[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
-- GOOD MORNING. THE HUMAN
SERVICES, LABOR AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING OF
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL WILL
NOW COME TO ORDER. IT IS 9:33
A.M. FRIDAY, JULY 17th, 2026.
I'M COUNCILMEMBER ALEXIS
MERCEDES RINCK, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. WILL THE COMMITTEE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL AND
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT?
COUNCIL PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH
AND VICE CHAIR FOSTER ARE
EXCUSED.
-- COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
-- MORNING HERE.
-- CHAIR RINCK PRESENT CHAIR.
-- THERE ARE THREE MEMBERS
PRESENT AND TWO EXCUSED.
-- THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE
ON TO APPROVAL OF TODAY'S
AGENDA. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. THANK
YOU. COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE A
ROBUST AGENDA FOR TODAY. FIRST,
WE HAVE A BRIEFING, DISCUSSION
AND POSSIBLE VOTES ON AN
ORDINANCE BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL
BY SEATTLE HUMAN SERVICES, HUMAN
RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND SEATTLE
I.T., WHICH WHICH CLASS ACTION
SERIES FOR INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS ACROSS
THE CITY. THE DEPARTMENT SAY
THAT THIS UPDATE IS CRUCIAL TO
THE CITY'S ABILITY TO ATTRACT
AND RETAIN IT WORKERS. FOLLOWING
THAT, THERE WILL BE A BRIEFING
FROM THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, OR OED, REGARDING
COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY ISSUES
IN SEATTLE. THE AFFORDABILITY
CRISIS IN SEATTLE ISN'T JUST
HURTING PEOPLE AND FAMILIES,
IT'S ALSO IMPACTING OUR LOCAL
BUSINESSES AND NEIGHBORHOOD
BUSINESS DISTRICTS AND OUR
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
HAS LONG WORKED TO SUPPORT SMALL
BUSINESSES AND INVEST IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICTS,
AND THIS WORK HAS GIVEN THEM
UNIQUE INSIGHTS INTO THE MANY
CHALLENGES FACING OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES. AND I'M REALLY
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING
DIRECTLY FROM THEM TODAY. AND
THEN WE WILL CLOSE WITH A
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION WITH SMALL
BUSINESSES ON HOW THEY'RE BEING
IMPACTED FROM SECURING A GOOD
LEASE TO FUNDING TENANT
IMPROVEMENTS, TO DEALING WITH
SKYROCKETING INSURANCE COSTS OR
PERMIT SURPRISES. OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES AND THE FOLKS WHO
LEASE TO THEM HAVE TO NAVIGATE A
LOT TO MAKE ENDS MEET IN THE
BEST OF TIMES. AND I THINK WE
KNOW WE ARE NOT IN THE BEST OF
TIMES RIGHT NOW. SO WE'RE GOING
TO BE HEARING FROM FOLKS ON THE
FRONT LINES OF COMMERCIAL
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS AND ABOUT
THE HEADWINDS THEY FACE IN
TRYING TO BUILD AND FIND SPACE
FOR THEIR BUSINESSES. AND IT IS
MY HOPE THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM
THE MOST IMPACTED AND WORK
TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO
REMOVE SOME OF THESE OBSTACLES
THAT PEOPLE ARE FACING. AND WITH
THAT, WE WILL NOW OPEN THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC
COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS
ON TODAY'S AGENDA OR WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE CLERK.
HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE
SIGNED UP FOR TODAY?
-- CURRENTLY, WE HAVE TWO
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS SIGNED UP AND
ONE REMOTE SPEAKER.
-- THANK YOU. EACH SPEAKER WILL
HAVE TWO MINUTES, AND WE WILL
START WITH IN PERSON SPEAKERS.
FIRST 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 60
MINUTES. SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED
IN 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. PLEASE BEGIN SPEAKING
BY STATING YOUR NAME AND THE
ITEM THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
10 SECONDS ARE LEFT ON THEIR
TIME. SPEAKERS WILL BE MUTED IF
THEY DO NOT END THEIR COMMENTS
WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME. TO
ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT
SPEAKER. THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS NOW OPEN, AND WE WILL
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON
THE LIST.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH, CLERK. THE
FIRST IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS HIND
OUSLEY. WHICHEVER MIC YOU'D
LIKE, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THE MIC
CLOSE TO YOUR MOUTH SO WE CAN
FULLY HEAR YOUR REMARKS.
PERFECT.
-- GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR RINCK AND
COUNCILMEMBERS. I'M AND I'M
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
REFUGEE ARTISAN INITIATIVE OUT
OF LAKE CITY. HELLO. I JOINED IN
MY POSITION IN MAY AND IT'S BEEN
A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH A GROUP
OF COMMITTED TEAM MEMBERS AND
ARTISANS THAT WE SUPPORT THROUGH
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. OUR FOCUS
IS ON CREATING INCOME THROUGH
PATHWAYS THAT ARE SUSTAINABLE
FOR REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT WOMEN
THAT ARE LIVE THROUGHOUT
SEATTLE. IN ADDITION TO THE LAKE
CITY AREA, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE TACKLE IS BEING ABLE TO
NOT ONLY PROVIDE THE TRAINING
AND THEN FIND JOB PLACEMENT, BUT
ALSO SUPPORT THE WOMEN WHO
GRADUATE IN THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY
OR CATERING INDUSTRY OR OTHER
INDUSTRIES THAT THEY'RE
INTERESTED IN, BE ABLE TO FIND A
PLACE WHERE THEY CAN START THEIR
OWN MICRO-ENTERPRISE IN LAKE
CITY IN PARTICULAR, IT'S IT'S A
WONDERFUL LOCATION WHERE
THERE'S A THRIVING COMMUNITY OF
IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES.
HOWEVER, WE'RE DAUNTED BY THE
FACT THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF
BUSINESSES THAT ARE VACANT,
CLOSED WHERE THEY HAVE ABSENT
LANDOWNERS OR BUSINESS OWNERS.
AND IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT
FOR FOR NEW ENTERPRISES TO START
UP AND BE ABLE TO FIND LOCATIONS
THAT WORK FOR THEM. SO AS WE
LOOK FORWARD, WE'D LIKE TO KEEP
OUR ENTERPRISING PATHWAYS FOR
OUR WOMEN AND REFUGEES IN THE
AREAS WHERE THEY LIVE AND WORK,
LIKE IN LAKE CITY, WHERE THEY
HAVE A COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S VERY
DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO BREAK IN
TO TO LAKE CITY IN PARTICULAR.
SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS
WE TALK ABOUT THE, THE
AFFORDABILITY AND
COMMERCIALIZATION ASPECT OF THE
TOPIC TODAY. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT
IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS FATIMA
-- HI. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR RINCK
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME
IS FATIMA AND I ALSO REPRESENT
REFUGEE ARTISAN INITIATIVE. MY
COLLEAGUE JUST SHARED A LOT OF
IMPORTANT THINGS, AND I ALSO
WANT TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE
COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY MATTERS
AS IT RELATES TO OUR COMMUNITY.
ACCORDING TO A NEW AMERICANS IN
WASHINGTON STUDY, THERE ARE
ROUGHLY ONLY ABOUT 80,000
IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS AND 7400
REFUGEE ENTREPRENEURS IN
WASHINGTON, WITH ONLY A SMALL OF
THAT SMALL PORTION OF THEM BEING
WOMEN IN SEATTLE. MANY OF OUR
ARTISANS ARE INTERESTED IN THE
ENTREPRENEURIAL PATH. A COUPLE
ARE CURRENTLY SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS THEMSELVES, AS HAD
MENTIONED, SELLING GOODS THEY'VE
MADE RUNNING ENTERPRISES OUT OF
THEIR HOMES OR SHARED SPACES,
MARKETS, AND STOREFRONTS ACROSS
THE CITY. RISING COSTS FOR
WORKSPACE, MATERIALS AND RETAIL
SPACE DIRECTLY DETERMINE WHETHER
THE TRAINING AND INCOME
GENERATION WORK WE DO ACTUALLY
TRANSLATES INTO LASTING,
SUSTAINABLE, INDEPENDENT
LIVELIHOODS. AS YOU HEAR FROM
OED AND OTHER COMMUNITY
PRESENTERS TODAY ON COMMERCIAL
AFFORDABILITY, WE ASK THAT
REFUGEE LED, IMMIGRANT LED AND
WOMEN LED MICRO-ENTERPRISES STAY
A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
THESE ARE EXACTLY THE SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT CITYWIDE
AFFORDABILITY POLICY CAN MAKE OR
BREAK. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO
ENCOURAGE TO FOR THE COUNCIL TO
THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE IT
COMPETITIVE TO AFFORD LOCALLY
MADE ITEMS VERSUS THINGS THAT
ARE INTERNATIONAL OR CHEAPER,
EVEN DESPITE THE TARIFFS.
THAT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE LOCALLY.
AND ADDITIONALLY, HOW CAN WE
COMPETE WITH CORPORATIONS LIKE
AMAZON AND OTHERS WHO PROVIDE
DELIVERY, ESPECIALLY IN A CITY
WHERE YOU MAY NOT HAVE
TRANSPORTATION TO KIND OF ACCESS
THESE MATERIALS AND BUSINESSES.
AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF
SEATTLE FOR SERVICES DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE,
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES. WE'RE
EXCITED TO KEEP SHARING OUR
IMPACT THROUGH THIS FUNDING THAT
WE'VE RECEIVED AND THE
PARTICIPANTS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME. APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED
PARTNERSHIP.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH, FATIMA
WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW MOVE TO
OUR REMOTE SPEAKERS
-- THE FIRST ONLINE SPEAKER IS
DAVID HAYNES. PLEASE PRESS STAR
SIX. WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT.
YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED.
-- HI. THANK YOU, DAVID HAYNES.
ONE OF THE WORST THINGS ABOUT
SEATTLE IS WHEN THE DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE ASSOCIATION HIRED A
RETAIL ADVOCATE WHO TESTIFIED
BEFORE COUNCIL THAT THE BEST
SIGN OF A HEALTHY ECONOMY IS
WHEN ALL RENTS ARE UP. AND IF
YOU TOOK A. IF YOU TAKE A LOOK
AT THE LOW QUALITY BUILDINGS
THAT. THE SMALL BUSINESSES ARE
FORCED TO SHARE, LIKE
SHARECROPPER RENTALS THAT ARE
BEING SHAKEN DOWN, THAT ARE
FORCED TO DEBT SERVICE A POLICE
STATE ECONOMY OF ARTIFICIALLY
INFLATED PROPERTY VALUES THAT
DEVALUE THE WORKING CLASS
VALUES. WE NEED TO REVISIT THE
PREDATORY STALKING KING COUNTY
PROPERTY ASSESSORS. DAMAGE TO
THE ECONOMY WHEN JOHN WILSON
PURPOSELY DOUBLED AND TRIPLED
THE ARTIFICIAL INFLATED PROPERTY
VALUES, NEVER LETTING UP ON
GOUGING THE TAXES. AND YET THE
POLITICIANS LOOK THE OTHER WAY
BECAUSE THEY LEVITATED OFF THE
PROPERTY VALUES. BUT THE PROBLEM
IS, WHEN THE SMALL BUSINESS
OPENS UP, THEY DON'T HAVE THE
ROBUST FLOOR SPACE TO OFFER THE
GRACE OF PERSONAL SPACE FOR THE
CUSTOMER TO MAKE THE
NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL INVITED.
INSTEAD, THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS
RUSHED AND HURRIED AND BOTHERED
BY THE PERSONAL SPACE THAT
SOMEBODY ELSE INVADES. BECAUSE
OF THE FLAWED FLOOR PLANS, LIKE
SEATTLE NEEDS A 21st CENTURY
FIRST WORLD QUALITY
REDEVELOPMENT. INSTEAD OF TRYING
TO PROP UP THE SAME DILAPIDATED,
INFLATED, FLAWED FLOOR PLANS
THAT ARE STILL OWNED BY THE
BANKS THAT ARE SHAKING DOWN THE
SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING
TO BE WELFARE SUBSIDIZED BASED
ON THEIR SKIN COLOR AND THEIR
ORIENTATION FOR SHORT PERIOD OF
TIME ONLY IF THEY KEEP PROPPING
UP THE ARTIFICIALLY INFLATED
PROPERTY VALUES THAT KEEP
HITTING THE EMPLOYER AGAINST THE
EMPLOYEE WHO DOES ALL THE WORK.
YET BECAUSE OF ALL THE MONEY
THAT'S BEING PAID TO
ARTIFICIALLY PROP UP INFLATED,
DILAPIDATED, FLAWED FLOOR PLANS
IN THE REAL ESTATE, IT'S
DESTROYING THE ECONOMY. BUT WHEN
YOU ALL CHANGE EVERYTHING IN A
RACIST PERVERSION, REGURGITATING
HATE.
-- THANK YOU DAVID. THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL REGISTERED SPEAKERS,
SO WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO OUR
ITEMS OF BUSINESS. AND FIRST,
MOVING TO OUR FIRST ITEM OF
BUSINESS, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM ONE INTO THE RECORD?
-- ITEM ONE COUNCIL BILL ONE
21225. AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO
CITY EMPLOYMENT ESTABLISHING THE
NEW INFORMATION I.T TALENT
MODERNIZATION, CLASSIFICATION,
TITLE STRUCTURE AND
CORRESPONDING RATES OF PAY FOR
IT POSITIONS ACROSS CITY
DEPARTMENTS. BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTES.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND AS OUR
PRESENTERS GET SETTLED IN AT THE
TABLE, YOU CAN PLEASE UNMUTE
YOUR MICROPHONES AND INTRODUCE
YOURSELF BY STATING YOUR FULL
NAME INTO THE MICROPHONE FOR THE
PUBLIC RECORD.
-- GOOD MORNING. I'M DR.
KIMBERLY LOVING AND I'M THE
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR OF SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS SHANNON
SMITH. I AM THE CHIEF TECHNOLOGY
OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
-- AND AGAIN, GOOD MORNING,
WILLIAM WINFIELD. I AM THE
CITY'S LABOR RELATIONS DIRECTOR.
-- GOOD MORNING. COUNCILMEMBERS.
