>>> THE REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT
SHOULD BE COMING IN SHORTLY.
>> TO CLARIFY, THERE WAS AN
EMAIL RESPONSE SENT TO REMOTE
PUBLIC COMMENT IS, THAT IS
WHERE WE'LL BE SENDING THAT
CLARIFICATION.
>> THANK YOU, SO IT SOUNDS
LIKE WE SHOULD WAIT A MOMENT.
>> AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION
AS WELL. IT LOOKS LIKE ALL OF
THOSE PUBLIC COMMENTERS ARE
SIGNED UP FOR THE PUBLIC
HEARING, NOT GENERAL PUBLIC
COMMENT, WE DO HAVE GENERAL
PUBLIC COMMENT FROM PEOPLE IN
THE ROOM.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, YOU
MAY BEGIN, JUST NOTE THAT
DEVON WILL KEEP ME POSTED ON
HOW MANY ARE PRESENT FOR THE
PUBLIC HEARING REMOTELY.
>> OKAY.
>> YOU ARE ON THE AIR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD
AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
>> WE ARE READY TO GO.
>> ARE WE RECORDING?
>> THANK YOU, THE FEBRUARY
21st, 2024 REGULARLY SCHEDULED
MEETING OF THE LAND USE
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER.
IT IS TO:01 P.M., I AM TAMMY
MORALES, THE CHAIR. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER CATHY MOORE?
>> TO PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MARITZA
RIVERA?
>> PRESENT.
>> VICE CHAIR DAN STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT
>> COUNCILMEMBER TANYA WOO?
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR TAMMY MORALES?
>> PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU, IF THERE'S NO
OBJECTION, TODAY'S AGENDA WILL
BE ADOPTED. TODAY'S AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. TODAY'S AGENDA
INCLUDES A SECOND BRIEFING AND
A COMMUNITY PANEL ON THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
LEGISLATION, THAT WE HAVE BEEN
DISCUSSING IN THE COMMUNITY. AS
WELL AS A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE
BILL. AND, DEVON, SO WE HAVE,
JUST SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS,
IF YOU ARE HERE TO MAKE GENERAL
PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT ISSUES
WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE LAND
USE COMMITTEE , YOU CAN SPEAK
AT PUBLIC COMMENT. IF YOU ARE
HERE TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO
THE CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
LEGISLATION, WE ASK THAT YOU
WAIT UNTIL THE PUBLIC HEARING
PORTION OF THE AGENDA. I AM
LOOKING ONLINE, AND IT SEEMS AS
THOUGH, EVERYONE WHO IS
VIRTUAL IS HERE FOR THE PUBLIC
HEARING. DEVON, HOW MANY FOLKS
DO WE HAVE IN PERSON THAT ARE
NOT HERE FOR THE PUBLIC
HEARING?
>> IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE THREE
PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR GENERAL
PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> OKAY, SO WHAT I'M GOING TO
DO THAT, IS OPEN GENERAL PUBLIC
COMMENT, EACH SPEAKER WILL
HAVE, BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE THE
PUBLIC HEARING AND IT LOOKS
LIKE WE HAVE ABOUT 25 PEOPLE, I
WILL ASK EVERYBODY TO SPEAK
FOR ONE MINUTE. SO EACH PUBLIC
COMMENT WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO
SPEAK. WE WILL DO THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD FIRST, YOU WILL
HEAR A TIME WHEN YOU HAVE 10
SECONDS LEFT. AT WHICH POINT
WE ASK THAT YOU WRAP UP YOUR
COMMENTS, SO WE CAN ASK AND GO
ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER. ONCE
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
ENDED, IF THERE'S NO
OBJECTION, I WOULD LIKE TO
REVERSE THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA
AND MOVED TO THE PUBLIC
HEARING. WAIT --, IS THAT THE
LIST ORDER?
>> THAT IS AGENDA ITEM ONE.
>> WE HAD CONTEMPLATED
REVERSING IT BUT ONCE WE CLOSE
PUBLIC COMMENT WE WILL MOVE
INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND
THEN WE WILL INVITE OUR
COMMUNITY PANEL UP TO THE
TABLE. SO, DEVON, IF YOU WOULD
PLEASE BEGIN BY CALLING UP THE
FIRST TWO PUBLIC COMMENTERS?
>> SO THE FIRST THE FIRST
PUBLIC COMMENT HURT THAT WE
HAVE IS TWO PEOPLE AS A GROUP.
LEO HALLSTROM, AND OSCAR HEIN
SCHOLL. FOLLOWED BY ETHAN
SWIGART, AND STEPHEN
CASTILLO.
>> OKAY, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THE
LAND USE COMMITTEE FOR ALLOWING
US TO SPEAK HERE TODAY. HER
NAME IS OSCAR HEIN CHILL.
>> WE ARE LEO HALLSTROM, WE
ARE TWO STUDENTS WHO HAVE
INTEREST IN CLIMATE ACTIVISM
AND WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP AN
ISSUE MANY OTHER STUDENTS HAVE
VOICED CONCERNS ABOUT THE
OUTSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL, THERE
ARE SEVERAL EMPTY LOTS THAT ARE
CURRENTLY TAKING UP SPACE WITH
NO PLAN OF USE IN THE FUTURE.
>> THE PLOT IN PARTICULAR WE
WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS ONE
LOCATED ON 14th AVENUE
NORTHEAST, WHICH IS IN SEATTLE,
AND IT STANDS DIRECTLY IN FRONT
OF HOURS SCHOOL AND ISN'T
BEING USED FOR ANYTHING.
FRANKLY, THESE LOTS ARE AN
EYESORE, FOR THOSE VISITING THE
AREA OR ATTENDING ROOSEVELT
AND IT'S IN OUR OPINION, THAT
THE CITY SHOULD RENOVATE THESE
AREAS TO BE TURNED INTO PUBLIC
PARKS.
>> HAVING MORE TREES PLANTED IN
THE AREA AND A PLACE FOR
STUDENTS AND SURROUNDING
NEIGHBORHOODS FOR ANYBODY TO
BE SOCIAL, NOT ONLY TO FOSTER
A SENSE OF UNITY WITHIN OUR
SCHOOL BUT ALSO IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. AND IT WILL HAVE
A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE
ENVIRONMENT, IF THE CITY IS
COMMITTED , TO PLANTING MORE
TREES AND REMAINING CARBON
NEUTRAL. WE EACH ASKED A
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITHIN AND
OUTSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL. AND THEY
ALL HAVE SUPPORT IN TURNING
THESE EMPTY WASTELANDS INTO AN
AREA THAT IS MORE ECO-FRIENDLY
SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND BE
NICER TO LOOK AT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> NEXT WE HAVE ETHAN SWIGART,
FOLLOWED BY STEVE CASTILLO.
>> HELLO. I'M NOT ACTUALLY
GOING TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT
LAND USE, I JUST WANTED TO
INTRODUCE MYSELF. I JUST
GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF WASHINGTON, AND I'M LOOKING
TO GET INTO DEVELOPMENT AND I
GREW UP IN SEATTLE, MAGNOLIA,
SPECIFICALLY, I KNOW THAT IS
MR. STRAUSS'S DISTRICT, SOME
LOOKING FORWARD TO ATTENDING
MORE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND
MEETING SOME OF YOU, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT IS STEVE CASTILLO.
>> AS I MENTIONED LAST TIME, IF
YOU ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT
HOUSING, YOU OUGHT TO BE
LOOKING AT IMPROVING MHA. WHEN
IT WAS PASSED, IT WAS SUPPOSED
TO BE 50-50 ON PEOPLE BUYING
OUT. AND IN THE NORTH END, THE
PROJECTS THAT I'VE SEEN,
VIRTUALLY, NO ONE DOESN'T BUY
THEIR WAY OUT. THE RATES ARE
WAY TOO LOW. AND IF YOU WANT
TO HAVE LOW MARKET HOUSING, HOW
ABOUT HAVING IT BUILT WITH THE
NEW HOUSING, FOR THE LITTLE BIT
RICHER FOLKS. AND I WOULD HOPE
THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
HOUSING, WE TALK ABOUT INCOME
LEVELS, NOT A PERCENTAGE OF
NATIONAL AVERAGES, AND THINGS
THAT ARE CHANGING, YES, THAT
SHOULD BE MENTIONED BUT ALSO
WHAT IS IT ME TODAY? ARE WE
TALKING ABOUT HOUSING FOR
PEOPLE WHO MAKE HUNDRED 50,000,
100,000 OR MORE, 80,000 OR
MORE? OR MAYBE, HOW ABOUT
TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE
MAKING 40 OR 50,000, LET'S
TAKE A LOOK AT MAYBE SOME REAL
WORKING-CLASS HOUSING IN THE
CITY. NOW CENTRAL AREAS HAVE
ALWAYS BEEN THE BEST PLACE TO
USE IN HIS EXAMPLE. WHEN I WAS
YOUNG, IT WAS ABOUT 80% PEOPLE
OF COLOR, BLACK. NOW, IT IS
WAY LESS THAN 20%, AND THOSE
PEOPLE DIDN'T MOVE INTO THE
REST OF THE CITY, THEY WERE
ECONOMICALLY PUSHED OUT OF THE
CITY. NOW, THE REST OF THE CITY
IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME
THING, WITH WORKING-CLASS
PEOPLE. IT IS JUST SO MUCH
EASIER TO LOOK AT THE CENTRAL
DISTRICT, AND SHOW EXACTLY
WHAT IS HAPPENING. THIS IS A
TIME WHEN WE WILL FIND OUT
WHETHER THIS IS THE OLD CITY
COUNCIL, A LIBERAL CITY
COUNCIL, A POSSIBLY
PROGRESSIVE CITY COUNCIL,
BECAUSE SO FAR, THE LAST 20
YEARS OR 40 YEARS, THE CITY HAS
RESISTED EVEN THAT INVENTORY
OF LOW MARKET HOUSING. THAT IS
HOW COMMITTED THE CITY HAS
BEEN. HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO
BETTER.
>> THANK YOU. JERRY MORALES,
THAT IS IT FOR EMPERORS AND
SPEAKERS. AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE
DO HAVE ONE PERSON ONLINE,
THAT HAS A GENERAL COMMENT ON
LAND USE, IF YOU WOULD WANT TO
ADDRESS THEM.
>> HIS THAT NUMBER 22?
>> YES, THAT IS NUMBER 22.
>> SO THERE IS ONE PERSON,
VIRTUAL, DAVID HAYNES, IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO UNMUTE, PRESS
STAR SIX TO UNMUTE AND YOU WILL
HAVE TWO MINUTES. AND THEN
DEVON, I WILL ASK TO GO DOWN TO
ONE MINUTE FOR THE HEARING.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS DAVID
HAYNES. HELLO, WE NEED LAND
USE FOR 21st CENTURY, FIRST
WORLD QUALITY HOMES, NOT
LOW-LEVEL WAREHOUSE NONPROFIT
HOUSING ON THE SIDE OF THE
HIGHWAY, THE BUS OR THE TRAIN,
WITHOUT ANY NOISE ABATED
WALLS, THAT ARE SOMETIMES
LOCATED IN A COMMERCIAL ZONE
AREA, PROLIFERATING NOISE
POLLUTION, AND STILL DENYING A
PROPER QUALITY OF LIFE, ACTING
LIKE YOU ARE DOING BIPOC FOLKS
A FAVOR. AND WE NEED BIGGER
APARTMENT BUILDINGS TO
INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPERS TO
EXPAND THE SIZE OF THE REAL
ESTATE BY TRADING OUT SOME OF
THESE ROADS AND SIDE STREETS
AND BASICALLY BLOCKED THE ROAD
OFF WITH THE BUILDINGS.
BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT EVERY
BLOCK -- OR EVERYWHERE YOU GO,
THERE'S A ROAD DRIVING THROUGH
EVERY BLOCK AND IT DENIES AND
BOTHERS OF THE RESIDENTS THEIR
QUALITY OF LIFE. AND IT
DOESN'T SEEM TO COUNCIL AS
MUCH ABOUT THAT , RESULTING IN
SO-CALLED AFFORDABLE HOUSING
BEING BUILT AND SOME OF THE
WORST LOCATIONS TO APPEASE
HOMEOWNERS, LIKE THE CORNER OF
A STOP AND GO TRAFFIC
INTERSECTION, HANGING OVER THE
SIDEWALK WITH A WAREHOUSE ECHO
QUALITY BUILDING, THAT REALLY
IS BOTHERING THE RESIDENTS
MENTAL HEALTH, OR IN THE
MIDDLE OF A DESERT INDUSTRIAL
ZONE AREA. WE NEED LAND USE
THAT TRADES THE ROADS FROM A
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD THAT
WE NEED TO DEMAND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING BE BUILT BY FOR-PROFIT
DEVELOPERS INSTEAD OF COUNCIL
ENCOURAGING DEVELOPERS TO PAY
ITS WAY THAT ONLY LINES THE
POCKETS OF THE RE-ELECTION
APPARATUS OF NONPROFITS, TO GET
ACCESS TO ALL OF THIS MONEY,
ONLY TO RESULT IN BUILDING A
LOWER QUALITY STANDARD OF
HOUSING. SO PLEASE, WRITE
LEGISLATION TO FORCE AND
INCENTIVIZE THE CORPORATE
BANKS, TO START PRIORITIZING
FINANCING HOMES, AND BUILDINGS
HAD MORE ROBUST PLANS FOR
SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES, IT IS
THE 21st CENTURY, LET'S GET OUT
OF THE 20th CENTURY,.
>> THANK YOU, ANY OTHER
GENERAL COMMENTERS?
>> THERE ARE NO OTHER PEOPLE
THAT SIGNED UP TO DO GENERAL
COMMENT.
>> I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT
I DO WANT TO GIVE COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER
CONSTITUENTS OVER HERE.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES, I WANTED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE STUDENTS FROM
ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL THAT CAME
ALL THE WAY DOWN TO CITY HALL
DURING THEIR MIDWINTER BREAK TO
DO THEIR CIVIC DUTY. ON BEHALF
OF THE DISTRICT, SO I WANTED TO
THANK YOU FOR THAT, ALSO THANK
YOU TO THE U-DUB STUDENT WHO'S
IN THE DISTRICT FOR COMING DOWN
AND ENGAGING IN YOUR CIVIC
DUTY. TO TELL US HOW YOU ALL
FEEL, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH
COUNCILMEMBER. OKAY, DEVON WILL
YOU PLEASE RELEGISLATION
>> THANK YOU, SO WE DO HAVE A
PUBLIC HEARING, WE HAVE ABOUT
20 PEOPLE SIGNED UP THUS FAR.
AND BEFORE WE GET TO THE PUBLIC
HEARING, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A
FEW INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. SO
FOR THOSE OF YOU TUNING IN,
THIS IS THE SECOND BRIEFING ON
THE CONNECTED COMMUNITY IS
LEGISLATION, THIS IS A PILOT
THAT WOULD ALLOW UP TO 35
PARCELS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THE PILOT WOULD ALLOW US TO
SEE HOW WE CAN USE DEVELOPMENT
INCENTIVES, TO ENCOURAGE
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, TO
BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES IN
MORE PLACES, TO BUILD SOCIAL
COHESION THROUGH INCOME DIVERSE
PROJECTS AND TO REPAIR HARMS
CAUSED BY REDLINING AND RACIAL
EXCLUSION, AND TO BRING
ESSENTIAL GOODS AND SERVICES
CLOSER TO MORE SEATTLEITES, THE
GOAL IS TO REALLY SEE WHAT IT
TAKES TO SUPPORT THE IDEA OF A
15 MINUTE, MORE SPECIFICALLY,
THIS WOULD CREATE MUCH NEEDED
DEVELOPMENT INSTEAD OF PILOT
PROJECTS, THAT WOULD ADDRESS
FIVE CRITICAL NEEDS, SO I'M
GOING TO RUN THROUGH THOSE
QUICKLY AND THEN WE WILL OPEN
IT UP TO THE HEARING. -- THE
FIRST IS IT WOULD ADDRESS THE
HARMFUL HISTORY OF REDLINING
AND RACIAL EXCLUSION BY
PROVIDING SUBSTANTIAL
INCENTIVES FOR DEVELOPMENT IN
AREAS THAT ARE TOUCHED BY
THESE HARMFUL PRACTICES ACROSS
THE CITY. ALLOWING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING CONSTRUCTION IN PARTS
OF THE CITY WERE NO AFFORDABLE
HOUSING HAS BEEN BUILT BEFORE.
AND IN AREAS OF HIGH
DISPLACEMENT RISK. THE SECOND
ADDRESSES THE EXCLUSION OF LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES AND PROMOTES
SOCIAL COHESION BY SETTING A
HIGH MINIMUM THRESHOLD, FOR
INCLUSIONARY ZONING ON THE 35
PARCELS. IT WOULD REQUIRE A
SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PRODUCTS
THAT WOULD OTHERWISE LIKELY BE
100% MARKET RATE OR HIGHER. IT
PROMOTES THE BUILDING OF
GENERATIONAL WEALTH, FOR LEGACY
HOMEOWNERS AND COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR AND LOW INCOME
COMMUNITIES, BY PROVIDING
LEVERAGE FOR HOMEOWNERS TO
NEGOTIATE THE SALE OF THE
PROPERTY AT A FAIR MARKET
VALUE. AT A FAIR VALUE, WITH A
PROVISION FOR OWNERSHIP OF A
HOME ON SITE AT NO EXTRA COST,
THAT WOULD ALSO ALLOW THEM TO
STAY ROOTED IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES. AND PROVIDES
INCENTIVE FOR MORE ESTABLISHED
NONPROFIT, FOR-PROFIT OR PUBLIC
DEVELOPERS, TO PARTNER WITH
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS,
SEEKING TO DEVELOP HOUSING TO
CURB DISPLACEMENT IN THE
COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE.
