>>> THE TIME IS 9:30. THE MAY
EIGHTH MEETING OF THE HOUSING
HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE WILL
NOW COME TO ORDER. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ -- CALL THE
ROLL?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> FOUR PRESENT.
>> I WANT TO NOTE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES IS
EXCUSED. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION , THE PROPOSED AGENDA
WILL BE ADOPTED. SEEING NONE,
THE PRESENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
ON TO MY REPORT, THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE FOR THE MAY 8th
HOUSING HUMAN SERVICES MEETING.
WE HAVE THREE APPOINTMENTS TO
THE SEATTLE KING COUNTY
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON AGING AND
DISABILITY SERVICES. SECOND, WE
HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO THE
SEATTLE WOMEN'S COMMISSION,
AND FINALLY, WE HAVE A
DISCUSSION ON THE PATHWAYS TO
HOUSING SECURITY REPORT. THIS
IS A REQUEST BY THE WASHINGTON
STATE LEGISLATURE TO CONDUCT A
MULTIYEAR PROCESS OF GATHERING
INFORMATION AND FACILITATING
DISCUSSIONS TO INFORM
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LONG-TERM
STRATEGIES TO CREATE HOUSING
SECURITY. THAT IS THE
INTRODUCTION. I WILL NOW MOVE
TO PUBLIC COMMENT. IT IS OPEN,
FOR THE HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD. IT SHOULD RELATE TO
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. OR
BE WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS
COMMITTEE. HOW MANY SPEAKERS
ARE SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> WE HAVE THREE ONLINE PUBLIC
COMMENTERS, AND NO IN-PERSON
PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
>> EACH PERSON WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES. WE ONLY HAVE REMOTE,
SO WE WILL PROCEED WITH THE
REMOTE.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
UP TO 20 MINUTES, PEOPLE WILL
BE CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY REGISTERED. YOU WILL HEAR
A CHIME WHEN THERE ARE 10
SECONDS LEFT. SPEAKERS WILL BE
MUTED IF THEY DO NOT STOP
TALKING WITHIN THEIR ALLOTTED
TIME, TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON
THE NEXT SPEAKER.
>> LET'S GO TO THE FIRST
SPEAKER.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW OPEN. THE FIRST SPEAKER ,
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO
UNMUTE.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBERS. I AM A STUDENT
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE 4121
HOUSING WORKING GROUP. I AM
HERE TO DISCUSS RECENT CHANGES
TO THE VERIFICATION GUIDELINES
AND HOW IT EXCLUDES CITIZENS
QUALIFYING FOR THE PROGRAM. AND
IT REQUIRES THAT ALL FULL-TIME
STUDENTS APPLY FOR THE FEDERAL
AND STATE FINANCIAL AID TO BE
APPROVED. THEY ARE TYPICALLY AT
THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL , AND NOT
CONSIDERED SUPPORTING THE
GUIDELINES. IT IS AN AVERAGE OF
$32,000 PER YEAR. IT IS NOT
ONLY EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO
SURVIVE ON THAT IN SEATTLE, IT
IS LESS THAN HALF OF THE INCOME
ELIGIBILITY MAXIMUM. IT RENDERS
GRADUATE STUDENTS INELIGIBLE
FOR REASONS THAT ARE COMPLETELY
UNRELATED . WE TRIED TO TALK
ABOUT HOUSING DIRECTLY SO THAT
IT WILL NOT EXCLUDE GRADUATE
STUDENTS. AND EVEN THAT WAS
SILENCED . GRADUATE STUDENTS
WERE REQUIRED TO UNDERGO
RECERTIFICATION AND
ELIGIBILITY. [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
WE ARE URGING THE COMMITTEE TO
SUPPORT AMENDING A PLAN , [
INDISCERNIBLE - BACKGROUND
NOISE ].
>> THANK YOU .
>> I HOPE THAT YOU TAKE ACTION
IN SUPPORT OF HOUSING SECURITY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR
NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHN . PLEASE
PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS -- I AM A
MEMBER OF UAW 4221. I AM
REQUESTING TO PLEASE NOT HAVE
THIS TECHNICALITY THAT WOULD
EXCLUDE MY HOUSING AND SO MANY
OTHER ACTIONS FOR THOSE WHO
WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE RENT
CONTROL PROGRAM. I LIVE IN A
ONE-BEDROOM UNIT AND I HAVE
LIVED HERE SINCE 2020. 60 -80%
OF MY INCOME GOES TO RENT,
INTERNET, AND UTILITIES. THAT
LEAVES ME WITH AROUND $500
EVERY MONTH FOR FOOD,
GROCERIES, ET CETERA. I HAVE
HAD EXPENSES COME UP AND I
NEVER KNOW WHAT TO DO. THERE IS
NO WINDOW IN MY BEDROOM. IN
JANUARY, THERE WAS A SPRINKLER
PIPE THAT BURST ON THE FOURTH
FLOOR. SINCE THEN, THE ELEVATOR
HAS BEEN NONFUNCTIONAL. THESE
KINDS OF ISSUES , NOW I MAY NOT
BE ABLE TO CONTINUE LIVING
HERE, BECAUSE OF THIS
TECHNICALITY . I URGE YOU TO
EXPAND HOUSING RIGHTS, NOT TO
CONSTRAIN THEM. WE SHARE FOOD
AND I HAVE SEEN DIRECT VIOLENCE
, AND HOW IS THIS GOING TO BE
ANY KIND OF MAIN SOLUTION TO
THE HOUSING CRISIS?
>> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THE LAST SPEAKER IS AUDREY.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX.
>> DID WE LOSE AUDREY? IF YOU
ARE THERE, YOU NEED TO PRESS
STAR SIX.
>> THANK YOU. IT DID NOT WORK
THE FIRST TIME. HI, LIKE THE
OTHER TWO PUBLIC COMMENTERS , I
AM A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF WASHINGTON, AND I AM A
MEMBER OF THE UNION, UAW 42121
. I HAVE LIVED IN THE UNIT FOR
THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. AS
THE OTHER SPEAKERS MENTIONED,
GRADUATE STUDENTS MAKE VERY
LITTLE, I MAKE AROUND 40 K PER
YEAR. WELL BELOW THE AVERAGE
AND I MAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE
THAN MOST GRADUATE STUDENTS,
GRADUATE STUDENTS, MANY OF THEM
ARE ENTIRELY INDEPENDENT. I DO
NOT RECEIVE ANY AID FROM MY
PARENTS OR OTHERS. SO , I AM
SUBSISTING ENTIRELY OFF OF WHAT
LITTLE I MAKE. AND FOUNDING --
FINDING HOUSING AT MY PRICE
POINT IN SEATTLE IS VERY
DIFFICULT. AND THE POLICIES ,
THE POLICIES THAT INTRODUCE THE
TECHNICALITY , IT IS HOW I WILL
BE LIVING. SO I WOULD REALLY
ASK THE COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER
THIS POLICY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE HAVE NO MORE PUBLIC
COMMENTERS SIGNED UP.
>> I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT WE
WILL REACH OUT TO YOU ABOUT THE
NOTION OF INCLUDING GRADUATE
STUDENTS IN THE QUALIFICATIONS,
AS NOTED , WE WILL BE TAKING UP
THE REAUTHORIZATION LATER ON
THIS YEAR. WE ARE MINDFUL OF
THE ISSUE AND WE WELCOME
COMMENTS AND WE WILL BE
FOLLOWING UP WITH ADDITIONAL
OUTREACH . AND WE WILL LOOK
INTO THAT AS SOMETHING, A
POTENTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE MFT
PROGRAM. THAT SAID, SINCE THERE
ARE NO ADDITIONAL REGISTERED
SPEAKERS, WE CAN NOW PROCEED TO
ITEMS OF BUSINESS. TO THE
PEOPLE WHO CALLED IN , I WOULD
CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO
SUBMIT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT
THROUGH EMAIL, TO THE COUNCIL.
THAT WOULD BE TO THE SEATTLE
COUNCIL.
>> AGENDA ITEMS 1 THROUGH 3,
APPOINTMENT OF JOEL DOMINGO ,
PATRICIA SCHNEPF, AND DOLORES
WIENS AS MEMBERS OF THE SEATTLE
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON AGING AND
DISABILITY SERVICES, FOR A TERM
TO DECEMBER 31st, 2025. FOR
BREATHING, DISCUSSION, AND
POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> TODAY WE HAVE WITH US, MARY
MITCHELL FROM THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THE THREE
APPOINTEES ARE APPEARING
REMOTELY. I WILL TURN IT OVER
TO YOU TO INTRODUCE THE
APPOINTEES.
>> MY NAME IS MARY MITCHELL, I
AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE AGING
AND DISABILITY SERVICES.
>> HELLO, I AM LENA, THE
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.
>> WE ARE HERE FOR THREE NEW
ADVISORY MEMBERS. THE SEATTLE
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS
PROGRAMS THAT CONNECT PEOPLE
WITH RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS TO
SUPPORT HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.
AND THE AGING AND DISABILITY
SERVICES DIVISION OPERATES AS A
FEDERAL AND STATE-DESIGNATED
AREA AGENCY ON AGING FOR KING
COUNTY. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
SUPPORTING THE WELL-BEING OF
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, OLDER
ADULTS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO CARE
FOR THEM. OUR WORK -- I'M
SORRY, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
LENA.
>> ARTWORK IS GUIDED BY THE
ATTORNEY BOARD, WHICH ADVISES
OUR DECISION BY SHARING THE
VOICES OF THE COMMUNITY. WE
HAVE MADE INVESTMENTS THAT
IMPACT ADULT. AND I WANT TO
THANK THE COUNCILMEMBERS FOR
THE PROCLAMATION FOR OLDER
AMERICANS MONTH.
>> THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO JOIN
US, IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THEY
ARE ATTENDING ON ZOOM. I WOULD
LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO THEM TO
SEE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JOINING THE
ADVISORY COUNCIL.
>> WHO WILL BE OUR FIRST?
>> DR. JOEL DOMINGO .
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, THANK
YOU, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS DR.
JOEL DOMINGO AND I AM HONORED
TO BE HERE TO BE CONSIDERED TO
SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY. I CAME
TO SEATTLE OVER 50 YEARS AGO AS
A CHILD AND I GREW UP IN THIS
WONDERFUL CITY. MY FAMILY AND I
BENEFITED FROM A LOT OF
PROGRAMS TO FIND WAYS TO LIVE,
GROW, AND THRIVE IN THE CITY
AND I NOW FIND MYSELF AT THE
STAGE WHERE I AM CARING FOR MY
ELDERLY MOTHER AS WELL AS MY
ADULT DAUGHTER WITH A
DISABILITY. HAVING TO LEARN TO
NAVIGATE MANY OF THESE SPACES,
IN TERMS OF THE SERVICES NEEDED
TO PROVIDE FOR LIVING AND OTHER
TYPES OF EXPENSES, AND JUST
THRIVING THROUGHOUT THE CITY
HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE AND A
WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO SEE
THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE FOR THEM. SO, AS THIS
ROLE CONTINUES TO GROW ON ME,
AND , MYSELF BEING AN OLDER
AMERICAN, I LOOK FORWARD TO
SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY,
BECAUSE IT RECALLS THE TIME
THAT MY MOTHER TOOK CARE OF ME,
AND I CAN GIVE BACK TO OTHER
MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY TO THRIVE
IN THIS CITY. THANK YOU FOR
CONSIDERING ME FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY. I AM VERY
GRATEFUL.
>> WONDERFUL. THE NEXT
APPOINTEE ?
>> PATRICIA SCHNEPF.
>> OKAY, I CAN SHARE ON BEHALF
OF PATRICIA.
>> I AM HERE.
>> OH, THERE YOU ARE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
INCLUDING ME IN THE
ORGANIZATION. I AM AN OLDER
ADULT MYSELF. I HAVE
EXPERIENCED MANY DIFFICULTIES
BEING AN OLDER ADULT AND
NEEDING A LOT OF ASSISTANCE.
BUT THERE IS SO MUCH AVAILABLE
HERE IN SEATTLE, I REMAIN VERY
APPRECIATIVE. I HAVE LIVED IN
OTHER CITIES, I AM ORIGINALLY
FROM BACK EAST , IN NEW YORK,
AND I HAVE LIVED IN CHICAGO FOR
QUITE A FEW YEARS. SO, THERE IS
A BIG DIFFERENCE IN HOW THE
SEATTLE ORGANIZATION TREATS
THEIR OLDER ADULTS. IT IS VERY
NECESSARY. AND I HOPE TO BE
ABLE TO LEND MY EXPERIENCE TO
FURTHER BENEFIT THE OLDER
ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY. I AM
VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF THE
ORGANIZATION . WHATEVER I CAN
DO TO HELP, JUST LET ME KNOW.
THANK YOU.
>> WONDERFUL, THANK YOU SO VERY
MUCH.
>> OUR LAST APPOINTEE?
>> DOLORES WIENS. DOLORES , IF
YOU ARE ABLE TO UNMUTE .
>> OKAY, I CAN SHARE A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT DOLORES '
BACKGROUND. SHE HAS HAD A
WONDERFUL, SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS
CAREER , WITH BOEING, PACCAR ,
AND STARTING UP HER OWN
COMPANIES. SHE VOLUNTEERS AT
HER CHURCH, HER CHILDREN'S
SCHOOL . SERVING ON CAMPAIGNS
FOR JAY INSLEE AND BARACK
OBAMA, AND AS A LEADER OF
OBAMA'S SOCIAL GROUP. AND SHE
LATER MERGED WITH GABBY
GIFFORDS'S ALLIANCE. SHE IS
HELPING TO BRING AFFORDABLE
CARE TO WASHINGTON. SHE IS
CURRENTLY A BOARD MEMBER WHICH
ADVOCATES FOR THE RESPECTS AND
RIGHTS OF SENIOR TENANTS. I
WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU.
>> I THINK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO SERVE, IT SEEMS
LIKE YOU BRING A LOT OF
PASSION, COMMITMENT, AND LIFE
EXPERIENCE. I FEEL VERY
GRATEFUL AND PRIVILEGED TO HAVE
PEOPLE WHO STILL WANT TO SERVE
OUR COMMUNITY. COLLEAGUES, ARE
THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
?
>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR BEING WILLING TO SERVE
. AND IN SERVICE OF THIS
COMMISSION. I HAVE READ A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT EACH OF YOUR
BACKGROUNDS. AND I HAVE TO SAY,
DR. JOEL DOMINGO, I APPRECIATE
THAT YOU ARE LIVING THE
SITUATION. YOU ARE BASICALLY
CARING FOR A PARENT AND I THINK
THAT WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL
FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, BECAUSE
MANY PEOPLE MY AGE FIND
THEMSELVES IN THAT SITUATION,
UNDERSTANDING HOW TO BEST CARE
FOR BOTH SITUATIONS AT THE SAME
TIME IS VERY IMPORTANT. MS.
PATRICIA SCHNEPF, I AM SORRY, I
AM MISPRONOUNCING HER NAME. BUT
I NOTICED THAT YOU HAVE
COMPUTER SKILLS AND TUTORING .
AND THAT IS CRUCIAL. MY
MOTHER-IN-LAW REALLY STRUGGLED
TO MASTER SOME OF THOSE SKILLS
AND THAT IS THE KEY TO
REMAINING, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE
TO PARTICIPATE IN BASIC LIFE
NEEDS NOWADAYS. SO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THAT
FORWARD. AND FINALLY, I THINK
THAT YOUR POLITICAL BACKGROUND,
MS. DOLORES WIENS, IS EXACTLY
WHAT THIS COMMISSION NEEDS.
THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND
SERVING.
>> I APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT,
AND I ECHO ALL OF YOUR
COMMENTS. SEEING NO FURTHER
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, I NOW
RECOMMEND APPROVING
APPOINTMENTS 0 -- 02853 TO
02855. WITH NO OBJECTIONS, WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
PRESIDENT NELSON? COUNCILMEMBER
WOO? FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSE.
>> THE RECOMMENDATION WILL BE
SENT TO THE MAY 14th MEETING.
AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MARY AND LENA , FOR BEING HERE,
AND ALSO FOR THE APPOINTEES ,
FOR JOINING US TODAY. WILL BE
CLERK PLEASE READ AGENDA ITEM
NUMBER FOUR INTO THE RECORD?
>> APPOINTMENT NUMBER FOUR,
02857, REAPPOINTMENT OF STEVEN
PRAY AS MEMBER, SEATTLE LGBTQ
COMMISSION, FOR THE TERM TO
OCTOBER 31st , 2025. FOR
BRIEFING , DISCUSSION, AND
POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> JANET STAFFORD IS HERE WITH
US VIRTUALLY. THERE YOU ARE.
