Select Budget Committee Session II 10/29/25

Good afternoon.

The Select Budget Committee meeting will come to order.

It is 1.45 p.m.

on the council clock.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

And council president is excused until she returns.

Council Member Sacca.

Here.

Council Member Solomon.

Here.

Council Member Hollingsworth.

Council Member Juarez.

Council Member Kettle.

Here.

Council President Nelson.

Council Member Rink.

Present.

Council Member Duvada.

Council Member Hollingsworth.

Present.

and Chair Strauss.

Present.

Six present.

Thank you.

We come back together this afternoon.

We have Seattle Parks and Recreation and as the agenda was amended, we will also have Department of Office of Economic Development as well as Human Services Department this afternoon.

With no further ado, we will turn it back to central staff to begin us with, we are in Seattle Parks and Recreation, SPR 1.

Council Central Staff, SPR1 would increase appropriations to Seattle Parks and Recreation by $250,000 one time for a contract with a community-based organization such as Uplift Northwest for graffiti abatement services.

This item is sponsored by Council President Nelson and is co-sponsored by Council Members Saka and Kettle.

Thank you.

As Council President is excused at the moment, we will come back to this item.

when she returns, SPR 1.

SPR 2 would increase appropriations to SPR by 50,000 one time for improvements at Seven Hills Park and would also impose a proviso to restrict the use of funds for this intended purpose.

This funding is intended for park renovations, including installation of additional fencing and other improvements to address the damage in recent years.

This park is currently closed.

This item is sponsored by Councilmember Hollingsworth and is co-sponsored by Councilmembers Juarez and Rink.

Thank you.

Councilmember Hollingsworth is chair of the committee or is sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you Mr. Chair and thank you Councilmember Juarez and Councilmember Rink.

for your co-sponsorship.

Seven Hills Park is currently closed and this, for ongoing public safety concerns, 50K is a small pot of funding that will make a big difference for the park to do some mitigation and to potentially extend some of the pee patch and grass mitigation or grass restoration as well.

the park is surrounded by a ton of homes and is used very frequently and often from a lot of folks and so the parks is also doing a lot of community engagement on this to find out what people want as well so we're looking forward to working with them and thank you colleagues.

Thank you Councilmember Hollingsworth colleagues comments questions discussion.

Seeing no further discussion, colleagues, if you would like to co-sponsor SPR 2, please raise your hand at this time.

We have Council Member Sokka adding his name to SPR 2. Thank you, and my apologies with things going so rapidly, Councilmember Kettle is prepared to speak to Councilmember Nelson's SPR1.

Karina has already read it into the record about abatement, graffiti services provided by an organization like Uplift Northwest.

Councilmember Kettle, you were recognized to address SPR1.

Thank you, Chair Strauss.

Yes, on behalf of Council President Nelson, the sponsored amendment, she had passed me her notes, her remarks related to this.

I'll just read them.

Seattle Parks and Recreation currently funds Uplift Northwest to operate three graffiti teams to remove graffiti from property across the city through the graffiti abatement program.

This valuable service helps small businesses, nonprofits, and other community groups who would otherwise not be able to pay for the removal of graffiti on their own.

$250,000 would allow Uplift Northwest to get a full fourth team going around the city cleaning up what the city crews cannot do.

As we look at the historic investment proposed by the mayor's budget for graffiti remediation, we ought to recognize that there's more than just public property impacted and resources should also be increased for this valuable community work.

The teams will receive comprehensive training and curriculum and be dispatched by the City of Seattle and other community partners to identify and debate graffiti on private property.

So, colleagues, this is a way to further our goals in terms of graffiti remediation, but also do it through a nonprofit that takes individuals who are in difficult circumstances, gives them the training of life services across the board, and then the dignity of work through their jobs programs, of which this is one of them.

And so this is actually an investment that says graffiti, but it's really more than that.

and I ask for your support for this amendment myself, but also on behalf of Council President.

So thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Council Member Rivera, I see you have a hand.

Yes, I just wanted to uplift the part about this is a Uplift Northwest is a training program that's really critical for folks who are trying to get into a place in their lives where they can have a job and get their lives on track.

And so it's beyond the graffiti part.

It's almost like secondary because it's really a jobs training program.

and because of that, I am very supportive and have always been supportive of the work of Uplift Northwest and wanted to just raise that up because here's a great program doing really great work to help people in our city be able to train for jobs and get an opportunity beyond this program and setting folks up for success in our city.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Rivera.

Other comments, questions, discussion on parks SPR 1?

Seeing no additional discussion, are there, if you would like to co-sponsor SPR 1, please raise your hand at this time.

Council Member Rivera co-sponsoring SPR 1. Council Member Rivera.

Thank you, we'll now move on to SPR 3.

SPR 3 would increase appropriations to SPR by $250,000 one time to support BIPOC youth sports programs.

The funding is intended to support partnerships with community organizations such as Rise Above the Future and Rejoice Academy, as well as to increase resources for SPR's Hope for Youth grants program.

It is sponsored by Councilmember Hollingsworth and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Saka and Juarez.

Thank you.

Councilmember Hollingsworth is sponsoring the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Central Staff.

Thank you, Councilmember Juarez and Saka for your co-sponsorship.

I know colleagues, I know from personal experience how much growing up in sports has helped shape my life through community, being connected, having self-confidence, and also just having a positive space for kids.

And it also provided me and my peers with opportunities to build the kind of skills that sports can help develop as well.

And it's critical that our youth in different areas all throughout the city have access to opportunities that are rooted in community and can see themselves in different programming.

And the ones that were listed are phenomenal programs that do really, really great work in our community and it's not based in one zip code.

I think this is really important.

I can tell you about all the different camps that have been produced all throughout the city and it touches everyone's district.

So it's not just in one district that these camps and these development skills and these life skills, especially for kids today is incredibly important and would love your support.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Colleagues, discussion?

Questions?

Comments?

Council Member Kettle.

Thank you, Chair Strauss.

I was just writing a note to this.

I just wanted to highlight an angle on this, which is really important.

And it's a little bit of an aside, but I think it's important to say because I don't think most people realize that the federal actions that are being taken right now as it relates to Title IX, for example, but also Title VI and Section 504 disability, it's decimating what's happening across our city to the point that the Civil Rights Bill from 64 has basically been said to me, it's like a piece of paper on the table with respect to the administration, because that's what it is.

It's just a piece of paper sitting on the table.

And the Title IX piece is such a strong piece.

And these youth programs, particularly for girls, are so important.

And it's being subjugated, it's being hurt by the actions of the federal government.

And I know this is a little bit separate.

but everything gets tied in and the ripples that come out of D.C.

build up by the time they get to the West Coast and I think it's really important to look to support these youth programs in the cases I've mentioned with Title IX for girls, young girls, young women.

because at the end of the day, that investment and those young girls and young women will pay off in a situation where they'll be able to lead their lives to their fullest.

So a little bit of an aside, but I just felt the need to add that because of what we're seeing at the federal level as it relates to Title IX particularly, but also Title VI and 504. both at DOJ, Department of Education, and elsewhere in the federal government.

So thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Kettle.

Colleagues, other discussion?

SPR 3. If you'd like to co-sponsor SPR 3, please raise your hand at this time.

I have co-sponsoring SPR 3, Councilmember Kettle, Rink, Rivera, Solomon.

Councilmembers, Kettle, Rink, Rivera, Solomon.

Thank you.

We'll move on to SPR 5.

SPR5 would increase appropriations to SPR by 150,000 one time for capital costs necessary to complete the Garfield Superblock.

In the 2025 adopted budget, SPR received additional funding due to a council budget action for a variety of projects and the CBA is intended to fill the funding gap that is necessary to complete them.

This item is sponsored by Council Member Hollingsworth and is co-sponsored by Council Members Saka and Strauss.

Thank you, my favorite super block.

Council Member Hollingsworth has sponsored the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I do wanna publicly say and thank you for all your support that you have given the super block throughout the years as well.

So thank you, you've done a great job and I appreciate you and I'm glad this might be your only super block, so it's your favorite though, yeah.

Okay, but it is.

But no, really, definitely want to thank you, because you have been a true champion for Garfield Superblock.

Colleagues, thank you, Saka and Councilmember Strauss for your co-sponsorship.

You all might remember the Garfield Superblock project.

has been a big priority and just wanna thank all the council for their support.

This is the last piece to this.

As construction costs continue to go up in our city and projects get pushed back, the 150,000 is to close the gap they have with the ongoing project plans to complete this.

I couldn't be more proud of the work that has been done and a lot of the funding that they've raised in other areas from the state, from the federal government and from the county, just all different places.

And this is the last piece to the puzzle to make sure that the project is all funded and they can continue the construction.

So thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Hollingsworth.

Colleagues, discussion, questions?

It's a super program.

Seeing no further discussion, if you'd like to co-sponsor SPR5, please raise your hand at this time.

I'm seeing Councilmembers Solomon and Rink co-sponsoring SPR5.

Councilmember Solomon and Rink.

Thank you.

Moving on to SPR 6. Yes, 6S.

SPR 6 is a statement of legislative intent that would request Seattle Parks and Recreation to report on the potential cost timeline and funding sources for rebuilding historic Camp Long Lodge that closed in November of last year due to significant fire damage.

And then the report also would request how this project would align with the department's funding priorities for the Seattle Park District Cycle 3 funding plan, which would be for 2029 through 2034. This report would be due in September of next year, and this item is sponsored by Councilmember Saka and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Hollingsworth and Nelson.

Thank you.

Councilmember Saka, you are recognized as a sponsor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Camp Long is one of Seattle's most historic and beloved park facilities, which has served generations of Seattleites.

Indeed it is truly a community treasure and it's not just selfishly a treasure for us in District 1 and more specifically West Seattle.

People across our terrific city have come to Camp Long over again many generations and enjoyed the benefits that it offers.

It's a hub for outdoor education, environmental learning, and has welcomed school field trips from across our region.

As was noted, tragically in November of 2024, roughly a year ago, Camp Long was damaged in a suspected arson fire, forcing its immediate closure and leaving a major gap in our city's outdoor education network.

Parks has allocated $2.6 million in insurance proceeds in the near term to stabilize the structure and began pre-design and planning work.

However, those funds will only cover the initial phases of the work required, not the full design or the full rebuild, full rebuild.

So this slide, asks for more information.

It asks more specifically that our parks provide a comprehensive report on the costs, timeline and potential funding sources and indicate with specificity how it will be prioritized in the Seattle Park District Cycle 3 funding plan beginning in 2029. The legislative intent with this proposal is crystal clear.

Camp Long should not sit vacant for the better part of a decade or more.

We need to rebuild and restore this community treasure in a timely manner while preserving its historic character.

We also need to build back better.

And that's what this proposal would put us in a better position to do.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Saka.

Colleagues, discussion.

Questions?

Seeing no further discussion or questions, if you would like to co-sponsor SPR 6, please raise your hand at this time.

God, will you look down here?

I have council member Juarez, Rink and Rivera co-sponsoring SPR 6.

Council members Juarez, Rink and Rivera.

Thank you.

Moving on to RS SPR 7.

