>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THE
JULY 17, 2024 REGULARLY
SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE LAND
USE COMMITTEE WELCOME TO ORDER.
IT IS 2:00 P.M. I'M TAMMY
MORALES, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE ?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WILL.
>> PRESENT.
>> VICE CHAIR STRAUSS.
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR MORALES.
>> HERE.
>> FOUR PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU, IF COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE, I SEE HER ONLINE.
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, CALL ONE
MORE TIME.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
>> OKAY, IF SHE PRESENTS
HERSELF WE WILL ANNOUNCE HER.
OKAY. THANK YOU. WE HAVE THREE
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY . ALL
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. WE HAVE A
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON
THREE OF OUR EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE
PROJECTS. WE HAVE A BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION ON AN ANNUAL
REPORT ON OUR ACCESSORY
DWELLING UNITS PROGRAM, AND WE
HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND
DIFFERENT PLAYERS IN THE
HOUSING SPACE, TO TALK ABOUT
OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WITH A
FOCUS ON ANTI-DISPLACEMENT
STRATEGIES THROUGH A HOUSING
LENS. IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION
TO THESE, AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO AGENDA,
TODAY'S AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
WE'LL NOW OPEN THE HYBRID
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. NAOMI,
HOW MANY FOLKS DO WE HAVE
SIGNED UP?
>> WE HAVE TWO SIGNED UP IN
PERSON AND NONE ONLINE.
>> OKAY. SO EACH PERSON WILL
HAVE TWO MINUTES. WHEN YOU HEAR
A CHIME AT 10 SECONDS, THAT
MEANS PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR
COMMENTS. SPEAKERS WILL BE
CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY REGISTERED AND WE WILL GO
AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. SO CAN WE
PLEASE CALL THE SPEAKERS?
>> FIRST WE HAVE ALEX SILVERMAN
FOLLOWED BY STEPHEN STONE.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ]
>> MY ENGLISH NOT SO GOOD. I
USE THIS REPORT, YOU ARE
GENIUS. IN 23 YOU OPENED 500 [
INAUDIBLE ] FOR ONE YEAR. ONLY
ONE QUESTION, THE 200,000
PEOPLE WHO NEED APARTMENT GO TO
THIS [ INAUDIBLE ]. THIS WILL
BE MORE DANGEROUS THAN
CONCENTRATION CAMP. YOU KNOW
WHAT THIS MEANS, OR JAIL, YOU
KNOW WHAT THIS MEAN. 500 CONDO
OPEN IN 23. GENIUSES. YOU FIXED
EVERYTHING. I THINK TODAY FROM
PUBLIC YOU ARE ALL MILLIONAIRES
OR BILLIONAIRES. I JUST HAVE
SOCIAL SECURITY BUT YOU'RE ALL
MILLIONAIRES. QUESTION RIGHT
NOW IS CAN YOU SUPERSMART
MILLIONAIRE DOING SOMETHING FOR
200,000 PEOPLE WHO NEED
APARTMENT? LOW INCOME, SENIOR
CITIZEN, DISABLED PEOPLE,
HOMELESS , CAN YOU DO ANYTHING?
EXACTLY NOT. SO THIS FOR 10
YEARS, I TOLD YOU 100 TIMES IN
EVERY MEETING, YOU KNOW WHAT
THIS MEANS. ONE DAY FROM 9:00
TO 9:00 SO PEOPLE SMARTER THAN
THIS GARBAGE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW
WHAT THIS MEANS? COME GET
TALKING. CIVILIZE, EDUCATE
PEOPLE WHY CHANGES NEVER COME
HERE. EVERYTHING WHAT I SEE FOR
MANY YEAR IS A HUMAN GARBAGE,
LOW CLASS PROFESSIONAL. NOTHING
TO -- STAND UP. IT'S YOUR
TURN. WE NEED REAL CHANCES.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE STEPHEN MUST
TELL.
>> WILL WE STILL HAVEN'T
LOOKED AT RAISING THE MHA, EVEN
THOUGH WE ARE ALL FOR HOUSING,
ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT
AND CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE
LOWEST IN THE COUNTRY, IF NOT
THE LOWEST, BUT CERTAINLY ON
THE LOW END AND WE ARE EVENING
OUT THE NUMBER OF TREES IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. WE ARE
ELIMINATING THEM IN THE AREAS
THAT WE HAVE THEM AND SO IT'S
GOING TO BE EQUAL, 0-0. I WOULD
HOPE THIS COMMITTEE WOULD
CONSIDER SOME OF THE PUBLIC'S
BUSINESS RATHER THAN JUST
KEEPING THE MARGIN WIDE FOR THE
FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPERS. WHEN YOU
REDUCE THE SIZE OF PARKING
SPACES, WHEN YOU DON'T REQUIRE
LOADING DOCKS, WHEN YOU ADD
ADDITIONAL UNITS, YOU'RE NOT
REALLY SAVING PEOPLE MONEY IN
THE FOR-PROFIT AREA. ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY YOUR SYSTEM IS NOT
WORKING IS BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE
A MILLION-DOLLAR UNIT, IT STAYS
A MILLION-DOLLAR UNIT. SO IF
YOU ADD MORE UNITS, YOU MAKE IT
MORE PROFITABLE FOR THE
DEVELOPER, THEY JUST PUT IT IN
THEIR POCKET. THEY DON'T SELL
THOSE UNITS OFF CHEAPER THAN
WHAT THEY COULD GET IN THE
MARKET. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE
MAIN REASONS WHY SEATTLE
CONTINUES TO HAVE THE SAME
PROBLEMS. NOW ONE THING THE
COUNCIL DID THAT ACTUALLY DID
HELP, THANKS TO SEATAC PASSING,
RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE, AND I
DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD HAVE
PASSED IN SEATTLE IF CIHAK AND
HAVE DONE IT FIRST AND KIND OF
EMBARRASSED THE COUNCIL ON
THEIR LIBERAL CREDIBILITY, AND
I THINK AT THIS POINT WE LOOK
AT WHAT IT COST TO LIVE IN
SEATTLE AND LOOK AT THE WAGES.
LOOK AT THAT. ALSO LOOK AT
THESE HORDES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
BUYING RATHER THAN CONTINUALLY
MAKING DEVELOPERS WEALTHIER AND
WEALTHIER. LOOK AT THEIR [
INAUDIBLE ] -- THEY DON'T SAY
THEY'RE MAKING NO MONEY.
>> WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL
COMMENTARIES.
>> OKAY. SO WE WILL GO AHEAD
AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND
MOVE TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
NAOMI, WILL YOU PLEASE READ
ITEM ONE INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 1, DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE PROJECTS UPDATE FOR
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU. SO WE ARE
JOINED BY JENNA FRANKLIN WITH
ALSO PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT, CESAR GARCIA WITH
LAKE CITY COLLECTIVE IS JOINING
US ONLINE, I BELIEVE. ASIA
TAIL, WIKI HOW INDIGENOUS
CREATIVE'S COLLECTIVE AND --
ARE THEY --
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> VERY WELL WITH [ INAUDIBLE
]'S LIBRARY, SO I WILL LET YOU
SETTLE IN AND ASK YOU TO PLEASE
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND GET
STARTED WITH YOUR
PRESENTATIONS.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HAVING US BACK. WE'RE REALLY
PLEASED TO BRING THREE EDI
PROJECT GRANT RECIPIENT
SPOTLIGHTS TO YOU TODAY. I AM
JENNA FRANKLIN. ON THE
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE DIVISION DIRECTOR
AND I'M JOINED BY DAKOTA
MURRAY, WHO IS AN EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT MANAGER AND
AN INDIGENOUS PLANNING
SPECIALIST ON THE EDI TEAM AND
WITH THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. DAKOTA
IS WITH ME TODAY BECAUSE DAKOTA
HAS MANAGED BOTH AT THE ART THE
CYCLE OF OUR AWARD PROCESSES,
WORKING WITH THE GRANDVIEW
ORGANIZATIONS AND THE BOARD,
ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO MANAGING
THESE PROJECTS DAY TO DAY IN
PARALLEL WITH HER COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT COUNTERPARTS. AND
YOU'LL GET TO MEET SOME OF
THEM TODAY. SO I JUST WANT TO
FEATURE SOME OF THE WORK THAT
OUR STAFF DO AND THEN ALSO TURN
IT OVER TO OUR GRANTEES TO TALK
ABOUT THEIR PROJECTS. I'M GOING
TO GO AHEAD AND START MY SCREEN
SHARING HERE. BEAR WITH ME JUST
A MOMENT. IF I CAN GET TO MY
CORRECT SCREEN. OKAY. THERE WE
GO. WE ARE IN BUSINESS. SO
JOINING US ONLINE IS CESAR
GARCIA. HE'S THE CODIRECTOR OF
THE LAKE CITY COLLECTIVE. THIS
IS A GRANTEE PROJECT THAT IS
REALLY SPECIAL. WE ARE EXCITED
FOR CESAR TO TALK ABOUT THEIR
DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY AND I'M
GOING TO MINIMIZE THIS SO
EVERYONE CAN SEE THE FULL
SLIDE. AND WITH THAT, I'M
GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CESAR
TO INTRODUCE THEIR PROJECT AND
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW
THEIR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS HAS
BEEN GOING, AND WHAT'S AHEAD,
AS WELL.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON AND CAN YOU
HEAR ME?
>> YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. DEAR
LAND-USE COMMITTEE, IT'S A
GREAT HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY. I
WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, JENNA
AND EDIE FOR THE INVITATION. MY
NAME IS CESAR GARCIA AND I AM
ONE OF THE COFOUNDERS OF THE
LAKE CITY COLLECTIVE, AND THE
OTHER COFOUNDER IS PETER
LANDIS, WHO IS ALSO MY LIFE
PARTNER. OUR FAMILY IS COMPOSED
OF THREE YOUNG KIDS AND I WOULD
LIKE TO SHARE THE IMPACT THAT
THE EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE, EDI, HAS HAD IN
THAT ORGANIZATION AND ALSO TO
OUR UNDERREPRESENTED
COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE NORTH
END. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SHARE
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PROJECT,
WHICH WE CALL THE MULTICULTURAL
RESILIENCE CENTER. THAT IS OUR
DREAM HOME. FIRST A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT OUR BACKGROUND. FOR MANY
YEARS PEGGY AND I DID COMMUNITY
ADVOCACY AND CULTURAL EVENTS,
MAINLY AS VOLUNTEERS AND
WITHOUT A SPACE. WE USED TO
MEET AND ORGANIZE EVENTS AT OUR
LOCAL PARK, THE COMMUNITY
CENTER AND THE LIBRARY. IN 2018
WE APPLIED FOR CAPACITY
BUILDING FUNDS AND WERE NOT
SUCCESSFUL BUT THE SECOND TIME
WE WERE AWARDED FUNDS AND THAT
WAS A LIFE-CHANGING EVENT FOR
US. FOR LAKE CITY COLLECTIVE
AND ALSO FOR HUNDREDS OF
FAMILIES AND MINORITIES IN THE
SYSTEM WE SUPPORT THROUGH OUR
WORK. AND THIS FUND WILL ALLOW
US AT THE TIME TO RENT THE
SPACE FOR THE FIRST TIME, TO
HAVE A HUB FOR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS BUT CALL OUR CENTER A
SECOND HOME. OUR CENTER IS A
PLACE TOGETHER, TO LEARN, TO
HAVE FUN, TO DISCUSS AND TO
ADVOCATE FOR IMPORTANT
LIVABILITY ISSUES AND CONNECT
WITH THE CITY, BUT MOST
IMPORTANTLY TO CONNECT OUR
CULTURE AND TO CELEBRATE OUR
HERITAGE. IT HASN'T BEEN EASY.
IT IS NOT EASY TO BE A MEXICANO
MESTIZO UP HERE IN THE VERY TIP
OF SEATTLE AND HAVE ACCESS TO
THE SAME RESOURCES AND
CONNECTIONS AND EVEN THE
RESPECT THAT OTHERS TAKE FOR
GRANTED. BUT THAT'S WHY WE
LOVE ABOUT OUR WORK, WE SEE
OURSELVES AS THAT INVISIBLE
COOK BEHIND THE KITCHEN, THE
HOTEL MADE, THE LANDSCAPING
PERSON, THAN ANY WORKING AND
VITALLY DOING THEIR WORK BEHIND
THE SCENES, PERSEVERING TO
PROVIDE FOR OUR FAMILY. WE ARE
THE SAME, ONLY IN THE FORM OF A
CDO, AND BECAUSE WE ARE THE
SAME, OUR CURRENT TEACHER
CENTER IS AND WILL BE THE HUB
FOR PEOPLE LIKE US. HARD WORK
HAS PAID OFF THANKS TO OUR
PARTNERSHIPS WITH GREAT CITY
EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE
ENCOUNTERED ALONG THE WAY. OUR
PROJECT AND THE IMPACT THEY
HAVE SEEN WITH OUR WORK HAS TO
HELP. WE COULDN'T HAVE MADE SO
MUCH PROGRESS ON FOOD ACCESS,
FOOD JUSTICE, CULTURAL
PRESERVATION, ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSISTANCE WITHOUT THE CITY'S
HELP AND SUPPORT BUT ESPECIALLY
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE EDI
AND THE COMMITTEE THAT IT GIVEN
OUR COMMUNITY A HOME. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY TO
HAVE A CHANCE AND
SELF-DETERMINATION. OUR PROJECT
IS CENTERING A DEVELOPMENT BASE
THROUGHOUT OUR CAPITAL
CAMPAIGN. WE ARE PURSUING
GRANTS AND FUNDS FROM OTHER
SOURCES INCLUDING THE EDI
FUNDS. OUR PROJECT IS EXPECTED
TO BE ABOUT 25,000 SQUARE FEET.
RIGHT NOW OUR CURRENT CENTER IS
ABOUT 6000 SQUARE FEET. WE WILL
HAVE A LARGE MULTIPURPOSE
COMMUNITY ROOM WHERE WE WILL
HAVE DEMONSTRATION, TEACHING
AND A GALLERY, A COMMUNITY ART
STUDIO, BUSINESS AND
ENTREPRENEUR SUPPORT OFFICES
AND CHILDREN'S PLAYROOM, AND A
PATIO AS WELL AS ROOMS AND A
PHOTO ARRAY. THAT'S OUR
PROJECT AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANKS
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU, CESAR. IT WAS
ALSO REALLY WONDERFUL THIS PAST
WEEKEND, LAKE CITY COLLECTIVE
JOINED US, PLANNERS FROM OUR
OFFICE AND ANOTHER EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT PARTNER AT AN EVENT
IN SOUTH LAKE UNION WITH MOE
HYDE WHERE WE ENGAGED FAMILIES
AND CHILDREN IN PLANNING AND
ENVISIONING WHAT EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT IN SEATTLE CAN
ACHIEVE. SO IT'S REALLY
AWESOME TO HAVE THEM THERE BUT
THEY ALSO BROUGHT A FULL-SCALE
MODEL OF THEIR FUTURE HOME
WHICH WAS INCREDIBLE TO SEE AND
YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE WHEN YOU
SEE IT, PEOPLE ACTIVATING THE
INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE OF THAT
SPACE AND REALLY CREATING AN
ANCHOR IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT WHAT WAS EVEN MORE
WONDERFUL WERE ALL OF THE
MEMBERS OF LAKE CITY COLLECT
WHO CAME AND STAFFED WITH CESAR
TO SEE NOT JUST THE COMMITMENT
TO THE WORK BUT ALSO THE
COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE
BUILDING AND THE CONNECTION
THAT THEY SHARED IN HAVING ALL
THE KIDS BUILD LEGOS AND SHOW
OTHER KIDS HOW TO PLAN AND
BUILD SOMETHING. SO ANYWAYS, I
WANTED TO NOTE THAT. THANKS,
CESAR, FOR ATTENDING THAT WITH
MOE HYDE AND WITH US. SO WITH
THAT, OR THERE ANY QUESTION
SPECIFICALLY FOR CESAR AND OUR
TEAM ABOUT THIS PROJECT?
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. THE FIRST IS CESAR,
YOU MENTIONED FOOD SECURITY AND
FOOD ACCESS. CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT
IS AND HOW THIS HAS SUPPORTED
YOUR EFFORT THERE?
>> YES. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER. WE LIVE IN A
VERY URBAN ENVIRONMENT AND
WITHOUT A LOAD OF OPEN SPACES
AND WITHOUT OPEN COMMUNITIES
FOR OUR COMMUNITIES TO HAVE
ACCESS TO FOODS THAT THEY
TRADITIONALLY EAT AND ALSO VERY
IMPORTANTLY, A LOT OF THE
COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT
PARTICIPATE WITH US, THEY COME
FROM SMALL PUEBLOS, VILLAGES
WHERE YOU KNOW THE WAY OF LIFE
WAS TO PLAN -- TO PLANT, TO
HARVEST. RIGHT NOW THEY ARE IN
THE MIDDLE OF AN URBAN
ENVIRONMENT AND WE HAVE THIS
WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE FROM ALL
THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO
DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE FOODS
THAT THEY EAT IN THE CULTURE.
THANKS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS, FOOD EQUITY
FUND, WE ARE ABLE NOW TO HAVE A
BEAUTIFUL GARDEN THAT YOU ARE
ALL WELCOME TO VISIT AND THAT
IS THEREBY NOT ONLY ADULTS BUT
ALSO KIDS AND YOUTHS AND WE ARE
PLANTING THOSE FOODS THAT
PEOPLE TRADITIONALLY EAT, NOT
ONLY FOR EDUCATION. IT HAS AN
EDUCATION COMPONENT BUT WE ARE
VERY THANKFUL TO PROGRAMS THE
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
COMMITTEE, WHO REALLY PROVIDED
THOSE SEED FUNDS AS WELL AS A
FOOD EQUITY FUND NOW THAT WE
ARE WORKING ON.
