missing title

Awesome.

Is this microphone on?

Hello, everyone.

Good afternoon.

The April 14, 2026 meeting of the Seattle City Council will come to order.

It is 2.03 p.m.

I'm Joy Hollingsworth, your council president.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

So we have started the meeting, everyone.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon and welcome to Seattle City Council.

We're ready to rock.

Okay, awesome.

Thank you.

All right, we will go ahead and start our meeting.

The April 14th, 2026 meeting of Seattle City Council will come to order.

It is 2.04 p.m.

My name is Joy Hollingsworth, your council president.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Councilmember Saka?

Here.

Councilmember Strauss?

Here.

Councilmember Foster?

Here.

Councilmember Juarez?

Here.

Councilmember Lin?

Here.

Councilmember Rank?

Present.

Councilmember Rivera?

Present.

Council President Hollingsworth?

I'm here.

A present.

Awesome, thank you.

And for the record, Councilmember Kettle is excused.

Councilmember Rink will present a proclamation recognizing the 51st anniversary of Khmer Rouge genocide.

Councilmember Rink, will you please share us your comments today?

Thank you.

Thank you, Council President.

Colleagues, it is a real honor to be presenting this proclamation, and I thank you for your participation and signatures on it.

Like I said yesterday at Council briefing, it's a real honor to have worked on this in partnership with so many a part of our local Khmer community.

And so with that, I'm excited also for you all to hear directly from folks in community.

So I'm going to read the proclamation to the record and then turn it over to some of our invited speakers for today after presenting the proclamation.

Whereas Cambodia is one of the original civilizations of Southeast Asia, dating back nearly 4,000 years.

And whereas between 1969 and 1973, the United States dropped 540,000 tons of bombs into Cambodia, destabilizing the country's already fragile government and helping fuel the rise of the Khmer Rouge.

And during the Cambodian genocide from April 1975, to January 1979, approximately two million people lost their lives at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, and whereas currently over half of the members of the Cambodian population experience varying degrees of post-traumatic stress disorder or other forms of mental health issues brought forth by the Cambodian genocide, and whereas the greater Seattle metropolitan area is home to over 22,000 individuals of Khmer descent, And whereas this year marks the 51st anniversary of the Khmer community coming together to remember the atrocities that occurred to the Khmer community 51 years ago under the Khmer Rouge regime, and whereas the current U.S. immigration policies have increased the vulnerability of Cambodian Americans to deportation through targeted ICE raids, expedited removal proceedings, and the rollback of protections for longstanding U.S. residents, leading to renewed trauma and instability for Khmer American communities.

And whereas the city of Seattle has served as a sanctuary and home for Khmer refugees and immigrants for over five decades, with local organizations, schools, and community centers playing a vital role in supporting Khmer Americans in rebuilding their lives, preserving their cultural identity, and advocating for policies that protect immigrant and refugee communities.

Now therefore, the mayor and Seattle City Council proclaim April 14th, 2026 to be the 51st anniversary of the Khmer Rouge genocide.

Thank you.

Any other comments on the floor before we invite our guests up to come and speak?

Okay, awesome, so if there's no objection, we're gonna suspend the rules, allow Councilmember Rink to present the proclamation to our guests, and I am to call up the six speakers that are here to speak today.

I apologize, I'm gonna probably mess up by pronouncing your name, so please correct us.

Please correct me when you come up.

So we have Shwan Ross from the Cambodian American Community Council of Washington.

Please come up.

We have Jenny from the Cambodian American Advocacy for Peace.

Please come up and you all can line up as well as you all are coming to speak.

We have also Sameet Mel from the SPIN Rajana.

Did I say that right?

You can say no.

Okay, I got a thumbs up.

We also have Swo Stay.

from the Camar Student Association, welcome.

We also have Manny from the Camar Anti-Deportation Advocacy Group, welcome.

And then we also have Tita from the Camar Community of Seattle King County, welcome.

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

All right, after you.

Thank you all for being here.

Thank you, Your Honor.

First, my name is Throne Ross.

I'm the president of the Cambodian American Friendship Foundation.

Today, also the Khmer New Year, or Cambodian New Year.

The Cambodian genocide began in 1975 when the Khmer Rouge led by Popot took control of Cambodia.

So between 1975 to 1979, about 2 million people, nearly a quarter of population of Cambodia, died.

Every time I talk about Cambodia genocide, I cannot stop.

myself from tearing up.

How I suffered.

First, excuse me.

First I was aggregate from Phnom Penh and sent to work in the field, dry fields, from dawn until night.

With a little rest and no food.

It worked really hard.

One day, the security force took me from the field, intended to kill me because I was educated.

The people I worked with were shocked.

They kept me at their post from the morning until midnight.

waiting for their superior to decide my fate.

I was eventually spared because the leader was busy in the meeting and ordered the guest to send me home and kept watch over me.

When I returned, everyone cried because they did not expect me to come back alive.

and about a few months later, they sent me to South of the country.

At that time, the whole of my family had to hide our personal history and background to survive.

My two older brothers were killed because they were engineers.

my parents died due to no food and no medicine.

Even though I worked very hard, they still sent me to the prison.

But I was lucky to survive because there was not enough time to kill us due to the war with Vietnam.

Finally, I feel very fortunate to be alive today and to live in the United States.

I am grateful to the U.S. to give me safety and new life.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, council members, my fellow community members, my community members.

Happy New Year's.

I'm Jenny Ab, representing Cambodian American Advocates in Peace.

So April is a special month that we all celebrate our Khmer New Year's, the big event of our culture.

But at the same time, it's very meaningful that we have to remember the painful history in our past, the tragedy that took more than two millions of our families' lives.

Innocent people lost their lives, including my own family.

The long-term effect, the trauma and PTSD continue to impact our community today.

Violence remains a serious concern, and according to local statistic, it's still high, high, high, high rate, reported rate of crime among others.

So I'm asking, what can each one of us individually, what can we do to help creating peace?

What can you in your roles as leaders do to advocate peace and support safety in our communities?

Our organization, Cambodian American Iroquois in Peace, is committed to community education, safety, and prevention of gender-based violence.

Together, we can build a safer and more peaceful future for everyone.

So I just want to thank you.

I'm again Jenny App, Cambodian-American Advocate in Peace, along with my other fellow member there, Mary Charmsox and Emma Tagage.

So thank you so much, everyone, for your support and concern to make our community safe.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Council President Hollingsworth and council members.

My name is Sameet Mel, and today we gather here to mark the 51st anniversary of the Khmer Rouge genocide, where nearly two million people were murdered and taken through violence.

My family survived the labor camps, and I was born in a refugee camp in Kawidang, right next to the Thailand border.

The truth is, the rise of the Khmer Rouge did not happen in isolation.

It was shaped in part by U.S. foreign policy decisions.

The secret and illegal carpet bombing of Cambodia by President Richard Nixon and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger Between 1969 and 1973, hundreds of thousands of tons of bombs were dropped on Cambodian soil.

Cambodia was a neutral country.

This devastated rural communities, destabilizing the country and created conditions to allow extremist forces like the Khmer Rouge regime to gain power.

This history is alive.

It lives in trauma carried by survivors, many of whom you see that are here right now in City Hall, City Council.

And this trauma lives and is carried on by my family, my mom, my siblings, and displaced community members.

We were forced to flee the country and this trauma now lives here, Seattle.

Seattle is home to a vibrant Khmer community because the city opened its doors to us and to our community.

And we needed healing, and we're seeking healing now and a new beginning.

But today, as we look at a global conflict, forced migration, and rising anti-immigrant sentiment, we must ask ourselves, are we learning from history or are we repeating it?

We see continued impacts of war and U.S. imperialism around the world.

We see families displaced.

We see communities seeking refuge.

And we see policies rooted in fear instead of humanity.

So we must ensure that Seattle remains a welcoming city.

And we must protect immigrant and refugee communities.

We must invest in healing, belonging, cultural preservation, and in the leadership of those who are most impacted.

And we cannot forget the tragedy that the Khmer Rouge genocide has caused, and we must carry forward a responsible and compassionate future.

Thank you.

Good afternoon and thank you council members for giving us the opportunity to speak today and for recognizing the anniversary of the Khmer genocide.

My name is Sol Stay and I stand here as a proud Khmer American and the child of immigrants as well as a representative for the University of Washington Khmer Student Association.

Many Khmer families lost generations of scholars, teachers, and professionals.

Because of this, higher education access has not always been equitable for Khmer students.

And many of us are still navigating systems our families were never given the chance to experience.

This is why representation and resources matter, especially Khmer language and cultural studies, which are essential not just for preserving our history, but for empowering the future generations to understand their identity and to also succeed academically.

When students see themselves reflected in education, it creates a sense of belonging that is critical for success, and the resilience of my parents and elders is the reason why I'm here today.

Their sacrifices are the foundation of my opportunities, and it is my responsibility to continue uplifting our community.

And today I ask that we are not only remembering the past, but also investing in the future by supporting educational access, cultural preservation, and opportunities for Khmer youth.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hi.

Thank you, council member.

Greetings.

Thank you for creating space to share our stories.

My name is Mani Uj, and I'm here today as a representative of CAGE, my Anti-Deportation Advocacy Group, an organization that works with Southeast Asian community that are in threat of deportation right now.

This proclamation is meaningful to the Cambodian Khmer community and honors our journey and our contribution to the cultural and economic region.

But it also acknowledges the painful legacy of our migration story, our displacement and deportation that still impacts our community.

Since 2002, many of our community members have been deported to a country they've never known, born in refugee camps and no memory of Cambodia.

Today, community members continue to face detention and deportation, raids, continuing the legacy of displacement back to a country that many escaped because of genocide.

Again, we thank you, Councilmember, for recognizing our story.

and ask for your continued support in addressing these injustice for us and all community impacted.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, honorable council members.

Thank you for having us.

My name is Tita Chaum.

I'm with the Khmer community of Seattle, King County.

So I was born into the war just before the Khmer Rouge genocide.

I was only five when UNCA, which is under the Khmer Rouge regime, executed my father and his two brothers all in a single day.

My 10-year-old brother then taken by forced labor, which later we learned that he was buried alive after falling ill.

I can't fathom the depth of the endurance required by my grandparents and millions of others as they watched their loved ones systematically destroyed.

At age seven, my family attempted to flee to Thailand only to face another nightmare along With 10,000 other refugees, we were forced by soldiers, by Thai soldiers, down the steep Dong Rek Mountain in Brivihir Province, which infested with landmines.

My mom shared with us how we had to pave dead bodies to navigate the landmines.

At the time, my siblings and I were starving and suffering from chicken pox.

My mom didn't think we would make it.

A year later we escape and I eventually reached the United States in 1983 at the age of 10 after two years in the refugee camp.

It was not until graduate school that I understood the root of our displacement, the US secret bombing of Cambodia, which dropped 2.7 million tons of bombs equivalent to World War II, destabilizing the country and trickling the displacement that led to the killing fields.

Nearly 90% of our educators, professionals, and artist masters were tortured and killed.

This left survivors, mainly farmers, with little to no formal education.

Thus, when we settled in the United States, we struggled to continue with system navigation The impact of the Refugee Act of 1980 was supposed to help us all, and yet our community was lagged, perhaps due to systemic neglect.

