>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
ARE WE ON ? I THINK WE ARE ON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, THE
JULY 3rd , 2024 REGULARLY
SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE
LAND-USE COMMITTEE WILL COME TO
ORDER AT 2:02 P.M., I AM TAMMY
MORALES. PLEASE CALL THE ROLE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
>> PRESENT ?
>> RIVERA ?
>> PRESENT .
>> WOO?
>> PRESENT.
>> FOUR PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS IS
EXCUSED TODAY. WE HAVE TWO
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA,
APPOINTMENTS , THREE
APPOINTMENTS AND A PRESENTATION
ABOUT THE EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE ADVISORY BOARD.
COUNSEL BILL 120761, ABOUT THE
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED. WE WILL OPEN
THE HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD RELATING TO ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA AND WITHIN THE PURVIEW
OF THIS COMMITTEE. WE HAVE A
COUPLE OF PEOPLE ONLINE AND
MAYBE A HALF-DOZEN IN PERSON.
WE WILL GET EACH SPEAKER TWO
MINUTES AND WE WILL START WITH
IN PERSON FIRST. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT TIME WILL BE MODERATED
, UP TO 20 MINUTES, SPEAKERS
WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER IN
WHICH THE REGISTERED AND WE
WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN THE IN
PERSON AND ONLINE, WHEN YOU
HEAR A CHIME, THAT MEANS 10
SECONDS ARE LEFT AND WE WILL
ASK YOU TO PLEASE BEGIN TO WRAP
UP YOUR COMMENTS SO THE NEXT
PERSON CAN SPEAK. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS OPEN.
>> FIRST, ALEX ZIMMERMAN,
FOLLOWED BY CHRIS WOODWARD.
S.T.E.A.M. [ SPEAKING IN A
NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE ] I WANT
TO HELP YOU, WE PRESENTED
INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT. WHEN YOU -- YOU
CANNOT BELIEVE THESE
BUREAUCRATS , THEY HAVE TOTALLY
DIFFERENT OPINIONS. SIMPLE
PROPOSITION FOR YOU , I GIVE
YOU CLASSIC EXAMPLE, SO YOU
KNOW ABOUT WHAT I AM TALKING.
YOU MAKE DECISION , [
INDISCERNIBLE ] WE NEED
SOMETHING DOING ABOUT THIS $130
BILLION. THOUSAND AND THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
PEOPLE LIKE ME CANNOT GO TO
THIS COMMITTEE BECAUSE NO ONE
WILL PUT ME IN THE COMMITTEE
WHEN I HAVE A DIFFERENT
OPINION. I KNOW THIS. OPEN
BETTER ROOM IN CITY HALL. SO
PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIFFERENT
OPINIONS WILL HELP YOU. BECAUSE
I SUPPORT YOU. LOW INCOME
HOUSING, FOR HUNDRED THOUSAND
PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, WE NEED A NEW
BLOOD. ALL NEW BLOOD CAN ONLY
COME FROM OUTSIDE. BRING NEW
PEOPLE --
>> UP NEXT, CHRIS WOODWARD,
FOLLOWED BY ASHLEY HOLLAND.
>> I REPRESENT THE ALLIANCE FOR
PIONEER SQUARE. LOCATED IN
DISTRICT 1 WE SUPPORT THE
PIONEER SQUARE HISTORIC
DISTRICT. COUNSEL BILL 120761,
INCLUDING LANGUAGE STIMULATING
ALL PROJECTS LOCATED IN THE
PIONEER SQUARE PRESERVATION
DISTRICT UNDERGO FULL
CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL PROCESS
BY THE STAFF . THE ALLIANCE HAS
SAID TO IMPROVE HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT IN PIONEER SQUARE
AND A STUDY IN MARCH OF 2022
FOUND THE PIONEER SQUARE WITH A
MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF
AFFORDABLE AND SUBSIDIZED
HOUSING THAN THE CITY.
ADDITIONAL MARKET-RATE HOUSING
CONVERSION WILL CREATE SEVERAL
BENEFITS FOR PIONEER SQUARE,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
OPPORTUNITIES FOR RETAILERS ,
NEIGHBORHOOD RESILIENCY. IN
GENERAL , WE SUPPORT THE BILL
TO INCREASE RESIDENTIAL HOUSING
IN PARTICULAR BUT THE SPECIAL
REVIEW DISTRICT OF THE PIONEER
SQUARE PRESERVATION DISTRICT
MUST BE EXPLICITLY INCLUDED IN
THE BILL. LAND USE INCLUDING
PIONEER SQUARE PRESERVATION
DISTRICT ENSURES THAT THE
HISTORIC CHARACTER OF PIONEER
SQUARE ARE THOUGHTFULLY
PRESERVED AND WE LOOK FORWARD
TO CONTINUING THIS DIALOGUE ON
OFFICE TWO RESIDENTIAL
CONVERSION AND I THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORK ON THIS ISSUE.
>>> ASHLEY HOLLAND, FOLLOWED BY
ABIGAIL.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON ,
COUNCILMEMBERS. I REPRESENT
HISTORIC SOUTH DOWNTOWN, A
STATE CREATED ORGANIZATION
DEDICATED TO ELEVATING THE
VOICES OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK
, AND CONSIDER AS A HOME
HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS OF
PIONEER SQUARE. OUR
CONSTITUENTS ARE IN DISTRICT 1
AND 2, MY COMMENT IS REGARDING
AGENDA ITEM 1 CB 120761, WE
APPRECIATE YOUR WORK TO GUIDE
THE CONVERSATION IN THE OFFICE
BUILDINGS IN PIONEER SQUARE TO
CREATE RESIDENTIAL HOUSING. WE
RECOGNIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY
WITHIN THE DISTRICT GIVEN THE
CURRENT OFFICE VACANCY RATES
CONTINUE TO BE MUCH HIGHER THAN
PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS AND
DIVORCING -- DIVERSE HOUSING AS
NEEDED. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES ON YOUR
WORK ON THIS AMENDMENT TO
RESTORE REGULATIONS TO
REGARDING SPECIAL REVIEW
DISTRICT SUCH AS PIONEER SQUARE
PRESERVATION DISTRICT AND THE
INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL REVIEW
DISTRICT. WE SUPPORT
STREAMLINING THIS PROCESS TO
CONVERT OFFICE TO RESIDENTIAL
USES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AT
THE SAME TIME, IMPORTANT TO SEE
SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT KEEPS
HISTORICAL PRESERVATION
CRITERIA INTACT . I URGE THIS
BODY TO SUPPORT CB 120761 WITH
AMENDMENT 1, VERSION 2. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO ENGAGING IN THIS
DISCUSSION MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> ABIGAIL FOLLOWED BY STEVE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON I AM A LOCAL
LAND USE ATTORNEY AND HEAR
REPRESENTING THE PROJECT UNDER
CONSTRUCTION AT 6th AND
BATTERY, IN DEVELOPMENT FOR
MANY YEARS , EXCITED TO SEE IT
FINALLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND
INCLUDES ABOUT 900 RESIDENTIAL
UNITS. IN THE PODIUM, IT
INCLUDES A PROPOSED HOTEL
SPACE. THE OWNERS FROM CANADA
WOULD LIKE TO CONVERT THAT
SPACE FROM HOTEL TO ABOUT 100
ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL UNITS
THAT COULD BE DELIVERED AT THE
SAME TIME AS THE OVERALL
PROJECT WITH THIS LEGISLATION
ADVANCING AS PROPOSED HERE
TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THE
CONVERSION LEGISLATION AND
ASKING YOU TO MOVE IT FORWARD
TODAY AND ADVANCE IT AT THE
FULL COUNCIL . IT WILL HELP
CREATE MORE HOUSING IN DOWNTOWN
WHICH I THINK IS AN OUTCOME WE
CAN ALL SUPPORT. SEPARATE FROM
MY COMMENTS FROM MY CLIENT, I
REVIEWED ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS
AND I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT ALL
OF THE AMENDMENTS MAKE A LOT OF
SENSE , I AM CONCERNED WITH
AMENDMENT 2 ABOUT MHA
APPLICABILITY OUTSIDE OF
DOWNTOWN ONLY BECAUSE THERE
WILL BE BUILDINGS THAT ARE
CONSTRUCTED AFTER 2019 WHERE
THEY ALREADY APPLIED TO THEM
AND NO CURRENT MECHANISM AND
MHA TO REFUND ANY COMMERCIAL
FEES THAT WERE PAID OR OFFSET
WITH THE ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL
FEES THAT WOULD BE PAID FOR THE
RESIDENCE. YOU MAY GET
SITUATIONS WHERE THERE IS A
DOUBLE MHA PAYMENT WICKED
DISTANCE AND ADVISED USE OF THE
ORDINANCE. -- WHICH COULD THIS
INCENTIVIZE -- DISINCENTIVIZE
USE OF THIS ORDINANCE.
>> STEVE MIKE MAX
>> HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR AND
STILL A ZERO TREE POLICY,
DEVELOPERS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN
COVERAGE AND WE ARE NOT LOOKING
AT MHA FEES, WHICH ARE VERY
LOW, EVERYONE CLAIMS TO BE FOR
LOW MARKET HOUSING FOR THOSE
NOT MAKING $100,000 OR $200,000
OR MORE PER YEAR , BUT I DON'T
THE ACTION THAT WAY. I HAVE
COME TO THE CONCLUSION
INCIDENTS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE
THAN WELFARE. IF YOU WANT TO
LOOK AT THE PROPOSAL YOU HAVE
TODAY, WHICH INHERENTLY IS GOOD
, TAKING PROPERTY WHICH IS FOR
OFFICES, WHICH IS HIGH VACANCY
RATE , ABOUT 25% I THINK RIGHT
NOW, THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF
INCENTIVE TO CONVERGE
RESIDENTIAL WHICH DOES NOT HAVE
NEARLY AS HIGH OF A VACANCY
RATE. THE STATE HAS DONE IN
SOME MONEY, AND , BECAUSE THEY
WILL NOT CHARGE SALES TAX ON
THE CONVERGENCE. MY ONE
CONCERN, THE BOTTOM FLOOR
SHOULD REMAIN COMMERCIAL , IF
YOU START BREAKING UP
COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS , YOU HAVE
REAL PROBLEMS OF MAINTAINING
THEM. DOWNTOWN, YOU ARE GOING
TO STILL NEED GROCERY STORES ,
YOU ARE STILL GOING TO NEED
THINGS FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE
BUILDING ANYWAY. IF YOU DON'T
MAINTAIN THE BOTTOM FLOOR AS
COMMERCIAL , I SEE IT AS BAD
FOR THE RESIDENTS. I KEEP
HEARING ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT
IS TO MAKE THIS CONVERSION IN
ALL SUBSIDIES REALLY NEED TO DO
IT. ONE OF THE BIG PUSHERS IS
THE FACT THAT THE OFFICE SPACE
IS EMPTY. KIND OF A BIG PUSH IN
ITSELF . LOOK AT THE
PERSPECTIVES OF SOME OF THESE
GROUPS THAT ARE DOING THE
CHANGES AND SEE IF THEY TELL
YOU ABOUT THE MONEY THEY'RE
GOING TO MAKE.
>> SWITCHING TO ONLINE
SPEAKERS, FIRST , IAN, FOLLOWED
BY MARK.
>> THANK YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES. GO AHEAD.
>> THIS IS IAN, LAND USE
ATTORNEY IN SUPPORT OF THE
OFFICE TO RESIDENTIAL PROPOSAL,
THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR, OFFICE
OF HOUSING, THE LAND USE
COMMITTEE FOR YOUR WORK,
EXCITING TO BE AT THIS STAGE
WHERE WE WILL BRING MORE
VIBRANCY INTO DOWNTOWN BY
CONVERTING UNDERUTILIZED VACANT
OFFICE SPACE INTO HOUSING ,
ESPECIALLY HOUSING THAT COULD
INCLUDE AFFORDABLE COMPONENTS
WITH THE ADOPTION OF STATE BILL
6175. WE APPRECIATE THE WORK
YOU HAVE DONE TO REFINE THIS
BILL AND EXCITED TO SEE IT GO
FORWARD. I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS,
THANK YOU SPECIFICALLY TO
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES FOR
AMENDMENT 4, ALLOWING FOR
PROJECTS READY TO GO PURSUE IT
TO GET A JUMPSTART TO BRING
HOUSING FORWARD. WE WOULD
ENCOURAGE THE COMMITTEE TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH AMENDMENT 4. I
WILL SPEAK TO THE PIONEER
SQUARE ISSUES , WE APPRECIATE
THE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE
AND STAKEHOLDERS AND WILL
ENCOURAGE , AS YOU WORKING WITH
INCENTIVIZING CONVERGENCE FOR
DISTRICTS , WE WORK ON WAYS TO
STREAMLINE THE PERMITTING
PROCESS WITH THE PIONEER SQUARE
PRESERVATION DISTRICT. MAYBE
ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS COMING TO
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL STREET-LEVEL
USES , SIMPLY ENCOURAGING THAT
THE COUNCIL , AS YOU THINK
ABOUT THAT, FOCUS ON
FLEXIBILITY , NOT MANDATES , A
LOT OF THESE BUILDINGS ON THE
STREET LEVEL ARE UNIQUE AND
INVOLVE RETAIL. IF YOU HAVE
ALLEY FACADES, WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT RETAIL AND
RESIDENTIAL ON THE GROUND FLOOR
CAN BE ACHIEVABLE THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME.
>> OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS MARK.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS
YOU TODAY. I HAVE BEEN A
RESIDENT OF SEATTLE FOR 32
YEARS . I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE
OFFICE TO RESIDENTIAL
LEGISLATION , COUNCIL BILL
120761 , I WOULD LIKE TO
EMPHASIZE THAT THE INCENTIVES
IN THIS BILL WILL GO TOWARDS
MAKING MORE OF THESE PROJECTS
OPTIMAL AND MAKING SURE WE ARE
ADDING UNITS TO THE HOUSING
MARKET AND ALSO ADDING
AFFORDABLE UNITS TO THE
MARKETPLACE BECAUSE , IF THE
COUNCIL ADOPTS THIS , THE NEW
STATE LINES AT THE, SENATE BILL
6175, REQUIRING 10% OF THE
UNITS OF ADAPTIVE REUSE TO BE
AFFORDABLE FOR 10 YEARS. I
WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS SUPPORT
FOR AMENDMENT 4 AND THANK AND
ACKNOWLEDGE CHAIR MORALES FOR
OFFERING THE AMENDMENT, AN
IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN MAKING
THESE UNITS POSSIBLE THERE MAY
BE ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS
PROPOSED RELATING TO
STREET-LEVEL USES AND I
RECOMMEND ANY REQUIRED
STREET-LEVEL USES BE TIED TO
THE LAST OCCUPIED SPACE SO THAT
THERE IS CONSISTENCY. THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEST AND
WE ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO
PASS THIS LEGISLATION AND
SENATE BILL SUPPORTING MORE
CONVERSION PROJECTS AROUND THE
CITY.