WILLIAM SMITH, CHIEF OF STAFF
FOR SEATTLE I.T.
-- SO BEAR WITH ME. I HAVEN'T
USED THIS LAPTOP YET, SO THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. TODAY
WE ARE BRINGING TO YOU SOME
PROPOSED LEGISLATION FOR
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, TALENT
MODERNIZATION. I JUST WANT TO
BRIEFLY GO OVER THE AGENDA, AND
THEN MY COLLEAGUES AND I WILL
TALK ABOUT THE INFORMATION THAT
WE HAVE FOR YOU TODAY. SO WE'RE
GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE
OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF THIS
INITIATIVE. THE PURPOSE OF THE
PROPOSED LEGISLATION. THEN WE'RE
GOING TO SPEAK TO THE CURRENT
STATE, WHY WE'RE EXCITED TO
BRING THIS LEGISLATION TO YOU.
THE CURRENT FINANCIAL IMPACTS,
AND THEN SPEAK TO THE NEXT STEPS
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS THANK
YOU.
-- SO BEFORE WE DISCUSS THE
LEGISLATION ITSELF, I'D LIKE TO
PROVIDE JUST A BRIEF AMOUNT OF
CONTEXT ABOUT HOW WE ARRIVED
HERE TODAY. SO THE CITY'S IT
CLASSIFICATION STRUCTURE HAS
REMAINED LARGELY UNCHANGED FOR
NEARLY 30 YEARS. WHILE THE
NATURE OF TECHNOLOGY WORK HAS
EVOLVED DRAMATICALLY AS
SEATTLEITE MODERNIZED ITS
OPERATIONS OVER THE YEARS, AND
ITS SERVICES, IT BECAME
INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT THE
CLASSIFICATION SPECIFICATIONS
ASSOCIATED WITH THAT WORK NEEDED
TO EVOLVE AS WELL. SO OVER THE
PAST SEVERAL YEARS, OUR PARTNERS
HERE AT SEATTLE, I T HAVE
UNDERTAKEN A COMPREHENSIVE
TALENT MODERNIZATION EFFORT IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH S D HR TO
DEVELOP A CLASSIFICATION
FRAMEWORK THAT BETTER REFLECTS
TODAY'S. IT PROFESSIONALS AND
THE WORK THEY PERFORM. THE
PROPOSED FRAMEWORK IS THE RESULT
OF MARKET INFORMED RESEARCH AND
ESTABLISHED INDUSTRY BEST
PRACTICES, AND TODAY'S
LEGISLATION IS AN IMPORTANT
MILESTONE IN THAT EFFORT. AND WE
ARE REALLY EXCITED. IT
ESTABLISHES THE FRAMEWORK THAT
ALLOWS THE CITY TO MOVE INTO THE
NEXT PHASE OF THIS PROJECT,
WHICH OUR LABOR RELATIONS
DIRECTOR WILL NOW WALK YOU
THROUGH ALL RIGHT.
-- THANK YOU, DR. LEVY. SO THE
PURPOSE OF THE ORDINANCE THAT'S
BEING PRESENTED TODAY, IF
PASSED, WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO
BARGAIN CHANGES TO THE CITY'S
I.T CLASSIFICATION AND
COMPENSATION PROGRAM. CURRENTLY,
THERE ARE ONLY THREE I TEP OR I
PROFESSIONAL CLASSIFICATIONS A,
B AND C, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO
EXPAND THOSE CLASSIFICATIONS TO
A LITTLE OVER 40 TO ALIGN WITH
THE ACTUAL BODY OF WORK BEING
DONE BY THE EMPLOYEES. AND
AGAIN, THE CORRESPONDING
COMPENSATION PROGRAM. SO AGAIN,
IF THIS LEGISLATION IS PASSED,
IT WOULD ALLOW LABOR RELATIONS
TO ENGAGE IN BARGAINING WITH
LOCAL 77. WHO REPRESENTS A
LITTLE OVER 560 IT
PROFESSIONALS. AND WHILE THERE
ARE OTHER IT PROFESSIONALS THAT
ARE REPRESENTED BY OTHER UNIONS,
THE GOAL OF THIS LEGISLATION, IF
PASSED, WOULD ALLOW US TO
BARGAIN WITH LOCAL 77. ONCE WE
CONCLUDE THOSE NEGOTIATIONS, IF
WE REACH AN AGREEMENT, THEN
THOSE TERMS WOULD SUBSEQUENTLY
GO THROUGH OUR LEGISLATION
PROCESS FOR APPROVAL AND THEN
IMPLEMENT IT. AND ONCE THAT'S
DONE, THEN WE WOULD ENGAGE WITH
THOSE OTHER UNIONS WHO HAVE IT
PROFESSIONALS THAT THEY
REPRESENT.
-- THANK YOU WILLIAM. SO
PURPOSES OF WHY THIS PROJECT IS
SO IMPORTANT, THERE ARE MANY
OBJECTIVES, ONE OF WHICH IS THE
CONSISTENCY IN PAY PRACTICES. WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR IT
PROFESSIONALS HAVE AN ALIGNMENT
IN TERMS OF THEIR PAY. THAT IS
ALSO IN COMPARABLE TO INDUSTRY
STANDARD. AND WHEN I WHEN I
SPEAK ABOUT INDUSTRY STANDARD,
I'M NOT NECESSARILY TALKING
ABOUT THE MICROSOFTS OF THE
WORLD. I'M TALKING MORE SO
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN THIS
AREA, IN THE REGION, RETENTION
AND SATISFACTION. WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROJECT ALSO
HELPS IN THE RETENTION OF OUR
TALENTED I.T. STAFF, BUT ALSO
BEING ABLE TO ATTRACT TALENTED
STAFF AS WELL. SO WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT OUR STRUCTURE IS
TRANSPARENT AND PROVIDES FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR A HUGE MORALE
BOOST. THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE
ACTUAL PROGRAM, IT'S ALLOWS US
THE ABILITY TO HAVE CLEAR AND
ENGAGING CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR
EMPLOYEES, OUR MANAGERS, AND OUR
UNION PARTNERS. THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR US SO THAT WE CAN
MOVE FORWARD IN OUR
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE, BUT ALSO
FOR THE ITP SERIES AS A WHOLE,
IT HELPS REDUCE BIAS. IT'S CLEAR
OBJECTIVES AS TO WHERE EVERYONE
SITS. IT ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO
SEE THEIR CAREER PATH AS THEY
MOVE FORWARD. AND, YOU KNOW,
THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR
INDIVIDUALS TO SAY, HEY, I LOVE
WHAT I'M DOING NOW, BUT I WANT
TO BE IN THIS JOB TWO YEARS FROM
NOW. IT PROVIDES CLARITY AND
CLEAR PATH FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BE
ABLE TO DO THAT. AND THEN
LASTLY, THE BUDGET CONSISTENCY,
AS WE KNOW, AS WE TACKLE THE
BUDGET THROUGHOUT THE YEARS,
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND CLEARLY WHAT'S
HAPPENING FROM A BUDGET
PERSPECTIVE WITHIN THIS
CLASSIFICATION, WE WILL CLEARLY
BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR
UNION PARTNERS, BUT ALSO BE ABLE
TO MAKE DEPARTMENTAL, WIDE
DECISIONS BASED OFF OF THE
INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, WHICH
THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW US TO
DO.
-- SO WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT
BUDGET, WE ALSO WANT TO CALL OUT
THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS. AT THIS
TIME. THE LEGISLATION THAT IS
PROPOSED HAVE NO FINANCIAL
IMPACTS. THERE WILL LIKELY BE
FINANCIAL IMPACTS WHEN EMPLOYEES
ARE PLACED INTO THIS NEW
STRUCTURE, BUT ALL OF THIS
CANNOT BE DETERMINED AT THIS
TIME, AND IT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO
BARGAINING. ANY POTENTIAL
DOWNSTREAM FINANCIAL IMPACTS
WOULD BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL
FOR WITH FUTURE LEGISLATION AS
PART OF THE COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH 77. SO
IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, WE ASK
THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVE THIS
LEGISLATION. AFTER THAT, WE WILL
PREPARE FOR BARGAINING ONCE
THOSE NEGOTIATIONS ARE COMPLETE,
WE WOULD RETURN WITH FUTURE
LEGISLATION, AND THEN WE WOULD
IMPLEMENT THE BARGAINING
STRUCTURE AFTER THAT. SO WE
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. WE NOW
PAUSE TO SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR US.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS
OVERVIEW AND FOR YOUR WORK ON
THIS. COLLEAGUES, OPENING IT UP
TO YOU FIRST FOR ANY QUESTIONS
YOU HAVE FOR OUR PANEL ON THIS
PRESENTATION
NOT SEEING ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT
NOW? WELL, I'LL AT LEAST ASK
ONE FOR TODAY. JUST A MATTER OF
UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS
CLASSIFICATION CHANGE WILL
AFFECT NEARLY 600. IF I HEARD
CORRECTLY. OR WAS IT FIVE, A MIX
OF BETWEEN 500 600 IT
PROFESSIONALS ACROSS CITY OF
SEATTLE CAN SEE. AND IT JUST
EXPLAIN. JUST BREAK DOWN THE
CURRENT AND PROPOSED
CLASSIFICATION STRUCTURE AND
JUST HIGHLIGHT THOSE KEY
DIFFERENCES
-- SURE.
-- SO THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION. COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
SO CURRENTLY THERE ARE THREE
CLASSIFICATIONS IN THE IT
PROFESSIONAL CLASSIFICATIONS.
THEY ARE THE A, B AND C WITH THE
A BEING THE HIGHEST IN THE
SERIES WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING
WITHIN THIS LEGISLATION IS TO BE
ABLE TO BARGAIN EXPANDING THOSE
CLASSIFICATIONS TO OVER 40 THAT
IDENTIFY THE ACTUAL BODIES OF
WORK THAT ARE BEING DONE BY
THOSE EMPLOYEES IN THOSE
CLASSIFICATIONS, AND INCLUDING
THE TYPES OF DOMAINS OF THE WORK
THAT THEY ACTUALLY DO. SO
THAT'S WHY WE'RE PROPOSING
EXPANDING THAT. AND AGAIN, IT
RECOGNIZES THE ACTUAL WORK THAT
THE INDIVIDUALS ARE DOING AS
WELL. IT ALSO HELPS WITH
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE IDENTIFYING
SOME WORK, SOMEONE WHO DOES,
LET'S SAY WEBSITE RELATED WORK
TO ACTUAL ENGINEERING TYPE WORK
IS DIFFERENT. SO WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE IDENTIFYING
THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE
EMPLOYEES AND RESPECTING THOSE
ROLES AND THEIR EXPERIENCES IN
THOSE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS.
-- AND SO WE DO HAVE ROUGHLY 550
EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE THIS
CLASSIFICATION. THE MAJORITY OF
THEM ARE IN SEATTLE. I T THERE
ARE A FEW IN SOME ADDITIONAL
DEPARTMENTS, BUT WE CONTINUE TO
COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE
DEPARTMENTS AND WILL WORK WITH
THEM OVER TIME. BUT OUR FOCUS
TODAY IS REALLY ON SEATTLEITE.
MY DEPARTMENT.
-- COLLEAGUES, IF THERE'S NO
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW,
I DO INTEND TO PUT THIS TO A
VOTE TO ADVANCE OUT OF COMMITTEE
TODAY. SO FINAL CALL, UNLESS
THERE'S ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS. HEARING AND SEEING
NONE, I MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF COUNCIL
BILL ONE, 21225. IS THERE A
SECOND? SECOND AND IS MOVED AND
SECONDED TO RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF
THE BILL? ANY FINAL COMMENTS ALL
RIGHT. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION TO PASS THE BILL?
-- COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER SAKA. AYE.
-- CHAIR RINCK YES.
-- THERE ARE THREE IN FAVOR,
ZERO OPPOSED.
-- THANK YOU. THE MOTION CARRIES
AND THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
TO PASS THE BILL WILL BE SENT TO
THE JULY 28th FULL CITY COUNCIL
MEETING. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE IN COMMITTEE THIS MORNING
AND FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
EXCITED TO SEE HOW THE WORK
MOVES FORWARD.
-- THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
-- THANK YOU COLLEAGUES. WE WILL
NOW MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND ITEM
OF BUSINESS. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM TWO INTO THE
RECORD?
-- ITEM TWO BRIEFING ON
COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY FOR
SMALL BUSINESS BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH. AT THIS
POINT, I WILL BE INVITING UP OUR
COLLEAGUES FROM THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO COME UP
TO THE TABLE.
GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE TODAY. AND WHEN
YOU GET SETTLED IN, TAKE A
MOMENT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR
THE RECORD. THANK YOU.
-- ALICIA. DEPUTY DIRECTOR,
SEATTLE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
-- HEIDI HALL WITH THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
-- I'M JEN CERRONE AT OED AS
WELL.
-- PLEASE PROCEED WITH THE
PRESENTATION.
-- OKAY, GREAT. SO WE'RE HERE TO
GIVE SOME QUICK FRAMING BRIEFING
AROUND OUR OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT OR OED WORK ON
COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY. AND
BEFORE HEIDI AND JEN TAKE IT
AWAY, I'LL JUST DO SOME QUICK
LEVEL SETTING ON OED ROLE
OVERALL AS AN OFFICE. AND SO OUR
OVERALL FOCUS IS LEADING
PROJECTS AND MAKING INVESTMENTS
THAT OPEN UP ACCESS TO ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES, REDUCE THE RACIAL
WEALTH GAP, AND ENCOURAGE
INNOVATION AND GROWTH. AND ALL
OF THIS IS GUIDED BY THE
COMMUNITY DRIVEN FUTURE OF
SEATTLE ECONOMY FRAMEWORK, WHICH
WAS ADOPTED AS CITY POLICY IN
RESOLUTION 32099. SO THE FUTURE
OF SEATTLE ECONOMY FRAMEWORK
SETS OUT FIVE PILLARS FOR
INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH. THOSE
INCLUDE INVESTING IN TALENT AND
BUILDING OUR WORKFORCE,
SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND
WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED
BUSINESS ENTERPRISES, GROWING
BUSINESSES AND KEY INDUSTRIES,
BUILDING COMMUNITY WEALTH AND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, AND
INVESTING IN NEIGHBORHOOD
BUSINESS DISTRICTS. AND SO
COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY CROSSES
A FEW OF THESE PILLARS. AND IN
OUR IN OUR WORK, WE ALSO SEEK TO
STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN
SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND
COMPETING IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY.
