>> THE OCTOBER 1st SELECT
BUDGET COMMITTEE WILL COME BACK
TO ORDER. IT IS 2:15. I AM DAN
STRAUSS, CHAIRMAN OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE
>> HERE
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES
>> HERE
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON
>> PRESENT
>> VICE CHAIR RIVERA
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA
>> HERE
>> COUNCIL MEMBER WOO
>> CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH
>> PRESENT
>> CHAIR STRAUSS
>> PRESENT. THAT IS SEVEN
PRESENT. HERE WE ARE BEFORE
YOU. WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU
HERE. I'M PASSING IT OVER TO
YOUR COMMITTEE CHAIR AFTER
PRESENTATION. WE HAVE
FACILITATION AND ALSO STALLING
FOR A SECOND AS MORE PEOPLE ARE
WALKING IN. COUNCIL MEMBER WOO
AND CBO DIRECTOR AND CENTRAL
STAFF DIRECTOR JOINING US NOW.
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS
THE ONE DEPARTMENT THAT DOES SO
MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, SO I AM
JUST EXCITED TO DIVE IN ,
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS TO
PREPARING YOU FOR SUCCESS, ALL
AGES AND ABILITIES, PROMOTING
PUBLIC HEALTH SUPPORTING
LIVABILITY AND SUPPORTING SAFE
COMMUNITIES. IT IS A VERY BROAD
SET OF WORK YOU DO AND WE ALSO
HAVE VICE CHAIR RIVERA AND
COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH
HERE WITH US. OVER TO YOU,
DIRECTOR KIM.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM TANYA
KIM, DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I AM DEE
DHLAMINI, CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER
WITH THE HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEM.
>> DAN EDER , CBO.
>> WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE THE
FLOOR TO YOU UNTIL THE END OF
YOUR PRESENTATION THEN WILL
TURN IT OVER TO YOUR COMMITTEE
CHAIR THEN FACILITATE QUESTIONS
BUT YOU HAVE GOT THE FLOOR. WE
WILL RUN THROUGH THE WHOLE
PRESENTATION.
>> TRYING TO MAXIMIZE SCREEN.
>> IT LOOKS GOOD ON OUR END.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE
. I HAVE CAREFULLY LISTENED TO
MOST OF THE PRESENTATIONS, AND
YOU ARE RIGHT, THANK YOU, CHAIR
STRAUSS, FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE
BREADTH OF WORK WE ARE
OFFERING. SOME OF THIS MAY
SOUND REDUNDANT TO SOME OF YOU
WHO ARE SITTING ON COUNCIL
MEMBER MOORE'S COMMITTEE AND
FOR SOME OF YOU THIS MAY BE NEW
INFORMATION. I WANT TO FIRST
THANK ALL OF YOU AND I DO SEE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT ONLINE, FOR
ALLOWING US TO PRESENT HST'S
PROPOSED 2025-26 BUDGET. I WILL
START US OFF -- OH, NO. WITH
THE DOWN BUTTON, AND START US
WITH OUR MISSION. SO, THE
MISSION OF THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE
WITH RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS
DURING TIMES OF NEED SO WE CAN
ALL LIVE, LEARN, WORK, AND TAKE
PART IN STRONG, HEALTHY
COMMUNITIES. OUR MISSION KEEPS
US GROUNDED. YOU HEARD FROM
SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
HST HAS COME UP IN A COUPLE OF
THOSE CONVERSATIONS BUT I ALSO
WANT TO SAY THAT AS WE APPROACH
OUR WORK WITH OUR CITY
DEPARTMENT COLLEAGUES AS ONE
SEATTLE, IT ALSO HELPS US STAY
WITHIN ROLE AND DO YOU KNOW
THAT WE PARTNER WITH LOTS OF
ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
HOUSING, EDUCATION, CARE AND
OTHERS. AND SO TOGETHER , WHEN
WE COORDINATE OUR RESOURCES, AS
YOU HAD HEARD, WE ARE MORE
POWERFUL. TO THIS END, I DO
WANT TO SHARE OUR SIX IMPACT
AREAS. THESE IMPACT AREAS ARE
MORE THAN JUST WORDS. THEY HELP
US KEEP FOCUSED. IT ALSO IS THE
WAY IN WHICH OUR BUDGET IS
ORGANIZED AND SO YOU WILL SEE
OUR BUDGET SUMMARY LEVELS
ORGANIZED IN THIS MANNER, AS
WELL. IN DEVELOPING A PROPOSED
BUDGET LIKE MOST DEPARTMENTS WE
MAKE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY I AM
PROUD TO SHARE THAT HST'S
PROPOSED BUDGET MAINTAINS OUR
CORE SERVICES WHILE ADDING SOME
INVESTMENTS TO ADDRESS CITY
PRIORITIES AS OUTLINED BY THE
MAYOR. FOR HST THIS MEANS WE
ARE MAINTAINING A STRONG SAFETY
NET OF CORE SERVICES . WE ARE
MAINTAINING SHELTER CAPACITY.
CHAIR STRESS HAS ALREADY
MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE SOME
EXPIRING FUNDS DUE TO THE
ONE-TIME NATURE OF THE FUNDING,
AND SO MAINTAINING SHELTER
CAPACITY WAS IMPORTANT.
MAINTAINING PROVIDER PAY BY
SUSTAINING WAGE EQUITY AND
ADDING THE INFLATIONARY
INCREASE TO SUPPORT OUR HUMAN
SERVICE PROVIDERS, ADDING TO
OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY
INITIATIVES AND FINALLY,
LIMITING NEW PUBLIC HEALTH
STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THE
DEVASTATION CAUSED BY OPIOIDS.
IN SUMMARY, OUR PROPOSED BUDGET
HAS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN YOU
CAN SEE THAT HERE, FROM OUR
2024 ADOPTED BUDGET. I WILL
JUST NAME THAT IN 2025, WE ARE
AT 364.7 MILLION AND IN 2026,
THE PROPOSED IS AT 377.2
MILLION. THERE IS AN INCREASE
IN THE FTE . THERE IS 32 FTEs
AND WE WILL REMIND COUNSEL THAT
MOST OF THESE WERE ADDED DURING
SUPPLEMENTAL. THIS ACTION
ALLOWS US TO MAINTAIN THAT
BUDGET AUTHORITY. RETURNING TO
THOSE SIX IMPACT AREAS, THIS IS
A TABLE WHERE, AT A GLANCE, YOU
CAN SEE NOT ONLY THE GOALS,
SOME LANGUAGE AROUND THEM, BUT
AT A GLANCE WHERE WE HAVE
INCREASED OUR INVESTMENTS
YEAR-OVER-YEAR, AND WHERE WE
HAVE SUSTAINED. FOR THE MOST
PART, THE INCREASE IS ALIGNED
WITH AGAIN, THE MAYOR'S
PRIORITIES . AND, JUST BECAUSE
YOU CAN LOOK AT A BUDGET IN
DIFFERENT WAYS, WE ADDED ONE
MORE CHART. THIS IS BY THE
NUMBERS. ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN
SEE OUR HST PROPOSED BUDGET AS
A WHOLE. NEARLY 74% OF HST'S
BUDGET IS ALLOCATED TO THREE
IMPACT AREAS. OF COURSE YOU SEE
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS,
SUPPORTING HEALTHY AGING AND
SUPPORTING SAFE COMMUNITIES.
SUPPORTING HEALTHY AGING IS OUR
DISABILITY SERVICES, MOSTLY OF
FEDERAL AND STATE FUND SOURCES
, AND WE SERVE THE COUNTY IN
THAT SPACE. MOVING TO THE LEFT,
THERE IS SOME NEW INFORMATION
THERE FOR YOU. OF THE TOTAL
BUDGET, 76% IS CONTRACTED TO
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
SO FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, I
REVIEWED OUR MISSION. THE WAY
THAT WE ACT ON OUR MISSION IS
THAT WE ARE A FUNDER AND A
DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDER. AS A
FUNDER, 76% OF OUR BUDGET GOES
OUT THE DOOR. FINALLY FOR YOU,
WE HAVE THE DIFFERENT COLORS OF
MONEY ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE. IN
THE NEXT SET OF SLIDES I'M
GOING TO WALK US THROUGH THE
KEY BUDGET PRIORITIES , AND
WILL NAME THE NOTABLE ITEMS. WE
WILL START WITH SUSTAINING A
STRONG SAFETY NET. STRONG
SAFETY NET, THAT IS SUCH A
BROAD TERM, BUT I WILL SHARE
SOME HIGHLIGHTS. THE GOOD NEWS
IS THAT WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN
STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS BY 7.5
MILLION FOR OUR AGING AND
DISABILITY SERVICES. WE HAVE
1.7 MILLION IN THE COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS THAT
WILL BE AWARDED THROUGH A
COMPETITIVE FUNDING PROCESS FOR
CAPITAL PROJECTS AND WE
ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR PROVIDERS
TO APPLY FOR THAT IF THEY HAVE
CAPITAL NEEDS, AND WE WILL POST
THAT IN 2025. WITH OUR BUDGET
ALSO MAINTAINS FUNDING FOR OVER
10 MILLION IN EMERGENCY FEEDING
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
EMERGENCY FEEDING WE OFTEN
THINK ABOUT THE MEAL PROVIDERS
AS WELL AS FOOD BANKS AND WE
MAINTAIN LEVELS FOR OUR SEATTLE
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM.
YOU'VE HEARD A COUPLE OF
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TALKING
ABOUT WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
AND THE NECESSITY OF HAVING
POSITIVE, PRO SOCIAL
ACTIVITIES. OUR FLAGSHIP
PROGRAM IS THE SEATTLE YOUTH
EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. THIS
SUMMER, WE SUPPORTED 251 LOW
INCOME YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS
PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERNSHIP
PROGRAM AND THIS IS YOUR
ADVANCE NOTICE FOR HAVING AN
INTERN IN YOUR OFFICE FOR NEXT
SUMMER. BEFORE WE TRANSITION
FROM THIS SLIDE, I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS
REDUCTION IN OUR GENERAL FOOD
AND NUTRITION PORTFOLIO. WE DID
HAVE SOME EXPIRING ONE-TIME
GENERAL FUND ADS IN THE AMOUNT
OF 990,000 , AND STARTING IN
2026 , SO SKIPPING A YEAR,
STARTING IN 2026 THERE IS A
REDUCTION OF THE SWEETENED
BEVERAGE TAX FUNDING IN THE
AMOUNT OF 434 AND THOSE AMOUNTS
ARE SPREAD ACROSS 400 DIFFERENT
PROVIDERS. MOVING ON, OR
PROPOSED BUDGET FOR ADDRESSING
HOMELESSNESS IS 128 MILLION IN
2025, WITH A SLIGHT INCREASE IN
2026 . IN 2025, I WILL NOTE
THAT A MAJORITY OF DOLLARS, 105
MILLION GOES TO THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY
. THIS AMOUNT IS A 7% INCREASE
FROM THEIR 2024 ADOPTED BUDGET
FOR THEIR CORE SERVICES. PART
OF THIS INCREASE IS TO MAINTAIN
SHELTER BEDS THAT WERE AT RISK
DUE TO THE END OF THE EXPIRING
ONE-TIME FUNDS AND YOU WILL
HEAR ME GO INTO MORE DETAIL ON
THAT. MAINTAINING THE SHELTER
BEDS IS A PRIORITY. THE
PROPOSED BUDGET, AS ONGOING
FUNDS, THIS ONE WE WANT TO CALL
OUT IS THE VENUE SHELTER IN THE
CENTRAL DISTRICT WHICH WAS
ORIGINALLY FUNDED BY ONE-TIME
DOLLARS . THIS ENHANCED SHELTER
INCLUDES 150 NON-CONGREGATE
BEDS WITH WRAPAROUND AND
CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE SERVICES
FOR THE BLACK AFRICAN-AMERICAN
MALE COMMUNITY WHO ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS. ADDING FUNDS TO
MAINTAIN THIS PROGRAM IS
CRITICAL TO THE OVERALL BED
COUNT. WE COULD SAY WE WANT TO
KEEP THESE BEDS ONLINE, AND
THAT IS IMPORTANT BUT IT IS THE
TYPE OF SERVICE, LIKE I SAID,
NON-CONGREGATE. IT IS THE
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE AND I
WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE REASON
THIS IS CRITICAL FOR US IS
BECAUSE OF THE UTILIZATION
RATE. AT THE END OF 2023, ALL
THE BEDS WERE FULL, SO HAVE
THESE DOLLARS GONE AWAY IF WE
DID NOT AT THE ONGOING FUNDS,
WE WOULD HAVE 150 PEOPLE WHO
WOULD BE DISPLACED. HST'S
PROPOSED BUDGET IS MORE THAN
ABOUT MAINTAINING THE BEDS. IT
IS ALSO ABOUT INCREASING THE
QUALITY OF SERVICES FOR
IMPROVED OUTCOMES. AS REPORTED
, THE NAVIGATION CENTER IN THE
CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT, CID, WILL CLOSE IN
EARLY 2025. THE PROPOSED BUDGET
ADDS 2.3 MILLION IN 2025 WITH
AN INCREASE IN 2026 TO STAND UP
A NEW ENHANCED SHELTER , SO THE
NERVE CENTER GOES AWAY. WE TAKE
THE BASE, HAD SOME MONEY SO WE
CAN HAVE AN ENHANCED SHELTER.
THIS ENHANCED SHELTER DIFFERS
FROM THE NOW CENTER AND THAT
THERE WILL BE NON-CONGREGATE
UNITS THAT WILL HAVE ACCESS TO
SPECIALIZED MEDICAL SERVICES
AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO TREAT
COMPLEX BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS
. THE LOCATION IS NOT YET
CONFIRMED , SO I WANT TO
UNDERSCORE THAT. THE LOCATION
IS NOT YET CONFIRMED BUT IT IS
HST'S EXPECTATION THAT KCRHA
WILL FORMALIZE A GOOD LABOR
AGREEMENT AND ADHERE TO
POLICIES. I KNOW THAT IS TOP OF
MIND FOR SEVERAL FOLKS. WHILE
THE LOCATION IS NOT CONFIRMED,
WE ARE ACTIVELY REVIEWING SOME
POTENTIAL OPTIONS. OUR PROPOSED
BUDGET ADDS ONGOING FUNDS TO
ADDRESS AN OPERATING GAP TO
ENSURE THAT APPROPRIATE
BEHAVIOR HEALTH SERVICES AND
LEVELS OF OPERATIONS ARE
PROVIDED FOR THREE TINY HOME
VILLAGES, WHICH WERE PREVIOUSLY
FUNDED WITH EXPIRING ONE-TIME
FUNDS. LET ME EXPLAIN THIS A
LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN WHAT I
JUST SAID. THERE IS A CERTAIN
BASE THAT THEY HAD IN ORDER TO
OPERATE THIS. WHAT THEY FOUND
WAS THAT THE LEVEL OF SERVICE
NEEDS WERE HIGHER BECAUSE OF
THE COMPLEX OF BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH ISSUES. YEAR-OVER-YEAR,
LEHIGH HAS BEEN ASKING FOR
ADDITIONAL ONE TIME -- THEY
WANTED ONGOING BUT WE'VE BEEN
GIVING THEM ONE-TIME FUNDS IN
ORDER TO MEET THAT GAP. THIS
BUDGET ADDS THE ONGOING DOLLARS
NEEDED TO PROVIDE THE
APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF SERVICES
TO MAINTAIN THESE THREE
VILLAGES, SO AS A RESULT , WE
WILL MAINTAIN APPROXIMATELY 140
UNITS WITH THIS AD. GOING TO
PIVOT NOW TO ALL OF OUR HUMAN
SERVICE PROVIDERS. IN THE 2024
ADOPTED BUDGET, SO THIS YEAR ,
OUR ADOPTED BUDGET INCLUDES A
2% WAGE EQUITY PAY FOR HUMAN
SERVICE PROVIDERS. THE PROPOSED
BUDGET AS INFLATIONARY INCREASE
AS MANDATED BY OUR SMG, WHICH
IS IMPORTANT, YOU WILL SEE HERE
WHAT THE AD IS FOR 2025 AND
2026. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT
WITH 76% OF HST'S BUDGET GOING
OUT TO THE CONTRACTED PROVIDERS
IN THE COMMUNITY , WE CAN'T
TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED. I
UNDERSCORE THIS BECAUSE FOR
THOSE OF YOU WHO REMEMBER THE
CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST, NOT
ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES PROVIDE
PAY EQUITY , AND NOT ALL
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND PRIVATE
FUNDERS PROVIDE INFLATIONARY
INCREASES, AND SO IT IS REALLY
AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND ALL
FUNDERS THAT THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR US TO
SUPPORT OUR IMPORTANT
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
WITH THAT, I'M VERY GRATEFUL
TO THE MAYOR FOR HIS COMMITMENT
TO WORKER RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION FOR CRITICAL HUMAN
SERVICES, ESPECIALLY DURING
THESE CHALLENGING BUDGET TIMES.
I KNOW YOU HAVE HEARD FROM
PROVIDERS ABOUT THEIR ABILITY
TO HIRE AND RETAIN. OUR
PROPOSED BUDGET PRIORITIZES
COMMUNITY SAFETY. WE HAVE BEEN
AT TABLE MULTIPLE TIMES AT
COMMITTEE TO TALK ABOUT
COMMUNITY SAFETY EFFORTS. WE
HAVE 61.9 MILLION. THIS IS
COMBINATION, AND PEOPLE DEFINE
IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT
COMMUNITY-LET APPROACHES IN
INVESTMENTS, SO THERE IS A
SLIGHT INCREASE IN 2025, AND
FURTHER IN 2026. NOTABLE
HIGHLIGHTS. WE ARE ADDING
ONGOING FUNDS TO ADDRESS GUN
VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS. THIS YEAR,
WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE WERE ABLE
TO START WITH ONE-TIME DOLLARS
IN THE 2025 PROPOSED BUDGET ,
WE ARE PROPOSING TO ADD
ONGOING. WE ARE MAINTAINING
SERVICES LIKE RE-ENTRY AS WELL
AS PRE-BOOKING DIVERSION
THROUGH THE LEAD PROGRAM WHICH
MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
WE ARE ALSO ADDING 2 MILLION OF
ONGOING SUPPORTS TO SURVIVORS
OF COMMERCIAL SEXUAL
EXPLOITATION. NOW, I'M GOING TO
DECONSTRUCT SOME OF THOSE AND
TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE IN
DEPTH. IN AUGUST, MAYOR HARRELL
ANNOUNCED NEW INVESTMENTS TO
SUPPORT STUDENT SAFETY. THIS
4.25 MILLION AD FOR HST WILL
PROVIDE ONGOING FUNDS FOR THESE
SERVICES THAT WE HAVE TALKED,
THE EXECUTIVE HAVE STALKED A
FAIR AMOUNT ABOUT MORE DETAILS
ON THIS. WE ARE LAUNCHING THIS.