>> AND THEN YOU SAID, SO THIS
SLIDE SHOWS THAT TO DATE YOU
RECEIVED $1.2 MILLION, ALMOST
$1.3 MILLION IN EDI FOR
CAPACITY, AND IS THAT
PREDEVELOPMENT, THE CAPITAL
FUNDS? IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES. WELL IF I MAY, OR I CAN
LET JENNA ANSWER THAT QUESTION,
OR I CAN ANSWER. OKAY. YES, SO
MOST OF THE BULK OF THOSE FUNDS
IS ACTUALLY WHEN WE APPLIED FOR
THE DIFFERENT INVESTMENT FUNDS
SO THE STRATEGIC INVESTMENT
FUND IS APPLYING AND WE WERE
AWARDED AND WERE SUCCESSFUL,
AND WE GOT ENOUGH FUNDS WITH $1
MILLION TO ACTUALLY PURCHASE
THE PROPERTY THAT IS GOING TO
BE WERE OUR FUTURE CENTER IS
GOING TO BE. WE NOW OWN THAT
PROPERTY. JUST HALF A BLOCK
FROM WHERE OUR CURRENT CENTER
IS. SO WE ARE NOT GOING FAR
AWAY AND IT'S ONE POINT TO
HAVE THE SPECIFIC AMOUNT, BUT
THE REST OF THE OTHERS ARE
CAPACITY.
>> AND MY LAST QUESTION, AND
COLLEAGUES, I'M HAPPY TO OPEN
IT UP IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS,
TOO. SO YOU'VE ACQUIRED THE
BUILDING AND YOU'RE IN THE
DEVELOPMENT PHASE. SO WHAT IS
NEEDED LEFT -- WHAT IS YOUR
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN GOAL?
>> THE PROPERTY ESSENTIALLY IS
AN EMPTY LOT, WHICH GIVES US A
PLAN CANVAS TO WORK ON. AND THE
COST OF THE PROJECT HAVE BEEN
GOING UP SINCE WE STARTED
WORKING WITH THE DESIGNING
TEAM. YOU KNOW A LOT OF FACTORS
HAVE KIND OF INCREASED THE
ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH IT'S
GOING TO BE BUT WE STARTED WITH
AN ESTIMATE OF 12 TO 15
BILLION, NOW WE'RE TALKING
20-25, AND EVEN IF WE DELAY ON
A LOT OF THE FUNDS WE CAN GO UP
TO 30 MILLION.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE?
>> THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU
CESAR FOR BEING HERE. THIS IS A
GREAT PROJECT. I AM WONDERING
IF YOU COULD JUST WALK US
THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF HOW
THIS ALL CAME ABOUT, HOW THE
INITIAL IDEA, AND THEN HOW DID
YOU -- DID YOU MAKE CONTACT
WITH THE OPC TEAM? WERE YOU
AWARE OF THE EDI FUND? JUST
REALLY INTERESTED HOW THAT,
FROM IDEA TO ACTUALLY NOW
OWNING YOUR BUILDING, HOW THAT
ALL OCCURRED.
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER. WHAT I
WOULD LIKE TO BE PRIVY TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
COMMUNITY PROGRAM. THAT WAS MY
SCHOOL AND BEFORE I WOULD NOT
-- HE WOULD ASK ME HOW CITY
GOVERNMENT WORKS, I WOULD NOT
-- I DON'T KNOW. RIGHT NOW
IT'S ALL I KNOW BUT THEN, YOU
KNOW THE PROGRAM , I WAS DOING
A LOT OF HOURS WITH THEM AT THE
TIME AND I REALLY LEARNED HOW
THE CITY WORKED. WHEN WE BECAME
A CBO, A COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATION IN APRIL 2019, WE
STARTED CONNECTING, TRYING TO
CONNECT WITH DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS, CITY DEPARTMENTS
AND BASICALLY KNOCKING A LOT OF
DOORS AND LEARNING ABOUT THIS
PROCESS AND HAVING THAT PROCESS
FOR US, ORGANIZATIONS,
SOMETIMES HARDER TIMES, YOU
CONNECT WITH PEOPLE YOU PUT IN
POWER AND I LOVE THIS COUNCIL
THIS TIME BECAUSE I'M HAPPY TO
CONNECT WITH PEOPLE LIKE YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE AND
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. BUT THE
LAST TIME AROUND WE WERE
INVISIBLE, ESSENTIALLY, AND SO
THAT'S WHY THAT ALSO AFFECTS
THE ORGANIZATION'S. BECAUSE
YOU CANNOT CONNECT WITH THE
PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT AS QUICKLY
AS YOU WOULD LIKE. SO I DON'T
KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR
QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU, MAY I ASK
ANOTHER? THANKS. SO LOOKING AT
YOUR INTENDED OUTCOME, THERE
ARE TWO THERE THAT ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT. BUT TWO THAT SORT OF
STANDOUT TO ME AS ONE, YOU ARE
ABLE TO FOSTER A STABLE
CONNECTION AND SENSE OF PRIDE
TO THE AREA THAT WOULD IN TURN
PREVENT DISPLACEMENT. I'M
REALLY CURIOUS HOW HAVING THIS
FACILITY AND THIS RESOURCE,
WOULD IT HELP FACILITATE THAT
AND ALSO THE OTHER ONE IS
ESTABLISHING PARTNERSHIPS THAT
WOULD HELP PRESERVE EXISTING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITES IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH I KNOW IS A
CHALLENGE, AND TO IMPROVE
LIVING CONDITIONS. CAN YOU
MAYBE EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE
BIT? THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT
PARTICIPATE WITH PROGRAMS, THEY
HAVE BEEN IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS FOR MANY, MANY
YEARS, 15-20 YEARS, IF NOT
MORE, AND MANY OFTEN TIMES THEY
ARE ALWAYS AND WE ARE ALWAYS
UNDER DIFFERENT KINDS OF
PRESSURES. AND THESE PRESSURES,
A LOT OF PEOPLE TEND TO BELIEVE
IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT. IT IS
IMPORTANT, HOWEVER, WE SEE THAT
THERE ARE OTHER PRESSURES THAT
REALLY MAKES PEOPLE DECIDE TO
LEAVE. SAFETY IS ONE OF THEM.
BUT ALSO A LOT OF THE PEOPLE
THAT WE SUPPORT THAT COME TO
OUR PROGRAMS, WE ARE ALL
RENTERS, FOR THE MOST PART, AND
WE HAVE SEEN THAT BAD APARTMENT
MANAGERS AND APARTMENT
BUILDINGS THAT ARE IN NOT THE
BEST SHAPE, IS WHAT ACTUALLY IS
MAKING PEOPLE LEAVE THEIR
HOMES. WE TRIED ANSWERING THE
SECOND PART ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS.
WE TRIED TO REALLY FORM THESE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE OWNERS
OF THOSE BUILDINGS WITH EVEN
DEPARTMENT MANAGERS, TO TRY TO
ALLEVIATE A LOT OF THE
CHALLENGES AND INTERESTS THE
RENTERS SEE IN THE APARTMENT
BUILDING. A LOT OF THE
PREVENTION THAT WE DO, IF YOU
ARE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, LIKE
LET'S SAY YOUR HOME BASE, AND
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TWO
BLOCKS FROM WHERE YOU CAN GET
SUPPORT AND INFORMATION AND BE
CONNECTED TO CITY PROGRAMS,
JUST IN YOUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD,
AND YOU FEEL SAFE . YOU FEEL
CONNECTED. YOU FEEL LIKE
CULTURE IS BEING CELEBRATED IN
YOUR ROOM COMMUNITY. THAT IS A
VERY HIGH CHANCE THAT YOU WILL
STAY . IT DOESN'T MATTER IF
THE RENT GOES UP A LITTLE BIT.
IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT YOU
HAVE CHALLENGES IN YOUR
BUILDING. FEEL CONNECTED TO
THAT PLACE AND YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU BELONG TO THAT
NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THAT HAS BEEN
OUR EDI STRATEGY. THAT'S OUR
GOAL, TO FEEL LIKE YOU BELONG
SOMEWHERE, LIKE YOU CAN BE A
SUPPORT, YOU CAN BE A STEWARD
OF YOUR OWN PARK AND THAT'S
OUR STRATEGY. THAT'S WHY AT
LEAST ON AN ORGANIZATIONAL
LEVEL WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
HOUSING BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE
HOUSING, THE RENT THAT PEOPLE
PAY HERE FOR THE LAST 15-20
YEARS IS EVEN MORE AFFORDABLE
THAN WHAT IS NOW CALLED
AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE BECAUSE
THEY HAD BEEN THERE FOR YEARS
AND YEARS AND YEARS AND THE
RENT IS DEEPER THAN THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IN PRICE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR. [ SPEAKING
NON-ENGLISH ] I JUST WANT TO
ASK ABOUT OR CLARIFY, AND
CESAR, MAYBE THIS IS MORE OF A
QUESTION FOR OPC BE, SO I'LL
ASK IT AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO
ANSWER OR THEY CAN, THEY CAN AS
WELL. YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU
GOT THE FUNDING THROUGH THE
STRATEGIC INVESTMENT FUND,
WHICH ACTUALLY IS NOT EDI
FUNDING, STRATEGIC INVESTMENT
FUND WAS THE ONE TIME FUNDING
PROGRAM. I THINK RIGHT NOW
IT'S ADMINISTERED THE EDI
FOLKS AT OPC D BUT IT WAS MEANT
TO BE ONE TIME FUNDING. SO THAT
FUNDING WENT TO PURCHASE THE
BUILDING IN FULL OR THAN YOU
MENTIONED THAT YOU ALSO, EDI
ALLOWED YOU TO RENT THE SPACE
TONIGHT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I
HEARD THAT PROPERLY, AS WELL.
SO DO YOU MIND CLARIFYING THIS
OR DID THE STRATEGIC INVESTMENT
FUND ALLOW YOU TO BE ABLE TO
PURCHASE THE BUILDING?
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER. WELL WE
HAD IN THE BEGINNING, BEFORE
APPLIED FOR THE STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT FUND, WE APPLIED FOR
TWO ROUNDS OF CAPACITY BUILDING
SO THE CAPACITY BUILDING, WHICH
WAS -- IF I REMEMBER WELL, AND
SOMETIMES SO MANY NUMBERS IN MY
HEAD, BUT IT WAS 75,000 EACH
TIME. SO THOSE FUNDS ARE WHAT
REALLY GIVE US ENOUGH MONEY TO
GO AND RENT A SPACE AND JUST TO
RENT THE SPACE WE ARE LOCATED
RIGHT NOW. AND THEN WHEN THE
STRATEGIC INVESTMENT FUND CAME
OUT, SO THAT WAS AFTER. THAT
WAS THE THIRD YEAR WHEN THEY
ACQUIRED THE LAND AND WE GOT TO
SAY THAT WE ARE VERY PROUD THAT
WE WERE THE FIRST OF THE
GRANTEES FOR THAT, THAT
ACTUALLY CLOSED ON THE
PROPERTY. WE WORKED AND WERE
REALLY HAPPY THAT WE CLOSED ON
THE PROPERTY. ESSENTIALLY THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OWNER,
THIS OWNER, HE HAD REALLY
BELIEVED IN US AND HE WOULD NOT
SELL THE PROPERTY TO A
DEVELOPER. HE WAS ACTUALLY
PURSUING A DEVELOPER TO BUILD I
DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FLOORS OF
APARTMENTS BUT HE BELIEVED IN
WHAT WE WERE DOING AND HE SAW
HOW THE COMMUNITY WAS
TRANSFORMED, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
AND ADVOCATING FOR A NEW
REDEVELOPMENT OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD PARK , WITH ONLY
$2 MILLION OF CITY, COUNTY AND
STATE FUNDS TO GET A
REDEVELOPED PARK. HE SAW THE
CHANGE AND INSTEAD OF SELLING
TO A DEVELOPER, HE SAID, YOU
KNOW, I'M GOING TO WAIT FOR
YOU. I'M GOING TO WAIT FOR YOU
AND WHEN YOU CAN COME UP WITH
THOSE FUNDS I WILL -- OUR
PARTNERS WANT TO SELL IT TO YOU
AS OPPOSED TO A DEVELOPER.
>> THANK YOU, CESAR. THAT'S
JUST A TESTAMENT TO THE WORK
THAT I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN
DOING IN COMMUNITY UP THERE,
EVEN BEFORE YOU GOT THE SIF
AWARD. IS A REALLY APPRECIATE
THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING UP
THERE. I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION
IF THAT'S OKAY, CHAIR, AND
THAT IS JUST TO CLARIFY, CESAR,
THE PROJECT THAT YOU'RE DOING,
YOU SAID YOU'RE TRYING TO GET
MORE FUNDING. IS IT TO REMODEL
THE BUILDING OR CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT -- AND
DID I HEAR IT RIGHT? DID YOU
NEED AN ADDITIONAL $30 MILLION?
SORRY IF I HEARD THAT
INCORRECTLY.
>> YEAH, NO, THE LOTS THAT THE
PROPERTY THAT WE PURCHASED WITH
SIF FUNDS, THAT LOT IS
CURRENTLY EMPTY. IT DOESN'T
HAVE ANY STRUCTURE. YET. AND SO
THE FUNDRAISING, THE CAPITAL
CAMPAIGN WOULD BE TO GO TO
BUILD A CENTER, LIKE FROM THE
GROUND UP OR EVEN UNDERGROUND
UP, I WILL SAY, BECAUSE OF THE
PARKING. I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO
SAY SOMETHING REALLY QUICK. WE
HAD OUR EBG MEETING, THE DESIGN
GUIDANCE MEETING WITH
DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY. WE
WERE SO NERVOUS ABOUT THAT
MEETING AND IT WAS SUCH A -- WE
CAME OUT FROM THAT MEETING, THE
DESIGNING TEAM, KATIE WAS OUR
PROJECT MANAGER WITH OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND MYSELF, SO
DELIGHTED THAT THE PEOPLE WERE
THERE FROM DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS, CITY LIGHT, ALL
THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS
WERE SO SUPPORTIVE OF OUR
PROJECT AND THEY WERE TRYING TO
SEE HOW THEY WORK, DIFFERENT
INVESTMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING
IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, HOW CAN
THAT ALL WORK IN SYNCHRONY WITH
OUR PROJECT. THAT WAS GREAT
EXPERIENCE TO HAVE.
>> GRASSLEY IS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER.
>> THANKING MY COLLEAGUES FOR
ALL THAT YOU DO AND
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA TOOK PART
OF MY QUESTION THAT I WAS GOING
TO ASK. CONGRATULATIONS TO
MAKING DEVELOPMENT PHASE.
WANTED TO SEE IF YOU'VE COME
ACROSS ANY CHALLENGES, ANY
SUGGESTIONS ON HOW THE CITY CAN
DO BETTER TO HELP SUPPORT YOU
IN YOUR EFFORTS TO MAKE
PROGRESS IN YOUR PROJECT?
>> YES. THERE IS A LOT -- THERE
ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN BE
VERY HELPFUL, COUNCILMEMBER,
AND OF COURSE FUNDS, EDI
PROJECTS, WE HAVE RELIED AND
YOU HAVE HEARD, ON EDI FUNDS TO
CONTINUE OUR PROJECTS AND TO
USE, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE
PURSUING A PAIR OF GRANTS, AN
IMPORTANT PAIR OF GRANTS AND
IT'S VERY POSSIBLE WE WILL
NEED BRIDGE FUNDS WHILE THAT
HAPPENS, IF IT HAPPENS OR
POSSIBLY IT WILL HAPPEN. AND SO
ANOTHER ROUND THAT WE CAN APPLY
ANOTHER WOULD BE OF COURSE VERY
HELPFUL. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
THE LAND-USE TODAY AND JUST
MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE
MAYBE SOME EFFICIENCY OR MAYBE
TO THINK ABOUT OUR EDI PROJECTS
AND SOMETHING THAT IS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNITIES AND
IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE
DON'T DELAY ON OUR PROJECTS,
NOT ONLY BECAUSE COST WILL
INCREASE BUT ALSO BECAUSE OUR
COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW THEY
DEPEND ON US. WE ARE GIVING OUR
SERVICES RIGHT NOW BUT THE
FASTER WE CAN BUILD OUR PROJECT
WILL BE BETTER. IF THERE IS
SOME KIND OF ASSISTANCE WE CAN
GET INTO THE PERMITTING AND
ZONES THAT EACH OF OUR PROJECTS
NEED, YOU KNOW, TO COMPLETE THE
PROJECTS, THAT WOULD BE VERY,
VERY HELPFUL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WHY DON'T WE MOVE ON TO
YEHAW INDIGENOUS CREATIVE'S
COLLECTIVE. THANK YOU, CESAR.
>> WITH THAT I'M GOING TO TURN
IT OVER TO ASIA TAIL TO TALK
ABOUT THE YEHAW INDIGENOUS
CREATIVE COLLECTIVE PROJECT AND
IN THE PRESENTATION WE PROVIDED
WE ALSO HAVE A LINK TO VIDEO
AND WILL SAVE THAT , IF
THERE'S TIME, BUT WE FIRST
WANT TO BE ABLE TO FEATURE ALL
OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HELLO COUNCILMEMBERS. MY
NAME IS ASIA TAIL. I'M A
CITIZEN OF THE CHEROKEE NATION
AND A SECOND GENERATION NATIVE
RAISED HERE ON THE SAILORS
TERRITORIES. I USE SHE/HER
PRONOUNS AND I AM THE DIRECTOR
OF THE YEHAW INDIGENOUS
CREATIVE COLLECTIVE. I WANT TO
START BY THANKING THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND THE EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE . I CAN
PERSONALLY ATTEST THAT EDI AND
ITS FUNDED PROJECTS HAVE
POSITIVELY TRANSFORMED MY LIFE
AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE
POSITIVELY TRANSFORMED THE
LIVES OF MANY NATIVE PEOPLE AND
NONPROFITS ACROSS OUR CITY. IN
2021 OUR NONPROFIT WAS AWARDED
JUST OVER $2 MILLION TO EDI AND
THE STRATEGIC INVESTMENT FUND,
WHICH ALLOWED US TO RETURN OVER
AN ACRE AND A HALF OF GREEN
SPACE IN RENO BEACH TO
STEWARDSHIP. OUR SITE
IDENTIFICATION AND PURCHASE
PROCESS WAS LONG AND LOCATED,
TO BE HONEST, AND I MENTIONED
THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS
LIKELY THE CASE FOR MANY
NONPROFITS IN SEATTLE IN
PARTICULAR. IT TOOK NINE MONTHS
TO FIND A SITE THAT WOULD BE
SUITABLE AND IT TOOK ANOTHER
NINE MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS
BEFORE WE COULD CLOSE ON THE
PROPERTY IN DECEMBER 2022. EDI
STAFF INCLUDING DAKOTA NEXT TO
ME WERE INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE
AND INVALUABLE GUIDES
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
NOT ONLY DID EDI FUNDING
BENEFIT US, BUT THE BACKING OF
SUCH A REPUTABLE PROGRAM HAS
ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE TO GROW
OUR GRANT REVENUE FROM BOTH
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SOURCES
SINCE THAT INITIAL PROPERTY
PURCHASE AND WE SAW A LARGE
INCREASE IN PERSONAL DONATIONS
FOLLOWING THE EXCITEMENT OF OUR
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT. SO MUCH SO
THAT JUST THIS PAST MARCH WE
WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE HOUSE
RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO US AND WE
HAVE WATER AND POWER AND INDOOR
GATHERING SPACE AND ARE
CONTINUING TO BUILD COMMUNITY
WELL FOR DISENFRANCHISED
PEOPLES WITHOUT, I'LL SAY,
SACRIFICING ANY GREEN SPACE. WE
ARE WORKING HARD ON THE LAND
AND OUR INTENTION IS VERY MUCH
TO PRESERVE ALL THE EXISTING
CANOPY COVERAGE AND EXCEPTIONAL
TREES. THIS IS ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT IN A BIPOC
NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLY BURDENED BY
CLIMATE CHANGE. WE ARE GROWING
CULTURALLY RELEVANT FOODS,
FEEDING PEOPLE AND PROVIDING
OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH OUR
PROGRAMS. WE ARE ALSO
STRENGTHENING LOCAL ECONOMIES
BY HIRING ENTREPRENEURS TO LEAD
WORKSHOPS, DESIGN AND BUILD
STRUCTURES AND HELP CREATE
PUBLIC ART. OUR PLAN MAY BE
MOVING FORWARD IS TO
SUSTAINABLY CULTIVATE AN
INDIGENOUS ARTS CAMPUS WHERE
NATIVE ARTISTS CAN HEAL THEIR
CONNECTIONS TO EACH OTHER AND
THE LAND. WITH PUBLIC WALKING
TRAILS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS TO
BENEFIT ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS.