Instead of receiving healing, we were labeled problem refugees.

We were placed in an under-resourced neighborhood, burdened by undiagnosed PTSD and broken courage, navigating a system that saw our trauma deficit rather than a wound in need of healing.

So not all refugees are created equal.

We heard about the policy, the Legal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 would further devastate us because among Southeast Asian were the highest, we faced the highest rate of deportation, as you heard earlier, and most were born in the refugee camp.

Today, our youth show an alarmingly high rate of depression, suicidal, ideation, and abuse by adult, according to King County Healthy Youth Survey in 2018 and in 2023. More importantly, I don't want our community to continue to blame and shame ourselves because of our historical, recurrent, and intergenerational trauma.

Our community needs a dedicated space to heal, bridge intergenerational gaps, and cultivate economic growth.

We are proud to announce that we are in The permitting phase for the first ever Khmer community and cultural center in Seattle.

And we ask for full support in helping us to reach where 9.8 million short funding.

That's our funding goal by the end of this year so we can begin construction.

Thank you so much.

Thank you all for being here.

I am thanking the creator for your strength, for your resilience, and your courage as well.

So thank you all.

I know for the speakers that we are going to take a photo with the six people that spoke with the council.

So if you would all come We have our comms team in the middle who will take photos.

And then right after, we will jump right into our public comment period.

So thank you all for your patience as we take our group photo with the council members.

And also thank you, Council Member Rink, for your organization and doing all of this as well, and your team.

So we'll just come right up here.

Yeah, absolutely.

Thank you, colleagues.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That's nice.

awesome and thank you security for opening the doors in the back we actually couldn't earlier on because there was music so noted role for FAS no music at two o'clock on a Tuesday for our for them for parties would be nice and thank you all for the beautiful flowers as well for us as well that is really kind and gracious of you and such a Such a nice gesture as well.

Thank you so much and for the gifts.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for that.

Colleagues, we're now gonna open the hybrid public comment period and the comments are limited to items on today's agenda and the introduction and referral calendar and the work program.

So I will now ask the clerk how many speakers do we have?

and just be patient.

Amelia is the best clerk of all time, so we just have to give her a little patience right now as she adds up the people.

We have 30 in person and 11 remote.

So we have 41, so that means that because we have over 30, that everyone's gonna get one minute to speak.

And today, so that's 41 speakers.

We might have more, one minute per council rules.

If we have 30 and less, it's two minutes.

If we have over 30, it's one.

Clerk, I'll now hand it over to you to present the instructions.

Public comment period will be moderated in the following manner.

Speakers will be called in the order in which they're registered.

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

Speakers' mics will be muted if they're not in their comments within the allotted time to allow us to call in the next speaker.

Public comment period is now open, and we'll begin with the first speaker on the list.

I don't even see him.

I don't even know where he's at.

All right, awesome.

All right, we will now, I'll call the first, I'll call the first 10 speakers.

We have Peter Manning, followed by Yasmin, and then we have Margaret, then we have Ms. Carolyn, Ms. Yvette, Kaylin, Hannah, I think this is Marta, Cara and then Alisa.

So speakers one through 10. I have speakers one through 10. I don't see Peter Manning, but Yasmin, if you are up, if you can all start coming to the front.

I have Yasmin, I have Margaret, Miss Carolyn, Yvette Dynish.

Okay, you ready?

Yes, we are ready.

Okay.

I'm Yasmin Mehdi.

I'm president of the Board of Trustees for the Seattle Public Library.

On behalf of my fellow trustees, I'm just really here to thank you for all your work on the library levy proposal.

I want to thank you for your debate and transparency.

You demonstrated democracy in action.

I think in seven years we're going to find that the investments that you've made in the levy and hopefully that you will vote on today will serve as the best bulwark for uncertainty in the future because as you each said in your own stories, libraries are lifelines.

They're shelters in emergencies.

They're free tools and resources when you need them and communities devoted to learning.

I want to thank Councilmember Rivera for her leadership in the committee and her robust engagement with colleagues and the public.

I'd like to thank Council Members Rink, Foster, Lynn, Straus, Council President Hollingsworth, Council Members Juarez and Saka for your amendments and co-sponsorships.

And thank you very much.

Thank you, Yasmin.

You're all good.

Awesome.

And before you start, I know there's some shifting right now.

Do people have their seats?

You can all shift around.

I just want to make sure that we're able to hear the speakers.

OK, we're all good.

You are up.

Hello, I'm Margaret Shield from Lake City and D5.

I live about four blocks from the Olympic Hills Tiny House Village.

It's a low barrier, accessible shelter with wraparound services and 24-7 staffing by co-lead.

I have a complaint.

It's not large enough.

The 44 units are full because unhoused people want to come inside.

That's why I support the two bills to allocate more funding and remove barriers to rapidly expand shelter with support services.

I hope you'll pass those bills today.

When I talk with my neighbors about the tiny houses, people who are initially concerned become supportive when they hear about all the security and the staffing and the services.

Shelter expansion needs to be in every district, and Councilmember Juarez, I really hope that you will come and visit the Olympic Hills Tiny House Village to see how well it fits into our community as an asset.

So for our people, for our neighborhoods, for our businesses, we need you to fund it, to build it, to support it now.

Thank you.

Thank you, Margaret.

Next, we have.

Thank you.

All right.

Next, we have Miss Carolyn Malone, followed by Yvette Dynish and Kaylin.

Miss Malone, welcome.

I'm Carolyn Malone, and seniors, elders, old people matter, too.

City Council, I'm not here to convince you, because I have no confident expectancy of ever meeting with you, even though I've sought to meet with you about the ongoing police issue and my housing issue.

I should not be fighting continuously to keep my housing, and police are allowed to occupy space.

And because I continually protest in front of their bunker, they continually retaliate.

I have a complaint before Seattle Office of Civil Rights, and it's being waylaid, slowed down.

People are not on the job.

I've asked to meet with the director.

I'm told he's on leave, so I need to know what's going on.

Otherwise, I will continually come before you, not to seek your intervention or help, but to present the facts.

Old people matter too.

Thank you, Ms. Simone.

Next, we have Ms. Yvette Dynish, followed by Kaylin, and then Hannah, Marta, Kara, Alisa.

Is it...?

Give us one second.

What did you...?

One second, Ms. Yvette.

What were you saying?

Okay, so there's some noise in the back.

Is there a issue back there going on?

Oh, okay, so it's just coming through the four vents.

I think they're popping balloons in the basement in the below.

So anyways, all right, if it's not an issue, just speak loudly in the mic and I think we're okay.

Go ahead.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic from which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I want to thank our Cambodian neighbors for coming up, showing up today, and sharing their experience.

It was heartbreaking, and their courage is heartwarming.

So thank you for your resilience, your courage for speaking out, and my heart and my prayers go with you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Yvette.

Next, we have Kaylin, followed by Hannah, Marta, and if I apologize, is it Martha?

Martha, and Kara, and Alisa.

No, okay, my bad.

Go ahead.

Hello, my name is Kaylin Schubach.

I'm a licensed clinical social worker and substance use disorder professional, and I work for Therapeutic Health Services as a Lehigh program manager.

Go ahead and pause, restart your time.

You're gonna pull that mic as close as Councilmember Straus says, Mick Jagger it, close to you, perfect.

All right, here we go, go ahead.

Okay, hello.

My name is Kaylin Schubach.

I'm a licensed clinical social worker and substance use disorder professional, and I work for Therapeutic Health Services as the Lehigh Program Manager.

I'm here in support of Council bills 121184 and 121185. Our program provides behavioral health services onsite at some of these tiny home villages that are run by Low Income Housing Institute.

We create warm, safe, and inviting spaces where people can come talk or even just come grab a snack or art supplies.

Our team balances participant accountability and progress with a person-centered, low-barrier approach that meets people where they're at.

This allows us to build rapport and build a sense of community while connecting people with much-needed mental health and substance use disorder services.

If someone's having a bad day or needs someone to talk to at the Villages, they have on-site, in-moment access to master's-level licensed clinicians without having to wait for an appointment or sitting through a long assessment intake process.

Through the past five years, I've witnessed how the shelters, along with supportive services, have led to increased stability and rebuilding...

Thank you, Kaylin.

Next, we have Hannah.

Hello, everyone.

My name is Hannah Hutchins.

I'm a social worker who works and lives in Seattle, and I'm a member of the Lehigh program team with Therapeutic Health Services.

The THS clinicians on the Lehigh program team work within the villages, providing accessible ways for clients to receive services related to mental health and substance use, as well as connect folks to other critical resources in the community, because all they have to do is walk out their front door.

I work at the Inner Bay Tiny Home Village, one of the oldest and by far the largest operated by Lehigh, with a whopping 74 units.

I'm on site in person five days a week and I've spent nearly a year becoming a visible presence and building rapport in order to increase trust with my clients who tend for good reason to mistrust systems.

Homelessness is not an individual issue.

It's not caused by individual choices or personal limitations or moral failings or lifestyle choices.

It is a systemic failure caused and perpetuated by systems including education, employment, healthcare, the criminal legal system and housing to name a few that were designed with very specific people in mind.

Thank you, Hannah.

When you hear that ding, that means you have 10 seconds left towards the end.

Go ahead.

Thank you, council members, for taking the time to hear from community members this afternoon.

My name is Marta Quirana, and I am the community engagement manager at Low Income Housing Institute, a tiny house shelter, urban rest stop, and affordable housing provider.

We believe the homelessness crisis in Seattle must match the needs of our unhoused neighbors.

We have shown our dedication to this crisis through our organization's development of the Tiny House Village program model.

This model began 15 years ago when sanctioned encampments needed additional support and transformed into the comprehensive case management and behavioral health service centered model you see today.

The legislation before you is an opportunity to implement this model widely across the city of Seattle to further help our community access enhanced shelter and tiny house village programming.

I ask that you support Mayor Wilson's expansion of shelter by approving the 4.9 million in shelter expansion funding and allow the finance and administrative director to identify and sign lease agreements for properties with the urgency required through both Council Bill 12-1184 and 12-1184.

Thank you so much.

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Kara Williams.

I live in D3 and work at the Low Income Housing Institute.

I'm here today and speak in support of CB 121184 and CB 121185. We are in dire need of shelter that provides people a roof over their heads, a door that locks, a space of their own, wraparound case management, behavioral health care when necessary, and other supportive services.

giving the FAS Director Leasing Authority will expedite the process of siting land for shelters.

Further, the $4.9 million budget allocation will complete the funding package to bring these shelter beds from a concept to a reality.

Service providers are ready to ensure public safety at new shelter sites, to provide wraparound supportive services, to collaborate closely with neighbors, and to meet people where they are on the path to permanent housing.

We can move faster than we have before, but we need your yes vote to do so.

Please pass this legislation today because we needed more shelter yesterday.

Thank you for your commitment to ending homelessness in our city.

Thank you so much.

Is it Alyssa?

It is Alyssa.

Okay, Alyssa, before you go, I wanna call the next 10 people after you, but you're still, no, no, no, you're still coming up.

I just want them to get on deck, get ready.

We have Kathy, then we have Karina, we have Lydia, I think this is a Susan, then we have Patty, we have Anitra, we have Alicia, Amin, Terry, and Charlotte.