IT IS NEW FOR US BUT I WILL
QUICKLY REMIND COUNSEL THAT WE
ARE STARTING WITH FIVE HIGH
SCHOOLS AND LATER EXPANDING TO
FEEDER MIDDLE SCHOOLS. THE CORE
PROGRAMMING IN THIS AREA
INCLUDES VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION,
SAFE PASSAGES, CASE MANAGEMENT
FOR STUDENTS MOST IMPACTED BY
GUN VIOLENCE, AND A FAMILY
RESOURCE FUND TO ENSURE SOME
BASIC IMMEDIATE NEEDS ARE MET.
BEFORE I TALK ABOUT THIS AD, I
DO WANT TO EXPRESS -- I THINK
I'M GOING TO FOLLOW, I BELIEVE
IT WAS COUNCILMEMBER CATTELL,
WHO EXPRESSED TO YOUR
GRATITUDE, WHO IS MY CHAIR ,
MORE AROUND THE EFFORTS OF THE
LEADERSHIP, AND I WANTED TO
THANK YOU, CHAIR MORE -- MOORE,
PARTNERING WITH SERVICES AND
THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN SEXUAL
EXPLOITATION. HST HAS A TEAM OF
VICTIM ADVOCATES TO PROVIDE
TRAUMA INFORMED VICTIM CENTER
SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO
SURVIVORS OF VARIOUS CRIME
TYPES AND THEY ARE REFERRED TO
US BY SEATTLE POLICE . WITH
SUPPORT SURVIVORS AND THEIR
FAMILIES AS THEY NAVIGATE THE
CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM. THIS AD
THAT YOU SEE HERE PROPOSES FOUR
NEW VICTIM ADVOCATES AND THE
SUPERVISOR TO PROVIDE DIRECT
SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS OF
COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
. THIS NEW TEAM WOULD ALSO HAVE
ACCESS TO A SMALL BUDGET FOR
CLAIM ASSISTANCE SO THAT THE
VICTIM ADVOCATES CAN ADDRESS
IMMEDIATE NEEDS SUCH AS
TRANSPORTATION, HOTEL STAYS,
OTHER SECURITY MEASURES,
ASSISTANCE TO MEET THE BASIC
NEEDS LIKE FOOD OR CLOTHING .
ADDITIONALLY, WITHIN THIS
DOLLAR AMOUNT OF 2 MILLION , WE
ARE PROPOSING THAT 1 MILLION BE
ADDED FOR COMMUNITY-BASED
PROVIDERS THROUGH AN EXPEDITED
COMPETITIVE FUNDING PROCESS. WE
OFTEN TALK ABOUT -- I HEARD
CHIEF BARNUM SAID EARLIER THE
NEED FOR CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
AND SKILLED WORKERS WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE. THIS APPROACH IS NO
DIFFERENT, AND ONE COULD ARGUE
, VERY IMPORTANT, IN ORDER TO
MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THIS EFFORT.
YOU'VE HEARD MANY DEPARTMENTS
TALK ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN THE
DOWNTOWN ACTION PLAN. HST IS
ALSO A PARTICIPANT, AND HERE WE
HAVE 1.9 MILLION IN AN AD TO
PROVIDE ONGOING FUNDS FOR THE
THIRD AVENUE PROJECT. THIS WAS
ORIGINALLY FUNDED WITH ONE-TIME
DOLLARS. THE AD IS FOR ONGOING
DOLLARS. WE HAVE A DIRECT
CONTRACT WITH WE DELIVER CARE,
OR WDC TO DELIVER SAFETY AND
ADDRESS UNMET NEEDS ON THIRD
AVENUE. WDC PROVIDES DAILY
DE-ESCALATION PRESENCE.
DIFFERED FROM LOTS OF FOLKS
INCLUDING BUSINESS OWNERS AND
WORKERS, OF THEIR PRESENCE AND
THEIR IMPACT. THEY ALSO ENGAGE
PEOPLE WITH OFFERS OF SERVICE,
SUCH AS EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES AND AT TIMES,
HAVE RESPONDED TO OVERDOSES.
THEY ARE ALSO OUT THERE
APPLYING NALOXONE AND CALLING
911. FINALLY, I WILL END WITH
OUR PRIORITY FOCUSING ON PUBLIC
HEALTH. AGAIN, RECENTLY THE
MAYOR ANNOUNCED THE CITY'S NEW
PUBLIC HEALTH INVESTMENT
STRATEGY FOCUSING ON FOUR KEY
AREAS. WE WANT TO FOCUS ON
ACCESS TO CARE, HARM REDUCTION
AND ENGAGEMENT, SUBSTANCE USE
TREATMENT, SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER TREATMENT, TRUSTED
RELATIONSHIPS AND SOCIAL
CONNECTEDNESS. IN 2025, HST
PLAN TO SPEND 32 MILLION ON
NUMEROUS PUBLIC HEALTH
INVESTMENTS WITH ALMOST HALF OF
THE BUDGET ADDRESSING SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER. THAT IS NEARLY A
THREE-FOLD INCREASE OVER 2024.
PLAINLY STATED, IN OUR CURRENT
AND PAST PRACTICE, WE HAVE NOT
PAID THIS MUCH ATTENTION TO
THIS CRISIS. THESE INVESTMENTS
ARE COMBINATION OF CONTRACTS
AND DIRECT SERVICES, SO FOR
CONTRACTS, WE HAVE CAPITAL
PROJECTS AND SERVICES. THE
LARGEST CONTRACT WITH PUBLIC
HEALTH SEATTLE KING COUNTY. FOR
DIRECT SERVICES, WE HAVE HEALTH
99 OPERATED BY CHIEF SCOGGINS
OVER THERE AT THE SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT. THAT IS THE
OVERDOSE RESPONSE TEAM AND THAT
INCLUDES HST CASE MANAGER
SOCIAL WORKERS. I WANT TO
UNDERSCORE SOMETHING THAT I
HAVE SAID ALL ALONG AT
COMMITTEE MULTIPLE TIMES , AS
WELL AS PUBLICLY, THAT THE
QUALITY OF OUR INVESTMENTS
NEEDS TO BE ASSESSED. IN 2025,
WE WILL PARTNER WITH PUBLIC
HEALTH SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT
HAS THE LARGEST INVESTMENT, BUT
OF COURSE ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS
TO DEVELOP MEANINGFUL
PERFORMANCE METRICS SO WE CAN
ACTIVELY ASSESS THE IMPACT OF
OUR FUNDS. I KNOW THAT IS
IMPORTANT TO ALL OF YOU AS WELL
AS TO THE MAYOR. THE LAST SLIDE
SUMMARIZES SOME OF HST'S
OPERATIONAL REDUCTIONS, WHICH
RESULTED IN GENERAL FUND
SAVINGS. AS I SAID, AND WHEN
YOU LOOK THROUGH OUR BUDGET
BOOK, YOU WILL SEE SOME
DIFFICULT REDUCTIONS THAT ARE
PROPOSED IN THE 2025-2026
BUDGET AND THROUGH OUR DUE
DILIGENCE WE ARE ABLE TO
IDENTIFY SOME OTHER
EFFICIENCIES AS WE ARE
DEVELOPING THE BUDGET. THIS
CLIENT OUTLINES JUST SOME OF
THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. THERE
WAS A REDUCTION OF 1.4 MILLION
OF CITY GENERAL FUNDS BY
LEVERAGING FEDERAL AND STATE
GRANT DOLLARS. THERE IS A
REDUCTION OF 572,020 25, AND A
LITTLE MORE IN 2026 THROUGH
ABROGATED POSITIONS, THE HIRING
FREEZE YOU HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT.
WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SOME
INEFFICIENCIES IN THE WAY WE DO
OUR BUSINESS, AND IN SOME
CASES, REALLOCATING THOSE
BODIES OF WORK. AND, THERE IS A
REDUCTION OF ABOUT $580 OF
UNALLOCATED FUNDS AND STILL NO
IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY FOR OUR
WORKFORCE. SO, HERE WE GO. I
WANT TO CLOSE BY THANKING THE
MAYOR FOR HIS CRITICAL
INVESTMENTS IN HSD. I WANT TO
DEEPLY THANK THE HST WORKFORCE
. THEY ARE DEDICATED PUBLIC
SERVANTS, AND I WANT TO THANK
OUR COMMUNITY-BASED PROVIDERS
TO DO THIS IMPORTANT WORK DAY
IN AND DAY OUT. I ALSO WANT TO
END BY SAYING WE CANNOT DO THIS
WORK EFFECTIVELY, I CANNOT DO
THIS WORK EFFECTIVELY WITHOUT
THE PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP WE
HAVE WITH COUNSEL SO I THANK
YOU FOR YOUR DIALOGUE, YOUR
FEEDBACK, YOUR VISION. WITH
THAT, I THINK I'M READY TO
TOSS IT BACK OVER TO YOU AND
PERHAPS COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE IS
GOING TO TAKE THE FLOOR.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR KIM.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE, THE FLOOR
IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WANTED
TO SAY THANK YOU TO DIRECTOR
KIM AND CFO DEE DHLAMINI FOR
BEING HERE TODAY. I WANTED TO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RELATIONSHIP
YOU AND I HAVE DEVELOPED OVER
THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR. I
APPRECIATE OUR MONTHLY CHICKENS
AND YOUR TEAM'S RESPONSIVENESS
TO THE COUNCILS QUESTIONS AND
YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE IN
DIALOGUE ABOUT WHAT PROGRAMS
ARE LOOKING LIKE AND WHAT THEY
CAN LOOK LIKE AND INITIATIVES
GOING FORWARD. I'VE FOUND THAT
TO BE VERY HELPFUL. I ALSO
WANTED TO THANK THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE FOR BOTH SUSTAINING
INVESTMENTS AND INCREASING
INVESTMENTS IN HSD'S BUDGET
AND GOING THROUGH THE
PRIORITIES LISTED HERE. IT WAS,
YOU KNOW, REALLY HEARTENING TO
SEE THAT THEY ALIGN WITH WHAT I
THINK ARE THE PRIORITIES THAT
HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED BY THIS
COUNSEL AND CERTAINLY ARE MY
PRIORITIES, AND PARTICULARLY IN
KEEPING SHELTER CAPACITY
AVAILABLE, INCREASING TINY
HOUSE VILLAGES, INCREASING
FUNDING FOR KCRHA WHICH I THINK
WE ARE ONE VOTE AWAY FROM BEING
ABLE TO START FRESH ON THAT AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT WORK
GOING, ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS
AND BEING PRODUCTIVE . YOUR
BODY OF WORK IS IMMENSE . IT
COVERS AND TOUCHES REALLY I
THINK ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT WE
DEAL WITH IN A MODERN SOCIETY.
I HAVE TREMENDOUS RESPECT FOR
YOU AND THE WORK THAT YOUR
DEPARTMENT DOES. IT IS NOT EASY
WORK WHEN WE ASK YOU TO SOLVE
SO MANY UNSOLVABLE PROBLEMS.
SO, THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I
UNDERSTAND THAT THE TREND EVERY
YEAR IS THAT HSD RECEIVES THE
MOST COUNSEL BUDGET AMENDMENTS,
WHICH I THINK IS REFLECTIVE OF
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK YOUR
DEPARTMENT DOES, THE IMPORTANCE
OF THE CONTRACTS YOU OVERSEE,
AND THAT THIS WORK IS REALLY
WHAT OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE
WANTING TO SEE MORE OF EVERY
YEAR AND DECEIT NOT ONLY MORE
OF BUT THAT IT IS EFFECTIVELY
IMPLEMENTED AND OVERSEEN . SO ,
I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH MORE
TO SAY THAN JUST THAT I AM
REALLY VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE
PRIORITIES YOU HAVE SET FORTH.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS BUT I
THINK FOLLOWING THE CHAIRS
LEAD, I WILL LEAVE THOSE TILL
AFTER MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED
QUESTIONS, SO THANK YOU.
>> COLLEAGUES, AT THIS TIME, DO
YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? THERE WE
GO. VICE CHAIR RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE, HSD AND THANK
YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL
MEMBER MOORE, FOR ALL HER WORK
SINCE WE ALL GOT HERE EARLIER
THIS YEAR, TO GIVE THE CRITICAL
EYE AND TO BE A GREAT PARTNER
WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND WITH
THE EXTERNAL PARTNERS AND WITH
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AS THE HST
WORK MOVES FORWARD AND
PARTICULARLY FOR THE LEADERSHIP
ON THE KCRHA ILA. THAT WAS
IMPORTANT WORK AND I KNOW NOT
EASY AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU
AND HST FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN
REALLY MOVING THAT FORWARD. AND
IN OH. -- NOH. I HAVE TO SAY
FULL DISCLOSURE WE'VE KNOWN
EACH OTHER A LONG TIME AND HAD
THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH
YOU, DIRECTOR KIM, SO I VERY --
I KNOW YOU CARE DEEPLY ABOUT
THE WORK AND ABOUT THE
EXCELLENCE OF THE WORK AND
ABOUT COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE
THAT OUR INVESTMENTS ARE DOING
THE MOST GOOD IN COMMUNITY
ABOUT COLLABORATING WITH
EXTERNAL PARTNERS IN SETTING AN
EXAMPLE FOR YOUR TEAM AS THEY
ARE OUT IN COMMUNITY WORKING
WITH PARTNERS AND WORKING WITH
THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE
EVERYDAY AS A CITY, AND SO I
WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU
FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE HERE
WITH THE CITY, AND PARTICULARLY
AT HST DOING THIS WORK AND I
REALLY HAVE BEEN HONORED TO GET
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH
YOU ON THESE ISSUES OVER THE
YEARS, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I
SO APPRECIATE YOUR TEAM FOR ALL
THE WORK THAT THEY DO. LIKE I
SAID, EVERYDAY . I HAVE ONE
QUICK QUESTION AND IT IS REALLY
JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION
ON THIS, THE ONE SEATTLE
OUTREACH POSITION, I'M NOT
FAMILIAR WITH. CAN YOU TELL ME
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT
POSITION IS AS PART OF THE
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN, IT
LOOKS LIKE, BUT I'M NOT
FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK.
>> D -- DEE IS THE BRAINS OF
THIS JOINT. WE HAVE SUCH A
BREADTH OF INVESTMENTS AND WE
SOMETIMES ITERATE ON NAMING
CONVENTIONS AND SO WHAT YOU'RE
SPEAKING TO, I BELIEVE, IS THIS
IS A GROUP OF -- I LOVE THIS
GROUP. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE
PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH IN THE
LAST BULLET, WHICH DOES NOT GET
ENOUGH AIR TIME BUT TALKING
ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS AND SUPPORT
AND CONNECTEDNESS, THIS IS AN
EXAMPLE OF THAT, SO WE HAVE
FAITH-BASED LEADERS WHO ARE A
PART OF THE ONE SEATTLE
OUTREACH. IT IS A SEPARATE BODY
OF WORK AROUND THE THIRD AVENUE
PROJECT, MORE OF A LIGHT TOUCH,
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS , YOU
KNOW, OFFERING A CUP OF COFFEE
AND REALLY CONNECTING WITH
PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT THEIR NEEDS
ARE. I DO KNOW THAT IT IS A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN MAYBE
WHAT I TALKED ABOUT WITH WDC ,
WHICH IS A DE-ESCALATION. IT'S
A DIFFERENT TYPE OF APPROACH TO
ENGAGING PEOPLE FOR THEIR AT.
HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH MORE
DETAIL.
>> PERFECT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WANTED TO ALSO THANK YOU FOR
THE WORK RELATED TO THE YOUTH
VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS. I
KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN REALLY
INSTRUMENTAL IN WORKING WITH
THEM ON THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND
AS PART OF THAT CONVERSATION
WITH SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO
REALLY ASSURE SAFETY TO OUR
KIDS IN THE SCHOOLS. VERY MUCH
APPRECIATED AND YOU LAID OUT IN
ONE OF YOUR SLIDES ALL THE WORK
THAT IS GOING INTO THE VIOLENCE
INTERRUPTER, THE SAFE PASSAGE
IS, THE CASE MANAGEMENT FOR THE
STUDENTS. ALL OF THAT IS SO
IMPORTANT IN CONJUNCTION WITH
ALL THE MENTAL HEALTH WORK. TO
ME, THIS IS MENTAL HEALTH WORK
BECAUSE KIDS ARE GETTING THE
SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED THAT
WILL GO TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE
DOING WELL FROM EMOTIONAL
INTELLIGENCE STANDPOINT, SO
REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR
WORK THERE. I HAVE A COUPLE OF
OTHER QUESTIONS BUT I WILL
FOLLOW UP VIA THE Q&A THROUGH
OUR CENTRAL STUFF BUT REALLY
AGAIN THANK YOU FOR ALL THE
WORK THAT YOU DO AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK
WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM. THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DIRECTOR KIM, I THINK THAT YOU
SAID, CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG,
THAT OUR CONTRACT WITH PUBLIC
HEALTH SEATTLE KING COUNTY IS
32 MILLION. IS THAT WHAT YOU
SAID?
>> THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT IS THE
INVESTMENT IN OUR OVERARCHING
PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGIES WHICH
INCLUDE MULTIPLE CONTRACTS. THE
PUBLIC HEALTH SEATTLE KING
COUNTY CONTRACT ITSELF IS 25
MILLION.
