Libraries, Education and Neighborhoods Committee 7252024

All right.

Good morning, everyone.

The July 25th, 2024 meeting of the Library's Education and Neighborhoods Committee will come to order.

It's 9.32 a.m.

I'm Maritza Rivera, chair of the committee.

I'd like to note that Council Member Moore is excused from today's committee meeting.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Council Member Hollingsworth.

Council Member Morales.

Here.

Here.

Vice chair Wu.

Present.

Chair Rivera.

Present.

And I will also note council member Hollingsworth will be joining a few minutes late this morning.

Three council members are present.

If there's no objection, the agenda will be adopted.

Hearing no objection, the agenda is adopted.

There are two items of business on today's agenda.

We have the appointment of Faith Pettis to the Seattle library board, excuse me, Seattle Public Library Board of Trustees and a presentation from the Department of Neighborhoods on the Chinatown International District Community Capacity Building and the PPATCH Community Gardening Program.

I would like to thank Director Chau and Department of Neighborhood Staff for coming to council chambers today to present as well as Chief Fay and Faith Pettis who we'll hear from in a few minutes.

We will now open the public hybrid comment period.

Public comments should relate to items of the agenda or within the purview of this committee.

Clerk, how many speakers are signed up today?

Currently, we have zero in-person speakers and one remote speaker signed up.

Thank you.

You may read the public comment instructions.

The public comment period will be moderated in the following manner.

Public comment period is up to 20 minutes.

Each speaker will have two minutes.

Speakers will be called on in the order in which they registered.

We will start with in-person speakers first, then remote speakers until the public comment period has ended.

Speakers will hear a chime when 10 seconds are left of their time.

The public comment period is now open.

We will begin with the first speaker on the list.

The first remote speaker is Betty Lau.

Speaker, please press star six when you hear the prompt of you have been unmuted.

Betty, I see you're online.

Are you able to press star six?

There you go.

Thank you.

sorry i did the pound six am i unmuted yet yes you are betty thank you so much go ahead oh thank you for the help uh my name is betty lau i'm a member of the cid vision advisory group uh representing friends of japantown uh however i i am going to be addressing uh another membership, which is the seniors in action.

This is huge and historic.

For the first time, non-English speaking residents, seniors, 1,200 plus, have a voice in self-determination, like learning how to register and to vote and having a say in what happens in Chinatown and the rest of the Chinatown International District.

Collectively, we, the CID Vision Advisory Group, are really happy and grateful for these opportunities to work collaborative with the city in partnership with the Department of Neighborhoods and OPCB.

We look forward to continuing this collaborative work to improve the CID neighborhood.

Thank you.

Thank you, Betty.

There are no additional registered speakers, so now we'll proceed to our items of business.

Will the clerk please read today's first agenda item into the record?

Agenda item one, appointment 02921, the appointment of Faith Pettis as member of the Seattle Public Library Board of Trustees for a term to April 1, 2029.

Thank you.

This appointment has been read into the record.

We're being joined by Chief Librarian Tom Fay and also Faith Pettis as they make their way to the desk.

I will say to the table, I will say that I am so grateful for wonderful community residents who volunteer their time to sit on these important boards and commissions.

And I've learned this morning that Faith Pettis is actually a constituent, so I'm doubly grateful to have her here this morning.

Chief Fay, why don't you introduce yourself for the record, and then you can introduce Faith.

And then, Faith, if you'd like to say a few words, we'd love to hear from you.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

My name is Tom Fay.

I'm the Chief Librarian for the Seattle Public Library.

And I would just like to, with the Chair's permission, give just a short background on our appointee, Faith Perez.

She's a partner at the Pacifica Law Firm and serving as bond counsel and outside counsel to state and local governments with a primary focus on housing, education, and nonprofit finance.

Her clients include state agencies, housing authorities, local school districts, cities, and counties.

She is a bond and general counsel to the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, the issuer of nonprofit multifamily and single family bonds, and the allocating agency for federal law income housing tax credits in Washington State.

Ms. Pettis was appointed in 2018 by Governor Inslee to a six-year term on the Board of Trustees of Western Washington University.

And the mayor of Seattle appointed Faith in 2014 to co-chair the city's Housing Affordability and Livability Task Force, which was charged with delivering a 10-year plan to address housing affordability.

It is my pleasure to welcome Faith to the library.

Her passion and her skills are going to be very well needed and used as she comes onto the board.

So, Faith.

Great, thank you very much.

Thank you for allowing me to appear before you and for considering me for this really important position.

I am honored to be here.

The library is an important institution in our city.

It's a foundational institution.

It is a place of gathering, community, a gateway for education for so many people.

And as board members, we would have a fiduciary duty to the library to protect, steward, enhance its assets, its goodwill, not only its physical assets as well.

I was born and raised in Seattle, and I have to say I grew up in the branch libraries.

Every weekend, my parents would bundle my brother and I into the car, we would go to either the Lake City branch or the Bitter Lake branch of the library where we had our favorite librarians and our favorite nooks to go.

The rule in our family was you could check out as many books, which I know you can't do now, as you can carry.

And so every week, my brother and I would take in a tower of teetering books and exchange it for another tower of books.

And that really was the way that our imagination and our dreams were stimulated as children.

And I owe a lot to the Seattle Public Library System.

I really hope I can be of service to the board and believe that my other board service, including as current chair of the Western Washington Board of Trustees of the university there, will help inform my service.

I do understand, I believe, what it takes to be a board member and the fiduciary responsibilities that we have.

to conscientiously serve and to show up, be present and steward.

So thank you for the honor of being here and for considering me for this position.

Thank you, Faith.

And I'll just say it again.

I'm always so grateful that we have, like I said earlier, community members who are willing to take on these very important opportunities.

It's unpaid.

And folks have regular jobs and then they take this on and I know that you will take this on very seriously.

We appreciate your background and your experience, especially in the fiduciary role that you've had in other boards.

because it really is something that is important to the libraries and to the city to be able to ensure that we are being responsible for taxpayer money and library levy monies and making sure that the libraries are running smoothly and very much appreciate your background that you bring to this particular position, particularly in light of the fact that we all know recently the libraries had some struggles So very much appreciate folks willing to step in to these rules to make sure that our libraries are running smoothly.