SINCE OUR ECONOMY IS AN
ECOSYSTEM AND WE REALLY NEED
BOTH, THEY ARE MUTUALLY
REINFORCING AND OUR COMMERCIAL
AFFORDABILITY WORK. I'LL JUST
GIVE THE CAVEAT, SINCE IT'S A
TERM THAT CAN BE BROAD, IT
REALLY FOCUSES ON SMALL
BUSINESSES OR BRICK AND MORTAR
BUSINESSES IN NEIGHBORHOODS. WE
ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY
MACROECONOMIC FACTORS THAT
AFFECT AFFORDABILITY FOR
BUSINESSES. AND AS WE'VE DONE
OUR WORK, WE HAVE TRIED TO ALSO
UNDERSTAND WHERE DOES THE CITY
HAVE LEVERS AND INFLUENCE, EVEN
ON THINGS, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE
LIKE CAPITAL ACCESS. THE OTHER
THING I'LL NOTE JUST ABOUT HOW
OED DOES OUR WORK IN GENERAL IS
WE TRY TO KEEP IN MIND THREE
DISTINCT ROLES THAT WE HAVE. AND
OF COURSE, THEY OVERLAP IN SOME
WAYS TOO. WE ARE A RESPONDER AND
IMPLEMENTER. WE PROVIDE DIRECT
SERVICE TO BUSINESSES AND PART
OF OUR GOALS IS TO BE HIGHLY
RESPONSIVE TO BUSINESSES THAT
ALSO NEED HELP. JUST NAVIGATING
CITY RESOURCES AND REQUIREMENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE EMBRACED THE ROLE
OF ORGANIZE AND BUILD. AND HOW
DO WE KNIT TOGETHER SOME OF THE
SYSTEMS. AND SO WHAT LESSONS ARE
WE LEARNING FROM DIRECT SERVICE?
WHAT TRENDS ARE WE SEEING, AND
HOW ARE WE LOOKING AROUND THE
CORNER TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT
BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES NEED IN
THE ECONOMY? AND LAST BUT NOT
LEAST, IS THAT ENVISION AND
TRANSFORM ELEMENT OF ZOOMING OUT
AND TAKING THAT LARGER LOOK AT
OUR ECONOMY. SO THAT IS HOW OED
APPROACHES OUR WORK IN GENERAL.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT HOW OUR
COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY WORK
GOES. SO, HEIDI, I'LL PASS IT
ON TO YOU. GREAT.
-- THANK YOU. ALICIA. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBERS, FOR HAVING US
HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS
REALLY IMPORTANT WORK. SO I'LL
BRIEFLY JUST BUILD ON WHAT
ALICIA WAS SAYING. AND ONE
PILLAR OF THIS WORK IS
INVESTMENTS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND
POLICIES TO BUILD COMMUNITY
WEALTH THROUGH BUSINESS
OWNERSHIP. AND WE PRIMARILY SEE
THIS THROUGH BUSINESS OWNERSHIP
AND LOCAL OWNERSHIP OF ASSETS,
COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING IS A
TRANSFORMATIVE APPROACH TO
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT KEEPS
WEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WITH
AN EMPHASIS ON ECONOMIC JUSTICE,
SHARED WEALTH, AND LOCAL
OWNERSHIP, AND THE CITY'S WORK
BUILDS ON MORE THAN A DECADE OF
NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZING AND
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND
WE'RE CONTINUING TO EVOLVE
STRATEGIES AND PARTNERSHIP WITH
COMMUNITY AND SMALL BUSINESSES,
SIMILAR TO WHAT ALICIA SAID
ABOUT LEARNING FROM THE WORK
THAT WE'RE DOING, AND REALLY
TRYING TO LOOK AHEAD AND SEE
WHERE WE CAN TRANSFORM SYSTEMS
AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES. SO WE DO THIS
THROUGH SEVERAL CORE STRATEGIES.
FIRST, OWNERSHIP AND TENANCY OF
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE TO ANCHOR
SMALL BUSINESSES IN
NEIGHBORHOODS OR PROVIDE
PATHWAYS TO RETURN. WE'LL BE
TALKING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THAT THIS MORNING AND HEARING
FROM SOME OF OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES. SECOND, A BIG
STRATEGY IS AROUND ACCESS TO
AFFORDABLE CAPITAL AND LOCALLY
ROOTED FINANCING TO SUPPORT
BUSINESS GROWTH AND REDUCE
RACIAL DISPARITIES. WE'RE ALSO
BUILDING BUSINESS SUPPORT
ECOSYSTEMS AND PATHWAYS FOR
GROWTH, RECOGNIZING BUSINESS
OWNERSHIP CAN BE A PATH TO
GENERATIONAL WEALTH, ESPECIALLY
IN OUR BIPOC AND IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES. WE'RE ALSO
CONSIDERING OPPORTUNITIES TO
SEATAC INVESTMENTS IN
NEIGHBORHOODS TO ADVANCE
COMMUNITY WEALTH. AND FINALLY
PILOTING SCALABLE MODELS THAT
KEEP WEALTH AND COMMUNITY, FOR
EXAMPLE, EXPLORING NEW WORK THIS
YEAR AROUND SUCCESSION PLANNING
AND EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP AND SO
AROUND OUR WORK, OUR STRATEGY
AROUND COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY.
WE'RE FOCUSING ON SEVERAL CORE
OUTCOMES, PRIMARILY STABILITY
AND CONTROL OF COMMERCIAL SPACES
THROUGH OWNERSHIP OR LONG TERM
LEASES, ALLOWING AN OWNER TO
INVEST BACK IN THEIR BUSINESS
AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
SHARED OWNERSHIP AND COMMUNITY.
ALSO, INVESTING IN THE
BUSINESSES INFRASTRUCTURE TO
INCREASE THEIR PROFITABILITY.
THE COMMERCIAL SPACE IS ONE OF
THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND
POTENTIALLY VOLATILE FOR
BUSINESSES, AND WE HEARD A
LITTLE BIT ALREADY WHO OFTEN
SPEND A LOT OF THEIR WORKING
CAPITAL JUST GETTING INTO A
SPACE, LET ALONE RUNNING THE
BUSINESS. AND SO PROVIDING THAT
PLATFORM FOR GENERATIONAL WEALTH
THROUGH BUSINESS OWNERSHIP. AND
THEN FINALLY, IT ALSO ENHANCING
NEIGHBORHOOD VIBRANCY BY KEEPING
LOCAL BUSINESSES ROOTED IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND REDUCING
VACANCIES AND THINKING ABOUT
BETTER QUALITY COMMERCIAL
SPACES, BETTER QUALITY LEASES.
SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY WORKING ON
I KNOW THIS IS A SCARY SLIDE,
BUT WE'VE BEEN REALLY WORKING
ON A CONTINUUM OF PROGRAMS AND
INVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT SMALL
BUSINESSES. AND SO THIS GRAPHIC
SHOWS HOW OUR PROGRAMS SCALE
FROM LOW BARRIER STABILIZATION
FOCUSED SUPPORTS TO HIGHER
INVESTMENT PROGRAMS DESIGNED FOR
ESTABLISHED, GROWTH READY
BUSINESSES. AND I'LL BRIEFLY
TOUCH ON THESE THIS MORNING.
THERE'S A LOT MORE INFORMATION
ON OUR ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL.
SO FIRST, OUR ACCOUNTING AND
BUSINESS CONSULTING PROGRAM
GIVES SMALL BUSINESSES EXPERT
ADVICE TO HELP STABILIZE AND
STRENGTHEN, STRENGTHEN THEIR
OPERATIONS AND FINANCES IN ALL
OF OUR COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY
PROGRAMS, COLLABORATE WITH THE
A, B, C PARTNERSHIP. WE ALSO DO
COMMERCIAL SPACE CONSULTING,
WHICH PROVIDES HELPS WITH
LANDLORD ADVOCACY AND LEASE
NEGOTIATION SUPPORT TO HELP
MITIGATE DISPLACEMENT OF SMALL
BUSINESSES. ALSO SUPPORTING OUR
LARGER COMMERCIAL SPACE
INVESTMENTS. AND I THINK WE'LL
BE HEARING FROM SOME OF THOSE
PARTNERS THIS MORNING AS WELL.
SEATTLE RESTORED PILOT
STOREFRONTS FOR ENTREPRENEURS
WHILE REDUCING VACANCIES. THEY
PROVIDE PRIMARILY BEEN OPERATING
DOWNTOWN IN OUR SOUTH DOWNTOWN
NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALSO PILOTING
LARGER VACANCY ACTIVATIONS IN
SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS
YEAR, WE PILOTING A PRERELEASE
PROGRAM TO THINK ABOUT HELPING
BUSINESSES GET LEASE READY, AND
THEY RECEIVE CONSULTING AND
TECHNICAL SERVICES. THIS HELPS
FILL VACANCIES WITH STABLE
BUSINESSES READY FOR LONG TERM
OPERATION AND INCREASE
RETENTION. AND THEN OUR CAPITAL
ACCESS PROGRAM IS THE AFFORDABLE
FINANCING PIECE IS A REALLY
IMPORTANT PART AS WE THINK ABOUT
ANY OF OUR PROGRAMS ACROSS OUR
COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING TEAM,
INCLUDING OUR COMMERCIAL
AFFORDABILITY, WE'RE INCREASING
ACCESS TO CAPITAL FOR
HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED
BUSINESSES THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS
WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL
INSTITUTIONS. WE'RE TRYING TO
MAKE CAPITAL LOWERING THE COST
OF CAPITAL CURRENTLY THROUGH AN
INTEREST RATE BUY DOWN APPROACH,
AND ALSO GETTING BUSINESSES
CAPITAL READY AND UNDERSTANDING
HOW FINANCING, WHAT THEIR
FINANCING NEEDS ARE FOR THEIR
BUSINESS. AND THEN LASTLY, I'LL
TOUCH ON IS OUR TENANT
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH
PROVIDES EQUIPMENT AND SIGNAGE
AWARDS TO HELP BUSINESSES GROW,
STABILIZE AND GROW, AND ALSO
LARGER BUILD OUT PROJECTS TO
INVEST IN NEIGHBORHOOD ANCHORS.
AND THEN FINALLY, OUR BUSINESS
COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP FUND PROGRAM
PROVIDES LONG TERM AFFORDABILITY
AND CONTROL THROUGH OWNERSHIP OF
COMMERCIAL SPACES, REALLY
ANCHORING SMALL BUSINESSES IN
NEIGHBORHOODS OR PROVIDING
PATHWAYS TO RETURN. AND THIS
PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTED IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH GROW AMERICA,
WHO MATCHES CITY FUNDS WITH
GRANT FINANCING OR WITH
FINANCING AND GRANTS. IT
LAUNCHED AS A PILOT IN 2024, AND
WE CLOSED ON OUR FOURTH PROJECT.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, ANNOUNCEMENT
COMING LATER IN THE YEAR. AND SO
I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO JEN TO
SHARE HOW THESE INVESTMENTS
REALLY COME TOGETHER IN SPECIFIC
AREAS.
-- HEY, EVERYBODY. I JUST WANT
TO ILLUSTRATE A BIT ABOUT HOW
THESE DIFFERENT SERVICES AND
PROGRAMS CAN WORK TOGETHER AND
BE REALLY TAILORED TO A
NEIGHBORHOOD'S NEEDS. SO I'LL
START WITH TALKING ABOUT LAKE
CITY. I WANT TO CALL BACK TO
SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT
EARLIER IN 2025, WE DECIDED TO
WORK WITH BUILDING LAKE CITY
TOGETHER TO BRING SEATTLE
RESTORED TO THE LAKE CITY
NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE ENDED UP
EXPANDING TO WORK WITH ABOUT 24
BUSINESSES TO PILOT STOREFRONT
LOCATIONS IN THAT AREA. AND THIS
WAS BASED ON TALKING TO A BUNCH
OF DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS,
HEARING ABOUT THEIR NEEDS, AND
FINDING WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST
FIT AND HOW WE COULD MEET THOSE
NEEDS. SO IN LAKE CITY, THERE
WERE AND STILL ARE, YOU KNOW, A
LOT OF VACANT SPACES AND LESS
ACTIVITY ALONG THE MAIN STREET.
SO THIS WAS PART OF A STRATEGY
TO PARTNER WITH THOSE ALREADY IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SUPPORT
THAT NEED. AFTER SEATTLE
RESTORED, WE WERE ABLE TO
RELAUNCH THE PRERELEASE PROGRAM.
AND THIS ACTUALLY CAME PARTIALLY
FROM THE NEED OF THOSE LAKE CITY
POP UPS WANTING TO STAY IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND NEEDING SUPPORT
TO DO THAT. WE ALSO LEVERAGE ABC
SUPPORT THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR
PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND
SUPPORT TO BUSINESSES WHO NEED
HELP WITH FINANCES, MARKETING,
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. YEAH,
REALLY ALL INCLUSIVE. THERE.
ALSO, THIS LED TO US RETHINKING
ABOUT THE COYOTE NORTH BUILDING
IN LAKE CITY AS A POTENTIAL
SPACE FOR BCOV TO MORE
PERMANENTLY ANCHOR BUSINESSES IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THIS ALSO
CREATED MORE CONNECTIONS FOR US
WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, LEADING
TO THE REUSE COMMONS PROJECT
THROUGH SEATTLE RESTORED AND
THEN THE NEXT NEIGHBORHOOD. I'LL
TALK ABOUT IS OTHELLO. WE WORKED
REALLY HEAVILY IN OTHELLO,
ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE TENANT
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WITH ABOUT
14 PROJECTS COMPLETED ALREADY.
WE HAVE FOUR NEW NEIGHBORS, AND
THIS IS LARGELY BECAUSE OTHELLO
IS A REALLY VIBRANT, HIGH
DENSITY BUSINESS DISTRICT WITH A
LOT OF SMALLER MICRO BUSINESSES
OWNED BY IMMIGRANTS THAT HAVE
BEEN IN THE AREA FOR TEN, 20, 30
YEARS. SO WANTING TO SUPPORT THE
STRENGTHS AND VIBRANCY ALREADY
PRESENT IN THAT AREA. ALSO,
THERE ARE A LOT OF OLDER
COMMERCIAL SPACES, MULTI-TENANT
COMMERCIAL SPACES IN THIS AREA.