>> OKAY WELL THEN THERE IS A
DISCREPANCY HERE BECAUSE I
BELIEVE IT WAS YOU OR SOMEONE
IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE SENT ME
THE CONTRACT, THE NEW CONTRACT
AND IT IS AMENDING FROM LAST
YEAR FROM 19 MILLION, ABOUT, TO
39 MILLION ART GOES UP BY ABOUT
19.6 MILLION, SO I GUESS WE
WILL NEED CLARITY ON THAT AND
THE REASON I'M FOCUSING ON
THIS IS BECAUSE I DID GET A
BRIEFING EARLY THIS YEAR THAT
WAS TALKING ABOUT , WHAT IS
THAT CONTRACT GOING TO, AND IT
STARTS OUT LOOKING AT THE
COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS
THAT HAD BEEN DONE, I THINK, AT
THE END OF 2023 , BUT CLEARLY
IT WAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ,
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, THINGS
HAVING TO DO WITH THE FENTANYL
CRISIS. WE ARE ACROSS THE LINE
THE HIGHEST NEEDS ACROSS THE
AGENCIES THAT CONDUCTED
COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENTS
AND YET, ONLY 18% OF OUR
CONTRACT WITH PUBLIC HEALTH
SEATTLE KING COUNTY ADDRESSES
THOSE PARTICULAR NEEDS. OTHERS
ARE AROUND NEIGHBORHOOD CLINICS
AND DENTAL CARE, ET CETERA, AND
I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE
WAS A DESIRE TO REALLOCATE SOME
DOLLARS BASED ON A LOOK AT WHAT
OUR NEEDS AND WHAT ARE WE
SPENDING MONEY ON.
>> YES. THANK YOU FOR THAT
OBSERVATION. THE CONTRACT THAT
YOU HAVE IS OUR EXECUTED
CONTRACT. IT'S THE ONE WE HAVE
IN PLACE. THE NEW STRATEGY IS
GOING TO IMPACT THE NEW
CONTRACT IN 2025, AND SO WE ARE
NOW ACTIVELY -- THEY ARE
EMAILING ME AND WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT WHAT THE 2025 CONTRACT
IS, AND YOU WILL SEE A SHIFT IN
THOSE INVESTMENTS IN THE 2025
CONTRACT.
>> OKAY, BECAUSE I DID NOT SEE
ANY LINE ITEMS OR PROGRAMMATIC
CHANGES IN THIS CONTRACT, BUT
PERHAPS [ INAUDIBLE ] THE ONE
THAT'S COMING FORWARD.
>> THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT. THE
UPCOMING CONTRACT WILL SHOW THE
CHANGES.
>> OKAY. AND, COULD YOU
ELABORATE MORE ON THE HARM
REDUCTION INVESTMENTS? LIKE,
BREAK IT DOWN BY CATEGORY.
METHADONE BUPRENORPHINE VERSUS
NALOXONE DISTRIBUTION JUST
ROUGHLY VERSUS SAFE SUPPLIES,
ET CETERA.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO . IF IT IS
OKAY, I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP
VIA THE SHAREPOINT SITE Q&A. I
DON'T WANT TO MISS SPEAK ABOUT
THE PERCENTAGES.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. EVERYBODY
ALREADY KNOWS MY THINKING ON
DISTRIBUTING SUPPLIES TO INGEST
SENTINEL AND METHAMPHETAMINE SO
I WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> AND I WILL SAY , AGAIN, I
CAN GIVE YOU WHAT WE CURRENTLY
HAVE. WE ARE CURRENTLY
NEGOTIATING THE CONTRACT . WE
HAVE NOT HAD THE INITIAL
MEETING. IT ACTUALLY WILL TAKE
A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH
PUBLIC HEALTH BECAUSE WE'RE
DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY. YEAR
OVER YEAR AS FAR AS I REMEMBER,
WE HAVE NOT NEGOTIATED THE
CONTRACT TO ALIGN WITH THE
CITY'S PRIORITIES. WE HAVE
BEEN ADDING, AS SOMETHING
IMPORTANT CAME UP, BUT WE DID
NOT INFORM PUBLIC HEALTH THAT
THESE ARE THE FOUR PRIORITIES.
WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE
FUNDS GO TO TREATMENT AND HARM
REDUCTION, SO WE NEED TO DO
SOME GOOD CONTRACT NEGOTIATION,
SO I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE
INFORMATION YOU'RE LOOKING FOR,
BUT NOW THAT THE 2025 IS BEING
DISCUSSED.
>> ALSO, JUST TO NOTE, THE
PUBLIC HEALTH CONTRACT IS A
MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT SO THE
HIGHER NUMBER YOU ARE
REFERENCING WOULD ACTUALLY BE
FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR BUT WE
WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON
DETAILS.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
>> ANYTHING FURTHER, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT?
>> ONE LAST THING. YOU KNOW,
MANY COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE
EXPRESSED THEIR COMMITMENT TO
ACCOUNTABILITY AND YOU
MENTIONED THAT I THINK 76% OF
YOUR BUDGET IS FOR EXTERNAL
CONTRACTS, AND SO THERE WAS ONE
MEETING LAST YEAR WHERE YOU
DESCRIBE HOW YOU EVALUATE THE
EXISTING CONTRACTS. DO YOU
DISCONTINUE CONTRACTS WITH
SERVICE PROVIDERS EVER?
BECAUSE, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE
ADDING FOR OBVIOUSLY
INFLATIONARY INCREASES OF
EQUITY BUT DO YOU EVER DECIDE
TO DROP A CONTRACT? BECAUSE I
AM NOT SEEING THAT REFLECTED.
>> THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES. WE
HAVE DISCONTINUED CONTRACTS. I
WILL SAY THAT WE DO EVERYTHING
IN OUR POWER TO SUPPORT
AGENCIES THROUGH TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE, THROUGH YOU KNOW,
HAVING TRAININGS. WE HAVE
PROVIDER CONVENING'S .
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE DO
IN PARTNERSHIP BUT WE
ABSOLUTELY HOLD PROVIDERS
ACCOUNTABLE, SO ONE THING ABOUT
MY TENURE. I WAS FIRST HIRED
WITH THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS A
GRANDSON CONTRACT SPECIALIST SO
I KNOW WAY TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS.
WE DO HAVE A POLICY WHEREBY OUR
TEAM MONITORS A SET OF
CONTRACTS . WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT
THE FUNDING PROCUREMENT
PROCESS, THE WAY IN WHICH WE DO
THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS, BUT
THE REAL WORK, FRANKLY, IS ON
THE REGULAR MONITORING. ARE
THEY PERFORMING THE WORK THAT
WE HAVE ASKED THEM TO ? THERE
ARE PERFORMANCE MEASURES WITH
THAT. THERE IS VERIFICATION
SUBMITTED WITH THEM. WE DO SITE
REVIEWS. WE DO CLIENT REVIEWS.
THERE IS A WHOLE PROCESS.
SOMETIMES AN ORGANIZATION MAY
NEED TO PIVOT BECAUSE
CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED. WE SAW
THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE
PANDEMIC, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE
MIGHT'VE HAD YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
CONTRACTS WERE IT WAS ABOUT
IN-PERSON ACTIVITY AFTER
SCHOOL. THAT SHIFTED SO THERE
IS AN ELEMENT OF US ALSO BE
INFLEXIBLE ON THE CURRENT NEED
SO LONG AS IT STAYS WITHIN THE
SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT. WE HAVE
SOME FLEXIBILITY TO MEET THE
DYNAMIC NEEDS OF PEOPLE AND THE
FAMILIES. THERE ARE TIMES WHERE
ORGANIZATIONS MAY BE
UNDERPERFORMING, SO WE REDUCE
THE CONTRACT, THEY ARE DOING
GOOD SERVICE WORK . THERE ARE
TIMES WHERE WE HAVE ELIMINATED
THE CONTRACT, AS WELL. YOU
DON'T SEE THAT REDUCTION
BECAUSE I WILL TELL YOU, WE
REALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS
TYPICALLY BECAUSE ON THE OTHER
END OF THE SPECTRUM YOU WILL
ALWAYS FIND AGENCIES WHO ARE
FAR EXCEEDING THEIR
PERFORMANCE, AND THEY COULD DO
MORE WITH ADDITIONAL DOLLARS
AND SO SOMETIMES WE ALSO ADJUST
CONTRACTS ON THAT END, AS WELL,
BUT YOU WOULD NOT SEE THAT AS A
REDUCTION IN OUR BUDGET. WE
HAVE THE ABILITY TO REALLOCATE
THOSE FUNDS FOR THE GREATER
GOOD, SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS
YOUR QUESTION.
>> IT DOES. I THINK THAT
SOMETIMES IT IS FRUSTRATING FOR
US, THE OVERSIGHT BODY, TO HAVE
THAT VISIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE YOUR DILIGENCE CONFIRMED
TO US, AND SO THAT IS WHY I
HAVE TO ASK IT IN A PUBLIC
FORUM LIKE THIS. WE HAVE THE
OPTION OF AN AUDIT. [ INAUDIBLE
] HAVE EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTED
ON ALL OF OUR CRIME PREVENTION
STRATEGIES WAS DISCONTINUED.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY REFERENCED BY
CHIEF BARDEN EARLIER, THAT WAS
PART OF THE RECRUITMENT THAT WE
WERE LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR
STRATEGIES AND THINKING ABOUT
WAYS OF RESTRUCTURING THEM BUT
NO. I AM ALWAYS INTERESTED IN
MORE INFORMATION, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, JUST US. THANK
YOU, DIRECTOR KIM AND TEAM FOR
COMING. I WANT TO GIVE A QUICK
SHOUT OUT FOR THE NICHOLASVILLE
TEAM THAT IS HERE IN CHAMBERS
SITTING BEHIND YOU. I HAD A
GREAT MEETING WITH THEM I
DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AGO, BUT
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I
THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE THEM A
SHOUT OUT SINCE THEY ARE HERE
IN PERSON. DIRECTOR KIM, I HAVE
TO ASK AND YOU CAN BLAME CHIEF
[ INAUDIBLE ] FOR THIS BECAUSE
IN HER SLIDE SHE TALKED ABOUT
THE PERCENTAGE IMPACT OF AWI ON
THESE CHANGES SO ONE SLIDES 415
TALKING ABOUT FIRST THE SUMMARY
AND THEN THE HST IMPACT AREA
OVERVIEW, IT SHOWS THE NUMBERS.
IS THAT LARGELY DRIVEN BY THE
AWI INCREASES OR ARE THERE
OTHER CHANGES TO IT, MAYBE FTE
INCREASES THEY GO TO SOME OF
THOSE? IS IT THE INFLATIONARY
ASPECTS THAT ARE DRIVING THE
INCREASES?
>> I CAN SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE
BIT. DEFINITELY, INFLATION IS A
PART OF IT. IT IS ALREADY
INCORPORATED. IF YOU ARE
SPEAKING ABOUT ON THE SUMMARY
SLIDE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
-- OH, WE REMOVED THE ADOPTED
BUDGET. WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF
CARRYFORWARD ASSOCIATED WITH
GRANTS THAT IS ALSO BUILT INTO
OUR BASE BUDGET WITH OTHER
FUNDS, AS WELL.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. GOING
THROUGH THE DIFFERENT --
>> THE AW INCREASE IF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO KNOW IS ABOUT 9 MILLION
IN 2025.
>> OKAY, HOPEFULLY MY TEAM IS
WRITING DOWN QUICKER THAN I CAN
HEAR. YOU HAVE THE DIFFERENT
CHAPTERS, THE FIRST CHAPTER IS
A STRONG SAFETY NET, AND ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I'VE MENTIONED
BEFORE IN MY PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE THAT I DO LISTEN TO
PUBLIC, AND PUBLIC COMMENT
COMES IN VERY MANY DIFFERENT
FORMS. IT COULD BE HERE IN
CHAMBER, VIA EMAILS ACROSS THE
BOARD AND SO I'M USING AS AN
EXAMPLE IN THIS KIND OF FALLS
UNDER LEGAL PROTECTIONS, WHICH
DOES GO TO SAFETY NET. I AM
MARRIED TO AN ATTORNEY, SO I DO
HAVE SOME SYMPATHY FOR THIS
PIECE AND JUST AS AN EXAMPLE,
YOU MAY NOT KNOW THE DETAILS OF
THIS, BUT AS IT HAPPENS, LANDED
ON MY LAP JUST BEFORE THE
MEETING WAS A NOTE FROM THE ED
OF THE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR YOUTH
AND CHILDREN. THEY WERE
CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL CUTS
AND REDUCTION IN THEIR YOUTH
HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM AND THEY
WERE ASKING , YOU KNOW, IF YOU
ARE CUTTING THE LEGAL COUNSEL
FOR YOUTH AND CHILDREN, HOW
WEALTH IS HST INVESTING IN
PROTECTING THE SAFETY OF YOUTH
AND HOMELESS
>> IN THE BROADER SENSE, THERE
WERE HER CHOICES TO MAKE AND AT
THIS POINT IN OUR BUDGET,
ALTHOUGH IT IS RELATIVELY
LARGE, THE FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED
FOR SPECIFIC CONTRACTS OR FOR
PERSONAL . THERE GENERALLY IS
NOT MANY SITTING AROUND. SO, IN
THIS BUDGET CRISIS, WHEN WE
NEEDED TO, LIKE OTHER
DEPARTMENTS, LOOK AT MAKING
FURTHER TOUGH CHOICES , WE GOT
TO A PLACE OF MAKING SURE WE
WERE PRESERVING FOOD, SHELTER,
SAFETY AND YOU KNOW, I WILL
JUST BE FRANK , IT IS A GOOD
SERVICE. AND, WE HAD TO MAKE
SOME DECISIONS AND SO BROADLY
SPEAKING, THAT IS THE SAME
RESPONSE I WOULD GIVE FOR ANY
OTHER ORGANIZATION WHO WOULD
EMAIL AND PROBABLY CC ME , TO
DEFEND THEIR WORK, SO IT IS NOT
-- IT IS NOT A MESSAGE OF THE
WORK IS NOT VALUABLE. IT IS A
MESSAGE THAT WE HAD TO MAKE
SOME TOUGH DECISIONS AND DUE TO
WHAT HSD IS FOCUSING ON,
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WERE SOME
CUTS THAT WERE MADE.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT ANSWER AND
I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS
SPECIFICALLY I'M NOT ON THE
COMMITTEE. IT'S A LEARNING
AREA FOR ME NO DOUBT AND I
IMAGINE YOU HAVE DIFFERENT
CRITERIA IN TERMS OF MAKING
THESE DECISIONS THAT MAKE THE
CUTTER DON'T MAKE THE CUT AND
I WOULD THINK ONE WOULD BE, YOU
KNOW, RETURNS IN THE SENSE OF
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH
A POUND OF CURE SO AGAIN I
DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS BUT
PERHAPS THIS IS AN OUNCE OF
PREVENTION THAT AVOIDS A POUND
OF CURE LATER ON AND THAT WOULD
BE LIKE YOU KNOW, A FACTOR FOR
ME AND MY DECISION-MAKING ON
THESE BUT I DON'T SIT WHERE
YOU SIT , BUT I DID WANT TO ASK
THE QUESTION. I ALSO THINK IT
IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO
KNOW THAT WE DO GET ALL THIS
TYPE OF INPUT AND AT LEAST FOR
ME, I DON'T MIND CHANNELING
IT, PARTICULARLY IF IT IS DONE
IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL AND
CLEAR WAY . SOMETIMES THEY'RE
NOT. BECAUSE IT REALLY CAN
HELP. IT HELPS IN OUR
LEGISLATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY
SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT. MOVING ON TO SHELTER
CAPACITY, YOU MENTIONED A WORD
OR PHRASE TO ME WHICH IS TOP OF
MIND MAINLY FROM MY PUBLIC
SAFETY PERSPECTIVE AND THAT IS
GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENTS. I
FIND GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENTS
TO BE KEY AND UNFORTUNATELY,
THEY ARE UP AND DOWN IN TERMS
OF HOW STRONG THEY ARE, AND I
SAY THIS BECAUSE THE PROVIDERS,
GOD BLESS THEM FOR THE WORK
THEY ARE DOING, BUT WHAT THEY
DO AND HOW THEY DO IT COULD
IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY POSTURE IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. I THINK OF DH
S RELATED BUSINESS ON SECOND ON
MENORAH, THEY CREATE A MASSIVE
CROWD OUTSIDE BASED ON HOW THEY
DO BUSINESS BUT THE SAD THING
IS, THAT CROWD IS THEN
VULNERABLE TO THE VULTURES,
A.K.A. DRUG DEALERS, WHICH THEN
LEADS TO A CASCADING EFFECT SO
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THEN HAS THE
FLAGSHIP STORE OF THE STARBUCKS
ACROSS THE STREET CLOTHING --
CLOSING AND WE HAVE OTHER STORE
IS CLOSING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
IS AT RISK. PART OF THIS IS IN
TERMS OF WHAT THE SERVICE
PROVIDERS ARE DOING OR NOT
DOING AND I THINK ENGAGING WITH
THE COMMUNITIES IN THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS TO SAY HEY, DO
YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'RE DOING
HERE IS RESULTING IN X, Y, AND
Z THEN THEY SAY OH, WE COULD
JUST DO THIS DIFFERENTLY AND
THAT MAY ADDRESS A LARGE PART
OF IT SO I THINK WE REALLY NEED
TO HAVE A LOOK AT THESE GOOD
NEIGHBOR AGREEMENTS TO REALLY
FOSTER THAT COMMUNICATION WITH
THE COMMUNITIES AND
NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE THERE ARE
PROBLEMS OUT THERE. I KNOW THIS
DIRECTLY FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN
QUEEN ANNE. I WILL GIVE THE
PERFECT EXAMPLE HERE BECAUSE IT
TAKES TOO MUCH TIME BUT WE DO
NEED TO HAVE LIKE BETTER
COMMUNICATION AND REALLY FOSTER
IT FROM THE CITY PERSPECTIVE
BECAUSE AGAIN AN OUNCE OF
PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF
CURE. SOME SLIGHT CHANGES COULD
REALLY RESULT IN BETTER
OUTCOMES ON THE STREET WHICH
THEN IMPACT THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THANK YOU ON THAT FOR
BRINGING THAT UP. SHELTER
CAPACITY. I NOTED TINY HOMES
WAS LISTED. I'M A SUPPORTER OF
THIS. I LIKE THE SOUND BAY
VILLAGE FOR EXAMPLE BECAUSE
THEY ARE TAKING THESE
DILAPIDATED AND PROBLEMATIC RVs
OFF OUR STREETS. THIS IS AN
AREA THAT REALLY, YOU KNOW , IS
THIS AN AREA THAT IS WORKING,
YOU KNOW? HOW CAN WE MAKE IT
BETTER? HOW CAN WE GET THE
COUNTY TO PUT ONE AT THE [
INAUDIBLE ] DETENTION CENTER
SITE ? ANYTHING ON THAT FRONT?
