♪
>>> THE TIME IS 9:31 AND THE
JULY 10th MEETING OF THE
HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE WILL NOW COME TO
ORDER. I AM CATHY MOORE, CHAIR
OF THE COMMITTEE. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WOO? VICE
CHAIRMAN RALLIES?
>> HERE.
>> VICE CHAIR MOORE?
>> PRESENT.
>> THERE ARE FOUR PRESENT.
>> IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS,
TODAY'S PROPOSED AGENDA WILL
BE ADOPTED. HEARING NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. I WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TODAY
FOR THE JULY 10th MEETING OF
THE HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE. FIRST, WE WILL HEAR
FROM SOME HOUSING PROVIDERS ON
THE CURRENT CHALLENGES THEY
FACE, FOR HOUSING IN SEATTLE
AND SECONDLY, WE WILL HEAR FROM
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON THE
COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVES.
WE HAVE THE I.T. STAFF ARE
INCORRECT COMMITTEE LOGIN AND
STAFF I.D. WERE SENT OUT TO
PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP FOR ONLINE
COMMENT, SO THE ERROR HAS BEEN
CORRECTED, AND THE I.T. TEAM
HAS SENT OUT EMAILS TO INFORM
ALL OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS
WHO SIGNED UP. SO, PLEASE CHECK
IF YOU ARE SIGNED UP ONLINE FOR
COMMENT TODAY, PLEASE BE SURE
TO CHECK AN EMAIL. YOU SHOULD
HAVE RECEIVED JUST BEFORE 9:00
A.M. THIS MORNING WITH THE
CORRECT LOGON INFORMATION.
AGAIN, THERE WAS AN ERROR IN
THE LOGON INFORMATION THAT WAS
SUBMITTED, THAT HAS SINCE BEEN
CORRECTED THIS MORNING AND A
NEW, CORRECT EMAIL HAS BEEN
SENT TO LOG IN. SO, PLEASE
DOUBLE CHECK YOUR EMAIL SINCE
THIS MORNING. ALL RIGHT. SO, WE
WILL NOW OPEN FOR HYBRID PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENT
SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA OR WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE
SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY, WE HAVE THREE IN
PERSON SPEAKERS AND 10 REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. EACH
SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES
AND WE WILL START WITH THE IN
PERSON SPEAKERS, FIRST. CLERK,
CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC
COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS?
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS UP TO 20
MINUTES, SPEAKERS WILL BE
CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY ARE REGISTERED. SPEAKERS
WILL HEAR A TIME WHEN 10
SECONDS ARE LEFT OF THEIR TIME.
SPEAKERS MICS WILL BE MUTED IF
THEY DO NOT END THEIR COMMENTS
WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME TO
ALLOW US TO MOVE ONTO THE NEXT
SPEAKER.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. AND
OUR FIRST IN-PERSON SPEAKER?
>> THE FIRST IN-PERSON SPEAKER
IS MARILYN, FOLLOWED BY SUZANNE
COBOL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ONE MOMENT. LET ME GET YOUR
TIMER SET UP.
>> ARE YOU READY TO GO, YEAH?
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNSEL, MY
NAME IS MARILYN YIN, I AM THE
FOUNDER OF SEATTLE LANDLORDS,
PROVIDING MENTORSHIP TO 700
SMALL HOUSING PROVIDERS. FOR
RENTERS, SEATTLE'S RENTING
LAWS ARE LIKE WALKING BAREFOOT
THROUGH FIRE OR GAS INCREASING
OUR COSTS AND RISKS. THAT IS
WHY SEATTLE HAS LOST 19% OF ITS
SMALL RENTALS IN THE LAST FIVE
YEARS WITH 74% OF THOSE SOLD,
CITING CITY REGULATIONS IS THE
TOP REASON WHY. WE HEAR
CONSTANTLY FROM OUR MEMBERS, I
WILL NEVER BE A LANDLORD IN
SEATTLE OR WASHINGTON AGAIN.
MANY OF THOSE WHO SOLD STILL
WANTED TO INVEST IN REAL
ESTATE, JUST OUTSIDE OF
SEATTLE. THE LESSON HERE IS
THAT LAWS CAN MAKE INVESTMENT
LEADS. SMALL GUYS LIKE US ARE
THE LAST ONES AFFECTED AND NOW
IT IS SPREADING TO THE BIGGER
HOUSING PROVIDERS. NONPROFITS,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND EVEN
SEATTLE AUTHORITY ARE HAVING A
HARD TIME MANAGING RENTALS,
TENDONS, RISING COSTS, AND
FINANCING. ALL OF THEM ARE
BLEEDING RED INK. IT IS A
BLOODBATH OUT THERE. THE REASON
OUR LAWS ARE BEHIND CLOSED
DOORS, EVERYONE KNOWS IT. THE
SLIDES TODAY ARE MILD COMPARED
TO THE REALITY. RENTAL LAWS ARE
NOT PROTECTING PEOPLE. THEY ARE
HARMING VULNERABLE PEOPLE AND
REWARDING BAD BEHAVIOR. NOBODY
WILL INVEST IN NEW BUILDING
PERMITS, CRASHED AFTER TWO
YEARS WITH HIGH STAFF TURNOVER
AND DESTRUCTIVE, VIOLENT
TENANTS THAT THREATEN NEIGHBORS
AND CAN'T BE REMOVED. ONCE YOU
BURN INVESTORS, THEY WON'T BE
BACK TO BE BURNED AGAIN AND IT
TAKES DECADES AND AN ENTIRE
LEADERSHIP CHANGE TO REBUILD
THAT TRUST. NONPROFITS ARE
BEING DENIED FINANCING DOZENS
OF TIMES OVER RIGHT NOW,
HAPPENING NOW. THE STAKES ARE
HIGH. WE WON'T GET THE HOUSING
THAT WAS PROMISED OUT OF THE $1
BILLION HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT
JUST PASSED LAST YEAR AND WE
CAN'T ATTRACT THE REQUIRED
FINANCING. MAYOR HARRELL,
COUNTY AND STATE LEADERS,
PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT HOUSING
PROVIDERS ARE TELLING YOU
TODAY, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS,
I'M GLAD YOU ARE LISTENING TO
US. WE NEED IS HOLISTIC
SOLUTION FOR HOW THEY ARE
APPLIED TO THE CITY AND THE
COURTS. WE WANT -- WE NEED TO
TAKE A STEP BACK, LOOK AT THE
BIG PICTURE, AND PARTNER
TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT
SPEAKER?
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SUZANNE
COBOL, FOLLOWED BY WOLFGANG.
>> I AM A SENIOR ASSET MANAGER
FOR GMP DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE A
SMALL SEATTLE-BASED REAL ESTATE
DEVELOPER SPECIALIZING IN
AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE
HOUSING. WE OPERATE ALMOST 600
AFFORDABLE UNITS IN SEATTLE,
KING COUNTY, OR BELOW 60% AMI.
WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT ALL OF OUR
RESIDENTS, BUT PARTICULARLY THE
FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO LIVE
IN OUR HOUSING. I HAVE SPENT
THE LAST SIX MONTHS WORKING AT
OUR SOUTHEAST SEATTLE WORKFORCE
AND FAMILY BUILDING THAT HAS
ONE AND TWO BEDROOM UNITS AT
60% AMI. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL
BAD ACTORS MOVE INTO THE
BUILDING AND TAKE UP DEALING
DRUGS IN THE BACK HALLWAY. THEY
HAVE ALLOWED ACTIVE DRUG USERS
INTO THE BUILDING AND ACTIVELY
SMOKE FENTANYL IN THE UNITS AND
THE SMEAR OF STAIRWELLS. WE
HAVE HAD RESIDENTS COME IN AND
SAY THAT THEY HAVE TO MOVE
BECAUSE THEY CAN CONTINUE TO
ALLOW THEIR FAMILIES TO LIVE IN
THIS ENVIRONMENT. WE HAVE TRIED
TO GET THESE FOLKS OUT OF THE
BUILDINGS, BUT IT HAS PROVEN
UNSUCCESSFUL WITH DELAYS TO
EVICTION. THESE DELAYS TO
EVICTION ARE CAUSING
IMMEASURABLE HARM TO OUR
FAMILIES, CHILDREN, AND STAFF.
WE ARE NOT ALONE. MANY OTHER
HOUSING PROVIDERS IN THE AREA
ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION. WE
HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO KEEP STAFF,
MANY FOLKS THAT WE HAVE HIRED
HAVE COME IN AND THEY HAVE GONE
OUT ON MEDICAL LEAVE AND SUCH
BECAUSE IT IS JUST SO STRESSFUL
TO WORK IN A BUILDING WHERE
WHEN YOU WALK DOWN THE HALLWAY,
YOU ARE SEEING ACTIVE FENTANYL
USE. OUR BUILDING IS TWO YEARS
OLD. MANY FOLKS WITH THE MAYOR,
AND DEL CONSTANTINE, AND IN
SLEEP WERE AT OUR OPENING, AND
JUST TWO YEARS LATER, WE HAVE
SERIOUS PHYSICAL ISSUES IN OUR
BUILDING DUE TO THE DAMAGE THAT
HAS BEEN CAUSED. SO, I WOULD
LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU HELP
PROTECT SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT
SPEAKER?
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS
WOLFGANG, FOLLOWED BY OUR FIRST
REMOTE SPEAKER, WHO IS
ELIZABETH POWELL.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
WOLFGANG, I AM A CURRENT
PARTICIPANT AT CHER WHEEL AND
HAVE BEEN WITH MY HUSBAND SINCE
OCTOBER OF 2023. AS AN
INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY HAS
SHARED, WE OPPOSE THE WEAKENING
OF THE EVICTION MORATORIUM AND
WILL CONTINUE TO OPPOSE SUCH A
MOTION UNTIL SHELTER IS
AVAILABLE FOR ALL. THE LIFTING
OR WEAKENING OF THIS MORATORIUM
CAN ONLY AT THIS TIME SERVICE
TO PUT MORE PEOPLE OUT ON THE
STREET IN THE CURRENT STATE OF
EMERGENCY. THE SIMPLE STANCE
THAT WE TAKE AS A COMMUNITY IS
THAT WITHOUT SHELTER, PEOPLE
DIE. UNDERNEATH THIS TRUTH, IT
IS INHUMANE TO CONSIDER ANY
OPTIONS THAT DO NOT LEAD TO
SAFE SHELTER FOR ALL. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT
SPEAKER?
>> OUR NEXT IS REMOTE AND THAT
IS ELIZABETH POWELL, FOLLOWED
BY ANGIE GERALD.
>> ELIZABETH, YOU CAN PRESS *6,
AND START TO TALK.
>> GOOD MORNING, THIS IS
ELIZABETH POWELL. CAN YOU HEAR
ME?
>> YES.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. I HAVE A
LITTLE BIT OF A BIAS TOWARDS
TENANTS. I HAVE BEEN PRACTICING
LANDLORD-TENANT LAW FOR THE
BETTER PART OF 24 YEARS NOW AND
I HAVE SEEN THAT THE
COMPROMISES THAT HAVE BEEN
BROUGHT FORWARD TO MAKE LIFE
EASIER FOR EVERYBODY. AT THIS
POINT, I WORK FOR AN
ORGANIZATION AND WHAT WE CALL
ADDICTION PREVENTION, WHICH IS
TRYING REALLY HARD NOT TO GET
TO THE POINT WHERE THE COURT
AND SHERIFF GET INVOLVED. SO, I
DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE
IS A MYTH OUT THERE THAT IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE TO EVICT A TENANT
WITH A BEHAVIORAL PROBLEM IN
LESS THAN A YEAR AND I
APOLOGIZE, BUT THAT IS
NONSENSE. SO, IF THE NOTICES
ARE DONE CORRECTLY, AND IF A
LANDLORD'S ATTORNEY KNOWS WHAT
THEY ARE DOING BRINGS THAT
MATTER TO THE COURT, THERE ARE
NOT ONE, BUT TWO EXPEDITED
PROCEDURES IN SEATTLE AND KING
COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT
HAPPENS EVEN FASTER. IT IS
TRYING TO RESPECT THE DUE
PROCESS RIGHTS OF EVERYONE.
EVERYONE SAYS, OH, IT TAKES AN
HOUR OR A YEAR TO GET SOMEBODY
OUT WITH A BEHAVIORAL PROBLEM.
THAT IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. SO,
ONE OF THE WAYS THIS MATTER
COULD GET RESOLVED FASTER IS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE COURTS ARE
ADEQUATELY FUNDED, NOT A HUGE
INCREASE IN ADMINISTRATIVE
PEOPLE, BUT MAKING SURE THERE
ARE PROJECT COMMISSIONERS,
PROJECT JUDGES. OKAY, I AM
GETTING -- I'M DONE.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE NEXT SPEAKER?
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ANGIE
GERALD, FOLLOWED BY BILL COOK.
>> OKAY, ANGIE, PRESS *6 AND
START SPEAKING.
>> ANGIE, YOU NEED TO PRESS *6.
TRY THAT AGAIN?
>> HI, ANGIE. CAN YOU PRESS *6?
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE STILL
MUTED. OH, THERE SHE IS.
>> ANGIE, WE WILL COME BACK TO
YOU.
>> SO, THE NEXT SPEAKER?
>> OKAY, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS
BILL COOK. HE IS NOT PRESENT,
SO WE WILL GO TO LESLIE HODGE.
ALL -- LESLIE, PLEASE PRESS *6
AND YOU CAN BEGIN TO SPEAK.
>> OKAY. CAN YOU -- OKAY. I
THINK YOU CAN HEAR ME.
>> YES.
>> I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR
TAKING THE TIME TO ACTUALLY
LISTEN, I HAVE FELT UNHEARD IN
THE PAST FEW YEARS THAT WHAT I
WANTED TO SAY IS THAT MY
HUSBAND AND I ARE SMALL
LANDLORDS, HE IS AN ARTIST, I
AM A SELF-EMPLOYED GRAPHIC
DESIGNER AND WE WERE ABLE TO
PURCHASE A FEW RENTALS IN THE
'90s BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON,
THE BANKS WERE WILLING TO THROW
MONEY AT PEOPLE THAT BARELY
MADE MINIMUM WAGE, AND WE HAVE
MADE IT A POINT TO BE CONNECTED
TO OUR TENANTS FOR THEM TO BE
ABLE TO CALL US, AND WE DON'T
HAVE ANY LAYERS, WE DON'T HAVE
ANY PROPERTY MANAGERS, WE LOVE
WHAT WE DO. WE HAVE MET SOME
GREAT PEOPLE, WE HAVE GIVEN A
LOT OF NEW FAMILIES, NEW
BUSINESSES WHO ARE STARTING
OUT, A START. UP UNTIL
RECENTLY, GIVE PEOPLE THE
BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT ON MOST
APPLICATIONS. BUT NOW, THE
REGULATIONS ARE SO CONFUSING
THAT WE ARE ALWAYS AFRAID WE
ARE GOING TO MAKE A MISTAKE AND
WHAT WE FOUND ESPECIALLY
DIFFICULT THE FIRST TIME --
BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT
EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS DEVELOPED
TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM
DISCRIMINATION, IT
DISCRIMINATES AGAINST PEOPLE
THAT DO NOT HAVE INSTANT ACCESS
TO INTERNET AND CAN CONSTANTLY
SCOUR FOR RENTAL APPS. AND THE
ROOMMATE IS TOUGH TOO, BECAUSE
YOU DON'T KNOW WHO IS MOVING
IN. IF SOMEBODY IS PAYING $800
A MONTH, THAT IS NOT A
DETERRENT. WE FOUND LATE FEES
TO BE DETERRENCE. WE HAVE HAD
GREAT TENANTS THAT HAVE
ACTUALLY STAYED FOR 25 YEARS,
SO WE ARE HOPEFULLY DOING
SOMETHING RIGHT. BUT, WE ENDED
UP SETTLING DEBTS THAT WE OWED
BECAUSE WE WERE SO WORRIED
ABOUT ALL THE REGULATIONS. WE
JUST COULDN'T KEEP UP. ANYHOW,
THE REGULATIONS CAUSED US TO
GET OUT OF THE MARKET. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> LET'S GO BACK TO ANGIE.
>> HI, ANGIE. ANGIE GERALD, IF
YOU COULD PRESS *6, AND LET'S
SEE IF YOU CAN GO.
>> HELLO, ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR
ME NOW?
>> YES, WE CAN.
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, MY NAME IS ANGIE, I AM
A MEMBER OF SEATTLE LANDLORDS,
AN ORGANIC MEMBER OF RENTAL
OPERATORS THROUGHOUT THE CITY
WHO SHARE INFORMATION AND PEER
SUPPORT WITH ONE ANOTHER. FOR
YEARS, SMALL LANDLORDS HAVE
BEEN CONTACTING CITY COUNSEL
REGARDING HOW SEATTLE'S
EXPERIMENTAL LAWS ARE IMPACTING
THE SAFETY OF HOUSING
OPERATIONS. INDEPENDENT RENTAL
OPTIONS OFFERS THE MOST
INVENTORY OF AFFORDABLE
RENTALS, BUT SEATTLE KEEPS
CRACKING DOWN. CREATED IN A
LEVEL OF WELL-INTENTIONED BUT
SERIOUSLY POLARIZED POLITICS,
OUR CITIES COMPLICATED LAWS
WERE CREATED WITHOUT ANY
INSIGHT. THIS WILL CAUSE DAMAGE
TO OUR ENTIRE RENTAL ECOSYSTEM,
IT'S PILING UP. THOUSANDS OF
PROPERTIES HAVE DISAPPEARED
FROM THE CITY, DESPITE
EVER-INCREASING DEMAND FOR
HOUSING. THE COUNTY EVICTION
COURT SYSTEM, DESPITE THE
RECENT HISTORY OF SOME OF THE
LOWEST EVICTION RATES IN THE
NATION, IS A MESS. LOWER
INSIGHT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE
HOUSING JUSTICE PROJECT,
DESERVES A VERY BRIGHT
SPOTLIGHT. I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE
TODAY'S AGENDA ITEM ON THE
CALENDAR FOR HOUSING PROVIDERS.
I APPRECIATE THAT NONPROFIT
HOUSING PROVIDERS ARE BEGINNING
TO SPEAK PUBLICLY ON THESE
ISSUES. WE SEE FOR RESIDENTS,
NEIGHBORS, AND STAFF, IS OF
HIGH CONCERN. I ASK CITY
COUNCIL TO CREATE A NEW ERA OF
COLLABORATIVE GOVERNANCE. WE
NEED COMPREHENSIVE REFORM AND
IMPROVEMENT OF OUR RENTAL LAWS.
WE NEED SAFE, STABLE, DIVERSE,
AND ACCESSIBLE HOUSING. PLEASE
PUSH FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO
CLARIFY LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGY
ON THIS ISSUE, AS WELL. AMIDST
THIS SEATTLE HOUSING CRISIS,
MANY HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR ZONING
CHANGES, RENTER PROTECTIONS,
BUILDING CODE IMPROVEMENTS.
BUT, THE COST OF OPERATING
RENTALS ON THE SMALLEST SCALE
ON UP DESERVES SERIOUS
ATTENTION AND CARETAKING IN
SEATTLE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ANITA
FREEMAN FOLLOWED BY CASEY
BERGMAN.
>> MADE THE RECORD REFLECT THAT
COUNCILMEMBER WOO HAS JOINED
US.
>> ANITA, PRESS -- OH. ANITA
FREEMAN, THEN FOLLOWED BY BILL
COOK, WHO IS PRESENT NOW.
ANITA, PLEASE PRESS *6. JUST A
SECOND. SHE STILL ON YOU. WHAT
IS HAPPENING? TECHNICAL
DIFFICULTY WITH ANITA, SO WE
ARE GOING TO GO TO BILL COOK.
