ON US
FINDING UNITS. IF WE CAN'T FIND
UNITS WE ARE NOT DOING OUR JOB.
TO THIS POINT WE'VE HAD GOOD
SUCCESS IN IDENTIFYING UNITS,
ESPECIALLY THOSE BELOW FAIR
MARKET RENT. ON ANY GIVEN DAY
WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY
ANYWHERE BETWEEN I WOULD SAY
200 TO 300 UNITS AND MAKE THEM
AVAILABLE IN REAL-TIME TO OUR
PARTNERS WITHIN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. I THINK THE CHALLENGE
HERE , COUNCILMEMBER, IT'S EASY
TO TAKE THAT NUMBER AND SAY,
WHY ARE WE HOUSING 200 PEOPLE
EACH DAY? THE CHALLENGES THERE
OTHER ASPECTS AS WE THINK ABOUT
UPSTREAM THE SYSTEM, WHERE
SOMEONE GETS FROM POINT A TO
CONNECTED TO HOUSING CONNECTOR,
THERE IS FRICTION IN THAT
PROCESS WERE TRYING TO ADDRESS,
WHICH ULTIMATELY RESULTS IN US
BEING ABLE TO HAVE ABOUT A 60%
CONVERSION RATE FROM HAVING
UNITS. 16% OF THE UNITS WE
GENERATE ACTUALLY RESULT IN
SOMEONE MOVING INTO THOSE. THE
REST ARE GOBBLED UP BY THE
PRIVATE MARKET, OR OTHER
SOURCES. JUST TO GIVE YOU A
LITTLE BIT OF SENSE AS FAR AS
OUR SUCCESS, FOR US, IF WE
HAVE 1000 PEOPLE CONNECTED TO
HOUSING, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
IDENTIFY 4500 UNITS TO BE ABLE
TO MEET THAT GOAL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
I KNOW WE ALL HAVE A SHARED
INTEREST IN WELL IN MAKING
SURE WE CAN EXPEDITE THAT
PIPELINE. GETTING FOLKS AND
HOUSING QUICKLY AND TO GET
THEM STABILIZED. I SEE ONE MORE
HAND AND THEN I THINK WE'RE
GOING TO TRANSITION TO CLOSING
COMMENTS. COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
PRESENTATION. I LOOK FORWARD
TO DIGGING INTO YOUR WORK. I
HAVE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS
BECAUSE THIS SEEMS TO BE A
UNIQUE MODEL YOU ARE NOW
EXPANDING INTO OTHER CITIES.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO
DO, FIRST OF ALL, FIND TREAT
OF NEW WAYS OF CONNECTING WHAT
APPEARS TO BE SOME UNUSED
HOUSING STOCK, TO PEOPLE WHO
DESPERATELY NEED IT. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. I THINK, HERE WE
ARE IN A TENT RICH CITY , I
HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE
RELATIONSHIP IS WITH ZILLOW, IF
THEY ARE PROVIDING THIS BACK
AND PLATFORM FOR FREE OR WHAT,
YES? OKAY.
>> YES. BEYOND THAT THEY ARE
INVESTING IN A DEVELOPMENT TEAM
CONTINUING THE FUNCTIONALITY ,
ALL OF OBVIOUSLY FOR FREE . AND
UTILIZING THE RESOURCES TO DO
SO. TO YOUR POINT, I THINK
IT'S A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF
HOW WE CAN UTILIZE OUR LOCAL
PARTNERS, I DO WANT TO GIVE
THEM A SHOUT OUT. I WOULD SAY
THE OTHER THING IS, THE
SUCCESS, WHICH I APPRECIATE, IS
A RESULT OF THE TEAM WE HAVE,
FOLKS LIKE ELIZABETH AND
CHINNELL. ONE OF THE THINGS WE
ARE PROUD OF IS WE WERE RANKED
AS THE NUMBER FOUR BEST PLACE
TO WORK IN THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON. I THINK ONE OF THE
COOL THINGS WITH THAT, AND
SOMETHING I AM PROUD OF IS THAT
I THINK IS A COMMUNITY WE CAN
SHOW INVESTING IN OUR MOST
VALUABLE RESOURCE, OUR PEOPLE,
INCREDIBLE THINGS CAN HAPPE.
I'M ALWAYS GOING TO ADVOCATE
AS A CENTER THAT WE CONTINUE
INVESTING IN OUR PEOPLE,
CONTINUE PAYING THE INDIVIDUALS
DOING THIS WORK MORE SO WE CAN
GET THESE TYPES OF RESULTS FOR
THE COMMUNITY.
>> I GOT THAT MESSAGE. THANK
YOU. BASICALLY THIS IS A
PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT
IS REALLY WORKING. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. YOUR VISION OF THE
FUTURE , I LOVE THAT. I
REMEMBER TALKING TO YOU A YEAR
AGO OR SO AND THEY WERE
TALKING ABOUT, WHY DON'T WE
HAVE A REAL-TIME MENU WORKERS
CAN USE WHEN THEY ARE OUT THERE
TALKING TO PEOPLE SO IN THE
MOMENT WE CAN HELP PEOPLE MEET
THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. I LOOK
FORWARD TO SEEING YOU WORK
TOWARD THAT VISION IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH RHA. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHNG
YOU DO.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK
THAT WAS WHAT WAS PART OF
BEING COMPLICIT AT THE RHA
DAILY BRIEFING. ONE OF THE
THINGS I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
MORE ABOUT AND IF YOU WANT TO
GET BACK TO US THAT IS FINE, AS
YOU THINK ABOUT THE VISION OF
THE FUTURE, WHAT DO YOU NEED
FROM LANDLORDS WHO ARE OUT
THERE? OBVIOUSLY IT IS A
BURDEN FOR LANDLORDS, SMALL
AND LARGE, TO HAVE VACANT
UNITS. HOW CAN WE WORK WITH
LANDLORDS TO EXPEDITE THE
PROCESS? AND ARE THERE
PARTICULAR TYPES OF LANDLORDS
YOU ARE LOOKING TO TRY TO
BRIDGE MORE OPPORTUNITIES WITH
, FOR EXAMPLE, OTHER CERTAIN
BUILDING SIZES YOU ARE HOPING
TO GET MORE INTO THE PROGRAM
AND PARTICIPATION?
>> I DO HAVE A REALLY TANGIBLE
WAY I THINK YOU ALL COULD HELP.
IT IS AGAIN, IT'S NOT THE
THING THAT'S GOING TO GET THE
HEADLINES BUT IT'S AROUND
PROCESS AND ELIMINATING SOME OF
THE HOOPS. IT'S SOMETHING THE
CITY LIKELY CONTROLS AROUND
SOME OF THE PROCESS PIECES. I
LOVE TO FOLLOW-UP WITH YOU
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SOMETHING
THAT WILL TAKE US DOWN A
RABBIT TRAIL, I LOVE THE
FOLLOW-UP ON THOSE IDEAS AND
THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE, BECAUSE I
THINK THERE IS A SIMPLE
SOLUTION THAT WE CAN ALL
IMPLEMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
OH THE CAN REDUCE THE
APPLICATION TIME AT LEAST 10
DAYS FOR UNITS THAT THE CITY
IS INVESTING IN AROUND THE NFT
PROGRAM. I LOVE TO FOLLOW-UP
WITH YOU ON THAT. IT'S NOT
GOING TO GET THE HEADLINES BUT
IT'S GOING TO GET TANGIBLE
RESULTS IN GETTING PEOPLE
HOUSED. THAT IS ONE AREA. AS
FAR AS PROPERTIES, LOOK, I
THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS
BENEFICIAL IN THIS IS WE ARE
ALSO HELPING CHANGE THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROPERTY
OWNERS AND DECISION-MAKERS. AND
WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF
BRIDGING THOSE IN GETTING THEM
ON THE TABLE. WHEN WE DID THAT
IS JUST YESTERDAY WE HAD A
MEETING WITH CONGRESSMAN AND
PARTNERS AT THE SAME TABLE
TALKING ABOUT TANGIBLE
SOLUTIONS. WE NEED TO DO MORE
OF THAT TO TALK WITH THE VOICES
AT THE TABLE SO WE CAN BE
INFORMED IN THE POLICY BEING
IMPLEMENTED AND HOW THEY MIGHT
BE EXECUTED DOWN THE ROAD AND
POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES THEY MAY
HAVE. THAT WE MIGHT NOT KNOW
UNLESS THOSE VOICES ARE AT THE
TABLE.