SPR 7 would increase appropriations to Seattle Parks and Recreation by $1 million one time for improvements at Lake Union Park.

Of this amount, $300,000 would be designated for increased maintenance and $700,000 for capital investments.

The CBA intends to supplement the efforts that SPR is making to prepare the park for FIFA World Cup events.

And for those projects that would happen after FIFA, those would enhance the long-term usability of the park.

This item is sponsored by Councilmember Kettle and is co-sponsored by Councilmembers Hollingsworth and Strauss.

Thank you.

Councilmember Kettle is sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you Chair Strauss and thank you for being a co-sponsor on this amendment with your knowledge of the area and those involved with the program.

and separately also thank you Council Member Hollingsworth for your support in engaging and meeting with community at Lake Union Park.

Lake Union Park is a very large park but it's been a park that's been neglected over the years.

It's very diverse, it's got different pieces to it because of the Lake Union itself.

You have the Northwest Historic Ships, you have the Mohai, you have various Lake Union activities that play off the park, and sadly it's in need.

And not just for the World Cup, you know, the increased maintenance and then also as noted the major maintenance and asset management capital improvement program investments as well.

And this is to, again, to bring it up from where it should be because it's been neglected and really enhanced the long-term usability of the park.

As I noted, in some ways it's like a slough.

It's got these complex pieces to it, broad walk repairs, boat pond improvements, there's resurfacing areas for informal play, and then also formalized courts.

It's a complex piece, but it's also a great asset for our city, particularly because of its size.

And so I ask for your support.

for the long term, but in addition to, as noted, and thank you for the summary, for the FIFA World Cup, but it is a main part of the activities.

This is not a general FIFA World Cup piece.

It is listed as part of the support to our efforts with the World Cup coming up in a very short period of time.

So, colleagues, I ask for your support for this amendment, so thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Kettle.

Colleagues, discussion?

I can say that having been down there a number of times, the amount of geese can oftentimes cause an unexpected and unintentional outcome.

Fun fact about that, one way to prevent geese from landing on the park is to plant more trees.

Trees are the solution.

Councilmember Kettle.

And Longgrass.

That goes to the complexity of this park.

But yes, very good point.

I didn't want to really delve into that, but if you go there and slip, you'll understand what you're talking about.

Thank you.

Colleagues, further discussion?

Further questions?

If you would like to co-sponsor SPR 7, please raise your hand at this time.

Councilmember Salomon, co-sponsoring SPR 7.

Councilmember Solomon.

Move on to SPR 8, one of my favorites.

SPR 8 would increase appropriations to Seattle Parks and Recreation by 700,000 one time for construction of a skate dot, which is a small skate park, as part of the Morgan Junction Edition Project, and it also would impose a proviso to restrict use of these funds to the intended purpose.

This item is sponsored by Councilmember Saka and is co-sponsored by Councilmembers Rink and Nelson.

Thank you.

Councilmember Saka is sponsoring the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

So the Morgan Junction neighborhood pocket park saga dates back over a decade now, starting originally in 2014 when our city took on the responsibility to build a long-awaited, long-community-demanded park in this specific area of the Morgan Junction.

through I think some valid reasons pertaining to COVID and some other mishaps.

We are at a point now where it's over a decade later and still no construction of a park again that spans back to 2014. and the community is necessarily and understandably upset and concerned and confused around the cycles and the continued protracted delay of opening this soon to be community treasurer.

But maybe the only good news in that decade plus long closure is that over the last three or four years, a new community need emerged.

And that is the need for a skate park My understanding is that our city council in 2007 passed a plan to better adopt and incorporate skate parks throughout our city.

So this would provide funding to build a pocket park or a skate dot park, so a little mini skate park, if you will, within a smaller park in and of itself.

And just what's envisioned here is a vibrant community gathering space on a site that has sent vacant for years, leaving neighbors, again, frustrated, youth without nearby recreational space and the like.

So this CBA would provide $700,000 in one-time funding to parks to construct this skate dock park in connection with the broader Morgan Junction Park Edition project.

Again, that began back in 2014. And...

I want to thank Councilmembers Rink and Nelson for your leadership and partnership in supporting this.

And colleagues, it would be honored if you all join me in supporting parks in our communities and especially given the history of this particular project and the saga.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Saka.

Colleagues, discussion?

Questions?

Comments?

I will just say that I am very excited for this project.

And Councilmember Sokka, if you get this done, I'll come and do my only skate trick, which is an Ollie.

At my best.

With that, colleagues, if you would like to co-sponsor SPR 8, please raise your hand at this time.

Councilmember Solomon and Hollingsworth co-sponsoring SPR 8.

Councilmember Solomon and Hollingsworth.

Thank you.

SPR 9.

SPR 9 would impose a proviso on 400,000 in Seattle Park and Recreation's major maintenance and asset management capital improvement program project, and the funds would be limited to expenditure on restroom projects in District 1. This item is sponsored by Council Member Saka and is co-sponsored by Council Members Hollingsworth and Nelson.

Thank you, Council Member Saka to sponsor the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

So colleagues, restroom access in our parks is a basic public service, one that residents, families, visitors routinely rely on as part of their experience in safely enjoying our shared spaces.

Unfortunately, we know that vandalism and damage, graffiti, challenges have made it increasingly difficult in many parks across Seattle, particularly in District 1, which has been hit the hardest by some of our problem, vandalism and graffiti.

According to, in fact, according to the recent City Auditor's report from earlier this year, colleagues, you'll recall that It revealed an opportunity to better address the overall state and cleanliness and maintenance of our parks, restrooms, infrastructure.

Part of that is providing upgrades and hardening the infrastructure to make it more graffiti-proof, more tamper-proof and resistant.

And part of that is more regular cleanings, maintenance, et cetera.

So this, but also as part of that city auditor's finding, we learned that of the top 20 parks across the city that generate the most maintenance work orders, of that top 20% or bottom 20% really, we learned that 40% of those parks are located within council district one.

So given the repeated incidents from broken doors and fires and graffiti, other vandalism activities and challenges, they have left many facilities unusable and forced parks crews to spend increasingly more time and hours and resources to address and make constant repairs.

So this budget action would impose a proviso of 40% of the park's major maintenance and asset management capital program, specifically for projects and upgrades in District 1. This proposal at the end of the day is about equity and accountability and ensuring repair resources are directed where the need is the greatest.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Saka.

Colleagues, discussion, questions, comments?

Seeing no further discussion on the item, if you'd like to co-sponsor SPR 9, please raise your hand at this time.

Seeing no further co-sponsors at this time, we'll move on to SPR 10.

SPR 10 would increase appropriations to Seattle Parks and Recreation by 450,000 one time for studies and community outreach necessary for developing a future portal park at First Avenue and Battery Street.

This item is sponsored by Councilmember Kettle and is co-sponsored by Councilmembers Hollingsworth and Strauss.

Thank you, Karina.

Councilmember Kettle is sponsored.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Vice Chair and colleagues.

This is Portal Park.

It's rather sad, actually.

Belltown has basically no green space.

There's no green park in Belltown.

And it's something that the community really needs.

And we have an opportunity.

We've already started this opportunity with the tearing down of the viaduct.

to use that portal as where the viaduct went into the Battery Street Tunnel to turn that into a park.

And as you see in the mention, you know, there's SDOT, there's City Light, and there's pieces of the property that are coming together that we're working.

And there's also the portal porch, which is basically First Avenue, like an overlook.

But importantly too this is kind of like the the the passage from the waterfront to Seattle Center to other locations you with the work that we're doing on Bell Street right now Which is a side and this is part of the market the Mohai this is about connecting are waterfront to Lake Union.

This is about connecting the waterfront to places in, but ultimately this is about the residents of Belltown having a green space.

And they need some survey work to be done, you know, study work to be done, particularly because it was essentially a brown site with the viaduct.

And this small ask relative to others is about keeping the project moving forward for the residents of Belltown and for District 7. and with that I just wanted to say thank you to all involved and particularly again my colleagues, Council Member Hollingsworth and Chair Strauss for your support of this amendment and I ask colleagues for your support as well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Discussion?

Colleagues?

Questions?

Comments?

I'll just say that in 2019, John Keenow had a worried vision that this area would be fenced and hydro seeded and nothing else would ever happen.

Unfortunately, a version of his vision has come true, his worry I would say, and this funding would help change that to the vision that he and other community members had in 2018, 2019 of a place that you can work, play and engage in on a daily basis.

Colleagues, if you would like to cosponsor SPR 10, please raise your hand now.

Seeing no additional cosponsors, we will move on to SPR 12.

SBR 12 would increase appropriations to Seattle Parks and Recreation by 150,000 one time to develop a restoration plan for Schmitz Preserve Park.

This item is sponsored by Council Member Rink and is co-sponsored by Council Member Saka and Solomon.

Thank you.

Council Member Rink, you are recognized as the sponsor.

Thank you, Chair.

So, colleagues, this CBA would grant one-time seed funding of $150,000 to begin the restoration of Schmitz Park in West Seattle.

The funding would cover feasibility analysis, preliminary design study, and hydrologic, that's a word, new word for me, hydrologic study of the creek basin, climate resilience, and sediment flow with $50,000 coming from three departments, Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle Public Utilities, and Seattle Department of Transportation.

Schmitz Park is Seattle's only remaining old growth forest and one of the few areas where Seattle can move the needle on fish passage for native salmon.

Schmitz Park Restore has been laying the groundwork to get this project off the ground with the lofty long-term goal of turning Schmitz Park into a national park, one of America's greatest treasures.

This park is well loved by West Seattle and local residents have already removed 500 pounds of litter and invasive plants from the park watershed and established partnerships with UW School of Architecture for Future Work.

And I also want to thank my co-sponsors for supporting this, Council Members Hollingsworth and SACA.

Thank you.

Colleagues, discussion?

Questions?

I will just say, I think I'm seeing some conversation about co-sponsorship.

Anything that we need to clarify?

Calvin?

On the forums, we had the co-sponsorships as Council Members Saka and Solomon.

Correct.

My notes are wrong.

I apologize, Council Members Solomon and Saka.

Fair enough.

All that to say, trivia question for the end of budget session this week.

If you can tell me where the only national park in the City of Seattle is, I'll give you a Clif Bar.

Great prize, I know.

With that, colleagues, if you would like to sign on to SPR 12A1, please raise your hand now.

We have Council Member Hollingsworth joining on SPR 12. Spoiler alert, I've already provided clip bars in the green room, so you don't even have to win to get the prize.

With that, SPR 13, please.

SBR 13 would increase appropriations to Seattle Parks and Recreation by 4.8 million one time for two purposes.

Installation of a turf conversion at Rogers Playground and then the design of a turf conversion at West Magnolia Playfield.

The installation of the turf conversion at Rogers Playground would cost $3.8 million and the planning design for the conversion at West Magnolia would cost $1 million.

This item is sponsored by Councilmember Hollingsworth and is co-sponsored by Councilmembers Solomon and Kettle.

Thank you.

Councilmember Hollingsworth is sponsoring the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and colleagues.

Please be warned, every year I'm gonna bring some amendment for turf conversion and whether it fails or not, I'm just gonna always try.