AND YOU WILL WALK US THROUGH
THE APPOINTMENT TO THE SEATTLE
LGBTQ COMMISSION. I WILL TURN
IT OVER TO YOU, JANET.
>> GOOD MORNING TO ALL. MY NAME
IS JANET STAFFORD AND I AM HERE
THROUGH THE OFFICE FOR CIVIL
RIGHTS BUT I AM HERE ON BEHALF
OF THE SEATTLE LGBTQ
COMMISSION, ADVISING ON ISSUES
CONCERNING THE COMMUNITY , SOME
OF THEIR EVENT COLLABORATIONS,
WITH THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE
INCLUDED THE FLAG RAISING EVENT
AT CITY HALL, FOSTERING A
CONNECTION WITH THE CITY
COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR'S STAFF.
I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO
MEETING MANY OF YOU, AND
SHARING THE WORK PLAN AND
PRIORITIES. TODAY WE HAVE ONE
REAPPOINTMENT. IT IS A
REAPPOINTMENT OF STEVEN PRAY.
HE HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE MEMBER
SINCE 2021 AND HE HAS
COMPLETED HIS UNDERGRAD FROM
SEATTLE CENTRAL WASHINGTON AND
MOVED TO SEATTLE TO START LAW
SCHOOL AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY.
AFTER HE GRADUATED FROM LAW
SCHOOL, HE BEGAN TO WORK WITH
THE REUNION REPRESENTATIVE AT
PROTECH '17. SINCE HIS TIME ON
THE COMMISSION, STEPHEN HAS
BEEN AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT AND
HE HAS BEEN IN THE LEAD CHAIR
FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
HE HAS LED WORK ON UPDATING
COMMISSION BYLAWS. AND ALSO
THIS YEAR'S WORKPLAN. SO THE
COMMISSION LOOKS FORWARD TO
HAVING STEVEN PRAY CONTINUE
ANOTHER TERM.
>> COLLEAGUES , ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS OR CALLINGS BEFORE WE
MOVE TO VOTE? SEEING NONE, I
NOW MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMEND CONFIRMATION OF
APPOINTMENT 02857 . IS THERE A
SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND THERE
IS A SECOND, ARE THERE ANY
FINAL COMMENTS? WILL THE CLERK
CALL THE ROLL ?
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON ?
COUNCILMEMBER WOO ?
LOCATIONALITY 48? FOUR IN
FAVOR, NONE OPPOSE.
>> THIS WILL BE SENT TO THE MAY
14th CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU, JANET, FOR JOINING
US. PLEASE PASS ON THE
GRATITUDE OF THE CITY AND TO
STEVEN PRAY FOR CONTON THE COMM
CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT. IT
WILL BE CLERK READ THE FIFTH
AGENDA RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 5, PATHWAYS TO
HOUSING SECURITY, FOR BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION.
>> ALL RIGHT, SO, TODAY, WE
HAVE WITH US THE WILLIAM
RUCKELSHAUS CENTER TO PRESENT
TO US THE PATHWAYS TO HOUSING
SECURITY. THIS IS A REPORT AND
TO ADVISE A LONG-TERM STATE
STRATEGY TO CREATING PATHWAYS
TO HOUSING SECURITY. THE REPORT
WAS RELEASED IN DECEMBER, 2023.
SO, THIS IS QUITE TIMELY. WE
HAVE ONLY INCLUDED THE
POWERPOINT SUMMARY AS THE
ENTIRE REPORT IS REALLY TOO
LARGE TO ATTACH TO THE AGENDA.
I DO STRONGLY RECOMMEND HER
HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE
READ THE ENTIRE REPORT ON THE
WEBSITE. IT IS VERY DETAILED
AND IT IS VERY THOUGHT-PROVOKIN
G. TO WALK US THROUGH THE
PRESENTATION, WE HAVE WITH US
PHYLLIS SHULMAN, THE CO-LEAD OF
THE PROJECT, AND THE ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR OF THE WILLIAM
RUCKELSHAUS CENTER , MOLLY
STENOVEC, ALONG WITH JED
CHALUPA AND BRIDGET KELLY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TO
TALK ABOUT YOUR WORK. AND I
WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO YOU TO
TALK ABOUT YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PRESENT AND TO TALK TO YOU. I
AM GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHO THE
WILLIAM RUCKELSHAUS CENTER IS,
BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE
NECESSARILY KNOWS THAT. THE
WILLIAM RUCKELSHAUS CENTER IS
COHOSTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON, AS WELL AS
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY,
SO, WE BEGAN ABOUT 20 YEARS
AGO, BY THE FIRST HEAD OF THE
EPA, HE WAS ALSO THE INTERIM
FBI DIRECTOR. AND IN HIS VAST
PUBLIC POLICY EXPERIENCE, HE
FELT THAT THE MOST DURABLE,
CREATIVE, AND SUSTAINABLE
SOLUTIONS TO PUBLIC POLICY
ISSUES ACTUALLY CAME WHEN
PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER
COLLABORATIVELY, ACROSS
DIFFERENCES, IRONED THINGS OUT,
WORK THROUGH THE COLLABORATIVE
PROCESSES TO COME UP WITH
THINGS THAT PEOPLE COULD AGREE
TO. SO, HE WANTED TO CREATE A
CENTER WHERE THERE WAS
FACILITATION AND SKILLS FOR
PEOPLE WHO COULD COME AND
SERVE, IN WASHINGTON STATE ,
AND THE REGION, TO CREATE
COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES AND
TO WORK THROUGH SOME PRETTY
STICKY CONFLICTS THAT OFTEN
EMERGE , WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO
WORK THROUGH THINGS, SO WE HAVE
WORKED IN A WHOLE VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT TOPICS. MOST OF OUR
WORK COMES TO US FROM THE STATE
LEGISLATURE AS WELL AS LOCAL
GOVERNMENT. BUT WE ALSO SERVE
PRIVATE INTERESTS AS WELL. WE
WORK IN A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS.
WE GENERALLY DO NOT CREATE OUR
OWN PROJECTS. SO, WE HAVE
WORKED IN NATURAL RESOURCE
ISSUES AND WE HAVE WORKED IN
CRIMINAL SENTENCING REFORM. WE
WORK RIGHT NOW, IN RECREATIONAL
IMPACTS, TRIBAL TREATY RIGHTS,
WE DO HEALTH POLICY. WE HAVE
WORKED ON HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS, WE HAVE WORKED ON
CLIMATE CHANGE, RESILIENCE, SO,
THERE IS A REALLY WIDE RANGE OF
THINGS. MUNICIPAL WATER, WE DO
HAVE A NEW PROJECT ON THAT, SO
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT
AFFECT THE CITIES AS WELL AS
THE MORE BROAD REGION. SO I
WILL NOW PASS IT TO MY
COLLEAGUES TO CONTINUE GOING
THROUGH SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS
IN THE REPORT.
>> IN 2021, SECTION 6 OF HOUSE
BILL 27, THE LEGISLATOR
CONDUCTED A MULTIYEAR PROCESS
OF FACT-FINDING AND INFORMATION
GATHERING AROUND THE SCOPE OF
HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING
INSTABILITY WITH THE ULTIMATE
PURPOSE OF FACILITATING
DISCUSSIONS AMONG INDIVIDUALS
REPRESENTING VARIOUS ROLES,
SECTORS, AND GEOGRAPHY , TO
EXPLORE WHAT IS NEEDED FOR A
STATE , LONG-TERM APPROACH TO
CREATING PATHWAYS FOR HOUSING
SECURITY. TO DO THAT WORK, THE
CENTER HAS PARTNERED WITH
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY'S
DIVISION OF GOVERNMENTAL
STUDIES AND SERVICES. THEIR
WORK FOCUSED ON FACT-FINDING
TASKS, SPECIFICALLY THEY HAVE
CONDUCTED A LITERATURE REVIEW
OF PROGRAM EVALUATIONS, WORKING
TO ANALYZE INTERVENING FACTORS
TO EXPERIENCES OF HOUSING
INSTABILITY ACROSS THE STATE.
AND THE FOCUS WAS ON
FACILITATING DISCUSSIONS,
INFORMING THE DEVELOPMENT OF
GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND OF
RECOMMENDATIONS. STATUS REPORTS
WERE RELEASED IN DECEMBER, 2021
AND IN 2022, THE FINAL
REPORTING WAS RELEASED IN
DECEMBER, 2023. LINKS TO ALL OF
THOSE REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE ON
OUR WEBSITE. OVER THE PAST 2.5
YEARS, MORE THAN 400
INDIVIDUALS WITH KNOWLEDGE OR
ROLES RELATED TO POLICIES , OR
LIVED EXPERIENCE, HAVE
CONTRIBUTED THEIR TIME AND
PERSPECTIVES TO THOSE
CONVERSATIONS. THE FINAL REPORT
PROVIDES A SYNTHESIS OF THOSE
CONVERSATIONS ACROSS THE WHOLE
PROJECT.
>> THANK YOU, MOLLY. SO, THE
CENTER NOW HAS THIS GREAT
OPPORTUNITY TO HELP WORK WITH
ORGANIZATIONS, AND VARIOUS
COMMUNITIES, TO ENGAGE WITH THE
INFORMATION THAT WE WERE ABLE
TO IDENTIFY, THROUGH THIS
ENGAGEMENT, WITH OVER 400
INDIVIDUALS AND IN THESE
EFFORTS TO HELP UPTAKE
INFORMATION , IT IS IMPORTANT
TO KEEP IN MIND, EVEN IN THE
FULL CONTEXT OF WHAT WE WERE
ASKED TO DO, TO START, WE WOULD
LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE
NOT THE EXPERTS ON HOUSING OR
HOMELESSNESS , BUT RATHER, WE
ARE EXPERTS IN DEVELOPING
PROCESSES THAT HELP PEOPLE
ACROSS DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
EXPERTISE. THE FINDINGS IN THIS
REPORT ARE NOT CLAIMS MADE IN
THE CENTER, THEY ARE MADE FROM
DIVERSE EXPERTISE, DRAWN
TOGETHER ACROSS CONSISTENT
THEMES, AND IDENTIFIED SHARED
GOALS. FURTHERMORE, THE SCOPE
OF THIS WORK WAS STATEWIDE,
LONG-TERM, AND AN HOLISTIC THE
YOU. -- VIEW. WE DID NOT
INVESTIGATE THE RESOURCES AND
ACTIONS OF SPECIFIC
COMMUNITIES. OUR LOOK WAS AT
WAYS TO MAINTAIN THE LOCAL
ECONOMY AND CONTACT SPECIFIC
NEEDS OVER TIME. WITH THAT
SAID, THAT MEANT LOOKING AT THE
CONTINUING BALANCE ALONGSIDE
ACTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED TO
START IMPLEMENTING TO BUILD A
SUSTAINED PATHWAY TO HOUSING
SECURITY. THERE IS A PATHWAY
THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT AS BOTH
SITUATIONS, AND WE MUST ADDRESS
ACUTE NEEDS. THAT MUST BE A
CONVERSATION WITH SUPPORTING
LONG-TERM GOALS, RATHER THAN AN
OPPOSITION. ALSO , TAKING AN
HOLISTIC VIEW MEANS PAYING
CLOSE ATTENTION TO BREAKING
DOWN WHAT MIGHT BE CREATED,
RECOGNIZING THE INTERDEPENDENCY
ACROSS SECTORS, INCLUDING
ISSUES LIKE HOW HOMELESSNESS IS
OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH HEALTH,
ECONOMIC SECURITY, AND
IMMUNITY, WITH ALL OF THIS IN
MIND, WHEN LOOKING TO UTILIZE
THIS REPORT, IT REPRESENTS A
GUIDE FOR DEVELOPING STRATEGY
AND INFORMATION THAT WILL
CREATE GREATER ALIGNMENT OF
GOALS OVER TIME . AND TOUGH
CHOICES ARE MADE WITHIN THE
COMMUNITY, USING THE
FOUNDATIONS ACROSS THE STATE.
THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO
RECOGNIZE THAT DISCUSSIONS THAT
WE HELD, THEY INCLUDE INPUT
ACROSS THE STATE, INCLUDING
SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY. BUT
ANALYSIS AND THE RESULTING
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO EACH
CONTEXT. THE RECOMMENDATIONS
ARE ACTION ORIENTED BUT NOT
DESCRIPTIVE, IN TERMS OF
EXACTLY HOW TO CARRY THESE
THINGS OUT. INSTEAD, THEY
PROVIDE A GUIDE TO MAKING THOSE
TOUGH DECISIONS AND THE CONTEXT
THAT YOU FIND YOURSELF IN.
THEREFORE, WE QUICKLY REALIZED
THAT THE MANY EFFORTS WERE
ALREADY BEING DONE THROUGHOUT
THE STATE. SO, OUR EFFORTS
WORKED TO COMPLEMENT, RATHER
THAN DUPLICATE THE OTHER
ASPECTS THAT WERE PARALLEL TO
OURS, INCLUDING UPDATING THE
STRATEGIC PLAN, THE WORK OF THE
GOVERNOR'S POVERTY REDUCTION
WORKING GROUP, AND THE WORK OF
THE INDIAN POLICY ADVISORY
GROUP, AFFILIATED WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH
SERVICES. ADDITIONALLY, OUR
WORK ENGAGE WITH THE ADVISORY
COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS, AS A
GUARANTEE FOR UPDATES TO THE
STRATEGIC PLAN, FOR THE
HOMELESS HOUSING CRISIS
RESPONSE. AND OUR WORK
IDENTIFIES GAPS THAT ARE
CURRENTLY BEING RECOGNIZED IN
THE CITY LANDSCAPE, ONE OF
THESE GAPS, AS AN EXAMPLE, IT
PRESENTED A NEED TO ADDRESS
HOUSING. NOT JUST ISSUES ONCE
INDIVIDUALS HAVE FALLEN INTO
HOMELESSNESS. OVERALL, THIS IS
MEANT TO BE A TOOL TO GUIDANCE
AND SUPPORT FOR ENTITIES AND
LOCALITIES TO DEVELOP
STRATEGIES . AND ALSO TO TAKE
ACTIONS SPECIFIC TO THEIR
CONTEXT. IT LOSES ITS
EFFECTIVENESS IF IT BECOMES
OVERLY PRESCRIPTIVE. WITH THAT
SAID, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE
TO THE FINDINGS OF MY REPORT
THE FINDINGS OF THE REPORT
PRESENT FOUR DIFFERENT CORE
ELEMENTS. THE FIRST IS THE
FOUNDATIONAL TEAM , THE
SYNTHESIS OF THE DIFFERENT
VOICES THAT WE HAVE HEARD. AND
THOSE REALLY LAID THE
FOUNDATION FOR ALL OF THE OTHER
ELEMENTS. WE WILL BE TALKING
ABOUT THESE ELEMENTS TODAY
WHICH INCLUDED THE CONCEPTUAL
SHIFTS , THE GUIDING
PRINCIPLES, AND THE
RECOMMENDATIONS. AND THEN WE
WILL GET SOME MORE EXAMPLES, IF
WE HAVE TIME TO IDENTIFY, THAT
WE THINK ARE CONNECTED TO
CITIES. WITH THAT, I WILL TURN
IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE,
BRIDGET KELLY.
>> THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS
REPORT WITH YOU. WE DECIDED TO
FOCUS ON JUST ONE OF THE
FOUNDATIONAL THINGS, AND THERE
ARE MANY IN THE REPORT, BUT THE
ONE THAT REALLY UNDERLINES A
LOT OF WHAT COMES OUT IN THE
REPORT, IS UNDERSTANDING
HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING
INSTABILITY IN ITS FULL
COMPLEXITY. THIS IS PROBABLY
NOT GOING TO BE NEWS TO ANYONE
ON THIS COMMITTEE. AS APPEALING
AS IT WOULD BE TO FIND ONE
CAUSE AND FOCUS ON ADDRESSING
BACK, THE REALITY IS, THERE ARE
A LOT OF INTERVENING FACTORS
THAT GO INTO HOUSING
CHALLENGES. AND THAT NEEDS TO
BE PART OF THE RESPONSE. THIS
GRAPHIC DOES HAVE SOME EXAMPLES
OF THAT, SOME OF THE KEY
FACTORS THAT COME THROUGH IN
THE LITERATURE, THE DATA, AND
PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCES. THEY
PRETTY MUCH COALESCE WITHIN ALL
OF THE SOURCES OF INFORMATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, CERTAINLY, THE
ABILITY TO ACCESS HOUSING THEY
CAN AFFORD HAS A LOT TO DO WITH
THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING AND THE
COST OF HOUSING, AND THAT HAS A
LOT TO DO WITH THE ECONOMIC
PROFILE OF A GIVEN COMMUNITY.