>>> THAT WAS THE FINAL SPEAKER.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS
TO EVERYBODY WHO CALLED OR CAME
IN WITH NO ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS
, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
CLOSED AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM. IF YOU
WOULD PLEASE READ ITEMS ONE
THROUGH THREE INTO THE RECORD
-- BEFORE THAT , THE PLAN IS TO
VOTE ON THE THREE BOARD
APPOINTMENTS TODAY. HEARING NO
OBJECTION, PLEASE READ THE
THREE ITEMS INTO THE RECORD.
>> EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE ADVISORY BOARD
PRESENTATION AND APPOINTMENTS
02904, 02905, 02906, FOR
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> JOINED BY JENNA FRANKLIN AND
I WILL INVITE YOU TO GIVE YOUR
PRESENTATION AND WE WILL HEAR
FROM JAMES . A DISCUSSION WE
HAD YESTERDAY DURING THE
TRANSPORTATION LEVY COMMITTEE
MEETING WHERE WE VOTED ON AN
AMENDMENT THAT WOULD GIVE LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES AND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR GREATER
ACCESS TO DECISION-MAKING ABOUT
HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFECTS
THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. WHETHER WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT SIDEWALKS,
HOUSING , OR ACCESS TO
AFFORDABLE COMMERCIAL SPACE, WE
KNOW THAT THESE COMMUNITIES
HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN LEFT OUT
OF DECISION-MAKING. THROUGHOUT
OUR CITY, WE HAVE DEPARTMENTS
WHO ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS THE
HISTORIC HARM AND THAT MEANS
SHARING SOME POWER AND
RESOURCES WITH COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR. IT IS A CHANGE FROM THE
WEIGHT MANY MUNICIPALITIES HAVE
OPERATED BUT AN IMPORTANT
CHANGE AND REFLECTS HOW SEATTLE
IS WORKING TO SUPPORT GREATER
COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP , WEALTH
BUILDING, AND REALLY GIVING
SPACE FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS TO
DEMONSTRATE THEIR COMMUNITY
LEADERSHIP. SO , I SAY ALL THAT
BECAUSE, THE EDI PROGRAM IS AN
EXAMPLE OF THAT WORK AND IS
VERY INTENTIONALLY MEANT TO BE
AN ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY.
WE WILL HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
HOW THIS PROGRAM WORKS AND
SPECIFICALLY HOW THE BOARD
GUIDES THE PROGRAM , AND THEN
THE CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB WILL BE
HERE AND WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR
APPOINTEES. PLEASE HOLD YOUR
QUESTIONS UNTIL AFTER THE
PRESENTATION, MY HOPE IS THIS
IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT HOW THE BOARD GUIDES THE
PROGRAM AND TO HEAR YOUR
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WORK THAT
PROGRAM DOES. WITH THAT , I
WILL HANDED OVER TO JENNA. IS
DAKOTA JOINING US AS WELL?
>> NO. IT IS JUST ME. WE WILL
BE PRESENTING ON BEHALF OF THE
BOARD APPOINTEES. WE WILL
PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE
OVERVIEW OF THE CANDIDATES.
>> PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> PLEASE GO AHEAD AND START
SHARING MY SCREEN. GREAT. THANK
YOU FOR INVITING US TO COME
BACK . WE APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MORE ABOUT
THE EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE AND THE IMPORTANT
ROLE THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN
LEADING THIS WORK, ESPECIALLY
OUR ADVISORY BOARD. THE EDI
ADVISORY BOARD IS AN INTEGRAL
PART OF HOW THE PROGRAM
FUNCTIONS AND HOW THE CRITERIA
ARE SET AND WE'RE LOOKING
FORWARD TO SHARING MORE OF THAT
WITH YOU AND ANSWERING
QUESTIONS. LET ME MINIMIZE
THIS. I THINK IT IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE EDI
STORY STARTS WITH COMMUNITY
LEAVING THE WORK . EDI , IN ITS
EIGHT TO NINE YEARS SINCE BEING
DEVELOPED HAS MATURED AND STILL
HAS MORE ROOM TO MENTOR AND THE
BOARD GUIDES A LOVE THAT
PROCESS . AND HOLDS US
ACCOUNTABLE AS WE CHECK-IN FOR
HOW WE ARE MAKING AWARDS IN
ALIGNMENT WITH THE EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
, AND ALSO LOOK AT FINE-TUNING
THE CRITERIA AND DOING A LOT OF
WORK WITH RESPECT TO ENGAGING
WITH GRANTEE ORGANIZATIONS ,
AND WE WILL COVER THAT IN THIS
PRESENTATION. ORIGINALLY, THE
COALITION OF 21 ORGANIZATIONS ,
ALONG WITH THE RACE AND SOCIAL
EQUITY TASK FORCE , WORKING AND
STARTING EDI, WORKING TO
ADVOCATE AND CREATING THE
INITIATIVE. THEY CONTINUE TO BE
ENGAGED IN INFORMING AND
SHAPING VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
AND SHAPING HOW WE OF ALL AND
HOW WE HOLD OURSELVES
ACCOUNTABLE TO THE ORIGINAL
INTENT OF THE PROGRAM.
INITIALLY , THE INTERIM
ADVISORY BOARD WAS FORMED TO
HELP STAND UP EDI , BUT OVER
TIME, THAT INTERIM BOARD BECAME
A PERMANENT BOARD AND WAS PUT
INTO ORDINANCE . THAT PERMANENT
BOARD OF 13 PEOPLE MEET MONTHLY
, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
SUBCOMMITTEES OR COMMITTEES
THAT MEET ALSO AS A PART OF THE
WORK. AND A FULL BOARD MEETING.
THE PURPOSE AND FOCUS IS
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT , INCLUSIVE
GROWTH , ESPECIALLY IN
ALIGNMENT WITH THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN , INTEGRATE
THE THRIVING COMMUNITIES THAT
ARE NECESSARY FOR SEATTLE TO BE
A GREAT PLACE FOR EVERYONE TO
LIVE. WHICH IS ABOUT ECONOMIC
MOBILITY , CREATING OWNERSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES , AND CREATING
PATHWAYS FOR PEOPLE FROM
DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS TO FEEL
INCLUDED AND A PART OF SHAPING
SEATTLE TOMORROW AND IN THE
LONG-TERM FUTURE. OUR BOARD IS
VERY INVOLVED ON A MONTHLY
BASIS AND PROVIDING FEEDBACK
ABOUT EMERGING ISSUES , THEY
ARE INVOLVED WITH COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN REVIEW , AND THEY ALSO
WORK WITH A COMMUNITY REVIEW
PANEL WHEN WE GO INTO THE RFP
EVALUATION PROCESS. SORRY , I
HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY ON
MY SIDE. PARDON ME. AS I NOTED,
THIS BOARD MEETS AS A FULL-BODY
MONTHLY, THERE ARE FOUR CURRENT
SUBCOMMITTEES WHO HAVE
AUTHORITY TO CHANGE THEIR
SUBCOMMITTEE OR -- ORIENTATION,
THEY BEAT REGARDING POLICY ,
DATA , MONITORING , MANAGING
THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS OF THE
BOARD AND MAKING SURE THE BOARD
IS OPERATING SMOOTHLY AND
PROVIDING US WITH
RECOMMENDATIONS. THE FIRST
THREE POSITIONS ARE APPOINTED
BY THE MAYOR , THE SECOND SET
OF POSITIONS ARE APPOINTED BY
COUNCIL , AND SEVEN THROUGH 13
ARE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD AND
CONFIRMED BY COUNCIL . THEY ARE
GUIDING THE ALLOCATION OF EDI
MONEY DIRECTING STRATEGIES AND
IDENTIFYING CORE GOALS , THEY
ARE WORKING WITH GRANTEES TO
UNDERSTAND CHALLENGES TO
ELEVATE THOSE -- AND BRAINSTORM
ON WAYS TO ADDRESS THOSE. THEY
CONVENE AS A BOARD FOR AN
ANNUAL RETREAT TO HELP MAKE
SURE THEY ARE STAYING IN LINE
WITH THE COMMUNITY NEEDS BUT
ALSO BRING TOGETHER GRANTEES
FOR MEETINGS, INCREDIBLE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR NETWORK
BUILDING AND FOR LEARNING AND
SHARING FEEDBACK. AS COVID
OCCURRED, THAT WAS A CHALLENGE
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT THIS
YEAR, AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY
FOR THE BOARD TO DIRECTLY
ENGAGE WITH GRANTEES AND DO
THEIR WORK IN IMPROVING HOW THE
PROGRAM FUNCTIONS ON BEHALF OF
COMMUNITIES IT INTENDS TO
SERVE. THEY ARE ASKING US TO BE
ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOW
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES ARE
PROVIDED WITH GREATER ACCESS TO
OPPORTUNITIES. WHAT IS THE
BOARD'S ROLE IN THE FUNDING
PROCESS AND DECISION-MAKING
AROUND THE GRANT AWARDS ? THE
BOARD DRAWS -- THE CORE
CRITERIA FROM THE EQUITABLE
DEVELOP IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ,
WHICH FUNDAMENTALLY GUIDES EDI
OVERALL AS A PROGRAM AND HAS A
FINANCIAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
TIED TO IT, AND IT LAYS OUT SIX
CRITERIA , STRONG COMMUNITIES,
FRAMEWORK , ACCESS TO MOBILITY,
INCREASING ACCESS TO HOUSING,
ET CETERA. THEY FINE-TUNED
THOSE. WE LOOK AT THE PAST
INVESTMENTS, LOOKED AT GAPS ,
IN PAST YEARS THEY HAVE
DIRECTED US TO LOOK AT DOING
MORE ENGAGEMENT TO HAVE MORE
PROJECTS FOR COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR IN THE NORTH END, MORE
LGBTQ REPRESENTATION , REALLY
LOOKING AT WHERE WE HAVE STRONG
PERFORMANCE AND WHERE WE HAVE
GAPS , AND HELPING US MAKE SURE
OUR ANNUAL CRITERIA IS
FINE-TUNED SO WE ARE NOT
CREATING A MASS OF APPLICATIONS
THAT ARE NOT COMPETITIVE OR ARE
NOT SERVING THE RIGHT NEEDS AT
THE RIGHT TIME. THE BOARD WORKS
WITH A COMMUNITY EVALUATION
PANEL, IMPORTANT FOR MANAGING
CONFLICT OF INTEREST, MANY OF
OUR EDI GRANTEE ORGANIZATIONS
MATURE, SOME OF THEIR STAFF MAY
MOVE ON OR BE INTERESTED IN
EDI, JOINING THE BOARD OR VICE
VERSA, IF WE HAVE A BOARD
MEMBER WHO MOVES ON TO WORK AT
GRANTEE ORGANIZATIONS, THE
BOARD IS DESIGNED TO REFLECT
THE DIVERSITY OF THE COMMUNITY
THAT EDI ISN'T IN THE DESERT
AND THE EVALUATION PANEL JOINS
US DURING THE PROCESS AND WORKS
WITH THE BOARD, WE SEGMENT THE
DIFFERENT BOARD MEMBERS AND
EVALUATION PANEL MEMBERS AFTER
DOING A CONFLICT OF INTEREST
ASSESSMENT PROCESS THAT IS
DIRECTED TO US BY OFFICE OF
ETHICS AND ELECTIONS. THAT
ALLOWS US TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
MANAGING FOR THAT, NO ONE IS
REVIEWING POLED -- PROJECTS
THEY HAVE A CONFLICT WITH, AND
ONCE OR TWICE, PER YEAR, WE DO
THE RFP PROCESS, SOMETIMES IT
IS TWOFOLD , LOOKING AT
ACCELERATING EXISTING PROJECTS
AND TAKING ON NEW PROJECTS,
SOMETIMES IT IS COMBINED AND
THAT CAN DEPEND ON THE FUNDING
CLIMATE AND ALSO -- AND THE
AMOUNT OF FUNDING AVAILABLE,
AND ALSO CAN DEPEND A BIT ON
WHAT LEVEL OF LIFT IT WILL TAKE
FOR STAFF TO GET THE RFP
PROCESS IS DONE AND THE BEST
WAY TO DO IT CONSIDERING TIMING
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE CITY
WOULD ANNOUNCE THE FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY AND WE PROVIDE
WEBINARS , THE BOARD IS
INVOLVED WITH US DEVELOPING AND
REVIEWING THOSE MATERIALS SO
THE APPLICANTS ARE GETTING SOME
SUPPORT GUIDANCE ON HOW TO MOVE
THROUGH THE APPLICATION
PROCESS. WHAT ARE THE OVERALL
GOALS , ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ?
THAT EMPOWERS THEM TO WRITE
THEIR APPLICATION. THOSE
INFORMATION SESSIONS ARE
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO
ORGANIZATIONS NEW TO THIS
GRANTMAKING PROCESS. THEY ARE
INFORMATIVE AND IT POSITIONS
THEM TO ALSO CONTINUE APPLYING
FOR GRANT FUNDING ELSEWHERE AND
BOARD MEMBERS REMAIN AVAILABLE
TO OUR GRANTEE PARTNERS AS THEY
BUILD THEIR ADDITIONAL CAPITAL
, IF THEY NEED SUPPORT APPLYING
FOR MORE FUNDING OR IDENTIFYING
OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ,
THE BOARD IS VERY IMPORTANT
WITH MAINTAINING THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS AND ENSURING THAT
THAT INFORMATION IS FULLY MADE
TO GRANTEES. THE PROPOSALS
SUBMITTED AND THEY ARE ASSESSED
WITH THE GOALS AND CRITERIA ,
THE BOARD NEEDS TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE PROCESS WITH THE
EVALUATION PANEL. THAT THOROUGH
REVIEW PROCESS ALSO RESULTS IN
A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
AWARDS, EVERYTHING WILL BEGIN
AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE SOLICITATION
PROCESS HAD HELD INTEGRITY .