AND FIFTH, IT WILL BRING
COMMUNITIES SERVING SMALL
BUSINESSES, AND ESSENTIAL
SERVICES, TO MORE PARTS OF THE
CITY, THROUGH INCLUSION OF
GROUND-FLOOR EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT USES. WHICH ALLOWS
MORE PEOPLE TO ACCESS,
CULTURALLY RELEVANT ESSENTIAL
NEEDS, BY TRAVELING DOWNSTAIRS
FROM THEIR BUILDING, FOR
EXAMPLE IN AND OF HAVING TO
GET IN THE CAR TO DRIVE
SOMEWHERE. IN EXCHANGE FOR
THESE POTENTIAL USES,
DEVELOPERS WOULD RECEIVE A
PROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF
CORRESPONDING INCENTIVE. THEY
COULD RECEIVE FLOOR AREA RATIO
AND HIDE BONUSES, STANDARD
PRACTICE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS IN
THE CITY, THEY COULD RECEIVE
DESIGN REVIEW WAIVERS, WHICH IS
APPLIED TO MANY OTHER
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS IN
THE CITY. THEY COULD BE
EXCLUDED FROM PARKING
REQUIREMENTS, AGAIN APPLIED TO
MANY OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS, THEY COULD RECEIVE
RELAXED SETBACK REQUIREMENTS
WHICH ARE STANDARD PRACTICE
INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. SO JUST TO
BE CLEAR, AND IN WASHINGTON
STATE, WE CAN'T DICTATE HOW
PRIVATE PROPERTY IS USED. BUT
WE CAN PROVIDE INCENTIVES TO
DEVELOPERS, WHO CHOOSE TO
PARTICIPATE IN A PROGRAM LIKE
THIS ONE. MAKING THE CHOICE TO
DO SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE
MORE ATTRACTIVE TO THEM. THAT
IS THE POINT OF THE INCENTIVES.
SO THIS PILOT IS BASED OFF OF
TO CURRENT CITY OF SEATTLE
PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS SEPARATE
BUT ADJACENT NEEDS, FIRST IS
THE ONGOING GREEN BUILDING
PILOT, THE SECOND IS A LAW THAT
PROVIDES INCENTIVES, FOR
DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING ON RELIGIOUS SITES. SO,
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS
BEHIND THE LEGISLATION, THAT
WE ARE DOING, THE REASONS
BEHIND THE INCENTIVES THAT WE
ARE OFFERING, AND EXCHANGE FOR
THE KIND OF DENSITY THAT WE ARE
HOPING FOR, SO THAT WE CAN
ADDRESS OUR HOUSING CRISIS
ACROSS THE CITY. SO WITH THAT,
I WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC
HEARING PORTION OF THE MEETING.
AND THE PUBLIC HEARING, WILL
BE MODERATED IN THE SAME WAY
AND WE WILL CALL ON EACH
SPEAKER AND YOU WILL HAVE ONE
MINUTE TO PROVIDE YOUR
COMMENTS. PLEASE, SINCE I
THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE VIRTUAL,
PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE, AND
WHEN YOU HIT THE 10 SECOND
TIME I WILL ASK THAT YOU PLEASE
WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS SO THAT
WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT
SPEAKER. OKAY, DEVON, DO YOU
HAVE THE LIST?
>> YES, CHAIR, THERE ARE 12
PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN
PERSON AND THEN THERE ARE
ANOTHER 22 SIGNED UP TO SPEAK
VIRTUALLY.
>> THAT START WITH THE 12
PEOPLE IN PERSON AND THEN WE
WILL MOVE TO THE REMOTE
SPEAKERS AND AGAIN, YOU WILL
HAVE ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK.
>> OKAY, FIRST UP IS JOHN
JANIE, FOLLOWED BY MAR SCHULER,
AND CLIFF KAUFMAN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM JOHN
JANIE, I'M HERE TO ADDRESSED
MIDDLE HOUSING IN SEATTLE,
THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS ARE
HOUSED ON THE WATER. NOT OVER
THE WATER LIKE TOWERS AND
MEDICINE PARK OR THE CONDO
JUTTING OUT OVER THE PUGET
SOUND IN WEST SEATTLE. LIVING
ON THE WATER IS A HISTORICALLY
AND CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT PART
OF THE SEATTLE PAST AND SHOULD
BE CONTINUED INTO THE FUTURE,
WE NEED A CRITICAL HOUSING
NEED. WHETHER WE LIVE ABOARD A
SAILBOAT, A CRUISE, YACHT,
HOUSE, BARGE, OR FLOATING
HUMMER HOUSEBOAT, WE LIVE
FLOATING ON THE WATER, WE HAVE
A FEW TENDENCY PROTECTIONS BUT
WE PERSIST AND TRY TO THRIVE.
THE CITY HAS LITTLE DATA ON HOW
CITIZENS LIVE ON THE WATER AND
ONTO POLICIES THAT SUPPORT OUR
CHOSEN LIFESTYLE. WE ARE
APPARENTLY NOT SEEN AS BEING A
VIABLE PART OF THE SEATTLE
HOUSING STOCK AND HAVE THE
TENDENCY -- WE ARE NOT IN THE
CITY HOUSING PLANS BY VIRTUE OF
OUR INVISIBILITY, WE ARE
EXCLUDED FROM CONSIDERATION AS
WERE THE RECIPIENTS OF
COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT, WE HAVE
MAR SCHULER, FOLLOWED BY CLIFF
KAUFMAN.
>> I THINK YOU SAID FEAR OF
DISPLACEMENT OR IMPENDING
DISPLACEMENT, THAT IS WHAT OUR
COMMUNITY HAS FELT FOR THE
LAST 10 YEARS IN SEATTLE, I
WOULD URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO
BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH OUR
COMMUNITY, THE ONE THAT JOHN
JANIE JUST MENTIONED, I AM THE
PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION,
AND YOU AS A LAND USE COMMITTEE
WILL BE HEARING THE UPDATE OF
THE SHORELINE MASTER PLAN, OR
THE SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PLAN,
FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE. SO
I'M HERE TO INVITE YOU TO TAKE
A BOAT RIDE WITH ME, ON LAKE
UNION, AND SHIP CANAL, AND
PORTAGE BAY, TO LOOK AT OUR
COMMUNITY, WHENEVER THE SUN
SHINES NEXT.
>> THANK YOU, I WILL REMIND THE
NEXT THAT WE ARE NOW IN THE
PUBLIC HEARING, SPECIFICALLY
ABOUT THE CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
LEGISLATION. THE GENERAL PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS OVER. CAN
YOU CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER
PLEASE?
>> UP NEXT IS CLIFF KAUFMAN,
FOLLOWED BY GREG SMITH, AND RON
HORN.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU CHAIR
MORALES AND LAND USE COMMITTEE
NUMBERS FOR ALLOWING ME TO
SPEAK TODAY. MY NAME IS CLIFF,
I AM THE POLICY MANAGER WITH
COUNTIES, I'M HERE TODAY IN
SUPPORT OF CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES ZONING PILOT
PROGRAM, AND SOLIDARITY OF
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CAN
COMPLETED COMMUNITIES
COALITION, THESE POLICIES WILL
BE A MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN
HOUSING STABILITY. HABITAT
HOME BUYERS, LIKE LILA HAVE A
WASHINGTON STATE FAMILY, AND
FACED HIS CREMATORY POLICIES
ON THE BASIS OF THE COLOR OF
THEIR SKIN, THIS PREVENTED THEM
FROM BUYING HOMES IN HIGH
OPPORTUNITY AREAS, AND THIS
PROGRAM WILL WRITE THAT WRONG
BY SPURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
CONSTRUCTION PURCHASING A
HISTORICALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING
WAS INTENTIONALLY BANNED BY
DESIGN, FROM BEING BUILT AND IN
AREAS OF HIGH DISPLACEMENT
RISK, OTHERS IMPACTED WILL
BENEFIT BY THIS PILOT, SO IN
SHORT, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
DEVELOPER, THE INCENTIVES FOR
THIS NONPROFIT OR THE
INCENTIVES FOR NONPROFIT
DEVELOPERS WILL ALLOW US TO BE
ABLE TO BUILD THE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES , THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, UP NEXT IS GREG
SMITH, FOLLOWED BY RON
HORNING.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I AM GREG
SMITH. FROM CAPITOL HILL, I'M
HERE TO STRONGLY SUPPORT THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT
DRAFT LEGISLATION SEATTLE IS
IN A SEVERE HOUSING AND
DISPLACEMENT HOMELESSNESS
CRISIS. THE CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES PROJECT WOULD HELP
PEOPLE GET HOUSED AND IT WOULD
DECREASE DISPLACEMENT AND IT
WOULD GIVE COMMUNITIES A PLACE
TO GET TOGETHER. REMEMBER THAT
THIS PLACEMENT IS CAUSED BY
HIGH HOUSING COSTS ALL OVER THE
CITY. SO IF YOU REALLY WANT TO
DO SOMETHING IN THE LONG RUN,
YOU NEED TO ALLOW MORE HOUSING
ALL OVER THE CITY. SO IN
SUMMARY, PLEASE FULLY FUND THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PROJECT,
AND ALSO PLEASE ALLOW MORE
HOUSING EVERYWHERE.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT IS RON
HORNING, AND THAT WE WILL
WELCOME BACK STEVE CASTILLO,
FOLLOWED BY ANGELA.
>> HELLO COUNCIL. THANKS FOR
LISTENING AT THE LAST MEETING,
THERE WERE SOME CHANGES ON THIS
AND IT LOOKS BETTER. I STILL
HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE 600 FOOT
INSTITUTION, I CAN SEE WHY YOU
NEED TO GET RID OF THE 600, SO
YOU CAN PUT TWO TOGETHER. BUT
I ALREADY LIVED BY TUESDAY
INSTITUTIONS, WITHIN 75 FEET.
AND I DON'T WANT THE THIRD
ONE. SO, MAYBE THERE IS SOME
WAY IN THIS, THAT YOU COULD
CHANGE IT. MAYBE IF THE
DIRECTOR HAS OVERSIGHT ON THAT
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ANOTHER
THING, A MAP CAME UP AT THE
LAST MEETING, A BUNCH OF DOTS,
AROUND THE CITY, FOR REDLINING.
AND I LOOKED AT THE DOT IN MY
AREA, AND THERE ISN'T A SINGLE
REDLINED HOUSE. BUT THERE IS A
DOT THERE. SO SOMEONE WANTED
TO DO LAND-USE FOR ANOTHER
REASON. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, UP NEXT IS STEVE
STELLA. FOLLOWED BY ANGELA
KASTEN A LOT.
>> WELL, I DISAGREE ON ONE
THING THAT THE CHAIRMAN SAID,
IS THAT YOU CAN'T FORCE --
YES, YOU CAN'T FORCE
DEVELOPERS , BUT YOU CAN FORCE
CITIZENS TO LEAVE, AND BECAUSE
YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO NEGOTIATE ,
IT IS NOT THE SAME AS HAVING A
FULL AMOUNT OF RIGHTS. AND
THIS WILL ALLOW, AT LEAST IN
SOME OF THE INCARNATIONS THAT I
HAVE SEEN FORCING FOLKS TO SELL
THEIR HOUSES. AND I THINK THAT
IS SOMETHING VERY VERY
IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE
WHO HAVE LIVED IN THE CITY FOR
A LONG TIME. AND THE OTHER
THING IS ZONE CHANGES. WE ARE
NOT GOING THROUGH ZONING
CHANGES BUT YOU ARE ALLOWING
THE LARGEST ZONE ISSUE TO MOVE
FURTHER BACK. AND I THINK
EVERY PROJECT OUGHT TO BE
TAKEN A LOOK AT, BECAUSE SOME
OF THESE PLACES WITH ONE
PROPERTY WHERE THEY REALLY WANT
TO THE PROPERTY FOR A LONG TIME
FOR A PARKING LOT. AND SO, IF
THEY ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY --
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT IS
ANGELA CASTINELLA. FOLLOWED BY
EDIE R BUT SHUT UP. AND
FOLLOWING THAT IS KATIE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, I'M
HERE TO STRONGLY I WILL REPEAT
THAT, STRONGLY SUPPORT THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PROJECT,
READY TO HELP STAND THIS
PROJECT UP, AFTER DOING WORK
FOR THE LAST 13 YEARS, SUPPORT
A SMALL BUSINESS. CREATIVE
COMMUNITY , AND HOME BUSINESS,
MICRO-ENTREPRENEURS IN
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE, WORKING WITH
OTHER THEORY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS, AND WHAT I KNOW
IS, OUR BUSINESS OWNERS CANNOT
AFFORD TO LIVE IN SEATTLE WHERE
THEY WORK. AND OUR CREATIVE
COMMUNITY, AND THERE IS SO
MUCH DISPLACEMENT. SO THIS IS A
WAY TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE WORK
THAT I DO, DEVELOPING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROPERTY
OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS, LEGACY
HOMEOWNERS IN A COMMERCIAL
ZONE. LOOKING FOR A WAY TO
RETAIN THEIR ASSET , BUT THEN
ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT
SUSTAINABILITY AND THE FOLKS
ARE AGING.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT IS
KATIE, FOLLOWED BY JESSE
SIMPSON, AND THEN CHRIS WALTER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS, MY NAME IS
KATIE, AND I WORK FOR THE
DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP IN THE U
DISTRICT FOUR AS A COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATION THAT FOCUSES
ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. YOUR DISTRICT IS
EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT GROWTH
AND VERY MUCH NEEDS MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SO WE ARE
REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THIS
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT
PROGRAM AND THE POTENTIAL FOR
MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN
THE CITY. OUR DISTRICT ALSO HAS
SOME OF THE MOST DIVERSE
COMMERCIAL AREAS IN THE CITY,
ESPECIALLY ALONG THE AVENUE
WITH A HUGE NUMBER OF
BUSINESSES, THAT I BIPOC
WOMEN-OWNED. WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT OUR UNIQUE
COMMERCIAL AREAS ARE SUPPORTED.
IN THE FACE OF SIGNIFICANT
GROWTH, AND IN THE FACE OF
MUCH-NEEDED HOUSING THAT WE ARE
EXCITED ABOUT. WE DO BELIEVE
THE TWO ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE
. AND WE WOULD LOVE TO WORK
WITH ANYBODY HERE, THAT IS
INTERESTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE ARE SENSITIVE PROVISIONS
OR GUIDELINES AND ZONING
ORDINANCES, SUCH AS THE ONE
PROPOSED IN PREVENT
DISPLACEMENT OF OUR COMMERCIAL
AREAS.
>> THANK YOU, UP NEXT IS JESSE
SIMPSON, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS
WALTER.
>> GOOD EVENING COUNCILMEMBERS,
MY NAME IS JESSE SIMPSON --
>> IS YOUR MIKE ON?
>> HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS AND
ARCHITECTS AND MORE WORKING
HARD TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOMES
OR WHAT OUR CITY DESPERATELY
NEEDS, FOR FAR TOO LONG
EXCLUSIONARY ZONING AND CODES
HAVE RESTRICTED WHERE PEOPLE
CAN BUILD AND LIVE IN
AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACROSS THE
CITY, WE THINK THE CONNECTED
COMMITTEES PILOT IS A GREAT
STEP TOWARDS ESTABLISHING MORE
EQUITABLE ZONING ACROSS THE
CITY ALLOWING MORE HOMES
ESPECIALLY AFFORDABLE HOMES,
AND NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS
SEATTLE, THE PILOT CREATES
LAND-USE INCENTIVES TO
ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT THAT
WE WANT MOST AND CREATES A
PATHWAY TO LEVERAGE THE ABILITY
OF PRIVATE DEVELOPERS TO BUILD
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
PARTNERSHIPS AND
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
IT CREATES A HELPFUL BOOSTED
DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY, TO
MAXIMIZE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
POTENTIAL AND I URGE YOU TO
SUPPORT THE PROGRAM, AND THANKS
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT, WE HAVE
CHRIS WALTER, FOLLOWED BY SAM,
AND CHARISSE.
>> MY NAME IS CHRIS WALTER,
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING
IN PERSON. THIS IS EXCITING.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT. I
AM SUPER EXCITED. I WANT TO
LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. I
WANT FIVE FOOT STEP BACK SO I
WANT TO WALK TO LOCAL
NEIGHBORHOODS AND I WANT MORE
NEIGHBORS AND I WANT A SEATTLE
WITH ABUNDANT HOUSING. AND I
THINK THIS IS A VISION THAT
KIND OF IT'S IS SOMEWHAT
THERE. MY ONLY CRITIQUE IS I
WANT TO WAIT UNTIL 2029, IT IS
REALLY EXCITING, BUT CAN WE
MOVE FASTER AND DO MORE? SO I
WOULD URGE YOU ALL TO SUPPORT
THIS, LET'S SEE WHAT KIND OF
NEIGHBORHOODS WE CAN BUILD THAT
ARE EXCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE AND
EXCITING TO LIVE IN. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, UP NEXT IT IS
SAM COKE, FOLLOWED BY CHARISSE,
THAT'LL BE THE LAST PEOPLE IN
PERSON.