Rogers Playfield is a special because the playfield's dedicated to youth because it's connected to a school and the playground doesn't always have lighting or adequate updates that make it safe and accessible.

The playfield is the same as when I went to school there in 1993. It's also the only playfield in Eastlake community.

We often see Eastlake as a corridor and not a community.

I wish I was in the initial conversations when the J-Line was being formed because I would have advocated for these long overdue improvements when we were thinking about where funding sources were coming for transportation.

I would have advocated for also other improvements for the neighborhood as well.

As the neighborhood right now under J-line construction, 520 bridge, revive I-5 has been a challenge for the community.

Ensuring the outdoor spaces are safe for our kids and youth.

I also want to mention that when you convert to turf, it can be used year round.

It has more usable hours.

It's four times more revenue generating as well.

And also the turf that we do in Seattle are with cork.

It's not with rubber, so it's with cork.

I know there were some people that were concerned it is with cork, just so we all know.

I also wanna thank my co-sponsor Kettle and Solomon.

And this is also, we added, when Council Member Kettles mentioned the need to fund the planning and design of turf conversion to West Magnolia Playfield, I was also happy to combine those efforts in this request.

So thank you.

But it's in Council Member Strauss's dish.

No, it's team at Magnolia is split as a team after, thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth.

The benefit drawback of Magnolia is Council Member Kettle and I work on both sides of the boundaries.

Colleagues, further discussion?

Council Member Juarez.

Thank you.

I want to thank Council Member Hollingsworth.

I will be supporting this because as former Chair of Parks, it isn't just about the turf and I think Council Member Hollingsworth said this, it's about the sports and that's where our kids can go to play sports, both boys and girls, and also that it does raise revenue when you have parks and when they're also being utilized, they're less likely to have campers on them.

So with that, I'll be supporting this.

Thank you.

I'd like to be a co-sponsor if I said that too soon.

Sorry.

I'll come back to you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Saka.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I too wanted to thank Councilmember Hollingsworth for putting this forth.

No apologies needed, Councilmember Hollingsworth, for anything you do proposing, anything pertaining to turf.

I see it, I recognize it, and I appreciate it, and in a moment I'm gonna ask to add my name to it, but I appreciate your leadership on turf.

turfing in our city and the imperative to add more turfing for precisely the reasons that you mentioned and more.

Someone can write an academic paper on the manifold reasons to turf more fields, and especially in the manner that we do it here, in an eco-friendly manner.

But I'll also note, I think it was implicit in some of the comments already, but there's a gender parity issue and gender access and equity issue on these fields when we're talking about certain sports like softball, baseball, for example.

So thank you for bringing this forward.

Again, no apologies needed.

I would love in a moment to add my name as a co-sponsor.

There are some fields in West Seattle in District 1 that we look forward to partnering with you and we're doing that in the next amendment as well, particularly Riverview, but thank you.

Council Member Saka.

Colleagues, further discussion?

I will just note for the record my appreciation to Council Member Hollingsworth and her endeavor to have more fields turfed.

This is the second year in a row that she has funneled money towards District 6 fields because they are of citywide importance and I appreciate that.

Colleagues, any further discussion?

Seeing none, if you would like to co-sponsor this amendment, SPR 13, please raise your hand now.

I see Council Member Juarez, I see Council Member Saka.

Council Member Juarez and Council Member Saka.

Thank you.

We'll move on to SPR 14.

SPR 14S is a statement of legislative intent that would request Seattle Parks and Recreation to report on the cost, timeline, and visibility of full turf conversions for four playfields at three different parks.

One playfield at Judkins Park, two playfields at Riverview Park, and one playfield at Bar S Playground.

This report would be due on August 3rd of next year.

This item is sponsored by Councilmember Hollingsworth and is co-sponsored by Councilmembers Saka and Nelson.

Thank you.

Councilmember Hollingsworth has sponsored the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Councilmember Strauss.

Sorry.

As I mentioned before, the importance of turf conversions for the safety and accessibility for our kids, Jutkins Park is so important to the neighborhood and it's also close to Washington Middle School.

I also, let me stop, I'm sorry.

Let me also thank Council Member Saka and Council President Nelson for their co-sponsorship of this.

My apologies, that's the first thing I should have said.

I also wanna recognize too, Council President Nelson, has been a really big supporter of one of the people that use this park as their home, CD Panthers.

I literally went out there a couple weeks ago on a Sunday and those kids were playing in the mud and they were so muddy.

And one of the parents told me, I'm gonna have to use a whole bunch of tide to get all of the grass stains and mud out of these kids and of their uniform.

And so there's a lot of history with Jenkins Park, including previous planning efforts to turfing.

It's hard because I know that is on a old, a landfill, and so there's drainage issues.

So this is just understanding the feasibility behind that.

Also too, there's a couple parks in Saka's, Council Member Saka's district as well, where we would like that report to.

And then I do want to know if, I'll stop there, but I do have a question regarding amendments and the possibility of adding a park for a study for this.

is that possible to amend later on?

Thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth.

Entering into discussion and questions, I will just ask which parks are you talking about?

So it's gonna be the Will Stacey Field in District Four.

It was a park dedicated to a war hero.

Marine, thank you.

He was a Marine, thank you.

Fantastic, thank you.

Colleagues, further discussion?

Council President.

Thank you very much.

First of all, thank you very much to Council Member Hollingsworth for bringing this forward, and I'm sorry I'm not in a place with really good internet, so my camera's off.

But, you know, I was just, I've learned, we have to get to the bottom of the story, what analysis has already been done about turfing Judkins Park, because I've recently learned that it's possible that there has been already some analysis about the cost to turf Judkins Park, I emailed the crew chief there, DeWright Brooks, earlier this week, but that's probably not the right person to actually get this information from.

My whole point is that, yes, it's the home of CD Panthers, Judkins Playfield, but it's also got a baseball field there, too, and it turns into a swamp whenever there's a little bit of moisture and then there are holes all over the field and, you know, ankle turners.

I want to advance by any means possible the analysis of how much it will cost.

If that number already exists someplace, let's unearth it.

This is also school property, so there has to be some cooperation with Seattle Public Schools, but the need is great, so let's get this done.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Council Member Saka.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I just wanna thank Councilmember Hollingsworth again for your leadership and bringing this forward.

It is my absolute pleasure and honor to be able to co-sponsor it.

I did wanna just take a moment to acknowledge a few of the fields called out in my district, and thank you.

Thank you Councilmember Hollingsworth for accommodating my nitty-gritty language requests and central staff as well on this particular one.

So Riverview was selected because it was, well there's clearly a need for it.

West Seattle Baseball uses that, so does West Seattle Little League.

Those are two youth community baseball and or softball organizations within District 1 that use it.

There's more.

Adult leagues use it.

There are approximately eight fields at Riverview.

Eight fields.

Four peewee-like fields, smaller fields for little kids, littler kids, and then regular softball baseball fields in the upper half.

This is not intended to cover all eight fields, only a subset.

So to keep some of them grass, so the basic idea is to keep some of them grass, because there's benefit in that too.

And also provide turf and deliver turf for the community here.

And then bar S, Little unique there, unlike Riverview, really only one community baseball organization, youth organization, essentially has exclusive rights and access to use that, and that's West Seattle Little League.

There is also a unique feature on that particular field.

It is grass infield, one of the few across our city that my understanding has grass infield.

sort of like major leagues, and so there's obviously benefit of that.

And so I'm less committed, unlike the Riverview.

I think there is clearly an established need there to do something, but I also know that that issue within the West Seattle Little League community isn't fully settled whether they want turf or not.

So that's why this proposal to do one and see what it costs.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Saka.

Further discussion?

Final questions?

If you would like to co-sponsor SPR 14, please raise your hand at this time.

I see Council Member Juarez, Solomon.

I have Council Member Juarez and Solomon co-sponsoring SPR 14.

Council Members Juarez and Solomon.

Thank you.

We're now gonna change into our next agenda item and I actually need to have the clerk read this item into the record.

Office of Economic Development for briefing and discussion.

Thank you.

We've just asked for only economic development at this time to be read in.

Colleagues, between Economic Development and Human Services Department, there are 41 amendments.

We have one hour, one and a half hours.

I'd say let's take our time.

There's no need to rush.

we are going to just stop whenever we get to 4 p.m.

and we've got all day tomorrow minus an hour public comment period at the beginning of the day.

So within economic development we have nine and then within human services department we have 32. So that's the roadmap for the remainder of the afternoon and with no further ado, if you'd like to read in OED 1.

Good afternoon, Council Members.

Once again, my name is Jasmine Marwaja on Council Central Staff.

OED 1A1 is a Council Budget Action that would impose a proviso on $100,000 in the Office of Economic Development for cleaning services in Lake City.

This CBA is sponsored by Council Member Juarez and co-sponsored by Council Members Rink and Council President Nelson.

Thank you.

Council Member Juarez has sponsored the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm going to share some basic facts because The budget amendment next also discusses Lake City Way as well.

So starting with the proviso for $100,000 out of OED for cleaning services in Lake City.

Again, thank you Council President Nelson and Council Member Rink for sitting down with us, going out to Lake City and looking at our community.

I really appreciate that.

So colleagues, I have some basic facts that I want to share first.

Colleagues, the struggles of the Lake City neighborhood have been making headlines over the last few months.

Businesses are closing and there has been violence in the parks, streets, Thornton Creek, Aurora, Greenways, light rail station, etc.

We hear that all the time.

I'm grateful that Mayor Harrell proposed budget.

His proposed budget includes investments in public safety and support for small businesses.

A good example was yesterday this council passed a resolution or ordinance banning anti-competition covenants in places formerly occupied by grocery stores.

This amendment ensures that a portion of those investments that we're working on today are made in Lake City.

Build Lake City Together, the economic development group that supports small businesses led by Director Chris Leverson, has requested the city's support for street ambassadors and cleanup crews in Lake City.

Up until this point, it's been the community going out there.

on their own time, after work, on weekends, cleaning, sweeping, spraying, you name it, we've been doing it.

They're encouraged by the success of the city's investment in expanding these programs to neighborhoods like the Chinatown International District, So, lacking a BIA of our own, that's a business improvement area of its own, Lake City will need support to activate this innovative model.

There is a tremendous group of small business owners dedicated to ensuring a vibrant, safe and economically viable Lake City.

We have first our good friend Annetta at Coffee Clatch.

She's always hosting community gatherings at our coffee shop.

Also we have Spencer at Turntables and Trails, another community partner launched with the Lake City Art Walk every third Thursday.

And we have HES Records, Hellbent Brewery, Turntables Trails, and Elliott Bay Brewery are all hosting music nights and live band performances.

This is just a small example of all the businesses, small businesses, that are working together to make Lake City viable and safe.

So for us, it's vital that we do what we can to support economic development in the business community in Lake City so that it does not become, as you've heard me say before, a ghost town.

So with that, I would ask for the support of my colleagues.

Thank you, Council, or thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Councilmember Juarez.

Colleagues, discussion?

Questions?

Comments?

Thank you Councilmember Warriors for putting this forward.

Colleagues, if you would like to co-sponsor OED-1, please raise your hand at this time.