>> EXCELLENT. WE WILL FOLLOW UP
WITH YOU ON THE MULTI FAMILY
TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM. IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH OFFICE OF
HOUSING WE HAVE A SERIES OF
CONVERSATIONS COMING UP THIS
YEAR AND EARLY NEXT YEAR, IT
COULD BE PERFECT TIMING. IF
THERE SOMETHING WE CAN EXPEDITE
QUICKER, WE CAN DO THAT. WE
HEARD FROM PARTNERS AT THE
MORNING BRIEFING TABLE, A
REMINDER OUT THERE TO LANDLORDS
ABOUT ALL THE TYPES OF
IDENTIFICATION THAT ARE VALID
TYPES OF IDENTIFICATION FOR
APPLYING FOR RENTAL UNITS. IT
DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE A
GOVERNMENT ISSUED
IDENTIFICATION. WE KNOW MANY
ORGANIZATIONS ARE HELPING
INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE
ACCREDITATION NECESSARY WITH
THAT IDENTIFICATION. WE ARE IN
A CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW WITH
CENTRAL STAFF AND OTHERS
WITHIN THE CITY AND OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS ABOUT
HIGHLIGHTING AND CLARIFYING
THE TYPES OF IDENTIFICATION
THAT CAN BE USED FOR RENTAL
UNITS AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL
BE HELPFUL TOOL IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH WHAT WE ARE COMING OUT OF
HOUSING CONNECTOR. MORE TO COME
ON THIS. WE WILL STAY TUNED,
ESPECIALLY ON THE POSSIBLE
SOLUTIONS. THANK YOU TO THE
TEAM. HOUSING CONNECTOR. LOOK
FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK IN
THE COMMITTEE SOON TO LIFT UP
SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS YOU ARE
EXCITED ABOUT. TAKE CARE. YOU
SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE
ON TO OUR THIRD ITEM ON THE
AGENDA. PLEASE READ ITEM
NUMBER THREE INTO THE RECORD.
>> ITEM NUMBER THREE, KING
COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LEVY
UPDATE FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THIS IS REALLY EXCITING. I
THINK OUR FRIENDS FROM KING
COUNTY, WE HAVE KAREN GILL AND
LEO FLOR WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE
LINE FOR A WHILE. THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE WITH US AND FOR
YOUR PATIENCE. WE KNOW YOU HAVE
A PRESENTATION, I WANT TO
ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE AS MUCH
TIME AS YOU NEED, BUT WE KNOW
THIS IS A PREVIEW OF WHAT
VOTERS IN KING COUNTY WILL HAVE
A CHANCE TO CONSIDER WHEN IT
COMES TO THE APRIL BALLOT. HAVE
JUST TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW WE
CAN CREATE ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKERS AND
FOLKS WHO WANT ENTREPRENEURIAL
OPPORTUNITIES. WE TALKED ABOUT
HOW WE CREATE HOUSING
STABILITY FOR FOLKS IN OUR
REGION. BUT WE KNOW WE CAN'T
HAVE A HEALTHY ECONOMY IF THERE
FOLKS OUT THERE WHO DON'T HAVE
A PLACE TO GO TO GET THE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES THEY
NEED. WE CAN HAVE THEM STAY
STABLY HOUSED IF THEY DON'T
HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS
MET AS WELL. I WANT TO JUST GO
A LITTLE FURTHER UPSTREAM TO
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OTHER
THEY ARE HUMAN SERVICE
PROVIDERS WHO WORK AT OUR
EMERGENCY SHELTER SERVICES,
WHETHER IT IS ARE FIREFIGHTERS,
MEMBERS OF I AFF , LOCAL 27
AND THE CAPTAINS UNION WHO
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AND I
MET WITH ON FRIDAY. FOLKS
ACROSS THE CITY ARE SAYING
WHEN THEY GET AN EMERGENCY
CALL, THERE IS NOT A PLACE TO
BRING PEOPLE WHO ARE IN
MOMENTS OF CRISIS. AND ENDS UP
PEOPLE END UP AT A REVOLVING
DOOR AT HARBORVIEW OR EVEN
WORSE, THE JAIL SYSTEM. SO
WHAT YOU HAVE PACKAGED IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS AFTER THE LAUNCH
LATE LAST YEAR OR MID-LAST
YEAR, IS TRULY IMPRESSIVE. HE
WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO
HIGHLIGHT WHAT WILL BE ON THE
BALLOT ACROSS OUR REGION AND
HOW IT CONNECTS CREATING
STABLY HOUSED FOLKS IN
RESPONDING TO THE FINANCIAL
ISSUES IN OUR REGION. AGAIN, WE
HEAR FROM FOLKS WERE BUSINESS
OWNERS, LARGE AND SMALL THAT
WHEN THEY GO TO THEIR PLACE OF
EMPLOYMENT OR THEIR BUSINESS,
THERE FOLKS WHO ARE IN NEED OF
MENTAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
SERVICES OFTEN SLEEPING AT THE
DOORSTEP. THEY WANT TO HELP
FOLKS AS MUCH AS THE FOLKS WHO
ARE IN THE HUMAN SERVICE AND
HEALTH PROVIDERS. I'M REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT THE BLUEPRINT YOU
PUT FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION
THIS SPRING. I WILL TURN OVER
TO LEO AND KAREN FOR
INTRODUCTIONS. I WANT TO THANK
YOU AS WELL FOR YOUR
PARTICIPATION TODAY.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR, MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE, I AM THE KING
COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE, I
ENJOYED VIRTUALLY BY LEO
FLOR, THE DIRECTOR OF OUR
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND
HUMAN SERVICES. BEFORE LEO GOES
INTO THE PRESENTATION I WANT TO
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND PARTNERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE
WITH EXECUTIVE REALLY FROM ITS
INCEPTION. AND AN EXTRA THANKS
TO COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD ,
JOINING OF THE OTHER CITY
LEADERS FOR THE LEVY ORDINANCE
PASSED WITH UNANIMOUS VOTE,
THE LATEST UPDATE ON THE LEVY
ORDINANCE, THE NEXT STEP IS
FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL BUDGET
COMMITTEE TO TAKE POTENTIAL
ACTION NEXT WEEK AT THE
COMMITTEE HEARING AND THEN FOR
POTENTIAL FINAL PASSAGE IN
EARLY FEBRUARY, IF FULL COUNTY
COUNCIL WANTS AND THAT PASSES,
AS YOU MENTIONED, IT WILL GO TO
THE BALLOT FOR THE PUBLIC
CONSIDERATION IN APRIL. WITH
THAT, I WILL PASS IT ON TO OUR
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT AND
LEADER ON THIS ISSUE, LEO
FLOR, HE WILL GO OVER A FEW
SLIDES THE PROVIDES MORE
DETAILS AND HOPEFULL LEAVE
ENOUGH TIME FOR POSSIBLE
QUESTIONS AT THE END. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US, IT'S OUR PRIVILEGE
TO JOIN TODAY. I WILL JUMP
INTO SOME SLIDES. ALL RIGHT.
A COUPLE OF FRAMEWORK ISSUES.
WE ARE USING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
TO ENCOMPASS BOTH MENTAL HEALTH
AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
THIS RULE REFLECTS THE WAY OUR
SYSTEM HAS BEEN DEVELOPING.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INCLUDES
BOTH OF THOSE TYPES OF CARE.
AND THE SECOND PREMISE IS THAT
PEOPLE RECOVER. SO WE DO THIS
WORK WITH THE FULL KNOWLEDGE
THAT UNDER THE RIGHT
CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH THE
RIGHT SUPPORTS AND THE RIGHT
ENVIRONMENT, AND WITH THE
RIGHT RESOURCES, PEOPLE WHO ARE
EXPENSING CRISES GET BETTER AND
PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO SUSTAIN
LONG-TERM RECOVERY IN WAYS
THAT ARE POWERFUL IN OUR
COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A THEME OF
THREE. WE HAVE PROBLEMS ANY
PROPOSAL ADDRESSED TO MEET
THESE THREE URGENT PROBLEMS.