WE ARE SOWING SEEDS TODAY TO
BENEFIT OUR CHILDREN'S
CHILDREN, SEVEN GENERATIONS AND
BEYOND. WITH AN UPCOMING
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, EMINENT
RECESSION, AND THINNING SOCIAL
FABRIC, NOW IS THE TIME TO LEAN
IN AND STRENGTHEN OUR
COMMUNITIES FOR THE WORK AHEAD.
I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE WORK
TOGETHER TO PROTECT THIS
IMPORTANT INITIATIVE AND I HAVE
A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS. I WOULD
RECOMMEND TRUSTING EDI STAFF
WHO HAVE DEEPLY ROOTED
COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS AND ON
THE GROUND EXPERTISE. I WOULD
RECOMMEND SUPPORTING EASE BY
GIVING THEM THE TIME AND
FLEXIBILITY THEY NEED TO
NAVIGATE A COMPETITIVE REAL
ESTATE MARKET WITH RECORD LOWS
AND INVENTORY, AND I WOULD
ENCOURAGE YOU TO ENCOURAGE
OTHER CITY PROGRAMS TO LIFT UP
AND ACCELERATE THE WORK WITH
EDI BY PROVIDING ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES AND THROUGH
INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES LIKE THE
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE
CITY'S SURPLUS LAND POLICY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME
TODAY AND I HOPE YOU ALL KNOW
THAT YOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT
US ANY TIME IN RENO BEACH. WE
WOULD LOVE TO GIVE YOU A TOUR.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT'S AN EXCITING PROJECT AND I
WILL ADMIT I HAVE NOT BEEN OUT
THERE YET BUT I'M HAPPY TO GO
OUT, TAKE A LOOK. COLLEAGUES,
ARE THERE QUESTIONS? OKAY. I
HAVE A QUESTION AND I'LL
PROBABLY ASK EVERYBODY. BUT IF
YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
HOW THIS MIGHT NOT APPLY TO
SOME OF YOUR PROJECTS WITHOUT
GOING THROUGH THE CITY'S
PERMITTING PROCESS HAS IMPACTED
THE TIMING ON GETTING THESE
PROJECTS DONE.
>> I CAN START AND THEN I'LL
ASK IF ANY OF OUR GRANTEES WANT
TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY'VE
NAVIGATED TO EVEN JUST LEARNING
. WHAT WE HEAR MOST OFTEN FROM
GRANTEES IT'S AN UNFAMILIAR
PROCESS, IT HAS A LOT OF
LAYERS, SO THERE'S A LEARNING
CURVE TO IT. BUT ALSO SOME OF
THE THINGS OUR GRANTEES ARE
TRYING TO DO OUR INNOVATIVE
USES IN AREAS THAT EXIST UNDER
CERTAIN ZONING. SO THERE IS
MORE WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO
ACROSS DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE POSITIONING OUR
DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR TO
WORK WITH SDC I AND THEN ALSO
MAKING SURE THAT THINGS THAT
ARE SORT OF TECHNICAL BARRIERS
SUCH AS CLOUDS ON TITLE RELATED
TO STRUCTURES, THIS CAME UP
THIS WEEK SO IT'S FRESH IN MY
MIND. A CLOUD ON A TITLE WHERE
AN ACQUISITION IS PENDING, THAT
COULD BE HELD UP BECAUSE IT
TAKES THREE MONTHS TO CLEAR
THAT IN THE SDC I DATABASE AND
OUR DIRECTOR WAS ABLE TO WORK
DIRECTLY WITH SDC I TO START
MAPPING 08 TO ADDRESS THAT AND
NOT BRING THE PROJECT SCHEDULE
SORTED TO A HALT. SO THAT'S
ONE EXAMPLE. I THINK YOU KNOW
THAT WE HAVE FOLKS DOING REALLY
INTERESTING, NECESSARY,
INNOVATIVE THINGS, SO TO HAVE
AN OPEN MIND MEANS THAT WE ALSO
HAVE TO EXAMINE THE WIFE FOR
SOME OF OUR RULES AND
PROCESSES, WHO THEY BENEFIT AND
WHO LABORED IN AND WHETHER OR
NOT THEY ACTUALLY FACILITATE
BUILDING INCLUSIVE AND
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES WHERE A
DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE IN
SEATTLE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE
ACCESS TO THE SERVICES AND THE
AMENITIES THAT THEY NEED TO
DRIVE. I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL
ASK MY GRANTEE --
>> ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO HEAR
--
>> WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE ANY
OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE
PERMITTING PROCESS?
>> I CAN SPEAK TO WHEN I WAS [
INAUDIBLE ] --
>> THIS IS EDWIN LINDA WITH
TEST ELITIST LIBRARY. HE'LL
TALK ABOUT HIS PROJECT. I CAN
SKIP AHEAD IN THE SLIDE AND
EDWIN CAN INCORPORATE THOUGHTS
ON PERMITTING, THEN WE CAN GO
BACK TO ANY OPEN CONVERSATION.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THAT
TO YOUR POINT, IT'S INCREDIBLY
NEW, WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GET
TO KNOW, AS CESAR MENTIONED,
THE OPERATIONS OF GOVERNMENT
SYSTEMS, IT'S RELATIONAL
CURRENCY AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW
FOLKS THAT EXIST IN THOSE
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, I'VE HAD
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS SAY
THIS PERMIT IS GOING TO TAKE
SEVEN MONTHS FOR US TO DO JUST
DRILLING IN THE STREET. WELL
SEVEN MONTHS, THANKFULLY, AND
THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN
IT HAPPEN BUT FOLKS WHO ARE
STAFF WHO I DIDN'T KNOW HAD
BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY AND IN
SEVEN MONTHS TURNED INTO ABOUT
A MONTH AND A HALF AND THAT
EXPEDITES THIS, THAT SAVES US
MONEY, THAT SAVES US TIME AND
IT SAVES US THE AMOUNT TO PUT
SOMEONE ON CONTINGENCY OR
RETAINER. AND IT CHANGES
THINGS, INVESTORS IN THE
ACQUISITION PHASE, WITH CESAR
AND OTHERS TRYING TO CHANGE
LAND-USE REQUIREMENTS OR IF
YOU'RE TRYING -- WHAT WE'RE
TRYING TO DO IS HAVE
INTERMEDIATE PHASE, TURNED INTO
A COMMUNITY SPACE AS AN
INTERMEDIATE SITUATION UNTIL WE
BUILD SOMETHING, AND A LOT OF
FOLKS SAY THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE
AND IT USED TO BE OLD MECHANIC
SHOP, PEOPLE WERE WORKING THERE
JUST SIX MONTHS AGO BUT NOW WE
CAN USE IT TO READ BOOKS, WHAT
DO WE NEED TO DO TO GET THAT
AND WE THINK IT IS THE POINT OF
INNOVATION, UNDERSTANDING THAT
THERE IS CLEAR LEGAL
IMPLEMENTATION BUT HOW DO WE
GET THROUGH THAT WOULD BE A
GOOD APPROACH?
>> IF THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS
BEFORE EDWIN TALKS MORE IN
DEPTH ABOUT HIS PROJECT.
>> WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD,
EDWIN, JUST INTRODUCE US TO
YOUR PROJECT? INTRODUCE
YOURSELF.
>> I'M SORRY.
>> QUICK QUESTION, DO YOU HAVE
A GOOD DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT,
SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP YOU
THROUGH THIS PROCESS OR IS THIS
SOMETHING YOU WOULD RECOMMEND
THE CITY PROVIDE?
>> THE CITY SHOULD PROVIDE THAT
CAPACITY. WE'RE EVENTUALLY
GOING TO GET A DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTANT BUT BECAUSE THAT
COSTS MONEY, WE ARE TRYING TO
SAVE IT UNTIL WE ABSOLUTELY WE
NEED IT SO WE'RE FIGURING IT
OUT ON OURSELVES.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE
PREVIOUS PROJECT. ARE YOU
ENGAGED IN A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
FOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE
HOUSE OR DEVELOPMENT?
>> QUESTION, SO OUR INTENTION
IS TO START A COMMUNITY ENGAGED
SITE PLANNING PROCESS AT THE
END OF THIS YEAR, EARLY NEXT
ONE, WE CAN SECURE FUNDING TO
MAKE SURE WE INCLUDE COMMUNITY
IN A MEANINGFUL WAY AND DON'T
JUMP AHEAD ON ANY DESIGN
PLANNING. SO WE'LL KNOW A
BUNCH MORE THEN.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD
LUCK.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I'M GOING
TO JUST JUMP IN. YOU DIDN'T
ASK ME ABOUT PERMITTING BUT
HERE I AM ANSWERING YOUR
QUESTION ABOUT PERMITTING AND A
COUPLE STATEMENTS, FIRST.
BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE
QUESTIONS FOR YOU. I'M JUST
GOING TO MAKE A BUNCH OF
STATEMENTS NOW WHICH IS THAT
PERMITTING DELAYS EDI PROJECTS.
PERMITTING IN OUR CITY IS NOT
MEETING MY THRESHOLD OF
SUCCESS. THAT'S WHY WE HAD AN
AUDIT AND CHAIR, I APPRECIATE
YOU BRINGING THAT AUDIT TO THIS
COMMITTEE. I WILL ALSO FLAG TO
EDWIN, YOUR POINT OF A
MECHANIC'S GARAGE CAN'T BE
CERTIFIED FOR OCCUPANCY FOR
PEOPLE TO READ BOOKS IN? WHAT?
I MEAN I'VE HEARD THE SAME
STORY FOR FOR PROFIT BUSINESSES
WHERE THEY TAKE OVER A FORMER
MECHANIC SHOP, GAS STATION THAT
HAS ALREADY BEEN CONVERTED INTO
SERVING FOOD AND DRINKS AND
THEN THEY TAKE OVER THAT SPACE
AND THEY CAN'T GET THEIR
CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY. AND
IT WAS ALREADY DONE, BEING USED
FOR THAT SAME PURPOSE. AND SO,
CHAIR, I'LL FLAG FOR YOU NOW,
I'M GOING TO BE ASKING THE
AUDITOR TO FOLLOW UP THE
CURRENT AUDIT WITH A SECOND
PHRASE REGARDING CERTIFICATE OF
OCCUPANCY. I CAN SAY HEARING
FROM SDC I BRIEFLY AND HEARING
FROM THEM AHEAD OF THE
COMMITTEE WERE THEY WERE GOING
TO PRESENT HERE, THE SDC I IS
DOING A LOT OF WORK TO GET
THEMSELVES INTO A BETTER PLACE
AND THERE ARE MANY DEPARTMENTS
THAT ARE NOT WITHIN SDC I THAT
HAVE PERMIT REVIEW DESKS WHO
STILL HAVE WORK TO DO. AND THEN
THERE ARE ALSO DEPARTMENTS THAT
ARE STRETCHED THIN. THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT IS NOT A BLAME ON
THEM, BUT THE FIRE MARSHAL IS
REQUIRED TO APPROVE PERMITS,
INSPECT PERMITS, AND BE A FIRE
MARSHAL, WHICH INCLUDES GOING
TO ARSONS, FIRES, ET CETERA. SO
HE'S LITERALLY FIREFIGHTING
AND TRYING TO DO HIS JOB AND
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH STAFF
THERE. I'M NOT GOING TO
CONTINUE ON THIS SO TALKS ABOUT
PERMITTING, BUT EVAN, YOUR
POINT OF YOU'RE BEING TOLD IT
TAKES SEVEN MONTHS TO TAKE THE
NEXT STEP IN YOUR PROJECT, AND
THEN WE AS POLITICIANS ARE
ASKING WHY IS IT TAKING YOU SO
LONG, AND IT'S ACTUALLY WITHIN
THE CITY THAT IS CONTRIBUTING
TO YOUR ISSUES. THAT'S MY
STATEMENT TODAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER, IS
THIS ABOUT ESTHER RITA OR THE
PREVIOUS PROJECT?
>> THIS IS ABOUT ACTUALLY IN
GENERAL. THANK YOU , CHAIR.
COUNCILMEMBER WU RAISED THE
IDEA OF DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANTS
AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK SDC I
IF THIS IS SOMETHING WHEN YOU
CREATED THE PROGRAM THAT YOU
THOUGHT ABOUT ADDING TO THE
PROGRAM AND WHAT IT TALKED TO
LAURE ABOUT BECAUSE I KNOW
THERE ARE LEGALITIES ABOUT WHAT
SERVICES WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE
WITH TAXPAYER FUNDING. SO
WHETHER THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT
WAS CONTEMPLATED, IF SO, YOU
KNOW, WHAT --
>> GREAT QUESTION. SO IN
GENERAL I THINK THAT THE
DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT GETS TO
THE BROADER QUESTION AROUND
BOTH PRE-AND POST-SITE CONTROL
PREDEVELOPMENT NEEDS. IT ALSO
GETS TO THE QUESTION AROUND A
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
BECAUSE THAT'S ONE TYPE OF
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE DEALING
WITH ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION.
IT'S ANOTHER TYPE OF TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE WE KNOW IS SLOWING
DOWN OUR PROJECTS, AND SO WE DO
HAVE, IN OUR LONGER-TERM PLAN,
THE GOAL OF CREATING A BROADER
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
THE WORK IN FRONT OF US RIGHT
NOW IS TO CARVEOUT THE
RESOURCES BOTH IN STAFF TIME TO
MANAGE AND STAND IT UP, WHAT'S
THE ACTUAL MODEL FOR TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE, CREATING SOMETHING
THAT'S PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE
TO EMERGING ISSUES AND WORKING
TO DEFINE THE AREAS OF
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN
ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY
CONTRACTING AND PROCUREMENT
THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO PROVIDE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR TEAM
FEELS VERY STRONGLY AS
NECESSARY, AND GRANTEES CANNOT
PLAN FOR ALL THE UNSEEN THINGS
BUT ALSO WE HAVE LIMITATIONS ON
HOW WE CAN FUND VIA CONTRACTING
MECHANISMS, SO A TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT COULD
BE APPLIED IN BOTH A PROACTIVE
AND REACTIVE WAY WE THINK IS A
REALLY IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF
ADDRESSING STEPHANIE'S
QUESTIONS.
>> GREAT. I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO THAT DEVELOPMENT.