And I very much appreciate your story because I have a similar growing up story that I have shared.

The libraries for me were a respite growing up.

It was the only place I've said my mom would let me go alone because I grew up in a dangerous neighborhood.

And so very much appreciate libraries.

We're big fans up here of the libraries.

Council member Wu or Morales.

Do you have any comments?

Yes, I council member Wu want to say thank you and I could hear how much you love Libraries by your story and so very excited that you will continue to serve and make sure the next generation the legacy of our libraries that will Will be sustained.

Thank you Thank You council member Wu any other comments from colleagues?

All right then All right, I move that the committee recommend confirmation of Faith Pettis to the Seattle Public Library's Board of Trustees.

Is there a second?

Second.

It is moved and seconded to confirm the appointment.

Are there any further comments?

Will the clerk please call the roll on the confirmation of the appointment?

Council Member Hollingsworth?

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Vice Chair Wu.

Yes.

Chair Rivera.

Aye.

Three in favor, none opposed.

The motion carries and the recommendation that the appointment be confirmed will be sent to the City Council.

Thank you so much, Faith, again for your service and for taking this role on and you're welcome to come to the committee meeting.

We can let you know which one it is or not.

It's your choice, but So grateful that you were able to join us today and tell us a little bit about your background and Chief Fay, always a pleasure to see you.

Thank you for introducing Faith today.

Thank you both for being here.

All right, we will now move to the second item on the agenda.

Will the clerk please read the second agenda item into the record.

Agenda item two, presentations, Chinatown International District Community Capacity Building and Pea Patch Community Gardening Program.

We're joined by the Department of Neighborhoods Director, Jennifer Chow, and Department of Neighborhoods staff, Soka, Don, and Kenya Freedy for these presentations.

Thank you all for joining us at the table.

And when you're ready, you can state your names for the record and you can begin.

I'm not sure how to utter.

I don't see it.

We're just getting our presentation ready.

No worries.

I know it's always a little tricky.

Sometimes the technology in this room hasn't always been as cooperative as we would like.

Yeah, right there.

That's it.

And then you should be able to just...

There you go.

Thank you so much for having us again, Council Chair Rivera.

Hello, council members.

My name is Jennifer Chow, and I am the director of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.

Hi, my name is Soka Don.

I'm the CID Community Capacity Advisor at the Department of Neighborhoods.

And good morning.

My name's Kenya Frady.

I'm the manager of the Department of Neighborhoods PPATCH program.

In today's meeting, we are going to highlight the work we are doing with the Chinatown International District, which I'll refer to as the beloved CID, and our beloved PPATCH gardening program.

The CID is a culturally rich community that has historically experienced insufficient investment, harmful public policies, and institutional racism.

In recent years, the community has faced new development pressures, impacts of COVID, and anti-Asian hate crimes and violence.

In 2023, the National Trust for Historic Preservation added the CID to the list of America's 11 most endangered historic places.

The City of Seattle acknowledges the harmful impact of government policies and projects on the CID, and we are committed to addressing the inequities.

The Department of Neighborhoods serves the CID community through five key areas of service.

The first is through our community engagement coordinators.

We have four citywide community engagement coordinators who connect communities to government and neighbors to each other.

They cover neighborhoods in the North End, Central Area, West Seattle, South Park, and Southeast.

The coordinator covering the Central Area, including the CID, regularly attends community meetings and connects city departments with relevant community requests.

The Department of Neighborhoods also manages community safety contracts in the CID as well as Ballard and South Park.

Through this contract, we partner with the CID Business Improvement Association to fund the CID Community Safety Coordinator who helps facilitate the community-led CID Public Safety Council.

The goals of the CID Community Safety Coordinator are to reduce public safety concerns and foster discussions by improving coordination and communication with the city and surrounding neighborhoods.

Through the Department of Neighborhoods Oversight of the International Special Review District, or ISRD, we also work with the CID community to preserve the distinct, unique Asian American character and encourage rehabilitation in the district.

The International Special Review District is one of Seattle's eight historic districts and encompasses the CID and Little Saigon.

Established in 1973, the ISRD and its board promotes and preserves the cultural, economic, and historical qualities of the area, specifically features derived from its Asian heritage.

Any changes to buildings and structures in the CID require review and approval by the International Special Review District Coordinator or the IRCD Board.

We also have a regular presence in the CID through our community liaisons and equity engagement advisors who work regularly with city departments to develop and implement equitable outreach and engagement strategies centered on the needs of the CID community members.

Community liaisons are independent contractors and trusted advocates from the community ensuring that underrepresented groups in the CID have access to city information and resources.

Equity and engagement advisors support city departments with culturally responsive engagement strategies.

Finally, the Department of Neighborhoods has been instrumental in partnering with residents and organizations in the CID to build their community capacity.

The city has invested in a CID community capacity advisor position to support long-term, sustainable community-led solutions.

Now I'd like to hand it over to Sokka to share more about the impactful work we're doing in the CID to promote community empowerment and capacity building.

Thank you, Director Chao.

My name is Soka Don.

Again, I've been working in the Chinatown International District for the last 10 years.

I began my work first for the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority in 2014. I was appointed to the Mayor's Special Task Force on Public Safety and Neighborhood Vitality after the murder of Donnie Chin, community hero and founder of the International District Emergency Center.

In 2017, I worked for the Public Defender Association and expanded the LEAD program into the East Precinct.

Believe it or not, I also have a second job.

I work on the weekends in the CID, and I live in the CID as a renter.

In a nutshell, my life, both past and present, is very much rooted in this community.

So I'm honored for the time today and you allowing me to share my connection to this community.

Now on to the official part of the presentation.

In 2019, the CID Vision Advisory Group saw a shared need for a shared community vision and neighborhood plan.

This group of leaders successfully advocated for seed funding and sponsored a community-led visioning process that reflects the diversity of the community and seeks to address the complexity which is the Chinatown International District.