Councilmember Solomon and Saka adding their name to OED-1.

Councilmember Solomon and Saka.

And Hollingsworth.

Thank you, OED-1, Solomon, Saka, and Hollingsworth.

Moving on to OED-2.

The CBA would impose a proviso of $50,000 in the Office of Economic Development for a business incubator space in Lake City, such as in the space that was previously occupied by the Aurora Renz business.

This CBA is sponsored by Council Member Juarez and co-sponsored by Council Member Rink and Council President Nelson.

Thank you.

Council Member Juarez is the sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Again, I'd like to thank our citywide representatives, Councilmember Rink and Council President Nelson.

Building on the previous amendment, this is a further investment in ensuring a vibrant, safe and economically viable, keep using that word, Lake City.

This amendment would support a business incubator space in Lake City located in a space like the Aurora Rents Building which was recently vacated.

Building Lake City Together has a successful track record with incubator programs.

Previous work helped support the launch, which is now incredibly successful, the Refugee Artisans Initiative.

I know Council Member Rink was there visiting them.

RAI partners with refugee and immigrant women to foster an inclusive, prosperous transition to the U.S. through artesian skills training and micro-business development.

The Executive Director, Ming Ming Tung Edelman, as a really is a powerhouse and working towards RAI's vision of a community that values and invests in refugee and immigrant women as they achieve economic independence.

After two years with the incubator program, RAI purchased a building in Lake City.

A little background on this, way back in the day, myself and Council Member Gonzalez later, Council President Gonzalez, visited and for the very first time, I think in 16 or 17 when they first started out, and I think they had three sewing machines and now I think they're well over 25 women, many sewing machines, they bought the building, they have clients like Starbucks.

I just can't say enough about what Ming Ming has done out there and even though after 2020, when their businesses' windows were being broken and broken into and shattered and the doors broken.

I mean, they still did it.

They still bought the building and they still moved forward in their mission.

That's the kind of community work I love to see.

And when it's successful, it just feels really good.

Two of the recent Seattle Restored Lake City participants supported by OED were able to secure leases and empty storefronts.

And that's AYO, and I'm saying that wrong, it's spelled A-Y-O, collections and blooms and twine are staying in Lake City.

and then the Starbucks that recently closed I understand and I've been driving by we are now going to they're redoing it and hopefully we're going to have a new Mexican restaurant there so those of you who live in your districts and well actually citywide and you drive in your neighborhoods and when you finally see things that were torn up and tagged and destroyed after 2020 it's nice to see our small businesses coming back to life so with that I would seek to support of my colleagues for a mere $50,000 to make sure what's it gonna do to get you in this so we can all feel good about ourselves.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Council Member Juarez.

Well said.

Colleagues, questions, comments, discussion?

I'll just say, Council Member Juarez, I have confirmed with three people that there was, in fact, at Denny's on Lake City Way.

Oh my God, you're still arguing about that.

Anyhow, colleagues, if you'd like to co-sponsor OED 2, please raise your hand at this time.

We've got Council Members Solomon, Saka, and Hollingsworth adding their names to OED 2.

Council Members Solomon, Saka, and Hollingsworth.

Yes, thank you.

OED 3.

OED 3A1, this CBA would increase OED by 200,000 general fund one time to expand the Ballard Ambassador Program to the area around 14th Avenue Northwest to assist with visitor assistance, outreach with unhoused neighbors, and engagement with businesses.

This council budget action is sponsored by Councilmember Strauss and co-sponsored by Councilmember Solomon and Hollingsworth.

Thank you.

As sponsor of the amendment, I will address it to say this amendment will most likely become a statement of legislative intent because we have engaged in a deep dive about the Ambassador Program.

This program is incredibly effective.

It helps case managers find their clients faster, connect people who are either on the margins or in homelessness with services in a more effective means and provide small businesses a person to speak with no matter what the issue is.

That said, to effectively manage the Ambassador Program requires more management than was initially expected.

And before we expand the program, I believe we need to have a full review from OED, Department of Neighborhoods, and the current participants in this program to better understand if we need to right size the original contract amount before we engage in expansion.

Colleagues, questions, comments, discussion?

Seeing none, if you would like to co-sponsor OED 3, please raise your hand at this time.

Adding Council Member Rink to OED 3.

Council Member Rink.

Moving on to OED 4.

OED 4A1, the CBA would increase OED by $300,000 general fund on a one-time basis to support cleaning services in the downtown Ballard Business Corps and in Capitol Hill along the Pike Pine Corridor.

This CBA is sponsored by Council Member Strauss and co-sponsored by Council Member Rink and Council President Nelson.

Thank you.

As sponsor of the amendment, I will address it to say that we, over the last few years in the city, have increased the amount of street cleaning citywide.

This has been an environmental benefit as well as a built environment, our daily experience has improved as well.

I say it improves the environment because anything that gets left or stuck on the ground usually goes into the the lakes or the Puget Sound when there's a heavy rain, and when we're able to clean our streets on a regular basis, those toxins, chemicals, et cetera, are captured by our sewer treatment plant when there's not a heavy rain.

So this is good for a lot of different groups, as well as not only, we didn't just focus this in Ballard, we also focused this in Capitol Hill, Pike Pine Corridor, Out of the $300,000, only $100,000 would be directed to Ballard and $200,000 to the D3 neighborhoods.

Colleagues, questions, comments, discussion?

Seeing no additional discussion, if you would like to co-sponsor OED 4, please raise your hand at this time.

Council Member Hollingsworth adding her name to OED 4.

Council Member Hollingsworth.

Thank you.

Moving on to OED 5.

OED 5A1, the CBA would increase OED by $380,000 general fund ongoing to fund one outreach worker each in Ballard and the University District for outreach to unhoused individuals in the business improvement areas of each neighborhood.

The CBA is sponsored by Council Member Rivera and co-sponsored by Council President Nelson and Council Member Strauss.

Thank you, Council Member Rivera.

Sponsor the amendment, you are recognized.

Thank you, Chair.

Colleagues, this request is coming from my district.

We've all talked about this in the past at some point, I think, or at least many of us who have had issues in our districts, public safety issues, and then issues with folks who are unhoused, downtown.

We've seen a lot of them as movement has happened move uptown and then a lot of these folks need services and they need someone who can do the outreach to work with them to connect them to services.

So this particular effort is to get a person, it really would be reinstatement of a person that the a district partnership had in the U district that would help unhoused individuals connect them to services.

That person got repurposed and now we would like to have that person back in the district to work with.

our unhoused population in the district.

I will say that the U District Partnership, though it's a BIA, they are great neighbors to the residents there as well.

So even though their focus is the small businesses in the area, they work with a lot of the residents too and go beyond just helping the small businesses in the U District.

that is what this is and Ballard of course, Council Member Strauss, Chair Strauss you can talk about Ballard but similar it would be to have a person in Ballard to do the same type of work which is really help connect unhoused neighbors to services there.

So, thank you.

Thank you.

Colleagues, further discussion, questions?

All of this to say is that these positions are tied to a high needs case conferencing program that many of our highest level service providers and our ambassador program all work together to get people the help that they need in a timely fashion.

With that, if you would like to co-sponsor OED 5, please raise your hand at this time.

Council Member Hollingsworth and Council Member Rink adding their names to OED 5 Council Members Hollingsworth and Rink Thank you Moving on to OED 6

OED 6A1.

This CBA would increase OED by $200,000 general fund on a one-time basis to support neighborhood business district organizations that do not anticipate forming a business improvement area in the next year.

This funding must support, at a minimum, an organization in the Georgetown neighborhood business district.

This CBA is sponsored by Councilmember Saka and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Salomon and Juarez.

Thank you.

Councilmember Saka, sponsor the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Colleagues, this CBA would increase the proposed appropriations to the $200,000 general fund one time to help amplify and uplift neighborhood business district and organizations that do not currently anticipate forming a business improvement area in the next year.

So this funding must support, at a minimum, Organizations like in Georgetown, Georgetown neighborhood, business districts, areas, they typically don't receive direct funding, but there are no doubt other such similarly situated business districts and organizations across the city that could benefit from this exciting investment.

OED has worked with six neighborhoods who do not currently anticipate creating or renewing a BIA.

That includes Beacon Hill, Rainier Avenue, South Park, Mount Baker, First Hill, and Aurora.

But OED, my understanding is that OED does intend to review the impacts of those investments and determine next steps for funding in 2026. And this would help bridge the gap and provide direct assistance to those organizations who do not currently anticipate this coming year.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Sokka.

Colleagues, discussion?

Questions?

Comments?

If you'd like to co-sponsor OED 6, that is correct.

We're on OED 6, not 7. Correct.

Great.

Thank you.

If you'd like to co-sponsor OED 6, please raise your hand at this time.

Seeing no additional co-sponsors, we'll move on to OED 7.

OED 7A1, this council budget action would impose a proviso of $250,000 in OED for focused outreach and assistance to businesses facing displacement due to sound transit's impacts.

This council budget action is sponsored by council member Saka and co-sponsored by council members Strauss and Hollingsworth.

Thank you, council member Saka is sponsoring the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The light rail expansion throughout our city is a once-in-a-generation investment in our region, but it also has immediate and serious impacts on people, individuals, communities, and small businesses along the route in the nearest term in West Seattle, North Delridge.

So these are small, independent, community-serving businesses, includes auto shops, cafes, and service providers that have been part of the neighborhood for years.

As Sound Transit moves forward, we must ensure that progress does not come at the expense of local livelihoods.

This proviso directs and targets outreach and direct support and assistance for impacted small businesses facing displacement.

The idea behind this project or this proposed investment is that it would be a pilot.

There's a related budget amendment we'll talk about later that would be ideally more programmatic.

We'll get a report.

But this would be an investment of $250,000 for the North Delridge area with the goal of helping to stabilize and retain affected businesses by providing technical, financial, and relocation assistance Businesses in the path of the project face huge financial gaps between what Sayon Transit reimburses and the actual cost of relocation.

Putting aside the timeliness of those reimbursements, my understanding is most of those payments haven't even come yet, but many of these small impacted businesses, they need to make planning decisions now, including consultants and the like.

and to figure out their next steps.

And while they wait, I don't want them to languish, I want them to be empowered, and that's the thrust of this amendment.

Empowerment for small businesses impacted by sound transit projects, starting first as a pilot in the North Delridge area.

Without additional support, some of these businesses may never reopen.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Socket.

Colleagues discussion?

I feel like I need to have my annunciation game up because I know Council Member Hollingsworth's mother is watching.

With that, I don't see any further discussion.

If you would like to co-sponsor OED7, please raise your hand at this time.

I see council member Solomon and Rink adding their name to OED7.

Council member Solomon and Rink.

Thank you, we'll move on to OED8.

OED 8A1, this CBA would increase OED by $50,000 general fund on a one-time basis to provide additional support for developing a Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area, or BIA, focused on the Pike-Pine Corridor.

OED's 2026 endorsed budget contains $150,000 general fund ongoing to provide support for the Capitol Hill Neighborhood Business District.

and this one-time additional funding is intended to provide additional outreach efforts to conjure up a BIA in its first year of funding.