AND THEN WE ELEVATE THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND WORK WITH THE MAYOR
TO FINALIZE THEM. WHEN THOSE
SELECTIONS ARE MADE, WE PROVIDE
NOTIFICATION , USUALLY GOING
OUT TO GRANTEES , THEY ARE
NOTIFIED THERE IS -- AND A
PRESS RELEASE, THEN WE MOVED
INTO CONTRACTING AND
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE OF THE
WORK. WE CONTRACT -- OUR GOAL
IS TO TAKE THE APPLICATION AND
MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD HAS
BEEN INTEGRAL IN THE PROCESS OF
EVALUATION, ISSUE THE
CONDITIONAL AWARD, THE
CONDITIONAL AWARD IS WHAT THE
BOARD WILL EXPECT US TO DEVELOP
CONTRACT AND CONTRACT SCOPE
AROUND. THAT DRIVES THE DUE
DILIGENCE ACTIVITIES , OFTEN
THE BOARD MEMBERS MAY HELP IF
DUE DILIGENCE ISSUES COME UP,
MAYBE IT PARTICULARLY , RELATED
TO A SITE LOCATION BEING
CHALLENGED, THEY WILL COME BACK
AS THOUGHT PARTNERS ON WAYS IN
WHICH TO ADDRESS ISSUES . THE
LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP IS OF
GREAT VALUE. WHEN WE GET INTO
THIS PHASE OF WORK, WE ARE
LOOKING TO ASSESS ALL OF THE
DUE DILIGENCE DOCUMENTATION
THAT COMES IN AS A PROGRAM THAT
ALLOWS US TO START TO MAP OUT
WHERE ELSE DO WE NEED TO APPLY
SOME ASSISTANCE? WHEN WE HAVE
PROJECTS THAT WE KNOW HAVE
INTERESTING ZONING PROPOSALS,
WE WILL WORK WITH SDCI, ON
PERMITTING AND ZONING
QUESTIONS. WE WILL WORK WITH
COUNCILS, THOSE ARE INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT PATHWAYS FOR THESE
PROJECTS TO HAVE THE SUCCESS WE
INTEND FOR THEM TO HAVE. WE
WORK WITH HUMAN SERVICES,
SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO BLOCK
GRANT MONEY AND CHILDCARE
FACILITIES. OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, BUSINESS IMPROVING
PROGRAM IS GREAT, AND THEY WANT
OUR GRANTEES , AS THEY FIND A
PERMANENT SPACE , TO HAVE A
BUSINESS NETWORK RELATIONSHIP
IN THE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION THEY
ARE AND TO FEEL SUPPORTED AND
HAVE SUCCESS AND FEEL WELCOME
IN THE COMMUNITIES, OR HAVE THE
PARTNERSHIP THEY NEED TO
MAINTAIN THEIR VIABILITY,
WHETHER OWNERSHIP AND
OPERATION, AND THAT IS A GREAT
PARTNERSHIP. WE ALSO WORK WITH
UTILITIES , WE KNOW SOME OF OUR
PROJECTS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED
BY THE REQUIREMENTS -- LET'S
SAY THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ONE
UTILITY CONNECTION, AND THAT
MAY TRIGGER FULL UPGRADE OF A
WATER MAIN , AND UPDATING THAT
STREETSCAPE , WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE, WHEN WE ARE WORKING WITH
UTILITY PROVIDERS, THE CITY
AGENCIES CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT
THESE PROJECTS ARE ABOUT AND
HELP US ADDRESS THESE BARRIERS
TO PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND
DELIVERY, THAT ARE CUMBERSOME
FOR OUR GRANTEES TO NAVIGATE ,
THERE IS A LEARNING CURVE, AND
ALSO POTENTIALLY A HUGE COST
CHALLENGE TO THEM . IF WE ARE A
MAJOR FUNDER IN THESE PROJECTS,
WE ARE PAYING OURSELVES , IF WE
ARE PAYING ANOTHER CITY
DEPARTMENT, WE WANT TO WORK
WITH THEM TO ADDRESS THE NEED
AND MAKE SURE THAT CITY FUNDS
ARE NOT CYCLING AROUND AND NOT
BEING EFFECTIVE. WITH THAT , I
WOULD LOVE TO TURN THINGS OVER
TO JAMES WITH CHIEF SEATTLE
CLUB. I WILL LET JAMES
INTRODUCE HIMSELF AS EDI GRANT
FUNDED ORGANIZATION WHO HAS
DONE INCREDIBLE WORK.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON , THANK YOU .
FOR INVITING US. I AM ENROLLED
MEMBER OF THE -- I AM A MEMBER
OF THE SEATAC CITY COUNCIL BUT
THE CHIEF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
OFFICER FOR THE CHIEF SEATTLE
CLUB, WE RECEIVED THE
FUNDRAISING AND DEVELOPMENT OF
ASSETS FOR OUR COMMUNITY,
SPECIFICALLY OUR TRADITIONAL
SHELTERS AND HOUSING. I JOINED
THE CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB AS A
STAFF PERSON IN MAY OF 2021 AND
BEFORE THAT -- I WAS BORN AND
RAISED IN SEATTLE, MY CAREER IN
HUMAN SERVICES GOES BACK 22
YEARS IN SEATTLE. BUT, I HAVE A
BROTHER WHO IS A RESIDENT AT
ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS AFTER
HAVING BEEN ON THE STREETS FOR
20 SOMETHING YEARS. THIS IS
DEEPLY PERSONAL FOR A LOT OF
US. ONE OF THE THINGS WE LIKE
TO REMIND PEOPLE, THE
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS NATIVE
POPULATION IS HERE AS A RESULT
OF FEDERAL POLICY, IN THE
1950s, THE RELOCATION ERA
BROUGHT NATIVE PEOPLE FROM
RESERVATIONS INTO URBAN CENTERS
, PROMISES OF RESOURCES NEVER
MATERIALIZED AND THIS HAS BEEN
A CRISIS FOR OUR COMMUNITY
SINCE 1953. CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB
WAS FOUNDED IN 1970 TO ADDRESS
THAT. UNTIL 2019, WE HAD ONLY
BEEN ABLE TO SERVE PEOPLE IN
OUR DAY CENTER WHICH WAS IN
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS WE OPEN
EAGLE VILLAGE IN 2019, A
SHELTER THAT IS RELOCATING .
AROUND THAT TIME WAS WHEN CHIEF
SEATTLE CLUB STAFF STARTED TO
SEE THE DISPARITY BETWEEN
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE WERE
REFERRING TO PARTNER
ORGANIZATIONS TO HOUSE AND THE
NUMBER WHO WERE STAYING THERE
PASSED A CERTAIN TYPICAL
STABILIZATION PERIOD. VERY LOW.
PEOPLE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO
BE NATIVE. IT WAS VERY
CHALLENGING TO BE NATIVE IN A
NON-NATIVE SPACE, SO , PREVIOUS
LEADERSHIP , OUR EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR AND STARTED SAYING WE
NEED TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE
COMMUNITY THAT WILL GET THEM
OFF THE STREETS AND START
SOLVING THE REAL CAUSE WHICH
GOES BACK 50 SOMETHING YEARS.
WE WILL START WORKING ON A
PLACE THAT CAN ADDRESS THE
CULTURALLY RESPONSIBLE NEEDS TO
THAT -- THAT IS THEREFORE OUR
PEOPLE. AL AL IS A WORD FOR
HOME. EDI WAS ONE OF THE FIRST
KIND OF BREATH OF FRESH AIR
FUNDING SOURCES FOR A NATIVE
ORGANIZATION WHICH HAVE BEEN
LAUGHED OUT OF THE ROOM WHEN WE
CAME TO PUBLIC FUNDERS, A
FAMOUS POINT WITH OUR PREVIOUS
LEADERSHIP BEING LAUGHED OUT OF
THE ROOM WHEN THEY SAID THEY
WANTED TO BUILD HOUSING. THAT
WAS , YOU DO THAT TO SOMEONE
AND THEY WILL FIND A WAY TO
BUILD HOUSING, AND WE DID AND I
AM PROUD TO HAVE TAKEN ON SOME
OF THE TRADITION AS WE HAVE
BUILT A SOLID. AL AL , WE HAVE
-- THIS IS THE MOST COMPLEX
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT YOU CAN
EVER IMAGINE. WE HAVE THREE
DIFFERENT KINDS OF FEDERAL
VOUCHERS IN THE BUILDING,
PLAYSPACE, VETERANS , AND
EMERGENCY HOUSING LEFT OVER
FROM THE COVID PANDEMIC . WE
HAVE LOW INCOME TAX CREDIT ,
30% AND 50% FOR OUR UNITS, WE
HAVE COMMUNITY REFERENCE PLAN
FOR 50% OF THE UNITS WHICH HAS
BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE OFFICE OF
RACIAL JUSTICE -- SORRY, CIVIL
RIGHTS. WE HAVE A HEALTH CLINIC
IN THE BASEMENT, A PASS-THROUGH
THAT CUTS INTO OUR BUILDING
NEXT DOOR, WE ARE STILL
REPORTING TO THE WASHINGTON
STATE HOUSING FINANCE
COMMISSION ABOUT THE BUILDING
IN OUR LOCATION, NOW DEMOLISHED
, BECAUSE A LONG-TERM LEASE ON
THE PROPERTY -- WE ARE STILL
REPORTING ON THE LEROY HELMS
CENTER, DESTROYED FOR FIVE
YEARS. IT IS A COMPLEX PROJECT.
ALL OF THESE , FEDERAL, STATE ,
COUNTY , OR LOCAL SOURCES, THEY
CREATE CONDITIONS WHERE
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN
DISENFRANCHISED AND DISLOCATED,
YOU ARE UP AGAINST IT. WHEN YOU
ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP THESE
PROJECTS, BECAUSE NO ONE ON THE
FUNDING SIDE WHO HAS BEEN TO
THE SAME CHALLENGES. EDI , AS
WE TALK ABOUT THE BOARD OF EDI
, IN THIS FLUID COMMUNITY
NATURE OF HOW THERE IS A
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PAST
GRANTEES , NOW JOINING THE
BOARD, PAST BOARD MEMBERS
WORKING FOR THE BOARD, ONE OF
THE ONLY FUNDING SOURCES THAT
UNDERSTANDS, WHEN YOU START THE
PROCESS, A FIVE TO SEVEN YEAR
PROCESS TO BUILD SOMETHING FOR
YOUR COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS AN
INCREDIBLE DISPROPORTIONALITY
FOR CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS , THE
MOST VISIBLE CRISIS IN OUR
REGION , EDI IS ONE OF THE
PLACES YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT EXPLAINING THE CULTURAL
RESPONSIVE SERVICES ARE
ESSENTIAL AND THAT IS WHY THE
-- NATURE OF EDI FUNDING THAT
CAN BE MORE FLEXIBLE, IT CAN
TAKE LONGER TO FULLY USE ALL
THE KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE, AS OF
THE FUNDING STREAMS COME IN ,
THAT IS WHERE WE PARTNER AND
WORK TO SAY, GREAT NEWS , THIS
OTHER THING WILL FUND THIS PART
OF THE CAPITAL PROJECT, LET'S
WORK WITH EDI TO MAKE SURE THE
ENTIRE PROJECT IS THERE SO THAT
THE CLINIC CAN BE FULLY BUILT .
THAT THE FULLY QUALIFIED HEALTH
CLINIC THAT SERVES THE ENTIRE
COMMUNITY. WHEN WE HAVE A
BUILDING PRIMARILY FOR HOUSING,
YOU ARE LOOKING AT DEVELOPMENT
DOLLARS PER SQUARE FOOT. WHEN
YOU ARE LOOKING AT TOTAL NUMBER
OF UNITS DIVIDED BY SQUARE
FOOTAGE, IT DOES NOT BENEFIT
YOU AS A DEVELOPER TO BUILD
COMMUNITY SPACES IN BUILDINGS.
BECAUSE YOU ARE CUTTING OUT
UNITS WHICH RAISES YOUR COST
PER UNIT HIRE AND THAT MAKES
YOU LESS COMPETITIVE FOR PUBLIC
FUNDING EDI IS A PLACE YOU CAN
BE COMPETITIVE ALL SERVING THE
COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY CHRONIC
HOMELESS PEOPLE , IT IS A
LONELY WORLD . ESPECIALLY FOR
NATIVE FOLKS , 1% OF THE
GENERAL PUBLIC AND 32% OF THE
HOMELESS POPULATION IN A LONELY
AND SCARY WORLD. FOR OUR
BUILDING TO A FUNDING THAT
COULD HELP US BUILD THE
COMMUNITY IN MANY OF THESE
PLACES WHERE WE CAN BUILD
HEALING SERVICES, IT WAS REALLY
-- THIS IS THE THING THAT MAKES
A PROJECT WORK. I CAN READ FROM
THE SLIDE BUT -- DID YOU WANT
ME TO READ THE DETAILS OF THE
SLIDE, JENNA?
>> KEEP GOING.
>> WORKING FOR THE COMMITTEE? A
NUMBER OF THINGS WE DO IN A
BUILDING LIKE THIS, WAYS TO
MAKE SURE THAT NATIVE PEOPLE
WHO ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS,
THE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN IN
PIONEER SQUARE FOR THE LAST 54
YEARS, HAVE A PLACE WHERE THEY
WANT TO STAY HOUSED. WE HAVE
24/7 ON-SITE STAFF , CASE
MANAGEMENT , TRADITIONAL
HOMELESS PROGRAMS IN THE
BUILDINGS, WELL THE STAFF
ASSIGNED TO OUR BUILDINGS. THAT
COMES FROM THE SPARK THAT AL AL
HAS FOR CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB ,
THE ABILITY TO GREAT A BUILDING
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE BECAUSE
OF FUNDING THAT UNDERSTOOD
DISPLACEMENT, AS A FUNDRAISER ,
WE THINK OF FUNDING AS A THING,
AS AN ENTITY , BECAUSE IT
REALLY CAN TAKE SHAPE AND
CHANGE OVER TIME . IT CAN BE
ORGANIC WITH SOMETHING LIKE
EDI. TO UNDERSTAND THE THINGS
REQUIRED TO KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED,
NOT ENOUGH TO HOUSE THEM
INITIALLY, ENOUGH TO KEEP THEM
HOUSED. IT IS CRITICAL AND THAT
IS WHY WE OPEN THE BUILDING IN
JANUARY OF 2022 AND A YEAR
LATER TWO BUILDINGS IN MAY, WE
OPENED UP OUR FOURTH BUILDING.