COUNCILMEMBER, I'M GOING TO
ASK THIS TO LET EDWIN PRESENT
HIS PROJECT AND THEN WE CAN
FOLLOW UP WITH MORE QUESTIONS.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> I WANT TO TOUCH ON A FEW
THINGS THAT COUNCILMEMBER WU
WAS SPEAKING ABOUT, THE
CONSULTANT, HAVING GONE THROUGH
THIS FOR NOW, FOUR YEARS IN
FROM APPLYING FOR MULTIPLE EDI
GRANTS AND RECEIVING A NUMBER
OF CAPACITY FUNDS, WHICH WAS
INCREDIBLY HELPFUL TO JUST GET
US TO THE POINT OF FINDING THE
PROPERTY. SO THAT'S POINT
NUMBER ONE IS THE MECHANISMS OF
THE FUNDING THAT YOU ALL
APPROVE UNFORTUNATELY CREATE
CONDITIONS WHERE WE ARE NOW
BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL, WHERE
PROPERTIES GO ON THE MARKET AND
WITHIN THREE MONTHS IS OFF THE
MARKET BUT WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET
FUNDING. SO CONTEMPLATING WHAT
DOES IT LOOK LIKE AND I KNOW
IT'S A MAJOR BUDGETARY PROCESS
BUT THE NIMBLENESS THAT COULD
BE ALLOWED FOR EDI TO BE ABLE
TO SAY, YES, LET'S SUPPORT X,
Y AND Z IN A MORE IMMEDIATE
WAY. THAT'S WORK, TOO, AS FAR
AS THE CONSULTANT I'VE GOT TO
SAY OUR COMMUNITIES AREN'T
DUMB. NOT BUT YOU ARE
SUGGESTING THAT. I WOULD SAY
THE FACT THAT WE NEED A
DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT TO
MANEUVER THE BUREAUCRACY OF THE
CITY SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE
BUREAUCRACY OF THE CITY. I
DON'T FEEL GOOD PAYING SOMEONE
JUST BECAUSE OF THE
RELATIONSHIP THEY HAVE OVER THE
LAST 10 YEARS. I GET IT. ITS
BUSINESS. BUT THAT'S ON THE
BACKS OF OUR COMMUNITIES. WE
SHOULD HAVE THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS. IF YOU'RE TO
SAY, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE,
EDWIN, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE EACH
DEPARTMENT SAYING MY ROLE HERE
IS TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO
GET A HOLD OF US AND WE'LL
CONNECT YOU WITH THE RIGHT
PEOPLE, SO IF THINGS HAPPEN,
WHICH IS WHAT A DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTANT DOES BECAUSE THEY
HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS EXCEPT
IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME
THAT I PAY THEM $1000, $500 AN
HOUR TO JUST WORK THERE
RELATIONSHIPS. WE SHOULD BE
ABLE TO HAVE THOSE FOR FREE AS
A COMMUNITY. AND I BELIEVE THAT
OUR COMMUNITY SHOULDN'T HAVE
TO FIGURE OUT -- I'LL SAY THIS
-- IN DEVELOPMENT, WHICH SOME
OF YOU HAVE BEEN A PART OF,
FROM OUTSIDER PERSPECTIVE, IT
FEELS LIKE A BLACK HOLE AND THE
BLACK HOLE IS TRULY WHAT I'VE
NOTICED IS A FACADE. IT'S A
BLACK HOLE ONLY BECAUSE WE
DON'T LET THE COMMUNITIES INTO
THOSE SPACES. IS NOT A BLACK
HOLE BECAUSE IT'S COMPLEX. IS
NOT A BLACK HOLE BECAUSE WE
DON'T UNDERSTAND THE
SOPHISTICATION. IT'S A BLACK
HOLE BECAUSE MY PNO LOOKS
DIFFERENT THAN HIS PIANO. THE
BANK IS GOING TO TALK TO HIM
BEFORE THEY TALK TO ME. HOW DO
WE LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD AND
SAY, NO, ALL THESE COMMUNITY
FUNDED PROGRAMS, THEY ARE
DEVELOPERS AND WE SHOULD TREAT
THEM LIKE DEVELOPERS. THE
MOMENT WE GOT THESE GRANT I
RECEIVED PHONE CALLS FROM
BANKS. I RECEIVED PHONE CALLS
FROM DEVELOPERS AND PRIVATE
DEVELOPERS AND NONPROFIT
DEVELOPERS AND CONSULTANTS
SAYING WE ARE HERE TO HELP. I
SAY THAT'S INTERESTING. YOU
WEREN'T HERE TO HELP BEFORE WE
GOT THE GRANT . SO IS IT JUST
THE MONEY, AND THE LAST POINT
I'LL MAKE, AND WE'LL TALK
ABOUT THE PROJECT, SO THANK YOU
FOR GIVING ME MY SOAPBOX, IS
FOR US WE HAVE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND THAT'S OUR
INITIATIVE HERE ALONG WITH OUR
CULTURAL SPACE. THERE IS A LOT
OF PEOPLE MAKING MONEY ON
AFFORDABLE HOUSING EXCEPT FOR
PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SMALL CBOS
BUILDING THE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. THIS GRANT MONEY IS
NOT COMING TO US, RIGHT, IT'S
COMING TO SOMEONE DOING THE
SERVICE, IT'S GOING TO SOMEONE
GETTING MONEY AS A PROPERTY
OWNER, IT'S GOING TO SOMEONE
WHO SAYS THEY'RE A DEVELOPER,
AND WE ARE TRUSTING THEM WITH
THE LIVES OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
AND SO I REALLY THINK, HAVING
THE HOLISTIC WE STEPPING IN AND
SAYING WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT
THIS GETS FOLLOWED THROUGH, THE
SAME WAY WE DO IT WITH A LOT OF
PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH I'VE
SEEN AND I'VE OBSERVED. I
DON'T MEAN JUST HERE AND IN
SAN FRANCISCO, WHERE I GREW UP,
I'VE SEEN IT. THEY MAKE SURE
PROJECTS GET DONE. HOW DO WE
MAKE SURE THESE PROJECTS GET
DONE, THAT THEY DON'T FAIL?
BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS TOO SCARED
TO ASK A QUESTION OR THEY
DIDN'T HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP.
SO I'LL STEP OFF THE SOAP BOX
AND THE PROJECT WE HAVE
THROUGHOUT ESPELETA'S LIBRARY,
WEARY SOCIAL JUSTICE LIBRARY.
OUR MISSION HAS BEEN TO
DECENTRALIZE KNOWLEDGE. I AM A
PROFESSOR AS MY LIVING WAGE JOB
AND THIS IS THE WORK WE DO
BECAUSE WE LOVE IT, BECAUSE OUR
COMMUNITY DESERVES IT. THE
BOOKS THAT WE STARTED WITH WERE
THE BOOKS THAT I LEARNED FROM.
I WENT TO UW LAW SCHOOL AND I
HAVE MY LAW SCHOOL BOOKS IN OUR
LIBRARY BECAUSE WE REALIZE THAT
OUR COMMUNITY, TALKING ABOUT
CAPACITY BUILDING, WOULD COME
IN AND SAY, WELL HOW DO I APPLY
FOR LAW SCHOOL OR WHAT'S THE
LSAT? WE HAVE AN LSAT PREP
COURSE OR I'M GETTING DIVORCED
AND I NEED HELP. MIKE IT WAS TO
LEARN ABOUT BLACK HISTORY AND
WE WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
WHAT THAT IS, REAL BLACK
HISTORY OR CHICANO HISTORY OR
LATINX OR CLEAR HISTORY AND WE
HAD A NEIGHBOR, YOUNG
SEVEN-YEAR-OLD WHO I'M GOING
TO SAY THIS PUBLICLY BECAUSE WE
ARE REALLY NERVOUS. SHE WAS
AROUND THE BLOCK FROM A CURRENT
LOCATION. SHE LEFT HER
GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE THAT WAS
BABYSITTING AND SNUCK AWAY TO
COME TO THE LIBRARY, AND MOCKED
ON THE DOOR, WHILE ME AND MY
PARTNER FOR THERE. AND SHE SAID
I HEARD THIS LIBRARY IS FOR ME
AND WE ARE LIKE, YEAH, YOU
HEARD RIGHT. SHE'S LIKE, IT'S
ABOUT BOOKS LIKE ABOUT ME, LIKE
ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE. WE SAID
YEAH AND SHE SAID HOW DOES IT
WORK. I SAID HERE'S A BASKET,
TAKE ANY BOOK YOU WANT. YOU CAN
TAKE IT HOME. SHE SAID I DON'T
HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. NO YOU
DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. SHE
SAID WHEN DO I BRING IT BACK?
WHENEVER YOU WANT. AND SHE DID.
SHE FILLED THAT BASKET. HER
GRANDMOTHER WAS SCREAMING. WE
HEARD SOME SCREAMING FOR
SOMEONE'S NAME AND SHE RAN
AWAY, WE WALKED HER BACK TO HER
GRANDMA. SHE WAS LIKE I CAN'T
BE MAD AT YOU BECAUSE YOU RAN
AWAY TO GO TO A LIBRARY. AND
THE GRANDMA EFFECTIVELY SAID WE
ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT THIS IS IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT THE
PLACE SHE RAN AWAY TO, GRANTED
IT WASN'T REALLY RUNNING AWAY,
BUT THE PLACE SHE RAN TO WAS A
PLACE THAT I KNOW SHE WILL BE
SAFE AND PEOPLE SHE CARES
ABOUT. AND THAT'S JUST ONE
TINY EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE ARE
REALLY GETTING TO, IS THAT THE
BOOKS WERE JUST THE BEGINNING.
I GREW UP IN PUBLIC HOUSING, IN
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THE
TRAP THAT SET US UP AS A SINGLE
DAD, THAT MY DAD RAISED HE HAS,
HE HAD A CHOICE BETWEEN TAKING
A RAISE AT A NONPROFIT FOR TWO
DOLLARS MORE, TAKING FOLKS TO
THEIR DOCTOR VISIT, SENIOR
FOLKS TO DOCTOR VISITS, OR
LOSING HIS HOUSING. HE DECIDED
NOT TO TAKE THE RAYS SO WE
WOULDN'T LOSE OUR HOUSING
BECAUSE EVERY YEAR THEY DO THE
INCOME CHECK AND THEY SAID --
THE PROPERTY MANAGER SAID IF
YOU TAKE THIS RAISE YOU'RE
GOING TO LOSE YOUR HOUSE AND.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO DO
SOMETHING SO TRANSFORMATIONAL
AND DIFFERENT. WE ARE TRYING TO
BUILD HOUSING WITHOUT FEDERAL
TAX CREDITS. WE ARE TRYING TO
BUILD HOUSING WITHOUT THE
LIMITATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE
STUCK IN POVERTY SO THAT YOU
CAN LIVE IN A PLACE THAT'S
FOUR WALLS AROUND YOU. WE ARE
SEEING, NO, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE
TO COME HERE, GO GET THAT
RAISE, BUILD SOME GENERATIONAL
WEALTH AND LET'S HELP YOU GET
OUT OF THIS APARTMENT. THIS
APARTMENT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE
HERE FOREVER HOME. SEATTLE
SHOULD BE YOUR FOREVER HOME BUT
THIS APARTMENT IS THE PLACE
WHERE YOU START. THAT'S
RADICALLY DIFFERENT. WE TALKED
TO SOME DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTANTS. THEY SAY EDWIN,
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CRAZY. BUT
WE NEED THAT RIGHT NOW. NO ONE
HAS DONE IT THAT WE NEED THAT
RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE IT MEANS YOU
GET TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN
WAYS THAT THEY NEED, NOT THE
WAYS THAT THE GOVERNMENT
DECIDES THEY NEED IT. AND WHEN
WE THINK ABOUT IT, WE HAVE THE
MAIN FLOOR . Y'ALL OR MAYBE
FAMILIAR, IT'S AN OLD MECHANIC
SHOP, DRAGON AUTOCROSS FROM THE
LIBRARY ON EGAN AVENUE. IT AN
OLD FAMILY THAT'S BEEN IN
BEACON HILL AND WE ARE GRATEFUL
THAT THEY SAID WE WANT TO GO
WITH ESPELETA'S LIBRARY. WE'VE
BEEN NEGOTIATING WITH THEM FOR
THREE YEARS, THREE YEARS, AND
THEY COULD HAVE, LIKE CESAR,
DECIDED TO GO WITH A PRIVATE
DEVELOPER. THEY DIDN'T. THEY
SAID ESTA LEADS US IS DOING
SOME TREMENDOUS WORK AND WE
WANT THIS LEGACY TO BE HOURS ON
BEACON HILL. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT DELAYS, WE HAVE
NOW COME TO FIND THAT IT IS
INCREDIBLY CONTAMINATED. WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT PLUMES OF
PARTICULATES IN THE SOIL
BECAUSE IT USED TO BE AN OLD
GAS STATION. THAT OLD GAS
STATION THAT I'M NOT GOING TO
NAME, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE
WHEN FOLKS ASK WHAT HELP WE
NEED, THAT OLD GAS STATION IS
NOT ALONE IN THE PRACTICES THEY
HAD. THERE ARE GAS STATIONS AND
PETROLEUM COMPANIES AROUND THE
STATE THAT ARE LEAVING THE BAG
TO THESE SMALL MOM AND POP
SHOPS , WALKING IT AWAY, GIVING
IT TO THEM PENNIES ON THE
DOLLAR AND SAYING WE ARE NOT
LIABLE FOR ANYTHING ELSE THAT
HAPPENS. AND AT THE MOMENT, WE
ARE NOW TALKING ABOUT A
POTENTIAL CLEANUP BECAUSE IT
NOW EXTENDS BEYOND THE PROPERTY
LINE. IT EXTENDS UNDER THE
PUBLIC LIBRARY, INTO THE PUBLIC
STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY, THAT THE
INITIAL CLEANUP WE ARE
CONTEMPLATING AROUND $3.5
MILLION. IT IS NOW APPROACHING
$7 MILLION. NOW YOU SAY EDWIN,
RUN AWAY TODAY. WHAT ARE YOU
DOING? WHY ARE YOU STILL IN
THIS PROJECT? BECAUSE
ESPELETA'S COMMITMENT IS
SHOWING THAT THE CULTURAL WORK
OF THIS TINY ORGANIZATION CAN
CLEAN UP THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
WE LIVE IN. THESE BOOKS, THESE
COMMUNITIES, THESE VOICES ARE
GOING TO CLEAN UP THE DIRT THAT
SOMEONE ELSE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO
BUT THAT DOES REQUIRE A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SUPPORT
AND HELP FROM YOU ALL, FROM THE
STATE, SO WHAT ARE WE AT THIS
POINT? WE HAVEN'T CLOSED ON
THE PROPERTY YET. WE ARE STILL
NEGOTIATING. WHAT DOES THAT
CLOSING LOOK LIKE, IN LIGHT OF
ITS CONTAMINATION? I'VE BEEN
IN SO MANY MEETINGS WITH THE
WASHINGTON ATTORNEY GENERAL,
WITH THE WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT
OF ECOLOGY, AND I WANT TO GIVE
BIG CREDIT TO THEM, AS WELL.
THEY HAVE STEPPED IN AND SAID
THIS PROJECT IS IMPORTANT WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT RACIAL JUSTICE
AND WE HAVE RECEIVED, UP TO
THIS MOMENT, $500,000. YOU TALK
ABOUT MONEY BEING SPENT, THAT
$500,000 IS JUST TO TEST THE
LIMITS OF THE CONTAMINATION.
THAT'S IT. I DON'T GET IT.
IT'S GOING TO TEST THE LIMITS
AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT
THE LIMITS ARE. WE HAVE APPLIED
FOR $4.5 MILLION. WE BELIEVE WE
ARE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY. THAT'S
THE HELP, THE REMEDIATION TO
CLEAN UP, AND IT'S ALL IN THE
PURVIEW OF BUILDING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. PEOPLE ARE ASKING, WHY
YOU, WHO SAYS YOU HAVE THE
CAPACITY TO DO IT? YOU SHOULD
BRING EXPERTS IN. AGAIN, WE ARE
THE EXPERTS OF THE PROBLEMS THE
COMMUNITIES HAVE. WE ARE
SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH TO DO IT
AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS
AS WE GO THROUGH IT, HAVING
MEETINGS WITH ECOLOGY, LAWYERS,
CONSULTANT, WE ARE BRINGING
COMMUNITY AND SHOWING THAT THIS
IS HOW IT CAN BE DONE. WHY?
BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE THAT
THIS IS STEP ONE. IF WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT BUILDING DENSE
COMMUNITY HOUSING AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OUR
ORGANIZATIONS AND EDI IS NOT
GOING TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE
AGAINST PRIVATE DEVELOPERS AND
THOSE PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOT
CONTAMINATED, WE ARE LOSING OUT
JUST ABOUT 9 OUT OF 10 TIMES,
BUT THESE CONTAMINATED SITES,
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CHANCE
BECAUSE THOSE PROPERTY
DEVELOPERS DON'T WANT TO TOUCH
IT WITH A 175 FOOT POLE. BUT IF
WE HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS AND
RELATIONAL CURRENCY TO MOVE
THINGS WITHIN THE CITY, IT
MEANS WE HAVE AN ADVANTAGE. IT
MEANS WE CAN GET IT AT A LOWER
PRICE. IT MEANS WE CAN BUILD
HOUSING IN PLACES THAT NO ONE
ELSE WANTED TO. IT IS TRICKY.
IT IS COMPLEX. IT IS
PROTRACTED, ABSOLUTELY, BUT IT
IS ABSOLUTELY WITHIN OUR DOMAIN
AND CAPACITY TO DO THIS. WE
JUST NEED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF SUPPORT. SO I WILL LEAVE
THAT THERE AND HAPPY TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, EDWIN. I WANT TO
TOUCH ON ONE THING, TOO. TO
WHAT WE KEEP HEARING, AND WE
HAVE OTHER PROJECTS WHO ARE IN
THE SAME PHASE OF ADDRESSING
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND
EXPERIENCE AND ALSO WHAT EDWIN
IS TALKING ABOUT, IS YOU KNOW,
THE VISION THE PEOPLE COME TO
EDI WITH WHEN THEY APPLY IS TO
HAVE A TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON
THE COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE
WILLING TO GO TO GREAT LENGTHS
DIPPING INTO ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE, ADDRESSING THESE MAJOR
ISSUES OF WELLNESS THAT ARE
MULTIDIMENSIONAL. AND SO I KNOW
WE CAN SAY THE PROCESS IS VERY
IMPORTANT. THE END PRODUCT, THE
COMMERCIAL SPACE, THE
OWNERSHIP. BUT IN THE PROCESS,
THEY'RE TAKING ON LARGE-SCALE
ISSUES THAT OTHER FOLKS ARE NOT
ADDRESSING AND THEY'RE TAKING
ON THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX
FOR BIGGER SOCIAL THINGS.
