♪ ♪
>> GOOD
MORNING. THE HUMAN SERVICES,
LABOR,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MEETING OF
THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL WILL COME
TO ORDER.
IT IS 9:32 A.M. ,
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6th, 2026.
I'M COUNCILMEMBER ALEXIS
MERCEDES RINCK CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. WILL THE CLERK CALL
THE ROLL.
>> CHAIR RINCK.
>> PRESENT.
>> VICE CHAIR
FOSTER.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER --
>> HERE.
>>
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>>
HERE.
>> WE WILL MOVE ON TO
APPROVAL OF TODAY'S AGENDA.
I MOVE TO ADOPT.
IS THERE A
SECOND.
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
I THINK WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
FABULOUS.
WELCOME, EVERYONE,
TO OUR FIRST HUMAN SERVICES
LABOR AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE YEAR.
THIS IS A NEW COMMITTEE
COMPOSITION. I REALLY LOOK
FORWARD TO DIVING
INTO ISSUES IMPACTING SOCIAL
AND HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDERS,
OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY
AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN
THE REGION OF SEATTLE.
ON TODAY'S AGENDA WE ARE
HAPPY TO WELCOME THE OFFICE OF
LABOR
STANDARDS TO GIVE
AA BRIEFING ON THE OF WORK
HAPPENING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT
AS IT
HAS BEEN A NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE
WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
TO CHECK IN AND SPEAK WITH
COUNCIL.
THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY
A BRIEFING IN DISCUSSION FROM
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
AROUND SENIOR AND DISABILITY
SERVICES AND END WITH A BRIEFING
AND
DISCUSSION ON THE PLANNING
RESOLUTION AND
VOTE ON THIS RESOLUTION DURING
THE
FEBRUARY 20th MEETING LATER THIS
MONTH.
AT THIS CONJUR, PUBLIC
COMMENTS SHOULD REMAIN WITHIN
PURSUE OF THE COMMITTEE.
HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP?
>> ONE IN PERSON AND ZERO REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR IN- PERSON SPEAKER WILL
BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES.
CLERK, CAN YOU READ THE PUBLIC
COMMENT
INSTRUCTIONS.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
IS UP TO 60 MINUTES
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN
THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A
CHIME
WHEN TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT ON
THEIR TIME AND MICS WILL BE
MUTED IF
THEY DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS WITHIN THE ALLOTTED
TIME. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
IS OPEN AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH
THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE
LIST WHICH IS WILL OVERS.
WELCOME, WILL.
>>.
>> MY NAME IS WILL.
[ INAUDIBLE ] I'M HERE
TODAY TO COMMENT ON THE
AVAILABILITY OF
RESOURCES.
WE'VE HAD ANOTHER ROUND
OF LAYOFFS IN TECH
IN SEATTLE AND [ INAUDIBLE ] WE
AT OUR PEAK
HAD ABOUT 60,000 IN PERSON JOBS
HERE
IN THE CITY AND AMAZON
AND [ INAUDIBLE ] AT ABOUT 35 TO
40,000 JOBS.
IF YOU REMEMBER BACK A FEW
YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD MORE THAN
30 CRANES OPERATING
AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT
THOSE JOBS WE NOW HAVE MORE THAN
40 BUILDINGS THAT WERE DESIGNED
TO
HOLD ABOUT
60,000 PEOPLE ARE HOLDING ABOUT
30 TO
35,000 PEOPLE FOR OFFICE WORK
AND FOR
TEMP WORKERS AND IN THE LAST
IN-PERSON COUNT FOR OUR HOMELESS
UNHOUSED POPULATION WE HAD
ABOUT 15 TO 17,000.
THOSE NUMBERS SORT OF
OFFSET EACH OTHER HYPOTHETICALLY
IN WHERE WE CAN DISTRIBUTE
RESOURCES.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS
THE ANSWER WHERE WE CAN HOUSE
UNHOUSED PEOPLE IN OFFICE SPACE.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT
OF LEGALITIES AND BARRIERS TO
ENTRY
TO THOSE THINGS BUT I KNOW ALSO
MANY OTHER CITIES HAVE
APPROACHED THIS PROCESS IN
THE SAME WAY.
THEY'VE LOOKED
AT OFFICE SPACE AS A POTENTIAL
FOR NOT JUST
UNHOUSED PEOPLE BUT ALSO FOR
LONG- TERM LIVING AND RENTALS
AND FOR HOUSING PEOPLE IN A LOT
OF
DIFFERENT SITUATIONS IN
SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES.
MANHATTAN IN THE 80s BUILT
12,000 PLACES WHERE PEOPLE
COULD LIVE OUT OF OFFICE
SPACES, PLACES LIKE PORTLAND,
DETROIT, CONNECTICUT HAVE
APPROACHED
THIS.
AND SO I WOULD PERSONALLY
LOVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT WE
CAN DO TO USE THE
RESOURCESRESOURCES WE
HAVE TO -- WITH THE
RESOURCES THAT WE NEED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, WILL, THANK
YOU FOR COMING TO COMMITTEE THIS
MORNING.
THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL
REGISTERED SPEAKERS AND
SO NOW WE'LL PROCEED WITH OUR
ITEMS
OF BUSINESS FOR TODAY.
SO MOVING ON TO OUR FIRST
ITEM OF BUSINESS WILL THE CLERK
READ ITEM ONE INTO
THE RECORD.
>> ITEM ONE
OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> AT THIS POINT
I'LL INVITE OUR COLLEAGUES FROM
THE OFFICE
OF LABOR STANDARDS UP TO THE
TABLE.
AS YOU GET SETTLED IF YOU CAN
INTRODUCE YOURSELF STATING YOUR
FULL NAME AND ORGANIZATION INTO
THE MICROPHONE FOR THE RECORD.
THANK
YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
ARE WE ON?
GREAT.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBER.
I AM STEVE MARKAZI, DIRECTOR OF
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
AND PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUES.
>> GOOD
MORNING. I'M JENAY JAN.
SHE/HER
PRONOUNS.
>> POLICY MANAGER AND COUNCIL
LIAISON.
>> THE INCOMING POLICY MANAGER
FOR THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
GOOD MORNING. I'M VERY HAPPY TO
BE HERE
WITH YOU TODAY MEMBERS OF THE
COUNCIL.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH, CHAIR RINCK, VICE
CHAIR
FOSTER, MEMBER SAKA AND JUAREZ.
THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT SOME OF
THE WORK
WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE OFFICE
OF LABOR STANDARD.
AS COUNCILMEMBER RINCK
MENTIONED IT'S BEEN A WHILE
SINCE
WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO UPDATE
THE
FULL COUNCIL AND WE'RE
LOOKING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEND
SOME TIME WITH YOU AND
GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT WE'VE
BEEN
DOING AND SOME OF THE
FUNDAMENTALS OF
WHAT WE'RE
ABOUT. I'M HERE WITH MY
COLLEAGUES TO
GIVE YOU THAT OVERVIEW AND
START A CONVERSATION WE'RE
LOOKING FORWARD TO LAUNCHING
OVER
THE NEXT FEW
YEARS. I'M STARTING OUR SLIDES
ABOUT THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT
TO REMEMBER THE GROUNDING OF
WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE CAME
FROM.
WE STARTED AS A DEPARTMENT BACK
IN 2017, BUT OUR ROOTES GO
BACK TO THE ORGANIZING WORK
THAT WORKERS DID EARLIER FOR
WAGE THEFT AND LEAVE SICK AND
SAVE TIME AND WAGE MINIMUM WORK.
WE BECAME A PROGRAM FOR
THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS IN
2015 AND SO WE'RE A
RELATIVELY YOUNG OFFICE AND WHEN
WE BECAME A
DEPARTMENT, THAT ELEVATED
THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, BUT
THE MISSION OF OUR WORK IS
REALLY
SET FORTH AND MUCH OF WHAT WE
DO IN THE ORDINANCES THAT
ENABLED
OUR WORK. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM
THE
SLIDE OUR MISSION TO ADVANCE
LABOR
STANDARDS THROUGH THOUGHTFUL
COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS
ENGAGEMENT, STRATEGIC
ENFORCEMENT AND
INNOVATIVE POLICY DEVELOPMENT
WITH
A COMMITMENT TO RACE ANDAND
JUSTICE.
WE ARE CHARGED WITH LIVING OUT
THIS MISSION EVERY DAY AND
TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY HOW
WE ORGANIZE
OUR WORK AND WHO WE TALK TO AND
THE WAYS WE APPROACH OUR POLICY
AND ENFORCEMENT WORK AND
INTERACT WITH COMMUNITY.
WAGE THEFT, FOR EXAMPLE,
IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PROPERTY
CRIMES IN THE COUNTRY.
WORKERS ARE OFTEN DEALING
WITH THE FACT THAT THEY'RE
NOT GETTING PAID ALL THE
MONEY THEY'RE
OWED. LOCAL ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN
IMPORTANT AND EVEN MORE SO
NOW WITH THE DECLINE IN FEDERAL
ENFORCEMENT AND CHANGES AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL FOR RESIDENTS
AND WORKERS IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
WE ARE THAT MUCH MORE
IMPORTANT AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO
ALSO REMEMBER THAT STRONG
LABOR ENFORCEMENT IS TO THE
BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE CITY.
OVER THE LIFE SPAN OF
OUR DEPARTMENT SINCE WE
BECAME A DEPARTMENT IN 2017
WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO RECOUP OVER $62
MILLION FOR WORKERS THAT'S
MONEY IN
THE POCKETS OF WORKERS DIRECTLY.
THAT'S A HUGE RETURN ON
INVESTMENT FOR THE AMOUNT
OF MONEY THAT THE CITY PUTS IN
TO SUPPORT THIS WORK.
EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S GOING
TO WORKERS MEANS
THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THE THINGS
THEY NEED TO DO
TO BUILD THEIR LIVES.
PAYING RENT, BUYING CLOTHES AND
FOOD, THEY'RE PAYING
FOR CHILD CARE, THEY'RE TAKING
TRANSIT.
IT'S ALL OF THOSE THINGS
THAT I THINK GENERATE THE KIND
OF ECONOMY THAT WE WANT TO HAVE
IN
THIS CITY AND
PLACE WELCOMING FOR WORKERS.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME
TIME AND DIVIDE THIS UP AMONG
US, AND I'M GOING TO TURN THIS
TO DEPUTY
DIRECTOR JAN.
>> GOOD MORNING, AGAIN.
AS STEVE MENTIONED OUR WORK
IS ROOTED IN SOCIAL AND RACIAL
JUSTICE. IN THAT VAIN, THE TEAM
WANTED TO
TAKE JUST A FEW SECONDS
TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE DEPARTMENT AND THE
CITY'S COMMITMENT TO RACIAL AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND TO BEING A
WELCOMING CITY.
SO OUR VISION IS THAT SEATTLE
IS THE BEST PLACE TO WORK
IN THE COUNTRY.THE
THE VISION ENTAILS THAT ALL
OF US HAVE FAIR WORK PLACES, OUR
BUSINESSES AND BOSSES THRIVE
BY CREATING THAT WORKPLACE AND
THAT OUR IDENTITIES AND
IMMIGRATION STATUS ARE NOT A
FACTOR
THAT DETERMINES WHETHER WE
ARE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AT OUR
WORK. WE KNOW WE CAN ONLY
REALIZE THAT
VISION IF OUR WORK BUILDS
AND MAINTAINS THE TRUST
OF WORKERS AND BUSINESSES, SO
IN THAT
VAIN WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
COMMUNITY MEMBERS TUNING IN NOW
KNOW A
FEW THINGS.
ONE, YOU ARE WELCOME IN
OUR OFFICE AND IN OUR CITY.
WE SERVE ALL WORKERS AND ALL
BUSINESSES.
WE WILL NOT ASK ABOUT
YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS AND
THAT STATUS IS NOT
RELEVANT TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU
RECEIVE
SERVICE IN OUR OFFICE.
WE WILL SPEAK YOUR
PREFERRED LANGUAGE OR
PROVIDE INTERPRETATION AND
TRANSLATION FOR YOU.
WE WILL DO OUR WORK IN
TRAUMA INFORMED WAYS.
WE WILL USE THE NAME
AND PRONOUNCE THAT YOU SHARE
WITH
US. WE WILL
PROVIDE ACCOMMODATIONS TO ENSURE
YOU HAVE
EQUAL ACCESS TO OUR WORK.
WE WILL CLOSELY COLLABORATE WITH
CITY AND EXTERNAL PARTNERS
TO ADAPT AND LEARN AND GROW SO
THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE
YOU IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY
POSSIBLE.
WE KNOW MANY OF US AND
OUR NEIGHBORS ESPECIALLY
IMMIGRANT AND TRANSGENDER
WORKERS HAVE BEEN MADE TO FEEL
LIKE THEY DO
NOT BELONG IN OUR COUNTRY.
HERE FROM OUR
TEAM TO YOU, YOU BELONG AND WE
ARE PROUD TO
SERVE
YOU. WITH THAT I FEEL HAND IT
OVER
TO KAREN TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT OUR WORK.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M GOING TO PROVIDE A QUICK
QUICK
OVERVIEW OF THE 16 LAWS THAT
OUR OFFICE ENFORCES.
THAT'S A BIG NUMBER
SO HOW CAN WE SORT OF THINKTHINK
THAT AND
GET OUR HEADS AROUND IT.
WE LIKE TO SORT OF DIVIDE THEM
INTO THREE BUCKETS,
CONCEPTUAL BUCKETS NOT STATUTORY
BUCKETS.
THE FIRST ONE BEING LAWS
OF GENERAL APPLICABILITY
AND I SHOULD SAY THESE
ROUGHLY CORRESPOND TO THE
CHRONOLOGY OF
WHEN THESE LAWS WERE
IMPLEMENTED AND PASSED BY CITY
COUNCIL.
SO THE FIRST BUCKET
BEING GENERAL APPLICABILITY.
THESE ARE LAWS THAT APPLY
BROADLY ACROSS THE WORKFORCE
TO MOST EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE AND LAWS THAT
WE'RE GENERALLY FAMILIAR WITH
AND
THE PUBLIC MOST FAMILIAR WITH.
THE MINIMUM WAGE ORDINANCE AND
WAGE THEFT, LAWS PROTECTED
SICK TIME AND LAWS ON FAIR
CHANCE EMPLOYMENT WHICH
REGULATES BACKGROUND CHECK AND
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK,
ACTIVITIES BY
EMPLOYERS AND COMMUTER
BENEFITS AND INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTOR
PROTECTIONS.
THE SECOND BUCKET IS INDUSTRY
SPECIFIC LAWS, WHICH AS THE NAME
SUGGESTS, APPLIES TO SPECIFIC
INDUSTRIES AND ADDRESSES
CHALLENGES THAT WORKERS FACE
THAT ARE PARTICULAR TO HOW THOSE
INDUSTRIES OPERATE.
CLEAR EXAMPLE DOMESTIC
WORKER ORDINANCE WHICH APPLIES
TOTO
IN THE HOME AND IN A PARTICULAR
UNIQUE NATURE OF THAT WORK.
OUR SECURE SCHEDULING ORDINANCE
WHICH REQUIRES ADVANCED NOTICE
OF SCHEDULES FOR RESTAURANT
AND FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRIES.
AND HAS THAT FOCUS BECAUSE OF
ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND WORKER
OUTREACH WHICH
IDENTIFY PARTICULARLY
CHALLENGING SCHEDULING PRACTICES
IN THOSE
INDUSTRIES.
AND THEN OTHER EXAMPLES
ARE HOTEL AND CANNABIS EMPLOYEE
PROTECTIONS.
AND THEN THE LAST BUCKET WHICH
IS WHERE A FAIR AMOUNT OF
ACTIVITY HAS BEEN
HAPPENING OVER THE PAST YEARS
AND A FAIR
AMOUNT OF MEDIA AND PUBLIC
POLICY ATTENTION IS WHAT WE CALL
NEW
FORMS OF
WORK. THE CLEAR EXAMPLES OF
THOSE
ARE OUR APP BASED WORKER LAWS,
THREE WE ARE ENFORCING.
IN THE PAST WE'VE REGULATED
UBER AND LYFT
LABOR STANDARDS. WE WERE THE
FIRST
PLACE TO DO THAT IN THE STATE.
THOSE LAWS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY
STATEWIDE AND NO LONGER
REGULATED BY THE CITY.
>> TAKE A FEW MOMENTS AND UPDATE
YOU ON THE OPERATIONS
AND BUDGET FOR OUR OFFICE.
WE ARE A DEPARTMENT OF 35 FTE.
WE ARE DIVIDED UP, AS YOU SEE ON
THE CHART.
WE HAVE THE MAJOR TEAMS OF
THE POLICY OUTREACH
AND ENFORCEMENT OR THE KIND OF
PILLARS WITH
COMMUNICATIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE FINANCE
AND OPERATIONS AND THEN OUR
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OVERSEAS
PERFORMANCE
AND INNOVATION STRATEGIST.
WE HAVE BEEN OVER THE TIME I'VE
BEEN IN THIS OFFICE HERE
FOR FIVE YEARS, TRYING TO MATURE
THE ORGANIZATION TO
REALLY BECOME MUCH MORE FOCUSED
ON
DIFFERENTIATION, ROLE
BUILDING OUT SUPERVISORY AND
LOGISTICAL
SUPPORT, POLICIES WE HAVE FOR
OUR DEPARTMENT, CLARITY IN
TERMS OF HOW WE WORK, BOTH
INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY.
IT'S BEEN A
PHENOMENAL EXPERIENCE AND
WORK IN PROGRESS TO GET FOCUSED
ON HOWHOW WE
DO THE MOST WITH THE LEAST
POSSIBLE THAT WE HAVE AS
RESOURCES,
RECOGNIZING THAT RESOURCES
ARE ALWAYS
SCARCE. OUR BUDGET IS, AS YOU
SEE ON
THE SLIDE, MADE UP OF TWO
THINGS.
THIS TRADITIONALLY HAS BEEN A
GENERALLY FUNDED OFFICE.