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ABOUT
THE COUNTY. I AM MORE THAN
HAPPY TO ASK THE QUESTION,
THOUGH, BECAUSE THE COUNTY
SHOULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION BUT
YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
>> I WILL SAY I AM FEELING VERY
ENCOURAGED BY NEW CEO KINISON.
I AM ENCOURAGED BY THE WORK
THAT WE ARE DOING TO INCREASE
THE QUALITY , AND THAT IS WHAT
THIS AD REFLECTS, SO THERE IS A
LOT OF, I THINK, OPPORTUNITY,
BUT WE ALSO DO HAVE BUDGET
CONSTRAINTS.
>> THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR
THAT POINT ABOUT KCRHA AND I
SECOND MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL
MEMBER MOORE IN TERMS OF OUR
SHARED VIEWS ON KCRHA AND THE
FACT THAT WE JUST NEED TO GET
ONE MORE VOTE WHICH IS GOING TO
BE KEY FOR ITS FUTURE. ON
PROVIDER PAY, THANK YOU FOR
THAT UPDATE. FOR COMMUNITY
SAFETY I NOTE THERE IS A LARGE
NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS. I HAVE
ENGAGED WITH MANY. I WANTED TO
GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO L.E.A.D.. I
HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH LISA
DO GUARD ON HER WORK. I ALSO
WANT TO THANK THE
POLICY-COORDINATING GROUP THAT
ADDED LOITERING TO THEIR LIST
OF DIVERSION OFFENSES OR ACTS
THAT COULD BE DIVERTED AND THAT
THEY WOULD SUPPORT BECAUSE THAT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT. THIS IS
FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE
PUBLIC HEALTH HANDSHAKE REALLY
NEEDS TO HAPPEN SO I REALLY
APPRECIATE WHAT THEY DID ON
THAT SIDE AND YOU HAVE ALREADY
NOTED RELATED TO THAT , THE
COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
LINE ITEM THERE. THAT IS KEY. I
ALSO APPRECIATE THE GUN
VIOLENCE IN SCHOOL -- ALL THESE
DIFFERENT PIECES SO IMPORTANT
IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY SAFETY
BECAUSE IT ALL TIES INTO THE
PUBLIC SAFETY HANDSHAKE.
REGARDING THE THIRD AVENUE
PROJECT, OBVIOUSLY I HAVE MET
WITH WE DELIVER CARE, WHAT IS
REALLY KEY, TOO, IS WE DELIVER
CARE BUT YOU KNOW, HAVING THE
MID-AMBASSADORS FROM DSA. THAT
COMBINATION IS KEY,
PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU HAVE KING
COUNTY SHERIFF'S ON THIRD
AVENUE, SPD, THAT COMBINATION
REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENT --
DIFFERENT SO I'M THANKFUL FOR
THE WORK WE DELIVER CARE IS
DOING ALONG WITH THE OTHERS I
HAVE MENTIONED. MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT LAST
YEAR'S NUMBER WHICH I THINK
WAS 1.9, WAS NOT REALLY GETTING
THERE AND I THINK 2025 HAS HELD
AT THAT SAME NUMBER. THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE
LOOKED AT IN TERMS OF POSSIBLY
BEING INCREASED.
>> WE DO STARTED WITH WE
DELIVER CARE AT THE 1.9 LEVEL
AND THAT WAS ONE TIME, AND SO
THIS AD REFLECTS ONGOING. I AM
AWARE OF SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT
IF THAT BUDGET AMOUNT IS
ADEQUATE OR NOT, BUT GIVEN THE
BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, WE FELT IT
RESPONSIBLE TO START CARE.
>> OKAY. I APPRECIATE THAT AND
I THINK IT IS JUST GOOD TO NOTE
IT AND NOTE WHERE THEY ARE AND
IF IT IS CLOSE AND THAT YOU
KNOW , IT'S BEING FACTORED IN,
I GUESS, IS THE BOTTOM LINE IN
TERMS OF YOUR DELIBERATIONS AND
WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND I JUST
WANTED TO CLOSE BECAUSE I DO
HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH AND I
THINK NEXT WEEK I HAVE A BOARD
OF HEALTH MEETING, TO RE-ENTER
THAT -- REITERATE THAT WE
CANNOT SUCCEED IN PUBLIC SAFETY
IF WE DON'T SUCCEED IN PUBLIC
HEALTH SO WE NEED THE PRESS ON
THESE VARIOUS ISSUES GOING BACK
TO KING COUNTY, WHICH HAS HAD A
PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSIBILITY TO
ENSURE IT IS DOING IT AND DOING
IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY
BECAUSE THAT COMBINATION IS SO
KEY IF WE'RE GOING TO ACHIEVE
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY GOALS. THANK
YOU FOR THE WORK THAT IS DONE
ON PUBLIC HEALTH. APPRECIATE
IT. CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU , COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE.
>> DIRECTOR, ANYTHING TO
RESPOND THERE? SOUNDS GOOD.
WE'LL KEEP MOVING ON. COUNCIL
MEMBER MORALES.
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. I WANTED TO START
BY JUST NOTING MY TEAM HAS
REALLY BEEN DIVING INTO ALL THE
BUDGET DOCUMENTS, SO THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, YOUR
MICROPHONE.
>> MY MICROPHONE. SO FAR AWAY.
AND A REALLY SHORT CABLE. SO,
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN GOING
THROUGH ALL OF YOUR BUDGET
DOCUMENTS AND THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO CALL OUT THAT WE
HAVE IDENTIFIED OVER A DOZEN
PROGRAMS OR INITIATIVES THAT
ARE SEEING THEIR FUNDING CUT OR
REDUCED THROUGH HSD ALONE, SO I
AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS
, AS I KNOW ARE YOU, GIVEN THE
REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE THAT YOUR
DEPARTMENT PLAYS IN PROVIDING
CRUCIAL SERVICES FOR THE PEOPLE
IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE THE
MOST VULNERABLE. AMONG OTHER
THINGS, THE MAYOR'S BUDGET CUTS
, AS COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE JUST
REFERRED TO, CUTS LEGAL
SERVICES FOR HOMELESS USE --
YOUTH AND CUTS EMPLOYMENT
SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH
INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. IT
CUTS ARE AN EMPLOYMENT PLAN, IT
CUTS SERVICES FOR MEDICAID
BENEFICIARIES. IT CUTS FUNDING
THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED EVERY
YEAR FOR UNITED WAY'S FREE TAX
PREP PROGRAM , CUTS SOLID
GROUNDS PUBLIC BENEFITS LEGAL
ASSISTANCE, TAKES AWAY FUNDING
FROM OUR SAFELITE PROGRAM THAT
WE'VE HEARD FROM FOLKS ACROSS
THE CITY AS SOMETHING THAT IS
DESIRED, SO THIS IS TROUBLING,
AND I KNOW NOT SOMETHING YOU
ARE PARTICULARLY EAGER TO
IMPLEMENT, EITHER, SO I DO
THINK IT IS, YOU KNOW,
IMPORTANT THAT WE PRESERVE THE
300 SHELTER BEDS BUT WE KNOW
THAT IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH GIVEN
THE SCALE OF HOMELESSNESS THAT
WE SEE IN OUR STREETS, SO IT
FEELS LIKE THIS BUDGET IS
CUTTING EVERYTHING THAT WORKS
TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL, TO
KEEP PEOPLE OFF OUR STREETS,
AND I WILL SAY TO YOU, AS I
HAVE SAID TO EVERY DIRECTOR WHO
IS COME BEFORE US, MY
FRUSTRATION IS NOT DIRECTED AT
YOU BUT I REALLY HAVE TO ASK
WHO THIS BUDGET BENEFITS, LIKE
WHO IS BEING SERVED BY THE CUTS
BEING MADE IN THE CITY . SO, I
DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
I WANT TO GO TO YOUR IMPACT
AREAS , AND I WILL SAY FIRST, I
APPRECIATE YOUR BACKGROUND AS A
GRANTS MANAGER. I WAS A GRANTS
MANAGER FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
SEVERAL YEARS AGO. A COUPLE
DECADES AGO NOW. AND SO, IT IS
REALLY AN IMPORTANT SKILL SET
TO BRING TO TRYING TO MANAGE
THESE CONTRACTS TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
LOOKS LIKE, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
OUTCOMES WE ARE GETTING FOR OUR
PUBLIC INVESTMENTS. THIS IS NOT
JUST ABOUT CHURNING PEOPLE
THROUGH, OR OUTPUTS, WHICH IS
WHY I WILL SAY I GET SO
FRUSTRATED WITH THE UNIFIED
CARE TEAMS ANSWER THAT WE HAVE
REFERRED PEOPLE , BUT WE HAVE
NOT ACTUALLY HELP THEM LAND
SOMEPLACE. I WILL GET TO THAT
IN A MINUTE. SO , WE HAVE
$300,000 TO EXPAND SHELTER
REFERRALS TO WEEKENDS. CAN YOU
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IF
THOSE SHELTERS, FOR THE
SHELTERS THAT WOULD BENEFIT
FROM THIS ADDITIONAL CAPACITY,
TO TAKE REFERRALS , DO THEY
HAVE ROOM TO SHELTER MORE
PEOPLE OR IS THAT JUST AN
ADDITIONAL COUPLE OF DAYS THAT
THERE IS AN OPTION THERE?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
CHAIR STRAUSS, MAY I INVITE ONE
OF THE SMARTER PEOPLE UP TO THE
TABLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS?
>> PLEASE. IS THIS GOING TO BE
MR. CHRIS CLAYSON?
>> IT IS.
>> FANTASTIC. WELCOME TO THE
TABLE.
>> CHRIS CLAYSON FROM HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THAT
AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. THERE WE
GO. JUST TO INTRODUCE MYSELF,
MY NAME IS CHRIS CLAYSON AND I
AM THE HSD HOMELESSNESS
DIVISION DIRECTOR . AS FOR THE
SHELTERS, WE WOULD BE LOOKING
TO PARTNER WITH KCRHA TO WORK
WITH EXISTING SET-ASIDE
SHELTERS TO OPEN UP SOME HOURS
ON THE WEEKEND FOR REFERRALS.
>> OKAY, SO DOES THIS ADD BEDS
TO A SHELTER SYSTEM, OR DOES
THIS RESULT IN -- I JUST WANT
TO KNOW, ARE MORE PEOPLE GOING
TO GET SHELTER?
>> THERE ARE NOT ADDED BEDS, SO
IT'S ADDED HOURS ON THE
WEEKEND TO EXISTING CAPACITY.
>> OKAY, IT IS ADDING HOURS.
OKAY. SO, THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM
BUDGET IS INCREASING PRETTY
DRAMATICALLY. WITHOUT CITY
FUNDING TO ADD NEW SHELTER BEDS
AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT
WOULD BE THE RESULT OF HAVING
EXPANDED YOU CT -- UC LETTER
TEAMS, IN TERMS OF WHERE
HOMELESS PEOPLE WOULD GO?
>> OKAY, SO THE UNIFIED CARE
TEAMS BUDGET IS INCREASING.
WITHOUT CITY FUNDING TO RAPIDLY
ADD NEW SHELTER BEDS OR
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING,
WHAT WILL BE THE RESULT OF
HAVING EXPANDED UNIFIED CARE
TEAMS OUT THERE MOVING HOMELESS
PEOPLE AROUND?
>> BEFORE CHRIS ANSWERS WE WERE
JUST DISCUSSING HIS PREVIOUS
ANSWER. THE WAY I THINK OF IT,
WE ARE PROVIDING NEW SHELTER
BEDS IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF
OPENING UP NIGHTS ON THE
WEEKENDS THAT DID NOT IS TO
PROVIDE SHELTER TO PEOPLE. THAT
IS ADDITIONAL PERSON BEDS THAT
WOULD NOT OTHERWISE HAVE A
PLACE TO HOUSE PEOPLE. IT'S
NOT OR BEDS, IT'S MORE BEDS
THAT ARE OPEN MORE NIGHTS. THAT
IS WHAT WE WERE CHATTING ABOUT
WHEN I WAS SPEAKING OVER YOU, I
APOLOGIZE.
>> I AM ASSUMING THAT THESE ARE
24-HOUR BEDS SHELTER SPACES?
>> YES, 24 HOURS.
>> OKAY, SO EVEN IF THERE ARE
ADDITIONAL HOURS OR ADDITIONAL
SPACES AVAILABLE, IT IS STILL A
ONE-NIGHTS BUT FOR SOMEBODY AND
THEY WILL BE BACK OUT ON THE
STREET IN THE MORNING.
>> THEY CAN STAY THERE ONGOING
AND IT SUPPORTS ONCE THEY ARE
ENROLLED INTO SERVICES, INTO
THE SHELTER, I SHOULD SAY.
>> IF I MAY, JUST IN GENERAL,
PART OF YOUR QUESTION I THINK
REALLY IS ABOUT THE UNIFIED
CARE TEAMS APPROACH, AND
OUTCOMES, AND THAT IS SOMETHING
HSD IS NOT POSITIONED TO
ANSWER. I DO LOOK TO THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE SPECIFICALLY
SINCE THE CARE TEAM IS LED BY
NOT HSD.
>> NOW, I APPRECIATE THAT IN
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS VERY
CLEAR ON WHERE I STAND ON THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM BUT I AM
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE
ABILITY OF US , GIVEN THAT WE
HAVE TAKEN SOME CONTRACT
SERVICES AWAY FROM KCRHA THAT
THERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL
RESOURCE BEEN PUT IN FOR
SHELTER. I'M TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND, WHAT IS OUR
INCREASED CAPACITY? WHAT ARE
OUR OUTCOMES, NOT JUST OUR
OUTPUTS FOR BEING ABLE TO
ACTUALLY PLACE PEOPLE IN A
PLACE THAT IS A ROOF OVER THEIR
HEAD?
>> YEAH, REALLY THE UCT WE ARE
EAGER TO GET FOLKS INTO SHELTER
THAN KEEP WORKING WITH THE
KINGS COUNTY HOMELESS AUTHORITY
TO GET FOLKS INTO HOUSING ONCE
YOU ARE IN SHELTER. THAT IS
REALLY WHERE THE PARTNERSHIP
COMES IN THE PLACE THERE
BETWEEN OUR ORGANIZATIONS.
>> THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD
ADD, NOT DIRECTLY ON POINT WITH
YOUR QUESTION, BUT THE PROPOSED
BUDGET INCLUDES $342 MILLION
FOR INVESTMENTS IN AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING WHICH IS ADDRESSING
HOUSING FOR SIMILAR
POPULATIONS.
>> REGARDING THE GENDER-BASED
VIOLENCE, THERE IS ABOUT 2.2
MILLION BEEN ADDED FOR
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE. I WANT
TO MAKE SURE I AM UNDERSTANDING
THIS RIGHT. I THINK IT IS BEING
KEPT AT HSD TO ADD SIX NEW
STAFF?
>> 2 MILLION. PART OF THAT IS
FOR FIVE STAFF, FOUR VICTIM
ADVOCATES AND A SUPERVISOR.
THERE IS BUDGET FOR THOSE
VICTIM ADVOCATES WHILE THEY ARE
WORKING WITH CLIENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE TO ACCESS EMERGENCY
FUNDS TO TAKE CARE OF EMERGENCY
NEEDS LIKE YOU MENTIONED.
TRANSPORTATION AND A SAFE PLACE
TO STAY, BASIC FOOD, CLOTHING,
WHATEVER IS NEEDED IN THE
MOMENT TO STABILIZE THE
SITUATION AND HAVE THE
FOLLOW-UP ONGOING SUPPORTS, AND
OF THE REMAINING APPROXIMATE
MILLION, HOPEFULLY MORE, IS
THAT WE WILL RFP THAT FOR
COMMUNITY-BASED SOLUTIONS SO
THAT WILL BE IN ASK AND I DID
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO STEP
IN AND PROVIDE THE ONGOING
SUPPORTS NEEDED FOR THAT
POPULATION.
>> SO, IS THAT 3 MILLION TOTAL
THEN?
>> 2 MILLION TOTAL. A PORTION
THAT GOES TO THE STAFF, A
PORTION IS FOR CLAIM ASSISTANCE
AND THEN HALF OF IT IS FOR
COMMUNITY.
>> OKAY.
>> AND IS THIS THE SAME 2
MILLION THAT IS BEING USED TO
ADDRESS COMMERCIAL SEXUAL
EXPLOITATION?
>> I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT
THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE TALKING
ABOUT.
>> SO IT'S NOT 4 MILLION
TOTAL. IT'S -- I'M JUST
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND --
>> LET ME GO TO, IF I CAN, WE
HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF THE BUDGET
IF I CAN FIND IT VERY QUICKLY
OR HAPPY TO RESPOND AT THE
SHAREPOINT SITE. WHAT I WILL
SAY IS THIS. IN OUR MAYOR'S
OFFICE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND
SEXUAL ASSAULT, WE HAVE -- AND
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, PART OF
THAT IS FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING
AND PART OF THE EXISTING BASE
WORK IS FOR COMMERCIAL SEXUAL
EXPLOITATION. THERE IS A SMALL
POT OF MONEY RIGHT NOW THAT WE
HAVE . THE AD IS TO EXPAND ON
THAT , SO THAT IS THE 2 MILLION
THAT I SPOKE OF. I WILL GIVE
YOU THE EXACT BREAKDOWN.
>> OKAY, GREAT. OKAY, SO I
THINK I GOT MY SLIDE NUMBERS A
LITTLE MESSED UP, BUT, SO THE
2025 BUDGET PROPOSES 8.1-ISH
FOR PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX THAN
3.9 -- 8.1 AND 2025. 3.9 AND
2026. BUT, I DON'T SEE -- IF
I'M UNDERSTANDING RIGHT, THERE
IS THE SAFE LOT FUNDING IS ALL
ELIMINATED. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES, I'M
GOING TO JUMP AND ASK A
CLARIFYING QUESTION ON HERE. I
NOTICE 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS IS
RV STORAGE, WHICH IS DIFFERENT
THAN THE SAFE LOT. IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
>> HE FINALLY TOOK THE RV
MONEY. TEASING, BECAUSE I PUT
THAT MONEY IN THE BUDGET.