THE FIRST IS, WE HAVE SOLVED
THIS BOOK AND BONE, ANY MEMBER
OF THE COMMUNITY THE BROKE
THEIR ARM, I WOULD GUESS WITHIN
A MILE YOU HAVE ONE OR MORE
URGENT CARE FACILITIES YOU
COULD GO TO. YOU COULD GO
THERE FOR FLU, TO GET YOUR BONE
SET, FOR ANY
NON-LIFE-THREATENING MEDICAL
CARE ISSUE . IF YOU ARE
EXPERIENCING A BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CRISIS RIGHT NOW, THERE
IS NOT A PLACE ANYWHERE IN KING
COUNTY YOU CAN WALK YOURSELF IN
AND GET THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
URGENT CARE. NOT A SINGLE
PLACE. YOU COULD GO TO
EMERGENCY ROOM PERHAPS, AND WE
ARE WELL AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING
ON INSIDE OF EMERGENCY ROOMS
WITH BEING OVERCROWDED, NOT
BEING THE BEST VARMINTS FOR
PEOPLE HEALTHCARE. AS YOU
MENTIONED, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, OFTEN FOLKS END UP
IN JAIL AND THAT CAN BE A PLACE
WHERE WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY
RESORTED TO TRYING TO PROVIDE
HAVERHILL HEALTHCARE NEITHER
OF THOSE ARE THE IDEAL SETTING.
THE SECOND ISSUE, AND A LOT OF
FOLKS WOULDN'T KNOW THIS BY
WATCHING THE NEWS, WE ARE
LOSING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BEDS
IN KING COUNTY RIGHT NOW. IN
FAX FACT, WE HAVE LOST ONE
THIRD. I FULLY EXPECT THE
DRAMATIC ACTION, THAT TREND
WILL CONTINUE AND THAT WILL BE
ONE HALF AT THE COUNTY AND
STATE , HAD THEY NOT BEEN ABLE
TO STEP IN AND PURCHASE
EXTRAORDINARY FASHION , A
FACILITY CALLED CASCADE HALL
OTHERWISE WOULD'VE CLOSED
ANOTHER 60 BEDS IN THE SYSTEM.
THE LAST IS, IT TAKES PEOPLE
TO TREAT PEOPLE. YOU CAN HAVE
ALL THE BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD,
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A WORKFORCE
WELL SUPPORTED AND RESOURCED
TO PROVIDE CARE, YOU CAN'T
ASSIST PEOPLE TO RECOVER. ANY
SOLUTION AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT
FACILITIES, CRISIS FACILITIES ,
WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE WE HAVE
TO SUPPORT A WORKFORCE THAT CAN
SUSTAINABLY MAKE A CAREER
PROVIDING CARE . THIS IS A
SAMHSA FRAMEWORK. WHAT I LIKE
IS IT'S EASY TO UNDERSTAND AS
OPPOSED TO SOME THINGS THAT
COME FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
LIKE MY OWN. IN ANY CRISIS
SYSTEM YOU NEED THREE CORE
RELEVANCE. SOMEONE TO CALL OR
TALK TO, SOMEONE TO RESPOND,
AND SOME PLACE TO GO IF THAT IS
NECESSARY. WE RECOGNIZE THIS
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU CALLED THE
POLICE , YOU CALL 911, THE
POLICE WOULD RESPOND AND THEN
IF NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE,
THEY COULD TAKE A PERSON TO
JAIL, EMERGENCY ROOM, OR PLACE
TO GO. IN OUR CURRENT
HAVE NO PLACE TO GO IN A
CRISIS. INCREASINGLY YOU COULD
CALL 988 OR A REGIONAL CRISIS
LINE, WE ARE FUNDING, MANY
THANKS TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE
FOR THE PARTNERSHIP TO
CONTINUE TO FUND THE GROWTH OF
MOBILE CRISIS TEAMS WITHIN OUR
COMMUNITY, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO
WORK WITH YOU ON THAT, BUT
RIGHT NOW, IF THE SITUATION
WARRANTS SOMETHING MORE THAN A
CONVERSATION, THERE IS NO PLACE
TO GO. THAT IS ONE OF THE WAYS
TO RESTATE THIS ISSUE, WE NEED
THESE URGENT CARE FACILITIES.
ANYTHING WE DO NEEDS TO BE
AVAILABLE TO ANYONE ANYWHERE
ANYTIME. REGARDLESS OF A
PERSON'S INSURANCE STATUS
REGARDLESS OF THEIR THEY WALK
THEMSELVES AND OR THEY BRING
THEMSELVES THERE, OR SOMEONE
ELSE BRINGS THEM IN. ANOTHER
WAY TO LOOK AT THAT SOME PLACE
TO GO, THIS IS SORT OF A WAY IT
AFFECTS DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND
ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN OUR
COMMUNITY. FAMILIES, FIRST AND
FOREMOST, HAVE NO PLACE TO TAKE
PEOPLE IN THEIR FAMILY IN A
MOMENT OF CRISIS RIGHT NOW. LAW
ENFORCEMENT, FIRST RESPONDERS
HAVE NO PLACE TO TAKE PEOPLE,
OTHER THAN JAILS OR EMERGENCY
ROOMS, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW
THOSE ARE OFTEN ILL FIT. THE
MOBILE CRISIS TEAMS WE ARE
INVESTING IN , I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT BUT ALSO IMMENSELY
EXCESSIVE, HAVE NO PLACE TO
TAKE PEOPLE. HOSPITALS ARE
OVERLOADED WITH FOLKS THAT
DON'T ACTUALLY REQUIRE THAT
LEVEL OF CARE WITHIN THEM, FOR
LACK OF PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO
INSTEAD, AND CERTAINLY THE 980
CALL LINE WE ARE BUILDING IS A
STATE AND LEADING AS A STATE,
ACROSS THE NATION, ULTIMATELY
WILL DEPEND UPON HAVING PLACES
TO SEND PEOPLE FOR CARE
SUCCESS. THE CRISIS CARE
CENTER LEVY PROPOSAL IS THREE
PARTS, MATCHED TO EACH OF THE
THREEPROBLEM STAGES. THIS IS
THE OVERVIEW, I WILL GET INTO
MORE DETAILS. AT THE HIGHEST
LEVEL WE PROPOSE WITHIN THIS
MEASURE ORDINANCE, TO CREATE A
REGIONAL NETWORK OF FIVE CRISIS
CARE CENTERS. WILL TALK ABOUT
THOSE. TO PRESERVE THE LEVEL OF
HEADS WE HAVE IN THE
COMMUNITY AND BUILD THEM BACK,
AND THEN TO GROW AND MAKE MORE
SUSTAINABLE AND REPRESENTATIVE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE
THE CAN WORK WITHIN THESE
BUILDINGS. THERE IS A REALLY
CLEAR SET OF OUTPUTS ASSOCIATED
WITH THIS POTENTIAL BALLOT
MEASURE ORDINANCE. FIRST, FIVE
CRISIS CARE CENTERS. REQUIRED
BY THE ORDINANCE AND IT TALKS
ABOUT DISTRIBUTION AS
NECESSARY. SECOND, WE HAVE TO
BUILD AT LEAST 111 RESIDENTIAL
BEDS AND THEN AGAIN, THE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE CAN
WORK WITHIN THOSE BUILDINGS.
THIS REALLY GETS INTO THE
ORDINANCE STRUCTURE, SO I
WON'T STAY HERE TOO LONG. THE
PARENT PURPOSE IS TO ESTABLISH
AND OPERATE THESE FIVE CRISIS
CARE CENTERS IN THE REGIONAL
NETWORK AND THE TWO SUPPORTING
PURPOSES I'VE NAMED AS THE
SECOND AND THIRD COMPONENTS OF
THE PROPOSAL. WE TALKED WITH
THE REGIONAL NETWORK. WE HAVE
VENTURE TO DIVIDE THE COUNTY
INTO FOUR ZONES. THE CITY OF
SEATTLE IS THE LARGEST
CONTINGENT WHAT CONSTITUTES THE
CENTRAL ZONE. WITHIN THE
ORDINANCE IT WOULD REQUIRE THAT
EACH OF THESE ZONES HOST AT
LEAST ONE OF THE FIVE CRISIS
CARE CENTERS AND THEN AT LEAST
ONE OF THE CRISIS CARE CENTERS
SPECIALIZE IN SERVING CHILDREN.