The commitment of these community leaders has been rooted in providing an authentic community voice that does not compromise the integrity of the opinions offered by the variety of business owners, community elders, residents, and monolingual non-English speaking residents in the community.

Hundreds of community members have participated in this community visiting process through surveys, through interviews, focus groups, and a community-wide survey throughout this community-led visiting process.

The CID Visioning Advisory Group, with support from the city, provides a clear path forward, led by community self-determination, with strategies and a call to action to address community issues in both the near and forward term.

And this includes building a structure for inclusive community engagement decision making, Number two, ensuring community self-determination in projects that impact the CID.

And lastly, creating a long-term community vision and plan.

All these three items which I have, again, the privilege of diving deeper into during this presentation.

And before we begin, I'd also like to thank members of the CID Vision Advisory Group who are here today, this morning.

The CID Vision Advisory Group is has approached this community-led vision model by focusing on five fundamental areas that really defines whether or not a neighborhood is able to thrive.

The five subcommittees of the CID Vision Advisory Group are housing, that housing is available for both long-time and existing residents, particularly elders and families, and for residents who can strengthen the customer base as part of these neighborhood businesses.

Business and economic strength.

We know that a thriving neighborhood business district includes the preservation of longstanding and legacy businesses who wish to stay in the Chinatown International District, while also attracting ethnically diverse businesses that retain the culture of the CID's distinctive character.

Neighborhood character and history.

It's undeniable that the Asian culture and history is central to the CID's identity and should be preserved and protected.

While also recognizing this, other communities are also part of the neighborhood's diverse history, and their identity should also be recognized and celebrated.

Fourth, community safety and health.

Individual community safety and health and wellness is paramount to livability and quality of life for residents, especially for vulnerable community members who face language and literacy barriers.

And lastly, transportation and mobility, the connectivity and ease of getting around within and to from the CID will benefit residents, particularly elders and visitors alike visiting this historic neighborhood.

The work of the five subcommittees is grounded in the CID Visiting Advisory Group vision for a community that is inclusive of diverse groups and across generations who use their collective voice and power for community self-determination in the CID's growth and development.

CID Visioning Advisory Group membership.

The CID Visioning Advisory Group's membership is the largest united coalition representing the Chinatown International District.

This group is comprised of 16 organizations based in the neighborhoods who saw a need for a shared community vision and neighborhood plan.

The advisory group represents a significant cross-section of diverse neighbor stakeholders and organizations ranging from family associations to community nonprofits.

I also want to note Much like the first item on the agenda on today's committee, that all the CID vision of our group members have full-time jobs, the majority as executive directors of their organizations, in addition to committing their time to this group.

This is incredibly telling of their commitment and passion to serve the CID and their unified vision for themselves and the community.

As previously noted, these CID organizations came together and formed in 2019 so the community could have a stronger voice and influence against multiple pressures happening to and in the neighborhood.

Now to the meat of this presentation.

The CID Visioning Advisory Group has engaged intentionally and strategically in four phases of work to date.

with a fourth base occurring this year.

I'd like to talk about phase one.

Phase one started in 2019 to 2020 with a focus on building a community-led and developed model for inclusive community engagement, decision-making, and advocacy.

This model includes strategies for community representation and the desired roles for the City of Seattle and other stakeholders and project sponsors.

It includes a plan for participation of diverse community members in the CID in decision-making and centering groups that have historically not been represented to meaningfully participate In the decision-making.

The funding for this phase supported a consultant for research, structure and decision-making, values and priorities, and internal outreach and engagement plan.

This phase really laid the foundation for the Sequented Bodies of Work.

Phase 2, Community Engagement Toolkit.

The primary objective of Phase 2 in 2020 to 2021 was the development of the CID Community Engagement Toolkit.

The toolkit was created by the diverse and dynamic membership of the CID Visiting Advisory Group, which recognizes that different types of community issues or projects cannot be served by one cookie-cutter model for community engagement.

for the communities required for all stakeholders to come together on a specific issue or project, especially in the CID.

The CID toolkit is used to collectively engage, make decisions about, and advocate for community interests while faced with issues, concerns, or projects that could impact the CID.

The toolkit also serves as a framework for public and both private projects that impact the CID, from city-state agencies to private developers, nonprofit agencies, and other stakeholders to meaningfully and equitably engage the CID and carry out those projects in a way that avoids community harm, respects community vision, and self-determination.

This collaborative model, developed by 16 community organizations together in the CID, is the first of its kind for the neighborhood.

This funding supported direct cost for translations, stipends, communications, community meetings, venues, childcare, data visualization, and storytelling materials for the CID Vision Advisory Group.

Phase three.

Neighborhood strategic plan.

The creation of the neighborhood strategic plan was divided into three sub-phases.

The first, engaging community in the visioning process that results in the neighborhood plan with a long-term community vision, key issue errors and strategies.

Second, testing and refining the community engagement toolkit created in phase two, piloting issues in the community visioning process.

And third, building a structure for phase three to create implementation details for a neighborhood plan.

Key deliverables in phase three include the community survey, which garnered over 580 responses from community members, a refined communication toolkit, and the Chinatown ID Neighborhood Strategic Plan with a 10-year vision and identification of party issue goals and strategies.

The CID Implementation Plan also resulted in Phase 3, which translates the CID Vision Advisory Group's 10-year visions into, most importantly, accountable tasks for the city, along with other responsible government and additional community partners.

This includes detailed actions, timelines and budgets, and for implementation of the strategies of the Neighborhood Strategic Plan.

The key step of translating the CID Vision Advisory Group's strategic plan into actual items as detailed was done through the CID Vision Advisory Group directs input from residents, community-based organizations, and small business owners.

Phase three supported the hiring of a new consultant tasked with facilitation and coordination of the 16-base membership group, a dedicated outreach and engagement advisor, for the community, hired by the community, direct costs for participant stipends, including CID community members and visiting group members, meeting expenses for venues, food, printing, translation, and also a commercial storefront rental space, which will be used for community engagement and outreach for the CID Visiting Advisory Group.

