ROLL.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON.
COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
>>
PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
VICE CHAIR SOLOMON.
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR MOORE.
>> PRESENT.
>> THREE PRESENT.
>> AND FOR THE RECORD,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND
COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA ARE EXCUSED FROM COMMITTEE
TODAY.
SO, THANK YOU, EVERYONE,
FOR BEING HERE TODAY FOR THE
JUNE 11th MEETING OF THE HOUSING
AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE.
BEFORE I GO OVER THE AGENDA,
I WAS JUST INFORMED THIS MORNING
THAT UNFORTUNATELY THE
ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENT SIGNUP WAS
ERRONEOUSLY CLOSED UNTIL
ABOUT 9:00 A.M. THIS MORNING.
SO IF YOU ARE LISTENING
NOW, IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO
SIGN UP AND YOU CAN FOLLOW THE
LINK
POSTED TO THE AGENDA TO SIGN UP
TO GIVE
PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.
SO, HOPEFULLY THAT'S NOT GOING
TO BE A PROBLEM.
OKAY, SO ON TODAY'S AGENDA,
WE FIRST HAVE AN
INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION FROM
THE
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND
THE SEATTLE KING COUNTY
PUBLIC HEALTH ON AN UPDATE ON
THEIR ROLES IN PUBLIC HEALTH,
THEIR
2025 CONTRACT DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS, AND HSD'S 2025
INVESTMENTS.
OUR SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA
IS COUNCIL BILL 121000, A BILL
I'M BRINGING FORWARD
PROHIBITING ALGORITHMIC RENT
FIXING,
WHICH IS AN ANTICOMPETITIVE
TOOL,
USED BY LARGE SCALE LANDLORDS
THAT
HAS THE ADVERSE EFFECT ON
AFFORDABILITY.
THE BILL IS LISTED FOR
POSSIBLE VOTE ON TODAY'S
AGENDA.
IF AFTER TODAY'S DISCUSSION
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING, I WOULD
LIKE TO VOTE THIS OUT OF
COMMITTEE.
I DO HAVE SOME SENSE OF
URGENCY AROUND THE ISSUE.
I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT
WE WILL HAVE SOME SPECIAL
GUESTS JOINING US TODAY.
PRINCIPAL HOYSTON AND
STUDENTS FROM SOUTH SHORE AND
COLUMBIA CITY WILL BE JOINING US
AT
SOME POINT TODAY TO WATCH
DEMOCRACY IN ACTION AND SO I
WILL BE
SURE TO WELCOME THEM WHEN THEY
JOIN US IN CHAMBERS.
SO, IF THERE ARE NO
QUESTIONS ABOUT TODAY'S AGENDA,
WE
WILL MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.
SEEING NO QUESTIONS.
WE'LL NOW OPEN THE HYBRID
PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD, PUBLIC COMMENT
SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA OR BE WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS
ARE SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE FOUR IN
PERSON SPEAKERS AND EIGHT
REMOTE.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
SO, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES. WE WILL START WITH IN
PERSON
SPEAKERS.
YES, SORRY.
CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ
THE PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS?
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD WILL BE MODERATED IN
THE FOLLOWING MANNER, THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS UP TO
20
MINUTES, SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED
IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTERED.
SPEAKERS WILL ALTERNATE
BETWEEN SETS OF IN PERSON AND
REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD HAS ENDED.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME
WHEN TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT OF
THEIR
TIME, SPEAKERS MICS WILL BE
MUTED IF THEY DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS WITHIN THE ALLOTTED
TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT
SPEAKER.
>> OKAY.
I THINK I'LL MAKE A CHANGE TO
THAT, WE'LL PROCEED WITH OUR
IN PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST AND
THEN GO TO OUR ONLINE SPEAKERS.
THAT WILL GIVE PEOPLE ADDITIONAL
TIME TO REGISTER, SHOULD
THEY DESIRE TO DO SO.
SO, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW OPEN.
AS I SAID, EACH SPEAKER
WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES, WE'LL
BEGIN
WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE
LIST.
>> JUST ONE MOMENT WHILE
I GET
THE TIMER SET UP.
>> OKAY.
>> THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
HOLLY WILLIS, FOLLOWED BY
ANDREA SUAREZ.
>> GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBERS, MY NAME IS HOLLY
WILLIS,
THE POLICY MANAGER ON THE
COALITION ON HOMELESSNESS AND
RENTER
IN MAPLE LAV IN DISTRICT
5. I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBERS MOORE AND STRAUSS
FOR BANNING
PROGRAMS LIKE REALPAGE.
I URGE THIS COMMITTEE TO
PASS THAT LEGISLATION.
IT IS A STEP IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION TO ADDRESS
RENTERS' EXORBITANT HOUSING
COSTS.
WITH MASSIVE FEDERAL CUTS ON THE
HORIZON, ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS THIS
COUNCIL CAN DO NOW IS
TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WHO ARE
HOUSED MAKE
HOUSED.
THIS LEGISLATION IS A PIECE OF
THAT. AND SO IS MAINTAINING OUR
STRONG
EVICTION PROTECTIONS FOR
TENANTS AND INVESTING IN TENANT
SERVICES AND TARGETED RENTAL
ASSISTANCE
IN THE BUDGET.
THANK YOU.
>> UP NEXT, WE HAVE
ANDREA SUAREZ FOLLOWED BY KATE
RUBIN.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS ANDREA SUAREZ,
THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
OF WE HURT SEATTLE.
I'M HERE TO ESSENTIALLY PROTEST
THE CONTINUOUS REJECTION OF MY
WORK.
I HAVE APPLIED FOR GRANTS IN
THE CITY, I'VE CONTINUOUSLY
BEEN TOLD I'M NOT PASSING THE
SCORE
TEST.
IN PARTICULAR YOU'RE GOING
TO HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM
THE GROUP THAT DENIED ME GRANT
MONEY
TO DO MY DRUG USER INTERVENTION
WORK, WHICH INCLUDES BROKERING
SERVICES FOR DETOX ANDAND
HOUSING THAT WE PAY FOR.
WE ARE SENDING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT
THE STATE TO TREATMENT,
INTERVENTION IS HARM
REDUCTION, INTERVENTION DOES
SAVE LIVES AND
WE DO CARRY NARCAN AS WELL, BUT
WE DON'T CARRY GLASS PIPES AND
FENTANYL FOIL.
THE PEOPLE THAT GOT THE GRANT
MONEY ARE PEOPLE HARM REDUCTION
ALLIANCE, THE HEPATITIS
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND
EVER GREEN TREATMENT SERVICE,
YOU JUST RAISED HALF A MILLION
DOLLARS AT THE GALA LAST
SATURDAY. OUR LITTLE HALF
MILLION
DOLLAR ORGANIZATION WOULD LIKE
TO
PLAY A ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY AS
WE AS
HAVE FOR FIVE YEARS.
I JUST WANT A LITTLE PIECE OF
THE PIE SO THAT WE CAN DO
DRUG USER INTERVENTION.
HANDING OUT FENTANYL FOIL, THE
PEOPLE'S HARM REDUCTION
ALLIANCE IS HANDING OUT FENTANYL
FOIL
AND GLASS PIPES, COOKERS AND
TOURNIQUETS BENEATH THE
CHURCH ON ROOSEVELT, STEPS FROM
THE
AVENUE, STEPS FROM OUR YOUTH.
WHY IS FENTANYL FOIL HARM
REDUCTION?
WHY ARE GLASS PIPES HARM
REDUCTION? YOU CAN GET THE WORKS
THERE.
THEY CALL IT A PARTY KIT.
THEY WILL STRAP THE GLASS
PIPE, MR. BRAD FINEGOODWILL WILL
PUT IT ON
HIS FACEBOOK PAGE,
VALENTINES WITH CRACK PIPES
GLUED TO THEM.
THIS IS CRAZY THAT
WE'RE NORMALIZING DRUG CULTURE.
TODAY, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS A
PROFOUND DECISION TO MAKE
TO DENY FUNDING TO PEOPLE WHO
ARE HANDING OUT FENTANYL FOIL
AND GLASS PIPES IN SQUALOR
CHURCHES.
STOP THE DRUG FRIENDLY CULTURE.
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO SAY
NO, GIVE A PIECE OF THE PIE TO
WE
HURT.
WE ARE SENDING PEOPLE INTO
TREATMENT CENTERS AS A FORM OF
TRANSFORMATION AND
HARM REDUCTION TO SAVE THEIR
LIVES.
PLEASE CONSIDER DEFUNDING
PEOPLE'S HARM REDUCTION
ALLIANCE, HEPATITIS EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT, AND THIS OTHER --
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> UP NEXT IS KATE
RUBIN FOLLOWED BY KATIE WILSON.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS KATE RUBIN,
THE CO- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BE
SEATTLE, AN ORGANIZATION
THAT SORTS AND EDUCATES RENTERS.
I'M A RENTER MYSELF LIVING IN
BEACON HILL.
I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT
A LETTER SIGNED BY MORE THAN
25 ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PAST
48 HOURS DEMONSTRATING
STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE
LEGISLATION PROPOSED BY
COUNCILMEMBERS MOORE
AND STRAUSS TO
PROHIBIT ALGORITHMIC RENT
PRICING.
THE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDE 350
SEATTLE, BE SEATTLE,
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES,
KING
COUNTY, COALITION ENDING GENDER
BASED
VIOLENCE, GOTH GREEN, HOUSE OUR
NEIGHBORS, KING COUNTY BAR
ASSOCIATION HOUSING JUSTICE
PROJECT, LAKE CITY TASK FORCE
ON HOMELESSNESS, LIVED
EXPERIENCE
COALITION, NICHOLSVILLE, NORTH
HELP LINE, SEATTLE
DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF
AMERICA,
SEATTLE KING COUNTY COALITION ON
HOMELESSNESS.
SHARE, SHARE THE CITIES, SOLID
GROUNDS, TECH FOR
HOUSING, TENANT ORGANIZERS AND
ADVOCATES, TENANTS UNION OF
WASHINGTON
STATE, TRANSIT RIDERS UNION,
WASHINGTON LOW INCOME HOUSING
ALLIANCE, WASHINGTON PHYSICIANS
FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY,
WHEEL AND YOUTH CARE.
THE HOUSING CRISIS HAS MULTIPLE
CAUSES, BUT ALGORITHMIC
RENT PRICE SETTING IS A
SIGNIFICANT
FACTOR.
ACCORDING TO ONE ESTIMATE
BY MATT STALLER OF THE
AMERICAN ECONOMIC LIBERTIES
PROJECT,
UP TO A QUARTER OF RENTAL
INFLATION BETWEEN 2020 AND 2024
IS DUE
TO THIS ALLEGED CONSPIRACY.
IN SEATTLE, REVENUE MANAGEMENT
SOFTWARE MAY BE USED TO
SET PRICES FOR BETWEEN HALF
AND THREE-QUARTERS OF
MULTIFAMILY
HOUSING.
SEVERAL CITIES AROUND
THE COUNTRY HAVE ALREADY TAKEN
ACTION TO BAN THISTHIS
LEGISLATION.
WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT
SEATTLE MAY BE ONE OF THEM.
SO WE URGE THE COUNCIL TO
ACT WITHOUT DELAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> UP NEXT IS KATIE WILSON AND
THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS,
KATIE WILSON SPEAKING ON BEHALF
OF
THE TRANSIT RIDERS UNION.
I'M SPEAKING IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF COUNCIL BILL 121000.
THIS HAS BECOME
INCREDIBLY WIDESPREAD AMONG
LARGE
CORPORATE LANDLORDS IN SEATTLE
AND
CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY AND
IT AMOUNTS TO INDIRECTLY
COLLUDING TO FIXED PRICES
THROUGH AN
INTERMEDIARY.
WHILE IT IS HARD TO MEASURE THE
IMPACT PRECISELY, IT IS
LIKELY THAT THIS HAS CONTRIBUTED
SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE
RAPIDLY RISING RENTS THAT WE
HAVE
SEEN COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.
LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY
MANAGERS FOLLOWING THE
INSTRUCTIONS THAT
THEY GET FROM REALPAGE
AND SIMILAR SERVICES END UP
RAISING RENTS MORE THAN THEY
OTHERWISE
WOULD, FORCING TENANTS OUT
WHEN THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE
INCREASE.
THESE SERVICES ALSO
INSTRUCT THEIR CLIENTS NOT TO
WORRY IF
SOME UNITS REMAIN VACANT FOR
LONGER, AND THIS CONTRIBUTES
TO OUR HOUSING SHORTAGE.
ALTHOUGH THIS IS ONLY ONE
PIECE OF ADDRESSING THE HOUSING
CRISIS, IT IS AN IMPORTANT ONE.
SO THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBERS MOORE AND STRAUSS
FOR WORKING ON
THIS ISSUE AND I HOPE THE WHOLE
COUNCIL WILL SUPPORT
PASSING THIS LEGISLATION.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MOVING TO ONLINE.
>> WE'RE NOW MOVING TO ONLINE
SPEAKERS.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS ALBERTO
ALVAREZ.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 WHEN
YOU HEAR THE PROMPT OF YOU HAVE
BEEN
UNMUTED.
>> THANK YOU.
LANDLORDS ARE GUILTY OF ILLEGAL
BUSINESS COLLUSION.
LOBBIES FROM REAL ESTATE
AND RENTAL MANAGEMENT GROUPS
WRITING
CHECKS TO COUNCILMEMBERS
TO CURRY FAVOR AND VOTES.
LANDLORD CORRUPTION IS
ENTRENCHED AND CASTS A SHADOW
ON CITY GOVERNMENT.
OUR TAX BASE, OUR LABOR,
OUR LOCAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY IS
DRAINED BY MILLIONAIRE PROPERTY
OWNERS WHO KNOW ONLY PROFIT
AND WILL NICKEL AND DIME
EVERYONE UNTIL THEY END UP IN
CRISIS
OR OUT ON THE STREET.
IT IS TO ENSURE THAT USING A.I.
AND SHARING INFO IS EXPLICIT
LY ILLEGAL FOR LANDLORDS TO DO.
MAKE THE PUNISHMENT SEVERE AND
DIRECT. IT IS TIME TO MAKE THEM
PAY FOR
EVERYTHING THEY HAVE BEEN
DOING FOR DECADES.
LANDLORDS ARE THE ENEMY TO
STABILITY AND PROSPERITY FOR ALL
WORKING
PEOPLE. THANK YOU AND HAVE A
GOOD DAY.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT SPEAKER.
>> UP NEXT IS CARL
SHORET FOLLOWED BY ALAN FRANCIS.
CARL, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 WHEN
YOU HEAR YOU'RE ALLOWED TO
SPEAK.
CARL, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
>> THERE WE GO.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS CARL
SHORET, A HOUSING DEVELOPER AND
I'M TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF A
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATION THAT REPRESENTS MANY
OF THE MULTIFAMILY REAL
ESTATE DEVELOPERS IN SEATTLE.
MY TESTIMONY IS IN RELATION TO
THE ALGORITHMIC RENT FIXING
LEGISLATION. WHILE WE UNDERSTAND
THE
CONCERN OF REALPAGE AND THE
ISSUES THAT
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE'S
LEGISLATION WOULD ADDRESS, WE
BELIEVE THE LEGISLATION
AS WRITTEN PREVENTS
PROPERTY MANAGERS
FROM USING CURRENT OR FUTURE
TECHNOLOGY TO
AGGREGATE PUBLIC DATA TO MANAGE
HOUSING AVAILABILITY AND
PRICING.
SOMETHING THAT IS CONSIDERED A
BEST PRACTICE IN OUR INDUSTRY.
REMOVING THIS ABILITY WOULD
BE HARMFUL TO
BASIC PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
OPERATIONS AS A
TIMELY, CONSISTENT AND
UNBIASED INFORMATION TO
PERSPECTIVE
RESIDENTS HELPS THEM MAKE
INFORMED RENTAL DECISIONS, WHICH
IS GOOD FOR ALL PARTIES
INVOLVED.
GIVEN THIS LEGISLATION WAS
INTRODUCED MONDAY, WE
RESPECTFULLY ASK A VOTE NOT
BE TAKEN
TODAY AND INSTEAD WAIT UNTIL THE
NEXT COMMITTEE
MEETING TO VOTE SO WE HAVE TIME
TO WORK
WITH COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO TALK
TO THE SMALL BUT VERY
IMPACTFUL FRIENDLY CHANGES WE
RECOMMEND
AT
THE CURRENT LEGISLATION TO BRING
IT MORE IN ALIGNMENT WITH PIER
CITIES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> UP NEXT WE HAVE ALAN
FRANCIS, FOLLOWED BY CARTER
NELSON.
ALAN, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ALAN FRANCIS.
I'M A RENTER AT
SEATTLE'S DISTRICT 4, IN
SUPPORT
OF PROHIBITING ALGORITHMIC PRICE
FIXING.
THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBERS MOORE AND STRAUSS
FOR
PROPOSING THIS CRUCIAL
ORDINANCE.
SEATTLE IS IN A RENT CRISIS
AND OUR CITIES ARE BEING PUSHED
TO
THE FINANCIAL BRINK WITH MANY
SPENDING OVER HALF THEIR
INCOME JUST TO STAY IN THEIR
HOMES.
THIS IS THE RESULT OF A NORMAL
MARKET, BEING DRIVEN
BY PREDATORY SOFTWARE FROM
COMPANIES LIKE REALPAGE.
THE SOFTWARE ALLOWS CORPORATE
LANDLORDS TO CONSPIRE INSTEAD
OF COMPETE.
THEY INFLATE DATA, CREATING
WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A DIGITAL
CARTEL.
THIS PRACTICE IS
ANTICOMPETITIVE, IT DRIVES
DISPLACEMENT AND
LEAVES APARTMENTS SITTING EMPTY
WHILE
OUR NEIGHBORS STRUGGLE.
THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT NUMBERS.
IT IS ABOUT THE STABILITY OF OUR
COMMUNITIES THAT BANNING
ALGORITHMIC PRICE FIXING.
YOU CAN TAKE A STAND
AGAINST CORPORATE COLLUSION AND
PROTECT THOUSANDS OF SEATTLE
RENTERS.
SAN FRANCISCO, MINNEAPOLIS AND
PHILADELPHIA HAVE TAKEN THIS
STEP.
IT IS TIME FOR SEATTLE TO
LEAD ON TENANT PROTECTION.
PLEASE PASS THIS ORDINANCE
SWIFTLY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
BYE-BYE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> UP NEXT IS CARTER NELSON
FOLLOWED BY SHEILA BOONE.