This CBA is sponsored by Council Member Hollingsworth, Council President Nelson, and Council Member Kettle.

Thank you.

Council Member Hollingsworth is sponsoring the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Council President and Kettle for your co-sponsorship.

I want to note that this funding is in addition to the existing and ongoing general fund towards the BIA support in Capitol Hill.

Capitol Hill joined, connected also to First Hill is what I consider the economic engine with direct connection to downtown, nightlife, hospitals, universities, small businesses, and tourism.

I do stand confidently in saying that Capitol Hill is the nightlife engine in our city.

But it needs a lot of help as we continue to invest in the surrounding areas such as downtown, which I love our downtown.

we do see issues impact other neighborhoods and I've been advocating for a lot of those existing resources and attention to this area collaborating with our executive and other city departments.

But what I'd like to focus on in this budget cycle and thank you to everyone last year who supported the allocation that was for the development of a BIA and ambassadors, all those things.

This is part two.

So there's a lot of hardworking folks on Capitol Hill neighbors pouring in a lot of energy to get a BIA started because there is an agreement that a BIA would be key to this.

And we've talked to a ton of people.

And I was also told for the record that Council Member Kettle said that he would take whatever allocations out of downtown and would give me the 50,000 as well.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth.

Colleagues, further discussion?

Seeing no further discussion.

If you'd like to co-sponsor OED 8, please raise your hand at this time.

Thank you, Council Member Sokka and Rivera, adding their names.

Council Member Sokka and Rivera.

Wonderful, moving on to OED 9.

OED 9SA1, this is a statement of legislative intent that would request that OED and the Office of the Waterfront Civic Projects and Sound Transit, OWCPST, in coordination with the Mayor's Office, develop recommendations for how the city can better support small businesses located within the station area planning zones for Sound Transit's West Seattle and Ballard Link extension.

This slide is sponsored by Councilmember Saka and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Strauss and Hollingsworth.

Thank you.

Councilmember Saka is sponsoring the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I wanted to acknowledge and thank you, Mr. Chair and Councilmember Hollingsworth for your partnership in not only joining me in co-sponsoring this proposed amendment, but also the related amendment to immediately before this.

Also want to thank, I think council members Rink and Salomon, tagged on to that one.

Appreciate the partnership there.

Whereas the other one is more of a along the lines of a pilot, launching a pilot, focused on a specific geographic area.

The same underlying challenges impact a number of businesses currently in the sound transit planning zone.

And so what this slide would do, a statement of legislative intent would do, is it would request a study to help better support the transition of stationary development and ensure that those areas, and more importantly, those small businesses are made whole, the areas managed thoughtfully.

I think the underlying responsibility, these are sound transit decisions.

We have two of 17, 18 seats on the board.

That's not...

us being able to throw our weight around in any meaningful way, we work collaboratively as a region.

I wish I sat on the board, but that is principally a sound transit decision to site and determining where the best siting and they bear the primary responsibility of making people and businesses, small businesses whole.

But I think the city plays a role as well and we must do what we can to help support small independent businesses that give our neighborhoods their character and enable and empower them to thrive.

So this sly asked OED, the Office of the Waterfront, Civic Projects and Sound Transit to coordinate with the mayor's office, develop recommendations for specifically how the city can better support small businesses located within Sound Transit station area planning zones.

and there are multiple, obviously, throughout our city.

The interdepartmental team that would be stood up to address this will look at things and specifically address existing and anticipated impacts on small businesses, reviewing best practices from other cities and transit expansion projects, identify policy and funding options for city-led or city-supported mitigations, and also recommend ways to improve coordination with Sound Transit and our regional partners on the broader challenge.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Saka.

Colleagues, further discussion?

Further discussion?

Seeing no further discussion, if you would like to co-sponsor OED 9, please raise your hand at this time.

Councilmember Salomon, Rivera, and Rink co-sponsoring OED 9.

Councilmember Salomon, Rivera, and Rink.

Thank you.

We're gonna now move into the next department.

If the clerk could read the next item into the record.

Human Services Department for briefing and discussion.

Wonderful.

We have about an hour remaining.

There are 32 amendments in this department.

I can project that we will not get to all 32 and that's okay.

Let's tick through as many as we can this afternoon so as tomorrow is a more manageable day.

Are there any questions, comments, concerns at this time colleagues on the remainder of today?

Hearing none, I'm gonna turn it over to our stellar team for HSD 40. We're gonna start it, nope, sorry.

No, that is correct.

We're starting at HSD 40?

We are.

Fantastic, here we go.

and there's Tracy Ratz of Council Central Staff for the record.

So you do have 30 CBAs that will begin to conjure up for you a picture of the expanse of the ads for the Human Services Department and the strands that connect many of these CBAs.

So starting off with the very first one, HSD 0408, This would provide $75,000 in general fund for the program to encourage active and rewarding lives for adults over 55 years of age and older who served in the military.

This program does provide counseling services for older adults, including those who have served in the military who have had mental health challenges.

The city currently funds this program at about $50,000 a year.

They also receive around $400,000 in funding from the King County's Veterans Senior and Human Services Levy.

And this is sponsored by Councilmember Saka, Solomon and Kettle.

Thank you.

Councilmember Saka has sponsored the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Chair.

First, I want to acknowledge and thank my co-sponsors, Councilmembers Solomon and Kettle.

and also fellow military veterans and their partnership in sponsoring this with me.

Colleagues, as you know, this is the underlying issue and opportunity at hand here is one that's near and dear to me personally and I know a few of us as well, near and dear to my heart.

to help uplift and help fill gaps in services to veterans in need.

So this program is an existing program, as we learned, funded by HSD, so proposing to increase, expand the funding a bit.

The PEARLS program, program to encourage active and rewarding lives for adults 55 and older who are who have served in the military.

The designation veteran is actually a very precise statutory term.

Care less about that, more people who have signed up to serve in the military for purposes of having impact and having people qualify for this program.

There is a great need for continued mental health and wellbeing counseling that is increasingly harder to reach.

for many, specifically these populations.

So it's an investment, an opportunity for us to help and do more to better support people who have signed up to serve, in this case, who happen to be 55 and older.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Sokka.

Colleagues, discussion?

Questions?

If you would like to co-sponsor HSD 40, please raise your hand at this time.

Pencils down.

Council member Rink co-sponsoring HSD 40.

Council member Rink.

Moving on to HSD 41.

This CBA would increase proposed appropriations to the Human Services Department by $75,000 general fund in ongoing funding to support services for foster care youth and foster parents.

These services could include peer counseling and services to assist youth transitioning out of foster care, as well as food programs and other programs that strengthen families subject to federal funding reductions.

The Council has identified the United Indians of all tribes for this funding.

This organization currently receives around $44,000 from the city for their work with foster parents.

Thank you.

Council member Saka is sponsoring the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Also want to thank my colleagues, Council Members Solomon and Kettle for your co-sponsorship in this effort.

And another issue that is near and dear to me personally, as someone who has overcome the foster care system and went on to thrive my career personally and grateful for where I am, today, and a lot of it, a lot of the reason is because I had terrific, I had access to great programs and services and highly influential mentors and family when I needed them the most, like my father.

And so we've done a lot to support foster youth in our city, including through the levy, the new FEP levy renewal that's on the ballot.

And in a few other areas, my goal is to take as many bites at the apple.

Sort of like, I guess, my companion maybe to Councilmember Hollingsworth is going to propose something every year pertaining to turf.

And I'll support that every year.

to fill the responsibility to find ways to amplify the voices and uplift those who, that are part of this community.

And we actually learned as part of the testimony, I think yesterday, that United Indians for All Tribes Foundation is currently funded, is one of the currently funded programs by HSD, specifically targeting and investing in foster families.

So great investment.

high impact, lower comparatively, dollar amount investment for, I think, a high impact.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Sokka.

Colleagues, discussion?

Yes.

Councilmember Waters.

Thank you.

I want to thank Councilmember Saka for this and just a little history as well with United Indians and Chief Seattle, but particularly United Indians and Labatea, the group home as a former board member and legal counsel for United Indians.

And in the day when we took over daybreak starting in the 70s when I was just a year old, this is near and dear to my heart.

And so I want to thank Councilmember Saka for bringing this forward and I will be asking to be a co-sponsor.

Thank you.

Well said, Councilmember Juarez.

Colleagues, further discussion?

Further discussion, comments, questions?

If you'd like to add your name as a co-sponsor to HSD 41, please raise your hand at this time.

I see Council Member Juarez, Hollingsworth, Rink.

Council Members Juarez, Hollingsworth, and Rink.

Thank you.

Moving on to HSD 42.

This council budget action would increase proposed appropriations to the Human Services Department by $350,000 general fund one time to fund historic building repairs, including the roof and boiler and improvements to the behavioral health space at the Monterey Lofts building that's owned and operated by Chief Seattle Club.

This proposal is sponsored by Council Member Juarez, Solomon and Hollingsworth.

Thank you.

Council Member Juarez is sponsoring the amendment and you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Again, I want to thank Councilmember Hollingsworth and Solomon for their support and Councilmember Sokka for his good words as well.

And just another quick note regarding, and I'll get to this in a little bit more detail, on the foster care piece here, which we will see.

Chief Seattle Club started out in the 1970s as a meal service along with the American Indian Women's Service League.

And I actually, like Councilman Versaka, as a child had to use their services as a foster child as well.

So I know what community and for the love of your people and relatives mean when people reach out, so thank you for that.

So anyway, Chief Sailor Club is a native-led non-profit housing and human services agency.

They are a housing and human service agency that provides basic needs for their members, many of whom are experiencing homelessness.

Native people in urban areas face unique challenges and Chief Seattle Club embraces the indigenous cultures, languages, and traditions of their members as the primary method for healing and transformation.

Chief Seattle Club employs over 80 people, 70% of whom are Native American, Alaska Native, along with 100% of their officers and board.

Native people make up less than 1% of King County's population, but represent 32% of those who are chronically homeless.

I want to thank Executive Director Derek Bellgaard and the former Director Colleen Echohawk, who have been good partners forever in this organization in moving it forward, as well as Maloa Jenkins, who is the grants manager who worked with us tirelessly to get this information together for my colleagues in Seattle City Council and those of you watching at home.

Monterey Lofts is located above the Day Center, and the Day Center provides food, primary health care, housing assistance, legal services, a Native art job training program, and opportunities for members to engage in cultural community building.

Completion of a project allows behavioral staff to be in one location, streamlining delivery of culturally specific services to the Native community.

This space will provide a stable base for housing and wellness teams to work together in direct support of members.

$350,000 would complete phase two of repairs on the historic building Monterey Lofts above the current Chief Seattle Club Day Center.

The total project cost is $5.5 million.

$3.8 came from non-state funds and some money came from HUD.

and 1.1 in state funds.

So we had a funding gap there at about 500,000, which will enable full completion and occupancy.

The building was acquired in 2019 through the help of this council and phase one renovation was completed in 2023, renovating four units.

Phase two demolishes and renovates the remaining seven units and as you all know, since we've all been here, how we need this constellation of non-profit, Indigenous-led organizations that are not only providing services for Indigenous relatives, but also their families and other folks in vulnerable communities in need of these critical services.