BILL, IF YOU COULD PRESS *6.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
BILL COOK, I AM THE DIRECTOR OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR DRIVE
COMMUNITIES IN SEATTLE. DRIVE
COMMUNITIES MANAGES A LITTLE
OVER 1000 AFFORDABLE HOUSING
UNITS IN THE CITY AND WE FIND
THE INFORMATION PRESENTED TO BE
TRUE AND WANTED TO ADD THAT
THESE CONTINGENCIES HAVE
CREATED UNSAFE WORKING
CONDITIONS TO MAKE IT HARD TO
ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE
EMPLOYEES NEEDED TO KEEP THESE
STABLE. AND THAT WE HAVE
WITNESSED THAT OUR CLIENTS ARE
REALLY STRUGGLING IN AN
ENVIRONMENT THEY ARE CURRENTLY
LIVING IN. THE CURRENT
SITUATION IS DRASTICALLY
DIFFERENT TO HOW THAT PROPERTY
WAS OPERATED PREVIOUSLY. I KNOW
THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SAID THIS,
BUT WE ARE FINDING DIFFICULTY.
WE ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING
DAMAGES IN INDIVIDUAL UNITS AND
THE COMMON AREAS CREATED BY
RESIDENTS AND GUESTS WE DON'T
WANT IN THE BUILDING. SOME OF
IT IS STAGGERING AND A LOT TO
BEAR. SO, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT OR
IS ANITA FREEMAN FOLLOWED BY
CASEY BERGMAN. LET'S SEE IF WE
CAN UNMUTE YOU. SORRY, WE ARE
HAVING SOME ISSUES, BUT WE WILL
COME BACK TO YOU. NEXT UP, IS
CASEY BURTON.
>> HI. HI, THERE. CAN YOU HEAR
ME OKAY?
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. HI, MY
NAME IS CASEY BURTON, I AM A
SENIOR STAFF MEMBER. I JUST
WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO
ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO ENSURE
PROTECTION FOR TENANTS. STUDIES
SHOW THAT REGULATIONS DOES NOT
CAUSE LANDLORDS TO -- AND I SEE
IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WILL
BE COMING UP THAT THERE ARE
DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ABOUT PAYING
RENT BUT I HAVE A STUDY RIGHT
IN FRONT OF ME THAT SHOWS
PROPERTY IS COMPRISED OF 2 TO 4
UNITS HAVE THE HIGHEST EVICTION
RATE. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS
100% RETURN ON ANY INVESTMENT,
EVER. AND THE DISCUSSION
REGARDING BEHAVIORAL ISSUES IS
A DISTRACTION. COURTS ENSURE
THAT LANDLORDS FACING
BEHAVIORAL ISSUES CAN GET
ACCELERATED HEARINGS. THERE IS
THE LANDLORD MEDICATION PROGRAM
WHICH COVERS DAMAGE TO THE UNIT
AND DELAYS ARE OFTEN CAUSED BY
ISSUES COVERED BY BASIC
REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE LAW. SO,
THERE ARE A LOT OF EVICTIONS.
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OFFERS
TRAINING TO LANDLORDS TO HELP
THEM UNDERSTAND THESE LAWS AND
THERE ARE A LOT OF ONLINE
RESOURCES. IF YOU ARE GOING TO
PROFIT OFF OF A BASIC HUMAN
NEED, THERE NEEDS TO BE
REGULATION AND PROTECTION. YOU
HAVE TO HAVE LIMITS IF YOU HAVE
THE POWER TO MAKE SOMEONE
HOMELESS. PLEASE BE SURE TO
PROTECT SEATTLE RENTERS AND
VOTERS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THE NEXT PUBLIC
COMMENT OR IS ALBERTO ALVAREZ.
ALBERTO, PLEASE PRESS *6.
>> HELLO, TESTING. CAN YOU HEAR
ME?
>> YEAH. YES.
>> THE JURY WEEKS AGO IN
WASHINGTON FEDERAL COURTS
UPHOLD THE RIGHTS OF FREE
SPEECH IN PROTEST GRAFFITI. AN
IMAGE NOT PUBLISHED WAS OUT OF
THE PHRASE, TANYA WOO HATES
BLACK PEOPLE. CM WILL -- WOO
TOOK IT UPON HERSELF TO LIMIT
THE USAGE OF GRAFFITI PHOTOS
PERHAPS TO SET THE FOCUS ON HER
AS A VICTIM OF RACIAL ATTACKS.
WHERE ARE THE IMAGES OF RACIAL
SLURS AGAINST CM WOO --
>> I'M SORRY, I'M GOING TO
INTERRUPT, YOUR TESTIMONY IS
NOT TO THE PURVIEW OF THIS
COMMITTEE.
>> I'M GETTING TO THE POINT.
NO, I'M GETTING TO THE POINT.
>> NO, SO WE ARE GOING TO
CONCLUDE YOUR CALL. THANK YOU.
>> NO, I --
>> MOVE ONTO THE NEXT CALL,
PLEASE.
>> ANITA, WE ARE GOING TO TRY
YOU AGAIN.
>> OKAY, IF IT DOESN'T WORK,
LET'S MOVE TO THE REMAINING IN
PERSON COMMENTERS.
>> OKAY, WE HAVE TWO MORE
COMMENTERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP,
KATIE WILSON FOLLOWED BY KATE
RUBIN.
>> HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS KATIE WILSON. I AM THE
CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR FOR THE
TRANSIT RIDERS UNION AND ALSO
ORGANIZER FOR THE STAY HEALTHY
COALITION. I HAVE HAD A LOT OF
CONVERSATIONS RECENTLY WITH
PEOPLE WHO RUN OR WORK AT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING NONPROFITS
ABOUT THE ISSUES YOU WILL BE
DISCUSSING TODAY. CLEARLY,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING NONPROFITS
ARE FACING A LOT OF CHALLENGES
RIGHT NOW. THESE ARE COMPLEX
ISSUES AND THEY NEED MORE
SUPPORT. THEY NEED MORE
SUPPORT, AND ALSO THEIR TENANTS
NEED MORE SUPPORT. THE FIRST
POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT
THAT IS GOING TO MEAN MORE
RESOURCES FROM ALL LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT. AND THAT MEANS THE
CITY REALLY NEEDS TO START
LOOKING FOR A PROGRESSIVE
REVENUE TO ADDRESS THE BUDGET
SHORTFALL SO THAT WE ARE NOT
CUTTING INTO FUNDING. BOTH FOR
NEW CONSTRUCTION, AND FOR
SUPPORT FOR EXISTING PROJECTS
AND OPERATIONS. AFFORDABLE
HOUSING NONPROFITS NEED
ADDITIONAL OPERATING FUNDS IN
PART BECAUSE LARGE NUMBERS OF
PEOPLE ARE BEHIND ON RENT AND
WE KNOW THAT EVEN IN LOW INCOME
HOUSING, A LARGE NUMBER OF
RENTERS ARE PAYING HALF OR MORE
OF THEIR INCOME IN RENT. THIS
IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THE
CITIES SOLUTION ABSOLUTELY
CANNOT BE TO MAKE IT EASIER TO
EVICT PEOPLE FOR NONPAYMENT OF
RENT. IF THAT IS OUR SOLUTION,
THEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE
EVICTED INTO HOMELESSNESS AND
THAT IS A MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE
AND DAMAGING PROBLEM TO SOLVE.
I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT
THERE IS NOTHING IN SEATTLE'S
LAWS THAT IS PREVENTING OR
SLOWING DOWN THE EVICTION OF
PEOPLE WHO POSE HEALTH AND
SAFETY RISKS TO THEIR
NEIGHBORS. WE KNOW THE COURT
BACKLOG IS SLOWING DOWN
EVICTIONS, BUT THAT IS NOT
SOMETHING THE CITY CAN ADDRESS.
THAT IS A PROBLEM THAT WILL
EVENTUALLY BE RESOLVED BY LARGE
NUMBERS OF EVICTIONS AND PEOPLE
FACING EVICTIONS FOR ANY REASON
HAVE RIGHTS. SO, PLEASE FIND A
WAY TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS
WITHOUT EVICTING PEOPLE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE
NEXT IN PERSON SPEAKER IS KATE
RUBIN.
>> MY NAME IS KATE RUBIN. I AM
A RENTER LIVING AT BEACON HILL
AND I AM THE ORGANIZING
DIRECTOR OF THE SEATTLE. IT IS
REALLY FRUSTRATING THAT THIS
COMMITTEE HAS SPENT SO MUCH
TIME WORKING WITH LANDLORDS
THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT
TOGETHER A WHOLE PRESENTATION
TODAY, BUT HASN'T EVEN FOUND A
FEW MINUTES TO REVIEW
APPOINTMENTS FOR THE RENTERS
COMMISSION IN THE LAST SEVEN
MONTHS. PART OF THE
COMMISSION'S ROLE IS BY CITY
COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, IGNORING
RESPONSIBILITIES, APPROVING
APPOINTMENT, AND ENGAGING WITH
THE COMMISSION IS DISEMPOWERING
FOR THE MORE THAN HALF OF
SEATTLEITES THAT ARE RENTERS. I
REVIEWED THE SLIDES FOR THIS
MORNING'S PRESENTATION AND IT
IS CLEAR THAT AFFORDABLE
HOUSING NONPROFITS ARE
STRUGGLING ALONGSIDE RENTERS.
WE NEED MORE RESOURCES TO SOLVE
THESE PROBLEMS. MAKING IT
EASIER TO EVICT LOW INCOME
TENANTS IS NOT A SOLUTION. IT
IS JUST GOING TO FURTHER LEAD
TO OUR INCREASING HOMELESSNESS
CRISIS. I THINK RAISING REVENUE
IS THE BEST WAY TO CREATE REAL
SOLUTIONS THAT ACTUALLY SUPPORT
RENTERS AND HOUSING PROVIDERS
AND KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> WE HAVE TWO MORE REMOTE
SPEAKERS, THEN THAT WILL BE OUR
FINAL.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT REMOTE SPEAKER IS
SCHRADER. PRESS *6 TO SPEAK.
>> HI, MY NAME IS -- HELLO, MY
NAME IS SCHRADER AND I AM
SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF SHARE. IT
IS FOR FORMERLY HOMELESS MEN
AND WOMEN. AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IS STRUGGLING WITH FUNDING BUT
IT IS NOT FAIR TO TAKE THAT OUT
ON THE TENANTS. I WAS HOMELESS
WHEN I WASN'T ABLE TO PAY MY
RENT. I GET BEHIND ON MY RENT,
THEN HAVE A LATE FEE ON TOP OF
IT. A WEEK INTO NEXT MONTH, AND
I STILL HAVE TO MAKE UP RENT
FOR NEXT MONTH, AND EVEN THREE
WEEKS WHEN I AM ALREADY
STRUGGLING TO MAKE THE RENT.
EVENTUALLY, I WASN'T ABLE TO
MAKE IT AND THAT IS WHY I ENDED
UP BEING HOMELESS. SO, SHARE
COMPLETELY OPPOSES EVICTIONS OF
TENANTS WHO CAN'T PAY RENT
BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS
BECAUSE WE HAVE LIVED IT. WE
END UP HOMELESS. SO, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING TO MY
TESTIMONY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND THE FINAL SPEAKER IS
CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON.
>> I THINK WE HAVE ONE PERSON
IN PERSON, AFTER THAT.
>> OH, OKAY.
>> GO AHEAD WITH THE PHONE.
>> OKAY, CHRISTOPHER, PRESS *6.
>> YES, I DID THAT. HI. MY NAME
IS CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON, I AM
ALSO WITH SHARE IN HERE TO TALK
ABOUT NOT JUST WHAT YOU HEARD
EARLIER, BUT ALSO WHAT YOU
LEAVE US WITH WHEN YOU DECIDE
TO MAKE THIS CHANGE. YOU JUST
HEARD THAT WINTER EVICTION
MORATORIUM AND YOU DID HEAR
ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT
HAPPENS WHEN YOU EVICT FOLKS.
SO, THERE IS SERIOUS STRESS OF
SEVERE HYPOTHERMIA AND DEATH AS
A RESULT OF YOUR POLICY CHANGE
IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THIS
CHANGE. WE KNOW THIS STORY, I
HAVE LIVED THIS STORY AND IT IS
VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE
REMINDED OF THAT STORY BECAUSE
THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS I
TALKED ABOUT SO PLEASE, KEEP
THE MORATORIUM. THE BEHAVIOR OF
TENANTS DURING AN ENTIRE YEAR
DOES NOT JUSTIFY LIFTING A
WINTER EVICTION MORATORIUM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND OUR
FINAL IN PERSON SPEAKER IS --
>> HEY, EVERYONE. THANK YOU,
AND THANK YOU FOR PRONOUNCING
MY NAME REALLY WELL, AS WELL.
HEY, I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN
SEATTLE FOR ABOUT 25 PLUS
YEARS, I OWN A HOME IN SOUTH
SEATTLE AND MY PARENTS ALSO OWN
A COUPLE OF PROPERTIES THAT I
HELP THEM MANAGE. I HAVE KIND
OF SEEN FIRSTHAND SOME OF THESE
RULES AND REGULATIONS AND HOW
HARD THEY MAKE IT FOR LANDLORDS
TO MANAGE THEIR PROPERTIES. I
UNDERSTAND WHERE THE CITY IS
COMING FROM AND WHERE SOME OF
THE OTHER SPEAKERS ARE COMING
FROM, IN TERMS OF BEING ETHICAL
AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, HEY,
SOME PEOPLE FALL ON HARD TIMES
AND WE NEED TO PROTECT MEMBERS
OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT IT HAS
JUST BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT
TO MANAGE THESE PROPERTIES. WE
HAVE HAD ONE TENANT THAT HAS --
WE STARTED THE EVICTION PROCESS
ON. THEY WERE ABOUT $16,000
BEHIND ON THEIR RENT, AND WE
ARE STILL NOT ABLE TO GET THEM
OUT, AND SOMEBODY AT THE
EVICTION'S OFFICE HAS TURNED
OVER, SO NOW WE HAVE TO RESTART
THE WHOLE PROCESS AND AT THE
SAME TIME, WE STILL HAVE TO PAY
THE MORTGAGE, WE STILL HAVE TO
PAY THE BILLS. SO, I UNDERSTAND
THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE CAN DO
FOR TENANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE BEING ETHICAL AND
HELPING MEMBERS OF OUR
COMMUNITY, BUT IT DOES PUT A
STRAIN ON US, ON TRYING TO
FOLLOW THE PROCESS AND FOLLOW
THE RULES AND REGULATIONS. SO,
I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE AND
SAY THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO GAVE
A PRESENTATION TODAY, TO SEE
HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO
KIND OF MEET IN THE MIDDLE AND
HELP BOTH SIDES.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS THAT OUR LAST? OKAY, THANK
YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO, THERE ARE
NO ADDITIONAL REGISTERED
SPEAKERS AND WE WILL NOW
PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
ARE ENCOURAGED TO EITHER SUBMIT
WRITTEN COMMENT ON THE SIGN-UP
CARDS AVAILABLE ON THE PODIUM,
OR TO EMAIL COUNCIL AT
COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV. WE WILL
NOW MOVE ON TO THE FIRST ITEM
OF OUR AGENDA. CLERK, WILL YOU
PLEASE READ THE FIRST AGENDA
ITEM INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE, CURRENT
CHALLENGES FOR HOUSING
PROVIDERS, FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION. CAN YOU HEAR ME
NOW? OKAY.
>> ALL RIGHT, MY APOLOGIES FOR
THAT. ALL RIGHT, SO, THANK YOU,
COLLEAGUES. SO, AS CHAIR OF THE
HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE, I HAVE HAD SO MANY
HOUSING PROVIDERS ACROSS THE
SPECTRUM, FROM SMALL LANDLORDS
TO NONPROFIT HOUSING PROVIDERS,
TO FOR-PROFIT HOUSING
PROVIDERS, REACH OUT TO ME TO
EXPRESS THEIR SERIOUS CONCERNS
WITH SEATTLE'S PARTICULAR
ENVIRONMENT FOR PROVIDING
HOUSING. I HAVE HAD MEETING
AFTER MEETING WITH SOLUTIONS
ORIENTED HOUSING PROVIDERS, WHO
GENUINELY WANT TO CONTINUE
PROVIDING HOUSING HERE IN
SEATTLE, BUT ARE BEING PUSHED
TO A BREAKING POINT. SO, AFTER
REALLY HEARING FROM THE
SPECTRUM OF HOUSING PROVIDERS
WITH MANY OF THE SAME ISSUES
AND SORT OF A CHORUS THAT NEED
HELP, I DECIDED TO ADD A FEW OF
THE MANY OF THE HOUSING
PROVIDERS I HAVE HEARD FROM
HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
SPECIFIC CHALLENGES THEY ARE
FACING IN SEATTLE'S HOUSING
MARKET. SO, WITHOUT FURTHER
ADO, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
ANDREW FROM COMMUNITY ROOTS
HOUSING, MICHAEL FROM SOUTHEAST
AFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT, AND IDA,
A SMALL LANDLORD IN DISTRICT 5
TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBERS, FOR INVITING US
TO SPEAK ON THE CHALLENGE OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS IN
GENERAL HERE IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. MY NAME IS ANDREW, I
AM THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
AT COMMUNITY RIDGE HOUSING.
JUST AS A LITTLE BACKGROUND, WE
ARE A CITYWIDE PUBLIC
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. THE CITY COUNCIL IN
1976, FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS, WE
HAVE PARTNERED CLOSELY WITH THE
CITY TO TACKLE HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CHALLENGES CITYWIDE. WE HAVE
BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT OF
ETHICAL DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES,
PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY
GROUPS TO DEVELOP PROJECTS TO
SUPPORT BOTH OUR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING GOALS, AND
AFFORDABILITY FOR THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE
HISTORICALLY BEEN
DISENFRANCHISED AND EXCLUDED
FROM REAL ESTATE OWNERSHIP AND
MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES. THIS
INCLUDES COMMUNITY LAND TRUST,
AND SOUTHWEST YOUTH AND FAMILY
SERVICES, DWIGHT CENTER FOR
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ASSOCIATIONS, AND YOUTH CARE,
JUST TO NAME A FEW. OUR RISE
TOGETHER CAMPAIGN HAS RAISED
$40 MILLION OF PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT OUR
COLLECTIVE EFFORT AND WE ARE
PROUD TO HAVE BROUGHT ON
HUNDREDS OF UNITS OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IN THE CITY JUST IN
THIS LAST YEAR. TODAY, WE WOULD
LIKE TO PROVIDE JUST A GENERAL
OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE
CURRENTLY FACING. OUR HOPE IS
THAT THIS WILL HELP SPARK AND
CONTINUE THE PUBLIC DIALOGUE ON
THESE CHALLENGES SO WE FIND
REASONABLE SOLUTIONS THAT
BALANCE THE NEEDS OF OUR
DIVERSE COMMUNITIES, AND ON
THAT NOTE, I WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED TODAY, TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT, TO JOIN
US IN THIS CRITICAL
CONVERSATION, BECAUSE THEIR
VOICES MATTER. AS YOU KNOW, THE
COST OF HOUSING IS A NATIONAL
AND REGIONAL CRISIS. EVERY
COMMUNITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS
IMPACTED, WITH SEATTLE BEING
ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE
RENTAL MARKETS IN THE COUNTRY.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A NEW
PART OF THE SOLUTION, IT OPENS
A SAFETY NET AND SPRINGBOARD
FOR THE SAME COMMUNITIES THAT
THEY GROW UP IN, OFTEN IN THE
SAME NEIGHBORHOOD THEY WORK IN
WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE BE
DISPLACED BECAUSE OF INCREASING
AND RISING RENTS. THE CORE
PROMISE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IS PROVIDING SAFETY AND
STABILITY FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE,
SIMPLY PUT, WHO'S A BIT
ABILITY TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE,
AND SAFE HOUSING IS UNDER
THREAT. I WILL GO OVER THE
ISSUES WE HAVE BEEN FACING
SINCE THE START OF THE
PANDEMIC. AS YOU KNOW, THE
EFFECTS OF THE FENTANYL AND
OPIOID CRISES ARE EVERMORE
PROLIFIC, ESPECIALLY IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. ALTHOUGH WE
SEE IT ON THE STREETS, WE ALSO
SEE IT IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
COMPLACENT DRUG USE HAS GROWN
SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE LAST FEW
YEARS, CREATING SIGNIFICANT
HEALTH RISKS AND REAL CONCERNS
AMONG OUR RESIDENTS AND STAFF.