THAT'S REALLY INSPIRED FOR OUR
TEAM THAT MAKES US WANT TO WORK
AS HARD AS WE CAN AND HELP THE
PROGRAM EVOLVE. THEY'RE USING
THEIR CAPACITY BUILDING DOLLARS
EVEN WHEN LIMITED AT $75,000 AT
A TIME. THEY'RE GETTING MORE
THAN A DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR OUT OF
THOSE DOLLARS BUT THEY'RE ALSO
-- WHAT WE SEE IS THAT THEY'RE
TESTING OUT, PILOTING
APPROACHES THAT BUILD
FRAMEWORKS FOR OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL HELP
THEM MOVE FASTER. THEY'RE
PILOTING EVEN ASPECTS OF
PROGRAM BEVERAGE AND SO THAT
WHEN THEY GET CLOSE TO
OPERATIONS THEY HAVE A SOLID
OPERATING MODEL AND THEY'RE
REALLY CLEAR ON HOW THEY'RE
GOING TO GENERATE THE REVENUE
THEY NEED TO MAINTAIN THE
FACILITIES AND WE ARE ASKING
THEM TO HAVE THOSE PLANS SO
THAT THEY CAN REMAIN LEGACIES
IN THE LONG TERM SENSE. SO I
JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, THESE
ARE REALLY COMPLICATED, LAYERED
PROJECTS. THEY TAKE A LOT OF
ENERGY TO DO BUT THE COMMUNITY
IS MEETING AND EXCEEDING WHAT
OTHER FOLKS ARE NOT DOING,
TAKING ON.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND
I THINK ALL OF THESE ARE
EXACTLY THE KIND OF PROJECTS
THAT EDI WAS CREATED TO
SUPPORT. THESE ARE COMMUNITY
DRIVEN PROJECTS LED BY
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE
IDEAS FOR WHAT KIND OF CULTURAL
ANCHORS OR HOUSING OR OTHER
SUPPORT OR PROJECTS THEY WANT
AND WHAT I HAVE HEARD ALSO IS
THAT MANY OF THEM ACQUIRE
NEIGHBORING PARCELS BECAUSE OF
THEIR NEIGHBORS APPRECIATE THE
WORK THAT IS GOING ON AND ALSO
WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT
COMMUNITY DRIVEN APPROACH. I
KNOW THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY
CENTER, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH IS
ANOTHER EDI PROJECT, WAS ABLE
TO ACQUIRE THE PAWNSHOP NEXT
DOOR BECAUSE THE PROPERTY OWNER
WANTED TO SELL. THEY SAW THE
SENIOR HOUSING THAT WAS GOING
UP, ANOTHER EDI PROJECT, AND
WANTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE
FILIPINO COMMUNITY BEING ABLE
TO STAY IN SOUTH SEATTLE. SO
THEY ALSO NEGOTIATED A LONGER
SALE PROCESS THAT MIGHT HAVE
OTHERWISE HAPPENED BUT THEY
WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THAT WAS
KEPT THERE . SO THIS IS ALL
REALLY IMPORTANT WORK, SO THAT
COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE AGENCY
OVER THE KIND OF THINGS THAT
HAPPEN IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE ARE OUT OF TIME ON THIS
PRESENTATION. I WILL LET
COUNCILMEMBER WE ASK HER
QUESTION AND THEN I WILL MOVE
ON BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL
OF YOU BEING HERE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR
EXPERIENCE AND THE CHALLENGES
YOU HAVE AND THE WAYS IN WHICH
THE CITY THROUGH THIS PROGRAM
CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR
WORK. COUNCILMEMBER WE WOULD
AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON.
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
HIGHLIGHTING THE VERY DEEP
SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT
COMMUNITIES FACE WHEN IT COMES
TO WORKING WITH CITY
BUREAUCRACY AND THE WHOLE IDEA
OF HAVING TO HIRE A CONSULTANT
WHEN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO.
BUT I WAS JUST REALLY CURIOUS,
LIKE WHERE YOU ARE IN YOUR
PROCESS TO GETTING THIS SITE
ACQUISITION CLOSED AND IS THERE
ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP?
>> GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU.
WE ARE CLOSER EACH DAY. WE DO
HAVE A SELLER WHO IS OLDER. I
THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE ARE
DEALING WITH COMMUNITIES THAT
SEE IT AS A RETIREMENT, RIGHT,
AND THEY HAVE IDEAS OF WHAT IT
SHOULD BE BUT I THINK WE HAVE A
REALLY OPEN AND FLEXIBLE SELLER
SO IT'S US WORKING WITH THE
DIFFERENT PARTIES INVOLVED, IS
ONE MAKING SURE EDI AND CITY
ATTORNEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH
WHAT THIS DEAL MIGHT LOOK LIKE,
BUT IT'S ALSO THE
CONTEMPLATION OF WHERE IS THE
REST OF THIS MONEY TO CLEAN IT
UP COME FROM AND THAT WAS GOING
TO BE ONE THING I THINK THAT AS
A CITY IS PERHAPS STEPPING UP
AND ALLOCATING RESOURCES TO THE
CITY ATTORNEY, PURSUING THESE
TYPE OF CLAIMS OR EVEN WRITING
VERY STRONG-WILLED LETTERS TO
THE POLLUTERS, SAYING IT
SHOULDN'T BE THE JOB OF THE
CITY AND/OR COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS TO LEAN THIS UP.
IT IS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
ECOLOGY DID. THEY SENT A LETTER
TO THIS THIRD PARTY PETROLEUM
COMPANY AND SAID WE SEE YOU AS
A VIOLATOR AND A PARTICIPANT
PARTY TO THIS. YOU NEED TO COME
TO THE TABLE, BUT I THINK
BEYOND JUST THE STATE LEVEL,
LOCALLY HOW DO WE BRING THOSE
FOLKS TO THE TABLE SO THAT WE
ARE NOT HELD WITH THE RECEIPTS,
SAYING UL X AMOUNT, THAT THE
FUNDS ARE DIVERSE AND WHAT WE
ARE SHOWING IS WE CAN GET FUNDS
FROM A LOT OF PLACES BUT WHEN
WE HAVE THE CITY SUPPORT AND WE
KNOW THIS AS COMMUNITY ORDERS,
FOLKS GIVE MONEY TO FOLKS WHO
GET MONEY AND THEY GET MONEY
BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING THEIR
JOB REALLY WELL, AND I THINK
THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR
WORK, TO YOUR WORK, IS THAT WE
SHOULD THE IMPACT OF THESE
DOLLARS. BUT THAT'S ONE SIDE
AND THEN THE OTHER IS IN
SUPPORTING EDI THROUGH ITS
FUNDING, HOW DO WE ENSURE THE
PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THIS
LINEAGE GET TO THE FINISH LINE,
AND SAYING WHAT DOES THAT
NUMBER LOOK LIKE TO GET THEM
THERE AND HOW DO WE SUPPORT
THAT?
>> TERRIFIC. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
EVERYONE. REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
BEING HERE AND WE WILL FOLLOW
UP ON SOME OF THIS, TO BE SURE.
OKAY. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON
TO AGENDA ITEM 2 . NAOMI, WILL
YOU PLEASE READ THAT INTO THE
RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 2, ANNUAL REPORT
ON ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS FOR
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> GREAT. OKAY. SO WE ARE
JOINED BY OPC D, RAWAN HASAN,
PHILLIP CARNELL I BELIEVE IS
NOW HERE AND JEFF WENDLAND SO
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND
BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION ON THE
ANNUAL REPORT ON ACCESSORY
DWELLING UNITS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. TRY AGAIN.
>> GREEN LIGHT IS GO.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. ON JEFF
WENDLAND, THE LAND-USE POLICY
AND OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THIS IS
RAWAN HASAN, A PLANNER AT OPC
D.
>> PHILLIP CARNELL, PLANNING
AND EQUITY DATA ANALYST FROM
OPC D.
>> PHILIP PREPARED THE DATA AND
ANALYSIS IN THIS REPORT THIS
YEAR SO THEY'RE GOING TO DO
THE PRESENTATION TODAY AND I'LL
BE HERE AS A RESOURCE FOR ANY
OTHER POLICY QUESTIONS.
>> THINK, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> TODAY WE WILL BRIEF YOU ON
THE 2023 ACCESSORY DWELLING
UNIT ANNUAL REPORT. THIS REPORT
PROVIDES CONFERENCE OF ANALYSES
OF EBU PRODUCTION AND
DEVELOPMENT IN SEATTLE. IT
EXPLORED TRENDS, REGULATORY
IMPACTS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS.
ADUS ARE SECONDARY DWELLING
UNITS SITUATED WITHIN
RESIDENTIAL ZONES. THEY OFFER
FLEXIBLE LIVING SPACES AND
CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIVERSITY OF
HOWLING OPTIONS. THEY ARE
EITHER ATTACHED WHEN THEY ARE
CONNECTED TO OR INTEGRATED
WITHIN A PRINCIPAL UNIT OR THEY
ARE DETACHED AND THEY ARE
SEPARATE STRUCTURE LIKE
COTTAGES AND BACKYARDS. THEY
ARE EITHER USED AS CONDOMINIUMS
WHEN THEY ARE SOLD TO A NEW
OWNER, A GROWING NUMBER OF NEW
ADUS ARE CONDOMINIUMS. IN 2022,
44% OF EBUS WERE PERMITTED AS
ADUS. THEIR AVERAGE SELLING
PRICE WAS $750,000 COMPARED TO
$1.18 MILLION FOR PRINCIPAL
DWELLING UNITS AND $1.6 MILLION
FOR NEW DETACHED HOMES. THEY
ARE ALSO USED AS LONG-TERM
RENTALS. IN 2022 ADU OWNERS AND
OCCUPANTS SURVEY WE FOUND THAT
APPROXIMATELY A THIRD OF TOTAL
ADU PLATS WERE USED AS
LONG-TERM RENTALS AND ONE OF
EIGHT OF THESE OWNERS OFFERED
THEIR ADUS AS LIKE FOR FREE FOR
A FRIEND OR A FAMILY MEMBER AND
THEY'RE ALSO USED AS
SHORT-TERM RENTALS. AROUND 10%
OF ADU PLATS WERE PERMITTED AS
SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND IN THIS
CASE THEY NEED TO RECEIVE A
SHORT-TERM RENTAL BUSINESS
LICENSE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND APPROXIMATELY 15% OF
OVERALL SHORT-TERM RENTALS
LICENSED IN THE CITY WERE ADU
PLATS. AND IT'S WORTH
MENTIONING THAT SHORT-TERM
RENTALS OPERATORS ARE GENERALLY
LIMITED TO OPERATING TWO UNITS,
SO WE ARE NOT LIKE EXPECTING A
GROSS IN SHORT-TERM RENTALS, IF
AT ALL. IN MID-1990S ATTACHED
ADU PLATS BECAME ALLOWED IN
SEATTLE. IN 2010 DETACHED ONES
BECOME ALLOWED, HOWEVER, MOST
OF LIKE WE ONLY SEE SMALL
PERCENTAGE OF SINGLE FAMILY
LOTS WITHIN THE CITY HAD ADUS.
THAT LED TO IN 2015 CITY
COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION TO
FACILITATE ADU PRODUCTION AND
INCREASE IN THAT PRODUCTION
WITHIN THE CITY. AND IN 2019 WE
HAD THE ADU REFORM. ADU REFORM
ALLOWED FOR TWO ADU PLATS
WITHIN NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
ZONES LIKE ZONE LOTS AND IT
REMOVED REGULATORY BARRIERS AND
EASED THE COMPLEX PERMITTING
PROCESS AND LED TO LAUNCHING A
D UNIVERSE WHICH INTRODUCED THE
PREAPPROVED ADU PLANS IN 2020.
AND LIKE THESE REGULATORY
ACTIONS HAVE FACILITATE AN
INCREASE IN ADU PRODUCTION AND
SINCE THE ORDINANCE IN 2019 AND
ANNUAL ADU REPORT BECAME
REQUIRED BY THAT ORDINANCE.
>> SO NEXT, LOOKING AT THE
CURRENT PLANNING CONTEXT, WE'LL
SAY HERE THAT BOTH REGULATIONS
INCLUDING STATE LAWS AS WELL AS
THE KING COUNTY COUNTYWIDE
PLANNING POLICIES ARE IMPACTING
ADUS AND ALSO IMPACTING THE ONE
SEATTLE PLAN MOVING FORWARD. IN
PARTICULAR, NEW STATE LAWS FROM
THE 2023 TO 2024 LEGISLATIVE
SESSION ARE PROMOTING ADUS AS
WELL AS HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE
CITIES IN OUR STATE. HB 1110
WILL ALLOW FOR MIDDLE HOUSING
IN MOST CITIES THAT WILL
REQUIRE YOUR SEATTLE TO ADOPT
ZONING THAT ALLOWS BETWEEN FOUR
UNITS AND SIX UNITS IN AREAS
THAT ARE CURRENTLY NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL. IN ADDITION, HB
1337 WILL REQUIRE THAT CITY'S
NOT JUST PERMIT TWO ADUS PER
LOT IN NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL, BUT ANYWHERE WHERE
THERE IS RESIDENTIAL ZONING SO
THAT WOULD OPEN UP OTHER ZONES
WHERE CURRENTLY WE ALLOW ONE
ADU TODAY SUCH AS RSL AND LOW
RISE. BOTH OF THESE ARE
IMPACTING ON THE ONE SEATTLE
PLAN IN WHICH WE'LL ALLOW 4 TO
6 UNITS ON ALL RESIDENTIAL LOTS
TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH HB
1110, WHICH ULTIMATELY WILL
PUSH US AS A CITY TO ENHANCING
OUR HOUSING SUPPLY AND
DIVERSITY AND ALSO IMPROVING
THE AFFORDABILITY. SO NEXT
STEP, WE ARE STARTING TO LOOK
AT THE RESULTS OF THE REPORTS
AND THIS KEY RESULT HERE IS
FIRST THAT ADU PERMITS ISSUED
IN 2023 REMAIN HIGH. SO IF WE
ARE LOOKING AT THE CHART ON THE
RIGHT AND IF WE ARE COMPARING
2018, THE LAST YEAR BEFORE ADU
REFORMS IN 2019 AND 2023,
PERMITS ISSUED WERE AROUND FOUR
TIMES HIGHER LAST YEAR.
HOWEVER, WE DO NOTE IN THIS
REPORT THAT APPLICATIONS FOR
ADU PERMITS, THESE ARE KIND OF
THE FIRST SIGN THAT A DEVELOPER
OR A HOMEOWNER WOULD LIKE TO
PUT ADU PLATS ON A LOT, THEY
ACTUALLY DECREASED FROM 2022 TO
2023. THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT
MARKET CHANGES HAPPENING RIGHT
NOW IN TERMS OF INTEREST RATES
INCREASING ON DEBT AS WELL AS
COST INFLATION AND ALSO
POTENTIALLY PEOPLE HOLDING OFF
FOR MORE DENSE ZONING WITH THE
NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. KIND OF
LOOKING AT WHERE ADUS ARE
PERMITTED, AS WELL,, TOO, WE
ARE LOOKING AROUND 47% OF ADUS
ARE PERMITTED WITH TWO ADUS
ON-SITE SO THIS WOULD BE MOSTLY
SPECIFIC TO THE AND ARE ZONING
THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE,
AND AS A LAST BULLET ON THIS
SLIDE, AROUND 13% OF THOSE
DETACHED ADUS WERE PERMITTED
USING PREAPPROVED DATA PLANS IN
2023. THOSE PERMIT TIMELINES
ARE DECREASED FOR THOSE PEOPLE
WHO ARE UTILIZING THAT, WITH
ABOUT 50 DAYS LOWER THAN CUSTOM
VALUE PLANS, REDUCING THE
PERMITTING TIMELINE FROM AROUND
130 DAYS TO 80 AND ALSO
REQUIRING FEWER CORRECTION
CYCLES FOR THE PERMITTING BODY.
NEXT, LOOKING AT THE GEOGRAPHY
OF ADUS, WE GOT THIS MAP ON THE
RIGHT HERE AND YOU CAN SEE HERE
THESE TEAL SQUARES AND LITTLE
CIRCLES AND THAT'S WHERE WE
PERMITTED ADU LAST YEAR IN
2023. BEHIND THEM ARE THE GRAY
SQUARES AND CIRCLES WHERE
PERMITS WERE GIVEN IN YEARS
PAST AND OVER TIME THIS MAP HAS
REALLY FILLED IN, AND AS YOU
CAN SEE TODAY, THROUGHOUT MOST
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE AND ARE,
THERE HAVE BEEN ADUS PERMITTED.
IN FACT, LAST YEAR 87% OF ADUS
WERE PERMITTED IN NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL ZONES AND NOW THAT
IS ON SO MANY THAT ADUS ARE
OUTNUMBERING SINGLE-FAMILY
RESIDENTIAL PERMITS TO ONE IN
THE CITY. IN ADDITION, OF THOSE
SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES,
AROUND 70% ARE PERMITTED WITH
NEW -- WHEN THEY'RE NEWLY
PERMITTED THEY'RE PERMITTED
WITH ONE OR MORE ADUS ON-SITE.
LOOKING AT THE MEDIAN LOT SIZES
OF A LOT THAT HAD THIS PERMIT
WITHIN AN ADU, WE TEND TO STILL
SEE THAT THOSE LOTS ARE
SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN YOUR
AVERAGE LOT, KIND OF THROUGHOUT
THE CITY. IN PARTICULAR ON DATA
USE SITES WHERE MAYBE THERE IS
A SPATIAL IMBALANCE THAT
REQUIRES MORE OF A LOT, MORE
LAND THAN MIGHT BE READILY
AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT MOST NR
LOTS AND AS A FINAL POINT OF
THIS FINDING, WE FOUND THAT
ADUS ARE ALSO MORE COMMON IN
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE HAVE
LOWER DISPLACEMENT RISK IN THE
CITY. THIS IS IN PART DUE TO
THE FACT THAT THERE IS LESS
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONING
THAT IS NOT LOWER DISPLACEMENT
RISK SO THERE'S LESS
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL AND A
HIGH RISK OF DISPLACEMENT. BUT
THERE IS -- THIS IS ALSO A KEY
FINDING OF THE REPORT. AND AS
OUR LAST SLIDE, WE ARE LOOKING
AT FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS FOR
BOTH OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT DO
A LOAD OF THIS WORK. SO THIS IS
KIND OF KEY BODIES OF WORK THAT
BOTH PCI AS WELL AS OPC D WILL
HAVE ONGOING. AND THIS FIRST
BULLET IS UPDATING THE
PREAPPROVED DATA PLANS. THIS IS
NECESSARY FOR THE DESIGNERS TO
UPDATE SO THEY CAN KEEP UP TO
CODE WHEN THE NEW BUILDING CODE
IS ADOPTED EVERY THREE YEARS.
AND DCI CONDUCTED DESIGNER
OUTREACH IN MAY OF THIS YEAR,
AND WHILE MOST OF THE DESIGNERS
ARE EXPECTED TO RESPOND AND GO
AHEAD AND UPDATE THEIR PLANS TO
THE END LINE WITH THE NEW
BUILDING CODE, THEY WILL HAVE
TO ALSO DO SO BEFORE THE NEXT
BUILDING CODE OF DATE COMES
INTO EFFECT. OTHERWISE THEIR
DESIGN WILL NO LONGER BE
CONSIDERED PREAPPROVED. AND AS
THE LAST POINT, WITH REGARDS TO
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, ZONING
AND OPC D, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT ADU PERMITS, WHAT WE
EXPECT IS THAT ADU PERMITS MAY
DECREASE DUE TO MARKET SHIFTS
AND ALSO THESE ANTICIPATED
ZONING CHANGES. ALSO THAT
DEVELOPERS MIGHT OPT TO DEVELOP
MORE MIDDLE HOUSING SUCH AS A
FORD FLEX OR OTHER TYPES OF
UNITS THAT WILL BE MADE
AVAILABLE IN NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL ZONES. BUT WE DO
WANT TO MAKE SURE AND INTEND TO
PRESERVE THAT THE ADU PLATS
REMAIN AN OPTION THROUGHOUT
THOSE ZONES. SO AT THAT POINT,
THAT'S THE END OF MY
PRESENTATION.