So with that, I ask for the support of my colleagues for this budget amendment of $350,000.

Thank you.

Well said, Councilmember Juarez.

Colleagues?

Questions?

Discussion?

Comments?

Councilmember Saka.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Just want to say, Councilmember Juarez, really appreciate you and your leadership and your voice and the perspective that you represent.

in a moment.

I will be proud to raise my hand and ask to be a co-sponsor of this, but thank you so much for your leadership in bringing this forward.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Saka.

Further discussion?

Further discussion, if you would like to co-sponsor HSD 42, please raise your hand at this time.

Additional co-sponsors to HSD 42, Councilmember Saka, Strauss, Rink.

Council Member Saka, Strausenrink.

And Nelson.

And Council Member Nelson.

All right.

I'll try to go a little slower, but folks, please be ready because we're already moving on to HSD 43.

This council budget action would increase HSD by $150,000 general fund one time for the roof replacement at the Greenwood Senior Center owned and operated by the Finney Neighborhood Association.

The roof of this building is failing and needs to be replaced so that the utopian environment for seniors can continue to be provided at the Senior Center.

and the sponsors are Councilmember Strauss, Juarez, and Rink.

Thank you, Tracy.

As sponsor of this amendment, I will address it just to say that the Greenwood Senior Center is more than just what those words in that name elicits.

You can find your mental, physical, dental health connections at this location.

You can have lunch every day.

You can have your meal delivered if need be.

And yes, you can play a strong game of bingo that has karaoke in between sessions.

All of that is only possible if the building does not have mold and the building does not have rainwater dripping on your head.

That is why they need a new roof.

This funding would provide a new roof.

Discussion, Council Member Sokka, I see you've got a hand.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Dale.

Further discussion, questions, comments.

If you would like to co-sponsor HSD 43, please raise your hand at this time.

Seeing as we have no further co-sponsors, we'll move on to HSD 44.

This council budget action would increase proposed appropriations to the human services department by $75,000 of general fund one time to support the relocation of Villa Communitaria's childcare center.

This childcare center is located at South Seattle Community College.

The college is intending to sell the property in 2027 and the childcare center needs to find a new location before 2027 so that the childcare program is not kiboshed.

This is sponsored by Councilmember Saka, Solomon, and Rink.

Thank you.

Councilmember Saka has sponsored the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank Councilmembers Rink and Solomon for joining me in sponsoring this proposed investment for Via Comunitaria.

I hope my anglicized Spanish didn't sound too terrible, but Via Cuminataria is a organization with many lines of service serving many people in our local Hispanic, Latino community.

They, among other things, they provide civic education, economic empowerment, other, the scope of What they provide in terms of services and programs to community is expansive and very impressive.

But among other things, they also operate a childcare service and their current facility, by the way, this childcare facility serves immigrant and refugee families in West Seattle today, but really throughout the district, District 1 and beyond.

primarily those that are bilingual and non-native Spanish speakers, those children and families that are non-native English Spanish speakers or English speakers rather.

So this is a very rough time obviously colleagues for immigrant and refugees given the reckless attacks on mere existence by the Trump administration.

It's not the time for instability.

This childcare facility must move.

Currently, it currently operates at the Seattle Community College.

We'll be closing this building soon that they are located in.

So this is a modest amount, $75,000 to assist them in securing a brand new location with tenant improvements so there is not a loss in services for these families.

which would need to be completed by early 2027, primarily serving families in and around South Park.

But like I mentioned earlier, all around the district and all across the city and I think region as well.

So very, very excited about this investment to support working families and immigrant and our immigrant and refugee communities.

And I ask for your support.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Socket.

Colleagues, further discussion?

Questions?

Comments?

If you would like to co-sponsor HSD 44, please raise your hand at this time.

Seeing as we have no further co-sponsors, HSD 45.

This council budget action would increase proposed appropriations to the human services department by $60,000 of general fund one time to fund a comprehensive feasibility study to explore three options for expanding the outdoor recreation space at first places learning center preschool.

sponsors of the CBR, Councilmember Strauss, Saka, and Hollingsworth.

Thank you, Councilmember Rez.

I am the sponsor of this amendment.

I will speak to it that this was a request made directly by Jim Buchanan to ensure that additional resources are provided to outdoor recreation occurring at First Place Learning Center.

There's a couple of different options and this would be a good use of our city funding to invest in young people who need it most.

With that, questions?

Comments?

If you would like to co-sponsor HSD 45, please raise your hand at this time.

We have Councilmember Rink adding her name to HSD 45. Councilmember Rink.

HSD 46.

This council's action would increase proposed appropriations to the Human Services Department by $125,000 of general fund one time to support strategic planning for health services for African American elders.

The Tubman Center for Health and Freedom is a black and indigenous community-led health justice organization based in South Seattle that is building a new model of care by and for this community and they would be charged with conducting this strategic planning effort.

This is sponsored by Council Member Solomon, Hollingsworth and Rink.

Thank you.

Councilmember Solomon, you are recognized.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

And I do want to acknowledge and thank Council Members Hollingsworth and Rink for being co-sponsors on this amendment.

This investment would help ensure the City is responding to elder voices with care and providing these community members with dignity as they navigate health services.

By investing $125,000 in strategic planning for Seattle's elders, City Council can leverage existing community-led infrastructure, amplify return on equitable development initiative dollars and help ensure Tubman Health's programming and clinical sites can meet the urgent and growing health needs of our city.

We've already heard about Tubman Center before, the kind of services they provide, the critical care that they provide with gender-affirming care and reproductive rights.

This would add to the suite of services they provide, and I urge your support.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council member Solomon, colleagues, discussion, questions, comments?

If you would like to co-sponsor HSD 46, please raise your hand at this time.

Council member Juarez and Saka.

Council members Juarez and Saka.

Thank you.

Moving on to HSD 47.

This council budget action would increase proposed appropriations to the human services department by $500,000 of general fund one time to expand services at city funded senior centers.

This is sponsored by council members Saka, Strauss and Nelson.

Currently there are 11 senior centers that are funded by the city at approximately $2.8 million a year.

Council Member Saka, you were recognized to address your amendment.

Thank you, Madam Vice Chair.

Colleagues, first and foremost, actually, I want to thank my co-sponsors, Council Member Strauss and Nelson on this effort.

Colleagues, we know that senior centers and some of our most vulnerable populations more broadly are under attack and facing federal cuts.

The federal government is proposing to cut funding to the Department of Health and Human Services budget by 26%.

This need is supported by all the senior centers as members of the Seattle Human Services Coalition.

and there's senior centers in my council district, but all of our council districts, the executive did not include any increase in the proposed budget, but an additional $500,000 in ongoing funds for senior centers, now more than ever, can help meet the need, of which we're seeing an increasing need increasing need and imperative to expand service capacity and deliver for our seniors.

So, thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Saka.

Colleagues, any questions?

Seeing none, anyone would like to raise their hand to co-sponsor?

Seeing none, let's move on to IHSC 048A.

This council budget action would increase proposed appropriations to the Human Services Department by $250,000 of general fund one time to support services and programs for black, trans, and gender diverse individuals.

These services will be provided by the Lavender Rights Project that serves this community population.

This is sponsored by Councilmember Hollingsworth, Juarez, and Rink.

Thank you, Tracy.

Councilmember Hollingsworth, you're recognized to speak to your amendment.

Thank you, Vice-Chair Rivera.

Okay, I got it right, Vice-Chair.

Okay, awesome, thank you, Vice-Chair Rivera.

Thank you, Councilmember Wares and Councilmember Rink for your co-sponsorship.

The Lavender Rights Project is is providing a critical legal advocacy, workforce development, safe housing as well for black and brown transgender individuals and gender diverse residents.

The new housing that they have is a 34 unit housing in conjunction with Chief Seattle Club and they also have a expansive legal network in healthcare and mental health support as well.

I have seen obviously the work that they have done in the community, especially during this trying time and a lot of individuals are coming to Seattle and they're seeing an influx of people coming to Seattle and the city.

and trying to find a home base.

And the work that they continue to do by their community-based programming, the food access that they provide, a sense of space, home events, and also the housing that they provide.

And really key is the mental health support as well.

I think it's a great investment for our city and I ask for your support.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth.

Any questions, colleagues?

Seeing none, anyone would like to raise your hand to co-sponsor?

Seeing none, oh, Council Member Saka.

Council Member Saka.

Thank you.

Thank you, Vice Chair.

Moving on to HSD 49.

this statement of legislative intent.

Sorry, Chair, it seems like someone was trying to raise their hand and didn't happen quickly enough.

Plus one for Council Member Solomon to 048-048A.

Thank you.

Moving on to HSD 49.

This statement of legislative intent would request the Human Services Department in collaboration with the Innovation and Performance Team in the City Budget Office and the Office of Housing to prepare an inventory of city-funded human services and affordable housing by geographic location in the city and to submit this inventory to the City Council.

This inventory should include a map that displays the location of the services and housing.

This slide will be due on July 1, 2026. It is sponsored by Council Mayor Hollingsworth, Solomon and Nelson.

Thank you.

Council Member Hollingsworth, as sponsor of the amendment, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Council President and Solomon for your co-sponsorship.

During the comprehensive plan process, we as a council made a commitment to ensure that we had services throughout the city.

And I know a lot of people brought up the recognition that a lot of those services were in downtown, Capitol Hill, First Hills CID, and that it was important that we had these citywide.

It's also important to identify what and where exists today, giving the enormous amount of investment and prioritizing of human services.

Oftentimes, I find myself trying to find out who gets what and trying to navigate a certain people that come to our office to find out what resources are in our community.

And right now, there's a lot of different places where those live.

I do want to acknowledge that the amount of work this study will request is a lot.

However, I believe that the work will be a great investment so we can have better coordination and efficiency and neighborhood support moving forward.

That is incredibly important.

We saw that.

with Houston when they have people that are experiencing homelessness, they have this program where they have a coordinated effort of all the human services department by the same metrics so they are able to move people from the street and into housing and into services.

And I think it's important with the amount of investment that Seattle continues to have and we as the responsibility as the legislative department that we be transparent about the services that are going on in neighborhoods and we can have a more coordinated response.

So I think more information is good for people to understand so we can have better outcomes.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth.

Colleagues, discussion?

Council President Nelson.

Thank you very much.

I'm grateful that Council Member Hollingsworth is bringing this forward and to co-sponsor.

Just a comment or a question.

I'm wondering if the services that will be mapped also include county services or any services.

For example, the Crisis Care Center, etc.

Thank you, Council President Nelson.

Tracy.

We have struck, we have written this in such a way that it is city-funded human services and affordable housing.

Thank you, Council President.

Further discussion?

Thank you.

Colleagues, further discussion?

Questions?

Comments?

If you'd like to co-sponsor HSD 49, please raise your hand at this time.

If you would like to co-sponsor and you have not gotten your hand up online, you can raise it in person.

Pencils down.

Council member Rivera, Kettle, Sokka, Rink.

Council members Rivera, Kettle, Sokka, and Rink.

And Nelson.

And Nelson.

for HSD 49.

Councilmember Nelson was already a co-sponsor.

There we are.

Fantastic.

Moving on, we are now on page two of four of HSD.

Yes, prove me wrong.

We've only got 22 more amendments to go and 33 minutes.

HSD 50.

HSD 50A1 is budget action that would increase proposed appropriations to the Human Services Department by 2.2 million general fund one time for the Seattle Indian Health Board's Thunderbird Treatment Center, which will provide behavioral health services for those struggling with substance use disorders upon its reopening, which is planned for 2026. The 2026 proposed budget allocates 1.8 million for this purpose.

This is sponsored by Council Member Juarez, co-sponsored by Council Members Salomon and Council President Nelson.

Thank you.

Council Member Juarez, sponsor the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Again, I want to start out thanking Council President Nelson.

We've been working in this field since she was first elected four years ago, and I want to thank her for her continuing efforts in the field of addiction recovery.

And also, Council Member Solomon, thank you for your wise words and support.

I really appreciate it.

And let me go ahead and give some background information.

The Seattle Indian Health Board has been around since the late 1960s, and like many of our Seattle Indigenous-led organizations, have provided these types of services not only for our own relatives but their families.

Seattle Indian Health Board is now up to 242 employees.

So with this budget amendment asked, we are requesting 2.2 million to the 1.1 million in the Mayor's proposed budget to support the completion of the Seattle Indian Health Board's Thunderbird Treatment Center.

So basically we're trying to close the Delta for the additional original ask of 4 million in the Mayor's budget is 1.8 and so we're asking for 2.2 to close that gap.

The Thunderbird Treatment Center has a long history, not only for urban Indians and indigenous-led organizations.

It was founded in 1974 with 14 beds.

And like I did, and like we did this morning, Council Member Solomon and I, I like to put in context when you have a non-profit caring organization to show into context how much money they raise on their own before they come to the city.

like Tubman Health Center, the nonprofit who raised money to complete their center.

CLN Health Board has raised 35 million of the 45 million for the total cost of the project.

And I think organizations like this that can show that they raise money from their funders from everywhere, that they should be rewarded for that hard work.

This funding will support renovations and construction, ensuring Thunderbird Treatment Center timely reopening in 2026. The Sailing and Health Board is led by the CEO, Esso Lacerro, who comes to us via the Navajo Nation.

and as I shared, we are up to 242 employees.

It is a federally qualified health center accepting Medicare, Medicaid, three-party providers, medical, dental services to elders, vets, children and their families.

Seattle Indian Health Board also offers prenatal domestic violence support, immunizations, substance abuse disorder, treatment and housing.

and it has a clinic, as you know, in District 5, which was opened in 2022 in conjunction with North Helpline Community Food Bank.

And right now, the Salina Health Board is the only pharmacy since Fred Meyer left, serving the north end of Lake City and D5.

So in addition to the main clinic in the International District and other location, there's one that opened in 2022 in Pioneer Square, and I was there to open that one as well.

And we are joined by Senator Murray and the rest of the congressional delegation and tribal leadership with a wonderful ceremony with the third clinic opening.

The Thunderbird Treatment Center, as I shared, is being rebuilt.

It will be a 92-bed residential substance use disorder treatment facility.

The Thunderbird Treatment Center will provide critical behavior health services by offering programming that implements evidence-based, practice-based, and culturally-based activities.

We had a big win the last two years where Medicaid is now recognized in tribes and organizations like the CLEAN Health Board.

can bill for culturally-based medical intervention, prevention, and services.

The Thunderbird Treatment Center has 15 dedicated beds for pregnant and parenting adults who will be allowed to bring two children under the age of five with them.

And I think this is one of the first of its kind in conjunction with our culture of mothers staying with their babies.

And then, of course, offering treatment to natives and non-natives alike.

and as you know, we have an opioid epidemic in King County, new records for overdose deaths in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, King County finally saw a drop in overdose deaths, but they remain double those of 2020 and triple those of 2014. And I'm sure you're all aware of the statistics in this terrible behavioral health, or I'm sorry, addiction issue that we've been dealing with for quite a while.

Between 2018 and 2022, in King County alone, 128 behavioral health beds have been lost.

To date, only 148 such beds exist, and Thunderbird Treatment Center's 92 beds will represent a 62% increase in bed availability, which is so critical at this juncture.

Seattle Indian Health Board will be able to serve an additional 265 behavioral health patients whom we refer to as our relatives each year representing a 118% increase in our behavioral health services.

And again, I can't stress that Seattle Indian Service Commission, United Indians, Chief Seattle Club, Mother Nation, Hummingbird, and of course, Seattle Indian Health Board with Thunderbird Treatment Center is part of Seattle's caring community, both not only in District 2, but across the city, certainly in the region and in Indian Country, and I would welcome the support of my colleagues.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Councilmember Juarez.

Colleagues, further discussion?

See Councilmember Salomon followed by Council President Nelson.

Thank you, Chair.

I just wanted to add a couple of words.

Thunderbird was a great asset to the folks in District 2, and not just the folks in District 2. I mean, you know, I had been there when it was right off of Renton Avenue.

tour the facility, did a septet assessment for the facility.

I've had family that's been clients there.

So when I think about what Thunderbird has meant to the community what it's meant to me personally.

I guess you could say it was kind of a wrestling match as to which one of us was going to be the primary sponsor on this one.

I cede to my elder.

But I'm happy to be a co-sponsor on this, and I thank you for being the primary on this.

So thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Councilmember Salomon.

Council President Nelson.

This is absolutely critical amendment, and I just wanted to add to what was said by Councilmember Juarez.

Lest you think that because it's on Vachon, maybe it's not appropriate or whatever, 85 to 85% of the people that will be using Thunderbird Treatment Center on Vashon when it's finally completed are actually, they are Seattle residents.

So I just want to make that clear.

And before their clinic in, their treatment center in Pioneer Square was closed.

They were serving, I believe it was, they had 25% of the certified beds for residential addiction treatment.

So already playing a huge role in our community as filling a huge need.

out there.

So I just, I emphatically support this, obviously, because I'm a co-sponsor.

There is also a 1.8 edition item in the budget, the mayor's proposed budget right now, for the actual capital costs to complete the center.

So that is also very critical.

And if anybody's thinking about making any changes to that, maybe you should talk to me first.

But that was a priority last year.

It didn't get in.

And so going forward this year, I'm glad to say.

So I just want to say thank you very much for doing the heavy lifting, Councilmember Juarez, to also include some of the programming, the services that will be required to be provided at this treatment center once it's finally complete.

Thanks.

Thank you, council president.

Colleagues, further discussion?

Further discussion?

Questions?

Comments?

If you'd like to co-sponsor HSD 50, please raise your hand at this time.

Council members Hollingsworth, Rink, and Rivera adding their names to HSD 50.

Council members Hollingsworth, Rink, and Rivera.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Moving on to HSD 51.

This council budget action would increase proposed appropriations to the Human Services Department by $100,000 general fund one time for the purpose of adding an additional day of food delivery service for the low-income and affordable housing at Magnuson Park.

The 2026 proposed budget includes a one-time appropriation of $3 million for food banks, bringing the total funding for food banks in the 2026 proposed budget to $6.5 million.

And this would be in addition to that.

This is sponsored by Councilmember Rivera and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Rink and Hollingsworth.

Thank you.

With that, Councilmember Rivera, you are recognized.

Thank you, Chair.

Colleagues, this 100,000 proposal, as HB said, is really to help bring food for the families that are actually living at Magnuson Park.

There is a food desert over at Magnuson Park area, especially now with the closure of the Fred Meyer there and then the prior closure of the Safeway.

It's been really challenging for our families that live our low income and affordable housing families to be able to access food and so really this is just an attempt to bring additional food there.

The University District Food Bank brings a day of food there and this is trying to add capacity to that by bringing either an additional day of food.

We're still working out what this looks like and having conversations as well with the Wallingford Food Bank.

at Family Works, but trying to figure out how we can best serve the families that live there.

And I wanna thank council members Rink and Hollingsworth for their co-sponsorship.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Colleagues, questions, discussion?

Seeing no further questions or discussion, if you would like to co-sponsor HSD 51, please raise your hand at this time.

Seeing no additional co-sponsors, we'll move on to HSD 52.

This council budget action would increase proposed appropriation to the human services department by 1.25 million general fund for ongoing for expansion of the opioid recovery and care access centers, patient outreach division, AKA Orchapod program.

Orchapod is an outreach team that meets people outside the center.

That's the downtown emergency service center.

The 2026 proposed budget includes ongoing funding of 1.24 million for Orchapod.

This is sponsored by council member Rivera and co-sponsored by council members Hollingsworth and Strauss.

Thank you.

Council Member Rivera is sponsoring the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Chair.

Colleagues, this is just an expansion of the proposed mobile opioid treatment, in other words, or otherwise known as OrcaPod that will be servicing and folks downtown and this is trying to bring this service into the neighborhoods.

We know there are needs across our neighborhood like in U District, Capitol Hill and Ballard.

There are other areas in our city that also need this.

And so this is an attempt to ensure that folks outside of the downtown corridor also have access to treatment, which is basically what this is. nursing that goes around in this vehicle in order to provide medication to folks that need it in other areas of the city.

There's one, like I said, for downtown.

This would be a roving one around the neighborhoods to provide the same service.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Colleagues, questions?

Discussion?

Comments?

If you'd like to co-sponsor HSD 52, please raise your hand at this time.

Seeing no additional co-sponsors, we'll move on to HSD 53. Council President Nelson, are you co-sponsoring?

Yes.

Thank you.

Council President Nelson, co-sponsoring HSD 52.

Adding Council Member Nelson.

Thank you.

Moving on to HSD 53.

This council budget action would increase proposed appropriation to the Human Services Department by $125,000 general fund one time for expanded offerings at the Ballard Food Bank, specifically to hire a social worker to assist clients at the food bank access services.

HSD partners with local organizations to increase citywide food access, including funding food banks.

As I think I mentioned previously, the proposed budget includes an increase of $3 million for food banks, bringing the total funding in HSD for food banks to $6.5 million.

with 211,000 already called out for the Ballard Food Bank specifically.

And I may have misspoken when I said one time.

I think that one actually is an ongoing.

Perhaps you can clarify and remind us if I've gotten that wrong because that is sponsored by Council Member Strauss and co-sponsored by Council Members Solomon and Hollingsworth.

Thank you.

As sponsor of the amendment, I will address it just to say that this is separate from food funding.

The Ballard Food Bank is a misnomer of a name.

So much of their programming attends to people's mental, dental, physical health, connections to services, case managers, and the resources that they need to improve their lives.

The majority of people that use the Ballard Food Bank are not necessarily homeless.

They are everyday people who need a little bit of help.

And Council Member Hollingsworth says to me, if you want to get people to do anything, make sure that there's food involved.

And that's why the Food Bank is the perfect place to have a case manager.

I can tell you that the Ballard Food Bank case manager that they have on hand has already been able to help us directly connect people into permanent supportive housing, into other housing options.

They do so much out of that small space.

And so this would fund a social worker, not the full funding, the Ballard Food Bank would be providing the other part of the funding.