AL AL IS A SPARK WHICH PROVED
TO DEVELOPERS AND KING COUNTY
AND THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND THE
STATE AND PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS
THAT, ONE OF THESE LITTLE
ENGINES THAT COULD REALLY COULD
COME A COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATION WITH LESS THAN $2
MILLION IN CAPITAL ASSETS
BEFORE 2004 , COULD ACTUALLY
BUILD HOUSING WE NOW HAVE 340
UNITS OF PURPOSE BUILT HOUSING
IN SEATTLE. JUST IN THE CITY
LIMITS. WE HAVE 50 SHELTER BEDS
TRANSITIONAL SHELTER BEDS THAT
KEEP PEOPLE STABILIZED SO THAT
PSH CAN STICK. THIS IS A
SUCCESS STORY OF A REMOVED
COMMUNITY, AS A AND FOR PEOPLE
HAVE HEARD, LEGAL IN 1865,
ILLEGAL TO BE NATIVE, A GROUP
THAT WAS FORCIBLY REMOVED FOR
TWO YEARS THE LAST LONGHOUSES
WERE BURNED OUT IN 1890, SO
THERE WAS A 120 YEAR GAP WITH
NO NATIVE HOUSING IN THE
DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR. THERE WAS
HOMEOWNERSHIP BY NATIVES BUT NO
NATIVE HOUSING THE SPARK OF
THINGS LIKE EDI THAT GOT CHIEF
SEATTLE CLUB STARTED IN
FIGHTING DISPLACEMENT AND
INFIGHTING THE INEQUITABLE
DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSING WHICH
HAS NOW SEEN OUR MASSIVE
GROWTH. WE START WITH THAT
STORY AND WISH WE COULD CHANGE
THINGS HERE AND THERE ABOUT THE
LAST FIVE YEARS AND NOW THIS IS
WORKING. IT IS BECAUSE EDI HAS
BEEN FLEXIBLE FUNDING BUT NOT
IN THE SENSE THAT WE USE IT
HERE AND THERE, WE HAVE A
RIGOROUS RFP PROCESS , CLOSE
TRACKING, BUT FUNDING THAT DID
NOT HAVE THE SAME SPIN DOWN
TIMELINE AS WE WENT THROUGH A
REGIONAL CONCRETE STRIKE THAT
DELAYED THE OPENING OF OUR
BUILDING BY A YEAR. WE HAD THE
FUNDING CONTINUED TO DO
DEVELOPMENT IN ADDITIONAL
DESIGN WORK AS WE REDESIGNED
AROUND THINGS WE HAD NO IDEA.
WE ARE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AND
WHEN YOU DIG DOWN TO BUILD
SIDEWALKS, YOU FIND LIGHT POLE
ELECT -- ELECTRIC CONDUIT TO
LIGHT POLES NO ONE KNEW WHERE
THERE. IT IS A POWERFUL FUNDING
SOURCE BECAUSE OF THE FOCUS IT
LETS US HAVE ON BUILDING
HOUSING FOR DISPLACED
COMMUNITIES AND LETTING US
APPLY IT AT THE RIGHT TIME AND
IN THE RIGHT PLACE TO ENSURE
HOUSING IS COMPLETED BECAUSE IT
IS HARD TO KNOW, WITHOUT THAT ,
HOW FAR WE WOULD'VE GOTTEN IN
THE PROJECT. I THINK THAT
COVERS MOST OF WHAT IS ON THE
SLIDES AND IMPASSIONED SPEECH
FROM SOMEBODY WHO THINKS THIS
IS WORKING AND WE SHOULD DO
MORE. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU
WANTED TO SAY, JENNA?
>> EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS WITH
CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB, IDENTIFIED
MULTIPLE CONTRACTS FROM VARIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS AND INTERNALLY
WITH EDI AND HDS, WE ARE
CREATING REDUNDANT REQUIREMENTS
WHICH ADDED LAYERS OF WORK THAT
WE COULD CONSOLIDATE. WE WORKED
WITH HSD TO CONSOLIDATE THE
CONTRACTS AND LIFT THE BURDEN.
IN ADDITION, ONE OF THE
WONDERFUL OUTCOMES OF THIS
PROJECT FOR EDI IS THAT, WE GO
BEHIND WHO IS ON THE EDI BOARD
AND WORKS WITH CHIEF SEATTLE
CLUB , JOINED THE BOARD AND CAN
SHARE WITH CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB
AND WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED WITH
OTHER GRANTEE ORGANIZATIONS.
THAT LEGACY OF COMMUNITY CARE
AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY
CONTINUES THROUGH THOSE SORTS
OF RELATIONSHIPS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
INTERESTING TO HEAR THE STORY ,
THE HISTORY OF THE
ORGANIZATION. I WAS THERE AT
THE GRAND OPENING OF AL AL WITH
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, SENATOR
MURRAY, EXCITING TO SEE THE
HOUSING AND HEALTHCARE CLINIC
IN THE BASEMENT TO MAKE SURE
THERE IS ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE
FOR PEOPLE, NOT ALWAYS AN EASY
THING TO DO. CONGRATULATIONS.
AND ON THE SUBSEQUENT PROJECTS
YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO. I
WILL OPEN IT UP IF PEOPLE HAVE
QUESTIONS . ANYTHING YOU WANTED
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT?
>> THANK YOU. NICE TO SEE YOU
AGAIN , THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO SELL
ME ON THE MERITS OF CHIEF
SEATTLE CLUB, I AM VERY
SUPPORTIVE AND YOU HAVE HOSTED
ME A COUPLE TIMES TO DO TOURS
AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS
IMPORTANT WORK AND I AM VERY
GRATEFUL . I ALSO WANT TO GIVE
A SHOUT OUT TO FOR
COUNCILMEMBER DEBORA JUAREZ WHO
HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF
CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB AND I
APPRECIATE ALL HER EFFORTS IN
THE COMMUNITY. I WANT TO GIVE
HER A SHOUT OUT. I HAVE A
QUESTION, GETTING BACK TO THE
BOARD, BECAUSE THIS IS DOING
BOARD APPOINTMENTS TODAY. I
APPRECIATE HEARING ABOUT THE
PROJECT , THANKFULLY , I HAD
GOTTEN THOSE TOURS A COUPLE
TIMES. LOOKING FORWARD TO
HEARING FROM THE DEPARTMENT
WHEN THEY DO THE REPORTS ON THE
EDI PROJECT THEY WILL BE DOING
LATER IN THE YEAR. VERY MUCH
LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT . IN
TERMS OF THE BOARD , CAN YOU
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
SUBCOMMITTEES OF THE BOARD?
ALSO , JENNA, YOU MENTIONED, IN
TERMS OF COMPLEX , ARE THERE
PEOPLE WHO SERVE ON THE BOARD
WHO MAY BE A PART OF THE
PROJECT AND YOU ARE TRYING TO
MITIGATE FOR THE CONFLICT OF
INTEREST ? I WAS NOT SURE WHAT
YOU MEANT. MY LAST QUESTION
WAS, YOU MENTIONED, JENNA,
CONDITIONAL AWARDS, WHAT DO YOU
MEAN BY CONDITIONAL ?
>> WITH RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF
INTEREST, WE KNEW EARLY ON WE
NEEDED TO WORK WITH ETHICS
BECAUSE IT IS A FOR COMMUNITY ,
BY COMMITTEE BY ISSUE AND WE --
WE WANT TO BE STEWARDS OF THIS
WORK. THAT IS ESSENTIAL
EXPERTISE TO BEING SUCCESSFUL
AND HAVING THE INVESTMENTS GO
TO THE HIGHEST PRIORITY NEEDS.
AS WELL AS ENSURING THAT WE ARE
DRIVING TOWARDS THE IMPACTS .
WHEN WE WORKED WITH ETHICS,
THEY IDENTIFIED THAT WE NEEDED
TO BE CONSIDERED MATERIAL AND
RELATIONAL -- WE PROVIDE
BRIEFINGS TO THE BOARD AND THE
VALUATION PANEL, WORK THROUGH
THE PROCESS TO HAVE THEM SIGN
THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST FORMS
IDENTIFYING ANY OF THOSE, AND
WE SEGMENT THE BOARD INTO
GROUPS SO THEY EVALUATE
APPLICATIONS IN GROUP SEGMENTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE BOARD MEMBER
FROM THE CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB
WOULD NOT EVALUATE ANY CHIEF
SEATTLE CLUB PROPOSALS . OR
APPLICATIONS , PARDON ME. THAT
IS THE GUIDANCE WE HAVE
RECEIVED FROM ETHICS ON HOW WE
MANAGE FOR CONFLICT OF
INTEREST. ALL THE WORDS FROM
EDI ARE CONDITIONAL ON MEETING
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS SO , WE
KNOW PEOPLE COME THROUGH AND
HAVE A PROJECT THAT IS
ENVISIONED. THERE IS WORK THAT
NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO REFINE THAT
VISION AND DO FEASIBILITY WORK,
AND MAKING SURE THE OPERATIONAL
STRUCTURE GET SET UP, SO WE ARE
LOOKING AT, ARE YOU IN THE
CORRECT AWARD CATEGORY? DO YOU
NEED TO MOVE TO ACQUISITION DO
YOU NEED TO DO DUE DILIGENCE
BEFORE THE ACQUISITION CONTRACT
CAN MOVE FORWARD SO THE CITY
CAN MANAGE ITS RISKS? WE WORK
WITH A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS TO
ASSESS RISK AND REVIEW ALL OF
THE DUE DILIGENCE REQUIREMENTS
AND THE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE
FURNISHED IN ENSURING THAT
THERE WERE NO CLOUDS ON TITLE
AND WE CAN RECORD FIRST
POSITION AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR
-- WE CAN PROVIDE THE CERTAINTY
THE INTENDED PUBLIC BENEFITS
PACKAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THE
PROJECT IS GOING TO BE FRUITFUL
AND RETURN THOSE PUBLIC
BENEFITS. THAT IS HOW WE
CONDITION THE AWARDS. THERE
HAVE BEEN VERY FEW INSTANCES
WHERE WE ENCOUNTER THINGS THAT
WERE DEAL BREAKERS. BUT WE HAVE
RETURNED TO GRANTEES TO TELL
THEM THEY NEED TO GO BACK AND
DO MORE WORK. THEY COME BACK
AGAIN. THERE IS MORE TO DO
BEFORE WE CAN MOVE INTO A
CONTRACT. AGAIN , AS JAMES
NOTED , WE ARE TRYING TO MEET
PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AND
TRYING TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THEM AND SUPPORT THE
LEARNING, AND PROVIDE THE
PARTNERSHIP AS NECESSARY FOR
THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS
STEPS TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE
CITY AND OTHER FUNDERS , MAKING
SURE THAT THE CITY'S RISK OF
INVESTMENT IS MANAGED , BECAUSE
WE WANT THESE PROJECTS TO BE
SUCCESSFUL , THE ORGANIZATIONS
LEVERAGE THEMSELVES INTO THESE
PROJECTS AND WE DON'T WANT TO
DO HARM TO THE ORGANIZATIONS,
THEY ARE IN MOST CASES SERVICE
PROVIDERS TO THE CITY AND THE
COMMUNITY, BUT WE HAVE A
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY . DID
I ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU , THE
SUBCOMMITTEES , HOW MANY
SUBCOMMITTEES DOES THE BOARD
HAVE AND WHAT WORK DO THEY DO?
YOU MENTIONED THEM EARLIER BUT
IT DOES NOT SAY WHAT IT IS.
>> CURRENTLY , THERE WERE FOUR
SUBCOMMITTEES , THE ORDINANCE
ALLOWS THEM TO CONSOLIDATE IF
THEY ARE NOT FULLY PROGRAMMED,
IF NEEDS CHANGE , THE PROGRAM
INVOLVES , THEY CAN BE
FLEXIBLE. RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE
A DATA MONITORING COMMITTEE
LOOKING AT INFORMATION THAT
COMES IN WHICH WOULD BE A
COMMITTEE INVOLVED WITH
SUPPORTING OUR DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS . WE HAVE A POLICY
COMMITTEE THAT LOOKS AT
EMERGING QUESTIONS AS PROJECTS
MATURE, POLICIES AROUND THINGS
LIKE CARING -- CARRYING FORWARD
FUNDS IF YOUR ACQUISITION WERE
TO BE LESS THAN WHAT WAS
INITIALLY ESTIMATED . IS THERE
A POLICY ON WHETHER THE FUNDS
CAN ROLL FORWARD OR NOT ? THEY
WILL DEVELOP THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND WORK WITH
THE DEPARTMENT AND THE
BUDGETING OFFICE ON SOMETHING
LIKE THAT. THERE IS THE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WHICH IS
ADMINISTRATION , FUNCTIONS OF
THE BOARD, AND THERE IS ALSO A
COMMUNICATIONS ORIENTED
COMMITTEE LOOKING AT HOW TO
SHARE EDI STORIES , HOW DO YOU
CONNECT WITH GRANTEES AND THAT
WOULD BE THE COMMITTEE THAT
WOULD WORK ON THINGS LIKE A
GRANTEE CONVENING.
>> THANK YOU
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
THIS. I AM CURIOUS , YOU SAID
SOMETHING, JAMES, EDI IS
FUNDING THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE
SAME SPIN DOWN TIMELINE. --
SPEND DOWN TIMELINE. HOW IS
THAT RELEVANT?
>> WE HAVE FUNDING THAT IS TIME
RESTRICTED, AND IN HOLDING
HOUSES , THERE IS PERMITTING
DELAYS, CONCRETE DELAYS , WHAT
WAS GREAT ABOUT EDI , FOR
EXAMPLE, WE INITIALLY HAD EDI
FOR THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT ,
PREDEVELOPMENT DESIGN WORK, AND
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE,
THE RESIDENTIAL -- A FUSING OF
THE RESIDENTIAL FUNDING
SOURCES, THOSE FUNDS COULD BE
REDEVELOPED. EVEN THOUGH WE HAD
COMMITTED THE FUNDS TO A
CERTAIN TIME, WE USED THEM TO
GO UP ONE SIDE OF THE
DEVELOPMENT . WHEN THAT SIDE
WAS STABLE, WE COULD USE THAT
SAME MONEY -- AS PART OF THE
PERMANENT CONSTRUCTION FUNDING
OF THE BUILDING. THE FACT THAT
EDI DID NOT HAVE -- ONCE YOU
HAVE USED IT AND COMMITTED IT
TO A PURPOSE, WE ARE PUTTING A
DATE ON IT, YOU HAVE TO SHOW
YOU SPENT EVERY PENNY THAT WAY,
THERE IS FLEXIBILITY, WHERE --
IT IS A LEVERAGE TOOL . WHEN WE
ARE BUILDING A $35 MILLION
DEVELOPMENT, $3 MILLION IS WHAT
WE HOPE TO HAVE TO LEVERAGE
OTHER FUNDERS . NOT A HUGE
AMOUNT IT TAKES FOR US TO
LEVERAGE PUBLIC FUNDERS TO
ADDRESS THE CRISIS. EDI IS THAT
KIND OF KEY LEVERAGE TOOL.