THIS IS COUPLED WITH
SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN
VIOLENT AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR
IN OUR BUILDING, INCLUDING
PHYSICAL ASSAULT ON RESIDENTS
AND STAFF. THE BEHAVIOR OF A
SMALL SUBSET OF OUR RESIDENTS
IS PUTTING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
AT RISK. IN SOME CASES, THIS
BEHAVIOR CAUSES NEIGHBORS TO
FLEE, DISPLACING FAMILIES.
THESE FAMILIES MIGHT BE
STRUGGLING WITH THE SAME MENTAL
HEALTH CHALLENGES, RECOVERING
FROM TRAUMA, MANAGING SUBSTANCE
ABUSE DISORDERS, TRYING TO
RECOVER IN A SAFE AND HEALTHY
ENVIRONMENT. MORE AND MORE,
THEY ARE FORCED TO EITHER
ACCEPT AN UNTENABLE ENVIRONMENT
THAT THREATENS THEIR OWN
HEALTH, SAFETY, AND STABILITY,
OR FACE THE PROSPECT OF FINDING
ANOTHER AFFORDABLE HOME, WHICH
WE ALREADY KNOW IS IN SHORT
SUPPLY. IN OTHER CASES, THIS
REQUIRES LEAVING UNITS VACANT.
FIRST, WE HAVE EXTENSIVE
DAMAGE, NOT JUST IN ONE UNIT,
BUT OFTEN IN SEVERAL AFTER
REPEATED EPISODES OF
DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR. THE COST
IN THESE CASES CAN EASILY
EXCEED $100,000 IN EACH CASE.
SECOND, WE FACE THE PROSPECT OF
MOVING A FAMILY IN TO A
DANGEROUS SITUATION, WHICH WE
CAN HONESTLY DO IN EXTREME
CASES. IN BOTH CASES, IN DAMAGE
AND IN DANGER, THE CONSEQUENCE
IS CLEAR, WE ARE ACTIVELY
LOSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS
IN THE CITY. THIS REMOVES THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILIES TO
MOVE INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
PERPETUATING THE SHORTAGE OF
HOUSING WE ALREADY KNOW CAUSES
OF HOMELESSNESS. OUR PROPERTY
MANAGERS AND MAINTENANCE STAFF
ARE INCREASINGLY WORKING AS
CRISIS RESPONDERS, THIS IS A
NEW ROLE THAT HASN'T
HISTORICALLY BEEN PART OF THE
JOBS BUT THEY ARE FORCED TO DO
IT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOW ON THE
FRONT LINES OF THIS HEALTH AND
SAFETY CRISIS. EVEN WORSE, OUR
RESIDENTS FACE THE BRACE --
BRUNT OF THIS AND ARE OFTEN THE
FIRST TO CALL 911 FOR HELP.
EVEN WHEN THEY CALL, THEY OFTEN
RECEIVE NO RESPONSE OR VERY
DELAYED RESPONSE. IN MOST
CASES, IT TAKES NEARLY A YEAR
TO REMOVE SOMEONE FROM A
BUILDING, EVEN IN THE CASE OF
VIOLENT BEHAVIOR. THE ONLY WAY
TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS IS TO
ENGAGE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM, TO SUBSTANTIATE THE
CASE. I SINCERELY DOUBT THAT
ANYONE INTENDED TO REPLACE THE
EVICTION PROCESS WITH CALLS TO
911, ARRESTS, POLICE RECORDS,
REPORTS, AND PROSECUTIONS.
CLEARLY, A CRIMINAL RECORD
SEVERELY INCREASES THE RISK
THAT TENANTS FACE, EVEN IF THEY
REMAIN TEMPORARILY HOUSED. SO,
IN SUMMARY, THE LACK OF A
COMPREHENSIVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
SYSTEM IS LEAVING OUR MOST
VULNERABLE RESIDENTS WITHOUT
CARE AND WHAT THEY NEED. SIMPLY
PUT, THE STATUS QUO ISN'T THE
HOUSING FIRST MODEL WE HAVE
CHAMPIONED OVER THE YEARS,
OUTSIDE OF THE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING CONTEXT, IT
IS ONLY HOUSING. THAT IS
SETTING UP OUR MOST VULNERABLE
TENANTS FOR FAILURE. WE NEED A
SYSTEM TO APPROPRIATELY PLACE,
SUPPORT, AND RESPOND TO THE
CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING.
HOUSING ALONE DOESN'T WORK.
THAT IS THE STATUS QUO AND IT
IS FAILING. LASTLY, OR, SECOND,
THE LACK OF RESPONSE OF THE
LEGAL SYSTEM IS LEAVING OUR
RESIDENTS TO BEAR THE
CONSEQUENCES OF THIS HEALTH AND
SAFETY CRISIS. RESIDENTS WHO
WOULD OTHERWISE BE SUCCESSFUL
IN THEIR CURRENT HOMES ARE
STRUGGLING TO STAY IN THEIR
HOMES. THEY ARE AT RISK OF
DISPLACEMENT, THEY ARE LOSING
OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE INTO
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS UNITS
REMAIN VACANT AND COME
OFF-LINE. A SLOW PROCESS
DOESN'T SOLVE THE ROOT CAUSE
OF OUR HOUSING PROBLEM. IT MAY
FIND MORE TIME AT THE EXPENSE
OF OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT IT CAN'T
CREATE THE HOUSING WE NEED.
LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO KNOW
THAT I RESIDENTS ARE
COMPASSIONATE, UNDERSTANDING,
AND HAVE DIRECT LIVED
EXPERIENCE WITH THE CHALLENGE
OF MAINTAINING AND RETAINING
THEIR HOUSING. THEY ARE NOT
LANDLORDS, THEY ARE NOT CRISIS
RESPONDERS, THEY DO NOT WANT TO
CALL 911 FOR HELP. THEY ARE NOT
ATTORNEYS, JUDGES, INVESTORS,
PUBLIC FUNDERS, OR POLITICIANS.
THEY ARE OUR NEIGHBORS. THEY
ARE AT RISK OF SLIPPING INTO
HOMELESSNESS, TAKING A STEP
BACK FROM THE PROCESS THEY
ALREADY MADE IN THEIR LIVES.
BALANCING THE COMMUNITY NEED,
HOUSING OUR NEIGHBORS, MEANS
BALANCING RESIDENT BEHAVIORS,
INCLUDING THE VAST MAJORITY OF
OUR RESIDENTS, WE OFTEN BRING
INTO THESE CONVERSATIONS. AND
WITH THAT, I WILL PASS IT TO
MICHAEL.
>> THANK YOU. JUST BEFORE WE
PROCEED, I WANT THE RECORD TO
KNOW THAT COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
HAS JOINED US. BEFORE WE MOVE
ONTO THE NEXT SLIDES, ARE THERE
ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS ON
THIS SET? COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON?
>> FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE
TO THANK AND COMMEND YOU FOR
COMING HERE TODAY. YOU, TOO,
MICHAEL. I KNOW IT IS DIFFICULT
TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES, AND
I WOULD NOTE THAT BOTH THE CITY
FUNDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROVIDERS AND ALSO PRIVATE
HOUSING PROVIDERS OF WHAT EVER
LEVEL OF AMI SERVED ARE FACING
SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES, AND SO
WE ARE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT
HERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING
WILLING TO SPEAK OUT. I JUST
WANTED TO NOTE THAT COMMUNITY
ROOTS DOES HAVE A HISTORY OF
BEING BRAVE ON THIS FRONT. IN
FEBRUARY WHEN COUNCIL WAS
CONSIDERING INDEFINITELY
SUSPENDING THE EVICTION
MORATORIUM, CHRIS PERSONS, CEO
OF HOUSING, WROTE A MEMO TO
COUNCIL, TALKING ABOUT THE
IMPACTS ON THEIR UNITS, ON YOUR
UNITS. AND HE SAYS, "THE
MORATORIUM AND IMPACTS OF THE
PANDEMIC" -- THIS IS A BOY 12,
2022 -- "THE MORATORIUM AND
IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC HAVE
CREATED SIGNIFICANT UNPAID RENT
TO COMMUNITY ROOTS HOUSING. WE
HAVE RECEIVED THROUGH THE CITY
OF SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY
FUNDING COVERING MUCH OF THESE
ARREARAGES BUT ARE STILL $1.7
MILLION IN PAST DUE RENT. WE
ANTICIPATE ONE MORE ROUND OF
FUNDING ASSISTANCE FROM THE
CITY, AND THEN THERE ARE NO
FURTHER PUBLIC RESOURCES TO
SUPPORT RENTAL ASSISTANCE
MOVING FORWARD. THIS PLACES A
SIGNIFICANT BURDEN ON OUR
ORGANIZATION, WHICH IMPACTS OUR
ABILITY TO MAINTAIN PROPERTIES
AND SUPPORT RESIDENTS." HE GOES
ON TO NOTE, UNPRECEDENTED
INCREASE IN HARMFUL,
DESTRUCTIVE, ANTISOCIAL
BEHAVIOR IN OUR COMMUNITIES
FROM A SMALL NUMBER OF
RESIDENTS, THIS IS A TREND THAT
IS REPORTED NATIONALLY. WHEN
COUPLED WITH EVICTION
MORATORIUM AND RESTRICTION ON
PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE, OUR
ABILITY TO PROVIDE SAFE HOUSING
HAS SEVERELY DIMINISHED. SO, IT
SOUNDS LIKE THE SITUATION
HASN'T CHANGED MUCH, AND I DO
HAVE A QUESTION WHEN YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT THE -- ON PAGE
NINE, VACANCIES IN SOME OF YOUR
UNITS, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF
YOU CAN TELL ME, WHAT IS THE
AVERAGE VACANCY RATE ACROSS
YOUR UNITS AND S.E.E.D., AS
WELL? I HAVE ASKED THIS
QUESTION TO THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING AND WAS ONLY GIVEN 2022
DATA, WHICH IS NOT RELEVANT
ANYMORE, GIVEN THE THINGS --
THE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPACTING
HOUSING RIGHT NOW. SO, DO YOU
HAVE AN IDEA, AND YOU CAN GIVE
ME THAT OFF-LINE, IF YOU WOULD?
OR, IF YOU KNOW IT OFF THE TOP
OF YOUR HEAD, YOU CAN SAY IT.
AND WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
BECAUSE WE ARE ABOUT TO SPEND
60% OF $1 BILLION FOR A HOUSING
LEVY TO BUILD MORE RENTAL
HOUSING UNITS, AND WE ARE ALSO
TELLING PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING
IN INHUMANE SITUATION AND IN
ENCAMPMENTS OUTSIDE THAT WE ARE
HELPING THEM GET INTO UNITS,
BECAUSE THESE VACANT UNITS ARE
OFF THE BOOKS, THEY ARE NOT
BEING RECOGNIZED AS AVAILABLE
FOR THE TENANTS THAT YOU OFTEN
SEEK, OR FOR THE PEOPLE THAT
USUALLY HAVE SHELTER AS A FIRST
STOP BEFORE GETTING INTO
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
SO, THESE ISSUES ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION, AND I THINK CHRIS IS
VERY ELOQUENT ON THE TOPIC, AND
I THINK YOU QUOTED HIM QUITE
WELL. WE TRACK VACANCY VERY
CLOSELY. WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS
OF HOUSING PEOPLE. EVERYONE WHO
COMES TO WORK FOR COMMUNITY
ROOTS HOUSING IS PASSIONATE
ABOUT HOUSING AND THEY WANT TO
MOVE FOLKS IN AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE. IT CAN BE A
CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE
HAVE UNITS THAT HAVE FACED
EXPENSIVE DAMAGE. IT CAN TAKE
MONTHS, AND MONTHS, AND MONTHS
FOR US TO REMEDIATE ALL OF THE
DAMAGE THAT HAPPENS IN THE
COMMUNITIES. LAST WEEK, I THINK
WE WERE AT A 6% DELAY.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES?
>> YES, THANK YOU, THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE, AND THANK YOU
FOR THIS INFORMATION. I ECHO
THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S
COMMENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
WHAT THE VACANCY RATE IS --
WHICH, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVEN'T
BEEN ABLE TO TELL ME, BUT I
CAN'T GET AN ANSWER ON THE
VACANCY RATE ACROSS THE CITY,
AND THAT IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE
IT IS HARD TO KNOW HOW MUCH
HOUSING WE HAVE, IF WE DON'T
KNOW WHAT HOUSING IS CURRENTLY
VACANT. AND I ALSO KNOW THAT
THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE
VACANCIES BECAUSE THERE IS
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, AS YOU
SAID, AND IT CAN TAKE A LONG
TIME. CAN YOU ALSO TALK ABOUT
THE COSTS INVOLVED WITH
REMEDIATION? BECAUSE I HAVE
RECENTLY TALKED TO A SOCIAL
HOUSING PROVIDER, AND THEY ARE
EXPERIENCING THE SAME, AND I
KNOW THAT IT IS VERY COSTLY.
SO, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT
THE COSTS INVOLVED. ALSO, VERY
CONCERNED AND COMPELLED BY THE
FACT THAT THERE ARE FOLKS
LIVING IN PERMANENT HOUSING
SITUATIONS THAT YOU AND OTHER
HOUSING PROVIDERS PROVIDE
HOUSING, AND THEY ARE LIVING IN
CONDITIONS WHERE IT IS NOT
HELPFUL, AS YOU SAID, TO THEIR
RECOVERY, SO I JUST WANT TO
UNDERSCORE THAT POINT AND THANK
YOU FOR RAISING THAT, BECAUSE
THAT IS A HUGE CONCERN AND
SOMETHING I HAVE HEARD ABOUT.
JUST LIVING IN THESE CONDITIONS
WHICH WE DID NOT INTEND, WHERE
WE ARE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE.
SO, THAT IS REALLY CONCERNING.
SO, AND THE OTHER THING I WANT
TO SAY IS, ON THE PHYSICAL
ASSAULTS, AND JUST THE VIOLENCE
IN THESE HOUSING UNITS AND
PLACES IS THE FACT THAT I
UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES IT
PUTS YOU IN A POSITION TO HAVE
TO HIRE PRIVATE SECURITY TO
HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS AND THIS
IS SOMETHING WE ARE FUNDING
THROUGH THE CITY DOES NOT
COVER, AS MY UNDERSTANDING, CAN
YOU CONFIRM THAT? AND THEN,
WHAT COSTS ARE INVOLVED WITH
THAT? BECAUSE THAT JUST ADDS
ANOTHER LAYER OF COST TO THIS,
AGAIN WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO
HELP PEOPLE WHO NEED HOUSING,
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO
RECOVER. WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
ABOUT THAT, IF YOU HAVE THAT
INFORMATION. AND IF NOT, YOU
CAN PROVIDE IT LATER. BUT, I
KNOW IT IS AN ISSUE, AND I
THINK WE SHOULD REALLY
UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF THE
ISSUE.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION,
AND I WILL PROVIDE SOME
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. AS I
MENTIONED, EASILY, THESE COSTS
CAN EXCEED $100,000 EACH
EPISODE. AND OFTEN, YOU KNOW,
WE THINK OF UNITS AS BEING
SELF-CONTAINED IN AN AFFORDABLE
HOUSING CONTEXT IN THAT
BUILDING, BUT ANYONE WHO HAS
LIVED WITH FOLKS WHO LIVE ABOVE
THEM KNOW THAT A SUBWOOFER HAS
AN IMPACT ON THEIR QUALITY OF
LIFE, HEAVY FEET HAVE A IMPACT
ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE. SO, IT
IS NO SURPRISE THAT WATER THAT
GETS ONTO THE FLOOR LEAKS DOWN
LOW. IN SOME CASES, SEWAGE
LEAKS DOWN BELOW AND IT CREATES
SIGNIFICANT HEALTH RISKS TO
THOSE FOLKS WHO LIVE IN
SURROUNDING UNITS FROM
PROBLEMATIC ONES. WE OFTEN SEE
COSTS IN THE $20,000, $30,000,
$50,000 RANGE, BUT SIMPLY PUT
IN OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING MODEL
AND NATIONWIDE, OUR BUILDINGS
CAN'T SUSTAIN THAT HIGH PROOF
COST. WE ARE NOT SET UP TO DO
THAT. THAT EASILY DEPLETES
OPERATING RESERVES, WHICH ARE
THERE FOR COVERING SOME OF
THOSE SHORT-TERM EPISODES, BUT
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING
IN OUR HOUSING TO SUPPLEMENT
THOSE EXPENDITURES, RIGHT? WE
DEPLETE ALL OF OUR RESOURCES IN
ORDER TO RESOLVE SOME OF THESE
ISSUES, AND THEN WE ARE LEFT
OUT TO DRY. WE DON'T HAVE ANY
FUNDING THAT COMES IN TO HELP
REMEDIATE THOSE THINGS. I THINK
THE POINT ON SUPPORTING
RECOVERY AND THE CRITICAL
ASPECT THERE I THINK IS A
REALLY GOOD POINT AND AGAIN I
THINK IN CONTINUING THIS
CONVERSATION AND INVITING MORE
FOLKS FROM PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING COMMUNITY TO COME IN
AND PROVIDE THEIR EXPERIENCES,
I THINK WOULD BE VERY
INFORMATIVE AND A GOOD NEXT
STEP FOR THE COUNCIL TO TAKE TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT PRIVATE
SECURITY. WE HAVE RECENTLY
LEARNED ABOUT AN INCIDENT
INVOLVING BOTH AN ASSAULT TO A
RESIDENT AND STAFF, SO WE ENDED
UP HIRING AN ARMED GUARD TO
STAND IN THE HALLWAY, JUST TO
BE A PRESENCE AND THAT COSTS US
A LITTLE BIT OVER $1000 EVERY
WEEK. OBVIOUSLY, IF IT IS NOT A
SMALLER BUILDING, WE CAN'T
SUSTAIN IT FOR A LONGER PERIOD
OF TIME. GENERALLY SPEAKING,
MOST OF OUR BUILDINGS DON'T
GET ONGOING OPERATING SUPPORT,
SO I THINK IT IS A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION OF WHERE CAN WE FIND
FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE ONGOING
OPERATIONS FOR OUR BUILDINGS?
>> IF IT IS HELPFUL, I CAN
SPEAK TO THE SECURITY ISSUE A
BIT MORE. AGAIN, GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBERS. BUILDING ON
THAT, WE DO A QUARTERLY
ASSESSMENT NEEDS OF OUR
RESIDENTS. WE SEND THEM A
SURVEY, WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST
NEEDS, WHAT CAN WE DO TO SHOW
UP FOR YOU? SECURITY TOPS THE
LIST ALMOST EVERY QUARTER, SO
WE ARE SPENDING WELL NORTH OF
OVER $100,000 A YEAR ON PRIVATE
SECURITY THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD.
AND WHAT WE HEAR AGAIN FROM
RESIDENTS IS WE WANT MORE
SECURITY, RIGHT? THERE IS NO
FUNDING IN OUR FINANCIAL MODELS
FOR THIS. THIS WEEK, MY
ORGANIZATION IS MAKING A HARD
DECISION, DO WE LAY OFF THE
SECURITY? OR, KEEP THE VACANT
MAINTENANCE TECH POSITION
VACANT? THOSE ARE THE WEEK BY
WEEK CHOICES WE ARE MAKING
RIGHT NOW, AND THAT IS HOW
CLOSE WE ARE TO THE BREAKING
POINT ON A LOT OF THESE
BUILDINGS.