THE ZONES AREN'T TO SAY THAT
IF YOU RESIDE IN THE NORTH ZONE
YOU CAN ONLY GO TO SEEK
SERVICES AT A CRISIS CARE
CENTER IN THE NORTH ZONE. YOU
COULD GO ANYWHERE IN KING
COUNTY TO RECEIVE CARE , THE
PURPOSE OF THE ZONES IS TO MAKE
SURE THERE IS REGIONAL
DISTRIBUTION ACROSS ENTIRE
COUNTY. WHAT IS A CRISIS CARE
CENTER ? SO IN THE ORDINANCE
WE HAVE DECIDE ON FOUR
NECESSARY COMPONENTS. THIS IS
WHAT WE ARE MISSING, SO I WILL
SLOW DOWN. THIS IS BOTH FOR
MENTAL HEALTH AND FOR
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER
TREATMENT AND CARE. THE FIRST
ELEMENT IS THAT IT'S GOT TO BE
AVAILABLE 24 SEVEN. OPEN ALL
DAY AND ALL NIGHT SEVEN DAYS
PER WEEK AND ANYONE CAN WALK IN
OR BE DROPPED OFF AND AT LEAST
GET AN INITIALASSESSMENT. THIS
IS THE THING WE ARE LACKING
OUTRIGHT IN OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT
NOW. THIS IS WHAT YOU COULD NOT
WALK IN ANYWHERE ELSE. I DO
WANT TO POINT OUT THERE IS ONE
FACILITY, DOWNTOWN EMERGENCY
SERVICES CENTER, OPERATING A
CRISIS SOLUTION CENTER IN
SEATTLE. YOU COULD GO THERE IF
YOU WERE DROPPED OFF BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT. IT HAS 16 OF THESE
TYPES OF BEDS, AND IT'S NOT A
WALK IN FACILITY AND IT'S OFTEN
FULL. THE SECOND COMPONENT IS
WHAT WE CALL 23 HOUR
OBSERVATION UNIT. THIS IS THE
IDEA THAT SOME PEOPLE IN A
CRISIS, WITHIN THE FIRST 23
HOURS ARE ABLE TO OBTAIN A MORE
TREATABLE LEVEL OF STABILITY TO
COME DOWN FROM THE CRISIS IF
YOU WILL, WITHIN THE RIGHT
OBSERVATION AND WITH THE RIGHT
STAFFING PRESENT FOR THEM. THE
STATE-OF-THE-ART IN A LOT OF
THESE CRISIS CARE CENTERS IS
THAT WE SEE THEM ACROSS THE
COUNTRY IS THE 23 HOUR OPTION
FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A PLACE TO
BE AND TO GET SOME IMMEDIATE
CARE. SOME FOLKS WILL NEED
FOLLOW-UP ISIS CARE, THAT IS
THE 14 DAY CRISIS STABILIZATION
UNIT. YOU COULD STAY 14 DAYS
THERE. WILL BE FIND IN THESE
TYPES OF FACILITIES IS THE
AVERAGE STAY LOOKS A LOT MORE
LIKE 2-8 DAYS. THERE'S A LOT OF
VARIATION DEPENDING ON THE
FACILITY BUT IT'S NOT TYPICAL
TO THE FULL 14 DAYS. ALTHOUGH
YOU COULD. THE LAST IS ON-SITE
ACCESS TO A DESIGNATED CRISIS
RESPONDER. ENTRY INTO THE
INVOLUNTARY SYSTEM REQUIRES AN
ASSESSMENT A DESIGNATED CRISIS
RESPONDER, RIGHT NOW THE WAIT
TIMES FOR DESIGNATED CRISIS
RESPONDERS IN THE COMMUNITY CAN
BE DAYS. THAT IS AN
UNACCEPTABLY LONG PERIOD OF
TIME. THERE ARE MANY REASONS
FOR THAT BUT ONE OF THE PARTS
TO A FUNCTIONAL SYSTEM IS
HAVING ACCESS TO THAT DCR,
BUT PROVIDING THE OPTIONS FOR
THE VOLUNTARY CO-LOCATED
POTENTIAL TO BE ASSESSED FOR
INVOLUNTARY TREATMENT. MORE
DETAILS ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES
A CRISIS CARE CENTER REQUIRED
WITHIN THE ORDINANCE, I WON'T
LINGER IN ANY OF THIS. WHO
WOULD OPERATE THESE? OUR
CONCEPT IS THEY WOULD OPERATED
BY PROVIDERS AS OPPOSED TO KING
COUNTY STAFF. WE WOULD CONTRACT
WITH PROVIDERS FOR BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH AND RECOVERY DIVISION.
THE SITE OF THESE WOULD NOT BE
THE COUNTY IMPOSING A SITE
SAYING, THIS SHALL BE HERE
BUT INSTEAD WE WOULD RECEIVE
BIDS FROM PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN
PROVIDERS AND THE CITY THING
THEY WOULD FACILITATE OR ACCEPT
THE SITE OF THE FACILITY IN
PARTICULAR PLACE. RESTORING
THE MENTAL HEALTH RESIDENTIAL
CAPACITY. AGAIN, THIS IS A
PARTICULAR TYPE OF LONGER-TERM
BED. WE HAVE LOST THE NUMBER IN
THE COMMUNITY SINCE 2018. ONE
OF THE QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE
IS, WHY 16 BEDS? IT HAS BEEN
COVERED RECENTLY IN THE SEATTLE
TIMES, THE SHORT VERSION IS,
THERE IS A FEDERAL DECAYED RULE
THAT REQUIRES FOR MEDICAID
REIMBURSE ABILITY A NEW
FACILITY BE AT 16 BEDS OR
LESS. THE IDEA IS TO CREATE
SMALLER COMMUNITY-BASED
FACILITIES AS OPPOSED TO LARGER
ONES. WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH
RESIDENTIAL? IS PLACES IN THE
COMMUNITY THAT RECEIVE
LONG-TERM TREATMENT AND
PRACTICE FOR BASIC LIFE SKILLS.
IT'S REALLY A COMMUNITY-BASED
PLACE FOR A PERSON WHO
REQUIRES ADDITIONAL CARE, THEY
CAN LIVE FOR THE LONG TERM IS
ENTER RECOVERY, RECOVERY
APPLIES BOTH TO MENTAL HEALTH
RECOVERY AND SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER RECOVERY. WORKFORCE.
VACANCIES BETWEEN 2019 AND
2021 DOUBLED IN OUR SYSTEM AND
HAVE NOT RECOVERED. WE DO NOT
HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO PROVIDE
THE CARE AND OUR EXISTING
FACILITIES, AS WE SEEK TO GROW
THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESPONSE
IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO
INVEST IN SYSTEMWIDE SUPPORTS
TO MAKE SURE WE ARE BRINGING
BOTH MORE PEOPLE INTO THE
WORK, MAKING IT MORE
SUSTAINABLE FOR THEM, AND
ENSURING THE WORKFORCE IS MORE
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE
THEY ARE CARING FOR. LEVY
REALLY DOES TWO THINGS, IT
MAKES IT SYSTEMWIDE
INVESTMENTS, THINGS LIKE
APPRENTICESHIPS, COSTS OF
CERTIFICATION FOR PROSPECTIVE
WORKERS, AND THEN MAKES VERY
SPECIFIC INVESTMENTS TO ENSURE
FULL OPERATIONS OF THE FOLKS
WHO WILL WORK AT THE CRISIS
CARE CENTERS AND THE
ASSUMPTION WE HAVE BUILT INTO
THE FINANCIAL MODELING IS THAT
WE WOULD TAKE THE RATE OF A
COMPARABLE FACILITY, OR PEOPLE
MAKE THEIR RIGHT NOW AND
INCREASE BY 20%, THAT BECAME
THE BASIS FOR OUR MODEL. WE DO
HAVE THE PAY PEOPLE MORE THAN
WE DO RIGHT NOW. PROPERTY TAX
LEVY, IT IS A NINE YEAR WHAT
THEY CALL SINGLE YEAR LIFT .