>> HI, MY NAME IS SAM, I AM A
GREEN LAKE RESIDENT AND I'M
VERY FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN A
WALKABLE, LIKABLE, AND TRANSIT
ACCESSIBLE PART OF THE CITY,
THAT'S NOT THE REALITY FOR
EVERY PART OF THE CITY,
ESPECIALLY A LOT OF THE
SOUTHERN SUBURBS, YOU CAN SEE
THERE'S A LOT MORE SPRAWLING
AND A LOT LESS DENSITY, AND
THERE'S SOME OF THE MANY AREAS
THAT WE BUILT THIS TARGET, SO
I THINK THAT CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES SHOULD PASS AND I
THINK IT WILL BE A GOOD BILL TO
GIVE WALK ABILITY, AND TRANSIT
ACCESSIBILITY, FROM ALL AREAS
OF THE CITY AT AN AFFORDABLE
RATE I BELIEVE, THAT IT SHOULD
NOT BE A LUXURY, IT SHOULD BE A
QUALITY OF LIFE, TO LIVE IN A
WALKABLE COMMUNITY, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, AND CLOSING OUT
OUR IN-PERSON PUBLIC SPEAKERS,
IS CHARISSE PICARD.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I AM A
RESIDENT OF CAPITOL HILL. AND
I'M HERE IN STRONG SUPPORT OF
THE CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
PILOT. I DON'T DRIVE, I
DON'T HAVE A CAR, AND I WALK
FOR 30 MINUTES, MAYBE 25
MINUTES TO LITTLE SAIGON, FOR
TRIPS EVERY WEEK. I AM IN A
VERY ACCESSIBLE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND I'M IN A WALKABLE
DISTANCE FROM GROCERY STORES,
AND COMMUNITY STORES FROM
VARIOUS CULTURES. I SEE ALL OF
MY FRIENDS AND FOLKS HAVE TO
TAKE THE BUS, AND TAKE THEIR
CAR, AND DRIVE FOR 10 OR 15
MINUTES, JUST TO GET A SMALL
PIECE OF GROCERIES AND WITH
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT
PROJECT, I BELIEVE THAT WE
WILL ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES
TO BE WITHIN A WALKABLE
DISTANCE OF ALL OF OUR
AMENITIES. PARTICULARLY THE
UNDERPRIVILEGED, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, ARE WE READY TO MOVE
THE VIRTUAL?
>> I HAVE GOT THE LIST NOW, SO
I WILL CALL ON LOUIS MARTIN,
WHO WILL BE FOLLOWED BY LISA
LONGNECK AND THEN SANDY
SHETLER. SO, LOIS PLEASE PRESS
STAR 60 GO BEGIN. YOU HAVE ONE
MINUTE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, --
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU, GO AHEAD
LOIS.
>> HELLO? YES, THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS -- GOOD
AFTERNOON MY NAME IS LOIS
MARTIN, I'M A CITIZEN OF THE
CENTRAL DISTRICT 3, AND I'M
ASKING THAT YOU NOT PASS THE
LEGISLATION, USING THE
LANGUAGE OF JUSTICE TO ADD
DENSITY IN Z.I.P. CODES THAT
ARE SUFFERING FROM
ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY. THE
DRAFT LOOKS PROBLEMATIC. IT
SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS,
NOT PULLED OUT AT THE PILOT.
AS NEIGHBORHOODS CAN BE
NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY PILOT
DEVELOPMENT AND THESE
BUILDINGS CANNOT BE TAKEN BACK.
LEGISLATION SIMILAR TO THIS,
WITH MANY OF US. WITH NO
RELEASE. THERE ARE NO
GUARDRAILS. NO WEALTH
BUILDINGS, AND IT DOESN'T
PROTECT PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS
TO EVERYTHING. AND IT IS
PREVENTABLE AND UNINTENTIONAL
CONSEQUENCES CAN BE REACTIVE
DAMAGE. PLEASE DON'T PASS IT,
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU THE NEXT SPEAKER
AS LISA LONGNECK HER, FOLLOWED
BY SANDY SHETLER. LISA, YOU
CAN PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
>> I AM LISA, A NATIVE OF
WASHINGTON, MY FATHER WAS AN
IMMIGRANT. I AM AROUND, MY
HUSBAND IS DISABLED, WE HAVE A
SMALL HOME IN SEATTLE FOR 15
YEARS, THE TOXIC POLICIES OF
THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL ARE
FORCING MY FAMILY TO CHOOSE
BETWEEN FORECLOSURE OR
HOMELESSNESS. POINTS 2356 AND
SEVEN IN YOUR DECLARATION WERE
CAUSED BY YOUR OWN TOXIC
POLICIES. WHY HAVE YOU
EXCLUDED SMALL LANDLORDS FROM
YOUR STAKEHOLDERS, THIS
PROPOSAL IS FULL OF BIAS, AND
IT LACKS DIVERSITY, IT READS
LIKE A LANDGRAB. IF THIS IS
UNINTENTIONAL, SCRAP IT, START
OVER AND INCLUDE SMALL
LANDLORDS, HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS
AND BUSINESS OWNERS FROM THE
TARGETED NEIGHBORHOODS AS EQUAL
STAKEHOLDERS FROM THE START.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS
NEOCOLONIALISM BY STRINGING
AND EVERYONE FROM THE OUTSIDE.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE
SANDY SHETLER, FOLLOWED BY
ROBIN BURCH, AND ALICE
LOCKHART. SANDY, YOU CAN PRESS
STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
>> YES, SORRY, I WAS MUTED BY
SOMEONE ELSE. HIGH, THIS IS
SANDY SHETLER, THANK YOU, I'M
CONCERNED THAT THE PRODUCT HAS
NO ROOM FOR ANY SPACE, AND
WITH FIVE FOOT STEP BACKS, EVEN
THOSE TREES WILL HAVE TO BE
VERY THIN, WHY ARE WE TARGETING
FRONT-LINE COMMUNITIES, WHEN
THEY ALREADY HAVE HUGE CANOPY
DEFICITS, FIFTH IN THE NATION
FOR URBAN HEAT ISLANDS, AND
FRONT-LINE COMMUNITIES ARE THE
HOTTEST. IT WILL REQUIRE 20%
OF EVERY MULTIFAMILY PROJECT
THE SET-ASIDE FOR GREEN SPACE,
FOR THE HEALTH OF RESIDENTS
AND COMMUNITY, WITHOUT A
SIMILAR AMENDMENT, THESE
PROJECTS WILL PERPETUATE
ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE, AND
ARE AROUND THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLANS, PLEASE VOTE NO ON THIS
BILL, THANK YOU.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE ROBIN BRIDGE,
FOLLOWED BY ALICE LOCKHART.
ROBIN, YOU CAN PRESS --
>> HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS
ROBIN BRIGGS, I'M HERE TO
SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT. I
LIVE ON CAPITOL HILL, IN A
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS FORMALLY
REDLINED. I REALLY LIKE MY
NEIGHBORHOOD BUT ONE THING I
DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT IS THAT IT
DOESN'T HAVE MUCH DIVERSITY OR
ROOM FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T
WELL-OFF. WE NEED MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THAT TO
HAPPEN. HAVING A WAY FOR PEOPLE
TO STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND
EXCHANGE THEIR HOUSE FOR
APARTMENTS, THAT IS A HUGE
OPPORTUNITY FOR LOTS OF FOLKS
WHO ARE AGING OUT OF THEIR
PLACE AND ALSO ANXIOUS ABOUT
WHETHER THEIR ADULT CHILDREN
WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE
IN THE CITY. I DO WANT TO MOVE,
I JUST WANT TO LIVE IN A
COMMUNITY THAT IS MORE
INCLUSIVE AND MORE OPEN TO
PEOPLE FOR MANY DIFFERENT
WALKS OF LIFE AND PROVIDES MORE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO PUT
DOWN ROOTS. PLEASE MAKE A SMALL
START TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN
GET THERE IN SEATTLE. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE
ALICE LOCKHART. AND IS A GLENN
JOHNSON.
>> HELLO COUNCIL, MY NAME IS
ALICE LOCKHART . I AM A CATHY
MOORE CONSTITUENT IN DISTRICT
FIVE ABOVE WHERE THE SIDEWALK
IS IN, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN FAVOR
OF CONNECTED COMMUNITIES. MY
NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS THIS KIND OF
HOUSING. I HAVE BEEN OBSERVING
FAMILY HOUSING, AND IT IS
ALREADY IMPROVING THE CHARACTER
OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHERE THEY
HAVE ALLOWED IT. DEVELOPERS
HAVE TO ADD SIDEWALKS
REPLACING THE GENERAL PATTERN
OF LAWNS, DRIVEWAYS AND CARS
THAT BLOCK STREET ACCESS. I
WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEE THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PROJECT
IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND LET SOME
OF THAT HOUSE AND BE AFFORDABLE
TO MY KIDS. ONE LAST NOTE I
WILL PUT IT ONE MORE TIME BUT
WE NEED MORE POLICIES LIKE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES, THAT
ALLOW AND ENCOURAGE COMMERCIAL
HOUSING TO BE BUILT.
>> THANK YOU, MICHAEL CYRUS,
AND LAKISHA. MICHAEL?
>> THAT AFTERNOON, TAMMY
MORALES AND OTHER CITY
COUNCILMEMBERS IN THE SEATTLE
LAND USE COMMITTEE, MY NAME IS
MICHAEL I'M THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF SOUTHEAST
DEVELOPMENT, I'M HERE
TESTIFIED IN SUPPORT OF THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT
AND FOR 49 YEARS, WORKING IN
THE SOUTHEAST SEATTLE TO FIGHT
FOR RESOURCES AND GO TO OTHER
COMMUNITIES. AND WITH QUALITY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SEATTLE IS
IN A HOUSING EMERGENCY. AND
THE CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
PILOT, WILL SUPPORT DIVERSE
NONPROFITS ON COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS, AND CREATING
MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY CONTROLLED CULTURAL
SPACE. THIS WOULD FIND
DISPLACEMENT AND HELP OUR
COMMUNITIES THRIVE. I URGE YOU
TO SUPPORT THE CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES PILOT, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT IS ISSAQUAH
JOHNSON.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS ISSAQUAH,
I SUPPORT THE INTENTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THIS
PROPOSAL IS WILDLY UNSKILLED
WITH EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS
WHICH REQUIREMENTS AND SETBACKS
ARE DRASTICALLY REDUCED FROM
CURRENT ZONING AND ENCOURAGE
THE REMOVAL OF TREES AND
GARDENS WHICH MAKES THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS LIVABLE,
DESIRABLE AND CLIMATE RESILIENT
IN THE FIRST PLACE IT'S MY
UNDERSTANDING, IF THE ZONING
ASSUMPTION IN NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL ZONES, COMPLETELY
OUT OF SCALE, THIS KIND OF
PROJECT CAN BE DONE SMALL, AND
ON THE CORNERS, WHERE THEY DO
NOT OUST THE REST OF THE
PEOPLE ON THE BLOCK, MOST
PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE SURROUNDED
BY BUILDINGS THAT ARE 46 FEET
TALL, AND THEY HAVE A
SINGLE-FAMILY HOME, THEN WE
WILL LOSE ALL OF THE TREES AND
ALL OF THE GARDENS. THERE IS NO
REASON, BECAUSE THE BUILDING IS
AFFORDABLE. UGLY BUILDINGS
WITH NO SETBACKS AND NO TREES,
THAT CREATE MORE RESISTANCE TO
LOW INCOME HOUSING IN HIGH
RENT NEIGHBORHOODS. MANY LOW
INCOME PEOPLE RELY ON CARS TO
GET TO JOBS.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE
FOLLOWED BY MARTHA BASKIN AND
JUDITH BLUE SPURS.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS LAKISHA,
I'M A CONSTITUENT FROM
DISTRICT 4, I'M HERE TO SPEAK
IN SUPPORT OF THE CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES PILOT, I AM A
CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR WITH AND A
LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO IS
GEARED TOWARDS SOLUTIONS TO
THE CLIMATE CRISIS. ADDING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS
WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF
ESSENTIAL SERVICES, AND DID A
QUANTITY IS THE CORE OF ANY
GREEN, THIS PROGRAM, WHICH
SHOWS ROBUST COMMUNITY WITH
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS,
IT IS A GOOD STEP BUILDING
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES IN SEATTLE.
WE KNOW THAT OWNING A HOME
HERE IS OFTEN ESSENTIAL TO
ENSURE A SECURE FUTURE FOR OUR
KIDS AND BUILDING GENERATIONAL
WEALTH. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS
HARD TO REACH FOR MANY
COMMUNITIES, NOW WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO REVERSE THIS AND
BUILD MORE HOUSING. SO JUST BE
COMFORTABLE, AND YES FOR
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES, AND
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE
MARTHA BASKIN. MARTHA, PRESS
STAR SIX TO UNMUTE. MARTHA, I
SEE YOU, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU
ARE STILL MUTED, CAN YOU PRESS
STAR SIX? THERE WE GO.
>> THERE WE GO, THIRD TIME
WAS WHAT I NEEDED. GOOD
AFTERNOON. SO, IT'S VERY HARD
TO QUIBBLE WITH THE PROJECT
WHOSE NAME INCLUDES CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES AND EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT BUT EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT TO THE MAIN 3 TO 6
STORY HIGH BUILDINGS WITH NO
LAND AND NO TREES, BECAUSE OF
INSUFFICIENT STEP BACKS IN A
CLIMATE CRISIS, WHEN WE ARE
HAVING HEAVY RAINFALL, AND WE
NEED TREES WHERE PEOPLE LIVE,
NOT IN A DISTANT PART ON SITE
AND THEY ARE ESSENTIAL FOR
CLEAN AIR, AND AND PRETTY
TOXIC COPPER FROM RUNDOWN
BRAKE PADS WASHING INTO
WATERWAYS AND STREAMS, LOCAL
GOVERNMENT ON PUBLIC PARKS AND
URBAN FLORA NEEDS TO BE
ON-SITE, RESIDENTIAL TREES THAT
MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE
TO A LIVABLE ENVIRONMENT AND
HOME ENERGY COST. A PILOT
PROJECT THAT WOULD PROVIDE A
BILL TO EARN 80% OF THE AREA
THE MOST CRITICAL NEED. AND
INSTEAD IT IS FOR THOSE WHO
EARN LESS, WITH THOSE EARNING
BETWEEN 50 AND 74. AND IN
ADDITION --
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE --
MARTHA, YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO
SEND THE REST OF YOUR COMMENTS
TO CITY COUNCIL, WE WOULD BE
HAPPY TO RECEIVE THEM
ELECTRONICALLY. NEXT WE HAVE
JUDY, BY KAREN TAYLOR, AND
LISA MARCUS. YOU CAN PRESS
STAR SIX TO UNMUTE. JUNE, I
DON'T SEE YOU ON MUTED YET.
WE WILL COME BACK TO JUNE.
>> SORRY, SORRY I AM HERE. I
AM SORRY. I ALWAYS DO THIS
WRONG. MY NAME IS JUNE, I LIVE
IN DISTRICT TWO, ONE OF THE
AREAS AFFECTED BY THIS
LEGISLATION. I APPLAUD ITS
INTENT BUT I THINK IT'S IMPACT
WILL BE NEGATIVE, MY CONCERNS
ARE SETBACKS AS OTHERS THAT
WILL BE DECREASED TO ALLOWING
NO ROOM FOR TREES ON THE LOT,
THAT COULD ENDANGER TREES ON
THE EDGE OF THE NEIGHBORS
PROPERTY. THE AREAS THE PILOT
FOCUSES ON HAS THE LEAST TREE
CANOPY. AND PEOPLE WHO NEED
THE COMMUNITY AMENITIES AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT THE
PILOT PROMISES, ALSO NEEDS THE
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND
OFFENSIVE TREES. SECONDLY, 80%
OF THE INCOME IS $92,000 BUT
IT IS NOT AFFORDABLE, AND IT
INCOME RANGE FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, OF 30 TO 60% WOULD
MAKE IT TRULY AFFORDABLE,
PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE IN
COMMUNITIES AFFECTED IN THE
PAST. AND THE INCOME OF HER
HOUSEHOLDS HEADED BY BLIND
PEOPLE IN SEATTLE, IS 45% OF
THE SEATTLE MEDIAN INCOME.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT, WE HAVE
KAREN TAYLOR, FOLLOWED BY LISA
MARCUS, AND THEN KAREN, PLEASE
GO AHEAD.