>> THANK YOU. VERY HELPFUL
INFORMATION. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> THANK YOU. THANKS FOR BEING
HERE. SO, I THINK WE ALL
ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPACT THAT THE
FENTANYL CRISIS IS HAVING
THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, BUT
PARTICULARLY ON THE ABILITY OF
OUR HOUSING PROVIDERS TO TRY TO
KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED. IT IS
OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WE NEED TO
ADDRESS, NOT JUST AS A CITY,
BUT WORKING WITH OUR OTHER
REGIONAL PARTNERS. I DO WANT TO
ASK A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT,
REALLY ABOUT EVICTION
PROTECTION SERVICES. YOU KNOW,
WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT A SLOW
PROCESS FOR EVICTION. WE DON'T
KNOW -- WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE
AN EVICTION COURT BUT EVICTIONS
ARE INCREASING SO AVERSE --
OBVIOUSLY THE COURTS ARE
OVERWHELMED AND THE FACT OF THE
MATTER IS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE
GOING THROUGH A COURT PROCESS
ARE ALLOWED DUE PROCESS, SO
THAT ITSELF TAKES TIME.
NEVERTHELESS, YOU KNOW, FOLKS
DO HAVE A RIGHT TO EVICT WITH
JUST CAUSE, SO I AM TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND THE UNDERSTANDING
THAT THAT ITSELF IS AN
EXPENSIVE PROCESS. HOW DO YOU
ENGAGE WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS
IN THE AREA TO TRY TO PREVENT
EVICTIONS IN THE FIRST PLACE?
SO, LANDLORDS COME IN MY
OPINION, SHOULD BE GIVEN ACCESS
TO LEAD AND CO-LEAD SERVICES
FOR DRUG ADDICTED FOLKS WHO ARE
DRUG ADDICT DID IN THEIR UNITS
OR WITH OTHER MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES. WE KNOW WE HAVE
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE TENANT
LAW CENTER, SOLID GROUND,
WELLSPRING FAMILY SERVICES,
KING COUNTY DISPUTE RESOLUTION
SERVICES, THE PDA, THESE ARE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SET UP
TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO
PREVENTIVE ACTION. OBVIOUSLY,
THE ACUTE DRUG CRISIS IS ITS
OWN CATEGORY OF ISSUES, BUT FOR
SOME OF THESE OTHER ISSUES, I
WONDER IF YOU COULD TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR WORK WITH
EVICTION PROTECTION SERVICES IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, AND
WHETHER YOU HAVE ANY CASE
MANAGERS ON STAFF THAT COULD
HELP GUIDE PEOPLE TOWARD THESE
SERVICES.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
THAT IS A REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT ONE. BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC, COMMUNITY ROOTS
HOUSING ACTIVELY TRIED TO
PREVENT EVICTIONS. WE HAVE
ALWAYS TRIED TO PREVENT
EVICTIONS INCLUDING SETTING UP
RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS BEFORE
EVERYONE STARTED DOING THAT.
WILL -- WE WILL CONTINUE, AND
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT IN THE
BUSINESS OF EVICTING OUR
RESIDENTS. WE WANT FOLKS TO
REMAIN STABLY HOUSE, SO WE WILL
CONTINUE TO FUND RAISE FOR
EVICTION PROTECTION, ESPECIALLY
WITH REGARD TO RENTAL
ASSISTANCE, ENGAGING IN PRIVATE
PHILANTHROPY TO TRY TO REGAIN
THOSE FUNDS ON OUR OWN. WE
WOULD ABSOLUTELY EMBRACE AND
SUPPORT ADDITIONAL RENTAL
ASSISTANCE FROM PUBLIC FUNDERS,
AS WELL. SO, I WOULD ENCOURAGE
THE COUNCIL TO SERIOUSLY
CONSIDER THEM, AS WELL. ONE OF
THE BEST WAYS TO PREVENT
EVICTION IS TO SUPPORT RESIDENT
SERVICES. IT IS A PROVEN MODEL
TO HELP KEEP FAMILIES STABLY
HOUSE, IT IS VERY HARD TO GET
FUNDED, THOUGH. I WAS
ENCOURAGED JUST THIS LAST YEAR
THAT THE OPPOSITE HOUSING MADE
SOME FUNDS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT
RESIDENT SERVICES, BUT IT IS
SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH. WE CURRENTLY
EMPLOYED THREE RESIDENT
SERVICES COORDINATORS, AND ONE
RESIDENT SERVICES MANAGER TO
SUPPORT OVER 2000 RESIDENTS IN
OUR HOUSING. NOT NEARLY ENOUGH
FOLKS, NOT NEARLY ENOUGH HANDS
TO REALLY TACKLE THE ISSUE, AND
THAT IS DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING
FOR THOSE POSITIONS.
>> SORRY, BEFORE MOVING ON,
WHAT DO THEY DO?
>> THEY PRIMARILY PROVIDE
INFORMATION FOR REFERRAL
DIRECTLY TO THOSE OUTSIDE
SERVICE AGENCIES THAT CAN
PROVIDE THEM RESOURCES, NOT
JUST IN THE CONTEXT OF EVICTION
PROTECTION, BUT ALSO IN HEALTH
SERVICES, CONNECTING THEM WITH
THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT
ARE ALREADY OUT THERE AND JUST
CREATING THAT CONNECTION
BETWEEN THOSE SERVICES AND OUR
RESIDENTS.
>> IF IT IS OKAY, ANDREW -- AND
I JUST WANT TO CONTRAST THAT
WITH CASE MANAGEMENT AND
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, WHICH WE
DON'T PROVIDE. WE ARE DOING
30% TO 60% AMI HOUSING, BUT WE
ARE NOT DOING PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING 24/7, THE
WAY PLYMOUTH AND THE CR -- VERY
GOOD ORGANIZATIONS. SO, WE
DON'T HAVE A FUNDING STREAM
FOR THAT. THE RESIDENT SERVICES
IS REALLY A CONNECTION TO A LOT
OF THE PROVIDERS, AND
NONPROFITS COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES WAS REFERRING TO. BUT,
WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE SERVING 1600
RESIDENTS AND 1100 UNITS. SO
AGAIN, THEY ARE STRETCHED VERY
THIN. AND ONE FINAL POINT ON
THIS, AS WELL. WHERE WE DO SEE
FOLKS ENDING UP IN THE EVICTION
PROCESS ARE OFTEN THE FOLKS
THAT ARE SERVICE RESISTANT. SO,
WE WOULD LOVE TO SERVE THOSE
FOLKS. WE TRY TO GET AHEAD OF
THE EVICTION PROCESS, BUT THEY
OFTEN DON'T ENGAGE THOSE
SERVICES. THAT IS OFTEN WHY THE
EVICTION PROCESS BECOMES SO
LENGTHY, AS WAS NOTED. YOU
KNOW, THERE ARE DUE PROCESS
RIGHTS IN THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON, WHICH IS A REALLY
INTERESTING INNOVATION. I THINK
THE WHOLE CITY AND THE STATE
HAS LED ON IT, BUT THAT IS WHAT
SLOWS IT DOWN IN PARTICULAR.
YOU CAN'T APPOINT AN ATTORNEY
QUICK ENOUGH TO MAKE THAT GO
FAST ENOUGH BECAUSE FOLKS
SIMPLY DON'T ENGAGE IN THE
RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE TO THEM.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
WOO, THEN THAT WILL BE OUR LAST
QUESTION SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO
THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU.
>> I JUST WANT TO ECHO MY
COLLEAGUES THOUGHTS. THANK YOU
FOR WHAT YOU DO IN HELPING
PEOPLE STAY HOUSED. I ALSO WANT
TO COMMISERATE WITH YOU
SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS
REALLY HELPFUL, WAS OFFICE OF
HOUSING HAS A GRANT THAT ALLOWS
FOR A RESIDENT SERVICES
COORDINATOR, SOMEONE WITH CASE
MANAGEMENT TRAINING -- THAT WAS
DURING THE PANDEMIC -- AND FOR
THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME WE HAD
THIS PERSON, OFFERED SERVICES,
MEET WITH PEOPLE, CHAT WITH
PEOPLE, AS WELL AS PROVIDE
FOOD. THIS PERSON HAD TO LEAVE
AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FILL
THAT ROLE AGAIN. THERE IS SUCH
A SHORTAGE OF CASE MANAGERS. WE
ALSO HAVE WORKED WITH HOUSING
CONNECTOR, THEY PROVIDE CASE
MANAGEMENT FOR THEIR CLIENTS IN
THE BUILDING AND THERE WAS A
HUGE SHORTAGE. THEY WERE NOT
ABLE TO FILL SOME OF THOSE
DUTIES UNFORTUNATELY IN THE
BUILDING. THE BUILDING
COMMUNITY HAD TO STEP IN AND
HELP PEOPLE. SO, THERE IS A
REAL SHORTAGE OF CASE
MANAGEMENT, BUT I DO AGREE
THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, THAT
HAVING A CASE MANAGER ON SITE
IS HELPFUL, BUT THE COST IS
REALLY HARD. TRYING TO CHOOSE
SECURITY, CASE MANAGER,
MAINTENANCE PERSON, APARTMENT
MANAGER ON SITE, THESE CHOICES,
YOU HAVE TO MAKE EVERY MONTH.
ALSO, THE SAFETY COMPONENTS, IN
TERMS OF -- THE OFFICE OF
ASSISTANCE AND CONNECTION TO
SERVICES, THE TENANTS HAVE TO
MEET THE APARTMENT MANAGER
HALFWAY IN TRYING TO OBTAIN
THESE SERVICES IN PHONE CALLS
AND REQUESTS. SO, LIKE ANGIE
SAYS, SOMETIMES, PEOPLE JUST
DON'T WANT TO ENGAGE AND THAT
IS REALLY TOUGH, AS WELL. THERE
WAS AN INCIDENT WHERE THERE WAS
SOMEBODY IN THE BUILDING THAT
APARTMENT MENTORS HAVE HEARD
ABOUT THAT HAS A HAMMER AND
SOMETIMES WILL HAMMER PEOPLE'S
DOORS, HALLWAYS, THERE IS
HAMMER MARKS EVERYWHERE. THEY
HAVE COME AND TRIED TO DO THAT
TO OTHER PEOPLE, AS WELL. WE
ARE WORRIED ABOUT PEOPLE'S
SAFETY. THE WHOLE FLOOR SAYS
THEY ARE TERRORIZED, PEOPLE ARE
TAKING MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN
HANDS, THEY ARE USING TASERS,
THEY ARE FIGHTING BACK, THEY
ARE PROTECTING ONE ANOTHER, AND
AS THE APARTMENT MANAGERS TELL
ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN
DO, THEY CAN DO A 10 DAY, BUT
THAT WILL TAKE ABOUT A YEAR,
AND OF COURSE NO ONE WANTS TO
FILE CHARGES BECAUSE THIS IS A
COMMUNITY THAT IS FEARFUL OF
RETALIATION, AS WELL. SO, IT IS
A TOUGH SITUATION AND ALSO,
THERE IS A HUGE TURNAROUND WHEN
IT COMES TO APARTMENT
MANAGEMENT STAFF, AS WELL. AND
BECAUSE THEY CONSTANTLY COME
AND TELL US THEY DON'T FEEL
SAFE OR THEY NEED ADDITIONAL
SERVICES OR SUPPORT THAT WE
FIND HARD TO PROVIDE,
SOMETIMES. BUT, LIKE ANDREW
SAID, WE DON'T WANT TO EVICT
PEOPLE, WE HAVE A PEOPLE WHO
HAVEN'T PAID RENT FOR THREE
YEARS NOW, AND THAT IS REALLY
TOUGH, AND USUALLY WE TRY TO
WORK WITH PEOPLE AND WE WORK
WITH THE APARTMENT MANAGERS TO
TRY TO COME UP WITH A PLAN.
THAT IS ALWAYS THE ROUTE, BUT
SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST DON'T
RESPOND AND THE APARTMENT
DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, AND
WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE
EVICTION PROCESS JUST TO GET A
RESPONSE, BUT THAT IS NOT
USUALLY THE GOAL. AND SO, I
THINK WHAT YOU DO, I UNDERSTAND
HOW DIFFICULT IT IS, AND I
WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO, LIKE
PEOPLE SAY, REACH A COMPROMISE
AND A SOLUTION TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> GO AHEAD WITH THE
PRESENTATION.
>> GOOD MORNING, AGAIN, MICHAEL
SEIWERATH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF SOUTHEAST EFFECTIVE
DEVELOPMENT. COUNCILMEMBERS AND
CHAIR MOORE, GOOD TO SEE YOU
ALL AT THIS TIME. FIRST, A BIT
INTO THIS SLIDE, SO SOUTHEAST
EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT IS A
49-YEAR-OLD MISSION-BASED,
PLACE BASED, MAJORITY BIPOC
NONPROFIT SERVING THE SOUTH AND
WE FOCUS ON ARTS, ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. WE CLEAN UP POLLUTED
LAND, WE PROVIDE INNOVATIVE
SOLUTIONS, WE INVEST IN SITES
AND COMMUNITIES WHERE THE
MARKET HISTORICALLY HASN'T.
AND NOW THAT THEY HAVE SHOWED
UP, WE ARE THERE FIGHTING THIS
PLACEMENT EVERY DAY. WITH
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS, WE ARE
LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN BUILD
WEALTH ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF
OUR BUILDINGS, FIGHT FOR
BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES, SUSTAIN
COMMUNITY, OWN THEIR OWN SPACE,
MOVE TOWARD WEALTH BUILDING AND
CONTINUE TO BUILD HOUSING SIZE,
AGAIN AND AGAIN FOR OUR
COMMUNITY THAT THERE IS A
DESPERATE NEED FOR. FIRST AND
FOREMOST FOR HOUSER'S, WE ARE
PLACE BASED, WE ARE COMMITTED
TO THIS COMMUNITY, AND THIS
VERY WORK. WE BELIEVE THAT HOME
IS THE FOUNDATION FROM WHICH
PEOPLE THRIVE. AND WE KNOW THAT
WE URGENTLY NEED COLLABORATIVE
SOLUTIONS THAT COME TOGETHER
PUBLIC HEALTH, AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, AND HOMELESS
SOLUTIONS. AND WE CANNOT HAVE
THESE STRONG COMMUNITIES
WITHOUT SUFFICIENT INVESTMENT
IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE BELIEVE
AND GET UP EVERY DAY WITH THE
KNOWLEDGE THAT ALL RESIDENTS
HAVE A SAFE AND STABLE PLACE TO
LIVE. WE ARE TALKING
PARTICULARLY AROUND THE
NONPROFITS BUT IT EXPANDS
BEYOND THIS. WE ARE FACING
INCREASES IN OPERATING COSTS,
FOR BOTH REPAIRS. I SPOKE A
MINUTE AGO ABOUT THE HARD
CHALLENGES AND DECISIONS WE ARE
MAKING EVERY WEEK. THE BEST
SERVE OUR RESIDENTS WITH NOT
ENOUGH RESOURCES. YOU PROBABLY
HEARD THE NATIONAL NEWS ABOUT
INSURANCE COSTS. WE'RE GETTING
HIT WITH 30% TO 200% INSURANCE
RATE SPIKES. NOT ONCE, BUT
YEAR, AFTER YEAR, AFTER YEAR.
WE ALL HOPED THAT COSTS WOULD
COME DOWN AFTER THE PANDEMIC.
IT HASN'T IN OUR SECTOR. SO,
THERE ARE SYSTEMS THAT ARE
FAILING THAT ARE THE MOST
VULNERABLE. THEY LOOK PRETTY
MUCH THE SAME AS THEY DID 15
YEARS AGO, BUT WHO WE ARE
SERVING ON THE INSIDE IS A VERY
DIFFERENT POPULATION. HER
SERVING SOME OF THE MOST
VULNERABLE, SOME OF THOSE
WITHOUT SUFFICIENT FUNDING,
MORE OPTIONS. THERE IS A DIRE
NEED FOR MORE OPTIONS TO TREAT
MENTAL ILLNESS, SUBSTANCE
ABUSE, AND FAMILY NEEDS. WE
BOTH SPOKE TO THE LIMITED
CAPACITY WE HAVE FOR RESIDENT
SERVICES STAFFING THAT SHOW UP
EVERY DAY TO CONNECT THEM TO
SERVICES AND THOSE NUMBERS
DON'T WORK FOR THE AMOUNT OF
PEOPLE AND AMOUNT OF NEED WE
ARE FACING. RENT COLLECTION
JUST ISN'T COVERING OUR COSTS.
WE ARE FACING NONPAYMENT OF
RENT THAT REMAINS
UNPRECEDENTED. WE HAVE
UNDERFUNDED AND AGING
PROPERTIES AT A TIME WHEN COSTS
ARE HIGHER THAN EVER. WHAT IS
THIS DOING? IT IS JEOPARDIZING
THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN
PHILANTHROPY. IT IS JUSTIFYING
THE CREATION OF MORE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. SO, WE ARE HAVING TO
DEFER MAINTENANCE, AND
THANKFULLY S.E.E.D. HAS NOT HAD
TO DO THIS, YET. SOME GROUPS
ARE SELLING BUILDINGS.
NATIONALLY, WE ARE VERY SOBERED
BY WHAT HAPPENED IN LOS ANGELES
AND CHICAGO, WHERE TWO HIGHLY
REGARDED NONPROFITS COLLAPSED.
IT LEFT WRECKAGE BEHIND WITH
THEIR HOUSING PORTFOLIO. SO, WE
ARE HERE TODAY SAYING, WE NEED
TO AVOID THIS IN SEATTLE, WE
NEED TO AVOID THIS WITH OUR
NONPROFITS THAT HAVE BEEN
AROUND FOR DECADES, AND WE NEED
MORE UNITS. WE ALL KNOW THERE
IS 149,000 AFFORDABLE UNITS
SHORT IN THIS COUNTY TODAY. WE
ARE ALL HERE TO BE PART OF THE
SOLUTION. IT IS A HIGHLY
LEVERAGED SECTOR. OUR FINANCING
IS MORE COMPLEX. FOR NEW
PROJECTS, WE HAVE THESE
CRITICAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE
PARTNERS OF THE CITY, THE
COUNTY, THE STATE, TO CLOSE
THOSE FUNDING GAPS, AND WE AS
AN ORGANIZATION ARE TAKING ON
SIGNIFICANT RISKS IN THIS
PUBLIC GOOD, TRYING TO CREATE
MORE HOUSING AND ADDRESS THE
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
EMERGENCY WE ARE FACING. SO, WE
NEED MORE FINANCIAL TOOLS AND
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT NEW
DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF
OUR EXISTING BUILDINGS, WHICH
SOMETIMES INCLUDES STRATEGIC
DISPOSITION OF PROPERTIES. SO,
WHAT IS NEEDED? WE NEED MORE
COORDINATION AMONG FIRST
RESPONDERS, THE ELECTED
OFFICIALS, AND THE COURTS TO
ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES. WE
KNOW THAT THE COURT ISSUE IS A
COUNTY ISSUE AND NOT A CITY
ISSUE AND WE ASK YOU TO PUT ALL
OF YOUR POLITICAL WILL TOWARD
WORKING WITH THE COUNTY ON
BETTER ALIGNMENT WITH THE
COURTS. WE NEED BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SYSTEMS COORDINATED WITH
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CENTER
TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS FOR
COMPASSION, EASY CONNECTION OF
RESIDENCE TO THE TYPE OF
HOUSING THAT SUPPORTS THEIR
NEEDS. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK
LIKE? THAT LOOKS LIKE A
PIPELINE FROM 30% TO 60% IN
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
WE HAVE A PIPELINE OUT OF IT AS
PEOPLE GET MORE STABLE AND WE
WELCOME THAT. AND WHEN A
RESIDENT IS IN SUCH DEEP CRISIS
THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO SERVE THEM, WE
NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GET THEM
TO HOUSING THAT IS MORE
APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR LEVEL OF
NEEDS, OR INCOME, OR BOTH, AND
WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO DO IT
QUICKLY. BUT, WE NEED BETTER
TOOLS TO OPEN DIALOGUE WITH
RESIDENTS WHO STOP PAYING RENT.