You all are next, and Alyssa.

Hi, my name's Alyssa Scott, and I'm a former client of the Tiny Villages.

My husband and I were living in a tent when they found us, and they gave us a tiny home.

And at that time, I had a brain tumor, and I wasn't being treated.

And the Tiny Villages offered me an opportunity to have the surgery, which I wouldn't have had on the streets.

I just, I'm looking at the rain out there right now and I remember that first week we were in the tiny house and it started raining like it is right now and I started crying because I wasn't cold and I wasn't wet and I had a door that we could lock and I felt safe in a bed and it was the first time in a long time I felt that and I felt human again.

So I'm just going to tell you all, my husband and I have been married 32 years, and we found dignity again.

We are now grandparents.

And we've gotten our children, and we're just family again.

So thank you.

Awesome.

Thank you, Lisa.

And thank you for sharing your story as well.

Thank you so much.

We have Kathy, Karina, and Lydia.

Hi, I'm Kathy Benson, a frequent user of our Seattle Public Libraries, a place that brings so much joy to so many Seattleites.

I'm wanting first to thank you for the passage of all of the amendments and the council members who proposed those amendments.

I'm looking forward to passage of the levy today that we can then vote on.

I read an editorial in the Seattle Times and it talked about how we have an affordability crisis.

And that's true in terms of the money that we have to spend as a city.

But boy, do we have an affordability crisis for people who need a place where they can get books and their children can read them for free.

and where they can use a printer and a computer, and where they can learn English as a second language, and where they can walk in and know that they are welcome.

So I just am gonna be so happy when I hear, as I know I will, that you're gonna pass the levy to go on to the voter.

Thank you.

Next, we have Karina, followed by Lydia and Susan.

Karina, Lydia, Susan.

Susan.

Hi, my name's Karina, and I'm here to support CB 121184 and CB 121185. From personal experience in homeless shelters, I know the environment can be full of tension and unsafe situations.

These additional sites are crucial for creating more space when shelters weren't an option.

When shelters weren't an option, I had to set up a tent at the wall of death.

It quickly filled with more tents while I was there.

After I moved into a shelter, I learned that the encampment was destroyed by arson.

Now living in Capitol Hill, I witnessed a human overdose alone.

I sometimes worried what would have happened if I didn't decide I wanted a white peach Red Bull at that moment.

More shelters access means more lives potentially saved.

Approving these measures will not only increase shelter units, but also create jobs, volunteer opportunities, and growth.

Let's focus on providing safe spaces where people can focus on rebuilding their lives instead of just surviving.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Next, we have Lydia followed by Susan.

Come up, Lydia, Susan.

do our spirit hands too in between speakers.

I know if we did clapping in between every speaker, it would extend it just a little bit.

So spirit hands and all that good stuff.

Dancing, twirling, spirit fingers, whatever you all wanna do.

Is it Lydia?

Yes.

Awesome, welcome.

I was at the Mayor's Shelter Expansion Reveal Plan last week, and I am here to state my support for Council Bills 12-1184 and 12-1185.

I am unconvinced of the timetable presented by the Executive that 500 shelter beds could be opened by the World Cup, but I believe we should go forward with this plan as swiftly as possible regardless, because I am open to being proven wrong, and I believe 1,000 shelter beds this year is doable.

I support allowing the Executive to have the authority to acquire larger sites for tiny home villages, and I support allowing a higher cap of clients into already existing services going up from 100 to 150 per site and 250 max at one interim use site per district.

However, I do believe neglecting to establish more tent cities is an oversight given the ongoing sweeps.

I hope that the work plan submitted by the SDCI to amend the census limit passes its SEPA review and is codified into law instead of remaining in interim legislation that fades away in one year.

and that's all.

Awesome.

Thank you, Lydia.

Next, we have Susan, followed by Patty.

Susan, Patty, Anitra, Alicia.

Is Susan here?

Oh, no, Susan had to leave.

Susan had to leave, okay, understood.

So now it's Patty?

Awesome.

Okay, awesome.

Thank you, Anitra.

Okay, now we have Patty, followed by Anitra and Alicia.

Thank you.

My name is Patty Malone.

I'm here with the share wheel, and I stay at the bunkhouse shelter.

I'm joined here today with a bunch of my fellow share participants.

Share and Wheel together operate nearly 500 shelter spots all over Seattle.

We've been calling for more shelter for a long time and urge you to vote today to support more funding for shelter.

ways to get lease for public shelter space.

More shelter is desperately needed.

Shared shelters are full and our wheel partners have been turning away women for lack of space.

Without shelter, we die.

Please vote to authorize additional shelter funding today.

Thank you.

Thank you, Patty.

Next, we have Anitra, followed by Alicia, Amin.

Anitra Freeman here with SHARE and WHEEL.

WHEEL facilitates three low-barrier women's shelters for 100 or more women a night.

Our shelters are always full, and we have to turn away women every night, sometimes elders.

We also stand women in black vigils when homeless people die without shelter.

Noon tomorrow, we stand for another 25 people.

In March, three people died of hypothermia.

one of pneumonia and one by suicide.

And we dedicate this vigil to a baby who died homeless last night.

Without shelter, people die.

On the eve of our Women in Black Vigil, in the name of those who died, vote yes.

We need this shelter.

We need this hope.

Thank you, Anitra.

Alicia.

Next, we have Alicia, followed by Amin, Terry, and Charlotte.

Alicia?

Welcome, awesome.

And then Amin, Terry, and Charlotte.

And just a reminder, if we could just do spirit hands as much as possible.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Alicia Burton, and I live at Tent City 3. I'm a repeat person of Tent City 3 over the last five years.

I had an apartment in the heart of Capitol Hill area of Seattle, but last July, I was diagnosed with a rare type of blood cancer, and unfortunately, can't work because...

of it.

Without Tent City 3 once again saving me for a place to live, I would be out on the streets and possibly dead by now.

Though I am slowly dying already.

Please vote yes for more funding and help us have shelter.

Thank you so much.

Next we have Amin followed by Terri and then Charlotte.

Welcome.

My name is Amin, and I'm a recovering opioid addict representing SHARE.

And today I've been staying clean for 392 days, and I could not have done it without the support of the loving community I've found at SHARE.

When I lost my job and soon after my apartment last year, I was afraid, afraid that I wouldn't be able to find shelter that was not only safe, but also supportive of my efforts to stay clean.

Without shelter, people die, but without recovery, addicts also die.

Funding safe places for people in recovery must be a part of any successful plan to address homelessness, and SHARE operates some of the only wholly drug-free shelters in the city, which makes them conducive to the unique challenges of recovery from addiction.

With your support, I truly do believe that SHARE can be an instrument for change, not only for the homeless community, but also for those of us who want to find a better way of life and recovery from addiction.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next, we have Terry, followed by Charlotte.

Amin, good effing job.

392.

We are proud of you, bro.

Terry, followed by Charlotte.

My name is Terry I. I am a recovering alcoholic and AA, as an atheist, for over 38 years.

I am 68 years old and retired.

I have COPD, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and stage 3 kidney disease.

My retirement income ran out.

ran out and I ended up on the street in Eugene, Oregon.

All my medication and ID had gotten stolen.

So when I got my last deposit, I bought a ticket to Seattle, Washington, because I knew I would stand a better chance of getting off the street.

The first night when my money ran out, I ended up at density three, which I'm grateful for because now I'm able to get all my stuff back, get back on my feet.

Thank you, Terry.

Next we have Charlotte.

Is Charlotte here?

Welcome, Charlotte.

And then before you go, Charlotte, I'm gonna say the next 10 people, and then we're, I don't know if anyone else has signed up, but we'll jump online.

We have 14 people present online.

So we have Jasara, Rich, Jim, Howard, Aries, Mark, Jeff, Alisa, Kelly, and Nathan.

Welcome, Charlotte.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the council.

Today is 448 days since the president took office and 203 days until election day.

Today, I'm asking you to pull appointment 3470 from the consent calendar and vote down the nomination, pass the library levity of the voters and pass the housing bills.

I'm asking you to oppose Evan Smith's appointment to seek.

Evan Smith founded Ethosphere, whose products would require retail floor staff to wear microphones that capture every word they speak during their shift and use AI large language models to measure how efficient a salesperson is.

To anyone who has worked retail, this is plainly dystopian.

The product makes clear where Mr. Smith stands on workers' rights, and it is incompatible with our city's commitment to our workers.

Working people are not tools to generate a profit, and promoters of Orwellian surveillance have no place in the leadership of our city.

If we believe in environmentalism, land stewardship, and workers' rights, he is clearly the wrong pick to join a body tasked with enforcing city ethics laws.

Poll his nomination and reject it.

Thank you.

Thank you, Charlotte.

Next, we have Gisara.

Gisara, I'm sorry, followed by Rich, Jim, Howard, Aries.

Good afternoon.

My name is Jasara Schroeder, and I'm here with SHARE, with WHEEL, and with Services Not Sweeps.

I was homeless for five years.

I'm currently housed in affordable housing on Capitol Hill, and I'm coming up on a year, so.

SHARE and WHEEL provide shelter to people experiencing homelessness, and Services Not Sweeps fights to stop sweeping people and using that money, which, frankly, we are simply wasting, to provide services to people instead.

I work at Weill.

We are the largest provider of shelter for homeless women, cis or trans, in Seattle, and the only one where you can walk up and say, is there a space for me tonight without a referral?

But sad to say, sometimes we have to say no.

We are actually turning women away.

I had to turn nine women away one night, and I cannot tell you how shitty I felt turning someone away and telling to them.

I couldn't even give them a chair to sit on, which we do sometimes.

Also, as an aside, we're seeing more elderly women with major health issues and memory issues.

So please support this legislation.

Here are also flyers for the vigil tomorrow.

Thank you.

Awesome.

Thank you.

Next, we have Rich, followed by Jim, Howard, Aries.

Welcome.

Hi, my name is Rich Sims, and I'm founder of Reach Ministry, a Seattle outreach ministry, and I'm pastor of Hope is Alive Church on First and Cherry right down the street.

For the last nine years, we have served over 270,000 people on the streets with a meal.

directing them to housing, to hope, and to purpose.

I had the pleasure to meet with Bruce Harold before his term was over, and I have the pleasure to meet with Katie Wilson coming up at the end of the month.

But we're just trying to figure out how we can build more unity in our community and introduce the faith into it as well.

I'm with a group of people that pray every Thursday for every single council member and the governor and the mayor and just saying, how can we have a seat at the table and know that we have more in common than differences with getting our people off the streets and to transition into housing with purpose, hope, and with love and with a passion to invite other people on that journey to help as well.

Thank you, Rich.

Next, we have Jim, followed by Howard Gale and Arias.

Welcome, Jim.

Hi there, city council members.

My name is Jim Baines.

I'm with the American Party of Labor.

I've been moved by all the stories told today, especially by Ms. Anitra Freemans, about the importance of shelter and public health programs.

But instead of providing meaningful funding for these transformative programs, you have all decided to pump $123 million into SPD since 2021, all in the name of surveillance and for crime prevention and violence prevention.

But we know that cameras cannot prevent crime.

We know that cameras are weaponized against the poor and unhoused who commit crimes motivated by poverty.

Just in December, Christian Nelson was murdered in the street outside the Othello Light Rail Station by SPD.

Had Seattle put more money in public health and housing programs, Christian may be with us.

And all of the people mentioned by Anitra might still be with us.

But instead, you and your budget priorities have funded murder.

Thank you, Jim.

Mr. Baines.

Next, we have Howard Gill, followed by Aries and Mark.

Good afternoon.

Today is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.

We must remember and commemorate past genocides as has been done today with Cambodian genocide.

In Judaism, principles of morality cannot exist apart from actual real-world actions.

Genocides can only happen when those that are comfortable with commemorating them after the fact are uncomfortable with condemning them during the fact.

Future generations will look upon us with great disdain, confused that we would condemn and commemorate genocide decades ago while threatening a new genocide right now upon the Iranian people and while supporting an ongoing genocide against Palestinians with our taxes, our silence, our consent through our elected representatives.

So whether we are speaking of ignoring ongoing genocide, ignoring the city's responsibility to have police actively protect immigrants and everyone's Fourth Amendment rights, ignoring the spike in police killings last year, or ignoring the continuing practice of police executing people in crisis when they're holding knives, we need to step back and remember what MLK said 59 years ago, quote, if America's soul...

Thank you, Mr. Gale.

Thank you.

Next we have Aries.

Is Aries here?

Aries, you are up.

Hello, welcome, good afternoon.

Aries followed by Mark, Jeff, Alicia, Kelly, Nathan.

Hello, good morning.

I mainly wanted to talk to you guys a little bit about Just, I've been hearing a lot, I talked to Daniel about the tiny homes and stuff.

As somebody that has most of my life been affected by homelessness, I do not think that tiny homes are better than shelters.

There's a lot of things like, There's less resources.

And he made a point last Tuesday morning that it's not accessible for families, people in wheelchairs, any couples.

I had a couple of questions that we could talk about afterwards.

What's wrong with buying vacant buildings?

That's it, basically.

Shelters are better.

Thank you, Aries.

You're all good.

Thank you for your comment.

Next, we have Mark, Jeff, Alicia, Kelly, Nathan.

Hi.

I'm Mark Garrett.

I'm on the board of directors of Anything Helps, which is a small nonprofit that we get people into housing and stabilize them to keep them there.

I want to speak in favor of the mayor's proposal for a thousand new tiny houses, so I hope you will fund that.

It's important to provide services in shelter like tiny houses, especially drug rehab, and to get people who want to get clean, isolated from the drug trade.

The other comment I'd say is people who refuse service have given up hope and they believe that the services won't help them or they have experience with services and shelters that were not good experiences.

So we need to get people into shelter and give them a good experience and help them to prosper.

Thank you, Mark.

Next, we have Jeff, followed by Alicia, Kelly, Nathan.

Welcome, Jeff.

Hey, how's it going, Council?

Thank you so much for your time and for talking about this very important issue.

My name is Jeff Paul.

I'm a D3 resident.

I'm with the Services Not Sweeps Coalition.

I'm just here once again to talk about how desperately we need more shelter and more services in our city.

You all know this.

You've heard amazing testimony from folks today about how these kinds of policies can transform people's lives.

I'm so excited that folks are about, y'all are about to vote.

on giving some money to this very important cause, but as you know, it's nowhere near enough.

I hope we can take this step today.

I hope that we can put this money towards this bold new approach that the mayor is putting forward, put all of our city's resources that we can behind this cause, and I hope that we can take even more resources away from the Unified Care Team for the services that are not helpful, that are instead very harmful, and we can put that money towards this shelter build-out and these supportive services instead.

Thank you so much for your time.

Have a good one.

Thank you, Jeff.

Next, we have Elisa, followed by Kelly, and then Nathan.

Is Elisa here?

Is it Elisa?

Elisa Scott.

No?

All right, Kelly, followed by Nathan.

Welcome, Kelly.

Hey.

Hi.

Hey.

Yeah, I'm Kelly.

And I'm here because we absolutely need more shelter and more housing.

But to do that effectively and rapidly, we have to talk about sweeps.

So I am a social worker.

I've been outreach case manager.

I've worked in shelter.

I've worked in transitional housing.

Right now, I'm a full-time trauma therapist.

And I want to tell you, it takes years often working with people to build trust, because a lot of times the system is absolutely traumatizing.

And there's a lot of coordination.

Like every month, you're on Save My Spot for Housing Authority.

We're applying for the HEN program.

We're trying to get that shelter plus care voucher.

I'm working with nonprofits.

And then, oh my god, one day, you get the call.

You got your apartment.

I'm so stoked.

This has happened timeless, timeless times.

I'm like, oh my god, OK, I'm going to find this guy.

I try to call him.

I can't find him.

I don't know where he is because it's 7 a.m.

in the morning.

He got swept.

Him and all his friends, everybody that's there.

I'm thinking about one specific person.

I can't say his name right now.

But what I'm saying here is like, it is so demoralizing because not only was that a day of excitement, but now he doesn't have medication, his phone, anything.

And that happens countless times.

We're spending $30 million that we could be spending for...

Thank you Kelly.

Next we have Nathan and then we're gonna jump online.

So if you're not present, please jump online and please be present, thank you.

Okay, I'm here today to repeat my request for Mayor Wilson to turn all of the cameras off.

We all see what's happening in the country.

It's up in the air whether or not we will have an election in November.

How do we know that these cameras will not be used to target immigrants, protesters, queer people, and Democrats?

We need to do what we can as a city to obstruct this illegal self-coup.

That means turning off the cameras that they can use to politically persecute us.

I'd also like to express my opposition to any AI data center in the city of Seattle.

AI is bad for our brains.

It devalues our culture.

AI is telling people to kill themselves, and people are doing it.

Data centers drain water resources and drive up energy bills.

I'm gonna do a quick poll with my time left.

You don't have to participate if you don't want to.

Who in the audience wants an AI data center?

Raise your hand.

Who thinks it's a bad idea?

Thank you, Nathan.

We're gonna transition online.

Next we have, as just a reminder, if we could do spirit hands in between speakers as we're trying to navigate.

You're good, you're good, you're good.

You were the only one who clapped, too.

No, you're good, you're good.

I got you.

All right, next we have Aiden, followed by Kate, Victoria, David, Haynes, David Gill, Mia.

Aiden, you should be online.

Press star six to unmute yourself.

Aiden, I see you raised your hand.

Please press star six.

IT, anything on your end?

Star six, unmute yourself.

I see what you see.

Yeah, they raised their hand again.

Do you want to move on to the next caller, and then we can go back to Aiden?

Yeah, we'll come back to you, Aiden.

Kate Rubin, you were up next.

Star six, unmute yourself.

My name is Kate Rubin.

I'm a Beacon Hill resident and a member of the Services Not Sweep Coalition.

There is a narrative that unhoused people in Seattle reject shelter and services.

That narrative has been used to justify expensive, ineffective, and cruel sweeps.

The reality is that we don't have nearly enough shelter for those who need it.

On any given night, almost all shelter beds are full, and what is offered is often inaccessible or inappropriate.

We are spending tens of millions of dollars on sweeps that could be reinvested to support the two proposals ahead of you today.

I urge you to support the bills that would speed up the creation of new shelter and fund new shelter and emergency housing with wraparound services this year.

These changes will make a meaningful difference in addressing our homelessness crisis and improving our neighborhoods.

Please vote yes.

Thank you.

Thank you, Kate.

Victoria, you're not present.

Victoria Kent.

Next, we have David Haynes, followed by David Gill.

Star six, unmute yourself, David.

There you go.

You are unmuted.

Hi, City Council.

Thank you.

David Haynes.

I demand City Council delay voting on the ethics appointments today until there is a full investigation of last week's Governance and Accountability Committee meeting that only allowed certain people to speak during public comment that fit the agenda of the self-dealing small-time landlords on the council who weaponized their privilege to undermine, restrict, and sabotage the comprehensive plan.

It's like, why didn't the City Council have a Public Safety Committee meeting this morning?

I know there's more than one council that's supposed to care about public safety.

And there's a flaw in the police chief's philosophical lens, because he's based almost everything on some professor at the University of Washington called Herman Goldstein, who did public-oriented policing, where he's trying to misconstrue the approach.

Anyway, it's not fair that the city council is weaponizing the rules, and we still need to purge the corruption

Thank you, Mr. Haynes.

Next, we have David Gill, followed by Mia Foster, Genevieve.

Star 6, unmute yourself, David.

Hi, David Gill here.

I'm a 30-year resident of Seattle, a homeowner.

I live in District 2. I wholeheartedly support Mayor Wilson's push to try and build more tiny homes.

I would ask the council please to approve those bills on the agenda today to help finance and streamline the process.

If we can get 500 shelters up before the Cup, I think that would be amazing, probably a miracle, but we should try.

Thank you.

Thank you, David.

Next we have Mia, followed by Genevieve, and then Bruce.

Hi there, my name is Mia Foster.

I'm a case manager at Camp Second Chance, which is a tiny house shelter in Delridge.

I wanted to share some of what we do as case managers to help understand why these bills for funding are important.

So on a daily basis, I am helping connect people with documentation, income, phones, computers, mental health treatment, substance use disorder treatment, medical care, housing applications, hygiene services, you name it.

and also bringing on partners such as the Hepatitis Education Project to help people get tested and treated for Hep C, the mobile buprenorphine team to help people get connected to substance use disorder treatment.

And so all of these services being able to be provided where someone is living makes it a lot more usable for people to actually recover and to give people the metaphorical boot to be able to bootstrap themselves because it's hard to pull yourself up if you have nothing to pull on.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mia.

Next, we have Genevieve, followed by Bruce and the Marine.

Star six.

Hello, my name is Genevieve Courtney.

I'm a volunteer park steward for the Dr. Jose Rizal Park.

I went to Mayor Katie Wilson's shelter expansion community briefing last week.

And I wonder, after leaving there, what is wraparound services that are going to be offered with these tiny homes?

I urge you to question that as you are voting for this.

And I urge you that the central wraparound services being offered are treating substance use disorder.

It's estimated between 60% and 80% of those that are homeless have substance use disorder.

And without that being addressed, not only are you going to be harming that person because nearly three people a day are dying of overdose and are county, but you also are going to be harming the community because those people are going to be having to go out into the community to steal for their substance abuse disorder, and they're going to have to be going out into their community to buy those substances, creating more crime in the area.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Next we have Bruce, followed by Maureen, and then Marissa.

Hello.

Yeah, my name is Bruce Drager and I'm the chairperson for the Ballard Community Task Force on Homelessness and Hunger.

And I just wanted to tell you on behalf of our task force, as well as the 500 folks that are living on the streets in Ballard, I think we can very enthusiastically support, wholly support Katie's plan to expand the available viable shelters for folks Is this going to fix homelessness?

No, but we're absolutely convinced that it is the rightest and best first step in this.

And so we encourage you to support all her efforts to do that as well.

Thank you very much.

Awesome.

Thank you, Bruce.

Next, if we have Aiden.

Aiden, if you're online, I see that you're present.

Star six, unmute yourself.

Can you hear me now?

Now we can.

Good job, Aiden.

Thank you.

Yeah, definitely no on AI and data centers and cameras and sweeps.

And the sweeps are a major cause of the rise in overdoses, the record number of deaths we saw under the Harold administration.

That's part of why people wanted a change.

We at Services Not Sleeps Coalition support Mayor Wilson's shelter push.

We want to be very careful about who is running those shelters and services to make sure they're all being held to a high standard, that they're moving as fast as we can.

I want to emphasize one of the fastest ways to open quality shelter is a parking lot where people who live in RVs can park without having to sign over the title or damage their vehicle the way that Lehigh and KCRA keep making them do.

These liability issues are solvable.

We need all the options for everyone.

People want help.

We don't have service-resistant clients.

Thank you, Aiden.

Next, we have speaker number 11, which is Maureen, then Marissa, Alberto, and then Joe.

Hello, my name is Maureen Brinkland, and I've lived in Seattle since 1972 and in Ballard for the last 36 years.

My heart goes out to today's speakers and to my fellow commentators.

Since 2018, I've volunteered as a member with the Community Advisory Committee for the Whittier Heights Tiny House Women's Village.

It's been an honor to participate in this small way as an ally and fellow traveler with a changing group of residents and the dedicated hardworking village staff who solve problems and facilitate transformations in people's lives every day.

I've seen how tiny house villages provide supportive temporary housing where people can get their ducks in a row and move into permanent housing or reunite with their families.

I'm speaking today in support of the two council bills that will streamline the process for securing leased land, make adjustments to the city budget to direct funds immediately to our persistent homelessness crisis, and allow villages to have more residents per village.

Please pass these two bills and make housing for all a fact of life in Seattle.

And thank you for your continued hard work.

Thank you, Maureen.

Next, we have Marissa, followed by Alberto, and then Joe.

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Marissa Castorella-Priest, case manager at Lehigh's Rosie's Village.

In my work as a case manager, I see every day how important it is for people to have not just shelter, but the right kind of shelter with the right supports.

We meet people where they are at, recognizing that a safe place to sleep is only the first step.

What truly helps people move forward is consistent support, people to walk with them through the process.

I've helped clients connect to onsite behavioral health services to address long-standing mental health and substance use needs, from which many are able to focus on housing goals and begin healing from trauma.

Without these supports, people often remain in crisis.

When services are built into shelter, people have a real chance to stabilize and move toward permanent housing.

Expanding this kind of shelter is both compassionate and practical.

Addressing homelessness takes more than a bed.

It takes coordinated support.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Next, we have Alberto followed by Joe.

Thank you.

I am a hardworking member of the Hispanic community.

I condemn Marita Rivera as unethical and an embarrassment to our people.

Rivera started her term attempting to cut EDI funding for the black community.

She also took a vote to roll back ethics rules to enrich herself as a landlord.

Just recently, she called for an audit entirely focused on cutting community services for everyone in the city.

Any audit should only lead to giving people cash in hand, money to spend as they deemed fit during all this chaos.

People need help, not proclamations.

People are angry, tired, and it's time you take action.

Thank you all, and have a great day.

Thank you, Alberto.

Next, we have Joe.

Star six, unmute yourself.

Why, thank you, President Collingsworth.

It's Joe Kunzler here.

A few thoughts today.

First, I fully support Mayor Wilson's homelessness plan to get folks off the streets.

We cannot have people stealing our parks from us.

We need to also be tough on drug use and make clear that people who are using drugs need treatment, the compassion of treatment, and not just continue to perpetuate the harms.

And drug dealers need to be summarily dealt with.

I'm sure Erica Barnett of Seattle Nice will not like what I have in mind.

Moving along, I also hear some people constantly crying a river over surveillance cameras.

Well, have you rode a bus lately?

Because on every single public transit vehicle are multiple cameras.

I really don't think it's right to complain about having more surveillance cameras in a major city.

Private businesses can have them, and I think frankly, more tools to help the law enforcement is always a good idea.

And as always, go storm, go Seattle, go Hawks, and go Sound Transit.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Joe.

Are there any more people that have signed up for public comment?

We'll do a double check just to make sure.

Nope, okay, so we've reached the end of public comment period.

Public comment is closed for the rest, public comment is closed for the meeting.

Just wanna thank you all out for coming today, taking off work, taking off your time, everything for coming down here, and all the people that gave us public comment today through email, through every time they see us when we're at the bus stop or walking along.

We collect public comments beyond just what's in this chamber as well all the time, and so we really appreciate you all coming down to see us.

We're gonna jump right into our agenda.

We have a pretty healthy agenda.

And if there's no objection, the introduction and referral calendar will be adopted.

Hearing none, the introduction referral calendar is adopted.

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

Hearing no objection, the agenda is adopted.

We're now gonna consider the proposed consent calendar.

Items on the consent calendar include the minutes of April 7th, 2026, Council Bill 121194, payment of the bills, three appointments from the Governance and Utilities Committee, five appointments from the Human Services, Labor and Economic Development Committee.

Are there any items council members would like to remove from the consent calendar?

Council Member Rank, you are acknowledged.

Thank you, Council President.

I request item three, appointment 3460, be removed from the consent calendar.

34, pardon me.

Correction, 3470, item number three.

Are there any other council members that would like to remove any other items for the consent calendar?

Okay, item number three has been removed, and it's gonna be addressed separately towards the end of the meeting, so I'm gonna move to adopt the consent calendar, excluding item number three.

Is there a second?

Second.

Awesome.

It's been moved and seconded to adopt the consent calendar, excluding item number three.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the consent calendar?

Council Member Salka?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Aye.

Council Member Foster?

Yes.

Council Member Juarez?

Aye.

Council Member Lin?

Yes.

Council Member Rink?

Yes.

Council Member Rivera?

Aye.

And Council President Hollingsworth?

Yes.

Eight in favor, none opposed.

Awesome, thank you.

Will the clerk please affix my signature on my behalf?

Will the clerk please read item number one into the agenda?

The report of the Select Committee on the Library Levy, Agenda Item 1, Council Bill 121-181, relating to regular property taxes, providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City to an election to be held on August 4th, 2026, of a proposition authorizing the City to levy regular property taxes for up to seven years in excess of the limitations on levies in Chapter 84.55 RCW for the purpose of sustaining investments in library operation operating hours, collections, technology, programming, and maintenance, and while expanding access to opportunity through library materials, technology, and undertaking a seismic retrofit of one library facility.

The committee recommends the bill pass as amended.

A hell of an introduction.

Thank you.

Councilmember Rivera, as chair of the committee, you are recognized to address everyone and provide the report.

Thank you.

Well, first, Chair, I'd like to move Council Bill 121181.

Second.

It's been moved and second to amend the bill as presented on Amendment A. Councilmember Rivera, you are recognized in order to address it.

And now I would like to, before I address it, move to amend Council Bill 121.181 as presented on Amendment A on the agenda.

Second.

It's been moving.

I just jumped ahead.

My apologies.

It's been moved and second to amend the bill as presented on Amendment A. Councilmember Rivera, you are recognized.

Thank you, Council President, colleagues.

I'm sponsoring a technical amendment to the library levy on behalf of our central staff.

The technical amendment is to update the section of the levy language to reflect the increase made by the amendments that passed last week.

The levy language said 410 million, but now that figure has changed with the passage of these amendments, and we need to change the levy language with this fix, and I don't have that new figure.

I believe it's 479 million, but maybe central staff is in chambers and can confirm that.

Yes, I do see we have central staff in that.

I just got a nice head nod from Eric, so that is confirmed.

Thank you, Council Member Rivera.

Do you have, or do you have more?

Nope, so we just need to vote to update that number is all.

Super quick.

Eric, would you like to come to the table?

Yeah, give us one second.

Eric's going to come to the table really quick to talk about Amendment A.

Council Member Strauss.

Point of order, do we need to suspend the rules to allow Eric to present to us during council?

Do we need to suspend?

If there's no objection, the rules...

Thank you, Councillor Strauss, for that.

If there are no objections, the rules are suspended to have Eric come to the table and speak about Amendment Number A.

Thanks.

It's 479760. It's the same as amended in Select Committee.

And the amendment that was attached to the agenda has that number on it as well.

And that's all I have to say.

Besides, I am Eric McConaughey, and I work on the central staff for you all.

Colleagues, are there any questions?

Thank you, Eric.

Sure, of course.

Are there any other questions for Eric before he leaves the table?

Awesome.

Seeing none, thank you, Eric, for that.

Colleagues, are there any other comments regarding Amendment Number A?

Awesome.

Clerk, will you please call the roll on the adoption of Amendment A?

Councilmember Salka?

Aye.

Councilmember Strauss?

Aye.

Councilmember Foster?

Yes.

Councilmember Juarez?

Aye.

Council Member Lin?

Yes.

Council Member Rank?

Yes.

Council Member Rivera?

Aye.

And Council President Alexworth?

Yes.

Eight in favor, none opposed.

Motion carries.

Amendment number A is adopted.

Council Member Rivera, your comments on the final bill before us?

Thank you, Council President.

Colleagues, I know that you are all aware of my thoughts on this levy package.

The public knows where I stand as well.

I supported the Mayor's original proposal of $410 million, which I thought was more than fair, given that it was 50% more than the last levy, even after accounting for inflation.

As you know, I did not vote for any amendment that would increase the size of the levy.

because that would diminish our ability to address other city needs as well as it contributes to our city's affordability problem.

Just this weekend, I got more emails from folks in my district and from districts across the city saying that they're struggling with property taxes with some retirees needing to continue to work past retirement just to pay those taxes.

I voted yes to pass the legislation out of the select committee because I know the library needs a levy to fund a third of its budget, but I'm disappointed in the turn that this renewal process took.

Of course, we need to fund our libraries, but this is simply more than I think was needed when there are other pressing issues at the moment.

More recently, it's been reported in the media, colleagues, and you may have seen, this has been reported in the past, but again, that Seattle's facing a backlog, for instance, in the prosecution of criminal cases in the city attorney's office, which has been ongoing for many years, this backlog.

We can't help some people find justice because we don't have enough prosecutors that can take on cases.

That's just one example of the many needs that we have across the city and why I thought it was important to keep the levy to the originally proposed amount to give us some funding to be able to fund other things.

We literally cannot afford to continue operating this way.

We need to govern with more fiscal responsibility.

When I was growing up, I was taught if we didn't have the money, we needed to prioritize and make tough choices based on what we could afford.

Ultimately, however, it's up to the voters to decide.

So I will vote yes today to send this levy proposal to August's ballot and give voters that opportunity.

However, as I said last week, voters are not privy to all the financial information we get as council members as part of city budgeting.

That is why it was important for me to be transparent with the public, like I'm being today.

They should fill out their ballots with all the information and knowledge that voting for this higher amount will mean there will be less for other needs.

Thank you, Council President.

Awesome.

Thank you, Council Member Rivera.

Are there any other comments on the bill as amended?

Council Member Foster, followed by Council Member Rink.

Thank you so much, Council President.

And again, thank you, Chair Rivera, for your stewardship of this through the Select Committee.

I wanted to just speak quickly around the cost of the levy.

And I agree that voters should have information, and I want to put that cost into context.

So today, the median homeowner in Seattle with the council amended bill would pay roughly $191 per year for the library levy.

And that's based on a median home, which in Seattle, as we know, is quite expensive at about $870,000 per year.

So if your home is about $870,000 a year, that breaks down to about $16 a month with the library levy as amended by council last week.

I think that's important information for voters to have.

And I want to share, you know, one of the things that stuck with me was the mom who came in and talked about the number of books that she's able to check out for her kid and that she wouldn't be able to pay for those books out of pocket and buy them and have that access for her kid.

So that is something that I've really taken under consideration because affordability is incredibly important to all of us.

And I think it's important to bring that information forward.

The other thing that I want to bring forward is, again, the majority of the library levy funding does, as Council Member Rivera just mentioned, does come from the general fund.

And there's been a lot of conversation over these last few weeks about the fact that this levy is 50% larger when we take into account inflation.

But part of the reason this levy is larger is also because it takes into account cuts that the library has absorbed over the last several years due to our challenges that we have with the general fund.

And it brings that over into the levy to ensure that we can continue and hold stable our investments into the libraries over the next seven years.

That's something that's going to allow us to provide stability for what is a core Seattle service.

And that's part of why we're seeing this increased cost in this levy.

We know that we have structural budget challenges.

We've heard Councilmember Strauss speak to that in library committee before.

There's a lot of work that we need to do together as a council, but that we also need to do in collaboration with our partners at the state.

so that we have effective tools to fund our critical services.

And lastly, I just want to say, when I think about the things that council added, I will say from my perspective, and the reason I voted for those ads, is they are really important things.

We're talking about HVAC systems.

We're talking about cooling.

We're talking about retrofits at the central library, which will be I want to say, lost my notes now, 27 years old at the end of this levy.

Chief Librarian's giving me a nod.

I've got that right.

I've got it memorized now.

We're talking about ESOL classes when those are getting cut, and that's an important part of making sure our residents can participate in civic society.

So I do want to make sure that we continue to address our affordability challenges, but I did want to bring that information forward into the record.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Foster, Councilmember Rank, and then we'll go to Councilmember Rivera.

Oh, excuse me, Councilmember Strauss, and then Councilmember Rivera.

Councilmember Alexis.

Sorry, Councilmember Rank.

I'm sorry.

You can call me Councilmember Alexis, Council President.

Colleagues, I mentioned this at the beginning of our discussions related to the library levy.

But my boobie was a librarian.

I grew up in libraries.

So to be able to work on this levy and advance amendments to expand our collections and invest back in our buildings, and to do that in partnership with a number of you all, and thank you again for your partnership, has been a true honor.

The library is more than a special place.

It's an essential place and that has been made clear throughout this process.

And so I wanted to take this moment to say thank you to everyone who worked on this levy proposal from council offices and central staff.

A special thank you to Tim Lennon on my team who worked hard on the amendments to the levy.

And thank you also to the Seattle Public Library Foundation Thank you to friends of Seattle Public Library and our union partners for your advocacy and showing up every step of the way.

And thank you to every library worker who tends to these incredible spaces in our city.

Your work is seen and certainly appreciated by me and many in our city.

So with that, let's get reading.

Thank you, Council President.

Awesome.

Thank you, Councilmember Rank.

Councilmember Strauss.

Thank you, Council President.

Addressing the crowd here today, it's clear, and what we know from our conversations regarding the needs of the budget for the library, that this levy doesn't go far enough, that the financial needs of our library system are beyond what is contained within this package today, and the Washington state tax code is limiting our abilities to fully fund our library system.

The folks, the families, the people of Seattle who use our libraries are the first to really fall victim to Washington State's tax code and the way that it is implemented on all 281 cities and towns in our state.

All 281 cities and towns are having fiscal difficulties because we are not allowed to raise the property tax revenue that is commensurate with inflation that is occurring every year.

Seattle, again, has found that workaround.

to allow our levies to provide operating costs instead of simply capital costs, and yet still, Olympia is limiting us in our ability to fully fund the library.

That all said, we are basing so much of our tax base on the backs of, on property tax, which, Again, I don't need to go into a whole tax conversation here today.

I've already kicked it off.

But focusing on the beauty here, thank you, colleagues, for your work on amendments.

Councilmember Foster and I worked on an amendment.

I'm gonna ask Sam, raise your hand.

Can you raise your hand?

Yeah, real high.

Director Fay, raise your hand.

I need the two of you to talk during this meeting.

I'm not kidding.

Finally, the library has agreed to participate in the Neighborhood Impact Framework.

Sam is the one leading this work in many ways.

Thank you for your ability to care for our neighbors in a more meaningful way.

Thank you, colleagues, for your support of increasing the number of books that we have coming into our libraries and e-books.

Last week, I saw somebody carrying, literally, they couldn't carry hold...

the books in their hands because they were carrying so many out.

And having worked at the front desk at a library, I know how many times that one, let's say the book cost $35, how far that $35 goes because it is checked in, checked out, checked in, checked out, checked in, checked out.

Thank you again to colleagues for your support in increasing access through elevators and escalators because otherwise people can't get into the library.

And thank you colleagues for your support in taking the library's just everything that you do a step further by getting their work out on the award-winning Seattle channel.

It is just such a great honor to get to work with all of you on this library levy.

Thank you, Council Member Rivera, for leading us through this process.

And again, I am so sorry that the state's tax code is hitting library families first.

We've got more work to do in Olympia.

I'm excited to send this levy to the voters.

Thank you, Council President.

Awesome.

Thank you, Council Member Strauss.

Next, we have Council Member Saka.

Thank you, Madam Council President.

I too want to echo the sentiment shared by my colleagues today in terms of gratitude of a number of folks, but also kind of level setting on, you know, kind of how we got here.

I have reservations about a nearly $500 million levy, but there are absolutely valid reasons for that.

A flawed Olympia tax code that has an arbitrary and capricious 1% cap.

year-over-year increase in property taxes, which clearly doesn't include or reflect the cost of inflation, nor the increasing cost of goods and services, which, by the way, is a relic of Tim Eyman.

Every time Olympia declines to act and change that structural issue, Our state is honoring the legacy of Tim Eyman.

And meanwhile, on the backs of everyday homeowners and property taxpayers in the city of Seattle.

And so we need change at the Olympia level to better position our city so we don't have to keep going back to voters making these significant asks over and over again, because it does have non-trivial impacts on affordability.

I recognize that.

That said, this is also about empowerment.

It's also about providing durable, lasting economic opportunity through learning.

And I would posit that is the single most powerful upstream investment you can make to protect affordability for decades going forward.

And so there are trade-offs, mindful of that.

But I think on balance, this is a terrific package.

I'm excited to send it to voters.

After this, it'll be in the hands of voters.

I'm also glad, thank you, colleagues, for passing my amendments.

three amendments that I had that benefit my council district, but actually, frankly, the whole city and the whole library system.

Of course, they had the digital skilling initiative amendment, digital skilling and AI investments focused on digital equity, intended to extend existing SPL program into neighborhoods that have lower rates of home internet access and fewer personal devices compared to more affluent parts of the city, piloting something like this at the High Point branch and the South Park branch.

Again, empowering people with economic opportunities and learning.

My other amendment, The Washington State Black Legacy Institute to benefit organizations like that, which is in the historic Admiral District in West Seattle.

That is a center and a site, a facility of not just West Seattle significance, city of Seattle significance.

That is a center that has statewide impact in terms of showcasing the value and the perseverance and the triumph of our black community here in this state.

And we're grateful to have it.

So the amendment to make sure we unlock more opportunities for organizations just like, including contractual opportunities for organizations like WSBLI.

And finally, the amendment I co-sponsored with Councilmember Rank, to finally renovate, once and for all, the historic West Seattle branch, a Carnegie institution, and make much-needed seismic repairs, amongst other things.

I'm really, really excited about all the learning and economic opportunity that this new levee would unlock if passed, but I geek out about Our ability as a city to help put hammers in hands, help make buildings safer, make them more modernized, stable, and reimagine these historic spaces.

Getting that done for West Seattle is a huge, huge win.

And I want to thank Councilmember Rank for your partnership and getting this done.

That's significant.

BFD.

So, in any event, I also want to be remiss if I didn't thank our chair, Councilmember Rivera, Chair Rivera, thank you so much for your partnership, your strong collaboration, end to end.

From before this was even a firm, concrete proposal, you were collaborative, checking in.

I think you did an excellent job helping to shepherd us through this process.

I appreciate you and your leadership.

Councilmember Rink, again, thank you for your partnership in finally getting West Seattle done.

Councilmember Foster, appreciate your sponsorship and partnership in moving some of my amendments while I was away last week.

Thank you to Mayor Wilson for putting together a good, clean package that we went through our legislative sausage-making and made even better.

But I appreciate the mayor and her leadership for helping to get this done.

But most importantly, I want to thank community.

Community has been involved in shaping this package and this process.

throughout.

And I've tried my best personally to listen to community, read as many of those emails, the thousands of emails that we've gotten over the past few months, listen attentively to all your public comments, testimony, meet with you all during my office hours, in my office.

Have you been my ear while on the bus, at the grocery store, about the library?

Your feedback is truly invaluable, and I try my best to live up to it as best as I can, but I want you, and be responsive.

to it.

And so, I want to thank community.

That includes, obviously, the library, the foundation and friends of the library, so many others.

Everyone has a cool library story, which is one thing I learned, you know, through this process, and has a favorite memory or a favorite book or a favorite experience that started or ended in our libraries.

And I'm proud to be able to put together this package that now goes before voters.

So, thank you again.

Thank you, Councilmember Saka.

Councilmember Lin, and then we'll have closing remarks from Councilmember Rivera.

Thank you, Council President, and thank you, Council Member Rivera, again, for shepherding this process, as I stated last time.

Really appreciate the frank, open dialogue.

I think it's important for us to have good debates, for us to, you know, we're having a debate as a community, We've heard a lot of different opinions, and I think you see that on the dais as well.

And I think it's important to have these discussions and debates respectfully, and I believe that's how you helped lead this discussion, so I appreciate that.

You know, I agree with my colleague Councilmember Strauss and Saka and others that talk about sort of our broken tax system.

This is largely coming from the state, and we are making some progress, on fixing sort of the way we tax for essential services, but we have a lot further to go, and that's where we end up with having these really difficult discussions.

As Councilmember Strahl said, I believe that we probably needed to go a lot bigger, that there's a lot more needs that we are not funding, but we, because of the tools at hand, With this property tax and concerns around affordability, we landed where we did.

But I do believe that many of these needs, things including like transitioning some of our buildings away from fossil fuels to electrification, things like deferred maintenance cannot wait.

They need to be treated with urgency and they are solid investments.

And finally, yes, we always need to be careful and ask all of our partners and departments to be mindful, to be about spending.

And yet I am very comfortable and confident that these dollars are very much needed.

and will be very well spent.

So again, thank you all to the chair and to all my colleagues for this debate and discussion, and especially thank you to the community, to Seattle Public Libraries, to the board for all your support for our community.

Awesome, thank you, Councilmember Lynn.

Councilmember Rivera, are there any other?

I think everyone spoke.

Okay, Council, I'm sorry, I just wanted to make sure.

Councilmember Rivera.

Thank you, Council President, and thank you, colleagues, for all your comments.

I do wanna address a couple things because I don't, I mean, there's some facts here.

This was a $219 million levy, seven years later is that it is now at 479 million.

The truth is that is 70% more even accounting for inflation.

And I wanna say, while I appreciate putting the cost into context and while it's true that it is about 191 more a year, if there were only libraries, that would be fine.

The fact is that that is combined to the $8,000 that people are paying a year in taxes combined with all our levies and all our other taxes that our Seattleites pay, including King County taxes.

So when you combine all the taxes together, People are paying on that 850K house about, they're paying $8,000 plus now, the library levy.

So once you start taking into account all of the taxes, I think it's hard to argue that it's just $16 a day.

That's true for the libraries, but that's not the only thing we're paying for.

And that's not the only levy that the libraries isn't the only levy that we send to the voters and that voters are paying for.

So when you talk about affordability, there is an affordability crisis.

and this is why retirees are having to work part-time jobs and renters there's somehow this notion that only property owners are paying property taxes they're not renters pay it too because it gets passed on it has to so at the end of the day we just need to be honest about what what we're asking of voters.

And while, like I said, maybe it doesn't sound like a lot, 191 a year, but combined with all the other taxes, it starts to add up.

And so once we start putting more and more into this and other levies, that tax increase becomes unsustainable for folks in the city, and we need to be mindful of that.

So this is why I had concerns about continuing to add, more importantly, that tax cap.

Obviously now we don't leave very much for the subsequent future levy renewals that we will have to do.

The next one is the housing levy.

And you heard people coming to chambers today talking about the tiny home proposal, the mayor's tiny home proposal, and how are we gonna fund that ongoing?

I have no idea.

But this is all real.

And so, I mean, the one thing I want to say is, and we are all agreed that we love our libraries.

So as I've said, this isn't about who loves the libraries more.

We're just operating under these fiscal realities.

And I wish that weren't the case because I myself would want to give more to the libraries, but that's not where we're at.

And so this is really important.

And so I just don't want us to be flippant about it's just a little more.

Once you add it in, you know, once you add all these levies and property taxes up, it's a lot.

And, you know, We need to be more fiscally responsible because we're running out of options.

And I also will say in terms of Olympia, this flawed tax system, yes.

And As regards the levy cap, which is what I understood some of my colleagues to be talking about, lifting the levy cap just means we can ask more from voters by way of property taxes.

It doesn't relieve the property tax burden, it just increases it.

All these things are true and what we're grappling with and that's what I flagged last time and what I'll flag again today.

That said, we'll vote to put this on the ballot.

I appreciate everyone working together in the frank conversation.

I appreciate the fact that we're all aligned.

We all love our libraries.

And at the end of the day, we'll have to figure out how to pay for those other things.

Maybe we won't be able to, but this will move forward today and voters will decide.

And I just want to make sure when they decide that they have the full information.

because I don't want someone to lead or say, well, you know, we put it at that level at 70% over the cost of inflation, and now we can't pay for other things because of our levy cap situation.

We made that eyes wide open, those decisions.

So thank you, Council President, and thank you everyone for the robust conversation.

Awesome.

Thank you, Council Member Rivera.

And we're now going to call the roll.

I want to thank everyone.

Just double down on what my colleague said.

I also want to thank my mom, who taught me at a very early age.

It is not library.

It is library.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Council Member Saka?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Aye.

Council Member Foster?

Yes.

Council Member Juarez?

Aye.

Council Member Lin?

Yes.

Council Member Rank?

Council Member Rivera?

Aye.

And Council President Hemsworth?

Aye.

Thank you.

Aye.

Thank you.

Eight in favor, none opposed.

Awesome.

We can do that applause, that's fine.

The bill passes as amended, the chair will sign it.

Will the clerk please affix my signature to the bill and it will be sent to the voters.

Thank you so much.

Colleagues, real quick.

So if there's no objection, I would like to, We do have a council member that has to be excused from this meeting.

They're on the governance and utilities meeting.

This is the item agenda that was removed from the consent package, which is an appointment.

And so I would like us to consider that for the next piece of the agenda before we move into the items.

Is there any objection?

Council President, point of personal privilege, just wanting Sam and Director Fay to connect.

Sorry.

Sam and Director Fay, it looks like he's walking out the door.

Thank you.

Director Fay and Sam, please connect.

You asked that before the vote, too, which was good.

All right, Director Fay and Sam, is there...

Yes, and they are connecting.

Okay, awesome, thank you, Council Member Strauss.

If there is no objection, we'll consider that next before we do have a Council Member that has to leave.

Okay, is there no objection?

Awesome, can we consider item number I into, please read item number I into the record.

It was removed, you don't have to read it.

Consent calendar item number three, appointment 3470, appointment Evan M. Smith as member of Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission for term to December 31st, 2027. The committee recommends that the appointment be confirmed.

Awesome, so there was an item removed from the consent calendar, which is appointment number 3470, appointment of Evan Smith as the member of the Seattle Ethics and Election Commission for term of December 31st, 2027. Committee recommend that the council appointment in favor.

Four in favor, none opposed.

But I do know that there was a removal, so I'm going to go ahead and let Councilmember Rink address her removal of the item.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council President.

Colleagues, with respect to the committee recommendation, I did pull this appointment from the consent agenda today because of some of the details that have come to light related to the company known as Ethosphere that the proposed appointee founded.

I have deep concerns with the proliferation and lack of regulations around AI and camera technology broadly, and the products that Ethosphere is selling to businesses are things such as microphones that floor staff would be required to wear to capture conversations that are transcribed and analyzed through AI.

language models to assess performance.

To deploy this technology against workers, particularly those who are often making minimum wage, is invasive, to put it lightly, and dystopian at worst.

I worry about the broader implications for workers, privacy, the ability for people to organize.

And I have a lot of questions about the ethics behind such a business.

And for that reason, I am unable to support the proposed appointee today to our city's Ethics and Elections Commission.

Thank you.

Awesome, thank you, Council Member Rank.

Are there any further comments regarding this item?

Okay, I'm gonna go ahead and speak to, oh, I'm gonna go ahead and speak to Mr. Evan Smith.

He was my nomination for the Ethics and Election Committee, and I believe he brings a strong foundation of leadership, accountability, and public service.

I'm just talking about him as a person, not for the company or some of the things that were brought up.

Mr. Smith experienced colleagues, spans on government education and leadership.

He began his career as a social studies teacher, grounded his work in civic education and deep understanding of how systems impact communities.

He later served on multiple roles of the DC public schools and worked with FEMA supporting disaster recovery efforts during Hurricane Katrina.

That was one of the most devastating natural disasters in US history in 2005. In addition, his time and senior leadership roles in major companies reflect, I think, his ability to navigate complex systems and managing large-scale operations with accountability metrics.

And I know that I'm confident that Mr. Smith's background and values position him well to serve a thoughtful and independence of ethics and elections committee.

And I also know that I believe if our director, Mr. Barnett had any issue regarding this pig or conflict of interest.

I know that he would have said that in our committee, but I do appreciate Council Member Rinks highlighting some of the concerns that a community has and also that you have as well.

So really appreciate this conversation.

So I will pause there.

I don't know if there's any other colleagues that have comments regarding this before we call this to a vote specifically.

Councilmember Rivera.

Thank you, Council President.

Sorry, I couldn't raise my hand fast enough when you had asked earlier.

Just plus one to your comments.

I will say that my office did reach out to Director Wayne Barnett, and he didn't have any issues with this confirmation because I just wanted to double check.

I made the same assumption you did, Council President, so I had my team reach out to Mr. Barnett.

And I will say that I also know Mr. Evan Smith from, he sat on the Families and Education Preschool Promise Levy Oversight Committee for the last levy that was passed, and I found him to be really professional and committed, and I know he's committed to kids and families, so on a personal level, I've had the same experience.

as you described in your remarks.

So I don't have an issue given all of that.

And given that Wayne Barnett doesn't have any issues, I am fine moving this appointment forward.

And I thank Evan for his volunteering to do this work because these commissions are all volunteer, including the Ethics Commission members.

So really appreciate folks that step up to volunteer to do these jobs.

Thank you for these positions.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Council Member Rivera.

Are there any other comments regarding the appointment?

All right, awesome.

We're going to take a vote.

Thank you again, Council Member Frink, for your comments.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Council Member Saka?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Aye.

Council Member Foster?

No.

Council Member Juarez?

You're on mute, Council Member.

motion carries the appointment is confirmed uh we will move on to item number two into the agenda we read

Oh, first of all, if there's no objection, we're going to excuse Councilmember Rivera for the remaining of the meeting.

No objection.

Councilmember Rivera, you are excused.

And will you please read item number two into the record?

We have seven.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

Seven for the budget vote.

Six.

The report of the Finance Native Communities and Tribal Governments Committee, Agenda Item 2, Council Bill 121-184 relating to leases expanding the Director of Finance and Administrative Services authority to execute leases when the land is used for transitional account and purposes.

The committee recommends the bill pass.

Councilmember Strauss, you are recognized.

Thank you, Council President, and I do not need to move the bill because it's already before us.

Do you want to just check in, Council President Clerk, that we still have seven Councilmembers present?

I know that is different than quorum.

We need seven Councilmembers for the budget vote.

I believe we have six.

No, we have seven.

That's correct.

Sorry.

Yes, we have seven.

Juarez is online.

We're good.

Wonderful.

Wonderful.

HBDCMBK.

Save that for later.

Right back to this ordinance before us.

This is common sense legislation before us that provides the director of finance and administrative services the ability to sign leases for land that is specifically for transitional encampment purposes.

I'm going to editorialize that this is too small of a square footage footprint and too restrictive to specifically transitional encampment purposes because there are many associated things that are needed to assist with addressing homelessness that are not specifically transitional encampments.

And so, colleagues, I just give you this highlight that we'll likely bring forward another bill later this year that will address some of these ongoing needs.

With that, I urge a yes vote.

This is a super common sense bill.

Thank you.

Awesome.

Thank you, Council Member Strauss.

Are there any other comments before us?

Seeing none, thank you, Council Member Strauss, for your stewardship of this legislation and for you doing it in a very timely manner and expediting that process, too, as well.

Was there more?

I was just going to thank Council Member Strauss, and you just did it.

Council Member Strauss, any closing?

Awesome.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Saka?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Aye.

Council Member Foster?

Yes.

Council Member Juarez.

Aye.

Council Member Lin.

Yes.

Council Member Rank.

Yes.

Council President Hollingsworth.

Yes.

Seven in favor, none opposed.

Awesome.

Thank you.

Bill passes.

Will the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf?

Item number three into the record.

Thank you.

Agenda item three, council bill 121-185 relating to city's response to homelessness, amending ordinance 127-362, which adopted the 2026 budget, including the 2026 through 2031 capital improvement program.

The committee recommends the bill passes amended.

Council member Strauss, you are recognized.

Thank you.

We heard some really solemn words this afternoon from public comment.

I want to uplift the words of Anitra Freeman and the women in black who stand vigil for those that have died on our streets, that ask us to take a moment of silence for the people that we weren't able to save.

We know that homelessness is an ongoing problem in our city.

We understand that there's a need for additional shelter.

We know that additional shelter costs money.

That is what this bill is here to do.

I will say that in these few months of a new mayor, we have yet to understand exactly what the plan is for the rest of the year, and in most circumstances, the council would not pass a budget bill without an exact plan nailed down.

What I appreciate is the commitment from the mayor's office, the urgency in which you are working, and that you are committed to working with the council members to determine what this plan is moving forward.

In 2016, one of my favorite council members of all time, council member Sally Bagshaw, called for a thousand new tiny homes at a time when we didn't have tiny homes as an agreed upon service that the city of Seattle provided.

Now in 2026, a decade later, we find tiny homes to be a great solution for many people, but not all.

We have heard from licensed clinical social workers today.

Colleagues, folks will oftentimes say, oh, the social worker, fill in the blank.

The social worker did this.

I'm even guilty of it at times.

I say with the nav team, it was led by the police with social workers somewhere behind.

And with the unified care team, we have social workers leading the way, but with the police somewhere behind.

That is a bit of a vague statement when it comes to licensed clinical social workers that are providing direct care.

I really appreciate the licensed clinical social workers that came to speak to us today who work in tiny home villages.

Even them themselves shared that they're there five days a week, and that works for many people who are suffering from homelessness, but it doesn't work for all.

The good and the bad is that we have many people on our streets today that have been kicked out or have not been successful in tiny home villages.

This is good and bad because a decade ago, I couldn't get them into a tiny home at all, much less to be kicked out.

The bad is that we have a new level of service that we must provide.

You may have read I was quoted in the Times today saying that I wanted the more expensive option than tiny homes.

And it's not because I want to spend more money.

It's because when we don't spend the correct level of money providing the correct type of services, we are not going to achieve the outcomes in which we set out to do.

And that's where that's coming from.

And so I look forward to making good on the commitment with the mayor's office to work in collaboration, to understand what set of acuity, what set of needs are out there.

We had many council members provide amendments talking about the need for sober shelter, which there is a need for, the need for families and women's shelter.

There's a need for that.

You heard me talk about the higher acuity.

And at the end of the day, talking to, we had a public commenter Aries here, not born in April though, I checked with her.

Her question about vacant buildings, yeah, absolutely.

We started that program during the pandemic to buy vacant buildings.

The difficulty is we don't have a lot of residential buildings that are vacant.

And if we bought a building, that has a bunch of tenants in it, then we're not able to fill those units.

I won't digress there too long.

All that to say, what is before us today is the budget bill that starts funding our expansion of shelter in our city.

There's more work to be done, and I think we really need to tease in and really focus on What level of service are we providing and for whom?

Because right now we need the space for people who are in wheelchairs, people who have their partners, their pets, their things.

We need 24-7 case management and medically assisted treatment in many places.

And this higher level of care means that there's a higher financial cost.

And I think that we have to just really reckon with that, because without spending those additional dollars, we're not going to see the outcomes that we are setting out to achieve today.

And, you know, we also need to address separately and aside from this budget funding right now, the fact that we've got folks that are reportedly setting up tents in our public spaces that have shelter and housing.

We have folks that are setting up structures in the streets of Ballard that have full chimneys set up, and they've been bouncing around our city for months and possibly years.

We have to create the solutions for these folks because what we're doing right now is not working, and I hope and I suspect that this funding will help us addressing those people's issues.

Thank you, Council President.

Awesome, great words, Councilmember Strauss.

Are there any other comments regarding the bill?

We're on Council Bill 121185. Well, I said this on Monday, Councilmember Strauss, and I'm gonna say it again.

Thank you for your stewardship during this process, being very collaborative, talking to all council member offices.

And I also wanna say for the record, you also added a meeting to hear this legislation and to meet the sense of urgency that the seventh floor has said that they wanted.

And just really appreciate that.

And this council has been moving very swiftly during that process.

So I just want to thank you for that because you didn't have to do that, but it showed your commitment to this legislation.

So thank you.

Are there any other comments on the floor before we start?

Okay, awesome.

Will the clerk please call the roll for Council Bill 121185?

Council Member Saka?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Aye.

Council Member Foster?

Yes.

Council Member Juarez?

Aye.

Council Member Lin?

Yes.

Council Member Rink?

Yes.

Council President Hornsworth?

Aye.

Seven in favor, none opposed.

The bill passes.

The chair will sign it.

And will the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf?

I think every council member is looking forward to working with our mayor's office on implementation of this and it being successful.

Properly cited.

Thank you.

Properly.

Will the clerk please read item number four into the record?

Agenda No. 4, Council Bill 121, 187 relating to acceptance of funding from non-city sources authorizing the mayor or the mayor's designee to accept and authorize the expenditure of specified grants, private funding, and subsidized loans, and to execute, deliver, and perform corresponding agreements.

Committee recommends the bill pass.

Councilmember Strauss, you are recognized.

Thank you, Council President.

As enumerated in the City of Seattle's charter, the City Council must approve accepting the grants that we receive from other levels of government before we are allowed to expend them.

That is what the bill before us is, and I urge a yes vote.

Thank you.

Awesome.

Thank you, Councilmember Strauss.

And are there any other comments for the bill before us?

Awesome.

Seeing none, will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Sacha?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Aye.

Council Member Foster?

Yes.

Council Member Juarez?

Aye.

Council Member Lin?

Yes.

Council Member Rink?

Yes.

Council President Hornsworth?

Yes.

Seven in favor, none opposed.

Bill passes.

Chair will sign it.

And will the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf?

Will the clerk please read item number five into the record?

The report of the Governance and Utilities Committee, general item five, Council Bill 121-182 relating to Seattle Public Utilities.

authorizing general manager and CEO of Seattle Public Utilities to accept slope stabilization easements with two parcels of private property.

Identify as King County parcel number 684-470-3215, located at 3822 Northeast 91st Street.

The committee recommends that bill pass.

Thank you, clerk.

As chair of this committee, I'm going to provide the committee report.

SPU ordinance will allow SPU to build permanent infrastructure to stabilize slopes located in 3822 and 3832 Northeast 91st Street.

These two permanent slope stabilization easements were acquired for a combination of fair market value of $9,900 and purchase was limited to...

portion needed for the reinforcement of the slopes.

Colleagues, this does not raise anyone rates.

That's the first thing people ask when our utility companies are purchasing anything.

This is a separate fund.

Are there any other comments to come before this bill before I call the vote?

Nope.

Okay.

Will the clerk please call the roll of the passage of the bill?

Council Member Saka?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Aye.

Council Member Foster?

Yes.

Council Member Juarez?

Aye.

Council Member Lin?

Yes.

Council Member Green?

Yes.

Council President Hollingsworth?

Yes.

Seven in favor, none opposed.

Bill passes.

Chair will sign and will the clerk please affix the signature to the legislation on my behalf.

Clerk, will you please read item number six into the record?

Agenda item six, Council Bill 121-193 relating to Seattle Public Utilities authorizing the acquisition of certain real property rights by negotiation or intimate domain of two parcels of land identified as King County parcel number 426-570-0090 on King County parcel number 426-570-0085, both located at South Director Street.

Committee recommends that bill pass.

Awesome.

Thank you.

Colleagues, as chair of the committee, I will provide the report.

This ordinance is regarding the willing sale of two private parcels to Seattle Public Utilities to acquire these properties to construct the pump station number four replacement project.

The existing wastewater pump station requires a replacement due to the age and age and condition of the current pump station.

Both properties were acquired for $380,000 from SPU drainage and wastewater funds.

Again, these do not increase people's rates, okay?

So this is from their wastewater fund in which they budget out certain monies to help with infrastructure projects.

And I urge your vote.

Are there any comments on the bill before us?

Awesome.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Sotha?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Aye.

Council Member Foster?

Yes.

Council Member Juarez?

Aye.

Council Member Lin?

Yes.

Council Member Rink?

Yes.

Council President Hollingsworth?

Yes.

Seven in favor, none opposed.

Bill passes.

Will the clerk please affix my signature on my behalf?

Thank you.

To the legislation on my behalf.

Colleagues, I believe we're gonna now go to item number J.

on the agenda.

Sorry, I lost my notes here.

So we already addressed item number I.

So there is a resolution for introduction and adoption today.

Will the clerk please read the agenda item into the record?

Agenda Item 7, Resolution 32199, a resolution setting the public hearing on the petition of the ULLC for the vacation of the remaining portion of the alley lying within Block 2, Wagner's Addition to the City of Seattle and the Greenwood neighborhood.

Awesome.

So I'm going to move to adopt Resolution 32199. Is there a second?

Second.

Awesome.

It's been moved and seconded.

Councilmember Saka, as sponsor of the resolution, you are recognized.

Sure.

Thank you, Madam Council President.

Colleagues, the ULLC has submitted a petition is a formal legal process under a specific state statute and specific Seattle municipal code that removes public right-of-way interests in an alley, transferring it to an adjacent property owner if certain conditions are met.

The resolution sets the public hearing date to review the petition in compliance with Washington state law and Seattle city policy.

If passed, the resolution, or excuse me, the public hearing will take place at our May 7th Steps Committee meeting.

Thank you.

Awesome.

Thank you, Council Member Saka.

Are there any other comments regarding this resolution?

Will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the resolution?

Council Member Saka?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Aye.

Council Member Foster?

Yes.

Council Member Juarez?

Aye.

Council Member Lin?

Yes.

Council Member Rank?

Yes.

That's the President Hollingsworth.

Yes.

Seven in favor, none opposed.

Awesome.

Resolution is adopted.

Chair will sign it.

Will the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf?

Colleagues, is there any more further business to come before the council?

Looking to the left, Councilmember Strauss.

Thank you, Council President.

Request to be excused from the April 28th full city council meeting.

Colleagues, is there any objection to Councilmember Strauss being excused from the April 28th meeting?

There is one objection.

I see Councilmember, I'm just playing.

There's no objection.

Councilmember Strauss, I'd looked at Councilmember Juarez.

She's not.

She's not.

I actually have something.

Okay.

You are excused, Councilmember Strauss.

Thank you.

I just looked at her face.

I was like, oh, she's not on.

She's on one today.

Councilmember Juarez.

I've been here.

Come on now.

I actually have to be excused on the 20th as well.

I'm looking at the calendar.

Yeah, on the Tuesday, I have to be excused as well.

Okay, awesome.

Is there any objection to Council Member Juarez being excused on April 28th full council meeting?

Oh.

Are you objecting to yourself?

No.

Okay.

Councilmember Juarez, there's no objection.

You are excused from the April 28th full council meeting.

Thank you.

Colleagues, is there any more items to come before the council?

Nope.

Awesome.

All right, thank you, colleagues, for a great spirited meeting.

I always appreciate the respectful debates and information and all of the perspectives that you all have.

There is never a dull moment on this council, so thank you all.

Appreciate it.

Councilmember Strauss, is that an old hand or new hand?

That's an old hand, but I'll take this moment to say H-B-D-C-M-B-K.

Thank you, everyone.

Happy birthday.

Awesome.

Thank you.

Thank you, Count.

Who's first?

Okay, well, that's how we'll close it out.

Thank you, Council Member Strauss.

So there's nothing to come before that is we have reached the item.

We have reached the end of today's agenda.

The next City Council meeting will be April 21st at 2 p.m.

Hearing no further business, we are adjourned.

Thank you, everyone.

Thank you.