>> OKAY. THE MARCH 25th, 2026,
MEETING OF THE HOUSING, ARTS,
AND CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE WILL
COME TO ORDER. IT IS 20 2:00
P.M. I'M DIONNE FOSTER.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> VICE-CHAIR LIN?
>> CHAIR FOSTER.
>> IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. WE WILL NOW OPEN THE
PUBLIC ITEMS PERIOD. CLERK, HOW
MANY SPEAKERS ARE SIGNS UP
TODAY?
>> ONE.
>> FANTASTIC. WE HAVE ONE. IS IT
AN IN-PERSON SPEAKER? WE HAVE
ONE IN-PERSON SPEAKER AND NO
REMOTE SPEAKERS. SO EACH SPEAKER
WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES AND WE
WILL START WITH THE IN-PERSON
SPEAKER.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
60 MINUTES. THE FIRST SPEAKER IS
ASHLEY FORBE.
>> HI. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A
QUICK THANK YOU TO ALL FOR HOW
REFRESHING IT HAS BEEN TO WORK
WITH CITY COUNCIL OVER RECENTLY
OVER THESE LAST TRANSITIONS THAT
WE'VE SEEN. IT'S BEEN REALLY
REFRESHING TO SEE JUST THE
DIFFERENCE IN HOW COUNCIL HAS
BEEN ENGAGING WITH OUR VARIOUS
COMMISSIONS. I DIDN'T INTRODUCE
MYSELF. I'M ASHLEY, ONE OF THE
COMMISSIONERS ON THE LGBTQ
COMMISSION, PREVIOUSLY ONE OF
THE CO-CHAIRS AND EVEN THIS
MEETING ALONE I THINK IS A
REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE HOW MUCH
BETTER THINGS HAVE BEEN
RECENTLY. SO JUST REALLY WANT TO
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
PROFESSIONALISM, WORKING WITH
OUR COMMISSIONS AND JUST BEING
REALLY WILLING TO COLLABORATE
WITH US. IT'S VERY MEANINGFUL
AND AGAIN, A VERY REFRESHING
CHANGE FROM WHAT WE HAVE
EXPERIENCED PREVIOUSLY. SO THANK
YOU.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE
APPRECIATE THAT. WITH THAT WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM 1
INTO THE RECORD AND BEFORE YOU
DO, JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
WE'VE BEEN JOINED ON THE DAIS
BY COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. WELCOME.
>> AGENDA ITEM 1 OVERVIEW OF
WASHINGTON STATE HOUSING FINANCE
COMMISSION COVENANT
HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM.
>> GREAT. I BELIEVE OUR
PRESENTERS ARE WITH US VIRTUALLY
TODAY. SO WILL NOT BE JOINING US
AT THE PHYSICAL TABLE. SO I WILL
ASK OUR PRESENTERS TO JOIN US AT
THE VIRTUAL TABLE AND PLEASE
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES WHEN YOU
ARE READY.
>> THANK YOU. I'LL GO AHEAD AND
HOPEFULLY RESHARE MY SCREEN. CAN
EVERYONE SEE THAT OKAY?
>> WE SURE CAN AND I'M JUST
GOING TO SHARE A FEW WORDS
QUICKLY AFTER YOU INTRODUCE
YOURSELF. GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE
YOURSELF. WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
>> GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU. MY
NAME IS LISA DeBROCK, THE
HOMEOWNERSHIP DIRECTOR AT THE
WASHINGTON STATE HOUSING FINANCE
COMMISSION AND I TRULY
APPRECIATE THE INVITATION TO
COME AND SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT OUR COVENANT
HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM ALONG WITH
MORGUE WHO AN WILLIAMS FROM THE
NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING ALLIANCE
WHO WILL INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
FOR THOSE OF YOU MAYBE NOT AS
FAMILIAR WITH THE COMMISSION IN
TERMS OF HOMEOWNERSHIP, WE
BRIDGE THE GAP TO HOMEOWNERSHIP
FOR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME
FAMILIES BY BRINGING A VARIETY
OF DIFFERENT FIRST AND SECOND
MORTGAGE PROGRAMS TO THE MARKET
TO HELP FAMILIES ACHIEVE
HOMEOWNERSHIP. ON A TYPICAL YEAR
WE HELP A MINIMUM OF 5,000
FAMILIES STATEWIDE PER YEAR AND
THE COVENANT HOMEOWNERSHIP
PROGRAM BEING ONE OF THEM. WOULD
YOU LIKE MORGAN TO INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES NEXT BEFORE I
CONTINUE ON?
>> YES. THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS, LISA, EVERYONE. I'M
MORGAN WILLIAMS, SENIOR COUNSEL
FOR THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR
HOUSING ALLIANCE, A NATIONAL
CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICE BASED IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. I'M MYSELF
BASED IN NEW ORLEANS AND WORK
WITH A VARIETY OF CIVIL RIGHTS
ADVOCATES, INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND
A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
TO ADVANCE FAIR HOUSING EFFORTS,
TALK MORE ABOUT OUR ENGAGEMENT
WITH THE WASHINGTON STATE
HOUSING FINANCE COMMISSION AND,
OF COURSE, THIS PRESENTATION BUT
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH
YOU ALL TODAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
WE'RE EXCITED TO HEAR FROM YOU
AND, MORGAN, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO
ADJUST YOUR MIC TO GET A LITTLE
BIT LOUDER, THAT MIGHT BE
HELPFUL. WE CAN HEAR YOU, BUT
IT'S A LITTLE BIT FAINT IN THE
ROOM HERE. BEFORE WE HAND IT
OVER TO OUR PRESENTERS, I'LL
SORT OF REMIND MY COLLEAGUES
THIS IS PART OF OUR ONGOING
CONVERSATION ON HOMEOWNERSHIP IN
THE CITY. A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WE
WERE JOINED BY THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING STAFF WHO TALKED ABOUT
THE CITY'S HOMEOWNERSHIP
PROGRAMS, INCLUDING EFFORTS THAT
WE ARE DOING FOR HOMEOWNER
STABILIZATION, SUPPORTING
HOMEOWNERS WITH DOWN PAYMENT
ASSISTANCE AND SO MUCH MORE. SO
THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP CONVERSATION
SO WE CAN LEARN MORE FROM OUR
PARTNERS AT THE STATE ABOUT
THEIR INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP WITH
THE COVENANT HOMEOWNERSHIP
PROGRAM AND THE SUCCESSES
THEY'VE HAD AT ENSURING THEY
ARE DIRECTING DOLLARS AND
SUPPORTING HOMEOWNERSHIP FOR
RESIDENTS AROUND WASHINGTON
STATE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS
ALREADY IN THIS COMMITTEE, BUT
I'LL BRING IT UP ONE MORE TIME.
AS WE LOOK AT THE AREA MEDIAN
INCOME FOR AND PARTICULARLY
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR BLACK
RESIDENTS BEING ABOUT HALF AS
THE HIGHEST INCOME EARNERS WITH
LOWER RATES OF HOMEOWNERSHIP,
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE
CONTINUE TO PUT A FOCUS ON THIS
REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE AS THE
COST OF LIVING GOES UP AND AS WE
BECOME A CITY THAT IS MAJORITY
RENTERS. THERE IS STILL NEED TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE SUPPORTING
PEOPLE TO FIND STABILITY AND
LONG-TERM HOMES FOR THEMSELVES
THROUGH HOMEOWNERSHIP. SO I'M
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK
THAT THE WASHINGTON STATE
HOUSING FINANCE COMMISSION IS
DOING AND EXCITED TO LEARN FROM
BOTH THE FINDINGS OF THE
COVENANT HOMEOWNERSHIP STUDY AS
WELL AS STRATEGIES AND
INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE COME
FORWARD BECAUSE OF THIS WORK.
COLLEAGUES, I DO ASK WE WAIT FOR
QUESTIONS UNTIL AFTER THE
BRIEFING AND WITH THAT I WILL
HAND IT OVER TO OUR PRESENTERS.
>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND
THANK YOU FOR THE KIND COMMENTS
OF AGAIN, WE'RE EXCITED TO
SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE PROGRAM, THE STUDY,
AND RESULTS THUS FAR. PICTURED
HERE ON THIS SLIDE WAS THE HAPPY
DAY WHEN GOVERNOR INSLEE SIGNED
THE BILL BACK IN MAY 2023 ALONG
WITH SOME OF OUR AMAZING
ADVOCATES AND REALLY MORGAN WILL
GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL
ABOUT THE ACT ITSELF. HOWEVER, I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT THIS IS TRULY A LANDMARK
BILL AND FOR THE LEGISLATION,
ALL OF THE STARS SIMPLY JUST
ALIGNED. WE WORKED HAND IN HAND
WITH THE BLACK INITIATIVE FOR
THE STATE INITIATIVE AND IT'S
THE FIRST KIND IN THE NATION
ESPECIALLY FOR A HOUSING FINANCE
AGENCY WHERE IN THIS CASE THE
STATE IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THE HARM THAT IT CAUSED
THROUGH ITS RACIALLY RESTRICTIVE
COVENANTS AND IT REALLY SHUT
DOWN FAMILIES FROM GAINING
GENERATIONAL WEALTH. ON THE
SLIDE IT DOES SHOW IT'S
BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION
ADDRESSING THE LEGACY OF HOUSING
DISCRIMINATION. THERE ARE THREE
MAIN COMPONENTS. FIRST OFF,
THERE WAS A NEW SOURCE OF
FUNDING FROM REAL ESTATE
RECORDING FEES. THESE FEES
STARTED TO BE COLLECTED IN
JANUARY OF 2024 AND THEY ARE
RECEIVED MONTHLY AT THE HOUSING
FINANCE COMMISSION TO OPERATE
THE PROGRAM. SECONDLY, THE
LEGISLATION TALKS ABOUT A
RESEARCH STUDY ON
DISCRIMINATION, ITS EXPECTS, AND
EFFECTIVE REMEDIES WHICH MORGAN
WILL GO INTO GREAT DETAIL ON AND
FROM THAT THE HOUSING FINANCE
AGENCY -- OR THE COMMISSION WAS
TO DEVELOP A NEW DOWN PAYMENT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. ALSO, THIS
BILL IS OVERSEEN BY AN OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE HOSTED AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL
INSTITUTIONS AND I THINK AS YOU
SOMEWHAT ALLUDED TO, THIS
BILL'S JUST A HUGE WIN FOR
EQUITY FOR WASHINGTON FAMILIES.
THE COMMISSION WAS TASKED BY THE
LEGISLATURE TO OVERSEE THE
COVENANT RESEARCH STUDY AND THEN
DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM
BASED UPON THE STUDY AND WE
HIRED THE WONDERFUL NATIONAL
FAIR HOUSING ALLIANCE AND THEIR
PARTNERS. SO I'M VERY, VERY
PLEASED AND HONORED TO HAVE
MORGAN HERE WITH US TO TALK MORE
ABOUT THE STUDY. MORGAN?
>> THANKS SO MUCH, LISA, AND
EVERYONE. IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE
WITH YOU VIRTUALLY. PART OF THIS
DISCUSSION, PART OF THESE
EFFORTS, AS LISA MENTIONED, THE
BLACK HOME INITIATIVE AND THE
BROAD NETWORK OF LOCAL LEADERS
WHO FORWARDED THE COVENANT
HOMEOWNERSHIP CONCEPT AND
LEGISLATION AND PROGRAM ARE
REALLY DOING INCREDIBLE WORK TO
ADVANCE HOUSING EQUITY IN AN
AFFIRMATIVE THOUGHTFUL MANNER IN
A WAY THAT DEPLOYS LIMITED
RESOURCES IN A VERY STRATEGIC
WAY AND WE ARE HONORED AND A
PRIVILEGE TO HAVE BEEN PART OF
THE TEAM TO PREPARE THE STUDY
CALLED FOR IN THE LEGISLATION
AGAIN WITH THE NATIONAL FAIR
HOUSING ALLIANCE. IN THE COURSE
OF THE WORK THAT WE DO, WE IN
PART WORK TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS
OF LOCAL FAIR HOUSING CENTERS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THERE ARE
TWO IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
WE PARTNERED WITH IN THIS
EFFORT. THE NORTHWEST FAIR
HOUSING ALLIANCE BASED IN
SPOKANE AND THE FAIR HOUSING
CENTER OF WASHINGTON BASED IN
TACOMA WHICH SERVED BROAD
REGIONS IN THE STATE AND ALSO
HAD THE GREAT PRIVILEGE OF
WORKING WITH APP ASSOCIATES, A
CONSULTING FIRM WHO PROVIDED A
GREAT DEAL OF DATA ANALYSIS
WHICH EMBEDDED -- WHICH GROUNDED
THE MODELING WORK THAT WE DID
AND THEN I'LL TALK ABOUT IT IN
A HIGH LEVEL IN SOME OF THE
PRESENTATION HERE. GO TO THE
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO I'LL SAY
A WORD ABOUT THE NATIONAL FAIR
HOUSING ALLIANCE, PROVIDE SOME
BACKGROUND ON SPECIAL PURPOSE
PROGRAMS, TALK ABOUT THE STUDY
AS WE WERE ASKED TO TALK ABOUT
THE METHODOLOGY AND
RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN, I
GUESS, TURN IT OVER TO LISA TO
TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM
IMPLEMENTATION. AND SO AGAIN,
THE NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING
ALLIANCE IS A CIVIL RIGHTS
OFFICE BASED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
THAT WORKS TO ADVANCE FAIR
HOUSING THROUGH INVESTIGATIONS
AND ENFORCEMENT, POLICY ADVOCACY
ESPECIALLY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL,
AND A VARIETY OF OTHER KINDS OF
EFFORTS, INCLUDING CONSULTING
WORK AND IN THE COURSE OF THAT
WORK WE WERE SELECTED IN OUR
PROPOSAL TO CARRY OUT THIS
STUDY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO
SPECIAL PURPOSE CREDIT PROGRAMS
OR SPCPs WERE AUTHORIZED BY
CONGRESS IN A 1976 AMENDMENT TO
THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
ACT OF 1974 AS A TOOL TO
COUNTERACT CENTURIES OF UNFAIR
LAWS THAT DEPRIVED CONSUMERS OF
THE RIGHT TO ACCESS FAIR
MORTGAGES AND CREDIT. SPCPs ARE
TARGETED LENDING PRODUCTS
DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO HELP AN
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED GROUP
OF PEOPLE WHO UNDER CUSTOMARY
STANDARDS OF CREDITWORTHINESS
WILL PROBABLY NOT RECEIVE CREDIT
OR IN A RECEIVE IT IN A LESS
FAVORABLE TERM THAN ORDINARILY
AVAILABLE TO OTHER CONSUMERS.