BECAUSE THERE ARE FOLKS WHO CAN
WORK WITH YOU ON REALLOCATING
OR REAPPLYING OR REIMBURSING
AND SHIFTING IT BACK DOWN , IT
GIVES YOU A LONGER TIME SPENT
ON THE FUNDING WHICH CAN MAKE
IT SEEM LIKE WE HAVE NOT SPENT
IT ALL YET BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY
EFFECTIVELY DOUBLING THE IMPACT
OF THE SINGLE INVESTMENT. WITH
A ONE-YEAR TIMELINE, THEY HAVE
TO BE SPENT DOWN BEFORE WE CAN
APPLY FOR THE ADDITIONAL
FUNDING FROM THE SAME FUNDER.
WE WENT TO COUNCIL IN THE CITY
FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT FUNDING
REQUESTS FOR THIS ONE DEVELOP
IT AND THE FACT IT DID NOT
DISQUALIFY US FROM APPLYING FOR
OTHERS WAS ANOTHER BENEFIT. I
AM NOT SURE IF THAT ANSWERS
YOUR QUESTION.
>> THAT WAS HELPFUL. WHAT WAS
THE TOTAL TIME FRAME IN WHICH
YOU WERE UTILIZING THE EDI
MONEY ?
>> I BET YOU JENNA COULD ANSWER
THAT BETTER. MAYBE NEITHER US.
>> INITIALLY $1 MILLION CAME
THROUGH EDI, THAT WAS THE SEED,
MORE THAN ONE ROUND OF FUNDING,
COUNCIL ADDED MONEY SO THERE
WERE DIFFERENT MONIES INFUSED
AT DIFFERENT POINTS. THE
2019-2020 TIMEFRAME, AND EDI
MONEY , ADDITIONAL MONEY,
COUNCIL , CITY , EDI , AT THE
START OF CONSTRUCTION ALL THE
WAY THROUGH , AS JAMES NOTED ,
HOUSING FUNDING CAME IN WITH
REPLENISHED EDI FUNDING AND
THEY CAN WAIT AND APPLY IT
FORWARD. WE HAVE OTHER GRANTEES
WHO ARE ALSO ABLE TO REDUCE THE
OVERALL INTEREST IF THEY
STRATEGICALLY PAY FOR THE
PROJECT, IF THEY STRATEGICALLY
WAIT FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT TO
STRIKE WITH THE -- IT CAN SEED
FUND, COME BACK AND BE
REPLENISHED AND BUYDOWN
INTEREST , COME BACK AND BE
REPLENISHED AND SO ON AND SO
FORTH. THIS PROJECT THROUGHOUT
THE LIFECYCLE --
>> BETWEEN 40 AND 48 MONTHS IS
WHEN WE HAD ACTIVE EDI
CONTRACTING OF SOMETIME, ALMOST
4 YEARS FROM 2019 THROUGH --
BECAUSE EDI -- THE ENTIRE
PROJECT -- I SHARED THIS WITH
ALMOST EVERYONE, WE USED A
COMBINED CAPITAL, REMODELED
PART OF OUR DAY CENTER SO IT
WOULD BE UTILIZED. THE ENTIRE
PROJECT FUNDING WAS NOT REALLY
OVER UNTIL LATE 2022 AND I
THINK THE INITIAL FUND WAS THE
2018-2019 CYCLE.
>> SOUNDS LIKE -- SOUNDS ALL
VERY COMPLICATED AND WE HAVE TO
BE ON TOP OF IT. MAKING SURE
YOU GET THE FUNDING AT THE
RIGHT MOMENT. THIS IS
RELATIVELY SOPHISTICATED IN HOW
YOU -- I AM JUST CURIOUS ABOUT
THE RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU HAD
WITH OPCD AND THEN BE GOOD
PARTNERS TO YOU AND HOW THAT
MAY HAVE WORKED IF YOU HAD NOT
BEEN QUITE A SOPHISTICATED.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WERE A
SOPHISTICATED AS WE ARE NOW,
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD
BE HERE WITHOUT OPCD. IT IS THE
NATURE OF -- THIS CAME OUT OF
COMMUNITY FOR EDI FUNDING ,
THAT GAVE US THE -- ALMOST LIKE
HAVING A SECOND DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTANT FROM TIME TO TIME ,
WHERE WE MET WITH PEOPLE FROM
OPCD TO TALK -- WE HEAR FROM
OUR DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANTS,
HOW DOES THE TIME AT WORK FOR
YOU AND THIS FUNDING? WE ARE
ASKING A FUNDING QUESTION ABOUT
A GRANTEE, OPCD STAFF WERE
SAYING , THAT IS OKAY FOR THE
GRANT FUNDING BUT HERE IS WHAT
WE HEARD HIM ANOTHER DEVELOPER
OF SIMILAR BACKGROUND AND OTHER
DISPLACED COMMUNITY WITH EDI
FUNDING, HAVE YOU ASKED THE
CONSULTANT ABOUT THIS, THIS, OR
THIS ? THAT COULD BE A
WORKAROUND. NOT JUST ON BEHALF
OF THE CLUB AND HELPING TO
LEVERAGE THE EDI FUNDS AND
INCREASE THE PUBLIC BENEFIT OF
THE CITY INVESTMENT . ALMOST
LIKE HAVING A TRUSTED
CHECKPOINT , TRUSTED BEDDING
POINT AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT
DOES NOT HAVE A REFINED AND
SOPHISTICATED APPARATUS FOR
WORKING IN CONSTRUCTION AND
PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT. IT IS SO
HARD TO KNOW IF THESE DELAYS
AND THESE TIMELINES, THESE
TERMS ARE ALL REAL OR IF IT IS
JARGON THAT PEOPLE USE TO
BAFFLE YOU OR TELL YOU TO GET
YOU TO AGREE TO PAY IT. IF OPCD
WAS THIS INCREDIBLE PARTNER,
THEY WERE THERE ON OUR SIDE TO
GET THIS DEVELOPMENT . THEY
MADE SURE THE PUBLIC DEVELOPER
WAS AS EFFECTIVE AS POPULAR, IT
BEING CHIEF SIERRA CLUB .
>> THAT WAS HELPFUL. THANK YOU.
>> WE HAVE THREE APPOINTMENTS
--
>> A QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO,
COUNCILMEMBER WOO?
>> THANK YOU. JUST -- DID YOU
SAY YOU HAD A DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTANT , PRIVATE
DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT SEPARATE
FROM THE CITY TO
>> YES , I THINK OTHER EDI
FUNDED ORGANIZATIONS HAVE USED
A NONPROFIT DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTANT , SO, THEY WERE
HELPING US TO MANAGE A PROJECT,
AND, THIS IS WHAT THEY DO, THEY
ARE ONE -- THERE ARE LOTS OF
OTHER DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT
THAT ORGANIZATIONS HIRE,
BECAUSE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
CHIEF SIERRA CLUB, WE CAN HIRE
AN EXPERIENCE DEVELOPER ON
STAFF , SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE PAST,
THAT DOES NOT MEAN OUR
ACCOUNTING TEAM IS READY TO DO
CASH DRAWS ON CONSTRUCTION
FUNDS THAT COME FROM THE FEDS .
HAVING AN EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING
CONSULTANT WHO KNOWS HOW TO
STAGE THOSE KINDS OF -- THESE
ARE MAJOR AMOUNTS OF MONEY THAT
INDUSTRY FOLKS ARE NOT USED TO.
AS WE GO TO BEING A HOUSING
DEVELOPER , THERE IS A LOT TO
TAKE ON ANY SINGLE HIRE CAN'T
DO IT. WE HAVE TO SHIFT OUR
ENTIRE ORGANIZATION ,
ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE TO
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT STILL
RUNNING OUR CENTRAL SERVICES
AND WORKING WITH SERVICES.
>> DOES THAT MEAN YOU GET
FEDERAL FUNDING AND OTHER
OUTSIDE FUNDING AS WELL ?
>> FOR THIS BUILDING? WE HAVE
FEDERAL , STATE , COUNTY , CITY
, NEIGHBORHOOD, HISTORIC SOUTH
DOWNTOWN, WE HAVE PRIVATE, WE
HAVE INDIVIDUAL DONORS, LOW
INCOME TAX CREDIT PROGRAM IS
FEDERAL FUNDING. THAT COMES TO
A PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM WITH
MULTIPLE DIFFERENT PRIVATE
INVESTORS. IF YOU COULD FIND
HOUSING IN A WAY, WE HAVE IT IN
THAT BUILDING AND I HAVE TO
REPORT ON IT. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> THIS EDI PROJECT IS SPECIFIC
TO HOUSING?
>> I THINK IT WAS, BETWEEN THE
UNIT COST VERSUS THE
PREDEVELOPMENT FOR THE ENTIRE
PROJECT, INCLUDING THE
CONDOMINIUM TOWARDS THE GALLERY
AND CAFE SPACE, THE CLINIC, AND
AMENITY SPACES , NOT UNITS BUT
IT WAS MORE THAT DEVELOPMENT.
>> THE EDI FUNDS SUPPORTED THE
OVERALL PROJECT BUT
SPECIFICALLY WERE TIED TO THE
AWARD -- THE AWARD WAS TIED TO
THE COMPONENT FOR THE
REHABILITATION OF THE ADJACENT
COMMERCIAL. TO SUPPORT THE
CONDOMINIUM EYES SPACES THAT
WILL PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY
BENEFIT PACKAGE WHICH -- THE
SERVICE ELEMENTS VERSUS THE
HOUSING , IT DID ALLOW FOR THE
ADDITIONAL ATTRACTION OF
DOLLARS , SO IT PROVIDED THAT
INCENTIVE FOR OTHER DEVELOPERS
COME IN TO MAKE THIS MORE THAN
A SERVICE PROVISION SPACE BUT
ALSO A FUNDAMENTAL HOME WHERE
THE ARRAY OF SERVICES NEEDED
COULD BE PROVIDED.
>> OKAY. COLLEAGUES , WE CAN
PROBABLY HEAR FOR A FEW MORE
HOURS BUT I WILL SAY THAT, AT
OUR NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING, WE
WILL HAVE EDI BACK IF YOU HAVE
MORE QUESTIONS, BE
CONTEMPLATING THAT . IF YOU
WANT TO PROVIDE THEM BEFOREHAND
SO THE TEAM CAN BE PREPARED TO
RESPOND, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO GET THE
APPOINTMENTS DONE. THANK YOU,
JAMES , FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO, OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO THE
APPOINTMENTS . I DON'T THINK
WE HAVE ANY PEOPLE HERE.
>> SOMEONE IS ON THE LINE
>> MR. GLOVER.
>> FYNNIECKO GLOVER JR. IS 20
REMOTELY, -- IS JOINING
REMOTELY. I WILL ALLOW
FYNNIECKO TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF
. WE RAN A RECRUITMENT PROCESS,
WE WERE REALLY EXCITED TO
INTERVIEW FYNNIECKO, A DYNAMIC
YOUNG MAN, RESIDENT OF THE
RAINIER BEACH COMMUNITY , BORN
AND RAISED IN SEATTLE, WENT TO
HIGH SCHOOL IN WEST SEATTLE,
VERY ENGAGED IN EDI , HIGH RISK
OF DISPLACEMENT COMMUNITIES AND
NEIGHBORHOODS. HE HOLDS A LOT
OF RELATIONSHIPS. HE WAS A
FOUNDING MEMBER OF KING COUNTY
EQUITY NOW, SERVING IN
NONPROFITS , SERVICE PROVIDER
ORGANIZATIONS AND HE WILL TALK
A BIT ABOUT HIS ENDEAVORS. HE
IS PURSUING A DEGREE IN URBAN
AND REGIONAL PLANNING, HAS
WORKED IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
IN THE RAINIER VALLEY AREA. HE
IS ABOUT UPLIFTING THE
MARGINALIZED VOICES AND
ADDRESSING SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT CREATE VULNERABILITY AND
AT RISK POPULATIONS. WITH THAT,
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE NIECKO
TO SAY HELLO.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES. THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE.
>> HELLO TO ALL THE
COUNCILMEMBERS. FYNNIECKO.
HAPPY TO BE HERE. BORN AND
RAISED IN SEATTLE. I HAVE TIES
TO THE CENTRAL DISTRICT, SOUTH
SEATTLE, MOVED AROUND, GROWING
UP IN SOUTH SEATTLE, GOING TO
HAMILTON INTERNATIONAL , THAT
IS WHERE I GRADUATED HIGH
SCHOOL. I GOT A DEGREE FROM
ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY. SUPER
WELL-CONNECTED IN MY COMMUNITY.
PART OF A YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATION WHERE WE HELP
YOUNG ADULTS FROM 16 TO 24 WITH
EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE ,
SCHOLARSHIPS , JOB
OPPORTUNITIES , JUST TEACHING
ENTREPRENEURSHIP. I MET WITH
THE LEADERS IN THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, AND
I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK AND
CONTINUE TO UPLIFT. ONE OF MY
BIGGEST ASPIRATIONS IS TO
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH, YOUNG
ADULTS , ESPECIALLY
MARGINALIZED PEOPLE WHO CANNOT
ALWAYS RECEIVE OPPORTUNITIES IN
FRONT OF THEM. WITH ME COMING
TO THIS BOARD, I WANT TO BRING
THESE OPPORTUNITIES OF WHAT EDI
IS AND WHAT IT FEELS LIKE AS A
YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAN TO
SPEAK POWER TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND
TO EDUCATE THEM ON THE THINGS
THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DO. IT IS A PLEASURE TO MEET
YOU AND WORK ALONGSIDE YOU. I
SEE THE WORK EACH AND EVERYONE
OF YOU DO.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU , NIECKO , I APPRECIATE YOU
BEING HERE. WE HAD YOUR
APPOINTMENT PACKET. A LOT OF
GREAT EXPERIENCE , PARTICULARLY
AROUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
YOU WORKED FOR THE CITY AS AN
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER. I
AM WONDERING IF YOU COULD TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU
THINK YOUR EXPERIENCE CAN HELP
ADVANCE THE GOALS OF
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT IN THE CITY ,
PARTICULARLY FOR COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR ?
>> HOW MY EXPERIENCE CAN HELP
IS BY GOING INTO THE COMMUNITY
AND TEACHING WHAT ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ACTUALLY IS,
TEACHING THEM HOW TO -- WHAT
FINANCIAL LITERACY IS ,
TEACHING ABOUT HOMEOWNERSHIP
AND CAREER MOBILITY , AND HOW
THAT PLAYS INTO IT. AND
INVESTING INTO YOUR COMMUNITY.
TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT
TAX CREDITS ARE, WHAT
OPPORTUNITIES THEY CAN GET INTO
IF THEY ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE
THE COMMERCIAL SPACE OR
VIABILITY. TAKING LOW INCOME
COMMUNITIES FROM A RENTERS
MINDSET TO A HOMEOWNERSHIP
MINDSET. BEING UNDER THE WING
OF GREGORY DAVIS, I BELIEVE
THAT MY EXPERIENCES CAN HELP ME
PROPEL ON MY ROLE IN THIS
BOARD.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH COLLEAGUES
, ANY QUESTIONS FOR NIECKO ?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JENNA,
OTHER TWO?