THOSE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ALSO
AFFECT EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES, INCOME LEVELS,
WHICH ALSO AFFECTS THE ABILITY
TO AFFORD HOUSING. AT THE SAME
TIME, THE ABILITY TO ACCESS
CARE AND SUPPORT SERVICES
AFFECTS THE EXTENT TO WHICH
CO-OCCURRING CONDITIONS MAKE IT
CHALLENGING TO ACCESS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND ALSO,
THE EXTENT TO WHICH HOUSING
MAKES THOSE CONDITIONS WORSE.
THERE IS BACK-AND-FORTH
INTERPLAY BETWEEN THOSE TWO
THINGS. AND CERTAINLY RACISM
AND OTHER SYSTEMIC
DISADVANTAGES INTERACT TO
PRODUCE DISPARITIES IN ALL OF
THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU SEE
ON THE SLIDE, THIS IS A
SITUATION IN WHICH THERE ARE
STRUCTURAL FACTORS, AND
EMBEDDED WITH THEM THERE ARE
THINGS THAT AMPLIFY THE ABILITY
MORE THAN OTHERS. AND YOU
CANNOT REALLY ADDRESS ONE OF
THESE THINGS , IN ISOLATION
FROM THE OTHER. IF YOU JUST
HAVE MORE HOUSING, IT MAY NOT
BE ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE WHO MOST
NEED IT, IF YOU ARE IN HOUSING,
AND YOU DO NOT HAVE THE
SUPPORTS THAT YOU NEED, OR VICE
VERSA, EACH OF THOSE ELEMENTS
WILL ONLY BECOME WORSE. BUT THE
FLIPSIDE OF HAVING A LOT OF
CONFLICTING FACTORS IS THAT A
LOT OF DIFFERENT ACTIONS CAN
HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THE
RESPONSE, SO, YOU MAY NEED TO
BE WORKING WITH THE DIFFERENT
SYSTEMS, DIFFERENT PLAYERS,
DIFFERENT MEASUREMENTS,
DIFFERENT ASSESSMENTS, BUT IF
THOSE ARE WORKING TOGETHER IN A
COORDINATED PORTFOLIO WHEN NOT
COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER TO BE
THE BEST SOLUTION, THAT IS SORT
OF WHERE THE OPPORTUNITY LIES.
AND NOW, I WILL HAVE IT BACK TO
JED CHALUPA.
>> WE WILL ALSO BE LOOKING A
LITTLE BIT AT THINGS LIKE
GUIDING PRINCIPLES. AGAIN, THE
CONCEPTUAL SHIFTS , THEY COME
FROM THE FOUNDATIONAL THEME .
LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT THE
CONCEPTUAL SHIFTS , AS BRIDGET
SO ELOQUENTLY COVERED, THE NEED
TO RECOGNIZE THE HOLISTIC
APPROACH , RATHER THAN JUST
TRYING TO FIND A FEW ROOT
CAUSES AND ISOLATION FROM ONE
ANOTHER. ANOTHER PART OF THE
SHIFT, THE CONCEPTUAL SHIFTS ,
THAT ARE NEEDED, IS A SHARED,
ASPIRATIONAL FUTURE, WITH MORE
INTENTIONAL CONNECTION ACROSS
THE HOUSING LANDSCAPE, THIS CAN
BE LOOKED AT IN MANY DIFFERENT
WAYS. THE HOUSING CONTINUUM,
FOR EXAMPLE, THAT INCLUDES SUCH
THINGS AS EMERGENCY SHELTER,
TEMPORARY HOUSING, AND ALL
FORMS OF VARIOUS PERMANENT
HOUSING. ADDITIONALLY, HOUSING
IS AFFECTED BY THINGS SUCH AS
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND ECONOMIC
SECURITY. THE MORE THAT WE ARE
ABLE TO ALIGN THESE DIFFERENT
ASPECTS AND GET THEM WORKING
TOWARD SHARED ASPIRATIONS IN
THE FUTURE, THE BETTER WE WILL
BE ABLE TO ADDRESS HOUSING
SECURITY AS A WHOLE. THERE IS A
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUPPORT,
COORDINATION, AND IN OUR
DISCUSSIONS WITH PEOPLE, THEY
RECOGNIZE A DESIRE TO FOSTER
INCLUSIVITY IN LEARNING . AND
THEY WILL PUT THAT IN
CONVERSATION, RECOGNIZING THAT
THEY CURRENTLY FEEL THAT THE
SYSTEM IS INVOLVING
PENALIZATION IN WAYS THAT ARE
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND THE GOALS
TO ACHIEVING SECURITY. THE MORE
WE MOVE TOWARD BUILDING A
SYSTEM OF SUPPORT ACROSS ALL
ASPECTS OF RESPONSE, THEN WE
CAN CREATE A SYSTEM THAT ADAPTS
TO VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. THESE
CONTEXTUAL -- CONCEPTUAL SHIFTS
CAN LOOK -- BE LOOKED AT AS
MINDSET SHIFTS. THEY GROUND OUR
ACTIONS, IF WE ARE ABLE TO
SHIFT OUR MINDSET IN A LOT OF
THESE AREAS, WE ARE ALSO ABLE
TO HAVE A PRETTY STRONG EFFECT
ON WHAT TYPE OF INITIATIVE YOU
PUT IN PLACE. AGAIN, I WILL
HAND IT BACK OVER TO BRIDGET.
>> IF THE LEGISLATION ,
SPECIFICALLY CALLS FOR
PRINCIPLES, THAT IS GOOD. THAT
IS A PARTICULAR APPROACH FOR
SOMETHING THAT IS COMPLEX. AND
IT MATTERS SO MUCH. THE GUIDING
PRINCIPLES WERE PULLED FROM THE
INSIGHTS WE GOT , AS WELL AS
REVEALING OTHER STATEMENTS OF
DIFFERENT STRATEGIES ADMISSION
STATEMENTS THAT EXIST IN THE
HOUSING LANDSCAPE AND THEY ARE
REALLY MEANT TO BE KIND OF A
SCAFFOLD OR AN UMBRELLA. THIS
SLIDE ON THE LEFT, HOW DO YOU
USE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND
WHAT IS THEIR FUNCTION? THEY
GUIDE ONGOING DECISION-MAKING,
AND THEY GIVE SHAPE AND
GUIDANCE FOR HOW TO ACHIEVE
THINGS. WE WERE GIVEN THIS
LONG-TERM SCOPE. IT IS RELEVANT
NOW AND ALSO ENDURING. AS
THINGS EVOLVE, THEY CONTINUE TO
BE USEFUL. IT ALSO MENTIONS THE
CROSS SECTOR ACROSS DIFFERENT
SECTORS. THEY ARE RELEVANT FOR
PROGRAM DESIGN, THERE RELEVANT
TO SERVICEABILITY , AND THE
IDEA IS THEY HELP WITH
ALIGNMENT. NOT BECAUSE EVERYONE
IS ALIGNING AND DOING THE SAME
THINGS, BUT BECAUSE EVERYONE IS
POINTING TOWARDS THE SAME
FUTURE THAT EVERYONE IS TALKING
ABOUT, AND THAT MEANS THAT
THERE MAY BE DIFFERENT SPECIFIC
ACTIONS, AND DIFFERENT TIME
FRAMES. AND ANOTHER
FOUNDATIONAL THING , THAT CAME
THROUGH THE FREQUENTS, THE NEED
TO BALANCE FLEXIBILITY WITH
CONSISTENCY. CERTAINLY,
CONSISTENCY IS NEEDED TO HAVE A
COHERENT STRATEGY. BUT AT THE
SAME TIME, FLEXIBILITY IS
NEEDED. BECAUSE EXCESS REALLY
DEPENDS ON NOT FINDING THE ONE
BEST SOLUTION, BUT I'M FINDING
THE BEST MATCH. THE GUIDING
PRINCIPLES CAN HELP WHEN
ASSESSING DIFFERENT OPTIONS, TO
HELP WITH THAT BALANCING ACT.
AND WHEN THERE ARE ASPECTS THAT
SEEM CONTRADICTORILY, YOU CAN
HAVE TRANSPARENCY ABOUT WHY
SOME DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE.
AND THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE
COMPETENCE OF APPROACH BUT IT
CAN ALSO BE A REALLY USEFUL
TOOL FOR PERIODIC ASSESSMENT,
THIS IS KIND OF A COLLECTIVE
ACCOUNTABILITY, THAT IS MORE
ABOUT THE EXTENT TO WHICH
PEOPLE ASSUME. THE SUBSET OF
THE RESPONSE, THEY SOMETIMES
NEED MORE TRADITIONAL WAYS .
THIS IS A MORE ZOOMED OUT WAY.
BUT OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES, I
WILL NOT READ ALL OF THEM. BUT
IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT MANY OF
THEM ARE INTERRELATED. THERE IS
ONE ABOUT EMPLOYING A SENSE OF
EMERGENCY, AND STEPS THAT ARE
NEEDED FOR LONG-TERM NEEDS.
THAT KIND OF POINTS TO HOW YOU
CRISIS OF HOMELESSNESS, BUT
ALSO STEPS TOWARDS MORE
PERMANENT HOUSING SUPPLY
SOLUTIONS AND ALSO PREVENTION
FOR ENTRY OR REENTRY INTO
HOMELESSNESS. THAT ADDRESSES
THE INABILITY OF THE HOUSING
MARKETS, THE HOUSING NEEDS,
THAT REALITY HAS BECOME
APPARENT AND IT FILTERS THROUGH
THE WHOLE RESPONSE. AND IT ALSO
SPEAKS TO CREATING CONDITIONS
THAT REDUCE COMPETITION, AND
REALLY MOBILIZES A MULTISECTOR
RESPONSE. THEY ARE INTERWOVEN
WITH EACH OTHER. SO, THIS IDEA,
OF HOW TO REFRAME THE QUESTION.
THE QUESTION IS NOT YES OR NO,
IT IS MORE TO WHAT EXTENT ARE
WE ALREADY CONSISTENT AND WHAT
OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE TO GO
DEEPER IN ALIGNING WITH THEM?
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES
THAT WE CAN GO INTO, IN MORE
DETAIL, LATER. LATER, IF ANYONE
IS INTERESTED. OKAY. SO , THE
BULK OF THE TOO-LONG -TO
-ATTACH REPORT ARE THE 18
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT EMERGED
FROM THE DISCUSSION IN OUR OWN
FRAMEWORK, WE WERE ATTENDING TO
THE EXTENT THAT WE ALIGN WITH
THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, SO THAT
THE WHOLE REPORT WORKS TOGETHER
IN A COHERENT FRAMEWORK. THE
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GROUPED
INTO THE SIX AREAS THAT YOU SEE
ON THIS SLIDE. THEY ARE MEANT
TO WORK STRATEGICALLY, THEY'RE
KIND OF LIKE GEARS. BUT,
DIFFERENT ENTITIES AND THE
RESPONSE MAY HAVE CORE
RESPONSIBILITIES. SO YOU CAN
KIND OF PULL OUT THE ONE THAT
IS MOST RELEVANT AND PUT THEM
TOGETHER. THERE IS A LOT TO
COVER IN THIS REPORT. SO I AM
GOING TO GO THROUGH THE SLIDES.
WE WILL HAVE ALL OF THE
DETAILS, I WILL TRY TO GIVE A
QUICK OVERVIEW TO START AND
THERE ARE EXAMPLES THAT I CAN
GO WITH YOU IN MORE DETAIL. I
WILL SAY A QUICK WORD ABOUT THE
FIRST AREA ON THE SLIDE, WHICH
IS OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER
WITH TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS,
BECAUSE THE STATE HAS
GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT
RESPECT THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE
TRIBES AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF
THE STATE. THIS IS IMPORTANT IN
ITS OWN AREA OF CONSIDERATION,
IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS. THERE ARE SO MANY
COMMONALITIES IN HOUSING
CHALLENGES, THIS IS LESS ABOUT
HAVING DIFFERENT
RECOMMENDATIONS THEN MORE
SPECIFIC AREAS OF RELEVANCE.
THEY ARE REALLY RELEVANT, ALSO,
IN ORGANIZATIONS, SO FOR
CITIES, RELATIONSHIPS WITH
TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, THEY HAVE
TO DO A LOT WITH HOW THE
FRAMEWORKS AND ACCOUNTABILITY
MIGHT NEED TO BE DIFFERENT,
HAVING THE FLEXIBILITY TO HAVE
CULTURALLY ATTENTIVE HOUSING
SERVICES. AMBER LEE HAVING A
CONSISTENT EXCHANGE WITH TRIBAL
LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS. AND,
THE LONG-TERM PREDICTABILITY
AND STABILITY, THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED FOR
THOSE PROGRAMS TO BE
FUNCTIONING, AND THOSE NEED TO
ACTUALLY WORK ACROSS MUCH OF
THE RESPONSE IN THE STATE, WE
HAVE A SLIDE FOR EACH OF THESE
AREAS, THIS IS A QUICK
OVERVIEW, AND, AN OBSERVATION
ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION AS A
WHOLE, WE SPOKE TO PEOPLE WHO
ARE ENGAGED IN ALL DIFFERENT
ASPECTS OF THE RESPONSE. SO,
SOME THINGS ARE NEW AND
FAMILIAR. DEPENDING ON YOUR
PERSPECTIVE AND YOUR CONTEXT,
WE REALLY RECOGNIZE THIS, AND
WE HOPE THAT WE CAN BRING ALL
OF THAT TOGETHER, SO THAT
EVERYONE IS AFFIRMED IN WHAT IS
FAMILIAR TO THEM AND EXPOSED TO
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. SO,
THAT WILL PROBABLY RESONATE
WITH YOU AS YOU GO THROUGH THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE FIRST
IS CALLED SETTING THE STRATEGY
UP FOR SUCCESS. GIVEN THAT THIS
IS GOING TO BE A
MULTIFACTORIAL, MULTIPRONGED
APPROACH, THAT MEANS A SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT FRAMEWORK FOR WHAT
SUCCESS NEEDS TO BE AND HOW YOU
ARE GOING TO UNDERSTAND AND
TRACK SUCCESS, SO THAT YOU HAVE
SUCCESS THAT DOES NOT GET IN
EACH OTHER'S WAY. A COUPLE OF
THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT
IS JUST RECOGNIZING THAT THERE
DOES NEED TO BE WAYS TO
UNDERSTAND SUCCESS. THE OTHER
IS REALLY MAINTAINING A
COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF
INVESTMENTS . THEY DID NOT
NECESSARILY KNOW ABOUT OTHER
INVESTMENTS, BUT THEY ARE VERY
MUCH INTERVAL IN THE HAVING
SECURITY. AND THINKING ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, WHERE THOSE COME
FROM, WHAT BENEFITS THEY YIELD,
AND FOR WHOM, AND THEN,
AMPLIFYING THE INSIGHTS AND
EXPERTISE OF THOSE WHO ARE MOST
DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE
RESPONSE AND THOSE WHO ARE MOST
EFFECTIVE. NOT THAT IT IS THE
ONLY INSIGHT THAT IS RELEVANT,
BUT RECOGNIZING THAT IT HAS
BEEN UNDERREPRESENTED. AND THIS
IS SOMETHING , THERE IS A
DIRECTION OF CHANGE ALREADY
HAPPENING. AND SETTING THE
STRATEGY UP FOR SUCCESS, THE
NEXT TWO AREAS ARE PROBABLY
CLOSER TO THE FRONT LINE,
NITTY-GRITTY IMPLEMENTATION OF
ADDRESSING HOUSING SECURITY.
THE FIRST IS, RESPONDING TO THE
CONTINUUM OF HOUSING NEEDS. SO,
RECOGNIZING THAT ANYWHERE ON
THE HOUSING CONTINUUM, SUCCESS
DEPENDS ON THE REST OF THE
CONTINUUM . EMERGENCY SHELTERS,
TEMPORARY HOUSING, THEY ONLY
SERVE THEIR FUNCTION IF THERE
ARE OPTIONS THAT ARE MORE
PERMANENTLY AVAILABLE. THOSE
TWO THINGS DEPEND ON EACH
OTHER. SIMILARLY, THE POTENTIAL
FOR STABILITY DEPENDS ON THE
AVAILABILITY OF HOUSING, WHICH
DEPENDS ON THE HOUSING MARKET
AND THE ECONOMIC ADDITIONS AT
LARGE. THIS PACKET OF
RECOMMENDATIONS IS THINKING
ABOUT SOME OF THE MORE
STRUCTURAL ASPECTS OF THAT, AND
THE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE TO DO
WITH THE SUPPLY AND MORE
IMPORTANTLY, THE VARIETY.
ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO
THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS, SING THE
WAYS THAT THINGS MANIFEST
DIFFERENTLY, BUT AT THE SAME
TIME, RECOGNIZING THAT HOUSING
CHALLENGES DO NOT CONSTRAIN
THEMSELVES TO JURISDICTIONAL
BOUNDARIES. SOME RESPONSES DO
NEED TO BE CARRIED OUT
COLLABORATIVELY. BUT THE NEXT
BUCKET IS RELATED, BUT SHIFTING
MORE FROM THE STRUCTURAL LEVEL
TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF
INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS,
THIS IS FOCUSED A LITTLE BIT
MORE ON THE PERSON THEN ON THE
SYSTEM, AND IT TIES BACK TO THE
FOUNDATIONAL THEME THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT, IN WHICH
INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES ARE
EMBEDDED WITHIN STRUCTURAL
FACTORS. THE RECOMMENDATIONS
HERE HAVE TO DO WITH BASICALLY
CONNECTING PEOPLE TO WHAT THEY
NEED, WHETHER THAT IS WITHIN
HOUSING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
OR BEYOND HOUSING PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES AND KIND OF TRYING TO
BROADEN THE VIEW TO GET AROUND
SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH THE
SYSTEM IS VIEWED. THAT INCLUDES
THE COORDINATION ACROSS
SYSTEMS, THEY GET ABOUT
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND THE
WAYS IN WHICH ELIGIBILITY
CRITERIA IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE
TO SUCCESS IN SOME CASES.
MANAGEMENT AND CARE NAVIGATION
THAT CUTS ACROSS SECTORS IN A
WAY THAT IS RESPONSIVE TO THE
PERSON AND NOT THE SYSTEM THAT
THEY ARE ACCESSING. AND IN
SUPPORTING STABILITY IN
HOUSING, WHETHER THAT IS PEOPLE
WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN HOUSING OR
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN RECENTLY
PLACED OR ARE WORKING TOWARD
STABILITY OVER TIME. THERE IS A
BUCKET THAT IS REALLY ABOUT THE
CAPACITY TO CARRY OUT THE REST
OF THE BUCKET, THIS IS THE
CAPACITY AND THE WORKFORCE
SECTION, WHICH COVERS TOPICS,
FROM HAVING DIVERSE ENTITIES
CONTRIBUTED TO THE RESPONSE,
AND HOW THAT HELPS BOLSTER
SUCCESS. AND FOSTERING THE
STABILITY OF THAT ENTITY, BY
THINKING A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THE FUNDING
MODELS, AND THE OTHER WAYS OF
SUPPORTING CAPACITY. AND
IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS AND
THE SUPPORTS AND SKILLS OF THE
WORKFORCE TO THOSE WHO ARE MOST
DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN PROVIDING
THE PROGRAMS. AND THEN THERE IS
A BUCKET ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY
AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, AND
ADAPTATION OVER TIME THAT
CYCLES BACK TO THE FIRST
BUCKET, YOU HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY
MEASURES THAT TRACK WITHIN THE
SAME WAY. AND THIS HAS TWO
RECOMMENDATIONS, ONE ABOUT
ALIGNING POLICYMAKING AND THE
OTHER ABOUT HOW INFORMATION IS
GATHERED AND USED OVER TIME.
OKAY. THAT WAS A LOT OF VERY
QUICK TALKING THROUGH OF THE
DIFFERENCE -- DIFFERENT AREAS
THAT THE REPORT TALKS ABOUT
THAT WE HAVE A FEW SPECIFIC
EXAMPLES THAT WE IDENTIFIED ARE
LIKELY TO BE RELEVANT, WITHIN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE. WE CAN
TALK THROUGH THOSE , WE CAN GET
A LITTLE BIT MORE CONCRETE AT
THE START. THEN WE CAN HAVE A
DIALOGUE ACROSS THEM , OR WE
CAN TALK ABOUT THE EXAMPLE. THE
HOPE HERE IS, WE DO NOT HAVE A
CITY -LEVEL ANALYSIS. SO, I AM
NOT GOING TO SAY THAT THIS IS A
GREAT MATCH. BUT HOPEFULLY WE
CAN TALK ABOUT RESPONSIBILITIES
AND SEE HOW THEY RESONATE WITH
YOU AND SORT OF SEE HOW WE CAN
SUPPORT THE EXTENT OF WORK THAT
YOU ARE ALREADY DOING IN THE
AREA OF HOUSING. OKAY? SHOULD
WE DO THEM JUST IN THE ORDER
THAT WE HAVE THEM?
>> BEFORE WE START GOING INTO
EXAMPLES, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE
TO ASK, BEFORE WE START GETTING
INTO THESE?
>> ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, NO. NOT
YET. ALL RIGHT, WE WOULD GET A
LITTLE BIT MORE CONCRETE.
>> WE WILL SEE WHAT QUESTIONS
WE CAN HELP YOU WITH.
>> SO, ONE THING THAT REALLY
CAME THROUGH IN OUR DISCUSSIONS
WAS , DOING MORE TO STABILIZE
THE CIRCUMSTANCES TO SEE , WE
ARE SEEING THOSE ON THE VERGE
OF POTENTIALLY ENTERING
HOMELESSNESS OR THOSE WHO HAVE
POTENTIALLY EXITED HOMELESSNESS
AND ARE STRIVING TOWARDS
STABILITY. IT CAN FALL IN THE
GAP , THERE WAS A MAJOR EFFORT
ON ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS AND
ADDRESSING THE SUPPLY OF
HOUSING. BUT THEN THERE IS A
GAP WHERE PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW
ABOUT SERVICES OR IF THEY ARE
ELIGIBLE. AND THAT IS ACTUALLY
FEEDING INTO THE BURDEN ON THE
HOMELESSNESS CRISIS RESPONSE
SYSTEM. YOU CAN HAVE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, BUT YOU WANT FOR
PEOPLE TO BE STABLE IN HOUSING
BUT IT IS KIND OF CRITICAL TO
THE SUCCESS OF BOTH OF THOSE
THINGS, BUT A LITTLE BIT LOST
IN THE MIDDLE. AND IT WAS ALSO
VERY APPARENT IN THE AREA OF
OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE
SMALLER-SCALE INVESTMENTS GOOD
BECOME BIGGER NEEDS BEFORE THEY
BECOME CRISES . IT WAS AN AREA
WHERE YOU DO NOT NECESSARILY
NEED A HUGE INVESTMENT, IN EACH
CASE, OVER DIFFERENT
LOCALITIES, DIFFERENT
LOCALITIES HAVE DIFFERENT
AGENCY WITH THE CONNECTIONS AND
REFERRALS. AND KIND OF
OPPORTUNITY, ALL ROLLED UP IN
ONE. A COUPLE OF THE POTENTIAL
ACTIONS THAT CAME THROUGH, ONE,
IS RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD,
UNANTICIPATED EXPENSES FOR
PEOPLE WHOSE FINANCES ARE
REALLY ON THE BRINK OF
STABILITY CAN JUST SUPERSEDE
MORTGAGE PAYMENTS OR RENT
PAYMENTS. SO, A PERSON CAN
REALLY AVERT THAT BECOMING A
CRISIS THROUGH EITHER SMALL
GRANTS OR SHORT-TERM LOANS .
JUST PUTTING RESOURCES TOWARD
PEOPLE TEMPORARILY GETTING THE
HELP THAT THEY NEED, UNTIL THEY
ARE BACK ON TRACK WITH THEIR
OWN STABILITY THAT THEY HAD,
RECEIVING WHATEVER MEDICAL
EXPENSE, OR ANY OTHER NEED. YOU
CAN IMAGINE THE OTHER KINDS OF
NEEDS THAT MIGHT COME INTO
PLAY. AND THE OTHER IS REALLY
FINDING WAYS FOR PEOPLE WHO
MIGHT BE IN A PRECARIOUS
CIRCUMSTANCE, TO BE MATCHED TO
THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED,
THESE MIGHT NOT BE PEOPLE WHO
WERE ENTERING THE SERVICE
SYSTEM, ONE OF THE WAYS THAT
THEY CAN BE HAVING , YOU KNOW,
THEY MAY NOT NEED EVERYTHING.
WHAT THEY NEED , BUT NOT MORE
THAN WHAT THEY NEED, IN TERMS
OF THE SERVICE NAVIGATION MODEL
OUR DELIVERY MODEL, THINKING
ABOUT, IS IT EMPLOYMENT
SUPPORT, CHILD CARE COSTS , IS
IT BEING ABLE TO ACCESS
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, IS IT
GETTING CONNECTED TO HEALTH
INSURANCE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS
THAT PARTICULAR PERSON WHAT IS
THEIR SOURCE OF INSTABILITY.
AND YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW THIS
THEN RELATES TO SOME OF THE
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS I
MENTIONED ABOUT NAVIGATIONAL
SERVICES AND THE CROSS SECTORS.
YOU KNOW, IF THEY ARE FUNDED,
IN ONE FUNDING STREAM, HOW CAN
THEY STILL BE PART OF OTHER
SECTORS. AND ALSO THINKING
ABOUT ELIGIBILITY, PEOPLE WHO
DO NOT QUALIFY, THEY MAY NOT BE
THE MOST ROBUST HOUSING
SERVICE, THEY CAN STILL HAVE
ACCESS, AND THEY CAN HELP
PEOPLE, THEY CAN HELP PEOPLE
WHO MIGHT FALL FROM
ELIGIBILITY, THEY MIGHT STILL
NEED SOME SUPPORT, BUT LESS
OVER TIME, AND SO, EVICTION
MITIGATION, AND MITIGATING
EVICTION AND DEFAULTS. THAT IS
CERTAINLY AN AREA WHERE SOME
THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING, BUT
MORE ATTENTION IS REALLY
NEEDED, ATTENTION THAT IS NOT
KIND OF A BINARY , PROHIBITIVE
ADDICTION, BUT MORE ABOUT
GETTING THROUGH THINGS THAT ARE
MORE RELATIONAL, AND KNOWING
THAT STABILITY MEANS STABILITY
FOR NEW HOMEOWNERS, AND
PROPERTY OWNERS , WHO ALSO WANT
SOMEONE IN THAT SITUATION WHO
CAN PAY THEIR RENT AND PAY
THEIR MORTGAGE. IT IS OFTEN
CONTENTIOUS, WHERE IT DOESN'T
ALWAYS NEED TO BE. AND THE
APPROACH CAN REINFORCE THAT
AREA OF SHARED STABILITY, THERE
MAY BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES
AROUND THE BRIDGING OF SUPPORT,
AND JUST SERVICES THAT SUPPORT
RESPONSIBILITY AND MAKE IT EASY
ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT
RELATIONSHIP, AND THE TYPE OF
MEDIATION SERVICES THAT MIGHT
HELP PEOPLE GO INTO FORMAL
EVICTION PROCESS. IT DOES NOT
PRECLUDE THE NEED FOR EVICTION
SERVICES , FOR WHICH MITIGATION
DOES NOT WORK, BUT IT IS
ANOTHER PROGRAM SITUATION. WE
PUT ON HERE, AN INTERESTING
THING ABOUT THIS ONE, THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT REALLY COME
THROUGH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF
THINGS, BUT INTERNALLY AS AN
EMPLOYER, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO
SUPPORT SHORT-TERM SUPPORTS? IT
MIGHT BE REVIEWING HR POLICIES,
BECAUSE SIGNS OF INSTABILITY
OFTEN SHOW UP AS AFFECT AND
PERFORMANCE, AND MAYBE IT IS
NOT ABOUT BEING FIRED, BUT HOW
CAN THE EMPLOYER CONNECT PEOPLE
TO THOSE RESOURCES? AND THEN,
IN THE CORE FUNCTIONS OF THE
DIFFERENT ENTITIES, WHAT ARE
SOME OF THE SMALLER THINGS YOU
CAN DO TO AUGMENT SERVICES OR
TO CONNECT TO BECOME BETTER
CONNECTED WITH THOSE THAT
PROVIDE THESE SERVICES. AND
THEN, THE IDEA OF WHAT CAN BE
DONE IN TERMS OF EXTERNAL
PARTNERSHIPS AND SHARED
ADVOCACY STORIES WITH CRISIS
RESPONSE AND PREVENTION, SO
THEY ARE NOT HAVING IMPEDING
ASKS. THEY ARE ALSO TALKING
ABOUT ACHIEVING THE SAME GOALS.
SO, YES, STABILIZING PRECARIOUS
HOUSING. SO, THE NEXT ONE ,
THERE IS ALWAYS INTEREST IN
ACCOUNTABILITY AND PERFORMANCE
MONITORING. BECAUSE IT IS VERY
CHALLENGING. AND TO THE
QUESTION OF, HOW DO WE KNOW
WHETHER OR NOT WHAT WE ARE
DOING IS WORKING, THAT IS
PRETTY MUCH CONSTANTLY ON THE
MINDS OF PEOPLE. AND SO, I WILL
TRY TO KEEP THIS SHORT. THERE
ARE TWO MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS IN
THIS SECTION. ONE IS JUST THE
RECOMMENDATION OF ALIGNING
POLICY. REALLY RECOGNIZING THE
POLICY NEEDS AND ONE AREA. AND
RECOGNIZING THAT THEY ARE
PROFOUNDLY NECESSARY FOR EACH
OTHER. SO, THERE ARE A LOT OF
THINGS THAT ARE NOT CALLED
HOUSING. BUT, THE REVERSE IS
ALSO TRUE. HEALTHCARE IS MORE
EFFECTIVE IF THE PATIENT IS
STABLY HOUSED. PEOPLE CAN
SUCCEED IN THEIR JOB IF THEY
HAVE A HOUSE. ALL OF THOSE
THINGS ARE INTERRELATED ON THE
MORE STRUCTURAL SIDE, THE
TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, THE
BURDEN ON THE SCHOOL SYSTEM,
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE PART OF
EXPANDING THE HOUSING SUPPLY.
ASSESSING POLICIES. ASSESSING
IN ADVANCE, FOR BOTH MUTUAL
ETIQUETTE AND FOR UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES. YOU MAY NOT EVEN
BE AWARE, BUT IT IS NOT YOUR
DOMAIN. SO YOU DO NOT IMAGINE
WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE FOR
ANOTHER PROSPECT OR ASPECT OF
THE COUNTY, CITY, OR STATE'S
WORK. THE OTHER AREA, OH, THE
OTHER POTENTIAL ACTIONS , IT
WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND WHAT
WE HEARD IN THE DISCUSSIONS TO
RECOGNIZE THAT THAT KIND OF
ASSESSMENT, AND ANY KIND OF
COORDINATION , IT DOES REQUIRE
RESOURCES. KIND OF A MANDATE TO
COORDINATE, OR A REQUEST TO
ORDINATE FALLS FLAT, IF IT IS
NOT RESOURCED AND IF THERE IS
NOT ANY STRUCTURE THAT CAN
HANDLE IT. AND IT WAS MENTIONED
EARLIER, BUT THE CLOSE
CONNECTION BETWEEN ECONOMIC
SECURITY AND HOUSING SECURITY
WAS VERY SALIENT AND EVERYTHING
THAT WE ARE. THE IDEA THAT
HOUSING SECURITY ALIGNS CLOSELY
WITH ECONOMIC SECURITY LEVELS
AT THE COMMUNITY AND INDIVIDUAL
LEVEL, THAT IS PARTICULARLY
TRUE, WHEN YOU CAN FIND THE
WIN-WIN, AND ESSENTIALLY DO NOT
GET IN EACH OTHER'S WAY. WE DO
HAVE A GUIDING PRINCIPLE. THAT
IS THE BASIC IDEA. AND THEN,
MEASUREMENTS. ONE THING THAT
REALLY CAME THROUGH, IN WHAT WE
HEARD FROM ALL OF OUR
PARTICIPANTS, THERE IS A NEED
TO TAKE A MEASUREMENT BEYOND
METRICS. NOT TO THROW AWAY THE
IDEA OF METRICS. THEY ARE VERY
IMPORTANT. IN SOMETHING THAT IS
AS COMPLEX AS HOUSING SECURITY,
THERE WILL BE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE
RESPONSE THAT NEED TO BE
UNDERSTOOD, TRACKED OVER TIME,
AND LEARN FROM. KIND OF TAKING
A STEP BACK, TO REALLY HAVE A
QUESTION-DRIVEN REVIEW OF WHAT
IS NEEDED. IT IS ABOUT
MEASURING WHAT MATTERS. NOT
TRACKING, NOT WHICH MEASURES
ARE AVAILABLE. AND THAT LEADS
TO A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT
ARE KIND OF DIFFICULT TO ANSWER
, LIKE, HOW WELL MATCHED OUR
OPTIONS ARE. IT IS NOT JUST THE
NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS. BUT, WHAT
HAPPENS TO CLIENTS OVER TIME,
BUT HAVING BETTER MEASURES OF
LONGITUDINAL OUTCOMES. AND
MEASURING PREVENTION IS ALWAYS
CHALLENGING, BUT IT IS A
CRITICAL PART OF SUCCESS,
FINDING WAYS TO MEASURE SUCCESS
IS IMPORTANT, THAT BALANCE OF
STABILITY AND CONSISTENCY, IS
FLEXIBILITY AFFORDING THE KIND
OF GOOD OUTCOMES THAT WE
ANTICIPATE AND IS THERE ENOUGH
CONSISTENCY IN THE GUIDELINES
THAT WE ARE GETTING THE OVERALL
PROGRESS? SO, THAT , STARTING
FROM THE QUESTION THEN LEADS TO
THE BEST WAY TO TRACK PROGRESS.