I'm almost done.

Phase four.

Phase four builds on three phases of the CID Vision Advisory Group.

Past five years of strategic work planning with basic measures of accountability to implement and operationalize the community-led visioning of the CID Vision Advisory Group.

The CID Vision Advisory Group has outlined these basic measures accountability should include.

TIMELINE AND MILESTONES.

EACH COMMITMENT SHOULD HAVE A CLEAR TIMELINE AND SET MILESTONES TO ENSURE PROGRESS IS MADE, MEASURED AND ACCOUNTABLE.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

REQUIRE REPORTING FROM ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES OR THE PUBLIC ON THE STATUS OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING CHALLENGES FACED, FEEDBACK AND MORE.

Community feedback loops.

The community should always be involved.

Implement mechanisms for ongoing feedback from CBOs and the broader community to adjust these strategies as needed, ensuring responsibility to evolving needs and circumstances.

Ultimately, phase four, which is the phase we're on right now for the CID Vision Advisory Group, is the result of years of coordination, volunteer time, commitment, community-led engagement, As we all know, the CID neighborhood comprises diverse stakeholders of many cultural and diverse backgrounds.

However, the thinking here represents an exceptionally unified voice for the community.

As Don's director, Jennifer Chow, previously stated about this challenging but impactful work of the CID Vision Advisory Group, this community-led visioning process is pivotal to how the city is building trust in BIPOC communities like the CID.

Our job, alongside Mayor Harreld, is to invest in community's vision for transformational change.

Examples of this community trust building is part of the CID community that includes Don's efforts Just some examples are, could be in the CIDs, or the city's internal department teams focus on the CID, just as the CID core team comprises staff from Don, the Office of Planning and Community Development, the Seattle Department of Transportation, the Mayor's Office.

The piloting of new neighborhood-based tools and research through partnering with the University of Texas at Austin.

to study best practices around community benefit agreements across the country, and also partnering locally here with the University of Washington's Masters of Information Science program to develop a data visualization dashboard for tracking projects and investments in the CID.

And that project is set to be complete in September.

Learning and innovation across the neighborhood is key to Don's DNA, and this is shared through Don's CID internal work group, comprised of my colleagues at Don, who are trusted advocates in the CID, One of these advocates is our community engagement coordinator working in central Seattle to build long and lasting relationships in the community.

Our community liaison project advisor who ensures underrepresented groups have access to city information resources.

And most recently, a mayor's office fellow analyzing community safety contracts for the CID.

Don is also providing information and decision-making for transparency in the CID through my position as the CID Community Capacity Advisor.

I regularly check in with members of the CID Vision Advisory Group, and I'm launching office hours at Hing Hay Co-Works and the CID several times a month to be accessible and truly embedded within the community.

Lastly, Don is continuously coordinating with other city departments to support the work of the CID and the CID Vision Advisory Group.

At the request of the CID Vision Advisory Group, Don has coordinated meetings with leadership from city departments, including our department, the Office of Planning and Community Development, the Office of Housing, Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, and the Seattle Department of Transportation.

The purpose of meeting with department directors and the CID Vision Advisory Group is to provide an update to city directors on the work of the coalition and their needs for partnership with the city of Seattle.

These meetings provide a meaningful opportunity for relationship building and to establish trust and understanding a department's leadership vision and values of working with the CID community, especially with the CID Communication Toolkit.

Don will continue to help steward and build the CID's community-city partnership by connecting the 16-member-based coalition of CID stakeholders to other city departments, staff, and agencies that will play a role in actualizing the CID's 10-year divisions and implementation plan.

Special thanks to these directors who have met with the CID Vision Advisory Group.

Thank you.

Thank you, Soka.

Colleagues, do we have any questions?

Actually, before we get to questions, I want to say that we've been joined by Council Member Hollingsworth, and then Council Member Morales is representing us at the Association of Washington Cities, so she had to hop off.

We thank her for representing us there, and thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth, for coming in.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Do you have any questions, colleagues?

Councilmember Wu.

Thank you.

So I'm just beaming up here because I'm so excited and so proud of the work that you have done.

In 2017, I was invited to be part of a mayor advisory group.

I call it a failed mayoral advisory group because the group got together and decided that there was just so much broken trust and that they were not...

They always had groups and the mayor had asked for suggestions, but nothing was ever implemented.

And so they decided to disband.

And I'm so glad to see that this state divisioning group came out of that and it's going well and was able to...

build trust and work with community and really center community voices.

So I'm just so excited and so proud and very happy with all the work that you do.

I know it took years of community involvement, lots of meeting, a lot of listening sessions, a lot of patience, listening to community members.

But I think, I think There is an amazing partnership here that was not here before.

And so I thank you, DLN Soko, who's very much part of the community and Director Chow for all the work that you do in community and you are always present and willing to listen.

And so very excited about this work.

Member Hollingsworth.

Yeah, I just, and I apologize, Madam Chair, for being tardy.

I really appreciate the patience and everything.

And thank you, D.O.N., for your presentation, for being here.

I had a chance to look at it beforehand.

And one of the questions I had, and I saw on here the advisory group, could you talk a little bit about how you all interact with Office of Economic Development as well today?

you know, with the CID and the community, as I know that's like an important piece to help, you know, stimulate and bring some of those businesses back.

Yeah, definitely.

Thank you for the question, and thank you just, yeah, for your appreciation towards the work that's been done, Councilmember Wu and Councilmember Rivera.

Councilmember Hollingsworth, to answer your question about our engagement with the Office of Economic Development, I'm in close connection as the CID Community Capacity Advisor with the liaison to the CID, and I meet regularly with that staff person.

This upcoming fall, we are planning another edition of meetings with directors, and OED director Markham will be part of that meeting.

So I'm in the process of coordinating that meeting as well.

I think OED is a fantastic partner that we are in constant communication with.

Nice, and then my second question, and I've asked everyone this from different neighborhoods, Is, are you all working with, you know, we have a lot of economic opportunity that will be coming with the World Cup and wanting to make sure that it just not only impacts certain areas, but that it like trickles down to all the neighborhoods and, you know, just different areas.