CONGRESS ENSURED THESE PROGRAMS
SERVING AN ECONOMICALLY
DISADVANTAGED GROUP MAY CONSIDER
RACE OR ETHNICITY WITHOUT
VIOLATION THE PROHIBITION ON
DISCRIMINATION IN ORDER TO
INCREASE ACCESS TO THE CREDIT
MARKET BY PERSONS PREVIOUSLY
FORECLOSED FROM IT. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. AS LISA NOTED, IN SPRING
OF 2023, THE WASHINGTON STATE
LEGISLATURE PASSED THE COVENANT
HOMEOWNERSHIP ACT WHICH
ACKNOWLEDGES THE STATE
GOVERNMENT'S ROLE AS BOTH AN
TESTIFY AND PASSIVE PARTICIPANT
IN GENERATIONS OF DISCRIMINATORY
POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT
CREATED BARRIERS TO CREDIT AND
HOMEOWNERSHIP FOR HISTORICALLY
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN
WASHINGTON AND THAT THESE
DISCRIMINATORY ACTIONS CONTINUE
TO IMPACT THESE COMMUNITIES
TODAY. THE ACT, AS LISA NOTED,
COMPELLED THE COMMISSION TO
COMPLETE OR COMMISSION A STUDY
TO INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
NEW SPECIAL PURPOSE CREDIT
PROGRAM THAT WOULD REMEDY RACIAL
DISPARITIES IN HOMEOWNERSHIP AND
ACCESS TO CREDIT LEFT BY THE
STATE'S LONG HISTORY OF
DISCRIMINATION AND SO THE STUDY
FULFILLED THE REQUIREMENT OF THE
ACT TO DOCUMENT HISTORICAL
REGISTRATION AND IT'S IMPACTS
OF CURRENT PROGRAMS AND POLICIES
AND TO RECOMMEND AN APPROACH TO
RENDER LINGERING INEQUITIES.
WE'LL KEEP MOVING. THERE'S
SOME INFORMATION ON THE SLIDE
THERE ABOUT PARAMETERS THAT WERE
DETAILED IN THE ACT, BUT IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME WE CAN GO TO
THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO THE
STRUCTURE OF THE STUDY WHICH
I'LL DETAIL HERE KIND OF SPEAKS
DIRECTLY TO THE METHODOLOGY AND
THE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT CHAPTER
1 DOCUMENTS PAST HOUSINGED AND
LENDING DISCRIMINATION IN WHICH
THE STATE GOVERNMENT WAS BOTH
PASSIVE AND ACTIVE ACTOR.
CHAPTER 2 ANALYZES THE EXTENT TO
WHICH THE IMPACTS OF THAT
DISCRIMINATION STILL PERSIST.
CHAPTER 3 THEN ANALYZES THE
EXTENT TO WHICH EXISTING RACE
NEUTRAL APPROACHES ARE
SUFFICIENT TO REMEDY THE
DISPARITIES THAT ARE AN IMPACT
OF THIS DISCRIMINATION. CHAPTER
4 MODELS VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR
PROGRAMATIC SOLUTIONS AND
RECOMMENDS A PARTICULAR RACE
CONSCIOUS APPROACH AND CHAPTER 5
DISCUSSES WAYS TO EVALUATE THE
PROGRAM AND MONITOR ON AN
ONGOING BASIS. SO WE'LL GO TO
THE NEXT SLIDE HERE AND WE'LL
BRIEFLY KIND OF WALK -- I GUESS
I'LL JUST SAY BEFORE GOING
CHAPTER BY CHAPTER HERE THAT THE
STUDY USED A MIXED-METHODS
APPROACH INVOLVING ANALYSIS OF
HISTORIC RECORDS, LEGISLATION,
CENSUS DATA, HOME LENDING
RECORDS, HOUSING MARKET TRENDS,
ZONING POLICIES AS WELL AS A
COMMUNITY SURVEY AND STAKEHOLDER
INTERVIEWS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THE COMMISSION ACTUALLY
ELECTED TO EXPAND THE
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AS THE
PROCESS WAS UNDERWAY TO REALLY
ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS
ENGAGED AND INFORMED ABOUT THE
PROCESS AS IT DEVELOPED AND THEN
ALSO INFORMED THE ASSESSMENT AS
THE REPORT AND ANALYSIS WAS
BEING PREPARED AND AGAIN, REALLY
CREDIT OUR LOCAL PARTNERS THERE,
THE NORTHWEST FAIR HOUSING
ALLIANCE AND TACOMA AND THE FAIR
HOUSING CENTER -- I'M SORRY,
THE NORTHWEST FAIR HOUSING
ALLIANCE IN SPOKANE AND THE FAIR
HOUSING CENTER OF WASHINGTON AND
TACOMA FOR LEADING THOSE
EFFORTS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO
AGAIN, CHAPTER 1, CHAPTER 1 HERE
PROVIDED A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
OF HOW DISCRIMINATORY FEDERAL,
STATE, AND LOCAL POLICIES
SYSTEMICALLY DENY COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR AND OTHER MARGINALIZED
GROUPS IN WASHINGTON EQUAL
ACCESS TO HOUSING AND CREDIT
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OVER A
CENTURY. KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE
WASHINGTON RESIDENTS OF COLOR
AND OTHER MARGINALIZED GROUPS
FACED WIDESPREAD DISCRIMINATORY
BARRIERS TO EQUAL HOUSING
OPPORTUNITY FROM THE 19th
CENTURY ONWARD IMPLEMENTED
THROUGH STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT BOTH POLICIES AND
PRACTICES. THESE DISCRIMINATORY
ACTIONS INCLUDED LAND SEIZURE,
FORCED REMOVAL, OVER 50,000
RACIALLY RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS
BARRING PEOPLE OF COLOR AND
OTHER MARGINALIZED GROUPS FROM
PURCHASING HOMES AND HAVING --
AND LIVING IN SPECIFIC
NEIGHBORHOODS, EXCLUSIONARY
ZONING PRACTICES AND RACE
PRACTICES IN THE STATE-LICENSED
REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY AND STATE
COURTS REINFORCED MANY OF THESE
PRACTICES. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF
THESE PRACTICES, PEOPLE OF COLOR
AND OTHER MARGINALIZED GROUPS IN
WASHINGTON WERE PREVENTED FROM
BUYING HOMES AND ACCESSING
CREDIT AND BUILDING WEALTH. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. AS NOTED IN THE
SEQUENCE OF THE ANALYSIS OF THE
STUDY, CHAPTER 2 DOCUMENTS THE
ONGOING LINGERING IMPACTS OF
THIS HISTORIC DISCRIMINATION.
THE CHAPTER ANALYZES PRESENT DAY
DATA ON HOMEOWNERSHIP, WEALTH,
HOUSING COSTS BURDEN,
HOMELESSNESS, ACCESS TO MORTGAGE
LENDING, AND APPRAISAL
DISPARITIES AND JUST IN THE
INTERESTS OF TIME, I'LL JUST
JUMP TO THE NEXT SLIDE ACTUALLY,
NOTING THAT THERE ARE PERSISTENT
DISPARITIES AMONG A VARIETY OF
DEMOGRAPHICS. CHAPTER 3
EVALUATES KEY POLICY APPROACHES
FOR EXPANDING HOMEOWNERSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPACTED
RESIDENTS. KEY FINDINGS FROM
THIS ANALYSIS CONCLUDE THAT RACE
NEUTRAL APPROACHES ARE UNLIKELY
TO BE EFFECTIVE OR EFFICIENT IN
ADDRESSING PAST DISCRIMINATION
AND ONGOING DISPARITIES. AND SO
THROUGH MODELING THE CHAPTER
ESTABLISHES THAT EXISTING
HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAMS IN
WASHINGTON PRIMARILY A
NONIMPACTED RESIDENCE, THAT IS
NONIMPACTED RESIDENTS, AS
DEFINED BY THOSE IMPACTED BY
COVENANTS IN THE PRE1968 CONTEXT
OR OR THAT THEY ARE DESCENDENTS
OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS.
RATHER THAN DIRECTLY REMEDYING
PAST HARM THROUGH A TARGETED
APPROACH, AND SO THERE WAS A
MODELING OF A VARIETY OF
SCENARIOS AND IT SHOWED THAT
SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED RACE
CONSCIOUS SPCP-FOCUSED IMPACTED
RESIDENTS COULD SUBSTANTIALLY
REMEDY THE WEALTH AND CREDIT
ACCESS GAPS LEFT BY HISTORIC
DISCRIMINATION WITH
SIGNIFICANTLY LESS FUNDING THAN
A RACE-NEUTRAL PROGRAM THAT
MODELED THAT APPROACH AND THOSE
QUANTITATIVE DISTINCTIONS. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. BASED ON THESE
FINDINGS, CHAPTER 4 RECOMMENDS
IMPLEMENTING A RACE CONSCIOUS
SPCP TO REMEDY THE ONGOING HARMS
OF DISCRIMINATION BY THE STATE
AND IT MODELS SEVERAL OPTIONS
FOR STRUCTURING DOWN PAYMENT
ASSISTANCE OR DPA PROGRAM THAT
COULD BE INCORPORATED INTO A
SPECIAL PURPOSE CREDIT PROGRAM
OR SPCP. THESE INCLUDE BOTH
FIXED DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE
MODELS WHICH PROVIDE THE SAME
AMOUNT REGARDLESS OF WHERE
SOMEONE LIVES IN THE STATE AS
WELL AS CUSTOMIZED DOWN PAYMENT
SYSTEMS MODELS IN WHICH THE
AMOUNT EACH HOUSEHOLD RECEIVES
VARIES BASED ON HOUSING PRICES
IN THEIR COUNTY AND THEIR
INCOME. THE CHAPTER ALSO
IDENTIFIES ADMINISTRATIVE
CHALLENGES THAT THE COMMISSION
MAY NEED TO CONSIDER. IT
IDENTIFIES ADDITIONAL POLICIES
AND PROGRAMS THAT WOULD
COMPLEMENT A DOWN PAYMENT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BY ADDRESSING
OTHER HOUSING CHALLENGES THAT
LIMIT HOMEOWNERSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE STATE, SUCH
AS POLICIES THAT EXPAND SUPPLY
OF LOWER COST HOMES FOR
PURCHASE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THEN AS WAS SUBJECT UNDER
WHAT KIND OF DICTATES THE
LEGISLATION, THE STUDY PROVIDED
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A NEW
SPECIAL PURPOSE CREDIT PROGRAM
CONSISTENT WITH THE ACT TO
INCLUDE IMPLEMENTING A SPECIAL
PURPOSE CREDIT PROGRAM FOR
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED
HOUSEHOLDS WITH BLACK, HISPANIC,
NATIVE AMERICAN, ALASKAN, NATIVE
HAWAIIAN, OTHER PACIFIC
ISLANDER, KOREAN, OR ASIAN
INDIAN BORROWERS TO PROVIDE
CUSTOMIZED AMOUNT OF DOWN
PAYMENT ASSISTANCE IN AN ABLE
HOUSEHOLD WITH 80% OF INCOME AMI
TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD A HOME IN
THEIR COUNTY AND TO PROVIDE DOWN
PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AS A
ZERO-INTEREST LOAN. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. THE RECOMMENDATION ALSO
ENCOURAGED THE CONSIDERATION OF
NEW STATE LEGISLATION TO ALLOW
FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF
ASSISTANCE AND ELIGIBILITY AND
THAT WOULD INVOLVE CONSIDERING
EXPANDING THE ELIGIBILITY TO
INCOMES UP TO 140% AMI, WHICH
I'LL LET LISA TALK FURTHER
ABOUT, TO AVOID TRAPPING
HOUSEHOLDS IN THEIR HOMES,
CONSIDERING ALLOWING THEM TO
REUSE SOME OR ALL OF THEIR
ASSISTANCE TO APPLY FOR THE
PURCHASE OF A SUBSEQUENT HOME
AND FINALLY, THAT GIVEN THE
WIDESPREAD DISCRIMINATION
DOCUMENTED IN CHAPTERS 1 AND 2,
THAT POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL STUDY
COULD BE UNDERTAKEN TO APPLY THE
FEASIBILITY OF -- CONSIDER THE
FEASIBILITY OF APPLYING SPCP
THAT WOULD SUPPORT OTHER
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED
HOUSEHOLDS IMPACTED BY THE
STATE'S UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION
WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE UNDER THE
CURRENT LEGISLATION. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE.
OH, SO, AT THAT POINT, LISA, I
THINK I TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU
HERE. I WAS GOING TO SAY A WORD
ABOUT EVALUATING THE PROGRAM IN
CHAPTER 5, BUT IN THE INTEREST
OF TIME HERE, I'LL REFERENCE
THE STUDY ITSELF WHICH HAS QUITE
A BIT OF INFORMATION THERE AND
TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU. AND THE STUDY IN
ITS ENTIRETY IS ON THE
COMMISSION'S WEBSITE IF
ANYONE'S INTERESTED AS WELL AS
A SUMMARY. SO IT'S A VERY
INTERESTING READ. SO WHEN THE
ACTUAL -- AFTER THE STUDY WAS
DEVELOPED WE BASED OUR PROGRAM
BASED UPON THE PROGRAM
PARAMETERS PER THE LEGISLATION
AND THE STUDY FROM THE
LEGISLATION, AGAIN, A DOWN
PAYMENT ASSISTANCE LOAN THAT'S
REPAID, OWNER OCCUPIED, AND
THERE WAS SOME INDIVIDUAL
ELIGIBILITY. THE HOUSEHOLD
NEEDED TO BE A WASHINGTON
RESIDENT. AT THE TIME THE
ORIGINAL LEGISLATION PASSED, IT
WAS FOR FAMILIES OF 100% AND
BELOW AREA MEDIAN INCOME. THE
STATE LEGISLATURE THE YEAR
BEFORE RAISED OUR AMI TO 120% OF
AMI. THIS PROGRAM IS ONLY FOR
FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS WHO HAVE A
FAMILY HISTORY WITHIN THE STATE
OF WASHINGTON PRIOR TO THE
PASSAGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT
IN APRIL OF 19TICKET 8. YOU 8 --
1968. THE HOMEOWNER HAS TO SHOW
ALL THE DOCUMENTS IDENTIFYING
WHO WAS IN WASHINGTON AND SUCH
AND I COULD PROBABLY SPEND A
GOOD HOUR JUST TALKING ON THAT
POINT. SO YOU CAN BRING ME BACK
AT SOME POINT. THE STUDY
RECOMMENDED SPECIFIC RACIAL
GROUPS THAT MORGAN MENTIONED.
THOSE ARE THE FAMILIES WE ARE
HELPING AND WE REALIZE MANY,
MANY FAMILIES WERE HURT BY THE
RACIALLY RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS.
HOWEVER, WE -- THE
RECOMMENDATIONS WERE BASED BOTH
ON THE HISTORIC DISCRIMINATION
AND CURRENT HOMEOWNERSHIP
DISPARITIES. SO HENCE, WHAT YOU
SEE THERE. WE DID GO WITH THE
DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE LOAN AT
0% INTEREST AND OUR LOAN TERMS
AFTER WORKING WITH MANY OF OUR
STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE
STATE IS UP TO 20% DOWN NOT TO
EXCEED $150,000 PLUS APPLICABLE
AND NORMAL CLOSING COSTS IF PAID
BY OUR HOMEBUYER. THE LOAN TERM
REPAYMENT IS DUE AT THE TIME OF
SALE. HOWEVER, THE LEGISLATURE
WENT ON TO AMEND OUR LEGISLATION
A LITTLE BIT, WHICH IS GREAT. SO
FOR HOMEBUYERS THAT ARE AT OR
BELOW 80% OF AMI, WE CAN NOW
FORGIVE THE LOANS AFTER FIVE
YEARS UNDER CERTAIN CRITERIA.
AND THE RESULTS SO FAR HAVE JUST
BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. WE'RE
VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE RESULTS.