>> HELLO, I AM KAREN TAYLOR,
SPEAKING TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE
HUNDREDS OF MEMBERS OF THE
TRANSIT RIDERS UNION, WE
WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT BE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT
AND IT IS VERY CAREFULLY RENTED
AND CREATED, WE NEED TO
ALLEVIATE THE HOUSING AND SMALL
BUSINESS DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES
THAT CAN BE PUT ON THE
WONDERFUL CULTURAL COMMUNITIES
THAT MAKE SEATTLE THE VIBRANT
CITY THAT IT IS, AND WE NEED TO
MAKE THE CITY WALKABLE AND
ROLLABLE FOR ALL. AND IT CAN BE
HARD TO CRAFT LEGISLATION, THAT
MEANINGFULLY WORKS TOWARDS
EQUITY. AND IN SYSTEMIC
RACISM, AND THE PILOT IS AN
EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF TAKING
REAL ACTION IN THAT ARENA. WITH
BONUS BENEFITS WAY TRANSIT
RIDERS AND WE OWE IT TO THE
COMMUNITIES THAT ONE
UNFETTERED MARKET PRESSURE
ALONE IS ALL THAT GUIDES
DEVELOPMENT. AND LET'S DO THIS
WORK AT THE NITTY-GRITTY
LEVEL. WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS
THE ROAD AND GIVE SEATTLE THE
BEST AND HEALTHIEST VERSION OF
ITSELF. ONE WHERE A WIDE
VARIETY OF BEAUTIFULLY
DISPLACED COMMUNITIES --
>> THANK YOU, WE HAVE ABOUT 10
MORE SPEAKERS, SO REMINDING
EVERYBODY ABOUT THE ONE MINUTE,
AND WE WILL GO WITH LISA
MARCUS, FOLLOWED BY STAR M.
>> HELLO COUNCIL, MY NAME IS
LISA VARGAS AND I'M A
DISTRICT SIX RESIDENT, THANK
YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES. IN WALLINGFORD
NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE I'VE LIVED
FOR 27 YEARS, HAVE A FEW
AFFORDABLE MELTED AND INSTEAD
HAVE MORE AND MORE DISPLACEMENT
BEING BUILT. FORCING PRICES UP
AND WORKING DIVERSITY OUT,
THIS BURDENS PEOPLE WITH LONG
COMMUTES AND MORE TIME APART
FROM FAMILIES IN ADDITION TO A
LOT MORE CLIMATE POLLUTION. I
HOPE TO SEE CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES PROJECTS IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD TO MAKE HOMES
AVAILABLE TO WORKING PEOPLE
THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY
REDLINED, NEAR DOWNTOWN JOBS
AND SERVICES, THE SOBERING
FAMILIES OF ALL BACKGROUNDS
TOGETHER IN AN EXCLUSIVE
COMMUNITY. AND WILL CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR GENERATIONAL
WEALTH THAT HAS BEEN PURPOSELY
RESERVED FOR ONLY A FEW, THANK
YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE
LISA MARCUS, FOLLOWED BY STAR
LOS M, AND THEN JUSTICE
WALLICK. LISA, YOU ARE ON
MUTED, AND NOW YOU ARE MUTED.
OH, YOU SPOKE ALREADY?
>> OH, THAT WAS --
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT WE HAVE STARLOS
EM, AND THEN JUST WALLICK AND
THEN
>> HELLO. HELLO. MY NAME IS
STAR LOS M, I'M A CONSTITUENT
FROM DISTRICT TWO. AND I AM
HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THE
PILOT LEGISLATION. AND WE
URGENTLY NEED LASTING
EQUITABLE ROOTED IN RESEARCH
SOLUTIONS, LIKE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT,
AND NOT HUMANE SUITES,
EVERYONE DESERVES TO HAVE A
SAFE AND AFFORDABLE PLACE TO
CALL HOME. CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES CAN HELP THERE,
AND FIGHT RACISM AND THE
HOUSING CRISIS AT THE SAME
TIME. PLEASE VOTE YES FOR THE
COMMANDS CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
PILOT, AND IT WILL REALLY HELP
EVERYDAY SEATTLEITES LIKE
MYSELF.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE JUST
WALLICK, FOLLOWED BY SLIM OFF
OF THE LOAD, AND THEN PATRICK
TAYLOR.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS
JACK WALLICK I'M A CAMPAIGN
DIRECTOR WITH SEATTLE,
HUNDREDS OF OUR MEMBERS, WHO
CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY HOUSING IN
THE SEATTLE, SEATTLE HAS A
HOUSING CRISIS AND
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS AND
CLIMATE CRISIS WE NEED
SOLUTIONS LIKE CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES, IT'S POLICY IS
BACKED BY TWO YEARS OF ROBUST
IMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, INJURING
AT LEAST ONE AND THREE ARE
AFFORDABLE. AND HOUSING ISN'T
WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE, BY
INVESTING IN UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES, AND, AT LEAST
THE FIRST TO RESPOND, THE
CONNECTED COMMITTEES PILOT IS A
PATHWAY TO CLIMATE JUSTICE.
WHEN WE INVEST IN AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, ANTI-DISPLACEMENT
STRATEGIES OUR TREES CAN LIVE
WHERE WE WORK AND STUDY AND
PLAY AND PRAY.
>> THANK YOU, AND LOOKS LIKE WE
LOST SO WE WILL MOVE TO
PATRICK TAYLOR, FOLLOWED BY
TOBY, AND THEN ELIANA HORN.
PATRICK?
>> HELLO MY NAME IS PATRICK
TAYLOR, I'M A PRESIDENT AND
CO-CHAIR OF THE AMERICAN
INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECT
HOUSING, I'M HERE TODAY, TO
SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT.
SEATTLE HAS AN ONGOING HOUSING
CRISIS. AND DISPLACEMENT AND
HOMELESSNESS, THIS WILL BE A
CREATIVE EXPERIMENT THAT THE
CITY SHOULD BE DOING, THE
COUNCIL HAS BEEN TOO COMPLACENT
AND HOUSING COST AND, THIS
PROPOSAL WILL HAVE GREATER
FLEXIBILITY AND FULFILLMENT
CAPACITY WITH A LIMITED NUMBER
OF PRODUCTS THAT CAN GREATLY
BENEFIT ANY ORGANIZATION. AND
IF IT IS SUCCESSFUL, IT IS A
COMMUNITY OF LEGISLATION THAT
CAN BE EASILY EXTENDED, AND IF
IT FAILS TO MEET ITS GOAL, THE
PROJECTS IN THE TIME PERIOD CAN
FADE AWAY, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES SPENT YEARS ON
OUTREACH WORKING WITH COMMUNITY
GROUPS ON THIS, RATHER THAN
BUSINESS PROPOSALS, THE COUNCIL
SHOULD PASS IT. WITH MORE IDEAS
PLEASE SUPPORT THIS IMPORTANT
LEGISLATION, THANK YOU ALL FOR
YOUR WORK.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE TOBY
SOLLER.
>> HELLO, TOBY THALER,
DISTRICT 6, I STRONGLY SUPPORT
THE INTENT OF A PILOT PROGRAM
TO RESPOND TO A RENEGADE FOR
DISPLACEMENT AND GENERATE TRULY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
OWNERSHIP, HOWEVER, I AGREE
WITH OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT THE
PILOTS AD HOC NON-PLANNING
REGARDING TREES, WHICH IS AN
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUE. OH
PCD IS PREPARING FOR THE
CITY'S MAJOR UPDATE AND THE
TOP PLAN, AND THE PLANETS OF
OUR SUPPOSED TO ADDRESS THE
VERY SAME SUBJECTS OF THIS
PILOT, INCLUDING DISPLACEMENT,
AND THE POSSIBILITY OF
INCLUSIONARY HOUSING TO
MITIGATE FOR DISPLACEMENT, I
SUGGEST THAT YOU STOP WORK ON A
PILOT. AND NOW THE EXECUTIVE
IS PROPOSING ALONG WITH THEIR
EVALUATION OF IMPACTS AND
MITIGATION. AND IF YOU DO NOT
DO IT AS A COMPREHENSIVE
RESPONSE TO THE DISPLACEMENT
PROBLEM, IT WILL LIKELY MAKE
THE PROBLEM WORSE, PLEASE FIX
IT FIRST. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SO WE HAVE FOUR
SPEAKERS LEFT AND WE HAVE FIVE
SPEAKERS, LEAH HALL, LISTED AS
A LAST SPEAKER BUT ALSO LISTED
IS NOT PRESENT, SO IF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO SPEAK YOU MIGHT WANT TO
DIAL BACK IN. IN THE MEANTIME,
WE WILL GO TO ELIANA HORN,
FOLLOWED BY TRAVIS CLOSE AND
TIFFANY McCOY. ELIANA, YOU ARE
ON MUTED, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> HELLO COUNCILMEMBERS. MY
NAME IS ELIANA HORN, I AM
LIVING IN DISTRICT TWO, AND
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT,
AND ASK THAT YOU VOTE YES ON
THIS ITEM. THIS PILOT PROGRAM
IS A CRUCIAL STEP IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION FOR THE CITY TO MORE
ROBUSTLY SUPPORT EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFORMATIVE
APPROACHES. WE ARE ALL AWARE OF
THE DISPLACEMENT CRISIS THAT
SEATTLE HAS FACED AS A
DIRECTIVE INVESTMENT IN BIPOC
COMMUNITIES. THE CITY HAS AN
ABILITY TO DO ALL THAT I CAN TO
INVEST IN STRATEGIES THAT WILL
BE OTHER IMPACTED COMMUNITY LED
HOUSING AND LAND DEVELOPMENT
AND RECOGNIZE AND INVEST IN
COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP . THIS
PILOT PROGRAM IS A UNIQUE
APPROACH TO INCENTIVIZE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
AS WELL AS EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL
HOUSING. AS A RESIDENT OF
DISTRICT 2, I AM EXCITED ABOUT
THE POTENTIAL IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> THANK YOU, ELIANA. SO, WE
HAVE TRAVIS FOLLOWED BY
TIFFANY McCOY, AND IN THE LAST
SPEAKER PRESENT IS THE TENET
NON-DECK, SO TRAVIS GO AHEAD.
>> MY NAME IS TRAVIS CLOSE. I
AM WITH THE GROUP, SEATTLE
YUPPIE, THAT IS JUST IN MY
BACKYARD, HERE TO SUPPORT
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES BECAUSE
MANY AFFORDABLE HOMES
EVERYWHERE IN SEATTLE,
ESPECIALLY THE HIGHEST RESOURCE
NEIGHBORHOODS WHICH SO MANY OF
US ARE EXCLUDED. BUILDING MORE
HOMES AND CITIES IS GOOD FOR
THE ENVIRONMENT, THE
INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON
CLIMATE CHANGE HAS DIRECTED
CITIES TO ALLOW MORE COMPACT
GROWTH, AS A CRITICAL ACTION
AND REACH OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS,
WE NEED TO REDUCE DRIVING IN
SEATTLE, WHICH CAN BE DONE BY
BUILDING MORE HOMES NEAR PLACES
WHERE PEOPLE NEED TO GO, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE
TIFFANY McCOY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON
COUNCILMEMBERS, THIS IS TIFFANY
McCOY, I AM THE POLICY AT
ADVOCACY DIRECTOR, AND I LIVE
IN WEST SEATTLE. I'M CALLING
IN FAVOR OF THE CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES PILOT, ALSO A
MEMBER OF THE DISTINCT
IMMUNITIES COALITION, IN WHICH
ENDORSES LEGISLATION
YESTERDAY, AND YOU ALL RECEIVED
AN EMAIL ABOUT THAT. WE NEED
MORE HOUSING SITES , INCENTIVES
AND IDEAS, WHILE THERE HAVE
BEEN VERY IMPORTANT INVESTMENTS
IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IT ISN'T
ENOUGH, WE NEED MORE PROGRAMS
LIKE THIS, SINCE HOUSING IS A
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, AND IT IS
A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE, AND THE
CLIMATE ISSUE. I DO ASK EACH OF
YOU ON THE DAIS DO NOT ACCEPT
THE BETWEEN TREES AND DENSITY,
THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT TREES
IN KEY ISLANDS, I SHARE THAT,
BUT ONE WAY TO MITIGATE HEAT
ISLANDS IS DENSITY, AND MUST
RELIANCE ON INDIVIDUAL, OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE IS FOCUSED AND
ROADS AND PAVEMENT ARE A MAJOR
CONTRIBUTOR. IN ORDER TO REDUCE
THIS, WE NEED MORE WALKABLE
COMMUNITIES. IN A DISTANCE.
>> THANK YOU, TIFFANY, THE LAST
SPEAKER WE HAVE PRESENCE IS
NOT.
>> HELLO, I'M A RESIDENT OF
COUNCIL DISTRICT 3, I'M HERE
TODAY AND STRONG SUPPORT OF
THE PILOT PROGRAM, THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A
CRITICAL ISSUE FOR PEOPLE IN
ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND OFFERS A
PROMISING APPROACH, THIS PILOT
GOES BEYOND OBSTRUCTION AND
FOSTERS TRUE COMMUNITY BY
BUILDING AMENITIES ALONGSIDE
HOUSING, SUPPORTING COMMITTEES,
THIS PILOT PROGRAM ISN'T JUST
ABOUT HOUSING, IT IS ABOUT
JUSTICE, REDLINING AND RACIAL
EXCLUSION HAS LEFT DEEP SCARS,
CONNECTED COMMITTEES ALLOWS
THOSE A CHANCE. EVERYBODY
DESERVES A SAFE AND AFFORDABLE
PLACE TO CALL HIM. CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES FOR ALL OF
SEATTLE. PLEASE VOTE YES FOR
THE CONNECTED COMMITTEES PILOT,
IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN OUR
FUTURE AND INVESTMENT IN
EQUITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE
HAVE NO MORE SPEAKERS PRESENT.
BUT BEFORE I CLOSE, AND FOR
PUBLIC HEARING I DO WANT TO ADD
FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD. WHICH
WAS REFERRED TO EARLIER, IN THE
LAST TWO WEEKS WE HAVE RECEIVED
FIVE ORGANIZATIONAL LETTERS IN
SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED
LEGISLATION, FROM HABITAT FOR
HUMANITY, TINY HOUSE VILLAGE
OPERATOR NICHOLS BILL, HOMELESS
SHELTER OPERATOR SHARE, AS WELL
AS THE BEACON HEALTH COUNCIL.
WE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM
A COMPLETE COMMUNITIES
COALITION, WHICH INCLUDES OUR
NEIGHBORS AND THAT SHE SEATTLE
CLUB, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, THE
URBAN LEAGUE OF METROPOLITAN
SEATTLE, AND THE SEATTLE
METROPOLITAN CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, AND COMMERCIAL REAL
ESTATE DEVELOPERS, AS WELL AS
THE URBANIST HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT CONSORTIUM. SO THIS
IS IN ADDITION TO NEARLY 40
ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY
GROUPS, THAT WORKED ON AN
ALREADY SUPPORT THE
LEGISLATION. WE HAVE RECEIVED
OVER 300 LETTERS OF SUPPORT
FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS ACROSS
EACH PART OF OUR CITY.
COLLECTIVELY THIS REPRESENTS A
WIDE ARRAY OF PEOPLE, WHO WORK,
LIVE AND PLAY IN SEATTLE. FROM
PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHOUSED, TWO
PEOPLE WERE BUILDING HOUSING
FOR THEM. RENTERS AND
HOMEOWNERS, CHILDCARE
PROVIDERS, HEALTHCARE
PROVIDERS, AND ADVERSITIES
BUSINESS LEADERS. SO, I AM
THANKFUL FOR ALL OF YOU FOR
BEING HERE, TO SHARE YOUR
SUPPORT, AND APPRECIATE THE
COMMENTS THAT OTHER FOLKS HAD
MADE, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY
LISTENING AND TAKING THIS INTO
CONSIDERATION AS WELL. SO I
WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE
PUBLIC HEARING PORTION. AND ASK
THE CLERK TO READ ITEM TWO INTO
THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM TWO, COMMUNITY
PANEL ON EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
ZONING, PHASE TWO, CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES ZONING PELLET FROM
BREATHING A DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU, I WILL INVITE OUR
CENTRAL STAFF, KETIL FREEMAN,
AS WELL AS OUR COMMITTEE PANEL,
PLEASE TAKE YOUR WAY, WHILE
YOU ARE COMING UP, I WILL SAY
THAT IN OUR LAST COMMITTEE
MEETING, THERE WERE SOME
QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS PILOT
PROGRAM MIGHT ACTUALLY WORK. SO
I'VE INVITED SOME
PRACTITIONERS HERE TO COME TALK
TO US AND TALK THROUGH SOME OF
THE PIECES TO DISCUSS HOW THIS
WORK RELATES TO GENERATIONAL
WEALTH BUILDING AS WELL IS WHY
THIS PILOT CAN PROVIDE
FLEXIBILITY IN INCENTIVIZING
THE KIND OF PARTNERSHIPS THAT
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, DEVON
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO JOIN
THE TABLE AS WELL. DEVON, IT IS
NOT JUST MY CLERK BUT ALSO MY
POLICY DIRECTOR, AND HE'S
BEEN WORKING CLOSELY ON THIS
LEGISLATION. I WANTED TO
APOLOGIZE TO THE COMMUNITY
PANEL HERE, THIS IS OUR
COMMITTEE TABLE. WE WOULD
NORMALLY BE JOINING YOU AT THE
COMMITTEE TABLE, BUT WE ARE
WORKING SOME TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
OUT SO OUR COMMUNITIES ARE ALL
APPEAR. SO HOPEFULLY BY MARCH
WE WILL ALL BE JOIN YOU AT THE
COMMITTEE TABLE. SO, I AM
GOING TO ASK EACH OF YOU TO
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES. AND
THEN, I'M GOING TO GIVE EACH
OF YOUR 10 MINUTES OR SO TO
SHARE A BIT ABOUT THE WORK
THAT ORGANIZATIONS DO, I'M
GOING TO ASK MICHAEL INSTALLED
QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END AND
THEN AFTER THE PRESENTATIONS WE
WILL OPEN IT UP FOR Q&A. AND I
WILL GIVE EACH OF YOU, MAYBE A
TWO-MINUTE SIGNAL TO LET YOU
KNOW WHEN WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE
ONTO THE NEXT PERSON. OKAY,
MAYBE, YOU CAN START BY
INTRODUCING YOURSELF. OH, CAN
WE MAKE SURE THAT THE
MICROPHONES ARE WE ARE.