Is there going to be potentially like a planning, you know, to say like, hey, this is how the CID can, you know, interact with the World Cup so we can be able to draw people to CID.

We can draw people up to the Central District, draw them up to District 4, like all these different places and thinking about the CID in particular.

Great question, Council Member Hollingsworth.

So right now we are currently coordinating across departments with the mayor's office around engagement, and we are still in the beginning of planning, knowing that it's coming quickly and it'll arrive very soon.

But yes, we have the CID for sure in the forefront and making sure that, especially the surrounding neighborhoods, CID, Pioneer Square, as it trickles down to the waterfront, that they will be all involved.

And also figuring out how the central district folks knowing that they're outside of the downtown area core, that's geographically stated, but that how they will be also involved and included.

Nice.

Yeah, one of the ways in which I know that we can do a better job of, and I got to talk to Estad about that, just signage, you know, like signage in certain areas.

I'm trying to get a sign that says come into Capitol Hill.

You know, it feels like you stop at the convention center and like, what else?

And then, you know, just thinking about signage.

So it just helps people be able to navigate signage.

even though I know everybody's always on their phone, I think there's something about nice signs, which it directs people in a way.

So anyways, just wanted to throw that out there.

But know that the work that you do is obviously incredibly important.

So thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

Well, I have a comment and then a couple questions.

And first of all, I want to acknowledge, I think I see some folks from Don here.

So I want to acknowledge we have some Don staff here and I want to on the record, thank you for all the work that you all do.

It's really important work to coalesce with community.

You are sort of the glue between the city and community and we very much appreciate that.

So shout out to the Don staff in the audience.

My comment is I just want to make it very clear that we all know how important the CID is to the city.

And I am so grateful for the work that Don has engaged in with the other city departments to give focus to the CID.

The Office of Arts and Culture is actually just at King Street Station.

And so CID met the light rail station.

It was my stop every day.

And during COVID, especially pre-COVID, the CID needed attention.

And then during COVID, things got worse.

And I saw that.

And I go to the CID all the time.

It's such a treasure.

And I'm so happy that it's getting attention because it is very...

It has...

felt neglected for some time.

So really appreciate the work that you're doing and appreciate that that attention is there in collaboration with community because community has been there doing the work this entire time.

And they've really needed a strong partnership to bring attention and make improvements there.

And I'm happy that that's happening.

I hope communities also working with Sound Transit because I know the station there is also in need of attention.

And I know that there's an interim director at Sound Transit who cares and I'm very appreciative that he's there, Jerron Spellman.

And so I'm hoping that's happening as well.

because I know he'll be open to it.

And then, so that was my comment.

I have two questions.

One is about youth and how youth is being engaged as part of this process.

And then my other question is about the strategic plan itself.

And if you could give highlights as to some of the items that are included in the plan that we hope to work on with community that the city hopes to partner with.

in community to make those improvements in the CID.

And then actually, my third question is, I do have a third question specific to public safety and what the needs are and how that's going, because I know that's been another huge concern of the neighborhood and something that I know needs addressing as well.

Yeah, thank you, Councilmember Rivera.

Really appreciate your support of the CID and our work here at Don.

To answer your first question, the CID Vision Advisory Group really believes in this model of intergenerational coalition building.

So we are working with community-based organizations that focus on youth.

Just one particular organization, Interim CDA, has a WOW Youth Program, so they really invest in the community and know what's going on for you.

You are so important for the future of CID, especially right now, you know, when there is really a generational shift as far as leadership.

Folks are retiring.

Folks are moving on.

So that's been very critical to this visioning process looking at 2040.

Thank you, Soka.

And I might say I super appreciate that because we don't always listen to the youth voices.

So thank you.

Thank you.

To answer your second questions around key priorities, you know, the coordination and support for building repairs with a focus on URMs or unreinforced masonry.

One call to action includes conducting regular meetings with community stakeholders.

historic preservation groups, and building owners to discuss ongoing needs, share best practices, and coordinate efforts on historic building rehabilitation.

I think as Councilmember Tanya Wu knows, retrofitting is a challenging task, and I think even more so at the community level.

So we've been in, I think, beginning coordination with You know, STCI around URMs, and they have used the communication toolkit to begin this talk.

So, I mean, I think URMs, it's really one of the most pressing issues for the CID.

Not only would it require city investment, but, you know, federal investment as well.

And to answer your question around public safety, public safety is overwhelmingly one of the key priorities for the CID and came up as one of the top urgent issues that need to be addressed for the CID Vision Advisory Group.

I think one of the things that has been laid out in the CID Visioning Advisory Group's implementation plan is enhanced in-language public safety support is needed for the CID.

A call to action in regard to public safety includes, and it's just one example of what the CID wants implemented, includes implementing technology-based solutions like multilingual reporting apps or websites who can guide users through the reporting process with visual aids.

and translations, making reporting more accessible with residents with limited literacy skills.

Thank you, Sokka.

And are you able to share the strategic plan?

Is it ready for distribution?

I'm sure we would all appreciate seeing it up here.

It's on the website, right?

It's on the website.

Yes, and it's also actually, there's a link on the presentation that goes to our website, and it will share the toolkit the history of the CID Visionary Advisory Group, all their work to date, and also the strategic plan and the implementation plan of the Neighborhood Plan.

Thank you, Chair.

I missed the link, so thank you for flagging it.

Colleagues, any other questions or comments?

All right, well, thank you so much, Director Chao and Soka, for being here on the CID Advisory Work Group.

Work.

And then I know that Director Chow, you're staying for the Pea Patch Gardening Program.

Thank you, Soka, so much.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ahsoka.

Now we're going to shift to Pea Patch, a beloved community program that is 50 years old.

It's as old as I am.

Just wanted to plug that.

Young as you are.

That's right.

Pea Patch Gardens are gathering spaces where neighbors come together to build community and strengthen relationships.

Neighbors connect over growing herbs, flowers, and cultural food.

Gardening allows us to steward the land and promote a healthy environment.