THIS PROGRAM WAS ONLY LAUNCHED
IN JULY OF 2024. SO GOSH, WE'RE
GOING TO GET TO OUR TWO-YEAR
MARK PRETTY QUICKLY, BUT WE HAVE
THUS FAR HELPED 1,259 FAMILIES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE WITH THEIR
PURCHASE OF THEIR FIRST HOME AND
I LOOKED AT OUR DATA. 76 OF
THESE FAMILIES HAVE PURCHASED
WITHIN THE CITY OF SEATTLE WITH
AN AVERAGE LOAN AMOUNT OF JUST
OVER $130,000. PICTURED HERE IS
ONE OF OUR ACTUAL FAMILIES. YOU
DID ASK FOR SOME INFORMATION AS
WELL ABOUT THE RACE OF THE
FAMILIES AND THIS IS NOTEDLY A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THIS IS
THE RACE OF THE HOMEBUYER, NOT
NECESSARILY THE PERSON HERE
PRIOR TO APRIL OF 1968 AND
WHAT'S NOTABLE HERE, ALSO, IS
THIS ONLY TRACKS THE RACE OF ONE
OF THE HOMEBUYERS AND MANY OF
OUR HOUSEHOLDS HAD UP TO EIGHT
PEOPLE WITHIN THE HOME AND IT
TRACKS WHO THE LENDER PUT AS THE
PRIMARY HOMEBUYER. SO IT MAY
SEEM A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN
WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTING, BUT WE
TRACK DIFFERENT ITEMS. WITH THAT
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO
MORGAN. I KNOW YOU HAVE ONE
QUICK FINAL COMMENT BEFORE WE GO
TO QUESTION AND ANSWERS.
>> YES, LISA. THAT'S IN REGARDS
TO JUST THE APPLICATION OF THE
SCOPE OF THE STUDY SPECIFICALLY.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERENCING?
>> THE LEGALITY, I BELIEVE. I
THINK YOU WERE GOING TO TALK A
LITTLE BIT, THIS WAS A STUDY WE
NEEDED FOR THE LEGAL BACKING OF
THE PROGRAM.
>> YEAH. WELL, SO THE -- YES.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN THE
CONTEXT OF CONSIDERING A RACE
CONSCIOUS PROGRAM, THE
LEGISLATION UNDERTOOK
ESTABLISHING THAT THE STUDY
CARRIED OUT THE VARIOUS STEPS
THAT IT DID CHAPTER BY CHAPTER
WHEREBY IT UNDERTOOK AN
ASSESSMENT OF THE SORT OF STATE
IMPACT AND HISTORIC
DISCRIMINATION. THE IMPACTS OF
THAT IN THE CURRENT MARKET, AN
ASSESSMENT THAT A RACE NEUTRAL
APPROACH ISN'T NECESSARILY
GOING TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL THAT
YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE AND A NARROW
TAILORING OF A RACE CONSCIOUS
APPROACH TO REMEDY THE HARM AND
THEN A MONITORING OF THAT OVER
TIME AND THAT IS A KIND OF
NUANCED ANALYSIS THAT THE COURTS
HAVE ESSENTIALLY ESTABLISHED AS
NEEDING TO BE UNDERTAKEN IN
INSTANCES WHERE A PUBLIC ENTITY
WOULD ENGAGE IN A RACE CONSCIOUS
ACTIVITY TO ADDRESS AN
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED CLASS
OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DISADVANTAGED
AS A FUNCTION OF THE STATE'S
HISTORIC ACTIONS. SO THAT IS THE
LEGAL CONTEXT IN WHICH THIS
ANALYSIS WAS UNDERTAKEN AND IT
ALSO I THINK UNDERSCORES THAT,
YOU KNOW, IT IS A KIND OF
FRAUGHT LEGAL CONTEXT WITH GREAT
LEGAL RISK WHICH IS I THINK
BORNE OUT BY THE FACT THERE IS A
PENDING LAWSUIT AGAINST THE
COMMISSION BY AN ORGANIZATION
THAT'S ASSERTING THAT THE
DISCRIMINATION IS
UNCONSTITUTIONAL IN
DISCRIMINATING AND EXCLUDING
POTENTIAL HOUSEHOLDS. AND SO
THAT LITIGATION REMAINS PENDING
AND I WILL SAY THAT THE
COMMISSION DID SURVIVE A MOTION
FOR RESTRAINING ORDER TO FREEZE
THE PROGRAM WHICH WAS DENIED AND
SO THE PROGRAM CONTINUES, AS
LISA MENTIONED, BUT THE LAWSUIT
CONTINUES AS WELL AND THE
COMMISSION REMAINS IN DEFENSE OF
THAT. SO THAT JUST UNDERSCORES
THE EXTENT TO WHICH ANY ACTORS
THINKING ABOUT UNDERTAKING THESE
EFFORTS NEED TO DO SO WITH GREAT
CAUTION AND FORETHOUGHT AND VERY
SPECIFIC ANALYSIS TO THE CONTEXT
IN WHICH ONE WOULD UNDERTAKE
SUCH AN EFFORT. SO I THINK
THAT'S THE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
THERE, LISA. I HOPE THAT HIT IT
THERE. SO I'LL STOP THERE AND
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE
HERE AND CHECK IN WITH YOU ALL
AND HAPPY TO DISCUSS ANYTHING
FURTHER.
>> FANTASTIC. I WANT TO JUST
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THAT REALLY
INCREDIBLE OVERVIEW AND I KNOW
THAT IT CAN BE A LOT OF DETAIL
TO GET INTO FOR THE VARIOUS
CHAPTERS THAT WENT INTO THE
STUDY AND CONNECTIONS THAT
NEEDED TO BE BUILT IN ORDER TO
EXECUTE THE PROGRAM
SUCCESSFULLY, BUT WHAT I DO
THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND I
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UPLIFT, A
FEW THINGS, BUT ONE OF THE FINAL
SLIDES YOU SHOWED US THAT SHOWED
THE NUMBER OF BLACK HOUSEHOLDS
THAT BENEFITED FROM THIS PROGRAM
AS WELL AS I THINK YOU HAVE THE
NATIVE AND LATINO HOUSEHOLDS ON
THERE AND THE ABILITY TO BE
TARGETED HAS ALLOWED FOR A
PROGRAM THAT HAS A MUCH GREATER
DIRECT BENEFIT THAN OTHER
PROGRAMS, AT LEAST ANY OTHER
PROGRAMS I'M AWARE OF. SO I
THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO
SEE THAT RESULT OF ALL OF THAT,
THOSE PIECES OF WORK.
COLLEAGUES, I'LL ASK IF YOU
HAVE COLLEAGUES TO RAISE YOUR
HAND IN THE CHAT. BEFORE YOU DO
I'LL ASK MY ONE QUESTION, WHICH
IS IF I CAN ASK YOU TO REITERATE
AGAIN FOR US THE ROLE OF THE
SPECIAL PURPOSE CREDIT PROGRAMS
AND HOW THAT TIES DIRECTLY INTO
THE STUDY. I THINK IT'S MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STATE
LEGISLATION ESSENTIALLY SORT OF
PRESCRIBED THE CHAPTERS THAT
NEEDED TO GO INTO THAT STUDY TO
ENSURE THAT THE FINAL STUDY
ALLOWED FOR UTILIZATION UNDER
THE SPECIAL PURPOSE CREDIT
PROGRAM. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YEAH. SO I'LL ADDRESS THAT,
THAT LAST QUESTION. THANK YOU.
SO THE STATE LEGISLATION CALLS
FOR A STUDY AND FOR THE PROGRAM
AND IT IS A PROGRAM THAT THE
LEGISLATION AND THAT THE STUDY
ITSELF ACKNOWLEDGED AS A SPECIAL
PURPOSE CREDIT PROGRAM AND
THEREFORE, IT'S ACKNOWLEDGED
THAT IT'S SPECIFICALLY
IMPLEMENTED UNDER THE EQUAL
CREDIT OPPORTUNITY ACT WHICH
ALLOWS FOR PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS,
PRIVATE LENDERS FOR NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS FOR
GOVERNMENT ENTITIES TO INSTITUTE
AFFIRMATIVE PROGRAMS THAT
ADDRESS UNMET CREDIT NEEDS AND
THERE'S LIMITED REGULATORY
OVERSIGHT AS IT PERTAINS TO
ESPECIALLY GOVERNMENT ACTORS.
THERE IS THE PROSPECT THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAY UNDER
THIS ADMINISTRATION REWRITE SOME
OF THE GUIDANCE UNDER REGULATION
D UNDER THE EQUAL CREDIT
OPPORTUNITY ACT THAT APPLIES TO
PRIVATE ENTITIES, BUT
ESSENTIALLY THE PROGRAM IS
IMPLEMENTED AS A SPECIAL PURPOSE
CREDIT PROGRAM AS IT'S
CONTEMPLATED UNDER THE STATUTE,
UNDER THE EQUAL CREDIT
OPPORTUNITY ACT, WHICH SPECIFIES
AND SPECIALLY PERMITS THESE
KINDS OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE
TARGETED LENDING PRODUCTS
DESIGNED AGAIN SPECIFICALLY TO
HELP AN ECONOMICALLY
DISADVANTAGED GROUP OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE UNDERSERVED IN THE
COMMUNITY. IN THIS CONTEXT IT'S
ALSO SPECIFICALLY TARGETED IN A
VERY NARROW FASHION AND WITH
SOME IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS THAT
CONTEMPLATES THE BROADER
LANDSCAPE OF CONSTITUTIONAL
SCRUTINY OF THESE ISSUES, THEN
FORM THE STATE LEGISLATION AND
THE COMPONENTS OF THE STUDY THAT
WERE CALLED FOR.
>> THANK YOU, MORGAN.
COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS FOR
OUR PRESENTERS? COUNCILMEMBER
LIN?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR FOSTER.
THANK YOU TO OUR PRESENTERS. AS
YOU MENTIONED, THIS IS SUCH AN
INCREDIBLE PROGRAM. I HAD THE
CHANCE TO SEE IT DEVELOPING WHEN
I WAS WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING AND THE IMPACT THAT
YOU'RE MAKING AND THE
INCREDIBLE ADVOCACY AND RESEARCH
AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK THAT WENT
INTO THIS AND I KNOW PEOPLE
AROUND THE COUNTRY WERE LOOKING
AT THIS AND SEEING HOW THEY
COULD CREATE PROGRAMS TO MODEL
AFTER THIS AND I UNDERSTAND
THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFICULT
AND THERE'S ALWAYS LEGAL RISKS
WHEN YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING NEW
AND BOLD AND TRYING TO CORRECT
THE WRONGS OF THE PAST AS YOU'RE
DOING HERE. AND SO I DO JUST
WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THE LONG LIST
OF PEOPLE THAT PLAYED A ROLE IN
THIS IS PROBABLY TOO MANY TO
NAME, BUT I DO WANT TO NAME A
FEW. THE LATE REPRESENTATIVE
FRANK CHOPP, REPRESENTATIVE
TAYLOR, REPRESENTATIVE SHAWN
SCOTT WAS INSTRUMENTAL, U-DUB
PROFESSOR QUINNTAYLOR. SO I JUST
WANTED TO CALL OUT A FEW OF THE
NAMES WHO PLAYED AN INSTRUMENTAL
ROLE IN THE RESEARCH AND LEGWORK
TO GET THIS PASSED. I DO HAVE A
FEW QUESTIONS. IN TERMS OF GLAD
TO SEE 76 LOAN CLOSINGS WITHIN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE. I'VE HEARD
OUT IN COMMUNITY THAT EVEN WITH
THIS INCREDIBLE PROGRAM THAT IT
IS HARD TO MAKE IT PENCIL JUST
TO DO THE HIGH COST OF HOUSING
IN SEATTLE. JUST WONDERING IF
YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW
PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK
IN SEATTLE AND IF THERE'S
ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE
IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE IN SEATTLE
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS
PROGRAM.
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I CAN TAKE
THE FIRST STAB AT THAT. WHAT
WE'VE SEEN SO FAR IS MULTIPLE
LAYERS OF ASSISTANCE. IT WAS
CONTEMPLATED THIS PROGRAM WOULD
BE USED AS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS
IN THE ARRAY OF PROGRAMS. WE DO
SEE IN ESPECIALLY HIGH COST
AREAS WHERE YOU WILL SEE THREE
AND FOUR LAYERS OF ASSISTANCE.
UNFORTUNATELY, WASHINGTON AS A
WHOLE IS A VERY EXPENSIVE STATE,
SEATTLE BEING CLEARLY THE MOST
EXPENSIVE PART. SO THERE'S
NEVER ENOUGH HELP. WE ARE ALSO
ADVOCATES OF WORKING WITH OUR
HOUSING COUNCILLING NETWORK AS
THEY ARE ALWAYS HELPING OUR
FAMILIES TO GET READY IN. TERMS
OF MORE THINGS YOU CAN DO, THE
MORE LAYERS THE BETTER. I
BELIEVE WE PROBABLY HAVE PAIRED
OUR PROGRAMS TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE LOAN
FORGIVENESS IS A NEWER COMPONENT
OF THIS DUE TO MORE RECENT
LEGISLATION. ANY -- JUST WANT TO
HEAR HOUR THAT'S GOING AND
WHETHER THERE ARE TAX CONCERNS
FOR FOLKS WHO ARE GETTING A LOAN
FORGIVENESS AND HOW YOU ALL ARE
WORKING THROUGH THAT ISSUE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
WE DID RESEARCH THE TAX PORTION
QUITE THOROUGHLY AND THERE ARE
NO TAX ISSUES. AGAIN, THESE ARE
ONLY FOR FAMILIES AT 80% AND
BELOW. SO WE'RE GOOD ON THAT.
WE'RE ALMOST TWO YEARS INTO THE
PROGRAM, SO WE'RE ANOTHER THREE
YEARS AWAY FROM LOAN FORGIVENESS
FOR OUR FIRST SETS OF FAMILIES.
PART OF WHAT WE DO IS AFTER LOAN
CLOSING WE EVALUATE EVERY LOAN
AFTER POOLING AND WE DO LET THE
FAMILIES KNOW IF WE FEEL THEY
ARE GOING TO POTENTIALLY BE
ELIGIBLE IN FIVE YEARS IF
THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE
MEETING SPECIFIC CRITERIA. SO WE
LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHERE WE
CAN START FORGIVING SOME OF THE
LOANS FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF
FAMILIES.
>> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH
AND AGAIN, JUST WANT TO
CELEBRATE THE INCREDIBLE
IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROGRAM, THE
RESEARCH. YOU KNOW, WE SEE AT
THE FEDERAL LEVEL HOW OUR
HISTORY IS -- FOLKS ARE TRYING
TO ERASE OUR HISTORY AND, YOU
KNOW, THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF
DOCUMENTING THAT PAST
DISCRIMINATION TO LAY THAT
GROUNDWORK FOR THE LEGAL
FRAMEWORK FOR THESE PROGRAMS SO
THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'S
THIS INCREDIBLY HUGE WEALTH GAP
IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHY WE SEE
THESE HUGE DISPARITIES IN THE
HOMEOWNERSHIP, AND TO DOCUMENT
THINGS LIKE HOW OUR CITY PLAYED
AND CITY AND COUNTY AND STATE
PLAYED A ROLE IN THIS
DISCRIMINATION NOT ONLY IN RED
LINING, BUT ALSO IN OUR ZONING
PRACTICES AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE
THE IMPACTS OF THAT WITH
SEGREGATION CONTINUING TODAY IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, IN OUR
SCHOOLS, AND THIS IS JUST ONE
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT PIECE TO
REMEDY THAT. SO THANK YOU AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND REALLY
WELL STATED, COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING ALL
OF THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS
EFFORT AND I KNOW WE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO TOUCH ON SOME OF
THIS LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE
HONORING FORMER SPEAKER CHOPP
AND HIS LEGACY AND HARD WORK ON
THIS AND NO ONE PERSON DOES IT
ALONE. A LARGE COALITION BROUGHT
THIS TO FRUITION AND NOW AN
AMAZING TEAM IS CONTINUING TO DO
THAT WORK. SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU ALL FROM THE WASHINGTON
STATE HOUSING FINANCE COMMISSION
FOR COMING BEFORE COMMITTEE
TODAY AND THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR
SCHEDULING THIS IN COMMITTEE. I
JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS
HERE FOR TODAY. CAN YOU PLEASE
EXPAND ON THE FINDINGS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO
DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGHER TAX
RATES DUE TO APPRAISAL
DISPARITIES?