AS WE ARE SAYING, IT IS OFTEN
THE RESIDENTS MOST BEHIND IN
THEIR RENT THAT ARE THE LEAST
COMMUNICATIVE. AND FOR THOSE
ENGAGING IN VIOLENT BEHAVIOR
AND THREATENING THE WELL-BEING
OF NEIGHBORS, WE NEED SWIFT
EVICTION PROCEEDINGS. AND
FINALLY, WE NEED MORE SUPPORT
AND TO SHOW UP TOGETHER FOR THE
MOST MARGINALIZED. THOSE
SUFFERING FROM SEVERE TRAUMA,
MENTAL ILLNESS, AND SUBSTANCE
ABUSE, AND WE ARE HERE FOR
DIGNIFIED AND COMPASSIONATE
RESPONSE THAT MEETS RESIDENT
NEEDS, AND WITH THE COUNTY,
WITH THE STATE, AND EVEN THE
FEDS, A COLLABORATION TO SCALE
UP THE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
EMERGENCY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CRISIS, AND THE COORDINATED
ISSUES WE ARE ALL FACING AT
THIS TIME.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
QUESTIONS? QUESTION?
COUNCILMAN?
>> YES. I HAD NEVER THOUGHT OF
THAT BEFORE, WHAT YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT IS THE REVERSE
PIPELINE. I ALWAYS THINK OF IT
GOING IN ONE DIRECTION. ARE YOU
SAYING YOU CAN'T JUST CALL UP
SOMEBODY WHO DOES RUN A
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
AND SAY, HEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY
SPACE, CAN WE MOVE THIS PERSON
WHO OBVIOUSLY NEEDS A HIGHER
LEVEL OF CARE OR CASE
MANAGEMENT? YOU DON'T PROVIDE
THAT FROM YOUR FACILITY?
>> CORRECT, WE CANNOT CALL UP
SOMEONE AND DO THAT. FOR ONE,
THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH TO
MEET THE NEED IN THE SECOND AS
WE HAVE COORDINATED ENTRY, SO
THERE IS ONE DOOR FOR PEOPLE
MOVING INTO PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
>> WELL, I LOOK FORWARD TO
BETTER STATISTICS, OR CURRENT
STATISTICS, OR SOMETHING ON
VACANCY RATE IN PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, AS WELL, SO
MAYBE THERE IS MORE
AVAILABILITY THAN WE KNOW. I'M
JUST PUTTING THAT ON THE TABLE.
BUT, THAT IS SOMETHING I THINK
ABOUT, AND WHEN YOU SAY
COORDINATED ENTRY, I THINK,
THAT IS A BIG, COMPLEX ISSUE.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> THANK YOU. SO, FOR THOSE
FOLKS WHO ARE NOT GOING THROUGH
EVICTION BUT WHO ARE LATE IN
RENT, I AM INTERESTED TO KNOW
HOW YOU WORK WITH THEM TO
CREATE A PAYMENT PLAN. DO YOU
ACCEPT CURRENT RENT FROM THEM?
DO YOU ACCEPT RENT PLEDGES THAT
ARE PARTIAL? I AM WONDERING IF
YOU COULD JUST TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT HOW YOU WORK WITH
TENANTS WHO ARE BEHIND, BUT WHO
HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY SOME OF
THEIR RENT, AND IF YOU HAVE
ACCESSED THE LANDLORD
MITIGATION PROGRAM, OR YOU DID
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RENTAL
ASSISTANCE, BUT CAN YOU JUST
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE
PROCESSES AND HOW YOU ENGAGE
WITH THEM?
>> SURE. SO, YES, TO WHAT YOU
SAID, COUNCILMEMBER, ABOUT
PAYMENT PLANS, WE ARE IN THE
HOUSING BUSINESS. WE OFFER
ANYONE WHO IS BEHIND ON THEIR
RENT A PAYMENT PLAN, AND WORK
WITH THEM ON IT. WE ARE
EXTRAORDINARILY PATIENT, TOO.
IF SOMEBODY HAS A BIG BALANCE,
WE KNOW IT IS NOTHING THEY WILL
BE ABLE TO PAY BACK ON SHORT
TERM, AND WE LOOK FOR A GOOD
FAITH EFFORT TO PAY THIS
MONTH'S RENT, AND SOMETHING
TOWARD THAT OVER THE YEAR. WE
WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
THEM, CONNECTS THEM WITH
SERVICES, AND YES, TO MORE
RENTAL ASSISTANCE. WE
ABSOLUTELY WELCOME THAT.
SOMETIMES, WE ARE CHALLENGED BY
THOSE THAT ARE FARTHEST BEHIND
OR UNCOMMUNICATIVE. WE HAVE
TROUBLE -- LIKE, SIGN THIS
PIECE OF PAPER AND YOU CAN HAVE
SIX MONTHS OF RENT PAID, AND
THEY WON'T ANSWER THE DOOR FOR
MONTHS, AFTER MONTHS, AFTER
MONTHS. SO, THOSE ARE SOME OF
THE ON THE GROUND CHALLENGES WE
ARE FACING.
>> SAME EXPERIENCE AT COMMUNITY
ROOTS HOUSING. AS A
PRE-PANDEMIC AND RENTAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WE HAD A
RENTAL SERVICES COORDINATOR
WHOSE SPECIFIC ROLE WAS
EVICTION PROTECTION. SO, WE ARE
VERY MUCH TRYING TO ENGAGE ALL
OF OUR RESIDENTS IN A
CONVERSATION AND A DIALOGUE ON
HOW WE CAN HELP THEM STAY
HOUSED. OUR PRIORITY IS TRYING
TO FOCUS ON THOSE WHO REALLY
HAVE THOSE BALANCES THAT JUST
DON'T MAKE SENSE OVER A LONG
PERIOD OF TIME. $20,000,
$10,000, EVEN $5000 IS A PRETTY
HARD STRETCH FOR ANY ONE OF OUR
FAMILIES. SO, WHAT WE TRY TO DO
IS ENGAGE FOLKS BEFORE THEY GET
TO THE POINT OF NO RETURN,
WHICH AGAIN FOR A LOT OF OUR
FAMILIES, DOES A LOT MORE THAN
MOST OTHER FOLKS
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, DID YOU
HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION?
>> IT JUST HAS TO DO WITH THIS
SECTION, BEFORE WE GO ON. SO,
TO THE POINT OF -- DID YOU
RECEIVE DIRECT RENTAL
ASSISTANCE DURING THE PANDEMIC?
BECAUSE THERE WERE FEDERAL
FUNDS THAT WERE SET UP THAT
WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH, I
THINK IT WAS UNITED WAY, AND
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. SO, YOU
DID, BUT NOW YOU DON'T? WE --
COUNCIL PUT IN THE BUDGET LAST
YEAR, MILLIONS OF MORE DOLLARS,
I THINK IT WAS $2 MILLION OR $3
MILLION, OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT, TO HELP RENTERS. I MADE
THE POINT, THAT SHOULD BE
DIRECT RENTAL ASSISTANCE, NOT
PAYING LAWYERS AT AN ADVOCACY
ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE THAT IS
USED TO PREVENT EVICTION.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE
HAVE THE RESOURCES TO STAY IN
THEIR UNITS. AND ALSO, THAT YOU
HAVE THE RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN.
SO, ARE YOU GETTING ANY OF THAT
FUNDING THIS YEAR?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE
GETTING THAT SOURCE OF FUNDING
THIS YEAR.
>> COMMUNITY ROOTS WAS ON THE
LIST, I THINK, OF -- I'M SORRY
TO INTERRUPT, GO AHEAD.
>> YEAH, SORRY. SO, I DON'T
KNOW IF WE ARE RECEIVING THOSE
PARTICULAR FUNDS. THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING DID JUST DO A
COMPETITIVE NO FUND FOR SOME
ADDITIONAL OPERATING SUPPORTS.
MAYBE THAT IS THAT FUN? I AM
NOT EXACTLY SURE IF THAT IS IT,
OR NOT. BUT, WE DO RECEIVE
PLEDGES, PERIODICALLY. WE DO
ACCEPT PLEDGES FOR RENTAL
ASSISTANCE. SO, MAYBE THOSE
FUNDS ARE COMING FROM THE SAME
SOURCE? BUT, AS I SAID EARLIER,
WE WOULD GLADLY ACCEPT MORE
RENTAL ASSISTANCE. YOU KNOW, WE
WANT TO BE ABLE TO SERVE
RESIDENTS BEFORE WE GET TO THE
EVICTION PROCESS, AND WE DO OUR
BEST TO ENGAGE EVERY SINGLE
RESIDENT WHO IS AT RISK OF
EVICTION, BECAUSE IT IS
CONSTANTLY FOR EVERYONE,
CONSTANTLY FOR OUR OPERATORS,
BUT CONSTANTLY FOR JUST US, AS
CITIZENS, BOTH IN EVICTION
DEFENSE, BUT ALSO COURT COSTS.
IT REALLY RACKS UP PRETTY
QUICKLY, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS
BACKLOG WE ARE EXPERIENCING.
>> AND IF THE ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE DOING THE EVICTION
DEFENSE, SUCH AS HOUSING
JUSTICE PROJECT, ARE TRYING TO
STAVE OFF EVENTUALLY EVICTION,
IF THAT PROCESS IS TOO LONG, IS
THAT TENANT EVENTUALLY BARRED?
IF THE COURTS TO DECIDE
BACKLOG, ET CETERA, ON THAT
PART, THEN THEY HAVE EVEN MORE
MONEY, SO IT IS A DISSERVICE ON
THAT FRONT. AND I WILL SAY I
BELIEVE THIS IS AN AREA WHERE
HTC CAN DO SOME BETTER ADVOCACY
FOR ITS MEMBERS WHO DO COLLECT
RENT FROM 30% TO 60% AMI AND
BELOW. SO, GOOD CONTINUING
CONVERSATIONS. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU. JUST A FEW
COMMENTS TO FOLLOW-UP ON YOUR
RENTERS -- WE HAD AUST -- ASKED
THE OFFICE OF HOUSING FOR SOME
FIGURES WHICH THEY SAID THEY
WOULD GET TO US BY JULY 12th,
AND AS YOU NOTED, THEY DID
ISSUE AN OPERATING
STABILIZATION OF A $14 MILLION
COMPETITIVE BID. AND OUT TO 26
ELIGIBLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
ORGANIZATIONS, THEY RECEIVED 24
APPLICATIONS, REQUESTING OVER
$21.8 MILLION IN THE OPERATION
STABILIZATION FUNDING FOR OVER
10,000 HOUSING UNITS. AND THEY
SAID, 18 OF THE 24 APPLICANTS
REQUESTED A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF
FUNDING POSSIBLE OF $1 MILLION.
SO, THEY WERE ABLE TO GIVE 14,
AND THAT WAS AT A MINIMUM A
REQUEST OF $21.8 MILLION AND IT
WAS KNOWN THAT THE THINGS THAT
THE MONEY WERE ABLE TO GO TO
WERE RENTERS, AND AGAIN WE
DON'T HAVE THE EXACT FIGURES,
BUT THEY SAID THE FOUR LARGEST
PROVIDERS HAVE OVER $4 MILLION
IN RENT ARREARS AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PROVIDERS ARE
COLLECTIVELY REPORTING MILLIONS
IN UNPAID RENT. AND IT IS MY
UNDERSTANDING, TOO, THAT UNPAID
RENT, AS WE HAVE HEARD FROM
SHARON LEHIGH, YOU MAY HAVE
SIMILAR ISSUES, IT IS BECAUSE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS SO MANY
DIFFERENT -- REALLY, YOU HAVE
TO PIECE IT TOGETHER FROM SO
MANY DIFFERENT PROVIDERS, THE
BREEDING OF IT. AND TO BRING IN
PRIVATE FUNDING, YOU HAVE TO
SHOW STRONG STATE FUNDING, BUT
LEHIGH IS NOT ABLE TO GET
PRIVATE FUNDING BECAUSE OF THE
EXTENT OF THE RENTERS. THEY ARE
VIEWING IT NO LONGER AS A
REASONABLE BUSINESS RISK FOR
THEM, SO THEY -- THEY SENT ME
AN EMAIL OF ALL THE PROVIDERS
THEY HAD REACHED OUT TO,
PRIVATE LENDERS, EIGHT, AND
ONLY ONE WAS WILLING TO ENGAGE,
SO I AM ASSUMING YOU ARE
EXPERIENCING, OR SOME OF YOUR
COLLEAGUES HAVE HEARD SOME OF
THAT, AS WELL.
>> YES, SO, I THINK OUR LAST
LOOK, IF I AM REMEMBERING
CORRECTLY, WE HAD ABOUT $2
MILLION IN UNPAID RENT, WHICH
AGAIN, FOR ANYONE OF OUR
BUILDINGS, IS REALLY
INSTRUMENTAL TO THE LONG-TERM,
BOTH FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL
STABILITY OF OUR PUBLIC ASSETS.
IT IS HARD, WHEN YOU ARE DOING
NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND THE
EXPECTATION THAT YOU ARE NOT
GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE
FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS THAT YOU
GO TO A BANK OR PUBLIC FUNDERS
TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
SO, UNPAID RENT IS HAVING AN
ABILITY TO PAY THOSE UNITS
ONLINE.
>> THANK YOU. IN YOUR
PRESENTATION I ALSO WANTED TO
OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO OUR
SMALLER LANDLORD, IF THERE IS
SOMETHING THAT YOU WISHED TO
ADD OR HIGHLIGHT, OR
SUPPLEMENT?
>> YES, THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. I
WANT TO LEND SUPPORT TO ALL THE
COMMENTS THAT MICHAEL AND
ANDREW HAVE SHARED TODAY, AND
ALSO JUST ADD ANOTHER
PERSPECTIVE FROM THE SMALL
HOUSING PROVIDER. SO, I AM A
SMALL LANDLORD IN DISTRICT
FIVE, AND LIKE MANY SMALL
LANDLORDS, I AM JUST AN
INDIVIDUAL, BUT LIKE NONPROFIT
HOUSING PROVIDERS, LANDLORDS
STRIVE TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND FOSTER POSITIVE
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
WITH THEIR TENANTS. SMALL
LANDLORDS ALSO PROVIDE A
DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF
FAMILY SIZED HOUSING IN
SEATTLE, WHICH AS MICHAEL
ALLUDED TO, IS DESPERATELY
NEEDED IN SEATTLE. SEATTLE'S
RENTAL LAWS, SO FAR, ESPECIALLY
SINCE 2019, HAVE ENSURED THAT
IF THERE IS A PROBLEMATIC
TENANT, IT IS VERY HARD TO GET
THEM OUT. AND THAT IS WITH
COMPLETE DISREGARD TO THE
DAMAGE CAUSED IN HOMES AND THE
BUILDINGS AROUND THEM. TODAY,
WE HEARD A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU EVICT
SOMEONE, AND OTHER ISSUES
AROUND HOMELESSNESS,
HYPOTHERMIA, FOOD INSECURITY
BUT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT NO
ONE WANTS TO EVICT. IT IS A
WORST-CASE SCENARIO, AND IT IS
EMOTIONAL, IT IS EXPENSIVE. IT
IS SOMETHING THAT HOUSING
PROVIDERS ONLY PURSUE WHEN THEY
HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL OTHER
OPTIONS. SO, I WANT TO CONSIDER
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T
CONVICT A TENANT. IT IS
HARMFUL, DANGEROUS,
UNCOOPERATIVE. THERE IS SERIOUS
HARM TO OTHERS AND THESE BAD
SITUATIONS BECOME WORSE. IT IS
NOT JUST A MATTER OF KEEPING A
ROOF OVER THAT INDIVIDUALS HAD,
IT IS ABOUT THE OTHER TENANTS
IN THE BUILDING, IT IS ABOUT
THE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE HELPING
TO MANAGE THE BUILDING, IT IS
ABOUT ALSO THE HOUSING PROVIDER
THAT NEEDS TO PAY BACK
MORTGAGES, UTILITIES, AND
MAKING SURE THAT IT IS A SAFE
SITE FOR EVERYONE, NOT JUST ONE
INDIVIDUAL. AND SO, AS WE
CONSIDER THE MANY MILLIONS THAT
WE ARE GOING TO PUT TOWARD
BUILDING NEW HOUSING IN SEATTLE
THROUGH LEVY FUNDS, PLEASE
CONSIDER WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO
THESE BUILDINGS AFTER THEY ARE
BUILT. THE OPERATIONAL ISSUES
THAT WE HAVE DESCRIBED TODAY
WILL CONTINUE IF YOU DON'T
COMPREHENSIVELY AND
THOUGHTFULLY CHANGE THE RENTAL
POLICIES IN SEATTLE. THERE IS
ANOTHER ISSUE AT THE COUNTY
LEVEL OF THE COURTS AND I
UNDERSTAND THAT IS OUTSIDE THE
PURVIEW OF THE COUNCIL, BUT I
ALSO URGE YOU TO USE AS MUCH
POLITICAL HOLE AS YOU HAVE TO
PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY ON
THAT. HOUSING IS A NETWORK.
NEEDED TO BE BALANCED TO BE A
HEALTHY NETWORK AND RIGHT NOW
IT IS VERY UNBALANCED. HOUSING
PROVIDERS ARE SHOULDERING AN
ENORMOUS PORTION OF THE
RESPONSIBILITY THAT THEY ARE
NOT EQUIPPED TO DO AND THERE
ARE MANY KINDS OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. THE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WE ALSO
HAVE MORE INDEPENDENT, WE HAVE
ANDREW AND MICHAEL -- THESE ARE
ALL VERY DIFFERENT. WE NEED TO
BE TARGETED AND THOUGHTFUL
ABOUT CRAFTING POLICY THAT
APPLIES TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF
HOUSING. IN JUST TWO MORE
COMMENTS, THIS IS A HIGHLY
LEVERAGED SECTOR. COMPLEX
FINANCING AND INVESTORS ARE
PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN OUR REGION, THE
CHALLENGES HERE, HOW DIFFICULT
IT IS TO CORRECT -- COLLECT
RENT. AS A RESULT, THESE NEW
HOUSING PROPOSALS ARE BEING
FACED WITH FUNDING DENIALS OVER
AND OVER AGAIN. HOW CAN WE
BUILD MORE HOUSING, IF FUNDING
IS RUNNING AWAY FROM THE CITY?
SO, PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE
FEASIBILITY OF OPERATING
HOUSING, ESPECIALLY FOR THE NEW
BUILDINGS THAT I AM VERY
HOPEFUL WILL BE BUILT IN THE
CITY. KEITA THAT ARE THE
HOUSING POLICIES THAT WE
OPERATE UNDER, AND SO I HOPE
THAT WE CAN FIND MORE
LONG-TERM, SUSTAINABLE
SOLUTIONS AND BALANCE IN OUR
HOUSING NETWORK.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT
LOOKS LIKE WE HAD A QUESTION
FROM COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I DO HEAR
FROM A LOT OF SMALL HOUSING
PROVIDERS, SOMETIMES FOLKS THAT
JUST HAVE ONE UNIT THAT THEY
ARE TRYING TO MANAGE AND THESE
THINGS BECOME VERY DIFFICULT
WHEN THEY HAVE TENANTS THAT ARE
ENGAGING IN BEHAVIORS THAT ARE
PROBLEMATIC AND THEN THEY ARE
LEFT WITH HAVING TO SETTLE --
SADDLE THAT MORTGAGE, WHICH
THEY RELY ON THE RENT TO
ACTUALLY PAY THE MORTGAGE OF
THE UNIT THEY ARE RENTING OUT.