So again, as Council Member Juarez was saying, private-public partnerships, this is not the full funding, the Food Bank would be required to provide that other funding.

This would be an ongoing.

Thank you.

Colleagues, questions, comments, discussion?

Seeing no additional discussion, if you would like to co-sponsor HSD 53, please raise your hand at this time.

Seeing council member Rink co-sponsoring HSD 53.

Council member Rink.

Let's move on to HSD 54.

This council budget action would increase proposed appropriations to the Human Services Department by $250,000 general fund ongoing for meals for seniors and impose a proviso.

The 2026 proposed budget adds $1 million one-time appropriation in HSD for meal programs, which brings total funding in HSD for meal programs in the proposed budget to $2.9 million.

And again, as mentioned previously, food bank funding in addition to that has an increase of $3 million, bringing the total funding for food banks to $6.5 million.

This one is sponsored by Councilmember Hollingsworth and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Rivera and Saka.

Thank you, Councilmember Hollingsworth.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Councilmember Rivera and Councilmember Saka for your co-sponsorship.

This request is brought by our the Human Services Coalition and also meal providers regarding senior meals.

We know that we all support food, which is great, and addressing food insecurity, which is incredibly important.

This specifically targets a demographic that is often left out of the conversation because of accessibility.

We all have different senior areas and senior centers in our in our district.

To put it in perspective, you have the Southeast Senior Center in Councilmember Solomon's district that provides meals to the community, whether they do the cooked meals in the center or they go and deliver them to people.

In our district, we have the Central Area Senior Center, they do meals as well.

They also do a reduction in pricing for folks as well, so they do $5 meals where they cook these huge meals and they deliver them to people or different groups go and different other Other community groups go and deliver them as well.

And we have these organizations all throughout the city, particularly our senior center, just wanting to make sure that that population is fed as they face fixed income and they face higher costs of living.

The other thing too is that you just have to be a senior to be able to get these meals.

There's no income requirement, there's no zip code.

I think that is incredibly important that we have accessible access to food.

Thank you, colleagues.

Thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth.

Colleagues, discussion?

Questions?

Any discussion?

Seeing none, if you'd like to co-sponsor HSD 54, please raise your hand at this time.

I have Council Member Juarez, Rink, and Solomon.

Council Members Juarez, Rink, and Solomon.

and that is co-sponsorship on HSD 54. Moving on to HSD 55.

This council budget action would increase proposed appropriations to the human services department by 1.5 million general fund ongoing for the prenatal to three community grand investment strategy.

This current program aims to reduce disparities in outcomes for pregnant individuals, infants and toddlers and their families to best support the healthy growth and development of infant and toddler age children.

Originally funded by the sweetened beverage tax revenue, this program is proposed to be eliminated in the 2026 proposed budget, which swapped all SBT funded programs to the family education, preschool and promise levy, which is on the ballot this November.

All programs that is except for this one.

So the prenatal to three grant program is the only program proposed to be eliminated in this swap and this CBA would reinstate the program and move it to HSD.

Thank you.

As sponsoring the amendment, I will address it.

All of this to say, this was an item brought up in Council Central Staff Issue ID, and it's something that I am considering.

However, I've not landed on a final point of determination.

This is something that I'm considering for the chair's package, and because I am simply considering it, I wanted to daylight it in this step in the budget process.

So if you've got questions, comments, concerns, if this is something that you really like, I would say please co-sponsor it.

With that, any other questions or discussion?

Seeing none, if you would like to co-sponsor HSD 55, please raise your hand at this time.

Adding Council Member Hollingsworth.

Council Member Hollingsworth.

And joining us at the table, so we have, it is 3.48, we have 16 HSD amendments left.

Tommaso Johnson has joined us at the table after we, without very much notice, asked him to be at the table.

So thank you, Tomaso, for being present with us.

If you'd like to take us through HSD 61, colleagues, depending on how quickly we go, I may ask us to stay through HSD.

Again, only 16 remaining.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Tommaso Johnson, Council Central staff.

Welcome to the 60s, HSD 61. This council budget actually would increase appropriations to the Human Services Department by a $500,000 general fund one time for services for survivors of sexual assault and associated program costs.

Council has identified the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, or KSARC, for this funding.

This is sponsored by Councilmember Kettle, co-sponsored by Councilmember Juarez and the Council President.

Thank you.

Councilmember Kettle, you are recognized.

Thank you Chair Strauss and thank you Mr. Johnson for joining in for this one.

This is another example of we need to have a functional criminal justice system from start to finish.

We've talked about this with the court and with the City Attorney's Office with other ones, but then there's items like this in terms of like what we're seeing in the news today.

You know, we have to ensure that we have the support, you know, that connection between public safety and human services and to ensure that we have the resources to assist those victims of the crimes that have been committed.

And I just wanted to note that I received a note from KSARC, the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, that noted that this investment will help ensure that survivors of sexual assault, particularly those in Seattle, have continued access to vital advocacy, therapy, and prevention services during a time of significant funding instability from other government sources.

The city's support will sustain direct trauma-informed assistance to hundreds of survivors and families and help us maintain the skilled staff who make that healing possible.

I know too that this work is also, it has a preventative piece to it as well because this is very traumatic as mentioned here and the work that we do now will help those in need and potentially help avoid challenges in the future.

So colleagues, I ask for your support.

I've had conversations with the executive on this as well in addition to budget chair in terms of making this making this possible in support of those survivors of sexual assault.

So thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Council Member Kettle.

Council Member Waters, followed by Council President Nelson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm proud to be a co-sponsor along with Council President Nelson in this request by Council Member Kettle.

I think Council Member Kettle shared the information that we had received from Kate Garvey, the CEO of KSARC.

and without going through all of the information, because I think Councilman Kettle covered it, I just want to add that the emphasis was on keeping the access, sustaining the support and maintaining the skilled staff that do all these great things for survivors of sexual assault.

including the 24-7 resource line, legal team advocacy, medical advocacy, client care team, clinical therapist, prevention team, the Youth Advisory Council and the works they do with the King County Prosecutor's Office.

We've worked closely with KSARC for at least the last decade including their work with another community-based organization that's done really well is Aurora Commons under the leadership of Elizabeth Dahl.

and those two folks work hand in hand and also a huge shout out to our friend Natalie Walton Anderson in the mayor's office who works on these trafficking issues, people trying to escape the sex work and trafficking issues that happen and the trauma.

But I think one of the things that's the most telling which I've found in the years that I've worked with them is that the trauma informed care for women experiencing and trying to escape sexual assault and trafficking has been amazing and I'm hoping that we can fund this and move forward.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Warriors, Council President Nelson.

simply say thank you very much Councilmember Keller for bringing this forward.

I remember fighting for KSARC back when I was a staffer for Councilmember Richard Conlon.

This is an organization that has just, I don't know, a sterling reputation for lack of better words for the amazing work that they do throughout the years and I have met survivors that have been aided by KSARC a few times off and on through the years and I have to say they change lives and That's why I fully support being a co-sponsor.

Just wanted to take the opportunity to sing their praises.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Colleagues, further discussion?

Questions?

One question for central staff and it can be either answered right now or in context of the next item.

Can you please help me understand the overlap or complete differences of the item before us and the following item?

And with that, if you could answer that in the next section, that would be helpful.

If you would like to co-sponsor HSD 61, please raise your hand now.

I have council member Solomon, Rivera, Rink.

Council member Solomon, Rivera and Rink.

Yes.

Thank you.

Important discussions which take more time than just simple topics.

So we've gotten through that one and we will take up HSD 62 and then we'll call it a day.

We're not gonna go through all 60. If we had just ticked through it, I would have said let's keep moving, but these are important discussions.

HSD 62, thank you, Tommaso.

This council budget action would increase proposed allocations to the Human Services Department by $1 million general fund to expand funding allocated for gender-based violence survivor services.

The Mayor's Office proposed budget includes $16.1 million for this, and this would add to that by $1 million.

This is sponsored by Councilmember Rink, co-sponsored by Councilmembers Solomon and Kettle.

Thank you.

Councilmember Rink, you are recognized.

Thank you, Chair.

Colleagues, this is one of my top priorities for this budget cycle, and I want to thank Public Safety Chair Kettle and Council Member Solomon for your co-sponsorship on this.

Gender-based violence programs are one of the few social service program areas that did not see an increase in the mayor's proposed budget, so this CBA seeks to increase the gender-based violence services for our city by one million.

Due to a Trump regime executive order, local service providers and programs are facing an impossible choice.

Either deny lifesaving services to immigrant or LGBTQIA survivors or risk losing federal funding.

Additionally, since 2018, state Victim of Crimes funds has been cut by over 75% statewide and providers are facing the same rising costs as every other sector has.

Domestic and sexual violence are among the major precursors to homelessness, substance use disorder, and behavioral health conditions for not just people who experienced this directly, but also impacted children.

These programs provide survivors with the tools they need when they need it most including legal advocacy, court accompaniment, trauma-informed medical care after sexual assault, substance use disorder support, emergency and confidential shelter and other housing ranging from transitional housing and permanent supportive housing.

survivors deserve to have their courageous disclosure of abuse met with a robust network of well-resourced advocates.

Meaningfully protecting these programs locally as they face federal and state cuts will provide some of Seattle's most vulnerable with a critical social safety net.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Rink.

Colleagues, discussion?

I will say, Tomaso, if you could give me a summary of the similarities and differences of these two amendments.

Yeah.

First of all, I would say that HSD 61 is a one-time expenditure, so there's a difference there.

It's also specifically targeted at KSARC, not the bulk of the other providers funded by HSD.

KSARC...

does receive funds from HSD and would be eligible potentially to receive some sub-amount of the $1 million that is intended to be allocated amongst existing providers or to meet emerging needs in 2026. And then in HSD 62, that would also increase in an ongoing way the amount of funds available for the RFP that's expected.

for gender-based violence survivor services.

So those RFPs occur on a four-year basis.

So the current one would expire at the end of 26. It would be rebid, and those contracts would start in 2027. So the other way that I would distinguish it is that, you know, I guess you could say that KSARC plays a somewhat unique role amongst providers in the ecosystem of survivor supports.

the primary crisis response service for survivors and victims of sexual violence, which includes but isn't limited to ongoing advocacy, but also the direct hospital response function if someone reports to police or goes to a hospital to get a sexual assault forensic exam, they're on call for those responses.

So I would say that these two ads are complementary, but not duplicative.

Thank you, well said.

Colleagues, further discussion?

If you'd like to add your name as a co-sponsor to HSD 62, please raise your hand at this time.

Seeing no additional co-sponsors, we will now move to conclude today's committee meeting at 3.58, so earlier than what I promised.

And just to say we have an additional 35 council budget actions to review in the departments of human services, care, police, fire, and office of inspector general.

So we will start again tomorrow at 930 sharp.

We will start with 60 minutes maximum of public comment period.

And then we will dive right into these remaining CBAs so that we can wrap up as quickly as possible.

Colleagues, are there any items for the good of the order?

Seeing no additional comments at this time, this does conclude the Wednesday, October 29th, 2025 Select Budget Committee.

Thank you for attending.

We are adjourned.

Thank you, Chair.