>> AGAIN, ARE YOU ABLE TO CHIME
IN ON THAT?
>> YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S BEEN TWO
YEARS SINCE WE ISSUED THE
REPORT. SO I DID PREPARE FOR
THESE MARKS HAD, BUT THAT WAS AT
A HIGH LEVEL. SO WE DID LOOK AT
APPRAISAL DISPARITY ISSUES. OFF
THE CUFF, I'M GOING TO NEED TO
GO BACK TO THE REPORT AND JUST
-- I HAVE IT OPEN HERE -- JUST
VERY QUICKLY KIND OF REVIEW KIND
OF THE CONTEXT OF THAT. I WILL
SAY OUR OFFICE DOES DO A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK IN
REGARDS TO THE APPRAISAL
INDUSTRY . I'M LOOKING HERE. TO
SEE WHAT DATA SETS WE WOULD HAVE
ANALYZED IN REGARDS TO APPRAISAL
MATTERS. I'M SORRY TO SAY I
CAN'T RECALL SPECIFICALLY
OFFHAND.
>> NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL. HAPPY
TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT POINT, NOT
A GOTCHA IN ANY TYPE OF WAY.
>> PAGE 71 OF THE STUDY IS GOING
TO BE THE PLACE TO LOOK AT SOME
OF WHAT WE LOOKED AT IN
DISPARITIES IN HOME VALUE AND
APPRAISAL AND THEN IT'S CHARTED
AND FURTHER DETAILED IN PAGES 71
AND 75 ARE GOING TO CHART SOME
OF THE ISSUES WE LOOKED AT IN
REGARD TO APPRAISAL DISPARITIES.
>> PERFECT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. THERE'S
SO MUCH VALUABLE INFORMATION
HERE. SO THAT'S A GOOD STARTING
PLACE FOR US AND CAN FOLLOW UP
IF WE HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
I THINK JUST ON FACE VALUE, I'M
REALLY KEEN ON HOW WE CAN
FURTHER SUPPORT THE WORK OF THIS
PROGRAM AND SO IS THERE ANYTHING
WE CAN DO HERE ON THE CITY LEVEL
TO FURTHER COMPLEMENT THIS WORK
AS YOU'RE ENGAGING ON THIS?
>> SO I THINK WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN
TO FURTHER DISCUSSION. I WOULD
ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO
ME. I'M HAPPY TO -- MY CONTACT
INFORMATION WAS ON THE LAST
SLIDE. WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO
CHAT. I'M HAPPY TO BRING IN OUR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STEVE
WALKER, AS WELL AS SOME OF MY
OTHER COUNTERPARTS. WE'RE
ALWAYS HAPPY TO ENGAGE. SO FEEL
FREE TO REACH OUT.
>> SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES. AND
BEFORE WE GO TO OUR NEXT
PRESENTERS, I JUST WANTED TO SAY
I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, ABOUT HOW
WE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL CAN BE
SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROGRAM, BUT
ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO
HAVE THESE FOLKS IN TODAY WAS TO
WALK US THROUGH THE STRUCTURE
AND APPROACH THEY TOOK TO BOTH
UNDERSTAND BE THE SCOPE OF WHAT
THE SPECIAL PURPOSE CREDITS
ALLOW LOCAL, STATE, OR OTHER
GOVERNMENTS OR NONPROFITS TO
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AND THEN HOW
THE STUDY NEEDED TO BE SHAPED IN
ORDER TO BE SURE IT ACCURATELY
RESEARCHED THE HISTORY AND
ACCURATELY PRESENTED THE
INFORMATION IN A WAY THAT
ALLOWED FOR A PROGRAM TO BE
DESIGNED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT
FEDERAL ALLOWANCE. SO I THINK,
IF ANYTHING, COLLEAGUES, THAT'S
ONE OF THE PIECES I WANT TO ASK
FOR TO US TAKE AWAY TODAY, THAT
WE LOOK AT THE STATE AS A MODEL
EXAMPLE HOW THAT RESEARCH AND
SCOPING THAT ALLOWED FOR A
PROGRAM THAT WAS DESIGNED TO BE
TARGETED IS TO BE IMPLEMENTED
AND THEN WE ARE EXCITED TO
CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE
STATE AND AGAIN WANT TO
APPRECIATE PARTICULARLY
REPRESENTATIVE JAMILLA TAYLOR
FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS BILL
AT THE STATE LEVEL. IT CAN'T BE
SAID ENOUGH I THINK HOW
IMPORTANT THAT WAS. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER LIN, FOR REMINDING
US TO THANK OUR COLLEAGUES IN
OLYMPIA WHO HELPED MAKE THIS
POLICY POSSIBLE. WITH THAT,
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR
PRESENTERS AND WE ARE GOING TO
ASK THE CLERK TO READ ITEM 2
INTO THE RECORD.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AGENDA ITEM 2 OVERVIEW OF
SEATTLE OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
COMMISSIONS.
>> FANTASTIC. AND I BELIEVE FOR
THIS PORTION WE HAVE A
COMBINATION OF PRESENTERS IN
PERSON AND ONLINE. SO I'LL ASK
OUR IN-PERSON PRESENTERS TO COME
JOIN US AT THE COMMITTEE TABLE
AND TO PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES WHEN YOU ARE READY. I
BELIEVE THAT WE MAY HAVE A LARGE
NUMBER OF FOLKS WITH US TODAY,
WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING, FROM
OUR VARIOUS COMMISSIONS. WE'LL
GIVE YOU ALL A SECOND TO GET
SETTLED AT THE TABLE.
>> HI, JUST DO A QUICK INTRO
HERE. HELLO COUNCILMEMBERS AND
CHAIR FOSTER. MY NAME IS
MEREDITH STONE AND I'M THE
COMMISSIONS MANAGER FOR THE
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS. IT'S
MY PLEASURE TODAY TO INTRODUCE
OUR FOUR COMMISSIONS THAT ARE
SUPPORTED BY OUR OFFICE. IT'S A
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, THE
WOMEN'S LGBTQ AND DISABILITY
COMMISSIONS ARE ALL HERE. I'VE
WORKED WITH THESE COMMISSIONS
FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS AND REALLY
ADMIRE THE WORK THEY DO AND THE
EXPERTISE THAT THEY BRING TO THE
CITY. AS YOU KNOW, CITY
COMMISSIONERS ARE VOLUNTEERS AND
ARE COMMITTED TO SERVING
SEATTLE'S COMMUNITIES. THANK
YOU FOR INVITING THEM TO SPEAK
TODAY TO SHARE THEIR WORK PLAN
PRIORITIES AND WE LOOK FORWARD
TO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THEIR
PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY COUNCIL.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER
TO -- START AT THE END HERE,
JESSA, YOU WANT TO START INTROS
AND THEN THE PRESENTATION WILL
START. THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> HI. JESSA, SHE HER, ONE OF
THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE LGBTQ
COMMISSION.
>> KODY, HE HIM, CO-CHAIR OF THE
LGBTQ COMMISSION.
>> BIANCA GALLEGOS, JANET
STAFFORD, OFFICE OF CIVIL
RIGHTS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
EMILY ROSE BARR AND I USE SHE
HER PRONOUNS AND I AM ONE OF THE
CO-CHAIRS OF THE SEATTLE
WOMEN'S COMMISSION.
>> WHITNEY NAKAMURA, SHE AND
HER. I'M ALSO WITH THE SEATTLE
WOMEN'S COMMISSION.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'LL BEVERLY
SMITH, VICE-CHAIR OF THE SEATTLE
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.
>> HI, GWEN McCULLOUGH AND I'M
THE CHAIR OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION.
>> AND I BELIEVE THERE'S ONE
PERSON JOINING US FROM ONLINE?
IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND UNMUTE
YOURSELF AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
>> HI. MY NAME'S SCOT NELSON,
HE HIS AND I'M CO-CHAIR OF THE
SEATTLE DISABILITY COMMISSION.
>> FANTASTIC. WELCOME AND THANK
YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE FOR
JOINING US TODAY. WE REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU ALL TAKING THE
TIME OUT OF YOUR SCHEDULES NOT
ONLY TO SERVE ON THE
COMMISSIONS, BUT TO JOIN US AT
COMMITTEE AND TO DISCUSS YOUR
WORK. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO
GET AN OVERVIEW. ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE OFFICE OF
CIVIL RIGHTS HOUSES SO MANY
COMMISSIONS AND THESE FOUR
COMMISSIONS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN
ENSURING THAT YOU'RE ADVOCATING
FOR AND ELEVATING THE NEEDS OF
THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU SERVE
AND HELPING US AS THE COUNCIL,
BUT ALSO THE MAYOR AND THE
DEPARTMENTS MAKE SURE WE ARE
DELIVERING FOR RESIDENTS OF
SEATTLE AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOU
AND YOUR SERVICE. I KNOW WE ARE
GOING TO WALK THROUGH A SLIDE
DECK TODAY AND WE'RE LOOKING
FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU ALL
AS CHAIRS AND CO-CHAIRS. SO I'M
GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO YOU AND
THEN, COLLEAGUES, I'M GOING TO
ASK WE WAIT UNTIL EACH OF THE
FOUR COMMISSIONS HAVE PRESENTED
TO DO QUESTIONS BECAUSE THERE
ARE NOT OVERLAP, BUT IT MAY BE
ONE COMMITTEE'S WORK PLAN
ANSWERS A QUESTION THAT YOU
MIGHT HAVE. SO WE'LL ASK THAT
YOU ALL DO THAT AND THEN WE WILL
HAND IT OVER TO YOU WHEN YOU'RE
READY AND WE CAN SEE YOU ON
SEATTLE CHANNEL. SO IF YOU'D
LIKE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO MOVE
OVER THERE, BUT DO WHATEVER
FEELS MOST COMFORTABLE TO YOU.
OKAY. THANK YOU.
>> I'LL INTRODUCE MYSELF AGAIN,
GWEN McCULLOUGH AND I'M THE
CHAIR FOR THE SEATTLE HUMAN
RIGHTS COMMISSION AND THESE ARE
ALL OF THE OTHER COMMISSION
MEMBERS FOR SEATTLE HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION. THE SHRC WAS
ESTABLISHED IN 1963 TO ADVOCATE
FOR JUSTICE AND EQUAL RIGHTS. WE
ADVISE THE CITY OF SEATTLE ON
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES AND ENGAGE
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS ON
ELIMINATING AND PREVENTING
DISCRIMINATION CITY-WIDE. THESE
ARE THE COMMITTEES AND TASK
FORCES ASSOCIATED WITH OUR
COMMISSION AND THE WORKFLOWS
FROM THESE COMMITTEES AND TASK
FORCES IS WHAT MAKES UP OUR WORK
PLAN FOR 2026. THE
COMMUNICATIONS EVENTS, APPEALS,
AND POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEES
ALONG WITH THE HOUSING AND
UNHOUSED, CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM
REFORM, AND ANTI-HUMAN
TRAFFICKING TASK FORCES. ONE OF
THE UNIQUE RESPONSIBILITIES OF
THE SHRC IS TO CONSULT AND MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE OFFICE OF
CIVIL RIGHTS REGARDING CITY
PROBLEMS THAT COULD RESULT IN
DISCRIMINATION. THIS YEAR WE
LAUNCHED A NEW COMMITTEE, THE
POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE, IN
ORDER TO SERVE THAT PURPOSE. THE
COMMITTEE WILL ADVISE AND
RECOMMEND POLICY REVISIONS TO
THE OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS THAT
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE
DELETERIOUS EFFECTS TO OUR
CITIZENS AND WE WILL BE
RECORDING CITY POLICIES
ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOST
FREQUENTLY ADDRESSED ISSUES IN
THE DISCRIMINATION APPEALS
HEARINGS THAT WE HOLD. OUR
PRIORITIES FOR 2026 ARE TO
REVIEW THE A FULL 21-SEAT
COMMISSION, TO COLLABORATE UNDER
OUR NEW LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE,
FOR US TO HAVE TIMELY COMPLETION
OF ALL THE APPEALS HEARINGS THAT
WE PERFORM, WHICH IS USUALLY
ABOUT TWO A MONTH, AND THEN
REITERATING THE LAUNCH OF THAT
NEW POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE AND
ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY AND CITY
COUNCILMEMBERS IN ADDITION TO
STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIP WITH
OUR OTHER SISTER OCR COMMISSIONS
ON SHARED GOALS. BEVERLY?
>> THANK YOU. ONCE AGAIN,
BEVERLY SMITH. I'M THE
VICE-CHAIR. I'M HONORED TO
SERVE WITH GWEN ON THIS
COMMITTEE. THE LARGE IMPACT IS
AROUND CONSISTENT AND PRODUCTIVE
ENGAGEMENT ACROSS ALL OF OUR
TASK FORCES IN THE COMMUNITIES
THAT WE SERVE AND HAVING THOSE
EVENTS TIED TO SUPPORT EACH TASK
FORCE'S GOALS AS THEY MOVE
FORWARD. THE HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS TASK FORCE IS
FOCUSING LARGELY ON THE
ENCAMPMENT SWEEPS AND REALLY
EDUCATING AND UNDERSTANDING
AROUND THOSE IMPACTED BY
HOMELESSNESS. SO WE WILL BE
DOING MONTHLY COMMUNITY
LISTENING SESSIONS AND WILL
ACTUALLY HAVE A DEDICATED DAY TO
HIGHLIGHT AND FOCUS AND PROVIDE
SOCIALIZATION AROUND HOUSING IS
A HUMAN RIGHT. THAT IS GOING TO
BE JUNE 30th, BY THE WAY, NOT
JUNE 27th. FOR THE HUMAN
TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE, THEY
AGAIN ARE FOCUSING ON ENGAGEMENT
AND ALSO IMPACT AND THEY ARE
TRYING TO ISOLATE MEANINGFUL
DATA REGARDING HUMAN TRAFFICKING
ACTIVITY IN SEATTLE AS WELL AS
WORK WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
ALREADY CREATING POSITIVE CHANGE
IN THIS AREA TO ACT AS A SUPPORT
IN THOSE EFFORTS. WE ALSO ARE
INCLUDING DEDICATED SPEAKERS
DURING OUR HRC MEETINGS FOR
EDUCATION AWARENESS AND HAVE A
GOAL OF DOING AT LEAST TWO OF
THOSE FOR THIS 2026 CYCLE. AND
THEN WE ALSO ARE CONTINUING OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FIFA WORLD
CUP GROUP FOCUSED ON PREVENTIVE
EFFORTS TO DETER TRAFFICKING
ACTIVITY DURING THIS GLOBAL
EVENT. OKAY. SO THAT SLIDE IS
WHAT WE WERE DOING BEFORE. SO
SEVERAL EVENTS THROUGH THE REST
OF THE YEAR, I'VE HIGHLIGHTED
SOME OF THEM ALREADY ON THE
SLIDE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO DO
MONTHLY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE TO
INCREASE AWARENESS, BUT ALSO A
LARGE FOCUS FOR US WILL BE THE
DESIRE TO STRENGTHEN OUR
PARTNERSHIPS BOTH AT THE CITY
COUNCIL AND CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE AND SISTER COMMISSIONS
WHICH GWEN ALREADY HIGHLIGHTED
EARLIER. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. SO I HAVE A
COPY OF OUR WORK PLANS.