AND SO WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF
COMMERCIAL SPACE SUPPORT THROUGH
OUR CONSULTANTS WITH LEASE
NEGOTIATION, HELPING WITH THINGS
LIKE GETTING A LEASE FOR A
BUSINESS THAT HASN'T HAD ONE, OR
HELPING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE
ISSUES IN BUILDINGS JUST DUE TO
AGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT
AREA. ALSO, I WANT TO MENTION
THAT BCOV IN A NEW STRATEGY
STRATEGY THIS YEAR, HAS
PURCHASED TWO NEW COMMERCIAL
SPACES IN OTHELLO. A LOT OF
DEVELOPMENT IS ALSO HAPPENING IN
THAT AREA, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE
SURE THAT SMALL, INDEPENDENT
BUSINESSES COULD BE ANCHORED IN
THOSE NEWER SPACES AS WELL. AND
THEN I'LL JUST SAY HEIDI
MENTIONED THIS, BUT OUR ABC AND
CAPITAL ACCESS PROGRAM PROVIDE
WRAPAROUND SUPPORT FOR EVERY
BUSINESS THAT WE WORK WITH. SO
THAT'S A RESOURCE WE MENTIONED
TO EVERYONE. SO THESE ARE SOME
OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE
IDENTIFIED IN OUR WORK WITH
SMALL BUSINESSES OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS. WE WILL HEAR FROM
SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS ABOUT THEIR
EXPERIENCES WITH THIS. BUT I
JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW
IMPORTANT BARRIERS WHICH HEIDI
HEIDI ALSO MENTIONED. SO THE
BARRIER TO ENTER COMMERCIAL
SPACES IS PRETTY HIGH FOR
BUSINESSES AND CAN BE VERY
DESTABILIZING IF THEY'RE EARLY
ON IN THEIR BUSINESS JOURNEY.
THIS INCLUDES THE COST OF
CONSTRUCTION, PERMITTING
TIMELINES, EXTENDING THE TIME
BEFORE THEY CAN ACTUALLY START
TO CONTINUE OPERATING THEIR
BUSINESS AND EARNING INCOME
AGAIN IN THAT SPACE. AND THEN
ALSO JUST CONTINUAL LEASE
EDUCATION, EVEN WITH VETERAN
BUSINESS OWNERS WHO HAVE BEEN
ESTABLISHED IN THEIR SPACE FOR
MANY DECADES. AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE
SEEING IS LIKE EVEN THOSE
BUSINESS OWNERS MIGHT NOT HAVE A
LEASE, MIGHT HAVE CHALLENGES
WITH THEIR SPACE. AND SO WE'VE
DONE A LOT OF ADVOCACY, ADVOCACY
AND CONNECTION FOR THOSE
BUSINESS OWNERS TO HELP
ESTABLISH STRONG LEASES, WHETHER
THEY ARE EARLY ON OR LATER ON IN
THEIR JOURNEY.
-- GREAT. THANK YOU. AND JUST TO
ADD TO THE SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT JEN HIGHLIGHTED
THAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM
OUR BUSINESSES. SO OUR TEAM IS
WORKING TO ADDRESS SOME OF NOT
TO ADDRESS SOME PIECES OF THIS.
OUR TEAM'S WORKING ON SOME
COMMERCIAL TRANSPARENCY
LEGISLATION, AND WE ANTICIPATE
SUBMITTING THAT SOMETHING TO
COUNCIL IN THE COMING MONTH AND
LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THAT
FURTHER. SO I GUESS AT THIS
MOMENT, WE'LL TRANSITION TO OUR
ROUNDTABLE. UNLESS THERE WERE
ANY IMMEDIATE QUESTIONS.
-- COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS ON THIS MATERIAL FROM
THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT? NOT HEARING OR
SEEING ANY. AND SO I TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HEAR DIRECTLY FROM
OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, I AM GOING
TO THANK OUR PANELISTS RIGHT NOW
AND PIVOT AND COLLEAGUES AS WE
GO INTO THIS NEXT PART OF THE
AGENDA, I AM GOING TO PUT US AT
EASE JUST DURING THIS
TRANSITION. OKAY. SO WE'LL BE
RIGHT BACK IN A SECOND.
-- ALL THE OTHER THING IS,
NIKITA MATHIS. SHE'S LOCKED IN.
I AM GOING RESPONSE SHE'S GOING
TO GET IT DEPENDS ON IF SHE
ACCEPTS. EVERYONE YEAH YEAH.
-- ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU,
COLLEAGUES, FOR ALLOWING US TO
TAKE THAT BRIEF PAUSE AS WE WERE
TRANSITIONING. AND NOW WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE THE CLERK READ
ITEM THREE INTO THE RECORD.
-- ITEM THREE ROUNDTABLE ON
COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
-- WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR OUR PANELISTS HERE TODAY. I
KNOW WE HAVE MOST FOLKS AT THE
TABLE, AND WE ALSO HAVE ONE OF
OUR PANELISTS ONLINE AS WELL. IF
WE CAN DO JUST A QUICK ROUND
ROBIN OF INTRODUCTIONS BEFORE
STARTING THE ROUNDTABLE, THAT
WOULD BE GREAT.
-- HELLO.
-- MY NAME IS SHANTI BRESNAN AND
I'M A SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTANT WHO FOCUSES ON
ASSISTING SMALL BUSINESSES WITH
NAVIGATING ALL ISSUES RELATED TO
SPACE, COMMERCIAL SPACE. I WORK
IN CHINATOWN-INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT FOR SEATTLE,
CHINATOWN-INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT
PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY. I'VE DONE THAT PART
TIME FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS AND A
THREE YEARS AGO. I ALSO STARTED
ASSISTING OPCD WITH THEIR
COMMERCIAL SPACE CONSULTING
PROGRAM AND NOW PRE-LEASE
PROGRAM.
-- HI EVERYONE. I'M GABRIEL
NEUMANN. I USE HE HIM PRONOUNS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND
ADVOCACY AT GSBA. WE ARE
STATEWIDE LGBTQ AND ALLIED
BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND CAPITOL
HILLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND I
WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES ALSO IN PROVIDING
LEGAL CONSULTATION AND ANSWERING
SOME QUESTIONS AS THROUGH THEIR
PROCESSES AS AS SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS.
-- HI, MY NAME IS. I'M THE OWNER
FROM OINK. SO WE GOT SOME HELP
FROM THE COMMERCIAL LEASE
NEGOTIATED FROM THE CREASE.
THAT'S HOW WE CAN. I THINK,
REPRESENT THE SMALL BUSINESS WHO
GOT HELP FROM THIS PROGRAM. YEAH
-- WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
TODAY. AND THANK YOU FOR ALSO,
AGAIN, WALKING US THROUGH THE
WORK IN TERMS OF STRUCTURING OUR
DISCUSSION. IF FOLKS WANT TO
TAKE A MOMENT AND TALK A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT THE IMMEDIATE
CHALLENGES THAT THEY SEE IN
THEIR WORK, AND JUST SOME
HISTORICAL CONTEXT THAT THEY'D
LIKE TO SHARE, AND THEN WOULD
LOVE TO OPEN IT UP. I HAVE A
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS TO KICK US
OFF AS WELL.
-- SO JEN LAID OUT SOME OF THE
FACTORS KIND OF MORE BROADLY,
THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO
COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY
CHALLENGES. BUT I THINK I CAN
ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT. AND I
ALSO JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT
THIS EFFORT AROUND COMMERCIAL
AFFORDABILITY THAT EDDIE HAS
SHEPHERDED STARTED IN 2015 WITH
THE COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY
ADVISORY COMMITTEE CONVENED BY
THE MAYOR AT THAT TIME. AND IT
HAS MADE IT THROUGH, I GUESS,
FOUR ADMINISTRATIONS NOW, WHICH
IS A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE LEVEL OF
COMMITMENT. AND ALSO, I THINK IS
ATTEST TO THE LEVEL OF NEED IN
THIS AREA AROUND SPACE. SO JUST
THE MOST SIMPLE FACTOR IS RENT.
OF COURSE, BASE RENT AND BASE
RENT NEVER REALLY GOES DOWN. IT
ONLY GOES UP EVEN WHEN THERE ARE
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES LIKE THE
PANDEMIC RENTS HAVE SLOWED THE
ACCELERATION A LITTLE BIT, BUT
IT'S STILL A CHALLENGE. AND
THIS IS ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS
THAT CHRIS AND MYSELF, WE DO AS
NEGOTIATION ASSISTANCE, IS TO
HELP PEOPLE NEGOTIATE RENT. WE
ASSIST BUSINESSES WITH. PROVING
WHAT THE MARKET RENTS ARE IN
ORDER TO INFLUENCE LANDLORDS TO
ACCEPT LOWER RENT PRICES. THE
OTHER PART OF THAT, THOUGH, IS
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT THE RENT IS, YOU KNOW, FAIR
FROM A MARKET PERSPECTIVE. IT'S
ALSO WHETHER OR NOT THE BUSINESS
ITSELF CAN AFFORD IT. RIGHT. AND
THAT'S WHERE THE PRE-LEASE
PROGRAM COMES IN, WHICH IS A
PILOT THIS YEAR. AND THAT'S
REALLY ABOUT MORE IN DEPTH WORK.
MOST OF THE WORK THAT WE DO IS
IN THERE'S TEN HOURS THAT ARE
ALLOWED, AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE
EMERGENCY JUMP IN, HELP PEOPLE
WITH DIFFICULTIES WITH THEIR
LANDLORDS. THE LEASE PROGRAM IS
INTENDED TO TAKE BUSINESSES THAT
HAVE BEEN OPERATING THROUGH POP
UPS OR MARKETS, AND HAVEN'T HAD
A COMMERCIAL LEASE BEFORE. MAKE
SURE THAT THEY'RE READY, DO
BUSINESS PLANNING WITH THEM,
HELP SUPPORT THEM IN STRATEGIC
THINKING ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING
TO EXPAND WHEN THEY TAKE SPACE,
CONNECT THEM WITH FINANCIAL
RESOURCES, HELP THEM UNDERSTAND
TENANT IMPROVEMENTS, HELP THEM
UNDERSTAND PERMITTING, AND MAKE
SURE THAT THEY'RE READY AND THAT
CAN THEY CAN AFFORD THAT. AND I
THINK WE'VE HEARD THANK YOU TO
THE MICRO ENTERPRISE FOLKS THAT
CAME EARLIER. THERE'S A REALLY
BIG DISTANCE BETWEEN BEING A
MICRO ENTERPRISE AND BEING ABLE
TO AFFORD A COMMERCIAL LEASE.
COMMERCIAL LEASES ARE VERY
SERIOUS. THEY'RE NOT LIKE
RESIDENTIAL LEASES. THEY ARE
CONTRACTS BINDING CONTRACTS THAT
USUALLY INVOLVE A PERSONAL
GUARANTEE CLAUSE, WHICH MEANS
THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE
BUSINESS'S RESOURCES THAT ARE
OBLIGATED TO THE LEASE, IT'S
THEIR PERSONAL RESOURCES. AND
FOLKS CAN BE BANKRUPTED. THEY
CAN TAKE PEOPLE'S ASSETS. AND
THIS IS PRETTY MUCH UNIVERSAL AT
THIS POINT. SO IT'S VERY
SERIOUS. SO THAT'S WHAT THE
LEASE PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO
ADDRESS. THE OTHER THING THAT I
WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, AND THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT HAS CHANGED A
BIT SINCE COVID, AND THAT IS
TRIPLE NET. AND THIS IS GETTING
INTO THE WEEDS, BUT I'M GOING TO
GET INTO THE WEEDS A LITTLE BIT
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I DO.