IT'S A PARTICULAR TYPE OF LIFT.
THE REASON IT IS NINE YEARS IN
DURATION IS THE LONGEST YOU CAN
HAVE A LIFT LIKE THIS UNDER
STATE LAW AND STILL ELIGIBLE
TO FUND COSTS OF BONDS, WE
DON'T ANTICIPATE IT WOULD
REQUIRE BONDING BUT WE WANT TO
KEEP IT OPEN AS AN OPTION. I'VE
DEPICTED HERE THE ESTIMATED
2024 COSTS FOR CITIES AND
COUNTYWIDE. FOR THE CITY OF
SEATTLE WE ESTIMATE THE 2024
ANNUAL PAYMENT FOR A MEDIUM
VOLUME HOME WOULD BE $130.
HOMES SALES PRICES ARE OFTEN
VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE
ASSESSED VALUE. TIMELINE, WE
ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS RIGHT
NOW. WE HAVE RECEIVED A VOTE
AT THE POLICY COMMITTEE, IT
WILL BE BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
WE EXPECTED IN FEBRUARY FOR AN
APRIL BALLOT. BY WAY OF
CONCLUSION, THE WAY IT IS
STRUCTURED, THE BALLOT MEASURE
ORDINANCE PREVENTS US FROM
SPENDING ANY MONEY EXCEPT FOR
$1 MILLION FOR PLANNING AND
BALLOT COSTS UNTIL ANOTHER PLAN
IS APPROVED . MEDICAID
POLICIES ARE HUGE DEAL HERE. IF
WE ARE ABLE TO INCREASE WHAT
MEDICAID WOULD PAY FOR, WE
COULD THEN USE THE FUNDS FROM
THE LEVY TO BUILD MORE
FACILITIES OR PAY THE WORKFORCE
MORE. I BELIEVE THAT OUR 988
SYSTEM SUCCESS HINGES ON THE
CREATION OF FACILITIES FOR
CRISIS CARE. WE DO NOT HAVE
THOSE FACILITIES, WE ARE
MISSING THE THIRD CIRCLE IN THE
NECESSARY ELEMENTS OF THE
CRISIS RESPONSE SYSTEM. A
QUESTION WE GET QUITE A BIT,
ISN'T THIS THE STATES
RESPONSIBILITY? WHY WOULD THE
COUNTY , WITH A COALITION OF
CITIES, ADVANCE A PROPOSAL LIKE
THIS? ONE OF THE ANSWERS IS
THAT WE BEAR THE COST IN OUR
COMMUNITY AND SO MANY OTHER
WAYS THROUGH A LACK OF THESE
FACILITIES AND SYSTEMS. JAILS
. EMERGENCY ROOMS. SHELTERS.
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
OVERBURDENED VOLUNTARY
TREATMENT SYSTEM, ALL OF THESE
ARE FAILING UNDER THE WEIGHT
OF NOT HAVING ACCESS TO AN
ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF THE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS
SYSTEM. ONE WAY TO ANSWER THE
QUESTION, WE ALREADY BEAR THE
COST FOR THE LACK OF THESE
FACILITIES AT THE COUNTY AND
CITY LEVEL. AND THEN THE LAST
THING I WILL MENTION HERE, AND
IT REALLY GOT TO SOME OF YOUR
COMMENTS, MADAM CHAIR, IN THE
INTRODUCTION, I'VE SPOKEN TO
LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS,
FIREFIGHTERS, MOBILE CRISIS
TEAM WORKERS, HAVERHILL HEALTH
PROVIDERS. PEOPLE EXPENSING
CRISIS THEMSELVES, FAMILY
MEMBERS, ONE WORD HAS COME UP
IN EVERY CONTEXT AND IT WAS
SHOCKING TO ME, PEOPLE ARE
LOSING HOPE. PEOPLE DON'T KNOW
WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER
SOMEONE IN A CRISIS. AND THEY
DON'T HAVE ANY REASONABLE HOPE
THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY HELP
THAT PERSON AND THEY DON'T LIKE
HOW THAT FEELS WHEN THEY WALK
BY SOMEBODY TRYING TO HELP
SOMEBODY. IN MANY WAYS WE ARE
TRYING TO CREATE THE TYPES OF
FACILITIES THE PEOPLE KNOW
WHERE YOU CAN REFER A PERSON TO
THEMSELVES TO IN A BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CRISIS. I THINK HOPE IS
REALLY A VALUABLE COMMODITY,
INNER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM.
SUBJECT YOUR QUESTIONS, MADAM
CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES HER
PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR
BEING ABLE TO BE HERE WITH US
TODAY. FOR SHARING THE
OVERVIEW. I THINK IT IS ALSO
A GOOD DOVETAIL WITH SOME OF
THE CONVERSATION WE HAD EARLIER
TODAY WE TALKED ABOUT, IT'S
NOT JUST ENOUGH TO HAVE
EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHERS IF
YOU DON'T HAVE THE PERSONNEL TO
SUPPORT PEOPLE TO STATE STABLY
HOUSED. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH
TO BUILD THE FACILITIES, THE
BRICK-AND-MORTAR WE DON'T HAVE
IN THIS REGION, WE ALSO HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THERE ARE FOLKS WHO
CAN BE PRESENT TO HELP PEOPLE
THROUGH THEIR RECOVERY AND THAT
THEY ARE PRESENT CONTINUOUSLY
AND WE DO THAT BY INVESTING IN
THE WORKFORCE. THANK YOU FOR
HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANT
ASPECTS IN THE PROPOSAL. THIS
CAME UP IN COUNCIL BRIEFING
LAST WEEK. FOR COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS AND COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD WERE DISCUSSING THE
IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROPOSAL . I
WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE
REGIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE. I
SEE COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS HAS
HIS HAND UP, I WANT TO FLAG
THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEND
MESSAGES SUPPORT AND WILL BE
WORKING TO PUT FORWARD AN
EFFORT TO SUPPORT THIS.
GRADUATIONS TO ALL ON A
UNANIMOUS VOTE. I WILL TURN
OVER TO COUNCILMAN LEWIS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA. I'M
GOING TO ASK CLARIFYING
QUESTIONS. IT HAS BEEN GOOD TO
BE PART OF GETTING THIS
PACKAGE TOGETHER IN THE
REGIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE. I
WAS PROUD TO SEE US STAND
TOGETHER AS A BROADER KING
COUNTY COALITION OF LEADERS TO
UNANIMOUSLY SEND THIS IS A
RECOMMENDATION TO THE KING
COUNTY COUNCIL, TO PUT THIS ON
THE BALLOT AND MOVE FORWARD. A
SENSE OF URGENCY AND PURPOSE,
THAT THIS PROPOSAL REQUIRES.