>> OUR SECOND BOARD MEMBER OF
FOR APPOINTMENT IS ELIANA HORN
WHO IS OFF THE GRID BEFORE THE
LONG HOLIDAY. ELIANA HORN IS A
GREAT EXAMPLE OF AN EDI
COMMUNITY PARTNERS AT PUGET
SOUND SAGE, ENGAGING IN EDI
WITH OTHER STAFF MEMBERS ALSO
SERVING AS BOARD MEMBERS,
ELIANA HORN IS A STAFF MEMBER
WITH A JURIS DOCTORATE FROM
CUNY, A BACHELOR OF ARTS FROM
COLUMBIA, AND IS VERY ADEPT AND
SKILLED IN POLICY WORK, AN AREA
WHERE WE WANT TO DO EVEN MORE .
WE ARE EXCITED TO BRING ON MORE
EXPERIENCE WITH RESPECT TO THE
BOARD'S WORK. SHE IS VERY
ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY
STEWARDSHIP OF LAND, LIVES IN
THE CENTRAL -- PARDON ME,
RAINIER VALLEY AREA, AND SHE
HAS EXPERIENCE IN TENANT
ORGANIZING WITH THE TENANTS
UNION OF WASHINGTON. HER
MOTIVATION TO SERVE WAS REALLY
ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH , THROUGH
POLICY, THROUGH CREATION WITH
COMMUNITY , GOVERNMENT CAN
LEARN WHAT COMMUNITY NEEDS TO
HAVE FOR THE FULL AND
MEANINGFUL PARTNERSHIPS. AND
THE WAY IN WHICH THOSE
PARTNERSHIPS CAN BE
TRANSFORMATIONAL IN TERMS OF
IMMUNITY OUTCOMES. -- COMMUNITY
OUTCOMES. WE WERE IMPRESSED BY
THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT SHE HAS
IN BETTERING COMMUNITIES , BOTH
PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY.
I KNOW YOU HAVE HER APPOINTMENT
PACKET , BUT IF THERE ARE ANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT HER BACKGROUND
OR EXPERIENCE I CAN ANSWER , I
WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO SO.
>> PLEASE GO AHEAD. I DO NOT
SEE ANY.
>> OUR THIRD BOARD APPOINTMENT
COUNCIL CONFIRMATION IS TIFFANY
KELLY-GRAY. NOT SURE IF SHE IS
VIRTUALLY JOINING.
>> I DON'T SEE HER.
>> SHE WORKS AS A COMMUNITY
IMPACT DIRECTOR, SHE DID NOT
WORK -- WHEN SHE JOINED BIRD
BAR, SHE WAS MOVED TO
UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR WORK WITH
EDI HAS BEEN TRANSFORMATIVE FOR
THE ORGANIZATION. WHEN WE WERE
RECRUITING, SHE APPLIED BASED
ON THE INTEREST. SHE IS LOOKING
TO BRING SOME OF HER EXPERIENCE
AS A WEALTH MANAGER. SHE IS
ALSO WORKED AS A COMMUNITY
NAVIGATOR AND DIRECTOR OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE
CENTRAL AREA COLLABORATIVE. SHE
HOLDS DEEP ROOTS AND LIVES AND
WORKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SHE
HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH
HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEIR
FINANCES , UNDERSTANDING HOW TO
BUILD WEALTH , AND ALSO LOOKING
AT FUNDING SOURCES AND WE THINK
THAT WILL BE A GREAT BENEFIT
TO, NOT ONLY OUR STAFF, BUT OUR
GRANTEES. SHE HAS A BACHELOR OF
ARTS IN DIGITAL CULTURES, AND
ALSO SITS ON THE BOARD BERTSCHI
SCHOOL. WE HAD A BOARD MEETING
EARLIER AND SHE RAISED RADICAL
POINTS ABOUT HOW WE MAY
UNDERSTAND THE POSITION WE ARE
IN WITH RESPECT TO THE NEEDS OF
GRANTEES IN FUTURE YEARS AND
HAPPY TO HAVE HER ON BOARD AS
WE TAKE ON THE SUPPORT AND WORK
TOWARDS OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING
AND ADDRESSING THAT IN THE NEXT
YEAR.
>> GREAT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY QUESTIONS , COLLEAGUES?
OKAY , IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE
THREE GREAT ADDITIONS TO THE
BOARD. SO , I MOVED TO
RECOMMEND CONFIRMATION OF
APPOINTMENTS , SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> MOVED AND SECONDED.
>> MOORE?
>> AYE.
>> RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> WOO?
>> YES. MORALES?
>> YES.
>> 4-0.
>> CONFIRMED. APPOINTEES DO NOT
NEED TO ATTEND THE CITY COUNCIL
MEETING BUT WE WANT TO THANK
EVERYBODY FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS
TO SERVE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT
THE JULY 17th MEETING AND MAYBE
WE WILL HAVE A BOARD MEMBER
THERE AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NAOMI,
PLEASE READ AGENDA ITEM 4?
>>
>> JOINED BY GEOFF WENDTLANDT.
HE WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS , WE
HAVE THIS PRESENTATION IN JUNE,
WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING. WE
HAVE SEVERAL AMENDMENTS, AND WE
WILL WALK THROUGH THOSE. BEFORE
WE BEGIN, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS
THE OFFICE OF RESIDENTIAL
CONVERSION LEGISLATION , WE
HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW BRINGING
MORE HOUSING INTO DOWNTOWN IS
AN IMPORTANT WAY TO
REINVIGORATE OUR DOWNTOWN CORE
AND WE WANT TO STREAMLINE THE
CONVERSION PROCESS. SO, I WILL
EDIT TO GEOFF.
>> I DON'T HAVE AN OVERVIEW.
>> THAT IS THE INTENT OF THIS
LEGISLATION, NOT ALL OFFICE
BUILDINGS WILL BE ADAPTABLE TO
RESIDENTIAL USE BECAUSE OF
THEIR LAYOUT, THE NATURAL
LIGHTING , THAT MAY OR MAY NOT
BE IN EXISTENCE. WE KNOW THAT
ANY CONVERSION WOULD NEED TO
ADD PLUMBING AND OTHER
AMENITIES WHICH CAN BE COSTLY
THIS PACKAGE DOES INCLUDE
INCENTIVES , WITHOUT WHICH THE
CONVERSIONS WOULD NOT BE
POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEY ARE
UNIQUELY EXPENSIVE. EXPENSIVE
TO BUILD. I AM NOT SURE MANY
AMENDMENTS WE HAVE, I BELIEVE
SIX. IF YOU WILL WALK THROUGH
EACH ONE AND WE WILL VOTE
INDIVIDUALLY. FIRST, 1, VERSION
2.
>> SECOND.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF ,
AMENDMENT 1, SPONSORED BY YOU,
WE DISCUSSED THIS AT THE LAST
COMMITTEE MEETING, IT WOULD
REMOVE THE EXEMPTION FOR THESE
PROJECTS FROM SUBTITLE THREE OF
TITLE 23 , WHICH BASICALLY IS A
SET OF REGULATIONS ABOUT
OVERLAY DISTRICTS. IT INCLUDES
REGULATIONS FOR THE SHORELINE
MASTER PROGRAM, SPECIAL REVIEW
DISTRICTS, AND MAJOR
INSTITUTIONS. BY MAKING THIS
AMENDMENT, IT WOULD REQUIRE
THOSE PROJECTS TO COMPLY WITH
THE REGULATIONS IN THAT PART OF
THE CODE.
>> IT RESTORES LIKABILITY OF
THE SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM
FOR OVERLAY DISTRICTS AND
REGULATIONS REGARDING SPECIAL
REVIEW DISTRICTS. THIS WAS
INADVERTENTLY LEFT OUT IN THE
INITIAL LEGISLATION , SO THIS
AMENDMENT IS NEEDED TO COMPLY
WITH SEPA, CORRECT?
>> MASTER PROGRAM.
>> ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS
AMENDMENT? OKAY, I MOVE
ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT 1, 2.
>> SECOND.
>> MOORE?
>> AYE.
>> RIVERA?
>> MORALES?
>> YES.
>> IT PASSES.
>> AMENDMENT TWO, VERSION 1.
>> I MOVE AMENDMENT 2, VERSION
1 OF COUNCIL BILL 120761.
>> THIS WOULD REMOVE THE
EXEMPTION , MHA WOULD APPLY FOR
PROJECTS -- EXCUSE ME , THE
MIDRISE AND HIGH-RISE ZONES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
>> THIS IS A SIMPLE AMENDMENT
RESTORING MHA APPLICABILITY TO
THE ZONES, THE HIGH-RISE AND
MIDRISE, THE REASON I AM MAKING
THE REQUEST IS , I AM VERY MUCH
SUPPORTIVE OF THE CONVERSION
FROM COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL
SPACE , AND CERTAINLY SUPPORT
EXEMPTING CONVERSIONS IN
DOWNTOWN SPACE , COMMERCIAL
SPACE , AND MIXED-USE SPACE
BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THE 12
PROJECTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED
AND CONTEMPLATED WILL BE
PURSUED AND BROUGHT TO
FRUITION. SO, IT IS MY CONCERN
ABOUT THROWING IN THE MULTI
FAMILY ZONE TO THAT EXEMPTION,
IT IS PREMATURE, I DO NOT THINK
IT IS NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH
WHAT IS THE INTENT OF THE BILL,
WHICH IS TO ACTIVATE THEY GET
COMMERCIAL SPACE IN DOWNTOWN
AND IN THE COMMERCIAL ZONES. I
AM A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT
MAKING CHANGES , BROADSCALE
CHANGES TO MHA IN THE MULTI
FAMILY ZONES WHEN WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF STILL STUDYING WHAT
WE ARE GOING TO DO WITH MHA
GOING FORWARD . ALSO , MY NEXT
BILL TAKES US BACK TO REVIEW ,
HOW THINGS ARE GOING , WE
ALWAYS HAVE THE OPTION TO ADD
HIGH-RISE AND MIDRISE MULTI
FAMILY TONES SHOULD WE
DETERMINE EVERYTHING IS GOING
VERY WELL IN THE DOWNTOWN
COMMERCIAL AND MIXED-USE ZONES
AND WE NEED ADDITIONAL SPACE.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY , THIS
AMENDMENT LIMITS THE EXEMPTION
TO JUST DOWNTOWN RATHER THAN
CITYWIDE?
>> DOWNTOWN, COMMERCIAL , AND
MIXED-USE.
>> OKAY . QUESTIONS ?
>> TO FURTHER CLARIFY, DOES NOT
IMPACT THE 12 PROJECTS BEING
CONTEMPLATED CURRENTLY FOR THE
CONVERSION.
>> THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING,
YES.
>> I JUST WANT TO -- I AGREE
WITH COUNCILMEMBER MOORE. I
THINK THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO
MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE IT DOES
NOT IMPACT THE 12 IDENTIFIED
PROJECTS AND I UNDERSTAND THERE
IS AN ASSESSMENT OF MHA
CURRENTLY ON THE WAY AND WE
WILL GET THE RESULTS AND BE
ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT NEXT
STEPS SHOULD BE. THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. VERY WELL. I WILL SAY
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND
EACH UNIT MAY COST $500,000 TO
YOU EACH CONVERSION AND IT MAY
DEPEND ON THE PROPERTY ITSELF.
BUT THIS IS A WAY FOR US TO BE
ABLE TO CONTINUE FUNDING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND REMOVING
THE EXEMPTION FOR HIGH-RISE AND
MIDRISE , REASONABLE. COUNCIL
CAN REVIEW THESE PROJECTS LATER
IN THE SITE WHETHER THE
EXEMPTION SHOULD BE EXPANDED OR
LIFTED IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS
AN AMENDMENT I SUPPORT. IS
THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ?
OKAY. DO YOU WANT TO MOVE YOUR
AMENDMENT FORWARD?
>> YES, THANK YOU I MOVE
AMENDMENT 2 TO COUNCIL BILL
120761.
>> SECOND.
>> MOORE?
>> YES.
>> RIVERA?
>> YES.
>> WOO?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES.
>> YES. PASSES. AMENDMENT 3 ?
>> I MOVE AMENDMENT 3 OF
COUNCIL BILL 120761 .
>> SECOND.
>> IT WILL HAVE REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS , ALLOWING THE
CITY TO TRACK THE PROGRESS OF
PROJECTS BUILT UNDER THIS
LEGISLATION, ASKING TO REPORT
BACK TO THE COUNCIL BY JANUARY
1st OF 2028 INFORMATION ABOUT
PERMITTING , COMPLETION OF
CONVERSION PROJECTS , AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING OUTCOMES TO
ALLOW FUTURE COUNCIL TO
DETERMINE WHAT THE OUTCOMES OF
THIS LEGISLATION AS INTENDED
ARE BEING ACHIEVED OR WHETHER
THE LEGISLATION NEEDS FUTURE
CHANGES.
>> OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
>> I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TO
ADD, A REQUIREMENT TO SEE HOW
THE PROGRAM IS TWEAK IT,GOING
AND WHETHER WE NEED TO EXPAND
THE ZONES, AND GIVING US A
CHANCE TO SEE WHAT THE SUCCESS
OF THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN.
>> I AM SUPPORTIVE, THIS GOES
BACK TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND
MAKING SURE THAT, WHEN WE ARE
TAKING ACTION , WE ARE LOOKING
AT THEM AND SEEING IF THEY'RE
WORKING. IF NOT, SHOULD WE
EXPAND, CHANGE COURSE ? WHAT
THE BEST THING IS TO ACHIEVE
THE OUTCOME . I AM SUPPORTIVE
OF THE CONVERSIONS BUT WE NEED
TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING
THANK YOU FOR ADDING THAT
ACCOUNTABILITY PIECE TO THIS.
>> NOTHING MORE. I AGREE.
>> FINAL COMMENTS?
>> IT IS A THREE-YEAR TIMEFRAME
, WE TALKED ABOUT IT BEING
ABOUT THREE YEARS WITH THINGS
TO GET PERMITTED, AND TO THEM
GOING -- WELL, TO HAVE A SENSE
OF HOW IT IS WORKING SO I MAJOR
WE HAD SUFFICIENT TIME SO WE
HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
>> OKAY. PLEASE CALL THE ROLE.
>>
>> MOORE?
>> YES.
>> RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> WOO?
>> YES.
>> MORALES?
>> YES.
>> PASSES. AMENDMENT 4.