UP UNTIL THIS YEAR THE
SOLE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE
RECEIVED FOR THIS WORK IS FROM
THE GENERAL
FUND.
THAT'S THIS YEAR ABOUT $8. 45
MILLION.
THAT ACTUALLY IS LESS THAN
WE'VE HAD IN YEARS PAST OVER
THE
LAST TWO BUDGET CYCLES.
WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME CUTS.
AND SOME SHIFTS IN FUNDING.
AS A RESULT WE HAVE A LESS
GENERAL FUND SUPPORT THAN WE DID
BACK IN THE FISCAL YEAR '24.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
DID CHANGE IS THIS WHAT YOU SEE
AS
A NETWORK COMPANY LICENSE
FEE, WHICH IS A FEE THAT IS A 10
CENT
PER TRANSACTION LICENSING
FEE THAT THE APP COMPANIES WILL
PAY WHEN THEY RECEIVE THEIR
BUSINESS
LICENSES.
THAT CAME ONLINE LAST YEAR
AND THE CITY IS STARTING TO
COLLECT
THAT NOW THIS YEAR.
WE ARE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING
FAS' REPORT BACK ON
THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING WE ARE
GOING TO RECEIVE
FROM THIS YEAR, ALTHOUGH $1. 6
MILLION, WHICH WAS THE ESTIMATE
WE HAD GOTTEN LAST YEAR,
IS INCLUDED IN OUR BUDGET AND
THE
PURPOSE OF THAT FEE IS TO
SUPPORT APP BASED
WORKER ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTATION.
IT IS A FEE, CAN ONLY BE
USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
SOME OF OUR FUNDING HAS BEEN,
LIKE I MENTIONED
GENERAL FUND CUT, AND WE WERE
USING STAFF TO
SUPPORT THE APP BASED WORKER
WORK.
WE ARE USING SOME OF THIS APP
BASED WORKER FEE MONEY TO
BACK PHIL IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
IF WE RECEIVE ABOVE $1.
6 MILLION WE WILL BE ABLE TO USE
THAT
TO BUILD OUT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
FOR APP BASED WORKER
IMPLEMENTATION.
>> SO OUR SOCIAL GOVERNMENT
MISSION GOOD GOVERNANCE
COMPEL THE DEPARTMENT TO
LEAN INTO APPROACHES THAT MAKE
US AS
IMPACTFUL AS POSSIBLE WITH THE
RESOURCES WE
HAVE. WE WANT TO SHARE FOUR OF
OUR STRATEGIES SO YOU KNOW MORE
ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND
GUIDESGUIDES
WORK.
THOSE ENTAIL DEEP, MEANINGFUL
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, TAILORED
BUSINESS OUTREACH AND SUPPORT,
INNOVATION AND STRATEGIC
ENFORCEMENT AND CONTINUOUS
LEARNING.
I FEEL TAKE
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS FIRST.
IN -- I FEEL TAKE YOU BACK TO A
LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY.
IN 2014, THE LABOR
STANDARDS ADVISORY GROUP THAT
WAS
TASKED WITH CREATING
RECOMMENDATIONS
ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT.
AT THE TIME THEY HANDLED
LABOR STANDARDS AROUND THE CITY.
THIS DIVERSE GROUP OF LABOR AND
BUSINESS WORKER LABOR MADE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE TO
BE CENTRAL OUR DNA AND EMBEDDED
IN
OUR
LEGISLATION. ONE OF THOSE
INCLUDED
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AND
RELATIONSHIP.
WE RELY ON COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS AND
BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS THAT
HAVE TRUSTED,
ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH
WORKERS AND BUSINESSES.
THOSE RELATIONSHIPS CAN AMPLIFY
OUR IMPACT AND REACH
BUSINESSES AND WORKERS THAT
ORDINARILY, PERHAPS, WOULD NOT
COME TO US
ON THEIR OWN.
SO A FEW KEY PLACES YOU CAN
SEE THAT AT PLAY IS OUR
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
FUND
AND BUSINESS OUTREACH AND
EDUCATION
FUND.
THESE ARE PROGRAMS WHERE WE
FUND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS,
AGAIN, THAT ARE ESTABLISHED IN
THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE TRUSTED
RELATIONSHIPS THAT CAN BE IN
PLACES WE CANNOT REACH
FOLKS THAT NEED THE INFORMATION
OR SUPPORT TO EITHER COMPLY
WITH OUR LABOR STANDARDS OR TO
LEARN
MORE ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS.
YOU'LL SEE ON THE TWO-
PAGE DOCUMENT THAT THERE'S WHAT
WE --
WHAT PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE.
ABOUT TEN IN THE COEF AND
SEVEN IN
THE BUSINESS OUTREACH COMMUNITY
FUND I FEEL TALK
ABOUT ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
THESE
FOLKS ARE REALLY INCREDIBLE
PARTNERS IN WHAT WE
DO.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUR COMMUNITY
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
FUND THEY'RE FOCUSING ON
WORKERS
SPECIFICALLY LOW- WAGE WORKERS
OF
COLOR, VETERANS, WOMEN,
AND IN THE LBGTQ COMMUNITY
AND IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEEREFUGEE
COMMUNITIES. THEY NOT ONLY
EDUCATE AND TRAIN WORKERS, BUT
THEY ALSO
HELP DIRECTLY RESOLVE LABOR
STANDARD
ISSUES.
WE KNOW THERE ARE
TONS OF CASES WE AS A DEPARTMENT
OF OUR
SIZE CANNOT DO ALL ON OUR OWN
AND
SO A NUMBER OF OUR PARTNERS
HELP SUPPORT RESOLVING THOSE
LABOR
STANDARD ISSUES WITH THE WORKER.
SO LAST YEAR THEY TRAINED NEARLY
4,000 WORKERS AND
CONDUCTED ABOUT A THOUSAND
INTAKES
HELPING FOLKS RESOLVE THEIR
LABOR ISSUES.
WE ALSO HAVE DEEP PARTNERSHIP
IN OUR INDEPENDENT ADVISORY
DIES, TWO COMMUNITY ADVISORY
BOARDS COMPRISED OF BUSINESS,
LABOR AND
WORKERS. THEY ADVISE US ON ALL
OF OUR
OFFICES OPERATIONS AND ALSO
ON WORKING CONDITIONS THAT
NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE CITY
BETTER.
I THINK WE'LL TALK ABOUT THEM
LATER, BUT WE LEAN HEAVILY
INTO THEIR DEVICE AND
SUPPORTED SIGNIFICANTLY A NUMBER
OF
THEM HAVE REACHED OUT TO
HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ALL,
SO JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE
THE IMPORTANCE OF THEM IN OUR
OFFICE.
ALL RIGHT.
THE NEXT KEY STRATEGY IS
UPSTREAM. SO INSURE OUR
BUSINESSES ARE
EQUIPPED WITH THE TOOLS
AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BE
KNOWLEDGEABLE AND IN COMPLIANCE.
SO IN THIS WAY WE PREVENT
LABOR STANDARD VIOLATIONS BEFORE
THEY OCCUR WHICH SUPPORTS
BUSINESSES
AND SHIFTS THE -- AWAY FROM
WORKERS KEEPING THEIR EMPLOYERS
ACCOUNTABLE. WE INVEST A GREAT
DEAL
IN OUR OUTREACH AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AN SUPPORT
FOR BUSINESSES INCLUDING
AND ESPECIALLY SMALL BUSINESSES
WHO PERHAPS DON'T HAVE
RESOURCES
IN THEIR ORGANIZATION
TO UNDERSTAND AND COMPLY WITH
THE LAWS.
AS MENTIONED THOSE ARE,
AGAIN, THE BUSINESS SUPPORT
THEY PROVIDE ARE TAILORED TO
REACH IMMIGRANT REFUGEE, WOMEN
AND LBGTQ BUSINESS OWNERS.
THE TWO-PAGE DOCUMENT HAS A
FEW MORE STATISTICS ON IT.
THE DEPARTMENT ALSO PRODUCES A
MULTITUDE OF EDUCATIONAL
MATERIALS AND TRAININGS, MANY
OF WHICH AVAILABLE IN
LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH.
OUR WORKPLACE POSTER
REQUIRED TO BE POSTED IN EVERY
BUSINESS IN
THE CITY THAT HAS EMPLOYEES IS
PRODUCED IN THREE
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND MAIL A
COPY OF THE
ENGLISH VERSION TO EVERY
NON- SOLE PROPRIETOR BUSINESS IN
THE CITY TO AID AND
COMPLIANCE AND PROVIDE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE HOTLINE THAT GOES
THROUGH
OUR POLICY AND OUTREACH TEAM
MEMBERS NOT ON
OUR ENFORCEMENT TEAMS THAT
BUSINESSES CAN REACH
OUT AND GET TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
ON OUR LABOR STANDARDS.
OUR STAFF CONDUCTS DOOR-TO-
DOOR VISITS EACH SUMMER AND
SPRING,
WHICH IS KICKED OFF BY AN
EVENT ON MAY DAY AND WE IN
COMMUNITY
PARTNERS AS WELL AS
OTHER DEPARTMENT PARTNERS OUT
IN COMMUNITY VISITING
BUSINESSES,
SHARING RESOURCES,
ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND
CONNECTING
WITH BUSINESS OWNERS, MANAGERS
AND
WORKERS.
AND I FEEL MENTION ONE LAST
THING HERE, WE DO ALSO
PUT TOGETHER TAILORED
STRATEGIES DEPENDING ON
ORDINANCES
AND INDUSTRIES AS CARA MENTIONED
BEFORE, A HANDFUL OF
STANDARDS THAT TOUCH SPECIFIC
KINDS
OF WORKPLACES AND WE KNOW
EACH INDUSTRY HAS ITS OWN
UNIQUE NEEDS SO WE DO PRODUCE A
NUMBER
OF TAILORED MATERIALS AND
OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS THAT
REACH THE NEEDS OF THOSE
BUSINESSES.
>> I'M GOING TO TAKE A FEW
MOMENTS AND TALK WITH YOU ABOUT
OUR ENFORCEMENT
WORK, ONE OF THE PILLARS OF WHAT
WE DO.
WE'RE FOCUSED, OBVIOUSLY,
ON MAKING SURE INFORMATION IS
OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE
SURE THAT WORKERS AND BUSINESS
OWNERS KNOW OF THEIR RIGHTS AN
OBLIGATION, BUT WE
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCING
THE
LAWS, AND WE ARE AN ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY.
OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE
COMPLIANCE TO MAKE SURE
WORKERS RECEIVE THE MONEY
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE,
HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE
AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ARE
GOING TO BE RESPECTED AND
ADVANCED.
WE USE A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES TO DO THAT
AND I FEEL
TALK ABOUT THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER,
OUR
RESPONSIBILITY OF
ENFORCING ORDINANCES HAS
EXPANDED
GREATLY OVER THE LIFE SPAN OF
THIS
OFFICE.
IN 2017 THERE WERE FIVE
ORDINANCES.
WE ENFORCE 16.
THAT PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE
ON OUR INVESTIGATIVE STAFF.
WE HAVEN'T HAD AS MUCH OF
AN INCREASE IN THAT STAFFING AS
WE
HAVE HAD IN THE
ORDINANCE
RESPONSIBILITY, BUT WE'VE BECOME
MUCH MORE SOPHISTICATED
THINKING ABOUT HOW
WE THINK ABOUT THE RANGE OF
RESPONSES AND
INTERVENTIONS WE WANT TO HAVE
TO
COMPLAINTS. WE RECOGNIZE NOT
EVERY COMPLAINT
IS GOING TO BE
NEEDING COMPANYWIDE FULL- SCALE
MULTIMONTH INVESTIGATION.
THAT WE CAN MOVE SOME OF
THESE COMPLAINTS MORE QUICKLY
FORWARD
USING DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES.
FOR EXAMPLE, GOING ON- SITE
TO REVIEW RECORDS AS OPPOSED TO
WAITING FOR THEM TO COME TO US.
WE ALSO
USE MUCH MORE
SOPHISTICATED TECHNIQUES OF
INTAKE, LOOKING AT
THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE AN
INDIVIDUAL COMES FORWARD
POTENTIALLY USING MORE INFORMAL
METHODS TO RESOLVE THOSE.
WE HAVE A STRATEGIST THAT
WORKS WITH OUR INTAKE FOLKS TO
TRIAGE THOSE CASES AND SEND
LETTERS
AND INTERVENTIONS AND
CONVERSATIONS
WITH BUSINESSES SO THAT WE CAN
RESOLVE THOSE QUICKLY AND
MAKE SURE THAT THE WORKERS GET
PAID
WHAT THEY'RE OWED.
WE RECOGNIZE ANALYST
NEED TO ADDRESS LARGE- SCALE
COMPLAINT AND CONCERNS AND USE
THE
METHODS WE NEED TO ADDRESS NOT
ONLY
WHAT COMES IN THROUGH THE DOOR
BUT
RECOGNIZING THERE ARE INDUSTRIES
THERE ARE LOW REPORTS AND HIGH
VIOLATIONS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE THINK ABOUT HOW TO REACH INTO
THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES
AND INDUSTRIES WHERE WE KNOW
THAT
THERE HAS BEEN A LACK OF
REPORTING. WE DID THAT SEVERAL
YEARS
AGO AND THE RESIDENTIAL
CONSTRUCTION
CONTEXT AND WE WERE RECENTLY --
THAT FINDING, WHICH WAS OVER $2
MILLION, WAS RECENTLY APPEALED
ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE
HEARING AND SUPERIOR COURT AND
THE COURT
OF APPEALS PROCESS AND AFFIRMED
AND I THINK WE RECOGNIZE
THAT THAT'S A POTENTIAL GROUND
FOR
ADDITIONAL WORK FOR US.
I THINK WE RECOGNIZE
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE
THAT ULTIMATELY THAT WHEN PEOPLE
COME TO OUR OFFICE, THEY
KNOW THEY CAN GET AN ANSWER AND
A
RESPONSE THAT'S SATISFACTORY TO
THEM.
WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO ACCOMPLISH OVER THE YEARS
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
PERHAPS PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT
US BEST BECAUSE WE USE MEDIA
VERY CLEARLY TO INFORM THE
PUBLIC
ABOUT THE WORK WE'RE DOING.
WE ARE A PUBLIC AGENCY.
WE SPEAK ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND
WE DO THIS STRATEGICALLY AS PART
OF
THE STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT WORK
BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF
WHAT NOT ONLY WHAT
THEIR RIGHTS ARE BUT ALSO FOR
BUSINESS OWNERS
TO SEE THAT WE ARE
ACTIVELY ENFORCING THESE LAWS
AND WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE
AWARE OF THE NEED TO GET INTO
COMPLIANCE.
IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WE'RE
HERE TO ANSWER THEM AND WE
WANT TO ASSIST THEM TO BE ABLE
TO
COMPLY. LAST YEAR WE ASSESSED
OVER $21.
5 MILLION IN REMEDIES FOR
WORKERS.
THAT INCLUDES A SMALL
AMOUNT THAT GOES TO THE CITY BUT
OVER
95% OF THAT MONEY IS
GOING TO THE WORKERS.
THAT IMPACTED OVER 33,000
WORKERS. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE
HEADLINES. WE'RE KNOWN NOT ONLY
LOCALLY
BUT NATIONALLY FOR THE IMPACT OF
OUR WORK FOR AN OFFICE OF OUR
SIZE.
PART OF IT IS HAVING TO DO WITH
THE INTENTIONAL
WORK THAT WAS DONE BY THE
PLANNERS OF
THIS OFFICE TO CREATE THE KIND
OF COMMUNITY ENFORCEMENT MODEL
THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR GREAT
COMMUNITY
PARTNERS.
ALSO BECAUSE WE VERY
CLEARLY HAVE VERY STRONG LAWS
THAT
GIVE US REALLY GOOD LEVERAGE TO
TRY TO RESOLVE
CASES. THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR
CASES, WELL OVER 80%, END UP
BEING
SETTLED BECAUSE THAT
PROVIDES CERTAINTY FOR THE
WORKERS AND
EMPLOYERS.
WE CAN GET THE MONEY TO
THE WORKERS AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE SINCE THEY ARE THE ONES
THAT HAVE SUFFERED THE
VIOLATIONS.
THE LARGEST SETTLEMENT WITH UBER
EATS, THE LARGEST WE'VE HAD,
AN ORDINANCE AND SOME OF THE
MINIMUM PAY ORDINANCE COMPLIANCE
ISSUES THAT WE'RE RESOLVING
THERE.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE
OTHER ONES THAT SPEAK TO SORT OF
THE BROADER RANGE OF ORDINANCES.
DOMESTIC WORKERS, BACK PAY
FOR WAGE THEFT, GIGWORK LAWS.
WE'RE ENFORCING A WIDE
VARIETY OF LAWS THAT TAKES
EFFORT WITH
INCREDIBLY SKILLED STAFF
AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO
BUILDING OUT THE APP
BASED WORKER COMPONENT OF OUR
WORK.
WE ARE ENFORCING A
MINIMUM PAYMENT ORDINANCE, PAID
SICK AND
SAVE TIME ORDINANCE AND
DEACTIVATION RIGHTS
ORDINANCE, ALL OF THOSE ARE NEW,
RELATIVELY
FIRST IN THE
NATION. WE'VE HAD TO GET UP TO
SPEED
TO ENFORCE THOSE LAWS AND HOW TO
DO THAT AND THERE'S MORE TO
COME.
OBVIOUSLY, IT IS A LOAD THAT
WE'VE LEARNED
TO TRIAGE AND BEAR BUT NEED
CONTINUED INVESTMENT.
>> I FEEL TOUCH BRIEFLY ON OUR
LAST STRATEGY WE KNOW THAT GOOD
POLICY DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAM
IMPLEMENTATION, POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION REQUIRES
SELF- REFLECTION AND DEVELOPMENT
OF BEST PRACTICES.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
STRATEGIES WE USE TO DO THAT.
PARTNERSHIPS REGIONALLY AND
NATIONWIDE. WE, THE POSITION
SEATTLE AS A
LEADER ON LABOR STANDARDS FOR
ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST
ESTABLISHED LABOR
AGENCIES IN THE COUNTRY.