>> OKAY, SO I GUESS MY QUESTION
IS , IS THERE A FUNDING PLAN TO
SUPPORT FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING IN
THEIR CARS AND RVs?
>> YES. IN THE BUDGET, IF I
MAY, THERE IS A SHIFT OF SAFE
LOT FUNDING THAT WILL SUPPORT
THE TINY HOUSE VILLAGES
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.
HOWEVER, THERE WILL STILL
REMAIN ONGOING OPERATIONS
DOLLARS FOR SAFE LOTS AND HSD
HAS PARTNERED WITH THE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY ON THOSE EFFORTS AND
WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AND
LOCATE PROPOSALS IF THEY COME
IN.
>> OKAY. I HAVE OTHER
QUESTIONS, CHAIR, BUT I WILL
ADD THEM TO THE SHAREPOINT.
THANK YOU.
>> BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCIL
MEMBER SAKA, I CONFERRED WITH
THE CHAIR OF THE HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE. I WANT TO GIVE A
LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM FOR MY
COLLEAGUES. I'M GOING TO READ
OUT OF THE 2019 TO 2024
DOCUMENT THEN TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER
MORALES WAS TALKING ABOUT. I AM
ON PAGE 100 OF THE 19 TO 24,
THE NAVIGATION TEAM WAS
OPERATED OUT OF HSD PRIOR TO
2021. THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE
NAFF TEAM WAS TO COORDINATE THE
CITY'S RESPONSE TO ENCAMPMENTS
INCLUDING COMPLAINTS ASSESSING
CONDITIONS, MANAGING THE
STORAGE OF BELONGINGS AND
MANAGING SHELTER VACANCIES.
DURING 2020 THE COUNCIL
REPURPOSED THE FUNDING OF THE
NAFF TEAM TO INCREASE FUNDING
FOR THE CONTRACTED HOMELESSNESS
OUTREACH PROVIDERS. THROUGH THE
2021 ADOPTED BUDGET THE NAFF
TEAM WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW
TEAM, THE HOMELESSNESS OUTREACH
AND PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM TEAM,
WHICH WAS COUNCIL MEMBER
MORALES' LEADERSHIP. I
APPRECIATED THAT. THIS ACTION
CHANGE THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS
ASSOCIATED WITH ASSESSING AND
ADDRESSING SITE CONDITIONS AND
CALLED FOR A TEAM THAT
COORDINATED OUTREACH IN SHELTER
REFERRAL IN THE HOMELESSNESS
OUTREACH PROVIDERS. BECAUSE
CONTRACTED OUTREACH PROVIDERS
-- DIFFERENT ONES HAVE
DIFFERENT TAKES. THIS IS ME
EDITORIALIZING, SOME DID NOT
WANT TO BE PRESENT WHEN THE
ENCAMPMENT WAS REMOVED. THE
HOPE TEAM CONTINUED TO BE THE
ONLY FOLKS CONSISTENTLY ON THE
GROUND DURING POSTED REMOVAL
PERIODS TO MAKE THE FINAL OFFER
TO SHELTER. I'M GOING TO COME
BACK TO COLLEAGUES ABOUT FINAL
AND EARLIER OFFERS. DURING '22,
THE HOPE TEAM WAS INCORPORATED
INTO THE NEW MULTIDEPARTMENTAL
EFFORT CALLED THE UNIFIED CARE
TEAM, WHICH BROUGHT TOGETHER
HSD, SEVERAL OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENTS AND KCRHA TO
COORDINATE ACTIVITIES
ADDRESSING UNSHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS AND CITY
MAINTENANCE. THE EXECUTIVE HAS
INDICATED THEY ARE NO LONGER
USING THAT NOMENCLATURE. THOSE
POSITIONS STILL REMAIN AND
ACTIVITY STILL OCCUR AND
INSTEAD REFER TO THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT STAFF
SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED TO
SUPPORT THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM
INCLUDING THOSE PROVIDING
OUTREACH AND COORDINATION
SERVICES. THE 2023 ADOPTED
BUDGET ADDED $1.3 MILLION AND
EIGHT NEW POSITIONS TO HSD TO
COORDINATE THE UNIFIED CARE
TEAM SO I JUST WANTED TO SET
THAT RECORD , THAT GENERAL
COMMON UNDERSTANDING. I WOULD
LIKE TO ADD, IF I CAN, TO SOME
OF YOUR COMMENTS, COUNCIL
MEMBER MORALES. FROM MY WORK
WITH THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM
ANOTHER HOMELESSNESS SERVICE
PROVIDERS, ADDING HOURS
COMPARED TO ADDING BEDS IS
PRETTY CRITICAL BECAUSE
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE BRINGING
IN A HIGH NUMBER OF PEOPLE AT A
SINGLE TIME, IT DOES NOT CHANGE
HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN BE ORIENTED
INTO THE SHELTER. EACH PERSON
WHO COMES INTO A SHELTER NEEDS
TO HAVE THEIR OWN TIME WITH THE
CASE MANAGERS, NEEDS TO HAVE
THEIR OWN TIME TO ORIENT, AND
THERE IS A LIMIT ON HOW MANY
PEOPLE CAN BE BROUGHT INTO THE
SHELTER AT ANY GIVEN TIME, AND
SO EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOT
ADDING BEDS, ADDING HOURS DOES
INCREASE CAPACITY. SOMEBODY AT
THE TABLE HAD MENTIONED THE
THROUGHPUT INTO HOUSING FROM
SHELTER, WHICH DOES ADD USABLE
BEDS , OR ADS AVAILABLE BEDS
WITHOUT ADDING NEW BEDS. ONE OF
THE ISSUES COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE
AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON'S
HEARD ME SEVERAL TIMES THAT
KCRHA HAS HAD A PRACTICE OF NOT
REFERRING OUT OF SHELTER INTO
PERMANENT HOUSING, WHICH
CREATES A BACKLOG OF PEOPLE IN
SHELTER WHILE AT THE SAME TIME,
NOT ALLOWING AN INDIVIDUAL WHO
IS ABLE TO BE HOUSED TO HAVE
TIME TO REORIENT TO LIVING
WITHIN FOUR WALLS AND A DOOR
THAT THEY CAN LOCK, THEIR OWN
SPACE, SO I HAVE HEARD
ANECDOTALLY FROM HOUSING
PROVIDERS, AS WELL, THAT THEY
RECEIVE NEW CLIENTS INTO THE
HOUSING UNITS THAT HAVE NOT HAD
TIME TO HAVE CASE MANAGEMENT TO
ORIENT INTO LIVING OUTSIDE, AND
THAT IS SOME OF THE IMPORTANCE
THERE WAS SHELTER. WITH THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM MOVING TO
SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND IN OTHER
PLACES, THE MAJORITY OF THE
WORK THAT THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM
DOES IS TRASH REMOVAL AND
OUTREACH. WHAT I HAVE BEEN
INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED WITH IN
JUST THAT TRANSITION THAT I
EXPLAINED FROM 2019 TO TODAY,
THE TRANSITION FROM THE
NAVIGATION TEAM TO THE UNIFIED
CARE TEAM IS IN THE PAST THE
POLICE WERE THE FIRST FOLKS ON
THE GROUND INTERACTING WITH
PEOPLE FOLLOWED BY SOCIAL
WORKERS. TODAY, THAT IS
REVERSED. WE HAVE SOCIAL
WORKERS LEADING THE WAY WITH
THE POLICE THERE ACTUALLY TO
MAINTAIN SAFETY FOR CITY
EMPLOYEES. NOT THERE TO DO
ENFORCEMENT ON WHAT THEY MAY OR
MAY NOT FIND. THAT DIFFERENCE
IN AND OF ITSELF HAS CHANGED
THE WAY THE CITY IS ABLE TO
PROVIDE OUTREACH IN A REALLY
MEANINGFUL WAY. AND SO, AS WELL
AS BEFORE AND ENCAMPMENT IS
REMOVED, WHAT I HAVE FOUND
UNLESS IT IS BLOCKING A
SIDEWALK, OR UNLESS IT IS IN A
PARK WHERE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO
ENJOY THEIR OPEN SPACE, THERE
ARE A FEW DISCRETE TIMES FOR AN
OBSTRUCTION CAN BE USED. OTHER
THAN THAT, EVEN AT TIMES, I
HAVE FOUND ONE IT COULD MEET
THE OBSTRUCTION CRITERIA, THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM TAKES FOUR TO
SIX WEEKS TO DO OUTREACH TO
UNDERSTAND THE PEOPLE LIVING
THERE. RANTED, ARE THERE
IMPROVEMENTS THAT CAN BE MADE?
YES. I CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
UNIFIED CARE TEAM TO MAKE THOSE
IMPROVEMENTS SO WE CAN GET
CLOSER TO A BINDING LIST FOR
THE CITY. THAT IS A BIG CHARGE.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT
THIS YEAR AND I CONTINUE TO
PUSH THEM BECAUSE THAT IS THE
DIRECTION WE NEED TO GO, AND SO
WHEN AND ENCAMPMENT IS REMOVED,
THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING TO GET
PEOPLE INSIDE FOR FOUR TO SIX
WEEKS AND SO THAT IS ALSO WHERE
THAT WEEKEND ABILITY TO MOVE
FOLKS INTO SHELTER IS REALLY
CRITICAL BECAUSE WHAT I HAVE
NOTICED IS THAT WE GET TO A
FRIDAY . WE HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE
READY TO GO INSIDE AND WE
CAN'T GET THEM INSIDE. AND I
THINK A REALLY BIG CULTURAL
CHANGE IS UNDERSTANDING FOR
CITY WORKERS, UNDERSTANDING
WHAT IT TAKES TO NOT JUST REFER
SOMEONE TO SHELTER BUT TO GET
THEM INTO SHELTER BECAUSE THE
EXPERIENCE I WILL SHARE WITH
YOU IS ONE FROM WOODLAWN PARK
WHERE WE WERE DOING SOME REAL
CULTURAL SHIFT WITH CITY
WORKERS ABOUT WHEN AND HOW DO
WE ADDRESS THE THINGS THAT HAVE
BEEN LEFT BEHIND AFTER WE GET
SOMEBODY INSIDE AND AT ONE
POINT, SOMEBODY HAD GONE TO
CHECK BECAUSE AGAIN, FOR
SOMEBODY TO GET INTO SHELTER,
THEY HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR
BELONGINGS, GO TO THE SHELTER
TO CHECK IN, GET THERE EVER
WERE CALLSIGN, EVERYTHING TAKEN
CARE OF, COME BACK, GET THEIR
THINGS AND THEN GO BACK AND
CHECK INTO THE SHELTER AND
SOMEBODY THOUGHT THAT THE
BELONGINGS HAD BEEN LEFT BUT
REALLY IT WAS THE PERSON WAS
CHECKING INTO THE SHELTER THEY
ALMOST HAD THEIR THINGS THROWN
AWAY. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, SO
THIS IS GOOD. IN THE PAST, I
HAD HEARD THAT STORY
ANECDOTALLY MANY TIMES OVER ,
AND THAT SHIFT IS NOT OCCURRING
BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
MAKE A CULTURAL CHANGE IN THE
LAST FIVE YEARS AND COUNCIL
MEMBER MORALES, I HAVE TO GIVE
YOU SOME OF THAT CREDIT BECAUSE
OF THE HOPE TEAM AND THE CHANGE
THAT OCCURRED. FROM WHAT I
HEAR, THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM
DOESN'T REALLY MEET YOUR
EXPECTATIONS AND WHAT YOU HOPE
FOR OUR CITY AND I DO HAVE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WERE REALLY
IMPORTANT IN THAT CRITICAL
MOMENT OF US CHANGING BECAUSE
COLLEAGUES, WHAT I HEARD WHEN
WE WERE CLOSING THE NAVIGATION
TEAM, IS THAT WE WERE DOING
AWAY WITH ADDRESSING
HOMELESSNESS AND THAT WAS NOT
THE CASE AND WHAT WE HAVE TODAY
IS A PROGRAM THAT I BELIEVE TO
BE MUCH BETTER . THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING TO MY HISTORY LESSON
HERE ON THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM
JUST BECAUSE I WANTED TO ADD
SOME COLOR TO WHAT WAS BEING
SHARED. DIRECTOR KIM, DO YOU
HAVE CORRECTIONS TO MAKE?
>> NO. AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC
AND I DON'T NEED TO DEFLECT
BECAUSE THAT IS NOT WHAT IT IS,
BUT WE REALLY ARE NOT IN A
POSITION TO SPEAK ABOUT THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM AS A WHOLE,
JUST LIKE I WOULD NOT SPEAK FOR
DEAL OR YOU KNOW, WHERE WE HAVE
A PARTICULAR ROLE I'M HAPPY TO
DISCUSS OUR ROLE AND OUR BUDGET
COMPONENT BUT I'M VERY CLEAR
ABOUT HSD'S MISSION.
>> WHERE YOU HAVE STAFF AS PART
OF THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM YOU DO
NOT DIRECT THE UNIFIED CARE
TEAM.
>> NO, I DO NOT.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA, OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK
YOU, DIRECTOR KIM, THANK YOU TO
YOU, YOURSELF AND THE DEDICATED
PROFESSIONALS AT HSD WHO
PERFORMED THIS CRITICAL WORK IN
CARRYING ON THE PEOPLE'S WORK
REALLY OF HELPING CONNECT THEIR
MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE AND
POPULATIONS TO MUCH-NEEDED
RESOURCES AND SERVICES AND SO
YOU KNOW, NOT AT ALL AN EASY
TASK, ANY ASPECT OF IT , BUT IT
IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND I
VALUE AND APPRECIATE IT, THANK
YOU. SO. ALSO APPRECIATE THE
PRIORITIES, HIGH-LEVEL
PRIORITIES OF THE MAYOR
REFLECTED IN THE PROPOSED
BUDGET FOR HSD , CALLING OUT
SPECIFICALLY THE STRONG SAFETY
NET, THE SHELTER, SHELTER
CAPACITY, PRESERVING THAT,
COMMUNITY SAFETY, PUBLIC
HEALTH, PROVIDER HEALTH ON SOME
OF THE COMMUNITY SAFETY TOPICS
YOU KNOW, ALSO APPRECIATE THE
VIOLENCE PREVENTION ADDRESSING
GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR SCHOOLS,
YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF PROGRAM
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. WANT TO
TALK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT
ENCAMPMENTS AND BY THE WAY, LET
ME JUST SAY I THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR, FOR THAT HISTORICAL
CONTEXT AND OVERVIEW AND JUST
KIND OF SHARING THE HISTORY OF
HOW THE CURRENT PROCESS AND
CURRENT TEAM UNIFIED CARE TEAM
CAME TO BE ABOUT AND LESSONS
LEARNED FROM PAST AND SO VERY
HELPFUL. APPRECIATE SOME OF THE
GREAT POINTS THAT YOU MADE
THERE. YOU KNOW, I PERSONALLY
DO SUPPORT ADDING HOURS FOR THE
REASONS YOU MENTIONED SO I WILL
INCORPORATE MY REFERENCE TO
YOUR COMMENTS AND THE RATIONALE
YOU JUST GAVE I DO SUPPORT
ADDING HOURS TO THE CARE TEAM
FOR THOSE REASONS BUT SO SHOUT
OUT TO HSD , AND
CONGRATULATIONS TO HSD, THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM, AS WELL. THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM IS IN
INTERDEPARTMENT COORDINATED
APPROACH . IT IS NOT JUST YOU
HAVE A CENTRAL PART IN IT, AS
WE KNOW, BUT SO THERE ARE MANY
STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN WHAT
I'M ABOUT TO SAY, AND THAT IS
CONGRATULATIONS. THE SEATTLE
TIMES RECENTLY REPORTED THAT
THERE WAS A REPORTED 65% DROP
IN UNAUTHORIZED ENCAMPMENTS
CITYWIDE. IN WHATEVER REPORTING
PERIOD WAS GIVEN THERE, AND
HARDLY THE TIME FOR HANDSHAKES
AND HIGH-FIVES AND ADAM BOYS
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE
WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS , NOT
HAVING THEIR NEEDS MET , SO
PLENTY MORE WORK TO DO. AND AS
THE SEATTLE TIMES REPORTED IN
THE CITY-RELEASED SNAPSHOT MAP
AT THE TIME WHERE TENT OR RV
SITES REMAIN IN THE CITY, SOTO
AND THE DUWAMISH VALLEY IN MY
DISTRICTS HAVE THE MOST AT THE
TIME, 72 TENTS AND RVs AT THE
TIME AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT,
YOU KNOW, THAT IS CONSISTENT
WITH WHERE IT IS GENERALLY. MY
DISTRICT HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER
OF THESE UNAUTHORIZED
ENCAMPMENTS AND RVs FOR A
VARIETY OF REASONS INCLUDING
GEOGRAPHY. I THINK I HAVE THE
LARGEST DISTRICTS
GEOGRAPHICALLY BECAUSE OF SOTO
. WE ALL REPRESENT ROUGHLY THE
SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE. I SAT ON
THE KING COUNTY PROCESS , SO I
KNOW UNDER STATE LAW WE ALL
REPRESENT ROUGHLY THE SAME
AMOUNT OF PEOPLE BUT THE SIZE
OF OUR DISTRICTS VARY WIDELY IN
MIND, GEOGRAPHICALLY, IS HUGE,
SO POTENTIALLY AS A RESULT OF
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE BEARING
THE BRUNT OF THIS AND OUR
UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS ARE, AS
WELL, IN THAT REGARD. NOT A DAY
GOES BY WITHOUT HEARING
DIRECTLY FROM CONSTITUENTS IN
MY DISTRICT ABOUT THE PROBLEM.