>> KETIL FREEMAN, CENTRAL
COUNCIL STAFF.
>> CALEB JACKSON,
>> DONALD KING, THE HERMIA
SEATTLE INITIATIVE.
>> ESTELA ORTEGA , EL CENTRO
DE LA RAZA,
>> JARED JOHNSON, HERE WITH THE
SEATTLE CHINATOWN
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT
PRESERVATION AND MOMENTUM
AUTHORITY.
>> DEVON, FOR CHAIR MORALES.
>> AGAIN, I'M JUST HAPPY TO
HAVE ALL OF YOU HERE, AS I
SAID BEFORE, IN THE LAST
COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WE HAD,
THERE WERE QUESTIONS RAISED AND
SOME ISSUES THAT FOLKS WANTED
TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT
BETTER. SO I HAVE INVITED FOLKS
HERE TO SHARE AND ESTELLA I
WILL START WITH YOU. AND
CENTRAL WORKS WITH DIFFERENT
KINDS OF PARTNERSHIPS,
DEPENDING ON THE PRODUCT THAT
YOU HAVE. RIGHT NOW, YOU ARE
WORKING WITH SKIP TO ON THE
GROUND FLOOR CHILDCARE
FACILITY, SO CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CHALLENGE
WITH BUILDING THE KIND OF
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT USES,
THAT COMMUNITIES ARE ASKING
FOR. AND, MAYBE ALSO SPEAK TO
SOME OF THE AFFORDABILITY
THRESHOLDS THAT WE HAD TALKED
ABOUT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY, AND JUST A QUICK
ABOUT EL CENTRO DE LA RAZA. WE
ARE A 50-YEAR-OLD ORGANIZATION
AND WE PROVIDE SERVICES IN THE
AREA OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH AND
HUMAN AND EMERGENCY SERVICES,
EDUCATION AND SKILL BUILDING
PROGRAMS, AND THE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND OBVIOUSLY DOING
A LOT OF WORK AROUND ADVOCACY
AND CULTURAL WORK TO MUSCLE
THE TYPE OF PARTNERSHIPS THAT I
WE HAVE ON THE GROUND LEVEL IF
YOU WILL, IS THAT WE DEVELOP
OUR OWN HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS
AND MOST OF THE TIME, THAT WILL
INCLUDE EARLY CHILDHOOD
DEVELOPMENT, AND WE ALSO
PARTNER WITH OTHER NONPROFIT
DEVELOPERS, AROUND RETAIL, AND
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE PROJECTS
IN THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT,
TO PROVIDE CHILD DEVELOPMENT
SERVICES, AND, AND, OUT OF
THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT, CHILD
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND THEN
TWO MORE PRODUCTS THAT ARE
COMING ONLINE, AT THE END OF
THE YEAR, WITH SKIP TO. AND,
ALSO OUT IN THE NORTHGATE AREA,
AND 2026, THAT IS HOUSING IN
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT,
WE ALSO PARTNER, WITH A PROJECT
THAT WE WILL BREAK GROUND IN,
AND IN LATE JULY, WITH A
MARKET RATE DEVELOPER. AND
THERE WILL BE SOME COMMERCIAL
SPACE THERE. AND WE ALSO ARE
PARTNERING WITH THE PROJECT ,
AND WE ARE DOING EARLY
CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT BUT WITH
THE CHURCH, SO, THAT IS VERY
CREATIVE ALSO, SO ABOUT FIVE
DIFFERENT MODELS WE UTILIZE IN
THE FIRST THING THAT I WOULD
SAY, AROUND THE PARTNERSHIPS
THAT ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IS
THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE A COMMON
SET OF VALUES AND
RELATIONSHIPS, THAT ARE
TRUSTING EACH OTHER, AND THAT
MEANS SETTING UP MEMORANDUMS
OF UNDERSTANDING, STARTING OUT
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU GOING
TO THE DOCUMENTS OF DEVELOPMENT
AND YOUR LLC, AND SO FORTH, SO
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, THAT YOU
BE MATCHED TOGETHER AND IT
FEELS RIGHT AND YOU CAN TRUST
EACH OTHER. SO, IT IS HARD
WORK , IN TERMS OF PUTTING A
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
TOGETHER, AND USE COLUMBIA
CITY AS AN EXAMPLE, WE HAVE 20
DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES ON
THAT, AND THAT IS CITY AND
COUNTY AND STATE, THERE'S
PROGRAMS WITHIN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, THAT IS GRANTS AND
THAT IS WITH BANKERS AND SO
FORTH, SO JUST A LOT OF WORK
AND COORDINATION, TO DO. SO,
I'M GOING TO WAIT ON THE
OTHER DAYS, HOPEFULLY THOSE
WILL COME THROUGH IN THE
QUESTIONS. AND TURN IT OVER TO
WHOMEVER IS NEXT.
>> LET'S SEE, JARED, SO, WE
TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
CHILDCARE PROJECT, THAT IS ONE
EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF
PROJECTS THAT COMMUNITIES NEED
AND ARE ASKING FOR, CAN WE TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THESE
PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS, HELP SUPPORT TO
BUILD OUT OF SMALL BUSINESS?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER, I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK TO YOU ALL. AGAIN MY NAME
IS JARED JOHNSON, ON THE
COEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT
PRESERVATION DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY, IT'S A MOUTHFUL TO
SAY. AS I GET HUNG UP ON IT.
SCIPDA IS ONE OF THE HANDFUL
ACROSS THE CITY THAT ACTUALLY
DO DEVELOPMENT WORK AND NEARLY
50 YEARS OLD NOW AT THIS POINT,
AND WE OWN AND OPERATE ROUGHLY
450 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IN THE CHINATOWN
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT, AND WE
CURRENTLY HAVE 160 UNITS AND
DEVELOPMENT WHICH WILL OPEN IN
AUGUST AND ON THE GROUND FLOOR
OF THE PROJECT, AS IT HAS BEEN
MENTIONED, THE CHILDCARE
FACILITY, , I WAS ASKED TO COME
AND SPEAK ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS,
AND IN SUPPORT OF THIS PILOT
PROGRAM. BUT WHICH TO BE VERY
CLEAR, THE CHINATOWN I.D.,
REALLY WON'T SEE ANY DIRECT
BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM. NONE
OF THE DEVELOPABLE LAND, WITHIN
HARD-TO-FIND AREAS OF
OPERATIONS WILL BE ELIGIBLE
UNDER THIS PROGRAM BUT WHAT
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT IS
REALLY THE STRENGTH AND THE
POWER OF PARTNERSHIPS AND THE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE
PRESENTED FOR COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO GET INTO THE
DEVELOPMENT SPACE, REAL ESTATE
DEVELOPMENT ISN'T ROCKET
SCIENCE, BUT IT IS REALLY
COMPLICATED AND IT'S HARD, AND
ESTELLA MENTIONED THAT WE DEAL
WITH FUNDING SOURCES, THAT ARE
IN THE DOZENS ARE IN THE 20s
AND IT CAN BE A COMPLICATED AND
DAUNTING PROCESS FOR
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE WANTING TO BREAK IN
AND PREVENT DISPLACEMENT, AND
GENTRIFICATION OF THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS. THEN, WE HAVE
EXPERIENCE DOING THAT, SKIP TO
HAS NOT DONE A GROUND-UP
DEVELOPMENT NEARLY 20 YEARS,
OUR FIRST ONE, WAS 13th AND
FIRST. HAD THE SHA, AND THE
REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT, WE
COMPLETED THAT PROJECT LATE
LAST YEAR. AND HAVE NOW LEASED
THE PROJECT UP, AND THEN, THE
OTHER PRODUCT WE HAVEN'T
DEVELOPMENT, BUT AGAIN, 20
YEARS OF TRYING TO IDENTIFY
PARCELS AND PROJECTS AND
GAINING DEVELOPMENT EXPERTISE,
AND NOW WE ARE JUST GETTING
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, AND, YOU
KNOW THIS CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
PILOT PROJECT AND IT IS A
REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY, I
DON'T THINK THAT IT WILL
CHANGE THE NATURE OF HOW THE
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WORKS
ACROSS THE CITY BUT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT A SMALL HANDFUL
OF PRODUCTS, 35 PRODUCTS IN
TOTAL. AND I CAN REALLY SEE
THE BENEFITS, BEING TWOFOLD.
AND WE ARE GOING TO GAIN A LOT
OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
HOPEFULLY FAMILY SIZED HOUSING.
IN THE NEAR-TERM. AND THEN
GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY, FOR
COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS, TO
LEARN AND IN AGE IN THE
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, AND IN
THAT BENEFIT, YOU KNOW THE
POTENTIAL FOR THAT IS SO GREAT,
AND YOU CAN CHANGE THE CULTURE
AND ABILITY OF COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS, SERVICE
PROVIDERS, TO GET ENGAGED IN
THAT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. AND
WHAT I WILL SAY, I THINK THERE
WERE SOME CONCERNS DURING THE
LAST HEARING, ABOUT MAYBE
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS,
GETTING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF IN
THESE DEALS, THERE IS CERTAINLY
ROOM FOR THAT, AND SO, AS WE
PREPPED FOR THIS PANEL TODAY,
ONE THING THAT I REALLY WANTED
TO KEY IN ON IS THAT EVERY
COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNER SHOULD
REALLY HAVE A DEVELOPMENT AND
ADVOCATE . SOMEONE THAT REALLY
DEEPLY UNDERSTANDS THE PROCESS,
AND CAN WALK WITH THE
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION,
FROM PROJECT INCEPTION, THROUGH
FUNDING, ALL THE WAY THROUGH,
IF IT IS A PROJECT, ALL THE WAY
THROUGH THAT COMPLIANCE PERIOD
, THERE IS SO MUCH THAT GOES
INTO THESE PROJECTS, IT IS
REALLY CRITICAL TO HAVE SOMEONE
THAT ADVOCATES STRONGLY FOR
THAT COMMUNITY BASED PARTNER.
THAT'S ALL. AND I'M SURE THERE
WILL BE SOME MORE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SO, PART OF THAT
CHALLENARE SAYING,
IS AROUND BOTH OF YOU HAVING
EXPERIENCE WITH DEVELOPMENT AND
HE WORKED WITH SMALLER
ORGANIZATIONS, CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU PUT
THESE AGREEMENTS TOGETHER, AND
HOW YOU PROTECT THE INTERESTS
OF THE PARTIES INVOLVED.
>> SHIRT, MAYBE I WILL GO FIRST
BEAR, WE'VE HAD EXPERIENCE
DOING BOTH. SO IN OUR RECENT
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, WE HAVE
BEEN THE PARTNER THAT HAS HAD
LESS EXPERIENCE, DOING
DEVELOPMENTS. AND, WHERE WE
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PARTNER
REALLY SUCCESSFULLY WITH
COMMITTEE ROOTS HOUSING, AS A
DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, THAT HAS
HAD MANY EXPERIENCE, AND A
LOT OF EXPERIENCE OVER THE LAST
HOWEVER MANY YEARS, THAT THEY
HAVE DONE. AND, THEY REALLY
BROUGHT US IN, AND, THEY WERE
THERE TO HELP GUIDE US THROUGH
THAT PROCESS. AND THAT HAS
BEEN SUCCESSFUL, AND THAT IS
BECAUSE THEY WERE COMMITTED TO
A MISSION-BASED AND MISSION
DRIVEN PERSPECTIVE ON THE
PROJECT ITSELF, NOW WITH OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH EL CENTRO,
THEY ARE A GROUND-FLOOR
SERVICES PARTNER, AND WE ARE
THE DEVELOPER ON THE PROJECT,
AND I THINK THAT HAS GONE
REALLY WELL. AND YOU KNOW,
RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, AS
ESTELLA HAD MENTIONED, YOU
KNOW, HAVING A MUTUAL
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ARE THE
GOALS, WE ARE CREATING FAMILY
HOUSING, AND WE HAVE NEEDS FOR
CHILD CARE, AND WE IDENTIFY
EARLY ON, WHO THOSE SERVICES
PARTNERS CAN BE, IN EL CENTRO,
BECAUSE WE WERE DEVELOPING THIS
PROJECT WITHIN THE SERVICE
AREA.
>> YEAH, I THINK, LET'S SEE,
IS THIS ON?
>> BRING IT A LITTLE BIT
CLOSER, ESTELLA.
>> OKAY. AGAIN, IT GOES BACK
TO DEVELOPING , I MADE A
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
AND WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH
THAT. AND THE PERCENTAGE.
AND THE DEVELOPER FEE, AND
JUST THE DIFFERENT SERVICES
AND ALL OF THAT IS AGREED ON,
AND THEN THE REALITY IS I SAID
TO AN ATTORNEY, THAT WE WILL
SORT OF EDIT AND GO BACK AND
FORTH, BUT OBVIOUSLY, WHEN YOU
ARE AGREEING TO THINGS, YOU
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE
GOING TO BE WHAT EVERYONE
AGREES AND THAT THEY ARE GOING
TO LAST. SO FOR THE FIRST 15
YEARS. AND WITH THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, IT IS LIKE 50 YEARS,
AND SO, THERE IS A LOT OF BACK
AND FORTH, BUT IT DOES NEED TO
HAPPEN. ANOTHER POINT THAT I
WANTED TO MAKE AROUND GIVING
NONPROFITS AN OPPORTUNITY, TO
DEVELOP, IT IS THAT IF YOU WERE
SMALL AND YOUR NONPROFITS WHO
HAVE LAND IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY ARE ACTIVE
AND, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS
ORGANIZING THAT WE NEED
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IF A
NONPROFIT THAT IS SMALL AND
GOES ADDED BY THEMSELVES, THEY
ARE NOT GOING TO GET IT.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT.
WE EXPERIENCED THAT WHERE YOU
CANNOT COMPETE WITH SOMEBODY,
WHO HAS DONE A LOT OF THE
MARKET RATE OR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, SO A PARTNERSHIP WITH
A NONPROFIT AND ANOTHER LARGER
NONPROFIT DEVELOPER. OUR
MARKET RATE DEVELOPER, THAT IS
WHERE YOU WILL WIN. THEY ARE
BOTH COMING TOGETHER THEY BOTH
BRING CERTAIN EXPERTISE AND IN
TERMS OF HOW WE KEEP IT IN A
COMMUNITY, HOW TO RESERVE THAT
COMMUNITY, AND THE BIGGER
NONPROFIT, AND THE MARKET RATE,
TO SORT OF KNOW THE INS AND
OUTS OF YOU WELL.
>> SO, THAT IS A GOOD SEGUE TO
DONALD, AND MAYBE YOU CAN TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK
THAT THE INITIATIVE DOES, AND
HOW THE ASSOCIATION I SHOULD
SAY, THIS WAS BASED ON THE
RELIGIOUS AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS, THAT YOU STARTED. SO,
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THAT WORK AND HOW IT RELATES
TO THE GENERATIONAL WEALTH
BUILDING EFFORT, THAT THEY WERE
TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
>> SENSE THE PASSAGE OF A
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1437. I
BELIEVE IT WAS ANNA 2019 I
BEGAN WORKING WITH THE OFFICE
OF PLANNING COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT AND THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND HOUSE BILL, 1437,
REQUIRED CITIES TO BEGIN THE
PROCESS OF CREATING AN
ORDINANCE, TO ALLOW RELIGIOUS
OWNED PROPERTIES TO BE
DEVELOPED , FOR AFFORDABLE
HOMES. TO PROVIDE GREATER
INCENTIVES AND BONUSES, FOR
HEIGHT, AND FOR THE FLOOR AREA,
ALLOWANCES TO BUILD DENSER AND
TALLER BUILDINGS, THAT WOULD
FINANCIALLY -- BE FINANCIALLY
FEASIBLE, FOR THESE NONPROFIT
DEVELOPMENTS. AND DURING THAT
TIME AND WORKING WITH THEM TO
GRAB THE LANGUAGE AND TO BE
ABLE TO TEST THE CONCEPT, WE
DID THAT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF
ENVIRONMENTS, SOMETHING THAT WE
CALLED THE STUDIO, WE TESTED
THE CONCEPT WITH LOOKING AT
WHAT WOULD A DEVELOPMENT BE,
WITHOUT THE ADDITIONAL
INCENTIVES. AND WHAT WOULD IT
BE, AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO
TEST THAT IN THE FINANCIAL
FEASIBILITY. AND SOME PRODUCTS
WOULD NOT SURVIVE WITHOUT
THAT ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE,
WITHOUT THAT ADDITIONAL BONUS
OF LAND-USE DENSITY. SO, WE
WERE ABLE TO INFORM OF PCD, ON
WHAT KIND OF LANGUAGE NEEDED TO
BE IN THE RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATION OWNED PROPERTY
ORDINANCE, THAT CAME FROM THE
STUDIO OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON. AND AT THE SAME
TIME, THINKING THAT THERE ARE
OTHER BIPOC INSTITUTIONS, AND
COMMITTEE CENTERS, THAT CAN
BENEFIT FROM THESE INCENTIVES.