TRIPLE NET IS THE EXTRA RENT
THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY EXPLICITLY
DETAILED IN TERMS OF THE DOLLAR
AMOUNT AND THE LEASE. IT IS THE
AMOUNT ABOVE AND BEYOND THE BASE
RENT THAT IS AGREED TO IN A
LEASE THAT INCLUDES. SO IT'S
TRIPLE BECAUSE IT'S A SHARE OF
THE BUILDING INSURANCE, THE
BUILDING PROPERTY TAXES, AND
THEN THE BUILDING COMMON AREA
MAINTENANCE. AND SINCE COVID, AS
THERE'S BEEN MORE VACANCY AND
PROPERTY INTERESTS ARE
STRUGGLING, THERE HAS BEEN MORE
AND MORE AND MORE THAT IS PUT
INTO THE CATEGORY OF COMMON AREA
MAINTENANCE. AND THIS IS
RESULTING IN SITUATIONS WHERE
EVEN EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE THE
SAME LEASE, WHEN THERE IS A
PROPERTY CHANGE, A PROPERTY
OWNER CHANGE, YOU'LL SEE
SITUATIONS WHERE THE TRIPLE NET
DOUBLES THIS. I'M WORKING WITH
A CLIENT RIGHT NOW AS A SMALL
INDEPENDENT GALLERY IN NORTH
CAPITOL HILL. THEY HAD A THEY
HAD THE SAME LEASE, HAD IT FOR
THREE YEARS. THE TRIPLE NET
CLAUSE IN THE LEASE IS SO ALL
INCLUSIVE AT THE SAME TIME THAT
IT IS VAGUE THAT WHEN THERE WAS
A CHANGE IN THE PROPERTY
OWNERSHIP, THEY SAID, OH, ALL
THESE OTHER COSTS ARE NOW
INCLUDED. WE GET TO PASS ON ALL
THESE OTHER COSTS THAT ARE
REALLY THE BUILDING COSTS. AND
SO WE'RE IN NEGOTIATION OVER
THAT RIGHT NOW. WE'RE WORKING
ON A CAP ON THAT SO THAT EVEN IF
SHE ACCEPTS SOME AMOUNT OF AN
INCREASE, SHE WON'T AT LEAST
NEXT YEAR HAVE EVEN MORE AND
EVEN MORE AND EVEN MORE, WHICH
IS WHAT HAPPENS. AND I WOULD SAY
THAT THIS IS AN INCREASINGLY
IMPORTANT ISSUE. BOTH CHRIS AND
I, IN TERMS OF THE REFERRALS
THAT COME THROUGH OPCD, WE'RE
SEEING MORE AND MORE ABOUT
TRIPLE NET AND THEN JEN ALSO
MENTIONED JUST THE SHEER COST OF
IMPROVING SPACE FOR NEW SPACES
THAT ARE OUT THERE, RESTAURANT
SPACES YOU CAN EASILY SPEND OVER
$500 PER SQUARE FOOT ON BUILDING
OUT A SPACE. AND SO FOR A
RESTAURANT THAT'S, YOU KNOW,
ABOUT 2000FT THAT, YOU KNOW,
COULD EASILY BE $1 MILLION. IT
USUALLY IS. THAT'S NOT
SOMETHING THAT A NEW SMALL
BUSINESS CAN AFFORD. AND
EXISTING LONG TERM BUSINESSES,
YOU CAN'T JUST LET YOUR SPACE
SIT OVER TIME. YOU HAVE TO
IMPROVE IT. AND IMPROVEMENTS ARE
REALLY, REALLY EXPENSIVE. ONE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE
HAVE AS PART OF THE COMMERCIAL
SPACE CONSULTING TEAM IS THIS
WONDERFUL MAN NAMED CESAR
CASTILLO, WHO IS A RETIRED,
VERY, VERY EXPERIENCED
CONTRACTOR. I CALL HIM MARY
POPPINS BECAUSE HE'S DONE
EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN. AND
I'M WORKING WITH LATINA BAKERY,
WHO IS TRYING TO GET HER FIRST
BASE. THIS IS THROUGH THE LEASE
PROGRAM, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A
SPACE WITH A GREAT LANDLORD,
NEEDS SOME SIGNIFICANT
IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE IT'S A
RETAIL SPACE NOW, AND IT WILL BE
A BAKERY IF THIS SUCCEEDS. AND
THE INITIAL PASS ON THE BUDGET
WAS $500 PER SQUARE FOOT, AND
AND OVER $500,000 FOR THE
IMPROVEMENTS. AND THIS IS IN
PART BECAUSE THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR ANY TYPE OF FOOD BUSINESS AT
THIS POINT THROUGH PERMITTING
ARE SO ONEROUS THAT THIS IS THIS
IS WHERE WE'RE AT. SO CESAR
HELPED US. WE DID ALSO HAVE TO
CHANGE HER BUSINESS PLAN, SOME
PRETTY INTENSE CUTTING. HE'S
HELPED US GET IT DOWN TO 200
000, WHICH IS. I'M VERY GRATEFUL
TO HIM. SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW,
THE TENANT IMPROVEMENT GRANTS
ADDRESS THIS, BUT ALSO THE
CONSULTING SUPPORT HELPS PEOPLE
WITH MAKING SURE THAT THE MONEY
THAT GOES IN IS EFFICIENT AND
NOTHING IS BEING WASTED. AND
ALSO THAT WE'RE GETTING STUFF
OUT OF LANDLORDS AS WELL AS
WELL. AND THEN THE LAST THING
THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IS
PERMITTING. SO PERMITTING AT
THIS POINT FOR STOREFRONT SPACES
IS INCREDIBLY COMPLEX. YOU HAVE
LOCAL SPECIAL DISTRICTS LIKE THE
INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL REVIEW
DISTRICT THAT HAVE AUTHORITY
OVER WHAT GOES INTO THE
STOREFRONTS. YOU HAVE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION
INSPECTIONS WITH A WHOLE HOST OF
DIFFERENT CODES THAT HAVE TO BE
SATISFIED. YOU HAVE KING COUNTY
PUBLIC HEALTH WITH THE PUBLIC
HEALTH CODE, AS WELL AS THE
PLUMBING CODE. YOU HAVE THE
WASHINGTON STATE FOR WHOLESALE
REGULATION AND THE LIQUOR
CONTROL BOARD. AND SOMETIMES
THESE CODES ARE IN CONFLICT. SO,
FOR EXAMPLE, ISD HAS A USE CODE
THAT IS DIFFERENT. THAT'S THE
INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL REVIEW
DISTRICT HAS A DIFFERENT USE
CODE THAN SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS. AND
YOU HAVE TO GET A USE APPROVAL
FROM BOTH OF THOSE ENTITIES. AND
YOU HAVE TO FIT INTO DIFFERENT
USE CODES. SO FOLKS NEED HELP IS
BASICALLY WHAT I'M SAYING. AND
THAT IS A BIG PART OF WHAT THE
PROGRAM HELPS PROVIDE IS
ASSISTANCE IN NAVIGATING ALL OF
THIS. YEAH. NO. STOP TALKING.
-- THANK YOU FOR THAT OVERVIEW,
SHANTI AND I HAVE SO MANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POINTS THAT
YOU RAISED, AND I DO WANT TO
MAKE SURE I APOLOGIZE. WE HAVE
AN ADDITIONAL PANELIST THAT WE
HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YET AND
HASN'T HAD A CHANCE TO
INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. SO I WANT
TO TURN IT NEXT TO NIKITA, WHO
IS JOINING US ONLINE TO
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND SHARE A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR WORK.
-- THANK YOU. HELLO, COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS NIKITA
MATHIS AND I'M THE PROUD OWNER
OF A LEGENDARY BUSINESS IN
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE CALLED
PLATINUM PLUSH FASHIONS. EXCUSE
ME. I'VE BEEN IN THE. LIKE I
SAID, I'VE BEEN IN THE RAINIER
VALLEY COMMUNITY FOR OVER 25
YEARS, AND I JUST SIMPLY WANT TO
THANK OED JOY SHANTI FOR
INVESTING IN A SMALL BUSINESS
LIKE MINE THROUGH THE TENANT
IMPROVEMENT FUND. MY OVERALL
EXPERIENCE WITH THE PROGRAM WAS
PRETTY POSITIVE. THE FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE THAT I RECEIVED WAS
INVALUABLE, BUT WHAT REALLY MADE
THIS THIS JOURNEY, THE GREATEST
IMPACT OF THIS JOURNEY RATHER,
WAS THE GUIDANCE AND THE SUPPORT
THAT I RECEIVED FROM JAN. BUT
ESPECIALLY I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
SHANTI BRZEZNO. SHE WAS JUST
EXTREMELY INSTRUMENTAL IN
HELPING ME NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS
TRICKERY. YOU KNOW, LONG TERM
LEASE AGREEMENT. I WAS DEALING
WITH A NEW MANAGEMENT COMPANY
AND JUST HER KNOWLEDGE FROM THE
BEGINNING TO THE END OF THAT
PROCESS WAS I WAS JUST GRATEFUL
FOR HER. I FELT EMPOWERED I FELT
STRONG IN ALL OF THIS. AND LIKE
I SAID, THE ONLY CHALLENGING
PART TO THIS WAS THE PROCESS OF
NEGOTIATING THIS COMMERCIAL
LEASE. SHANTI MENTIONED EARLIER
THE TRIPLE NET. I KNEW NOTHING
ABOUT TRIPLE NET AND THERE WAS
JUST A PERSONAL SENSE FOR ME
THAT THIS NEW MANAGEMENT COMPANY
WAS JUST GOING TO GO FOR THE
JUGULAR. IF I HADN'T HAD SHANTI
AND HER EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE
IN, YOU KNOW NEGOTIATING
COMMERCIAL LEASE AGREEMENTS, I
FELT LIKE I REALLY WOULD HAVE
GOTTEN THE SHORTER END OF THE
STICK. SO SHOUT OUT TO SHANTI. I
SHE WAS REALLY MY ROCK
THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE, THIS
WHOLE PROCESS. I WANT TO SAY
THAT POST THE IMPROVEMENTS PRO
THE ALLOCATION OF THE FUNDS THAT
I RECEIVED, THERE WASN'T REALLY
ANY WRAPAROUND SUPPORT OR
SERVICES GOING INTO THE FUTURE
FOR ME OR MY BUSINESS. I THAT I
DIDN'T SEE THAT I DON'T FEEL
LIKE ANYTHING WAS OFFERED AS FAR
AS ANY SUPPORT. SO IT'S ALMOST
LIKE AS SOON AS THE PROJECT
COMPLETED, IT WAS OVER. AND SO.
AGAIN, I'M FOREVER GRATEFUL TO
OED SHANTI GIN AND JUST THANK
YOU FOR NAVIGATING THE PROCESS
AS EASY AS IT WAS FOR ME. AND
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK
YOU.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE, NIKITA, AND FOR SHARING
ABOUT THIS WORK MOVING NEXT TO
GABRIEL.
-- YEAH, I CAN JUMP IN. HI,
EVERYONE. I, YOU KNOW, REALLY
WANT TO ECHO WHAT, YOU KNOW, HAS
BEEN SAID ALREADY. BIG THANK YOU
TO OED BECAUSE THEY HAVE REALLY,
YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS THAT
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF
WORKING WITH THEM, REALLY
RESPONDED TO THE NEEDS AND THE
REQUESTS AND THE EXPERIENCES OF
SMALL BUSINESSES TO, YOU KNOW,
WITH THE FOCUS ON MAKING SURE
THAT THEY CAN REALLY FLOURISH
AND SUSTAIN IN SEATTLE. SO I
REALLY WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT
TO THAT. AND YOU KNOW, WHAT I'VE
SEEN WITH WORKING WITH SMALL
BUSINESSES AS THEY NAVIGATE
THEIR COMMERCIAL LEASES IS
REALLY THE IDEA THAT YOU DON'T
KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW. AND
OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU
GO INTO A LISA LISA AGREEMENT,
THERE IS A POWER, A POWER
DYNAMIC WHERE YOU'RE OFTEN
WORKING WITH A LEASING COMPANY
THAT KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY'VE DONE THIS BEFORE. AND
AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, YOUR
MIND IS IN A MILLION DIFFERENT
DIRECTIONS. YOU'RE THINKING
ABOUT A MILLION DIFFERENT ZONING
CODES. AND, YOU KNOW YOUR
PRODUCT, HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET
YOUR PRODUCT AND YOUR SUPPLIERS
AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND SO AS YOU'RE ENTERING INTO
A LEASE NEGOTIATION, YOU KNOW,
YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT
QUESTIONS TO ASK OR WHAT TYPE OF
INFORMATION YOU REALLY NEED IN
ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE AN
EDUCATED DECISION ON THAT
SPECIFIC LOCATION. I SUPPORTED
AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS TRYING TO
MOVE THEIR TATTOO PARLOR, AND
THIS SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IS
FANTASTIC AT HIS JOB. HE'S HAD
A VERY SUCCESSFUL SMALL BUSINESS
IN HIS CURRENT LOCATION. BUT
WHILE TALKING ABOUT HIS
NEGOTIATING HIS NEW LEASE FOR
THE NEW LOCATION, HE DIDN'T
KNOW, YOU KNOW, TO ASK ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, THE, THE TRIPLE, FOR
EXAMPLE, OR WHAT THOSE WERE. AND
SO HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING TO
HELP SMALL BUSINESSES PLAN TO
KNOW KIND OF WHAT THE TRIPLE
NETS HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST AND
WHAT THEY WHAT A POTENTIAL
ESTIMATE COULD BE IN THE FUTURE,
YOU KNOW, I THINK WOULD BE ABLE
TO HELP THEM TO REALLY BE ABLE
TO NAVIGATE THEIR NEXT FEW YEARS
IN BUSINESS, WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL
YEARS AS THEY, YOU KNOW, GET UP
AS THEY DEVELOP THEIR WINGS AND
THEIR CONSUMER BASE, ET CETERA.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S
REALLY ABOUT KIND OF ELIMINATING
SURPRISES AND LETTING FOLKS KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE SIGNING
INTO. SO ANOTHER PIECE IS THIS
INDIVIDUAL, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T
KNOW WHETHER THE LOCATION WAS
PROPERLY ZONED OR NOT FOR A
TATTOO PARLOR AND SO, OR HOW TO
GET THAT INFORMATION ABOUT ITS
CURRENT ZONING APPLICATION. AND
SO IF YOU SIGN A LEASE WITHOUT
KNOWING THAT OFTENTIMES, YOU
KNOW, AFTERWARDS YOU FIND OUT
THAT IT IS NOT PERMITTED, AND
THEN YOU HAVE TO SPEND SIX
MONTHS TRYING TO GET THAT
PERMIT, WHICH IS SIX MONTHS OF
WAITING AND PAYING RENT ON A
LOCATION THAT YOU WERE EXPECTING
TO OPEN UP WITHIN A MONTH OR
TWO. AND AS THESE KIND OF ISSUES
PILE AND PILE AND MAKES IT MUCH
MORE DIFFICULT FOR THOSE
BUSINESSES TO SUSTAIN IN THE
YEARS TO FOLLOW AND SO, YOU
KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE, THERE
CAN BE IMPROVEMENTS MADE IN
TERMS OF CREATING KIND OF A LIST
OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME
ISSUES THAT ARE COMMON FOR, FOR
NEW TENANTS TO CONSIDER AS THEY
ENTER THOSE NEGOTIATIONS?