SOMETIMES THE METRICS ARE GOING
TO WORK REALLY WELL, BUT THERE
MAY BE NEEDS FOR STUDYING
SOMETHING ON A SMALLER SCALE.
SYSTEMATIC AND QUALITATIVE
DATA, DIFFERENT ACTIONS THAT,
YOU KNOW, ARE EXAMPLES IN SMALL
SEGMENTS ACROSS THE STATE, THAT
CAN POTENTIALLY BE LEARNED FROM
BEARD THAT REALLY STARTED IN
THE MIDDLE, THE TOP RELATES TO
NEEDING TO DRAW UPON DIVERSE
AND, MENTALLY SOURCES OF
KNOWLEDGE. THIS IS THINKING
ABOUT NOT SAYING WHICH KIND OF
KNOWLEDGE TELLS YOU THE ANSWER,
BUT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO
INTEGRATE THE KNOWLEDGE, WHEN
YOU ARE INTEGRATING THAT TYPE
OF RESPONSE. AND IT IS VERY
CRITICAL TO UNDERSTANDING WHAT
IS NEEDED AND WHAT MATTERS, AND
WHAT DOES OR DOES NOT WORK, THE
PRACTICE EXPERTISE , IT KIND OF
TAKES THOSE PATTERNS ACROSS
CLIENTS. THAT IS A SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE
AND INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES. AND
ALSO WHAT WORKS IN CONTEXT,
VERSUS WHAT WORKS IN A RESEARCH
STUDY. AND THAT KIND OF
EXPERTISE THAT COMES FROM
EXPERIENCES COMPLEMENTARY TO
THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE THAT
HELPS INDICATE WHAT TO DO, IN
RESPONSE, AND THE POLICY
EXPERTISE OF GETTING THE
RESPONSE IN PLACE, THAT IS THE
EXPERTISE THAT YOU ALL ARE
BRINGING. AND I THINK, ONE OF
THE CHALLENGES, BUT ALSO
RECOGNITIONS THAT CAME THROUGH
IN OUR DISCUSSIONS OF THE TOPIC
IS THAT, YOU CAN HAVE THESE
DIVERSE SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE.
YOU ARE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE
ABLE TO DO WHAT EVERYTHING
INDICATES. THERE WILL BE
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. THE
DIVERSITY HELPS TO BE A LITTLE
BIT MORE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT
KIND OF KNOWLEDGE IS DRIVING
THE DECISION. THAT HELPS BRING
THE ACCOUNTABILITY BACK TO THE
CONSTITUENTS, AND IT HELPS
UNDERSTANDING, NOT JUST WHETHER
THINGS ARE WORKING, BUT HOW AND
WHY THEY ARE WORKING. YEAH.
>> SO, ANOTHER AREA THAT WE SEE
PRETTY CLOSELY CONNECTED TO
CITIES IS RECOMMENDATION SEVEN
AND EIGHT , LOOKING AT THE
VARIETY ACROSS JURISDICTIONAL
ENGAGEMENT. A CONTINUOUS
CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD AMONG
PEOPLE WE ENGAGE WITH WAS THE
BALANCE BETWEEN REGIONAL AND
LOCAL APPROACHES. PEOPLE
RECOGNIZED THAT EACH COMMUNITY
HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS AND MUST
WORK TO ADDRESS HOUSING
SECURITY BUT STILL NEEDS A
LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE
STATE AS THE PROBLEMS PEOPLE
FACE DO NOT STOP AT THE CITY OR
COUNTY BORDERS. WITH THIS IN
MIND, WE RECOGNIZE THAT IS NOT
A QUESTION OF WHETHER THE
RESPONSE SHOULD BE LOCAL OR
REGIONAL, BUT WHAT ASPECT DO WE
SEE AS BEING LOCALLY FLEXIBLE,
AND WHAT CAN MOVE TO A MORE
REGIONAL COOPERATION, AND TO
WHAT EXTENT DOES THAT
COOPERATION NEED TO HAPPEN ?
CORROBORATION DOES NOT MEAN
IMPLEMENT EVERYTHING
COLLABORATIVELY, AT TIMES, THAT
MIGHT BE THE CASE, AS THE NEXT
STEPS BECOME ACROSS THE
LOCATION, BUT WITH OTHER
ASPECTS, IT IS MORE
ADVANTAGEOUS TO SIMPLY HAVE
SOME COORDINATION AND THAT
TAKES A LOT OF OPEN AND ROBUST
DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW IT RELATES
TO OTHER ASPECTS. IT IS ALSO
IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE, AS
THINGS GET LARGER, THEY NEED TO
BE SOLIDIFIED. THEY NEED TO BUY
-- BE CERTIFIED EVERYTHING
INCLUDING FLEXIBILITY , THEY
NEED TO ENSURE EASIER
ADAPTATION AS THINGS CHANGE .
WHICH WE RECENTLY SAW HOW
DRAMATICALLY SITUATIONS CAN
CHANGE WITH THE' PANDEMIC. --
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THERE
DOES NOT NECESSARILY NEED TO BE
PRESCRIPTIVE RULES. CONSISTENCY
CAN BE A GUIDELINE ACROSS
DIFFERENT AREAS, PROVIDING
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AS
ADAPTATION IS NEEDED. WITH ALL
OF THIS IN MIND RECOMMENDATIONS
MADE ARE NOT IN OPPOSITION TO
EACH OTHER, THEY MAY BE
PASSIVELY ASSUMED. RATHER, THEY
NEED TO BE STRATEGICALLY MERGED
. AND THE DIVERSIFICATION OF
THE APPROACH IS NEEDED FOR
EVERY SITUATION. THAT ALSO
DRAWS IN THE CONNECTION TO
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN
THE REPORT, THAT SHOWS
RECOMMENDATIONS 12 AND 13. THEY
WERE BOTH ADDRESSED, BUT THE
NEED FOR DIVERSITY, AT THE
LEVEL OF DIVERSE ABIDING
VARIOUS HOUSING TYPES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE, BUT OTIS,
RECOGNIZING THAT DIVERSITY AND
LIMITATION OF PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES.
>> IF I MAY INTERRUPT YOU, I
THINK THAT THIS SLIDE GETS TO
THE HEART OF SOME OF THE
DISCUSSION WE ARE HAVING RIGHT
NOW. YOU KNOW? THERE IS A LOT
OF TALK ABOUT, DO WE NEED A
REGIONAL MODEL? MY MANTRA HAS
BEEN, ANSWER THE QUESTION, HOW
DO YOU DO HELP FOR THE LOCAL,
WITHIN A REGIONAL MODEL . I
LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE
PULLED OUT THESE QUESTIONS TO
CONSIDER AND I THINK IT IS A
DISCUSSION THAT THE CITY, THE
COUNTY, AND ALL OF THE OTHER
JURISDICTIONS NEED TO BE
ENGAGED IN. I AM WONDERING, DO
YOU HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT
HOW TO FACILITATE THOSE KINDS
OF DISCUSSIONS? AND HOW DO WE
BEGIN TO ACCOMMODATE WAYS IN
WHICH CHALLENGES MANIFEST
DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT
PLACES, PROVIDING THE TOOLS TO
RESPOND, AND THAT WORK
COOPERATIVELY IN A CONTINUUM OF
CARE?
>> I THINK , THE RECOMMENDATION
, IT TIES INTO HOW TO DO THIS.
IT DOES HAVE TO DO WITH, THAT
-- WHO , OR WHAT TYPES OF
KNOWLEDGE ARE BEING BROUGHT TO
BEAR ON THIS. STARTING FROM THE
QUESTIONS, AS YOU WERE SAYING .
AND THEN THEY CAN ABOUT, IN
ORDER TO ANTICIPATE HOW THOSE
ANSWERS ARE GOING TO WORK OR
NOT, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT
OPTIONS, STARTING FROM THE
DIVERSITY OF INPUT FROM THAT.
AND THAT IS PROBABLY A PRACTICE
THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE IN MIND.
IT IS NOT NEWS TO SUGGEST THAT,
BUT THE PIECE THAT THE REPORT
EMPHASIZES IS ABOUT
TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY, BEING ABLE TO
MAP THAT. THIS PERSPECTIVE, OR
THIS IDEA, THIS PROPOSAL, IT
CAME FROM THIS INFORMATION AND
WE DECIDED TO GO THIS WAY,
BASED ON THE TRADE-OFFS THAT
ARE BEING MADE, AND BEING
INTENTIONAL AND CONSCIOUS ABOUT
THEM, THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT
PART OF HAVING THOSE
FACILITATED PROCESSES FEEL LIKE
THEY ARE GENUINELY MAPPING TO
WHAT GETS DONE , AND NOT BEING
KIND OF A TOKEN, WE ARE GETTING
ALL OF THIS INPUT, BUT DOING
WHAT IS MOST FEASIBLE BASED ON
THE INFRASTRUCTURE. NOT JUST
HAVING THE DIVERSITY BUT ROBUST
PROCESSES FOR HOW THAT IS BEING
TRANSLATED INTO THE DECISIONS.
I WAS DOING A LITTLE BIT OF
HANDWAVING ABOUT THAT, BUT I
THINK THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURES
ARE DOING A LITTLE BIT OF THAT
OVERTIME. BUT THE REPORT, IT
SUGGESTED, IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO
DO THAT JUST ONCE. THINGS WILL
KEEP CHANGING, YOU ARNOLD NEVER
BE SURE IF SOMETHING YOU ARE
PROPOSING IS ALWAYS GOING TO
WORK FOREVER, IT IS NOT JUST
HAVING A PLAN ONCE, BUT IT IS
ABOUT REVISITING IT REGULARLY
AND RETHINKING HOW THOSE
TRADE-OFFS WERE MADE. HOW MANY
THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE THE SAME
EVERYWHERE, WHICH THINGS NEEDED
TO BE MITIGATED REGIONALLY.
THOSE ARE THE TWO PIECES.
>> I WOULD ALSO SAY, YOU KNOW,
IN OUR CONVERSATIONS, WHAT
SERVICES A LOT, THERE IS A LOT
OF CONSTANT PENDULUM SWINGING
BETWEEN DIFFERENT RESPONSES,
WHERE AN IDEA COMES UP THAT
GETS A LOT OF SUPPORT. A TON OF
INVESTMENT GOES TO THAT THING.
BUT, THAT ENDS UP CUTTING INTO
INVESTMENTS IN OTHER AREAS, AS
EVERYTHING GOES THERE, THEY
START RECOGNIZING DIFFERENT
ISSUES, WITH THAT SOLUTION. AND
THE PENDULUM SWINGS THE OTHER
DIRECTION AND THERE IS A NEW
PERSPECTIVE ON THE OTHER SIDE
THAT IS BROUGHT UP AND IT GOES
BACK AND FORTH. AND THERE IS
RARELY A LOT OF SUSTAINED
ATTENTION OVER THE LONG-TERM IN
A LOT OF THOSE AREAS. AND SO,
FOR ME, I JUST KEEP COMING BACK
TO THAT OLD SAYING, DO NOT PUT
ALL OF YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET.
JUST BECAUSE AN IDEA COMES UP,
AND IT IS INTRIGUING, AND THERE
IS POTENTIAL, THAT DOES NOT
MEAN THAT ALL OF THE INVESTMENT
NEEDS TO GO THERE. THAT IT IS
REALLY ABOUT TRYING TO CREATE
INVESTMENTS IN THAT, SO THAT IT
CAN BE SUSTAINED AND SUPPORTED,
WHILE CONTINUING TO SUSTAIN
BEFORE OTHER APPROACHES THAT
DIVERSIFY THAT APPROACH, WHICH
IS BEING DONE. NO SOLUTION IS
GOING TO WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
AND SO, I AM JUST RECOGNIZING
THAT, FOR ME, SOME OF THIS IS
RECOGNIZING THAT, WHEN YOU MOVE
TO ORIGINALITY, THAT DOES NOT
MEAN THAT YOU STOP MOVING INTO
MORE SPECIFIC THINGS, YOU NEED
TO FIND A WAY TO BALANCE THOSE
THINGS A BIT, SO THAT WE CAN
ALL APPROACH THE THINGS THAT
ARE BEING ATTEMPTED, AND WE CAN
WORK TOWARD THOSE REGIONAL
THINGS, AS BRIDGET WAS SAYING,
MAKING SURE THAT WHAT REGIONAL
THINGS WILL BE EMBEDDED ARE
ASKED OF THE REGIONAL
COLLABORATIVE PROCESS AND THE
DECISION-MAKING AS WELL. IT
REACHES OUT TO THE VERY
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT WILL
BE AFFECTED BY THAT REGIONAL
APPROACH, MAKING SURE THAT WE
HAVE THAT ROBUST CONVERSATION
ABOUT WHAT NEGATIVE THINGS
MIGHT COME FROM THIS, AND CAN
WE MITIGATE THOSE ANTIQUE ABOUT
MITIGATING THOSE BEFORE WE EVEN
START HIM AMENDING THEM?
>> I WANTED TO ADD A FEW
THINGS, PROCESS WISE. WHAT IS
THE NATURE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS
CURRENTLY? IF THE RELATIONSHIPS
THEMSELVES NEED TO BE
STRENGTHENED, IN TERMS OF WHO
IS IN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT
THAT, THERE HAVE BEEN YEARS OF
INTERACTION, SOME OF THEM
INVOLVING TENSIONS, SOME OF
WHICH WHERE RELATIONSHIPS ARE
BETTER. THE CORE IS
ESTABLISHING WHOEVER IT IS THAT
WILL SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT
IT, ARE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS
ESTABLISHED STRONGLY ENOUGH?
ARE THEY RESPECTFUL, YOU KNOW,
IN THE SENSE OF COMING
TOGETHER. I THINK THAT HEARING
WHETHER THESE GUIDING
PRINCIPLES OR OTHER GUIDING
PRINCIPLES, LIKE, WHAT ARE
THOSE GUIDING RENTABLE'S TO
GUIDE THE PRINCIPALS ALONG, SO
THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE THE
CONVERSATIONS THEY NEED TO
HAVE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER, SO MANY
OF THOSE THINGS REALLY HAD TO
DO WITH REALLY THINKING THROUGH
WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US
TO ASK OF OURSELVES IN THESE
CONVERSATIONS, IN SOME WAYS,
THAT IS A DESIGN PIECE, IN
TERMS OF REALLY IDENTIFYING THE
PURPOSE OF THE TIME TOGETHER
AND CLARIFYING TOGETHER WHAT
ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS THAT
REQUIRE , OVER A LOCAL CITY. IT
IS I THINK ABOUT SOME OF THESE
AND SOME OF THE CORE QUESTIONS
HAVE BEEN, DOES LOCAL CONTROL
REALLY BENEFIT US IN THIS
SITUATION? ARE THERE ISSUES
WHERE WE NEED TO PULL AWAY AND
REALIZE THAT WE NEED A
DIFFERENT KIND OF APPROACH?