TO PROVIDE MORE LAND, FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE
HOMES, COMMUNITY SPACES AND
BUSINESS PLACES, ON THE GROUND
FLOORS, AND AREAS THAT ONE MAY
NOT HAVE HAD, THE DENSITY
ALLOWANCES TO DO FEASIBLE
DEVELOPMENT, OR THAT MAY NOT
HAVE ALLOWED ADDITIONAL USES,
ON THE GROUND FLOORS, OF WHAT
WAS ESSENTIALLY AN AFFORDABLE
BUILDING, AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING BUILDING. SO, THIS
ORDINANCE, THIS ADDITION,
THROUGH A PILOT PROGRAM, WOULD
REALLY BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT AND
TEST THE CONCEPT OF TAKING IT
FURTHER FROM WHERE WE STARTED,
AND WE ALREADY HAVE PROJECTS
UNDERWAY, SO IT'S A PROVEN
SUCCESS ALREADY, HOW CAN WE
TAKE A LOOK AT THESE PILOT
PROJECTS TO EXPAND THIS
ADDITIONAL BONUS, FOR
DEVELOPMENT, FOR OTHER
COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS, OTHER
COMMITTEE SERVICE CENTERS, THAT
HAVE AVAILABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR
THEIR COMMUNITIES, THESE BIPOC
IMMUNITIES, HAVE SUFFERED
FROM DISPLACEMENT, FROM
GENTRIFICATION. AND WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEE MORE ADVANTAGES,
TO RESIST THE SALE OF THEIR
LAND, TO GENDREAU FIRES. SO,
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS ON
AND TAKING THE FIRST STEPS IN
GETTING US INTO AN ORDINANCE,
THROUGH A PILOT PROGRAM, AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO THAT BEING
SUCCESSFUL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> I STILL HAVEN'T BEEN LET
INTO THE ZOOM MEETING. BUT
I'M GLAD WE ARE IN PERSON.
>> THANK YOU, I DON'T KNOW --
WE DON'T HAVE ANY
PRESENTATIONS AT LEAST THAT ARE
COMING THROUGH. SO, WE WILL
MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE IN,
SORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> THAT WAS JUST A FUNCTION.
WAS IT ALL RIGHT IF I SAID
THAT?
>> LET'S SEE AND LET TAYLOR
GO. I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS. KAYLA, HELLO.
>> WE HAVE BEEN MEETING IN
DIFFERENT CAPACITIES OVER THE
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO TALK
ABOUT LACK OF OWNERSHIP
INITIATIVE, ABOUT DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY
WITH THE BRIGHTON GROUP AND
SOME OTHER EFFORTS TO REALLY
START TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF
BLACK DEVELOPERS, FINANCIERS,
AND INVESTORS, SO, CAN YOU
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR
EXPERIENCE THAT LED YOU TO
REALLY WANT TO PUT YOUR ENERGY
BEHIND BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF
THE COMMUNITY TO OWN AND
OPERATE AND DEVELOP THEIR OWN
PROJECTS , PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> HELLO EVERYONE, SO MY NAME
IS CALEB JACKSON, I'M WITH AN
ORGANIZATION CALLED RESOURCE
EQUITY, WE PROVIDE DIFFERENT
HOUSING INTERVENTIONS, FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK OF
LOSING THE PROPERTY OR
DISPLACEMENT, AND I HAVE A
STORY THAT TAKES ON THE GENESIS
OF THIS , OF THIS PROJECT, AND
THAT WAS 2018, WHEN MY
GRANDFATHER HAD PASSED AWAY,
AND AT THAT TIME, I WAS REALLY
INTO REAL ESTATE, AND I CUT MY
TEETH IN SEATTLE AS A REAL
ESTATE INVESTOR, AS SOON AS I
GOT OUT OF COLLEGE, I BOUGHT A
LOT OF PROPERTY, I WANTED
PASSIVE INCOME, SO MY
COMMITTEE, MY DAD IS A PASTOR,
AND WOULD ALWAYS COME TO ME FOR
ADVICE, THIS INCLUDED MY UNCLE,
WHO NEEDED TO SELL THE DUPLEX,
AND THIS DUPLEX IS LOCATED ON
MLK, AND A FELLOW STATION IF
YOU ARE FAMILIAR. AND I CAN
THROW A ROCK AND HIT A LIGHT
RAIL FROM THE PROPERTY. HE
ASKED ME FOR HELP WHEN I SAID
SURE, I MEANT TO SOME SPACES
AND I KNOW SOME DEVELOPERS. I
SAT DOWN AND HAD LUNCH WITH
THEM. AND THEY LET ME GO FIND
OUT SOME INFORMATION, AND
LET'S TRY TO PARTNER WITH
THEM. AND MY GRANDPA BOUGHT
THE HOUSE FOR $50,000, IN THE
70s OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO,
LET'S PARTNER. WHEN I BROUGHT
THIS PROJECT TO A DEVELOPER, I
SENT THEM THE INFORMATION AND
HE EMAILED ME BACK. AND THE
PROPERTY I KNEW WAS ABOUT $1
MILLION BECAUSE OF PROPERTY
THAT WE SHARED OFFENSE WITH
THAT HAD ALREADY SOLD FOR $1
MILLION, HE TOLD ME THAT THE
PROPERTY IS WORTH $150,000, ALL
RIGHT? NOW, BECAUSE WE ARE IN
PERSON I DRESSED UP A LITTLE
BIT BUT USUALLY A LOT MORE
PLAIN, AND I DON'T REALLY
SHARE MY EXPERTISE THAT MUCH,
SO HE THOUGHT I DIDN'T KNOW
ANYTHING. I WAS IN SCHOOL AT
THE TIME WHEN I CALLED HIM UP.
AND I SAID HEY, MAYBE YOU CAN
UNDERSTAND, THIS IS A
MULTIFAMILY, BY THE LIGHT RAIL
STATION, MAYBE YOU
MISUNDERSTOOD ANY DOUBLE DOWN
AND HE TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE I
DIDN'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL
CAPACITY TO DO THE PROJECT
BECAUSE HE THOUGHT I DIDN'T
KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT REAL ESTATE
AND BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THE
DEVELOPMENT AND KNOW HOW, THAT
I NEEDED TO GO WITH HIM, AND
THEN HE TOLD ME THAT IF I WENT
ALONG WITH THIS PLAN I GOT MY
UNCLE TO SELL THE PROPERTY TO
HIM, HE WOULD GIVE ME A $1500
AS A COMMISSION. ALL RIGHT?
THIS IS WHEN THE LOVE OF REAL
ESTATE, WHICH ALLOWED ME TO
RETIRE AT 27, TURNED INTO HATE,
RIGHT? BECAUSE I WENT TO
DISTRICT TO AND I WENT TO
SCHOOL IN DISTRICT 1 AND
DISTRICT 3, AND FROM AROUND
SEATTLE, I GOT A LOOK AROUND AT
WEST SEATTLE, THE CENTRAL
DISTRICT STOP AND MY FRIENDS
WERE NOT SEEN THE DISPLACEMENT
UP UNTIL THAT POINT, I THOUGHT
IT WAS A BUSINESS, OR IT
WASN'T FAIR, BUT THEN IT WAS
LIKE OH NO, THESE PROPERTIES
WERE STOLEN BY PREDATORY
DEVELOPERS AND PREDATORY
LENDERS, THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED
TO MY COMMUNITY, RIGHT? SO,
WITH THAT -- TO BUILD AN
ORIGIN STORY, I STARTED TO WORK
ON A PROJECT TO MAKE SURE THAT
MY FAMILY, WASN'T MY COMMITTEE
IS TRAUMA, SO THAT WAS THE
GENESIS OF RESOURCE EQUITY IN
THE CAPACITY THAT YOU HAVE SEEN
ME SO WELL, AND THE GOAL OF THE
RESOURCE EQUITY IS REALLY TO
ARMY COMMUNITY, ARMHOLE AND
HOMEOWNERS WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING OF THE VALUE OF
THEIR LAND, RIGHT BECAUSE
USUALLY WHEN YOU GET INTO THESE
SPACES WITH PEOPLE WHO SPEAK A
DIFFERENT LANGUAGE BECAUSE THAT
IS WHAT THIS IS A LOT OF TIMES,
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T
KNOW, SO IT IS IMPORTANT AND IT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO GIVE TO
PEOPLE, WHO DON'T WANT TO
MAKE A DIME FROM YOU, THEY JUST
WANT TO SEE YOU PROSPER, THAT
IS WHAT WE COME IN WITH, SO WE
DO THIS THROUGH A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT WAYS, AND A LOT OF
THE WAYS THAT WE DO IT IS
CONNECTING THE PROGRAMS, WHICH
IS JUST WHAT OPPOSITE HOUSING
HAS. AND PREVENTION, AND YOU
WANT TO DEVELOP, LET'S SEE
WHAT THE PROPERTY'S VALUE IS,
MAYBE YOU CAN PUT AN 80 YOU ON
IT. MAYBE YOU CAN DO UNITS OR
APARTMENTS, AND JUST GIVING YOU
THAT INFORMATION AND FIGURING
OUT, WHAT IS THE HIGHEST AND
BEST VALUE FOR THE HOMEOWNER.
AND SO, THAT HAS BEEN MY
MISSION, THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, IT IS
JUST DISARMING HOMEOWNERS FOR
THAT INFORMATION, THEY CAN MAKE
WISE DECISIONS.
>> THAT IS SO IMPORTANT, THANK
YOU. I THINK FOR ME, WHAT IS
CRITICAL ABOUT THE WORK THAT
YOU ARE DOING, IS HELPING OUR
NEIGHBORS PARTICULARLY SENIORS
UNDERSTAND THEIR OPTIONS. WE
ALL HAVE HEARD STORIES ABOUT
FOLKS SHOWING UP WITH A
SUITCASE FULL OF CASH, KNOCKING
ON THE DOOR, AND JUST ASKING
SOMEBODY TO BUY THEIR HOME OUT
RIGHT. AND IF PROPERTY TAXES
ARE GOING UP IN YOUR HOME VALUE
WAS GOING UP THEN IT IS REALLY
EASY FOR SOME TO FEEL LIKE
THAT IS A GOOD DEAL. WITHOUT
MAYBE THINKING THAT IF I GET A
LOT OF CASH FOR THIS HOUSE IT
DOESN'T MEAN IN THE SEATTLE
MARKET I CAN AFFORD TO BUY
ANOTHER HOUSE. AND SO IT IS
IMPORTANT WHAT YOU ARE DOING,
PROVIDING THAT SERVICE OF
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR
OPTIONS ARE, TO BE ABLE TO STAY
ROOTED IN THEIR COMMUNITY. I'M
GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO MY
COLLEAGUES, BUT I DO WANT TO
SAY, JUST ONE MORE THING ABOUT
THIS ISSUE, OF PREDATORY
DEVELOPMENT, THAT YOU TALKED
ABOUT, RIGHT? BECAUSE I WILL
SAY IN MY FIRST TERM, YOU
KNOW, WE REGULARLY HEARD THAT
DEVELOPERS WERE DEMONIZED AS
ONLY BEING OUT FOR PROFIT.
AND, WE CERTAINLY KNOW THAT IS
TRUE FOR SOME. YOU KNOW, YOUR
EXPERIENCE AND SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT WE HAVE HEARD, WE
KNOW THAT IS TRUE FOR SOME
PEOPLE. BUT WHAT IS ALSO TRUE
IS THAT AS A CITY WE WON'T
ACHIEVE OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
GOALS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
OR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
WITHOUT DEVELOPERS. YOU KNOW,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NOT GOING
TO BUILD ITSELF. COMMITTEE
PRODUCTS ARE NOT GOING TO BUILD
THEMSELVES SO IT'S IMPORTANT
FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY AND WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT REALLY TRYING TO
ADDRESS THESE CRISES THAT WE
UNDERSTAND THAT THIS REQUIRES
INCENTIVE AND THAT IS A PART
OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY THAT
IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, AS WE
HAVE WORKED ON THIS PROJECT WE
WILL GET THE QUESTION A LOT,
LIKE HE WAS ASKING FOR THIS,
WHAT PROBLEM YOU ARE TRYING TO
SOLVE AND I WILL SAY THAT FOR
MANY GROUPS THAT ARE WORKING IN
SEATTLE, TO BUILD A PIPELINE OF
BLACK AND BROWN DEVELOPERS AND
INVESTORS AND FINANCIERS, AND
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE EXPERTS.
THAT IS WAS ASKING FOR THIS,
PEOPLE WHO NEED ACCESS TO THE
EXPERTISE IN THE CAPITAL AND
THE LEARNING THAT COMES WITH
BEING ABLE TO LEAD IN DOING
THESE PROJECTS THEMSELVES
RATHER THAN HAVING TO RELY
EVENTUALLY HOPEFULLY RATHER
THAN HAVING TO RELY ON A
PARTNERSHIP LIKE THIS. SO JUST
WANTED TO GET THAT OUT , AND TO
OPEN IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUES, IF
THERE ARE QUESTIONS. DID YOU
HAVE A QUESTION?
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
WOO -- OKAY, OKAY. THANK YOU
ALL, FOR COMING. I WILL SAY,
IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE YOU,
WE GOT TO WORK ON THE RELIGIOUS
BONUS BILL, DURING THE PANDEMIC
AND WE PASSED THE BILL TWICE,
TECHNICALLY. BUT, YET WE
DIDN'T GET TO WORK TOGETHER IN
PERSON. IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU
AGAIN. AND I WILL BE HONEST,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES BROUGHT
THIS BILL IDEA TO ME, NOT SO
LONG AFTER WE PASSED IT. AND I
ASKED, DIDN'T WE JUST DO THIS,
I NOW SEE THAT THIS IS
DIFFERENT, SO THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, AND FOR
YOUR WORK ON THIS AND YOUR
POINT IS WELL TAKEN ABOUT YOU
HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT
KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON, BECAUSE
AFTER THE RELIGIOUS BONUS BILL.
CAME OUT, WE HAVE GOT A
PROGRAM IN BALLARD, WHICH WAS
NOT SO DIFFERENT IN YOUR
EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING PEOPLE
TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
OTHERS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T
REALIZE THE ZONING CHANGE AND
WHAT THEY CAN GET FOR THEIR
PROPERTY. I AM GUESSING, IT
WILL WORK ABOUT THE SAME TIME.
I HAVE YET TO BE RETIRED, SO
I MIGHT LOOK TO YOU FOR SOME
TRICKS. BUT OR TIPS I SHOULD
SAY. BUT IT COMES BACK TO,
ST. LUKE'S CHURCH, THAT WAS
GOING THROUGH THIS BOTH
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MARKET
RATE HOUSING PROJECTS AND HAD
THEY NOT HAD SOMEBODY WHO CAN
HELP THEM NAVIGATE THAT SPACE,
THE DEVELOPMENT SPACE, THEY
WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE
SUCCESSFUL. I MEAN, JUST FROM I
BELIEVE IT WAS NO HARM NO
FOUL, BUT THIS IS JUST
GRINDING THE GEARS, SAYING THAT
THE CHURCH WAS AN INSTITUTION
THAT REQUIRED A COMMERCIAL
GARBAGE AREA. IT IS A CHURCH.
RIGHT? I MEAN, IT IS NOT A
SYMPHONY HALL. IT CAN BE ON A
SMALL SCALE. BUT THESE SMALL
DESIGNATIONS CAN COMPLETE AND
CHANGE THE FOOTPRINT AND IF
YOU'RE ABLE TO MAKE THAT
PROJECT PENCILED IN OR NOT,
AND, THEY USED THE RELIGIOUS
THAT MEANS AND SO THAT AND IN
THE BALLARD THAT I GREW UP IN.
AND EXPENSES ARE REALLY
EXPENSIVE MORE THAN $1000,
REALLY EXPENSIVE HOUSING. AND
YOU HAVE A COUPLE MILLIONAIRES.
BUT THE FAMILY I GREW UP AND
COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE
COMMUNITY THAT I REPRESENT
TODAY. AND THIS PROJECT,
PROVIDES THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR
FAMILIES LIKE THE ONE I GREW UP
IN, TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY
WHICH EXISTED TODAY, AND IT'S
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, SO I'M
JUST HAPPY TO GET THE SHARE
THAT WITH YOU IN PERSON TODAY.