TENT AND RV ENCAMPMENTS AND
ONCE RESOLVED, IMMEDIATELY POP
BACK UP AND RETURNED ON THE
BLOCK AND WE KNOW THAT
UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE
PREDATORS THAT OFTEN PRAY ON
PEOPLE IN THESE ENCAMPMENTS AND
ENCAMPMENT AREAS , PREYING ON
PEOPLE MOST IN NEED. AGAIN,
THOSE SUFFERING FROM
DEBILITATING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CRISES AND CHALLENGES AND SO AS
A RESULT , THEY CAN QUICKLY
BECOME CRIME AND DRUG MAGNETS ,
IN SOTO, IN PARTICULAR . ONE OF
MY BUSINESS OWNER
REPRESENTATIVES IN SOTO REPORTS
TO ME THAT -- BECAUSE SOTO IS
AGAIN ONE OF THE TWO AREAS THAT
IN THE DUWAMISH VALLEY IN MY
DISTRICT ARE BEARING THE BRUNT
OF THIS CITYWIDE AND REPORTS TO
ME THAT IN MANY ENCAMPMENTS THE
SAME FACT PATTERN IS TRUE BUT
THERE ARE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED
WITH OPEN DRUG DEALING, DRUG
MANUFACTURING, COPPER WIRE
THEFT AND STRIPPING, STOLEN
BIKES AND CHOPPING STOLEN
VEHICLES AND AUTOMOBILE CHOP
SHOPS AND UNDER THE 2025 AND 26
PROPOSED BUDGET , IT PROVIDES
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM TO EXPAND,
YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL DAYS AND
HOURS AGAIN WHICH FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE IS A GOOD THING.
AND, IT SAYS THAT THE BUDGET --
THE BUDGET MATERIALS SAY THAT
THE EXPANDED UNIFIED CARE TEAM
CAPACITY WILL BE FOCUSED
SPECIFICALLY FACILITATE
OBSTRUCTION REMOVALS AT
HIGH-PRIORITY REPOPULATION
SITES MULTIPLE TIMES DAILY
INCLUDING WEEKENDSEND QUOTE SO
I KNOW YOU ALL IN THE HSD SIDE
PRIMARILY WORK WITH SUPPORTING
THE OUTREACH WORKERS AND THERE
IS A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS
INVOLVED. WE'RE GOING TO HELP
WITH THE PLANNING BUT MY HOPE
IS THAT YOU KNOW, WE DO MORE AS
A CITY TO HELP ADDRESS THE
REPOPULATION AND THAT INCLUDES
SOME OF THE ROOT CAUSES AND
ADDRESSING SOME OF THE HOUSING
AND WHEN PEOPLE -- BEFORE
PEOPLE THE NEED RIPENS TO THE
POINT WHERE IT IS TODAY LIKE
THEY GET BETTER SUPPORTS AND
RESOURCES BUT WE ALSO NEED TO
DO A BETTER JOB ADDRESSING THE
NEEDS TODAY, AS WELL, SO LET ME
-- THAT WAS JUST A SHOW OF
SUPPORT FOR YOU KNOW, THE
ADDING HOURS FOR THE UNIFIED
CARE TEAM WHICH I THINK IS
REFLECTED AT LEAST IN PART IN
HSD'S BUDGET , AND THE WORK
THAT YOU ALL DO TO ADDRESS
ENCAMPMENTS AND CONNECT PEOPLE
WITH SHELTER AND SERVICES .
QUESTION ABOUT TINY HOMES AND
SAFE LOTS, BOTH OF WHICH REALLY
IMPORTANT TO ME AND I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE A RANGE OF OPTIONS
, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL RV SAFE
LOTS , BUT I KNOW THERE IS A $2
MILLION BUDGET LINE ITEM ADDED
TO CONTINUE WITH TINY HOMES AND
IS SUPPORT
THREE TINY HOME VILLAGES? CAN
YOU HELP CLARIFY WHAT THAT IS
GOING TO BE SPECIFICALLY USED
FOR?
>> YES. IF I MAY, BECAUSE YOU
SHARED SOME REALLY IMPORTANT
REMARKS ABOUT THE WORK
HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY, AND
IN A GOOD WAY , I WANT TO PASS
THE BUCK OVER TO CASEY RHA
WHICH IS WE HAVE TALKED A LOT.
YOU HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM IN THE ROLE,
BUT REALLY WE NEED TO ZOOM OUT
AND THINK ABOUT THE ECOSYSTEM.
IF THERE WAS A WORD OF THE
SEASON I THINK IT'S ECOSYSTEM.
I'VE HERDED A LOT OF DIFFERENT
SPACES BUT KCRHA REALLY SET THE
STRATEGY. THEY HAVE THE
INVESTMENTS. THE WORK YOU ARE
DOING ON THE BOARD IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND SO ON
BEHALF OF OUR SMALL PORTION OF
THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM, THANK
YOU FOR THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
THAT REALLY IS TRULY THE
ECOSYSTEM WITH THE PROVIDERS
AND STRATEGIES COMING TOGETHER
SO TO SHOUT OUT TO KCRHA AND
THEIR SUCCESS. I'M SORRY I WAS
NOT AS CLEAR WITH THE TINY HOME
VILLAGES IN THIS AD. IT IS A
LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED AND SO
LET ME TRY IT AGAIN AND IF I DO
A POOR JOB I'M GOING TO PASS
IT OVER TO CHRIS. WE HAVE
EXISTING TINY HOME VILLAGES .
THEY HAVE A BASE BUDGET. WHAT
WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE
PROVIDERS THAT IT ACTUALLY COST
MORE TO OPERATE THIS VILLAGE,
AND SO IF THEY DON'T HAVE
ONGOING DOLLARS TO FULLY
OPERATED IN A WAY THAT IS
APPROPRIATE TO MEET THE NEEDS
OF THEIR CLIENTS, THAT IT IS
LIKELY GOING TO SUNSET BECAUSE
THEY CAN'T OPERATE AT THE
LEVEL THAT IT NEEDS TO BE AT.
THIS AD IS TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL DOLLARS SO WE CAN
PAY FOR THE FULL COST OF THE
TINY HOME VILLAGES, WHICH DOES
INCLUDE ADDITIONAL BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SUPPORTS SO THEY CAN
SUCCESSFULLY STAY OPEN, SO THAT
IS WHAT THIS AD REFLECTS. IS
THAT CLEAR?
>> YES. GOOD ENOUGH FOR NOW.
THANK YOU. NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA. VICE CHAIR RIVERA.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE WAS
BEFORE ME.
>> SHE'S GOT LAST WORD.
>> OUT. HER HAND WAS UP. FIRST
OF ALL, I APPRECIATE MY CALLING
COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE'S WORK
WITH KCRHA AND ALSO COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON WAS PART OF
THAT SO COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON, I KNOW YOU ARE ONLINE.
SORRY FOR NOT MENTIONING YOU
EARLIER. AND THEN JUST A
GENERAL POINT TO UNDERSCORE THE
IMPORTANT WORK THAT UCC -- UCT
DOESN'T IT IS A CITYWIDE
EFFORT , HAVING DONE A WRITE A
LOG WITH ALL THE HARD WORK THAT
GOES INTO THE OUTREACH BEFORE
AND ENCAMPMENT GETS CLEARED
THAT IS A REALLY CRITICAL PIECE
BECAUSE WHAT I HEAR A LOT OF
WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE IS FOLKS
WANT TO BE SAFE AND FOLKS ARE
IN AN ENVIRONMENT OUTDOORS
WHERE THEY ARE NOT SAFE AND TO
YOUR POINT, COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA, THEY ARE GETTING PRAYED
UPON AND YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
SOME FOLKS LIVING IN THEIR CARS
AND IN THEIR RVs THAT ARE
WORKING, AND THEY HAVE FAMILIES
THAT ARE LIVING IN THOSE
VEHICLES WITH THEM AND THEN
THERE ARE OTHER RVs THAT HAVE
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY THAT ARE
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE AND
I WILL SAY WE HAVE A COUPLE AT
MAGNUSON PARK AND WE HAVE
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AT
MAGNUSON PARK AND MY INTEREST
IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FOLKS
WHO ARE IN RECOVERY ARE NOT
GETTING PRAYED UPON BY PEOPLE
WHO ARE SELLING DRUGS OUT OF
THOSE RVs, AND SOME OF THE
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT WE SEE,
PARTICULARLY IN NORTH AURORA ON
THE D5 WITH THE PROSTITUTION,
ET CETERA , WHICH I KNOW IS NOT
AN RV ISSUE, BUT THERE IS A LOT
OF FOLKS PREYING ON FOLKS AND
WE ARE TRYING TO MITIGATE FOR
ALL THAT AND SO THE UCT DOES DO
A GREAT JOB OF BRINGING PEOPLE
INDOORS SO THEY ARE SAFE AND
AWAY FROM THE FOLKS WHO ARE
CREATING THE MOST HARM AND I
THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE
UNDERSCORED AND IT IS AN
IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS AND HSD
HOLDS AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN
THAT UCT TEAM , SO DIRECTOR
KIM, I KNOW YOU CAN'T SPEAK
FOR THE UCT IN GENERAL I WILL
SAY HAVING SPENT A LOT OF TIME
WITH THE UCT AND BEING IN CLOSE
CONNECTION WITH THE UCT THEY
ARE DOING A CRITICAL SERVICE TO
THE CITY ON BEHALF OF ALL
RESIDENTS INCLUDING THE FOLKS
WHO ARE IN HOUSE TO NEED TO
COME INSIDE, AND MY GREAT HOPE
WITH THIS NEW ITERATION OF
KCRHA IS THAT IT WILL DO WHAT
IT WAS INITIALLY INTENDED TO DO
WHEN IT GOT FORMED, WHICH IS
REALLY PROVIDE INDOOR SAFE
PLACES , TEMPORARY PLACES FOR
FOLKS WHILE WE ARE FINDING
PERMANENT HOMES FOR PEOPLE TO
BE AT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING, OR OTHER AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND LOW INCOME HOUSING
OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS WE HAVE
THAT MERCY HOUSE AND SOLID
GROUND AT MAGNUSON PARK WITH
GREAT FAMILIES THAT ARE LIVING
THERE AND I AM SO HAPPY THEY
ARE THERE, SO I JUST FELT VERY
STRONGLY I NEEDED TO ADD MY
VOICE TO THE UCT CONVERSATION.
I KNOW THEY ARE NOT HERE, AND
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I
WAS CONTRIBUTING MY EXPERIENCE
WITH THE UCT AND WHY I SUPPORT
THE UCT AND WHY I VERY MUCH
SUPPORT ALL THE WORK HSD DOES
AND DIRECTOR KIM, ALL THE WORK
THAT YOU HAVE DONE WHILE YOU
HAVE BEEN AT HSD AND I WILL SAY
DIRECTOR KIM WAS THE DEPUTY
DIRECTOR AT HSD BEFORE SHE WAS
DIRECTOR. SHE WAS INTERIM EVEN
DIRECTOR FOR A WHILE. ALL THAT
TO SAY SHE'S BEEN THERE FOR A
WHILE AND SHE UNDERSTANDS THE
DEPARTMENT VERY WELL AND HAS
WORKED WITH THE STAFF THERE AND
SO YOU KNOW, EVERYONE I KNOW AT
HSD AND EVERYONE IN THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AT UCT IS
REALLY WORKING TOGETHER AND ARE
SEASONED INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE
BEEN AT THIS WORK WITH UNHOUSED
POPULATIONS FOR A NUMBER OF
YEARS, AND I KNOW ALL THE WORK
THAT GOES INTO THAT, AND I
REALLY WANTED TO UNDERSCORE
THAT AND JUST SAY HOW
APPRECIATIVE I AM. CAN WE DO
MORE? YES, WE CAN ALWAYS DO
MORE BUT I DON'T THINK HSD OR
UCT OR ANY OF US HERE WOULD
DISAGREE AND SO THANK YOU FOR
THE WORK THAT YOU DO AS PART OF
THE UCT TEAM AND THANK YOU,
COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE AGAIN AND
COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON FOR
YOUR WORK WITH KCRHA. I HOPE TO
SEE POSITIVE OUTCOMES COMING
OUT OF THAT WITH THE CHANGES
YOU ALL WORK SO HARD TO MAKE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER
MOORE. DO YOU WANT TO -- I'VE
GOT YOU LISTED IN THE QUEUE .
COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
AS PER ROBERT'S RULE OF ORDER,
EVERYONE GETS TO GO ONCE BEFORE
EVERYONE CAN GO TWICE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I DID
NOT REALIZE THAT. YOU PROBABLY
SAID IT AND I MISSED IT.
>> I DIDN'T SAY IT, I JUST
READ THE BOOK.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR,
DIRECTOR KIM AND HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT. REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU ALL AND ALL THE WORK YOU
DO. I HAD JUST A COUPLE OF
HIGHLIGHTS REALLY THINKING YOU
ALL FOR THE VENUE INVESTMENT. I
THINK THAT IS HUGE. 27% OF
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS ARE BLACK AND WE
ONLY ACCOUNT FOR 6% OF THE
POPULATION IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE SO I KNOW THAT
ORGANIZATION DOES GREAT WORK
WITH TARGETING PARTICULARLY
BLACK MALES, SO THANK YOU. THE
SECOND THING , I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE SEATTLE YOUTH
EMPLOYMENT PIECE. THAT IS HUGE.
I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF INTERNS
HERE THIS YEAR , AND REALLY
WANT TO ENCOURAGE OUR CITY TO
CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE YOUTH
EMPLOYMENT PIECE. ALSO REALLY
APPRECIATE THE HEALTH LOOK --
HELP IN AGING INVESTMENTS. OUR
CITY IS GETTING OLD, YOU KNOW,
SORRY. BUT WE SEE IT. I SEE IT
WITH MY PARENTS, BABY BOOMERS
ARE GETTING OLDER, ALSO A QUICK
PLUG FOR MORE HOUSING OPTIONS
FOR OUR YOUNG FAMILIES AND THE
PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO TAKE CARE
OF A LOT OF THOSE OLDER PEOPLE,
AS WELL. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I
WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND GET AN
UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE
INVESTMENTS AND AGAIN, MY
COLLEAGUES WILL PROBABLY BE
IRRITATED WITH ME SAYING FOOD,
BUT THE INVESTMENTS YOU ALL
MAKE AN FOOD BANKS, MAIL
PROVIDERS . THERE WAS THE MEAL
PROVIDER COALITION I THINK LAST
YEAR, IT WAS A LINE ITEM,
AROUND $300,000. I THINK IT IS
THIS YEAR, AS WELL,
SPECIFICALLY TO THE INVESTMENTS
IN FOOD IN THE CITY WITH FOOD
BANKS. I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS TALKED ABOUT THE FOOD
BANK IN THE INVESTMENT AND FOR
THAT QUESTION TO BE DIRECTED TO
YOU ALL, IF YOU COULD TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT WOULD BE
SUPER HELPFUL.
>> WE DO MAINTAIN OUR EMERGENCY
FOOD BASE BUDGET THAT IS FOOD
BANKS AND MEAL PROGRAMS AND
WHEN I FIRST STARTED I WAS LIKE
OH, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BUT
MEALS OFTEN TIMES ARE SCRATCH
MADE HOT MEALS BECAUSE PEOPLE
DON'T HAVE CAPACITY OR FOR
WHATEVER REASON, TO RECEIVE THE
GROCERIES, THE GOODS FROM THE
FOOD BANK AND SO THOSE ARE TWO
IMPORTANT SERVICES . THERE ARE
SOME REDUCTIONS AS IT PERTAINS
TO ONE-TIME FUNDS THAT WE HAD
IN THE 2024 ADOPTED BUDGET .
THOSE EXPIRE, SO THAT'S GOING
AWAY AND PERHAPS DEE CAN FOLLOW
UP ON THAT AND THERE IS A
PROJECTED ROOM REDUCTION IN THE
SWEETENED BEVERAGE TAX SO WE
HAVE A PROPOSED REDUCTION IN
START IN 2026. WE DO HAVE LISTS
FOR THOSE DOLLAR AMOUNTS. THE
FIRST, AROUND THE ONE TIME THAT
CUTS ACROSS VARIOUS FOOD BANKS,
SO IT WOULD NOT BE A MAJOR
REDUCTION FOR ANYONE FOOD BANK.
IT IS STILL A REDUCTION, SO I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND
FOR SBT I BELIEVE THERE ARE A
COUPLE OF PROVIDERS AND D CAN
SHARE MORE DETAILS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT , DIRECTOR
KIM. THERE IS APPROXIMATELY
992,000 GENERAL FUND FOOD
PROGRAMS AND MEALS UP FOR
REDUCTIONS , UNFORTUNATELY, AND
THEN IN 2026 , RELATED TO THE
SWEETENED BEVERAGE TAX REVENUE
THERE IS ABOUT AN 8% REDUCTION
THERE, AS WELL.
>> WE ARE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP IN
SHAREPOINT ON WHO WOULD BE
IMPACTED BY THAT IF THAT IS
YOUR DESIRE.
>> THAT WOULD BE SUPER HELPFUL.
THE REASON WHY I AM CONCERNED
FROM THE STATE BECAUSE THERE IS
ONLY A PART OF -- ONLY CERTAIN
PROGRAMS THAT GET THE DOLLARS
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND RIGHT NOW, THE
BULK OF FOOD THAT IS BEING
PURCHASED BY, AND I'VE SAID
THIS BEFORE, BETWEEN 50 TO 70%
IS BEING PURCHASED BY FOOD
BANKS AND THE FOOD COSTS ARE
GOING UP IN A BIG MISSING PIECE
FOR OUR CITY TO HONE INTO IS
THE BULK-BUYING PACE. FOOD
LIFELINE A NORTHWEST HARBOR
HARVEST HAD CUT THOSE PROGRAMS
TO FOCUS ON OTHER STUFF THAT
MIGHT TALK TO ALL OF THEM AND
SAID IF THERE WAS A BULK BUYING
FROM THE CITY I SAID IT WOULD
BE HELPFUL TO CUT, SOME OF THE
COSTS THAT ARE GOING ON BECAUSE
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE BUYING WHAT
WE BUY IN BULK AT THE GROCERY
STORE. IT JUST WOULD BE SUPER
HELPFUL, SOME TYPE OF
POTENTIALLY BULK-BUYING FOR
FOOD BANKS. IT WOULD CUT IT
DOWN AND HELP IF THOSE
REDUCTIONS DO STAND, THAT THEY
WOULD BE ABLE, THE DOLLAR WOULD
BE ABLE TO GO MUCH LONGER . THE
SUPPLY CHAIN FOR FOOD HAS
SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED DURING
THE PANDEMIC , WHERE A LOT OF
THE FOOD COMPANIES ARE ONLY
PRODUCING, FOR EXAMPLE , YOU
KNOW, IT USED TO BE GREAT TO
GET A 50 POUND BAG OF RICE AND
THEN BE ABLE TO CUT THAT DOWN
TO FOOD BANK BUT SOMETIMES THEY
DON'T EVEN PRODUCE THAT
ANYMORE AND THEY ONLY DO IT IN
TWO-POUND BAGS OR FOUR-POUND
BAGS AND WHEN WE DO A 1 POUND
BAG BECAUSE OF THE FLIGHT CHAIN
YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF FOOD
COSTS GO UP SIGNIFICANTLY FOR
ORGANIZATIONS AND THAT'S A
REALLY BIG EXPENSE PIECE SO
ANYWAY I JUST WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE I FEEL
LIKE A CLIFF IS COMING FOR OUR
FOOD BANKS AND OUR MEAL
PROVIDERS AND WANTED TO ECHO
THAT BECAUSE I SEE IT AND I
WANTED TO WAVE THE FLAG.