THAT MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT
QUESTION TO ASK IN THE STATE
APPROACH. BUT TO WHAT DEGREE DO
WE NEED INDEPENDENCE, TO WHAT
DEGREE DO WE NEED
INTERDEPENDENCE? THE ABILITY TO
KIND OF CLARIFY WHAT ARE THOSE
COURT QUESTIONS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT TO GUIDE YOUR
CONVERSATION? A LOT OF THAT
COMES BACK TO THE PURPOSE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT
TOPIC, OR ANY TOPIC?
>> GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD.
>> I HAVE ONE MORE EXAMPLE AS
WELL , AS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT
AREAS WHERE CITIES CAN HAVE A
LOT OF INFLUENCE ON. OUR
GUIDING PRINCIPLE CAME TO MIND,
FOSTERING PRODUCTIVE NARRATIVES
AROUND HOSING SECURITY --
HOUSING SECURITY AND
HOMELESSNESS. WE ARE THINKING
ABOUT THIS AND WE ARE REALLY
RECOGNIZING THAT, OFTEN WHEN WE
TALK TO PEOPLE, THEY
IMMEDIATELY WOULD GO TO
COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGNS. YOU
KNOW, WHAT GETS SAID IN
MARSHALL'S ON TV AND THAT KIND
OF THING, BUT REALLY
RECOGNIZING THAT NARRATIVES
COMMUNICATE DIFFERENT ACTIONS .
SUCH AS, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND WHAT
WE CHOOSE TO IMPLEMENT. AND
PROVIDE FUNDING FOR, THAT
CONTRIBUTES TO A NARRATIVES.
THE WAY WE FUND PROPOSALS, THE
WAY WE CALL FOR WHAT PROPOSALS
WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO FIND IT,
DOES THAT AS WELL, WE BUILD
ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK. AND
THE WAYS IN WHICH WE BUILD
ACCOUNTABILITY ALL CONTRIBUTES
TO ISSUES. WHEN WE ARE LOOKING
AT THAT, THEY REALLY TEND TO
GRAPPLE WITH WHAT NARRATIVES
DOES THE CITY CURRENTLY FACTOR
ON, THROUGH THE ACTIONS THAT
ARE BEING TAKEN. AND ALSO
THINKING ABOUT, WHAT NARRATIVES
DO WE WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE
CONVERSATION? AND WHAT DO WE
NEED TO ADOPT? A LOT OF THAT
WILL BE WORKING AGAIN WITH THAT
LIVED EXPERIENCE, WITH SERVICE
PROVIDERS, TO UNDERSTAND, WHAT
ARE GOING TO BE THOSE
PRODUCTIVE NARRATIVES? ONE
THING WE SAW IN THE
CONVERSATIONS, OFTEN, THE OTHER
PRODUCTIVE NARRATIVES WERE
CIRCULATING AROUND THE AREA OF
BUILDING DIGNITY AND HUMANITY
AMONG PEOPLE, AS A COMMUNITY,
THAT MEANS RECOGNIZING WHAT
DOES IT MEAN TO BUILD
COMMUNITY, WITHIN SEATTLE, THAT
DOES NOT ACTIVELY SEEK TO
REMOVE OTHER CERTAIN PEOPLE OUT
OF THAT CONVERSATION. AND
PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY OF SOME
PEOPLE OVER OTHERS. THAT IS NOT
A SIMPLE THING TO ADDRESS, BUT
REALLY RECOGNIZING WHAT NEW
ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE TO CREATE A
NARRATIVE IN WHICH EVERYONE
WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY IS
SUPPORTED AND IS WORKING TOWARD
STRIVING, AND BEING VIEWED AS
PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
>> CAN YOU GIVE US A FEW
SPECIFIC EXAMPLES? WHEN YOU
GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE
NARRATIVE IS, OR WHAT IS A
COMMON NARRATIVE NOW, AND WHAT
IT LOOKS LIKE IF YOU TRANSFER
THAT INTO A MORE POSITIVE
NARRATIVE, WHAT IS THAT
SPECIFICALLY?
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF
CONVERSATIONS AROUND, YOU KNOW,
WHEN WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT
ACTIONS THAT PRIORITIZE THE
SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
HOMEOWNERS. PEOPLE WHO ARE
VIEWED AS, YOU KNOW, THEY
MATTER, BECAUSE THEY ARE PAYING
TAXES, AND ALL THAT. THEIR
NEEDS WERE OFTEN BEING FELT AS
BEING TRAUMATIZED OVER THOSE
WHO WERE STRUGGLING TO BE
HOUSED , IN GENERAL. GRAPPLING
WITH , HOW DO WE NOT TAKE ONE
OF THOSE CONSTITUENTS OVER THE
OTHER, BUT HOW DO YOU BUILD
COMMUNITY AMONG THEM AND GET
EVERYONE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE
ARE ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND
ALL OF OUR NEEDS MATTER IF WE
ARE GOING TO HAVE A THRIVING
COMMUNITY.
>> I DO THINK THAT ANOTHER ONE,
THAT RELATES TO THE
FOUNDATIONAL THEME, ABOUT WHAT
CAUSES HOMELESSNESS, I THINK
THAT THERE IS STILL A LOT OF
STRONG NARRATIVE, ABOUT EACH
POTENTIAL CAUSE HAVING ITS OWN
NARRATIVE. PEOPLE TELLING THIS
SIMPLE STORY IN WHICH THIS IS
EITHER OR ONLY CAUSED BY THE
SUPPLY OF HOUSING, OR THE
PEOPLE , YOU KNOW, THEIR
PREFERENCES, CHOICES, BAD
DECISIONS THAT THEY HAVE MADE,
THERE IS OUT OF A LOT OF
DIFFERENT NARRATIVES ATTACHED
TO ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT
DETERMINING FACTORS, THINKING
ABOUT HOW THAT WHOLE STORY
NEEDS TO BE ANOTHER PRODUCTIVE
NARRATIVE ABOUT HOW THIS IS
REALLY A COMPLEX PROBLEM. IT IS
KIND OF A HANDS-ON APPROACH. IT
IS MORE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
FUNDING. THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE
WERE REALLY HUNGRY FOR BUT HOW
CAN THIS BE ABOUT THE WHOLE OF
THE COMMUNITY THRIVING? IT IS A
VERY SIMILAR SHIFT IN THE
ECONOMIC SECURITY CONVERSATION,
YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THE ENTIRE
COMMUNITY THRIVING MAKE IT SO
THAT ALL OF THEM ARE NOT IN
COMPETITION WITH EACH OTHER,
SO, THAT, I THINK THAT IS
ANOTHER ONE, THAT IS ANOTHER OF
THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WE
THOUGHT ABOUT HIGHLIGHTING,
THIS IDEA, THAT IT IS ABOUT,
ACTUALLY REDUCING COMPETITION.
THERE IS A VERY STRONG
NARRATIVE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF
ONE PERSON COMPETING WITH
ANOTHER. ONE PERSON, ONE
SOLUTION, COMPETING WITH
ANOTHER. PRIVATE SECTOR
SOLUTIONS ARE COMPETING WITH
PUBLIC SECTOR SOLUTIONS. IN
REALITY, WHAT YOU NEED IS FOR
ALL OF THOSE SOLUTIONS TO BE
WORKING TOGETHER, AND IT IS
KIND OF A NATURAL OUTCROPPING
OF THE WAY SOME OF THESE
SYSTEMS ARE FUNCTIONING. THAT
THERE IS, YOU KNOW, A
COMPETITIVE NATURE TO MOST
SPENDING PROPOSALS. BINARY,
YES, NO, GET A RUNNING NOW FOR
A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AS
OPPOSED TO HAVING A LOT OF
CHICKENS THAT ARE MORE ABOUT
YES/NO, OR WHAT YOU NEED TO
MAKE THINGS WORK. YOU KNOW, WE
TALKED A LOT ABOUT FACILITATING
COOPERATION, AND THAT MIGHT
LEAD TO THE QUESTION OF
PROCESSES FOR HYPER LOCAL , NOT
NECESSARILY REGIONAL. NOT JUST
FACILITATING, BUT ACTIVELY
REDUCING THE COMPETITION, THAT
IS NOT GETTING AS MUCH
ATTENTION, WHEN REVIEWING
POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT ARE
INADVERTENTLY REINFORCEMENTS OF
THE COMPETING NARRATIVES ,
SOLUTIONS, ALL OF THOSE, ALL OF
THOSE, ALL OF THOSE PIECES THAT
ARE KIND OF COUNTERPRODUCTIVE
TO THOSE LARGER SCALE, ALL
HANDS ON DECK APPROACHES THAT
ARE NEEDED. I THINK WE MAY EVEN
HAVE A SLIDE. ONE OF OUR SLIDES
MAKE EVEN THE ON THAT.
>> WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST
SO THAT WE CAN [ INDISCERNIBLE
- OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS ] .
>> QUESTIONS?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION , DO YOU
HAVE ONE MORE SLIDE?
>> I HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN TO IT.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS ON THERE. BUT, I
THINK THAT WE JUST SPOKE TO IT.
SO, YEAH. I AM READY.
>> WELL, I HAVE A QUESTION.
HAVE YOU DONE WORKSHOPS IN
UNHOUSED COMMUNITIES WITH
ENCAMPMENTS? I AM CURIOUS IF
YOU HAVE GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM
PEOPLE WHO HAVE CURRENTLY
EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS,
REGARDING THIS STUDY.
>> SO, OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE NOT
BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO EVERYONE.
IN CREATING THE REPORT, WE DID
DO SOME ACTIVE WORK, GOING INTO
ENCAMPMENTS, AND TALKING WITH
DIFFERENT PEOPLE, CURRENTLY
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THAT
IS THE OTHER THING, RECOGNIZING
LIVED EXPERIENCE, I THINK THAT
IT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
NOT JUST INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO
ARE USED TO EXPERIENCING BEING
UNHOUSED, BUT WHO ARE CURRENTLY
EXPERIENCING BEING UNHOUSED
BECAUSE CONTEXT SHIFT. WE DID
THAT, IN CREATING THE REPORTS
ARE -- WE HAVE HAD TALKED
THROUGH DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF
THIS. LASTLY, WE DID SOMETHING
SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON
PRECARIOUS HOUSING. NEXT WEEK,
WE HAVE ONE ON COORDINATED
PATHWAYS, AND CENTERED
NAVIGATIONS. AND THOSE HAVE
BEEN VERY OPEN, THEY HAVE BEEN
VERY OPENLY PUBLICIZED. I DO
KNOW, I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF
FAMILIAR FACES, FACES OF PEOPLE
WHO WE HAVE TALKED TO, PEOPLE
WHO HAVE, THEY HAVE BEEN
EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSECURITY
FOR QUITE A WHILE, AND THEY
HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE
CONVERSATION. AGAIN, I CANNOT
SPEAK TO IT BEING ACCEPTED BY
EVERYONE, BUT THAT CONTINUED
ENGAGEMENT, THAT IS USUALLY A
PRETTY GOOD SIGN THAT THEY ARE
ENJOYING THE PROCESSES THAT WE
ARE GOING THROUGH, AND THE
INFORMATION THAT WE ARE
SHARING, SO THERE DOES , THERE
DOES SEEM TO BE SOME GOOD
UPDATES, WITHIN THAT SPACE, AND
WITHIN THAT, WE HAVE A LOT OF
SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO ARE VERY
CLOSE TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS,
AND THE COMMUNITIES OF UNHOUSED
INDIVIDUALS. AND THEY SEEM TO
BE PRETTY ENGAGED IN THE
CONVERSATIONS, AS WELL.
>> ONE THING WORTH MENTIONING
ABOUT OUR APPROACH, IN THIS
CONTEXT. WE TOOK, KIND OF, WE
TOOK AN APPROACH, IN WHICH WE
HAD SOME SMALLER FORMS. IT WAS
KIND OF SPEAKING WITH THE
OPPORTUNITY , SPEAKING IN THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU DID NOT
FEEL LIKE YOU HAD A REMAKE IN
THE CASE. IT COULD BE REALLY A
CANDID CONVERSATION, THEN WE
USED THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO
PULL OUT THE THINGS THAT WE HAD
RAISED FOR DISCUSSIONS WHEN WE
HAD MIXED PERCEPTIONS IN THE
ROOM. GOING BACK TO WHAT ARE
SOME PROCESS SUGGESTIONS. IF
YOU START WITH OPEN FORUMS. IT
IS VERY EASY FOR EVERYONE TO
JUST KIND OF DEFAULT TO TAKE
THE SAME STAND. AND SOMETIMES,
TREATING THINGS AS BEING
CONTRADICTORY, WHEN IN FACT,
YOU MIGHT, YOU MIGHT, YOU MIGHT
AGREE IF YOU DID NOT SORT OF
COME IN, FEELING POSITIONAL
ABOUT THINGS. IN THAT SENSE, WE
MAY HAVE OUR OWN EFFORTS,
ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. WE
ALSO COLLABORATED WITH THE
STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON
HOMELESSNESS, BECAUSE THEY WERE
DOING SOME OF THOSE ENGAGEMENTS
FOR THEIR OWN PLANS. SO WE
COLLABORATED ON THOSE, AND WE
SHARED THOSE FINDINGS, AND WE
COULD USE THOSE IN BOTH OUR
ANALYSES, WE DID NOT DIRECTLY
DO IT, BECAUSE IT MEANT GOING
TO SOME OF THE SAME COMMUNITIES
AND DOING SOME OF THE SAME
OUTREACHING, WITH THE MERGED
EFFORTS. AND THAT WAS KIND OF
AN EXAMPLE OF THE SMALLER, MORE
FOCUSED CONVERSATIONS WITH
PEOPLE, WHO HAD SIMILAR TYPES
OF EXPERIENCE. AND THEN
BRINGING THAT, HAVING MORE,
HAVING A LAYER OF ANALYSIS,
BRINGING THAT TO A BROADER
PERSPECTIVE. AND WE FOUND THAT
TO BE A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY OF
KIND OF STARTING THE
CONVERSATION, BUT STILL BEING
ABLE TO HONOR AND RESPECT ALL
OF THE DIFFERENT LENSES THAT WE
HAD SPOKEN TO. YEAH.
>> DID YOU ? I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR AN AMAZING PRESENTATION
AND REPORT. I THINK THAT YOU
DID A GREAT JOB OF PROVIDING
THE HIGH-LEVEL VIEW. A LOT OF
VERY, GATED ISSUES. AND, SO, I
THINK, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO,
YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO INTO THE
ENCAMPMENTS, AND YOU TALK TO
SOME OF THE UNHOUSED RESIDENTS
AND LEARN ABOUT THEIR OWN
STORIES AND HEAR ABOUT THEIR
EXPERIENCES. IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING TO FEEL ABOUT HOW
THEY FEEL ABOUT WHAT IS BEING
IMPLEMENTED, FROM THE GROUND
LEVEL. I LEARNED A LOT IN DOING
THAT. I THINK THAT YOU
MENTIONED THAT A COUPLE OF
TIMES IN THE REPORT, MAKING
SURE THAT THE LIVED EXPERIENCES
ARE ESSENTIAL, ARE YOU DOING
ANYTHING IN THE SPHERE OF , I
GUESS, ANALYZING CURRENT
IMPLEMENTATION METHODS? OR
STUDIES ? I KNOW THERE IS A
FIVE-YEAR PLAN THAT SEEMS VERY
MUCH IN LINE WITH THE STUDY,
BUT NOT, JUST, LIKE , LOOKING
AT WHAT IS CURRENTLY BEING DONE
AND GIVING RECOMMENDATIONS?
>> I AM NOT GOING TO SPEAK TO
WHAT THE CENTER MAY OR MAY NOT
DOING. OUR ANALYSIS FOR THIS
REPORT IS FINISHED. A COUPLE OF
THINGS WORTH NOTING. MOLLY
MENTIONED THAT WE HAD A
PARTNERSHIP , ON OUR WEBSITE,
THERE IS A REPORT THAT SPEAKS
THOSE IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES.
IT IS VERY CONSISTENT , WITHIN
WHAT WE HEARD , WHICH IS THAT,
THE SUCCESS REALLY COMES FROM
THE MATCH, SO THERE ARE SOME
PROGRAM MODELS THAT ARE MATCHED
DO SOME NEEDS. AND IT IS NOT
NECESSARILY TO IMPLEMENT THE
BEST PROGRAM, BUT HAVE REALLY
GOOD HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMS, IN
ENOUGH VARIETY THAT THEY COULD
BE MATCHED TO NEEDS. IF SOMEONE
NEEDS BACKGROUND SERVICES,
PERMANENT SUPPORT OF HELPING IS
THE RIGHT MATCH. IF SOMEONE
NEEDS JUST THE BRIDGING
SUPPORT, THEN THEY GO THROUGH
THAT IN SOME DETAIL, IN TERMS
OF THE RESEARCH LITERATURE,
THAT PEACE IS PROBABLY GOING TO
BE RESONATING WITH SOME OF THE
OTHER RESOURCES, THEY ARE A
LITTLE BIT MORE AVAILABLE, IN
THAT, FOR THAT LITERATURE
REVIEW. AND I THINK THAT THE
INTEGRATION OF THOSE TWO THINGS
WAS REALLY TELLING, IN TERMS OF
SOME OF THE FINDINGS OF THAT
REPORT, THAT WAS JUST THE SAME.
AND IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO
FIND DIFFERENCES, WE MIGHT
SPEAK TO WHY SOME MIGHT BE
DIFFERENT IN SEATTLE, EVEN
THOUGH THE RESEARCH SUGGESTS
THAT IT MIGHT WORK SUMMER ELSE.
BECAUSE THE COST OF HOUSING IS
DIFFERENT HERE, THEN IN OTHER
PLACES. TO BE A LAB THAT BACK
AND FORTH BETWEEN THE DIRECT
ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU ARE TALKING
ABOUT, AND GET KNOWLEDGE, THAT
COULD REALLY HELP, SO THAT,
GOING FORWARD, YOU DO NOT HAVE
ANY NEEDS.
>> SO, WE WERE REALLY FORTUNATE
IN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT,
THAT WE HAD SIX MONTHS,
BASICALLY, ONCE THE ANALYTICS
WERE COMPLETE, TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE
ENGAGED WITH WHOEVER WAS
INTERESTED IN ENGAGING WITH US,
WHETHER IT IS HELPING TO LEARN
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CERTAIN
THINGS, HOW IT MIGHT WORK,
CERTAIN TOPICS THAT PEOPLE
MIGHT WANT MORE CLARITY ABOUT.
TO BE ABLE TO EXPLORE ACROSS
AREAS, AS WELL AS KIND OF THE
NATURE OF WHAT PEOPLE SAY. WHAT
HAPPENED WAS, WE ASKED , WOULD
IT BE HELPFUL FOR US TO PROVIDE
WORKSHOPS? WE PUT OUT AN OPEN
CALL, BASICALLY, TO PEOPLE WHO
PARTICIPATED, AND OTHERS. IF
YOU ARE INTERESTED, WE ARE
HAPPY TO LITERALLY HAVE YOU
COME IN, TALK WITH STAFF, TO DO
A MORE OPEN FORUM WORKSHOP. SO,
WE, THAT, WE HAVE BEEN DOING
THAT. WE OURSELVES ARE NOT THE
EMBLEM MENTORS, WE HAVE BEEN
OFFERING TO HELP GUIDE WHATEVER
IMPLEMENTATION QUESTIONS OR
DISCUSSION PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE.
AND SO THAT HAS MANIFESTED IN A
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS. WE
WILL BE DOING THIS FOR THE KING
COUNTY COUNCIL AS WELL. BUT WE
ALSO IDENTIFIED -- THERE WERE
THREE PARTICULAR TOPICS THAT
PEOPLE REALLY WANTED TO DIVE
MORE DEEPLY INTO. AND SO, WE
CREATED OPEN FORUMS . WE HAVE
DONE TWO OF THEM, 90 PEOPLE
SIGNED UP FOR EACH ONE, IT IS
REALLY SIGNIFICANT. AND WE AS
PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY WANTED TO
DO IT WITHIN THEIR OWN REALM,
OR WHETHER THEY WANTED, YOU
KNOW, WHETHER THEY WANTED
ACROSS GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES .
PEOPLE ACROSS THE BOARD REALLY
WANTED IT TO BE A MIX. WE DID
NOT WANT TO STAY, NECESSARILY,
TALKING ABOUT IT IN THEIR
PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION OR
THEIR PARTICULAR CITY. THEY
WANTED TO HAVE A MIX. WE HAVE
DONE TWO OF THE THREE NOW, WE
WILL BE GOING TO SPOKANE,
BELLINGHAM, THEY ASKED THAT WE
WORK MORE DIRECTLY WITH THEIR
CITIES AND WHAT IS GOING ON
THERE. AND SO, WE ARE OFFERING
THAT. ALL OF THIS, YOU KNOW, IT
IS JUST PART OF THE EXISTING
ONE, WHICH IS FUNDING THAT HAS
COME THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE,
THROUGH COMMERCE. PEOPLE DO NOT
PAY FOR THIS, YOU KNOW ? WE
JUST PUT THE REQUEST OUT. IF
THERE IS ANYTHING MORE THAT THE
CITY OF SEATTLE IS INTERESTED
IN, IN ASKING , JUST SAYING, I
DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS PART,
YOU KNOW, CAN YOU HELP US WITH
THE CONVERSATION, WHICH IS ONE
OF THE THINGS WE ARE DOING AND
BELLINGHAM, AMONGST THE PEOPLE
WHO WERE DOING DIFFERENT PLANS,
ET CETERA, YOU KNOW ? WE ARE
OPEN TO DOING THAT, WE JUST HAD
SOME EXTENDED TIME TO BE ABLE
TO DO THAT. OF COURSE, COMMERCE
HAS NOW ACTUALLY GIVEN US
ANOTHER YEAR, IF THERE IS
INTEREST IN PEOPLE COMING BACK
AND SAYING, HOW DO WE UTILIZE
THIS, OR HERE IS WHAT WE NEED
TO TALK YOU ABOUT. I AM PUTTING
THAT OUT THERE, THAT IS
CERTAINLY AN OPPORTUNITY, AS
PEOPLE ARE WORKING ON PLANS.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY,
COMMERCE IS UPDATING THEIR
STRATEGIC PLAN. IS THAT WHAT
THEY ARE CALLING IT?
>> IT IS THE STATE HOMELESS
CRISIS STRATEGIC PLAN.
>> THEY ARE PLANNING TO DEPEND
ON THIS REPORT, VERY INTIMATELY
TO INFORM THE REPORT, AND THAT
WILL INFORM THE POLICY LEVEL,
AND EVEN FUNDING THINGS ON THE
STATE LEVEL.
>> I AM INTERESTED IN SEEING
WHAT HAS BEEN WORKING, WHAT IS
NOT, ESPECIALLY IN THE DECLARED
EMERGENCY OF HOMELESSNESS.
GOING FORWARD, HOW WE CAN MAKE
THOSE CHANGES, ESPECIALLY
DURING THE TIME OF MENTAL
HEALTH NEEDS. FENTANYL, ON THE
STREETS, WE HAVE SEEN A DIRECT
CONNECTION OCCURRING. THE
AMOUNT OF DEATHS IS QUITE
DISTRESSING. I WANT TO DELVE
INTO THIS REPORT A LITTLE BIT
DEEPER, AND LEARN ABOUT YOUR
IDEAS, REGARDING THOSE AREAS. I
ALSO HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION.
THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE
HAVE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT
THE HOMELESS INDUSTRIAL
COMPLEX. IN YOUR VIEW, I FEEL
LIKE, WHEN WE SEE THINGS THAT
ARE IN TOUCH AT AN INTELLECTUAL
LEVEL, WE RUN THE RISK OF GOING
IN THAT DIRECTION. CAN YOU TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, HAVE YOU
LOOKED INTO THAT? HAVE YOU DONE
ANY STUDIES ABOUT HOW DO WE
AVOID THAT? I MEAN, YOU GIVE A
LOT OF GREAT UMBRELLA IDEAS.
BUT HAVE YOU, HAS THERE BEEN
ANY DISCUSSION AROUND THAT
ISSUE?
>> I WILL START. SO, THAT ,
THAT CONCERN, IT DID COME BOB
IN OUR DISCUSSION. AND I WOULD
SAY THEY IT CAME UP IN THE
CONTEXT OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES ABOUT SORT OF THE
RESPONSE. AND I DO THINK THAT
THE ONE PIECE THAT REALLY
SPEAKS MOST DIRECTLY TO THE
SYNTHESIS OF ALL THOSE
PERSPECTIVES, THERE REALLY DOES
NEED TO BE A DIVERSITY OF
ENTITIES INVOLVED IN THE
RESPONSE. AND IT IS SORT OF
REDUCING COMPETITION. IN THAT,
WHAT IS NEEDED , IS TO MAKE IT
MORE POSSIBLE FOR MORE ENTITIES
TO DO A MORE EFFECTIVE JOB
CONTRIBUTING TO THE PEACE, IN A
WAY THAT ADDS UP AND IS
EFFECTIVE. AND THAT , IT CAN BE
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO SPEND A
LOT OF TIME, WITH WHICH IS THE
BEST TYPE OF ENTITY? WHICH IS
THE BEST SYSTEM? WHAT GOES INTO
ADVOCATING FOR THAT. THAT IS
THE IDEA THAT SOME PEOPLE NEED
TO HOLD. IT SPEAKS TO THE IDEA
THAT THERE IS LESS ENERGY GOING
INTO COMPETING FOR FUNDING,
COMPETING FOR LONGEVITY. AND
ALSO DEBATING WHETHER OR NOT
THE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SECTOR
ARE THE BEST SECTOR TO BE
INVOLVED, MORE OF THAT ENERGY
GOES TO EVERYBODY CONTRIBUTING
TO THE SAME SHARED ASPIRATION.
KIND OF TRYING TO SHIFT THE
NARRATIVE A LITTLE BIT IN THAT
WAY, ABOUT WHAT WOULD THE
DIVERSITY OF IMPLEMENTATION AND
RESPONSE MEAN? THAT MEANS
EVERYTHING FROM MAYBE
LEVERAGING THE CAPITAL OF THE
PRIVATE SECTOR TO ENGAGING MORE
ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, I
THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE
THE CLOSEST TO THOSE
EXPERIENCING, WHO ARE ACTUALLY
IMPLEMENTING AND ARE INVOLVED.
SO, THAT LOOKING FOR
OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE WHOLE
PERSPECTIVE, SPENDING LESS TIME
ON A COMPETITION OF IDEAS, OR,
OR, OR THE RESOURCES? I THINK
THAT IS THE CLOSEST CONCEPTUAL
PIECE THAT MATCHES THE CONCERNS
THAT EXIST , IN NOTES CONCERNS
THAT SOME PEOPLE HOLD WITH
THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COLLEAGUES, ANY MORE
QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU. A COMMENT ,
FIRST. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
FOCUSING ON, OR HIGHLIGHTING AT
LEAST, IN THIS PRESENTATION,
PRECARIOUS HOUSING. BECAUSE I
DO THINK THAT WE FORGET THIS ,
FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, FOR
MANY YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN SO
MUCH ATTENTION ON ACUTE CHRONIC
HOMELESSNESS. I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON
PRECARIOUS HOUSING. BECAUSE
PREVENTION IS ALWAYS PREFERRED,
I WOULD SAY. WHAT YOU ARE
HEARING I THINK, IS A DESIRE
FOR TELLING ME JUST WHAT TO DO.
I AM SURE THAT YOU GET THIS A
LOT. ALL RIGHT, WHEN WE ARE
LOOKING AT CHOICES WITH A
LIMITED AMOUNT OF RESOURCES, I
HEARD YOU SAY UNDERSTANDING THE
KNOWLEDGE SOURCE. AND I THINK
THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR
VARIOUS PROVIDERS, THEY ARE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE
MISSION, THE SCOPE OF WORK, HOW
DO THE POLICY WORKERS NEGOTIATE
THAT AND YOU HAVE NOT SET OUT
TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. YOU
HAVE PROVIDED A FRAMEWORK. I DO
NOT BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL GET
AWAY WITH THAT. I AM READING
THIS LEGISLATION. AND IT SAYS
THAT A REPORT OF THIS IS DUE TO
THE GOVERNOR. BY DECEMBER 1st,
AND THAT ALREADY HAPPENED, DO
YOU ANTICIPATE BEING CALLED
UPON TO OFFER ADVICE THIS
UPCOMING SESSION ? HOW DO WE
OPERATIONALIZE THIS FRAMEWORK
TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS
GOING FORWARD?
>> TYPICALLY IN THE FALL, WE
ARE INVITED TO COMMITTEE. AND
WE HAVE DONE A FEW OF THESE
ALREADY. IT WAS THE ROMAN AREA
BEFORE THE REPORT WAS
FINALIZED, WHEN WE WENT TO THE
SUBCOMMITTEE. THAT COULD VERY
WELL HAPPEN. AND SO, YOU KNOW,
THAT IS WHERE WE ARE, TO HELP
THINK THROUGH THOSE THINGS, BUT
AGAIN, WE ARE NOT CONTENT
SPECIALIST , WE HAVE AMASSED A
LOT OF WAYS TO MOVE THINGS
ALONG, WE ARE HELPFUL IN THAT.
ULTIMATELY, WE ARE THE
DECISION-MAKERS, AND THE
PROGRAM PEOPLE HAVE TO FIGURE
OUT A LOT OF THIS, YES, WE WILL
BE AVAILABLE, AND WE ARE
CONSTANTLY INVOLVED WITH THE
LEGISLATORS WHO WERE PART OF
THIS. YES, DEFINITELY. I THINK
, I THINK , YOU KNOW , WHAT ARE
SOME OF THE REALLY KEY MESSAGES
AND HOW DO YOU IMPLEMENT THEM,
SO, THERE IS A LOT HERE, IT IS
MEANT TO BE A LOT. IT IS
COMPLEX. BUT , I THINK THAT,
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I HAVE HEARD IN THINKING
THROUGH THIS, WAS REALLY ,
THERE ARE A LOT OF DECISIONS
AROUND FUNDING. THERE IS A LOT
OF COMPETITION AROUND THE
FUNDING. HOW TO INCENTIVIZE
COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION
AND REDUCE SOME OF THIS. THE
OTHER IS, HOW TO, YOU KNOW, IN
WHATEVER WAY THAT YOU CONTROL
THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, OR YOU
HAVE INPUT. OR NOT CONTROL, BUT
HAVE INPUT, WHAT ARE THE WAYS
IN WHICH YOU WOULD LOOK AT THE
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS, AROUND
SYSTEMS AND WHAT HELP SERVICES
ARE PROVIDED AND WHAT IS
EXCLUSIONARY AND WHAT IS IN ,
AND REALLY LOOKING AT THE
EXPERIENCE OF GOING THROUGH THE
SYSTEM. AND I DON'T KNOW, IF
SOME OF YOU WANT TO GIVE SOME
EXAMPLE OF THAT, IT GAVE ME
SOME DIRECTION, THIS IS THE WAY
THAT THESE DIFFERENT ENTITIES
NEED TO CONNECT BETTER TO EACH
OTHER. WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN
BEING ABLE TO CONNECT THEM TO
THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF
EXAMPLES OF WHERE THAT WAS
NEEDED. SO, BUT AGAIN, WE ARE
AVAILABLE FOR A LITTLE WHILE,
STILL, IF YOU EVER WANT US TO
DELVE IN. IT IS HARD ENOUGH
WITH SUCH A BROAD PRESENTATION
TO GET INTO THAT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WOO ?
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
AND DOING THIS PRESENTATION. IT
IS SO IMPORTANT. AND I THINK
THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR
CALLING UPON THIS. OBVIOUSLY,
WE ARE ALL GRAPPLING WITH THE
SAME THING. I WANT TO ECHO THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S
OBSERVATION. I HAVE HELPED A
CONSTITUENT IN MY DISTRICT WHO
IS HOUSED . THERE WAS A FAMILY
SITUATION. FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING
ONE PAYCHECK AWAY FROM
HOMELESSNESS, THAT IS HOW I
GREW UP AND THAT IS HOW A LOT
OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY LIVE.
AND SO, WE WERE ABLE TO HELP
THIS PERSON STAY HOUSED.
BECAUSE THEY HAD A CHANGE IN
CIRCUMSTANCES , WITH HOW THEY
WERE PAYING FOR THEIR UNIT, IF
YOU WILL, BUT THERE ARE MANY
PEOPLE LIKE THAT , AND SO, I
REALLY DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO
GET FOCUSED TO THE FOLKS THAT
ARE PRECARIOUSLY HOUSED, AS YOU
WOULD SAY. I WILL LEAVE THAT
THERE. WE DEFINITELY NEED TO
HAVE FOCUS ON THAT STRATEGY. BY
QUESTION IS, WE HAVE TALKED ,
AND I AGREE ABOUT THE
COLLABORATION AND INCENTIVIZING
INITIALLY WHEN THE CITY AND
COUNTY ENTERED INTO THE LOCAL
AGREEMENT, IT WAS TO FOSTER THE
COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION ,
I AM WONDERING , AS PART OF
THIS STUDY, AND WORK, IF YOU
ALL WORK WITH, OR LOOKED AT THE
SYSTEM, AND TO BE HONEST , I AM
NOT SURE IF THERE ARE OTHER
SIMILAR COLLABORATIONS
HAPPENING ACROSS THE STATE.
OBVIOUSLY, I AM MOST WITH
SEATTLE. THERE MAY BE OTHER
COLLABORATIONS. AND WHETHER YOU
LOOK AT THOSE, IF THERE ARE
ANY, CERTAINLY, THE ONE IN
SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY, TO
LOOK AND GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
ON HOW CAN THAT BETTER BE
WORKING? OBVIOUSLY, WE SEE THAT
THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES, AND
IT IS NOT WORKING AS INTENDED.
AND WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT
THESE TYPES OF COLLABORATIONS
AND HOW CAN WE HELP THEM TO SET
UP FOR SUCCESS SO THAT WE CAN
ACHIEVE THESE GOALS THAT WE ARE
ALL GRAPPLING WITH TOGETHER.
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE, TO THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S COMMENT,
WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES. I
HEARD YOU TALKING ABOUT THE
SUSTAINABILITY OF, BUT, WE HAVE
ALL OF THESE PIECES, AND I DO
BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING
MANY OF THEM. WE ARE ADDRESSING
THE PRECARIOUS , THE FOLKS, THE
PRECARIOUS HOUSING FOLKS. LIKE
I SAY, I WAS ABLE TO HELP , IN
THAT INSTANCE, AND WE ARE
ADDRESSING ACUTE HOMELESSNESS,
AND WE ARE ADDRESSING, YOU
KNOW, THE TEMPORARY AND THE
PERMANENT SUPPORT. AND THERE
JUST ARE NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES
TO SCALE UP ANY OF THOSE.
ANYWAY, BACK TO MY ORIGINAL
QUESTION. DID YOU REACH OUT TO
COLLABORATIONS? DID YOU STUDY
HOW CAN WE BETTER -- THE INTENT
, I THINK THE INTENT WAS A GOOD
INTENT, FOR THE REASONS THAT
YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED. AND TO
ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU
SO GREATLY POINTED OUT. WE HAVE
A MODEL THAT WE CAN STUDY. DID
YOU DO THAT? WOULD YOU
RECOMMEND THAT AS THE NEXT
ITERATION OF THE WORK THAT YOU
HAVE DONE?
>> WE HAVE PARTICIPANTS FROM
COUNTY, SEATTLE, YOU KNOW,
INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT DEGREES
OF CLOSENESS TO WHAT YOU ARE
DESCRIBING. WE DID NOT DO KIND
OF CASE STUDY ORDER CASE
EXAMPLE ANALYSIS OF ANYTHING IN
PARTICULAR. AND I THINK THERE
IS ALSO THAT IDEA, YOU KNOW,
SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME
WITH EXAMPLES WERE SHARING
THEIR EXAMPLES AND DOCUMENTING
THAT MORE FULLY ACROSS THE
STATE, FOR THE KIND OF THINGS
THAT WE JUST DESCRIBED. OUR
ANALYSIS WITH WAS -- WAS WITH A
STRUCTURE, WITH EXPERIENCE,
LOCAL TO KING COUNTY, AS WELL
AS JUST A MATTER, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE NOT, SIMILARLY, IN
CONTEXT, BUT SIMILARLY TRYING
TO DO COLLABORATIONS IN THE
RURAL AREAS, AND IN THE SMALLER
CITIES, AND SO, I THINK THAT
THE LEARNING, THAT LEARNING,
THAT IS POSSIBLE. AND I THINK
THAT WE DID THAT IN OUR
ANALYSIS. BUT THE THINGS THAT
CAME THROUGH WERE VERY
CONSISTENT. I THINK THAT ONE OF
THEM HARKENS BACK ON THAT SIDE,
WHICH IS, TO SAY, KIND OF, KIND
OF A REGROUPING AROUND WHAT
REALLY NEEDS TO BE
COLLABORATIVE, AND WHAT
DOESN'T, JUST SORT OF ADDING
THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THINGS
THAT DO NOT REALLY NEED
COLLABORATION, YOU KNOW, THEY
NEED COMMUNICATION, MAYBE THEY
DO NOT EVEN NEED THAT, MAYBE
THEY CAN JUST BE DOING
SOMETHING LOCAL, WITH THAT, IN
IT. AND, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST
MAKING THE ALL OR NOTHING
APPROACH, IS IT A COLLABORATIVE
APPROACH, OR, YOU KNOW, I THINK
THAT IS ONE THEME THAT CAME
THROUGH, AND PRETTY MUCH ALL OF
THE EXPERIENCES THAT CAME
THROUGH AND I THINK THAT THE
ANSWER IS DIFFERENT IN
DIFFERENT PLACES, BECAUSE IT
DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH CROSSOVER
THERE IS ACROSS JURISDICTIONS,
YOU KNOW, THE KING COUNTY
REGION IS DIFFERENT THAN THE
GEOGRAPHICALLY LARGE POPULATED
COUNTIES, WHO STILL MIGHT NEED
TO HAVE SOME COLLABORATIVE
ASPECTS, BUT MAYBE NOT QUITE AS
CLOSELY AS LOOKING AT THE MORE
URBAN DENSITY. AND SO, WHEN
THERE ARE ASSESSMENTS HAPPENING
, AND TRYING TO DO THE LEARNING
OF THE RETENTION PROCESSES, WE
HAVE MORE LIKE THESE QUESTIONS,
WE HAVE MORE TO GIVE, AND I
REALLY DO FEEL LIKE THERE IS A
HUNGER ACROSS THE STATE TO HAVE
THOSE CASE EXAMPLES DOCUMENTED
AND SHARED. SO, THAT IS A
MESSAGE FOR THE STATE,
INTENTIONALLY.
>> JUST RECOGNIZING , WHEN YOU
LOOK AT OUR BOARD, OUR REPORT
IS DOING ITS BEST TO CONNECT
ALL OF THESE THINGS, NOT
SAYING, ALL OF THESE THINGS
ALIGN WITH WHAT WE ARE DOING,
BUT HAVING THAT CONVERSATION OF
OKAY, HOW DOES IT AFFECT OR
IMPACT ALL OF THESE OTHER
THINGS, AND IF WE ARE NOT
IMPACTING ALL OF THOSE OTHER
THINGS, HOW DO WE MAKE THOSE
IMPACT THAT MORE? I WOULD SAY,
IN THAT CONVERSATION, GOING
BACK TO BRIDGET'S POINT ABOUT
THE METRICS NOT ALWAYS BEING
ENOUGH, WITH SUCH A STRONG
FOCUS , ON OUR METRICS BEING
MET, THERE IS A LOT OF
COMPLEXITY THAT CAUSED PROBLEMS
IN THAT TYPE OF A SYSTEM.
PARTIALLY BECAUSE IT DOES NOT
CREATE A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT,
YOU ARE MEETING THESE
CHECKPOINTS, OR NOT. IF YOU ARE
NOT, THE STRUCTURE IS CURRENTLY
SET UP TO DO THESE KINDS OF
THINGS. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN
THAT THERE WAS NOT EXCESS IN
THAT, THAT SOME OF THESE
COLLABORATIONS, THEY OFTEN GET
MARKED AS, OH , WELL, IT
FAILED. BUT IT STILL DID SOME
GOOD WORK, IT MAY NOT HAVE FIT
THE PREDETERMINED METRIC
CHECKBOXES THAT WE HAVE KIND OF
COME TO LOOK AT, WHETHER IT HAS
SUCCEEDED OR NOT, BUT ANOTHER
WAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PUSH
PEOPLE TO'S -- TO THINK
DIFFERENTLY, THOSE CHECKBOXES
OFTEN DO LEAVE A LOT OF THE
SUCCESS OUT, AND THEY DO NOT
ALWAYS MEASURE EVERYTHING THAT
IS HAPPENING, BY FOCUSING TOO
MUCH ON THOSE METRICS, NOT THAT
THEY CANNOT BE IMPORTANT, BUT
TOO MUCH FOCUS CAN LEAD TO THAT
COMPETITION AND THAT STRESS
THAT PEOPLE ARE FEELING. AND,
WHEN WE REALLY TRIED TO LOOK AT
WHAT YOU ARE DOING THIS YEAR,
SO THAT YOU LOSE FUNDING OR
NOT, IT IS WHAT CAN WE HELP YOU
TO DO, IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING
THESE METRICS, WHAT IS NEEDED,
WHAT IS NEEDED AND WHAT
ENTITIES, WHAT CAN A CITY OR
COUNTY DO TO SUPPORT THAT,
RECOGNIZING THAT THE RESOURCE ,
THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THAT, AND
ALL THAT. BUT THE MORE THAT WE
CAN SLOWLY START BUILDING THAT,
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT THING TO
RECOGNIZE WITH THE REPORT, AS
MUCH AS WE WOULD LOVE TO TACKLE
THIS ALL TOMORROW, THE CHANCE
OF THAT HAPPENING IS NOT GOING
TO HAPPEN, A LOT OF THIS REPORT
IS HOW DO WE SLOWLY START
MOVING TO THESE THINGS,
RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE
CHIPPING AWAY, INTO ANGLING THE
RIGHT DIRECTION OVER TIME. THAT
IS NOT ALWAYS THE EASIEST THING
AND IT IS FRUSTRATING.
ESPECIALLY, WHEN WE ARE HEARING
THINGS, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO
THE METRICS, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY
PEOPLE WERE SERVED THIS YEAR?
THOSE NUMBERS CAN BE GREAT, AND
THEY SIGNIFICANTLY MATTER. BUT
THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE GOT
EVERYONE OUT OF HOMELESSNESS.
PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS,
THOSE NUMBERS REALLY DO NOT
MATTER TO THEM. AGAIN, THAT
METRIC IS ONLY TELLING PART OF
THE STORY. AND WHERE DO WE
START? WHERE DO WE START
RECOGNIZING MULTIPLE DIFFERENT
MARKERS OF SUCCESS, THAT ARE
NOT NECESSARILY CHECKED OFF
THINGS? SPEED UP YOUR REPORT
INCLUDES A CAUTIONARY NOTE
ABOUT TARGET SETTING. THAT ,
YOU KNOW, THE TARGETS CAN BE
REALLY IMPORTANT, AND KIND OF
THE BENCHMARKS AND THE
ASPIRATIONAL GOALS, THAT
SETTING OVERALL TARGETS CAN
LEAD TO INADVERTENT
CONSEQUENCES, THAT CAN BE
LEADING TOWARD KIND OF REACHING
THE EASIEST TO REACH. WHICH
LEADS TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHAT REALLY WORKS WHERE,
AND REALLY EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS. IF YOU ONLY HAVE
KIND OF A UNIVERSAL TARGET AND
YOU DO NOT HAVE GOALS THAT ARE
RELATED TO REACHING THOSE WHO
ARE MOST DIFFICULT TO SERVE,
MOST DIFFICULT TO PLACE, MOST
DIFFICULT, YOU ARE PERPETUATING
EVEN THE CRISIS. AND NOT
MEETING THE PERCENTAGE TARGET .
BUT I THINK, THAT IS ALSO AN
IMPORTANT THING TO BE
DISCUSSING WHEN YOU ARE GETTING
TO THE COLLABORATIVE
APPROACHES. BECAUSE THAT CAN
AFFECT WHAT APPEALS TO
DIFFERENT COLLABORATORS. SO,
YOU KNOW, MAYBE WHERE YOU NEED
THE MOST COLLABORATION IS
AROUND THE ASPECTS OF THE
RESPONSES THAT ARE GOING TO BE
MOST DIFFICULT TO SUCCEED AT
SCALE. THEY ARE GOING TO
REQUIRE THE MOST INTENSITY OF
RESOURCES. MAYBE THAT IS A
PARTICULAR FOCUS OF
COLLABORATION. THINGS THAT ARE
KNOWN TO BE PRETTY EFFECTIVE IN
WORKING PRETTY WELL, AND YOU
ARE GETTING THE PLACEMENTS,
THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE
PART OF THE PROBLEM. BUT YOU
CANNOT HAVE THE SAME
EXPECTATION FOR EVERY ASPECT OF
THE RESPONSE. SO, THAT IS
SOMETHING, THAT IS, THAT IS
SORT OF SOMETHING, THAT WAS
BOTH RAISED DIRECTLY AS BEING
SORT OF IMPLICIT AROUND THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHANGING THE
RATE OF HOMELESSNESS, AND
ACTUALLY ADDRESSING INDIVIDUAL
EXPERIENCES OF HOMELESSNESS
THAT HAVE VERY COME A VERY
DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES. AND IT
IS SOMETHING, RIGHT? EVERY
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT IS, OUR
TARGET WILL BE TO REDUCE BY X
AMOUNT IN X AMOUNT OF YEARS.
BUT THAT NEEDS TO BE
ACCOMPANIED WITH, WHO DID THAT
READOUT.
>> TO THINK ABOUT IT A LITTLE
BIT DIFFERENTLY, I WILL SAY
THAT DOING A CASE STUDY ABOUT
THE EFFORTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY
IN THE VARIOUS CITIES, BIGGER ,
SMALLER, WE CAN STILL LEARN
FROM EACH OTHER, SO I THINK
THAT IS THE NEXT NATURAL STEP.
WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS GOING TO
HAPPEN, I WOULD SAY THAT IS
VERY HELPFUL, IF IT DID. IN
TERMS OF METRICS, IT IS BOTH.
YOU NEED BOTH. YOU NEED TO KNOW
WHAT FOLKS NEED, IN ORDER TO
STAY HOUSED , AND WE NEED THE
METRICS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND,
WHERE WE ARE DOING WELL, AND
WHERE WE ARE MEETING THE NEEDS
, AND WHERE WE ARE NOT, BECAUSE
WE NEED TO SET THE POLICY. IT
IS TROUBLING THAT FOLKS ARE
CONSTANTLY AT ODDS WITH THAT.
>> PROBABLY A GOOD OVERALL
THEME. IT IS A LOT OF
EITHER/OR. FOR A LOT OF
DIFFERENT REASONS, THIS SCALE
IS SO LARGE, AND ALL OF THOSE
RESOURCES ARE USED. IT FEELS
LIKE, YOU NEED TO DISCERN THE
BEST THING, BUT, THAT IS,
REALLY, THERE IS NO ASPECT OF
THE RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE
TALKED TO PEOPLE, BUT IT WAS
EITHER/OR. I HAVE STRUGGLED TO
COME UP WITH AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT
IS PRETTY CLEARLY EITHER/OR.
>> I HAVE TO SAY, BACK IN 2019,
I USED TO WORK FOR TOM
RASMUSSEN, WHO SERVED ON THE
KING COUNTY COMMITTEE. THERE
WAS A 10-YEAR PLAN TO END
HOMELESSNESS. YOU MAY BE
FAMILIAR WITH IT. HERE IT IS,
18 YEARS LATER, AND FOLKS WITH
LIVED EXPERIENCE. I THINK IT
WAS A GREAT MODEL. BUT, ALMOST
20 YEARS , WE ARE IN THE SAME
PLACE. I THINK THAT THESE
CONVERSATIONS ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT. AND I THINK THAT
THIS IS WHY I FEEL SO STRONGLY
THAT THESE CASE STUDIES, THERE
SHOULD BE CASE STUDIES TO
IDENTIFY, WHERE ARE WE DOING
WELL WITH THESE COLLABORATIONS,
AND WHERE ARE WE NOT? BECAUSE I
DO FEEL, INHERENTLY, AND MAYBE
I AM AN OPTIMIST, BUT, WE ALL
WANT TO DO WELL. AND IT IS, HOW
DO WE GET THERE? HOW DO WE GET
THERE ? THAT IS WHAT YOU CANNOT
ANSWER. IF WE KNEW, WE WOULD'VE
DONE IT, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE
TODAY. SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WE ARE ALMOST AT
TIME. SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THE PRESENTATION. VERY, VERY
THOUGHT-PROVOKING. AND THERE
WERE SOME WONDERFUL QUESTIONS
THAT HAVE BEEN ASKED. I AM
LOOKING FORWARD TO FOLLOWING
YOU ON YOUR NEXT STEPS. AND,
AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. THERE'D BEEN NO
FURTHER BUSINESS. THIS
CONCLUDES THE MAY 8th MEETING
OF THE HOUSING HUMAN SERVICES
COMMUNITY , THE NEXT MEETING IS
SCHEDULED FOR MAY 21st, 2024.