BUT IT COMES BACK TO WHAT
CALEB WAS SAYING, IF WE DON'T
PROVIDE A PLACE FOR OUR PEOPLE
THEY WILL BE EITHER AND I'M
NOT DESCRIBING INTENTIONALLY
HERE, BUT THEY WON'T, THEY
WILL EITHER BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE
OF INTENTIONALLY OR
UNINTENTIONALLY. LIKE IF
SOMEBODY LIKE US DIDN'T KNOW
THAT THEY COULD HAVE CHANGE IN
THAT AND HOW THE GARBAGE IS
PICKED UP BETWEEN THE CHURCH,
AND IT IS JUST INSTITUTION.
I'M REFLECTING, I STILL NEED
TO BUILD UP SINCE LAST
COMMITTEE MEETING, AND I WILL
ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS BUT I
JUST WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE, AND ALL THAT
YOU DO. WE WANT TO RESPOND TO
SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE SAID,
SO WHEN YOU ARE PUTTING A
PROJECT TOGETHER. YOU HAVE
MARKET RATE DEVELOPER, OR A
NONPROFIT DEVELOPER. AND A
COMMITTEE BASED ORGANIZATION,
WHO WANTS TO RESPOND TO THE
NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. AND IN
THAT SCENARIO, YOU STILL NEED
A DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT, TO
ADVOCATE FOR YOU, AS A PART OF
THE PARTNERSHIP, IT IS SO
CRUCIAL. WE HAVEN'T BEEN
DOING HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FOR A
LONG TIME. WE DID SOMETHING IN
1990. AND FINISHED THE PLAZA
IN 2016. AND WHAT I LEARNED
THROUGH THAT PROCESS YOU HAVE
GOT TO HAVE A DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTANT EVEN THOUGH YOU
HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE, WHO KNOWS
IT BUT YOU HAVE ADDITIVE IT
AND TO GET THERE FOR YOU.
AGREED.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER WILL.
>> THANK YOU FOR COMING AND
SPEAKING WITH US. AND IF OUR
DEVELOPMENT WAS DONE BY
ORGANIZATIONS AND I BELIEVE
SEATTLE WOULD BE SO THANK YOU
FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK I'M A
HUGE FAN. I HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. THIS ONE IS
DIRECTED TOWARDS DEVON AND WE
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
PARTNERSHIPS AND THE DIFFERENT
PARTNERSHIP COMBINATIONS. WE
ARE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT
NONPROFITS. SMALL NONPROFITS
AND LARGE NONPROFITS, WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT FOR-PROFITS AND
HOMEOWNERS, RIDE? AND I KNOW
THAT WE TALKED ABOUT MAKING
SURE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTANT IS THERE TO ADVOCATE
FOR YOU, BUT THAT'S NOT IN
THIS LEGISLATION. SO BUT
BEFORE WE GET TO THAT PART, CAN
WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THE
DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS LOOK
LIKE?
>> KETIL FREEMAN, CITY
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF, THERE
WOULD NEED TO BE A QUALIFIED
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATION, THAT IS A PART OF
THE PROJECT, THAT IS THE
APPLICANT. ANY QUALIFIED
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATION CAN BE A NONPROFIT
DEVELOPER AND IT CAN ALSO BE A
PDA. THAT QUALIFIED
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION CAN
PARTNER WITH ANOTHER
NONPROFIT. AT ANOTHER
FOR-PROFIT, AND THEY CAN ALSO
WORK WITH THE HOMEOWNER, WHO
WANTS TO LET THEIR LAND BE USED
FOR THAT PROJECT. BUT, TO EVEN
GET IN THE DOOR, IT HAS TO BE A
QUALIFYING ORGANIZATION, THAT
WOULD BE A PART OF A
PARTNERSHIP.
>> HOW MANY OF YOUR
ORGANIZATIONS EXIST THAT ARE
QUALIFYING, DO YOU KNOW?
>> I DON'T KNOW, IT WOULD
NEED TO BE THE DEFINITION OF
THE CURRENT DRAFT IS THAT IT
HAS TO BE A REGISTERED
NONPROFIT, SOMEBODY WITH THE
WASHINGTON SECRETARY OF STATE,
THAT HAS ITS MISSION
DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING NOT NECESSARILY THAT
BUT AND/OR PDA, SO IF THE RULE
AND THE BYLAWS OF THE
ORGANIZATION IDENTIFY THAT,
THEN IT CAN BE IN A QUALIFYING.
>> IF I WERE TO START A
NONPROFIT, WHEN I QUALIFY AS
WELL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER IT REALLY
DEPENDS, SO THE WORK THAT WE
DID OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF
YEARS, WITH OUR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS, THEY REALLY PUT
TOGETHER, A LIST OF WHAT THEY
WANTED TO SEE AS QUALIFYING
ORGANIZATIONS AND IT WOULD BE
THAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD
SERVE IMMIGRANTS IN COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR, AND PEOPLE AT HIGH
RISK OF DISPLACEMENT, AND
PEOPLE EXPENSING HOMELESSNESS,
THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY. AND THOSE
NONPROFITS THAT ARE
SPECIFICALLY MISSION DRIVEN TO
DO THAT, SO IF WE WERE TO FORM
A NONPROFIT TO DO THOSE ON
THOSE PURPOSES, OR ONE OF THOSE
MANY PURPOSES, MULTIPLE, THEN
YES, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE, THEORETICALLY.
>> GREAT. MAY I ASK A
CLARIFYING QUESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER WOO? THANK YOU,
DID YOU, I'M NOT SURE I
UNDERSTOOD PROPERLY -- WHETHER
YOU ARE A NONPROFIT OR A
FOR-PROFIT, YOU HAVE TO QUALIFY
ENTRY QUALIFY YOU HAVE TO DO
ONE OF THESE THINGS, YOU JUST
SAID, DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT?
>> TO BE A DEVELOPMENT PARTNER,
THAT IS THE QUALIFICATION.
>> AND THE NONPROFIT WOULD HAVE
TO BE AN ORGANIZATION THAT DOES
THIS?
>> THE POINT IS TO HAVE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT MISSION IS
TO SERVE THESE PARTICULAR
ENTITIES . OR POPULATIONS.
>> AND ON THE CBO AND.
>> YOU CAN BE A PARTNERING
ORGANIZATION FOR EXAMPLE I CAN
USE A COUPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS
THAT WE WORK WITH ON THIS, THE
AFRICAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ON THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND
EL CENTRO WAS A PART OF THIS.
AND, THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY
CENTER, THESE AND THESE ARE
THE SORT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT
WE WERE THINKING OF WHEN WE
WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS.
>> IS THAT ANY LEGISLATION, IS
THERE SOME WAY WE CAN STIPULATE
THAT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT IS
VERY VAGUE.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS
LEGAL. CAN WE HAVE A PREFERENCE
TO MARKET
>> SURE, I WILL JUST OPEN THE
DRAFT, THIS IS THE DEFINITION
OF A QUALIFIED COMMITTEE
ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT, A
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON, AND CREATED UNDER
THE AUTHORITY, THAT THEY WILL
PROVIDE FOR THOSE, THAT HAS AS
ITS PURPOSE, AFFORDABLE
SUBSIDIZED HOUSING. SOCIAL
HOUSING. AND MORE AFFORDABLE
COMMERCIAL SPACE AND COMMUNITY
GATHERING SPACES, OR EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT USES, SO IT IS A
WIDE RANGE OF PURPOSES THAT
FORWARDS THE NONPROFIT AS IT
WAS GREETED THAT ONE QUALIFY
THAT NUMBER OFF OF IT.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU, AND IS
THERE ANYBODY THAT VERIFIES
THIS. THAT THEY TRULY ARE A
NONPROFIT WITH THIS MISSION,
VERSUS I CAN JUST REGISTER
MYSELF AS A NONPROFIT WITH THIS
MISSION AND BE ABLE TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THIS.
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION,
IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE
QUESTION, ABOUT WHO DOES AND
WHO ESTABLISHES FOR THE
PURPOSES WHICH WOULD
ULTIMATELY BE SAYING, IF YOU
QUALIFY, YOU CAN ACCESS THESE,
WHO QUALIFIES THAT
ORGANIZATION, AND THE CURRENT
THINKING IS, THAT THAT COULD
BE, A PROCESS DESCRIBED
WHICH WOULD LIMIT THE
REGULATORY SIDE OF THIS WHICH
HAS A GRANTMAKING FUNCTION.
AND IN TERMS OF THE HOUSING AS
WELL.
>> AND I WILL JUST CLARIFY, FOR
MY COLLEGE. THE QUESTION THAT
YOU ARE ASKING COUNCILMEMBER
WOO, IT IS AN IMPLEMENTATION
QUESTION. SORRY, I CAN'T SEE
YOU. WHICH, WE CAN DO THROUGH
LEGISLATION, SO WE ARE SETTING
THE POLICY AND THE DECISIONS
ABOUT HOW TO LAMENT AS AN
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, THAT WE
CAN'T LEGISLATE, THERE IS
CONVERSATION HAPPENING AMONG
THE DEPARTMENTS ABOUT HOW
SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD BE
IMPLEMENTED, AND A DIRECTORS
RULE , THAT IS AGAIN SOMETHING
THAT WOULD HAPPEN AND BE
FINALIZED ONCE THE LEGISLATION
IS PASSED.
>> AND CHAIR MORALES, MAY I
SHARE A STORY, TOO, AND IN THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ROOF, I
WAS ASKED, WELL IF THIS IS THE
ORGANIZATIONS WHY CAN'T I
JUST START A CHURCH AND TAKE
ADVANTAGE SO IF YOU WERE TO
START A CHURCH, TO BUILD
AFFORDABLE HOMES ON THAT LAND,
FOR 80% OR LESS OF AMI. AND
THEN, WHAT IS THE HARM. THE
OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN MET, SO
THERE IS NO ADVANTAGE HERE,
THAT SOMEONE CAN HAVE. TO MEET
THAT OBJECTIVE, TO HAVE THE
LAND AND MEET THE OBJECTIVE OF
DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE HOMES AND
BUSINESS PLACES AND COMMUNITY
SPACES. TO MEET THAT
OBJECTIVE, IT DOESN'T REALLY
MATTER WHO DOES IT.
>> THANK YOU MY NEXT QUESTION,
THAT IS A NICE SEGUE. I WANT TO
TALK ABOUT AMI, BUT I SEE
THERE ARE OTHER COMMENTS, I
JUST WANT TO YOU HAD ASKED,
THAT KIND OF POTENTIAL LIST,
OR THAT KIND OF POTENTIAL
CRITERIA, THAT IS ON PAGE 14
OF THE MOST RECENT DRAFT, THAT
IS DRAFT NINE. OF THE
LEGISLATION. SO I AM QUOTING
VERBATIM. AND THE PARTNERING
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. GOOD
INCLUDE THAT PROVIDE SERVICES
FOR REFUGEES, COMMITTEES OF
COLOR AND MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ
COMMUNITY. MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE IS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS, AND PERSONS AT
RISK OF ECONOMIC DISPLACEMENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT YOU GOT THAT ON PAGE 14. I
ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT SECTION 3
SAYS THE COUNCIL REQUEST THESE
THINGS. AND AGAIN, THAT IS HOW
WE DEAL WITH WHEN OUR
AUTHORITY HAS ENDED. WE
CAN'T REQUIRE THAT DIRECTORS
DO THIS, SO THE WAY WE GET
AROUND THAT IS TO SAY THAT WE
ARE REQUESTING THAT AND IT IS
UP TO THE EXECUTIVE TO
IMPLEMENT THAT.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION
FOR I GUESS PDAS, WHEN YOU
ARE LEASING OUT YOUR UNIT, DO
YOU SEE THERE IS A NEED FOR 40
OR 50% AMI, D.C. A LOT OF
THOUGHT, WHAT IS THE NEED OUT
THERE, AND WHAT IS YOUR
DEFINITION OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. THE OUTLINE OF THE
HOUSING WILL BE BUILT UP TO THE
OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME IS
THAT CORRECT. SO AGAIN, TO
ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. THERE IS
A NEED, I THINK IN OUR MOST
RECENT EXPERIENCE, WITH THE
LEASING OF THE BUILDING THAT WE
ARE LEASING CURRENTLY. THERE
IS -- A GREATER NEED. AND IT
IS JUST HAVE HER PRESENT, FOR
THE MOST AFFORDABLE OF HOUSING,
WHICH IS 30% OF THE INCOME OR
BELOW. AND WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY
SEEN THAT THOSE UNITS GET AT
LEAST UP FIRST, AND IN OUR
CURRENT THAT OWNS AND OPERATES
CONSISTENTLY AND REMAIN
OCCUPIED. AND 99 OR 200%. AND
I'M SORRY, COULD YOU REPEAT
THE SECOND PART OF YOUR
QUESTION?
>> LIKE YOUR DEFINITION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING WE HEAR THAT
TERM A LOT I JUST WANTED TO
MAKE SURE
>> AS A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATION, WE BELIEVE IN A
SPECTRUM OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THERE ARE OTHER AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, THAT REALLY DEFINED
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT 30% OR
BELOW, BUT AS A COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION OUR
PERSPECTIVE IS IN ORDER TO HAVE
A VIBRANT AND THRIVING
COMMUNITY, WHICH I THINK THE
PILOT PROGRAM IS REALLY TRYING
TO ENSURE, THAT YOU HAVE
AVAILABLE HOUSING ON A
SPECTRUM, SO YOU CAN GET A
REALLY WIDE RANGE OF INCOMES
AND PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT
BACKGROUNDS AND EMIGRATION
REFUGEES, THAT COMPRISE A
COMMUNITY AND REALLY START TO
BUILD THAT SOCIAL COHESION THAT
MAKES THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR A
COMMUNITY REALLY WORTH LIVING
IN.
>> I WILL JUST ADD. YOU ARE
RIGHT AND THE QUESTION IS
ALWAYS AFFORDABLE TO HIM. WHO
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT AND I
WOULD SAY PART OF THE GOAL HERE
WE ARE I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS
IN YOUR COMMUNITY OR SOMETIME
THIS WEEK. WE WERE HERE, MAYBE
IT WAS NOT THE BUDGET
CONVERSATION THIS MORNING
ABOUT MAYBE 80% AMI IS A
$92,000 IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE
WHICH IS CRAZY. SO WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, WE ALL
KNOW THAT WE NEED A LOT OF
HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
EXTREMELY POOR. AND, WE ARE
DOING, WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT
ARE SET UP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
FOR LOW INCOME FOLKS. WE HAVE
PEOPLE TRANSITIONING, WE HAVE
THE KING COUNTY HOUSING
AUTHORITY. AND WE KNOW THAT WE
HAVE MARKET RATE HOUSING GOING
UP ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT
WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT KIND OF
MISSING IN THE MIDDLE, I THINK
WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS
DIFFERENT HOUSING TYPES AND
FOURPLEX IS IN SIX PLACES,
WHAT WE NEED HERE IN THIS
LEGISLATION IS MIDDLE INCOME
RIGHT BECAUSE WHAT WE HEAR
FROM OUR BUSINESSES ACROSS THE
CITY IS THAT THEIR WORKERS
CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. AND
SO WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS
HOW WE ALSO LOOK AT HOUSING
THAT IS AFFORDABLE BUS DRIVERS
AND OUR CHILD CARE WORKERS
BECAUSE, I HAVE A FEW FRIENDS
WHO OWN RESTAURANTS AND THEY
CAN'T GET DISHWASHERS BECAUSE
DISHWASHERS CANNOT AFFORD TO
LIVE IN SEATTLE. SO WHAT WE
ARE LOOKING FOR HERE, IS A
BROADER SPECTRUM OF
AFFORDABILITY FOR A BROADER
SPECTRUM OF OUR NEIGHBORS
BECAUSE SO MANY OF OUR
NEIGHBORS ARE LIVING AND
LEAVING AND IMPACTING OUR
BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY
VIBRANCY AND OUR ABILITY TO
HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS AND
PARTICULARLY THAT ARE MORE
THAN MARKET RATE OR ONLY,
FOR FOLKS WHO ARE VERY SO
ANYWAY, THAT WAS MY
AFFORDABILITY TANGENT.
COUNCILMEMBER -- DID YOU HAVE
ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
>> IS WE HAVE TWO MORE
QUESTIONS I WILL MAKE THIS
QUICK AND LEGISLATION SAYS THAT
30% OF UNITS LET'S SEE, OR WAS
IT 80% AMI? IN THIS
LEGISLATION. I WOULD LIKE TO
SEE IT LOWER THAN 80% AMI. LIKE
I FEEL LIKE WHEN WE SAY
AFFORDABLE WE ARE LOOKING AT
40% I DON'T KNOW I DON'T
KNOW IF WE CAN CRAFT THAT, FOR
THOSE WHO HAVE BUILT HOUSING.
DON'T YOU THINK, I DON'T KNOW
IF THIS IS A QUESTION YOU WANT
TO ANSWER. BUT HAVING A CERTAIN
PERCENTAGE OF 4050 60 -- WITH
30% OF THAT ENTIRE PROJECT
BEING AT THOSE MIS. I THINK WE
WOULD BE A LOT MORE HELPFUL,
IN TERMS OF HOUSING PEOPLE. I
ALSO WANT TO LOOK AT TO THE
OWNERSHIP ASPECT AND PROJECT
OWNERSHIP, IT SAYS HERE THAT
OWNERSHIP OF AT LEAST 51% IS BY
THE INCORPORATED OWNER, SO I
ASSUME THAT IS 51% OF THE LAND.