The word community is vital to Pea Patch community gardening.

Just as diverse plants lead to healthy gardens, strong communities are built when gardens are inclusive and reflect the diverse communities in the surrounding neighborhoods.

I'm going to hand it over to Kenya to share about the history and legacy of our beloved Pea Patch.

Thank you, Director Chau.

Good morning.

The first garden, Picardo Farm, located in District 4, was created in 1973 by a group of community residents and the City of Seattle.

Currently, there are 307 pea patcher stewarding plots at Picardo.

Last year, the program celebrated its 50th anniversary.

We appreciate Mayor Harrells, as well as council, for officially proclaiming 2023 as the year of community gardening.

Can you move them?

Kenya, would you mind putting your mic a little closer?

Closer to me?

Sure.

Thank you so much, Kenya.

No problem.

Is that a little bit better?

Yes.

Okay, awesome.

Thank you.

Seattle's PPATCH program is the largest city-managed gardening program west of New York.

Gardens are built on public property owned by various city departments, like Seattle Public Utilities, City Light, Parks, Finance and Administrative Services, Seattle Department of Transportation, and other public and private owners like Grow Housing Authority, Seattle Housing Authority that is, Community Roots Housing, Mount Baker Housing Association, North Seattle College, University Heights Center, Hollow Lake Methodist Church, and three independently owned properties.

Currently, there are 90 PPATCH community gardens encompassing over 3,600 plots and close to 15 acres of land with more than 3,500 gardeners.

The PPATCH gardeners are required to complete a minimum of eight hours community service each year, which is usually counted from like November to October 31st, not related to the date of their new plot assignments.

The work must happen in collective areas of the garden, not inside individual garden space.

And a minimum four to eight hours must be completed at the garden where the plot holders garden, essentially.

Community hours can also be done outside the garden if the work supports the P-Patch program.

Program-wide, over 150,000 volunteer hours can be completed annually.

And we especially love our home chefs and bakers that grace our volunteer work parties with delicious treats.

And maybe I'm talking for myself.

We do love the food.

Big shout out to also our PPatchers who complete the hours requirement by helping us make phone calls, pick up supplies, repair irrigation systems, arrange for resources, tidy up the tool sheds, manage compost bins, and take on leadership roles.

PPatch encourages the dedication of at least one area.

for donation to the food banks and hot meal programs or other forms of giving.

In 2023, a total of over 32,000 pounds of organic produce was donated to local feeding programs.

Yes.

In recent years, pea patchers have developed alternative ways to help close the hunger gap, like hosting free farm stands at the pea patch, delivering donations directly to public housing residents or local BIPOC churches, and support innovative food banks meet their mission of shifting away from the charity model to providing clients dignity to shop for groceries and reducing food waste.

Examples of food banks who do this are Ballard, Bird Bar, U District, and Family Works, which are Food Equity Fund awardees.

I think...

Bird Bar just was awarded recently.

Okay, the following principles, let me back up, I'm sorry.

The PPATCH program is committed to food justice, environmental justice, and equity for prioritizing underrepresented communities.

Based on a community survey, priority placement was established in 2020. The following principle guides plot assignments and helps the program meet department goals for centering racial equity and investing in community building.

This is, PPATCH prioritizes populations underserved by the program for plot assignments.

These priority groups include individuals who identify as Black or African American, Indigenous or Native, and Latinx or Hispanic, households making 30% or below the Seattle area median income, immigrants, refugees, and people who need to garden in accessible raised beds, and groups that serve seniors and youth up to the age of 24. In 2023, 42% of gardeners were assigned plots through priority placement.

24 gardeners were assigned accessible garden beds.

New gardeners included speakers of 11 languages.

And across the program, 860 low-income families received fee assistance, totaling over 68,000 in 2023. As of July 2024, there are over 1,900 neighbors waiting for a PPATCH gardening space.

Waiting time for individual gardens can range from zero to six months and three to five years.

Annual turnover across the entire program averages about 15%.

Volunteer leadership works with staff to assess plot use and compliance of requirements.

Pea Patch community gardens are limited to Seattle residents and groups, and some of the highest wait times are situated in densely populated neighborhoods like Downtown Core and Capitol Hill.

Okay, here's the fun facts.

This slide provides some information about our oldest, newest, largest, and smallest site, additionally providing you with how many gardens are located in each district.

Our oldest site was established in 1973, which is Picardo Farm, and spans 2.5 acres in District 4. Newest site, Hinoki, is located in District 3, Largest site, Beacon Food Forest, occupying over 3.5 acres, is located in District 2. And our smallest site, which is really sweet, it's Ida Mia, covering 700 square feet in District 3. Our success through partnerships embodies community-based organizations, PPATCH volunteers, non-governmental agencies, City of Seattle, other government-related agencies, and most importantly, Mother Nature.

If it wasn't for the soil, water, sun, pollinators, and wildlife, I'm not sure where we'd be, but just saying.

That's, once again, my own personal viewpoint.

I'd like to provide you with a few examples of our current partnerships.

One example is our collaboration with Tilth Alliance.

We design educational content to reflect interests that are specific to each BIPOC community.

Curriculum emphasis is reflected upon learning opportunities that were requested by PPATCH program participants via our 2023 Gardener Survey.

The classes support pea patchers in growing abundant and successful gardens.

Whenever possible, these classes highlight the voices of experience of BIPOC garden slash farm instructors, including BIPOC staff from TILF and local BIPOC organizations and educators.

We also collaborate with internal city teams, including People's Academy for Community Engagement, otherwise known as PACE, the Parks District, Community Liaisons, the Seattle Police Department Crime Prevention Coordinators, Seattle Public Utilities Adopt-A-Street Program, and a host of others to integrate gardeners into larger civic engagement opportunities while connecting gardeners to vital information and resources.

Additionally, we offer opportunities for youth to discover food, nature, and gardening and community building.

It's our hope that the Department of Neighborhoods' Pea Patch Gardens are used as a tool to promote safe gardening practices and healthy lifestyle choices for future generations.