WE PARTNER CLOSELY
WITH SIMILARLY SIZED AGENCIES IN
NEW
YORK, L.A. AND SAN FRANCISCO IN
PARTICULAR. AND SORT OF TRADE
BEST
PRACTICES AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVES.
WE PARTICIPATE IN A
NATIONWIDE LOCAL LABOR STANDARDS
WORKING GROUP COORDINATED OUT OF
THE WAGNER SCHOOL AT NYU.
AND THAT IS AN EFFECTIVE SPACE
TO LEARN ABOUT
OUTREACH APPROACHES AND POLICY
INNOVATIONS.
REGIONALLY BECAUSE KNOW
LABOR STANDARD VIOLATIONS DO NOT
STOP AT THE BORDER OF SEATTLE,
WE NEED TO PARTNER WITH OUR
REGIONAL PARTNERS AND WORK
CLOSELY WITH LABOR
AND INDUSTRIES
AND ATTORNEY GENERAL NICK
BROWN'S OFFICE, YOU
MAY HAVE HEARD THEY
HAVE LAUNCHED THIS YEAR A WORKER
RIGHTS
UNIT AND WE WORK CLOSELY
SUPPORTING THAT DEVELOPMENT,
SHARING OUR
EXPERTISE, PRACTICES.
WE ANTICIPATE
WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH
THEM
GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE'S A REGIONAL APPROACH.
AND THEN WE ARE WORKING
WITH KING COUNTY AS THEY
LAUNCHED, JUST PASSED A KING
COUNTY MINIMUM WAGE ORDINANCE AS
THEY LAUNCH THEIR ENFORCEMENT
AND
IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS.
WE ALSO, OF COURSE,
PARTNER ACROSS DEPARTMENTS
WITHIN THE
CITY BECAUSE THIS WORK IS
INTERSECTIONAL.
KEY PARTNERS, FAS IN THE NETWORK
COMPANY IMPLEMENTATION YOU
HEARD ABOUT EARLIER,
CERTAINLY THINKING ABOUT
STRATEGIES
TO REACH AND PROTECT IMMIGRANT
WORKFORCES. OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
IN THINKING ABOUT HOW WE
CAN SUPPORT BUSINESSES TO
COMPLY WITH OUR LAWS, UNDERSTAND
OUR LAWS AND BE SUPPORTED IN
THIS
WORK.
AND THEN LASTLY OFFICE OF
CIVIL RIGHTS AS THE PRIMARY
OTHER
EMPLOYMENT BASED AGENCY IN
THETHE
CITY. THE OTHER TWO THINGS I
WANT
TO MENTION IS OUR DATA WORK.
WE HAVE BUILT UP OVER THE LAST
FEW YEARS A DATA FUNCTION AND
PROGRAM IN THE OFFICE.
PART OF IT IS CENTERED ON POLICY
EVALUATION WITH OUR APP
BASED WORKER ORDINANCES, BUILT
INTO THOSE ORDINANCES
AFFIRMATIVE
DATA PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS
AND BUILT A PROGRAM TO INGEST
THAT
DATA, HOUSE IT, ANALYZE IT
AND THAT WORK IS ONGOING.
THE OTHER COMPONENT OF THAT IS
SORT OF DEPARTMENT
FOCUSED BUILDING UP A NEW ROLE
FOR PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION
OF
HOW WE DO OUR WORK
AND UNDERSTANDING HOW WE CAN DO
IT
BETTER AND METRICS TO TRACK
THAT AND UNDERSTAND IT.
AND, YEAH, THE LAST ONE I
WANT TO NAME IS OUR STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK AND PRIORITY SETTING
PROCESS WHERE WE ARE
UNIFYING AROUND MEASURABLE
PRIORITIES THAT ALL CAN BUILD
THEIR WORK PLANS AROUND IN OUR
WORK.
SO I THINK CLOSE US OUT.
YEAH.
>> I WANT TO CONCLUDE WITH
A QUESTION THAT WE ALWAYS
ASK OURSELVES WHAT DOES SUCCESS
LOOK
LIKE? THIS WORK HAS BEEN GOING
ON
NOW FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT
AGAIN, WE'RE A RELATIVELY
YOUNG DEPARTMENT COMPARED TO
MOST OTHER CITY ESTABLISHED
FUNCTIONS, BUT WE ARE AN
ESTABLISHED PART OF CITY
GOVERNMENT.
WORKERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS
LOOK TO US FOR THE WORK WE TO.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD
TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT OF
WHAT OUR LAWS PROGRESSIVE POLICY
MAKING BY CREATING OUR
WORK, CREATING OUR OFFICE,
CREATING THE LAWS THAT WE
ENFORCE.
WE HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION,
WHY DO WORKERS CONTINUE TO
SUFFER
LABOR STANDARDS VIOLATIONS?
THEY OFTEN DO BECAUSE THEY
DON'T KNOW THEIR RIGHTS OR
THEY'RE SCARED TO ASSERT THEIR
RIGHTS.
THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT
REPERCUSSIONS.
EMPLOYERS MAY NOT NEED TO KNOW
WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
THEN THERE'S SOME WHO DON'T
CARE AND THEY WOULD
RATHER INCORPORATE THAT AS THE
COST
OF DOING BUSINESS.
EVERYTHING WE DO IS
TARGETED TO
MAKING SURE WE ANSWER THOSE
CONCERNS.
WE WANT TO KNOW IT'S SAFE
FOR THEM TO
COME FORWARD WITH THEIR CONCERNS
AND THEY CAN GET
REDRESS.
WE WANT BUSINESS OWNERS
TO KNOW WHAT THEIR OBLIGATIONS
ARE WITH
EVERY SOURCE OF LAW.
INCOME, TAX, WORKERS COMP
PAYMENTS, WE KNOW THAT
THE BUSINESSES ARE DOING A LOT
AND IT'S A VERY HARD
THING PARTICULARLY FOR SMALL
BUSINESS
OWNERS, SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS PARTICULARLY IN
COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR, IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES, MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES WE KNOW FOLKS ARE
STRUGGLING TO STAY IN
BUSINESS.
WE WANT TO HELP THEM WITH
THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND
ASSISTANCE
TO GET THEM TO BE ABLE TO
COMPLY WITH THE LAW AS THEY DO
WITH
OTHERS AND FORTUNATE
THAT WE HAVE PARTNERS IN
COMMUNITY
WITH CREDIBILITY IN LANGUAGE TO
BE ABLE TO HELP US DO THAT.
BUT WE WANT TO BE -- HAVE A
CITY WHERE WORKERS ARE TREATED
FAIRLY, WHERE THEY CAN WORK WITH
DIGNITY AND GET FAIR
PAY. A CITY THEY CAN DO THEIR
WORK AND BUILD THEIR LIVES.
THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF
THEIR FAMILIES AND TAKE CARE OF
THEMSELVES.
WE WANT A ROBUST ECONOMY
WHERE THEY CAN GENERATE MONEY
INTO
THE ECONOMY AND SUPPORT THE
BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY
THAT WE HAVE THAT PROVIDES
THE SERVICES THAT WE ALL
NEED, WHETHER THAT'S SOMEONE
TAKING CARE OF OUR CHILDREN AT
HOME OR
DELIVERING US FOOD OR
MAKING SURE OUR LAUNDRY IS DONE.
ALL IS VALUABLE AND WE
ELEVATE THAT BY CREATING THIS
FACE.
KUDOS TO THE CREATORS FOR
CREATING AN OFFICE LIKE THIS.
IN A TIME LIKE THIS NOW WHERE
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS
RETREATED FROM THIS WORK, AT
A TIME WHEN OUR MOST
IMPACTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE
FEELING
VULNERABLE AND ADRIFT
AND WONDERING WHERE THEY CAN
GO, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW
THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS THEIR
BACKS, IT'S AVAILABLE TO
THEM, TO GET REDRESS.
WE GET NUMEROUS COMMENTS FROM
WORKERS WHEN THEY DO
GET SETTLEMENT CHECKS THAT THEY
ARE
REALLY SURPRISED AND
PLEASED THAT THEY CAN COME TO
THEIR
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND
ACTUALLY GET THIS FROM, YOU
KNOW, GET
REDRESS.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US
TO THINK ABOUT AS WE THINK
ABOUT ALL THE POLICIES IN THE
WORK WE
TO IN THE CITY THIS IS AN
EXAMPLE OF SUCCESS WE
BELIEVE POLICY AND
IMPLEMENTATION.
WE CAN MAKE POLICIES BUT NEED
TO IMPLEMENT THEM AND PUT THE
RESOURCES IN IT, DESIGN THE
LAWS AND HAVE PEOPLE
IMPLEMENTING
THE
LAWS. WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO
DO
THAT.
I THINK WE'VE DEMONSTRATED
IMPACT.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK HARD
AT MAKING OUR WORK BETTER, MORE
STRATEGIC, MORE EFFECTIVE AND
IN DOING IT IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE'RE EXCITED TO WORK WITH A
NEW ADMINISTRATION, THE NEW
MAYOR
RAISED HER AGENDA AND
DISCUSSING THAT, WE'RE EXCITED
TO BE PART
OF THAT AGENDA AND HOPE TO
BUILD THAT AGENDA WITH HER.
WE WANT THIS TO BE AFFORDABLE
AND HAVE WORKERS
CONTRIBUTES TO THE CITY OVERALL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO SPEAK WITH
YOU AND HAPPY TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE AND THE WORK YOU DO.
COLLEAGUES, ANY
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR
REFLECTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO
SHARE?
I'M SEEING COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU TO THE TEAM FOR A
FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.
A LOVELY WAY TO START A
FRIDAY THINKING ABOUT EVERYTHING
THAT YOU ALL DO TO PROTECT
WORKERS AND COMMUNICATE WITH
BUSINESSES.
ANOTHER COUPLE QUESTIONS
SO YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH
THE
NEW FUNDING SOURCES BUT ALSO
TALKED ABOUT YOUR SHARE OF THE
GENERAL FUND REVENUE GOING DOWN
OVER THE
LAST FEW YEARS.
DO YOU HAVE THAT EITHER IN
REAL NUMBERS OR A
PERCENTAGE THAT YOU CAN SHARE
WITH US?
>> WE CAN GET YOU
THE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT OVER THE
COURSE OF THE LAST THIS PAST
FISCAL YEARS
'25 AND '26 HAVE TAKEN
LESS GENERAL FUND THAN IN YEARS
PAST.
8% CUT FOR FY25 AND SIMILAR
CUT FOR FY 26 IN GENERAL FUND
APPROPRIATIONS. WE WERE
FORTUNATE WITH
THE RECOGNITION THAT THE
NETWORK COMPANY FEE WAS COMING
ONBOARD
THIS PAST YEAR WHEN THE
BUDGET PROCESS WAS GOING THROUGH
WE
WERE ABLE TO SHIFT SOME OF THE
EXISTING STAFF AND
OUTREACH COSTS TO THAT LICENSING
FEE.
I WOULD MENTION THAT WHEN
THAT FEE WAS PASSED IN 2023 IT
WAS SIMULTANEOUS WITH THE
ORDINANCE
FOR APP BASED WORKERS
AND THEY WERE ALWAYS -- THIS WAS
ALWAYS ENVISIONED TO BE
SUPPLEMENTAL
TO OUR GENERAL FUND, NOT TO SUE
PLANT THE GENERAL FUND.
AS A RESULT OF THE FISCAL
CIRCUMSTANCES THE BUDGET
PROPOSED AND PASSED LAST
YEAR INCLUDED SUPPLANTING ABOUT
$650,000 OF OUR BUDGET
IN NETWORK COMPANY LICENSING FEE
REVENUE.
>> THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THAT BOTH
THE NUMBER AND THE REMINDER OF
THE ORIGINAL INTENT IN 2023.
THANK
YOU. THE OTHER QUESTION I WANTED
TO ASK YOU, YOU CLOSED
YOUR PRESENTATION WITH
DISCUSSION AROUND THE PRESSURES
FROM
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND
SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ON MY
MIND IS
WATCHING THE ATTACKS ON
THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS
BOARD AND DEEP CONCERN ABOUT
WHAT
THAT WOULD MEAN FOR WORKERS.
I WONDER IF THERE ARE
PARTICULAR AREAS OF INNOVATION
THAT COME TO
MIND AS WE THINK ABOUT THE
ATTACKS THERE AT THE
NATIONAL LEVEL AND THE RELEVANT
RESPONSE
LOCALLY? EITHER THAT WE'RE
THINKING
ABOUT HERE IN SEATTLE OR YOU
MENTIONED
COLLAB BRACES WITH NEW YORK,
LOS ANGELES, OTHER CITIES
WHERE YOU'RE SHARING AND
LEARNING?
>> YEAH.
I WILL MAYBE HAVE MY
POLICY MANAGER SPEND A LITTLE
BIT OF
TIME RESPONDING TO THAT.
>> I THINK THERE'S A
FEW DIFFERENT WAYS TO THINK
ABOUT
THIS.
ONE IS WE'VE SEEN A
SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN TERMS
OF NUMBERS OF
EMPLOYEES,
ENFORCEMENT, PENALTIES ASSESSED
ON
THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
NOT SPEAKING TO THE -- BUT
WAGE AN HOUR
ENFORCEMENT. SO THAT HAS
RETREATED
SIGNIFICANTLY.
WHICH I THINK SORT OF
HIGHLIGHTS THE CASE FOR LOCAL
LABOR STANDARDS ENFORCEMENT.
WE HAVE HAD A ROBUST STRUCTURE
HERE AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH
D.O.L. A LOT OF CASES COME TO US
BECAUSE OUR LAWS ARE MORE
PROTECTIVE. IN TERMS OF LOCAL
ENFORCEMENT, THERE'S NOT AS
MUCH OF A CHANGE.
WHAT IS A BIG GAP, HOWEVER, IS
AS I MENTIONED, LABOR
STANDARDS VIOLATIONS DON'T STOP
AT THE
BORDER AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE
A GAP IN TERMS OF ABILITY TO DO
CROSS- JURISDICTIONAL
ENFORCEMENTS ACROSS STATES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE
WORKING ON IN NEW TWORKS WE
ARE SEEING A VIOLATION THAT IS
NATIONWIDE OR ACROSS STATE
LINES HOW DO WE HAVE SORT
OF PARTNERSHIPS AND
COORDINATED ENFORCEMENT
STRATEGIES AND
EFFORTS THAT WOULD FILL THAT GAP
AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
NO LONGER ADDRESSES.
THAT IS AN ACTIVE CONVERSATION.
THERE'S A SPECIFIC PROJECT
BEING
COORDINATED THROUGH NYU WAGNER
THAT SPEAKS TO THAT PIECE IN
PARTICULAR. I THINK ANOTHER
PIECE IS JUST
THE IMPACTS ON IMMIGRANT
WORKERS.
THERE'S A FAIR -- WE KNOW
THIS BECAUSE WE ARE -- THESE ARE
OUR
COMMUNITIES, PEOPLE WE HAVE
IN OUR FAMILIES AND IN OUR
LIVES,
AND WE KNOW THERE ARE
IMPACTS FOR THESE WORKERS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR HOW
WE DO OUR WORK?
WE NEED TO THINK
MORE INTENTIONALLY ABOUT HOW WE
REACH THESE WORKERS.
THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH
THAT SHOWS INCREASED
IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
CORRELATES
WITH INCREASED LABOR STANDARDS
AND MINIMUM WAGE VIOLATIONS
BECAUSE WORKERS MAY FEEL AFRAID
TO
SPEAK TO GOVERNMENT OR AFRAID TO
VOICE
CONCERNS EVEN WITHIN THE WORK
PLACE.
WE NEED TO THINK OF
NEW STRATEGIES AND INCREASED
WORK
TO REACH THOSE WORKERS ON AN
OUTREACH LEVEL AND ENFORCEMENT
LEVEL.
GLOBAL INTAKES,
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THEY'RE
NOT
HAVING TO SORT OF COME DOWNTOWN
OR OR
TO A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE WHERE
THEY MAY NOT
DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN SAY CITY
OF
SEATTLE LABOR STANDARDS AND
FEDERAL
FOLKS.
THE LAST PIECE I FEEL SAY ON THE
NLRB SPECIFICALLY, THAT IS A --
AREA BECAUSE THERE'S A
FEDERAL PREEMPTION OF -- OF --
OF ORGANIZED LABOR REGULATION.
THERE ARE SOME STATES THAT
HAVE THINGS LIKE TRIGGER LAWS
WHERE IF -- IN SOME WAY THE NLRA
IS STRUCK DOWN OR NLRB IS MORE
HANDICAPPED THERE ARE WAYS TO
STEP IN.
AND THEN THE LAST PIECE THAT
IS NOT RESTRICTED IS
INFORMATION SHARING THROUGH THE
CITY GOVERNMENT OR OTHER MEANS
ABOUT RIGHT TO ORGANIZE AND
RIGHT
TO FORM A UNION.
I MIGHT SEE, DO YOU WANT TO ADD
ANYTHING? OKAY.
STEVE, LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE --
SGLIFS GOING TO SAY ONE MORE
THING ON THE QUESTION OF
ENFORCEMENT NOW IN THE WAY THE
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IS
ENFORCING IMMIGRATION LAW, I AND
OUR ENFORCEMENT MANAGER WILL
BE GOING TO NEW YORK IN TWO
WEEKS
TO MEET WITH A
NATIONAL COMMITTEE UNDER THE AU
SUS
SIS OF THE IMMIGRANT LAW CENTER
TO CONVENE LOCAL AND STATE
LABOR ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO
DISCUSS TOGETHER THE STRATEGIES
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO USE TO
ENFORCE
LABOR LAW IN THIS CONTEXT.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BOTH SHARE
WHAT WE
DO HERE AND LEARN FROM STATE
AND LOCAL ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
THAT
DO OUR KIND OF
WORK THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH
SIMILAR ISSUES, AND I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO LEARNING AND TAKING
SOME
NEW THINGS BACK HERE.