>> TERRIFIC. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. I HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS AND THEN I'LL BE
HAPPY TO OPEN IT UP TO MY
COLLEAGUES. SO WE KNOW THERE
ARE STATE CHANGES COMING. CAN
YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW
AND WHETHER THAT WOULD CHANGE
THE PERMITTING OF ADUS THROUGH
THOSE NEW PROCESSES?
>> IT WOULDN'T REALLY CHANGE
-- IT WOULD NOT CHANGE THE
PERMITTING FOR THE ADUS. WE
JUST KNEW, SLIGHTLY NEW
DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS. WE
CONTINUED TO PERMIT THEM THE
SAME WAY, OR STC I WOULD, AND
ALSO STC I INTENDS TO CONTINUE
TO MAKE THE PREAPPROVED PLANS
BUT FOR DATA USE AVAILABLE. SO
REALLY NO CHANGES TO THE
PERMITTING PROCESS.
>> OKAY. AND THEN YOU MENTIONED
-- I DON'T THINK IT WAS THE
PREVIOUS SLIDE BUT MOST OF THE
ADUS ARE LOCATED IN AREAS WITH
LOW DISPLACEMENT RISK. AND AS
WE KNOW, THAT THOSE ARE AREAS
WITH HIGHER ACCESS TO ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY AND SO OFTEN THOSE
ARE ALSO AREAS THAT ARE
WEALTHIER AND WHITER. WE HAVE A
LOT OF INTEREST IN MORE
HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES,
PARTICULARLY COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR. BUT THAT IS NOT WHERE
THE BULK OF THESE ADU PLATS ARE
LOCATED. SO CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHETHER THERE
IS CONSIDERATION ON HOW TO
ASSIST THESE COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE SO FAR NOT BEEN ABLE TO
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE MORE
STREAMLINED PROCESSES?
>> YES, SO YOUR ASSESSMENT OF
THE FINDINGS ARE DEFINITELY
THAT AND I'LL BRING UP AS WELL
THAT LAST YEAR'S ADU REPORT
AND THE INTERVIEW OF OCCUPANTS
AND THE SURVEY OF OCCUPANTS AND
OWNERS HAVE ALSO INCLUDED THAT.
MOST OWNERS ARE PRIMARILY
WHITE, HAVE INCOMES ABOVE
$200,000 AND SO WE DID SEE THIS
CONCENTRATION, AND AS WE ARE
SEEING THAT CONCENTRATION, WE
AS AN OFFICE WORKED ON AN
APPLICATION FOR SOMETHING
CALLED PRO HOUSING. AND THE PRO
HOUSING GRANT, WE SOUGHT AFTER
IT AS AN ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL
FOR HUD AND WE ACTUALLY
RECEIVED $5 MILLION TO DO TWO
PILOT PROJECTS IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH OH. SO THEY HAVE THEIR
HOMEOWNERSHIP IS PRESERVATION
ON A MULTIFAMILY UNIT THAT
WOULD BE EXITING AN INCOME
RESTRICTED PERIOD AND THEN ALSO
MORE PARTICULAR TO THE ADUS IS
THE PROGRAM FOR LEGACY
HOMEOWNERS THAT FOCUSES ON
PREDEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE GOING
TO HOUSEHOLDS THAT MIGHT
OTHERWISE SELL THEIR PROPERTY
AND EXIT THE COMMUNITY SO THAT
THEY CAN ACTUALLY WORK AS, SAY,
CITIZENS, AS DEVELOPERS. THAT
GRANT WAS JUST AWARDED ABOUT
TWO WEEKS AGO SO WE ARE STILL
IN THE VERY EARLY PHASES OF IT.
BUT IT WAS $5 MILLION SPLIT
BETWEEN THE TWO DEPARTMENTS.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU. LET'S
SEE, DO I HAVE --
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION. FOR THESE EDUS,
MOST ARE RENTAL UNITS OR ARE
THEY OWNERSHIP UNITS? DO YOU
KNOW?
>> 44%, LIKE AROUND HALF OF
THEM ARE OWNED AS CONDOMINIUMS
AND A THIRD OF THESE ARE
RENTED, LIKE ONE OF EIGHT IS
OFFERED FOR FREE, FOR A FAMILY
MEMBER OR FRIEND AND 10% OF
THESE ARE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
>> INTERESTING. SO YOU SAY IN
YOUR LAST SLIDE THAT ADU
PERMITS MAY DECREASE DUE TO
MARKET SHIFTS AND ZONING
CHANGES THROUGH THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. ARE YOU
SUGGESTING THAT PERHAPS THEY
DECREASE BUT OTHER HOUSING IS
CREATED OR DO WE JUST LOSE THAT
HOUSING OPTION AND HOW DOES
THAT RELATE -- YOU MENTIONED
THAT EARLIER.
>> I THINK THAT THE DECREASE
THAT I'M POINTING TO IS MORE
OF A SHIFT IN THE MARKET. AS
PROPERTIES ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE
MORE UNITS ON SITE, THEY MIGHT
PREFER TO GO WITH THIS NEW
DEVELOPMENT PATTERN OF 46 UNITS
AS OPPOSED TO WHAT IS CURRENTLY
ALLOWED TODAY, WHICH IS ONE
PRINCIPAL DWELLING UNIT AND TWO
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS WITH A
MIXTURE OF EITHER TWO ATTACHED
OR ONE DETACHED AND ONE
ATTACHED. I'M SO SORRY, DO YOU
HAVE A SECOND? I MIGHT NOT HAVE
ANSWERED THE SECOND PART OF
YOUR QUESTION.
>> THAT MADE SENSE. THANK YOU.
>> ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. VERY
HELPFUL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL BE INTERESTED TO SEE HOW
THINGS PLAY OUT ONCE THE
STATEWIDE LEGISLATION IS
ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED HERE, AS
WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
EVERYBODY. APPRECIATE IT. OKAY.
NAOMI, CAN YOU PLEASE READ ITEM
3 INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 3, COMPREHENSIVE
PLANNED ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
FOR BREATHING AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU. ROUNDTABLE FOLKS
ARE MAKING THEIR WAY UP, SO
WHILE THEY DO THAT, I'LL JUST
SAY WE ARE JOINED TODAY BY
REPRESENTATIVE NICOLE MacRI,
LIZ UNDERWOOD-BULTMANN FROM
PUGET SOUND REGIONAL COUNCIL,
SOL VILLAREAL WITH THE KING
COUNTY REALTORS AND PARKER
DAWSON WITH MASTER BUILDERS. [
INAUDIBLE ] TO AT LEAST BEGIN
TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE MAJOR
ISSUES THAT WE WILL BE FACING.
SO MORE SPECIFICALLY, THESE
ROUNDTABLES THAT WE WILL PLAN,
OR PLANNING, WILL DISCUSS THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN,
SPECIFICALLY WITH
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT MEASURES IN
MIND. WE KNOW THAT THAT IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND SHOULD
BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF
EVERYTHING WE TALKED ABOUT WITH
THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
DISCUSSION. AND AS SOMEONE
WHOSE DISTRICT HAS BEEN
IMPACTED BY FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN
DISPLACED AND TO CONTINUE TO BE
PUSHED OUT OF THE CITY, THIS IS
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME. I KNOW
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US.
SO WE DECIDED TO FOCUS ON FOUR
TOPICS FOR THESE CONVERSATIONS.
WE ARE STARTING TODAY WITH
HOUSING. WE'LL ALSO BE TALKING
ABOUT CLIMATE, ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND THE ARTS AND
ACCESSIBILITY AND MOBILITY
ISSUES. SO WE'LL HAVE A FEW
PLAYERS IN EACH OF THOSE SPACES
JOIN US AT THE NEXT FOUR LAND
USE COMMITTEE MEETINGS TO
PROVIDE THAT PERSPECTIVE ON
ANTIDEPRESSANT WORK THROUGH
THOSE PARTICULAR FRAMEWORKS.
AND SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD
AND HAND IT OVER. I'M GOING TO
ASK LIZ TO START , FROM PSRC,
WITH SORT OF A BROADER REGIONAL
PERSPECTIVE AND THEN WE'LL
MAKE OUR WAY DOWN THE LINE.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> GREAT. IS THIS ON?
>> THERE SHOULD BE A GREEN
LIGHT ON.
>> HELLO. WOW. MY NAME IS LIZ
UNDERWOOD-BULTMANN, OUR
PRINCIPAL PLANNER AT THE PUGET
SOUND REGIONAL COUNCIL. I WORK
IN GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLANNING.
SO JUST AS A REFRESHER ABOUT
PUGET SOUND REGIONAL COUNCIL,
WE WORK WITH THE 86 LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS IN QING, KITSAP,
PIERCE AND SNOHOMISH COUNTY ON
OUR REGIONAL PLANNING ISSUES
INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION,
MANAGEMENT PLANNING. SO ONE OF
THE BIG THINGS THAT WE DO AS AN
AGENCY IS WORK WITH LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS TO ADOPT VISION
2050, WHICH IS OUR REGION'S
LONG-RANGE PLAN, WHICH IS KIND
OF LIKE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
FOR THE REGION, WHICH ALSO
ADDRESSES KIND OF MAJOR POLICY
ISSUES THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
ARE ADDRESSING THROUGH THEIR
LOCAL PLANNING, THINGS LIKE
HOUSING, CLIMATE CHANGE,
MOBILITY, ALL SORTS OF ACCESS
TO OPPORTUNITY, ALL SORTS OF
POLICY ISSUES THAT ARE THEN
KIND OF LOCALLY ADOPTED THROUGH
LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE PLANS. SO
VISION 2050 INCLUDES POLICIES,
IT INCLUDES ACTIONS. IT ALSO
INCLUDES ORIGINAL GROWTH
STRATEGY, WHICH TALKS ABOUT THE
DISTRIBUTION OF GROWTH PLAN
THROUGH THE YEAR 2050. SO WE
HAVE GROUPS OF CITIES THAT
GROWTH IS ALLOCATED TO THROUGH
PART OF THAT PROCESS, AND
THROUGH KING COUNTY AND KING
COUNTY WORKING WITHIN CITIES,
THE GROWTH IS SORT OF DIVIDED
UP INTO JURISDICTIONS. SO
TALKING ABOUT KIND OF LIKE HOW
GROWTH IS KIND OF ALLOCATED TO
INDIVIDUAL JURISDICTIONS AS
PART OF THAT PLANNING PROCESS.
SO OUR REGIONAL PLAN REALLY
ENCOURAGES GROWTH TOWARDS MAJOR
CITIES, METROPOLITAN CITIES,
CITIES THAT HAVE ACCESS TO
HIGH-CAPACITY TRANSIT, HAVE
CENTERS, SO THAT'S REALLY KIND
OF THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE ARE
WORKING WITH IS PART OF A
REGIONAL PLAN. SO AS PART OF
KING COUNTY'S WORK TO ALLOCATE
GROWTH TO THE CITIES, CITY OF
SEATTLE, CITY OF BELLEVUE WORK
TOGETHER TO DISTRIBUTE BETWEEN
THEM AND SO THAT HELPED
IDENTIFY HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT
TARGETS, CITIES NOW WORKING TO
INCORPORATE AS PART OF ITS
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. ONE OF THE
MAJOR CHANGES IN THE LAST FEW
YEARS HAS BEEN AROUND HOUSING
AND REQUIREMENTS FOR HOUSING
AND LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE PLANS.
SO THAT'S A BIG QUESTION AS
PART OF I'M SURE YOU'LL BE
WRESTLING WITH AND THE MAYOR'S
PLAN WILL BE WRESTLING WITH, AS
WELL, TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO
ADDRESS HOUSING AT DIFFERENT
INCOME LEVELS AND TO ENSURE
THAT THE CITY IS ACCOMMODATING
HOUSING NEED, TO ALSO ADDRESS
DISPLACEMENT, EXCLUSION AND
RACIALLY DISPARATE IMPACTS IN
HOUSING AS WELL AS ADDRESSING
BARRIERS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO THESE ARE CHANGES THAT WERE
MADE AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT
CITIES AROUND THE REGION ARE
WORKING THROUGH THEIR
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS TO HELP
ADDRESS, TOO, BECAUSE THERE ARE
REGIONAL ISSUES IN TERMS OF OUR
HOUSING MARKET. THE PUGET SOUND
REGIONAL COUNCIL, WE REVIEW AND
CERTIFY LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE
PLANS SO ONCE THE CITY HAS
ADOPTED ITS PLAN WE'LL REVIEW
IT AND A CERTIFICATION ALLOWS
THE CITY TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR
FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION FUNDS SO
AS PART OF THAT WE'LL LOOK AT
GROWTH MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS,
CONSISTENCY WITH OUR REGIONAL
PLAN AS WELL AS SOME OF THOSE
NEW HOUSING REQUIREMENTS AS
PART OF THAT PROCESS. SO IT'S
KIND OF THE BIG OVERARCHING
FRAMEWORK OF OUR PROCESS. I'M
CERTAINLY HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT
THAT MORE BUT IT'S JUST KIND
OF AN OVERVIEW OF OUR REGIONAL
CONTEXT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES AND COUNCILMEMBERS,
IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE. MY NAME
IS NICOLE MacRI, I'M THE STATE
REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE 43rd
LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT, WHICH
INCLUDES AREAS FROM THE PRODUCE
MARKET TO UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON AND SEVERAL OTHER
AREAS IN CENTRAL SEATTLE. I'M
1 OF 18 LEGISLATORS WHO
REPRESENT RESIDENTS OF THE CITY
OF SEATTLE. WE HAVE SIX
LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS HERE IN
SEATTLE. I THINK THE 43rd HAS
THE GREATEST OVERLAP WITH THE
LARGEST NUMBER OF CITY COUNCIL
DISTRICTS. SO I HAVE A LOT OF
CONNECTION WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS
OF OUR COUNCIL AND OF COURSE IN
MY WORK IN OLYMPIA I'M REALLY
FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT OUR
STATE CAN BE A GOOD PARTNER
WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND WITH OUR
CITY GOVERNMENT IN PARTICULAR
TO MAKE SURE WE CAN MEET THE
NEEDS OF RESIDENTS, AND OF
COURSE I NOTICED TOP OF MIND
FOR ALL OF YOU THAT WE HAVE
TREMENDOUS CHALLENGES WITH
HOUSING, PARTICULARLY HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY FOR A GROWING
NUMBER OF OUR RESIDENCY IN
SEATTLE. AS LIZ MENTIONED, THE
STATE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN
DOING A LOT OF WORK IN THE AREA
OF HOUSING AS IT RELATES TO
GROWTH MANAGEMENT. SO THE
GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT WAS
ENACTED IN THE MID-90s AT A
TIME OF RAPID GROWTH IN
WASHINGTON STATE AND AS WE
PARTICULARLY HAVE FACED THIS
CRISIS OF HOUSING, HITTING
EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE,
THERE HAS BEEN MORE FOCUS ON
WHAT WE CALL THE HOUSING
ELEMENT IN THE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT ACT AND REALLY
TURNING TO OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITIES TO TAKE MORE
DELIBERATE ACTIONS TO EXPAND
ACCESS TO HOUSING, PARTICULARLY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ACROSS
ALL INCOME SPECTRUMS, AND TO
ADDRESS ISSUES OF DISPLACEMENT
AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN
HOUSING, A LEGACY THAT AS
POLICYMAKERS WE ALL CARRY AND
ARE OBLIGATED TO ADDRESS.
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROVIDES
A REALLY RARE AND IMPORTANT
OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF OUR
COMMUNITIES TO ADDRESS THE
CHALLENGES WE'VE HAD IN
HOUSING, PARTICULARLY THE
UNDERSUPPLIED, WHICH HAS BEEN
ONE OF THE PRIMARY DRIVERS OF
HOUSING COST IN OUR REGION. WE
KNOW THAT THIS PLAN THAT THIS
COUNCIL WILL ENACT WILL SET THE
FRAME OVER THE NEXT DECADE BUT
WILL HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE
NEXT 50 TO 100 YEARS IN THE
KINDS AND TYPES OF HOUSING AND
ABUNDANCE OF HOUSING THAT WILL
IMPACT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE IN THE CITY CURRENTLY
AND IN THE FUTURE. I WANT TO
NAME A FEW STATUTES THAT HAVE
GONE INTO EFFECT OVER THE LAST
FEW YEARS THAT ARE PARTICULARLY
RELEVANT. IT WAS REALLY NICE TO
COME IN AND HEAR THE PREVIOUS
PRESENTATIONS, WHICH ARE ALSO
RELATED TO THIS WORK OF
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING, THE
IMPORTANCE OF EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT, AND THE IMPORTANCE
OF CREATING A MORE DIVERSE
ARRAY OF HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES
FOR PEOPLE AT ALL INCOME
LEVELS, INCLUDING ACCESSORY
DWELLING UNITS. IN 2019 THE
LEGISLATURE PASSED HOUSE BILL
1923, WHICH CREATED A MENU OF
OPTIONS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
TO CHOOSE TO REALLY CREATE MORE
HOUSING DIVERSITY AND HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY AND CREATED
INCENTIVES FOR COMMUNITIES TO
DO THAT BY PROVIDING SUPPORT
AND PLANNING DOLLARS FOR LOCAL
COMMUNITIES. IN 2021 THE
LEGISLATURE TO OLDER ACTION IN
PASSING HOUSE BILL 1220, A BILL
THAT I WAS INTIMATELY INVOLVED
IN GETTING PASSED IN THE
LEGISLATURE, WHICH REALLY
SHIFTED THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
REQUIREMENTS IN THE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT ACT FROM BEING
ENCOURAGEMENT TO LOCAL
COMMUNITIES, TO BEING REQUIRED
TO. SO AS YOU HEARD FROM LIZ,
THE PSRC PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN
HELPING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
UNDERSTAND THEIR OBLIGATIONS
REGARDING HOUSING TARGETS
ACROSS ALL INCOME LEVELS ACROSS
THE SPECTRUM AND MAKING SURE
THAT WE ARE HITTING THOSE. IT
ALSO REQUIRES COMMUNITIES TO
TAKE DELIBERATE STEPS TO
ADDRESS ISSUES OF REDLINING AND
RACIAL DISPROPORTIONALITY IN
COMMUNITIES AND HOW THEY BUILD
THEIR ZONING AND HOUSING
POLICIES. MORE RECENTLY WE
PASSED HOUSE BILL 1110, ALSO
KNOWN AS THE MIDDLE HOUSING
BILL, TO REQUIRE AND PROMOTE A
DIVERSITY OF HOUSING. SO THAT
REALLY IS I THINK THE HIGH
LEVEL ON OUR STATE WORK THAT WE
HAVE DONE. WE ARE UNDERTAKING
WORK, CONTINUED WORK RELATED TO
EXPANDING POLICY RELATED TO THE
INTERSECTION OF PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING,
REALLY PROMOTING TRANSIT
ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE
THAT RESIDENTS IN COMMUNITIES
ACROSS THE STATE HAVE EQUITABLE
ACCESS TO THE TRANSPORTATION
INVESTMENTS THAT WE ARE MAKING,
BOTH WITH STATE TAXPAYER
DOLLARS AS WELL AS REGIONAL AND
LOCAL TAXPAYER DOLLARS, AND SO
OUR WORK IN THAT AREA CONTINUES
IN THAT INTERSECTION OF
TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING IS
ALSO A VERY ESSENTIAL PART OF
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING THAT
YOU ALL WILL BE UNDERTAKEN. SO
WITH THAT I'LL PASS IT OVER TO
THE NEXT SPEAKER AND LOOK
FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND
QUESTIONS.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY, GOOD
AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBERS.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE. MY
NAME IS SOL VILLAREAL, I'M A
RESIDENTIAL REALTOR IN SEATTLE.
I AM ALSO THE VP ELECT OF
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR THE
SEATTLE KING COUNTY REALTORS SO
I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING
WITH BUYERS IN SEATTLE, TRYING
TO BUY HOMES, A LOT OF THEM
FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS, AND AS
ALL OF US KNOW, I THINK
HOMEOWNERSHIP, WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT
STRATEGIES, IS REALLY THE BEST
AND TIGHTEST STRATEGY THAT WE
HAVE. THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO
MAKE SURE YOU CAN STAY IN
SEATTLE LONG-TERM THAN OWNING A
HOME. THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS
THAT THERE'S A BIG GAP IN THE
TYPES OF HOMES WE ARE ABLE TO
BUILD. YOU SAW WITH THE
PREVIOUS ADU PRESENTATION, ONE
OF THE REASONS WE SEE SO MANY
OF THESE CONDO ICED ADUS BEING
BUILT IS BECAUSE THEY'RE
FILLING A REALLY LARGE, UNMET
NEED THAT OUR CURRENT ZONING
ISN'T FILLING. AND THE FACT
THAT THESE ARE BEING CONDO ICED
AND SOLD INDIVIDUALLY IS KIND
OF A LOOPHOLE. IT WASN'T THE
ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE
LEGISLATION, IS MY
UNDERSTANDING. SO I THINK WE
HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH THE
COMP PLAN TO REALLY BE
INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE KIND OF
HOUSING THAT WE WANT TO SEE
BUILT, AS A WAY TO TRY TO FILL
IN SOME OF THESE MISSING GAPS.
AND I'LL JUST GIVE YOU AN
EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT'S
NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. I
SEE EVERY DAY WITH MY BUYERS
THAT I WISH I COULD SELL EVERY
DAY THAT JUST DOESN'T EXIST
AND THAT HOME TYPE IS HOUSES
THAT WORK FOR MEDIAN INCOME
FAMILIES, RIGHT? IF YOU LOOK AT
WHAT WE ARE BUILDING, NEW
CONSTRUCTION-WISE IN SEATTLE,
MOST OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION
REAL ESTATE THAT WE ARE
BUILDING FOR PURCHASE IS NEW
CONSTRUCTION HOUSES THAT ARE
LARGE, $1.5 MILLION-PLUS OR
SMALLER, MORE AFFORDABLE
TOWNHOMES THAT ARE MORE AND THE
LIKE $600,000-$900,000 RANGE.
THAT THE MAJORITY OF WHAT WE
ARE BUILDING FOR BUYERS TO
PURCHASE TODAY. THE BIG,
CRITICAL PIECE WE ARE MISSING
THERE IS THAT MIDDLE PIECE OF
SOMETHING THAT COSTS MORE THAN
THAT $690,000 RANGE BUT IT'S A
THREE BEDROOM HOUSE THAT A
FAMILY CAN BOTH AFFORD AND CAN
ALSO ACTUALLY RAISE KIDS IN
WHEN THAT TIME COMES. SO A LOT
OF MY BUYERS, WHEN THEY BUY
THEIR FIRST HOME IN SEATTLE,
FUNCTIONALLY SPEAKING, THAT'S
GOING TO BE THE ONLY HOME THEY
ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD
BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'RE BUILDING
RIGHT NOW. THEY CAN GET IN ON
THAT FIRST RUNG BUT THAT MIDDLE
RUN OF THE HOUSING LADDER IS
JUST MISSING AND THE U.S.
COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE ON THE COMP
PLAN ON OUR BEHALF TO HELP
INCENTIVIZE BUILDERS AND GIVE
THEM THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BE
ABLE TO BUILD THAT MISSING RUNG
OF THE HOUSING LADDER TO ENSURE
THAT FAMILIES WHO WANT TO AVOID
BEING DISPLACED ECONOMICALLY
FROM THE CITY HAVE OPTIONS TO
GO TO, WHETHER THAT'S THE
FIRST TIME THEY BUY, THEY CAN
STAY IN FOR THE NEXT 15 YEARS,
OR FOLKS WERE LOOKING FOR
CONDOS AND APARTMENTS AND
TOWNHOMES AND NOW HAVE
SOMETHING TO TRADE UP TO. IT'S
ONE EXAMPLE, HOUSING FOR
FAMILIES BUT WE SEE EVERY DAY
IN MY WORK SO IT'S SOMETHING
I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT AND
IF WE FAST-FORWARD 10 YEARS I
WOULD LOVE TO SEE AN EQUAL
NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENTS WHERE
YOU SEE A 5000, 6000 SQUARE
FOOT LOT THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING
46 TOWNHOMES BUILT ON IT, HAS
46 SMALL HOUSES, EACH ONE IS
1250 TO 1500 SQUARE FEET, TWO
STORIES, THREE BEDROOMS. COST
THE SAME THING AS WHAT A
TOWNHOUSE WOULD COST THE SAME
PRICE POINT. SAME FOLKS WHO CAN
AFFORD TO BUY IT BUT NOW THEY
CAN ACTUALLY STAY HERE
THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE CYCLE,
WHATEVER YOU NEED FOR A HOUSE.
THEY DON'T NEED TO IMPROVE
BECAUSE OF THAT HOME TYPE. I
THINK THEY ARE POSITIONED TO BE
ABLE TO DO IT AND PARTNER CAN
TELL ME MORE ABOUT INCREASED FA
ARE AND AREA COVERAGE AND ALL
THINGS.
>> REALLY LEAVING ME ALL THE
BORING STUFF.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH
COUNCILMEMBERS FOR HOSTING US
ALL. I KNOW WE ALL REALLY
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITIES,
PARTICULARLY THIS YEAR. I KNOW
THAT I'VE OFTEN CALLED 2024 IS
REALLY THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY
FOR HOUSING THAT WE'VE HAD
SINCE THE BIRTH OF THE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT ACT. THANKS IN LARGE
PART TO THE BENEFIT OUR STATE
PARTNERS HAVE BEEN DOING NOT
ONLY WITH HOUSE BILL 110 BUT SO
MUCH AS WELL. MY NAME IS PARKER
DAWSON. I USE PRONOUNS GENDER
NONCONFORMING ON THE MASTER
BUILDING ASSOCIATION OF KING
AND SNOHOMISH COUNTIES. AS A
REFRESHER WE HAVE ABOUT 2500
MEMBERS WORKING IN KING AND
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, ABOUT 400 WHO
OPERATE IN SEATTLE.
COLLECTIVELY WE ARE THE LARGEST
AND OLDEST HOMEBUILDERS
ASSOCIATION IN THE COUNTRY AND
ARE VERY PROUD TO BUILD
VIRTUALLY ALL FOR-SALE FAMILY
HOUSING OPTIONS IN SEATTLE. AT
THE MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION
WE DO WORK FOR THOSE MEMBERS
FROM A BROAD SUITE OF
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO
HELP THEM NAVIGATE THE OFTEN
COMPLEX WEB OF PERMITTING AND
PROCESS THAT GOES ON WITH
BUILDING EVEN A SINGLE HOUSE.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO SUPPORT
JURISDICTIONS TOWARD
ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES BUILD
GREEN PROGRAM WHICH IS ANOTHER
SHOUT OUT FOR THE CITY OF
SEATTLE THAT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY
SUCCESSFUL IN THIS
JURISDICTION. WE THINK OUR CITY
PARTNERS IN THAT REGARD, AND
ALSO THROUGH THE WORK THAT I DO
AND THAT OF MY COLLEAGUES IN
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS. WE WORK
WITH OUR GOVERNMENT WORKERS
EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT
THROUGH OUR POLICY
DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES WE
ARE REALLY CENTERING THE PEOPLE
THAT WE BUILD FOR, WHICH ARE
FAMILIES. SO OFTEN IN
DISCUSSIONS THAT I HAVE SEEN
ABOUT OUR COMP PLAN THIS YEAR,
WE'VE REALLY HAD TWO
CONVERSATIONS THAT IT SEEMED TO
MISS EACH OTHER, TALKING ABOUT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CREDIBLY
NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING
RENTAL OPTIONS FROM ZERO TO 50%
OR ZERO TO 60%, WHICH WE KNOW
WE HAVE BEEN LACKING AND WE
KNOW WE GET TO FIND MORE
DIVERSE STRATEGIES TO FULFILL,
BUT WE TALKED ABOUT LARGE
DEVELOPMENT, MIDRISE, HIGH-RISE
BUILDINGS, 400 UNIT-PLUS
APARTMENT BUILDINGS WERE CONDO
BUILDINGS WHEN WE ARE NOT EVEN
GETTING A FAMILY AND THEM AND
IT STILL SELLING SOMEHOW. WHAT
WE DON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT IS
THAT FAMILY HOUSING THAT SOLD,
HAD ALLUDED TO THAT TWO-STORY
HOUSE, 1500 SQUARE FEET, THREE
BEDROOMS. SOMETHING THAT A
FAMILY CAN PURCHASE AND GROW
AND STAY IN SOMETHING THAT A
PERSON HAS GOTTEN THE CHANCE TO
LIVE HERE THEIR WHOLE LIVES,
DOESN'T HAVE TO SELL AND LEAD
THEIR COMMUNITY FORWARD JUST TO
BE ABLE TO HAVE A DIGNIFIED
RETIREMENT AND OPTIONS WERE
PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE
LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO ACCESS
A MULTI FAMILY HOME EVEN CAN
REALLY GET AROUND HIM AND
LEARNED TO CALL HOME. THERE ARE
SEVERAL THINGS THAT DO DRIVE UP
THOSE COSTS THAT I'LL BE
REPEATING MUCH OF IT. THE
SIGNIFICANT INDEFINITE HOUSING
STOCK THAT WE HAVE IS A HUGE
ONE. I THINK THAT YOU PROBABLY
SAW FROM THAT ADU MAP THAT WAS
PRESENTED PRIOR TO OUR PANEL,
WE ARE MAKING DECENT PROGRESS
IN THIS REGARD BUT I KNOW THAT
SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS GIVEN TO
THIS COUNCIL THROUGHOUT THE
YEAR HAVE SHOWN THAT I THINK
IT'S AROUND 88,000 OR 90,000
UNITS THAT WE STILL NEED TO GET
UP TO JUST TO GO WHERE WE ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE TODAY. THAT
DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR THE TOTAL
OF I THINK AROUND 120,000 OR
130,000 THAT WE ARE GOING TO
NEED OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS TO
REALLY BE IN A SOLID PLACE.
ANOTHER THING IS PERMITTING,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. I KNOW
THIS IS AN ISSUE NEAR AND DEAR
TO YOUR HEART, IT IS TO ME AS
WELL. IN KING COUNTY THE
AVERAGE PERMITTING DELAY IS
ABOUT 8.6 MONTHS AND FOR EACH
MONTH OF THAT, OR I'M SORRY,
FOR THAT WHOLE PROCESS YOU CAN
END UP RACKING UP ABOUT
$50,000-$60,000 IN HOLDING
COSTS AND A HOLDING COST IS A
STRANGE TERM. THAT CAN BE
EVERYTHING FROM HAVING TO REDO
PERMITTING PROCESSES,
APPLICATION FEES, RESCHEDULE
INSPECTIONS, REORDER MATERIALS,
DELAYS AND LABOR COSTS. THAT'S
REALLY WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE DO
SAY HOLDING COST. BUT AS A
LITTLE BIT OF AN EXAMPLE, I
HAVE ONE BUILDER WHO PURCHASED
A LOT OF LAND FROM THE BEACON
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY DOWN IN
SOUTH BEACON HILL ABOUT THREE
OR FOUR YEARS AGO AS PART OF AN
EFFORT IN THE FUNDING CAMPAIGN
TO HELP THEM BUILD AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. HE CHOSE TO BUILD 22
TOWNHOMES ON THAT PROJECT, 3
1/2 YEARS LATER, YOU ARE JUST
NOW GETTING WORK DONE WITH THE
CITY TO BRING TO FULL COUNCIL
WHERE FINGERS CROSSED, IN
AUGUST A PROPOSAL TO COMMIT
FINAL PLAT , TO ACTUALLY BE
ABLE TO GET THEM ONLINE AND GET
FAMILIES IN THOSE HOUSES. BUT
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN
EIGHT MONTH PERMITTING PROCESS
THAT ADDS ON $50,000 PER UNIT
YOU'RE LOOKING AT 22 UNITS IN
THREE YEARS. WHAT STARTED OUT
AS 22 TOWNHOMES THAT REALLY
SEEM LIKE ON PAPER AN
OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A DREAM
OF EXTENDED COMMUNITY THAT
WOULD PRESENT OPPORTUNITY OF
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT OPTIONS, HAS
UNFORTUNATELY BEEN BLOWN OUT OF
THE WATER JUST BY TIME. AND THE
LAST THING, I'D LOVE TO GET TO
QUESTIONS, AS WELL. BUT ON THE
COMP PLAN SPECIFICALLY WE
REALLY GOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
TO ATTACK A THIRD PRONG OF THIS
ISSUE, WHICH IS PRESENTING MORE
OPTIONS FOR OUR FAMILIES. A LOT
OF TIMES WHEN WE ARE OUT IN
COMMUNITIES WE SEE NOTHING BUT
TOWNHOMES GOING UP OR ADUS AND
D ADUS THAT LOOK LIKE TOWNHOMES
AND WHILE THESE ARE FANTASTIC
OPPORTUNITIES AND STARTER HOME
FOR SOME FOLKS, MAKING SURE
THAT WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO BRING DOWN THAT THREE-STORY
TOWER TO A TWO STORY LARGER
HOME THAT CAN HAVE THREE
BEDROOMS . WE PROVIDE THOSE
OPTIONS TO MORE PEOPLE AT MORE
AFFORDABLE COSTS ACROSS THE
SPECTRUM, FROM 120 ALL THE WAY
DOWN TO 80 AND EVEN 70% INCOME.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES OF
HAVING TO BUILD AND REALLY
RELYING ON BUILDING UP INTO A
THIRD STORY IN ORDER TO GET THE
SAR, THE FLOOR AREA RATIO OR
THE BULK OF THE BUILDING IS
THAT BUILDING A THIRD STORY IS
MORE EXTENSIVE, ONE, AND IT
LOWERS THE PROPERTY VALUE, TWO.
NOT TO MENTION THAT LESS PEOPLE
WANT TO HIKE UP THREE STORIES
TO GET TO THEIR CHILD OR GET TO
THEIR BEDROOM ON A HOT DAY IN A
CITY WHERE WE PROUDLY DON'T USE
AC, JUST LIKE WE PROUDLY DON'T
USE UMBRELLAS. WITH THAT I'LL
WRAP UP AND AGAIN, THANK YOU SO
MUCH AND LOOK FORWARD TO BEING
PART OF THIS DISCUSSION AND
YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> THANKS, EVERYBODY FOR BEING
HERE AND FOR BEING WILLING TO
RESPOND. I'LL START WITH A
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. SO YOU'VE
ALL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
DIVERSITY OF HOUSING TYPES. I
KNOW THAT THERE ARE STATE
ISSUES WITH SORT OF CONDOS AND
HOW THAT WORKS BUT TO YOUR
POINT, PARKER, ABOUT TOWNHOMES
BEING SOMEWHAT INACCESSIBLE FOR
SOME PEOPLE, I THINK ABOUT MY
AGING PARENTS. HOW DO WE
SUPPORT A THREE BEDROOM FLAT
OPPORTUNITY THAT COULD ALSO BE
FOR OWNERSHIP IN THE CITY, AS
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO
INCREASE DENSITY? WE JUST HEARD
THAT MAY BE ADUS, THERE'S
GOING TO BE A SHIFT AWAY FROM
ADUS, SO AS WE ARE THINKING
ABOUT WHAT THESE DIFFERENT KIND
OF HOUSING TYPES CAN BE AND WE
KNOW THAT THERE IS INTEREST IN
OWNERSHIP, THAT SEEMS LIKE A
REALLY VIABLE OPTION IF WE CAN
MAKE IT WORK. SO I'M WONDERING
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO TAKE THAT
QUESTION.
>> SURE, SORRY. FIRST I WANT TO
DISPEL A QUICKNESS. I DON'T
THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A
SIGNIFICANT SHIFT AWAY FROM
ADUS, THEY'RE GOING TO REMAIN
UNLESS THE COMP PLAN ALTERS HOW
THEY ARE TREATED THROUGH THE
PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS. A FAST OPTION FOR
INFILL WHICH IS REALLY A LOT OF
TIMES THE ONLY OPTION WE HAVE
IN SEATTLE. I DO KNOW THAT
BEING ABLE TO INCORPORATE LOFT
SPLITTING , SIMPLE FEE OUTRIGHT
LOT SPLITTING, THE ABILITY FOR
YOU TO NOT CONDOMINIUM EYES
THAT ADU OR THE ADU BUT A
PORTION OF YOUR LAND IS A
CHOICE OR NOT. WE'LL DO
WONDERS BEING ABLE TO GIVE
PEOPLE THE OPTION, LIKE YOUR
AGING PARENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
ABILITY TO STAY IN THEIR HOME
AND STAY IN THEIR COMMUNITY
WHILE STILL BEING ABLE TO SELL
OFF A PORTION OF THAT LAND
THROUGH THE D ADU AND BE ABLE
TO CASH IN A PART OF THEIR
RETIREMENT. SO I THINK THAT'S
ONE REALLY GREAT INCLUSION THAT
OPC D HAS STATED THEY INTEND TO
INCLUDE IN THAT PROCESS. BUT AS
FAR AS SHIFTING TOWARD TYPES OF
HOUSING THAT ARE MORE FAMILY
INCLUSIVE, ANOTHER MYTH IS THAT
TOWNHOMES ARE NECESSARILY A
DISTINCT TYPE OF HOUSE BUT
OFTEN TIMES WHEN WE LOOK AROUND
THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S AN ADU
OR D ADU OR EVEN A TRIPLEX OR
QUAD PLEX, THESE DO APPEAR AS
TOWNHOMES AND ARE TOWNHOMES IN
MANY WAYS. BUT I CAN SURE THAT
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS FOR THOSE TYPES OF
HOUSING, THAT WE REALLY KEEP IN
MIND THE ABILITY TO BUILD THEM
FOR FAMILIES. AGAIN, GOING BACK
TO MY STATEMENTS ON RELYING ON
HEIGHT, VERY OFTEN WHAT WE DO
WHEN WE TRY AND SAY HOW DO WE
GET DENSITY, HOW DO WE GET THAT
THIRD BEDROOM, WE SAY OKAY,
LET'S INCREASE THE SAR. HOW
ARE WE GOING TO FIT SAR? LET'S
GIVE THEM ANOTHER STORY, BUT WE
DON'T STOP TO CONSIDER THE
REST OF THE LOT AREA COVERAGE.
FOR EXAMPLE, WITH SETBACKS.
ANOTHER TOOL IN OUR TOOLBELT TO
MAKE SURE WE CAN REDUCE THE
STREET SCALE, IN OTHER WORDS
GLEN DEAN THESE HOUSING CHOICES
THAT WE CAN GET THAT SCHEME, WE
CAN GET THOSE AMENITIES FOR
FAMILIES TO REALLY MOVE IN AND
KEEP THEIR HOUSING. IN THE LONG
TERM. BUT I'M HAPPY TO PASS IT
OFF TO OTHERS ON THE PANEL, AS
WELL.
>> JUST UPON THE QUESTION OF
STACKED FLATS SPECIFICALLY, I
KNOW STACKED FLATS, IF YOU LOOK
AT IT FROM A DENSITY
PERSPECTIVE AND HOW DO YOU GET
FAMILY HOUSING AT SCALE IN
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, I
THINK STACKED FLATS ARE REALLY
KIND OF THE ULTIMATE DREAM IN A
LOT OF WAYS BECAUSE YOU GO AS
MANY STORIES AS YOU WANT, JUST
KEEP ADDING MORE UNITS. MY
UNDERSTANDING, I DON'T HAVE A
LOT OF PROCESS KNOWLEDGE ON
STACKED FLATS, MY UNDERSTANDING
IS THERE IS NOT REALLY A MODEL
FOR BUILDING THEM THAT'S BEEN
KIND OF PROVEN TO WORK IN THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS. SO MAYBE SEATTLE
IS A GOOD PLACE TO PILOT SOME
OF THAT BUT I THINK STACKED
FLATS ARE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF
THE HOUSING TYPES THAT WE CAN
BE LOOKING TO IN THE COMP PLAN
TO TRY TO INCENTIVIZE AND
CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, AND
JUST LIKE YOUR PARTNER WAS
SAYING, THERE'S A LOT OF
ADDITIONAL WAYS TO GET A LOT OF
DIFFERENT DIVERSITY OF UNIT
TYPES, WHICH WE CAN ACCOMMODATE
A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT LOOKS IN
NEIGHBORHOODS BUT I THINK
STACKED FLATS ARE WELL WORTH
LOOKING AT, FOR SURE.
>> I'LL JUST ADD THAT AT THE
STATE LEVEL WE ARE THINKING
ABOUT HOW WE REALLY MAKE THESE
OPPORTUNITIES ACCESSIBLE TO
FOLKS SO YOU ALL MAY BE AWARE
OF A BILL WE PASSED , WHICH IS
REALLY FOCUSED ON EXPANDING
ACCESS TO BLACK HOME OWNERSHIP
IN WASHINGTON STATE, IN PART BY
CREATING A NEW FUND OF
RESOURCES TO HELP FAMILIES WHO
HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN
DISPLACED AND REDLINED, TO GAIN
ACCESS TO HOUSING THAT
OTHERWISE WOULD BE OUT OF
REACH. WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON
RIGHT NOW IS CREATING THE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPERS TO
BUILD HOMEOWNERSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES AT LOWER COST
THROUGH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
MODELS. CITIES CAN PLAY A
REALLY ESSENTIAL ROLE IN
CREATING THAT DEVELOPMENT
REGULATION CONTEXT, WHICH CAN
EITHER INCREASE THE COST OR
DECREASE THE COST AND SO
LOOKING AT THESE DIFFERENT
OPPORTUNITIES AND HOW WE ALIGN
THEM WITH SOME OF THE STATE
POLICY AND FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES TO ENSURE OUR
RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS I THINK
IS ANOTHER PIECE OF THE WORK
FOR US TO BE CONSIDERING.
>> THANK YOU. THIS IS -- I'LL
GO AHEAD AND ASK MY QUESTION
AND THEN HAND IT OVER IF ANYONE
ELSE HAS A QUESTION. WE ARE --
I'M SURE WE'LL BE TALKING
ABOUT HOW WE CAN ACHIEVE OUR
HOUSING GOALS, HOW WE CAN
INCREASE HOME OWNERSHIP. I'M
WONDERING IF SOMEBODY COULD
SPEAK TO HOW ZONING, WHICH IS
CREATED GENTRIFICATION IN THE
PAST, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T
ANTICIPATE AND MITIGATE THAT.
SO IF YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT MEASURES COULD HELP
WITH THE ANTI-THIS PLACEMENT SO
WE CAN INCREASE THE DENSITY
THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND MAKE
SURE FOLKS CAN STAY IN THEIR
HOMES AND STAY IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES.
>> I'LL START AND I KNOW
EVERYONE HERE HAS DEEP
KNOWLEDGE IN THIS AREA. I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO
REALLY REFLECT ON THE SORT OF
CHECKERBOARD APPROACH TO UP
ZONING HAS HAD ON A MORE
VULNERABLE COMMUNITY HERE IN
SEATTLE. WE'VE GONE THROUGH A
PERIOD OF A GENERATION, TWO
DECADES OF EXTREME
GENTRIFICATION AND DISPLACEMENT
IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY
AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO
DENSITY, HAVING MORE BROADSCALE
AND EVEN KIND OF UP ZONES
ACROSS THE CITY. SO LOW LEVEL
INCREASES IN DENSITY AND ZONES
IN ALL AREAS OF THE CITY AND
REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE THINK
ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
EQUITABLY ACROSS THE CITY AND
INCREASING DENSITY CAN IMPACT
EXISTING RESIDENCE AND ADJACENT
RESIDENCE. I THINK WE , ALONG
WITH MANY OTHER REGIONS OF THE
COUNTRY, HAVE LEARNED A LOT
ABOUT HOW TO DO DENSITY A LOT
MORE SMARTLY. SOME OF THE STATE
POLICY THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN
PLACE I THINK HELPS TO SET THE
FRAME FOR THAT PLANNING. WE ARE
VERY FORTUNATE, I THINK, TO
HAVE REALLY HIGH QUALITY STAFF
HERE IN THE CITY WHO HAVE BEEN
LOOKING AT THESE ISSUES, AS
WELL. THERE ARE MULTIPLE OTHER
KINDS OF STRATEGIES. YOU ALL
JUST GOT A WONDERFUL BRIEFING
ON THE EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE. SEATTLE IS A LEADER
IN THIS WAY AND THESE
STRATEGIES OF HAVING COMMUNITY
CENTERED DEVELOPMENT IS
ESSENTIAL TO MAKING SURE THAT
COMMUNITY NEEDS ARE DEEPLY
UNDERSTOOD AND THAT THOSE WHO
WILL BENEFIT FROM DEVELOPMENT
ARE ACTUALLY DRIVING HOW
COMMUNITIES ARE DEVELOPED .
WHAT WE LOOK AT IS THIS
INTEGRATION OF MULTIPLE
FEATURES AS WELL AS YOU HEARD
COMMUNITY AMENITIES ALONGSIDE
HOUSING, ALONGSIDE THE KINDS OF
SERVICES THAT WE KNOW THAT OUR
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES NEED
TO, AND THAT KIND OF INTEGRATED
DEVELOPMENT IS SOMETHING THAT
UNFORTUNATELY THE UNITED
STATES, WE DON'T HAVE GREAT
REFLEX ON BUT ON ISSUES LIKE
EDI ARE HELPING US TO GET
SMARTER ABOUT.
>> ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO GO
AHEAD?
>> I'LL JUST SAY I THINK WE
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE
CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AT
THE STATE LEVEL BECAUSE I THINK
BEYOND JUST SEATTLE WE ARE
SEEING CITIES ACROSS THE REGION
REZONING AND HAVING TO LOOK AT
SORT OF MORE LOOSELY, ALSO AT
DISPLACEMENT RISK, THINKING
MORE CLEARLY ABOUT RACIALLY
DISPARATE IMPACTS IN TERMS OF
HOUSING. SO IT'S NOT JUST KIND
OF ONE OFF UP ZONING HERE AND
THERE BUT IT'S SORT OF A
REGIONAL LOOK AT WHERE WE NEED
HOUSING OVERALL. SO I THINK
THERE'S SOME GOOD TOOLS THAT
HAVE COME OUT OF THE STATE IN
TERMS OF THINKING MORE
HOLISTICALLY OUTSIDE THE
COMPLEX DISPLACEMENT AND
REZONING.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT,
JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE
MAKING DECISIONS HERE FOR
SEATTLE BUT ALL OF THE
DECISIONS WE MAKE HERE WILL
IMPACT SURROUNDING CITIES IN
SOUTH QUAY COUNTY,
PARTICULARLY, SO IT HAS RIPPLE
EFFECTS FOR SURE. SO WERE YOU
GOING TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY WHEN
WE THINK ABOUT UP ZONING WE
TEND TO THINK ABOUT IT
PRIMARILY IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF
UNITS. WE JUST NEED TO BUILD AS
MANY UNITS AS WE CAN AND I
THINK THAT MISSES THE SECOND
PART OF THE CONVERSATION WHICH
IS WHAT KIND OF UNITS ARE WE
BUILDING AND THERE ARE A LOT OF
DISCONNECTS I THINK IN OUR
CURRENT HOUSING QUALITY BETWEEN
THIS DRIVE FOR MORE DENSITY AND
MORE SQUARE FOOTAGE AT ALL
COSTS AND PEOPLE WATCH AND
AFFORD ON THE GROUND, AND AN
EXAMPLE OF THAT, I'M SURE THAT
YOU ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF, BUT
THE IDEA OF THE MHA BONUS RIGHT
NOW IN AREAS THAT ARE ZONED FOR
TOWNHOMES ALLOWS A TOWNHOME
DEVELOPER TO BUILD A FOUR-STORY
, WHICH BUYERS DON'T WANT. IS
NOT A BENEFIT SO THERE
ESSENTIALLY GETTING SOMETHING
THEY DON'T WANT AND HAVING TO
PAY MORE FOR THAT. AND THAT
ALSO MAKES THAT HOUSING WAS
AFFORDABLE. SO JUST AN EXAMPLE,
SOMETHING THAT IS
WELL-INTENTIONED BUT IT DIDN'T
END UP HAVING THE IMPACT IT WAS
MEANT TO ON THE GROUND. I THINK
THERE IS A LOT OF COMMUNITIES
FOR VERY SMALL CHANGES THAT END
UP IMPACTING WHAT WINDS UP
ULTIMATELY GETTING BUILT
BECAUSE FOR ME, THE BEST WAY TO
PREVENT DISPLACEMENT IS TO
ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A LARGER
NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE HOMES THE
PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT TO BUY AND
THAT'S WHAT I'M MISSING RIGHT
NOW IS MORE HOMES AT PRICE
POINTS PEOPLE CAN AFFORD.
THAT'S FUNDAMENTALLY WHAT IT
REALLY COMES DOWN TO.
>> JUST TO EXTEND ON WHAT SOUL
WAS SAYING, I ALMOST FEEL LIKE
I SHOULD REBOOT THE MYTHBUSTERS
SHOW OR SOMETHING WITH THE
NUMBER OF TIMES THAT I'M
SAYING THIS, BUT IT'S NOT
EXACTLY A TRUE STATEMENT THAT
DENSITY IS GOING TO LEAD TO
DISPLACEMENT, THAT UP ZONES ARE
GOING TO LEAD TO DISPLACEMENT.
IT'S HER McAN IF YOU DON'T
MANAGE PROPERLY AND YOU DON'T
PLAN ACCORDINGLY. ONE OF THE
BIG THINGS, PARTICULARLY WITH
WHAT SOL WAS SAYING, WHEN
YOU'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO
INCORPORATE TRULY AFFORDABLE
UNITS, A LOT OF TIMES THOSE
AFFORDABLE UNITS CAN BE
ABSORBED INTO THE COST OF
INCREDIBLY LARGE DEVELOPMENTS,
SOMETHING LIKE 100, 200, 400
UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING,
WITHOUT INCREASING THE
REMAINDER OF THOSE UNITS? BUT
WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT A
REZONE LIKE LOWRISE OR LIKE
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL WHEN
YOU'RE TRYING TO OFFSET THE
COST OF BUILDING THAT
AFFORDABLE UNIT WITH ONLY ONE,
MAYBE TWO, THREE IF YOU'RE
LUCKY, UNITS DEPENDING ON THE
TYPE OF SITE, THAT BECOMES A
LOT HARDER TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE REMAINDER OF THOSE UNITS
OTHER THAN WHAT ARE AFFORDABLE
TO HARDLY ANYBODY, AND WHILE
YOU MAY END UP HAVING ONE
AFFORDABLE UNIT FOR SOMEBODY TO
PURCHASE, YOU ARE PRICING OUT
DOZENS OF FAMILIES WHO COULD'VE
OTHERWISE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
OCCUPY THOSE OTHERS. AND AS FAR
AS INCREASING THE POTENTIAL TO
SIX UNITS IN AN NR ZONE AND
HAVING THE AFFORDABILITY BONUS
GO UP TO I THINK IT'S 1.4 8F
AR IS THE CURRENT DRAFT AT FOUR
STORIES. OFTEN TIMES AS SOL WAS
SIN, NOT WANTING TO BUY THAT AS
A RENTER, I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T
WANT TO BUY THAT. I WOULD HAVE
A HARD TIME ACCESSING THE WHOLE
THING, NOT TO MENTION THAT
THOSE UNITS BECOME LESS AND
LESS AFFORDABLE OVER TIME.
>> ALSO ADDITIONAL COMMENT,
SEPARATE FROM MY ROLE IN THE
LEGISLATURE I DEVELOP HOUSING,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE
WHO EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS
AND THIS INCREASE MORE BROADLY
OF DENSITY WILL BRING DOWN THE
COST OF PER-UNIT DEVELOPMENT
ACROSS THE BOARD, WHICH WILL BE
IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE WE
REGAIN SOME EFFICIENCY IN OUR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
SO AS WE INVEST AS PUBLIC
FUNDERS IN BUYING DOWN RENTS SO
PEOPLE WHO ARE EXTREMELY LOW
INCOME OR WHO ARE LOW INCOME
PEOPLE COMING OUT OF
HOMELESSNESS CAN AFFORD RENTS
THAT WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE BUILDING THESE UNITS AT
A COST THAT IS AFFORDABLE. IT
IS RIGHT NOW, ALTHOUGH HOLDING
COSTS AND COSTS RELATED TO
DEVELOPMENT REGULATION THAT
DRIVE UP THE COST IMPACT OUR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS
IN SIMILAR WAYS AS THEY DO OUR
PRIVATE-SECTOR DEVELOPERS. THAT
MEANS THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR
HOUSING LEVY DOLLARS AND OTHER
PUBLIC INVESTMENTS ARE JUST NOT
GOING AS FAR, AND CREATING A
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT
PROMOTES MORE DENSITY IN AREAS
ACROSS THE CITY AND IN THESE
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS WHERE YOU
CAN DO LARGER DEVELOPMENTS THAN
100, 200, 300 UNIT BUILDINGS
WHERE YOU CAN INCORPORATE A
DIVERSITY OF HOUSING FOR PEOPLE
AT ALL INCOME LEVELS, FAMILIES
WHO ARE EXTREMELY LOW INCOME,
PEOPLE COMING OUT OF
HOMELESSNESS, ET CETERA, WILL
BE A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT AND
BUYING DOWN RENT IS THE MOST
EFFICIENT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT
STRATEGY YOU CAN GET.
>> VERY HELPFUL. I REALLY
APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU BEING
HERE. I THINK WE ARE ABOUT TO
LOSE QUORUMS SO I'M GOING TO
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
WE WILL BE HAVING ADDITIONAL
CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS ON
OTHER TOPICS AND REALLY LOOK
FORWARD TO HAVING YOUR
PARTICIPATION IN THOSE AS WELL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
VERY MUCH, REPRESENTATIVE
BAKLEY, I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING
TIME OUT OF YOUR VERY BUSY DAY
I'VE LOST MY SCRIPT
>> THIS CONCLUDES THE JULY 17
LAND USE COMMITTEE MEETING, THE
NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED LAND
USED COMMITTING ON AUGUST 7,
2024, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE,
WE RETURNED. THANKS.