>> MAYBE I'LL GET STARTED WHILE
SHE'S PASSING THAT OUT. SO
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE
AND SHARE OUR FOCUS AREAS AND
THIS IS VERY HIGH LEVEL. SO WE
REALLY DO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO
LOOK AT THAT DETAILED DOCUMENT.
THAT'S OUR FULL WORK PLAN AND
IT HAS QUITE A BIT MORE THAN
WHAT WE'LL DISCUSS TODAY. THE
SEATTLE WOMEN'S COMMISSION WAS
FORMED IN THE '70s BY
COUNCILMEMBER JEANETTE WILLIAMS,
LONG TIME COUNCILMEMBER SERVING
FOR 20 YEARS ON CITY COUNCIL,
AND A STRONG HUMAN AND WOMEN
RIGHTS ADVOCATE. SO JUST WANT TO
START WITH GRATITUDE TO THAT
FOUNDING AND CERTAINLY THE
LEGACY OF ALL THE STRONG
CREATIVE WOMEN WHO EMPOWERED THE
SEATTLE WOMEN'S COMMISSION OVER
THE YEARS AND REALLY PAVED THE
PATH FOR OUR PARTNERSHIPS, OUR
EFFORTS, AND GRATITUDE TO ALL OF
OUR INCREDIBLE SOCR STAFF AND
MARTA AS WELL. [ CAPTIONERS
TRANSITIONING ]
>> AND THEN OUR SUBCOMMITTEES
ARE VOTED ON ANNUALLY AND THEY
DEVELOP TWO YEAR WORK PLANS THAT
HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW
YOU ARE IMPLEMENTING ALL OF
THESE FOCUS AREAS. AND BEFORE
EMILY GOES OVER THE FOCUS AREAS,
I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT LIKE
THESE ARE LARGELY A CONTINUATION
OF PREVIOUS YEARS, AND HONESTLY,
IS MOSTLY A LINE WITH 50 YEARS
AGO WHEN THE SEATTLE WOMEN'S
COMMISSION WAS FORMED, AND
CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT OF OVERLAP
WITH OUR PREVIOUS SUBCOMMITTEE
WORK AS WELL. AND SO, YOU KNOW,
IN TERMS OF PROMOTING THE HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING OF WOMEN AROUND
GENDER EQUITY AND EMPLOYMENT,
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STABILITY AND
EMPOWERMENT , CHILDCARE ,
ADDRESSING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
AND SAFETY, LIKE THESE ARE --
THESE ARE LONG-TERM CHALLENGES
AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT THEY ARE
COMPLEX AND SYSTEMIC, AND SO, WE
ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE IMPACTS
AND SOLUTIONS ARE DYNAMIC, AND
SO, JUST WANT TO NAME THAT A
VERSION OF THIS FOCUS, THESE
PARTICULAR AREAS, HAS BEEN GOING
ON FOR A WHILE, SO SUPER PROUD
OF THIS WORK, WE ARE SUPER
EXCITED TO SHARE SOME OF OUR
UPCOMING INITIATIVES, AND WE
JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO
DO, AND CERTAINLY EAGER FOR
ONGOING PARTNERSHIP AND
LONG-TERM INVESTMENT IN THESE
FOCUS AREAS.
>> THANKS, WHIT. SO, I WILL
START WITH OUR FIRST FOCUS AREA,
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, AND I
WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH ALL OF
YOU SOME [ INAUDIBLE ] THAT I
PULLED FROM THE NATIONAL
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE. AN
AVERAGE OF 24 PEOPLE PER MINUTE
ARE VICTIMS OF RAPE, PHYSICAL
VIOLENCE, OR STALKING WITHIN THE
UNITED STATES. NEARLY ONE IN
THREE COLLEGE WOMEN, 29%, SAY
THEY HAVE BEEN IN AN ABUSIVE
DATING RELATIONSHIP WOMEN AGES
18 TO 24 AND 35 TO 34 GENERALLY
EXPERIENCE THE HIGHEST RATES OF
INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE. AND
FINALLY, 30 TO 60% OF INTIMATE
PARTNER VIOLENCE PERPETRATORS
ALSO ABUSE CHILDREN IN THE
HOUSEHOLD. SO, I WEAR
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
SUBCOMMITTEE WORKS TO PREVENT
AND ADDRESS DOMESTIC INTIMATE
PARTNER AND GENDER-BASED
VIOLENCE THROUGH SURVIVOR
CENTERED, CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
INITIATIVES, THAT INFORMED
POLICY AND ADVOCACY, CAMPUS
PREVENTION CAMPAIGNS, AND
COMMUNITY AWARENESS IN SEATTLE
AND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON. AND IN THIS SLIDE
UNDER THE ACTION PORTION, YOU
CAN SEE JUST SOME OF THE WAYS
THAT WE ARE WORKING TO COMBAT
VIOLENCE AND ELEVATE THE VOICES
OF LIVED EXPERIENCES OF
SURVIVORS AND THEIR ADVOCATES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. OUR HOUSING
STABILITY SUBCOMMITTEE WORKS TO
IMPROVE HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY,
AFFORDABILITY, AND ABUNDANCE IN
SEATTLE FOR RESIDENTS OF ALL
AGES, RACES, ETHNICITIES,
CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS, AND
ABILITIES. [ INAUDIBLE ]
INITIATIVES INCLUDE OFFERING
EDUCATION AND FAIR HOUSING
RIGHTS, CREATING A FAIR HOUSING
LAWS GUIDE FOR WOMEN AND
FAMILIES, DEVELOPING POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROTECT
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, AND
COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY
STAKEHOLDERS THEIR FUNDRAISING
EVENTS AND A RENTERS RESOURCE
FAIR THAT PROVIDES LEGAL AND
PRACTICAL SUPPORT. AND OUR THIRD
SUBCOMMITTEE IS OUR WOMEN'S
HEALTH AND WELLNESS , WHICH WAS
FORMALLY OUR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
SUBCOMMITTEE. THIS YEAR, WE
VOTED TO EXPAND THAT TO
ENCOMPASS WOMEN'S HEALTH MORE
BROADLY. SO, THE SUBCOMMITTEE
HAS IDENTIFIED FIVE
INTERCONNECTED PRIORITY AREAS
THAT WERE NOTED IN THE PREVIOUS
SLIDE, AND FOR TODAY'S
PRESENTATION, I WOULD LIKE TO
FOCUS ON TWO OF THOSE AREAS,
MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES, AND
GENDER-BASED HEALTH EQUITIES. IN
2015, MORE THAN 26 DEATHS WERE
REPORTED PER 100,000 PREGNANT
WOMEN. THIS MEANS THAT COMPARED
WITH THEIR OWN MOTHERS, AMERICAN
WOMEN TODAY ARE 50% MORE LIKELY
TO DIE IN CHILDBIRTH. AND THE
RISK IS CONSISTENTLY THREE TO
FOUR TIMES HIGHER FOR BLACK
WOMEN THAN WHITE WOMEN,
IRRESPECTIVE OF INCOME OR
EDUCATION. AND WITH REGARDS TO
HEALTH INEQUITIES, THE SECOND
PRIORITY AREA THAT WE'VE
IDENTIFIED , WOMEN HAVE HIGHER
INCIDENCE THAN MEN OF CERTAIN
MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS SUCH AS
ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND EATING
DISORDERS. NATIONAL DATA SHOW
THAT WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE
DIAGNOSED WITH A SEXUALLY
TRANSMITTED INFECTION OR STI,
AND FINALLY, ONE IN FOUR WOMEN
IN THE UNITED STATES DIES FROM
HEART DISEASE, CORONARY HEART
DISEASE WHICH IS THE MOST COMMON
FORM IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF
DEATH IN BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. IN
ADDITION, WOMEN ARE AT HIGHER
RISK THAN MEN FOR OTHER FORMS OF
HEART DISEASE. ON THIS SIDE, YOU
CAN SEE SOME OF THE WAYS OUR
WOMEN'S HEALTH AND SUBCOMMITTEE
PLANS TO ENGAGE WITH THESE
PRIORITY AREAS.
>> JUST REALLY QUICKLY, THESE
ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF OTHER
RECENT WORK THAT WE WILL LIKELY
RELAUNCH IN SOME FORM IN THE
NEAR FUTURE AS WELL, AND AGAIN,
JUST [ INAUDIBLE ] A LOT OF OUR
EFFORTS, WHILE WE ARE DEVELOPING
TWO DIFFERENT PLANS AND VOTING
ANNUALLY ON OUR SUBCOMMITTEES,
THAT WE RECOGNIZE A LOT OF THESE
ISSUES ARE INTERCONNECTED AND [
INAUDIBLE ] IN VARIOUS WAYS. AND
A REMINDER THAT WE ARE HERE AND
EAGER TO PARTNER , YOU KNOW,
INDIVIDUALLY AS OUR COMMISSION ,
COLLECTIVELY AS OUR COMMISSIONS.
THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION IS A
GREAT GROUP. I MEAN, WE ARE A
SUPER DIVERSE, PASSIONATE GROUP
OF WOMEN WHO VOLUNTEER BECAUSE
WE CARE ABOUT OUR CITY, WE CARE
ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES, AND WE
REPRESENT A LOT OF DIFFERENT
DISTRICTS AND PERSPECTIVES AND
EXPERIENCES, AND WE REALLY --
YOU KNOW, WE REALLY VALUE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BRIDGE THAT
CONNECTION WITH ELEVATING THOSE
COMMUNITY VOICES AND PRIORITIES,
AND YOU KNOW, OFFERING
RECOMMENDATIONS AND PARTNERING
AROUND OUR SHARED GOALS AND
PRIORITIES. AND SO, WE WELCOME
OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT
SPECIFICALLY WITH THIS
COMMITTEE, AND CERTAINLY THE
FULL COUNCIL AND YOU
INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL. AND HERE
ARE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES, AND
THEN ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU WILL
SEE JUST A REMINDER OF SOME OF
THE UPCOMING [ INAUDIBLE ] THAT
WE HAVE, BUT WE ARE HERE, WE ARE
DOING STUFF EVERY MONTH, AND WE
CERTAINLY WELCOME COLLABORATION
WITH YOU ALL. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND BEFORE WE MOVED TO OUR
NEXT PRESENTERS, I WANTED TO SAY
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE WORK
PLAN. WE DO HAVE ONE COUNCIL
MEMBER WHO IS JOINING US ONLINE
TODAY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE
GET THAT OVER TO YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER TORRES AS SOON AS
WE GET A DIGITAL COPY.
>> OKAY, I WILL INTRODUCE MYSELF
AGAIN. I AM KODY ALLEN, IUC/M
PRONOUNS, AND I AM ONE OF THREE
COCHAIRS. [ INAUDIBLE ] WAS
CREATED IN THE EARLY '90 IS TO
ADVOCATE FOR QUEER , TRANS, AND
NONCONFORMING GENDER IN A VERY
QUEER CITY. HERE IS A LIST OF
ALL OF OUR MEMBERS. AS I SAID,
WE HAVE THREE COCHAIRS. AND WE
HAVE A PRETTY FULL COMMISSION
RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS VERY
EXCITING. [ INAUDIBLE ] TO FILL
THE REST OF OUR OPEN SEATS. SO,
THIS IS A STATEMENT FROM OUR
COCHAIRS. SO, OUR 2026-2027 WORK
PLAN DETAILS HOW WE WILL MEET
THE NEEDS OF THE LGBTQIA+
SEATTLEITES WHO ARE CRUCIAL IN
OUR CITY. CONSTITUENTS SHARE
WITH US THEIR FEARS, SUCH AS
SAFETY CONCERNS AND PUBLIC
SPACES AND DEEPENING
UNCERTAINTIES ABOUT LEGAL
PROTECTIONS AMIDST RISING STIGMA
AND PUBLIC HOSTILITY, ESPECIALLY
TOWARDS TRANSGENDER AND
NON-BINDERY RESIDENTS. [
INAUDIBLE ] HAS FEDERAL ACTIONS
TARGETING OUR COMMUNITIES AND
RENEWED EFFORTS TO RESTRICT
HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND RESHAPE
THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH WE LIVE
AND ORGANIZE. THESE [ INAUDIBLE
] ACROSS EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD,
INTENSIFIED BY [ INAUDIBLE ]
INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES
RELOCATING AS INTERNALLY
DISPLACED PEOPLE WITHIN THEIR
OWN COUNTRY, SEEKING SAFETY
WHILE CONFRONTING THE
SKYROCKETING COST OF LIVING. YET
THE LGBTQ COMMISSION RESPONDS AS
OUR HISTORY TEACHES US TO
RESPOND, WITH RESILIENCE, A
HARD-EARNED HOPE, AND BY [
INAUDIBLE ]. WE WILL STRENGTHEN
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND
IMAGINE A FUTURE THAT
PRIORITIZES MUTUAL [ INAUDIBLE ]
OVER ZERO-SUM SURVIVAL. WE MOVE
INTO THE CHAOS OF THIS MOMENT,
NOT AWAY FROM IT, CLEAR EYED
ABOUT THESE CHALLENGES, AND YET
DETERMINED THAT THIS WELCOMING
CITY WILL LIVE UP TO ITS VALUES,
NOT ONLY FOR LGBTQIA+ RESIDENTS,
BUT FOR ALL RESIDENTS. AND SO,
THESE ARE OUR THREE STANDING
COMMITTEES, WE HAVE OUR
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND SOCIAL
MEDIA. THIS COMMITTEE HANDLES
THE MOST OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS
WITH EXTERNAL COMMUNITY LEADERS
AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AS
WELL AS OUR SOCIAL MEDIA
OUTREACH. WE HAVE OUR
COMMISSIONS OPERATIONS
SUBCOMMITTEE. THIS COMMITTEE
ENSURES THAT WE ARE REGULARLY
REVIEWING OUR BYLAWS, WE ARE
FOLLOWING OUR BYLAWS, HANDLING
PROGRAMS SUCH AS OUR NEW MEMBER
ORIENTATION, AND WHATNOT, AND
THEN OUR RACIAL JUSTICE AND
INTERSECTIONALITY COMMITTEE MAKE
SURE THAT EVERYTHING WE ARE
DOING CENTERS RACIAL JUSTICE .
MANY, MANY INTERSECTIONALITY IS
THAT THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE
SERVE HAVE, BOTH WITHIN WHAT WE
ARE DOING INTERNALLY AND HOW WE
ARE COMMUNICATING AND WORKING
WITH OUR PARTNERS AND WITH THE
CITY.
>> ALL RIGHT, SO, I AM TERRIBLE
AT MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH
PEOPLE WHEN I SPEAK, SO THIS
SCENE IS PERFECT FOR ME. [
LAUGHTER ] ALL RIGHT, SO I JUST
WANT TO ECHO SOMETHING THAT KODY
SHARED FROM OUR STATEMENT HERE.