MORE TO COME ON THAT.
>> EXCELLENT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING
MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU EARLIER.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR
AND DIRECTORnd YOUR TEAM FOR THE
PRESENTATION TODAY.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THE
WORK YOU DO EVERY DAY TO
PROTECT WORKERS IN OUR CITY AND
IN PART
HELP MAKE THE CITY MORE
AFFORDABLE FOR ALL.
REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOU GUYS
DO.
LAST WEEK DURING OUR
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING
WE HAD
A PRESENTATION FROM SOME OF
OUR COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT
PARTNERS, SPECIFICALLY FROM THE
KING COUNTY PROSECUTORS OFFICE
ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
KIND OF BROADLY, BUT IT FOCUSED
VERY, VERY HEAVILY ON
COMMERCIAL, SEXUAL EXPLOITATION.
AND ONE THING THAT WAS RAISED
AT A CURSORY LEVEL AND I WOULD
LOVE
TO LEARN MORE FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVE, IS THE PROSPECT
OF EXPLOITING LABOR AND THEN
LATER GOING AND WEAPONIZING
FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW AND
IN PARTICULAR NOW THE CRUEL AND
INHUMANE ENFORCEMENT TACTICS
BY THIS FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION
TO
EXPLOIT LABOR AND GET FREE LABOR
FOR
A JOB. I SPOKE BRIEFLY AFTER
THAT MEETING WITH SOME LABOR --
SOME
OF OUR LABOR PARTNERS
FROM THE BUILDING TRADES, MIGHT
HAVE
BEEN THE CARPENTERS, BUT IN ANY
EVENT AND THEY SHARED WITH ME
SOME REALLY SHOCKING ANECDOTES,
AGAIN, ABOUT INDIVIDUALS
AND/OR SMALLER DEVELOPERS
ENGAGING WITH
AND PURPORTEDLY CONTRACTING WITH
SOME INDIVIDUALS TO
PERFORM CERTAIN SERVICES, DO A
JOB, MAYBE IT'S A DRYWALL
JOB, FOR EXAMPLE, EXTRACTING
THAT LABOR,
AND THEN NOT PAYING
THEM AND CALLING I.C.E. OR
THREATENING TO
CALL I.C.E. AND
FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES.
I HAVE A FOLLOW- UP MEETING TO
--
WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT THIS ISSUE
BECAUSE THIS IS
CONCERNING, OBVIOUSLY. AND IF
THAT'S NOT ALREADY
ON YOUR RADAR I WOULD ENCOURAGE
YOU
AND YOUR OFFICE TO FOLLOW- UP
AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE ABSENCE OF
CONTINUED
ENGAGEMENT THERE. I GUESS FIRST
OFF, ARE YOU
AWARE OF THIS KIND OF CHALLENGE,
AND
WHAT -- RECOGNIZING THAT
THERE'S, TO ONE OF YOUR EARLIER
POINTS A LOT OF PLAYERS,
PARTNERS INVOLVED, YOU WORK
WITH A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS
INTERNALLY WITHIN THE CITY, OED
OR
OTHERWISE, AND
EXTERNALLY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO
SHUT THAT DOWN?
THAT ON YOUR RADAR?
WHAT CAN WE DO AND YOUR
OFFICE DO TO SHUT THAT KIND OF
BEHAVIOR
DOWN?
>> SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER.
THIS HAS BEEN A FEATURE OF
THE LANDSCAPE FOR A LONG TIME.
THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT'S
EXISTED
LABOR TRAFFICKING AND THE
ISSUE OF WORKERS BEING UNDER
PAID OR
NOT PAID APPROPRIATELY OR
TREATED APPROPRIATELY AND
UNFORTUNATELY THEIR STATUS
BEING USED AS A WAY TO COERCE
THEM
NOT TO REPORT IT AND NOT TO
ADVOCATE
OR EVEN TELL ANYBODY
WHAT'S GOING ON.
THE CASE THAT I
MENTIONED EARLIER THE STRATEGIC
ENFORCEMENT RESIDENTIAL
CONSTRUCTION CASE THAT WE
DID SEVERAL YEARS AGO WAS, IN
FACT, EXACTLY THIS KIND
OF CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE THERE
WERE IMMIGRANT MEN BROUGHT HERE
TO
THE U.S. , PASSPORTS HELD BY
SOME INDIVIDUAL, HOUSING CREATED
AND ORGANIZED BY SOMEBODY,
WORKING FOR THE COMPANY THAT WAS
MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO
ENSURE
THAT THEY GOT PAID OVER TIME.
GOT BREAKS.
A SERIES OF LEGAL
ISSUES AROUND THE STATUS OF THE
SUBCONTRACTOR
RELATIONSHIP, ONE OF THE
BENEFITS OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN
ABLE
TO DO WHEN WE RESOLVE THIS
CASE AND LITIGATED IT UP
WAS ESTABLISH THAT THE
JOINT EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE SUBCONTRACTORS SO
THE
ONE THAT WAS ACTUALLY OVERSEEING
THE
WORK ACTUALLY COULD BE
HELD LIABLE EVEN THOUGH THE
EMPLOYER
MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE
LESS CAPITALIZED SUBCONTRACTOR.
I DON'T WANT
TO VEER TOO MUCH INTO THE
SPECIFICS OF THAT
CASE TO SAY THIS IS WE HAVE
BEEN USING TO ADDRESS.
WE SEE THIS IN OTHER REGARDS.
I'M GOING TO HAVE MY
DEPUTY DIRECTOR TALK A FEW MORE
POINTS
ON THAT.
>> I MEAN, FIRST PLEASE KEEP US
IN THE LOOP.
WE WANT TO BE IN THE
SPACES WHERE WE CAN GET MORE --
TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE
COMMUNITIES AND MORE
COMMUNICATION THE
BETTER. I THINK OUR TEAM FOR
MANY YEARS
HAS FOCUSED ON VETTING AND
TRAINING OURSELVES UP
AND CONNECTING RELATIONSHIPS TO
MAKE SURE WE'RE TRAINED UP ON
THE ASPECTS OF LABOR
TRAFFICKING.
I MENTIONED TRAUMA INFORMED
APPROACHES.
THAT IS BORNE OUT OF OUR
OFFICE'S COMMITMENT TO MAKING
SURE WE ARE IN A GOOD
POSITION TO SUPPORT FOLKS GOING
THROUGH
THAT AS THEY COME THROUGH.
SO WE ALSO ARE PART OF
THE WASHINGTON ANTI- TRAFFICKING
NEW
YORK.
WE'VE RECEIVED
TRAINING, MULTIPLE TIMES OVER
THE
YEAR, FROM THE INTERNATIONAL
RESCUE COMMITTEE ON LABOR
TRAFFICKING.
WE'RE CONNECTED TO THAT ASPECT.
AND HAVE STRONG
PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER FOLKS,
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
INCLUDING
LEAGUE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE NERF
THAT
PUT US IN TOUCH WITH WORKERS
THAT
ARE IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.
WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE AND
I THINK THE INTERSECTION OF
WAGE THEFT AND LABOR TRAFFICKING
AND IMMIGRATION STATUS, I THINK
KIND OF WHERE FOLKS END UP
WORKING IN THE SHADOWS, HOW WE
CAN USE OUR
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THOSE
FOLKS IS CORE TO OUR MISSION.
I WANT TO LOOK TO IF
THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE -- HE'S
WORKED ON
EVERYTHING TOO.
>> ONE OTHER THING I WOULD
SAY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
HAVE
THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPONENT
OF THAT REALLY BE SOMETHING THAT
IS
FRONT AND CENTER BECAUSE
ULTIMATELY THESE ARE
CRIMINAL LAW VIOLATIONS AND
PROSECUTORS
OFFICES, A PLACE AND SPACE
FOR THAT PART OF IT TO HAPPEN.
WE KNOW BECAUSE WE TALK TO
WORKERS, WORKERS COME TO US,
WE DON'T HEAR FROM WORKERS, AND
WE
HEAR FROM COMMUNITY
PARTNERS, ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE
HEARING
THAT, OFTEN WE HAVE TO MAKE
OURSELVES AVAILABLE IN DIFFERENT
WAYS TO
BE ABLE TO REACH THOSE
WORKERS WHO MIGHT NOT
NECESSARILY
BE WILLING TO COME FORWARD.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO NECESSARILY
--
WE HAVE TO DO IT IN A WAY
HI, WE'RE HERE FROM THE
GOVERNMENT
TO TALK TO YOU.
WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH THAT
BASIC OF TRUST.
WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE
HAVE HAD
LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH
COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT
HAVE CREDIBILITY IN COMMUNITY SO
THAT THEIR TEAMS CAN GO IN
AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND
GIVE US SOME OF THAT
INFORMATION. WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR
PLEASE
DO NOT GIVE US ANYTHING
IDENTIFYING
SO WE CAN ASSIST WITH
RESOLUTION OF THE CONCERNS, BUT
NOT
IDENTIFY THE INDIVIDUALS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
DO THAT IN THE
PAST.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SADLY SOUNDS LIKE THIS
PROBLEM HAS EXISTED FOR AT LEAST
A FEW
YEARS.
BUT IT'S -- IT'S EVEN MORE
CONCERNING NOW THAT BECAUSE IT
SOUNDS LIKE REPORTS
AND
INCIDENCES ARE ON THE RISE
BECAUSE OF THIS FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION.
SO, YEAH, WE'LL STAY IN TOUCH
AND CONNECTED ON THIS, AND
I'M MEETING NEXT WEEK WITH OUR
LABOR PARTNERS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU AND
YOUR OFFICE TO INDEPENDENTLY
VERIFY AND FOLLOW- UP WITH SOME
OF
THESE REPORTS AND DROP THE
HAMMER.
SPEAKING OF WHICH, I THINK
YOU KIND OF ANSWERED MY
NEXT QUESTION, TO YOUR
KNOWLEDGE, IS
THAT PRACTICE THAT WE
DESCRIBED PEOPLE EXPLOITING
LABORER, WEAPONIZING THE FEDERAL
IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT,
THREATENING TO CALL I.C.E. ,
NOT PAYING THEM, HEARING WITH
BOTH
REPRESENTED LABORERS AND
FORMAL UNIONS AND ALSO KIND OF
DAY
LABORERS AT HOME DEPOT, IS THAT
PRACTICE PUNISHABLE UNDER
THE CRIMINAL LAW OR IS
IT SOLELY JUST A CIVIL VIOLATION
TO YOUR
KNOWLEDGE?
>> SPECIFICALLY THREATENING TO
REPORT SOMEONE TO
ICE?
>> AND NOT PAYING THEM AND
EXTRACTINGING THEIR LABOR, THAT
COMBINATION?
>> YES.
>> ALL OF IT IS BAD.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE ELEMENTS IS
BAD.
>> I WOULD SAY MULTIPLE
VIOLATIONS IN THIS HYPOTHETICAL.
A VIOLATION OF
OUR PROTECTIONS IN ALL OF OUR
ORDINANCES HAVE
RETALIATION PROTECTIONS AS WELL.
I DON'T WANT TO OWE PINEL ON
THE
CRIMINAL ASPECT.
I THINK WE WILL NEED
TO FOLLOW- UP WITH YOU ON THAT.
WE DO IN SOME
INSTANCES PARTNER WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT,
PARTICULARLY IN THE TRAFFICKING
SPACE.
THAT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT
YOUR QUESTION IS, BUT
THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST DIRECT
OVERLAPS WE SEE.
WE CAN CIRCLE BACK ON THE
RETALIATION PIECE.
>> THANK
YOU SO MUCH. THAT WILL BE
APPRECIATED.
PLEASE DO FOLLOW UP AND LET
US KNOW WHAT YOU LEARN ABOUT
THE CRIMINAL LIABILITY THAT
MIGHT FLOW FROM THOSE SCENARIOS
AND
IF IT'S NOT CURRENTLY
PUNISHABLE UNDER CRIMINAL CODE
WITHIN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, I WOULD
BE INTERESTED IN ELEVATING IT,
THOSE KIND OF VIOLATIONS
TO, YOU KNOW, A GROSS
MISDEMEANOR IS ALL
WE CAN DO HERE LOCALLY.
THANK YOU.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT I
WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA WHO IS THE VICE CHAIR ON
PUBLIC
SAFETY.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA YOU
ASKED ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I WAS
GOING TO
ASK, SO I MAY REPEAT A LITTLE
BIT OF WHAT YOU SAID BUT I
WAS GOING WHERE YOU WERE GOING
FROM OUR LAST MEETING ON
PUBLIC SAFETY AND SEX
TRAFFICKING AND LABOR
TRAFFICKING AND HOW THOSE
TWO ARE CONNECTED.
I'LL COME BACK TO THAT.
LET ME ASK THIS OTHER QUESTION
I
HAD. I'VE ALWAYS FELT THERE'S
BEEN
A GENDER BIAS IN LABOR
ENFORCEMENT. I KNOW THAT WE
FOCUSED
ON RESTAURANTS
AND CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND GIG
WORKERS, AND WE
STARTED MORE LOOKING MORE AT
HOTEL WORKERS MAINLY WOMEN
THAT CLEAN HOTELS, HOUSE
KEEPERS, WAGE THEFT AT NAIL
SALONS
AND ENFORCEMENT IN MASSAGE
PARLORS AND THAT'S WHERE I WAS
GOING
WITH COUNCILMEMBER SAKA HAD
OUTLINED IN HIS QUESTIONS,
WORKING WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE HAND IN HAND
WITH
LABOR TRAFFICKING AND WE SEE
THAT IN THE SEX TRAFFICKING
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS OFFICE
-- I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE THEM HAVE THIS
MORE INSTITUTIONALIZED
AND INTENTIONAL FOCUS ON LABOR
AND SEX TRAFFICKING WITH
THE KING COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S
OFFICE AND
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND SPD.
I KNOW THAT WE FOCUS ON
THETHE THAT ARE OBVIOUS
WITH HOTEL CONSTRUCTION
OR CONSTRUCTION AND GIG WORKERS
AND RESTAURANTS, BUT I'M NOT
SEEING A LOT OF FOLKS -- WE HAD
THE SAME ISSUE WITH DISABLED
WORKERS AND INCARCERATED WORKERS
AND, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND, YOU
KNOW,
I KIND OF HAVE TO LAUGH TO
MYSELF WHEN YOU SAY PROGRESSIVE
POLICY.
I MEAN, ALL OF THIS KIND OF
POLICY IS WHAT WE DO AS HUMAN
BEINGS TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO
SLAP THE LABEL PROGRESSIVE IN
FRONT
OF IT BUT OKAY.
IS THAT GOING TO BE PART OF
YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN OR CAN IT
BE IN THE FUTURE FOLLOWING UP ON
WHAT COUNCILMEMBER SAKA SHARED
AND ALSO WHAT ARE OTHER NEW
OR EMERGING JOB CATEGORIES
THAT WE ARE SEEING, THAT YOU ARE
SEEING, IN OTHER INDUSTRIES THAT
WE MAYBE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE?
COUNCILMEMBER WHO IS ON THE
KING COUNTY COUNCIL LED THE
CHARGE
WITH OUR HOTEL AND HOUSE
KEEPERS AND DOING -- AND I SAT
ON
THAT COMMITTEE AND DOING
THAT LEGISLATION FOR MORE SAFETY
AND HAVING SAFETY AND HAVING
PEOPLE ON THE FLOOR AND
ALL THESE OTHER -- MAKING SURE
PEOPLE
ARE GETTING PAID AND THEY WERE
GETTING THEIR HEALTH
CARE INSURANCE AND PEOPLE
WEREN'T
BEING PENALIZED FOR
COMING FORWARD AND BEING A
WHISTLEBLOWER.
WHAT ARE NEW EMERGING
JOB CATEGORIES WE'RE SEEING AND
ALSO WHAT CAN YOUR OFFICE DO TO
BE MORE INTENTIONAL
AND INSTITUTIONALIZED FOCUS ON
SEX TRAFFICKING AND THE LABOR
THAT
COMES WITH THAT?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
I THINK THERE ARE A FEW
DIFFERENT RESPONSE TO THIS.
I THINK WE HAVE, AS I
MENTIONED, STARTED TO RAMP UP
OUR
STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT WORK TO
THINK ABOUT
THOSE PLACES THAT ARE REALLY
HIGH VIOLATION AND LOW REPORTING
AND YOU'VE NAMED SOME OF THOSE
RIGHT THERE.
PART OF OUR STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK PROCESS WE'VE BEEN
DOING FOR THE
LAST YEAR AND A HALF WE
ARE DEVELOPING PRIORITIES AROUND
HOW WE WANT TO MAKE TARGETED
WORK AND FOCUS AND ALL OF OUR
EFFORTS, OUTREACH, ENFORCEMENT,
COMMUNICATION, POLICY,
USE ALL OF OUR RESOURCES TO MAKE
AN
IMPACT ON SPECIFIC AREAS
WITHIN OUR SCOPE.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS GIVES
US AN OPPORTUNITY AND THERE'S A
GROUP WITHIN OUR OFFICE
FORMULATING
THESE PRIORITIES AND GOING TO
BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN
THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
THIS INFORMATION
IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR FROM
OUR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE
KNOW THEY'RE WHEN F IS WE TAKE
THAT INFORMATION BACK.
WE KNOW THINKING
ABOUT THE LEVERS TO IMPACT AND
INFLUENCE
FOLKS IN THOSE
ENVIRONMENTS BECAUSE OF
THE NATION OF THE WORK AND THE
NATURE OF
THE RELATIONSHIPS THEY HAVE
THERE, WORKERS ARE RETICENT TO
COME
FORWARD SO HOW DO WE
LEVERAGE SOME OF THE COMMUNITY
PARTNER
RELATIONSHIPS TO BE ABLE TO GET
INTO THOSE SPACES AND DEVELOP
TRUST BECAUSE YOU NEED
TO DEVELOP TRUST FOR PEOPLE TO
COME FORWARD AND WANT TO SAY
SOMETHING.