OFTENTIMES PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE
FINANCIAL CAPACITY TO WORK WITH
A BROKER. AND SO THEY'RE OFTEN
ENTERING INTO THESE
CONVERSATIONS ON THEIR OWN. AND
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK ADDITIONAL
PROGRAMING AND SUPPORT FROM THE
CITY COULD BE REALLY VALUABLE IN
EQUIPPING THOSE FOLKS WITH THE
TOOLS THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO
FEEL CONFIDENT IN THOSE
DISCUSSIONS. AND, YOU KNOW, A
LIST OF QUESTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE,
IF YOU KNOW YOUR LEASE SAYS THAT
YOU NEED THAT IT IS YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF
HVAC SYSTEMS OR, YOU KNOW,
DIFFERENT SYSTEMS WITHIN YOUR,
YOUR BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, ASKING
ABOUT THE STATUS OF THOSE, HOW
ARE THEY CURRENTLY? AM I GOING
TO HAVE TO REPLACE MY HVAC IN
THE NEXT YEAR? BECAUSE THAT'S
SOMETHING I WOULD NEED TO KNOW
AS A SMALL BUSINESS, BUT MIGHT
NOT NECESSARILY THINK TO ASK
WHILE YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF
THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SO, YOU
KNOW, I THINK HAVING SOME KIND
OF SOME, SOME EASY, THERE'S SOME
EASY FIXES AND EASY PIECES OF
IDEAS TO KIND OF EMPOWER FOLKS
TO BE ABLE TO, TO KNOW WHAT
THEY'RE DOING. AND THEN, YOU
KNOW, I THINK THIS WOULD ALSO
JUST KIND OF BUILD ONTO THE WORK
THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING TO
SUPPORT THE OVERALL FINANCIAL
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED
WITH OPENING A SMALL BUSINESS,
WHETHER IT BE, YOU KNOW,
PERMITTING AND REGULATORY
ISSUES, BUT ALSO JUST THE
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS IS REALLY
IMPACTING EVERYONE, INCLUDING
OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL. SO
WHILE FOLKS ARE NEGOTIATING FOR
THE BEST LEASE AGREEMENT THEY
CAN GET, THEY'RE ALSO HAVING TO
NAVIGATE INSURANCE. CAN THEY GET
APPROPRIATE AND COSTLY INSURANCE
IN THEIR AREA? THERE ARE SOME
PARTS OF THE CITY IN WHICH A
SMALL BUSINESS, DEPENDING ON
THEIR INDUSTRY, CANNOT GET
INSURED. AND SO THESE ARE ISSUES
THAT FOLKS NEED TO FIGURE OUT
BEFORE OBVIOUSLY, SIGNING A
LEASE IN THAT LOCATION. AND, YOU
KNOW, ALL THESE PIECES KIND OF
COME TOGETHER TO DEVELOP THE
ECOSYSTEM OF A NEIGHBORHOOD AS
WELL. YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE
THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE
TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT WE WANT
TO TO OPEN, AND OBVIOUSLY IT
TAKES ALL KINDS. WE, WE WELCOME
EVERYONE. BUT, YOU KNOW, SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT COME FROM AND
ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
COMMUNITY ARE THE ONES YOU OFTEN
SEE THEM, YOU KNOW, GIVING BACK
IN TERMS OF CREATING SPACES FOR
FOLKS TO COME IN, CREATING
ACTIVITIES, PARTICIPATING IN
COMMUNITY ART WALKS, THINGS LIKE
THAT. AND THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF
RELATIONSHIPS WE REALLY WANT TO
CREATE AND THAT REALLY CREATE A
SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM VISION
FOR, FOR A LOCAL ECONOMY, FOR A
NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I THINK THIS
TYPE OF THIS TYPE OF WORK IS
REALLY NEEDED TO KIND OF UPHOLD
THAT PILLAR AND REALLY SUPPORT
THAT ONGOING SUSTAINABILITY.
SPECIFICALLY WITH THOSE, THOSE,
THOSE POWER DYNAMICS THAT EXIST
WITH SMALL, SMALL BUSINESSES AND
POTENTIAL LANDLORDS.
-- AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER,
WHEN WE NEGOTIATE A COMMERCIAL
LEASE, RIGHT? WE DON'T HAVE A
LONG TERM LAWYER. SO WHEN WE SEE
LIKE 50 PAGES LEASES, WE FEEL
LIKE REALLY OVERWHELMING, RIGHT?
SO WITH THE COMMERCIAL LEASE
PROGRAMING, SO THEY'RE GOING TO
LET ME KNOW WHAT EXACTLY I'M
SIGNING FOR. WHAT'S THE TRAP?
WHAT, WHAT SHOULD I LOOKING FOR?
BUT EVEN EVERYBODY TOLD YOU, OH,
YOU TRY NOT TO PUT YOUR PERSONAL
GRANTOR INTO THE LEASE. BUT IN
REALITY IT'S NOT REALLY
POSSIBLE. RIGHT? THE LANDLORD
DON'T ALLOW. AND, AND OUR FIRST
SHOP IS IN CAPITOL HILL HARBOR
MARKET. SO AS TEN YEARS AGO,
IT'S REALLY LIKE HAPPENED IN
PLACE. SO ALL THE BUSINESS, ALL
THE UNITS HAVE OCCUPIED. BUT
AFTER COVID, THERE'S MORE AND
MORE VACANCY. SO THE TRIPLE NET
IS ISSUE, RIGHT? SO BECAUSE THE,
THE LANDLORDS HAVE MORE
INSURANCE, THEY HAVE MORE TAX,
THEY ALL PASS THROUGH AND WITH
LESS TENANTS TO SHARE THE TRIPLE
NET, YOU GET HIGHER. SO FOR
EXAMPLE, MY TRIPLE NET IS ALMOST
MORE THAN THE BASE RIGHT. SO
THAT'S THE DIFFICULTY, RIGHT.
SO IF WE CAN CREATE SOME PROGRAM
TO LET MORE SMALL BUSINESS ENTER
THE VACANCY INTO THE PLAZA, THEY
CAN KEEP EVERYTHING DOWN. RIGHT.
I UNDERSTAND AS A LANDLORD, THEY
ALSO AFRAID, RIGHT. THEY TAKE A
LOT OF RISKS, LIKE AFRAID YOU
COME IN AND DO SOMETHING.
THAT'S WHY THE BARRIER TO ENTRY
IS SO HIGH. SO IF WITH THIS
PROGRAM, A LOT MORE SMALL
BUSINESS, THEY CAN ENTER, THEY
CAN STAY. SO EVERYBODY CAN SHARE
SOME THEIR PAY, THEIR SHARE, AND
THE WHOLE ECO SYSTEM IS GOING TO
BE BETTER BECAUSE WHEN CUSTOMERS
COME TO THIS PLAZA, THEY FEEL,
OH, IT'S HAPPENING, RIGHT?
IT'S ALL, IT'S ALL DIFFERENT
BUSINESS. BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S A
LOT IS EMPTY.
-- SO THEY FEEL LIKE, WHAT'S
GOING ON, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S
HOW I FEEL. EVEN LET ME SEE MY
NOTE. YEAH. THAT'S OUR THOUGHT
ABOUT THIS. WE HAVE LIKE A
TRIPLE NET. YEAH. YES.
-- THANK YOU FOR BRINGING.
-- UP SOME OF THE CHALLENGES
ACROSS AREAS FROM TRIPLE NET
PERSONAL GUARANTEE AND
PERMITTING ISSUES. A LOT TO
UNPACK HERE. COLLEAGUES, I WANT
TO TURN IT NEXT TO YOU FOR
QUESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR OUR
PANELISTS.
-- MADAM CHAIR.
-- COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
-- THANK YOU. I APOLOGIZE FOR
NOT USING THE LITTLE HAND ON THE
THING, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO
RAISE MY HANDS BECAUSE I KNOW
YOU CAN SEE ME. FIRST OF ALL,
THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR, FOR PUTTING
TOGETHER A REALLY GOOD PANEL.
AND MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT BEING
THERE AND NOT KNOWING THAT OUR
WONDERFUL GROUP, OUR AI AND AND
FATIMA WERE GOING TO BE THERE.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LONG
HISTORY WITH OUR AI GOING BACK
NINE, TEN YEARS. AND THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR, FOR HAVING AN
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THEM AND
HOPEFULLY HAVE THEM BACK AGAIN
FOR MORE IN DEPTH, BECAUSE I
THINK THEY'RE A TEXTBOOK
EXAMPLE OF JUST LIKE NORTH
HELPLINE LAKE CITY TOGETHER,
SOME OF THESE SMALLER
BUSINESSES, COYOTE NORTH
INCUBATOR BUSINESSES. BUT WHAT I
LOVED ABOUT YOUR PANEL FROM
NIKITA AND GABRIEL AND HOPEFULLY
I'M, I'M SAYING THIS NAME
RIGHT? IS THAT JACKSON JACKSON
WANG. YES. OKAY. I'M SORRY. I
WAS JUST LOOKING AT I WAS TRYING
TO MAKE SURE I SAID IT CORRECTLY
AND SHANTI'S ASSISTANCE BECAUSE.
AND YOU YOU MENTIONED THIS,
MADAM CHAIR. I UNDERSTOOD ABOUT
THE BIA'S AND THE BASE RENTS
AND THE FRUSTRATION WITH
PERMITTING, WITH SDCI,
PARTICULARLY WITH SMALL
BUSINESSES AND STOREFRONT
PLACES. BUT I WASN'T AWARE OF
HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS ON THE
WHOLE TRIPLE NET THING. I
DIDN'T KNOW THAT. SO I LEARNED
A LOT TODAY, AND I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR THAT. AND PARTICULARLY
HOW MUCH MORE CHALLENGING AND
DIFFICULT IT GOT POST COVID,
WITH MORE VACANCIES. AND I JUST
WISH WE HAD MORE SHANTI'S TO
WALK SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH
ALL THESE DIFFICULT. AND BEING A
LAWYER MYSELF AND ALSO BEING
MARRIED TO A PERSON WHO'S AN
ARTIST AND A SMALL BUSINESS
OWNER, I KNOW THAT IT'S
CHALLENGING WITH CITY. AND SO
WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO GABRIEL
TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE EASY FIXES,
MADAM CHAIR, I'M JUST GOING TO
LOOK TO YOUR LEADERSHIP. I KNOW
THAT WE CAN TRY TO STREAMLINE
THINGS. THE PERMITTING AND AND
MAYBE HAVE MORE WORKSHOPS FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES. BUT I ALSO
KNOW THAT OUR NEW OED DIRECTOR
BETO, KNOWS HOW TO WITH WORKING
WITH SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION,
KNOWS HOW TO STREAMLINE TO GET
SMALLER BUSINESSES IN THE
PIPELINE, TO GET THEM UP AND
GOING IN BRICK AND MORTAR. AND
THAT'S BEEN A BIG IT'S BEEN A
BIG HOW DO I SAY THIS? THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN DOING
AS A LAWYER FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS
IN INDIAN COUNTRY AND RURAL
COMMUNITIES AND CITIES IS TAKEN
AN IDEA TO FRUITION FROM
INCLUDING CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA,
WHICH IS A BIG THING, BUT ALSO A
LITTLE THING. LIKE WHEN WE
BROUGHT COYOTE NORTH UP NORTH,
WHEN WE WORKED WITH OUR AI, WHEN
WE WORKED WITH REWA. SO I WANT
TO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR
PUTTING TOGETHER THIS ROUNDTABLE
SO WE CAN KEEP COMING BACK TO
THIS ISSUE ABOUT SMALL
BUSINESSES AND THE OBSTACLES AND
CHALLENGES THEY FACE, AND HOW WE
CAN MAKE IT EASIER AND
SUSTAINABLE FOR THEM TO STAY IN
OUR CITY. AND ACTUALLY, AS YOU
KNOW, THEY'RE THE BACKBONE OF
WHAT? OF CREATIVITY. THEY'RE THE
BACKBONE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND
JUST NAVIGATING THE BANK SCENE
ALONE. I KNOW THAT THERE'S A
PROGRAM AND I'LL I'LL END HERE
JUST BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO
SHARE THIS PIECE BROUGHT BACK
SOME, SOME TRIGGERING HERE
WORKING WITH SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS ON THE RESERVATION AND
NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE YOU SEE
IN OTHER CITIES, AND WALKING
THEM THROUGH THE SBA PROCESS,
TAKING A SIX WEEK CLASS, HAVING
TO LEARN HOW TO DO A BUSINESS
PLAN, HOW TO PRESENT TO A BANK,
HOW TO GET THE SMALLEST INTEREST
RATE LOAN. A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS,
THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
BUSINESS PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE
NOT. I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE
ARTISTS. THEY WANT TO DO THEIR
BUSINESS. LIKE NIKITA WAS
SHARING, BUT THEY'RE NOT
NECESSARILY LAWYERS AND
CONTRACTORS. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY
DON'T DO THAT STUFF AND THEY
NEED SOMEONE TO HELP THEM. SO
THANK YOU, SHANTI, FOR HOW YOU
WALKED US THROUGH THIS. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR PUTTING
TOGETHER THIS GREAT PANEL. AND
AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING
THERE. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO
HAVE SEEN HIM IN FATIMA, BUT
AYE. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH HIM.
SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN DO
THIS AGAIN AND GET MORE IN
DEPTH. SO THANK YOU
-- THANK YOU FOR THOSE GENEROUS
WORDS. COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ. AND
YES, FULL INTENT TO BRING IN
MORE OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS
PARTNERS AND KEEP THIS
CONVERSATION GOING IN THIS
COMMITTEE THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR,
AND POTENTIALLY TAKE UP SOME
ACTION AS WELL TO ADDRESS SOME
OF THESE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN
OUTLINED TODAY. AND I SHARED A
NUMBER OF SIMILAR REFLECTIONS
THAT YOU JUST SHARED WITH US,
JUST RELATED TO TRIPLE NET. I
MEAN, THE IDEA OF TRIPLE NET
BEING MORE THAN BASE IS, IS
PRETTY ASTONISHING TO ME. AND SO
I THANK YOU FOR ELEVATING THESE
POINTS. ON, ON THAT MATTER, AS
WELL AS A NUMBER OF OTHER
POINTS. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, FOR YOUR
CAREFUL AND REALLY FOCUSED WORK
IN THE LAKE CITY NEIGHBORHOOD
RELATED TO FORMATION OF BIA. I
KNOW THIS HAS BEEN JUST
SOMETHING YOU'VE BEEN VERY
FOCUSED ON, AND SO I JUST
APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU.
-- I ONLY HAVE ONE THING TO SAY.
SURE. LET'S LET'S TRY TO DO IT
BEFORE I'M GONE IN NOVEMBER. SO
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO.
BUT I'LL STILL BE IN D5 AND
I'LL STILL BE AN ASSET FOR YOU
AND FOR THESE SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
-- THANK YOU. THAT IS THAT IS
THE HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE YOU
POTENTIALLY BE ABLE TO VOTE ON
SOMETHING. SO THAT IS THAT IS
THE TIMELINE I'D LIKE TO BE
WORKING WITH ON THIS. AND I, I
DO WANT TO I HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS JUST ON THIS POINT.