SO, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR
EXPERIENCE, FROM A SMALLER
HOUSING PROVIDER STANDPOINT. I
WANT TO THANK BOTH OF YOU AGAIN
FOR THE INFORMATION. THIS IS
ALL REALLY HELPFUL. ONE THING
I'M STRUGGLING WITH IS, THERE
IS A LACK OF INFORMATION BY
WHICH, TO ME, ARE ABLE TO MAKE
SOME DECISIONS, I WOULD SAY,
NOT KNOWING WHAT THE VACANCY
RATE IS, IT'S VERY
PROBLEMATIC. NOT KNOWING THE
LEVEL OF THE STRUGGLE WITH
HAVING TO MANAGE FOR DAMAGE
DONE TO UNITS THAT ARE THEN OUT
OF COMMISSION FOR MONTHS ON END
AT THE VERY LEAST, BUT NOT
KNOWING WHAT THE NEED IS THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, NOT KNOWING HOW
TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO FOLKS
THAT ARE IN UNITS THAT NEED
MORE LEVEL OF SERVICE THEN YOU
ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE, AND HOW TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO
GET THOSE FOLKS THE LEVEL OF
SERVICE THAT THEY NEED TO,
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME THEN
BEING ABLE TO LET YOU, ALL,
HAVE HOUSING FOR OTHER FOLKS
THAT DON'T NEED THE LEVEL OF
SERVICE. SO, IT IS REALLY
CHALLENGING WITHOUT ALL OF THIS
INFORMATION -- YOU KNOW, WHEN
YOU SAY, CITY, COUNTY, AND
STATE COLLABORATIONS AND A
SCALE OF INVESTMENTS, YOU KNOW,
I AGREE, WE NEED COLLABORATION.
I THINK IT IS HARD TO KNOW THIS
SCALING UP OF INVESTMENTS
PIECE, BECAUSE I AM NOT REALLY
CLEAR, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, DO WE
HAVE LESS OR MORE VACANCY THAN
WE THINK WE KNOW? SO, IS THE
ISSUE REALLY, WE NEED TO REPAIR
SOME OF THE THINGS, WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE
A HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE, THAT
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE
BECOMING CHALLENGING IN THESE
UNITS, THEY CLEARLY NEED MORE.
IS IT PUTTING MORE FOR THOSE
FOLKS, THEN WE ARE ABLE TO OPEN
UP MORE UNITS FOR FOLKS WHO
DON'T HAVE THAT LEVEL? IT IS
HARD TO KNOW. SO, I JUST WANTED
TO UNDERSCORE THAT BECAUSE
THESE ARE REALLY COMPLEX ISSUES
BUT I OFTEN FEEL THAT WHEN WE
ARE ASKED FOR MORE IN TERMS OF
INVESTMENT, IT IS -- THAT IS
CHALLENGING, WHEN WE DON'T
HAVE THE INFORMATION BY WHICH
TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS, AND SO
I REALLY WANT TO UNDERSCORE
THAT POINT. WE NEED TO GET
INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP US
KNOW BEST HOW EVERYONE CAN WORK
TOGETHER TO SOLVE THESE
PROBLEMS. AND IN THE ABSENCE OF
GETTING THAT INFORMATION, IT IS
HARD TO FIND THE SOLUTIONS. SO,
JUST WANTED TO UNDERSCORE THAT,
BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE
AND DAYLIGHTING THIS ISSUE IN
THIS WAY BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD A
LOT ANECDOTALLY. I APPRECIATE
THE CHAIR FOR BRINGING THIS
THROUGH COMMITTEE SO WE CAN
HAVE AN OPEN DIALOGUE ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> YEAH, AND WE CAN'T JUST
KEEP TALKING ABOUT INCREASED
INVESTMENTS. YOU KNOW, THE
INVESTMENTS THAT WILL BE
REQUIRED TO HELP YOU DEAL WITH
YOUR MORTGAGES, ET CETERA. WE
ARE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT THE
INVESTMENTS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
CONTRIBUTING TO THE TAX STATES
THAT INVITES FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF NEW HOUSING, ET
CETERA. WE NEED TO OWN UP TO
THE FACT THAT WE CAN DO A
BETTER JOB PREVENTING SEEING
THE RESULTS OF QUALITY. AND YOU
ARE NOT ALONE WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT -- THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR MENTIONING SOME OF THE
REGULATIONS ON THE BOOKS WHEN
IT COMES TO LANDLORD-TENANT
RELATIONS. YESTERDAY, I WAS
TALKING TO SOMEBODY AT PLYMOUTH
HOUSING BECAUSE THERE WILL BE
AN AUDIT THAT IS PRESENTED IN
MY COMMITTEE TOMORROW,
GOVERNANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IT IS A
NEW AUDIT THAT ADDRESSES THE
OVERLAP OF OVERDOSE AND CRIME.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE
PRESENTING IS SOMEBODY FROM
PLYMOUTH HOUSING, AND HE WAS
SAYING THAT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS
THAT THEY STRUGGLE WITH IS THE
ROOMMATE LAW, WHICH PREVENTS
THEIR ABILITY TO REALLY VET
FOLKS THAT ARE IN THEIR UNIT.
THAT IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF A
REGULATION THAT WE NEED TO
EXAMINE. IF THAT IS A PROBLEM,
WE NEED TO LISTEN. AND THAT IS
WHY I WAS TALKING ABOUT
ADVOCACY BY YOUR MEMBERSHIP
ORGANIZATION, THAT THEY SHOULD
BE TAKING THE LEAD ON HELPING
THE CITY DO BETTER, SO WE ARE
NOT DEALING WITH THE RESULTS OF
SOME OF THESE POLICIES, BUT WE
CAN HEAD THEM OFF. YOU, ANDREW,
SAID SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY
BOLD. HE SAID THE STATUS QUO
ISN'T HOUSING FIRST, IT IS
ONLY HOUSING. WELL THEN,
PLYMOUTH ALSO SAID, MORE
RECOVERY BASED SERVICES ARE
NEEDED IN THESE LOCATIONS, AND
SO, WE NEED TO EXAMINE SOME OF
OUR EXISTING APPROACHES AND
LAWS THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO
THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU ARE
DEALING WITH NOW INSTEAD OF
JUST SIMPLY RESORTING TO
THROWING MORE MONEY AT A
PROBLEM.
>> GREAT, WELL, THANK YOU. I
THINK THAT IS A GOOD MOMENT IN
WHICH TO CONCLUDE. SO, I WANT
TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING
HERE TODAY. I WANTED TO REALLY
THANK YOU FOR WILLING TO COME
AND BE PUBLIC ABOUT THE
STRUGGLES THAT YOU ARE
EXPERIENCING, AS HOUSING
PROVIDERS. I MEAN, THE GOAL
HERE IS TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, FROM
THE FULL SPECTRUM OF NEED. AND
SO, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO
KNOW THAT THAT ABILITY IS TRULY
IN JEOPARDY. AND AS CHAIR OF
THE HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO
SERVES AND IS AN HONORARY
MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE, WE
ARE ALL VERY MUCH COMMITTED TO
MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY GETS
TO BE STABLY AND SAFELY HOUSED.
SO, THANK YOU FOR BEING ABLE TO
ARTICULATE THE STRUGGLES, AND
THANK YOU FOR THE SMALL
LANDLORD'S PERSPECTIVE, AND
THEY ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT
ROLE IN OUR HOUSING ECOSYSTEM.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE AND FOR EVERYTHING YOU ARE
DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE
WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT
LIGHT AGENDA ITEM. IF THE CLERK
WOULD PLEASE READ THAT INTO THE
RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM TWO, HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT COMMUNITIES
SAFETY INVESTMENTS BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO, TODAY, WE
HAVE WITH US THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT AND THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE TO TALK ABOUT HST'S
INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNITY
SAFETY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. I AM
GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO
DIRECTOR KIM.
>> OKAY. I WAS THINKING, IS IT
MORNING? GOOD MORNING. THANK
YOU, CHAIR MOORE, FOR ALLOWING
US TO BE HERE, AND OF COURSE
THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THIS IS
A BIG TOPIC, SO I JUST WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WITHIN 30
MINUTES, WE ARE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT COMMUNITY SAFETY, AND WE
ARE GOING TO REVIEW THIS BODY
OF WORK, BUT WE WILL FIRST
START OFF WITH INTRODUCTIONS
FOR THE RECORD. I TANYA KIM,
DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. MY
NAME IS ERIKA PABLO, MY
PRONOUNS ARE SHE, HERS, AND I
AM DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN
DIVISION OF THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT.
>> HELLO, DIRECTORS. MY NAME IS
BRIANNA THOMAS, I AM THE SENIOR
POLICY ADVISER AT THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE.
>> I ALWAYS LIKE TO START WITH
OUR MISSION TO GROUND THE
VIEWING PUBLIC AND US,
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT COMMUNITY SAFETY OR ANY
PARTICULAR TOPIC THAT IS LARGE
AND COMPLEX THAT THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT EXISTS SO
THAT WE CAN CONNECT PEOPLE WITH
RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS DURING
TIMES OF NEED, SO WE CAN ALL
LIVE, LEARN, AND WORK, AND TAKE
PART IN A STRONG, HEALTHY
COMMUNITY. YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE
COVER SIX DIFFERENT IMPACT
AREAS MEANING JUST IN REGULAR
TERMS, THESE ARE THE SIX AREAS
WHERE WE INVEST OUR ENERGY, OUR
RESOURCES, OUR SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTISE IN. SO, EVERYTHING
RANGING FROM INTERVENTION,
PREPARING YOUTH FOR SUCCESS,
ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH
SUPPORTING OUR AGING
POPULATIONS, TO LIVE IN PLACE.
TODAY, WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE
SAFE COMMUNITIES INVESTMENT
AREA. IT IS VERY BROAD, AND OF
COURSE WE ARE COMMITTED TO
TAKING QUESTIONS AND FOLLOWING
UP AS NEEDED, AND I KNOW THIS
IS THE BEGINNING OF PROBABLY
MULTIPLE BRIEFINGS. IN OUR
AGENDA, WE ARE GOING TO REVIEW
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY OF OUR
INVESTMENTS, WHAT THE CITY HAS
DONE. THEN, I AM GOING TO PASS
IT OVER TO ERIKA, WHO IS GOING
TO TALK ABOUT OUR WORK THAT WE
ARE DOING LOCALLY, AS WELL AS
REGIONALLY, AND SORT OF THE
NATIONAL TOUCHES, AS WELL. WE
ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
SPECIFIC DIVISION THAT WORKS IN
THIS SPACE, IT IS CALLED THE
SAFE AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES
DIVISION, AND WE WILL BE DOING
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SOME OF
THOSE INVESTMENTS, BUT NOT DO A
DEEP DIVE. WE WILL THEN PREVIEW
SOME OF THE WORK THAT IS IN
PROCESS AND THERE IS WORK THAT
IS HAPPENING AT THE
DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL AND THE CITY
LEVEL. AND WE ARE GOING TO LOOK
AHEAD WITH SOME OF THE
ACTIVITY, WHAT TO EXPECT,
COMING UP NOT JUST IN 2024, BUT
ALSO THAT WILL IMPACT 2025. AND
I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE GOING TO
BE TAKING QUESTIONS HERE AND
THERE THROUGHOUT THE
PRESENTATION, AS WELL, BUT WE
CERTAINLY HAVE SOME TIME AT THE
END. THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A
DIZZYING SLIDE, BUT I AM GOING
TO WALK US THROUGH IT. SO,
FIRST, WE ARE GOING TO BE
TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE
HISTORY. AND THIS IS
LONG-STANDING. WE ARE NOT GOING
TO START IN 2009. YOU MAY HAVE
HEARD OF AN INITIATIVE THAT THE
CITY OF SEATTLE LAUNCHED, AND
THE CITY LAUNCHED THE SEATTLE
YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION
INITIATIVE, IN 2009 TO ADDRESS
AT THE TIME WHAT WAS INCREASING
YOUTH GUN VIOLENCE, SO THIS WAS
CITY SPONSORED, WE HAD CITY
STAFF DIRECTING THIS
INITIATIVE. THEY AIM TO SERVE
YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO THE AGE OF
17 AND IN THE LATER YEARS, THEY
STARTED TO EXPAND THE SERVICES
TO 24. THEY FOCUSED ON THREE
GEOGRAPHIC AREAS, CENTRAL
DISTRICT, SOUTHEAST SEATTLE,
AND SOUTHWEST SEATTLE. THEY
OFFERED WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR
YOUTH AT RISK OF VIOLENCE,
THOSE ARE THINGS CASE
MANAGEMENT, MENTORING, STREET
OUTREACH, AND MORE. AND THERE
WAS COORDINATED EFFORT, SO
THERE WAS CENTRALIZED REFERRAL,
A DATABASE, ET CETERA, ET
CETERA. THEN, FIVE YEARS INTO
THE LAUNCH, MAYOR MURRAY, AT
THE TIME, DIRECTED THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO REBID
THE FUNDS TO ADDRESS THE
CURRENT NEEDS AT THE TIME. HSD
REBID THE FUNDS, WHICH RESULTED
IN NEW CONTRACTS IN 2017, AND
THEN A COUPLE YEARS LATER, YOU
KNOW THIS, WE FACED A GLOBAL
PANDEMIC, AND THEN WE
CONTEMPLATED THE NATIONAL CIVIL
RIGHTS RECKONING WITH THE
MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD. MAYOR
DURKIN INVESTED $100 MILLION,
SHE ANNOUNCED AN INVESTMENT OF
$100 MILLION IN COMMUNITY TO
BUILD OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING. AND PART OF
THAT, HSD RECEIVED ONE-TIME
DOLLARS TO DO ANOTHER REQUEST
FOR PROPOSAL, WHICH THAT
PURPOSE WAS TO INCREASE OUR
CAPACITY TO OFFER MORE
COMMUNITY SAFETY PROGRAMMING.
IN ADDITION TO THE INVESTMENTS,
WE WERE ASKED TO STAND UP A NEW
DIVISION. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
IS GIVING ME EYE CONTACT. A LOT
HAPPENED DURING THAT TIME
PERIOD. IT IS REALLY JUST TO
DEMONSTRATE ALL THE MOVEMENTS
THAT OCCURRED JUST IN RECENT
YEARS, BUT WANTED YOU TO KNOW
THAT WE ALSO STOOD UP IN
DIVISION, ORGANIZATIONALLY. THE
REASON BEING, WE WERE GETTING
REALLY CLEAR THAT HSD'S ROLE
WAS TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY
DRIVEN SOLUTIONS BECAUSE OF
COURSE THERE IS THIS ECOSYSTEM,
THIS BROADER WORK AROUND PUBLIC
SAFETY, BUT WHAT IS HSD'S
ROLE? IF SO, WE WERE ORGANIZING
OURSELVES TO SUPPORT THOSE
COMMUNITY DRIVEN SOLUTIONS AND
TO BETTER SUPPORT OUR EXISTING
INVESTMENTS AND I WILL TALK A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. SO,
TODAY, OUR BUDGET IS ABOUT
$37.7 MILLION IN THE SAFE AND
THRIVING COMMUNITIES DIVISION.
THAT INCLUDES A LOT OF THINGS,
NOT JUST AROUND VIOLENCE
REDUCTION. AND IN THAT
DIVISION, WE FUNCTION AS A
FUNDER, DIRECT SERVICE
PROVIDER, AND CONVENER. THAT
MEANS WE HAVE CONTRACTS, WE DO
THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, WE
ALSO HAVE DIRECT SERVICE
PROVIDERS AND WE HAVE SOME
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. A LOT
OF OUR COLLEAGUES ARE HERE IN
THE CHAMBER TODAY. NOW, YOU
KNOW THAT WE ARE FACING A RISE
IN GUN VIOLENCE, WITH WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOLS,
SPECIFICALLY, AND DEMOGRAPHICS
ARE CHANGING. SO, THAT AGE
GROUP IS ALSO EXPANDING. SO,
BEFORE I TALK ABOUT '17 AND
MOVED TO '24, WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT A HIGHER ANGEL AGE OF
THOSE WHO ARE BEING IMPACTED,
AS WELL. THOSE WHO ARE ENGAGING
IN THIS ACTIVITY. NOW, GIVEN
THAT HISTORY, I JUST WANTED TO
SHARE WITH YOU WHERE WE HAVE
BEEN, TO EXPLAIN WHERE WE ARE
ADVANCING THE WORK AND DOING
MORE NOW AT THE TIME FOR US TO
GET CLEARER AND FOR US TO
ADVANCE THE WORK. AND WITH
THAT, I AM GOING TO HAND IT
OVER TO ERIKA.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CAN. SO,
I WANT TO DO FIRST SHARE SOME
OF OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY WORK
THAT IS GOING ON IN THE LOCAL,
REGIONAL, AND SOME OF OUR
NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE
HAVE. SO, ON THE LOCAL LEVEL,
AGAIN, FOR MOST OF THE
PRESENTATION, WE WILL TALK MORE
ABOUT OUR LOCAL INVESTMENTS IN
OUR WORK, BUT ONE HIGHLIGHT
HERE IS BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THE
RECENT INCIDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL,
THE MAYOR ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE
ORDER, ADDRESSING YOUTH AND GUN
VIOLENCE. SO, THIS SEEKS TO
INCREASE PHYSICAL SAFETY AND
IMPROVE SAFETY OUTCOMES FOR OUR
STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL
COMMUNITY. AGAIN, BREANNA WILL
TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT
LATER. ON THE REGIONAL LEVEL,
SOME HIGHLIGHTS ARE OUR CITIES
PUBLIC HEALTH CONTRACT. SO,
THIS INCLUDES BOTH OUR
INVESTMENTS IN THE REGIONAL
PEACEKEEPERS COLLECTIVE, AND
THE HOSPITAL-BASED INTERVENTION
PROGRAM. ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT IS
THE EXECUTIVE ADVISORY GROUP ON
GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION, SO THE
MAYOR HAS TRI-CHAIRS ALONG
CONSECUTIVE CONSTANTINE WITH A
FOCUS ON COORDINATION AND
COLLABORATION TO BETTER ADDRESS
GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR REGION. AND
THE LAST HIGHLIGHT FOR THE
REGIONAL LEVER, THE COUNTY IS
ISSUING 100 DAY OF ACTION PLAN
TODAY, THEY RELEASED AN
ANNOUNCEMENT TO ENSURE BETTER
SAFETY FOR THE SUMMER AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO THAT
ANNOUNCEMENT EITHER TODAY. AND
LASTLY, ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL,
SOME OF OUR KEY PARTNERSHIPS,
ONE IS WITH CITIES UNITED. SO,
CITIES UNITED IS A NATIONAL
TECHNICAL ADVISORY
ORGANIZATION, FOCUSED ON
SUPPORTING CITIES AND LOCAL
ORGANIZATIONS ON PUBLIC SAFETY
AND MORE FOCUS ON GUN VIOLENCE.
SO, WE HAVE TWO, I GUESS,
CONNECTORS WITH CITIES UNITED,
BOTH THROUGH THE ROAD MAP
ACADEMY PROGRAM, WHERE 1 OF 9
CITY COHORTS RECEIVE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE SUPPORT, AND THEN
THE SECOND BIG COMPONENT OUT
THERE OF THEIR WORK IS ANNUAL
CONFERENCES, SO WE ARE
COHOSTING THE CONFERENCE THIS
YEAR IN OCTOBER. THEY WILL BE
JOINING US. AND THEN, THE LAST
PARTNERSHIP I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT IS OUR PARTNERSHIP
WITH NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM. THEY
ARE ALSO A NATIONAL
ORGANIZATION THAT FOCUSES ON
DATA AND RESEARCH AROUND PUBLIC
SAFETY. AND WE ARE PARTNERING
WITH THEM, THE COUNTY, AND THE
ALLIANCE FOR GUN RESPONSIBILITY
ON A FREE ANALYSIS PROCESS, AND
HOPING TO RELEASE THOSE
ANALYSES LATER THIS YEAR. AND
AGAIN, FOR TODAY'S
PRESENTATION, WE WILL FOCUS ON
OUR INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNITY
VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS,
BOTH THE COMMUNITIES SEATTLE
SAFETY INITIATIVE, PEACEKEEPERS
COLLECTIVE, AND HOSPITAL-BASED
INTERVENTION. THAT INCLUDES,
INFORMED CASE MANAGEMENT, SAFE
PASSAGES, CRITICAL INCIDENT
RESPONSE, AND RESOURCE
NAVIGATION. THESE ARE
PROMISING, RESEARCH BACKED
STRATEGIES THAT ARE BEING
TESTED AND REFINED HERE AND
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WHILE THESE
INVESTMENTS ARE CONSIDERED
INTERVENTION, OUR DIVISION ALSO
INVEST IN PREVENTION
INITIATIVES THROUGH OUR SAFETY
CRP AND VIOLENCE RSP, WHICH ARE
GOING ON RIGHT NOW. AND THIS IS
A REMINDER THAT THESE
INVESTMENTS ARE IN HSD AS A
WHOLE, ONLY ONE PART OF THIS
LARGER PUBLIC SAFETY ECOSYSTEM.