NAIL SALONS, FOR EXAMPLE,
HAVE BEEN PLACES THAT WE'VE
HEARD FROM IN THE PAST.
WE'VE WORKED WITH PLACES
THAT HAVE HAD VERY HIGH
PROPORTION
OF WOMEN IN THE LABOR FORCE,
BAKERIES, FOR EXAMPLE.
THERE WAS A MAJOR BAKE
ENFORCEMENT ACTION WE
DID SEVERAL YEARS AGO COMING
FROM
COMMUNITY AND HELPED
US UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEEDED TO
GO INTO THAT CIRCUMSTANCE AND
LEARN FROM THOSE WORKERS ABOUT
WHAT'S GOING ON.
I THINK THERE IS A LOT WE CAN
DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE PROSECUTOR AND WITH THE
POLICE IF WE WANT TO CREATE
SOMETHING
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE
ROBUST THAN WHAT EXISTS NOW.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A
GREAT CONVERSATION TO GET INTO.
I OPEN IT UP TO MY TEAM IF YOU
WANT TO ADD
MORE.
>> I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORDS
AND ROBUST AND SPACE AND OTHER
STUFF Y'ALL SAY.
WHILE YOU'RE CONGRATULATING
YOURSELF ON UBER EATS AND
GIG WORKERS I'M SAYING THAT IT
ISN'T ABOUT BUILDING TRUST AND
FINDING SPACE, IT'S ABOUT
BEING INTENTIONAL AND SITTING
DOWN WITH THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
AND THE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND MAKING
IT A
PRIORITYPRIORITY SEE WHAT
THEY'RE
DOING. THEY ARE IN THAT FIELD.
AND SO I'M NOT JUST SAYING,
HEY, THIS IS A MATTER OF
A CONSTRUCTION SITE WHERE
PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING PAID.
I WAS THERE WHEN WE CREATED
THIS OFFICE IN 2017 AND FUNDED
IT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF
MAYOR MURRAY AND COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ AT THE TIME.
WE HAD ENVISIONED, OF COURSE,
RESTAURANT, CONSTRUCTION, GIG
WORKERS, HOUSE KEEPERS, WAGE
THEFT, NAIL SALONS, WHAT I'M
SAYING YOU NEED TO UP YOUR GAME.
HAVE MORE FOCUS.
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN WHAT
I CALL THE GOVERNMENT SALAD
WORDS
CENTERING, ROBUST, WHAT I WOULD
LIKE YOU TO DO IS TELL ME
AND OUR CHAIR, WE SAT DOWN WITH
THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE
SAT DOWN WITH THE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, WE SEE
THAT
THERE IS AN INTERSECTION,
INTERSECTIONALITY, PEOPLE'S
LIVES AT RISK HERE, BEING
TRAFFICKED, IS THE CRIMINALITY
THERE.
IF WE HAVE CRIMINALITY ON THE
SIDE OF LABOR THEFT,
THEN WE HAVE CRIMINALITY ON
SEX TRAFFICKING THEFT WHICH
RESULTS IN MORE VIOLENT ISSUES.
THIS IS ANOTHER WAY TO GET
AT THAT LABOR THEFT TO STOP IT.
I'M ASKING YOU NOT TO BE
ROBUST.
I'M ASKING YOU TO BE
INTENTIONAL ABOUT SETTING UP A
FRAMEWORK AND
CERTAINLY I'M SURE THE
CHAIR WILL AGREE, AND
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA THE VICE
CHAIR ON PUBLIC
SAFETY, WORK WITH YOU ON
HOW WE CAN DO
THAT AND IN THE NEXT BUDGET
ROUND THAT'S
SOMETHING WE CAN TALK ABOUT.
THE SEATTLE -- THE CITY
ATTORNEY EAVES AND KING
COUNTY'S
OFFICE REALLY NEED HELP WITH THE
CITY OF SEATTLE AND
THE DEPARTMENTS WE'VE CREATED
AND FUNDED
TO LOOK AT THESE KIND
OF ISSUES. SO THANK YOU FOR
THAT.
AND ALSO PAGE NUMBERS WOULD BE
GREAT.
>> THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>> I FEEL JUST -- FIRST OF
ALL, BRIEFLY SAY WE HAVE ACTIVE
PARTNERSHIPS WITH BOTH THE CITY
ATTORNEY WE MET WITH
CITY ATTORNEY EVANS LAST WEEK AS
WELL
AS THE KING COUNTY PROSECUTORS A
OFFICE SO I'M HAPPY TO
ENGAGE WITH OUR ENFORCEMENT TEAM
AND COME BACK DIRECTLY WITH
YOU COUNCILMEMBER OR THE
COMMITTEE WITH LIKE SPECIFICS OF
WHAT
THAT PARTNERSHIP LOOKS LIKE.
BUT I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WE
ABOUT STRATEGIES YOU'RE
HIGHLIGHTING.
>> CAN I ADD ONE THING?
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE THE
OLD LADY BOOMER HERE, BUT, YOU
KNOW, WHY I KIND OF LOOK AT THE
WORD PROGRESSIVE AND LAUGH TO
MYSELF.
REMEMBER, THREE OR FOUR YEARS
AGO, WHERE UNIONS
WERE CELEBRATING THEIR 50 OR
75th
ANNIVERSARY, THERE WAS A TIME
WHERE UNIONS DID NOT ALLOW BLACK
PEOPLE, NATIVE AMERICANS,
ASIANS AND WOMEN THE THEIR
UNIONS FOR
75 YEARS.
AND SO I DON'T THINK WE
SHOULD BE PATTING OURSELVES ON
THE
BACK ABOUT HOW AWESOME WE ARE.
WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT
THE HUMANITY OF CAPTURING
EVERYBODY
WHO BELONGS IN THIS MOVEMENT TO
DO THE RIGHT THING.
WHILE I THANK YOU FOR
YOUR PRESENTATION AND THE WORK
YOU'VE DONE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU
KNOW
THIS BETTER THAN I DO, WE HAVE
MORE WORK TO DO AND I DO LOOK
FORWARD TO BEING ROBUST AND
CENTERED AND
UPLIFTING YOU IN YOUR WORK.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS AND WHAT YOU'RE
BRINGING.
WE ALWAYS KNOW WE CAN DO MORE
AND THAT THERE'S MORE THAT
WE NEED TO GET DONE.
I THINK WE HAVE A REALLY
GOOD UNDERSTANDING FROM SOME OF
OUR PARTNER WORK, SOME OF OUR
DIRECT
COMMUNITY WORK, BECAUSE
OUR TEAMS ARE OUT IN COMMUNITY.
THERE'S A LONG HISTORY HERE
OF MANY DIFFERENT GOOD AND NOT
GOOD THINGS GOING ON IN
THIS COMMUNITY AND I THINK I
APPRECIATE YOUR REQUEST
AND I THINK THIS IS AN AREA
THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE
AND AS
KAREN MENTIONED WE'LL BE
WORKING WITH OTHER PARTNERS.
WE CAN UP OUR GAME AND I --
>> I THINK, TOO, I THINK THIS IS
A GOOD TIME WITH OUR CHAIR
WHO'S
INVOLVED WITH THE LABOR
AND ALL THE GOOD WORK SHE HAS
DONE, THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO
START SPRINKLING THE SEEDS.
MADAM CHAIR, I DON'T MEAN TO
STEP ON WHAT YOU'RE DOING,
BUT THIS IS A GOOD TIME
TO START TALKING ABOUT IT'S
FEBRUARY,
BUT THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO
START TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
WHERE
IN THE BUDGET THIS FITS.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE STARTED
WITH LABOR STANDARDS AND TRIPLED
THEIR BUDGET AND STAFF,
AND I WAS ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT
DISMAYED WE WEREN'T HAVING
DEDICATED PEOPLE TO THESE OTHER
ISSUES.
MAYBE THIS IS A TIME TO
START TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
IS THERE AN FTE, SOMEONE
THAT YOU CAN SHARE AND WORK WITH
ON
THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF
SEX TRAFFICKING KIND OF
WHAT COUNCILMEMBER SAKA WAS
GETTING
AT.
MAYBE THIS TIME NEXT YEAR
IN YOUR POWER POINT SAY WE HEARD
THIS, GOT IT IN THE BUDGET OR
WE CREATED AN FTE OR PRO VIESO
AND
NOW ADDRESSING IT.
THAT WOULD BE SUCCESS TO ME.
WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?
THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO
ME.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COLLEAGUES, I WANT TO
EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR
YOUR ENGAGEMENT ON THIS TOPIC,
THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS AND
BEING CLEAR ON WHAT YOUR
INTERESTSINTERESTS
ARE.
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME FOR
TODAY, I AM GOING TO
HOLD
QUESTIONS I HAVE BUT STATE FOR
THE RECORD THAT IT WOULD
BE GREAT TO TALK THROUGH ALSO
HOW THE LABOR STANDARDS
ADVISORY COMMISSION AND DOMESTIC
WORKER
STANDARDS BOARD CONTINUE
TO DO THEIR WORK AND INTERACT
WITH
OUR WORK ON COUNCIL AND LIFT
THOSE TWO BODIES UP AS
IMPORTANT ADVISORY BODIES THAT
COUNCIL
MEMBERS CAN ENGAGE WITH ON THESE
TOPICS AS WELL.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY
APPRECIATION.
LAST YEAR I WAS INVITED
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MAYDAY
EVENT
WHERE OHS WAS OUT DOING
ENGAGEMENT WITH SMALL
BUSINESSES ON IMPORTANT
ORDINANCES
AND STANDARDS TO UPHOLD AND SO
WANTED TO LIFT THAT UP
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR
WORK.
THIS CERTAINLY WILL NOT BE
THE LAST TIME, HOPING WE CAN
KEEP
THIS CONNECTION GOING
AND CERTAINLY AGAIN
APPRECIATE ALL THE ENGAGEMENT
FROM MY
COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS SO MUCH.
>> WITH THAT WE WILL MOVE ON
TO OUR SECOND ITEM OF
BUSINESS.
>> ITEM TWO HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT, AGING AND
DISABILITY
SERVICES BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
.
>> AS YOU ALL ARE
GETTING SETTLED IN, IF YOU CAN
TAKE
A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF
BY
SAYING YOUR NAME AND
POSITION BEFORE GETTING
STARTED. THANK
YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL OUT.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF
EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING THIS
WEEKEND.
I'M TONYA KIM, DIRECTOR OF THE
HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT FOR THE RECORD.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M -- COBBS DIRECTOR OF
AGING AND DISABILITY SERVICES
WITHIN THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M MARY PIERSON, DIRECTOR OF
AGING AND DISABILITY
SERVICES AND GLAD TO SEE
EVERYONE HAS
THEIR I HEART AGING.
BUTTON ON, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> NOT COOL
ENOUGH. WHERE IS MINE?
>> OH.
>> WE'LL GET IT.
>> GET THESE FOR
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AS WELL AS
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ TOO.
WE'VE GOT THESE
BEAUTIFUL BUTTONS ON.
WE FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED OF BEING
HERE TODAY.
WE'VE GOT A ROBUST AGENDA.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT JUST
INTRODUCING FOR THE
VIEWING PUBLIC WHO HSD IS
BRIEFLY, INTRODUCE OUR DIVISION.
WE NORMALLY DON'T COME
TO COMMITTEE AND TALK ABOUT
BROAD
TOPICS.
BUT PLEASED TO BE HERE TO
DISCUSS OUR AGING AND DISABILITY
SERVICES. WE THREW IN
ACRONYMS, AREA ON AGE WE'LL
EXPLAIN AND
SURPRISE WE SERVE THE COUNTY OUR
REGIONAL SERVICES AND WHAT IS
CITY SPECIFIC AND TALK ABOUT
THE INITIATIVES IMPORTANT TO US
IN
2026 AND, OF COURSE,FIELD
ANY OF THE QUESTIONS YOU MAY
HAVE.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WANT TO
SAY WE HAD JUST NOW A REALLY
IMPORTANT DISCUSSION BY
OUR COLLEAGUES AROUND OUR
WORKERS AND LABOR AND HSD IS
HERE
TO REALLY UPLIFT AND TALK ABOUT
HOW
WE SUPPORT PEOPLE IN OUR
COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY MEMBERS
IN THE HUMAN SERVICES SPACE.
THIS IS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL
AGENDA, SO THANK
YOU FOR HAVING US HERE.
>> HSD A LOT OF
THINGS ON THIS SLIDE BUT OUR
MISSION IS TO
CONNECT PEOPLE WITH
RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS DURING
TIMES
OF NEED TO SEATTLE RESIDENTS CAN
LIVE, LEARN, WORK, TAKE PART
IN TRON HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE FOR
GRANTED
OUR MISSION WHEN THERE IS A
CALLING OR SOMETHING WE ARE
RESPONDING TO.
YOU CAN SEE HERE WE ARE
FOCUSED ON SIX DIFFERENT IMPACT
AREAS.
THESE ARE THE THINGS WE ARE
STRIVING FOR PREPARING YOU
FOR SUCCESS THROUGH PROMOTING
HEALTHY AGING.
WE TAKE I THINK IF WE COULD
GO BACK JUST VERY QUICKLY NOTE
THAT
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT IS
BECAUSE IF
WE'RE DOING OUR JOBS LOW KEY
BEHIND THE SCENES BUT WHEN THERE
IS SOMETHING TRAGIC THAT
OCCURS OR RESPONDING TO
SOMETHING,
IT BECOMES MORE VISIBLE OF THE
IMPORTANCE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING
LIKE WHEN WE'RE RESPONDING
TO THE RECENT SHOOTINGS OR
LIKE MAKING SURE THAT OUR
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS HAVE THE
SERVICES THAT THEY NEED,
ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLYWHEN --
THERE ARE BENEFITS
THAT MAYBE OR ARE UNDER
ATTACK BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
.
HSD BY THE NUMBERS, THIS
IS FAMILIAR TO MANY OF YOU WHO
JUST GOT OUT OF BUDGET SEASON,
BUT FOR OUR VIEWING PUBLIC AND
NEWER COLLEAGUES, I WOULD SAY
WE'RE A MEDIUM PLUS SIZE
DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE NOW IN OUR
ADOPTED BUDGET 421 MILLION, JUST
WITH VARIOUS FUNDING SOURCES AND
AGAIN THIS IS A WHEEL
DOUGHNUT THAT SHOWS THE
DISTRIBUTION OF
FUNDS ACROSS OUR DEPARTMENT
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR AGING
AND
DISABILITY SERVICES YOU'LL SEE
NATURALLY PROMOTING HEALTHY
AGING, WHICH IS 19% OF
OUR BUDGET IS ATTRIBUTED TO OUR
WORK
THERE, BUT PEOPLE NEED MORE
THAN JUST THAT.
THERE'S INTERSECTIONALITY
AS COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ SPOKE
ABOUT.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE WORK
WE DO IN THIS DIVISION THERE'S
A LITTLE BIT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH, THERE'S ADDITIONAL
DABBLING IN
AFFORDABILITY, OF COURSE, AND
THERE'S INTERSECTIONALITY AS WE
TALK ABOUT OUR AGING AND
DISABILITY SERVICES DIVISION.
ANOTHER QUICK NOTE, TOO,
IS WITH THE SIZE OF OUR FTE,
YOU'LL SEE
THAT WE'RE NEARING 500 SO
WE'VE GOT 480 FTE.
. WE ARE A FUNDER
AND DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDER AND
A CONVENER.
A GOOD CHUNK OF OUR FTE AND
OUR BUDGET GOES TO COMMUNITY,
BUT
WE SERVE, WE HAVE CASE MANAGERS
AND TALK MORE ABOUT THEM.
WITH THAT, I BROUGHT
SMARTER PEOPLE WITH ME TODAY
MAKING HER
DEBUT WE HAVE INTRODUCED JACK
WHO IS THE NEWEST ADDITION TO
OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, OUR DEPUTY
DIVISION DIRECTOR BUT MARY
IS OUR DIVISION DIRECTOR AND HAS
A COUPLE YEARS AT THE CITY
AND WILL DO A DEEP DIVE IN ADS.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR KIM.
I FEEL SAY 33 YEARS AT THE
CITY, A FEW
MORE --
>> FIVE YEARS.
>> FIVE YEARS IN
HSD. GOT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
THANK YOU CHAIR RINCK
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR BEING
HERE TODAY.
IT'S AN HONOR TO SHARE WITH
YOU OUR WORK IN HSD, ADS AND THE
AAA
AND WE WILL HELP YOU WITH ALL OF
THOSE AC CROW NIMS.
AGING AND DISABILITY IS WITHIN
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
AND WE FUNCTION AS THE AAA,
AREA AGENCY ON AGING.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE FUNDS
SENIOR CENTERS AND A
CITYWIDE INITIATIVE CALLED AGE
FRIENDLY.
SO WE'LL COVER WHAT OUR AAA
ROLE
INCLUDES.
TAKING A LOOK AT THE SERVICE
NETWORK OUR WORK STARTS AT
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ENDS
WITH
OUR LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS
THAT PROVIDE SUPPORT TO CLIENTS
WITH AGING AND HOME AND
COMMUNITIES THEY LOVE INSTEAD
OF INSTITUTIONALIZED SETTINGS.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CREATED
THE ADMINISTRATION OF
COMMUNITY ADMINISTRATION FOR
COMMUNITY
LIVING IN 2012 AND AS KNOWN
AS ACL AND THEIR MISSION
TO MAXIMIZE THE INDEPENDENCE,
WELL BEING AND HEALTH OF OLDER
ADULTS, PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES ACROSS THEIR LIFE
SPAN
AND FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS.
ACROSS THE NATION,
ACL COORDINATES WITH 56 STATE
UNITS
ON AGING AND IN WASHINGTON STATE
THAT'S THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL
AND HEALTH SERVICES OR DSHS.
OUR STATE WITHIN DSHS THE HOME
AND COMMUNITY LIVING
ADMINISTRATION IS THE
AGENCY THAT WORKS WITH THE AAA
FOR OUR FEDERAL AND STATE
COORDINATION.