WE STARTED WORKING ON THIS WORK
PLAN IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR,
WE WANTED TO TAKE LESSONS
LEARNED FROM OUR PREVIOUS WORK
PLANS AND TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION THE WORLD WE LIVE
IN NOW AND HOW DIFFERENT IT IS
FROM JUST TWO YEARS AGO, SO WE
ARE STARTING OFF WITH THESE
THREE PILLARS, AND THE NEXT FEW
SIDES WILL KIND OF GO INTO MORE
DETAIL, BUT WE ARE FOCUSING ON
INTERSECTIONAL ADVOCACY,
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, AND
COMMISSION SUSTAINABILITY. IF
YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT
SLIDE. SO, EACH OF THESE COLORS
HAVE TWO MAIN FOCUS AREAS. WE
HAVE A FULL PLAN THAT WE WILL
SHARE A DIGITAL COPY OF WHICH
HAVE INDIVIDUAL GOALS THAT HAVE
A MEASURABLE OUTCOME AND THE
TANGIBLE PACKED. THIS COULD BE
POLICY PROPOSALS OR THEY COULD
BE MEETINGS WITH COCHAIRS. AND
THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY
OUTREACH COMMITTEE AND WANTED TO
GET SOME STUFF TOGETHER, SO IT
HAS BEEN ON MY TO DO LIST. I AM
LOOKING FORWARD TO WAYS THAT WE
CAN CENTER THE INTERSECTIONAL
NATURE OF THE QUEER COMMUNITY IN
PARTICULAR. THERE IS NO QUEER
COMMUNITY SEPARATE FROM THE
COMMUNITY OF SEATTLE, SO WE ARE
EVERYWHERE WITHIN THE VARIOUS
COMMUNITIES, AND WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE VOICE THAT WE ARE
GIVING TO ISSUES AND THE WAY WE
SHINE A LIGHT ON THINGS
REPRESENTS EVERYONE IN THE QUEER
COMMUNITY, REGARDLESS OF WHO
THEY ARE OR WHERE THEY COME
FROM. SO, SOME THINGS THAT WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT ON HERE, OF
COURSE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF
CONVERSATION ABOUT SOMETHING
LIKE AN OFFICE FOR TRENDS AND
QUEER AFFAIRS. [ INAUDIBLE ] WE
ARE ALSO WORKING ON WHAT THE
COMMUNITY RAPID RESPONSE PLAN
LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF INCREASED
ATTACKS, ESPECIALLY ON
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE. WE DID SOME
IMPORTANT WORK IN FEBRUARY IN
THE COMMITTEE MEETING ON THAT,
WHICH I WAS REALLY GLAD TO SORT
OF GET A LOT OF COMMITTEE [
INAUDIBLE ]. IN ADDITION, WE ARE
ALSO WORKING ON AMPLIFYING THIS
WELCOMING CITY INITIATIVES THAT
WE HAVE, AND BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE
SOMETHING TANGIBLE COME OUT OF
ALL OF THAT. WANT TO GO TO THE
NEXT SLIDE. THERE IS A LOT OF
OVERLAP HERE WITH COMMUNITY
EMPOWERMENT AS WELL. AGAIN, I
JUST MENTIONED OUR COMMUNITY
ADVOCACY MEETINGS IN FEBRUARY.
IT WAS OUR INITIAL STARTING
MEETING FOR THAT SERIES, WE ARE
DOING A QUARTERLY, SO WE HAD
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK WITH US. WE
HAD COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER COMING
IN MAY. COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH IN AUGUST. AND
COUNCILMEMBER LIN IN NOVEMBER,
SO THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU. AND
WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE UNDER THIS
ONE HERE? SOME OTHER TANGIBLE
THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT. WE
ARE VOTING ON WHERE THESE GOALS
IN OUR UPCOMING MEETING, BUT YOU
KNOW, WE JUST WANT TO AMPLIFY
THINGS LIKE OUR COMMUNITY
ADVOCACY MEETINGS BEING A BRIDGE
BETWEEN THE BROADER COMMUNITY
AND CITY ENTITIES LIKE THE CITY
COUNCIL AND OTHERS. SO, THAT IS
SORT OF OUR GOAL THERE, IS TO
BRING NEEDS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE
THE ANSWERS AND THE RESOURCES,
AND PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TOGETHER
WITH OUR COMMUNITY. GO TO THE
THIRD SLIDE. YES, COOL, ALL
RIGHT. AND THEN COMMISSION
SUSTAINABILITY IS THE LAST ONE.
BASICALLY, THIS IS JUST WORKING
ON ALL THE LESS SHINY PARTS OF
THE COMMISSION THAT OFTEN FALL
UNDER OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
THINGS LIKE WORKING ON OUR
BYLAWS AND SETTING UP AN ON
BOARDING PROCESS FOR NEW
COMMISSIONERS. WE ALSO WANT TO
PRIORITIZE ENSURING THAT OUR
COMMISSION REFLECTS AND
REPRESENTS OUR BROADER
COMMUNITY. SO, IN ADDITION TO
THAT, BUILDING CAPACITY IN
FUTURE YEARS. IT IS OUR HOPE
THAT TWO, FIVE, 10 YEARS FROM
NOW, THAT IS THE TRANSFER OF
KNOWLEDGE AND EMPOWERING OF
PEOPLE COMING AFTER US LEAVE THE
COMMISSION BETTER THAN THEY
FOUND IT, SO THAT IS SOMETHING
I'M EXCITED ABOUT BUILDING OUT
IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE. I KNOW, I'M STILL
TALKING.
>> YEAH, SO THIS SLIDE IS JUST
SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT
WE WANTED TO SHARE FROM 2025, SO
I WON'T READ THROUGH ALL OF
THEM, BUT I WILL READ THROUGH A
COUPLE. SO, WE COLLABORATED ON
DRAFTING AND EDUCATING THE
COMMUNITY ON THE CITY'S SHIELD
LAW. WE PARTNERED WITH MULTIPLE
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND
STATE DEPARTMENTS TO DIVERT OUR
ANTI- QUEER RALLY AT THE PARK.
WE ENGAGED WITH THE COUNCIL TO
ADVOCATE FOR LGBTQIA+ IN AND
VISIBILITY [ INAUDIBLE ].
ESPECIALLY DURING PRIDE MONTH
AND THE IMPACT THAT THAT IS
GOING TO HAVE ON PRIDE MONTH
CELEBRATIONS. WE BEGAN A SOCIAL
MEDIA CAMPAIGN THAT WAS VERY
SUCCESSFUL IN EDUCATING THE
COMMUNITY ON [ INAUDIBLE ] ON A
STATEWIDE LEVEL, COUNTY AND
CITYWIDE LEVEL. AS ALWAYS, WE
HAVE SEEN THE PRIDE FLAG
RAISING, [ INAUDIBLE ]. WE
LAUNCHED THE PORTAL OF COMMUNITY
ADVOCACY MEETINGS THAT JESSA WAS
TALKING ABOUT. [ INAUDIBLE ]
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. AND
COMMISSIONERS IN TOTAL
VOLUNTEERED APPROXIMATELY 400
HOURS COLLECTIVELY, THAT
INCLUDES REGULAR MEETINGS, AND
THEN AN ADDITIONAL $375 OF
COMMUNITY WORK AT EVENTS OUTSIDE
OUR REGULAR MEETINGS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND NOW MOVING THROUGH [
INAUDIBLE ], I WILL REINTRODUCE
MYSELF, I AM BIANCA GALLEGOS, MY
PRONOUNS ARE SHE/HER. AND A
VISUAL DESCRIPTION OF ME AS I AM
BRUNETTE, MY HAIR LENGTH IS TO
MY SHOULDER, I AM WEARING A
MAROON TOP, AND A BROWN AND --
JACKET WITH BROWN PANTS. MOVING
FORWARD WITH WHAT IS THE SEATTLE
DISABILITIES COMMISSION? SEATTLE
DISABILITY COMMISSION ADVISES
THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND
CITY DEPARTMENTS ABOUT ISSUES OF
IMPORTANCE TO PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES. TO THE CITY AND
MATTERS AFFECTING THE CONCERNS
OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. I
ENCOURAGE US [ INAUDIBLE ] AND
THE LARGER SEATTLE COMMUNITY.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND FOR OUR
2025-2026 IMPACT AND
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, MOST NOTABLY,
THERE HAVE BEEN FIVE OF THEM.
THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE HAS BEEN
THAT [ INAUDIBLE ] CAPACITY. WE
HAVE 14 CONFIRMATIONS OF
COMMISSIONERS IN THE YEAR 2025,
AND DUE TO THE INCREASE IN
MEMBERSHIP, THERE HAS BEEN AN
EXPANSION TO THREE COCHAIRS, AND
SECOND, COSPONSORED A CANDIDATE
FORUM AROUND DISABILITY ISSUES
FOR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND
THAT HAS BEEN A FIRST IN OVER
FOUR YEARS. THIRD, ADVISED AND
CONSULTED FIFA SEATTLE MATTERS
RELATED TO DISABILITY AND
TOURISM FOR THE FIFA MEN'S WORLD
CUP 2026 IN SEATTLE. FOURTH,
CONTINUED THE POWER OF
WHEELCHAIR CHARGING STATION
ROLLOUT, AND LASTLY, ADVOCATED
VIA LETTER OF SUPPORT TO THE
WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE FOR
THE CONTINUATION OF FUNDING FOR
THE WASHINGTON [ INAUDIBLE ]
LIBRARY AFTER ANNOUNCING BUDGET
CUTS. NOW I AM TURNING IT OVER
TO MY COCHAIR, SCOT NELSON.
>> HI. MY NAME IS SCOT NELSON, I
USE HE AND HIS PRONOUNS. I HAVE
SHORT BROWN HAIR, I AM A WHITE
MALE IN HIS MID-TO-LATE 20s. I
WEAR GLASSES. I AM WEARING A
GREEN, BUTTON-DOWN SHIRT. AND I
WANTED TO ALSO POINT OUT THAT WE
HAVE A THIRD COCHAIR WHO IS NOT
HERE TODAY, JJ JENSEN. YEAH. SO,
FOR THE 2025 TO 2026 SEASON, WE
SAW AN ABSOLUTE EXPLOSION IN THE
CAPACITY THAT WE CAN TAKE ON AND
THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING THAT
WE HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN SINCE
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AND OUR
PARTNERS THAT WE WANTED TO
SPOTLIGHT IN PARTICULAR FOR THIS
PAST YEAR HAS BEEN THE
WASHINGTON TALKING AND BRAILLE
LIBRARY. WE LEARNED A LOT FROM
THEM ABOUT SERVICES THAT THEY
PROVIDE , AND WE WERE ABLE TO
SUBMIT A LETTER OF ADVOCACY TO
WASHINGTON STATE , BECAUSE THEY
FACED FUNDING ISSUES AT THE
STATE LEVEL. AS WELL AS THE
FORENSIC WATERFRONT PARK, SO WE
WERE GRACIOUSLY INVITED EARLIER
THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR , SORRY,
THE WATERFRONT PARK HAD ITS
GRAND OPENING [ INAUDIBLE ]
STARTED THE INAUGURAL TOUR OF
ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES DONE AT
THE WATERFRONT, WHICH WERE VERY
IMPRESSIVE. I THINK WE CAN GO TO
THE NEXT SLIDE. THROUGHOUT 2025
AND 2026, WE HAVE PARTNERED A
LOT WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS .
OBVIOUSLY, THE WASHINGTON
TALKING AND BRAILLE LIBRARY AND
THE FRIENDS OF WATERFRONT PARK.
WE, TOO, HAD CONSULTATION WITH
THE LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
FOR THE FIFA 2026 WORLD CUP
AROUND ISSUES OF DISABILITY
ACCESS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BOOM
IN TOURISM THAT WE ARE
EXPECTING, AS WELL AS THE
WASHINGTON CIVIL DISABILITY
ADVOCATES. APART FROM THAT, WE
HAVE HAD A LOT OF DIALOGUE AND A
LOT OF REALLY IMPORTANT WORK
BEING PUSHED FORWARD AT THE
LEVEL OF SEATTLE'S DEPARTMENTS.
SO, OBVIOUSLY, WE WORK VERY
CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE FOR
CIVIL RIGHTS, BUT WE HAVE HAD
PROJECTS OVER THIS PAST YEAR ,
YEAR AND A HALF WITH FAS , PARKS
AND RECREATION, SDOT, THE
SEATTLE CENTER , SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY, AS WELL AS THE CONSTANT
COMMUNICATION WITH OUR SISTER
COMMISSIONS HERE, AND ONE OF OUR
BIG GOALS MOVING FORWARD IS TO
UTILIZE THE POSITION ALI THAT
THE ADVISORY COMMISSIONS HAVE TO
FACILITATE REALLY STRONG
TEAMWORK BETWEEN COMMISSIONS ,
CITY DEPARTMENTS , AND CITY
COUNCIL. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE,
WE HAVE SOME VERY STRONG
COMMITTEES THAT HAVE BEEN SET
UP, HAD THEIR FIRST MEETING, AND
ARE ALREADY WORKING ON ADVANCING
OUR GOALS FORWARD. THESE ARE THE
COMMITTEES THAT WE ESTABLISHED
EARLIER AT OUR LAST RETREAT. OUR
ADVOCACY AND REPRESENTATION
COMMITTEE IS DOING FANTASTIC
WORK, ENSURING THAT THE SEATTLE
DISABILITY COMMISSION IS A
BRIDGE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND
REPRESENTATIVES. THE COMMISSION
WILL PRIORITIZE INTENTIONALLY
LISTENING AND SPEAKING OUT
VOICES THAT EXIST IN MARGINS.
ACCESSIBILITY IS A DIFFICULT
CATEGORY SOMETIMES BECAUSE
SOMETIMES IT IMPACTS PEOPLE'S
ABILITY TO BE HEARD. IT DOESN'T
SO MUCH IMPACT THAT PEOPLE NEED
THINGS AND THAT PEOPLE HAVE
VOICES THAT THEY ARE EXPRESSING
WITH, BUT MORE THAT
STRUCTURALLY, IT'S DIFFICULT
FOR THOSE VOICES TO BE HEARD
BASED ON HISTORICAL CONTINGENCY.