We partner with Saw Horse Revolution, in which neighborhood youth are given a stipend for their service, as well as build their technical skills.

This youth group is currently collaborating with PPATCH staff and Black Star Farmers to build a kiosk at New Holly Rockery Garden, located in southeast Seattle.

Overall, our youth gardening opportunities incorporate youth into the fabric of our community and foster the growth of active and involved citizens.

Our PPatch Community Gardening 2024 priorities, a key component of making engagement process inclusive, responsive, culturally appropriate, is building the capacity to understand the implications of race, culture, socioeconomic status, and decision-making.

Our 2024 programmatic priorities are, that's a tongue twister there, continuing to improve the experience of all Peapatch gardeners.

The second one is offering anti-racism trainings and strategies to Peapatch gardeners.

The third, enhancing outreach and engagement with BIPOC communities.

And the fourth, developing strategic partnerships and collaborations located in historically underserved communities.

Please meet our dynamic PPATCH community gardening team with us today.

From left to right, Nate Moxley, Alisa Choi, Naveer Ahmed, myself, Kenya Freedy, Bun Lee Yun, and Elise Evans.

DON PPATCH program employs six full-time staff who manage 90 PPATCH gardens total across the program.

Our team includes one planning and development supervisor who, in addition to her core management responsibilities, manages two sites and five community garden coordinators, each managing portfolios of up to 20 sites.

PPATCH Community Garden Coordinators' primary roles and responsibilities are property management, volunteer management, community capacity building, public engagement, collaborations, and administrative tasks via our online database.

There are gardens all over Seattle.

Our website will walk interested gardeners through all the steps to get involved so you can start growing your flowers and herbs and food alongside your neighbors.

And we have a link here provided in the slide.

Thank you.

In closing, thank you for this opportunity to present today.

To breathe life into our delightful community gardens, the PPATCH team would love to provide you with a guided tour.

So let's make that happen.

Thank you.

Thank you, Kenya, so much.

And I see some of the PPATCH folks here.

So thank you for your work.

I thought I saw some of you here.

Shout out to you all.

Thank you so much.

Colleagues, any questions or comments?

Council Member Wu?

Council Member Hollingsworth.

I'll make my comment super quick because y'all know that how much I love food and my food background.

And I mean, I love to eat it, but just like working at Northwest Harvest and Emergency Feeding Program and seeing how amazing pea patches are and just been advocating for us figuring out how we localize our food resources, because it is coming where we have to grow more food.

One of the things I want us to think about as a city also, besides the pea patches, is also vertical farming.

I think it's incredibly important.

Hydroponics and being able to...

being able for people to grow it at home, but also potentially having a pea patch that might be a greenhouse that has vertical farming efforts so we can, because land is of high value in Seattle, and it's hard to find little areas where we can grow different food.

We can always go up, and I think vertical farming is very untapped.

It's an incredible resource, and I think we can also be able to start healing our communities with fresh food, less pesticides, produce, especially a lot of our kids, they get fed junk food and a lot of the processed foods, and I know that that chemical, does things to your body that I don't think we really actually understand, but there's something about eating fresh produce and foods and then growing it yourself.

It stimulates their mind and them being exposed to it.

So anyways, I just wanted to throw it out there.

Really appreciate the P-Patch program and us being able to continue to support them and also had a chance to work with TILTH.

So know about the work that you all do with TILTH and the Rainer, is it Rainer Beach Gardens?

Rainer?

Yeah, those gardens out there.

Phenomenal, phenomenal work that you all do and just want to keep the program going.

So thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth.

Council Member Wu.

I also want to echo what I said.

Thank you for all that you do.

I love walking through my local pea patch and just seeing how it unites community and how people are just so proud and passionate about their space.

And I find out that people come together to help repair something, something gets damaged, and how people take it so personally that this is their community spot, this is their garden.

And I was curious about the waiting list.

If you know off the top of your head, what areas, what districts have a higher waiting list?

Where is there more demand?

How are we able to meet that demand or is the turnover is how people are able to get a spot?

Is there any mechanism for finding new spaces for peat patches?

Yes, and thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth, for your comments.

That was very kind, and we'd love to keep that vision of going vertical.

To answer your question about the interest list, currently the downtown core, like the densely populated neighborhoods have the highest interest list.

So we're finding like the downtown core and Capitol Hill usually have like three to five years of waiting, give or take.

But there's always ways for folks to get their hands dirty while they wait.

You know, participating in the work parties, maybe jumping on interest lists that's maybe not as high, you know, just to get started.

But with our priority placement and making sure that where people are within compliance of utilizing the plots, there's rotation.

And it moves, sometimes slow, sometimes really quick.

It just depends upon the neighborhood.

But Yes.

Thank you.

And Madam Chair, I have one more question, if that's okay.

Of course.

I don't want to take up too, quick question.

Is there a seed sharing piece within the PPAT where people share their seeds with folks?

And then last question, are you all seeing a certain type of vegetable that might grow better or like has climate change impacted some of what people can grow.

And yeah, that might just be something I can just follow up on, but was just curious off the top of your head.

Yeah, thank you.

So seed sharing is usually an informal practice amongst neighbors.

I'm a seed saver.

So I often have a sign in a plot saying, hey, I forgot to divulge that I'm also a pea patcher, a volunteer on the weekends and evenings with my family.

And so yes, you know, you usually just, you grow your crops to save the seeds and then you share with your neighbors.

Some pea patchers actually have seed kiosks and seed libraries in front of their pea patch to invite the larger community in and share that way.

And let me tell you, those seeds go quickly.

So we're always like, take one, bring one.

But sometimes, you know, it's just a lot about just sharing across the board.

Formerly, we have a resource fair that we just held back in April, which is usually held at the African American Museum.

And we have our partners, King County Seed Lending Library, come, and they set up a big, huge table in the middle of the museum to have people come and bring in seed.

And so that's a more formal way.

They also have opportunities throughout the year to do seed saving and seed sharing.

And so, so informal, informal, that happens.

And then the second piece was around, Jennifer stole my pen, so I couldn't write it down.