>> I KNOW YOU HAVE A DEEP
EXPERTISE IN THIS AREA. WE DO
HAVE ONE CONTRACT. I DON'T
HAVE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT RIGHT
NOW FOR BULK BUY. ONE OF THE
THINGS WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR
MEAL PROVIDERS, TOO, IN
ADDITION TO BULK BUY, IS
RECEIVING AND HAVING ACCESS TO
FRESH AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
FOODS, SO IT IS A COMBINATION
OF DIFFERENT SOURCES, SO
CERTAINLY BULK BY -- BUY IS
CRITICAL AND OTHER ITEMS ARE
SOUGHT FOR.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER WOO.
>> THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU
DO. YOU DO SO MUCH AND HELP SO
MANY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WITH
YOUR WORK WITH SENIORS AND
ELDERS. I DO HAVE A QUESTION
REGARDING UNIFIED CARE TEAM , I
KNOW CASEY RJ WILL COME IN AND
RESOLVE ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE IN
WSDOT PROPERTY BUT WHAT IS THE
ROLE WHEN IT COMES IN RELATION
TO THE HOPE TEAM AND UCT WHEN
IT COMES TO CITY LAND?
>> FOR THE RECORD I WILL NEED
TO STRIKE THE HOPE TEAM EVEN
THOUGH WE DID TALK ABOUT THE
HOPE TEAM BEFORE. WE HAVE
ITERATED AND NOW WE HAVE THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM SO WHAT I'D
LIKE TO DO IS ASK CHRIS WHAT IS
OUR INVOLVEMENT IN KCRHA'S
INVOLVEMENT?
>> SURE, I THINK WITH THE
ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE WITHIN THE
CITY , THAT IS A UNIFIED CARE
TEAM, THAT IS THEIR
PREROGATIVE, SO I WOULD HAVE TO
WAIT ON THAT.
>> THEN FOR STATE PROPERTY,
THERE ARE STATE EFFORTS, RIGHT?
BUT, THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF
COORDINATION WITH KCRHA.
>> YES, KCRHA DOES RECEIVE
STATE DOLLARS FOR THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY ENCAMPMENT WORK .
>> COUNCIL MEMBER WOO , I'M
SORRY, BUT I HAVE LIVED TOO
MUCH OF THIS WORK OVER THE LAST
FOUR YEARS WHICH IS TO SAY WHEN
WE WERE DOING -- ENGAGING IN
THE [ INAUDIBLE ] PARK
ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION COMING
OUT OF THE PANDEMIC WE ENGAGE
KCRHA TO COME AND HELP US. THEY
WERE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR THE
FIRST HALF, MAYBE FIRST TWO
THIRDS AND THEN WERE NOT AS
ENGAGED AS WE HAD HOPED , BUT
THEY WERE CRITICAL IN SETTING
UP THE ROAD MAP FOR HOW DO WE
CHANGE THE SYSTEMS WITHIN OUR
CITY BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES
THAT REALLY WERE ENGAGING IN
YOU HAVE TO KEEP SOME GROUPS OF
PEOPLE TOGETHER. YOU HAVE TO
SEPARATE OTHER GROUPS OF
PEOPLE. YOU HAVE TO CREATE
INDIVIDUALIZED NEEDS
ASSESSMENTS AND THEN PLANS FOR
FOLKS IN DOING THE BINDING
LISTS AND WHAT I MEAN BY
BINDING LIST IS A CENSUS OF WHO
IS THERE SO REALLY THEY SET UP
FOR US THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A
SENSE HIS UNDERSTANDING WAS
THERE DOING THAT NEEDS
ASSESSMENT OF WHAT DO THEY
ACTUALLY NEED AND TAKING THE
TIME FOR PLACEMENT. I WILL SAY
WE HAD CHALLENGES AT WOODLAND
PARK, WAS JUST THE ON THE
GROUND WHO'S GOING TO DO IT,
RIGHT? KCRHA , THE LOCAL
AGREEMENT WAS PASSED IN
DECEMBER OF 2019 , WE
IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO THE
PANDEMIC. WE HAD A COUPLE OF
OFFERS TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
THAT DID NOT TAKE IT AND WE
WERE IN THE PANDEMIC SO THE
SYMBOLS OF THEIR. COULD HAVE
BEEN BETTER, BUT THE ROLE WAS
REALLY INFORMING THAT ROAD MAP
AND THERE WAS THIS TIME A
COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN WE
STARTED TALKING ABOUT ONCE WE
HAD THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM DOING
CITY-WIDE COVERAGE , THAT THEY
NEEDED IT TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE,
WE NEEDED TO HAVE REGIONS, THE
SO THE SAME CITY OUTREACH
WORKERS WERE IN THE SAME PLACES
WORKING WITH THE SAME PEOPLE
EVERY DAY, AND THERE WAS A
CONVERSATION AT COUNSEL AT THAT
TIME ABOUT SHOULD THE REGIONAL
HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY BE DOING
THIS WORK, OR SHOULD --
EVERYONE AGREED THEY AUTHORITY
SHOULD BE DOING THE WORK ON THE
QUESTION WAS AT THAT TIME, DID
THEY HAVE CAPACITY? THE ANSWER
WAS NO, BECAUSE THEY WERE
FOCUSED ON TRYING TO GET THE
SHIP RUNNING , GET IT GOING,
AND THE CONVERSATION THEN WAS
WELL THEN, WE CAN JUST WAIT. WE
HAVE A CRISIS ON OUR HANDS. HOW
DO WE ADDRESS THIS RIGHT NOW ,
AND SO THAT IS WHY WE STARTED
THE REGIONAL TEAMS WITHIN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. THERE WAS
ALWAYS THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT
TRANSFERRING IT TO THE
HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY BECAUSE
IDEALLY IN 2019 THE IDEA WAS
THAT ALL PROGRAMMING WOULD BE
SHIPPED INTO THE AUTHORITY AND
WHAT WE SAID AT THAT TIME, AND
PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS
HAPPENING HERE WHERE WE ARE
TAKING BACK SOME OF OUR FUNDING
MONEY IS TO SAY WE ALREADY KNOW
HOW TO DO THE WORK. WE'RE GOING
TO DO THE WORK RIGHT NOW WHILE
YOU ARE ALSO GETTING YOUR HOUSE
IN ORDER TO DO THE WORK
YOURSELF. AND SO, BOTH THE
WSDOT AND IT WAS REALLY
INTERESTING , I DID NOT SEE THE
STATE FULLY ENGAGING IN THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY WORK UNTIL THERE
WERE ENCAMPMENTS ALONG THE
FREEWAY OUTSIDE OF OLYMPIA
BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN SEEING IT
FOR A LONG TIME UP HERE AND SO
THEY ARE NOW DOING -- FOLLOWING
THE SAME MODEL OF WORKING WITH
TINY HOMES, WORKING WITH
SHELTERS TO DO THAT CENSUS
NEEDS ASSESSMENT PLACEMENT
RESOLUTION REPAIR OR
ACTIVATION. SORRY TO GO -- I
THINK COUNCIL MEMBER WOO STILL
HAS THE FLOOR.
>> I WILL ADD TO WHAT YOU JUST
SAID ABOUT THE STATE AND KCRHA.
>> SURE. I WILL JUST
ACKNOWLEDGE WE ARE BREAKING
ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER'S. I
WILL BREAK THE RULE THIS TIME.
>> EVERYTHING YOU SAID BECAUSE
I HAD MORE RECENT EXPERIENCE
BECAUSE THERE WAS A WSDOT
CLEARING ON I-5 AND THE D4
BECAUSE THEY CONTRACT WITH
KCRHA TO DO THE OUTREACH AND
OFFER SHELTER TO THE FOLKS
BEFORE WSDOT REMOVES THAT
ENCAMPMENT, SO WSDOT HAS A
CONTRACT WITH KCRHA CURRENTLY
TO DO THAT WORK. WHAT HAPPENS
AFTER, I DON'T KNOW BUT THAT
IS JUST AN ADDITIVE TO WHAT YOU
JUST SAID.
>> FANTASTIC. THANK YOU. I
DON'T SIT ON THE KCRHA BOARD
OR HAVE INVOLVEMENT SO [
INAUDIBLE ] COUNCIL MEMBER WOO,
I BROKE ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER.
YOU STILL HAVE THE FLOOR.
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT
HISTORY. I AM KIND OF CURIOUS
ABOUT GOING FORWARD LIKE WITH
WHAT RELATIONSHIP DO WE HAVE
WITH KCRHA AND WHAT ROLE DO
THEY PLAY WITH HSD, IF ANY, BUT
IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT IS CURRENTLY
ONGOING AND BEEN NEGOTIATED AND
MAY INVOLVE OTHER DEPARTMENTS,
AS WELL.
>> WE HAVE A FORMAL ROLE WITH
KCRHA AND WE OF COURSE HAVE A
COUPLE COUNCILMEMBERS SERVING
ON THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THAT
STRUCTURE, AS DISCUSSED , IT IS
CHANGING AND WE ALSO HAVE A
VERY SIGNIFICANT CONTRACT WITH
KCRHA AND THAT IS PART OF THAT
FORMAL ROLE IN SO WITH THE
PASS-THROUGH OF OVER $100
MILLION, WE ARE VERY CLEAR
ABOUT WHAT THOSE FUNDS ARE
INTENDED TO GO TOWARDS. WE
MONITOR THAT . I ALSO LIKE TO
THINK WE SUPPORT AND PARTNER
AROUND CONTRACTING AND CASH
FLOW ISSUES AND SOME OTHER
THINGS AS THEY WERE STANDING UP
AND SO WE ARE COLLABORATIVE IN
THAT NATURE, TOO, SO WE
ABSOLUTELY HAVE A FORMAL ROLE
AS WELL AS COUNSEL IN
SUPPORTING KCRHA.
>> FANTASTIC, THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR STRAUSS. A
LITTLE HISTORY LESSON SO I DO
APPRECIATE THEM ALTHOUGH I DID
LIVE THEM FROM A COMMUNITY
PERSPECTIVE, SO I HAVE A LITTLE
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON IT BUT
IT IS INTERESTING, THE OTHER
ANGLES ON THIS AND COUNCIL
MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH'S
COMMENTS REMINDED ME SACRED
HEART FOOD BANK. THEY ARE GREAT
PEOPLE. IT'S A SMALL OPERATION
BUT THEY ARE FANTASTIC. ON
UNIFIED CARE TEAM I JUST WANTED
TO ADD MY REMARKS THAT I AM A
BIG SUPPORTER OF THE UCT. AM
SUPER SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA
THAT THEY HAVE GONE TO THE
DISTRICT MODEL BECAUSE THAT
ALLOWS FOR THAT LOCAL
KNOWLEDGE, THOSE TOUCH POINTS
ARE SO IMPORTANT TO BEING MORE
EFFECTIVE AND EXPANDING INTO
THE WEEKEND IS GOING TO BE EVEN
THAT MUCH BETTER AND PART OF
THIS, TOO, AS YOU KNOW, I'VE
SEEN THIS IN OTHER AREAS LIKE
HOW DO YOU SOLVE FOR X. IN THIS
WORLD, X OFTENTIMES IS ONE
INDIVIDUAL BUT I BELIEVE IN THE
COUNCIL AS A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO
HAS BROUGHT RESPONSIBILITIES
THAT WHEN WE SOLVE FOR X, IT IS
GOT TO BE THOSE INDIVIDUALS BUT
ALSO FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, TOO,
AND THAT IS WHAT UCT DOES, AS
WELL. IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING
THOSE INDIVIDUALS IT HELPS THE
NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH IS A
FANTASTIC PART OF THIS THAT IS
NOT REALLY TALKED ABOUT BUT IT
IS IMPORTANT TO ADD AND IN
GOING BACK TO THE HISTORY
LESSON , TALKING WOODLAND PARK,
WE HAVE A THING CALLED McLEAN
PARK, EAST QUEEN IN GREENBELT,
HILLSIDE. ABSOLUTE DISASTER.
ABSOLUTE DISASTROUS RESPONSE
FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT, YOU
KNOW, FROM ALL DIFFERENT
ELEMENTS OF THE EXECUTIVIN
GOING BACK TO EMAILS I GOT, I
GOT AN EMAIL TODAY AND IT WAS
FROM FRIENDS OF McLEAN PARK AND
THEY WERE GIVING A SHOUT OUT TO
WE HEART SEATTLE, SPECIFICALLY,
TIM ANDERSON, WHO IS AN
UNBELIEVABLE OUTREACH PERSON
WHO HAS BEEN WORKING SO HARD IN
THIS AREA AND THEY TELL YOU
WHAT, THEY STOOD UP AND
SUCCEEDED WHERE THE CITY
FAILED. AND SO, I WANTED TO PUT
THAT OUT THERE. I HAVE NO
PROBLEM DOING SO JUST LIKE
ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
KCRHA WHICH EXCEPT FOR THOSE
CHANGES WOULD'VE BEEN SHUT
DOWN ON DECEMBER 19th SO THANK
GOD THOSE CHANGES ARE GOING
THROUGH . WITH UCT WE JUST HAVE
TO BE STRAIGHT UP ON THESE
PROGRAMS AND THE IMPACTS THEIR
HAVING IN OUR COMMUNITIES SO
THAT IS MY VIEW ON YOU CT ,
SOME OF THESE PROBLEM AREAS AND
GROUPS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF WHAT
WE ARE DOING IN THIS BUDGET
WHICH WE HEART SEATTLE IS NOT
PART OF THIS SO JUST WANT TO
GIVE THOSE POINTS. THANK YOU.
>> I'M JUST LOOKING AROUND.
I'M GOING TO ASK MY QUESTIONS,
SHARE MY REMARKS THEN PASS IT
OVER TO THE CHAIR OF YOUR
DEPARTMENT. COLLEAGUES, THANK
YOU FOR THE GRACE TODAY AS I
TOOK EXCEPTIONS TO ROBERTS
RULES OF ORDER AND JUMPED IN A
COUPLE TIMES. HERE WE ARE.
DIRECTOR KIM, REGARDING YOUR
ANSWER ABOUT THE YOUTH LEGAL
SERVICES , YOU GAVE A REALLY
CANDID ANSWER. THE SAME REMARKS
THAT I GAVE AT THE END OF THE
LAST PRESENTATION OF THAT TO
HAVE -- TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS
LEVEL OF CANDIDNESS ON THE
RECORD OR JUST IN GENERAL
REQUIRES US TO ALL BE ON ONE
TEAM TOGETHER. LIKE WE ALL WILL
HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
AGREEMENT ON DIFFERENT THINGS .
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU . THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COUNSEL
AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
MEMBERS AND DEPARTMENTS HAS NOT
ALWAYS BEEN , AND SO IT IS JUST
REALLY REFRESHING TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE A CONVERSATION EVEN THOUGH
WE ARE IN PUBLIC SESSION ON
AWARD-WINNING SEATTLE CHANNEL.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
THAT BECAUSE I WILL GET INTO MY
QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME OF THESE
REDUCTIONS, BUT BEFORE WE GET
THERE, YOU MENTIONED THE UNIQUE
ASPECT BEYOND ALL THE DIFFERENT
BUSINESS LINES THAT YOU ARE
BOTH A FUNDER AND A DIRECT
PROVIDER. YOU MENTIONED THAT
PAY EQUITY, EVEN WITH THE
CONTRACTS, IS IMPORTANT AND I
WILL EDITORIALIZE THAT KEEPS
THESE FOLKS IN THEIR JOBS AND
WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
OUTREACH WORKERS WORKING WITH
THE SAME PEOPLE EVERY DAY, IF
THAT OUTREACH WORKER QUITS
THEIR JOB BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
MAKING ENOUGH MONEY , THEN WE
ARE UNDERCUTTING THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR OUTREACH.
BEFORE WE GET BACK INTO THEIR ,
DIRECTOR KIM, ONE OF THE
QUESTIONS HERE IS ABOUT
UPSTREAM INVESTMENTS. WE SPEND
A LOT OF TIME FOCUSING ON THE
GROUP THAT YOU DON'T OVERSEE
THAT YOU HAVE STAFF AS A PART
OF. I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN
ZOOM BACK OUT AND TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE UPSTREAM
INVESTMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO
HIGHLIGHT OUT OF THIS BUDGET.
>> THANK YOU. I LOVE TALKING
ABOUT UPSTREAM INVESTMENTS AND
OFTEN DON'T GET THE
OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE ARE
DEALING WITH SO MANY CRISES
EMERGING AT THE SAME TIME.
THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT
PLACES THAT WE FIND UPSTREAM ,
AND SO BIG LIFT UP TO OUR YOUTH
AND FAMILY ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
, WHICH IS WHERE I WORKED, AND
THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT
INVESTMENTS IN THERE. I
HIGHLIGHTED THE YOUTH
EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM WHICH I
THINK I HAVE A COMMITMENT FROM
COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH TO
TAKE ON AN INTERN NEXT SUMMER.