BUT IT SAYS HERE, 10% OF THE
OWNER WITH A PARTNER SO I
ASSUME AND HERE, 10% OF THE
PROJECT OWNERSHIP. SO I AM
WORRIED THAT WITHOUT WITH MORE
PERCENTAGES. THAT THERE WOULD
BE ISSUES OF CONTROL OF HOW
THIS DEVELOPMENT LOOKS IN
TERMS OF GENERATIONAL WEALTH,
AND IN TERMS OF DISPLACEMENT.
SO MAYBE TALK ABOUT YOUR
PRODUCTS, WHAT DOES THE PROJECT
OWNERSHIP MODEL LOOK LIKE IN
YOUR DEVELOPMENT, VERSUS SMALL
BIG OR WHATEVER PROJECTS.
>> I CAN SPEAK TO THAT. LET'S
SEE. WE, YOU KNOW THE MARKET
RATE DEVELOPER THAT WE ARE
BREAKING GROUND WITH, IN JULY.
WE NEGOTIATED A 51% AS A
NONPROFIT AND 49% FOR THE
MARKET RATE DEVELOPER SO IT
WAS TURNED AROUND AND THAT
MEANS EVERYTHING, THE LAND ON
THE PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, THE
BUILDING ITSELF. BECAUSE, YOU
ARE BOTH WORKING ON A PROJECT,
YOU BOTH BRING SOMETHING TO
THE TABLE THAT MAKES YOU
COMPETITIVE. AND THAT IS A
CONCRETE DEAL THERE, WE ARE
ALSO. WE ARE ALSO DOING A
PROJECT THAT I CANNOT SAY WHAT
IT IS RIGHT NOW. BUT IT IS A
LARGE NONPROFIT DEVELOPER AND
AS IT IS 50-50. SO I DON'T
KNOW WHERE THE 10% CAME FROM
THAT I DIDN'T SEE YOU. BUT,
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING.
>> AND COUNCILMEMBER WOO, JUST
TO CLARIFY SHE'S TALKING
ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF OWNED
AND CONTROLLED OF THE DRAFT,
THOSE ARE OUR STATEMENTS, IT
IS NOT NECESSARILY ALL OF THEM
OR ONE OF THEM, THOSE ARE OR
STATEMENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO
ANSWER THAT QUESTION IN OUR
MOST RECENT PROJECT. WE ARE
THE 51% OWNER AND THE SENIOR
DEVELOPER, WHICH IS COMMUNITY
REACH HOUSING WHICH WAS THE 49%
OWNER. BUT, I THINK TO GET TO
YOUR EARLIER QUESTION. I THINK
IT IS, TALKING ABOUT AMI LEVELS
AND YOU KNOW, WHAT IS
APPROPRIATE OR NOT YOU KNOW
OBVIOUSLY TARGETING PUBLIC
FUNDING OF PUBLIC HOUSING BUT I
THINK THE PILOT PROGRAM IS
REALLY A LAND-USE INCENTIVE FOR
DEVELOPERS. RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW
IS THE RIGHT COMBINATION THAT
IS WHITE IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL
TO SEE, IF IT IS THE RIGHT
AMOUNT OF COMBINATIONS, BETWEEN
THE FA ARE BONUS AND THE
PARKING AND THE PERMITTING. AND
THE EXPEDITING OF THE
PERMITTING PROCESS. I THINK ALL
OF THOSE ARE ATTRACTIVE TO THE
DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
CERTAINLY FROM A COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE , AS A
PARTNER. I MEAN WE WANT TO SEE
THOSE ONLY WANT TO SEE OUR
PROJECTS GET THROUGH QUICKER,
SO WE CAN BUILD HOUSING FASTER
AND PROVIDE HOUSING PARTNER,
WITH EL CENTRO, TO PROVIDE
SERVICES FASTER AS WELL.
>> I GUESS ONE THING I WOULD
ADD TO THIS, IS WE TALK ABOUT
WEALTH BUILDING, FOR
INDIVIDUALS OWNERSHIP,
ABSOLUTELY, THERE IS WEALTH
BUILDING ASSET BUILDING THAT
NEEDS TO HAPPEN WITH COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATION, ON
PROJECT. I SAW COUNCILMEMBER
WOO, AND I DON'T KNOW, AND
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. NO,
SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, AND
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. OH, YOU
ARE DONE. COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS?
>> OH, YES . COUNCILMEMBER WOO,
THE STORY AND ALSO I THINK
COUNCILMEMBER WOO IS THE ONLY
ONE WHO HAS DEVELOPED
AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THIS SIDE
OF THE DAIS. IF I'M NOT
MISTAKEN, SOME QUESTIONS WILL
LAST. THE REASON WHY I JOKED A
LITTLE BIT EARLIER. ABOUT
HAVING TO PASS A RELIGIOUS
BONUS BILL BECAUSE, IN THE
PANDEMIC WORLD, DOING
EVERYTHING THE YOU ZOOM AND
TELEPHONE CALLS, THE BILL COMES
UP FOR A FINAL VOTE AT FULL
COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL WALKED
ON AN AMENDMENT, TO LOWER THE
AMI, I DIDN'T EVEN THINK YOU
ARE ABLE TO ADDRESS IT IN
PUBLIC COMMENT AND AS IT IS
ALL UNFOLDING, I MAKING PHONE
CALLS AND I WILL BE HONEST
OKAY, THAT MAKES SENSE. LET'S
SERVE A LOWER ECONOMIC BAND
OF INDIVIDUALS. AND I GOT ON
THE PHONE WITH YOU, KNOW THIS
IS BAD. BECAUSE WE WANT TO AND
I WILL LET YOU SHARE IN YOUR
OWN WORDS. BUT THE FEEDBACK
THAT I RECEIVED IN THAT MOMENT
WAS, YES, TO EVERYTHING THAT
THE COUNCILMEMBER WAS SAYING
ABOUT THEIR BILL AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF 60% AMI, THE
FLEXIBILITY TO GO UP TO 80% AMI
WHICH WOULD FULLY SOME OF
THOSE LOWER LOWER UNITS, SO
YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY YOU HAD A
BETTER STORY THAN WHAT I AM
SAYING, BUT I JOKED ABOUT IT
EARLIER. BECAUSE -- WHEN THE
BILL CAME OUT AT THE END OF THE
DAY, IT WAS A 60% AMI AND THE
PROJECTS WERE NOT ABLE TO
PENCIL, WHICH IS WHY WE BROUGHT
IT BACK WHERE ANOTHER VOTE
WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE LOGONS,
THIS IS WHERE YOU ARE HEARING
FROM ME, I HATED THE WALK ON
AMENDMENTS AT THE COUNCIL, AND
YES, I SEE.
>> AND PART OF WHAT WE WERE
DOING WITH THE INITIATIVE AND
OTHER FAITH ORGANIZATIONS, THAT
WE WERE PARTNERING WITH, THEY
WERE LOOKING AT THE FLEXIBILITY
OF THAT 60% TO 80%, NOT THAT
ALL THE PRODUCTS ARE GOING TO
BE 80%, AS A MATTER OF FACT BUT
WE NEEDED THE FLEXIBILITY, FOR
NOT ONLY, THE RANGE OF TYPES
OF HOMES, IT IS HOMEBUYERS.
HOMEOWNERS. TO BE ABLE TO HIT
THAT SWEET SPOT, TO BE ABLE
UNDER 80% BUT ALSO HAVE ENOUGH
INCOME, TO QUALIFY FOR A
MORTGAGE, SO THAT MAY PUSH IT
UP TO 65 OR 70%, IT MAY NOT BE
AT 80%, FROM THE STUDIES WE
KNOW NOW, MOST OF THE AT 65 TO
70% AND 80% IS THERE, FOR THE
HEDGE AGAINST THE FUTURE
INFLATION THAT WE ARE SEEING,
HOUSING COST, NOW OUTSTRIPPING
INCOME INCREASES. SO AN 80%,
AND THAT MIDDLE PLACE IN OUR
COMMUNITY, FOR BEGINNING
SCHOOLTEACHERS, FOR FIRST
RESPONDERS, OR FOR OUR
ESSENTIAL WORKERS. IT IS REALLY
CLOSER TO 80%, AND THEY STILL
CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN
SEATTLE, SO IF WE ARE TALKING
EXPANDING THAT AND THE
AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE
HOMES, AND THAT IS A
QUANTIFIABLE NUMBER, 30% OF
YOUR HOUSEHOLD INCOME YOU
SHOULD NOT SPEND MORE THAN THAT
ON YOUR LIVING, THERE ARE MORE
PEOPLE THAT FALL INTO THAT
CATEGORY. ABOVE 60%. THEN,
JUST THE VERY LOW INCOME.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF PROGRAMS
FOR THEM. AND I APPLAUD THOSE
PROGRAMS AND WE NEED THOSE AND
WE NEED THE OTHERS AS WELL, UP
TO 80%, WE NEED THAT
FLEXIBILITY.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY FOR THIS, IT
IS 30% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT HAD
TO BE UP TO 80%, SO WE HAVE THE
OTHER THAT WOULD NOT BE AT
ANY PERCENTAGE, WITH THE
RELIGIOUS OWNED PROPERTY, ALL
OF THE PROJECTS CAN BE UP TO
80% SO WE DON'T HAVE A
LIMITATION ON THAT.
>> I KNOW WE ARE GETTING TO THE
END OF OUR COMMITTEE MEETING. I
REALLY JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU
ALL FOR BEING HERE, AND FOR THE
INFORMATION AND FOR YOUR
EXPERIENCE BECAUSE IT IS ALWAYS
HELPFUL TO HEAR THE EXPERIENCE
THAT FOLKS ARE DOING IN THIS
TYPE OF WORK. I WILL SAY THAT
THE PIECE OF LEGISLATION, WE DO
NEED TO REVIEW IT AT LEAST I DO
MORE FULLY. AND I WILL SAY THAT
YOU, YOU, THERE ARE QUESTIONS
ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, WE CAN
KEEP TALKING ABOUT THOSE. AND
THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHER
PROGRAMS AT THE CITY THAT ARE
TRYING TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY
BECAUSE ONE THING HERE THAT IS
TRUE, IS THAT WE ARE ADDING A
PILOT PROGRAM AND THE TRUTH IS
THE CITY HAS YET TO ADD A PILOT
PROGRAM THAT HAS ACTUALLY
SUNSET AND I DON'T KNOW
HOWEVER LONG I DON'T SEE THIS
AS A PILOT PROGRAM, BECAUSE WE
HAVE NEVER COMPLETED ANY, SO
THE TRUTH IS, WHO KNOWS HOW
LONG THIS WILL LAST. AND ALSO
THIS HAS HAD A TIME ATTACHED
TO IT, LIKE I THOUGHT IT WAS
10 YEARS OR SOMETHING, LIKE
YOU CAN CORRECT ME, IT IS QUITE
A LENGTH OF TIME SO TO ME,
THAT IS A LONG TIME, THAT IS
PROGRAM WOULD ACTUALLY BE IN
EXISTENCE, AND I WILL SAY,
THAT WE HEAR, OR AT LEAST THOSE
OF US , NO, AND THOSE OF US WHO
HAVE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL FOR A
WHILE KNOW ALL OF THE PROGRAMS
THAT WE ARE ADMINISTERING
ACROSS THE CITY, THAT ARE
ACTUALLY ADDRESSING THE HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY. AND I KNOW THAT
I MEAN JUST LAST WEEK , WE
ISSUED SOME AWARDS ON HOUSING
PROJECTS THAT THEY COULD ONLY
DO A CERTAIN NUMBER BECAUSE
THEY HAD TO GO BACK AND FUND
MORE OF THOSE OTHER PROJECTS
THAT HAVEN'T BEEN COMPLETED
AND NOW NEED MORE FUNDING, WE
ARE ALL TRYING TO COME UP TO
SPEED WITH ALL OF THOSE
PROGRAMS AND SO THIS IS
ANOTHER PROGRAM ON TOP OF THE
ONES THAT THE CITY DOES
ADMINISTER, BUT WE REALLY NEED
TO DIG INTO, I THINK THERE IS A
LEVEL OF DISCOMFORT, TO START
A WHOLE NEW PROJECT WHEN WE ARE
NOT CLEAR ON HOW WELL THE
EXISTING PROJECTS AND
INCENTIVES THAT ARE CURRENTLY
DOING AT THE CITY ARE DOING,
SO I WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT AND
HONEST ABOUT THAT. AND AT THE
SAME TIME, THANK YOU FOR
COMING, AND I KNOW THAT WE WILL
KEEP HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL. BUT I
ALSO OUT OF RESPECT FOR YOU
ALL, WHO CAME HERE TODAY, AND
ARE DOING WORK ON THE GROUND, I
WANT TO KNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK
THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING.
AS WELL AS JUST MORE
INFORMATION THAT WE ARE GOING
TO NEED.
>> I WANTED TO RESPOND A LITTLE
BIT, WHETHER IT IS UP TO 60%
OR 80% ANY PROJECT IS GOING TO
PENCIL TO DO A CAPITAL
CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISING THAT DAY,
AND ON OUR 60% COLUMBIA CITY,
20 DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES,
THEY WILL PENCIL, YOU JUST
HAVE TO DO THE WORK. IF YOU
WANT TO ADDRESS THE PERCENTAGE,
AGAIN, THAT CAME THROUGH THE
COMMITTEE THAT IS A DRAMATIC
JUMP APPEARED TO WHAT A LOT OF
CITY PROGRAMS HAVE. BECAUSE
INSTEAD OF THINKING ABOUT THIS
BEING AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING
BUILDING. THAT IS TAKING AWAY
UNITS AND REPLACING THOSE WITH
MARKET RATE. WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT PROJECTS THAT WOULD HAVE
BEEN MARKET RATE . AND IF YOU
WERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME
OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS OF THE
CITY HAS, YOU CAN PAY TO NOT
HAVE ANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING
ON-SITE. AND THIS WOULD MANDATE
30%. THAT IS HER DRAMATIC
INCREASE TO WHAT WE HAVE IN
MANY OF OUR BELOVED PROGRAMS,
SO IT IS REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW
WE ARE GETTING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING INTO PROJECTS THAT
WOULD'VE OTHERWISE NOT BEEN
AFFORDABLE OF PEOPLE. OF
MULTIPLE INCOMES IN OUR CITY.
>> I'M GLAD YOU RAISED THAT
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE MHA, THAT IS
WHAT YOU ARE REFERRING TO.
DEVON, AND WE'VE ALL SAID
HERE, MAYBE WE NEED TO RELOOK
AT MHA, AND THOSE AMI
REQUIREMENTS, BUT THAT IS MY
POINT, WE HAVEN'T HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE
PROGRAMS THAT CURRENTLY EXIST
AND SAY, DO WE NEED TO AMEND
THIS, BUT THEN CAN WE ADD
ANOTHER PROGRAM AND WHAT ARE
THE IMPLICATIONS AND LONG-TERM
CONSEQUENCES OF DOING THAT,
BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE ALL ON
THE SAME PAGE ABOUT WANTING TO
DO DO GOOD IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU, SO WE ARE ALMOST
OUT OF TIME, I WANT TO THANK
ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING
THE TIME TO COME SHARE THE WORK
THAT YOU ARE DOING. AGAIN, I
WILL SAY THAT THE GOAL IS
REALLY TO PROVIDE THE
FLEXIBILITY, FOR HOW WE CREATE
MORE PARTNERSHIPS. I THINK
WHAT WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO DO
HERE, IS SYSTEM THE
PARTNERSHIP THAT IS BUILDING
AND AD HOC WAY RIGHT NOW. AND
WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE
INCENTIVE FOR PARTNERSHIPS TO
GET CREATIVE AND PROVIDE THE
SUPPORT AND THE ABILITY FOR
UNIFYING PROJECTS THAT SERVE
COMMUNITY, AND CAN ALSO SERVE
THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT GOALS,
PARTICULARLY FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES AND OTHER COMMERCIAL
PROJECTS THAT WE KNOW OUR
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE ASKING
FOR. SO, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE.
I JUST WANTED TO LET FOLKS
KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE
DONE POTENTIALLY SOME INTEREST
IN MAKING SOME CHANGES, TO THE
BILL. THE NEXT COMMITTEE
MEETING, IS MARCH 6th. I'M
SORRY, I'M TRYING TO FIND MY
NOTES. WE GO, SO THE NEXT
COMMITTEE MEETING, IS MARCH
6th. WE'LL BE GETTING A
BRIEFING, FROM THE EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, FOLKS
AT THE OPPOSITE PLANNING
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND A
LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT HERE IS WORK AND
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS
UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS. THEY
WILL PRESENT THE WORK INVOLVED
AND CAN REALLY ANSWER QUESTIONS
SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT
CAME OUT TODAY. RELATED TO HOW
WE WORK WITH COMMERCIAL
PROJECTS. I WILL ALSO SAY THAT
IF COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE
CONSIDERING AMENDMENTS TO THE
COMMUNITY LEGISLATION, PLEASE
TALK TO CENTRAL STAFF, BY
MARCH 8th. AND WE WILL BE
TAKING UP A BILL AT THIS POINT
AND HE CAN HELP YOU THERE, IF
THERE IS NO OTHER BUSINESS.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. IT
IS FOR:01. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE EVERYONE.