JUST AS A PRELIMINARY COMMENT,
I THINK, I DON'T THINK IT
GETS ENOUGH PUBLIC SCRUTINY ,
HOW MUCH THE IMPACT HAS BEEN OF
LOSING ONE THIRD OF OUR
RESPONSIVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
BEDS IN KING COUNTY OVER THE
COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE OF
YEARS. AND LEO, THE SLIDE YOU
SHOWED DICTATING THAT FOR ONE
OF THOSE YEARS IT WAS NEARLY
HALF OF THE BEDS I HAVE BEEN
REMOVED, I DON'T THINK ENOUGH
REGIONAL CREDIT -- BECAUSE
IT'S NOT AS VISIBLE. WE DON'T
NOTICE ON THE STREET WHEN A BED
IN A BUILDING GOES MISSING, AND
IT'S HARD TO ATTRIBUTE THAT IS
THE BASIS FOR A NOTICEABLE
INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF DISORDER
FROM PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ABLE TO
ACCESS AND RECEIVE THE HELP THE
USED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS. THAT
DISORDER CAN BE TREATED TO
OTHER THINGS. WHEN THE LACK OF
BEDS IS AN EXTREMELY
DEBILITATING ISSUE WE ARE
FACING. I JUST WANT TO PUT ON
THE RECORD HOW RESPONSIVE THIS
MEASURE IS AND APPRECIATE THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE COUNTY TAKING
THIS ON, PUTTING IT TOGETHER,
AND WORKING NOT JUST WITH THE
CITY OF SEATTLE, BUT OUR
PARTNERS ON THE EAST SIDE IN
NORTH KING COUNTY AND SOUTH
KING COUNTY JURISDICTIONS
FACING A LOT OF THE SIMILAR
CHALLENGES. I THINK THAT IS
REFLECTED IN OUR VOTE. AND OUR
DISCUSSIONS IN REGIONAL POLICY
COMMITTEE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
MONTHS DOMINATING IN THE
UNANIMOUS VOTE. FOR IT, , THANK
YOU, THAT IS A REFLECTION OF
YOUR LEADERSHIP MAKING SURE
ALL LITTER EYES WERE DOTTED AND
T'S WERE CROSSED BEFORE
APPROVING. I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS
I WANT TO ASK. I WILL CIRCLE
BACK ON AN ACTION ITEM
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA ALLUDED
TO. THE FIRST WOULD BE, IF IT
GOES TO AN APRIL BALLOT, WHICH
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WILL, I'M
LOOKING FOR TO THAT, HOW
QUICKLY CAN WE START SEEING
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DIFFERENT
COMPONENTS OF THIS PACKAGE?
BECAUSE, WE NEED THESE CRISIS
CENTERS TO BE UP AND
OPERATIONAL NOW. AND OBVIOUSLY
THESE ARE INTENSIVE PROJECTS
WITH CAPITAL AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT COMPONENTS, BUT MY
FIRST QUESTION WOULD BE, WHAT
CAN WE EXPECT IN TERMS OF
TIMELINE, AND IT WOULD BE VERY
HELPFUL IF THE COUNTY COULD LET
US KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO IN TERMS
OF WAIVING, PERMITTING,
EXPEDITED PERMITTING, MAKING
THINGS AVAILABLE THINGS WE CAN
DO TO MAKE THAT TIMELINE FASTER
TO BE GOOD PARTNERS. BECAUSE I
KNOW THAT NOT ONLY US HERE AT
THE CITY COUNCIL, OUR EXECUTIVE
PARTNERS, WOULD BE PRESUMABLY
INTERESTED IN DOING EVERYTHING
WE CAN TO GET THESE THINGS UP
AND RUNNING AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. THAT WOULD BE THE
FIRST QUESTION. AND THEN I HAVE
A QUESTION THAT IS RELATED TO
THAT, WHAT WE START WITH THAT
IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
QUESTION?
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE AND
YOUR RECOGNITION OF THE WAY
THE LACK OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
SYSTEM DOES IMPACT MANY
SYSTEMS. THE LEVY DELIVERY OF
THE FIVE CRISIS CARE CENTERS,
YOU ARE CORRECT, THESE ARE
LARGE-SCALE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
OUR INTERNAL MODELING, AND ALL
OF THIS IS SUBJECT TO ANY
LIMITATION PLAN THAT WOULD HAVE
TO BE APPROVED, WOULD HAVE THE
FIRST TWO FACILITIES OPENING IN
LATE 2026. BUT, THE LEVY
REVENUE WOULD START BEING
COLLECTED IN 2024 AND THERE
ARE SEVERAL IMMEDIATE
INVESTMENTS WE HAVE MODELED
IN. ONE IS, WE DO BELIEVE IT
IS NECESSARY TO INCREASE THE
LEVEL OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
AVAILABLE WITHIN
COMMUNITY-BASED SETTINGS ,
SUPPORTING HOUSING AS AN
EXAMPLE, UNTIL THE CRISIS CARE
CENTERS WOULD BE UP AND
OPERATIONAL. SO THERE WOULD BE
THE ABILITY TO INVEST IN THOSE
IN YEARS ONE AND TWO, 2024 AND
2025. THE SECOND THING IS
WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO
MEDIALLY REINFORCE THE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OR MENTAL
HEALTH RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM I
DESCRIBED. AGAIN, ABSENT A
LARGE INVESTMENT, I DO BELIEVE
WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOSE BEDS.
SO IN 2024 THERE ARE 11 MENTAL
HEALTH RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES
IN KING COUNTY AND WE HAVE
MODELED THE ABILITY TO MAKE
IMMEDIATE INFUSION OF THOSE
FACILITIES TO PREVENT LOSS OF
ADDITIONAL ONES. AND THE
MENTAL HEALTH RESIDENTIAL
FACILITIES THAT WE WOULD BUILD
BACK NEW , I WOULD EXPECT THE
FIRST OF THE NEW BEDS WOULD
ARRIVE IN 2025. ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT GIVES ME REASON TO
BELIEVE WE CAN MOVE FASTER IS
BECAUSE WE HAVE ACTUALLY LOST
SO MANY FACILITIES RECENTLY,
THEY ARE STILL THERE, AND IF WE
CAN , THE FIRST THING WE WOULD
DO IS GO TO THOSE RECENTLY
CLOSED FACILITIES AND ATTEMPT
TO RESTORE THEM AND REOPEN
THEM, THEY ARE ALREADY
LICENSED IN MANY CASES AND MAY
HAVE A WAIVER THAT ALLOWS THEM
TO HAVE 16 BEDS AND WE WOULD
WANT TO CAPTURE THAT IF WE
COULD. IMMEDIATE CRISIS
RESPONSE IN THE COMMUNITY
INVESTMENTS, INTERMEDIATE
IMPACT ON THE MENTAL HEALTH
RESIDENTIAL AND THEN BY 2026,
THE FIRST OF CRISIS CARE
CENTERS OPENING AND THEN THE
LAST WE HAVE MODELED WOULD OPEN
2029.
>> ADDITIONAL FOLLOW-UP AND
THEN I SEE WE HAVE ANOTHER HAND
AS WELL.