NATIONALLY THERE ARE 629
AAAs THAT INCLUDES 244
TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS AND TWO
NATIVE
ORGANIZATIONS.
LOOKING AT OUR SERVICE
PROVIDERS THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED
20,000 SERVICE PROVIDERS, 10,000
SENIOR CENTERS AND OVER
500,000 VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE
BEING
SUPPORTED THROUGH THESE
INVESTMENTS NATIONWIDE.
NOW, WHAT IS A AAA?
THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING.
PRESIDENT JOHNSON SIGNED
THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT INTO LAW
ON
JULY 14th, 1965.
IN 1973, THE OLDER MANY ACT
ESTABLISHED THE AREA AGENCIES
ON AGING.
THERE ARE 13 IN WASHINGTON
STATE AND WE ARE ALL MEMBERS OF
A STATE ASSOCIATION KNOWN
AS WASHINGTON FOR AGING OR W 4A.
WE ARE DESIGNATED AS THE ON
THE GROUND ORGANIZATION CHARGED
WITH PLANNING, COORDINATING
AND ADVOCATING FOR SERVICES
THAT HELP OLDER PEOPLE LIVE
WITH DIGNITY WITHIN THEIR
COMMUNITIES.
NOW TAKING A LOOK AT WHO WE
SERVE, THE OLDER AMERICANS
ACT PRIORITY POPULATIONS
ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE 60 AND
OLDER THAT LIVE IN RURAL
OR SOCIALLY ISOLATED
COMMUNITIES, LOW INCOME AND MAY
HAVE LIMITED
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.
OUR MEDICAID SERVICES ARE FOR
PEOPLE 18 AND OLDER WHO MEET
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS DETERMINED BY THE
STATE.
WE ALSO PROVIDE RESPITE
AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR
UNPAID CAREGIVERS THAT ARE 18
AND
OLDER. JUST A SIDE NOTE,
WASHINGTON STATE WAS RANKED
ACCORDING TO THE AARP SCORECARD
AS THE THIRD
AMONG ALL U.S. LARGE CITIES.
SO THAT'S JUST A HIGHLIGHT
WE ARE DOING AMAZING WORK.
HOW WE OPERATE WITHIN THE AAA.
SO THE AAA WAS FOUNDED IN 1973.
IT WAS A SPONSORSHIP
BETWEEN UNITED WAY KING COUNTY,
THE
CITY OF SEATTLE AND KING
COUNTY. IN THE LATE 2010s,
UNITED WAY KING COUNTY OPTED OUT
AND THE
CITY OF SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY
ESTABLISHED THE
INFRASTRUCTURE VIA IN OUR LOCAL
AGREEMENTAGREEMENT
THAT AGREEMENT PLACED THE
AAA INSIDE OF THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT.
IT ALSO ESTABLISHED A 21- MEMBER
PLANNING COUNCIL THATTHAT
KING COUNTY COUNCIL ON AGING
SERVICES.
IN ADDITION TO OUR PARTNERSHIP
ADS WORKS WITH A DIVERSE RANGE
OF COMMUNITY,
CONTRACTORS GOVERNMENT AND
REGIONAL PARTNERS.
THESE PARTNERSHIPS ALLOW US TO
PROMOTE CROSS
SECTOR COLLABORATION AND
COORDINATION
WITH HOUSING, HEALTH CARE
AND OTHER SYSTEMS THAT IMPACT
THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF
THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH KING
COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH SEATTLE
KING COUNTY AND DEPARTMENT --
I'M
SORRY.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH KING
COUNTY AGENCIES,
PUBLIC HEALTH, SEATTLE KING
COUNTY AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND
HUMAN
SERVICES AND PARTNERED WITH
THEM DURING THE PANDEMIC
RESPONSE,
HEALTH AND WELLNESS ACTIVITIES,
SUCH
AS FALL PREVENTION, AND DIABETES
SELF-MANAGEMENT AND OTHER
PROGRAMS.
WITH THE RENEWAL OF THE KING
COUNTY VETERANS SENIORS
AND HUMAN SERVICE LEVY WE WILL
CONTINUE OUR
INTENTIONAL COLLABORATION WITH
THE
COUNTY THROUGH SHARED PLANNING
AND
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES.
ADS FORTUNATE TO HAVE TWO
BOARDS THAT SERVE AS OUR
ADVOCACY ARMS.
THE SEATTLE ADVISORY COUNCIL, 21
MEMBER BODY REQUIRED BY
THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT, MEMBERS
ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND
THEN APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ SERVING AS
A BOARD MEMBER.
THE MAYOR'S COUNCIL WAS
CREATED IN 1995 AND OVERSEES
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
COMPREHENSIVE,
CONTINUUM OF SERVICES TO
SERVE AFRICAN AMERICAN ELDERS.
THIS 12 MEMBER BOARD
IS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR.
BOTH BOARDS MEET MONTHLY
AND THEIR ROLES TO ADVISE ON
THE NEEDS OF OLDER ADULTS IN THE
POLICIES TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.
THEY SHARE THEIR INFORMED
OPINIONS, EXPERIENCES AND
EXPERTISE WITH STAFF
AND POLICYMAKERS THAT
INFLUENCE PROGRAM FUNDING IN HOW
SERVICES
ARE DELIVERED.
THEY EDUCATE POLICY
MEMBERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS,
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FAMILY AND
FRIENDS ABOUT CRITICAL ISSUES
IMPACTING OLDER ADULTS IN KING
COUNTY
AND ALSO HELP TO RAISE
VISIBILITY OF OUR AAA PRIORITIES
AND ISSUES.
THEY CAN LOBBY AND
ASK POLICYMAKERS FOR THEIR
SUPPORT ON A PARTICULAR ISSUE,
BILL OR
RESOURCE ALLOCATION.
DURING THE 2025
STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THE
COUNCIL PLAYED A ROLE IN
ADVOCACY
EFFORTS THAT HELPED TO SECURE
27. 5 MILLION STATEWIDE
IN NUTRITION FUNDING AND OF THAT
27. 5
MILLION, APPROXIMATELY 25% OF
THAT FUNDING COMES TO ADS.
TAKING A LOOK AT OUR AAA CORE
SERVICES, AND THESE ARE SERVICES
THAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO
FIND ACROSS ALL REGIONS IN
WASHINGTON
STATE.
REALLY NATIONALLY.
ADS, WE
PROVIDE SERVICES TO
APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER OF THE
STATE.
WE HAVE AN INTERNAL TEAM OF
CASE MANAGERS AND ALSO CONTRACT
OUT
WITH TWO COMMUNITY PROVIDERS
IN
THE LOCAL AGING NETWORK. OUR
SUITE OF SERVICES IS WIDELY
KNOWN AS THE NETWORK OR THE
NET THAT WORKS.
TAKING A LOOK AT ELDER RIGHTS.
THOSE SERVICES
INCLUDE DETECTION AND PREVENTION
STRATEGIES TO
SAFEGUARD OLDER PEOPLE WHO
ARE OFTEN VULNERABLE TO ABUSE
OR CONSUMER FRAUD.
THE LONG- TERM CARE PROGRAM IS A
CORE ACTIVITY THAT ADVOCATES
FOR AND PROTECTS THE LIGHTS OF
THOSE LIVING IN FACILITIES.
THE NATIONAL FAMILY
CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM
RECOGNIZES
THE DEMANDS
PLACED ON FAMILY MEMBERS AND
FRIENDS WHO PROVIDE CARE FOR
SPOUSE, PARENTS AND OLDER
RELATIVES AND FRIENDS.
ITS GOAL TO ENSURE
SUPPORT FOR LOVED ONES.
NUTRITION SERVICES GIVE
OLDER AMERICANS THE OPTION
TO RECEIVING BALANCE AND
NUTRITION
MEALS AT HOME OR AT
THE CONGREGATE SETTING SUCH
AS SENIOR CENTERS OR ADULT DAY
CARE
CENTERS.
HOME DELIVERED MEALS COMMONLY
KNOWN AS MEALS ON WHEELS R OFTEN
PREPACKAGED AND READY TO EAT AND
DELIVER TO OLDER ADULTS THAT
ARE HOME BOUND.
PREVENTATIVE HEALTH
PROGRAMS PROMOTE HEALTHY
LIFESTYLES THROUGH PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY,
APPROPRIATE DIET AND
NUTRITION AND HEALTH SCREENING
AND
EDUCATION, FOR OLDER
PEOPLE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF
INCLUDING
THESE ACTIVITIES IN THEIR DAILY
ROUTINE.
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
ACTIVITIES TARGETS THE HOME AND
COMMUNITY.
AGING INDIVIDUALS AND
MAINTAINING INDEPENDENCE IN
THE COMMUNITY FOR AS LONG
AS EFFECTIVELY POSSIBLE.
SERVICES INCLUDE ASSISTANCE
WITH TRANSPORTATION AND IN- HOME
CARE, COMMUNITY SERVICES SUCH AS
ADULT
DAY CARE AND INFORMATION AND
REFERRAL ASSISTANCE.
FOR EVERY
ONE DOLLAR OF FEDERAL ORLANDO
AMERICANS ACT INVESTMENT
AN ADDITIONAL $3 LEVERAGED FROM
OTHER SOURCES AND WITH
THAT I WILL TURN IT OVER TO JACK
TO
GO INTO ADS BY THE
NUMBERS.
>> I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR
NUMBERS.
YOU CAN SEE HERE WE HAVE 93.
6 MILLION ALLOCATED IN THE
2026 ADOPTED BUDGET.
ADS CONTRACTS WITH AGENCIES
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND WASHINGTON STATE
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH
SERVICES OR
DSHS.
THIS IS REPRESENTED IN
THE SECOND BULLET SHOWING
THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH
110 COMMUNITY AGENCIES, HAVE
OVER
250 STAFF AND SERVE OVER
50,000 ADULTS WITHIN KING
COUNTY.
FOR SEATTLE SPECIFICALLY,
WE ESTIMATE THAT NEARLY 16,000
OF
THOSE INDIVIDUALS RESIDE IN
SEATTLE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS ADS'S FUND
SOURCES.
WE HAVE A DIVERSE RANGE OF
FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL
FUND
SOURCES. THE LARGEST SHARE COMES
FROM
MEDICAID TITLE 19 TOTALLING 52.
4 MILLION WHICH CONTINUES TO BE
OUR PRIMARY FUND SOURCE.
CITY OF SEATTLE ACCOUNTS FOR
$19. 7
MILLION. AS A FINAL NOTE SHONE
ON
THE GRAPH HERE IS THE ADOPTED
BUDGET FOR 2026.
IN ADDITION TO OUR 2026 ADOPTED
BUDGET ADS HAS RECEIVED
INCREASES IN FUNDING FOR
CARES, SENIOR NUTRITION, TITLE
19,
AND THAT WILL BE REFLECTED IN
THE 2026 REVISED BUDGET WHICH
WILL
BRING OUR TOTAL TO $115 MILLION.
AS STATED ON THE LAST
SLIDE THE CITY INVESTS $19. 7
MILLION
IN SERVICES FOR SEATTLE.
THE MOBILE INTEGRATED
HEALTH TEAM IS A PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN
911, FIRE, DISPATCH AND THE
ADS CASE MANAGERS.
THE TEAM RESPONDS TO BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH AND NONMEDICAL
CRISES AFTER AN OVERDOSE BECAUSE
OF
OUR CONNECTIONS TO RESOURCES
AND SOCIAL SERVICES.
THE CASE MANAGEMENT
ASPECT OF THE WORK ALLOWS THE
MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTH TEAM TO
ENGAGE
MORE MEANINGFULLY WITH CLIENTS
AND WORK THROUGH OUR SYSTEMS IN
REALTIME.
>> I'M GOING TO INTERJECT.
SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW THE MOBILE
INTEGRATED HEALTH AS HEALTH
1, HEALTH 99 AND THIS IS
THE PORTION THAT WE PARTNER WITH
FIRE.
WE HAVE THE SOCIAL WORKER
CASE MANAGER SIDE OF THAT AND
THEN
WE WORK WITH FIRE TO COMPLETE
THE
WHOLE TEAM.
IT'S A DUAL RESPONSE
PARTNERSHIP
WE HAVE.
>> THANK YOU.
ADS LEADS SEATTLE'S INITIATIVE,
DESIGNATION BY
THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
AND AARP TO
COMMIT TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE
POLICIES, SYSTEMS,
AND ENVIRONMENTS TO ENSURE
ALL PEOPLE CAN AGE WITH
OPTIMAL HEALTH AND DIGNITY IN
THEIR
COMMUNITIES. THANKS TO THE HARD
WORK OF
THIS TEAM AND, OF COURSE,
SUPPORT FROM OUR PARTNERS,
SEATTLE
WAS RANKED NUMBER THREE AMONG
AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES.
SOME OF THE SERVICES
INCLUDE MONTHLY CIVIC COFFEE
HOUR,
ANTI- AGEISM TRAINING, FLASH
AND GO CARD DISCOUNTS AND
PARTICIPATING IN THE SEATTLE --
I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO TAKE THE
ANTI- AGEISM
TRAINING AVAILABLE
ON THE TRAINING WEBSITE
CORNERSTONE.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE FUNDS 14
SENIOR CENTERS AND ADS PROVIDES
FUNDING TO SUPPORT NUTRITION,
TRANSPORTATION, CASE MANAGEMENT
AND OTHER SERVICES TO
ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR
SENIORS.
IN 2027, FIVE NEW
CULTURALLY FOCUSED SENIOR
CENTERS WILL
BE ADDED TO THE CITY OF
SEATTLE BRINGING THE TOTAL TO
19.
THE CITY ALSO PROVIDES
ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO
EXPAND SERVICES FOR PROGRAMS
SUCH
AS SENIOR NUTRITION, THE PROGRAM
TO ENCOURAGE ACTIVE AND
REWARDING LIVES KNOWN AS THE
PEARLS PROGRAM FOR VETERANS, AND
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM FOR ELDER
ABUSE. THANK YOU TO COUNCIL FOR
THE
ADDITIONAL
FUNDS YOU ADDED DURING THE
BUDGET FOR THIS WORK.
ADS HAS FOUR INITIATIVES FOR
2026.
THE AREA PLAN, CARES,
HEALTH RELATED SOCIAL NEEDS AND
THE
ANTI- AGEISM TRAINING.
EVERY FOUR YEARS, ADS
DEVELOPS THE AREA PLAN ON AGING
AS
A RESPONSE TO THE NEEDS IN OUR
COMMUNITY AND SERVES AS A
FOUNDATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR
OUR WORK AT ADS.
IT PRESENTS RELEVANT
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS AND OUTLINES
GOALS TO BE
ACHIEVED OVER THE COURSE OF
FOURFOUR YEARS.
THE PLAN IS SHAPED BY OLDER
ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES AND THEIR
CAREGIVERS, LIVED
EXPERIENCES GUIDES HOW WE
ALLOCATE RESOURCES
AND HELP ALIGN FEDERAL, STATE,
AND LOCAL PRIORITIES WITH
EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES. THE STATE NOTES
THAT SEVEN IN TEN PEOPLE REQUIRE
LONG-
TERM CARE AT SOME POINT IN
THEIR LIVES AND MOST FAMILIES
CANNOT AFFORD THESE COSTS
WITHOUT
SUPPORT.
WA CARES WAS CREATED TO
MAKE SURE -- WHEN THEY NEED IT.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN
THE NATION AND ESTABLISHED
TO ADDRESS THE GROWING NEED
FOR LONG- TERM CARE AS A
POPULATION
AGES.
OUR WORK WILL BE TO ACT AS
A LOCAL FRONT DOOR TO THE WA
CARES BENEFIT.
OUR JOB WILL BE TO HELP
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
BENEFIT
IS, HOW THEY CAN USE IT AND
CONNECT THEM TO APPROVED LONG-
TERM CARE
SERVICES IN THEIR
COMMUNITY. IN 2026, ADS WILL
BEGIN
IMPLEMENTING SOCIAL NEEDS KNOWN
AS HRSN SERVICES.
THESE ARE NEW SUPPORTS OFFERED
THROUGH APPLE HEALTH MEDICAID
FOCUSING ON NONMEDICAL NEEDS
SUCH AS FOOD, HOME
MODIFICATIONS AN CAREGIVER
SUPPORT.
ADS WILL PARTNER WITH HEALTHIER
HERE, COMMUNITY OF HEALTH TO
SCREEN, ASSESS AND REFER CLIENTS
FOR OUR SERVICES.
THIS PARTNERSHIP WILL IMPROVE
THE EXPERIENCE AND OUTCOMES
FOR ENROLLEES ELIGIBLE FOR
SERVICES AND ENSURE AN EFFICIENT
SYSTEM BY LEVERAGING AN EXISTING
INTAKE AND REFERRAL CENTER OR
COMMUNITY
HUB.
WITH WELL OVER 2,000 VIEWS
TO DATE, OUR ANTI- AGEISM
TRAINING
CONTINUES TO RECEIVE POSITIVE
FEEDBACK.
IN 2026 WE WILL LAUNCH
TRAINING FOR INDUSTRY
PROFESSIONALS
AS IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED
AGEISM LEADS TO POOR HEALTH
OUTCOMES
AND WASTES FINANCIAL RESOURCES
IN
OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY WHERE
TO FIND THIS.
HERE ARE WEBSITES AND
PHONE NUMBERS FOR THE VIEWING
PUBLIC INTERESTED IN LEARNING
MORE.
OUR MAIN WEBSITE IS AGING KING
COUNTY. ORG OR CALL US AT OUR
TOLL-FREE NUMBER FOR COMMUNITY
LIVING CONNECTIONS AT
1-844-348-5464.
>> AND WITH THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO
TAKE ANY QUESTIONS,
RECOMMENDATION, FEEDBACK.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR THE
PRESENTATION.
COLLEAGUES, WHAT
QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR OUR
COLLEAGUES AT
HSD?
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
FIRST, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR
RANKING FOR NUMBER THREE.
THAT'S EXCELLENT.
I WAS LIKE I WANTED TO
CLAP DURING THE PRESENTATION
BUT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THAT WAS
APPROPRIATE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND
OVERVIEW, PARTICULARLY AS A NEW
COUNCILMEMBER.