If you've seen a difference in like, are there different vegetables that have been affected by climate change where you're like, hey, this does not grow all,

you know, well and far.

Yeah, you know, every year it's different.

I'm sorry, before you answer that, can I get you to...

Yes, thank you.

I'm having trouble, I'm so sorry.

No, I am so sorry.

Thank you.

I'm not used to using microphones.

I'm used to projecting in nature.

But with regards to food, so every year it's different.

This year, we're finding tomatoes are a little bit later than usual.

But peppers did well this year.

So you just kind of have to play it by ear.

We do have weeds, right?

And some of them are edible.

So they do well in any kind of climate.

But it just depends upon the culture and what's culturally relevant to foods.

But for the most part, all vegetables do pretty well, and we have a climate that we can grow all year round.

So the greens loved this year because it was colder in the beginning, you know?

Yeah.

Hopefully that answered your question.

Yeah, absolutely.

Okay, cool.

Thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth.

Yes, thank you.

Any other questions, colleagues?

All right.

Then I have a couple questions and then a comment.

And you raised it, Kenya, with the culturally specific food.

I very much appreciate the attention to that.

I'm Puerto Rican and I love my Puerto Rican food.

And so, you know, really appreciate that that is important to folks to be able to grow the things that is part of their culture.

I know that that's attention that you give.

We didn't talk about it as much during the presentation.

So I really wanted to flag because I know that there is a focus on that.

So thank you for that.

Thank you.

And then also getting back to council member Wu's questions in terms of how often are you able to add gardens?

And I believe that folks are able to will their you know, property to the city for PPATCH purposes, I think.

Is that true?

They can, yes.

To answer that question, you know, we're in an interesting time.

We grew the program from 2008 to 2014 by a And after that point, that was through a levy.

And after that point, we were like, okay, how are we going to manage all these gardens without additional staff?

So we're at a point where we're kind of at capacity, you know.

without additional funding and without staff more staff it's really hard to grow more pea patches but we do act as a consultant so often community groups that are interested in growing a community garden they're able to come to us and we can work with them and guide them and that's been really helpful you know and is that you mean there are folks that have private type pea patches and so you consult with those if someone has you know would like to start one on private

property that's not city run um you all can help consult yes great usually seeing churches interested in doing that terrific thank you very much and then my other question is again around youth and how you incorporate youth because this is something that for various, gardening can be very therapeutic for some folks.

And so in addition to just growing food and the importance of having food, there's also that therapeutic aspect as well.

And I think that our youth could benefit from some of that.

And so how do you incorporate youth into this space?

Yeah, so youth are just important, you know, kids are people too, right?

And so every PPATCH, there's gonna be a family, there's gonna be an organization or youth group that potentially has a plot.

So they'll garden that on their own, you know, whether they have specific curriculum, but they're also interfaced with community, you know, and work parties.

And formally, you know, we have a lot of youth that come from schools, daycare centers that do tours.

In my neighborhood, which is Judkin's neighborhood, excuse me, we have grapevines and apple trees, and they come and help us harvest and pick and then bring back, too.

their families.

And like I mentioned before, there are other organizations that we work with, like Saw Horse Revolution, where they get the youth from the neighborhood get a stipend to build, you know, different structures.

At Judkins, they built our tool shed, and it's amazing.

You know, the best...

Okay, I'm being...

This is my bias yet again, but I think it's the best tool shed around.

And it has a Japanese...

curing process, which preserves the wood, and it's really maintained well, and I'm just so proud of those youth.

To this day, I see them, and they're doing remarkably well in their lives.

So, yeah, there are different ways, you know, youth get involved, and we're just grateful for the next generation to learn that intergenerational piece, you know, of working with the elders growing up and, you know, having healthy lifestyles.

That's terrific.

And what about Seattle Public Schools?

They were listed on how do you partner with the schools?

Are there pea patches at the schools?

And how does that all work?

You know, with the Seattle Public Schools, often they want a plot for the youth to come over and, you know, garden.

So we have one, Hazel Wolfe.

located at Pinehurst Pea Patch.

And it's definitely a collaboration that we could do better with and work together.

But sometimes getting the kids off campus, down the street to a pea patch might be hard.

But we also work with them on the summer months where if they have a school garden, sometimes it's hard for them to maintain over the summer months.

So we'll have pea patchers come and clean up while they're away so that when the kids come back in the fall, it's not overgrown.

Thank you.

I just wondered whether Seattle Public Schools have pee patches and they consult with you on the grounds, not the kids going somewhere, but at their schools.

A little bit of both.

A little bit of both.

Great.

Well, thank you so much, Kenya.

We love, along with our libraries who were here earlier, we love our pea patches in Seattle.

So very appreciative for your work in this space and the team's work in this space.

It's something that I think we need more of.

And shameless plug here, I would love to see some kind of partnership with Parks and Recreation on Magnuson Park.

There are families living there.

There's a bit of a food desert.

Not that a pea patch will take care of all of that, but it's certainly a step.

I know that, however, not every park lends itself to that, in part because of the soil and the purity of the soil being able to, you know, Not all parks have the soil that they can do that.

So I know that there's some limitations there, but, you know, we'd love to explore an opportunity to bring more food to more folks across the city via this mechanism, if we can.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Any other comments?

All right.

Well, before we close, Council Chair Rivera, I just want to say thank you again, as always, for your invite and for the council members to share our areas of service and relationship with community through a One Seattle approach.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Director Chow.

And I want to really thank you for your partnership and always your willingness when I ask you to come to present on various programs at Don.

You're always willing to come and very enthusiastic and your staff as well.

So very much appreciate the partnership there.

So wanted to give you a shout out for that.

Really appreciate that.

All right, well, thank you for being here, Don, and for your presentation.

Seeing no further questions, this concludes the July 25th, 2024 meeting of the Library's Education and Neighborhoods Committee.

Our next committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 8th, 2024 at 9.30 a.m.

If there's no further business, This meeting will be adjourned.

Hearing no further business, it's 10.43 a.m.

and this meeting is adjourned.

Thank you, everyone.

Have a great day.

Thank you.