OUR SECURITY AND ACCESS
COMMITTEE IS TASKED WITH
ENSURING THAT EVERY PERSON'S
BASIC NECESSITIES ARE MET, SO,
THIS IS OUR COMMITTEE THAT DEALS
WITH A LOT OF IMPORTANT ISSUES
TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN
SEATTLE AREA LIKE JOB SECURITY
AND HOUSING ISSUES . WE WANT
PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, NO MATTER
WHAT THEIR ABILITY STATUS IS, TO
BE ABLE TO FIND MEANINGFUL WORK
AND TO FIND A PLACE TO REST
THEIR HEAD AS SORT OF A BASIC
HUMAN RIGHT. AND OUR INTERNAL
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
IS TASKED WITH ENSURING THAT THE
SEATTLE DISABILITY COMMISSION
STAYS CONNECTED TO THIS WORK
WITH COMMUNITY AND FELLOW
COMMISSIONERS. BECAUSE WE HAD
THAT EXPANSION IN OUR CAPACITY,
WE ARE BEING VERY INTENTIONAL
ABOUT THE SYSTEMS THAT WE ARE
SETTING UP, AND THE ENGINE THAT
WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER, WE ARE
BUILDING BLOCK BY BLOCK, TO BE
ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY ADVOCATE,
AND IN A LOT OF CASES, DO THE
VERY, VERY REAL WORK OF
COMPILING , GATHERING, AND
SHARING INFORMATION BETWEEN THE
DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE
SAW IN THE DEFINITION EARLIER
THAT IS SET OUT IN THE LAW FOR
WHAT THE SEATTLE DISABILITY
COMMISSION IS SUPPOSED TO BE
DOING. SO, THANK YOU VERY, VERY
MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME ,
COUNCILMEMBERS. IT HAS BEEN A
PLEASURE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, WHAT A
NICE WAY TO END. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, SCOTT, AND THANK YOU TO
ALL OF OUR PRESENTERS. AND I
WILL AGAIN SAY THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME. I KNOW THE LGBTQ
COMMISSION PRESENTED SOME
TRACKING NUMBERS AROUND THE
NUMBER OF HOURS THAT YOU SPENT
VOLUNTEERING, BOTH JUST GOING TO
COMMISSION MEETINGS, DURING THE
REGULAR BUSINESS, AS WELL AS
BUSINESS OUTSIDE OF THAT, AND
I'M SURE THAT IT IS PROBABLY
MUCH THE SAME ACROSS ALL OF THE
COMMISSIONS IN TERMS OF THE
NUMBERS OF HOURS THAT WERE
SPENDING BOTH TOGETHER AND OUT
IN COMMUNITY, AND SO, I REALLY
WANT TO BOTH THINK AND COMMEND
YOU FOR THAT SERVICE. I MYSELF
WAS A MEMBER OF THE KING COUNTY
WOMEN'S COMMISSION FOR A LITTLE
WHILE, AND REALLY VALUE THE
COMMUNITY AND THE PARTNERSHIP
THERE, AND SO, JUST WANT TO SAY,
IT IS INCREDIBLY MEANINGFUL. AND
I KNOW SOME OF US HAVE PLANS TO
VISIT SOME OF YOUR COMMITTEES
ALREADY, BUT NOT OTHERS, AND WE
HEAR THAT AS A REQUEST COMING
FROM YOU ALL TODAY, AND SO, WE
LOOK FORWARD TO -- MY OFFICE
WILL CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO
FOLLOWING UP AND MAKING SURE
THAT HAPPENS. AT SOME POINT. [
LAUGHTER ] IS A NEWLY ELECTED
COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT I AM LOOKING
FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO
COLLABORATE WITH YOU ALL MORE.
COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS FOR
OUR PRESENTERS THIS AFTERNOON?
ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> SORRY. I WON THE PRIZE. WE
WERE ALL RUSHING TO HIT GO, AND
THEN MY HAND POPPED UP FIRST.
WELL, FIRST OFF, JUST WANTING TO
THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR PUTTING
TOGETHER A REALLY GREAT MEETING
, AND I DON'T THINK -- I JUST
WANTED TO ECHO -- WE HAD PUBLIC
COMMENT , AND THIS IS A REALLY
GOOD OPPORTUNITY AND LIKE FIRST
TIME WHERE I HAVE HAD AT THE
TABLE LIKE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS
AND COMMISSIONS AND JUST WALKING
US THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT YOU
ALL DO, AND I WAS HONESTLY TAKEN
BACK. I KNEW WHAT YOU ALL DID,
BUT JUST TAKEN BACK BY THE LEVEL
OF DETAIL AND INFORMATION AND
THOUGHTFULNESS AND OUTCOMES, AND
PREPAREDNESS THAT YOU ALL DO
WITH INTENTIONALITY TO MAKE SURE
THAT , OBVIOUSLY, THAT THE CITY
IS RUNNING WELL, THAT OUR
COUNCIL IS ENGAGED WITH YOU ALL
AND THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING,
AND HOW VITAL PART YOU ARE, A
BRIDGE FOR PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY TO US, AND HOW YOU
MAKE INFORMATION TO THEM
PALATABLE, AND OFTEN TIMES --
BECAUSE THERE IS JUST SO MUCH
INFORMATION OUT THERE, AND TO
HAVE TRUSTED RESOURCES AND
PEOPLE WHO HAVE TITLES OF
COMMISSIONERS AND ARE DOING THIS
WORK ARE INTEGRATED WITH A LOT
OF THE THINGS WE ARE DOING AT
THE CITY IS REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT, I JUST WANTED TO -- I
DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE ANY
QUESTION, I'M JUST EARLY HERE
TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE
WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
I'M GOING TO LITERALLY TAKE A
DEEP DIVE IN LIKE THE WORK PLAN
AND SOME OF THE SLIDES AS WELL,
AND WE WILL BE REACHING OUT WITH
YOU ALL JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE ENGAGED AND IN LOCKSTEP
WITH SOME OF YOUR PRIORITIES AND
WHAT WE ARE DOING AS WELL, AND
KNOWING THAT YOU ALL ARE ALSO A
RESOURCE FOR US AS WELL, JUST TO
HEAR, LIKE, HEY, WHAT IS THE
COMMISSION THINKING AND WHERE
ARE YOU ALL? AND SOMETIMES WE
MIGHT NOT ALIGN ON WHERE WE LAND
ON SOMETHING, BUT TO RUN A GOOD
PROCESS TO GET THAT FEEDBACK
FROM YOU ALL IS WHAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT, JUST MAKING SURE THAT
WE ARE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE
ON THAT, SO JUST WANTED TO THANK
YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND JUST
BEING VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT YOUR
PRESENTATIONS, ALL OF YOU TODAY,
SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH.
COUNCILMEMBER LIN?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, THANK YOU
TO ALL OUR COMMISSIONERS FOR
EVERYTHING YOU DO. A SIMILAR
POINT AND SORT OF QUESTION,
CERTAINLY WANT TO DO WHAT I CAN
TO ENGAGE AND MEET WITH VARIOUS
COMMISSIONERS AND VARIOUS
COMMISSIONS. AND JUST , YOU
KNOW, SEE THE WORK PLAN FOR THE
WOMEN'S COMMISSION, FOR ANY OF
THE OTHER COMMISSIONS, AND THESE
ARE LARGE BODIES OF WORK. AND
SO, YOU KNOW, JUST WONDERING
WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT
-- IT'S A LOT FURTHER, I THINK,
THE ONE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT TO
SUPPORT SO MANY COMMISSIONS, SO
I'M JUST WONDERING, AND YOU
KNOW, THIS WOULD BE KIND OF FOR
ANYBODY, BUT ARE THERE OTHER
WAYS TO ALSO SUPPORT WITH OTHER
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS ? JUST
WONDERING HOW THAT RELATIONSHIP
WORKS IN TERMS OF ENGAGING WITH
OTHER DEPARTMENTS? IF ANYBODY
WANTS TO CHIME IN.
>> I WILL JUST SHARE SOMETHING
BRIEFLY. YEAH, I WANTED TO THANK
EACH OF YOU HERE TODAY,
ESPECIALLY ALL FOUR OF YOUR
OFFICES HAVE BEEN QUITE
RESPONSIVE AND EASY TO WORK
WITH, AND AS WE CONTINUE TO
BUILD THESE RELATIONSHIPS, I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO CREATING
CONNECTIONS WITH THE OTHER
COMMISSIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE AS
WELL, AND VICE VERSA. I KNOW I
HAVE SPOKEN TO COUNCILMEMBER
LIN, WITH PEOPLE ON YOUR STAFF
ABOUT REACHING OUT TO OTHER
DEPARTMENTS, AND THAT IS QUITE
HELPFUL. SOMETIMES OUR EMAILS GO
TO SPAM OR THEY GET MISSED IN
THE SHUFFLE, AND IT IS GREAT TO
HAVE SOMEONE GIVE A NUDGE, SO
THANK YOU FOR ALREADY HAVING
DONE THAT MANY TIMES, EVEN JUST
THIS YEAR, AND I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO JUST THAT SMALL BIT
OF SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD. [
INAUDIBLE ]
>> YEAH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE
QUESTION. I WOULD ALSO ADD , A
LOT OF US, INCLUDING THE SEATTLE
WOMEN'S COMMISSION, HAVE A
NUMBER OF NEW COMMISSIONERS, AS
YOU HEARD, LIKE COVID WAS ROUGH
ON ALL OF US, RIGHT? SO, AS ALL
OF OUR COMMISSIONS ARE BUILDING
BACKUP CAPACITY, WE LOSE SOME OF
THOSE INSTITUTIONAL
RELATIONSHIPS AND KNOWLEDGE AS
FOLKS TURN OFF AND HONESTLY JUST
GET LOST IN THE MIX OF WHO IS
THE RIGHT CONTACT AT ANY GIVEN
DEPARTMENT AND WHO IS NEW ON
THAT SIDE, TOO? SO, THERE IS
CERTAINLY A LOT OF NEWNESS ALL
AROUND, AND WE CERTAINLY
APPRECIATE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES
WHERE YOU ALL CAN KIND OF
EXPEDITE THAT FOR US AND SAY,
OH, THIS IS THE RIGHT PERSON OR
LET ME RECONNECT YOU, IF YOU CAN
GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE THERE AS
WE ARE GETTING MORE FAMILIAR
WITH HOW ALL THAT WORKS, IT'S
SUPER HELPFUL.
>> YEAH, THAT'S SUCH A GREAT
POINT. WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE
CITY AS AN EMPLOYEE, IN THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, OR AS WE TRY
TO HELP CONSTITUENTS, SO OFTEN
THE QUESTION IS JUST TRYING TO
NAVIGATE THE BUREAUCRACY OF THE
CITY, WHO TO TALK TO, AND SO,
YEAH, CERTAINLY ANYTHING WE CAN
DO TO SUPPORT IN THAT REGARD.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, AND I WANTED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE, I THINK SCOT ALSO
HAD A HAND UP AND WANTED TO
SPEAK TO THAT. SCOT?
>> YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
CHAIR. YEAH. THAT'S A REALLY
GOOD QUESTION , COUNCILMEMBER
LIN. DEPENDING ON DEFINITION, ON
WHERE WE SIT ON THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC FORECASTS, THERE ARE 28
OR 29 EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS OR
DEPARTMENT LEVEL ENTITIES AT THE
CITY OF SEATTLE , AND SO, IT IS
ACTUALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE
DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE AS
COMMISSIONERS , AND AS
COMMISSIONS, TO ENGAGE WITH ALL
OF THEM, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW A
SINGLE ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS
THAT DOES NOT OVERLAP WITH THE
ISSUES THE OCR SUPPORTED
COMMISSIONS DEAL WITH . IN SORT
OF THE SAME BREATH, THERE ARE 71
ACTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, RANGING ALL
THE WAY FROM SORT OF THE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS AT THE SEATTLE
PUBLIC LIBRARY ALL THE WAY TO
ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
BUT ONE THING THAT I THINK IS
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, AND I
JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, IS
THAT THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION
SUPPORT IS ACTUALLY HOUSED
WITHIN THE LEGISLATIVE
DEPARTMENTS, AND WITHIN THE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH OF THE CITY
OF SEATTLE, AND SO, I KNOW THAT
IT'S A MONUMENTAL TASK FOR THEM
TO BE COORDINATING SO MANY -- SO
MANY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AT
THE SAME TIME. BUT IF THERE IS
ANY SUPPORT, I THINK IT WOULD BE
NICE FOR THAT TO BE CENTRALIZED
, FOR THAT TO HAVE A WAY OF
CONNECTING BOARDS AND
COMMISSIONS MAY BE MORE BROADLY
WITH OUR MANY, MANY, MANY
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU SO MUCH,
AND COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WANTED TO
DRAFT A QUESTION FOR EVERY
COMMISSION, SO I HOPE YOU WILL
ALL INDULGE ME A LITTLE BIT, BUT
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, I JUST
GIVE EVERY COMMISSION A LITTLE
BIT OF TLC, I JUST WANTED TO
REITERATE WHAT MY COLLEAGUES
HAVE SAID, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
WORK AND FOR VOLUNTEERING YOUR
TIME TO SERVE THIS IMPORTANT
FUNCTION FOR OUR CITY, WHETHER
IT BE WEIGHING IN ON POLICY FOR
ADVISING DEPARTMENTS, JUST THANK
YOU, AND I KNOW MANY FOLKS IN
COMMUNITY LOOK TO YOU ALL TO
REALLY REPRESENT, CHAMPION,
ADVOCATE HERE AT THE LOCAL
LEVEL, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING A
PART OF THIS AND FOR BEING IN
COMMITTEE TODAY. HER JUST
STARTING US OFF TO OUR HUMAN
RIGHTS COMMISSION COCHAIRS ,
THANK YOU ALL ALSO FOR THE WORK
YOU DID LAST YEAR ON THE
EVICTION PANEL, THAT WAS A
REALLY ASTOUNDING EVENT WITH
HUGE TURNOUT, AND I LEARNED A
LOT FROM THAT DOCUMENTARY
SCREENING. SO, I HOPE YOU ALL --
YEAH, THAT WAS WILD. AND I
WANTED TO ALSO THANK YOU ALL FOR
TAKING A MOMENT FOR YOUR
SUBCOMMITTEE WORK ON HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS, FOR THE LENS THAT
YOU ALL ARE TAKING IN TERMS OF
CENTERING THE VOICES OF THOSE
WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND TAKING
THE TIME TO DIRECTLY CONNECT
WITH AND TALK TO PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND I
THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO
CENTER IT. I KNOW THAT HUMAN
RIGHTS COMMISSION DOES A REALLY
AMAZING JOB WITH THIS. EVERYONE
DESERVES DIGNITY, AND TOO OFTEN,
OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS ARE
STRIPPED OF THAT, SO I AM REALLY
GRATEFUL YOU ARE DOING THAT
WORK, AND I AM WONDERING, ARE
THE SPECIFIC ACTIONS OR
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU ARE
HOPING TO DERIVE FROM THOSE
CONVERSATIONS? OR IS IT MORE OF
A PERSON TO PERSON CONNECTION
KIND OF EFFORT?
>> I WOULD SAY YES, WE ARE
TAKING THAT IN TO THEN CRAFT OUR
STRATEGY, BECAUSE WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND IT AT
THE LEVEL OF THOSE THAT ARE
DIRECTLY IMPACTED, SO YES, WE
HAVE THE DATA. YOU CAN SEARCH
THE DATA, BUT WE NEED THE
EXPERIENCE TO DIRECT WHERE WE
WILL MAKE THE MOST MEANINGFUL
IMPACT IN WHAT WE DO, WHETHER
THAT IS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH
COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND
RECOMMENDATIONS WE ACTUALLY MAKE
REGARDING STEPS LIKE THE
ENCAMPMENT SUITES AND THINGS
LIKE THAT. IT IS MAKING SURE WE
ARE EDUCATED ENOUGH TO MAKE
MEANINGFUL IMPACT WITH THAT
COMMUNITY, SO YES, IT IS HELPING
GUIDE OUR STRATEGY [ INAUDIBLE
]. THAT IS REALLY ENCOURAGING TO
HEAR, THANK YOU. AND TO OUR
WOMEN'S COMMISSION COCHAIRS,
AND HAPPY WOMEN'S HISTORY
MONTH, EVERYBODY, AND I KNOW WE
ARE GOING TO BE BACK TO BACK
ALSO ON RECOGNIZING NEXT MONTH
AS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS
MONTH, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO
CONTINUING WORK WITH THE
COMMISSION, AND I WANTED TO
UPLIFT ONE THING THAT REALLY
STUCK OUT TO ME IN YOUR
WORKPLAN. THE FAIR HOUSING LAWS
GUIDE FOR SINGLE WOMEN AND
FAMILIES. IT SEEMS REALLY
INTERESTING TO ME AND I AM
WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK A
LITTLE BIT MORE TO WHERE THAT
IDEA CAME FROM OR WHAT IT LOOKS
LIKE.