>> LEO, I DEFINITELY
APPRECIATE THAT RECITATION OF
THE TIMELINE. OBVIOUSLY I
WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE
EVERYTHING REALIZED PRIOR TO
2029 BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THE
PRACTICALITIES OF GETTING
SOMETHING SET UP. AGAIN, I
WOULD CHALLENGE US TO REALLY
THINK, AT LEAST IN SO FAR AS
WE CAN BE PARTNERS WITH THE
CITY OF SEATTLE, WHAT ACTUALLY
HAS TO PHYSICALLY BE DONE AND
HOW CAN WE CHANGE OUR LAWS AND
PRACTICES TO MEET THE MOMENT OF
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? AND IF
THERE IS A WAY TO MOVE THINGS
FASTER, DON'T HESITATE TO TELL
US HOW IT COULD BE DONE SO WE
CAN CONSIDER IT. I APPRECIATE
TOUCHING OFF ON THE
IMPLEMENTATION QUESTION. MY
SECOND QUESTION, OR MY LAST
QUESTION, AND THEN IT WILL TURN
IT BACK OVER TO THE CHAIR, IS
JUST, THINKING FORWARD TO HOW
THESE CENTERS ARE GOING TO
INTERACT WITH OTHER ASSETS IN
OUR REGION, WE ESTABLISHEDHOW
FOLKS ARE GOING TO IN SOME
CASES BE ABLE TO STAY FOR UP TO
14 DAYS, IT DOESN'T REALLY
SOUND LIKE THERE IS A PROSPECT
OF STAYING LONGER, FOR SOME
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE
SECURED OTHERWISE SOURCES OF
HOUSING ARE PLACES THEY CAN BE
DISCHARGED TO, THAT WILL BE AS
MUCH OF AN ISSUE ONCE THEY'VE
BEEN ABLE TO GET SOME CARE AND
DESTABILIZED. BUT WE HAVE A LOT
OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WILL
BE USING THESE PLACES WERE
EXPENSING HOMELESSNESS. AND
PRESUMABLY ARE GOING TO BE
DISCHARGED TO THE STREET,
ABSENT SOME ABILITY TO HOOK
THE CENTERS UP TO SOME KIND OF
ASSET ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO, I
DON'T REALLY NEED A BIG ANSWER
TO THAT QUESTION IN THE
SESSION, I AM MORE JUST
FLAGGING IT AS SOMETHING ELSE
WE NEED TO WORK ON TO HAVE KIND
OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING OR
HOUSING CONNECTIONS COMPONENTS
TO THIS WORK AND I WANT TO
SIGNAL MY INTEREST IN WORKING
ON THAT GOING FORWARD TO MAKE
SURE WE ALSO SOLVE THE
DISCHARGE TO THE STREET
PROBLEM, WHICH IS ANOTHER THING
WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH. I WILL
TURN IT MAY BE BACK OVER TO
LEO. THE ONLY THING I WILL SAY
BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION,
AS COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
INDICATED, WE ARE WORKING ON A
RESOLUTION TOGETHER TO ENDORSE
THIS MEASURE. OFFICIALLY AS A
COUNCIL HAS DONE FOR BALLOT
MEASURES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS,
COUNTLESS OTHER BALLOT
MEASURES IN THE PAST, AND
REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING
THAT OUT THERE SO WE CAN ALL
STAND TOGETHER AS PARTNERS ON
MOVING THIS FORWARD. I WILL
HAND BACK OVER TO YOU. I DON'T
HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. THE SHORT
VERSION IS, WE STILL HAVE A
SEVERE SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE
AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ACROSS
THE REGION. THE CRISIS CARE
CENTERS CAN PLAY PART IN HOPING
TO ALLEVIATE THAT, BUT THEY
WON'T SOLVE THAT PROBLEM ONTO
THEMSELVES. AS WE DO TAKE A
LOOK AT THE DISCHARGE PROBLEM
YOU DESCRIBED IT WELL, PART OF
THAT IS RELATED TO RESIDENTIAL
BEDS, THAT CAN BE A PLACE OR
PERSON WHO RECEIVES CRISIS CARE
CAN GO FOR LONGER-TERM CARE. WE
ARE LOOKING TO THE STATE STILL
TO INCREASE THE BEDS THEY
HAVE ACCESS TO, PARTICULARLY
THE BEDS THAT WILL REPLACE
THOSE TAKEN AWAY WITH CLOSURE
OF WESTERN STATE. WE ARE STILL
IN A DEFICIT THERE AND ARE
WORKING WITH THE STATE AND
SUPPORTING THEM IN CREATING
MORE CAPACITY. THE THIRD THING
IS WE HAVE THE ABILITY, THE
CITY HAS BEEN A STRONG PARTNER
IN THIS, WE NEED MORE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, IT CAN BE
BOTH A PLACE WHERE PERSON LIVES
BEFORE TO AVOID A CRISIS, AND
CAN GO AFTER CRISIS. WE HAVE
NOW MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE LIVING
IN HEALTH HOUSING OWNED
BUILDINGS. ANOTHER 200 IN CITY
OF SEATTLE OWNED BUT FUNDED
THE OPERATION OF BUILDINGS, WE
ARE MOVING ANOTHER 500 TO 600
FOLKS INTO HELPER HOUSING
BUILDINGS THIS YEAR. AND
ATTEMPTING TO CREATE PERMANENT
SUPPORT HOUSING. AND THE
CRISIS CENTER IS WHERE A PERSON
CAN GO IN THAT MOMENT OF CRISIS
AND THAT WE BEGIN TO BUILD A
SYSTEM THAT IS SUSTAINABLE
WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T EVICTED
BECAUSE THEY EXPENSE A CRISIS,
OR DON'T GET HOUSED BECAUSE THE
EXPENSE OF CRISIS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. IF FOLKS
HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY ON TIME,
WE WOULD LOVE TO TAKE THESE
OTHER TWO QUESTIONS. DOES THAT
WORK FOR YOU? THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
AND THEN COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WANTED
TO SAY I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
DETAILS OF THIS PRESENTATION
AND I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THIS
EFFORT. THIS IS MORE FOR US
AS A CITY COUNCIL , I THINK WE
ARE SEEING THESE PROPERTY TAX
INCREASES START TO STACK UP.
AND, WE CAN MAKE AN EFFORT TO
LET THE PUBLIC KNOW WHAT IS
COMING IN GENERAL , WE DID
INCREASE THE PARKS DISTRICT
BY $150 ON AVERAGE. THANK YOU
FOR DISCLOSING THE $132 FOR
SEATTLE . I KNOW LANDLORDS CAN
ALSO PASS THESE COSTS ONTO
RENTERS IF THE MARKET WILL
BEAR THAT. IT DOES IMPACT
RENTERS IN SEATTLE. BUT AGAIN,
THIS IS A VERY WORTHY CAUSE
WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT.
AND THEN WE ADD THE HOUSING
LEVY WHICH IS COMING IN THE
FUTURE, I BELIEVE IN OF THE
PROPOSALS IS A $225 INCREASE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER $500
PER YEAR JUST FOR INCREASES,
NOT CONSIDERING BASE PROPERTY
TAX PAYMENTS PEOPLE ARE
MAKING. AS YOU ARE
ENCOUNTERING FOLKS, I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU'RE HAVING TO
MESSAGE THIS AS WELL, I'M
HOPING WE AS A CITY COUNCIL
WILL BE ABLE TO GET THAT
INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
HERE'S THE FULL MENU OF WHAT IS
COMING YOUR WAY, HERE'S WHAT
THE IMPACT WILL BE, THESE ARE
GOOD CAUSES, WE NEED TO FUND
THESE THINGS. BUT WE DON'T WANT
-- WE WANT TO BE AS
TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE ABOUT
IT. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME
TO MAKE THAT COMMENT. I DON'T
HAVE A QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE HOW
YOU HAVE ASKED HOW WE CAN
ARTICULATE THEIR COMPLEMENT
YOU COMPONENTS AS WELL TO THE
MOUNTING CRISES THAT INTERSECT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS ABOUT, HOW DO WE
EXPLAIN TO FOLKS THAT THESE ALL
GO TOGETHER. COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON.
>> THANK YOU. I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE RECOVERY
FOCUSED ASPECT OF THIS
INITIATIVE. IN THE PARAMOUNT
PURPOSE SECTION ON THE SLIDE
THAT ASKS, WHO WILL SITE AND
OPERATE THE CRISIS CARE
CENTERS, I THINK IT IS AROUND
11, THEY WILL BE OPERATED BY
PROVIDER AGENCIES UNDER
CONTRACT TO THE CHS BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH THREE RECOVERY DIVISION.
SO, THE IMPORTANT THING FOR
ME IS UNDERSTANDING BETTER THE
KINDS OF SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER TREATMENT THAT THOSE
PROVIDERS OFFER. I ASK
BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO THE KING
COUNTY OVERDOSE DASHBOARD ,
OUT OF THE 1019 DEATHS LAST
YEAR, 49% OF OVERDOSE
FATALITIES WERE CAUSED BY A
COMBINATION OF OPIOID AND MESS,
THAT WAS 501. 16% FROM
METHYL AND. MY QUESTION IS,
GIVEN THE PREVALENCE OF METH
IN OVERDOSES, AND BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CRISES, THAT WE OFTEN
SEE, IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT
THAT THESE CONTRACTED PROVIDERS
DO TREAT THIS ISSUE IN
PARTICULAR. SO, THERE IS NO
MEDICATION FOR METH ADDICTION
, BUT THERE IS INPATIENT AND
INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT AND
CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT. I
DON'T KNOW IF THAT FITS INTO
THE RUBRIC OF A CRISIS CARE
CLINIC, BUT CAN YOU JUST
ADDRESS HOW YOU ARE THINKING
ABOUT ADDRESSING THAT PART OF
A RECOVERY ?
>> ABSOLUTE. THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER, AND
FIRST, I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU
ARE SEEING IN TERMS OF THE DATA
THAT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. THE
TYPES OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER
WE ARE SEEING ARE CHANGING
OVER TIME IN THE COMMUNITY. I
EXPECT THEY'LL CONTINUE TO BE
THE CASE. ONE WAY TO ANSWER
YOUR QUESTION IS THAT THE LEVY
PRESCRIBES NECESSARY
COMPONENTS OF A CRISIS CARE
CENTER. BUT A CRISIS THERE
WILL EXPECT ADDITIONAL ISLANDS.