CARTER, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
I'M SORRY, CARL.
>> HI THERE, COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS CARL
NELSON, I'M A SMALL BUSINESS
OWNER AND 16-
YEAR RENTER IN SEATTLE.
I'M ALSO CALLING IN TO VOICE MY
STRONG SUPPORT FOR BILL
121000 PROHIBITING ALGORITHMIC
RENT
FIXING.
BASICALLY I THINK THAT IN
THE ABSENCE OF A ROBUST SOCIAL
HOUSING SYSTEM, WHICH I
GUESS WE'RE WORKING ON, AND
WHEN
WE'RE COMPLETELY RELIANT ON
MARKET- BASED SOLUTIONS FOR
THE CRISIS FACING RENTERS,
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
MARKET
IS, IN FACT, FAIR AND WELL
BALANCED, WHICH AT THE CURRENT
MOMENT IT IS NOT.
I LIKE TO THINK OF MYSELF AS
A FAIR PERSON.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN CRITICAL
OF CITY COUNCIL MOORE'S
ACTIONS CONCERNING THINGS IN THE
PAST, BUT CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS
DUE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE AND
STRAUSS FOR BRINGING IT IN FRONT
OF THE
COUNCIL.
RENTING IS BRUTAL IN SEATTLE.
AND ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO
EASE THE BURDEN OF 55% OF THE
POPULATION HERE WILL BE
APPRECIATED.
I THINK THIS IS A GOOD STEP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
EFFORTS.
I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND UP NEXT IS CARTER NELSON,
WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN NEXT, MY
APOLOGIES, CARTER.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> SORRY ABOUT THAT.
CAN YOU PRESS STAR 6 AGAIN?
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
COMMENT TODAY. I'M CARTER
NELSON,
REPRESENTING NEARLY 91,000
RENTAL HOMES
HERE IN SEATTLE.
WE RESPECTFULLY URGE THE
COUNCIL TO DELAY A VOTE ON
COUNCIL BILL
121000.
OUR MEMBERS MANAGE THOUSANDS
OF RENTAL UNITS IN THE SEATTLE
MARKET, REQUIRING DAILY SUPPORT
AND INFORMATION TO
MAINTAIN THEIR RENTALS ACROSS
THE CITY.
LIKE OTHER BUSINESSES
THAT OPERATE IN HIGH COST
AND COMPLICATED MARKETS, DIGITAL
TOOLS HAVE GROWN IN
POPULARITY TO HELP MANAGE THESE
OPERATIONS
SPREAD ACROSS MANY LOCATIONS.
WE RECOGNIZE THE PROPOSAL IS
A RESPONSE TO CONCERNS ABOUT
THE USE OF THESE TOOLS AND THE
IMPACT THEY MAY HAVE ON HOUSING
ASSETS IN SEATTLE.
BUT THIS PROPOSAL CAME FORWARD
QUICKLY, WITH NO TIME
FOR STAKEHOLDERS TO WEIGH IN OR
HELP SHAPE LEGISLATION THAT IS
BOTH EFFECTIVE AND LEGALLY
SOUND.
AND IT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE
KEY TO AFFORDABILITY.
REMOVING BARRIERS TO BUILD MORE
HOUSING.
EARLIER THIS YEAR
WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE
CONSIDERED
A SIMILAR RENT PRICING PROPOSAL
AND CHOSE NOT TO
ACT. LAWMAKERS RECOGNIZE THE
CONCERNS WILL BE ADDRESSED IN
THE ONGOING
LITIGATION FROM BOTH THE U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND
THE WASHINGTON ATTORNEY GENERAL.
THE CITY SHOULD EXERCISE
THE SAME CAUTION.
SEATTLE ALREADY HAS SOME OF
THE STRONGEST TENANT PROTECTIONS
IN THE COUNTRY.
WHEN NEW RULES ARE ABOUT TO
QUICKLY OR WITHOUT CLEAR
GUIDANCE, IT BECOMES HARDER
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE
HOUSING TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN RULES
DIFFER FROM NEIGHBORING CITIES.
THAT HAS CONSEQUENCES.
NOT JUST FOR OPERATORS,
BUT FOR THE CITY'S ABILITY TO
ATTRACT
AND SUSTAIN THE HOUSING WE
DESPERATELY NEED.
WE URGE THE COUNCIL TO HIT
PAUSE ON THIS PROPOSAL.
WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY
TO WORK WITH STAFF AND
STAKEHOLDERS ON THIS BILL IF IT
DOES MOVE
FORWARD, NOT TO UNDERMINE THE
INTENT, BUT TO MAKE SURE
NEW RULES ARE CLEAR, WORKABLE
AND DON'T HAVE UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND
FOR CONSIDERING A SHORT DELAY
TO GIVE THIS ISSUE THE
FULL ATTENTIDESERVES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> UP NEXT IS SHEILA BOONE
FOLLOWED BY DAVID HAINES.
SHEENA, GO AHEAD AND PRESS STAR
6.
>> GOOD MORNING, COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
MY NAME IS SHEENA BOONE, I
AM THE REGIONAL PROPERTY MANAGER
FOR THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WITH
GL CAPITAL PARTNERS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE
MY PERSPECTIVE AND OPPOSITION ON
THE RULE ON HOUSING.
THE COMMON MISCONCEPTION IS
THAT ALGORITHMIC PRICING
SOFTWARE
DRIVES UP RENTAL
PRICES. IN REALITY, IT
ENSURES COMPETITIVENESS BY
ADJUSTING PRICES BASED ON SUPPLY
AND
DEMAND, ALLOWING FOR
FAIR PRICING THAT REFLECTS
MARKET
CONDITIONS.
THIS APPROACH PREVENTS
PRICE HIKES THAT CAN
DISPLACE RESIDENTS WHILE KEEPING
RENTS
REASONABLE.
FOR PROPERTY OWNERS,
THIS SOFTWARE MINIMIZES
VACANCIES AND
STABILIZES INCOME BY SETTING
APPROPRIATE RENTAL RATES.
IT ALSO REDUCES TURNOVER
COSTS AND SATISFIED TENANTS ARE
MORE
LIKELY TO RENEW THEIR LEASES.
MOREOVER, THE ADAPTABILITY
OF PRICING SOFTWARE ALLOWS FOR
CONTINUOUS MARKET MONITORING,
ENABLING TIMELY
ADJUSTMENTS WITHOUT SACRIFICING
AFFORDABILITY.
IMPORTANTLY, THERE IS NO
NEED FOR CITY COUNCIL
INTERVENTION
AS THIS ISSUE IS ALREADY
UNDER INVESTIGATION AT THE
FEDERAL
LEVEL.
IT IS CRUCIAL TO UNDERSTAND
THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING
SOLUTIONS DO
NOT STEM FROM IMPOSING
CONSTRAINTS ON CONVENTIONAL
HOUSING.
INSTEAD, WE MUST FOCUS
ON BUILDING ADDITIONAL
AFFORDABLE UNITS TO MEET THE
GROWING
DEMAND IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO
ENGAGE WITH THE INDUSTRY TO
FOSTER
EMPATHY AND TO --
AND UNDERSTANDING TOWARD
LANDLORDS.
WE ALL SHARE THE SAME GOAL IN
CREATING STRONG, THRIVING
COMMUNITIES.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT
PRICING SOFTWARE IS A VITAL TOOL
FOR THE
SUSTAINABLE -- FOR THE
SUSTAINABILITY OF HOUSING, BY
LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY WE CAN
DEVELOP SOLUTIONS THAT BENEFIT
BOTH THE RENTERS AND THE OWNERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
WE HAVE ONE FINAL REMOTE
SPEAKER, AND ONE MORE IN PERSON
SPEAKER.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID
HAINES.
DAVID, GO AHEAD AND PRESS STAR
6.
>> HI, THANK YOU, DAVID HAINES.
WE STILL NEED ETHICS
LAWS REQUIRING CITY HALL
TO ACKNOWLEDGE BEFORE EACH
COUNCIL MEETING IF THEY HAVE A
CONFLICT
OF
INTEREST. THE PRICE FIXING
LEGISLATION WHEN YOUR CONFLICTS
OF
INTEREST IN SELF- DEALINGS AS
LANDLORDS ARE BACK STABBING THE
RENTERS AND PUTTING RESTRICTIONS
ON THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND
DISINCENTIVIZING DEVELOPERS.
AND YOUR RACIST ONE SEATTLE PLAN
THAT UNDERMINES WORKERS AND
YOUNGER GENERATIONS DENY A
BETTER CHOICE IN HOME.
THAT SAID, KING COUNTY
PUBLIC HEALTH HAS FAILED KING
COUNTY
CONSIDERABLY.
SOME OF THESE EXPERTS ARE
IMPLEMENTING BAD
POLICIES WORKING THE PAY PLAN.
IS THIS WHAT HSD INVESTMENT HAS
COME UP WITH WHEN CENTRAL
STAFF SWITCHES JOBS AND
CONTINUES BAD
POLICY, GOING ON A
WORKING VACATION BACK EAST, THE
BAD POLICIES THAT RUN
INTERFERENCE
WITH REPEAT
OFFENDERS CONNECTED TO THE
UNDERWORLD THAT ARE
NEVER QUESTIONED BEFORE THEY GET
EXEMPT FROM JAIL ON THE LEAVE
LIST? I HAD TO BRING SOMETHING
UP,
COUNCIL, I HOPE YOU PAY
CLOSE ATTENTION BECAUSE YOU HAVE
AN EXPERT CALLED SARAH
ZIEGENHORN, A PROGRAM MANAGER AT
PUBLIC
HEALTH.
NOW, PLEASE UNDERSTAND, SHE GOT
HER START HANDING OUT NEEDLES IN
IOWA, STARTED A BUSINESS DOING
IT, AND THEN SOMEHOW SHE,
LIKE, WORKED A PAID PLAN AND
THE RESUME AND GOT A JOB AS
AN EXPERT IN SEATTLE.
AND THIS IS JUST PART OF THE
PROBLEM.
WE HAVE THE WRONG PEOPLE
ENABLING THE
WRONG INTERPRETATION OF SOLVING
A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY'RE
WORKING THE PAY PLAN OFF THE
ADDICTION AS OPPOSED TO SOLVING
IT
AND MOVING FORWARD.
AND I THINK YOU ALL NEED TO
HAVE AN AUTHORIZED
ENCAMPMENT WHERE YOU HAVE TO
TRUST,
PASS, QUESTION AND THEN PROVIDE
A
SAFE PLACE FOR ALL THE ADDICTS
TO
BREAK THEIR ADDICTION, WITH
SERVICE
PROVIDERS ON SITE, NOT HANDING
OUT --
>> THANK YOU.
>> THAT WAS OUR LAST REMOTE
SPEAKER.
AND WE HAVE ONE FINAL IN PERSON
SPEAKER, HOWARD GAIL.
>> HI.
HOWARD GAIL.
D-7.
SO THERE WAS A CALLER BEFORE
WHO CLAIMED THAT THE PRICE
FIXING SOFTWARE ACTUALLY HELPS
IMPROVE -- LOWER VACANCY RATES.
IN FACT, WITH
PROPUBLICA INVESTIGATION FOUND
IS THAT IT
ACTUALLY INCREASES VACANCY
RATES TO ACTUALLY CREATE AN
ARTIFICIAL SHORTAGE AND JACK UP
THE PRICES.
SO THAT LAST -- THE TWO CALLERS
AGO WAS COMPLETELY INCORRECT
AND STATED THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
THAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH
PRICE FIXING SOFTWARE.
IT ACTUALLY CREATES
AN ARTIFICIAL -- IT
CREATES VACANCIES THAT ARE
HIGHER
THAN WOULD NORMALLY HAPPEN IF IT
WAS SIMPLY MARKET FORCES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES
OUR SPEAKERS FROM THE GENERAL
PUBLIC.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.
SO THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL
REGISTERED SPEAKERS AND
WE'LL NOW PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS
OF
BUSINESS.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE
ENCOURAGED TO EITHER
SUBMIT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT ON
THE
SIGNUP CARDS AVAILABLE ON
THE PODIUM OR EMAIL THE COUNCIL
AT
COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE
FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, I JUST
WANTED TO NOTE COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS
DID ASK YESTERDAY TO BE
CO- SPONSOR FOR THE RENT
BILL, WHICH I OBVIOUSLY SAID
YES, THE
MORE THE BETTER.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK WAS ALSO GOING TO REQUEST.
DID YOU WANT TO DO THAT NOW?
>> CERTAINLY.
I REQUEST TO BE A CO- SPONSOR
ON COUNCIL BILL -- GOSH, I
DON'T HAVE IT
HANDY.
>>
121000.
>> 121000,
YEAH.
>> SO EVERYBODY WHO IS HERE
KNOWS AND ABSOLUTELY THE
MORE THE BETTER, SO
COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK WILL ALSO BE ADDED AS A
CO-SPONSOR.
SO, OKAY, THANK YOU.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
AGENDA ITEM ONE INTO THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM 1, 2025
UPDATE SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER INVESTMENTS FOR
BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO, THANK YOU.
TODAY WE HAVE PRESENTERS WITH
US FROM THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND
PRESENTERS
FROM SEATTLE KING COUNTY
PUBLIC HEALTH TO SHARE WITH US
AN
UPDATE ON THEIR ROLES IN PUBLIC
HEALTH, 2025 CONTRACT
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND HSD'S
2025 INVESTMENTS FOR ADDRESSING
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO
OUR PRESENTERS TO
INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND START
YOUR
PRESENTATION.
>> GOOD MORNING.
EXCUSE ME.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR MOORE
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M ANN GORMAN, SENIOR
POLICY ADVISE IRWITH THE HUMAN
SERVICES
DEPARTMENT.
>> GOOD
MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS SARAH
ZIEGENHORN, PROGRAM MANAGER WITH
OVERDOSE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE
AT PUBLIC HEALTH SEATTLE KING
COUNTY.
>> GOOD
MORNING.
>> DAVID SAPIENZA,
ADDICTION MEDICINE PHYSICIAN
WITH PUBLIC
HEALTH SEATTLE KING COUNTY.
>> GOOD MORNING.
AS YOU DESCRIBED, CHAIR MOORE,
WE ARE HERE
TODAY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON
HSD'S PUBLIC
HEALTH INVESTMENTS INCLUDING
EFFORTS
TO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER AND OVERDOSE IN SEATTLE
AND
AS YOU'LL HEAR, THESE EFFORTS
ARE A
VERY HIGH PRIORITY FOR
MAYOR HARRELL.
WE HAVE A FULL AGENDA
TODAY, WHICH INCLUDES AN
OVERVIEW OF
THE DISCREET ROLES OUR
TWO AGENCIES PLAY WITH RESPECT
TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND WE'RE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT HSD
FOLLOWED TO
DEVELOP OUR 2025 CONTRACT WITH
PUBLIC HEALTH SEATTLE & KING
COUNTY.
WE'LL SHARE A DESCRIPTIONS
AND ANTICIPATED IMPACTS OF
EXPANDED AND NEW 2025
INVESTMENTS
AND WE'LL SHARE WHAT TO
EXPECTEXPECT
AS THESE INVESTMENTS ARE
IMPLEMENTED.
AFTER I COVER THE
CONTRACT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND
HSD
INVESTMENTS, YOU'LL HEAR FROM
MY
CO-PANELISTS.
THEY'LL DISCUSS THE PROGRAMS
AND SERVICES THAT ARE
CURRENTLY COMING ONLINE IN
SEATTLE.
FIRST, WE'LL GIVE A BRIEF
OVERVIEW OF EACH AGENCY AND
HOW WE WORK TOGETHER TO SERVE
THE RESIDENTS OF SEATTLE.
AND JUST AS A
NOTE, GOING FORWARD, I AM GOING
TO REFER TO
THEIR AGENCY BY ITS LESS CLUNKY
TITLE.
I'M JUST GOING TO SAY
PUBLIC HEALTH FOR THE SAKE OF
BREVITY.
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S
MISSION IS TO CONNECT
PEOPLE WITH RESOURCES AND
SOLUTIONS DURING TIMES OF NEED,
SO WE
CAN ALL LIVE, LEARN, WORK AND
TAKE PART IN STRONG, HEALTHY
COMMUNITIES AND PROMOTING
PUBLIC HEALTH IS ONE OF THE SIX
IMPACT
AREAS THAT HSD SUPPORTS AND THE
ONE THAT WILL BE FOCUSING ON
TODAY. JUST AS A NOTE, IN
WASHINGTON
STATE, COUNTY LEVEL LOCAL HEALTH
JURISDICTIONS HAVE
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR
RESIDENTS' HEALTH AND SAFETY.
AND PUBLIC HEALTH IS ONE
OF THOSE LOCAL HEALTH
JURISDICTIONS.
SEATTLE AS A CITY HAS
HISTORICALLY PROVIDED FUNDING
TO ENHANCE THESE CORE SERVICES
FOR THE INCREMENTAL BENEFIT
OF SEATTLE RESIDENTS.
AND THE CONTEXT FOR
TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS THE
2025
REALLOCATION OF THAT
ENHANCED SERVICES FUNDING, WHICH
HAS
PERSISTED FOR MANY YEARS.
AND THE GOAL OF THIS
REALLOCATION WAS TO PUT THE
CITY'S FOCUS MORE SQUARELY
ON THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS THAT
WE'RE SEEING ON THE STREETS.
SARAH?
>> PUBLIC HEALTH SEATTLE KING
COUNTY'S MISSION IS TO
PROMOTE AND IMPROVE THE WELL-
BEING
OF PEOPLE IN KING COUNTY BY
LEADING WITH RACIAL HE EQUITY
AND CHANGING STRUCTURES THAT
IMPACT
HEALTH.
>> I'M SORRY.
COULD YOU SPEAK CLOSER INTO THE
MICROPHONE?
>> THANK YOU.
YES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> JUST SOME BACKGROUND
HERE, LAST AUGUST HSD WAS IN
THIS
COMMITTEE, CO- PRESENTING
WITH COUNTY PARTNERS INCLUDING
PUBLIC
HEALTH ON THE TOPIC OF REGIONAL
RESPONSE TO BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CHALLENGES AND SUBSTANCE
USE
DISORDER.
AND ALTHOUGH
TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS
THEMATICALLY
CONSISTENT, ITS FOCUS IS MORE
NARROW.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
HSD'S 2025 CONTRACT WITH PUBLIC
HEALTH, WITH THE SPECIFIC
AGENCY.
SO, IF MORE FAR
RANGING QUESTIONS COME UP, WE'RE
HAPPY TO NOTE THEM FOR RESPONSE,
BUT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO
ADDRESS THEM HERE IN THE ROOM
BECAUSE
THIS PRESENTATION FOLLOWS
A SPECIFIC BRIEF.
PLEASE DO FEEL FREE TO
ASK QUESTIONS AT ANY TIME AND
WE'LL DO THE BEST WE CAN.
ONE TOPIC OF THAT AUGUST
PRESENTATION WAS HSD'S
PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE 2025
CONTRACT,
WHICH WAS GOING TO LOOK
AND WHICH DID LOOK SOMEWHAT
DIFFERENT THAN IT HAD IN
PREVIOUS YEARS.
AND AS THIS SLIDE NOTES, AND
I WILL EMPHASIZE, MAYOR
HARRELL DIRECTED HSD TO
PRIORITIZE
THE OPIOID AND BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CRISIS IN ALLOCATING
FUNDING IN
2025.
HSD DID THAT AND WE DREW
ON PUBLIC HEALTH'S EXPERTISE
TO SCOPE AND DEVELOP NEW
BUDGETS AND NEW PROGRAMMING THAT
ALIGNED WITH THE MAYOR'S
DIRECTIVE.
AND TODAY WE'RE HERE TO
SHARE DETAILS ABOUT THIS NEW
PROGRAMMING.
WE'LL BE SHARING A LOT
OF DETAILED INFORMATION LATER
IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT WE WANT
TO FOREGROUND SOME KEY
TAKEAWAYS.
OVERALL, THE NEW INVESTMENTS
THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT REPRESENT AN INTEGRATED
SYSTEM OF SERVICES FOR PEOPLE AT
RISK FOR OVERDOSE.
SARAH WILL TALK MORE ABOUT
THAT. THIS IS AS COUNCILMEMBERS
ARE PROBABLY AWARE, A PERIOD
OF GREAT TURMOIL FOR PUBLIC
HEALTH
FUNDING, BOTH AT THE FEDERAL AND
THE STATE LEVELS.
BUT THESE PROGRAMS WILL AT
MINIMUM ENSURE THAT CRITICAL
OVERDOSE PREVENTION
AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS CAN BE
SUSTAINED.
THE NEW INVESTMENTS WILL
ALSO GUARANTEE THAT MORE THAN
5,000 SEATTLE RESIDENTS WILL BE
SERVED -- WILL BE SERVED WITH
OVERDOSE PREVENTION AND
MEDICINE FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER
ANNUALLY, WITH MORE THAN
1,000 NEW PATIENTS ENGAGED IN
TREATMENT.
PUBLIC HEALTH WILL CONTINUOUSLY
ANALYZE PROGRAM DATA FROM
THESE NEW INVESTMENTS AND HSD
WILL
BE ENGAGED IN THAT WORK TO
ENSURE THAT CITY DOLLARS ARE
ALLOCATED FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT.
AGAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO
BE HEARING A LOT OF
TECHNICAL INFORMATION LATER.
THIS IS WHAT WE REALLY WANT
YOU TO REMEMBER IN THE
NONTECHNICAL
SENSE.
IN RESPONDING TO MAYOR
HARRELL'S DIRECTIVE WITH
RESPECT TO THE
2025 PUBLIC HEALTH CONTACT, WE
ADHERED TO SEATTLE'S
PUBLIC HEALTH THEORY OF CHANGE.
AND THAT THEORY HOLDS THAT IF WE
ENGAGE IN STRATEGIES
AND ACTIVITIES IN FOUR FOCUS
AREAS, TWO THINGS WILL OCCUR.
FIRST, THAT CHRONIC AND
ACUTE HEALTHCARE NEEDS ARE MET,
AND,
SECOND, THAT OVERDOSE
AND RELATED DEATHS ARE REDUCED.
AND THE FOCUS AREAS
FOR ACHIEVING THOSE CHANGES ARE
ON THE
SLIDE HERE. THEY
ARE ACCESS TO CARE, HARM
REDUCTION AND
ENGAGEMENT, SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER
TREATMENT, AND
TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS AND SOCIAL
CONNECTEDNESS. AND JUST TO
EMPHASIZE, EVERYTHING THAT
YOU'LL
HEAR ABOUT TODAY SEEKS TO MEET
CHRONIC AND ACUTE HEALTHCARE
NEEDS, AND REDUCE OVERDOSE
AND RELATED DEATHS HERE IN
SEATTLE.
IN THE LATER PART OF THIS
PRESENTATION, MY COLLEAGUES
WILL BE USING SOME KEY
TERMINOLOGY, WHICH WE INCLUDED
ON THIS
SLIDE AND I THINK THAT
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ALSO HAVE AS A
HANDOUT.
SPECIFICALLY YOU'LL HEAR
SEVERAL
REFERENCES TO MEDICATION
FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER OR MOUD.
EXAMPLES OF THESE
MEDICATIONS ARE TWO FORMS OF
BUPRENORPHINE
AND METHADONE.
AND SUD, WHICH WE'LL BE TALKING
ABOUT, WHICH MEANS SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER.
WITH ALL THAT CONTEXT IN
MIND, NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE
INTO
WHERE THE NEW SUD ACCESS
TREATMENT AND CARE
INVESTMENTS ARE REFLECTED IN
HSD'S
CONTRACT WITH PUBLIC HEALTH.
AFTER THAT, I WILL TURN THINGS
OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES TO
TALK ABOUT THE WORK IN DETAIL.
HSD'S 2025 PUBLIC
HEALTH CONTRACT FOLLOWS THROUGH
ON
MAYOR HARRELL'S
INVESTMENT PRIORITIES AND
INCREASES FUNDING
FOR SUD ACCESS AND TREATMENT BY
OVER 200%.
IT ALSO MAINTAINS THE
FUNDING FOR HOMELESSNESS
PROGRAMS
AND TOGETHER THESE TWO AREAS
NOW REPRESENT ALMOST HALF OF
THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT.
FUNDING WAS REALLOCATED
FROM SOME PROGRAM AREAS
AND OTHER 2024 FUNDING WAS MOVED
FROM
ONE HSD WORK UNIT TO ANOTHER,
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE
HERE WITH THE LOWER CONTRACT
TOTAL FROM
2024 TO 2025.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU
A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW HERE
AND EMPHASIZE WHERE THE DOLLARS
ARE
GOING, WHERE THE
CHANGES ARE. JUST TO EMPHASIZE
THE TEXT BELOW
THE TABLE, IN 2024, SUD
ACCESS AND TREATMENT COMPRISED
LESS
THAN 10% OF THE TOTAL
CONTRACT AMOUNT AND IN 2025,
THAT
FIGURE IS 23.3%.
THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THE 221%
INCREASE.
AND IF I CAN JUST TAKE A QUICK
STEP OUTSIDE THE LINES OF THIS
PRESENTATION, I WANT TO
EMPHASIZE THAT HSD HAS
OTHER INVESTMENTS THAT SEEK TO
ADDRESS SUD TREATMENT AND
OVERDOSE
OUTSIDE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH
CONTRACT.
AND IF WE TAKE THE NEW 2025
INVESTMENTS INTO ACCOUNT,
OUTSIDE OF THAT CONTRACT,
WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT MORE
THAN A
300% INCREASE FROM 2024 TO 2025.
AGAIN, IN LINE WITH THE
MAYOR'S PRIORITIES AND HIS
DIRECTIVE TO
HSD.
BACK TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH
CONTRACT.
THIS TABLE SHOWS A LIST OF ALL
THE DISCREET PROGRAM AREAS IN
HSD'S PUBLIC HEALTH CONTRACT.
WE CALL THOSE SUBPROGRAMS.
AND THIS TABLE IS JUST
INTENDED TO GIVE AN IDEA OF THE
BREADTH OF CORE PUBLIC HEALTH
SERVICES THAT THE CITY INVESTS
IN.
BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO
CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THE
FOUR ITEMS AT THE BOTTOM OF
THIS TABLE HERE.
THESE ARE SUBPROGRAMS
THAT ADDRESS SUD TREATMENT AND
ACCESS.
AND THE PROGRAMS HIGHLIGHTED IN
YELLOW HERE ARE PROGRAMS THAT
WERE ACTIVE IN 2024, FOR WHICH
HSD INCREASED FUNDING IN
2025 AND THE PROGRAMS IN GREEN
ARE
BRAND- NEW FUNDING, BRAND-
NEW PROGRAMS FOR WHICH FUNDING
IS FIRST AVAILABLE THIS YEAR.
AND I WILL NOW PASS
THIS PRESENTATION TO MY PUBLIC
HEALTH COLLEAGUES, WHO WILL TALK
ABOUT THESE INVESTMENTS AND
THEIR
ANTICIPATED IMPACT.
>> THANKS, ANN.
BEFORE WE DIVE INTO
TALKING ABOUT THE PROGRAMS IN
GREATER
DEPTH, I'D LIKE TO JUST TOUCH
BRIEFLY ON HOW PUBLIC
HEALTH DEVELOPED THE PRIORITIES
FOR INCLUSION IN THIS CONTRACT.
ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH SIDE,
WE SPENT SOME TIME LAST FALL
CONVENING OUR
DEPARTMENTAL LEADERSHIP AND OUR
INTERNAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
TO
CONSIDER THE BEST
PROGRAMMING FOR -- TO FOCUS ON
WITH THE NEW
INVESTMENTS.
AND SO WE LOOKED TO
BOTH PRIORITIES FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND FROM COUNCIL
AND WE
DREW HEAVILY ON THE
CITY'S PUBLIC HEALTH THEORY OF
CHANGE.
WE ALSO LOOKED TO THE
ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH LITERATURE TO IDENTIFY
PROMISING
SOLUTIONS AND EVIDENCE-
BASED PROGRAMS THAT REDUCE
OVERDOSE, WHILE WE ALSO LOOKED
TO PROGRAMS
THAT DRAW FROM OUR PUBLIC
HEALTH SURVEILLANCE DATA, OUR
PROGRAM
EVALUATIONS, AND SHOW
PROMISING STRATEGIES FOR
IMPROVING
ACCESS TO LOW
BARRIER FORMS OF
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER
TREATMENT.
MAYBE MOST IMPORTANTLY,
WE SELECTED PROGRAMS THAT WE
THINK ARE MOST LIKELY TO ENGAGE
THOSE POPULATIONS THAT ARE
MOST SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY
OVERDOSE.
NAMELY THOSE INCLUDE PEOPLE
WHO ARE UNHOUSED, PEOPLE WHO
RESIDE AT HOUSING SERVICE SITES,
AND
SEATTLE'S BLACK AND NATIVE
OR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.
SO OUR PROGRAMMING HAS
BEEN DEVELOPED WITH A SPECIFIC
FOCUS ON THOSE COMMUNITIES AND
WORKING TO ENGAGE AND SERVE
THEM.
OVERALL, THE PROGRAMS THAT
WE SELECTED ARE ONES WE THINK
ARE LIKELY TO ACHIEVE THE
GREATEST
IMPACT.
YOU'LL NOTE IN THE CONTRACT
THAT
VERY LITTLE OF THE FUNDING
IS ALLOCATED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE
TIME, PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
STAFF TIME OR EVALUATION STAFF
TIME.
AND THE FUNDING HAS BEEN
DIRECTED FOR JUST
PRIMARILY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
OVERALL,
THE PROGRAMS WE DEVELOPED FALL
ALONG A
CONTINUUM OF CARE OR CASCADE OF
CARE
FOR SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER. WE KNOW THERE IS NO
ONE SINGLE
SOLUTION, NOR ARE THERE
ANY MAGIC BULLETS TO ADDRESSING
THE
OVERDOSE CRISIS, SO WE DEVELOPED
A SUITE OF PROGRAMS THAT
FALL ALONG THE SPECTRUM OR THIS
CASCADE.
AND THE GOAL BEING TO
ALLOW PEOPLE TO ENTER INTO CARE
AND SERVICES AT ANY POINT ALONG
THIS
CONTINUUM.
A NUMBER OF THE PROGRAMS
INCLUDED WITHIN THIS
CONTRACT FOCUS ON PROVIDING
OUTREACH
AND ENGAGEMENT SERVICES.
THESE ARE PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES THAT WORK TO MEET
PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THE
COMMUNITY, PROVIDE THEM WITH
LIFE- SAVING
RESOURCES AND PROVIDE
SUPPORTIVE AND THERAPEUTIC
RELATIONSHIPS THAT PEOPLE CAN
RELY UPON TO
IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH, AND SEEK
RECOVERY.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE
PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY IN THE
NEXT FEW
SLIDES.
WE ALSO INCLUDED A PROGRAM
IN THIS YEAR'S CONTRACT CALLED
MOUD
CARE AND NAVIGATION. THIS WORKS
TO PROVIDE SUPPORT
TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE BUILT ON
THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS
DEVELOPED THROUGH THROUGHOUT
REACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
IT LOOKS TO HELP PEOPLE REDUCE
BARRIERS TO ACCESSING
MOUD TREATMENT AND SUBSTANCE
USEORDER
CARE. ONE PROGRAM WE WILL NOT
TALK ABOUT DIRECTLY TODAY, BUT
IT IS
EMBEDDED IN OUR PROGRAMS IS
A PROGRAM THAT IS
SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON
IMPROVING
OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT
WITH COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN
SEATTLE AND PROVIDING CULTURALLY
MEANINGFUL OUTREACH AND
ENGAGEMENT TO CONNECT PEOPLE
INTO CARE AND TREATMENT.
WE ALSO INCLUDED SEVERAL
PROGRAMS IN THE CONTRACT THAT
FOCUSED DIRECTLY ON
THE PROVISION OF TREATMENT.
THESE ARE MODELS OF CARE THAT
WE THINK ARE LIKELY TO BE
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THEY
MOVE TREATMENT OUTSIDE OF THE
CLINIC WALLS AND INTO THE
COMMUNITY SETTINGS WHERE PEOPLE
ARE
ABLE TO ACCESS THESE SERVICES IN
THE PLACES WHERE THEY LIVE AND
SPEND THEIR DAYS.
WE ALSO HAVE INCLUDED
ONE PROGRAM THAT DR. SAPIENZA
WILL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT AND
THIS REALLY EXPANDS THE
DOWNTOWN PATHWAYS CLINIC IN
SIGNIFICANT
WAYS.
THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE
TREATMENT SERVICES, OF
COURSE, BUT IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE
WRAP AROUND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
TO HELP PEOPLE REMAIN IN CARE.
WE KNOW THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO
ENTER INTO MOUD CARE IN
SEATTLE THAT MANY DO NOT STAY --
REMAIN IN TREATMENT OR DISENGAGE
FROM
SERVICES WITHIN THE FIRST
FEW
MONTHS. THIS PROGRAM WILL REALLY
FOCUS ON PROVIDING A NUMBER
OF WHOLISTIC AND WRAP
AROUND SERVICES TO HELP PEOPLE
MAINTAIN
THOSE SUPPORTIVE AND THERAPEUTIC
RELATIONSHIPS.
THE LAST SLIDE I'LL SHOW
BEFORE WE GET INTO THE MEAT
AND POTATOES OF THE PROGRAMS
THEMSELVES IS A LIST OF
THE SPECIFIC FUNDING AMOUNTS
THAT ARE ALLOCATED TO THESE
PROGRAMS.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT SOME OF
THE NAMES OF THESE PROGRAMS
ALIGN
WITH THE CONTRACT SECTIONS
AND SLIDE TEN THAT ANN
PRESENTED, WHILE OTHERS ARE
SUBPROGRAMS
EMBEDDED WITHIN THOSE SECTIONS.
AS ANN MENTIONED, THERE ARE
THREE PROGRAMS IN THE
NEW CONTRACT THAT HAVE BEEN
PRESERVED AND WERE INCLUDED IN
2024.
YOU'LL SEE THOSE ON THE SLIDE
IN
THE DARK BLUE FONT.
THOSE INCLUDE FUNDING FOR THE
BUPRENORPHINE PATHWAYS
CLINIC FUNDED IN 2024 BUT HAS
BEEN EXPANDED SIGNIFICANTLY IN
2025. THERE IS ALSO FUNDING
INCLUDED FOR METHADONE ACCESS,
THIS IS
A HISTORIC PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN
SUSTAINED AT THE SAME LEVEL FOR
2025.
AND THEN AS ANN
MENTIONED, WE HAVE EXPANDED THE
THIRD
PROGRAM, COMMUNITY-BASED
OVERDOSE PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND
AS I
MENTIONED, ADDED A SUBPROGRAM
TO THIS THAT REALLY FOCUSES
ON PROVIDING SERVICES FOR BIPOC
COMMUNITIES. THE LAST THREE
PROGRAMS FOCUS
ON PROVISION OF TREATMENT
AND ENGAGING FOLKS INTO CARE
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE MORE
BRIEFLY.
THE FIRST PROGRAM THAT I'M GOING
TO DESCRIBE IN MORE DETAIL IS
THE PROGRAM I MENTIONED
THAT REALLY EMPHASIZES FOCUSING
ON
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
THIS IS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS
THAT IS
BEING IMPLEMENTED NOT DIRECTLY
BY PUBLIC HEALTH AS A
DEPARTMENT, BUT BY OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH.
THESE ARE ORGANIZATIONS WHO
HAVE REACHED INTO SEATTLE'S
NEIGHBORHOODS, AND CULTURAL
COMMUNITIES, THAT IS
SIGNIFICANT AND EXTENDS BEYOND
PUBLIC
HEALTH'S CURRENT REACH AND
SCOPE.
IN JANUARY, WE RELEASED AN
RFP TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE
RECEIVED
APPLICATIONS FROM SEVEN TOTAL
APPLICANTS.
FIVE PROGRAMS WERE ELIGIBLE
FOR FUNDING AND HAD SUBMITTED
THE NECESSARY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
TO RECEIVE FUNDING, SO WE
WERE PLEASED TO AWARD FUNDS
TO ALL FIVE EITHER IN FULL OR IN
PART.
THESE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS
WILL EXPAND THEIR OUTREACH
FOOTPRINT ACROSS SEATTLE,
FOCUSING
ON ADDING OUTREACH SERVICES
IN NORTH SEATTLE AND SOUTH
SEATTLE.
AND IN PARTICULAR, ONE
PROGRAM WILL ADD DOULA SERVICES
FOR PREGNANT PEOPLE WITH
SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER, HELPING
THOSE FOLKS TO ENGAGE IN
PRENATAL
CARE.
ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT
WE'RE PARTICULARLY EXCITED
ABOUT
WILL FOCUS ON PROVIDING OUTREACH
IN
THE BELLTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD WITH
A GOAL OF IMPROVING
NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY AND
RESPONDING TO AND
DECREASING OVERDOSES IN
THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. AS I MENTIONED,
ANOTHER
PROGRAM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BY
THE
URBAN LEAGUE AND FOCUSES ON
PROVIDING
OVERDOSE PREVENTION SERVICES AND
NAVIGATION FOR
SEATTLE'S BLACK AND AFRICAN
AMERICAN
COMMUNITIES.
FINALLY, ONE PROGRAM WILL
ALSO FOCUS ON PROVIDING
TREATMENT.
THIS PROGRAM WILL USE AN
INNOVATIVE MODEL TO
PROVIDE ACCESS TO LONG ACTING
INJECTABLE FORMS OF
BUPRENORPHINE
AND DELIVER THE TREATMENT TO
PEOPLE
IN HOUSING SERVICE SETTINGS.
OVERALL, WE KNOW THAT AS A
RESULT OF THESE PROGRAMS, WILL
DISTRIBUTE A MINIMUM OF 40,000
DOSES OF NALOXONE AND PROVIDE AT
LEAST 5,000 REFERRALS TO MOUD.
BASED ON THE SUCCESS OF THE
PREVIOUS PROGRAMMING INCLUDED
IN THE 2024 CONTRACT, WE
BELIEVE THESE ARE VERY
CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES OF THE
IMPACT
THESE PROGRAMS WILL HAVE ON THE
COMMUNITY.
THE SECOND PROGRAM THAT I
MENTIONED, THINKING BACK TO THAT
CARE CASCADE, FOCUSES ON LINKING
PEOPLE INTO TREATMENT.
THIS IS A CARE
NAVIGATION PROGRAM THAT WILL
ALSO
BE IMPLEMENTED BY OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
OUTSIDE
OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
FOR 2025, WE'LL FUND TWO FULL
TIME POSITIONS TO BE
EMBEDDED WITHIN BOTH UW'S
BUPRENORPHINE PROGRAM OR THE
TELEBUPE
PROGRAM AND WITHIN THE ORCA
CENTER.
THESE PROGRAMS WILL BE
CASE MANAGER POSITIONS THAT WILL
PROVIDE VERY HIGH TOUCH
SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE
ENTERING INTO
TREATMENT, SEEKING CARE, AND
WILL HELP THEM REDUCE
BARRIERS SO THAT THEY'RE ABLE
TO
REMAIN IN TREATMENT AND SERVICES
AFTER
THAT INITIAL ENCOUNTER.
THROUGH THIS PROGRAM,
WE ANTICIPATE MAKING AT
LEAST 5,000 REFERRALS TO
TREATMENT OR HAVING
5,000 PATIENT VISITS FOR CARE.
THE LAST PROGRAM I'LL
HIGHLIGHT BEFORE I TURN THINGS
OVER TO
DR. SAPIENZA IS A PROGRAM
THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BY
EVER GREEN TREATMENT SERVICES.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT
WE'RE PARTICULARLY EXCITED
ABOUT AS
WELL. AND WE KNOW THAT EVER
GREEN HAS
EXPANDED THEIR MOBILE METHADONE
SERVICES OVER THE LAST FEW
YEARS.
WHILE
THE DEMAND FOR METHADONE IN OUR
COMMUNITY HAS
BEEN INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY,
THERE ARE BARRIERS TO ENTERING
INTO
CARE. MAINLY
BECAUSE DEA REGULATIONS DO NOT
ALLOW PATIENTS
TO APPROACH A MOBILE VAN AND
BEGIN TREATMENT THERE.
WITH THIS PROGRAM, ETS WILL BE
PURCHASING A SEPARATE
VEHICLE CALLED A CLINICAL INTAKE
VAN.
THAT VEHICLE WILL BE ABLE TO
ACCOMPANY THE OTHER
MOBILE MEDICATION UNITS, AND
PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE
THEIR
FIRST VISIT FOR METHADONE
SERVICES
AT THAT VAN.
THIS WILL REALLY REDUCE A LOT OF
BARRIERS THAT PATIENTS
AND CLIENTS FACE TO ENTERING
INTO TREATMENT AND HAVING TO
TRAVEL
TO A CLINIC FAR FROM THEIR HOME.
THROUGH THIS PROGRAM,
ETS ANTICIPATES THEY'LL PROVIDE
1500
SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES, THEY'LL ENGAGE 500
CLIENTS AND
SERVICES, AND 250 BRAND- NEW
PATIENTS
WILL ACCESS TREATMENT THROUGH
THIS
VEHICLE. WITH THAT, I'LL HAND
IT
OVER TO DR. SAPIENZA.
>> THANK YOU.
SO, I'M GOING TO PROVIDE A
BRIEF
OVERVIEW OF TWO OF THE
PROGRAMS THAT WILL BE FUNDED
THAT
I'LL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN
HELPING TO IMPLEMENT.
AND THE FIRST IS GOING TO BE
THE CREATION OF A NEW HIGH
INTENSITY STREET OUTREACH TEAM
DEDICATED
TO PROVIDING RAPID SAME DAY
ACCESS TO LONG ACTING
INJECTING BUPRENORPHINE IN THE
FIELD FOR
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BARRIERS
TO MAKING IT TO CLINIC TO
RECEIVE
CARE.
WE KNOW -- WE HAVE DONE A
GOOD JOB IN OUR PROGRAM AT
MAKING SAME DAY ACCESS TO
THIS MEDICATION AVAILABLE IN
CLINIC, BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE
ARE PEOPLE WHO WE ARE MISSING,
WHO
AREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT IN
FOR INITIAL TREATMENT.
THE TEAM WILL CONSIST OF A
NURSE, WHO WILL ADMINISTER
THE INJECTIONS AND COMMUNITY
HEALTH
WORKER.
THEY'RE GOING TO WORK IN
CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR
PATHWAYS CLINIC THAT OPERATES
OUT OF
BELLTOWN. THERE WILL BE CO-
LOCATED IN
THAT BUILDING, WHICH MEANS THEY
WILL HAVE ADDICTION
MEDICINE SPECIALISTS PHYSICIANS
OVERSEEING ALL THE CARE
THEY PROVIDE AND CO- LOCATED
WITH THE
DOWNTOWN PUBLIC HEALTH
PHARMACY THAT STOCKS ALL
FORMULATIONS OF
BUPRENORPHINE AND CAN MAKE
IT AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, DISPENSE
IT
SAME DAY ON SHORT NOTICE FOR THE
TEAM. AND THEY'RE GOING TO WORK
IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH OUR
EXISTING STREET MEDICINE
TEAM THAT IS PICTURED HERE.
AND WE ANTICIPATE WORK
WITH SHELTERS AND SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING SITES AS WELL IF THEY
HAVE CLIENTS IN THEIR
ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY THINK
COULD
BENEFIT FROM GETTING TREATMENT
ON SITE.
THIS IS A NEW PILOT PROGRAM,
SO COMING UP WITH IMPACT
MEASURES IS A LITTLE DIFFICULT.
IT IS GOING TO BE PRETTY HIGH
INTENSITY, TIME INTENSIVE WORK
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT --
DEA REGULATIONS AND
FEDERAL REGULATIONS ALLOW US TO
DO
THIS, BUT THEY DO PUT UP SOME
BARRIERS THAT MAKE -- THAT WE
CAN'T
OPERATE AS EFFICIENTLY AS WE
WOULD LIKE, BUT WE ARE GOING TO
WORK TO TREAT AS MANY FOLKS AS
POSSIBLE.
SO THE MINIMUM
IMPACT MEASURES ARE 75 NEW
PATIENTS GETTING
BUPRENORPHINE IN THE FIELD.
25 GETTING PRESCRIPTIONS FOR
ORAL BUPRENORPHINE DELIVERED TO
THEM.
THE REASON WE INCLUDED THIS IS
THAT ALTHOUGH THE TEAM
IS FOCUSED ON GETTING PEOPLE ON
LONG ACTING INJECTABLE
BUPRENORPHINE, CLINICALLY
IT MAKES SENSE TO START THE ORAL
BUPRENORPHINE FIRST AND
WE DIDN'T WANT TO MISS THAT
WORK THAT THEY'LL BE DOING.
AND THAT WILL ADMINISTER
AT LEAST 150 INJECTIONS TO
PATIENTS IN THE FIELD WITH THE
GOAL OF
HELPING AS MANY OF THOSE
PEOPLE AS WE CAN TRANSITION INTO
A CLINIC SETTING WHERE THEY
CAN COME IN REGULARLY FOR THEIR
INJECTIONS.
SO, UNCLEAR HOW MANY PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP GOING
OUT
TO DO THEM AND HOW MANY
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO MAKE THAT
TRANSITION, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO WORK ON AND FIGURE
OUT.
>> THE SECOND PROGRAM
IS EXPANDING THE RANGE OF
SERVICES
THAT ARE AVAILABLE AT OUR
PATHWAYS CLINIC. SO, PATHWAYS
HAS PROVIDED
SAME DAY ACCESS, LOW BARRIER
ACCESS
TO BUPRENORPHINE IN THE
DOWNTOWN PUBLIC HEALTH BUILDING
IN BELLTOWN SINCE 2017.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE
THAT CARE VERY EFFECTIVELY.
WHAT WE STRUGGLED WITH IS A
LOT OF OUR PATIENTS COME TO US
WITH A LOT OF OTHER NEEDS, AND A
LOT OF OTHER REQUESTS
THAT WE'RE UNABLE TO MEET AND
THIS FUNDING
WILL PROVIDE US WITH SOME
ADDITIONAL STAFF AND
SUPPLIES AND SUPPORT SO THAT WE
CAN
MEET THOSE NEEDS.
REALLY WHAT THAT WILL HELP US
DO IS -- OUR TARGET POPULATION
IS PEOPLE LIVING UNHOUSED IN
SEATTLE, AND IT IS GOING TO
HELP US FOR PATIENTS WHO
ARE CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN CARE
WITH
US, ALLOW US TO
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MEDICAL AND
WRAP AROUND SERVICES OR MEDICAL
SERVICES, THINGS LIKE
SDI TESTING AND TREATMENT,
VACCINATIONS, WOUND CARE,
THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING US
FOR AND BY PROVIDING THOSE
SERVICES
ON SITE, ALONG WITH
BUPRENORPHINE, WE KNOW THAT WILL
HELP RETAIN CARE BECAUSE
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET MULTIPLE
THINGS AT THE SAME VISIT.
AND THEN THE OTHER POPULATION
IS GOING TO HELP US REACH IS
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CURRENTLY
ENGAGED
IN CARE FOR BUPRENORPHINE, COULD
PROVIDE THE BASIC MEDICAL
SERVICES TO ANYONE WHO
IS STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE USE
IN
THE AREA.
AND THAT WILL SERVE AS THE
INITIAL
ENTRY POINT TO MEET THOSE BASIC
MEDICAL NEEDS AND
TO CREATE A SAFE AND
WELCOMING PLACE THAT WHEN
SOMEONE DECIDES THEY'RE
INTERESTED IN
GETTING TREATMENT FOR THEIR
OPIOID USE
DISORDER, THEY'LL ALREADY HAVE
AN ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP
WITH US AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO
START
IT AS SOON AS THEY ARE READY.
SO, INITIAL MINIMUM
IMPACT MANAGERS ARE AT LEAST
2500 TOTAL
PATIENT ENCOUNTERS, AT LEAST
800 OF THOSE FOR INDIVIDUALS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS,
AND AT LEAST 80% OF OUR PATIENTS
WHO
ARE RETURNING FOR CARE WILL TEST
POSITIVE FOR THEIR
BUPRENORPHINE FOR ANY OBJECTIVE
MEASURE
THAT THEY ARE GETTING INTO
TREATMENT AND AT LEAST 200 NEW
PATIENTS WILL BE STARTED ON LONG
ACTING
INJECTABLE BUPRENORPHINE, 50%
REMAINING ON MEDICATION AT THE
SIX- MONTH FOLLOW- UP
VISIT. I THINK THAT'S ALL I
HAVE.
THAT'S THE END OF OUR
PRESENTATION.
>> I WILL CLOSE THIS OUT.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO EXPRESS
HSD'S APPRECIATION FOR THE
VERY DEEP SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTISE
OF OUR COLLEAGUES IN PUBLIC
HEALTH.
MAYOR HARRELL CAME TO HSD WITH
A REAL SENSE OF URGENCY
AROUND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER
AND
OVERDOSES AND GUIDANCE FOR
EXECUTING ON IT.
WE RESPONDED.
THEY RESPONDED WITH US.
AND WHAT YOU HEARD ABOUT
TODAY REALLY REPRESENTS THE
FRUIT OF
THAT COLLABORATION AND HSD
COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS
PRESENTATION ON OUR OWN.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
BOTH, FOR
BEING HERE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT WAS VERY COMPREHENSIVE
OVERVIEW, APPRECIATE THAT.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTERS.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, NOT
SEEING ANYTHING.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
YOU KNOW I ALWAYS HAVE
QUESTIONS.
>> OKAY.
>> APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU, ALL, FOR BEING
HERE TODAY AND GIVING THIS
PRESENTATION AND BEFORE I GO
INTO MY QUESTIONS, I
KNOW WE JUST RECEIVED A VERY
TECHNICAL PRESENTATION TALKING
ABOUT THE
SERVICES.
BUT I JUST REALLY WANT TO
GROUND US IN TO THE MATTER
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, OUR
NEIGHBORS
AND OUR RESIDENTS, WHO
ARE STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE
USE
DISORDER.
AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALSO
THE MANY LIVES THAT HAVE
BEEN LOST TO OVERDOSE IN THIS
COMMUNITY.
AND THE PROFOUND IMPACT
THAT THAT HAS HAD ON SO MANY IN
THIS
COMMUNITY.
AND I IMAGINE THAT, AND I HOPE
THIS ISN'T THE CASE, BUT I
WOULD IMAGINE EVERY SINGLE
PERSON
IN CHAMBERS TODAY HAS KNOWN
SOMEONE WHO HAS STRUGGLED WITH
SOME
FORM OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
AND THAT IS JUST A REALITY AND I
WANT TO REALLY BRING IN
THE HUMAN ELEMENT OF THIS.
AND I KNOW ACCORDING TO THE KING
COUNTY OVERDOSE DEATH
DASHBOARD IN 2024 WE LOST 1,044
OF
OUR NEIGHBORS HERE IN KING
COUNTY.
AND WHILE THAT'S A DECREASE IN
OVERDOSE DEATHS FROM
2023, THAT'S STILL MORE THAN A
THOUSAND OF OUR NEIGHBORS
WHO ARE NOT HERE.
AND SO, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE
A MOMENT BEFORE I GO
INTO QUESTIONS TO JUST
ACKNOWLEDGE THE HUMAN IMPACT OF
THIS.
AND THE ABSOLUTE URGENCY TO
BE ADDRESSING THIS.
AND SO, WITH THAT, I WANTED
TO TAKE US BACK TO THE BEGINNING
OF THE PRESENTATION AND TALK A
LITTLE BIT, JUST ABOUT SOME
OF THE INTERACTIONS WITH
FEDERAL AGENCIES AND THE
EVOLVING FEDERAL FRONT AND SOME
OF THE
LOSS OF RESOURCES THERE.
DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE
ON APPROXIMATELY HOW MUCH
FEDERAL
FUNDING THIS REGION RECEIVES
WHETHER IT BE THROUGH HHS OR
CDC AS IT RELATES TO ADDRESSING
THE
OPIOID EPIDEMIC OR HOW WE SERVE
FOLKS EXPERIENCING SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER?
>> WE'RE CURRENTLY
CONSIDERING THE IMPACT OF
FEDERAL FUNDING
CUTS ON OUR PROGRAMS.
SO PUBLIC HEALTH HAS
BEEN STUDYING THAT CAREFULLY.
I'D LIKE TO BRING MY
COLLEAGUE BRAD FINEGOOD UP TO
RESPOND
TO YOUR QUESTION IN MORE DETAIL.
>> YEAH, THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, FOR
THE
QUESTION.
WE RECOGNIZE AND WE REALIZE THAT
SUCH A VAST NUMBER OF PEOPLE
IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE REALLY
SERVED
BY MEDICAID.
THE -- SO, WE ARE DEEPLY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROPOSED
MEDICAID CUTS AND ESPECIALLY
WORK REQUIREMENTS, BECAUSE
WE KNOW THAT SO MANY FOLKS ARE
OUT
THERE STRUGGLING AND WE
KNOW THAT IF FOLKS GET CUT OFF
MEDICAID, IT IS REALLY A
LIFELINE TO SERVICES.
WE ALSO ARE TRACKING CLOSELY
CUTS TO ESPECIALLY OUR
FEDERAL PARTNERS AT SAMHSA AND
CDC
AND POTENTIAL BLOCK GRANT CUTS.
IF THE BLOCK GRANT GETS CUT
TO THE LEVELS THAT HAS
BEEN DISCUSSED AND PROPOSED,
THEN THAT COULD DEFINITELY
IMPACT SERVICES IN SO MANY
DIFFERENT AREAS BECAUSE THE
BLOCK
GRANT COVERS SO MANY DIFFERENT
AREAS OF OUR COLLEAGUES IN DCHS,
AT THE COUNTY, ADMINISTRATIVE
BLOCK
GRANT AND PROBABLY IN A
BETTER PLACE TO TALK TO THAT.
WE ALSO GET CDC FUNDING,
LOCALLY, THERE IS AN OVERDOSE TO
ACTION GRANT THAT WE
FACILITATE THAT IF THAT GOES
AWAY, THAT'S
SIGNIFICANT.
CUTS ARE ON LINKAGE TO
CARE AROUND DRUG TRACKING
SERVICES, SO WE CAN IDENTIFY
WHAT'S IN THE
DRUG SUPPLY, ALL THOSE DIFFERENT
FACTORS.
THANK
YOU.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU
FOR SPEAKING TO THAT
IMPACT. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE
IS SOME
ONGOING ANALYSIS TO
UNDERSTAND JUST ALSO WHICH --
HOW
MANY PROGRAMS WOULD BE IMPACTED
AND APPROXIMATELY WHAT THAT
DOLLAR
FIGURE LOOKS LIKE AS WELL.
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND IT IS SUCH A MOVING
TARGET RIGHT NOW.
SO, AS THE FEDERAL BUDGET GETS
SOLIDIFIED, AND A LITTLE BIT OF
TO BE DETERMINED AROUND
CONSOLIDATION OF
DIFFERENT FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS
AND HOW
THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON POLICY
AND PROGRAMS AND FUNDING, A LOT
OF IT IS SUCH A MOVING TARGET --
SUCH A MOVING FACET
RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
STAY UP TO
DATE WITH IT, BUT IT
REALLY MOVES QUICKLY.
>> APPRECIATE THAT.
AND BUILDING ON -- A LITTLE
BIT OF APOLOGIES, IN TERMS OF
THE CONTRACTING PROCESS,
I APPRECIATED GETTING SOME
CONTENT HERE ON HOW THE -- KIND
OF
WHAT SHAPED SOME OF THE
CONTRACT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND
CAN
YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT JUST TO
LIKE
THE RFP PROCESS APPLICATION
AND HOW YOU SHARE ABOUT THE
CRITERIA YOU EVALUATED AND THE
RFPs.
>> YEAH, SO, THE RFP
APPLICATION WAS OPEN FOR ABOUT A
MONTH.
AND SO WE HELD AN INFORMATIONAL
WEBINAR TO INTRODUCE THE
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TO THE
PROGRAMS THAT
MIGHT BE INTERESTED. AND THEN WE
DID AN
EXTENSIVE WALK THROUGH OF OUR
CRITERIA, AND THE APPLICATION
PROCESS
AND WHAT MATERIALS WE WERE
LOOKING
FOR. WE CONVENED A REVIEW PANEL
OF
12 MEMBERS THAT INCLUDED SUBJECT
MATTER EXPERTS FROM WITHIN
PUBLIC HEALTH, ALSO
EXTERNAL EXPERTS FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON, FROM THE
WASHINGTON RECOVERY ALLIANCE,
AND FROM THE
CITY.
SO WE HAD A GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE
WITH BOTH PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE AS
WELL AS NURSES, SOCIAL WORKERS,
AND
OTHERS, HEALTHCARE
PROFESSIONALS. THE CRITERIA THAT
THE COMMITTEE
USED TO EVALUATE AND SCORE THE
PROPOSALS INCLUDED
CRITERIA RELATED TO THE BUDGET,
SO ORGANIZATIONS ARE REQUIRED
TO PROPOSE SPECIFIC SERVICES
OR THEY WERE REQUIRED TO
DESCRIBE EXACTLY HOW THEY PLAN
TO USE THE
FUNDS. WE ALSO LOOK FOR
ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD TELL US
IN
DETAIL ABOUT THE CLIENTS THEY
ALREADY
SERVED. SO LOOKING FOR
ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD SAY
THIS IS
THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS WE SERVE
ANNUALLY, THESE ARE THE
NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE
PROVIDE SERVICES, AND THESE ARE
THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR CLIENTS.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS HAD
CAPACITY
TO ENGAGE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOST
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY
OVERDOSE. AND THEN WE ALSO ASK
PROGRAMS TO
PROVIDE PRETTY EXTENSIVE
DETAILS ABOUT THE RANGE OF
SERVICES
THEY PLAN TO OFFER AND HOW
THOSE SERVICES WOULD BE
IMPLEMENTED,
WHAT TYPES OF PERSONNEL WOULD
BE INVOLVED, WHAT INFORMATION
THEY WERE DRAWING FROM TO INFORM
THEIR PROPOSED SERVICES,
AND ULTIMATELY AS I MENTIONED
WE FUNDED FIVE PROGRAMS.
AND THE REVIEW PANEL MET
THEN TOGETHER ULTIMATELY TO
AGGREGATE
THEIR SCORES AND SO WE
TOOK SCORES FROM EACH REVIEWER
AND AWARDED FUNDING TO THE TOP
FIVE
HIGHEST SCORERS.
>> THANK YOU.
AND FOR THE FIVE PROGRAMS THAT
HAVE BEEN FUNDED, WHAT KIND
OF DATA REPORTING IS REQUIRED OF
THEM?
>> GOOD QUESTION.
YES.
SO THEY WILL REPORT DATA TO THE
COUNTY QUARTERLY, THEY WILL --
THE IMPACT DATA THAT I PRESENTED
IN THE SLIDE SPECIFICALLY
FOR THAT COMMUNITY- BASED
OVERDOSE PREVENTION PROGRAM,
THIS ONE,
YEAH, SO THOSE IMPACT NUMBERS,
THEY WILL EACH REPORT DATA
ON THOSE THINGS.
SOME OF THEM -- ONE OF
THE PROGRAMS IN PARTICULAR WILL
BE BASED AT CATHOLIC
COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PROVIDING
TREATMENT DIRECTLY TO
INDIVIDUALS IN
THEIR SERVICE SETTINGS.
SO THEY WILL ALSO REPORT DATA
ON TREATMENT PROVIDED DIRECTLY
RATHER THAN JUST SIMPLY
REFERRALS, BUT EACH WILL
CONTRIBUTE THE SPECIFIC
METRICS, SO BOTH THE NUMBER OF
NALOXONE
DOSES THEY DISTRIBUTE, THE OF
PEOPLE THEY SERVE,
THE NUMBER OF REFERRALS AND THEN
THEY'LL ALSO DO SOME
QUARTERLY NARRATIVE REPORTING TO
US
ABOUT ANY CHALLENGES THEY
ENCOUNTERED, MORE DETAILS ON THE
SERVICES
THEY PROVIDED AND IF AVAILABLE
DISAGGREGATED DATA ON THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CLIENTS
OR PATIENTS THEY SERVED.
>> AND SO, BUILT AROUND THAT --
THERE IS ONE THING HERE THAT
I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO SEE
ABOUT,
THE EXPANSION OF STRATEGIES
FOR MOBILE UNITS.
AND I THINK SOME PEOPLE
HERE KNOW ME FROM MY WORK
IN
HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE AND I KNOW
HAVING BEEN OUT IN A NUMBER
OF ENCAMPMENTS ENGAGING WITH
FOLKS
IN ACTIVE ADDICTION AND
HEARING THEIR STORIES ABOUT
THEIR
CHALLENGES, GETTING INTO
RECOVERY, ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT
CAME UP NATURALLY IN THOSE
DISCUSSIONS WAS THE ABILITY
TO HAVE MOBILE OPTIONS.
SO I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO
SEE THIS CHANGE IN TERMS OF
PROGRAM MODEL AND INVESTING MORE
OF A
MOBILE OPTION.
MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, HOW --
BASED ON THE DATA THAT
WE'RE ASKING FOLKS TO COLLECT
AND
HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, HOW
ARE
WE EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF THESE PROGRAMS FOR FOLKS
BEING ABLE TO START THE PROCESS
OF GETTING INTO RECOVERY AND
REMAINING IN RECOVERY.
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THROUGH THIS CONTRACT WE
ELECTED TO PRIORITIZE PRIMARILY
SERVICE DELIVERY, INVESTING
IN EVALUATION IS VERY, VERY
TIME AND RESOURCE EXPENSIVE.
PUBLIC HEALTH DOES HAVE OTHER
GRANT FUNDING, NAMELY THE
CDC FUNDING THAT BRAD MENTIONED
THAT SUPPORTS MUCH OF
OUR SURVEILLANCE WORK AND
EPIDEMIOLOGY PROGRAMMING.
AND SO THROUGH THOSE PROGRAMS WE
HAVE SOME COMPANION
SURVEILLANCE WORK BEING DONE TO
MEASURE
THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS AND
THE PERCENT OF PATIENTS
RECEIVING MEDICAID IN KING
COUNTY
THAT HAVE AN OPIOID USE
DISORDER DIAGNOSIS AND THAT ARE
ACCESSING CARE.
WHILE THAT ISN'T DIRECTLY
MEASURING THE IMPACT OF THESE
SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, WE'RE ABLE
TO
USE THOSE SURVEILLANCE
DATA SOURCES TO MEASURE THE
OVERALL
IMPACT OF ALL OF OUR WORK ON
THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
>> CAN I JUST IN REAL QUICK.
A LITTLE BIT LESS ABOUT
THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, BUT AS
YOU
SAID, COUNCILMEMBER,
GETTING SERVICES OUT TO PEOPLE
WHO ARE THE MOST
DISENFRANCHISED,
WHO HAVE THE HARDEST TIME
ACCESSING SERVICES AS DR.
SAPIENZA WAS
TALKING ABOUT IS A HUGE
PRIORITY TO US BECAUSE WE KNOW
THOSE FOLKS ARE DISPROPORTIONATE
LY
IMPACTED BY SUBSTANCE USE
AND THEY'RE DYING AT A HIGHER
RATE.
IT HAS BEEN A TOUGH -- NOT TO
CRACK, IF YOU WILL, AS FAR
AS HOW TO GET SERVICES OUT TO
THOSE
FOLKS, TRULY, ESPECIALLY WITH
MEDICATIONS FOR OPIATE USE
DISORDER. THESE MEDICATIONS THAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ABOUT ALL
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND HIGHLY
REGULATED BY THE DEA.
SO, THE PROGRAM
THAT DR. SAPIENZA WAS TALKING
ABOUT, THIS MOBILE BUPRENORPHINE
PROGRAM IS REALLY A FIRST IN
THE COUNTRY ATTEMPT AT TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET
SERVICES TO PEOPLE OUT LOCALLY.
WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH
WHERE WE HAVE MOBILE CARE
ALREADY OUT IN
THE COMMUNITY, AND SO TO BE ABLE
TO USE THOSE ARMS OF
PEOPLE, ALREADY OUT IN THE
COMMUNITY TO
CONNECT WITH THEM, TO HELP
EMPOWER THEM, TO BRING
THAT MEDICATION TO PEOPLE
IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE
REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO COME
BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO
REPORT UPON HOW YOUR
INVESTMENTS ARE WORKING.
BECAUSE IT REALLY IS AN
INNOVATIVE PROOF OF CONCEPT.
THE INVESTMENTS THAT THE
COUNCIL HAS MADE AROUND MOBILE
METHADONE
IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF BEING ABLE
TO BE MORE MOBILE IN THE
COMMUNITY. IT IS A LITTLE LESS
FLEXIBLE
BECAUSE METHADONE VAN HAS TO GO
TO THE SAME PLACE, EVERY SINGLE
DAY, SIX DAYS A WEEK.
BUT WE KNOW THAT IT IS A LOT
EASIER TO DO THAT THAN IT IS
TO START A FIXED SITE NEW
METHADONE
CLINIC.
SO, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED
TO GET TO COME BACK TO YOU,
TO REPORT UPON THOSE SUCCESSES.
>> AND WHEN DOES THE MOBILE BUPE
ACCESS TEAM FIRST HIT THE
STREETS?
>> GOOD QUESTION.
SO, WE ARE HIRING NOW,
WE'RE ACTUALLY JUST FINISHING
OUR NURSING INTERVIEWS TOMORROW.
AND SO AS SOON AS WE CAN
ONBOARD THAT NURSE, BASICALLY TO
WHATEVER TIME FRAME WE HAVE, THE
OTHER STAFF, WE HAVE THE
MEDICATION, WE HAVE THE
PHARMACY, WE HAVE THE
EXPERIENCE, WE JUST NEED
THAT INDIVIDUAL WHO CAN GO OUT
AND ADMINISTER IT AND THAT'S
WHAT --
AS QUICKLY AS THE COUNTY
CAN HIRE THAT PERSON.
>> AMAZING.
AND JUST FINAL TWO
QUESTIONS, THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR
ALLOWING ME TO ASK ALL OF THESE
QUESTIONS.
I THINK YOU ALLUDED TO
THIS, DR. FINEGOOD, BUT, YOU
KNOW, THERE IS SO MANY DIFFERENT
COMPONENTS THAT SUPPORT SOMEONE
IN THEIR RECOVERY.
IT IS CHALLENGING TO KNOW
WHAT'S GOING TO STICK AND
WHAT'S GOING
TO WORK AND SO HAVING A
MYRIAD OF OPTIONS IS IMPORTANT.
I'M WONDERING ANECDOTALLY
FROM WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM
PROVIDERS THAT YOU'RE
WORKING WITH WHAT ARE SOME
KEY COMPONENTS THAT ARE
SUPPORTING
PEOPLE'S SUCCESS AND RECOVERY.
ANYTHING ANECDOTALLY YOU CAN
SHARE.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU.
ANOTHER OBVIOUSLY GREAT
QUESTION, WHAT WE'RE
HEARING ANECDOTALLY IS ACCESS TO
LONG ACTING INJECTABLE
BUPRENORPHINE
IS REALLY WORKING FOR PEOPLE.
I'LL GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT
TO DR. RICHARD WATERS,
DESC,DESC,
HAS REALLY PILOTED GETTING LONG
ACTING INJECTABLE OUT TO PEOPLE.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT,
THE PHARMACOLOGY REALLY MAKES
SENSE, RIGHT?
IF SOMEBODY WHO IS
STRUGGLING WITH THEIR FENTANYL
ADDICTION
HAS TO MAKE THAT CHOICE,
EVERY SINGLE DAY, DO I TAKE
MY MEDICATION OR DO I TAKE
FENTANYL TO DEAL WITH THE URGES
AND
CRAVINGS, IT IS A REALLY HARD
CHOICE FOR SOMEBODY TO MAKE
EVERY DAY.
BUT WHEN WE CAN GET A SHOT INTO
SOMEBODY, SO THAT THEY
DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT CHOICE
EVERY
DAY, THAT MEDICATION IS IN
THEM FOR THE FULL WEEK, OR THE
FULL
MONTH, AND IT ALSO HAS
OVERDOSE PROTECTION IN THEM, IT
GIVES
FOLKS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO
STABILIZE.
AND SO THAT IS, YOU KNOW,
TAKING THAT ANECDOTAL
INFORMATION,
LOOKING AT OUR
QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION ABOUT
UPTAKE IN
LONG ACTING INJECTABLE
MEDICATION IS
REALLY WHERE WE'RE --
WHERE WE'RE REALLY SEEING A LOT
OF
PROMISE FOR PEOPLE TO
REALLY HAVE A FIGHTING CHANCE.
BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, THERE IS
SO MUCH GOING ON, AND SO
WE RECOGNIZE BECAUSE OF
PEOPLE'S ADDICTION THAT THEY
HAVE TO
GET STABILIZED IN ORDER TO GET
OUT OF SOME OF THE CONSTANT RUN
OF IT AND GIVE PEOPLE A FIGHTING
CHANCE.
>> AND MY LAST QUESTION ON
THIS, JUST LOOKING AT THE FINAL
SLIDE, ON THE PATHWAYS HEALTH
HUB, SEEING THIS DATA POINT
HERE AROUND 2500 TOTAL PATIENT
ENCOUNTERS, 800 PATIENT
ENCOUNTERS FOR
INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS, WE
KNOW THAT NOT
EVERYONE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS
IS STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER AND THERE IS AN
OVERLAP AND SO I -- THAT'S
CLEARLY PRESENTED HERE.
I'M WONDERING ABOUT
YOUR COORDINATION WITH
STRATEGIES
WITH KCHA AND OUR HOMELESS
SERVICE PROVIDERS.
>> SURE.
WE ALREADY GET REFERRALS
FROM HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS.
SO THAT IS A REGULAR PART OF OUR
REFERRAL SOURCE IS WORKING WITH
DIFFERENT PARTNERS.
IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR
SEATTLE RESIDENTS WHO ARE
ACCESSING
THOSE SERVICES TO GO
AROUND BETWEEN DIFFERENT SERVICE
PROVIDERS.
SO WE OFTEN KNOW THE SAME
FOLKS FROM JUST THAT SENSE, SO
THERE IS THAT INFORMAL
COORDINATION.
I THINK THE -- ONE OF THE
BIGGEST PARTNERSHIPS
WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD, WITH THE
MOBILE TEAM, BECAUSE WE KNOW A
LOT
OF THOSE PROVIDERS HAVE
CONTACT WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
BENEFITED, BUT DON'T HAVE THE
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE OR
THE PHARMACY ON SITE, ABLE TO
STORE
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AND I KNOW
THEY, IN TALKING TO THEM, THEY
DEFINITELY HAVE PEOPLE WHO THEY
WANT TO GET TO US, BUT THAT ARE
UNABLE TO GET THEM TO MAKE
THAT STEP AND WE WANT TO MAKE
THAT STEP TO THEM, RATHER THAN
HAVING
TO HAVE THEM COME IN AND FROM
MY EXPERIENCE IN WORKING WITH
THIS, OF THOSE FOLKS
WILL EVENTUALLY START COMING IN
TO
CLINIC, ONCE WE MAKE THAT
RELATIONSHIP, THAT INITIAL
ENGAGEMENT, THE FEAR OF
THAT INITIAL CONTACT IS HUGE FOR
A
LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO I DON'T EXPECT THAT THIS
TEAM
WILL HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY
FOR EVERYONE KEEP GOING TO
THEM. THERE IS GOING TO BE A
TRANSITION. THAT IS OUR HOPE.
IS TO HELP PEOPLE MAKE THAT
TRANSITION.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES MY QUESTIONS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL
FOR THOSE RESPONSES AND REMIND
EVERYONE, SEATTLE IS NOT
ALONE IN STRUGGLING WITH
THIS. THIS IS A NATIONWIDE
PROBLEM AND
ONE THAT I HOPE WE CAN
RALLY AROUND REAL SOLUTIONS.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE AGAIN THE
BUPE VAN COMING OUT, MOBILE
BUPE ACCESS TEAM COMING OUT
AND COMING ONLINE.
I THINK THAT'S EXCITING.
CERTAINLY WOULD WELCOME, CHAIR,
IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
BRING BACK THIS TEAM IN A
FEW MONTHS TO
CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT THIS
WORK, I ULD CERTAINLY
APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK
YOU.
>> FOR THE
RECORD, CITY COUNCIL SAKA
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA JOINED US
ONLINE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS.
>> NO, THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU.
NOT SEEING ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
>>> SO, I HAVE A FEW QUICK
QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, LOOKS LIKE THERE IS --
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE MAYOR'S
PRIORITIES HERE.
IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING THE NEED
TO GET PEOPLE ON TO TREATMENT,
PARTICULARLY TO MOUD.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS
LOOKING AT THAT YOU MENTIONED
HERE, SLIDE 15, THE RAPID ACCESS
TO
BUPRENORPHINE FOR PEOPLE
IN PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING, WE HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT
OF
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN
DISTRICT
5 AND I'M WONDERING HOW ON
THE GROUND HOW DOES THAT WORK?
DO YOU HAVE A TEAM THAT GOES
OUT THERE? THAT CONNECTION MADE?
>> YEAH.
SO THAT SERVICE WILL BE
PROVIDED
BOTH THROUGH THIS PARTICULAR
PROGRAM, BUT THEN ALSO
THROUGH DR. SAPIENZA'S PROGRAM
AS WELL.
FOR THE PROGRAM LISTED HERE
ON SITE 15, THIS WILL BE A
SERVICE DELIVERED BY CATHOLIC
COMMUNITY
SERVICES.
SO THEY WILL JUST PROVIDE THIS
PROGRAM WITHIN THEIR
EMERGENCY SHELTER SITES AND
PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
SITES, PROVIDING THE SERVICE ALL
ACROSS
THE CITY. THAT'S SOMETHING
WE'RE EXCITED
ABOUT, THEY'LL BE MOBILE
AND ABLE TO VISIT ALL OF THEIR
HOUSING SITES.
DO YOU WANT TO
SPEAK UP?
>> SURE, YEAH.
SO, THEY'RE GOING TO --
WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP THEM AND
THEY'RE
LIKELY GOING TO BE ABLE TO
TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN FOLKS
WITH --
I ALREADY MET WITH THE NURSE
PRACTITIONER FOR SOME
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AS THEY'RE
STARTING
TO ROLL THAT OUT.
AS BRAD MENTIONED, DESC HAS DONE
A PHENOMENAL JOB AT GETTING THAT
CARE TO THEIR OWN
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SITES AND
WE'RE
GOING TO BE HAPPY TO HELP THEM.
MY GUESS
IS THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO MEET
THEIR NEEDS, SO IT
IS GOING TO BE OTHER SITES,
PIONEER, HUMAN SERVICES, REALLY
ANY OTHER SITE THAT IS
INTERESTED. WE ARE GOING TO DO
OUTREACH
TO THEM ONCE WE'RE UP AND
RUNNING
TO÷÷ GAUGE INTEREST.
AND THEN ONCE WE PARTNER,
WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE IT OUT
WHETHER MY GUESS IS THE WAY IT
WILL WORK
IS WE WILL START -- THEY
WILL CONTACT US WHEN THEY HAVE
SOMEONE INTERESTED IN STARTING
MEDICATION, AND WE WILL COME
OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,
HOPEFULLY
THAT DAY, TO DO THAT INITIAL
START, AND THEN HAVE A REGULAR
DAY EACH MONTH OR A FEW TIMES
A MONTH WHERE WE GO TO THAT
SITE AND BRING THE MEDICATION
FOR EVERYONE THERE WHO IS ON
THAT
MEDICATION.
I THINK IT WILL BE A MIXTURE
OF, YOU KNOW, SCHEDULED VISITS
TO THE SITES AND THEN AS
NEEDED VISITS FOR THOSE INITIAL
STARTS.
YEAH.
>> OKAY.
>> I THINK WE WILL -- OVER
THE FIRST FEW MONTHS GAIN A LOT
OF
EXPERIENCE AND BE ABLE TO
REPORT BACK A LOT ON EXACTLY HOW
IT IS
WORKING AND WHAT WE LEARNED.
>> OKAY.
GOOD TO KNOW.
AND THEN I WAS ALSO LOOKING
AT SLIDE TEN AND I JUST AM
CURIOUS IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT,
SO
YOU GOT COMMUNITY ACCESS TO MOUD
AND HARM REDUCTION SERVICES AT 1
MILLION, 282, 200.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE THE MOBILE
TEAM AND THEN THE
COMMUNITY ACCESS TO THE MOBILE
METHADONE
SERVICES.
ARE THOSE INCLUDED WITHIN
THE COMMUNITY ACCESS OR JUST CAN
YOU
BREAK THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT
MORE FOR ME?
>> YEAH.
THIS PART IS A LITTLE CONFUSING.
SO WE LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, THE
COMMUNITY ACCESS TO
MOBILE METHADONE SERVICES,
THAT'S
THE PROGRAMMING THAT EVER GREEN
TREATMENT SERVICES WILL
IMPLEMENT.
SO THAT'S THEIR NEW VEHICLE,
AND THEN SOME ADDITIONAL
OUTREACH SERVICES TO THEY'LL
PROVIDE AROUND THAT CLINICAL
INTAKE VAN.
THE MOBILE BUPRENORPHINE
TEAM, THAT FUNDING IS THE
DOLLARS
FOR THE PROGRAM THAT DR.
SAPIENZA
WAS JUST DESCRIBING THAT WILL
OUTREACH TO GET -- TO
PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH TREATMENT.
THE DRUG SERVICES PROGRAM IS --
THAT'S THE FUNDING FOR
THE PATHWAYS HEALTH HUB
EXPANSION.
AND THEN YOU SEE THAT THERE
IS ALSO A SEPARATE SECTION UP
ABOVE FOR DOWNTOWN PATHWAYS, SO
THAT FUNDING IS COMBINED TO
PROVIDE ALL OF THE SERVICES AT
THAT
CLINIC. THE PROGRAM THAT IS
THE COMMUNITY ACCESS TO MOUD
AND HARM REDUCTION SERVICES,
THAT
INCLUDE INCLUDES -- APOLOGIES,
THAT INCLUDES THIS PROGRAM AND
THEN IT ALSO INCLUDES THIS
PROGRAM.
AND THEN IT INCLUDES --
THOSE COSTS INCLUDE THE PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT, STAFF COSTS, AND
ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR SUPPLIES.
WE HAVE ABOUT $170,000 IN
THE CONTRACT TO PURCHASE
NALOXONE
THAT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED ALL
ACROSS THE CITY.
AND PROVIDED TO BOTH
THE PATHWAYS CLINIC, TO ALL OF
THE PROGRAMS WHO ARE RECEIVING
CONTRACTS WITH PUBLIC HEALTH
FOR BOTH THIS PROGRAM, THIS
PROGRAM AND THIS PROGRAM.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE THAT
SUPPLY FUNDING FOR
REALLY WIDESPREAD DISTRIBUTION
OF
NALOXONE.
BUT, TOGETHER, ALL AND ALL,
THAT SECTION THAT YOU REFERRED
TO,
APOLOGIES, THAT LINE-
ITEM COMMUNITY ACCESS TO MOUD
AND
HARM REDUCTION ENCOMPASSES
A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS
AND SOURCES OF FUNDING.
>> AND CHAIR MOORE, IF YOU WOULD
LIKE FOLLOW-UP THAT DOES
THIS CROSSWALK IN WRITTEN
FORMAT, HSD
WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE
THAT FOR YOU.
THIS TABLE REALLY REFLECTS AN
ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE,
WHICH DOESN'T NECESSARILY
REFLECT WHAT
IS BEING PROVIDED IN THE FIELD,
AND WHAT IT IS DOING.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
THIS, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO
HELP CLEAR THEM UP WORKING WITH
OUR
PARTNERS.
>> THANK YOU, PLEASE NO
OUTBURST FROM THE
AUDIENCE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND SO, I MEAN, ONE OF
THE QUESTIONS I THINK HAS BEEN,
SO IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF THE
FOCUS WHICH I THINK IS IN
THE APPROPRIATE FOCUS IS
ON PROVIDING MEDICATION
TREATMENT, MAKING SURE THAT
WE'RE
MAKING THAT AVAILABLE ACROSS
THE BOARD AND MAKING IT EASY FOR
PEOPLE
TO -- EASIER ANYWAY FOR
PEOPLE TO ACCESS.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION, THOUGH,
ABOUT AS PART OF THAT, IS THERE
AN ATTEMPT TO WORK WITH
PEOPLE TO GET THEM INTO --
SHOULD
THEY DECIDE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE
TO MOVE OFF OF MEDICATION,
AND ATTEMPT TO BE IN FULL
RECOVERY, IS THERE ANY WORKING
WITH PEOPLE
ALONG THOSE LINES AND
GETTING THEM INTO MORE IN
PATIENT,
OUTPATIENT TREATMENT PROGRAMS?
>> YEAH, I MEAN, WE WORK
WITH PEOPLE ON THAT ALREADY.
WE HAVE A FULL- TIME
SOCIAL WORKER AT PATHWAYS WHO
DOES ONE
ON ONE COUNSELING AND THEN WE
REGULARLY REFER PEOPLE TO
IN PATIENT WITHDRAWAL
MANAGEMENT AND INPATIENT
TREATMENT AS
A REGULAR PART OF OUR CARE.
WE'RE LIMITED -- WE HAVE
THAT SOCIAL WORKER, WE DO HOPE
TO HAVE ANOTHER COUNSELOR ON
SITE LATER ON, BUT A LOT OF THAT
IS THROUGH REFERRALS TO
COMMUNITY
PARTNERS, LIKE VALLEY CITY OR
AMERICAN HEALTH SERVICES,
ANYONE THAT TAKES MEDICAID,
BECAUSE
THAT'S MOST OF OUR PATIENT
POPULATION.
>>
MM-HMM.
>> IN RESPONSE TO THAT INTEREST,
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT
A CURRENT PROGRAM THAT MAYOR
HARRELL ESTABLISHED WITH $2.
55 MILLION IN FUNDING THAT
FUNDS DETOX SERVICES WITHDRAWAL
MANAGEMENT AND INTENSIVE
INPATIENT TREATMENT AT VALLEY
CITIES.
THAT PROGRAM IS ONGOING AND HSD
HOLDS THE BUDGET FOR
THAT CONTRACT AS WELL.
THAT IS NOT SEATTLE
KING COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH
FUNDING, SO
WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT TODAY,
BUT
WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW-
UP AND PROVIDE INFORMATION
ABOUT THAT PROGRAM.
>> OKAY.
AND WAS THAT -- WAS THAT
THE FUNDING THAT COUNCIL
PRESIDENT
WAS ABLE TO GET IN LAST YEAR'S
BUDGET?
>> NO, THAT IS A DIFFERENT
PROGRAM.
SEPARATELY FROM THAT
PROGRAM, WHICH WAS INITIATED BY
THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON ALLOCATED
$300,000 IN THE BUDGET
PROCESS FOR INTENSIVE DETOX
AND INTENSIVE INPATIENT
TREATMENT
AT LAKESIDE MILE AND
RECOVERY CENTERS IN KIRKLAND.
HSD IS COORDINATING THAT PROGRAM
AS WELL.
THERE WAS A REALLY
LOVELY ARTICLE IN THE "SEATTLE
TIMES" ABOUT IT SOME WEEKS BACK,
SO,
JUST, YES, PEOPLE WHO
ARE INTERESTED IN GOING
INTO TREATMENT HAVE A PATHWAY TO
DO THAT THROUGH SEVERAL MEANS
AS YOU HEARD.
>> GREAT.
ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY -- I DON'T SEE
ANY FURTHER
QUESTIONS. WELL, I WANTED TO
SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
PRESENTATION AND FOR THE WORK
THAT YOU'RE
DOING. THERE IS A LOT OF
INFORMATION
TO DIGEST HERE.
AND CERTAINLY IT SEEMS LIKE
A NEW DIRECTION, SO I
THINK WHOEVER TAKES THE MANTEL
HERE, I
THINK IT IS CERTAINLY
WORTH BRINGING IT BACK.
I'M SORRY.
DID COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON HAVE A
QUESTION?
>> REAL QUICK. I MAY HAVE MISSED
IT, UNDER
THE COMMUNITY HEALTH
PARTNERSHIPS,
THAT'S A CONGLOMERATION OR --
THAT'S A WIDE BUCKET
THAT INCLUDES A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT
PARTNERS, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YEAH.
YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT'S A PART OF THE CONTRACT
THAT IS FACILITATED THROUGH
OTHER PARTS OF PUBLIC
HEALTH, BUT THAT IS CORRECT,
THAT IS --
THAT IS A CONTRACT THAT IS
FACILITATED WITH A NUMBER
OF WIDE COMMUNITY HEALTH
PARTNERSHIPS.
>> AND NUMBER ONE COMMUNITY
PARTNERS AND THIS WOULD BE,
LIKE, A COMPETITIVE PROCESS OR
ALREADY WHICH PARTNERS ARE
WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH OR IT'S
OPEN?
>> YEAH, IT WOULD BE
WONDERFUL IF WE CAN COME BACK TO
YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, WITH
THAT INFORMATION.
THE FOLKS WHO FACILITATE
THAT PART OF OUR CONTRACT ARE
NOT HERE ON THE PANEL TODAY.
SO, WE WOULD LOVE A CHANCE TO BE
ABLE TO GET YOU THE
ACCURATE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE
LOOKING
FOR.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON,
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FOLLOW UP
WITH HSD.
WE'LL FACILITATE THE
QUESTIONS WITH OUR PARTNERS AND
MAKE SURE
YOU GET THE INFORMATION YOU
NEED.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
>> SORRY ABOUT
THAT, COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
SO AS I WAS SAYING, I
THINK CERTAINLY WE SHOULD HAVE
YOU
COME BACK TO GIVE US AN
UPDATE ON HOW THESE NEW
INITIATIVES ARE
GOING.
AND ALSO ALWAYS VERY
INTERESTED IN HOW THIS OVERLAYS
WITH
THE CRAZE IS CARE LEVY AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION AND THE WORK
HERE TODAY.
IT WAS A REALLY GOOD
PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU.
WELL, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO
OUR NEXT ITEM, I WOULD JUST LIKE
TO
DO A SHOUTOUT TO THE
STUDENTS FROM SOUTH SHORE MIDDLE
SCHOOL,
HELLO, EVERYBODY.
HELLO.
WELCOME TO SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL.
WELCOME TO THE HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING.
WE WERE JUST -- JUST HAD
A PRESENTATION ABOUT PUBLIC
HEALTH AND PROVIDING TREATMENT
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING
WITH
OPIOID ADDICTION.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO
BE MOVING INTO TALKING ABOUT
LEGISLATION THAT -- FOR TO TRY
TO KEEP RENT
MORE AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYBODY
IN THE CITY.
SO, I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE
HERE.
ALL RIGHT.
LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ
THE SECOND ITEM INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 2, AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO
PROHIBITING ALGORITHMIC RENT
FIXING
AND ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 7. 34
TO THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE
FOR BRIEFING, DISCUSSION AND
POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO, AGENDA ITEM 2 IS MY
LEGISLATION, WHICH IS NOW
CO- SPONSORED WITH
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AND RINCK
TO PROHIBIT
ALGORITHMIC RENT PRICE FIXING IN
ORDER TO COMBAT
ANTICOMPETITIVE RENT HIKES AND
HELP PREVENT
DISPLACEMENT.
WE HAVE WITH US AT THE
TABLE TAMASO JOHNSON FROM
CENTRAL STAFF HERE TO WALK US
THROUGH THE LEGISLATION AND WE
ALSO
ARE VERY HONORED AND PLEASED TO
HAVE THE ORIGINAL SPONSOR OF
THE STATE VERSION OF THIS
LEGISLATION, SENATOR SOLOMON,
WHO WAS ABLE TO JOIN US ON
LAST MINUTE NOTICE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
SO, I DID WANT TO SAY BEFORE
TURNING IT OVER, I WANTED TO
WALK US THROUGH THE FLOW OF
TODAY'S DISCUSSION.
FIRST, I WILL PROCEDURALLY
MOVE THE BILL TO BE BEFORE US.
THEN AS THE SPONSOR I'LL
PROVIDE MY INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
AND THEN
I WILL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF TO WALK US THROUGH
THE LEGISLATION AND THEN
PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SENATOR SOLOMON FOR HIS
REMARKS, BASICALLY HIS -- THE
REASONS
THAT HE BROUGHT THIS
SIMILAR LEGISLATION TO THE STATE
LEGISLATURE AND HIS THOUGHTS ON
THE NEED FOR LEGISLATION.
I WILL THEN OPEN THE FLOOR
FOR DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS OF
THE
UNDERLYING BILL.
SO AFTER DISCUSSION OF THE
UNDERLYING BILL, I WILL THEN
PROCEDURALLY MOVE AMENDMENT 1
TO BE BEFORE US FOR DISCUSSION
AND, AGAIN, HAVE CENTRAL STAFF
WALK US THROUGH THAT.
CHECK IN WITH COLLEAGUES
ABOUT YOUR COMFORT WITH VOTING.
TODAY, COLLEAGUES
ARE COMFORTABLE VOTING ON THIS,
WE WILL FIRST VOTE ON THE
AMENDMENT, AND THEN ON THE
UNDERLYING BILL.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE PROCEDURAL POSTURE FOR
--
NO, OKAY.
NOT SEEING ANYTHING FROM
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
ALL RIGHT, SO, AT THIS
POINT THEN I WILL NOW
MOVE COMMITTEE -- I WILL MOVE
THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF
COUNCIL BILL
121000.
>>
SECOND.
>>
SECOND.
>> IS HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF
THE COUNCIL BILL.
AS TO OPENING REMARKS, THIS,
AS I HAVE SAID A FEW TIMES
NOW, DOES PREVENT ALGORITHMIC
RENT
FIXING IN ORDER TO COMBAT
ANTICOMPETITIVE RENT HIKES AND
PREVENT DISPLACEMENT WHICH
IS HAPPENING WHEN PEOPLE ARE
REALLY
NO LONGER ABLE TO AFFORD THE
RENT. AND ALSO WHEN WE ARE
HAVING
THE MARKET ARTIFICIALLY
INFLATED, CREATING VACANCIES,
THEN THEY
CAN ADD TO NOT ONLY
DISPLACEMENT, BUT THE
INABILITY OF PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY
FIND
A PLACE TO LIVE AND WE KNOW
THAT RENT IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND
WE ALSO KNOW THAT IN THE GENERAL
APPROACH TO ADDRESSING
HOMELESSNESS, IT IS MUCH BETTER
AND LONG- TERM BOTH FROM A
SOCIAL
PERSPECTIVE AND ALSO AN
ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE TO KEEP
PEOPLE
HOUSED, RATHER THAN TRYING TO
REHOUSE THEM ONCE THEY HAVE LOST
HOUSING.
I WOULD SAY IN THE LAST FEW
YEARS, THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT
AN INCREASING NUMBER OF
CORPORATE LANDLORDS HAVE
UTILIZED NEW
SOFTWARE IN ORDER TO SET HIGHER
RENTS.
THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT BRINGING
TOGETHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
INFORMATION, IT IS ABOUT -- AS
WE LEARN FROM THE TAMASO AND THE
SENATE SPONSOR, SENATOR SOLOMON,
ALSO USING NONPUBLICLY AVAILABLE
PRIVATE DATA TO CREATE A FLOOR
FOR RENT.
SO, IT DOES, I
THINK, EFFECTIVELY ENABLE
ANTICOMPETITIVE COLLUSION
AND PRICE SETTING.
AGAIN, ARTIFICIALLY INFLATING
THE PRICE OF HOUSING HERE IN
SEATTLE.
SO, THE LEGISLATION WOULD BE ONE
TOOL TO ATTEMPTING TO
ADDRESS THIS PARTICULAR
PRACTICE.
AND I WOULD NOTE THAT CITIES
LIKE BERKELEY, SAN DIEGO, SAN
FRANCISCO, MINNEAPOLIS,
PHILADELPHIA, PORTLAND, AND
JERSEY CITY HAVE ALREADY
PASSED SIMILAR PROHIBITIONS ON
THESE
SERVICES. AND AS I MENTIONED
BEFORE,
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A HOUSING
CRISIS, SO, IT IS AN
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS AS WELL AS
AVAILABILITY CRISIS.
AND CERTAINLY WE NEED TO
DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO
PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING.
SO, WITH THAT SAID, I WILL
THEN TURN THIS OVER.
LET ME JUST SAY A LITTLE BIT
ADDITIONAL, AGAIN, ALSO
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE FROM PUBLIC
HULA THAT BROUGHT THIS IDEA TO
THE
ATTENTION OF MANY IN JANUARY
2024 ENTITLED "SENATORS SEEK
TO BAR LANDLORDS FROM USING
ALGORITHMS TO ARSHT S S TO
ARTIFICIALLY INFLATE RENT.
" IT LAID OUT THE 2022 INTO
PRICE SETTING
SOFTWARE AND THE FINDINGS
FROM THE SUBSEQUENT U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
INVESTIGATION,
WHICH DOES BACK CLAIMS THAT THE
USE OF
THE SOFTWARE IS A VIOLATION OF
ANTITRUST LAW.
THE IDEA FOR THIS BILL IS A
COPY THAT ORIGINATED AT THE
STATE
SENATE FROM SENATOR SOLOMON.
AND WAS SUPPORTED BY THE
HOUSE, SENATE AND STATE AG'S
OFFICE, BUT I UNDERSTAND IT WAS
PAUSED FOR TECHNICAL REASONS, AT
WHICH
POINT MY STAFF WAS CONTACTED
TO REQUEST WE INTRODUCE A
LOCAL VERSION OF THE BILL AND SO
HERE WE ARE TODAY.
WITH THAT SAID, I WILL NOW
TURN IT OVER TO TAMASO CENTRAL
STAFF TO WALK US THROUGH THE
UNDERLYING BILL.
>> YEAH, GOOD MORNING,
CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
TAMASO JOHNSON, COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF.
I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH A
BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THIS ISSUE
AND ALSO ARIZE THE BILL AS
WELL. AS YOU MENTIONED, FOR A
NUMBER OF YEARS, PUBLICLY
AVAILABLE RENTAL PRICE
INFORMATION AS
WELL AS LESS SPECIFIC MARKET
SURVEY DATA HAS BEEN USED BY
LANDLORDS TO AID IN THE PROCESS
OF DETERMINING RENTAL PRICES.
THE THING THAT IS
DIFFERENT ABOUT THE TYPE OF
SERVICE
OR SOFTWARE THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HERE, THE
ALGORITHMIC
RENT FIXING SOFTWARE IS IT IS
THE COMBINATION OF BOTH PUBLIC
AND
NONPUBLIC
COMPETITIVE INFORMATION WITH
ANALYSIS THROUGH AN ALGORITHMIC
TOOL TO
SUGGEST PRICES, NOT JUST
PRICES, OCCUPANCY LEVELS, BUT
ALSO
LEASE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND
THE BROAD ADOPTION OF USE OF
THIS TYPE OF SOFTWARE OR SERVICE
BY PRIMARILY LARGE LANDLORDS
ACROSS MANY MARKETS IN THE U.S.
INCLUDING SEATTLE.
AS YOU MENTIONED, THESE
SERVICES ARE -- CRITICS OF THE
SERVICES
ARGUE THEY ENABLE
ANTICOMPETITIVE COLLUSION
AND PRICE SETTING IN THE
RESIDENTIAL RENTAL MARKET.
A NUMBER OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS
HAVE PROPOSED OR ENACTED
LEGISLATION IN RESPONSE TO
THIS ISSUE INCLUDING THE ONES
THAT YOU MENTIONED, IN ADDITION,
THE WASHINGTON
STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS
CURRENTLY INVOLVED
IN STATE COURT LITIGATION AND
HAD BEEN A PAST PLAINTIFF, STATE
LEVEL PLAINTIFF IN THE
FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
SUIT
AGAINST ONE OF THE PROVIDERS
OF THIS SOFTWARE SERVICE.
THE AG'S OFFICE ESTIMATES
THAT BETWEEN 20 -- SINCE 2017,
I SHOULD SAY, 800,000 LEASES
IN THIS STATE HAVE BEEN
PRICED USING THIS TYPE OF
SOFTWARE.
WASHINGTON STATE
LEGISLATURE, AS YOU MENTIONED,
INTRODUCED EARLIER THIS YEAR A
BILL SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL
5469,
WHICH PASSED THE STATE
SENATE AND FAILED TO ADVANCE
THROUGH
STATE HOUSE PRIOR TO THE END
OF SESSION THIS PAST APRIL.
COUNCIL BILL 121000
LARGELY MIRRORS THAT STATE BILL,
BUT
ADOPTS THE PROVISIONS TO MAKE
SENSE WITHIN SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
CODE. AND IT ACCOMPLISHES THE
GOAL OF
PROHIBITION OF ALGORITHMIC
PRICE SETTING TOOLS IN THE
RESIDENTIAL
RENTAL MARKET BY DEFINING --
PRIMARILY DEFINING PROHIBITED
CONDUCT, THE BILL USES THE TERM
COORDINATION, AND IT
DEFINES COORDINATION AS THE
APPLICATION OF AUTOMATED
ALGORITHMIC ANALYSIS TO PUBLIC
AND/OR
PRIVATE DATA IN A MANNER THAT
GENERATES SUGGESTED LEASE
TERMS, PRICING AND OCCUPANCY
LEVELS.
THE BILL PROHIBITS LANDLORDS
FROM UTILIZING SUCH SERVICES AND
IT ALSO PROHIBITS ENTITIES
FROM OFFERING SUCH COORDINATION
SERVICES TO TWO OR
MORE LANDLORDS WITHIN THE CITY.
THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS
OF THIS BILL ARE TWOFOLD, FIRST
IS
ENABLES THE CITY'S
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ENFORCE A
CIVIL PENALTY OF UP TO $7500 PER
VIOLATION.
AND PURSUE REASONABLE COST AND
ATTORNEYS FEES WITHIN THOSE
ACTIONS.
THE BILL ALSO CREATES A NEW
PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION,
SO INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE
INDIVIDUALS HARMED BY PROHIBITED
CONDUCT
UNDER THIS LEGISLATION
COULD ALSO SUE HERE AS WELL
FOR DAMAGES UP TO $7500 PER
VIOLATION.
THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT
I WOULD MENTION IS WE HAVE --
DON'T HAVE A FIRM ESTIMATE ON
THE FISCAL IMPACT, THE COST OF
IMPLEMENTING THIS BILL.
IT IS LARGELY BECAUSE THAT
WILL DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF
CASES BROUGHT AND WHETHER OR NOT
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS
ABLE
TO ENFORCE THE
LEGISLATION WITHIN THEIR
EXISTING BUDGET.
THE CITY AND ATTORNEYS OFFICE
NOTED THAT THE ENFORCEMENT COSTS
COULD BE MITIGATED AND
EFFICACY OF THE BILL COULD BE
IMPROVED, POTENTIALLY BY ADDING
A
PROVISION THAT WOULD
ALLOW PRIVATE PARTIES TO
RECOVER REASONABLE COSTS AND
ATTORNEYS
FEES UNDER -- IF THEY
PREVAILED IN THE PRIVATE RIGHT
OF ACTION
THAT THIS LEGISLATION WOULD
ESTABLISH.
THANK YOU.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS.
>> RIGHT, THANK YOU.
I THINK WHAT I'LL DO IS TURN
IT OVER TO SENATOR SOLOMON.
AND THEN WE CAN ASK BOTH OF
YOU QUESTIONS AT THAT POINT.
SO, THANK YOU, SENATOR SOLOMON.
IF YOU COULD JUST SHARE WITH
US THE -- YOUR INSPIRATION FOR
THE
ORIGINAL STATE BILL, THE
NEED THAT YOU SEE FOR
LEGISLATIVE
SOLUTION, AND YOUR THOUGHTS
ON PERHAPS THE LEGISLATION
HERE BEFORE US TODAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD.
I HAVEN'T BEEN TO THESE
COUNCIL CHAMBERS IN QUITE A
WHILE.
I WAS HALF EXPECT ING
ING COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT AND
HER REVOLUTIONARIES TO BE HERE.
WHEN WE'RE SEEING VACANCY
RATES GO DOWN, WE SHOULD SEE --
GO
UP, WE SHOULD SEE PRICE GO DOWN,
BUT ONE OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF
THIS SOFTWARE IS THERE IS
AN INDICATION TO MEMBERS OR
USING
A SOFTWARE OF HOW MUCH TO HOLD
OFF
ON THEIR APARTMENT
RENTALS, WHICH LIKELY RESULTS IN
HIGHER -- LOWER VACANCY
RATES AND HIGHER COSTS
ARTIFICIALLY.
SO THERE IS REALLY CONCERN
ABOUT ANTITRUST TYPE MARKET
COLLUSION
HERE.
I DON'T REALLY SEE WHY WE
NEEDNEED
TO THAT KIND OF PRACTICE.
INFORMATION AGE BRINGS US A
LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES, BUT ALSO A
LOT
OF PERILS AND PITFALLS.
SO PART OF OUR JOB IS TO PROTECT
AGAINST THAT.
THAT'S WHAT THIS LEGISLATION
DOES.
THIS BILL PASSED THROUGH BOTH
FISCAL COMMITTEES OF
THE LEGISLATURE AND SO THAT'S A
BIG DEAL FOR A YEAR LIKE THIS.
THE FLOOR TIME, HOW I UNDERSTAND
THE SORT OF DEMISE OF THE BILL
THIS YEAR, THE NONPASSAGE OF
IT, FLOOR TIME IS PRECIOUS
AND LIMITED AND SO YOU HAVE TO
ANALYZE THE -- WHAT EACH BILL IS
WORTH.
AND BECAUSE THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL FILED THEIR LAWSUIT,
RIGHT
BEFORE WE PUT THIS TO A VOTE ON
THE HOUSE FLOOR, IT WAS
DECIDED JUST TO HOLD BACK.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT
THERE STILL ISN'T VALUE IN
PASSING
THIS.
BECAUSE, A, THE LAWSUIT IS NOT
FINISHED, RIGHT?
LET'S GET AHEAD OF IT.
B, WE DON'T KNOW THE
RESULTS OF THE LAWSUIT.
SO, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE IN A
DIFFERENT SITUATION,
LIKE WE ONLY HAD FOUR DAYS TO
PASS OPPOSITE HOUSE BILLS,
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE ARE
OTHER PRETTY POWERFUL ACTORS
LOOKING TO GET INTO THIS.
IF SO, IF WE DON'T PASS IT,
THE SITUATION COULD GET WORSE
AND
THEN, YOU KNOW, THE POLITICAL
INFLUENCE OF THOSE ACTORS MIGHT
MAKE IT HARDER TO PASS.
SO, THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO DO
IT.
AND I URGE YOU TO.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY QUESTIONS?
OKAY.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON.
THANK YOU, SENATOR SOLOMON,
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AT THE
STATE LEVEL AND BRINGING THIS
FORWARD.
AND THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR,
FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD
LOCALLY
HERE AT THE CITY LEVEL.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF
WORKING FOR SUMMER IN THE U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND
THE ANTITRUST DIVISION.
AND THE CRIMINAL DIVISION IN
PARTICULAR, AND I HAPPEN TO
KNOW THAT UNDER THE FEDERAL
SHERMAN
ACT, ANTITRUST ACT, COLLUDING OR
PRICE FIXING IS ALREADY ILLEGAL.
IT IS A CRIMINAL PENALTY AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL.
THERE ARE PLENTY VALID REASONS
TO HAVE OVERLAPPING FORMS OF
PROTECTION, INCLUDING AT
THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL, SUCH
AS THE CASE HERE.
SO, I THINK THIS
PROPOSED ORDINANCE STRIKES ME AS
A COMMON SENSE MEASURE TO HELP
PROTECT
RENTERS AND AVOID SOME OF THE
PITFALLS OF TECHNOLOGY, IF YOU
WILL.
AND MY QUESTION, I GUESS,
THIS IS FOR MR. JOHNSON,
YOU INDICATED THAT THE STATE
AG'S ASSESSMENT IS ROUGHLY
800,000 INCIDENTS OF THIS
OCCURRING,
PER YEAR, IF MY UNDERSTANDING OF
WHAT YOU SAID IS CORRECT.
IS THERE ANY INDICATION OR
JUST PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT
OF HOW MANY OF THOSE MIGHT BE
TIED
SPECIFICALLY TO THE CITY OF
SEATTLE?
>> YES, THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
I SHOULD SAY THE STATE
AG ESTIMATES THAT SINCE 2017,
800,000 LEASES TOTAL
SINCE BETWEEN 2017 AND WHEN
THE SUIT -- THEIR SUIT WAS
FILED HAVE BEEN PRICED THAT WAY
IN THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON.
I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN
FRONT OF ME FOR CITY OF SEATTLE,
THOUGH. I THINK THERE ARE --
THERE HAS BEEN SOME REPORTING ON
THE CITY
OF SEATTLE SPECIFIC NUMBERS,
BUT I CAN -- I'M HAPPY TO TRY
TO FIND THAT AND FOLLOW UP WITH
YOU.
>> GOT IT.
THANK YOU.
YEAH, JUST BETTER
UNDERSTANDING THE SCOPE AND
SCALE OF
THE CHALLENGE AS APPLIED
LOCALLY HERE WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND --
>> ONE THING TO SAY ON THAT,
IF I COULD, I KNOW THAT WHEN
THE BILL WAS SUBSTITUTE SENATE
BILL
5469 WAS BEING CONSIDERED IN THE
STATE LEGISLATURE, AS PART
OF SOME OF THE ANALYSIS WORK
THAT WAS DONE ON THAT BILL, IT
WAS
DETERMINED THAT THE VAST
MAJORITY, IF NOT ALL OF THE
ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS UNDER
THAT STATE BILL WOULD HAVE
PASSED,
WERE PREDICTED TO BE IN KING
COUNTY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT STATE WIDE IMPACT,
THAT
SHOULD MAYBE HELP GIVE YOU
A SENSE OF
SCALE ABOUT THE LOCALIZED NATURE
OF THE ISSUE.
>> THANK YOU.
AND JUST FOR CLARITY, THERE
CURRENTLY IS NO STATE
PREEMPTION ISSUE TO THE BEST OF
YOUR
KNOWLEDGE.
>> NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, NO.
>> THANK YOU.
AND, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
ALSO WANT TO -- THIS IS SORT OF
AN UNRELATED
TOPIC, BUT SENATOR SOLOMON, I
APPRECIATE YOU
AND YOUR LEADERSHIP ON ANY A
NUMBER
OF THINGS
THAT YOU HELPED CHAMPION IN THE
LEGISLATURE.
BUT I ESPECIALLY WANT TO EXTEND
A -- MY SINCERE GRATITUDE TO
YOU, ON BEHALF OF MY
CONSTITUENTS, SPECIFICALLY
THE FAMILY OF MUBAR HUDAM FOR
YOUR EFFORTS TO TRY TO BRING
ABOUT A
COMMON SENSE REASONABLE
CHANGE, TECHNICAL AND SPECIFIC
IN
NATURE TO THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL
STATUTE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU NEXT SESSION ON
THAT
EFFORT TO REVIVE THAT
EFFORT AND TO HOPEFULLY BRING TO
LIFE THE
STATE EFFORT FOR THIS AND
NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP AND HAT TIP AND
SHOUTOUT TO
THE STUDENT POINT OF
PERSONAL PRIVILEGE NOW, THE
STUDENTS
OF SOUTH SHORE SCHOOL HERE.
WELCOME, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO
HAVE YOU.
AND ALSO PRINCIPAL HOYLSTON AS
WELL AND ALL THE KM ALUM.
THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, ANY
QUESTIONS?
>> ACTUALLY, YES, JUST ONE
QUICK ONE.
AND THANK YOU, AGAIN, CHAIR, FOR
ALLOWING ME TO BE A CO-
SPONSOR
ON THIS. SENATOR SOLOMON, THANK
YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
TRULY.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US
HERE TODAY.
I JUST HAVE
ONE MINOR TECHNICAL QUESTION ON
THIS
MATTER AND I'M REALLY PLEASED
TO SEE THAT
THIS BILL WOULD BRING FORWARD A
NEW RIGHT TO PRIVATE ACTION, AND
THE ABILITY TO SUE FOR DAMAGES
UP TO
$7500. I'M JUST WONDERING WHERE
THE
$7500 FIGURE CAME FROM AND
IF IT IS DIRECTLY REFLECTIVE OF
WHAT IS IN BILL 7469 OR SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE.
IF EITHER ONE OF YOU WANT TO
CHIME IN TO CLARIFY THAT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
THE FEE AMOUNT WAS DRAWN
FROM THE STATE LEGISLATION.
>> YEAH.
YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO TELL
YOU THERE IS SOME SCIENTIFIC WAY
THAT, MAYBE SOME ALGORITHMIC
WAY WE GOT TO THE $7500, BUT,
YOU
KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE
A BALANCE BETWEEN A
DISINCENTIVE TO USE THE
PRACTICE, BUT
WE DON'T WANT LANDLORDS TO
HAVE SUCH LEGAL EXPOSURE THAT
THEY
GO OUT OF BUSINESS KIND OF
THING.
SO, AND I WORKED VERY
CLOSELY WITH THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE ON ALL OF THE
LANGUAGE AND RIGHT OF ACTION
STUFF.
HAND AND GLOVE, I GUESS IS WHAT
WE SAY.
>> FANTASTIC.
JUST WAS CURIOUS ABOUT
WHAT INFORMED THAT EXACT FIGURE
AND PLEASED TO HEAR THERE
WAS ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE ON SHAPING
THAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, DID
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT FEELING
WELL, SO I DON'T REQUIRE YOU TO
SPEAK, BUT --
>> NO.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
I WILL NOTE THAT I HAVE RECEIVED
A LOT OF -- WE HAVE RECEIVED
A LOT OF CORRESPONDENCE ABOUT
THIS, AND I DO APPRECIATE
ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTARY THAT
HAS
COME FORWARD.
I ALSO WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE SENATOR SOLOMON,
DIFFERENT
SPELLING, AND THE WORK
YOU'VE DONE ON THE STATE LEVEL
AND
ALSO A SHOUTOUT TO THE STUDENTS
FROM SOUTH SHORE, SORRY I'M NOT
ABLE TO BE THERE IN PERSON TODAY
TO
MEET WITH YOU.
BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU
BECAUSE YOU ARE IN MY DISTRICT.
AND WELCOME TO CITY HALL.
SO, NOTHING FURTHER, MADAM
CHAIR.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO, TO CLOSE, ACTUALLY, TO BOTH
OF YOU, MY UNDERSTANDING,
TAMASO, IS THAT THE BILL WE
HAVE HERE VERY MUCH MIRRORS THE
BILL
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR SOLOMON,
CORRECT?
>>
YES, CHAIR. THAT IS CORRECT.
I SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE SENATOR
SOLOMON AND THE SENATE STAFF
WERE GENEROUS WITH THEIR TIME AS
CENTRAL STAFF WAS DEVELOPING
THIS BILL IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH OUR LAW DEPARTMENT AS WELL
TO
ENSURE THAT WE WERE MAKING
IT THE BEST VERSION OF IT THAT
WE COULD IN A WAY THAT
IS APPROPRIATE FOR SEATTLE, BUT,
YES, TO YOUR QUESTION, IT
IS MODELED ON THE SENATE
LEGISLATION AND IN ORDER TO
CONFORM IT SO IT WOULD
MODIFY MUNICIPAL CODE IN A WAY
THAT EFFECTUATES THE INTENT OF
THE
BILL, THERE ARE SOME CHANGES,
IF YOU HELD UP THE COPY OF EACH
BILL, ONE TO ONE, THERE ARE
REFERENCES, FOR EXAMPLE, IN
A SENATE BILL TO RCW
SECTIONS WHICH WOULDN'T HAVE
MADE
SENSE PRACTICALLY TO INCLUDE IN
OUR
BILL, SO WE JUST PULLED
THAT TEXT OVER DIRECTLY, FOR
EXAMPLE, $7500 PENALTY, I
BELIEVE, IS A
REFERENCE IN THE STATE BILL
TO ESTABLISH PENALTY IN RCW.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.
AND THEN SO THAT LEADS TO
MY NEXT QUESTION FOR YOU,
SENATOR,
MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT
THERE WAS SOME CONCERN FROM
ZILLOW
AND OTHER OPERATORS ABOUT THE
STATE BILL INTERFERING WITH
THEIR LEGITIMATE BUSINESS
PRACTICES.
AND JUST WONDERING IF YOU --
WE DID HEAR SOME PUBLIC COMMENT
TODAY THAT CONCERN THAT
THIS WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO
DO THE WORK AND SO I KNOW YOU
SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO
NAVIGATE
THAT, AND IF YOU COULD
JUST ELABORATE A BIT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THAT WAS AN ISSUE WE
WERE WORKING ON AND FURTHER
REASON
WE BROUGHT IN THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE TO GET
THE LANGUAGE REAL SPECIFIC AND
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY
MET WITH ZILLOW TO WORK THAT
OUT.
I'M NOT SAYING THEY CAME TO AN
AGREEMENT, BUT THE GOAL WAS TO
NOT AFFECT THEIR CURRENT
PRACTICE.
AGAIN, IT MIGHT AFFECT A
FUTURE PLAN PRACTICE, BUT NOT
CURRENT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN MAKE
DATA PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, BUT
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE,
WHERE THERE IS A COORDINATION
FOR
PRICING IS NOT WHAT WE WOULD
ALLOW.
YOU OBVIOUSLY WILL
HEAR DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON
EVERY
DIFFERENT ISSUE.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT I
WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH MY
SENATE STAFF AS WELL TO GET THE
LANGUAGE PRECISE TO AVOID THE
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE AND
WE THINK THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT
IN
TERMS OF THE SUBSTITUTE BILL.
IF NOT THE ORIGINAL BILL THAT
WAS INTRODUCED.
>> OKAY.
SO, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT,
TAMASO, WAS THE BILL YOU
WERE LOOKING AT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> SO BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS
-- THIS IS A LITTLE BIT
TECHNICAL, BUT I KNOW IN
THE SECTION ON PAGE 3, YOU
TAKE EFFORT TO DEFINE,
COORDINATE
AND COORDINATING DO NOT
INCLUDE PUBLISHING RENTAL PRICE
ESTIMATES THAT AND YOU
TALK ABOUT ARE SOLELY BASED
ON PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
INFORMATION, ARE EQUALLY
AVAILABLE TO
ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND
DO NOT REQUIRE A CONTRACT
AGREEMENT OR LICENSE TO OBTAIN.
SO, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY YOU
MADE THAT -- OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS
IN
THE SENATE BILL, BUT ALSO WHY
WE KEPT THAT IN THIS BILL.
>> YEAH, THAT'S AN EFFORT TO --
THAT -- THE DEFINITION INCLUDING
THAT -- THOSE
SPECIFIC EXEMPTIONS IS AN EFFORT
TO
MAKE IT AS NARROWLY TAILORED
AS POSSIBLE TO THIS TYPE OF RENT
--
THIS TYPE OF COORDINATION
SERVICE, WHICH AS I DESCRIBED
IS NOVEL FROM, YOU KNOW,
ESTABLISHED PRACTICES AROUND
MARKET SURVEY OR
INFORMATION ABOUT NTAL PRICING
AND
THE THING THAT I WOULD
JUST EMPHASIZE ONCE AGAIN IS
THAT THE
PROHIBITED -- THE DEFINITION
OF THE PROHIBITED CONDUCT HERE
IS TWO FOLD, THE ONE FACTOR IS,
YOU KNOW, HISTORICAL ANTICIPATED
CONTEMPORARY PRICES, PRICE
CHANGES, SUPPLY LEVELS, ET
CETERA.
SO THE COMBINATION OF PUBLIC
AND/OR PRIVATE DATA, BUT
THE SECOND
ELEMENT, I THINK, IS THE KEY
ONE, THE APPLICATION TO THAT
DATA OF ALGORITHM OR A SYSTEM
THAT WOULD
PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON PRICE
AND OTHER TERMS AND OCCUPANCY
LEVELS, SO, I THINK
THAT'S REALLY THE KEY HERE IS
NOT
JUST WE'RE NOT PROHIBITING --
THIS BILL WOULD NOT PROHIBIT
THE AVAILABILITY OF DATA OR
THE EXCHANGE OF DATA.
IT IS REALLY THE
DATA IN COMBINATION WITH AN
ALGORITHMIC TOOL THAT WOULD SET
SUGGESTED PRICES AND SO THE
DEFINITION
IS CLEAR ABOUT THAT, SO
THE EXCEPTION ALSO MAKES
THAT EXPLICIT THAT THIS BILL IS
NOT
INTENDED TO REGULATE OR PROHIBIT
SHARING OF INFORMATION,
INFORMATION THAT HAS A TOOL,
ANOTHER LAYER OF SOFTWARE TO
IT THAT HAS SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS
ON PRICES AND RENTAL TERMS.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
THAT'S WHERE THE
SUBSCRIPTION LICENSE AGREEMENT
WOULD COME IN?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
TO BE CLEAR, THESE ARE
SERVICES OR PIECES OF SOFTWARE
THAT
ARE SOLD FOR PROFIT TO LANDLORDS
BY COMPANIES THAT OFFER THEM.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>> AND THEN I JUST WANTED --
I'M
ASSUMING, WELL, FOR THE
RECORD, YOU DID RUN ALL OF THE
BILL THROUGH THE LEGAL REVIEW
WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE.
>> YES, AS WITH ALL PIECES
OF LEGISLATION THAT WE WORK
TO DEVELOP OR EVEN THAT ARE SENT
BY THE EXECUTIVE, THEY UNDERGO A
REVIEW BY THE LAW DEPARTMENT
AND IN SPECIFIC WE DID WORK
CLOSELY
WITH OUR COLLEAGUES THERE
TO ENSURE THAT THIS BILL WAS
ADAPTED, THE STATE
LEGISLATION IN A
WAY THAT MADE SENSE FOR THIS
LEGISLATIVE BODY IN
THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
>> MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THOSE
CONVERSATIONS, THOSE
CONVERSATIONS RESULTED IN THE
SUGGESTION OF AMENDMENT
ONE, WHICH IS ALLOWING FOR THE
AWARDING OF ATTORNEYS FEES AND A
PRIVATE RIGHT OF
ACTION.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
AND I'M HAPPY TO SPEAK A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT WHEN
WE GET --
>> WHETHER WE GET THERE.
THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT.
OKAY.
SO, ARE THERE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS?
NO.
NOT SEEING ANY.
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, SO I THINK THAT
ACTUALLY TEES US UP FOR THE NEXT
PROCEDURAL PIECE, WHICH IS
THERE IS AN AMENDMENT ON THE
AGENDA, AMENDMENT 1, AND, AGAIN,
IT IS
MENTIONED, WORKING WITH THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THIS
WAS
A RECOMMENDATION THEY MADE,
SO, I'M NOW GOING TO MOVE TO
AMEND COUNCIL BILL 121000 AS
PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT 1.
IS THERE
A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION
OF THE
AMENDMENT.
TAMASO, IF YOU COULD WALK
US THROUGH
THAT.
>> YES, CHAIR.
THIS AMENDMENT, AS YOU
MENTIONED, FAIRLY
STRAIGHTFORWARD, IT WOULD
AMEND THE PRIVATE RIGHT OF
ACTION
SECTION OF THIS BILL TO
ALLOW ATTORNEYS FEES AND OTHER
COSTS
TO BE RECOVERED BY A PRIVATE
PARTY WHO HAS A SUCCESSFUL CLAIM
UNDER THE PRIVATE RIGHT OF
ACTION.
AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS WAS
SUGGESTED BY OUR CITY
ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE AS A WAY TO MAKE THE --
PROVIDE MORE INCENTIVE
FOR PRIVATE PARTIES TO UTILIZE
THIS PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION AS
WELL
AS POTENTIALLY ADDRESS,
MINIMIZE THE FISCAL IMPACT BY
ALLOWING
MORE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS TO BE
PURSUED BY INJURED
PRIVATE PARTIES AND IN ADDITION
TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
BEING
AN ENFORCEMENT BODY FOR THIS
LEGISLATION.
AND I SHOULD SAY THERE ARE --
THERE ARE OTHER AREAS OF PRIVATE
RIGHTS OF ACTION THAT EXIST IN
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE
THAT ALLOW FOR RECOVERY OF FEES
IN THIS MANNER.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
AND I THINK SOME OF THOSE
OTHER PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION
EXIST WITHIN THE RENTAL CONTEXT
AND
RSMC, DO THEY NOT?
>> I BELIEVE THAT'S
CORRECT.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
THIS AMENDMENT?
ALL RIGHT.
NOT SEEING ANY.
SO, I KNOW THERE ARE FOUR OF THE
FIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS HERE
TODAY.
OBVIOUSLY I'M
COMFORTABLE PROCEEDING VOTING,
BUT I
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH OF
MY
COLLEAGUES WOULD BE
COMFORTABLE VOTING ON THIS
TODAY. IT IS EXPEDITED, I
RECOGNIZE
THAT.
PARTLY BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT IS
RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD,
PARTLY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN
FULLY VETTED IN THE STATE
LEGISLATURE.
AND WE'RE BASICALLY
MIRRORING WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.
I KNOW WE HEARD A FEW
COMMENTS ABOUT REQUESTING EXTRA
TIME FOR
TWEAKS.
I DON'T VIEW THAT THERE
IS ANYTHING WE NEED TO TWEAK
HERE.
I THINK WE HAVE DONE THAT WORK.
BUT, THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.
I JUST WANT TO --
AGAIN, CERTAINLY HAPPY TO EXTEND
IT TO THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING
IF
THAT'S THE PREFERENCE OF THE
COMMITTEE.
SO, ARE THERE COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA, ARE YOU CONFIDENT
PROCEEDING WITH THE VOTE TODAY?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I AM COMFORTABLE.
I DEFER TO YOU AS CHAIR.
BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
FOR CHECKING IN, CHECKING THE
PULSE, ENGAGING OUR
COLLECTIVE COMFORT LEVEL.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, I
SEE YOUR HAND.
>> YES, ALSO WANT
TO -- THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I
AM
ALSO COMFORTABLE VOTING ON THIS
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
SO, AT THAT POINT THEN, LET'S
VOTE ON AMENDMENT 1.
CLERK, IF YOU COULD CALL THE
ROLL ON THE ADOPTION
OF AMENDMENT
1.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>>
YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>>
AYE.
>> VICE CHAIR
SOLOMON.
>> AYE.
>> CHAIR
MOORE.
>> AYE.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY FINAL COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS ON THE UNDERLYING BILL
121000 AS AMENDED?
YES, COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
COUNCIL BILL FORWARD AND FOR
ALLOWING MYSELF AND
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS TO
CO- SPONSOR IT AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, SENATOR
SOLOMON.
I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO SEE
THIS LEGISLATION FAIL TO PASS AT
THE
STATE
LEVEL, SO I'M GRATEFUL WE'RE
BRINGING THIS FORWARD ON
THE LOCAL LEVEL TO MAKE
SURE SEATTLE CONTINUES TO
PROTECT
OUR RENTERS FROM THE HARMFUL
PRACTICES OF CORPORATE LANDLORDS
AND THEIR USE OF
MAXIMIZING PROFITS AT THE
EXPENSE OF
WORKING PEOPLE.
RENT FIXING IS CRIMINAL.
IN THE AGE OF A.I. AND NEW
TECHNOLOGIES, IT IS ESSENTIAL
THAT OUR LAW KEEPS UP WITH THE
TIMES.
AND AS A CITY, THAT IS MAJORITY
RENTERS, AND AS THE ONLY
RENTER ON THIS BODY, I KNOW HOW
HARMFUL THESE PRACTICES ARE.
AND I LIVED IN FIVE
DIFFERENT APARTMENTS IN EIGHT
YEARS.
AND THAT IS NOT A
UNIQUE EXPERIENCE BY FAR.
SO, FOR AN ALGORITHM TO
DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE IS
ABLE TO AFFORD TO KEEP THEIR
HOME OR
POTENTIALLY BE PRICED OUT OF
THE CITY, JUST IN SERVICE OF
MAXIMUM PROFIT, IS
UNCONSCIONABLE AND
SEATTLE HAD A LONG HISTORY
OF STANDING UP FOR OUR RENTERS
AND
I'M HAPPY THAT WE ARE
LEADING THE WAY ONCE AGAIN WITH
THIS
LEGISLATION. AND
I'M EXCITED TO VOTE YES TODAY.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK. ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
ALL RIGHT.
SEEING NONE, YEAH, I TOO WANTED
TO SAY THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, SENATOR SOLOMON, FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS, AND,
YOU
KNOW, MAKING
THIS BASICALLY MAKING IT
POSSIBLE.
I WISH IT HAD PASSED IN OLYMPIA
AND MAYBE IT WILL COME BACK
AND BE SUCCESSFUL AND I
AM OPTIMISTIC THAT WILL HAPPEN.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I'M
PLEASED THAT YOU'VE LAID THE
GROUNDWORK FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
PURSUE
THIS IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE
WHICH
HAS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF
RENTERS AND ALWAYS HAS.
AND AS SOMEBODY WHO RENTED
FOR 36 PLUS YEARS OF MY LIFE,
RAISED MY ENTIRE FAMILY IN A
RENTAL
HOUSING, AND UNDERSTANDS
THE NEED TO HAVE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING,
I'M PLEASED TO BE BRINGING
FORTH, SORT OF CARRYING ON
THE TORCH YOU STARTED HERE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
WITH THAT SAID, COULD THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>>
AYE.
>> VICE CHAIR SOLOMON.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE MAY HAVE
LOST HIM FROM THE ZOOM.
CHAIR MOORE.
>> YES.
>> THREE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> OKAY.
TRY TO GET HIM BACK?
>>
OKAY, JUST ONE TECHNICAL ISSUE
HERE.
>> YEAH.
>> THERE HE IS.
THERE WE GO.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
>> I'LL RUN THROUGH THE ROLL
AGAIN.
>> DO THE VOTE AGAIN, THANK
YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> THERE IS FOR COUNCIL BILL
121000 AS AMENDED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>>
AYE.
>> VICE CHAIR SOLOMON?
>>
AYE.
>> CHAIR
MOORE.
>>
AYE.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE MOTION PASSES AND
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO
PASS THE BILL AS AMENDED WILL BE
SENT TO THE JUNE 17th CITY
COUNCIL
MEETING.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH TO TAMASO, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORK AND THANK YOU, SENATOR
SOLOMON, FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
YOUR COMMENTS AND BACKGROUND
WERE VERY HELPFUL TO THE
DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA, FOR COMING DOWN TO
OLYMPIA FOR HELPING OUT AND
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK AND
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, YOU
HAVE THE BEST NAME IN THE WORLD.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO, THANK YOU TO MY
COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR QUICK WORK
ON THIS.
I THINK IT IS AN IMPORTANT STEP.
IT WON'T SOLVE ALL THE
PROBLEMS, BUT EVERY TOOL THAT WE
HAVE
WE NEED TO BE
UTILIZING IN THIS TIME OF
CRISIS.
SO, THANK
YOU. SO, THIS DOES CONCLUDE THE
JUNE 11th MEETING IN THE HOUSING
AND
HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE,
THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED
FOR JUNE 25th, 2025, THE TIME IS
11:32. AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
AND THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON FOR
DIALING IN WHEN YOU ARE
NOT FEELING WELL.
I WILL BE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL
FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO DO SO
AND FEEL BETTER.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO
CAME TO VISIT US TODAY.
YOU GOT TO SEE A BILL
BE DISCUSSED AND MOVED AND VOTED
ON.
SO, THAT'S HOW IT WORKS
HERE.
SO, THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT DAY.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.