I WANTED TO ASK GOING BACK TO
THE COUNCIL ON AFRICAN AMERICAN
ELDERS, ARE THERE REPORTSES
THAT COME FROM
THAT COUNCIL ON THEIR OVERALL
PRIORITY THAT
ARE AVAILABLE OR ARE THEY
JUST SORT OF INTEGRATED INTO
HSD'S WORK?
IS THERE A PLACE I CAN SEE A
LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS
AND PRIORITIES COMING FROM THAT
COUNCIL?
>> THEY ARE ON
THE CITY'S WEBSITE BUT I WILL
HAVE TO
DOUBLE CHECK AND SEE IF
THE PRIORITIES ARE LISTED.
WE CAN DEFINITELY GET A COPY OF
THOSE PRIORITIES TO YOU.
>> THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL AND
LOVE TO USE THAT AS A
RESOURCE TO MAKE SURE IT'S
INFORMING
MY WORK AND OTHER MEMBERS AS WE
THINK ABOUT OVERLAPS BETWEEN
OUR COMMITTEES AND AS CHAIR OF
THE HOUSING COMMITTEE.
I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THOSE
PRIORITIES ARE.
COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS.
I REALLY APPRECIATED THE
EDUCATION ON THE
RELATIONSHIP AND THE -- WITH THE
COUNTY AND DEEP CONNECTION
THERE.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT ANY WORK THAT YOU ALL DO
TO
MAKE SURE THAT ELDERS ARE
CONNECTED TO THINGS LIKE
PROPERTY
TAX DISCOUNTS AT KING COUNTY SO
THAT
PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE
TO THEM AS WE THINK ABOUT COST
OF LIVING AND KNOWING THAT
THERE'S THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE I THINK THROUGH THE
KING COUNTY ASSESSOR?
DO WE MAKE DIRECT CONNECTIONS
THERE OR SPEAK TO
THAT?
>> SO .
THAT IS ONE OF THE MAIN
CONCERNS THAT HAS BEEN RACED AND
AT THE
ADVISORY COUNCIL MAKING
SURE OLDER ADULTS KNOW HOW TO
GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
WE ALSO HAVEHAVE KING
COUNTY DIVISION LIKE AN OUTREACH
ARM
FOR THE COUNTY AND THEY
ARE IN THE COMMUNITY TALKING
ABOUT DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT
ARE
AVAILABLE COUNTY WIDE AND --
>> IF I COULD ADD A COUPLE
THINGS. THERE'S SO MUCH THAT
AGING AND
DISABILITY SERVICES DOES.
ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS IS
EDUCATION. SO WE HAVE -- REMIND
ME IS
IT THE CIVIC COFFEE
HOURS.
>> MONTHLY CIVIC COFFEE HOURS.
>> GUESTS TO TALK ABOUT
THE RESOURCES AND
GETTING INFORMATION OUT THERE
AND WE
HAVE A NEWSLETTER THAT HAS
WIDE REACH THAT HAS ALL
THESE RESOURCES WE TAP INTO
OTHERS WHO
CAN SUBMIT ARTICLES AND WE HAVE
LINKS TO THOSE.
WE HAVE OUR CASE MANAGERS.
YOU MAKE A GOOD POINT
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE AS
WE'RE
ASSESSING LIKE JUST YOUR HEALTH
CARE NEEDS ARE THERE OTHER
WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN MAKE SURE
THAT WE'RE PROVIDING
INFORMATION PROACTIVELY ABOUT
OTHER POTENTIAL DISCOUNTS.
HOW DO WE BE -- WRAP AROUND
EVEN WITH THE INTENTION OF A
CERTAIN THINGS BUT, YOU KNOW,
JUST NOTICE LIKE HAVE YOU
CONSIDERED THESE DISCOUNTS?
THAT'S I THINK I'M HEARING
SOMETHING WE SHOULD TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION AS WE HAVE
THOSE VARIOUS TOUCHES.
I'M GOING TO GO OUT ON A HIM
AND
INVITE YOU AND OTHER COUNCIL
MEMBERS, GOING BACK TO
BOTH OUR ADVISORY COUNCIL AND
OUR
MAYOR'S OFFICE ON AFRICAN
AMERICAN
ELDERS, IS THAT I KNOW
THAT THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING --
IT SAYS MAYOR'S OFFICE BUT
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO
COLLABORATE AND SPEAK DIRECTLY,
SO
HOPEFULLY THE TEAM IS -- I'M
NOT
MISSTEPPING BUT, YOU KNOW, OR
OUT OF STEP BUT THEY WOULD
LOVE TO HAVE YOU AND TALK ABOUT
THEIR PRIORITIES AND SEEING
AND HEARING IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> I WAS GOING TO ADDADD OUR
NETWORK OF PROVIDERS THAT
CONTRACT THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY
LIVING CONNECTIONS NETWORK, THEY
HAVE A NETWORK WHERE WE CAN MAKE
SURE COUNTY WIDE SERVICES ARE
FUNNELING TO
OUR COMMUNITY LIVING CONNECTION
PARTNERS THAT
PROVIDE THE INFORMATION AND
ASSISTANCE.
THEY ARE DIRECTLY CONNECTED AND
CULTURALLY SPECIFIC
AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE THOSE
SERVICES.
THAT'S ANOTHER CHANNEL FOR US
TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT'S EXACTLY THE
INFORMATION I WAS HOPING FOR AND
IT
OCCURS BECAUSE YOU HAVE SO MANY
TOUCH POINTS THAT MAKING SURE
THAT IT'S WELL INTEGRATED GIVES
US AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE
THAT
WE'RE SERVING PEOPLE REALLY
WELL.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO
JOIN ONE OF THE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT
INVITATION AND MY TEAM WILL
FOLLOW UP.
THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> THANK YOU.
I FEEL BE SUPER QUICK.
JUST THANKING YOU
ALL FOR THE WORK YOU ALL DO AND
I JUST
WANTED TO NAME SOMETHING
THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE
I'VE SEEN THE WORK YOU HAVE
DONE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WITH
THE PEOPLE AND PARTICULARLY
THROUGH THE SENIOR CENTERS AND
HOW
THOSE HAVE BECOME A LIFELINE FOR
A
LOT OF OUR SENIORS AND OUR
COMMUNITY
AND ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT
YOU ALL ARE FUNDING OR DOING AND
US JUST THINKING ABOUT WHEN
WE'RE GOING THROUGH BUDGET AND
OFTEN TALK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY
CENTERS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, FOR
EVERYONE AND OTHER THINGS, BUT
MAKING SURE THAT OUR SENIOR
COMMUNITY CENTERS ARE FUNDED
WELL AND
RESOURCED WELL BECAUSE WE
ARE AGING AS A POPULATION,
COMMUNITY, AND CITY AND I
HAVE TALKED TO A LOT OF FOLKS
THAT AREN'T ABLE TO SELL THEIR
HOME OR TALKING ABOUT I CAN SELL
MY
HOME AND DOWNSIZE BUT CAN'T
AFFORD ANOTHER PLACE BECAUSE OF
THE HIGH COST OF LIVING AND
THOSE SENIORS ARE AGING IN
PLACE AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
THOSE
HAVE THEM MORE IN SEATTLE AND
JUST THINKING, FLAGGING THAT AS
WE, YOU KNOW, I SEE YOUR
PROGRAMMING, I SEE YOUR PROGRAM
AND THIS DEPARTMENT CONTINUING
TO INCREASE AND GROW OVER TIME
AS WE ARE GROWING AS A CITY,
BUT THINKING ABOUT OUR
SENIOR CENTERS AND HOW THEY
CONTINUE
TO NEED
MORE RESOURCES AND
CONNECTIONS AS WELL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
COLLEAGUES, IF THERE'S
NO OTHER QUESTIONS I'M JUST
GOING TO GO
INTO MINE, BUT I WANT TO
BUILD ON A POINT THAT THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT MADE ABOUT
THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR SENIOR
CENTERS AND THINKING ABOUT JUST
A
COUPLE WEEKS BACK I WAS WITH THE
SMALL COMMUNITY SERVICES OF
SEATTLE
VISITING THEIR PROGRAM AND A
ROOM FULL OF SENIORS NOT
ENOUGH ROOM AT THE TABLE.
IT WAS BUSY.
SEEING THE IMPORTANCE OF
THAT SPACE TO BE IN COMMUNITY
CONNECTING WITH ONE ANOTHER.
WE KNOW THAT SOCIALIZATION
IS IMPORTANT IF NOT THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR OLDER
ADULTS, OUR ELDERS, AND SO
BEING ABLE TO HAVE CITY
INVESTMENT
CULTIVATING SPACES ALLOWING
OUR SENIORS IMMIGRANT ELDERS
TO CONNECTION WITH OTHERS
IN LANGUAGE IS SO IMPORTANT
FOR WELL BEING AND OLDER AGE.
COLLEAGUES, I WANTED TO
HAVE THIS PRESENTATION BECAUSE I
FEEL
LIKE WE DON'T TALK ABOUT
OUR ELDERS ENOUGH AND THE POLICY
SOLUTIONS, THE INVESTMENTS
THAT SUPPORT THEIR WELL BEING
AND WANT TO EMPHASIZE HOW
MUCH I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE HAVE INTERGENERATIONAL
SPACES.
I'VE BEEN UP FRONT ABOUT
BEING RAISED BY MY GRANDPARENTS
BUT MY
GREAT GRANDPARENTS WERE MY CARE
TAKERS AND THAT WAS SUCH A GIFT
IN SO MANY WAYS TO BE
CONNECTED ACROSS GENERATIONS AND
ALSO SEEING FIRSTHAND THE
CHALLENGES
WITH OUR ADULT FAMILY
HOME SYSTEM AND SKILLED
NURSING FACILITY SYSTEM AND
MEMORY
CARE SO MANY FAMILIES ARE HAVING
TO FACE AT SOME POINT OR
ANOTHER.
I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT
WE HAVE THIS PRESENTATION TODAY
TO
REALLY BRING THE ISSUES FACING
OUR AGING POPULATION TO
THE FOREFRONT ESPECIALLY AS WE
ARE FACING A NUMBER OF CASCADING
ISSUES AROUND OUR REGION.
AND I JUST WANT TO PUT ONE
QUESTION ON THE TABLE WHICH
IS I KNOW WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT
WE'RE EXCITED
ABOUT. IT WILL BE EXCITING TO
SEE THAT.
BUT CAN YOU SPEAK TO
ANY PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS THAT
ARE FACING FUNDING CHALLENGES OR
UNDER FUNDED RIGHT NOW?
ARE THERE ANY BACKLOGS
HAPPENING?
WE HEAR A LARGE NEEDNEED
MEAL AND FOOD SERVICES FOR
OLDER ADULTS BUT WANT TO
GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY IF YOU WANT
TO EXPAND ON THAT MORE.
>> THANK YOU.
YES, THE SENIOR CENTERS ARE
A GREAT EXAMPLE OF COMBATTING
THE SOCIAL ISOLATION RIGHT AND
THE HUBS THAT SERVE SENIORS IF
THE WAY THAT THEY WANT TO BE
SERVED.
FROM NUTRITION AND VOLUNTEERS.
IF YOU
HAVE NOT BEEN TO A SENIOR
CENTER, PUT ON YOUR TENNIS
SHOES BECAUSE THERE'S DANCING
AND MUSIC AND GREAT ENVIRONMENT
TO
SEE SENIORS THRIVING AS
THEY'RE AGING AS WELL.
WE ALWAYS CAN USE MORE
FUNDING FOR NUTRITION.
RIGHT.
AND THANK YOU.
THERE WAS INVESTMENT OF
250,000 FOR SENIOR NUTRITION
SERVICES, BUT THAT IS AN AREA
WHERE THERE
ARE WAIT- LISTS AND THAT
IS ALWAYS WHERE THE GREATEST
NEED I'VE SEEN EXISTS.
AND WHEN YOU TALK
INTERGENERATIONAL WE PARTNER
WITH YFE INTERNS AND DOING WA
CARES FOCUSING ON NOT JUST
THE PERSON THAT'S PAYING THE
TAX INTO THE FUND THAT WILL BE
ABLE TO ACCESS THE BENEFIT BUT
TO GET
THE IMPACT FROM THE OLDER ADULT
WHO IS USING SOME OF THOSE
BENEFITS RIGHT NOW AND THE
YOUNGER GENERATION INTERNS OF
LIKE HOW WOULD THIS
IMPACT YOUR LIFE IF YOUR PARENT
OR YOUR
AUNT WENT DOWN AND THEY NEEDED
HELP?
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO, YOU
KNOW, DROP OUT OF SCHOOL TO
PROVIDE THAT SERVICE?
I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS
WELL.
I LOVE THE GENERATIONAL
COLLABORATION.
NUTRITIONAL FUNDING.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER AREAS?
>> YEAH.
I THINK THE KEY WORD IS
THAT INTERSECTIONALITY AND
DEPENDENCIES OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING ON THE NATIONAL AND
LOCAL
LEVEL AND HOW IT
IMPACTS ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS AND
SO I LOVE FOR
THE MENTION OF OUR
DEPARTMENT LEANING IN AND
SUPPORTING A
COMMUNITY, OUR YOUTH
INTERNS, THROUGH I THINK IT WAS
THE SEATTLE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
PROGRAM COLLABORATION TO REALLY
ENSURE
THAT, AGAIN, CERTAIN
POPULATIONS HAVE ACCESS TO THE
RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE BUT I
KNOW YOU
KNOW THIS BUT I FEEL STATE THE
OBVIOUS, ANY CHANGES
THAT HAPPENS WITH SNAP,
MEDICAID,
MEDICARE, NOT
AN INCREASE, YOU KNOW, JUST EVEN
THE APPROPRIATE
LEVELS MUCH COLA WHEN WE
HAVE FOLKS ON FIXED NORTH TEXAS
ALL OF THE AFFORDABILITY
ASPECTS PUTS PRESSURE ON THE
SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
REALLY THE QUESTION IS WITH
ALL THESE COMPOUNDING ISSUES ARE
WE
ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF
COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE SEE THEM WE SEE
THEM AT THE FRONT DOOR.
WHILE WE MIGHT NOT BE THE
ONES THAT DISTRIBUTE SNAP, FOR
EXAMPLE, OR, YOU KNOW,
DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN SOME OF
THESE OTHER
AREAS, IT CHANGES THE LINE AND
THE CUE AND THE DEMAND AND
WE HEAR THAT FROM OUR PROVIDERS.
ONLY THING I'LL PENSION IS OF
OUR $27 MILLION
TOTAL INVESTMENTS IN THE
EMERGENCY FOOD SPACE, WE
ALSO HAVE SENIORS GOING TO FOOD
BANKS AND
ACCESSING THOSE
EMERGENCY FEEDINGS BUT THOSE
PROVIDERS
WILL TELL YOU THEY'RE HAVING
INCREASED DEMAND AND JUST
THE COST OF ALL THE THINGS.
IT IS DYNAMIC AND SO IT'S A
COMPLICATED WAY OF SAYING THAT I
THINK THERE WILL NEVER BE
ENOUGH RESOURCES BUT HOW DO WE
MAKE
SURE WE'RE LEVERAGING AND
PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO WHAT THEY
HAVE.
SOMETIMES THE ACCESS AND
NOT KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE.
THAT'S WHY I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE CASE
MANAGEMENT SERVICES, THE SENIOR
CENTERS AND ALL
OF THESE TOUCH POINTS TO MAKE
SURE
PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IS CURRENTLY
AVAILABLE.
>> I WILL HIGHLIGHT ADDITIONAL
FUNDING, YOU KNOW, THANK
YOU AGAIN FOR THE ADDITIONAL
FUNDING FOR SENIOR CENTERS AND
THAT IS
ONE- TIME FUNDING AND WE
ARE LOOKING AT AND WE ARE GOING
TO
ADD IN 2027 .
FIVE NEW AGENCIES ARE
COMING IN TO THE SENIOR CENTER
FUNDING.
THAT WILL BE AN AREA WE
CAN FIGURE OUT WAYS FOR
ADDITIONAL
SUPPORT.
IS THE SENIOR
CENTERS.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU
AGAIN.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
AND WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO
OUR THIRD AND FINAL ITEM
BUSINESS.
WILL THE CLERK READ ITEM 3 INTO
THE RECORD.
>> ITEM 3 RESOLUTION
IDENTIFYING THE OPPORTUNITY TO
DEVELOP A
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION
HUB ADJACENT TO WEST SIDE
PARK CREATING A VISION FOR HOW
THIS
HUB WILL INTEGRATE WITH
THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS
AND
FUNCTIONALITY, SAFETY AND
URBAN COMPATIBILITY ALONG WITH
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
FOR PUBLIC PROJECTS PLANNED FOR
THE AREAS ADJACENT
TO WEST LAKE PARK BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR COLLEAGUES FROM THE
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ARE JOINING US.
THANK YOU FOR HANGING IN THERE.
AS YOU GET SETTLED IN
INTRODUCE YOURSELF STATING YOUR
NAME AND
POSITION INTO THE MICROPHONE FOR
THE RECORD.
THANK YOU.
>> INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR THE
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
>> I'M WITH THE SEATTLE --
AND CHAIR OF THE
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE BOARD AND
CO-CHAIR AT THE CIVIC
COMMITTEE.
>> I FEEL ZOOM OUT AND
REWIND THE TAPE ON WHAT THIS
RESOLUTION IS A LARGER PIECE OF.
AND SO ONE OF THE
MAJOR INITIATIVES THAT OED HAS
WORKED ON IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
OTHER DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING
OPCD, SEATTLE CENTER, S
DOT, WATERFRONT AND PARKS AND
ARTS THE DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION
PLAN AND
A MULTIYEAR INITIATIVE
THAT IDENTIFIED A SET OF SHORT-
TERM ACTIONS PUT THE CITY COULD
TAKE TO BOTH REVITALIZE AND
BROADEN
WHO DOWNTOWN IS FOR COMING
OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND ALSO IDENTIFY LONG- TERM
ACTIONS.