SOME OF THOSE ELEMENTS COULD BE
WHAT WE CALL DETOX SERVICES,
IT COULD BE , SOME FOLKS WILL
COLETTE METH SOBERING, IT'S A
COMBINATION OF BEHAVIOR HEALTH
AND MENTAL HEALTH APPROACHES.
SOMEONE COMMENCING ACUTE
INTOXICATION WITH METH, IT
COULD BE OTHER TYPES OF SERVICE
PROVIDER AND CITY AGREE TO
SUPPORT AND PROPOSE. SO, I
THINK THAT IS ONE WAY TO ANSWER
OF WHAT WILL BE ON SITE. THE
OTHER WAY THAT WE ARE THINKING
ABOUT THIS IS THE CRISIS CARE
CENTER BECOMES A REALLY
EFFECTIVE FIRST STEP INTO
LONGER-TERM CARE WERE
NECESSARY. WE WOULD EXPECT AND
HAVE MODELED THE FUNDING TO
SUPPORT THAT THESE REALLY DO
BECOME REFERRAL CENTERS FOR
FOLKS WHO REQUIRE CARE BEYOND
24 HOURS. AND A LOT OF
LONG-TERM CARE DOES TAKE MORE
THAN 14 DAYS AND CAN TAKE A
LIFETIME ENDEAVOR. WE REALLY
WANT TO BUILD TO HELP SAVE
LIVES IN THE MOMENT, AND THEN
CONNECT TO THE OTHER PARTS OF
THE SYSTEM DESIGNED FOR
LONGER-TERM CARE. SO BOTH
WITHIN AND BY CONNECTING TO ,
WE WOULD WANT TO BUILD
CONNECTION TO ALL TYPES OF
TREATMENTS OF MORTALITY FOR
SUBSTANCE USES.
>> COULD THEY BE REFERRED
DIRECTLY INTO THE RESIDENTIAL
FACILITIES YOU ARE THINKING
ABOUT? LONGER-TERM.
>> ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE, LOTS
OF CLINICAL DISCRETION INVOLVE
THERE. AND, WITH THE OTHER
HEADLINE THAT WHAT WE ARE
PROPOSING IN THIS LEVY IS TO
FUND THE RESTORATION OF ED
NUMBERS BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE
IN 2018. TO PUT SOME NUMBERS
TO THAT, THERE WERE 355 MENTAL
HEALTH RESIDENTIAL BEDS FOR A
COUNTY, IT IS NOW 244.
WEATHER 355 WAS EVER ENOUGH
FOR THE FIRST PLACE, I THINK
THE ANSWER TO THAT IS CLEAR, IT
WASN'T. THERE IS THIS
UNDERLYING CAPACITY ISSUE WITH
ALL OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
SYSTEM THAT IS STILL GOING TO
EXIST IN THE LONGER-TERM PARTS,
AND, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
REALLY PROVIDE THAT LIFESAVING
CRISIS CARE THAT WE COMPLETELY
LACK RIGHT NOW.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR THE ROBUST
DISCUSSION AND FOR STAYING A
LITTLE LATE. THANKS TO OUR
KING COUNTY PARTNERS FOR THE
COLLABORATIVE WORK YOU HAVE
DONE. I AM PROUD TO HAVE BEEN
PART OF THE EARLY CONVERSATIONS
AND REALLY EXCITED THE CITY OF
SEATTLE IS AGAIN EXPRESSING
OUR SUPPORT TODAY. WE WILL HAVE
THIS FORTHCOMING RESOLUTION
THAT COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AND
MYSELF ARE WORKING ON TO
FORMALLY EXPRESS THAT TO
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AS
WELL. AND I THINK WHAT YOU ARE
HEARING IS REALLY A BROAD
SPECTRUM OF SUPPORT, WHETHER
YOU'RE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER,
A WORKER, WORKING FAMILY MEMBER
WHO HAS SEEN ADDICTION IN YOUR
OWN FAMILY, OR SOMEONE WHO IS
JUST CONCERNED , LIKE THE
FIREFIGHTERS, AND POLICE
OFFICERS, AND HUMAN SERVICE
PROVIDERS ARE, THAT THERE IS NO
PLACE TO BRING PEOPLE IN
MOMENTS OF CRISIS. I'M HOPING
THIS WILL BE A UNITING EFFORT
IN APRIL. WE ARE HERE TO
SUPPORT YOU AND WISH YOU AND
THE COUNTY THE BEST OF LUCK IN
YOUR LATE FEBRUARY VOTE TO GET
THAT FINALIZED AND OUT TO
VOTERS FOR CONSIDERATION. AND
AS I THINK OUR COLLEAGUES ARE
SAYING, WE WILL CONTINUE TO
STEP UP TO MAKE SURE THERE IS
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE
CITY AS WELL. THIS ISSUE KNOWS
NO BORDERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PARTICIPATION. ANY CLOSING
COMMENTS ?
>> WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THIS. THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE WILL BE IN
CLOSE TOUCH. AS WE GET TO THE
END OF OUR COMMITTEE MEETING, I
DO WANT TO FLAG THAT ONE OF OUR
CLERKS HAS SENT OUT A MESSAGE
TO THE FLOOR WITH THE HOUSING
CONNECTOR PRESENTATION , AND
APOLOGIES FROM OUR HOUSING
CONNECTOR FOLKS, AS YOU HEARD,
EVEN COVID AND CHILDCARE
NEEDS, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SEND
IT TO IT EARLIER THAT THEY
SENT IT AROUND, WE WILL
INCLUDES THE PRESENTATION,
THANKS AGAIN FOR BEING OUR
DUAL CLERKS. AND GOING FORWARD
WE APPRECIATE THAT. I ALSO WANT
TO THANK ERIN FOR HER WORK
WITH THE HOUSING CONNECTOR
GETTING FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE
TODAY AND THE FUTURE WORK YOU
PREVIEWED COMING UP ON THE
HOUSING LEVY. I WAS REMISS IN
NOT NOTING THE WORK THROUGHOUT
2020 AND 2021 AND 2022 TO HELP
CREATE THE ECONOMIC RESILIENCE
BLUEPRINT , AND THE JUMPSTART
PROGRESSIVE PAYROLL TAX, HER
LEADERSHIP IN WORKING WITH OED
AND COMMUNITY BUSINESS AND
WORKER REPRESENTATIVES TO SET
UP THAT INITIAL SPEND PLAN HAS
BEEN GREATLY APPRECIATED AND
IT'S A TON OF WORK. I WANT TO
THANK HER, THE LEAD ON LABOR
AND JUMPSTART AN ECONOMIC
RESILIENCE FOR HER WORK ON THAT
FIRST PRESENTATION. AND GETTING
US TO THIS POINT AS WELL.
COLLEAGUES, ANYTHING ELSE FOR
THE GOOD OF THE ORDER? I AM
NOT SEEING ANY. THIS DOES
CONCLUDE OUR JANUARY MEETING.
WE WILL BE BACK FOR A FEBRUARY
MEETING WITH FEBRUARY 1 AT 9:30
AM. WE WILL HAVE A FOLLOW-UP
CONVERSATION ON THE HOUSING
IDENTIFICATION ISSUE WE
PREVIEWED TODAY. AND AN UPDATE
FROM THE SUGARY SWEET
BEVERAGE ADVISORY BOARD WHO
PROVIDES US WITH UPDATES ON HOW
THAT TAXES BEING IMPLEMENTED,
WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT DURING
THE BUDGET , THE DECLINE IN
REVENUE AND HOW CRITICAL IT IS
FOR FOOD SECURITY. THEY WILL BE
BACK TO DO A PRESENTATION AS A
FEW OTHER ITEMS WE ARE
FINALIZING. WE WILL SEE YOU IN
A FEW WEEKS ON FEBRUARY 1 AT
9:30 AM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PARTICIPATION AND STAYING A
LITTLE LONG. HAVE A GREAT REST
OF YOUR DAY. TAKE CARE,
EVERYONE.