AND SO, THIS INCLUDES CARE,
SPD, FIRE, INVESTMENTS AT
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, EARLY
LEARNING PARTS, ET CETERA,
WORKING AS A COLLECTIVE TO
ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. I DID
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT JUST FOR
RIGHT NOW -- BUT AGAIN, IT IS
NOT A FOCUS OF OUR PRESENTATION
TODAY -- SOME OF THE OTHER WORK
WITHIN THE SAFE AND THRIVING
COMMUNITIES DIVISION, SO WE DO
HOLD THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL
ASSAULT, WHERE THERE IS ABOUT
$14.5 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS TO
ADDRESS GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE.
AND THEN, WE ALSO STAFFED A
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION
COUNCIL AS A PART OF THAT WORK.
AND LASTLY, OUR CRIME SURVIVOR
SERVICES UNIT, WHICH IS A
VICTIM ADVOCATE TEAM THAT
SUPPORTS VICTIMS, SURVIVORS OF
VIOLENT CRIME. SO, WE WILL GO
INTO A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF OUR
COMMUNITY SAFETY WORK,
SPECIFICALLY. SO, OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SEATTLE
COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVE,
ALSO KNOWN AS SCSI, IS A
PARTNERSHIP OF FOUR MAJORITY
BIPOC LED ORGANIZATIONS TO
THREE COMMUNITY SAFETY EFFORTS
WITH A FOCUS ON GUN VIOLENCE
PREVENTION. THIS MEANS THAT
WHEN THERE IS AN INCIDENT OF
GUN VIOLENCE, OUR TRUSTED
COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE CALLED
IN BY LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
MITIGATE CONFLICT, OFFER
SUPPORT, AND RESOURCE
NAVIGATION FOR FAMILIES AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ANOTHER
EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THEIR WORK
IS THROUGH THE SAFE PASSAGES
PROGRAM, THAT USES A
PLACE-BASED APPROACH AT SOME OF
OUR SEATTLE SCHOOLS. COMMUNITY
PROVIDERS AND STAFF ARE
PROVIDED AN ON-CAMPUS PRESENCE
AND LEAD SAFE PASSAGES FOR
PEOPLE AFTER SCHOOL TO BETTER
INSURE SAFETY TO THEIR HOME OR
THEIR NEXT DESTINATION. SO, AN
EXAMPLE OF THIS WORK, A YOUNG
PERSON IS LEAVING RANIER BEACH
HIGH SCHOOL. ON CAMPUS, THEY
ARE IMMEDIATELY MET WITH
SOMEONE, A TRUSTED FAMILIAR
FACE, ONE OF THE COMMUNITY
PROVIDER STAFF, THAT STAFF
CHECKS IN WITH THEM, AND THEY
WERE ALMOST IN A FIGHT EARLIER
THAT DAY. SO, THIS COMMUNITY
STAFF IS ABLE TO ADDRESS THEIR
IMMEDIATE SAFETY AND LONG-TERM,
THEY ARE SOMEONE THAT IS
CONSISTENTLY THERE THAT THEY
CAN TURN TO AND CONFIDE IN. SO,
OVERVIEW, OR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
WITH SCSI AND THE REGIONAL
PEACEKEEPERS COLLECTIVE ARE
INTENTIONALLY LOCATED AT THREE
COMMUNITY SAFETY HUBS. SO, IN
CENTRAL DISTRICT, WEST SEATTLE,
AND SOUTH SEATTLE. THESE ARE
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HOLD THE
MOST IMPACTED COMMUNITIES OF
GUN VIOLENCE HERE IN SEATTLE.
NEXT, I WANTED TO SHARE A
LITTLE BIT OF OUR WORK THROUGH
OUR PUBLIC HEALTH CONTRACT WITH
THE COUNTY. SO, WE HAVE A
STRONG AND GROWING PARTNERSHIP
WITH PUBLIC HEALTH SEATTLE IN
KING COUNTY AND WE ARE
INTERESTED IN OUR APPROACH TO
ADDRESS GUN VIOLENCE. WITH A
FOCUS ON OUR HOSPITAL-BASED
INTERVENTION PROGRAM, OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH HARBORVIEW AND
NATIONAL HEALTH IS A NATIONALLY
RECOGNIZED MODEL. IT IS WHERE
SOCIAL WORKERS AND OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS PROVIDE
TRAUMA AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT,
MITIGATE RETALIATION, AND OFFER
HOUSING SUPPORTS TO GUN
VIOLENCE SURVIVORS AND THEIR
FAMILIES, STARTING AT THEIR
BEDSIDE. VICTIMS ARE PROVIDED
WITH LINKS TO COMMUNITY-BASED
SERVICES, MENTORING, HOME
VISITS, FOLLOW-UP ASSISTANCE,
AND LONG-TERM CASE MANAGEMENT
DURING THESE INTERVENTIONS. SO,
USING ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A
YOUNG PERSON, THIS YOUNG PERSON
JUST WITNESSED THEIR SIBLING
GETTING SHOT. AND AT THAT
MOMENT, WHEN THEY ARE AT THE
HOSPITAL AND THEIR SIBLING IS
GETTING TREATED, THEY ARE
IMMEDIATELY CONNECTED WITH A
SOCIAL WORKER FROM HARBORVIEW.
THEIR FAMILY IS CONNECTED WITH
OUR COMMUNITY PROVIDERS TO
DEVELOP A SAFETY PLAN. THEY
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK
INTO ANOTHER PLACE TO STAY.
THROUGH ANOTHER PROVIDER, THAT
PROVIDES HOUSING SUPPORT. AND I
JUST WANTED TO NOTE THERE WAS A
RECENT ARTICLE IN "THE SEATTLE
TIMES," BY THE FIREARMS INJURY
UW RESEARCH TEAM, THAT GAVE A
GREAT INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW OF
THIS PROGRAM. SO, I JUST WANTED
TO NOTE THAT. AND ABOUT OUR
PROGRAM, SO A LOT OF OUR
CONTRACT IS ALONGSIDE KING
COUNTY, BUT BASED ON RECENT
RESEARCH THAT DIRECTOR KIM
ALLUDED TO, BASED ON THAT DATA,
THERE HAS BEEN A HIGHER
INCREASE IN INJURIES AND DEATHS
FOR FOLKS THAT ARE ABOVE 24
YEARS OF AGE AND INTO THEIR
30s, SO BECAUSE OF THAT, AS A
RESULT OF THE COUNCIL ACTION,
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND THE
HOSPITAL-BASED INTERVENTION
PROGRAM FOR ONE-TIME FUNDS, SO
NOW WE SERVE FOLKS OF ALL AGES
THROUGH THAT PROGRAM. AND WE
KNOW WHEN WE INVEST IN
EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES, IT
LEADS TO COMMUNITY SAFETY AND
WELL-BEING. SO, NOW, I WILL
PASS IT OFF TO BRIANNA TO
DISCUSS THE MAYOR'S EXECUTIVE
ORDER.
>> THANK YOU, ERIKA. MAYOR
HARRELL ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDER
20 2401 ON JUNE 14, THERE WERE
NINE ACTION ITEMS IN THAT
EXECUTIVE ORDER INCLUDING
PARTNERSHIP WITH KING COUNTY
FOR THEIR 100 DAYS OF ACTION,
THE ISSUANCE OF A GUN TRACE
TASK FORCE WITH ATF AND THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR CRIMINAL
JUSTICE REFORM, CONVENING
COMMUNITY GROUPS TO COME UP
WITH A PLAN FOR THE 2024 SCHOOL
YEAR, WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO DO
YESTERDAY, SO THAT GOT TICKED
OFF ALREADY. WE ARE ALSO
FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS ON
SUPPORTING DIVERSIFIED RESPONSE
TEAMS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SPD.
THOSE LAST TWO THINGS, THE
DIVERSIFIED RESPONSE TEAMS AND
COMMUNITY-BASED INVESTMENT
PLANS ARE WHERE HSD'S WORK
REALLY COMES IN. WE ARE GOING
TO CONTINUE TO CONVENE WITH
PROVIDERS OVER THE SUMMER, AND
SHOULD , BEFORE THE START OF
THE SCHOOL YEAR, HAVE A NEW SET
OF INVESTMENTS WE ARE LOOKING
FOR, FOR THE 2024-2045 SCHOOL
YEAR TO BALANCE THE CONFIDENCE
OVER THE SUMMER. I JUST WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY GROUNDED
IN THE FACT THAT WE ARE DOING
THIS WORK TO SAVE LIVES AND IT
IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, AND
WE ARE TAKING IT VERY, VERY
SERIOUSLY AND WORKING WITH
ABSOLUTE HASTE. BUT, IT IS EASY
TO -- SORRY, I GET A LITTLE
EMOTIONAL -- IT IS EASY TO TURN
SOME OF THIS TO JUST NUMBERS ON
PAPER AND FORGET THAT THESE ARE
ACTUAL KIDS, THESE ARE ACTUAL
PEOPLE'S BABIES. SO, THANK YOU
FOR CARING ABOUT OUR WORK AND
CONTINUING TO SUPPORT IT.
>> THANK YOU, BRIANNA. SO,
ANOTHER FOCUS ON OUR RECENT
WORK THAT IS IN PROCESS IS OUR
COMMUNITY SAFETY REQUEST FOR
PROPOSALS, OR RFP. OUR GOAL
WITH THIS RFP IS TO ALIGN OUR
INVESTMENTS TO MEET THE
GREATEST NEED BASED ON BEST
PRACTICES, RESEARCH, AND
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK. SO, OUR
CURRENT SCOPE IS TO FOCUS ON
INVESTMENTS IN PREVENTION,
INTERVENTION, AND RESTORATIVE
SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
BETWEEN THE AGES OF 12 AND 30,
WITH THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. WE ARE
WORKING CLOSELY WITH
CONSULTANTS TO REFINE OUR
THEORY OF CHANGE, AND AS A PART
OF THIS THEORY OF CHANGE, WE
UTILIZED THE RESULTS BASIC
ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK,
LEAVING WITH PERFORMANCE
METRICS ON THE CONTRACT LEVEL
WITH THE GOAL OF IMPROVED
SAFETY OUTCOMES FOR ALL THE
YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE SERVED
THROUGH OUR INVESTMENTS. SO,
OUR TIMELINE FOR THIS IS
PLANNING FOR AN EARLY SEPTEMBER
RELEASE, AND THE FUNDING
AVAILABLE IS ABOUT $5.7
MILLION. AND THEN, JUST AN
OVERVIEW, BECAUSE WE SHARED A
LOT WITH YOU TODAY IN THE WORKS
WE ARE HOLDING. SO, OUR
TIMELINE IS LAID OUT HERE, FOR
THE REST OF THE YEAR. SOME
HIGHLIGHTS I WANTED TO NOTE,
OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
MAYOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER, WITH
A PLAN TO FOCUS ON THIS
UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, SO THE
PLAN WILL BE RELEASED BEFORE
SEPTEMBER. AND THEN, THE
COMMUNITY SAFETY RFP RELEASED
IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, AS WELL,
THAT I JUST MENTIONED. AND
THEN, WHAT WE ARE REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT IS THE CITY'S
UNITED CONFERENCE COHOSTING
THAT, THAT WILL BE IN OCTOBER.
AND THEN, WE CONTINUE TO ISSUE
COMMUNITY SAFETY AWARDS BY THE
END OF THIS YEAR.
>> THE LAST SLIDE HERE, JUST IS
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE TIMELINE,
SPECIFICALLY THAT HSD IS GOING
TO BE ISSUING IN THE MONTHS TO
COME. IT IS JUST A DIFFERENT
VIEW OF THAT BEAUTIFUL TIMELINE
THAT ERIKA OUTLINED. SO, WITH
THAT, WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES FOR
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
>> YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS? OH,
YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OKAY. I AM
GOING TO GO TO COUNCILMEMBER
WOO, AND THEN I WILL COME BACK
TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU
DO AND THIS VERY IMPORTANT
WORK. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
WHERE DOES THE FUNDING COME,
FOR THIS WORK?
>> WE HAVE A COMBINATION OF
FUNDS, AND SO WE HAVE BASE
FUNDING THAT IS IN OUR BUDGET,
THE $2 MILLION IS BEING
CONTEMPLATED RIGHT NOW, THAT IS
A PART OF --
>> THAT THEY ARE CORRIDOR
SUPPLEMENTAL?
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> AND THAT IS THE WORK THAT WE
ARE DOING FOR THE SCHOOLS, THE
SCHOOL YEAR SAFETY PLAN. BUT,
PRIMARILY, IT IS GENERAL FUNDS.
WE DO HAVE SMALL AMOUNTS OF A
FEDERAL GRANT AND RIGHT NOW
THAT IS WITH THE MAYORS OFFICE
OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND
ASSAULT. WE ARE ALSO WRITING
FOR OTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
>> AND WERE YOU PART OF THE $20
MILLION MENTAL HEALTH PLANNING
AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
TELEHEALTH SERVICES THAT WAS
JUST RELEASED, I GUESS -- WELL,
WILL BE RELEASED IN THE FALL?
DID HSD HAVE ANY PART IN THAT?
OR, PART OF THAT $20 MILLION
TOTAL?
>> I'M REALLY PROUD TO SAY
THAT HSD PILOTED THAT CONTRACT
WITH JUNE AND IT BECAME AN
OPPORTUNITY, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT
IT BECAME AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND
EARLY LEARNING TO EXPAND IN
THAT WORK, SO IT STEALS
CONTRACT THEY ARE GOING TO HOLD
IN THE FUTURE STATE, BUT RIGHT
NOW WE ARE OFFERING SOME
SUPPORT JUST BECAUSE WE ALREADY
HAD THAT GOING.
>> WHAT IS THE ONE TIME DOLLARS
THAT THEY HAD?
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA?
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
THIS PRESENTATION, THANK YOU
FOR THE REMINDER, DIRECTOR. [
LAUGHTER ] ON SOME OF THE
DIFFICULT WORK WE HAD TO DO
TOGETHER DURING THE PANDEMIC.
SO, I AM NOT LAUGHING, AS THAT
IT IS FUNNY, IT IS THAT IT IS
HARD TO BELIEVE ALL THE THINGS
WE HAD TO DO DURING THAT TIME.
BUT, WE ARE HERE TODAY, I THINK
WE ARE ALL IN A BETTER PLACE,
BUT NEVERTHELESS, THE GUN
VIOLENCE ISSUE AMONG YOUTH HAS
BEEN, AS YOU POINTED OUT IN THE
HISTORY PIECE, SINCE 2009, WE
HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS. I DO
HAVE A QUESTION -- AND IF YOU
DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS, WE CAN
FOLLOW UP OFF-LINE -- BUT, I AM
JUST WONDERING WHEN IN 2014
FUNDS GOT REDIRECTED, WHAT DOES
"CURRENT NEEDS" MEAN? LIKE,
WHAT WERE THE CURRENT MEANS --
CURRENT NEEDS THAT THESE FUNDS
WERE DIRECTED TO? IT LOOKS LIKE
IT TOOK SOMETIME BETWEEN 2014
AND 2017 TO ISSUE NEW
CONTRACTS. SO, I WOULD
APPRECIATE KNOWING WHAT
HAPPENED DURING THAT TIME, WHAT
WHERE THE NEW CONTRACTS? WHAT
DID THAT ACCOMPLISH? AND THEN,
I ALSO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVE.
WHO PARTICIPATES ON THAT
INITIATIVE? AND I NOTICED THAT
THE COMMUNITY HUBS ARE IN THE
CENTRAL DISTRICT WITH WEST
SEATTLE AND SOUTH SEATTLE. WE
ALL KNOW NORTH SEATTLE THERE
WAS A NEED IN NORTH SEATTLE, SO
WONDERING WHAT THE PLAN IS FOR
ACCOMMODATING KIDS ON THE NORTH
END. AND THEN, THESE
CONVENIENCE RELATED TO THE
EXECUTIVE ORDER ON GUN VIOLENCE
AND THE CURRENT SITUATION WOULD
LOVE TO HAVE A LISTS OF WHO
PARTICIPATED IN THOSE
CONVENING'S JUST TO MAKE US
AWARE. MANY OF US, I KNOW I
HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF READOUTS
FROM PARENTS AND OTHER FOLKS
RELATED TO GUN VIOLENCE IN THE
SCHOOLS, A LOT OF THE PARENTS
WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED, AND
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT MOST OF
OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS AND MIDDLE
SCHOOLERS HAVE FACED ACROSS THE
CITY. I RECOGNIZE THERE ARE
SOME SCHOOLS WHERE THERE IS A
HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF KIDS AT
RISK, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT
IS ACROSS THE CITY. AND I, TOO,
AS A PARENT OF TWO INCOME
STUDENTS THAT WERE AT THE
SCHOOL, SADLY, A THE DAY A
STUDENT GOT SHOT INSIDE THE
SCHOOL, I SHARE YOUR CONCERN.
SO, THIS IS ALL SOMETHING I
VERY MUCH CARE ABOUT, WE ALL
CARE ABOUT, AND I WOULD LOVE TO
GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
CONVENING'S AND HOW WE GOT TO
WHERE WE ARE AND THE
INVESTMENTS THAT THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND HSD IS PROPOSING,
BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T
HAVE ANY INFORMATION, REALLY,
ON WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE
CONVENING'S. I KNOW THE
PROPOSAL THAT RECENTLY GOT SENT
ABOUT THE $2 MILLION FOR JUNE
FOR THE TELEHEALTH SERVICES, $2
MILLION FOR COMMUNITY-BASED,
BUT I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHO
PARTICIPATED, WHAT THE LEVEL OF
SCOPE WAS, WHEN FOLKS GOT
CONVENED, AND I KNOW THAT IS IN
THE WEEDS, BUT YOU KNOW ME,
DIRECTOR KIM, I LIKE TO GET IN
THE WEEDS. SO, WHEN I AM
TALKING TO MY CONSTITUENTS AND
OTHER PARENTS THAT REACH OUT --
BECAUSE I CHAIR THE EDUCATION
COMMITTEE -- I AM ABLE TO APTLY
RESPOND TO THEIR CONCERNS AND
THEIR QUESTIONS. SO, IF YOU
DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS, THAT
IS FINE, WE CAN TAKE IT
OFF-LINE. THE LAST POINT I WILL
MAKE, IS I WAS READING -- THIS
IS INDIRECTLY RELATED. THERE
WAS AN AUDIT ON EVIDENCE-BASED
ASSESSMENT OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE'S CRIME PREVENTION
PROGRAMS. THE AUDIT WAS DONE IN
2012 BY OUR AUDITOR. DAVID
JONES, AND CLAUDIA VERSHER. I
MEAN, THE ONE HUGE TAKE AWAY
FROM THIS IS THAT THERE WERE
VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND SOME YOUTH
FOCUSED, FOCUSED ON CRIME
PREVENTION, AND THE THING THAT
KEPT COMING UP IN THIS AUDIT
WAS THE FACT THAT THE CITY WAS
NOT TRACKING OUTCOMES. WE OFTEN
TRACK OUTPUTS, WHICH IS THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED, BUT
NOT OUTCOMES. WHAT EFFECT THESE
PROGRAMS HAD ON THE ISSUE WE
WERE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR. AND
SO, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, IN
THESE NEW RFPs, WHAT OUTCOMES
ARE BEING MEASURED, SO WE ARE
NOT CONTINUALLY IN THE SPACE
WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THE
INFORMATION BY WHICH WE ARE
MEASURING WHETHER THESE
INVESTMENTS ARE MAKING A
DIFFERENCE, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE
BEEN AT THIS FOR SO LONG? SO, I
REALLY WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
ABOUT, WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES
THAT ARE GETTING INCLUDED WITH
THESE RFPs?