MAYBE TWO. BUT, IT'S
NECESSARY, AND I DON'T THINK I
HAVE TO SELL YOU ON THIS BUT WE
TALK A LOT ABOUT SAFETY AND
MENTAL HEALTH. MULTIPLE
DEPARTMENTS TOUCHED ON THAT AND
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE -- I KNOW
COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES, YOU ARE
ADVOCATING FOR THIS, YOU ALSO
NEED TO HAVE ACTIVITIES THAT
ARE FULFILLING, THAT ARE
ENRICHING, WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE
CAN EXPRESS THEMSELVES. THEY
LEARNED SKILLS BUT THEY HAVE
THE PEER SUPPORTS AND CARING
ADULTS. THERE IS A LOT OF
SCIENCE AROUND THE IMPORTANCE
OF HAVING THOSE EXPERIENCES
BECAUSE OTHERWISE WHAT WILL
DOMINATE ARE THE TRAUMATIC
EXPERIENCES THAT GET US TO THE
THINGS THAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT, TO TRY AND MITIGATE WITH
REGARDS TO HOMELESSNESS,
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, YOU
NAME IT. THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
PROGRAM IS ONE BUT WE ALSO HAVE
INVESTMENTS IN YOUTH
DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE
INVESTMENTS IN , YOU KNOW,
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS
BEFORE, BUT UTILITY DISCOUNT SO
THAT TOUCHES MULTIPLE
DEPARTMENTS. OF COURSE, SEATTLE
PUBLIC UTILITIES AND SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT, HSD IS THE PRIMARY
ADMINISTRATOR OF THOSE AND SO
WE PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES
THERE, TOO. THOUSANDS OF
HOUSEHOLDS ARE ENROLLED IN
DISCOUNTS. THEY QUALIFY FOR
THOSE, AND THAT COULD BE A
DIFFERENCE OF PAYING RENT, PAIN
YOUR UTILITIES AND BEING ABLE
TO BUY SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND
SENDING YOUR KIDS OFF TO SCHOOL
SO THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT
PREVENTIONS OR UPSTREAM
INVESTMENTS THAT WE OFFER IN
THE NAME OF OUR MISSION TO HAVE
PEOPLE HAVE WHAT THEY NEED IN
ORDER TO THRIVE SO THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR ASKING THAT. I WILL
ALSO NOTE BECAUSE WE DON'T
OFTEN THINK OF UPSTREAM WITH
OUR AGING POPULATION, BUT AS
SOMEONE WHO CARES FOR MY AGING
PARENTS, AS WELL, IT IS
PREVENTATIVE TO HAVE CRITICAL
SERVICES IN OUR AGING AND
DISABILITY SERVICES DIVISION.
THEY SERVE AS THE COUNTIES, OUR
REGIONS AREA ON AGING AND
REALLY THE PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO
SUPPORT FOLKS TO AGE IN PLACE
WHEN POSSIBLE AND THAT IS
IMPORTANT. IT COULD BE
EVERYTHING FROM FALLS,
ACCESSING THEIR BENEFITS,
MAKING SURE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO
HEALTHCARE THAT ONE COULD
BENEFIT FROM, SO THOSE ARE
IMPORTANT UPSTREAM SERVICES
THAT WE ALSO OFFER ACROSS OUR
AGE SPECTRUM, SO THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
>> I WILL JUST ADD TO IT ON
PAGE 105 OF THE 2019 TO 2024
BUDGET DOCUMENT, THE ONE AREA
OF GROWTH WITHIN YOUR
DEPARTMENT THAT GREW BY OVER
500% WITH YOUR SUPPORTING SAFE
COMMUNITIES BUSINESS LOSS
CLIENT SERVICE AND THIS WAS
INTENTIONAL NOT THAT WE WERE
CREATING 500% NEW PROGRAMS BUT
ADMINISTERING THE MORE
EFFICIENTLY IN DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT TO
CRIME SURVIVOR SERVICES FROM
GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION,
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND
EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES
INITIATIVE SO THAT YOUR FUNDING
COMMUNITY-LED SOLUTIONS TO
INCREASE SAFETY . IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME I WANT
CONTINUE READING THROUGH THIS
MEMO BUT WE'VE BEEN TALKING A
LOT ABOUT THE HARD DECISIONS
WE'VE BEEN HAVING TO MAKE WITH
THE BUDGET, AND I WANTED TO
RAISE THIS ONE UP. COUNCIL
MEMBER KETTLE, YOU BRING UP
THAT YOUTH LEGAL SERVICES IS
IMPORTANT. IT BRINGS UP THE
FACT THAT EVERY YEAR, WE
CONTINUE TO ADD SERVICES FOR
SEATTLEITES THAT SEATTLEITES
END UP RELYING ON BECAUSE
ANOTHER LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT HAS
NOT DONE THEIR JOB. AND AT THE
END OF THE DAY, WE, AS
SEATTLEITES, KNOW THAT WE ARE
NOT GOING TO JUST PASS THE BUCK
AND IN OVER 10 YEARS OF HIGH
GROWTH AND LOW INFLATION,
CREATE A STRUCTURAL BUDGET
CHALLENGE WHICH WE ARE
GRAPPLING WITH AND I THINK THIS
BUDGET BEFORE US REALLY HAS
SHOWN US HOW IMPORTANT SO MANY
OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE. I'M
GOING TO TAKE THROUGH SOME --
ALTHOUGH, DEE, IT'S SO GOOD TO
SEE YOU AGAIN. I'VE SPENT A
LOT OF TIMES WITH HER TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND THE AGING AND
DISABILITY SERVICES LEAKS AND
WAS GENERAL FUND WRAPPED UP IN
IT. WE SPENT SO MUCH TIME
TOGETHER, I THINK WE BECAME
FRIENDS. WE WILL HAVE TO FIND
OUT WHAT THE JURY SAYS LATER.
WHERE IS MARY MITCHELL? HOW
COME SHE'S NOT HERE?
>> SHE IS WORKING.
>> MARY IS BUSY RELOCATING.
>> NO, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T PASS
THE LEASE SOON ENOUGH AND SO
SHE IS --
>> CORRECT.
>> COUNCILMAN, I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE
INCREASE YOU ARE REFERENCING IS
PART OF THE BUDGET
RESTRUCTURING TO ESTABLISH THE
SAFE COMMUNITIES.
>> YOU SAID IS SMARTER THAN I
DID. YES, I WAS JUST SAYING WE
RESTRUCTURED THE BUDGET TO MAKE
IT MORE EFFICIENT IN DELIVERING
THE SERVICES. I WILL ALSO BRING
THE MICROPHONE CLOSER TO MY
MOUTH. YOU ARE MUCH MORE
ARTICULATE THERE. I'M GOING TO
TAKE THROUGH SOME OF THESE . I
TEASED CHRIS CLAYSON ABOUT THE
RV STORAGE BECAUSE THIS WAS A
PILOT PROGRAM WE HAVE WORKED TO
SET UP. WE UNFORTUNATELY HAD A
DISAGREEMENT WITH CIVIL
DIVISION ATTORNEYS IN THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ABOUT SOME
OF THE DEFINITIONS AND CODE
THAT MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF HAD WRITTEN IN
THE LAND USE CODE AND THAT
THESE INTO -- ATTORNEYS WERE
INTERPRETING IN WAYS THAT WERE
QUITE CONSERVATIVE IN
CONFLICTING WITH COMMON SENSE,
SO I WILL CONTINUE . I WILL BE
LOOKING AT THAT MONEY. I'M
HOPING WE CAN RETAIN THIS MONEY
SO THAT WE CAN PILOT THIS ONCE
WE ARE ABLE TO OVERCOME THESE
LEGAL INTERPRETATIONS . I WILL
ALSO JUST ASK ABOUT, AND THIS
IS ON PAGE 168 OF YOUR BUDGET
BOOK, JUST FOR REFERENCE. THE
450,000 GENERAL FUND PROGRAMS
FOR ADDRESSING GENDER-BASED
VIOLENCE, AND I'M JUST GOING
TO TAKE THROUGH THESE QUESTIONS
AND MAYBE DIRECTOR NOBLE AND
DIRECTOR EITHER , WE CAN CIRCLE
UP LATER. I'M GOING TO . THIS
WAS THE 450 I ADDED IN THE
BUDGET REGARDING BUDGET ERROR
EXTERNAL IN THE CITY AS
COMPARED TO THE ONGOING FUNDING
WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY PROVIDED.
I WANT TO CHECK IN ABOUT THESE
-- THE GENERAL FUND FOR
COMMUNITY SAFETY PROGRAMS . WE
HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE
LEGAL COUNSEL FOR YOUTH AND
CHILDREN . WANTING TO CHECK IN
ABOUT THE UNITED WAY TAX PREP
ASSISTANCE AND EVEN IF THERE IS
NOT A WAY FOR US TO PROVIDE
FUNDING, I MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE
OTHER IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE CAN
CONTINUE SUPPORTING THEIR TAX
PREPARATION ASSISTANCE BECAUSE
I KNOW THIS IS REALLY CRITICAL
FOR A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY AND I WOULD LIKE TO
SEE WHAT WE CAN DO THERE . I
WANT TO CHECK IN ON THE
REDUCTION FOR GENERAL FUND
SUPPORT FOR AGING AND
DISABILITY SERVICES CASE
MANAGEMENT JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT
DEE TAUGHT ME. YOU CAN TELL ME
IF I'M WRONG LATER.
>> I BELIEVE THERE ARE ACTIVE
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE STATE. WE
DID HAVE A $7 MILLION INCREASE
IN FEDERAL AND DIRECT GRANTS
THAT WERE THE REDUCTION ALSO IS
OFFSET BY LEVERAGING MORE OF
THE FEDERAL GRANTS ARE REALLY
MORE SWAPPING GENERAL FUND FOR
MAXIMIZING SOME OF THE GRANTS
WE GET FROM THE STATE.
>> SO WE WOULD NOT BE REDUCING
SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE
COMMUNITY. WE WOULD BE REDUCING
THE GENERAL FUND RELIANCE. MAN,
YOU'RE GOOD. THIS IS WHAT I
WAS TRYING TO DO WITH THE LEASE
BUT I COULDN'T. AND LASTLY ,
COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH
HAD TOUCHED ON THIS, THE
REDUCTION OF THE SWEETENED
BEVERAGE TAX FUNDING FOR FOOD
AND FOR CHILD CARE PROVIDERS.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT
IT INCURS IN 2026 AND NOT
JANUARY. IT IS SOMETHING I
THINK TO LOOK INTO BECAUSE
ANECDOTALLY, I HAVE HEARD AND
THIS GETS BACK TO WHAT
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH WAS
SAYING, IN OUR AREA, WE BUY THE
FOOD RATHER THAN GET FOOD FOR
OUR FOOD BANKS AND EVEN IF
BUYING IN BULK FROM FOOD
LIFELINE I HAVE HEARD
ANECDOTALLY THAT THERE ARE
TIMES FOOD LIFELINE IS
PROVIDING FOOD AT A HIGHER COST
THAN EVEN COSTCO, SO I -- YOU
KNOW, IS ANECDOTAL. IT COULD BE
A ONE TIME FLIP. IT IS VERY
DIFFERENT THAN WHEN I WAS IN
AMERICORPS WORKING WITH FOOD
LIFELINE AS AN AMERICORPS
MEMBER IN A RURAL COMMUNITY
PREFERRED PRICING IS SO MUCH
DIFFERENT THAN SEATTLE, WHICH
IS THE LARGEST REGIONAL CENTER
IN THE UNITED STATES . THE NEXT
CLOSEST IS THE TWIN CITIES,
CHICAGO, SACRAMENTO, SAN
FRANCISCO OR SALT LAKE CITY
DENVER AREA , SO I JUST
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS THAT
TENSION AREA. THOSE ARE ALL OF
MY COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FOR
OUR BUDGET TEAM. I JUST REALLY
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR -- WE
DIDN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT ALL
AGES AND ABILITIES OR AGING
SERVICES OR YOUTH WORK , JUST
KNOW THAT I WILL BE ADDING SOME
QUESTIONS TO SHAREPOINT AND I
JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE
BREADTH AND SCOPE OF YOUR WORK
BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT, IT IS ALL
THE SERVICES FROM WHEN YOU'RE
BORN TO WHEN YOU NEED MORE
HELP. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR KIM.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE, THE FLOOR
IS YOURS AND THEN WE WILL CLOSE
OUT FOR THE DAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I
DON'T HAVE A LOT TO ADD. I
THINK WE HAD A VERY FULSOME AND
ROBUST DISCUSSION AND JUST TO
ACKNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, THAT
THERE ARE TOUGH DECISIONS THAT
HAVE TO BE MADE. UNFORTUNATELY
I DO SHARE THE CONCERNS ABOUT
THE CUTS TO THE HOMELESS YOUTH
LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND THE
TAX PREP FUNDING . THAT IS
SOMETHING I CAN TALK ABOUT
LATER. I GUESS JUST TO COUNCIL
MEMBER MORALES' QUESTION, WHO
DOES THIS BUDGET SERVE? WELL, I
THINK THAT IT REALLY DOES ITS
BEST TO BENEFIT THE MOST
VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
CAN WE DO MORE? ABSOLUTELY, AND
I THINK THAT IS INCUMBENT UPON
US TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS
WE CAN DO MORE. YOU KNOW, THERE
IS SOME DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
ABOUT WHETHER THE UNIFIED CARE
TEAM PROVIDES A VALUABLE ROLE,
AND I JOIN MANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES IN BELIEVING THAT IT
DOES , CALLED FOR A SORT OF A
HYPER LOCAL APPROACH WITH A
REGIONAL APPROACH AND I THINK
THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM PROVIDES
THAT AND WHY IT IS CRITICAL
IMPORTANT THAT IT EXPAND TO BE
A DISTRICT , NOT JUST A REGION
WITHIN THE CITY, BUT DISTRICT
BY DISTRICT BECAUSE THEY ARE
THEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH THOSE
ONE-ON-ONE RELATIONSHIPS WHICH
ARE IMPORTANT. THE FACT THAT WE
ARE ABLE TO OPEN, THAT THEY ARE
ABLE TO OPERATE ON THE WEEKENDS
AND WE ARE ABLE TO OPEN
SHELTERS ON THE WEEKENDS IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. I
PERSONALLY HAVE WORKED WITH
PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO GET
INTO SHELTER ON THE WEEKENDS
AND HAD TO PROVIDE THEM HOTEL
VOUCHERS DURING THAT TIME, SO
THAT IS A GAP IN OUR SYSTEM,
AND I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT WE
ARE TRYING TO RESOLVE THAT
AGAIN, NOT PERFECTLY, BUT ALL
OF THIS IS INCREMENTAL
PROGRESS, SO I DO THINK THIS
BUDGET DOES ITS BEST AND
ACTUALLY DOES MORE THAN JUST
ITS BEST. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
MAINTAINED PROVIDER PAY IN THE
FACE OF SIGNIFICANT DEFICITS
AND EVERYBODY HAS TALKED ABOUT
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDER PAY
AS FOUNDATIONAL TO ALL OF THESE
OTHER SERVICES AND WE HAVE
MAINTAINED THAT, AND THAT IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. WE NEED
TO DO MORE FOR TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES BUT WE ARE NOW MOVING
FROM ONE TIME FUNDING TO
SUSTAINED FUNDING PROVIDING
WRAPAROUND SERVICES WHICH IS
WHAT MAKES TINY HOUSE VILLAGES
CONTINUE TO BE ACTUALLY USEFUL
AND FUNCTIONAL AND PROVIDE
REALLY IS YOU ARE TALKING
ABOUT, THAT TRANSITIONAL STEP
FROM BEING OUT ON THE STREET TO
THE NEXT LEVEL TO THEM BEING
READY TO SHIFT INTO SOME SORT
OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
OR EVEN SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WITH
MORE WRAPAROUND SERVICES SO I
WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT EXPANDED
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE
HAVE MADE THAT COMMITMENT TO
THE TINY HOUSE VILLAGES IN THE
WRAPAROUND SERVICES SO IT IS
IMPORTANT TO CALL OUT THE
SUCCESSES AND THE INCREMENTAL
PROGRESS THAT WE ARE MAKING
BECAUSE I THINK TOO OFTEN, WE
GET CAUGHT UP IN LOOKING AT
WHERE WE ARE FAILING AND NOT
LOOKING AT WHERE WE ARE
SUCCEEDING BECAUSE WE WANT TO
DO BETTER AND SO IT IS EASY TO
FOCUS ON WHERE WE ARE NOT
SUCCEEDING BUT WE'VE GOT TO
TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT
AND IT IS HELPFUL TO HAVE THE
HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE OF OUR
COLLEAGUES HERE ON HOW WE HAVE
MADE PROGRESS, HOW WE HAVE
EVOLVED, HOW WE HAVE GONE FROM
MOVING PEOPLE WANT TO ACTUALLY
CREATING A ONE-ON-ONE
RELATIONSHIP AND WORKING FOUR
TO SIX WEEKS TO FIND SHELTER
FOR PEOPLE ON COMING AT IT FROM
A MORE ENLIGHTENED AND EDUCATED
MIND-SETS OF THANK YOU, CHAIR.
FOR CALLING THAT OUT, AND
DIRECTOR KIM, FOR CONTINUING
THE EVOLVING WORK THAT IS THE
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT IN
THE CITY. FRANK THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
MOORE, OF THE HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE. THAT DOES CONCLUDE
OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY, OCTOBER
1st, THE FIRST DAY OF OCTOBER
AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ALMOST
GOT THE STREET LIGHTS ON AT
4:00 P.M. TOMORROW'S MEETING,
WE WILL HAVE THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING IN THE SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT . WE HAD HELD
TOMORROW AFTERNOON FOR
OVERFLOW, SLIGHTLY EXPECTING
TODAY TO OVERFLOW. THANKFULLY,
IT IS NOT, SO WE WILL STILL
HAVE THAT TIME IN CASE THE
CONVERSATION RUNS LONG OR WE
CAN USE THAT TIME TO START
TALKING ABOUT PRIORITIES AHEAD
OF THE CENTRAL STAFF BUDGET
MEMO PREPARATION. THAT
CONCLUDES TODAY'S
PRESENTATION. WE HAVE REACHED
THE END OF TODAY'S MEETING.
THE NEXT SELECT COMMITTEE ON
BUDGET IS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER
2nd AT 9:30 A.M. AGAIN, ONLY
WRITTEN COMMENT WILL BE
ACCEPTED AT THIS MEETING.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY
CONTINUE TO SUBMIT THEIR
WRITTEN COMMENT AT SEATTLE
COUNSEL.GOV AND OUR NEXT VERBAL
COMMENT WOULD BE ON OCTOBER 16
WHERE EVERYONE WILL RECEIVE TWO
MINUTES AND WE WILL GO UNTIL WE
HAVE COMPLETED. IF THERE IS NO
FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE WE
ADJOURN, HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE
SELECT BUDGET COMMITTEE, WE ARE
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.