AND SO DOWNTOWN AND FOR SOME
OF THESE STATS THAT I'LL
GIVE, DOWNTOWN AS DEFINED BY
OPCD
IN THE PLAN.
IN ADDITION TO BEING A JOB
CENTER, HOSTING 30% OF THE JOBS
FOR THE -- ALMOST 30% OF
ALL JOBS IN THE CITY, WE'VE
SEEN
HOUSING GROW BY OVER 35% SINCE
2015.
IT'S HOME TO MANY
INSTITUTIONS FOR ARTS, CULTURE,
SPORTS AND
ENTERTAINMENT.
HISTORIC DISTRICTS LIKE PIONEER
SQUARE AND PIKE PLACE MARKET
ANDAND
GROUND FLOOR EXPERIENCE
WITH POTENTIAL AND EXCITING
TO SEE MORE SMALL
BUSINESSES CHOOSE DOWNTOWN IT
LOCATE IN.
ESPECIALLY WITH THE OPENING
OF WATERFRONT PARK WE'VE
SEEN DOWNTOWN EVOLVE INTO MORE
OF TRULY A SUNDAY TO
SUNDAY LOCATION IN OUR CITY.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT COMMUTING
IN FOR WORK BUT WHERE
LOCALS INCLUDING YOUNG PEOPLE
AND FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING
MORE THAT DOWNTOWN HAS TO OFFER.
THE DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION
PLAN IDENTIFIED LONGER RANGE
IDEAS
IN ADDITION TO THE SHORT- TERM
ACTIONS.
MANY REQUIRE BROADER
PARTNERSHIP AND ONE OF THOSE IS
THE POSSIBILITY THAT WEST LAKE
HOLDS
KIND OF THE HEART OF THE CITY. I
WILL ADVANCE TO SHOW THE
AREA WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT. THIS IS AN AERIAL
SNAPSHOTSNAPSHOT OF AREA
TODAY. TWO BLOCKS OR THE BLOCK
THAT HAS
THE PARK AS WELL AS THE BLOCK
NORTH THAT CURRENTLY HAS
THE MALL AND SOME OTHER
BUILDINGS
ON IT.
AND THERE'S ACTUALLY
PRETTY EXCITING THINGS AS YOU
KNOW PLANNED FOR THAT AREA.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE PARK
RENOVATION, PHASE ONE OF
WHICH ARE UNDER WAY RIGHT NOW
AND
ARE GOING TO WRAP UP LATER THIS
YEAR, WE ALSO HAVE
UPDATES TO THE MONORAIL COMING,
WEST
LAKE SERVES AS THAT DOWNTOWN
FRONT DOOR TO SEATTLE CENTER AND
THEN WEST LAKE EXPANSION TO
SUPPORT THE BALLARD LINK
EXTENSION
IS PLAN TO BE SITED THERE.
WE HAVE THREE OVERLAPPING
PLUCK PROJECTS OPERATING ON
DIFFERENT
TIMELINES AND IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN REALLY EASY FOR EACH OF
THESE PROJECTS TO PROCEED AT
THEIR OWN
PACE AND NOT REALLY TALK TO EACH
OTHER, BUT WHAT WE SAW AT
THE CITY WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
KNIT THEM TOGETHER IN A WAY AS
THEY
EACH PROCEED ON THEIR OWN TRACK
AND DIFFERENT ACTORS WE DON'T
CONTROL ALL, BUT WE DO SEE
ALL OF THIS ADDING UP TO A
UNIQUE
CONFLUENCE OF A TRANSIT HUB
THAT INTERSECTS AT A GATHERING
PLACE AND RETAIL CENTER.
AND LAST YEAR THE CITY WITH OED
AND FACILITATOR ROLE CONVENED
A COMMITTEE WE TASKED
WITH RECOMMENDING A VISION
CONCEPT FOR THAT TWO BLOCK AREA
THAT
COORDINATES THE THREE
PROJECTS AND GIVES DIRECTION
WITHOUT BEING OVERBEARING OR
GETTING
IN FRONT OF -- YET TO BE
MADE AS WELL AS A FRAMEWORK
FOR COORDINATING THE
PROJECTS UNDERSTANDING WE DON'T
CONTROL ALL OF THE PROJECTS
INCLUDING HOW THE COORDINATED
TOTAL WILL
LOOK. IN THESE I DON'T HAVE
RENDERINGS BECAUSE WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE
THESE ARE GUIDELINES BUT
NOT REALLY PRESCRIPTIVE
ABOUT SPECIFICALLY THE BUILDINGS
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MUST LOOK
LIKE THIS OR THAT.
[ INAUDIBLE ] SO I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK THE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE WHO WE
CONVENED LAST YEAR MET FOUR
TIMES OVER
THE COURSE OF THE YEAR
INCLUDING COMMITTEE CO- CHAIR
WHO IS
HERE WITH ME TODAY AND I WOULD
LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU
TO MY COLLEAGUE WHO STAFFED
THE CIVIC COMMITTEE ALONG WITH
ME
AND OUR FORMER DIRECTOR AND
DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF KEEPING
THE COMMITTEE MOVING.
SO AS THE COMMITTEE MET THE
WORK WAS INFORMED BY INTERVIEWS
WITH
OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AND
CROSS SECTION OF OTHER FOLKS
INCLUDING
RESIDENTS, CIVIC
LEADERSHIP, DISTRICT
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE,
AND WE ALSO TOOK
INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THERE'S
OTHER
DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS OPCD
THAT HAVE ALSO DONE SOME WORK IN
THE AREA AND WEST LAKE PARK, IF
YOU'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT THE OPCD
PLAN, WEST LAKE IS ONE OF
THE BIG AREA PROJECTS THAT HAVE
BEEN IDENTIFIED AND WE THINK ALL
OF THIS FEELS VERY CONSISTENT
WITHWITH OUTREACH THAT THE CITY
HAS DONE IN GENERAL LEADING UP
TO THIS POINT AS WELL AS
THE THINKING THAT THE
CIVIC COMMITTEE DID AS WELL.
SO AS A CIVIC COMMITTEE GOT
TO WORK ONE OF THE THINGS VERY
MUCH
ON THEIR MIND WAS NOT
JUST WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE
TWO
BLOCK AREA BUT ALSO THE
POTENTIAL THAT
WEST LAKE REALLY HOLDS AS A
GATEWAY TO SO MANY OTHER
ICONIC SORRY -- OVERUSED WORD --
SOME OF THE BIG ATTRACTIONS THAT
AREARE DOWNTOWN.
WHETHER THE WATERFRONT,
PIKE PLACE MARKET, SEATTLE
CENTER OUR
CONVENTION CENTER, REALLY IT
IS A JUMPING OFF POINT FOR SO
MANY ADDITIONAL THINGS IN
ADDITION
TO HOLDING ATTRACTION ON IT'S
OWN.
I WILL LET MARI
JUMP IN.
>> THANK YOU.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PRESENT.
AS ALICIA SAID, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR GREAT WORK AND
PARTNERSHIP ON THIS, WE PUT THE
COMMITTEE TOGETHER COMPRISED OF
PEOPLE AND
ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE BOTH
VERY INVESTED IN AND HIGHLY
IMPACTED
BY EVERYTHING GOING ON AT
WEST LAKE AND I THINK I WAS
ASKED
TO CO-CHAIR THIS COMMITTEE
BECAUSE OF MY ROLE AT THE
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION AND
TALK ALL THE TIME ABOUT
DOWNTOWN,
THE EVOLVING ROLE OF
DOWNTOWN, HOW WE CONTINUE TO
ENSURE IT'S A
WELCOMING AND VIBRANT PLACE INTO
THE FUTURE AND WESTLAKE IS A
CRITICAL PART OF THAT.
IT WAS ONCE SORT OF THE HEART
OF BOTH PEDESTRIAN
ACTION AS WELL AS GROUND FLOOR
RETAIL AND
AN ECONOMIC ENGINE AND IT'S
GOTTENGOTTEN AND IN NEED OF A
LOT OF
RETHINKING.
THERE'S A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY HERE, AND I APPLAUD
THE CITY FOR
GETTING AHEAD OF IT TO THINK OF
THESE THREE PROJECTS ON
THREE TIMELINES RUN BY THREE
AUTHORITIES OF HOW WE CAN
CREATE NOT PRESCRIPTIVE RULE
MAKING BUT
COHESIVE GUIDELINES SO
THAT EVERYONE CAN BE WORKING
WITH
THE SAME GENERAL -- IN THE SAME
GENERAL DIRECTION AS WE
TALKED AND YOU SAW WHO WAS ON
THE
COMMITTEE SO YOU CAN IMAGINE
WE HAD LIVELY CONVERSATIONS,
WE FOUND THAT WE WERE TALKING
KIND OF IN PARALLEL TRACKS,
BUT DIFFERENT FOCUS AREAS.
WE HAD THE ONE
CONVERSATION WHICH WE'LL GET TO
IN A SECOND
ABOUT THE ACTUAL
VISIONARY DESIGN SEATTLE
SPECIFIC HOW
TO MAKE THIS SUPER
COOL CONVERSATION BUT THEN
KEPT COMING BACK TO NONE OF THAT
IS GOING TO WORK IF WE DON'T
HAVE CERTAIN THINGS IN PLACE.
WE WANTED TO ACTUALLY PUT
THESE ON PAPER.
THESE ARE ALL CONCEPTS
I'M SURE EVERYONE HERE IS
FAMILIAR WITH.
A HUGE FOCUS ON THIS HAS TO BE
SAFE, CLEAN, THIS HAS TO BE
WELCOMING.
A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
EMPLOYEES AND RESIDENTS WHO
USE THIS TO GET TO AND FROM WORK
AND
THE EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE
WHICH IS CHALLENGING.
WE WANT IT TO -- WE WANT TO
RESTORE THIS AREA AS AN
ECONOMIC DRIVER AND HELP ENLIVEN
GROUND FLOOR RETAIL, SMALL
BUSINESS, LOCALLY OWNED
BUSINESSES AND
REALLY HIGHLIGHT ALL THAT
SEATTLE HAS TO OFFER AND
AS ALICIA MENTIONED DOWNTOWN
HAS CHANGED AND MORE PEOPLE
LIVING
DOWNTOWN THAN EVER BEFORE.
TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AS A
NEW HUB OF AN URBAN
NEIGHBORHOOD WITH
FAMILIES. THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS
IS MORE OF
THE DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND
WE LOOKED TO THE WATERFRONT AS A
TEMPLATE.
THE WATERFRONT HAD I THINK
FIVE OR SIX DESIGN PRINCIPLES
AND
WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY
SAID, THEY'RE SORT OF SPECIFIC
BUT
NOT TOO SPECIFIC.
LOOKING AT THOSE I NEVER WOULD
HAVE ENVISIONED THE
WATERFRONT AS IT IS, BUT SEEING
THE WATERFRONT I SEE
THOSE PRINCIPLES EMBEDDED IN IT
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ASPIRE TO DO
HERE. THESE ARE MEANT TO SPARK
IDEAS RATHER THAN REDISTRICT
THEM.
WHEN THE DESIGNERS AND
THE ARCHITECTS AND CREATORS TAKE
A
LOOK AT THIS AND TURN IT
INTO SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.
WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
WHAT'S UNIQUE AND EXTRAORDINARY
ABOUT
SEATTLE.
IT'S OUR NATURE, OUR NATURAL
BEAUTY.
OUR INNOVATIVE SPIRIT, OUR
DIVERSITY, HERITAGE, AND THEN
USING TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
AND ART TO BRING THESE THINGS TO
LIFE AS ALICIA SAID, IT IS
A GATEWAY AND THE HEART
OF DOWNTOWN AND IT'S WE WANT
PEOPLE
TO BE THERE AND SPEND TIME
IF WE HAVE 70,000 PEOPLE GOING
THROUGH WE WANT TO HELP PEOPLE
GET TO WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO
GO.
THE PLACES LIKE THE
WATERFRONT, THE CONVENTION
CENTER,
SEATTLE CENTER AND OTHER PLACES.
AND THEN STRESSING THE
SEAMLESS CONNECTED NATURE OF
THIS.
YOU HAVE THREE PROJECTS GOING
ON.
YOU HAVE 70,000 PEOPLE
COMING THROUGH THE SPACE.
WE HAVE TO THINK VERY
INTENTIONALLY ABOUT HOW WE
DESIGN THIS AS A MULTIMODEL HUB.
>> GREAT.
THAT'S IT FOR OUR SLIDES.
WE'RE HAPPY TO
TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION TODAY.
COLLEAGUES, QUESTIONS?
COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THIS IS A GREAT PRESENTATION.
I REALLY VALUE IT.
IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THE
GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND THE WORK
YOU ALL
HAVE DONE TOGETHER AS A GROUP.
I WANTED TO JUST ASK
QUICKLY, ONE OF THE PRINCIPLES
SORT
OF TALKS ABOUT CELEBRATING
AND REPRESENTING THE CITY'S
DIVERSE
CULTURE AND HERITAGE INNOVATIVE
SPIRIT, ET CETERA.
I WONDER IF YOU CAN SPEAK
MORE, IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC
THINGS YOU
TALKED ABOUT AROUND MAKING SURE
PROJECTS BENEFIT LOCAL
ARTISTS OR ENSURE THAT PROJECTS
ARE AUTHENTIC AND
REPRESENTATIVE.
WE WERE HAVING A
CONVERSATION AND I KNOW
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
IS HERE AROUND THE NEED TO
MAKE SURE WHEN INSTALLING
ART ESPECIALLY THAT
REPRESENTS TRIBES OR NATIVE
FOLKS WE
ARE MAKING SURE THAT
ART IS
AUTHENTIC AND SPEAK ABOUT THOSE
DETAILS.
>> YEAH.
GO AHEAD.
>> I CAN START.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT.
WE TALKED
ABOUT THAT SPECIFICALLY AND
DECIDED NOT
TO INCLUDE IT HERE JUST BECAUSE
IT
WAS A LITTLE MORE GRANULAR.
ABSOLUTELY.
I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS
OF HOW THE WATERFRONT WENT
ABOUT IT, BUT I KNOW ABOUT THE
DETAILS
INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY
SO CLEARLY THAT WOULD BE A
PRIORITY
BOTH THROUGH ART BUT THEN
INPUT, MAKING SURE WE HAVE
REPRESENTATION FROM THE DIVERSE
COMMUNITY THAT MAKES UP OUR
CITY. BUT NOT JUST THE
INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY.
THERE'S MANY OTHER
COMMUNITIES THAT OVER THE YEARS
HAVE HAD
A BIG IMPRINT IN THIS COMMUNITY
AND WE WANT TO UTILIZE AND
UPLIFT AND TELL STORIES
THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TOLD BEFORE.
>> THANK
YOU.
>>
100%.
>>
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> THANK YOU.
I'LL BE SUPER QUICK.
I MIGHT HAVE MISSED
THIS. YOU KNOW, WESTLAKE PARK
HAS
BEEN A PLACE WE HAVE ADVOCACY AS
A
STAGE, WHERE PEOPLE COME
AND THEY ADVOCATE ON ISSUES
WHICH I THINK IS PHENOMENAL.
WHEN WE'RE BUILDING OUT AND
THE PROMPT JUST WANTING TO
PROTECT THAT AS WELL, WE'RE
GOING
TO CELEBRATE THE CITY FOR
THE VISITORS, BUT IT'S ALWAYS
BEEN
A HUB TRADITIONALLY OF
THE ADVOCACY SPACE WITH THE
STAGE AND FOLKS TO GATHER, YOU
KNOW, WHICH EVER CAUSE PEOPLE
ARE COMING TO.
YOU MIGHT HAVE SAID IT AND
I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT.
I WANTED TO FLAG THAT.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT THAT CAME
UP IN THE COMMITTEE
DISCUSSIONS AND I THINK SOME OF
THOSE
INITIAL RENOVATIONS TO THE PARK
IN PARTICULAR ARE DESIGNED I
THINK TO FACILITATE MORE OF
THAT GATHERING RATHER THAN
HAVING
A PART BISECTED IN AA OF
WAYS.
ONE OTHER CONSIDERATION THAT
THE COMMITTEE THOUGHT ABOUT
IS ESPECIALLY WITH THE LIGHT
RAIL STATION COMING IN, HOW THEN
THE
SPACE HOSTS I THINK THE ESTIMATE
WE HEARD IT WAS 70,000
PEOPLE COMING THROUGH EVERY DAY
AND
THAT SPEAKS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF
ESPECIALLY LIKE THAT CIVIC
GATHERING AREA BEING ONE
THAT CAN SUPPORT BOTH LIKE
MORE STATIC GATHERINGS AND
THEN FACILITATE PEOPLE MOVING
ACROSS
EASILY.
I THINK ALL OF THIS IS
DESIGNED TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING
ALL
OF THAT RICH
HISTORY.
>> ANY FOLLOW- UP, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> NO.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>> I CERTAINLY CAN
APPRECIATE ANY EFFORT TO TRY AND
COORDINATE AROUND THE LARGE
CIVIC PROJECTS SO CAN APPRECIATE
THE
EFFORTS HERE TRYING TO PUT
TOGETHER THAT
KIND OF ORGANIZATION ESPECIALLY
IN A RESOLUTION.
THANK YOU FOR THIS
INITIAL BRIEFING AND WE'LL
CONTINUE DISCUSSION ON THIS
RESOLUTION AND I KNOW THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE
HAS BEEN WORKING ON, AND HE
COULDN'T JOIN
US IN COMMITTEE TODAY BUT WOULD
LIKE TO ENSURE HE'S
CONNECTED AND REPRESENTED
IN COMMITTEE IN FUTURE
DISCUSSIONS.
THANK YOU FOR BRIEFING US TODAY
ON IT AND MORE TO COME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
SUPPORT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
WE HAVE REACHED THE END
OF TODAY'S AGENDA.
IS THERE ANYTHING FOR GOOD OF
THE ORDER?
HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS
TO COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE WE
ARE
ADJOURNED.
IT IS
11