>> THIS AMENDMENT WOULD ALLOW
AN APPLICANT FOR A PROJECT ,
NOT YET SUBMITTED THEIR PERMIT
APPLICATION FOR CONVERSION TO
DO SO BEFORE THE EFFECTIVE DATE
OF THE BILL AND STILL BE VESTED
TO THE REGULATIONS IN THIS
LEGISLATION. NORMALLY, IF A
PROJECT OR AN APPLICANT SUBMITS
THE PERMIT APPLICATION, AT THE
TIME OF THE APPLICATION, WHAT
THIS AMENDMENT WOULD ALLOW THE
APPLICANT TO DO IS CHOOSE A
LATER VESTING DATE, A DATE IN
EFFECT SO THAT THE REGULATIONS
IN THIS LEGISLATION WOULD APPLY
TO THE PROJECT FOR EXAMPLE, IF
THEY APPLY TODAY , THESE
REGULATIONS ARE NOT CURRENTLY
IN EFFECT AND THE BENEFITS IN
THIS LEGISLATION WOULD NOT BE
AVAILABLE TO THEM BECAUSE THEY
HAVE VESTED TO AN EARLIER
VERSION OF THE LAND USE CODE.
WITH THIS AMENDMENT, IF THEY
APPLY TODAY THE LEGISLATION
WILL GO INTO EFFECT AND UPON
ITS EFFECTIVE DATE, THEY COULD
CHOOSE TO VEST AFTER THE
EFFECTIVE DATE WHICH MEANS THEY
CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE
INCENTIVES IN THE LEGISLATION.
THIS AMENDMENT WOULD ALLOW THAT
LATER VESTING TO TAKE PLACE.
>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT VESTING
IS?
>> YES , ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU
APPLY TO A DOUBLE FOR A PERMIT
, A CERTAIN VERSION OF THE LAND
USE CODE IS IN EFFECT AND THAT
VERSION OF THE LAND USE CODE IS
WHAT YOU ARE -- WHAT IS
APPLICABLE TO YOUR PROJECT AND
THE CONCEPT OF VESTING IS UPON
YOUR APPLICATION, NO MATTER
WHAT THE LATER CHANGES ARE TO
LAND USE CODE, THAT IS THE
DEVELOPMENT THAT APPLIES . EVEN
IF THEY CHANGE LATER , YOU HAVE
CONSISTENCY AROUND WHAT APPLIES
TO YOUR PROJECT.
>> THANK YOU. THERE IS NOT MUCH
TO ADD TO THAT. WE DID HEAR
FROM SOME CALLERS IN THE
SITUATION AND IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING TO HEAR THEM ,
BEING ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THIS AND THE IDEA IS TO SAVE
SEVERAL MONTHS OF REVIEW TIME
TO HELP GET THE PERMIT IT DONE
FASTER. WHICH WE HAVE ALL
UNDERSTOOD VERY CLEARLY. ARE
THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS
AMENDMENT ? NO? OKAY. I MOVE WE
ADOPT AMENDMENT 4 , VERSION 1.
>> SECOND.
>> MOVED AND SECONDED. PLEASE
CALL THE ROLE.
>> MOORE?
>> AYE.
>> RIVERA?
>> YES.
>> WOO?
>> YES.
>> MORALES?
>> YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR.
>> MOTION PASSES. AMENDMENT 5 ,
VERSION 1, SECOND ?
>> SECOND. TO THIS IS SPONSORED
BY COUNCILMEMBER MORALES AND
ADDS ENCOURAGING DEVELOPERS TO
USE UNIVERSAL DESIGN STANDARDS
FOR UNITS TO MAKE THOSE UNITS
ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES. DESIGN STANDARDS
ARE WHERE THINGS ARE DESIGNED
TO BE USEFUL BY EVERYBODY
WITHOUT THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL
ADAPTATION OR SPECIALIZED
MATERIALS.
>> AS WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE
CITY, TRANSPORTATION LEVY
CONVERSATION , WE HAVE A
SIMILAR CHALLENGE IN THE CITY
AS IT RELATES TO ACCESSIBILITY
IN HOUSING. THIS IS NOT
CHANGING THE BASE LEGISLATION
EXCEPT TO INCLUDE IN THE
RECITALS THAT WE DO NEED TO
START HAVING A DISCUSSION, AND
MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE HAVE AN
EXPECTATION THAT HOUSING
PROJECTS INCLUDE THIS UNIVERSAL
DESIGN ELEMENT. ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS?
>> I WAS UNCLEAR ABOUT WHAT
THIS MEANT. I HAD TO GOOGLE
UNIVERSAL DESIGN AND WE GOT AN
ANSWER. I AM FULLY SUPPORTIVE
NOW THAT I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND
WHAT IT IS. THANK YOU.
>> DEFINITELY I SUPPORT
ACCESSIBILITY. THIS IS WHAT
THIS STRIVES TO DO AND I
SUPPORT THAT THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. WHERE ARE WE? PLEASE
CALL THE ROLE ON THE ADOPTION
OF AMENDMENT 5. TO --
>>
>> MOORE?
>> AYE.
>> RIVERA?
>> YES.
>> WOO?
>> YES.
>> MORALES?
>> YES. MOTION PASSES. A WALK
ON AMENDMENT COUNCILMEMBER WOO?
>> I MOVE AMENDMENT 1, VERSION
1, CB 120761 .
>> SECOND.
>> MOVED AND SECONDED. I HAVE
THIS AS AMENDMENT 6 BUT
TECHNICALLY IT IS WALK ON
AMENDMENT 1, I DON'T KNOW IF
IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE BUT I
WILL CLARIFY. GO AHEAD.
>> I WILL SHARE MY SCREEN. GIVE
ME JUST A MOMENT. GREAT.
>> I SHOULD ALSO SAY, THIS WAS
CIRCULATED BUT , AFTER THE
12:00 DEADLINE , WHICH IS WHY
IT IS NOT IN THE LEDGES START.
WE DID CIRCULATE IT
ELECTRONICALLY AND WILL BE
POSTING IT .
>> THIS WOULD REQUIRE THAT ,
FOR ANY STRUCTURES THAT INCLUDE
STREET-LEVEL USES, BEFORE
CONVERSION OCCURRED , THEY
WOULD MAINTAIN NO STREET-LEVEL
USES AFTER CONVERSION TO
RESIDENTIAL USE. IT WOULD NOT
APPLY TO ANY STRUCTURES THAT
DID NOT HAVE THOSE STREET-LEVEL
USES BEFOREHAND. IF THERE WERE
NOT STREET-LEVEL USES IN THE
BUILDING AND IT WAS STILL AN
OFFICE BUILDING, IT WOULD NOT
BE REQUIRED TO ADD STREET-LEVEL
USES IN THAT CASE. LASTLY, IT
WOULD APPLY ON MAJOR PEDESTRIAN
CORRIDORS, WHICH ARE DEFINED BY
EACH CITY, IF THE AMENDMENT ,
YOU WILL SEE A DEFINITION OF
HOW WE, AS A CITY, DIVINE --
DEFINED MAJOR PEDESTRIAN
CORRIDORS. I CAN PULL THOSE UP
IF THAT WOULD HELP WITH
VISUALLY UNDERSTANDING THIS.
>> WHY DON'T YOU PULL ONE UP?
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY . THIS IS THE MAP FOR A
DOWNTOWN ZONE. IF A PROJECT IS
ON ONE OF THE STREETS WHERE
STREET-LEVEL USES ARE REQUIRED
ON THIS MAP, IT WOULD BE
SUBJECT TO THIS AMENDMENT. ON
THIS MAP , ANYWHERE THAT IS IN
BOLD , ANY OF THESE AREAS ,
WHERE STREET-LEVEL USES ARE
REQUIRED , THAT IS WHERE THIS
AMENDMENT WOULD APPLY.
SIMILARLY , DESIGNATIONS FOR
WHERE THOSE STREET-LEVEL USES
WOULD BE REQUIRED.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL
MEMBER WOO?
>> AS WE HEARD TWO OR THREE
PEOPLE CALL THIS OUT, THE MAIN
THEME OF THIS AMENDMENT WAS TO
ACTIVATE DOWNTOWN AND ALLOW FOR
MORE WALK ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO
WALK. AND BE ABLE TO BE PART OF
DOWNTOWN. I THINK THAT , TO
ACTIVATE DOWNTOWN , WE NEED THE
STOREFRONTS ON THE RETAIL,
NONPROFITS, TO ALLOW FOR THE
ACTIVATION AND HOUSING , HAVING
HOUSING WOULD ACTIVATE IT , BUT
ALSO ALLOWING FOR WHAT WAS
PREVIOUSLY THERE, IF THERE IS A
RETAIL STORE, ALLOWING FOR THAT
RETAIL TO COME BACK. I KNOW
THAT THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS
YOU CAN ALSO PUT IN
RESIDENTIAL, BUT ALLOWING FOR
THE STOREFRONT TO REMAIN A
STOREFRONT, I THINK WILL HELP
IN TERMS OF ACTIVATION. WE WANT
TO ENCOURAGE VISITORS, WE WANT
TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO WALK
AROUND WHICH UPLIFTS THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS , ESPECIALLY IF
WE ARE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE THE
PEDESTRIAN CORRIDORS. I KNOW
THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION. I HAVE HEARD THE
STOREFRONT IS VACANT AND THERE
ARE NO GUARANTEES A VENDOR WILL
TAKE UP THE VACANT SPACE AND
ALLOWANCES FOR MORE VACANCY IN
STOREFRONTS. I THINK THERE ARE
OTHER ISSUES THAT CAUSES
VACANCIES I WOULD LOVE THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE BUILDINGS
THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD
STOREFRONTS TO ALLOW THE
STOREFRONTS TO CONTINUE , AND
ALLOW FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF
ACTIVATION IN TERMS OF A STORE
OR A POP-UP , OR SOME KIND OF
ACTIVITY OR NONPROFIT OR
SERVICES THAT WILL HELP THE
COMMUNITY . WHILE WE ARE ADDING
MORE RESIDENTIAL, WE CAN ADD
MORE SERVICES AND GROCERY
STORES , CAFES , AND THIS WOULD
ONLY APPLY TO A FEW AREAS , NOT
FOR THE ENTIRE AREA. I HAVE THE
QUESTION, WHY THESE SPECIFIC
AREAS THEY WERE CALLED OUT IN
THE STATE LEGISLATION. I THINK
THERE IS A LOT OF ROOM TO ALLOW
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES,
ENTREPRENEURS, MORE EYES AND
FEET ON THE STREET. SO, THIS
CAME ABOUT FROM THE HISTORIC
DISTRICTS, THE PIONEER SQUARE
AREA, WHERE STOREFRONT USE ON
THE GROUND FLOOR IS PART OF
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN. TO
ALLOW FOR WALK ABILITY AND
ACTIVATION. DOWNTOWN HAS BEEN
DESIGNATED AS COMMERCIAL AREA
HISTORICALLY. I WOULD LOVE TO
RETAIN PART OF THAT GOING
FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU. AS I SAID , THIS
WAS CIRCULATED TODAY AND I DO
WANT TO GIVE OPCD AN
OPPORTUNITY . GEOFF, YOU HAVE
NOT HAD A LOT OF TIME TO LOOK
AT THIS, BUT ANYTHING WE SHOULD
CONTEMPLATE IN TERMS OF MAKING
THIS DECISION, LET ME KNOW.
>> WE DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF
TIME TO REVIEW. ONE THING I
WOULD NOTE FOR THE COUNCIL,
MOST OF THE CONVERSION PROJECTS
I AM AWARE OF THAT ARE
CONTEMPLATING CONVERSION, DO
INTEND TO HAVE ACTIVE
GROUND-FLOOR USES. I HAVE NOT
SEEN PROPOSALS THAT ARE SEEKING
TO CONVERT GROUND-FLOOR TO
RESIDENTIAL USES ON THE
SIDEWALK. IN A HIGH-TRAFFIC
DOWNTOWN ENVIRONMENT, THAT CAN
BE CHALLENGING FOR A VARIETY OF
REASONS. FROM THAT STANDPOINT,
WE THINK THIS AMENDMENT -- WE
DON'T THINK THIS AMENDMENT
HINDERS THE BILL. ALSO , THE
ASPECT OF WHAT IS WRITTEN HERE,
REFERENCING THE EXISTING
DESIGNATIONS OF MAJOR
PEDESTRIAN CORRIDORS IS GOOD IN
TERMS OF CONSTRUCTION AND IF
THE DEPARTMENT WAS MAKING
REFERENCES TO IT -- EXISTING
CODES I AM AWARE THAT THERE WAS
A QUICK REVIEW BY LAW AND MINOR
COMMENTS, DURING THAT REVIEW.
THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS, COUNCILMEMBER
WOO. WHEN WE FIRST HEARD THIS
BILL IN JUNE, I WAS CONCERNED
ABOUT SIMILAR THINGS, MAKING
SURE STREET-LEVEL RETAIL IS HOW
WE REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN AGAIN ,
AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT CAN HELP ENSURE THAT THE
FIRST FLOOR SPACES STAY
ACTIVATED AND BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE SERVICES, WHETHER
RETAIL OR SOME OTHER SERVICE,
TO THE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE LIVING
IN THE UNITS ABOVE. I WILL BE
SUPPORTING THIS AMENDMENT.
OTHER QUESTIONS ?
>> I HAVE QUESTIONS. THESE
BUILDINGS , EVEN DOWNTOWN , A
REQUIREMENT TO HAVE A
STOREFRONT, OR IS IT THAT YOU
CAN EITHER HAVE A STOREFRONT OR
RESIDENTIAL? I AM JUST GETTING
MORE INFORMATION.
>> FOR MANY OF THESE ZONES,
THERE ARE STREET-LEVEL
REQUIREMENTS AND , DEPENDING ON
THE ZONE, STREET-LEVEL CAN BE
REQUIRED. SOME OF THE ISSUE IS
THAT SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS
WERE BUILT AT A MUCH OLDER
TIME. BEFORE THOSE STREET-LEVEL
USE PERFORMANCE WERE EVEN
REQUIRED. THERE ARE BUILDINGS
THAT DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE
STREET-LEVEL USES BUT THEY ARE
NOT IN VIOLATION OF THE CODE
BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN AROUND
FOR SO LONG. FOR THOSE
BUILDINGS , THOSE ARE NOT EVEN
NECESSARY EVEN SUBJECT TO THIS
AMENDMENT BECAUSE THEY DON'T
HAVE EXISTING STREET-LEVEL USES
FOR THOSE PROJECTS WHO ARE
SUBJECT TO THIS LEGISLATION --
>> CAN I STOP YOU? THERE ARE
SOME BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN, AFTER
CERTAIN DATE, WHEN THIS
REQUIREMENT WAS ENACTED, THEY
WERE GRANDFATHERED IN AND DID
NOT NEED TO HAVE THE
STREET-LEVEL USE , NOW WE HAVE
A MIXTURE OF STREET-LEVEL AND
NON-STREET-LEVEL REQUIREMENTS
FOR BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN ?
>> YES. FOR SOME OF THESE
PROJECTS, THAT ARE -- THOSE
BUILDINGS WITHOUT STREET-LEVEL
USES , THIS AMENDMENT WOULD NOT
AFFECT THEM, ONLY FOR THE
BUILDINGS THAT HAVE
STREET-LEVEL USES , REGARDLESS
OF WHETHER THOSE USES ARE
VACANT OR EXISTING. WHAT ARE
REQUIRED TO HAVE THOSE USES.
THAT WOULD THEN BE SUBJECT TO
THIS LEGISLATION.
>> OKAY , THANK YOU FOR THE
CLARIFICATION. I AM CONCERNED
WE ARE HAVING ISSUES DOWNTOWN
WITH EMPTY STOREFRONTS. THOSE
IF THE STOREFRONTS ARE BECOMING
-- IT IS CONTRIBUTING TO , YOU
KNOW , THERE IS GRAFFITI, THERE
IS OTHER DIFFICULT SITUATIONS
DOWNTOWN CONTRIBUTING TO THAT.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF EMPTY
STOREFRONTS DOWNTOWN AND I AM
CONCERNED THAT , IF WE ARE
REQUIRING THESE TO REMAIN
STOREFRONTS , VERSUS PERHAPS
RESIDENTIAL WHERE PEOPLE WOULD
BE LIVING THERE AND THEN IT IS
ACTIVATED IN THAT SPACE, IT IS
ACTIVATING THAT SPACE, THAT WE
ARE CONTRIBUTING TO MORE EMPTY
STOREFRONTS DOWNTOWN , I KNOW
WE HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF
TRYING TO ACTIVATE THOSE EMPTY
STOREFRONTS DOWNTOWN, BUT THEY
ARE HAVING A HARD TIME. I THINK
THAT, CURRENTLY , IF WE DO NOT
DO THIS , CAN THESE PROJECTS
CHOOSE TO EITHER HAVE
STOREFRONTS OR NOT?
>> IF THIS AMENDMENT --
>> IF THE AMENDMENT DOES NOT
PASS WHAT ARE THESE PROJECTS
REQUIRED TO DO WERE NOT
REQUIRED TO DO ? CAN THEY HAVE
THE OPTION OF DOING STOREFRONT
OR DOING RESIDENTIAL, AND , IT
SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF THESE
PROJECTS ARE CONTEMPLATING
PERHAPS HAVING STREET-LEVEL
USES THAT ARE NOT RESIDENTIAL.
>> THEY DO HAVE THE OPTION OF
PUTTING IN STREET-LEVEL USES OR
HAVING THE GROUND LEVEL BE
RESIDENTIAL.
>> THAT IS WHAT THEY HAVE
CURRENTLY, GEOFF, YOU SAY THEY
ARE ALREADY CONTEMPLATING
STREET-LEVEL USES, SO WE DON'T
NECESSARILY NEED THIS
AMENDMENT, THIS APPLIES TO
ADDITIONAL CONVERSIONS, THEN IT
WOULD MAKE THEM DO THE
STREET-LEVEL USES IF THEY ARE
ALREADY THERE ?
>> IF THIS AMENDMENT WENT
THROUGH TO FUTURE CONVERSION
PROCESS , NOT OTHERWISE
CONTEMPLATING STREET-LEVEL USE,
THIS AMENDMENT WOULD REQUIRE
THOSE STREET-LEVEL USES BE A
PART OF THOSE PROJECTS IN THE
AREAS LISTED.
>> THIS IS THE CONCERN I HAVE,
LIMITING, WITHOUT THE
AMENDMENT, EVEN FUTURE
PROJECTS, POTENTIAL PROJECTS
STILL HAVE THE OPTION OF DOING
STREET-LEVEL OR RESIDENTIAL,
BUT THIS WOULD LIMIT THEM TO
JUST STREEET LEVEL USES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
>> A THOUGHT AND A QUESTION. A
LOT OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE
THEORETICALLY VACANT, IF WE DO
THE CONVERSION TO BRING THEM
LIFE, PEOPLE LIVING IN THE
BUILDINGS, I WOULD THINK THAT
ACTIVATING THAT SPACE WOULD
PERHAPS ADDRESS SOME OF THE
CONCERNS ABOUT THE GROUND LEVEL
-- HEAR ME OUT. THE GROUND
LEVEL SPACE BEING VACANT AND A
NUISANCE IN THAT REGARD. MY
QUESTION IS, IF WE PASS THIS
AMENDMENT , IS IT POSSIBLE AND
MAYBE WE COULD TWEAK IT, TO
ALLOW FOR APPLICATION OR AN
APPEAL , IF IT IS TURNING OUT
THAT THEY CANNOT ACTIVATE THE
SPACE , FOR WHATEVER REASON ,
IT CONTINUES TO REMAIN VACANT
FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, THEY
COULD APPLY TO CONVERT IT TO
RESIDENTIAL ?
>> WE COULD WORK ON LANGUAGE
LIKE THAT, NOT NECESSARILY AT
THIS MOMENT AT THE TABLE, BUT
WE COULD THINK THROUGH
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT WOULD
NEED TO BE NOT VOTED ON TODAY.
>> DO THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT IN
THE BEGINNING ?
>> MY INITIAL REACTION TO THAT
, MY EXPERIENCE AT THE CITY,
GENERALLY, LCPD WOULD PREFER
NOT TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF
REGULATION BECAUSE IT CALLS FOR
DISCRETION. YOU HAVE TO MAKE A
CALL ABOUT WHAT IS -- WAS THE
SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT VACANT
, DID THEY REALLY HAVE PROBLEMS
FILLING IT? WE WOULD LIKE THAT
AFFORDED AN MAKE IT A CLEARER ,
ENFORCEABLE STANDARD. THERE
HAVE BEEN CASES WHERE
DEVELOPERS MAY BE ABLE TO FILL
A SPACE IF THEY TRIED, BUT IF
THEY COULD KEEP IT TO FOR A
TIME, THEY MAY DO THAT AS A
WORKAROUND I AM JUST REACTING
IN REAL TIME BUT THOSE ARE MY
INITIAL THOUGHTS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WOO?
>> WELL, I KNOW THERE IS A
LITTLE BIT OF A PUSHED BACK
WITH THIS AND I THINK IT WAS
IMPORTANT WE HAD THIS
DISCUSSION. I THINK THAT,
HAVING ACTIVE STOREFRONTS, HELP
UPLIFT NEIGHBORS AND ALLOW FOR
WALKING , PUBLIC SAFETY WITH
MORE FEET ON THE GROUND, MORE
EYES, AND HELPS WITH ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND HELPING WITH
SMALL BUSINESSES AND
ENTREPRENEURS. I DON'T THINK
THERE IS AN OVERSUPPLY OF
STOREFRONTS. I THINK HAVING
STOREFRONTS -- I MEAN , THERE
ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT CAUSE
THEM TO BE VACANT, NOT
NECESSARILY AN OVERSUPPLY.
HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY VERSUS
COME IN THE LONG TERM, VERSUS
PUTTING HOUSING THERE, HELPS
EXPAND THE POSSIBILITIES THAT
WE WILL GET OTHER STOREFRONTS
IN DOWNTOWN. BECAUSE, WHILE WE
CAN ALSO PUT A STOREFRONT AT
THE STOREFRONT, WE CAN ADD MORE
HOUSING BEHIND IT WHICH COULD
HELP MITIGATE, WHAT IF WE
CANNOT ACTIVATE IT, CAN WE PUT
HOUSING THERE? HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY IN THE LONG-TERM
WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING
AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASPECT
VERSUS JUST HOUSING, WE NEED
THAT, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE
TO HAVE MORE MIXED USE AND
PEOPLE TO COME TO DOWNTOWN.
>> CHAIR, CAN I, IF YOU WILL
INDULGE ME. THE POINT OF THE
CONVERSION IS WEAK CANNOT
ACTIVATE THE BUILDINGS
DOWNTOWN. GIVEN THAT, THE
DEVELOPERS DOING THE
CONVERSIONS HAVE THE OPTION OF
EITHER DOING THE STOREFRONT OR
DOING RESIDENTIAL , I FULLY
SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES ,
WHICH IS PART OF MY CONCERN ,
WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE
OUT A WAY TO HAVE SMALL
BUSINESSES STAY DOWNTOWN
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE
ACTIVATION. COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE, I APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENT, WE HAVE PEOPLE LIVING
DOWNTOWN CURRENTLY AND THAT
DOES NOT HAVE A STRONG IMPACT
ON THOSE IN THE STOREFRONTS. I
KNOW THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO
SOME OF THE SITUATION, THE
NEGATIVE SITUATION DOWNTOWN I
APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER WOO
BRINGING THIS AMENDMENT FORWARD
BUT I AM NOT CONVINCED
RESTRICTING THAT USE TO STREET
LEVEL WILL BE HELPFUL IN THAT
WAY BUT WE SHARE AN
APPRECIATION FOR THE SMALL
BUSINESSES. IF THERE ARE PEOPLE
LIVING THERE, MAYBE THERE NEEDS
TO BE A GROCERY STORE IN THE
AMENITIES. BUT BECAUSE THESE
ARE SPECIFIC TO THESE
CONVERSION PROJECTS WHICH WERE
TRYING TO COME UP WITH THE LACK
OF ACTIVATION DOWNTOWN , WHERE
THERE WAS ALREADY EMPTY
STOREFRONTS, I DO NOT
NECESSARILY THINK THAT THIS
AMENDMENT IS NEEDED. BUT I
APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT AND I
WILL BE IN SUPPORT OF IT TODAY
BUT APPRECIATE YOU FOR BRINGING
THIS FORWARD AND I AM
SUPPORTIVE OF THE REASONS
BEHIND WHAT YOU BROUGHT THIS.
>> I WANT TO CLARIFY ONE MORE
TIME, THERE ARE ABOUT A DOZEN
PROJECTS, AS FAR AS WE
UNDERSTAND, THEY ARE
CONTEMPLATING STREET-LEVEL USES
, ACTIVATION USES , AND , THE
UNDERLYING LEGISLATION GIVES
THE OPTION OF CONVERTING , IT
DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT THEY DO
RESIDENTIAL OR THAT THEY
MAINTAIN EXISTING USE ,
CORRECT?
>> CORRECT.
>> OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER WOO, ONE
MORE QUESTION AND WE SHOULD
VOTE. ARE THERE PARTICULAR
PROJECTS YOU ARE CONCERNED
ABOUT WHICH WOULD LOSE THE
FLEXIBILITY OF WHAT THAT
GROUND-FLOOR SPACE WILL LOOK
LIKE?
>> NO, THERE ISN'T A SINGLE
PROJECT I AM THINKING ABOUT NOW
OR IN THE FUTURE. WHAT I'M
THINKING ABOUT, THE LARGER ,
DOWNTOWN PLAN. LOOKING AT
PIONEER SQUARE , WHERE THEY DO
HAVE THE STREET-LEVEL USE
REQUIREMENT AND HAVE TO GO
BEFORE THE BOARD , PIONEER
SQUARE BOARD , TO GET A CHANGE
OF USE. THAT WAY , IT IS A MORE
THOUGHTFUL AND MEANINGFUL
APPROACH TO CHANGING THE
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AND NOT
ALLOWING COMMENTS AND RETAIL,
HAVING HOUSING, BECAUSE THE
PLAN WAS TO ALLOW FOR WALK
ABILITY, ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME
IN AND OUT , THE VIBRANCY OF
THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I KNOW THAT
THE FLEXIBILITY IS THERE AND ,
AS A DEVELOPER MYSELF, WHEN WE
LOOK AT THE PERFORMANCE IN
TERMS OF THE HOUSING VERSUS
COMMERCIAL SPACE, IT MAKES A
LITTLE BIT MORE SENSE TO PUT A
COMMERCIAL SPACE I AM NOT
WORRIED IF THIS DOES NOT PASS.
BUT, I THINK IT SENDS A
STATEMENT THAT WE WANT TO
ACTIVATE OUR DOWNTOWN AND HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
STOREFRONTS AND SMALL
BUSINESSES TO COME INTO
DOWNTOWN. THIS IS FOR A SMALL
AMOUNT OF PROJECTS. I FELT LIKE
IT WAS IMPORTANT WE HAD THIS
DISCUSSION.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK
IT WAS A FRUITFUL DISCUSSION
AND APPRECIATE UNDERSTANDING
THERE IS FLEXIBILITY IN THE
UNDERLYING LANGUAGE. THE
BUILDINGS DO RESIDENTIAL , SO ,
GIVEN THAT, I DO THINK THAT I
WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THE
AMENDMENT . AND JUST WANTED TO
STATE THAT. IF THERE IS NO
FURTHER DISCUSSION , LET'S MOVE
TO A VOTE. WILL YOU PLEASE CALL
THE ROLE?
>> MOORE?
>> AYE.
>> RIVERA?
>> NO.
>> WOO?
>> YES.
>> MORALES?
>> NO.
>> 2-2.
>> THE MOTION FAILS. ANY FINAL
COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE
FINAL BILL AS AMENDED ?
>> YES. COUNCILMEMBER WOO,
WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT WAYS THAT WE
CAN WORK WITH OED ON ACTIVATING
THOSE EMPTY STOREFRONTS , THAT
IS VERY WELCOME , SOMETHING
THEY ARE STRUGGLING WITH. I
AGREE WITH YOU , WE NEED MORE
ACTIVATION . I JUST WANTED TO
PRESERVE THE FLEXIBILITY ,
GIVEN WE KNOW AND IS BEEN SO
DIFFICULT. IF THERE IS ANYTHING
THIS COUNCIL CAN DO TO HELP
ACTIVATE THOSE EMPTY
STOREFRONTS DOWNTOWN, I WELCOME
THE CONVERSATION. I LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK
WITH YOU ON THAT. I KNOW THIS
IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO YOU
AS WELL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I AM GOING TO
MOVE TO RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF
COUNCIL BILL 120761 AS AMENDED.
>> SECOND.
>> PLEASE CALL THE ROLE.
>> MOORE?
>> AYE.
>> RIVERA?
>> YES.
>> WOO?
>> YES.
>> MORALES?
>> YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR.
>> BILL PASSES AND WILL BE SENT
TO THE JULY 9th MEETING FOR A
FULL VOTE. IF THERE IS NO
FURTHER BUSINESS, WE ARE
CONCLUDING OUR BUSINESS HERE,
THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED
COMMITTEE MEETING IS JULY 17th.
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING,
EVERYONE . WE ARE ADJOURNED.