>> ALL SUCH GOOD QUESTIONS, AND
WOULD BE ANOTHER LOVELY HOUR.
SO, I DO KNOW IT IS 11:31. YOU
WANT ME TO TRY TO BRIEFLY
ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS,
OR WE CAN FOLLOW UP OFF-LINE?
>> CAN YOU DO A BRIEF ANSWER,
WITH A MORE DETAILED FOLLOW-UP?
>> AND I AM HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP
OFF-LINE IF THAT IS EASIER. I
REALLY APPRECIATE -- I DON'T
SIT ON THIS COMMITTEE AND I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ASK QUESTIONS AND I DON'T WANT
TO TAKE UP THE FULL TIME.
>> WELL, I DO SEE WE HAVE TWO
COMMITTEE MEMBERS WITH
QUESTIONS, SO I WILL TAKE THAT
OFF-LINE. GIVE YOU A LITTLE
BREAK THERE. AND I WILL ASK
COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ASK A
BRIEF QUESTION THAT CAN BE
EASILY ANSWERED, HOPEFULLY.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON? OR,
I'M SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
>> THANK YOU. I AM LOOKING AT
THE $5.7 MILLION THAT IS GOING
TO BE ISSUED AS AN RFP. I NEED
TO UNDERSTAND BETTER, THE PLAN,
SINCE THIS IS INTENDED FOR THE
2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, BUT THE
FUNDING ISN'T GOING OUT UNTIL
DECEMBER. WILL THAT MEAN THAT
WHATEVER IS GETTING FUNDED WITH
THIS WILL BE FOR FIVE MONTHS OF
THE SECOND SEMESTER OF THE
SCHOOL YEAR? OR, WILL THAT
PROGRAM CONTINUE THROUGH THE
SUMMER TIME? LIKE, WHAT IS THE
PLAN THERE?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
>> AND ALSO, FOR HOW MANY
SCHOOLS OR STUDENTS?
>> I'M SORRY THAT WE WEREN'T
AS CLEAR AS WE COULD BE, SO LET
ME CLARIFY. THE TWO FOR THE
SCHOOL YEAR IS SEPARATE FROM
THIS 5.7. SO, WE ARE WORKING
VERY QUICKLY AND WORKING WITH
OUR EXISTING PROVIDERS BECAUSE
THEY ARE SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTS, THEY ARE ON THE
GROUND, THEY KNOW THIS WORKS,
THEY KNEW THE SCHOOLS, THEY
HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS TO
DEVELOP AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE ARE
STRIVING TO HAVE IN PLACE AND
HAVE CONTRACTS READY TO GO BY
DECEMBER OF -- WHAT IS THIS?
2024?
>> IN THREE MONTHS.
>> SO, WITHIN A COUPLE MONTHS
AND THOSE ARE THESE MEETINGS WE
ARE HAVING. SO, THOSE ARE THE
EXISTING PROVIDERS WE ARE
WORKING WITH. THAT IS SEPARATE
FROM THIS RFP. THIS RFP IS A
BIG CHUNK OF OUR BASE BUDGET.
THESE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT
TYPICALLY HAD CONTRACTS WITH US
FOR FOUR YEARS. IT IS TIME TO
REBID, AND WE ARE FOCUSING,
LASER FOCUSED ON HAVING A
CHANGE THAT HAS PERFORMANCE
METRICS THAT INCLUDE MEANINGFUL
OUTCOMES. AND SO, WE WILL
GLADLY REPORT ON THAT, BUT WE
ARE STILL DEVELOPING THE RFP.
IN CONSULTATION WITH ALL OF
THOSE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND
WE HAVE SOME OTHER FOLKS QUEUED
UP, BECAUSE WE HAVE LEARNED A
LOT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS,
INCLUDING FROM THE CITY
AUDITOR'S OFFICE REPORTS,
WHICH 12 TRIGGERED SOME OF
THOSE OTHER CHANGES IN THE
PAST.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON?
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKING OF THAT
AUDIT, ON JANUARY 8th, 2024, SO
JUST THIS PAST JANUARY, MAYOR
HARRELL AND I WROTE TO THE CITY
AUDITOR, DAVID JONES, AND SAID,
WE REQUEST THAT YOUR OFFICE
UPDATE THE 2012 ASSESSMENT
CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS
FUNDED BY THE CITY, IDENTIFY
THE EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS,
THOSE WITH NO EVIDENCE OF
EFFECTIVENESS, THOSE THAT MAY
BE PROMISING, AND THOSE THAT
MAY CAUSE HARM AND WE ALSO ASK
YOU TO SUGGEST TO US IF THERE
ARE ANY PROGRAMS THE CITY IS
NOT USING THAT WE SHOULD
CONSIDER INCREMENTING. THE
AUDITOR TOOK US UP ON THAT AND
THAT WAS UNDERWAY, AND THEN I
WAS PROMPTED AFTER THE TRAGIC
SHOOTING AT GARFIELD TO FOLLOW
UP WITH DAVID JONES AND SAY,
HEY, HOW IS THAT AUDIT COMING
ALONG? AND HE SAID, WELL, THAT
WAS CANCELED IN APRIL. AND IN
FACT, I WENT BACK IN MY EMAIL
AND FOUND AN EMAIL FROM DEPUTY
MAYOR BURGESS SAYING, WE HAVE
ASKED THE CITY TO PAUSE THE
CRIME PREVENTION ASSESSMENT
BECAUSE HSD IS PREPARING TO
ISSUE A NEW ROUND OF RFPs THAT
WILL RESULT IN NEW FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES. AND I STRUGGLE
TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE DECISION
WOULD BE MADE TO CANCEL AN
AUDIT ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
THE EXISTING PROGRAMS BEFORE
PUTTING OUT AN RFP TO ISSUE NEW
FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS? AND SO, I
AM SUPPOSED TO -- AND THAT IS
NOT -- YOU ARE ONLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE RFP, SO I UNDERSTAND
YOU CAN'T ANSWER THAT
QUESTION. WE DO HAVE A
REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE. I WOULD LIKE
TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT
DECISION, BECAUSE THAT SHOULD
BE INFORMING THIS RFP, GOING
FORWARD. AND BECAUSE I DON'T
KNOW WHAT THE EVIDENCE IS, THAT
ANYTHING WE ARE DOING IS
WORKING, AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO
DIFFERENTLY, AND LOOK -- WHAT
DIFFERENT THINGS DO WE NEED TO
LOOK FOR IN ORGANIZATIONS THAT
WE ARE GOING TO BE FUNDING,
GOING FORWARD? SO, WE TALK A
LOT ABOUT RESULTS BASED -- I
CAN'T REMEMBER THE TERM.
ANYWAY, I AM NOT SEEING THAT WE
ARE REFLECTING THAT IN OUR
DECISION TO CANCEL AN AUDIT AND
AN ISSUE ADDITIONAL RFPs. SO,
DO YOU HAVE ANY -- CAN YOU --
>> I HAD A LITTLE INSIGHT.
>> YES, PLEASE.
>> I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE
AUDIT -- AND WE ALWAYS GIVE A
SHOUT OUT TO THE AUDITOR'S
OFFICE, THEY ARE A REAL JEWEL
FOR THIS CITY -- IT IS JUST
PAUSE, WAITING FOR THE SCOPE OF
CHANGE TO COME IN, TO FURTHER
INFORM WHAT IT IS WE ARE
ACTUALLY AUDITING. THE NEXT RFP
THAT IS COMING OUT IS
OUTCOMES-BASED, IT IS MAKING
SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE METRICS
THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THESE
PROGRAMS ARE WORKING, BUT UNTIL
WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR THEORY OF
CHANGE IN PLACE, WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MEASURING
THE RIGHT THINGS. IT IS ALSO MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU ARE
MEETING WITH DEPUTY MAYORS
BURGESS AND WASHINGTON NEXT
WEEK, SO I DON'T WANT TO GIVE
WHERE THEY ARE AT IN RESTARTING
THE AUDIT BUT IT IS MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT IT IS JUST A
PAUSE AND NOT A COMPLETE
CESSATION.
>> WE HAVE LOST APRIL, MAY,
JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, PROBABLY
UNTIL THIS HAS STARTED UP
AGAIN, OR JUST FOUR MONTHS TO
LOOK AT HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
AND SO, I DO LOOK FORWARD TO
THAT MEETING, BUT I JUST NEED
TO UNDERSTAND BETTER THE
TIMELINE FOR IT -- WILL WE GET
INFORMATION TO INFORM THE RFP,
INSTEAD OF JUST RESPONDING TO
-- AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE
NEW THEORY OF CHANGE WILL BE
ISSUED, ET CETERA. SO, A
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS WOULD BE
HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND.
>> I THINK THAT IS INCLUDED IN
ONE OF THE SLIDES, WAS IT SLIDE
10? MAYBE -- YEAH. SO, ON THE
TIMELINE WE HAVE HERE, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, 2024 RFP WILL GO OUT
IN SEPTEMBER, SO WE HAVE THE
THEORY OF CHANGE IS COMPLETED
BEFORE THAT. I THINK IT WOULD
BE PRUDENT FOR ME TO GET AHEAD
OF DEPUTY MAYOR BURGESS ON HIS
INTENTIONS ON REACTIVATING THAT
AUDIT.
>> WE WILL HAVE TO SEE IF THE
AUDITOR'S OFFICE HAS THE
BANDWIDTH TO TAKE THIS UP
AGAIN.
>> WE DID ASK A LOT OF THEM.
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> AND SO, I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP
QUESTION, YOU MENTIONED THEORY
OF CHANGE, WHAT HAS BEEN THE
CURRENT PREMISE THAT YOU HAVE
BEEN OPERATING FROM? AND I KNOW
YOU HAVEN'T YET COMPLETED IT,
BUT SORT OF WHAT DIRECTION ARE
WE MOVING IN THE THEORY OF
CHANGE?
>> I CAN SPEAK TO THIS A LITTLE
BIT, SINCE I HAVE A LITTLE BIT
MORE HISTORY. ERIKA, HOW LONG
HAVE YOU BEEN ON THE JOB?
>> SEVEN MONTHS. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> OKAY, SO, I WILL TAKE THIS
ONE. I REVIEWED A LITTLE BIT OF
THE HISTORY OF HOW WE GOT HERE,
OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET. WE HAVE
BEEN SCAFFOLDING SOME OF THESE
ADS AND DOING A REQUEST FOR
PROPOSAL, ADDING TO THE
COLLECTION OF OUR CURRENT
CONTRACTS. SO, WE HAVE HAD
INDIVIDUAL THEORIES TO CHANGE
FOR A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. FOR
EXAMPLE, THIS IS NOT A REAL
NUMBER, BUT A $5 MILLION
INVESTMENT, HERE IS A THEORY OF
CHANGE WE HAVE FOR THESE
CONTRACTS. AGENCIES WILL APPLY,
WILL HAVE THE CONTRACTS, AND
THEN WE MIGHT HAVE THESE OTHER
CONTRACTS THAT WERE EITHER ADS
OR FROM A DIFFERENT RP PROCESS.
SO, WHAT WE ARE GETTING TOO,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, IS HAVING A
THEORY OF CHANGE FOR OUR
VIOLENCE REDUCTION PORTFOLIO.
WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE THEORY
CHANGE THAT SAYS, WHAT ARE WE
INVESTING IN, AND WHY? AND WHAT
ARE THE OUTCOMES THAT WE ARE
GOING TO ACHIEVE, COLLECTIVELY,
SO THAT WHEN AGENCIES APPLY FOR
THOSE FUNDS, WE ARE ALL
SPEAKING THE SAME DASHBOARD. WE
CAN TELL THAT STORY, AND WE ARE
BEING VERY CLEAR. SO, RIGHT
NOW, IN THE PAST, IT HAS BEEN A
LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN ENDED AND
AGAIN IT IS DEPENDENT ON WHAT
WAS HAPPENING AT THE TIME FOUR
YEARS AGO. THERE IS A LOT OF
GOOD WORK HAPPENING, BUT ONE OF
THE THINGS CITY AUDITOR'S
OFFICE REMARKED ON, FOR SCSI,
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE SOME
WELL INTENDED CONTRACTS, BUT TO
LINK IT DIRECTLY TO GUN
VIOLENCE REDUCTION, FOR
EXAMPLE, IT WAS MAYBE NOT AS
FOCUSED AS THEY WOULD HAVE
LIKED TO HAVE SEEN. SO, THOSE
ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE
LEARNED FROM AND NOW WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE LASER FOCUS IN
OUR UPCOMING THEORY OF CHANGE,
THAT INCLUDES OUR ENTIRE
PORTFOLIO.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. THAT WAS
VERY HELPFUL. AND JUST TO
FOLLOW-UP COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA'S QUESTION ABOUT THE
COMMUNITY SAFETY HUBS -- AND I
KNOW THAT THEY ARE BASED ON
HISTORICAL DATA -- AS THE
DISTRICT FIVE REP, I WILL
CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS POINT.
AURORA REALLY NEEDS TO BECOME A
COMMUNITY SAFETY HUB. NORTH
SEATTLE HAS SIGNIFICANT
CHALLENGES AND A LOT OF THE
WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR
GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND
INTERVENTION WOULD ALSO BE
WELL-SUITED TO THE DISTRICT
FIVE COMMUNITY, SO I WOULD JUST
MAKE THAT PLEA FOR THAT TO BE
TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. AND
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS, I MET
WITH THE COMMUNITY PASSAGEWAYS
AND THEY TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW
BETTER THAN I DO, PART OF THE
SUCCESS OF THEIR WORK IS THEIR
CONNECTION TO THE COMMUNITY AND
THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE
CONNECTIONS IN THE NORTH END
AND WE DON'T REALLY HAVE SORT
OF THE CULTURALLY COMPETENT
MENTORS, OR WE HAVE A LARGE
STAFF POPULATION IN DISTRICT
FIVE, YET WE DON'T REALLY HAVE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONNECTIONS IN
THOSE COMMUNITIES TO HAVE THOSE
CULTURAL MENTORS AND
MESSENGERS. I AM JUST
WONDERING, WHAT IS THE WORK
THAT IS BEING DONE TO WORK WITH
THOSE COMMUNITIES? BECAUSE THEY
ALSO HAVE A DIFFERENT --
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR,
IT IS SORT OF A DOUBLE WHAMMY
AND WONDERING HOW WE ARE TRYING
TO MAKE INROADS AND
CONNECTIONS.
>> I HEAR YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. I
THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE
AS A CITY WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT
IS FIGURING OUT HOW HSD IS ABLE
TO PARTNER MORE INTENTIONALLY
WITH OUR OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT
AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS TO HAVE
THAT REAL FOUNDATION IN
COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE TO
YOUR POINT THAT WE ARE SENDING
THE RIGHT MESSENGERS IN THERE
WITH THE RIGHT MESSAGE AT THE
RIGHT TIME AND I THINK AS WE
GROW OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO
PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE, THAT IS
WHERE I WOULD START, IF ANYBODY
ASKED ME, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
FRIENDS HAVE A SEAT AT THE
TABLE.
>> AND JUST TO ADD TO THAT, WE
DO HAVE AN IMMIGRANT AND
REFUGEE SAFETY ACCESS NETWORK.
IT IS, YOU KNOW, BEGINNING
STAGES AND IT IS NEWER, BUT
THERE HAS BEEN A RECENT
PARTNERSHIP FROM US IN
INVESTING IN THAT PROGRAM, AND
SO THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY
DO, AMONGST OTHER THINGS. SO,
THEY HELP DECREASE THE IMPACTS
AND BURDENS OF GUN VIOLENCE,
ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS A
SUDDEN DEATH IN THE FAMILY DUE
TO GUN VIOLENCE AND WRAPPING
AROUND FAMILIES WHO SUPPORT
FUNERALS AND WRAPAROUND
SERVICES. BUT, IT IS A VERY
SMALL INVESTMENT PROGRAM, SO I
THINK IT IS ABOUT -- THEY FUND
THREE ORGANIZATIONS AT $66,000,
EACH. AND BECAUSE IT IS
BEGINNING STAGES, WE HAVE BEEN
PARTNERING WITH THEM ON THAT
PROGRAM, AS WELL.
>> YES, THANK YOU. AND I MET
WITH THEM, AND THEY ALSO VOICED
THAT THEY, TOO, ARE HAVING
DIFFICULTY IDENTIFYING AND
ACCESSING COMMUNITIES. SO, IT
IS A CHALLENGE. IT'S JUST
SOMETHING TO CONTINUE TO WORK
ON.
>> AND THAT IS THE IMPORTANCE
OF REBIDDING OUR INVESTMENTS,
TOO. SO, AGAIN, THE NEEDS --
WHILE SOME OF THE NEEDS ARE THE
SAME AND WE ARE TACKLING THIS
VERY LONG-STANDING, SYSTEMIC
ISSUES, THERE ARE SOME EVOLVING
NEEDS THAT ARE COMING UP, AND
SO HAVING THE DATA, BEING
INFORMED, AND LOOKING AT
POTENTIALLY REALLOCATING OUR
DOLLARS BASED ON THE DATA, IS
GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR
US, SO THESE FOUR YEAR CYCLES
ARE IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE WE
ARE CURRENT.
>> THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT
POINT, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE
SAID IN THIS LETTER, WE WOULD
LIKE THIS ASSESSMENT AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE TO HELP INFORM THESE
DECISIONS FOR THE 2025 CITY
BUDGET, WHICH WILL BE MADE IN
THE BEGINNING OF APRIL.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE HAVE
TAKEN UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME,
BUT I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE
PRESENTATION TODAY. WE JUST
SCRATCHED THE SURFACE, BUT I AM
SO RELIEVED TO KNOW THAT YOU
ARE THERE AND YOU ARE DOING
THIS WORK. IT IS WORK THAT WE
ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO UPSCALE AND
ADEQUATELY RESOURCE, AND MAKE
SURE WE ARE DOING IT IN THE
RIGHT WAY. MAKE SURE IT IS
EFFECTIVE AND JUST TRYING TO
LOOK GOOD AND WE ARE ALL TRYING
TO ACT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF
EVERYONE AND DO WHAT WE CAN IN
A SOCIETY THAT UNFORTUNATELY IS
AWASH IN GUNS WITH VERY LIMITED
TOOLS IN WHICH TO ADDRESS THAT
FACT. I DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU
ARE DOING EVERY DAY AND FOR
BEING HERE. SO, THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. AND IF I COULD
JUST SAY, WE ARE REPRESENTING
THIS WORK, BUT THE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IN THE
COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN DOING
THIS SINCE 2009 AND BEFORE, AND
THE EMERGING AGENCIES, THEY ARE
THE ONES WHO REALLY NEED OUR
SUPPORT, AND LONG-TERM
COMMITMENT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. COULDN'T AGREE
MORE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL
RIGHT. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS
NOTHING ELSE. THIS CONCLUDES
THE JULY 10th MEETING OF THE
HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE. THE NEXT MEETING IS
SCHEDULED FOR JULY 4th, 2024.
THE TIME IS 11:46. WE ARE
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU, EVERYONE.