>> YEAH, I THINK I CAN SPEAK TO
THAT, SO I AM THE CHAIR OF OUR
HOUSING STABILITY SUBCOMMITTEE,
AND I THINK THE IDEA FOR THAT [
INAUDIBLE ] SOME RESEARCH AROUND
DISCRIMINATION AS IT RELATES TO
OBTAINING HOUSING . SO, WHETHER
THAT IS RENTING OR OWNERSHIP.
AND WOMEN IN PARTICULAR , SINGLE
WOMEN, SINGLE MOTHERS WERE ONE
OF THE HIGHEST -- ONE OF THE
HIGHEST RANKED GROUPS THAT
EXPERIENCED DISCRIMINATION WHEN
TRYING TO OBTAIN HOUSING, AND
THAT WAS NOT SURPRISING TO ME,
BUT IT'S SAD, RIGHT? THAT
SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE. SO, I
THINK FROM THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S
PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE FEELING --
VIEWING THAT AS A GAP THAT NEEDS
TO BE ADDRESSED, RIGHT? WHY ARE
WOMEN, PARTICULARLY THE SINGLE
WOMEN AND SINGLE MOTHERS SO
FREQUENTLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST
WHEN THEY ARE SIMPLY TRYING TO
GET A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD,
RIGHT? SO, I KNOW THAT IS ONE OF
THE EXECUTIVE DIVERGENCE, AND
SEATTLE PUTS OUT A RENTERS GUIDE
EACH YEAR, I THINK IT IS UPDATED
ANNUALLY, AND IT IS A FANTASTIC
RESOURCE, I HAVE UTILIZED IT
MYSELF AND IT IS VERY
COMPREHENSIVE, SO, PART OF OUR
INTENTION IS CREATING SOMETHING
SIMILAR, BUT GEARED SPECIFICALLY
TO WOMEN , AND ALONG WITH THAT,
FAMILIES, RIGHT? BECAUSE WOMEN
STILL ARE PREDOMINANTLY PRIMARY
CAREGIVERS, SO, HAVING A
RESOURCE THAT ADDRESSES THE
SPECIFIC DIFFICULTIES THAT WOMEN
FACE IS THE GOAL, BECAUSE I AM
NOT SURE OF A RESOURCE LIKE THAT
IN SEATTLE. AGAIN, THE RENTERS
GUIDE IS AN OUTSTANDING
RESOURCE, BUT IT IS MUCH MORE
BROADLY FOCUSED, SO REALLY
LOOKING TO SUPPORT THE WOMEN WHO
, YOU KNOW, WHO DON'T HAVE THE
GUIDANCE AND RESOURCES THAT THEY
DESERVE TO NAVIGATE THE
LANDSCAPE THAT IS RENTING AND
OWNING PROPERTY. AND RELATEDLY,
THAT ALSO TIES INTO -- SO, OUR
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
SUBCOMMITTEE IS CURRENTLY
WORKING ON , UM, AN AMENDMENT TO
ADDRESS WOMEN WHO HAVE
EXPERIENCED FINANCIAL ABUSE IN
AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP , AND
THERE ARE FOUR BARRIERS TO
OBTAINING HOUSING, SO THAT IS AN
AREA WHERE OUR SUBCOMMITTEES
INTERSECT, AND THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT AS WELL COULD BE ADDRESSED
IN OUR RENTERS GUIDE FOR WOMEN
AND FAMILIES, THAT IS ALSO BEING
ADDRESSED VIA GPB WITH THE
AMENDMENT THAT THEY ARE
CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
>> THAT IS REALLY GREAT TO HEAR
AROUND THAT WORK, AND SIMILARLY,
I AM [ INAUDIBLE ] A SPECIFIC
TAILORED GUIDE [ INAUDIBLE ]
HAVE NOT HEARD THAT, SO THAT
SEEMS PARTICULARLY NOVEL, WE ARE
JUST INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE
AS YOU DEVELOP THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND TAKING US TO OUR
DISABILITY COMMISSION, WE
HAVEN'T CONNECTED YET AND WE
ARE GOING TO FIX THAT COMING OUT
OF TODAY'S MEETING, BUT IT'S
GREAT THAT Y'ALL ARE HERE. I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR UPLIFTING
OF THE TALKING BOOK AND BRAILLE
LIBRARY, I KNOW WE HAVE TAKEN UP
SOME DISCUSSION ON THAT IN THE
NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE WHICH
SEATTLE [ INAUDIBLE ] REPORTS
DUE, AND IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING
THAT THERE IS A PROVISO IN THE
STATE LED SESSION FROM
REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS TO
RESTORE SOME OF THE HOURS FOR
THE TALKING BOOK AND BRAILLE
LIBRARY, SO CAN FOLLOW UP ON
THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE ARE
AT FULL RESTORATION OF OURS,
THEY WERE CLOSED FOR A LITTLE
BIT THERE, BUT JUST WANTED TO
SPEAK OUT INTO THE UNIVERSE, SO
FOLKS KNOW THAT IS ONE GOOD
THING THAT CAME OUT OF SESSION,
AMONG MANY. AND MY QUESTION FOR
YOU ALL IS RELATED TO THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON SECURITY AND
ACCESS. COULD YOU ALL SPEAK TO A
LITTLE BIT MORE OF WHAT YOU ARE
HOPING TO TAKE UP WITH THAT? I
AM ASKING JUST AS CHAIR OF HUMAN
SERVICES, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE
HAVE A DISABILITY LENS, AND I'M
HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN HEAR MORE
FROM THIS SUBCOMMITTEE MOVING
FORWARD, AND JUST MAKE SURE WE
ARE WORKING IN CONCERT.
>> YES, SO FOR THE SECURITY
ACCESS COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW, JUST
BARELY STARTED, WE JUST HAD OUR
VERY FIRST MEETING LAST MONTH,
AND WE HAVE PETER THAT IS
REPRESENTING THAT GROUP. ONE OF
THE GOALS FOR THE SECURITY
ACCESS IS THAT WE MAKE JOBS MORE
ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES. ALSO, WE WANT TO
ENSURE SECURITY FOR OUR PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES AS FAR AS
ACCESS TO EVENTS , ACTIVITIES,
MEETINGS . MOST RECENTLY, WE
WORKED WITH THE SEATTLE CHANNEL
TO MAKE THE SEATTLE CHANNEL MORE
ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES. AND WHO ARE NOT
ABLE TO -- YOU KNOW, WHO ARE
VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND ARE TRYING
TO ACCESS THE WEB AND RECORDS
FROM THE CITY THROUGH THE
WEBSITE. SO, WE ARE WORKING WITH
AND COLLABORATING WITH VARIOUS
GROUPS THAT COME TO US, AND
ALSO, WE REACH OUT TO GROUPS.
ALSO, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY
HAVE REACHED OUT TO US DURING
OUR TABLE SESSION, AND WE HAVE
BEEN ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES AS
WELL. ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.
SCOT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD TO
THAT? X YEAH. SO, SORT OF
SPECIFIC WORK THAT IS BEING DONE
THROUGH THAT COMMITTEE AND BY
PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE, WE --
FIRST OFF, A LOT OF THE
CONTINUATION OF THE WORK THAT
THE SEATTLE DISABILITY
COMMISSION HAS ALREADY DONE AND
ENGAGED WITH IS BEING DONE
THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE NOW, SO,
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A
VARIETY OF SEATTLE'S EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENTS TO GET WHEELCHAIR
CHARGING STATIONS IN A LOT OF
THE PUBLIC FACING BUILDINGS AND
THE PUBLIC ACCESS BUILDINGS LIKE
COMMUNITY CENTERS, LIBRARIES,
SEATTLE CENTER, AND FAS 'S
SERIES OF LITTLE CITY HALLS. SO,
THAT WORK IS CONTINUING THROUGH
THAT COMMITTEE. WE ALSO HAVE A
MEMBER ON THE COMMITTEE WHO IS
WORKING TIRELESSLY RIGHT NOW,
SHE IS ENGAGED RIGHT NOW IN AN
EXPLORATORY FORGETTING AN
ACCESSIBLE -- AN ACCESSIBLE
KAYAK BOAT LAUNCH FOR FOLKS WHO
-- A SORT OF SELF-SERVICE
ACCESSIBLE BOAT LAUNCH FOR FOLKS
WHO HAVE MOBILITY DISABILITIES,
AS WELL AS ANYONE WHO WANTS TO
USE IT. IN TALKS RIGHT NOW WITH
PARKS AND RECREATION, AND YOU
KNOW, A FEW FOLKS TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT THE FEASIBILITY OF THAT AND
CORRECT LOCATION FOR A PROPOSAL
WOULD BE. AND THAT'S ALL BEING
HEADED UP RIGHT NOW , THE
SECURITY AND ACCESS COMMITTEE,
BY ACTUALLY OUR GET ENGAGED
COMMISSIONER. SO, I ALSO WANTED
TO SPOTLIGHT REALLY QUICKLY THAT
GET ENGAGED HAS BEEN FANTASTIC
FOR US, AND IT'S BEEN A GREAT
RESOURCE FOR GETTING YOUNG
PEOPLE AND YOUNG VOICES HEARD AT
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT LEVELS.
>> AWESOME, WE WILL DEFINITELY
BE FOLLOWING UP, A GOOD SHOT OUT
FOR GET ENGAGED. JUST TO WRAP US
UP TO OUR LGBTQ COMMISSION
COCHAIRS , HI, IT HAS BEEN GREAT
TO WORK WITH YOU ALL IN A FEW
DIFFERENT CAPACITIES NOW,
WHETHER IT BE BRINGING FORWARD
POLICY THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING
OR IN HONORING OUR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, AND I WANTED TO ASK AN
OPEN QUESTION HERE, BECAUSE WE
KNOW THAT TRANS-PEOPLE IN
AMERICA ARE UNDER ATTACK.
SEATTLE IS POISED TO TAKE IN
MANY FOLKS, LIKE ASYLUM-SEEKERS,
SO FOLKS SEEKING REFUGE.
ANYTHING FROM ANY OF THE
COMMISSIONS REPRESENTED HERE
TODAY, WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE
SURVIVE OFTENTIMES BY HIDING.
AND IT IS FRONT OF MIND FOR ME,
THINKING ABOUT THE TRANS FOLKS
WHO ARE COMING HERE, SEEKING
REFUGE, AND ARE HIDING FOR THEIR
OWN SAFETY, AND SO, I WANTED TO
ALLOW YOU ALL TO SPEAK TO THIS
OPENLY , WHAT THE COMMISSION IS
UNDERSTANDING AT THIS TIME ABOUT
THE INFLUX OF TRANS REFUGEES TO
THE SEATTLE AREA.
>> YEAH, THANKS FOR THAT
QUESTION. YOU SORT OF REFERENCED
SOME STUFF THAT I WAS READY
THINKING IN MY HEAD IN TERMS OF
WANTING TO HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW,
SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE IN OUR
WORKPLAN AS WELL, WE ARE CALLING
IT A COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM
THAT ADDRESSES THE FACT THAT
THERE IS, ACCORDING TO RECENT
DATA, 400,000+ PEOPLE, TRANS
PEOPLE HAVE LEFT THEIR HOME TO
SEEK SAFETY IN ANOTHER PLACE.
ASSIGN ANOTHER STATISTIC TODAY
THAT SAID THAT THAT NUMBER ALSO
REPRESENTS ONE IN SEVEN QUEER
HOUSEHOLDS IN THE WHOLE U.S.,
AND SEATTLE IS A DESTINATION FOR
A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE. SO, THE
COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM IS
SOMETHING WE WANT TO START
BUILDING, AND PROVIDING
RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE WHO SHOW
UP, LIKE I DID HERE, TWO, ALMOST
THREE YEARS AGO, TO CONNECT
PEOPLE WITH PROGRAMS AND
RESOURCES THAT DO EXIST, BECAUSE
WHEN PEOPLE FIRST ARRIVE, THEY
DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO, AND
OFTEN, THE PROCESS OF REACHING [
INAUDIBLE ] AND MAKING
APPOINTMENTS AND FOLLOWING
THROUGH [ INAUDIBLE ] CAN BE
VERY OVERWHELMING AND THE PEOPLE
TO GIVE UP. SO, IN SPEAKING WITH
OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THERE
HAS BEEN A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM
ALREADY IN TERMS OF LIKE, WOW,
THIS IS SOMETHING -- THERE IS A
GAP BETWEEN WHEN SOMEONE ARRIVES
AND WHEN THEY COME TO US, HOW DO
THEY KNOW TO COME TO US? SO,
THAT IS SOMETHING I'M REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT AND PROBABLY AM
GOING TO SPEND WAY TOO MUCH OF
MY FREE TIME WORKING ON THIS
YEAR. [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> YEAH, I THINK SPECIFICALLY
WITH THIS, WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS
THE INFLUX IN TRANS REFUGEES
COMING , ALREADY KIND OF
INFLATING THE TRANS HOMELESSNESS
THAT WE SEE HERE IN SEATTLE. WE
SEE THIS BOTH THROUGH OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO ARE
COMING TO TALK TO US, USUALLY
GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
WORKING IN PARKS WHERE THERE ARE
HUGE NUMBERS OF HOMELESS TRANS
PEOPLE OF ALL AGE GROUPS. I SEE
THIS IN MY PERSONAL WORK, I SEE
IT AS A MANAGER OF A YOUNG ADULT
HOMELESS SHELTER. WE HAVE SEEN A
HUGE INFLUX IN YOUNG TRANS
PEOPLE WHO HAVE FLED RED STATES
WHO COME HERE WITHOUT PLAN. AND
WHEN THEY GET HERE, THEY HAVE NO
SUPPORT. THEY HAVE NO FAMILY,
THEY HAVE NO FRIENDS. THEY CAME
HERE BECAUSE THEY HEARD IT'S A
SAFE PLACE, BUT WHEN THEY GET
HERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SAFE
PLACE POLITICALLY, BUT IT'S NOT
A SAFE PLACE -- IS NO SAFE PLACE
FOR THEM TO GO ONCE THEY GET
HERE. AND SO, I THINK THAT THIS
IS EXAGGERATING A PROBLEM THAT
WAS ALREADY OVERLOOKED IN
SEATTLE. I THINK THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION
REALLY WANTS TO FOCUS ON AND
WORK WITH THE CITY ON SOLVING
THIS REALLY, REALLY PRESSING
ISSUE THAT IS ONLY BECOMING
WORSE.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT, I
THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE
DAY LIKE THIS AND CONTINUE TO
DAYLIGHT IT, SO FOLKS KNOW THAT
IT IS GOING ON AND I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL
ON THAT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH ALL THE COMMISSIONS
HERE TODAY ON THIS CRITICAL
WORK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE ENGAGEMENT, AND I
SEE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM
COLLEAGUES, SO WITH THAT, I WANT
TO ONCE AGAIN EXTEND MY
APPRECIATION OVER TO ALL AS
PRESENTERS WHO HAVE GIVEN US SO
MUCH TO CONSIDER AND SO MANY
CONNECTIONS TO LOOK FORWARD TO
HAVING WITH YOU ALL, AND THE
OTHER FOLKS ON YOUR COMMISSIONS
WHO YOU REPRESENT AS CHAIRS. AND
WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO CALL
THE -- WHAT DAY IS TODAY? THE
MARCH 25th MEETING OF THE
HOUSING, ARTS, AND CIVIL RIGHTS
COMMITTEE TO A CLOSE. THANK YOU
SO MUCH