ONE UNDERSTANDING. SO I HAVE A
QUESTION FOR SHANTI.
UNDERSTANDING THAT IT SOUNDS
LIKE WE'D LOVE MORE CHANTIES.
AND THAT'S ONE PIECE OF THIS.
BUT YOU ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THAT
THERE ARE JUST A NUMBER OF
STRUCTURAL MATTERS, AND IT WAS
SOMETHING THAT REALLY CAME OUT
TO ME IN WHAT YOU SHARED WAS THE
MATTER THAT WE HAVE CODES THAT
ARE IN CONFLICT WITH ONE
ANOTHER, AND THAT FEELS LIKE
SOMETHING ON THE GOVERNMENTAL
LEVEL WE CAN BE REMEDYING. AND
SO I'M WONDERING HOW IF I
IMAGINE YOU PROBABLY HAVE A LIST
OF AREAS OF CONFLICT WHERE WE
SEE CODES. AND SO I'M WONDERING
IF THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT
THAT EXISTS EITHER FROM YOU OR
FROM OED AND HOW WE'RE TRACKING
THAT WORK, BECAUSE, I MEAN,
THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT
MAY BE OUT OF OUR CONTROL, BUT
THE MATTERS OF TRYING TO ADDRESS
AND WORK ON A GOVERNMENT TO
GOVERNMENT LEVEL TO ADDRESS THE
CODE CONFLICTS FEELS LIKE
SOMETHING THAT COULD BE
SOLVABLE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YEAH, I, I MEAN, I THINK TO
SAY THEY'RE IN CONFLICT, IT'S
MORE LIKE THEY DON'T COHERE, I
GUESS IS WHAT I WOULD SAY,
RIGHT? THERE'S SORT OF THESE
OVERLAPPING LAYERS OF REGULATION
THAT AREN'T CONNECTED FOR PEOPLE
NECESSARILY. THE, THE SPECIAL
REVIEW DISTRICTS IN PARTICULAR,
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN AND THEY'RE
ALL DIFFERENT ACROSS THE CITY.
EVERY SINGLE ONE IS DIFFERENT.
THEY HAVE DIFFERENT RULES,
DIFFERENT PROCESSES, THEIR OWN
SPECIAL PART OF THE LAND USE
CODE. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE
LAND USE CODE. THAT'S THE ZONING
PART THAT ALSO APPLIES. AND THAT
SDCI ADMINISTERS I'M JUST GOING
TO PUT THIS OUT HERE BECAUSE
YOU'VE ASKED, IN MY OPINION,
THAT PORTION OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT IS UNDER
THE PRESERVATION OFFICE SHOULD
BE PART OF SDCI BECAUSE IT IS A
REGULATORY BODY, AND I THINK
THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAYS IN
TERMS OF THE ISSUES WITH THE
SPECIAL REVIEW DISTRICTS TO
GETTING MORE COHERENCE AND STAFF
THAT ARE SIMPLY TALKING TO EACH
OTHER AND TAKING RESPONSIBILITY
FOR SHEPHERDING THROUGH
APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE TO GO
THROUGH MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE
LAYERS OF REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHEN I
THROW OUT THERE. BUT I ALSO KNOW
THAT LIKE, IN TERMS OF THE OTHER
ISSUES WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW,
SDCI CODES, THERE HAVE BEEN A
FEW DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAVE
BEEN ADVANCED. I THINK THAT
PHILIP SIT WAS WORKING ON.
-- THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. LAST
YEAR WE WERE REALLY EXCITED TO
PARTNER WITH SDCI ON UPDATES TO
THE SUBSTANTIAL ALTERATIONS
LEGISLATION, WHICH I THINK IS
SIGNIFICANTLY EXEMPTED SMALLER
COMMERCIAL SPACES FROM SOME
PRETTY ONEROUS REQUIREMENTS. AND
LIKE SHANTI MENTIONED, I THINK
WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT AND
PROBABLY DO HAVE A MENTAL LIST
OF WHAT ELSE DO WE WANT TO CLEAN
UP HERE AND ON SDCI, I DO JUST
WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR
PARTNER, PETER FURMINGER THERE,
WHO FOR ANYBODY WATCHING THIS
HEARING, WHO IS PLANNING ON
STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS, I
MEAN, PETER IS SUCH AN EXCELLENT
RESOURCE AT THE BEGINNING. I DO
THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
SHANTI NOTED IS LIKE THE
PERMITTING THICKET GETS VERY,
VERY THICK, VERY FAST. AND SO I
DO THINK THAT KIND OF LIKE FRONT
END CONSULTATION TENDS TO HELP A
LOT. BUT PETER HAS JUST BEEN
SUCH A GREAT RESOURCE TO OED AND
THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WE
WORK WITH AND KIND OF HELPING
THEM NAVIGATE. BUT JUST LIKE WE
NEED MORE CHANTIES, I THINK
HAVING NOT NOT EVERY TYPE OF
BUSINESS HAS ACCESS TO LIKE
PETER AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME.
AND ALSO IT'S JUST JUST ONE
PERSON. AND SO I THINK THIS
LARGER SYSTEMS POINT IS VERY
WELL TAKEN. AND SOMETHING I'D
SAY OED IS EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE
OF
-- GABRIEL.
-- IF I COULD JUST ADD REALLY
QUICKLY, AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT
THIS, THIS CODE ISSUE, ONE THING
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT
OFTENTIMES I'VE SEEN MANY, MANY
BUSINESSES WORK WITH DIFFERENT
CITY DEPARTMENTS, GET THEIR, GET
THEIR TO GET EVERYTHING ONLINE
IN TERMS OF CODING. AND THEY
THINK THEY HAVE EVERYTHING READY
TO GO, AND THEN THEY WILL HEAR
BACK FROM FIRE OR SDCI OR
ANOTHER DEPARTMENT AND BE TOLD
YOU ARE ACTUALLY NOT UP TO CODE
BECAUSE OF X, Y, Z, EVEN THOUGH
THEY WERE TOLD BY THAT SAME
INSTITUTION PREVIOUSLY THAT THEY
WERE. AND OFTENTIMES THIS CAN
THIS ADDS TO THE COST OF, YOU
KNOW, OF DOING THOSE BUILD OUTS,
MAKING THOSE CHANGES, AND ALSO
THE WAIT TIME THAT IT TAKES TO
START THOSE BUSINESSES. SO I
WOULD JUST ADVISE TO, TO PAY
CLOSE ATTENTION TO THAT AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A
COMMUNICATION INTERDEPARTMENTAL
COMMUNICATION THING, BUT JUST
SOMETHING TO NOTE AS WELL
-- MADAM CHAIR, MAY I ASK A
QUESTION REAL QUICK? I
APOLOGIZE.
-- OH.
-- PLEASE DO. COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
-- THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I
JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO SHANTI
FOR A MINUTE, AND I COULDN'T
WRITE IT DOWN QUICK ENOUGH. AND
BLAME THAT ON ME. AND TECHNOLOGY
AND AGE. YOU SAID YOU WERE JUST
GOING TO SAY IT, AND AYE. I
MISSED WHAT YOU SAID. YOU SAID,
SDCI, THAT YOU WHO SHOULD BE
PART OF WHAT SDCI SHOULD EDDIE
OR DIONNE.
-- PRESERVATION THE OFFICE OF
PRESERVATION, WHICH IS WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS,
BUT IS ACTUALLY A REGULATORY
BODY IN THE. I THINK A MAJORITY
OF WHAT IT DOES, WHICH IS THE
SPECIAL REVIEW DISTRICTS ACROSS
THE CITY THERE YOU HAVE TO GET
APPROVALS FROM THEM. YOU HAVE TO
GET CERTIFICATES OF APPROVAL
FROM THEM IN ORDER TO PROCEED
WITH FURTHER PERMITTING FROM
SDCI. AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN
THEIR OWN SECTIONS IN THE LAND
USE CODE. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN
PROCESSES. THEY ARE A REGULATORY
BODY AND THEY SHOULD BE SITUATED
WITH THE REST OF THE REGULATORY
BODIES. THE PHYSICAL SPACE,
REGULATORY BODIES IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTIONS.
-- MADAM CHAIR, MAY I HAVE A
FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
-- PLEASE?
-- THANK YOU. SO AND YOU MAY
ALREADY HAVE THIS, AND I THINK
WE DID THIS A FEW YEARS AGO. BUT
I KNOW WHAT WE KNOW FROM THE
CITY SIDE, BUT SHANTI, JUST JUST
BECAUSE YOU DO THIS AND AND
YOU'VE HAD GLOWING REVIEWS FROM
FROM NIKITA AND FOLKS HAVE YOU
EVER THOUGHT OF OR HAVE YOU
SUBMITTED OR WOULD YOU THINK
ABOUT GIVING US JUST YOUR
PERSPECTIVE, LIKE A FLOWCHART
FROM LIKE FROM BEGINNING TO THE
CHALLENGES AND THE CITY, THE
ALPHABET CITY THAT SMALL
BUSINESSES HAVE TO GO THROUGH
FOR PERMITTING SDCI D, O AND
OFFICE OF PRESERVATION. JUST
EVEN IF IT'S THAT JUST REALLY
CLUNKY, JUST SO WE CAN I FOR ME,
I'M A VISUAL LEARNER JUST SO I
CAN VISUALLY SEE I, I KIND OF
KNOW, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE
EVER PUT PEN TO PAPER AND HAD
SOMEONE ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR
SIDE, LIKE A CONSULTANT LIKE
YOU. I MEAN, WE HAVE OUR CITY
DEPARTMENTS THAT COME AND THEIR
STAFF AND THEY'RE, THEY, YOU
KNOW, WE GET THOSE SLIDE DECKS,
BUT I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER
SEEN ANYTHING FROM THE PRIVATE
SECTOR AS A CONSULTANT LIKE YOU
COME IN AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS
THIS IS WHERE THE CHALLENGES
ARE. THIS IS WHERE, WHERE THINGS
DON'T MOVE AS SMOOTHLY AS WE
WOULD LIKE, OR THIS IS WHERE
THINGS ARE REPETITIVE OR
DUPLICATIVE, DUPLICATIVE, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE DOING THE SAME STUFF
OVER AND OVER, KIND OF WHERE THE
BOTTLENECKS ARE, IF YOU WILL.
-- I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN
INCREDIBLY HELPFUL THE FLOWCHART
ITSELF, BUT ALSO THE EXERCISE OF
DOING THAT AND HAVING MULTIPLE
CITY DEPARTMENTS AND ELECTED
LEADERS FAMILIAR WITH THAT A
LITTLE BIT, AT LEAST SOME OF IT,
IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TO PUT
THAT ALL INTO ONE CHART. AND I
DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE THE
EXPERTISE TO DO THAT MYSELF.
THAT WOULD BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE
THAT WOULD NEED TO HELP WITH
DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
-- YEAH. AND I THINK IT'S I
THINK THERE'S BITS AND PIECES
OF IT. AND SO WITH THAT BROADER
KIND OF COMMERCIAL SPACE
CONSULTING TEAM, THERE PROBABLY
IS WITHIN THAT. AND THEN
PARTNERS WITHIN THE CITY TO BE
ABLE TO DO THAT AT LEAST AS A
STARTING POINT, TO UNDERSTAND,
YOU KNOW, WHAT THE STEPS ARE
THAT FOLKS HAVE TO GO THROUGH
AND KIND OF WHAT THOSE. KEY
POINTS, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES
FOLKS ARE JUST DOING THEIR JOB
IMPLEMENTING THE CODE. AND IT'S
JUST THAT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS TALK
TO EACH OTHER. AND SO BEING ABLE
TO SORT OF LAY THAT OUT
HOLISTICALLY COULD BE AN
INTERESTING PROJECT. AND I
THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WITH
SOME OF THE, THE PARTNERS THAT
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THROUGH
THAT COMMERCIAL SPACE CONSULTING
IN OUR PROGRAM, AN INTERESTING
PLACE TO START WHO HAVE BEEN
KIND OF DEALING WITH THAT AT A
PRACTICAL LEVEL. SO WE'LL
DEFINITELY KIND OF TAKE THAT.
AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT
OF INTERNAL WORK ON PERMITTING
AS WELL. THE OTHER THING I WAS
GOING TO MENTION TO ONE THING
ALICIA MENTIONED, PETER, ONE
THING, LIKE JEN AND THE REST OF
OUR TEAM HAVE BEEN THINKING
ABOUT TOO, IS HOW TO GET FOLKS
INFORMATION AROUND THE PERMITTED
USE OF THEIR SPACE BEFORE WE
EVEN THINK OF CHANGING IT OR
DOING THAT. BUT DOING THAT
BEFORE YOU SIGN A LEASE SO THAT
YOU CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND, A LOT
OF TIMES IT'S JUST NOT KNOWING
SO THAT YOU DON'T MAKE THE BEST
CHOICE FOR YOUR, YOUR BUSINESS.
AND SO JUST THAT BEING ABLE TO
LOOK UP THE PERMITTED USE JUST
AS KIND OF ONE IMMEDIATE THING
THAT WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON
AS WE GO THROUGH THIS WORK.
-- AND I'LL JUST TAG ON A NOTE.
WE RECENTLY HELD A STAKEHOLDER
MEETING. AND I THINK THAT THIS.
FINDING OUT THE PERMITTED USE. I
MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS
CHALLENGING ALL AROUND. WE HEARD
FROM BOTH PROPERTY OWNERS AS
WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE WORKING
WITH BUSINESSES. AND SO I THINK
TO YOUR POINT, MADAM CHAIR, THAT
HOW ARE WE LOOKING AT THINGS IN
THE CITY AND JUST MAKING IT
EASIER TO FIND THIS INFORMATION
WHEN WE CAN, BECAUSE SORT OF
LIKE, NO MATTER WHO IT'S LANDING
ON, IT'S CHALLENGING TO FIND, I
THINK IS WHAT WE HEARD. SO.
-- COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ. I
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT POINT AND
THAT CALL AND THE REQUEST FOR
AROUND A FLOWCHART, I THINK I
WOULD APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL
AND WOULD LOVE TO FOLLOW UP ON
POTENTIALLY THIS ACTIVITY WITH
OUR PANELIST PARTNERS AND OPCD.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL
FOLLOW UP OKAY. FABULOUS. WELL,
I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT IT
WOULD BE GREAT IF WE'D HAVE
MORE CHANTIES, BUT I THINK WE
ALL AGREE THAT IN THIS WORK, THE
GOAL IS THAT WE HAVE MORE
NIKITAS AND MORE JÜRGENS IN THIS
WORK AS WELL. AND SO I DO HAVE
SOME QUESTIONS FOR EACH OF YOU.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR REPRESENTING
SEPARATE INDUSTRIES. I'M
WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO
SOME OF THE SPECIFICS JUST
AROUND FOOD RELATED BUSINESSES
WITH BRICK AND MORTAR AND THE
CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH THAT.
AND THEN I'D LOVE TO TURN TO
YOU, NIKITA, TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE BIGGEST
OBSTACLES FACING CLOTHING
RETAILERS
-- YEAH, I THINK AS A
RESTAURANT, THE CHALLENGE IS
EVERYTHING IS THE PRICES GO UP,
THE INFLATION, THE RENT, LABOR
SUPPLIES, INGREDIENTS. AND
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MORE
VACANCY IN DOWNTOWN. SO OUR
LUNCH BUSINESS IS BEING DROPPED.
SO IF I CAN HELP MORE BUSINESS
GO INTO THE SPACE, I THINK CAN
BRING MORE PEOPLE COME TO THE
DOWNTOWN AREA, RIGHT? SO RIGHT
NOW THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW, I FEEL
LIKE PEOPLE LIKE TO GO TO THE
EVENT, RIGHT? THEY GO TO THE
EVENT, THEY GO SUMMERTIME. WE
LOVE TO GO TO THE EVENT, BUT
SEATTLE RAINS A LOT. IF A LOT OF
BIG PLAYS THEY CAN. THE VACANCY
PLAYS, THEY CAN CHANGE INTO LIKE
INDOOR MARKET, SOMETHING LIKE
THAT. THEY HAVE FOOD AND MUSIC.
THEY HAVE SOME TEA FOR LIKE
BRING PEOPLE LIKE TRY TO BRING
MORE PEOPLE TRAFFIC, FOOT
TRAFFIC. I THINK THAT'S THE MOST
IMPORTANT. AND ALSO AS A SMALL
BUSINESS, THEY SAID A LOT OF
PERMITTING, RIGHT? IT'S MAYBE
SOME, MAYBE THE CONSULTING, THEY
CAN ADD ONE MORE PROGRAM IS
CALLED LIKE CO-ORDINATOR. LIKE
YOU HAVE TO IDEA LIKE A TIME
FRAME OR THIS, AND THEN MAYBE
THEY CAN GO MORE SMOOTHLY. THEY
CAN OPEN THE DOOR MORE QUICKLY.
YEAH, YEAH.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
-- OH, ONE MORE THING I WANT TO
MENTION IS BECAUSE ALSO DOWNTOWN
AREA, I THINK MAYBE SECURITY IS
ANOTHER ISSUE FOR LIKE BUSINESS
AND FOOT TRAFFIC, RIGHT? THAT'S
THE THING TO KEEP PEOPLE COMING
AND THE BUSINESS BECAUSE THEY
HAVE A LOT OF BREAKING WINDOW,
THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO FOR
EXAMPLE, LIKE A PLAZA, OUR
PLAZA, THEY WANT TO HIRE SOME
SECURITY IS LIKE THEY NEED TO
ADD MORE FEE, BUT WITHOUT THAT,
IT'S HARD TO DO AS WELL. YEAH.
-- AYE.
-- REALLY APPRECIATE THAT
RESPONSE. AND THOSE POINTS. AND
I WAS GOING TO MOVE NEXT TO
NIKITA, BUT I THINK SHE STEPPED
AWAY FOR A MOMENT. SO I WILL
JUST PIVOT TO MAYBE A CLOSING
QUESTION, AND MAYBE WE CAN
CIRCLE BACK TO NIKITA WHEN SHE
HOPEFULLY COMES BACK, MAYBE JUST
A CLOSING QUESTION FOR NOW, BUT
ALSO, COLLEAGUES, IF YOU HAVE
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE HEAR YOURS. JUST
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WISH
EVERYONE WHO IS LOOKING TO LEASE
A SPACE KNEW BEFORE THEY SIGNED?
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF
THINGS, BUT IF YOU WERE TO
CHOOSE ONE, ONE THING. WOULD BE
CURIOUS WHAT YOU WOULD SAY.
MAYBE STARTING WITH SHANTI.
-- I GUESS I'LL GO FIRST.
-- THERE ARE MANY, MANY, MANY
THINGS. BUT ONE THING I'LL
HIGHLIGHT BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT SOME OTHER THINGS AND THAT
IS HEIDI ALLUDED TO THIS. WHAT
IS THE SPACE CURRENTLY CERTIFIED
FOR? WHAT IS THE CERTIFIED
OCCUPANCY FOR THE SPACE?
BECAUSE. THERE'S A FAIR AMOUNT
OF BUSINESSES. AND I CAN GIVE
YOU AN EXAMPLE, A SALON THAT I
WORKED WITH IN BALLARD THROUGH
AEDES PROGRAM THAT PURCHASED A
SALON THAT HAD BEEN IN OPERATION
FOR SIX YEARS. IT HAD BEEN IN
OPERATION SINCE PRIOR TO THE
CURRENT PROPERTY OWNERSHIP,
SIGNED A PURCHASE AND SALE
AGREEMENT, SIGNED A LEASE, WENT
TO DO SOME FAIRLY MINOR
IMPROVEMENTS, COSMETIC
IMPROVEMENTS TO EXPAND THE NAIL
SALON, TO ALSO INCLUDE A FACIAL
SPACES TO DO FACIAL WORK, AND
FOUND OUT THAT WHEN THAT SALON
WENT IN AND CONVERTED IT FROM
OFFICE TO A SALON, THEY DID NOT
GO THROUGH A CHANGE OF USE
PROCESS AND CHANGE OF USE CAN BE
INCREDIBLY SCARY BECAUSE YOU
JUST HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HOW CODES
HAVE CHANGED, WHAT NEW THINGS
ARE GOING TO APPLY. BOTH THE
COMPLEXITY OF THE PERMITTING
WHICH CAUSES DELAY IN OPENING,
BUT ALSO THE COST OF THOSE
IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU DIDN'T
ANTICIPATE CAN BE VERY, VERY
HIGH. UNFORTUNATELY, IN THAT
PARTICULAR CASE, WE WERE ABLE TO
CALL PETER FOY, WHO IS
INVALUABLE, AND HE HELPED USHER
IT THROUGH. SO THERE WAS DELAY,
BUT ONLY TWO MONTHS. IT COULD
HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. SO THAT IS
ONE THING THAT I WOULD I WOULD
REALLY JUST WISH THAT WHEN
PEOPLE SIGN LEASES, THEY KNEW
THE SPACE THAT THEY WAS BEING
REPRESENTED TO THEM AS BEING
VIABLE FOR THEIR USE. ACTUALLY
WAS. AND I THINK THIS IS
SOMETHING THERE'S BEEN SOME
MENTION OF THIS COMMERCIAL
TENANT TRANSPARENCY LEGISLATION
THAT THAT EDDIE IS WORKING ON.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT THAT COULD HELP ADDRESS
GETTING THE CERTIFICATE OF
OCCUPANCY OUT THERE.
-- EXCELLENT.
-- THANK YOU.
-- SHANTI, HIT THE NAIL ON THE
HEAD. THAT WAS WHAT I WAS GOING
TO TALK ABOUT. BUT ANOTHER PIECE
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AS WELL IS
INSURANCE. ARE IS WILL YOU BE
ABLE TO RECEIVE INSURANCE FOR
THE TYPE OF BUSINESS YOU ARE
OPENING IN THAT LOCATION? THERE
ARE SOME PLACES, LIKE I
MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE CITY,
THAT IN WHICH YOU CANNOT GET
INSURED OR THE NUMBER OF
INSURANCE OPTIONS ARE VERY LOW,
WHICH MEANS THE COST OF
INSURANCE IS VERY HIGH. AND ALSO
IN LOOKING INTO THAT, WHAT DOES
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU
DO FILE A CLAIM WITH YOUR
INSURANCE? BECAUSE OFTENTIMES IF
YOU WE'VE SEEN BUSINESSES THAT
HAVE THAT WILL EXPERIENCE A
BREAK IN, YOU KNOW, THREE DAYS
IN A ROW AND THEY WILL NOT TELL
THEIR INSURANCE OUT OF FEAR THAT
THEIR PREMIUMS WILL INCREASE.
AND SO THEY'LL PAY FOR THE, THE
LOSS OF PROFIT OR THE PRODUCT.
AND ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, BROKEN
WINDOWS, ET CETERA., OUT OF
POCKET WITH HELP FROM EDDIE
STOREFRONT REPAIR FUND AS WELL.
BUT THAT'S STILL AN OUT OF
POCKET INVESTMENT. AND THEN
THEY'LL NOT BRING THAT BACK TO
INSURANCE BECAUSE THE INCREASED
RATES WILL SUPERSEDE THE LARGE
AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY
ALREADY HAVE TO SPEND ON
REBUILDING AFTER THOSE ISSUES.
SO REALLY INVESTIGATING THAT
LANDSCAPE AHEAD OF TIME AND
BEING PREPARED TO UNDERSTAND
THAT DYNAMIC.
-- YEAH. AND I ALSO THINK SMALL
BUSINESS, WHEN THEY SIGN THE
LEASE, THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S
POSSIBLE. TRIPLE NET CAN BE
RIGHT BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S AN
ELEVATOR REPAIR, PARKING LOT
PAINTING, REMOVE THE GRAFFITI.
YOU HAVE TO LIKE EVEN RIGHT NOW,
THIS YEAR, YOU DON'T HAVE TO
CONSIDER THIS FEE, BUT SOMETIMES
YOU NEED TO CONSIDER, OH, AFTER
FIVE YEARS AND SIX YEARS,
WHAT'S THE POSSIBLE FEE CAN BE
IN THAT GROUP. AND THEN YOU CAN
BE PREPARED. YEAH.
-- I WOULD SAY NUMBER ONE PIECE
OF ADVICE IS DON'T RUSH INTO
SIGNING A LEASE. IT CAN TAKE A
YEAR TO PROPERLY VET A SPACE AND
SEE WHAT OPTIONS ARE OUT THERE
AND GET SOMETHING THAT REALLY
FITS WITH YOUR BUSINESS. SO TAKE
YOUR TIME. IT'S 100% WORTH IT.
AND IT AFFECTS, YOU KNOW, THE
NEXT TEN, 20 YEARS OF YOUR
BUSINESS. SO.
-- I WAS GOING TO SAY SIMILAR, I
THINK JUST KNOWING THE QUESTIONS
TO ASK BEFORE YOU SIGN THE LEASE
AND KNOWING TO REACH OUT, WE, WE
WANT TO TALK TO PEOPLE BEFORE
THEY SIGN THAT LEASE. AND SO
WE'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH
OUR BUSINESS DISTRICT PARTNERS,
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERS, OUR
CONSULTANTS, OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES WHO ARE NETWORKED
WITH OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES TO
KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME
RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS, AND JUST
BEING ABLE TO ASK SOME OF THESE
CRITICAL QUESTIONS. BEFORE THAT
LEASE ASSIGNED AND REALLY THINK
ABOUT LIKE, IS THIS THE BEST
SPACE WHERE I CAN GROW AND
THRIVE WITH MY BUSINESS
-- I KNOW ONE THING THAT SHANTI
MENTIONED IN HER COMMENTS
EARLIER, WHICH IS LIKE, DOES MY
BUSINESS AS A SMALL BUSINESS
WORK FOR THE SPACE THAT I AM
THINKING OF AND JUST REALLY KIND
OF HAVING THAT HONEST LOOK
BEFORE, AS EVERYONE ELSE NOTED
BEFORE YOU SIGNING THAT LEASE.
-- THANK YOU. AND I DID SEE
NIKITA FOR A MOMENT. NIKITA, I
KNOW WE HAD A QUESTION THAT CAME
UP FOR YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU'RE STILL WITH US. A
QUESTION FOR YOU. IF YOU WANTED
TO SPEAK TO ANYTHING SPECIFIC
FACING CLOTHING RETAILERS OR
ANYTHING YOU WISH FOLKS WOULD
KNOW BEFORE THEY SIGNED A LEASE.
SO JUST AN ADDITIONAL CALL IN
CASE YOU'RE STILL WITH US.
RIGHT. WELL, AT THIS POINT IN
SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I'M GOING TO
THANK EACH OF OUR PANELISTS FOR
COMING AND SPEAKING WITH CANDOR
AND CLARITY AND SHARING ABOUT
THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. IT IS MY
INTENT, AS COMMITTEE CHAIR, THAT
WE KEEP UP THIS WORK, AND I WANT
TO GIVE A HUGE THANK YOU TO OED
FOR TALKING ABOUT AND ALSO DOING
THIS WORK ON COMMERCIAL TENANT
TRANSPARENCY AND WORKING ON A
PIECE OF LEGISLATION TO BE ABLE
TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES
THAT ARE RAISED TODAY. BUT I
THINK WHAT IS VERY CLEAR IS THAT
THERE WERE A LOT OF ISSUES
RAISED TODAY THAT NEED OUR
ATTENTION AS A COUNCIL TO BE
ABLE TO REMEDY. AND SO IN MANY
WAYS, I'M VIEWING THIS AS THE
START OF A LARGER BODY OF WORK
TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES. AND
SO I IMAGINE THERE WILL BE
FOLLOW UPS TO EACH OF OUR
PANELISTS FOR TODAY AS WE
CONTINUE THIS WORK. BUT I WANT
TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING
TIME THIS FRIDAY MORNING TO
SHARE THIS, AND EXCITED TO BE
MOVING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU
ALL. I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT
WEEKEND. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
BEING HERE. ALL RIGHT,
COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE REACHED THE
END OF OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY. ARE
THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR THINGS
FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER? NO.
FABULOUS. OKAY. I WILL RELEASE
FOLKS INTO THEIR WEEKENDS. SO
THE NEXT HUMAN SERVICES, LABOR
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED
FOR FRIDAY, AUGUST 7th AT 9: