[ MUSIC ]
>> ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE, GOOD
MORNING. THE JULY 2020 FOURTH --
THE JULY 24, 2025 MEETING OF THE
LIBRARIES , EDUCATION AND
NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE WILL
COME TO ORDER. IT IS 9:32 A.M.,
I AM RIVERA, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> FOUR COUNCILMEMBERS ARE
PRESENT.
>> IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. COLLEAGUES, 13 ITEMS OF
BUSINESS ON TODAY'S AGENDA. WE
HAVE THREE APPOINTMENTS OF THE
HISTORIC SEATTLE PRESERVATION ON
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY GOVERNING
COUNCIL. FOUR APPOINTMENTS TO
THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION AND
ONE REAPPOINTMENT TO THE PIKE
PLACE MARKET HISTORICAL
COMMISSION , TWO REAPPOINTMENT
TO THE LANDMARKS PRESERVATION
BOARD AND ONE APPOINTMENT TO THE
MARKET PRESERVATION ON
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY GOVERNING
COUNCIL. IN ADDITION,
PRESENTATIONS FROM THE OFFICE OF
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS
AND THE DEPARTMENT AND
NEIGHBORHOODS. WE WILL NOW OPEN
THE HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
. PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD RELATE
TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA OR WITHIN
THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE
SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> WE CURRENTLY HAVE NO IN
PERSON SPEAKERS AND TWO REMOTE
SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
>> THANK YOU. PLEASE READ THE
PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING OUTER MATTER AND IS UP
TO 20 MINUTES. EACH SPEAKER WILL
HAVE TWO MINUTES AND SPEAKERS
ARE CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY ARE REGISTERED. WE WILL
START IN PERSON SPEAKERS , THEN
REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD HAS ENDED.
SPEAKERS WILL HER A TIME WHEN 10
SECONDS ARE LEFT IN THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN. WE
WILL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
SPEAKER . THE FIRST REMOTE
SPEAKER IS ALBERTO ALVAREZ .
>> PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX WHEN HE
HEARD THE PROMPT, ALBERTO, AND
YOU HAVE BEEN UNNEEDED.
>> THANK YOU. I WANT TO BRING UP
THE PIKE PLACE MARKET PARKING
AND HOW THEY CLOSE IT OFF TO
CARS . IT IS REALLY WORKING OUT
WITH A LOT OF TRAFFIC ACTIVITY
AND PEOPLE WILL GET OFF OF THE
BUS AND YOU'VE SEEN PICTURES
AND VIDEOS AND IT'S REALLY
WORKED OUT. I WANT TO POINT OUT
THAT A LOT OF BUSINESS OWNERS
WERE CRYING WOLF ABOUT ALL OF
THIS AND WE CLOSE IT OFF TO THE
VEHICLES OF CARS AND PEOPLE
WON'T SHOW UP. IT'LL BE DEAD.
PEOPLE WON'T BE ABLE TO MOVE
ABOUT. ALL OF THAT WAS A LIE AND
THEY CLEARLY DON'T UNDERSTAND
THEIR OWN CLIENTELE . THE REST
OF US WERE MAKING THEM REALIZE
THAT THIS IS FOR THEIR OWN
BENEFIT, AS WELL. MORE PEOPLE
WALKING AROUND SAFELY JUST MEANS
MORE BUSINESS FOR THEM AND I
THINK COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, YOU
SPOKE TO ONE OF THE RESTAURANT
BUSINESS IS DOWN THERE RECENTLY
AND I FORGET THE NAME. WE DON'T
WANT TO CLOSE IT OFF . WE ALL
HAVE TO LET THE BUSINESS OWNERS
DOWN THERE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE
SHOWING UP AND IT'S WORKING. AS
A PLUS, MAYBE THERE ARE OTHER
NEIGHBORHOODS OR OTHER AREAS
THAT SIMILAR CAN BE MADE. JUST
TO LET PEOPLE WALK AROUND AND
FEEL SAFER. I KNOW THAT THERE IS
A BUSINESS AREA AND I FORGET THE
NAME OF THE STREET, BUT IT IS
ALREADY SOMEWHAT CLOSED OFF TO
VEHICLES AND THERE ARE A LOT OF
US . THERE ARE AREAS -- MAY BE
MORE OF THAT. THANK YOU. HAVE A
GOOD DAY.
>> THANK YOU, SPEAKER.
>> OUR NEXT REMOTE SPEAKER IS
DAVID HAYNES.
>> DAVID, PRESS STAR SIX AND YOU
MAY BEGIN.
>> THANK YOU. YESTERDAY, THERE
WAS A NAKED GUY WHO WAS MOST
LIKELY IN THE DISTRICT.
>> I'M SORRY, BUT YOU NEED TO
STICK TO THE ITEMS WITHIN THE
AGENDA. THIS IS THE LIBRARIES
EDUCATION AND NEIGHBORHOODS
COMMITTEE.
>> I THOUGHT WE COULD DISCUSS
MAYBE IMPROVING THE LIBRARY THAT
YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING
ABOUT, BECAUSE IT IS STILL
IMPOSSIBLE TO GO DOWN THERE AT
THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND READ THE
NEWSPAPER WITHOUT BEING BOTHERED
BY SOMEBODY ELSE , BECAUSE OF
THE WAREHOUSE LIKE LIBRARY, IT
SEEMS TO BE DESIGNED TO BOTHER
PEOPLE . WHAT I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT IS THERE IS A REAL PROBLEM
IN OUR SOCIETY AND YOU ALL
DIDN'T EVEN SHOW UP FOR THE
RENTERS COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS
YESTERDAY BUT I WAS WONDERING
WHY YOU COULDN'T HAVE SHOWED UP
FOR THAT, BUT YOU KEEP
CHEERLEADING AND GIVING PRAISES
TO THE MAYOR WHO HAS FAILED AT
PUBLIC SAFETY. I'M TRYING TO GO
INTO THE LIBRARY AND THERE'S
ALL OF THESE JUNKIES ALL SCREWED
UP AND YOUR DISTRICT IS PART OF
WHAT IS BEING TRAFFICKED. YOU
KEEP SHOWING UP AT PUBLIC SAFETY
AND TELLING US HOW GREAT THE
MAYOR IS DOING AND HE'S FAILING
MISERABLY , BUT YOU KEEP MEETING
WITH THE CHIEF EVERY MONTH AND
YOU CAN'T CHEAT PEOPLE OUT OF
PROPER POLICY.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID.
>> I'M NOT FINISHED. I'LL
ADDRESS THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE
LIBRARY , BUT IT'S NOT FAIR
THAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING THE
REALITY OF YOUR DISTRICT AND
UNIVERSITY . THERE WAS A NAKED
WOMAN LAST WEEK AND A NAKED GUY
YESTERDAY. THERE'S A REAL
PROBLEM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU
ARE TREATING THE PEOPLE. SHOULD
BE INVESTIGATED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR YOUR
LANDLORD THAT IS CHEATING.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID. YOU CAN
SUBMIT THE REST OF YOUR COMMENTS
IF YOU WOULD LIKE, TOO. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. IS THAT THE LAST
SPEAKER?
>> NO ADDITIONAL REGISTERED
SPEAKERS. THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED, SO WE WILL
NOW PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS.
>> CLERK, PLEASE READ ITEMS ONE,
TWO AND THREE INTO THE RECORD.
>> APPOINTMENT 3230 THROUGH 3232
THE APPOINTMENTS OF ALISTAIR
CERRETTI, JONATHAN MOORE AND AS
MEMBERS OF THE HISTORIC
PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY GOVERNING COUNCIL FOR
TERM NOVEMBER 30, 2027
EVERYTHING , DISCUSSION AND
POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU. THESE APPOINTMENTS
HAVE BEEN READ INTO THE RECORD.
COLLEAGUES, I ALWAYS SAY THAT I
APPRECIATE THE WILLINGNESS OF
OUR RESIDENTS TO SERVE AS
VOLUNTEERS FOR THESE IMPORTANT
OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE US
FEEDBACK ON THE WORK. I WANT TO
THANK ALL APPOINTEES THAT WE
WILL BE GOING THROUGH THIS
MORNING FOR STEPPING UP TO SERVE
IN THESE ADVISORY ROLES AND FOR
THE TIME THEY PUT INTO THE WORK
AND IT IS UNPAID WORK AND I KNOW
IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE FOR THEM
AND WE BENEFIT FROM THEIR
WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP AND SERVE
. I WANT TO REALLY APPRECIATE
ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND
APPOINTEES WHO WE ARE GOING TO
RUN THROUGH THIS MORNING'S
APPOINTMENTS . I WILL NOW READ A
SHORT BIO FOR EACH OF THESE
THREE APPOINTMENTS, THEN WE WILL
HAVE TIME FOR COMMENTS AND VOTE.
ALL RIGHT, ALISTAIR CERRETTI HAS
OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS
AN ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE LEADER
WITH ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
LEADING TEAMS AND MANAGING
CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS. HE
RECEIVED A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION WITH A
CONCENTRATION AND ACCOUNTING
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON. HE HAS HELD ROLES AS
SENIOR MANAGER FOR WATSON
McDONALD, SENIOR AUDITOR FOR
JOHN O'BRIEN AND COMPANY AND
STAFF ACCOUNTANT FOR PRINCESS
CRUISES. CURRENTLY, HE SERVES AS
A SIGNING DIRECTOR FOR CLIFTON
LARSON ALLEN LLP. HE IS BRINGING
A WEALTH OF PROFESSIONAL INSIGHT
AND EXPERIENCE TO THE HISTORIC
SEATTLE PRESERVATION AND
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY GOVERNING
COUNCIL. I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR
AGREEING TO SERVE AND FOR
VOLUNTEERING HIS TIME. JONATHAN
MOORE. JONATHAN HAS
APPROXIMATELY 10 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE WORKING IN FINANCE.
HE RECEIVED A BACHELOR OF ARTS
AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF REDLANDS.
JONATHAN HAS PREVIOUSLY HELD THE
ROLES OF SENIOR WEALTH STRATEGY
ASSOCIATE, REGISTERED CLIENT
SERVICE ASSOCIATE AND CLIENT
SERVICE ASSOCIATE DURING HIS
TIME WORKING AND CURRENTLY
SERVES AS A FINANCIAL ADVISER
THERE. IN HIS ROLE, HE PERFORMS
FINANCIAL RESEARCH AND ANNOUNCES
AND HAS EXPERIENCED MANAGING
CUSTOMER FOCUSED PORTFOLIOS.
JONATHAN WOULD BE BRINGING A
WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE IN THE
FINANCE SECTOR TO THE HISTORIC
SEATTLE PRESERVATION AND
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY GOVERNING
COUNCIL AND I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK HIM FOR HIS WILLINGNESS TO
SERVE AND VOLUNTEER HIS TIME.
FOR THIS SET OF FOLKS, RAAM D.
WONG IS A SENIOR DEPUTY
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY AT THE KING
COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE . HE WORKS IN THE CIVIL
DIVISION WHERE HE ASSISTS WITH
PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS AND
ADVISES THE RECORDERS OFFICE AND
OTHER KING COUNTY OFFICES. IN
ADDITION TO WORKING AT THE KING
COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE, HE CURRENTLY SERVES AS
THE INSTRUCTOR FOR THE ADVANCE
CHILD ADVOCACY PROGRAM AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON. PRIOR
TO SHORT JOINING THE DIVISION,
HE SPENT 10 YEARS IN THE
CRIMINAL DIVISION AND WOULD BE
BRINGING HIS LEGAL PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE TO THE HISTORIC
SEATTLE PRESERVATION AND
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY GOVERNING
COUNCIL . I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
HIM FOR HIS VOLUNTEERING TIME
AND TO SERVE ON THIS COUNSEL.
COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ABOUT THESE THREE
APPOINTEES? SEEING NONE. I MOVED
TO A POINT -- AND MOVE THE
CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT 3230
THROUGH 3233. IS THERE A SECOND?
THANK YOU. MOVED AND SECONDED TO
COME FROM THE APPOINTMENTS. ANY
FURTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
WILL THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL ON
THE CONFIRMATION OF THE
APPOINTMENTS?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE
RECOGNITION THAT THE
APPOINTMENTS BE CONFIRMED WILL
BE SENT TO THE JULY 29, 2025
CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALISTAIR
CERRETTI , JONATHAN AND RAAM D.
WONG. NEXT AGENDA ITEMS. CLERK?
>> AGENDA ITEMS FOUR THROUGH
EIGHT, APPOINTMENT 3233 THROUGH
3237, THE APPOINTMENTS OF ALEX
APOSTOLOPOULOS , PFEIFFER
BLOECKER AND OLIVIA VERMAAK AS
MEMBERS OF THE PIKE PLACE MARKET
HISTORICAL COMMISSION FOR TERM
DECEMBER 1, 2026 . APPOINTMENTS
AND REAPPOINTMENTS OF JONATHAN
CRACOLICI AND JONATHAN KIEHNAU
AS MEMBERS OF THE PIKE PLACE
MARKET HISTORICAL COMMISSION FOR
A TERM TO DECEMBER 1, 2027.
APOLOGIES FOR ANY DAMAGE DONE TO
YOUR NAMES. FOR BRIEFING
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU. THESE HAVE BEEN
READ INTO THE RECORD AND WE ARE
JOINED BY LEE AND IS COMING UP
HERE. PLEASE JOIN US AT THE
TABLE. THE PIKE PLACE MARKET
HISTORICAL DISTRICT COORDINATOR
AT THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE ARE LUCKY
TO HAVE HER THIS MORNING TO
PRESENT THESE NEXT APPOINTMENTS.
MINH, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE
RECORD. YOU MAY PRESENT THE
APPOINTEES.
>> MINH, DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS. THANK YOU TO ALL
COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR YOUR TIME
TODAY AND THANK YOU IN
PARTICULAR, CHAIRPERSON RIVERA
FOR ALLOTMENT OF TIME IN YOUR
AGENDA. WE ARE HAPPY TO SEE THAT
YOU'RE FEELING A LITTLE BETTER
TODAY. I WILL BE PRESENTING THE
FIVE APPOINTEES TO THE PIKE
PLACE MARKET HISTORICAL
COMMISSION AND I RECOGNIZE THAT
ON TODAY'S AGENDA THERE ARE
SEVERAL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
WITH SOMEWHAT SIMILAR NAMES
THOMAS I WILL TAKE A MOMENT TO
DIFFERENTIATE THE COMMISSION. IT
WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1971, WHICH
REPRESENTS ABOUT THE HALFWAY
POINT OF THE LIFESPAN OF THE
MARKET SO FAR. IT CONSISTS OF 12
NUMBERS AND THE ROLE IS TO
REVIEW AND MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT
PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE MARKET .
THOSE DECISIONS ARE REGULATORY
IN NATURE AND APPLIED TO BOTH
PHYSICAL AND NONPHYSICAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MARKET.
FINALLY, THEY ARE ALL DONE
THROUGH THE LENS OF PRESERVING
UNIQUE CHARACTERS.
>> CAN YOU GET CLOSER INTO THE
MIC?
>> NO PROBLEM. I WILL PROCEED IN
THE ORDER INDICATED. FIRST, WE
HAVE ALEX APOSTOLOPOULOS ,
APPOINTED OF POSITION OF
MERCHANT. HE IS COFOUNDER OF
ALAMO'S , WHICH HE STARTED AT
THE MARKET AS A SMALL OUTDOOR
YOGURT STAND AND EVENTUALLY GREW
TO NATIONAL PROMINENCE AND
RECOGNITION. HIS EXPERIENCE
HIGHLIGHTS HOW THE MARKET IS
VALUABLE AS A SMALL BUSINESS
INCUBATOR . HE CONTINUES THE
LEGACY OF GREEK YOGURT AT THE
MARKET TO THIS DAY AND AS THE
OWNER OPERATOR .
>> I WILL SPEAK THE BEST I CAN,
BUT I'M STRUGGLING WITH AN ECHO
I'M GETTING.
>> APPOINTED TO THE POSITION AND
A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT
HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF A MARKET FOR THE
PAST 50 YEARS. PFEIFFER BLOECKER
EARNED AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE
IN 2012. HER LIFE PATHWAY AND
TRAJECTORY INDICATES SOMEBODY
PERFECTLY POISED TO STEP INTO
THE NEXT GENERATION OF
LEADERSHIP AT THE POLICE MARKET
. NEXT, WE HAVE OLIVIA WHO IS
APPOINTED TO THE POSITION OF
RESIDENT. SHE HAD PREVIOUSLY
SERVED AS A BOARD MEMBER OF THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST CHAPTER OF
AFRICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
MOORE RECENTLY OPENED THE CAFE
IN THE MARKET AND THE BUSINESS
WHICH SHE STATES IS BASED ON
CONCEPTS FROM HER, HOME COUNTRY
OF SOUTH AFRICA AND FROM WHICH I
UNDERSTAND SPEAK TO VALUES OF
COMMUNITY AND UNITY AND OLIVIA
VERMAAK'S BACKGROUND WORK
CULTURE AND HERITAGE IS VERY
MUCH EMBRACED. NEXT, THE
REAPPOINTMENT OF JONATHAN . HIS
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND AS A
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER, SO
THAT'S A VALUABLE SKILL SET
WITHIN THE MARKET GIVEN ITS
UNIQUE TOPOGRAPHY, WHICH IS
VARIED AND HAS CLOSE PROXIMITY
TO A MAJOR BODY OF WATER.
ADDITIONALLY, EFFECTIVENESS AND
LEADERSHIP IS RECOGNIZED . WHEN
THEY ELECTED HIM TO BE CHAIR IN
2025. FINALLY, I'D FIVE OUT OF
FIVE, JONATHAN KIEHNAU OUTLINED
TO THE THIRD POSITION AND SERVES
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
SOUTH LAKE UNION CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE , SO THIS APPOINTMENT
REPRESENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DIFFERENT
NEIGHBORHOODS AND SEGMENTS OF
THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND IT
REPRESENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON THE
MOMENTUM OF PAST PROJECTS, SUCH
AS THE MARKET. THAT CONCLUDES
THE PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO
RECOGNIZE GRIFFIN WHO IS JOINING
US FROM THE PIKE PLACE MARKET
HISTORIC THIS MORNING.
COLLEAGUES, DO YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING
NONE. I MOVE THAT WE CONFIRMED
THE APPOINTMENTS . WE CONFIRM
APPOINTMENT 3233 THROUGH 3237.
IS THERE A SECOND? IT IS MOVED
AND SECONDED TO CONFIRM
APPOINTMENTS. ANY COMMENTS?
SEEING NONE. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENTS?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> FOUR IN FAVOR AND ZERO
OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND
RECOMMENDATION THAT THE
APPOINTMENTS BE CONFIRMED WILL
BE SENT TO THE JULY 29, 2025
CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALEX ,
PFEIFFER BLOECKER, OLIVIA AND
THE TWO JONATHAN'S. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS
MORNING, MINH. WE WILL NOW MOVE
ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEMS.
>> ITEMS NINE AND 10,
APPOINTMENTS 2262 AND 3263 ,
REAPPOINTMENTS OF BECCA
PHEASANT-REIS AND KATHERINE
RANDALL AS MEMBERS OF THE
LANDMARKS PRESERVATION BOARD FOR
A TERM TO AUGUST 14, 2028 FOR
BRIEFING DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE
VOTE.
>> THANK YOU. THESE HAVE BEEN
READ INTO THE RECORD AND WE ARE
JOINED WITH A DEPARTMENT AND
NEIGHBORHOODS. NICE TO SEE YOU
AGAIN. BE PRESENTING THE
APPOINTMENTS. PLEASE STATE YOUR
NAME FOR THE RECORD, THEN YOU
MAY BEGIN.
>> THANK YOU. DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS. I COORDINATE THE
LANDMARKS PRESERVATION WORD AND
THE LANDMARKS BOARD IS A GROUP
OF 12 VOLUNTEERS AND THEY REVIEW
POTENTIAL NEW LANDMARKS FOR THE
CITY , AS WELL AS CONTEMPLATING
ALTERATIONS TO EXISTING CITY
LANDMARKS AND THEY REVIEW
CHANGES IN FOUR OF THE CITIES
EIGHT DISTRICTS. WE HAVE TWO
RECOMMENDED REAPPOINTMENTS
TODAY. THE FIRST IS FOR BECCA
PHEASANT-REIS IN THE ARCHITECT
POSITION. SHE IS A LOCAL
LICENSED ARCHITECT THAT
SPECIALIZES IN HISTORIC BUILDING
REHABILITATION AND HOLDS A
BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND
WORKS IN ARCHITECTURE IN AUSTIN
, TEXAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE
MOVING TO SEATTLE IN 2014. SHE
HAS EXPERIENCED COMPLEXITIES OF
BUILDING PRESERVATION OF THE
PRACTICAL REALITIES OF PROGRAMS,
CODES AND CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.
IN ADDITION TO CONTRIBUTING
TECHNICAL RESTORATION EXPERTISE,
CITIES FOR HISTORY. BECCA HAS
GIVEN SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT TO THE
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE,
WHICH IS A SUBCOMMITTEE TO THE
FULL BOARD AND IN ADDITION TO
HER ACTIVE DISSIPATION IN THE
FULL BOARD. WE HAVE CATHERINE OR
KATIE . KATIE IS BEING
RECOMMENDED FOR REAPPOINTMENT IN
REAL ESTATE POSITION AND IS A
REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER IN
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT WITH MESSY HOUSE IN
NORTHWEST AND CURRENTLY FOCUSED
ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF FAMILY
HOUSING IN TACOMA THAT SHE IS
HOLDING A MASTER OF SCIENCE AND
PRESERVATION, MASTER OF CITY
PLANNING AND BACHELOR OF ARTS
AND ART HISTORY. SHE ENJOYS
DELVING INTO BUILDING AND
COMMUNITY HISTORY AND
STORYTELLING THAT CONTRIBUTES TO
A SENSE OF PLACE AND HOME. HER
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND
PASSION FOR PRESERVATION HAS
MADE HER A VALUED BOARD MEMBER
AND WE LOOK TO THE REAPPOINTMENT
OF BOTH BECCA AND KATIE.
>> THANK YOU . DO ANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS? SEEING NONE. I MOVE
THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED
CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENTS
3262 THROUGH 3263. IS THERE A
SECOND? IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED
TO CONFIRM APPOINTMENTS. ANY
COMMENTS? WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE
CONFIRMATION OF THE
APPOINTMENTS?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> FOUR IN FAVOR AND ZERO
OPPOSED.
>> MOTION CARRIES AND
RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BE
CONFIRMED SENT TO THE JULY 29,
2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
CONGRATULATIONS TO BECCA AND
CATHERINE. NOW, THE NEXT AGENDA
ITEM.
>> APPOINTMENT 3264,
REAPPOINTMENT OF SEUJAN BERTRAM
AS A MEMBER OF PIKE PLACE MARKET
PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY GOVERNING COUNCIL FOR
TERM TO JUNE 30, 2027.
>> THIS IS A REAPPOINTMENT .
THIS APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN READ
INTO THE RECORD AND NOW I WILL
READ A SHORT BIO. SEUJAN BERTRAM
IS A SWEET EXECUTIVE WITH A
TRACK RECORD OF DRIVING REVENUE
GROWTH SCALING GLOBAL OPERATIONS
AND LEADING INNOVATION IN THE
TECH SECTOR. HER LEADERSHIP
JOURNEY SPANS COMPANIES, LIKE
STARBUCKS, TABLEAU AND M DOCS
AND HAS DELIVERED OVER 150
MILLION IN REVENUE GROWTH WHILE
BUILDING HIGH-PERFORMING TEAMS
AND NAVIGATING COMPLEX
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE.
CURRENTLY, SHE SERVES AS
FRACTIONAL COO . SHE ALSO SERVED
ON THE BOARD OF SEATTLE CREDIT
UNION WHERE SHE PROVIDED
STRATEGIC AND GOVERNANCE
OVERSIGHT WITH A FOCUS ON
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND
INCLUSION. HER COMMITMENT TO
VALUES OF PIKE PLACE MARKET AND
INSIGHT WILL FURTHER THE MARKETS
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY ,
INCLUSION AND DECISION-MAKING AS
THE PIKE PLACE MARKET PDA
COUNSEL IMPLEMENTS STRATEGIC
PLAN. I WANT TO THANK HER FOR
VOLUNTEERING HER TIME.
COLLEAGUES, ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. I MOVE
THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND
CONFIRMATION OF REAPPOINTMENT
3264. IS THERE A SECOND? IT IS
MOVED AND SECONDED TO CONFIRM
THE APPOINTMENT. ANY FINAL
COMMENTS? CLERK, CALL THE ROLL
ON THE CONFIRMATION OF THE
APPOINTMENT.
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> FOUR IN FAVOR AND ZERO
OPPOSED
>> MOTION CARRIES AND
RECOMMENDATION DEPARTMENT BE
CONFIRMED WILL BE SENT TO THE
JULY 29, 2025 CITY COUNCIL
MEETING. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
>> AGENDA ITEM 12, OFFICE OF
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS
HAS A PRESENTATION ON SUPPORTING
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMUNITIES FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU. THIS ITEM HAS BEEN
READ INTO THE RECORD . TODAY, WE
ARE JOINED BY MY FRIEND HAMDI
MOHAMED , DIRECTOR OF OIRA WHO
IS WORKING TIRELESSLY ON BEHALF
OF COMMUNITY AND ICE SO
APPRECIATE HER. SHE WILL GIVE AN
UPDATE ON OIRA'S WORK IN
SUPPORT OF OUR IMMIGRANT AND
REFUGEE COMMUNITIES IN SEATTLE.
PLEASE HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL
THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
DIRECTOR, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME
FOR THE RECORD AND YOU MAY BEGIN
WHEN READY.
>> WE ARE PULLING UP THE SLIDES.
GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE MEMBERS
OF THE COUNCIL, HONORABLE CHAIR
RIVERA. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME
HERE TODAY. IT IS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU
ALL AND GIVE UPDATES ON THE WORK
THAT WE ARE DOING. FOR THE
RECORD, MY NAME IS HAMDI MOHAMED
AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE
OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
AFFAIRS FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
TODAY, I WILL SHARE HOW OUR
OFFICE IS SERVING SEATTLE'S
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMUNITIES THROUGH DIRECT
SERVICE , COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND
PROACTIVE COORDINATION ACROSS
THE REGION IN A TIME WHERE
IMMIGRATION CONTINUES TO BE AT
THE CENTER OF NATIONAL
HEADLINES. SEATTLE REMAINS TO BE
A PLACE THAT LEADS WITH
INCLUSION, FACTS AND READINESS.
WE ARE NOT JUST HERE TO SOUND
ALARM. ACTUALLY, WE WANT TO DO
THE OPPOSITE OF THAT . WE ARE
HERE TO SHOW HOW WE ARE
LISTENING AS A DEEPER HOW WE ARE
ACTING AND PROTECTING ACCESS TO
OPPORTUNITIES AND WHAT WE ARE
DOING TO ENSURE THAT OUR
COMMUNITY MEMBERS FEEL SAFE AS
THEY ACCESS SERVICES THROUGHOUT
THE REGION . SERVICES THAT THE
CITY OF SEATTLE PROVIDES. WE
WILL FOCUS ON THREE AREAS TODAY
AND THAT WE ARE RUNNING HELP
PEOPLE ACCESS LIKE LEGAL
SERVICES. ENGLISH CLASSES AND
JOBS AND HOW WE HELP PEOPLE
PREPARE FOR THEIR CITIZENSHIP
PROGRAMS . THAT BECOMES
NATURALIZED CITIZENS WE WILL
ALSO SHARE HOW WE ARE TRACKING
POLICY CHANGES AND BEING
RESPONSIBLE AND MISINFORMATION
AND FEAR IS ON THE RISE , AND
HOW WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PARTNER
WITH OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
AND HOW WE ARE DELIVERING AND
BEING CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
DURING THESE TIMES, WHETHER THAT
IS FOR SOMEONE CALLING SEATTLE
HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME OR FOR
SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN LIVING IN
OUR REGION FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH KEY
AREAS FROM OUR RAPID RESPONSE
PROGRAM , LEGAL DEFENSE PROGRAM
AND LANGUAGE ACCESS AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORK WE
ARE DOING AND IMPACTS OF THOSE
WORK. OFFICE IS SMALL BUT
MIGHTY. WE HAVE ABOUT 12 STAFF
MEMBERS SERVING THOUSANDS OF
CITY RESIDENTS THROUGH OUR
HIGH-IMPACT PROGRAM AND
PARTNERSHIP AND OUR BUDGET IS
ABOUT $6.4 MILLION WITH THE
MAJORITY OF THOSE COMING FROM
THE GENERAL FUND, BUT WE ALSO DO
RECEIVE STATE GRANT AND SOME
FUNDS THAT COME FROM THE PAYROLL
EXPENSE TAT. WE RECOGNIZE THAT
THE CITY IS NAVIGATING A REALLY
TOUGH BUDGET YEAR , WHICH ISN'T
ACTUALLY NEW. AS A TEAM, WE ARE
THINKING PROACTIVELY IN SEEKING
OUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND
PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR STATE AND
WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
COMMUNICATING WITH PHILANTHROPY
PARTNERS TO STAY AND EXPAND OUR
SERVICES AND ALSO THE SERVICES
OF OUR PARTNERS. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. HERE IS THE SEVEN CORE
PROGRAMS AND WHAT OUR OFFICE IS
CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON. I JUST
WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE
HOW WE DO OUR WORK AND OUR
OFFICE AND WE SIMPLY DO NOT JUST
CONTRACT WITH NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS, BUT WE PARTNER
WITH THEM AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS
COLLABORATING ON CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT AND CONDUCTING
ON-SITE VISITS. IT IS SUPPORTING
A MODEL THAT ENSURES THAT WE ARE
BUILDING A PEER SUPPORT AND
LEARNING SPACE FOR THE PARTNERS
THAT WE ARE IN A CONTRACTUAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH, WHICH ALLOWS
US TO STAY HANDS-ON TO ENSURE
STRONG IMPLEMENTATION WITH
ACCOUNTABILITY AND BEING REALLY
GOOD STEWARDS OF PUBLIC DOLLARS
. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS
PRESENTATION, I WILL FOCUS ON
KEY PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS THAT
ARE HELPING US ADDRESS SOME
HIGHEST CONCERNS THAT WE ARE
HEARING OUR COMMUNITY AND SOME
CONCERNS YOU ALL HERE AS
COUNCILMEMBERS, AS WELL. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. WE ALL SEE THE
HEADLINES. AS YOU KNOW, THERE
ARE A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THE
NEWS ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND
HUNDREDS OF ORDERS HAVE BEEN
INTRODUCED WITH PROPOSALS
INTRODUCED BY THE CURRENT
PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION AND
MANY ARE ACTUALLY TIED UP IN THE
COURTS AND FINAL DECISIONS HAVE
NOT BEEN MADE ON THEM OR HOW
THEY ARE IMPLEMENTED HAVE NOT
BEEN CALLED , BUT WHETHER THOSE
POLICIES GET PUT IN PLACE, WE
KNOW THAT THE CHILLING EFFECT IS
REAL. PEOPLE AFRAID ARE UNSURE
OF WHAT IS TRUE AND WHAT IS NOT.
OUR OFFICE IS MEETING THAT
MOMENT WITH CLARITY AND
COORDINATION. WHAT WE ARE
FOCUSED ON IS GETTING ACCURATE
INFORMATION OUT THERE AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE AND TRYING TO SPREAD
INFORMATION AS WIDELY AS WE CAN
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND
ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH OUR
PARTNERS TRACKING POLICIES THAT
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE . WE WORK
CLOSELY WITH OUR OFFICE OF
INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS TO
STAY UP-TO-DATE ON THESE FEDERAL
POLICIES AND TO TELL PEOPLE THE
REALITY OF WHAT IS HAPPENING . A
LOT OF TIMES, IT IS SIMPLY
SAYING , THIS POLICY IS TIED UP
IN THE COURTS RIGHT NOW, SO WE
DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW HOW IT WILL
BE IMPLEMENTED, BUT WE WILL
CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND GIVE YOU
UPDATES AS THEY BECOME
AVAILABLE. IT IS ALSO SUPPORTING
OUR CITY EMPLOYEES. WE KNOW THAT
OUR OWN WORKFORCE INTERACTS WITH
IMMIGRANT REFUGEE COMMUNITIES ON
A DAILY BASIS, SO IT IS
PROVIDING INTERNAL TRAINING AND
GUIDANCE TO ENSURE THAT THE
DEPARTMENTS ARE ALIGNED AND
EQUIPPED WITH FACTS, AS WELL BUT
IT IS THE EXTERNAL OUTREACH THAT
WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON AND I
WILL SHARE MORE ABOUT THIS AND
SOME DATA, BUT IT IS THOSE
COMMUNITY INFORMATION SESSIONS.
IT IS THE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
TRAININGS AND IT IS INVESTING IN
OUR PARTNERS WHO PROVIDE LEGAL
SUPPORT, HOTLINE SUPPORT AND
RAPID RESPONSE TO ENSURE THAT
TRUSTED INFORMATION IS REACHING
PEOPLE. EVEN IF THE HEADLINES
SHIFT DAILY, OUR FOCUS IS TO
STAY STEADY AND RESPOND IN
REAL-TIME TO REDUCE THAT
CONFUSION AND KEEP THE COMMUNITY
AS CONNECTED AND INFORMED, SO
THEY CAN ACCESS SERVICES THAT WE
PROVIDE AS A CITY. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. HERE IS WHAT WE KNOW
WHAT IS CAUSING THE HIGHEST
FEARS FOR PEOPLE, TO EXPEDITE
CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS TO BE
DEPARTED WITHOUT A COURT HEARING
AND IT IS BILLS LIKE THE
SO-CALLED BIG BEAUTIFUL BEALE
BILL THAT WAS PASSED AND KNOW
THE COUNSELOR WAS RECENTLY
BRIEFED ON THAT. THAT INCLUDES
INCREASED FUNDING FOR
DEPORTATION AND DETENTION EFFORT
OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM UNLIKE
THE CRIMINAL SYSTEM DOES NOT
OFFER ATTORNEYS ON-SITE . YOU
ARE NOT ENTITLED TO AN ATTORNEY
PROVIDED THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT
. IN MOST CASES, WHAT YOU SEE IS
PEOPLE NOT REPRESENTED, SO THOSE
ARE SOME TOP CONCERNS WE HEAR.
THE OTHER THING WE ARE HEARING
IS THAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING US,
ARE THERE RAIDS LIKE THE ONES WE
ARE SEEING IN L.A. HAPPENING
ACROSS THE CITY OF SEATTLE? LET
ME BE CLEAR. THE SHORT ANSWER IS
NO. ACCORDING TO THE DEPORTATION
DEFENSE HOTLINE, THERE HAVE BEEN
ABOUT 739 CALLS THAT HAVE COME
THROUGH THE HOTLINE AND HAVE
ASSISTED THE STATEWIDE . OUT OF
THOSE, 739 CALLS, HUNDRED NINE
OF THEM WERE FROM THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND ONLY EIGHT WERE
VERIFIED AS ACTIVITIES INSIDE OF
OUR CITY LIMITS , SO THAT MEANS
WHEN YOU COMPARE SEATTLE TO
OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, THE
DEPORTEES. DEPORTATION NUMBERS
ARE LOWER AS OF NOW AND WE
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO STAY CALM
AND DISDAIN ARMED AND USE THE
HOTLINE AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
THESE THINGS CAN CHANGE AND THE
LANDSCAPE CAN CHANGE QUICKLY.
MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS
TO ACCURATE INFORMATION AND
FOLLOWING GOOD OUTLETS IS
IMPORTANT DURING THESE TIMES .
FOR THE LISTENING PUBLIC, THAT
IS THE MESSAGE I WANT TO LEAVE
WITH THEM. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AGAIN, THE NUMBERS OF
IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTION
HAS NOT BEEN SIGNIFICANT JUST
YET IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
WHERE ARRESTS ARE HAPPENING HAS
SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED . ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE ARE SEEING IS
THAT IN IMMIGRATION COURTS THAT
IS IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE, IS A
TREND WHERE WE ARE SEEING MORE
ARRESTS HAPPENING AT THE
IMMIGRATION COURTS AND THIS IS
SOMETHING NEW IN THE IMMIGRATION
SPACE. LET ME ALSO SAY , AT
TIMES, PEOPLE DO GET CONFUSED IF
THE CITY OF SEATTLE OR STATE HAS
JURISDICTION OVER IMMIGRATION
COURTS. THESE COURTS ARE FEDERAL
SPACES AND THEY ARE OVERSEEN BY
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
AND THAT LIMITS OUR AUTHORITY TO
INTERVENE WITH THE CITY AND
STATES. WHAT WE NEED TO THINK
ABOUT THE MOST IS OUR ROLE AS
PARTNERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND
MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE
EDUCATED THAT WE HAVE A RAPID
RESPONSE AND PROGRAMS IN PLACE,
SO THAT THEY NO DIFFERENCES AND
WHO TO CONTACT WHEN . THE
REPORTS IN OUR OFFICE ARE
CURRENTLY RECEIVING IN THE DATA
WE ARE RECEIVING IS THAT THERE
HAS BEEN ABOUT 25 PEOPLE PER
MONTH FROM KING COUNTY THAT HAVE
BEEN PLACED IN DETENTION CENTER
AND NORTHWEST IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS
AND THAT IS 25 PEOPLE PER MONTH
FROM KING COUNTY AND THE DATA IS
NOT BROKEN DOWN AS OF NOW, SO WE
DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY HOW
MANY OF THOSE 25 PEOPLE END UP
BEING FROM SEATTLE AND THE
MAJORITY OF INDIVIDUALS BEING
DETAINED AFTER ATTENDING
IMMIGRATION COURT HEARINGS, SO
IT IS NOT THROUGH OUR RAID OR
TRAVERTINE OFFICERS ARRIVING AT
SOMEONE'S HOME, BUT THE
MAJORITY THEY ARE SEEING AND
TRACKING ARE COMING FROM THE
IMMIGRATION COURTS. ONE OF THE
THINGS SHARED WITH US THAT I
WANT TO RELAY TO YOU ALL IS THAT
THEY SHARED ABOUT 45 INDIVIDUALS
DETAINED AT THE SEATTLE
IMMIGRATION , 24 OF THEM THAT
ENDED UP IN THE DETENTION
CENTER, ONLY TWO CHOSE TO APPEAL
THEIR CASE AND THE REST OF THEM
ARE OPTING IN FOR EXPEDITED
REMOVAL , BECAUSE SECURING AN
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY CAN BE ONE
, EXPENSIVE AND TWO, YOU ARE NOT
ENTITLED TO THAT AND IT CAN BE A
LENGTHY PROCESS . SOME PEOPLE
ARE OPTING OUT TO NOT GO THROUGH
THAT AND WANTING TO EXPECT THE
EXPEDITED REMOVAL. THAT IS
SOMETHING WHERE HEARING, BUT WE
ARE NOT SEEING WHY I.C.E. RAISED
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND THERE
ARE NO LARGE-SCALE WORKSITE
RAIDS THAT WE SEE IN OTHER PARTS
OF THE COUNTRY AND IT'S NOT
HAPPENING IN OUR CITY. THE TWO
RAIDS THAT HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED
ON WORKSITES HAVE BEEN IN KENT
AND BELLINGHAM , SO IT IS
OUTSIDE. THEY HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE
OF CITY LIMITS. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. I WANT TO SHARE RAPID
RESPONSE PROGRAM AND WHAT SOME
OF THE WORK WE ARE DOING AND
THIS IS THE NEW PROGRAM WE PUT
IN PLACE THIS YEAR AND IT WAS
VERY MUCH COMMUNITY INFORMED
EFFORT WHEN WE LAUNCHED IT AND
DID A NUMBER OF LISTENING
SESSIONS TO ENSURE THAT AS WE
PIVOTED, IT WAS A PROGRAM
RESPONDING DIRECTLY TO WHAT WE
WERE HEARING FROM THE GROUND AND
WHAT WE NEEDED AND A LOT OF THAT
WAS LEGAL INFORMATION, ACCESS TO
SERVICES AND JUST A TRUSTED
PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN TURN WHEN
THEY WERE SEEING ALL THESE
CHANGES AND INCREASED FEAR AND
CONFUSION IS RISING. IT IS LEGAL
EDUCATION, LEGAL SERVICES AND
WHETHER THAT IS FAMILY-PLANNING,
APPLICATION SUPPORT , HOTLINE
AND IN A CITY THAT IS AS DIVERSE
CITY OF SEATTLE, WE WANT THEM TO
FEEL SAFE AND SEND THEIR
CHILDREN TO SCHOOL AND WITHOUT
FEAR OR SECOND-GUESSING WHETHER
THEY STAY AT HOME OR NOT. OUR
ECONOMY DEPENDS ON IMMIGRANT
LABOR FROM ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO
WORK IN HOSPITALS , CAREGIVERS,
JANITORS, EDUCATORS,
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS . THE SEATTLE
ECONOMY DEPENDS ON IMMIGRANT
LABOR. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY
DO FEEL SAFE WHEN THEY ARE GOING
TO WORK OR SENDING KIDS TO
SCHOOL AND WE ARE HOPING THAT
THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS OUR
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION TO
PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION AND
THE LEVEL OF COMFORT THAT THEY
NEED TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH
OUR CITY SAFELY . AGAIN, OUR
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES CONTRIBUTE
SIGNIFICANTLY TO OUR ECONOMY AND
SOCIAL FABRIC OF THIS REGION
BOTH CYNICALLY AND SOCIALLY. LET
ME JUST SHARE SOME DATA THAT WE
RECENTLY RECEIVED FROM OUR RAPID
RESPONSE PROGRAMS ,
ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN JUST QUARTER
ONE. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVEN KNOW
YOUR RIGHTS EVENTS REACHING
ABOUT 170 PARTICIPANTS PLUS
TRAINER SESSIONS WITH 77
ATTENDEES , ENSURING THAT
KNOWLEDGE IS SHARED WIDELY ,
WHICH IS OVER 191 HOURS OF LEGAL
CONSULTATION AND SUPPORT
SESSIONS AND ASSISTING ABOUT 83
INDIVIDUALS. THERE HAS BEEN TWO
LARGE INFORMATION SESSIONS
REACHING APPROXIMATELY 475
ATTENDEES OFFERING UPDATES ON
FEDERAL IMMIGRATION CHANGES ,
PROVIDING LOCAL RESOURCES AND
MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW OF
THE LEGAL OPTIONS AVAILABLE. WE
DO THIS IN A WAY THAT MEETS
PEOPLE'S LANGUAGE NEEDS. WE ARE
PROUD TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STAND
UP THIS PROGRAM AND ENSURE THAT
PEOPLE HAVE THE TOOLS AND
SUPPORT THEY NEED TO STAY
ENGAGED AND MOVE FORWARD. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. OUR LEGAL DEFENSE
PROGRAM, THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT
HAS BEEN EXISTING IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE TO ENSURE THAT LOW
INCOME RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO
LEGAL SUPPORT WHEN FACING
DEPORTATION OR DETENTION .
AGAIN, IN THE IMMIGRATION
SYSTEM, THERE IS NOT A PUBLIC
DEFENDER. THE PROGRAM IS ABOUT
KEEPING FAMILIES TOGETHER AND
ENSURING DUE PROCESS AND
SUPPORTING COMMUNITY STABILITY
IN THIS YEAR ALONE WITH 215
INDIVIDUALS THAT RECEIVED FULL
LEGAL REPRESENTATION PER
QUARTER. 295 RECEIVED LIMITED
SERVICES, SUCH AS HELP WITH
ASYLUM, WORK PERMITS AND
IMMIGRATION FORMS. LEGAL
PARTNERS HELP ABOUT 82 PEOPLE
GET THEIR WORK AUTHORIZATION AND
52 OF THEM OBTAINED IMMIGRATION
STATUS AND THEY FILED OVER 148
RELIEF REQUESTS AND ATTENDED 38
QUARTS COURT HEARINGS AT THE
U.S. IMMIGRATION SERVICES . LET
ME JUST PAUSE ON THE 82 PEOPLE
WHO GAINED WORK AUTHORIZATION.
THIS NUMBER REALLY REPRESENTS A
LIFE-CHANGING IMPACT. THIS COULD
BE SOMEONE SEEKING ASYLUM . YOU
HEARD MIGRANTS COME INTO THE
CHAMBER, SHARE STORIES . THOSE
ARE PEOPLE FLEEING PERSECUTION
AT TIMES AND UNDER INTERNATIONAL
AND FEDERAL LAW, THEY HAVE THE
RIGHT TO SEEK PROTECTION IN THE
U.S. AND WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE A
WORKING AUTHORIZATION, THEY ARE
NOT ABLE TO WORK IN THE U.S..
THAT PERSON MAY NOT HAVE A
CHOICE BUT TO RELY ON SOME SORT
OF PUBLIC SERVICE OR PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE. THOSE SERVICES ARE
EXTREMELY LIMITED FOR SOMEONE IN
ASYLUM STATUS, BUT THEY RECEIVE
THEIR WORK AUTHORIZATION, WHAT
ENDS UP HAPPENING IS THEY STOP
DEPENDING ON THE EXISTING SAFETY
NETS, BUT THEY ARE ABLE TO
PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES AND
BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT AND
CONTRIBUTE TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY,
PAY TAXES AND SUPPORT THEIR OWN
FAMILY , WHICH IS WHAT WE HEAR A
LOT OF TIMES FROM ASYLUM-SEEKERS
WHO COME INTO OUR OFFICE . THEY
SIMPLY SAY, I JUST WANT TO WORK
AND I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE AND BE
ABLE TO BUILD A BETTER LIFE FOR
MY FAMILY. WHEN THEY GET THE
WORK AUTHORIZATION, IT ALLOWS
THEM TO DO THAT. I SEE THAT AS A
VICTORY FOR SEATTLE AND OUR
ECONOMY. NEXT SLIDE. OUR NEW
CITIZENSHIP PROGRAM. CITIZENSHIP
IN GENERAL UNLOCKS OPPORTUNITIES
AND IT JUST DOESN'T PROVIDE THE
LEGAL STATUS. IT IS REALLY ABOUT
ACCESS BELONGING AND ABOUT
BUILDING LIFE AND STABILITY.
RESEARCH DATA SHOWS THAT WHEN
SOMEONE BECOMES A U.S. CITIZEN,
IT ALLOWS THEM AND UNLOCKS TO BE
ABLE TO ACCESS BETTER JOBS AND
TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT
HOMEOWNERSHIP AND IT ALLOWS YOU
TO SEND YOUR CHILD OFF TO
COLLEGE AND ALSO VOTE OR BECOMES
TYPICALLY ENGAGE AND PARTICIPATE
IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT , SO THE NEW
CITIZENSHIP PROGRAM HAS BEEN
ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT FOR PEOPLE
AND IT'S ALLOWING PEOPLE WHO
LIVED IN OUR CITY, FOR INSTANCE,
FOR MANY YEARS TO GIVE THEM THE
CONFIDENCE TO BUILD PERMANENT
ROOTS. THE NEW CITIZENSHIP
PROGRAM HAS SUPPORTED OVER 1000
COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH THE
NATURALIZATION PROCESS AND
NEARLY 700 CITIZENSHIP
APPLICATIONS WERE SUBMITTED WITH
PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT. OVER 7000
HOURS OF CLASS , INSTRUCTION IN
ENGLISH AND CIVICS HAVE TAKEN
PLACE . I REMEMBER BEING A CHILD
AND PREPARING MY MOM FOR THOSE
INTERVIEWS AS A NATURALIZED
CITIZEN MYSELF AND STAYING UP
REALLY LATE AT NIGHT AND HELPING
WITH MOCK INTERVIEWS. IF YOU ARE
AN IMMIGRANT , THAT PROBABLY
RESONATES WITH YOU, AS WELL.
THIS PROGRAM SINCE LAUNCHED, IT
HAS HELPED OVER 32,000 RESIDENTS
IN SEATTLE WITH OVER 16,000
CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS BEING
SUBMITTED . AGAIN, THE RESEARCH
SHOWS THAT NATURALIZATION
INCREASES A PERSON'S ANNUAL
INCOME BY ABOUT 3200 AND BY THE
THOUSANDS OF NEWLY NATURALIZED
RESIDENTS, IT TRANSLATES TO MORE
THAN $56 MILLION IN INCREASED
SPENDING RIGHT HERE IN SEATTLE,
SO THAT IS MONEY GOING BACK INTO
OUR ECONOMY AND RENT . PEOPLE
BEING ABLE TO BUY GROCERIES,
CHILDCARE AND SMALL BUSINESSES
BEING SUPPORTED. I ALWAYS SEE
OUR PROGRAMS AS TRANSFORMATIVE
FOR PEOPLE'S LIVES AND TO BE
ABLE TO GROW AND STABILIZE THE
CITY AS A WHOLE. THE READY TO
WORK PROGRAM HELPS IMMIGRANTS
AND REFUGEE ADULTS BUILD ENGLISH
, 20 SUPPORT DIGITAL SUPPORT AND
SERVE OVER A THOUSAND ADULT
LEARNERS AND WE KNOW THROUGH
THIS PROGRAM PREDOMINANTLY THE
FOLKS WHO BENEFITED FROM OUR
WOMEN, PARENTS AND ADULTS OVER
THE AGE OF 40 AND MANY WITH
LIMITED EDUCATION OR JOB
EXPERIENCE. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
DO SOME INNOVATIVE WORK WITH OUR
PROGRAM IN PARTICULAR WITH NEW
CHILDCARE COHORT MODEL THAT HAS
BEEN INCLUDED AND THE FOCUS IS
TO TRAIN AND PREPARE PEOPLE TO
ENTER THE CHILD CARE WORKFORCE,
WHICH WE CONTINUED TO HERE IS IN
HIGH DEMAND RIGHT NOW, SO THAT
IS A NEW MODEL WE HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO INCORPORATE AND IT PROVIDES
PEOPLE WITH PRACTICAL SKILLS TO
BE ABLE TO BE TRAINED IN JUST
2024 AND WE HAVEN'T COMPLETED
THE ENTIRE DATA FOR THIS YEAR,
BUT JUST THIS YEAR, OVER 200
PARTICIPANTS THAT HAVE
PARTICIPATED IN EACH QUARTER AND
ON ONE GIVEN QUARTER, 200
PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED AT LEAST
ONE QUARTER AND 41% OF THOSE ARE
ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR WORK
FOUNDED IN JOBS AND BETTER JOB
OPPORTUNITIES. THIS PROGRAM WILL
CONTINUE TO BE INNOVATIVE AS WE
ARE SEEING MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN
SUSTAINABLE JOBS, GREEN JOBS AND
WE ARE ALSO THINK ABOUT WAYS TO
MAKE SURE THAT READY TO WORK IS
ALSO MEETING THE MOMENT AND THAT
WE ARE BEING INNOVATIVE, SO
THERE IS A LOT OF REGIONAL
COORDINATION HAPPENING AND
DISCUSSIONS HAPPENING IN THAT
PICTURE IS ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES
WHERE WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE
FUTURE OF READY TO WORK AND OUR
REGION'S WORKFORCE AND WE SEE
THAT AS WE HAVE TO DO IT IN
COLLABORATION WITH OUR STATE
PARTNERS . A LOT OF FOLKS IN
THAT ROOM CAME FROM THE COLLEGE,
AS WELL WITH A LOT OF GREAT
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS
HAPPENING IN THE REGION, SO HOW
THE CITY OF CATTLE PARTNERING'S,
SO IT'S NOT JUST US PROVIDING
RESOURCES, BUT REALLY THINKING
ABOUT THE OTHER FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE. ARE WE
BEING GOOD PARTNERS IN
COORDINATING? THERE ARE LOTS OF
DECISIONS AND HOPEFULLY THE NEXT
TIME I BECOME BEFORE YOU ALL
THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE
SOME EXCITING UPDATES. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. OUR LANGUAGE
ACCESS PROGRAM , THIS TOUCHES ON
ALL DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY.
LANGUAGE ACCESS IS GROUNDED IN
BOTH FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL
POLICIES, INCLUDING TITLE VI OF
THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, WHICH
REQUIRES ALL RECIPIENTS OF
FEDERAL FUNDING TO PROVIDE
MEANINGFUL ACCESS FOR PEOPLE
WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY
AND FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
THAT'S NOT JUST ABOUT
COMPLIANCE. IT'S ABOUT CIVIL
RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS AND IT IS
VERY MUCH PART OF OUR CORE
VALUES WITH ONE IN FIVE
RESIDENTS SPEAKING A LANGUAGE
OTHER THAN ENGLISH AT HOME IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND WITH
OVER 150 LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN
PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THIS WORK IS
ESSENTIAL AND IT'S POWER
THROUGH 50 INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY
TRANSLATORS WHO ARE PROUD TO BE
ABLE TO PARTNER WITH MANY LOCAL
RESIDENTS WHO ARE BILINGUAL AND
THEY HELP PROVIDE ACCURACY IN
THE TRANSLATIONS AND ENSURE THAT
WE ARE PUSHING OUT INTO
COMMUNITY IS CULTURALLY
RELEVANT, SO WE HAVE STRONG
PARTNERSHIPS WITH THEM AND IT'S
KIND OF A CORPORATE MODEL, AS
WELL. WE BRING IN THE LANGUAGE
ACCESS TEAM THAT DOES A GREAT
JOB AND PARTNERING WITH THOSE
TRANSLATORS. IN 2024, WE SUPPORT
HUNDREDS OF TRANSLATION PROJECTS
ACROSS THE CITY USING THE SMART
C.A.T. SYSTEM, LANGUAGE LINE AND
WE ARE SEEING NUMBERS RISE.
THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WHO WANT
TO DO TRANSLATIONS AND ARE
PARTICIPATING IN OVER 270 CITY
STAFF PERCEIVED TRAINING TO HELP
STRENGTHEN MULTICULTURAL
COMMUNICATION ACROSS THE
DEPARTMENTS AND THE GOAL IS NOT
JUST TO TRANSLATE EVERY DOCUMENT
YOU HAVE , BUT BE MINDFUL OF A
VITAL DOCUMENT , WHAT IS
NECESSARY AND EARLY TRANSLATING
DOCUMENTS IN A WAY THAT WOULD
RESONATE WITH PEOPLE WHO WILL
RECEIVE IT, BUT A LOT OF
TRAINING THAT OUR OFFICE
PROVIDES FOR DEPARTMENT STAFF IS
HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND , SO IT
ALLOWS THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO
SAVE ON SOME COSTS. IF YOU HAVE
A DOCUMENT THAT'S 50 PAGES, YOU
MIGHT NOT HAVE TO TRANSLATE ALL
50 PAGES, BUT IT CAN BE AN
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY , SO THAT
IT'S ENGAGING WITH CITY
DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT WE
ARE USING OUR RESOURCES WELL AND
DOING IT IN A WAY THAT IS
STRATEGIC. A LOT OF SHOUT OUTS
TO EVERYONE IN THE CITY THAT
ENGAGES WITH OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS
PROGRAM.
>> THE WASHINGTON PROGRAM
ASYLUM-SEEKERS SUPPORT PROGRAM
IS PROVIDING EMERGENCY HOUSING
FOR NEWLY ARRIVING MIGRANTS AND
ASYLUM-SEEKERS WHO ARE NOT
ELIGIBLE FOR THE FEDERAL
RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMS IN PLACE .
YOU ALL MAY REMEMBER THIS WORK
WHERE WE ARE WORKING HARD TO
ESTABLISH THIS PROGRAM THROUGH
THE STATE AND IT HAS BEEN
ESTABLISHED AND FULLY IN EFFECT.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS
WORK TRULY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
HST IN OUR DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCES AND HIGH BLOOD ON THIS
AND COORDINATED WITH THE STATE
AND NOW THE WORK IS BEING
TRANSFERRED TO OUR OFFICE, SO WE
WILL DIRECTLY WORK WITH THE
STATE ON MAKING SURE THAT THE
PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFUL . SINCE
JULY 1, WE HAVE BEEN USING THE
STATE FUNDS AND IT HAS HELPED
HOUSE OVER 302 INDIVIDUALS ,
OVER 100 FAMILIES AND EVERY
FAMILY THAT EXIT WITH SOME SORT
OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING , A LOT
OF THEM END UP HAVING RECEIVING
THEIR WORK AUTHORIZATION ARE
ABLE TO GET A JOB AND BECOME
SELF-SUFFICIENT , AS WELL. THIS
PROJECT SOWS REGIONAL
COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION
AND WE ARE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THE
CITY DOLLARS TO RESPOND TO SOME
NEEDS WERE VIEWING IN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE. THE SUPPORT FOR CITY
DEPARTMENTS, I SHARED A LITTLE
BIT EARLIER ABOUT THIS. WE
REALLY WANT TO BE A RESOURCE FOR
THE CITY DEPARTMENTS. WE'VE
BEEN DOING A LOT OF TRAIN THE
TRAINER WORK, AS WELL THIS YEAR
WE LED ON NINE TRAININGS ACROSS
DEPARTMENTS AND HOSTED TWO LARGE
COMMUNITY SESSIONS, AS WELL,
WHICH ELAPSED OF THE STAFF
MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE WITH SOME
LEGAL EXPERTS AND IT REACHED
OVER 1000 PARTICIPANTS WERE
TEENS SHUT DOWN AND IT WAS LIKE
A ZOOM LINK AND IT WAS A VERY
INTERESTING PROCESS EARLY ON IN
THE YEAR AND WE HELD YOUR RIGHTS
TRAININGS FOR BUSINESSES, AS
WELL AND MAKING SURE A LOT OF
SMALL BUSINESSES ALSO KNOW THERE
RIGHT AND THAT THEY K█NOW HOW T
BE SUPPORTIVE TO THEIR
DEPARTMENT AND WE'VE WORKED
WITH THE OFFICER . MAKING SURE
THAT THEY ARE PUSHING OUT IN
TRANSLATION IN OUR OFFICE TO
CITY DEPARTMENTS LISTENING AND
WE DO HAVE AN OFFICE HOURS
INTERNALLY FOR CITY EMPLOYEES
WHO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT
IMMIGRATION , HOW TO SUPPORT
STAFF AND SO FORTH AND WE HAVE
SHARED THAT NUMBER WIDELY . WE
ARE ALSO, JUST SO YOU KNOW,
WORKING ON TRAININGS THAT COULD
REACH CITYWIDE AND WE ARE
STANDING AT A SHAREPOINT SITE,
AS WELL . CITY EMPLOYEES CAN
ACCESS . JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ALL HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION
IN REAL TIME. AGAIN, WE ARE A
SMALL DEPARTMENT, SO WE RELY ON
THIS INFORMATION BEING
WIDESPREAD, SO WE ARE THINKING
ABOUT WAYS TO MAKE IT EASY FOR
US TO TOUCH AS MANY CITY
EMPLOYEES AND MAKE SURE THAT
THEY ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE RIGHT
RESOURCES AND INFORMATION TO
BEST RESPOND TO WHATEVER IT IS
THEIR DEPARTMENT MAY BE DEALING
WITH AND WE CONTINUE TO PUSH AND
SUPPORT THE DIRECTIVE THAT CAME
OUT ON'S ON FEDERAL IMMIGRATION
ENFORCEMENT AND WELCOMING CITY
RESOLUTION PASSED BY COUNSEL
MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND
WHAT THE POLICIES ARE SAYING.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF TRAIN THE
TRAINER MAKING SURE THAT
SUPERVISORS AND DIRECTORS REALLY
UNDERSTAND THIS INFORMATION AND
DISSEMINATE IT ACROSS
DEPARTMENTS AS APPROPRIATELY POP
AS POSSIBLE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT WORK WE ARE DOING.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. WHEN IT
COMES TO THE ENGAGEMENT, WE GOT
OURSELVES IN TRANSPARENCY,
ACCESSIBILITY AND PARTNERSHIP.
MEETING THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY
ARE AT AND BEING RESPONSIVE IN
REAL TIME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE .
SINCE JANUARY, WE HELD A VIRTUAL
POLICY SESSIONS, NO YOU'RE
RIGHT TRAININGS AND FOR SERVICE
PROVIDERS IN THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY WILL WERE THERE SUCH A
GREAT PARTNER TO OTHERS. OVER
100 PARTICIPANTS SHOWED UP AND
IT IS MAINTAINING A REGULAR
PRESENCE AND COMMUNITY IN
DEFENSE EVENTS AND STAYING CLOSE
AND IN COORDINATION WITH OUR
PARTNERS AND WE HAVE CONVENED
ROUNDTABLES WITH SERVICE
PROVIDERS WITH THE MAYOR AND
COMING UP SHORTLY TO MAKE SURE
THAT COUNCILMEMBERS ARE AWARE OF
THAT ONCE IT'S ON THE CALENDAR.
WE WANT TO SHARE ABOUT HOW TO
GET INVOLVED. I KNOW IT'S
IMPORTANT TO ALL OF YOU AS
COUNCILMEMBERS. THANK YOU,
RIVERA, FOR CONSISTENTLY THE
HOW-TO CONSTITUENTS OF GETTING
INVOLVED AND HOW DO WE GET PUSH
THAT INFORMATION? THAT'S THE
INFORMATION WE NEED AND WE WILL
MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THE
OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE OUT
THERE . ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT WAYS TO SUPPORT
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE MIGRANT
COMMUNITIES RIGHT NOW IS BEING
ABLE TO EXPAND LEGAL SERVICES
AND HELP. IMMIGRATION LAW IS
VERY COMPLEX. AGAIN, MANY PEOPLE
GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF NOT
HAVING A GOVERNMENT REPRESENTED
ATTORNEY, SO OUR LOCAL LEGAL
COMMUNITY OF NONPROFITS HAVE
STEPPED UP WITH LEADING WAYS OF
THE LEADING EFFORTS AND MAKING
SURE THAT THEIR SUPPORTING
PEOPLE AND NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM
. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AVAILABLE ,
SO IF THERE ARE ATTORNEYS OR IF
YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT THE
INFORMATION TO PUSH OUT INTO
COMMUNITY, THIS IS A VERY
CONCRETE WAY THAT YOU CAN MAKE A
DIFFERENCE AND FOR ATTORNEYS ,
THOSE COULD GO TOWARDS HOURS AND
COUNTED TOWARDS SERVICE HOURS IN
REQUIREMENT . COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA HAS A LEGAL BACKGROUND
AND WENT THROUGH LAW SCHOOL AND
YOU SHARE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT
RESOURCES ON WHO WE SHOULD
CONTACT IN SOME WAYS THAT WE CAN
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE
ALL TO HAVE AN IMPACT HERE , SO
WE SAY TO AMPLIFY THIS AS MUCH
AS POSSIBLE. THESE ARE SOME
ORGANIZATIONS YOU CAN ENGAGE
WITH . THESE PARTNERSHIPS SHOW
WHAT IS POSSIBLE WITH LEGAL
EXPERTS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION
AND THEY WORK TOGETHER CLOSELY
TO SUPPORT AND CLOSE JUSTICE
GAPS WE ARE SEEING . NEXT SLIDE.
HERE ARE SOME ORGANIZATIONS WE
ARE IN CONTRACT WITH AND WE HEAR
FROM CONSTITUENTS. HOW CAN WE
HELP ? SOME ORGANIZATIONS YOU
CAN PARTNER WITH AND I COULD'VE
MADE THE WHOLE PRESENTATION
ABOUT THE SLIDE AND ADDED
HUNDREDS OF ORGANIZATIONS, BUT
WE NARROWED IT DOWN TO SOME
ORGANIZATIONS WE ARE IN
CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH.
THEY ALL OFFER VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITIES AND YOU CAN GO TO
THE WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA
PAGES. IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET
STARTED. IF YOU ARE FOLLOWING
OUR OFFICE NEWSLETTERS OR SOCIAL
MEDIA PAGES, WE TRIED TO KEEP
YOU ALL CONNECTED AND MAKE IT
EASY FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO KNOW
ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER
WAYS THAT WE CAN GET INVOLVED IN
THESE MOMENTS OF UNCERTAINTY,
ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL THINGS
WE CAN DO IS STEER ACCURATE
INFORMATION TO STAY UP-TO-DATE
AND AMPLIFY TRUSTED VOICES AND
THESE ARE SOME TWISTED VOICES IN
COMMUNITY, SO IF YOU WANT TO GET
INVOLVED, THIS IS ONE WAY THAT
YOU CAN DO THAT. I HOPE THIS WAS
HELPFUL AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE . I
THINK THIS CONCLUDES. NEXT
SLIDE. PAYMENT THANK YOU ,
DIRECTOR. I ALWAYS APPRECIATE
YOU COMING TO CHAMBERS. A LOT OF
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD
BE DOING , BUT THE CITY VIA OIRA
IS DOING . I WANT TO THANK YOU
UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, DIRECTOR
, AND THE COMMITMENT OF YOUR
STAFF WHO ARE COMMITTED TO
HELPING OUR IMMIGRANT AND
REFUGEE COMMUNITIES. I REALLY
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK YOU
ARE DOING . AS YOU CAN HERE,
YOUR TEAM IS SMALL BUT MIGHTY
AND IS HAVING A HUGE IMPACT IN
THE CITY. DO YOU WANT TO
RECOGNIZE A COUPLE STAFF MEMBERS
WHO ARE HERE WITH YOU TODAY?
>> I WOULD LOVE TO RECOGNIZE ALL
OF MY STAFF MEMBERS AND THIS
COULD NOT BE DONE WITHOUT THE
INCREDIBLE TEAM THAT LEADS THIS.
TO ALL OF THE STAFF AT THE
OFFICE OF AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LEADING
OUR CITY IN THIS MOMENT , AND
OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE
RELATIONSHIP IS WHAT MAKES THE
WORK POSSIBLE. I DO HAVE OUR
COMMUNITY MANAGER WITH ME . IF
YOU SEE ANYTHING FROM OUR SOCIAL
MEDIA PAGES AND NEWSLETTER,
PROBABLY PUSHING NETWORK.
SHAWNEES IS HERE WITH ME WHO IS
A SPECIAL PROJECTS AND POLICIES
SPECIALLY WHO IS OFTEN WITH ME
WHEN I COME TO COUNCIL MEETINGS,
AS WELL. THEY ALL DO INCREDIBLE
WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
>> I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF
MEETING WITH YOUR TEAM OUTSIDE
OF CHAMBER TIME WHEN WE HAVE OUR
CHICKENS, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR
STAFF FOR ALL AMAZING WORK THAT
THEY'RE DOING . PLEASE THANK
THE ONES THAT ARE HERE TODAY. I
THOUGHT THIS PRESENTATION WAS
REALLY IMPORTANT , BECAUSE IT IS
IMPORTANT TO HAVE ACCURATE
INFORMATION. WHAT I DON'T WANT
THAT I'VE HEARD IS TO HAVE
FOLKS IN OUR IMMIGRANT AND
REFUGEE COMMUNITIES IN SEATTLE
NOT COMING OUT TO RECEIVE
SERVICE IS OR GET THE FOOD THEY
NEED OR SEND KIDS TO SCHOOL,
BECAUSE THERE IS FEAR AND THERE
IS A LOT OF FEAR MONGERING,
ESPECIALLY COMING FROM D.C. .
THAT IS EGREGIOUS , I'VE SAID
MANY TIMES. IT IS IMPORTANT TO
KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN
SEATTLE ON THE GROUND, SO THAT
FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING HERE, LIKE
I SAID, -- THE FEAR DOESN'T
HAVE A CHILLING EFFECT ON THEIR
ABILITY TO GET THE SERVICES THAT
THEY NEED TO GET THEIR NEEDS
MET. I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING THIS INFORMATION.
IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT, WE
DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL THE AND
THEY WILL NOT LEAVE THEIR HOMES
AND NOT GET WHAT THEY NEED AND I
HAVE SAID THIS IN JANUARY , BUT
WE ARE A WELCOMING CITY AND ARE
A SANCTUARY CITY THAT TAKES CARE
OF ALL OF OUR PHONE'S ,
INCLUDING IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMUNITIES AND WE WILL CONTINUE
TO DO SO . I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE
THAT OIRA PRESENTED THIS
INFORMATION TO ME VIA OUR ONE ON
ONES , ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING
ON THE GROUND AND THINGS ARE
BETTER HERE THAN OTHER CITIES. I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE FOLKS KNOW
NOT TO BE AFRAID. AS HE POINTED
OUT EARLIER, THINGS ARE EVOLVING
, SO WE WILL KEEP UPDATING
INFORMATION IF THAT SHOULD
CHANGE OR IF ANYTHING SHOULD
CHANGE IN SEATTLE, YOU WILL BE
OUT THERE LETTING THE COMMUNITY
KNOW , SO THAT WE ARE ACTING IN
REAL TIME ACCORDINGLY, BUT IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR FOLKS
KNOW THAT THEY CAN COME GET THE
SERVICES THEY NEED AND HAVE
THEIR NEEDS MET. I APPRECIATE
OIRA'S WORK WITH ORIGINAL PART
IS THAT THE COUNTY AND OTHER
CITIES IN THE REGION , AND WITH
THE STATE SUPPORT OF OUR
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE FAMILIES
HERE IN SEATTLE , SO I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP
AND ALL OF THE GREAT WORK YOU DO
. THE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS EDUCATION
IS SOME THAT I KNOW IS SO VERY
IMPORTANT WHEN I MOVED HERE
RIGHT AFTER SEPTEMBER 11 , I
WORKED AFTER WITH THE MIDDLE
EASTERN COMMUNITIES THAT WERE
BEING TARGETED BY THE FBI THAT
THEN TURNED INTO ALSO TARGETING
OF HISPANIC COMMUNITIES , SO I
WAS DOING THE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
EDUCATION. FOLKS DON'T KNOW
THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO AN ATTORNEY
WHEN THE FBI REACHES OUT TO
THEM. THEY JUST DON'T KNOW IT.
THAT IS ALL REALLY IMPORTANT ,
SO I WANT TO UPLIFT THE WORK YOU
ARE DOING JUST ACROSS THE BOARD.
COLLEAGUES, THE HUGE IMPACT THAT
OIRA IS HAVING IN THE CITY VIA
THE MANY, MANY FOLKS THAT THEY
TOUCH AS PART OF THIS WORK ,
WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN DOING
BEFORE , THE EGREGIOUS ACTIONS
AND CONTINUING TO DO NOW EVEN
MORE SO . I APPRECIATE ALL OF
THE FUNDING AND UNDER YOUR
LEADERSHIP AND I CANNOT SAY
ENOUGH ABOUT DIRECTOR MOHAMMED
AND HER TEAM. I SEE FOLKS HAVE
THEIR HANDS UP . COUNCILMEMBER
SOLOMON?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. A
COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS FOR
YOU. YOUR LANGUAGE ACCESS
PROGRAM . IF WE ARE DOING EVENTS
WHERE WE NEED INTERPRETERS IS
THAT WHAT YOU CAN PROVIDE OR
SHOULD WE GO THROUGH DEPARTMENT
AND NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THAT QUICK
I'M SURE THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS ALSO HAS A
RESOURCE IS FOR THAT . WE HAVE
HAD COUNCILMEMBERS REACH OUT TO
OUR OFFICE AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO SUCCESSFULLY CONNECT TO ALL
TO A TRANSLATOR THAT HAS BEEN
ABLE TO COME TO THE CHAMBERS AND
PROVIDE TRANSLATION SERVICES, SO
I THINK IT'S A PREFERENCE. WE
HAVE TRAINED UP ALL CITY
DEPARTMENTS AND THEY KNOW HOW TO
USE LANGUAGE LINE AND CONNECT
WITH TRANSLATORS, AS WELL. IF
THERE IS A DEPARTMENT YOU
ALREADY COORDINATE WITH AS AN
OFFICE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM. IF
YOU REACH OUT TO US, WE WILL
CONNECT YOU.
>> AND THINKING ABOUT THE
MEETINGS I HAVE DONE IN
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE WHERE I HAVE A
LOT OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
SPOKEN WITH THEIR SOMETIMES ALL
IN THE SAME ROOM AND I DID A
MEETING WHERE I HAD SIX
DIFFERENT TRANSLATIONS HAPPENING
AT THE SAME TIME AND SIX
DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS. WHEN
I'M TALKING TO A COMMUNITY
GROUP WHO WANTS TO GET
INFORMATION , IF WE ARE SAYING
YOU'VE GOT TO GET THE
INTERPRETERS, THAT CAUSE CAN BE
OFFPUTTING OR THEY MAY SAY, WE
CAN COVER THE COST. DO YOU HAVE
A POOL THAT WE CAN DRAW FROM AT
NO COST TO BE ABLE TO DRAW FOR
THOSE KIND OF SERVICES?
>> NOT A POOL AT NO COST , BUT
WE TRY TO -- THERE ARE WAYS THAT
WE CAN BE NIMBLE IF WE KNOW AN
EVENT IS HAPPENING IN ADVANCE .
SOME OF THOSE DO COME DOWN AS
OPPOSED TO AN EMERGENCY MEETING
AND IT IS A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE
IF THE TURNAROUND TIME IS
SHORTER. WE TRIED TO BE AS
STRATEGIC AS POSSIBLE LIKE
MINIMIZING COSTS WITH SOME
INTERPRETERS THAT WE SECURE
WHERE THEY SPEAK MULTIPLE
LANGUAGES AND PROVIDE
TRANSLATIONS IN TWO LANGUAGES,
BUT IT'S ONE PERSON , SO IT
DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION . WE
HAVE SOME DOLLARS IN OUR
OFFICES. OUR BUDGET IS PRETTY
TIGHT . WE DO HAVE SOME DOLLARS
ALLOCATED TO TRANSLATION
SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE , BUT
MORE SO CITYWIDE TO DISSEMINATE
THAT INFORMATION AS WIDELY AS
POSSIBLE TO MAKE THOSE DOLLARS
GO FAR , BUT IT IT DEPENDS ON
WHAT PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON
AND IF IT'S A PROJECT IN
COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY
DEPARTMENT , A LOT OF CITY
DEPARTMENTS ARE INCLUDING IN
THEIR PROJECT PLAN AND BUDGETS
LINE ITEMS FOR TRANSLATION , SO
THAT IS ANOTHER THING THAT YOU
CAN DO. CHECK WITH WHATEVER
TOPIC MAY BE AND THERE IS A
PARTICULAR TOPIC INVOLVED, THEY
MIGHT ALREADY HAVE BUDGET
ALLOCATED FOR TRANSLATIONS AND
IT JUST MIGHT BE ASKING THEM THE
QUESTIONS AND SEEING WHAT THE
DOLLAR IS. WE ARE ENCOURAGING AS
DEPARTMENTS COME UP WITH THEIR
LANGUAGE ACCESS PLANS THAT THEY
BUDGET MONEY FOR TRANSLATION
SERVICES AND THEY KNOW WHAT
THOSE COSTS LOOK LIKE.
>> THANK YOU. ONE OTHER QUESTION
. I SEE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN
FEATURED ON A NUMBER OF YOUR
SLIDES. IT GETS TO SOMETHING
THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT ,
WHICH I CALLED ICEFISHING ,
WHICH IS WHERE IMMIGRATION
ENFORCEMENT FOLKS ARE PRESENTING
SUPPOSE IT SUBPOENAS TO
LANDLORDS AND LOOKING FOR
INFORMATION ON WHO'S LIVING IN
THE PROPERTY AND TRYING TO FIND
OUT THOSE PERSONS LEGAL STATUS
TO HELP BOOT THEM OUT. PART OF
THE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND WHAT
YOU DO WHEN YOU COME ACROSS
SOMEONE WITH I.C.E. OR A WARRANT
, WHAT DO DO? FIRST OF ALL, FOR
LANDLORDS AND MANAGEMENT
COMPANIES, UNLESS IT IS A SIGN
BY A JUDGE, DO NOT COMPLY.
SECONDLY , NOTIFY THE TENANT
THAT SOMEBODY IS FISHING FOR
INFORMATION. IT HASN'T HAPPENED
IN SEATTLE , BUT I'M LOOKING AT
WHAT WE CAN DO TO HIT THAT OFF
BEFORE IT GETS HERE. GIVEN THE
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAINING THAT
YOU ARE DOING , IT SEEMS THAT IT
WOULD BE LOGICAL FOR US TO
PARTNER ON THIS OR LOGICAL FOR
YOU TO TAKE LEAD. EDUCATE
PROPERTY AND MANAGEMENT
LANDLORDS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE
TO COMPLY MUST IT IS A LEGIT
DOCUMENT INTO, YOU'VE GOT TO
NOTIFY THE PERSON THAT SOMEONE
IS LOOKING FOR THEIR INFORMATION
SO THAT THEY ARE AWARE. THOSE
RESIDENTS AREN'T BEING TOLD
THAT SOMEONE IS FISHING FOR
INFORMATION. I'M LOOKING AT
SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK ON
TOGETHER AND MAYBE THERE IS
SOMETHING YOU CAN DO THAT
DOESN'T REQUIRE US TO DO A
RESOLUTION OR LEGISLATION. I
JUST WANT TO PROTECT THE FOLKS
WHO ARE HERE FROM WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN OTHER CITIES.
THOUGHTS?
>> THAT IS HELPFUL AND IS
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO
DO WITH PROVIDING THE KNOW YOUR
RIGHTS TRAINING FOR SOME
BUSINESS COMMUNITY. I HAVE A
PRESENTATION I WILL BE DOING
NEXT MONTH WITH THE SEATTLE
CHAMBER IS PRESENTING TO THEM ON
SOME OF THESE ISSUES AND HELPING
THEM KNOW WHAT TO DO IN THESE
TYPES OF EVENTS , SO SIMILARLY
FOR HOMEOWNERS OR LANDLORDS ,
THE HOUSING COMPLEX THAT YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT AND MAKING SURE
THAT IF THERE IS A PLACE THAT
THEY CAN BEING THAT YOU
SPECIFICALLY KNOW, I WOULD BE
HAPPY TO HAVE SOME OF OUR TEAM,
AND PRESENT TO THEM. WE CAN MAKE
SURE THAT THEY ARE CONNECTED AND
RECEIVING A LOT OF THAT ACCURATE
INFORMATION KNOWING THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER AND AN
ACTUAL JUDICIAL SIGNED WARRANT
FROM A JUDGE AND BEING ABLE TO
IDENTIFY THAT AND A LOT OF THE
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAININGS HAVE
THOSE MATERIALS, SO THEY CAN
FEEL EMPOWERED AND RESPOND WELL
WHEN THEY ARE APPROACHED BY ICE
OR ANY OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY, SO
I'M HAPPY TO BE A THOUGHT
PARTNER AND I THINK IT'S A
GREAT IDEA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER .
THANK YOU, CHAIR OF ERROR. I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING
TIME FOR THIS PRESENTATION ON
TODAY'S AGENDA. IT WAS AN
INCREDIBLY INFORMATIVE
PRESENTATION AND I WANT TO THANK
YOU, DIRECTOR , AND THE ENTIRE
TEAM FOR THE WORK YOU ARE DOING
EVERYDAY AND I AM ALMOST SURE
THAT WHEN YOU SIGN UP TO THIS
WORK THAT YOU DIDN'T EXPECT TO
DO IT IN THE MIDST OF WHAT I'VE
COME TO UNDERSTAND AS AMERICA'S
LARGE MASS DEPORTATION EFFORT IN
MODERN AMERICAN HISTORY. I KNOW
THAT IT IS HEAVY ON YOUR HEART
AND STOPS HEARTS. THIS IS HARD
WORK AND TRAUMATIZING WORK AND
DEVASTATING WORK, SO I HOPE YOU
ARE TAKING TIME TO TAKE CARE OF
YOURSELVES AND I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR STANDING WHY ARE
IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORHOODS AND
SUPPORTING THEM WITH PROGRAMS.
JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR
TODAY , A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE HAD
SOME DISCUSSIONS AS A BODY WITH
THE ORGANIZATION KIDS IN NEED OF
DEFENSE, WHICH WE HAVE COME TO
UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY HAVE
CLOSED THEIR DOORS AND LOSS IN
FEDERAL FUNDING. CURIOUS FOR HOW
ALL OF THE PARTNERING
ORGANIZATIONS AND HOW THEY HAVE
COME TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY
ALSO BE IMPACTED BY FEDERAL CUTS
AND HOW IT MAY BE IMPACTING
THEIR ABILITY TO DELIVER
SERVICES . COMPARED WITH THAT,
UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE HAVE COME
TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT ANY IMPACTS
TO REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT EFFORTS
AND NOT STATE-FUNDED, BUT FROM
FEDERAL DOLLARS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
FOR KIDS IN NEEDS OF DEFENSE,
THEY CLOSED THEIR DOORS, AS WE
KNOW. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, WE
HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A NUMBER
OF TIMES. HAS TAKEN OVER A
NUMBER OF THOSE CASES AND
ACTUALLY ALL OF THEM, ESPECIALLY
THE CASES AND KIDS THAT WERE
BEING REPRESENTED IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, SO IT HAS TRANSITIONED
OVER AND THEY ARE ALSO RECEIVING
SUPPORT FROM THE SEATTLE
UNIVERSITY'S LEGAL CLINIC, AS
WELL. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
ATTORNEYS THAT ARE HELPING
SUPPORT THAT CASELOAD, SO THAT
IS REALLY GOOD NEWS. WHEN IT
COMES TO FEDERAL CUTS THAT
ORGANIZATIONS ARE FACING
ACROSS-THE-BOARD , IT IS A PAIN
POINT. THERE ARE SO MANY OF
THESE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
HERE THAT ARE FACING FEDERAL
CUTS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT 70%
OF THEIR BUDGET, FOR EXAMPLE,
DEPENDS ON FEDERAL FUNDING AND
LEARNING PROGRAMS AND SO FORTH
HAVE BEEN CUT AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL . SOME FOLKS ARE
CONSOLIDATING THE PROGRAMS AND
EMERGING PROGRAMS AND OTHERS
HAVE TO SHUT DOWN SOME PROGRAMS
. IT IS THE SAME THING FOR THE
REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT WERE
HAPPENING WITH THE CAP AND BLOCK
ON REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS NOT
ALLOWING ORGANIZATIONS TO BE
ABLE TO DO THAT RESETTLEMENT
WORK THAT WE KNOW IS NEEDED
LOCALLY . THEY ARE BEING NIMBLE
AND WE ARE TRYING TO BE A GOOD
THOUGHT PARTNER HELPING THEM
THINK ABOUT OTHER SOURCES OF
REVENUE , WHETHER IT'S
PHILANTHROPY OR OTHER AGENCIES
THAT ARE WILLING TO STEP UP IN
THESE MOMENTS AND FUND PROGRAMS.
WE KNOW THAT IN THE PAST WE HAVE
BEEN HERE BEFORE AND WE SAW THE
BUSINESS COMMUNITY ALSO STEP UP
. THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT
HAD DEPENDED ON IMMIGRANTS TO
POWER THEIR WORKFORCE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICE
FUNDING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE
ARE TRYING TO BE A THOUGHT
PARTNER TO ORGANIZATIONS AND
HELP WITH SOME OTHER RESOURCES
AVAILABLE, BUT IT IS LIMITED AND
OUR PROBLEM. WE DO CONTINUE TO
HEAR SIGNIFICANT CUTS THEY ARE
FACING BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL
CUTS WE ARE SEEING.
>> I WILL JUST ADD REALLY QUICK
, FROM JANUARY UNTIL NOW, WE ARE
SEEING THE CUTS COMING FROM
EXECUTIVE ORDERS WITH POLICIES
AND DIRECTLY FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION AND NOW WITH THE
PASSAGE OF THE BILL, THAT IS A
DIFFERENT SET OF CUTS AND THINGS
WE ARE LOOKING AT AND TRYING, AS
WELL. IT WAS MORE INDIVIDUAL AND
DIRECTED, BUT THERE WAS A BIGGER
PACKAGE OF CUTS WE ARE EXPECTING
AND I THINK A BIG IMPACT TO
PARTNERS WHO ARE DOING THE WORK
READINESS AND ENGLISH AS A
SECOND LANGUAGE THAT THEY HAVE
ALREADY SEEN CUT AND IT'S A
STATED GOAL IN THIS
ADMINISTRATION TO CUT THAT KIND
OF WORK.
>> WE DON'T DEPEND ON A LOT OF
FEDERAL FUNDING, BUT WE DO HAVE
DOLLARS FOR THE READY TO WORK
PROGRAM AND THAT IS EXPECTED TO
BE CUT THIS COMING YEAR AND THEY
HAVE ALREADY SAID THAT. WE ARE
THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX AND
LOOKING AT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
AND SOURCES OF REVENUE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANY KIND
OF LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS THAT YOU
HAVE AT THE READY SO OUR OFFICE
CAN UNDERSTAND ACROSS-THE-BOARD
WHERE THESE CUTS MAY BE HITTING
ACROSS THE ORGANIZATIONS? THAT
WILL BE HELPFUL AS A FOLLOW-UP
TO TODAY'S SESSION. PAIRED WITH
THAT, I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THE
UPDATE ON STAFF TRAININGS ACROSS
THE CITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
MAYOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER. IS
THERE INTENT AT THIS TIME FROM
THE EXECUTIVE TO CONTINUE THOSE?
I AM THINKING ABOUT IF WE HAVE A
LONG PRESIDENTIAL TERM AHEAD OF
US AND THERE ARE THINGS LIKE
STAFF TURNOVER. I'M WONDERING
IF WE ARE PLANNING SOME AMOUNT
OF REGULARITY WITH DOING
DEPARTMENT LEVEL TRAININGS AND
I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE OFFICE
HOURS THAT YOU ARE OFFERING ARE
WELL UTILIZED, AS WELL.
>> IT IS A PRIORITY OF THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE IN OUR OFFICE,
AS WELL, TO CONTINUE TO DO THOSE
TRAININGS. ONE OF THE THINGS WE
ARE SEEING AND WE CAN REACH
EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE CITY
AND TO YOUR POINT , THERE ARE
STAFF TURNOVERS AND ONE OF THE
THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT
NOW IS HOW CAN WE UTILIZE
CORNERSTONE, WHICH IS THE
PLATFORM THAT EVERYONE AND CITY
EMPLOYEES, WHETHER YOU ARE A NEW
EMPLOYEE BEING IN THE ASSIGNED
TRAININGS. WE WILL BE ABLE TO
USE CORNERSTONE AS A WAY TO HAVE
MANDATORY TRAINING OR JUST
TRAINING THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO
HAVE FOUNDATIONAL UNDERSTANDING
OF WHAT THE CITY POLICIES ARE ,
SO THAT THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE
AND KNOW HOW TO RESPOND IN A
MOMENT WHERE THEY ARE DEALING
WITH A FEDERAL AGENT, FOR
EXAMPLE. WAITING WE CONTINUE TO
THINK ABOUT THE TRAINING CENTER
TRYING TO DISSEMINATE A CITYWIDE
TRAINING. WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO
DO THE WORK, AS WELL , WHICH
WILL BE CONTINUOUS.
>> FANTASTIC NEWS. THANK YOU. I
LOVE THE WORK YOU SHARED ON THE
LEGAL DEFENSE NETWORK AND THE
NEW CITIZENSHIP PROGRAM . DO YOU
HAVE A SENSE OF SCALE OF NEED OR
DEMAND FOR THESE PROGRAMS?
>> WE CAN BRING SOME OF THE
EXPERTS WHO CARRY THIS BODY OF
WORK. WHEN WE HEAR THE DEMAND
AND NEEDS, IT IS VERY CITY OF
SEATTLE FOCUSED. WE HEAR THAT
THERE ARE LIMITED RESOURCES ,
BECAUSE THEY ARE DEALING WITH
FEDERAL CUTS AND HAVING TO TAKE
ON CASES AND THERE IS NOT ENOUGH
EMPLOYEES TO TAKE ON THE
WORKLOAD. THAT IS WHAT WE HEAR
FROM THEM. HAVING LIMITED
CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THE
WORK AND RESOURCES ARE LIMITED
AT THIS TIME. WE CAN SHARE AND
CAPTURE DATA AND GIVE YOU
ACCURATE INFORMATION ON WHAT WE
ARE HEARING FROM DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS AND IN A
CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP, SO WE
CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS
AROUND THAT.
>> CONNECTED TO THAT WITH THE
LIMITED LEGAL CONSULTATION SIDE
OF THE RAPID RESPONSE PROGRAM,
EVEN THOUGH IT IS SEPARATE FROM
THE LEGAL DEFENSE, IT SPEAKS
LITTLE TO WHERE THE NEEDS ARE IN
TERMS OF WHAT CONSULTATIONS
PEOPLE ARE SEEKING AROUND SOME
SHIFTING APPROACHES FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION, AS WELL. THAT IS
THE GOAL OF THE RAPID RESPONSE
PROGRAM, TO MEET NEW LEGAL NEEDS
AND PROVIDE THE BEST PATHWAY
POSSIBLE FOR IMMIGRANT AND
REFUGEE PARTNERS.
>> THIS IS WHY THE LIST OF PRO
BONO LEGAL SUPPORT OFFICE HAS
BEEN WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP AND
REACHING OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE KING
COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION AND
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SCHOOL
OF LAW AND SEATTLE UNIVERSITY
HAVE STEPPED UP TO REALLY FILL A
NEED , WHICH HAS BEEN REALLY
HELPFUL IN THE CONTEXT OF ALL OF
THIS. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD A GREAT
NEED FOR THIS PRIOR TO JANUARY,
SO IT'S ONGOING , BUT I KNOW
THAT THE OFFICE HAS DONE A GREAT
JOB OF PARTNERING AND FINDING
CREATIVE WAYS TO GET
ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED. THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT IS FILLING THAT
NEED. YOU MAKE ANY DATA TO
PROVIDE ON THE LEVEL OF NEED
WOULD BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND.
I WILL CLOSE TO THIS POINT,
BECAUSE I APPRECIATE DATA AND
INFORMATION ABOUT THE REALITIES
OF HOW MANY CALLS ARE COMING IN
AND THE REALITIES OF CALLS
WITHIN SEATTLE. IF I HEARD
CORRECTLY, 739 CALLS STATEWIDE
AND 109 CITY OF SEATTLE. EIGHT
OF THOSE WERE VERIFIED. THAT IS
HELPFUL TO KNOW , BECAUSE THERE
IS A SENTIMENT OF FEAR. SOME
CITIES ARE BEING HARDER HIT BY
ICE RAIDS AND ACTIVITY THAN OURS
AT THIS TIME. WE KNOW THAT
THINGS COULD BE CHANGING WITH
THE PASSAGE OF THE BIG BETRAYAL
BILL. FROM WHAT WE COME TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THE AMERICAN
IMMIGRATION COUNSEL , THIS BILL
INCLUDES A NUMBER OF CHANGES AND
INVESTMENT INTO DEPORTATION
EFFORTS. IT IS TURNING THE
IMMIGRATION SYSTEM INTO A PAY TO
PLAY SYSTEM BY IMPOSING AND
INCREASING FEES FOR ASYLUM
APPLICATIONS, TEMPORARY
PROTECTED STATUS APPLICATIONS
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT A
SINGLE LUMP SUM OF 29.9 BILLION
TOWARDS ENFORCEMENT AND
DEPORTATION OFFICES INCLUDING
FUNDING TO HIRE AN ADDITIONAL
10,000 I.C.E. OFFICERS IN FIVE
YEARS WHILE MODERNIZING THEIR
FLEET AND OTHER TRANSPORTATION
COSTS , ATTORNEYS TO REPRESENT
GOVERNMENT COURT AND PAIRED WITH
THAT OF 45 BILLION FOR BUILDING
NEW IMMIGRATION DETENTION
CENTERS. THAT IS TO TRANSLATE TO
AT LEAST 116,000 NEW BATS .
IT'S HARD TO FATHOM WHAT THEY
WILL MEAN AND HOW THE
RESEARCHERS CAN SCALE UP AND HOW
QUICKLY . I WANT TO COMMEND THE
WORK THAT THE OFFICE HAS BEEN
DOING WITH THE RAPID RESPONSE
NETWORK AND BEING ABLE TO
COLLECT INFORMATION AND DATA .
THAT DATA WILL BE IMPORTANT TO
TRACK IN THE COMING MONTHS AS WE
BETTER UNDERSTAND THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF INVESTMENTS
UNDER THE BIG BETRAYAL BILL.
WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR
ALLOWING ME THE TIME.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR. THIS
IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME
THAT OIRA, AND GIVE ACCURATE
DATA . ALL OF THIS INSTILLS FEAR
IN FOLKS. THE MORE WE TALK ABOUT
IT AND THE MORE WE HIGHLIGHT IT,
WE JUST DON'T KNOW TODAY , BUT
WE NEED TO GO ON WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN SEATTLE TODAY,
WHICH IS BETTER THAN OTHER
CITIES, SO THAT FOLKS AND
CHILLING IMPACT ON COMMUNITY IS
REAL AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT FOLKS KNOW THAT THEY ARE
SAFE TO ACCESS SERVICES THEY
NEED , INCLUDING FOOD, SCHOOL
AND ALL THINGS AND GO TO WORK.
THAT IS CRITICAL. I JUST WANT TO
UNDERSCORE THAT. UNFORTUNATELY ,
THAT IS A CONSEQUENCE OF FOLKS
OF NOT HAVING ACCURATE
INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S
HAPPENING ON THE GROUND AND I
FEEL FORTUNATE THAT SEATTLE,
THINGS ARE BETTER AT THE MOMENT
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR
. THIS IS WHY I WANT TO
UNDERSCORE DIRECTOR MOHAMMED
LEADERSHIP AND THE COMMITMENT OF
HER TEAM , BECAUSE THEY ARE
GETTING THE INFORMATION IN
REAL-TIME QUICKLY , SO THEY CAN
TRANSLATE THAT INTO COMMUNITY ,
WHICH IS CRITICAL. I SUSPECT ALL
CITIES HAVE OFFICE MIGHT LIKE
OIRA, SO I AM GRATEFUL TO YOU
ALL. I SEE YOU HAVE YOUR HAND
UP, COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR HAVING
BROUGHT THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR
TODAY . THANK YOU, OFFICE OF
IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE SERVICES
, DIRECTOR MOHAMMED . IT'S GOOD
TO SEE YOU. I DON'T HAVE
QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT TWO THINGS THAT ARE
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. THE FIRST
THING IS HOW INCREDIBLE YOUR
OFFICE WAS LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD
REFUGEES COME TO SEATTLE TO FIND
SERVICES. THEY WERE IN A COUPLE
OF PARTS PARTICULARLY IN MY
DISTRICT AND THE COMPASSION,
LOVE, CARING AND DIRECTION YOU
GAVE FROM YOUR OFFICE AND WITH
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT , THERE ARE
SO MANY DIFFERENT OFFICES
INVOLVED , BUT BEHIND THE SCENES
AND PEOPLE SAW STUFF HAPPEN IN
OUR COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND THEY
DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE INNER
WORKINGS OF WHAT THE CITY HAD TO
GO THROUGH AND CONNECT WITH
OTHER CITIES, STATE , COUNTY AND
DIFFERENT LEVELS BEHIND THE
SCENES. I JUST WANT TO SAY,
THANK YOU. A LOT OF PEOPLE DID
NOT SEE THAT, THE GOING OUT
THERE WITH FANS AND GOING TO THE
HOTEL AND TAKING PEOPLE BACK AND
FORTH OR THE COORDINATION. THAT
WAS HUGE AND OTHER SERVICE
PROVIDERS, AS WELL. I JUST WANT
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT , BECAUSE I
DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
KNEW ABOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT AND
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND ALL OF
THESE FOLK, SO I JUST WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT. NOW, WE HAVE
THIS PIECE. THAT WAS LAST YEAR
AND NOW WE HAVE THIS COMPONENT
OF WHAT IS GOING ON AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL AND HOW IT'S
IMPACTING HERE, BUT I ALSO WANT
PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THE AMOUNT --
EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT NOT LIVE
UNDER OUR OIRA UMBRELLA , WE
STILL HAVE PROGRAMS WITHIN THE
CITY THAT ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE
NO MATTER IMMIGRATION STATUS OR
WHERE THEY ARE IN THE CITY , IN
THE CENTRAL DISTRICT AND NORTH
END. THEY CAN STILL GO TO THE
40+ LOCATIONS FOR FOOD AND PARTS
FOR THE SUMMER MEALS PROGRAM AND
BE ABLE TO GET FOOD IF YOU ARE
UNDER THE AGE OF 18. I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT ALSO FOR US TO
REMEMBER ABOUT HOW OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENTS AND INCLUDE A
WELCOMING CITY AND ALL THE
PROGRAMS THAT WE HAD AND WE PUT
LAST YEAR FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
TO SEND US A LIST OF PROGRAMS
AND FOCUSED IN OUR CITY. IT WAS
AN EXTENSIVE LIST THAT WE GOT
AND ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND
HOW THEY IMPACT FAMILIES AND
CHILDREN AND KIDS NO MATTER
THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS, WE
ONLY LOOK AT THE OFFICE WHERE
THE TITLE AND WE ARE ONLY
SPENDING $6 MILLION FOR THIS
OFFICE , BUT IT IS SO INTEGRATED
IN OUR CITY AND HOW WE OPERATE
AND PROVIDE SERVICES AND WHO IS
IMPACTED . I JUST WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT, BECAUSE
ADVOCATES IMPORTANT PART THANK
YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. IT IS
HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND THE
PROGRAMMING YOU OFFER AND
SERVICES YOU OFFER FOR AND THE
HUB. YOU ARE ABLE TO DIRECT THEM
TO DIFFERENT PLACES, SO I
APPRECIATE THAT OVERVIEW AND
WHERE WE ARE AT AND WE CONTINUE
TO MONITOR WHAT IS GOING ON.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH. THERE IS A LOT OF
OVERLAP ACROSS THE CITY AND IN
THIS COMMITTEE WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND
EARLY LEARNING. IMMIGRANT
FAMILIES AND THEIR KIDS. UTILIZE
A LOT OF THE EDUCATION SPORTS
INCLUDING AND APPRENTICESHIP
OPPORTUNITIES AND PROMISES
PROGRAM THAT THE CITY AND
MINISTERS. AND ALL OF THE
APARTMENTS WORKING TOGETHER AS
ONE SEATTLE AND MAKE SURE THAT
OUR FOLKS HAVE SERVICES, WHICH
IS WHY IT IS SO CRITICAL THAT WE
HAVE THE ACCURATE INFORMATION SO
WE ARE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT
IT'S OKAY TO COME OUT AND IF
THERE COMES A POINT WHERE IT'S
NOT, WE WILL TELL THEM THAT,
TOO. I KNOW IT IS IMPORTANT TO
YOU THAT FOLKS ARE GETTING THEIR
FOOD AND ALL OF THEIR NEEDS MET.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR ,
AND HER TEAM FOR BEING HERE AND
YOUR TEAM WAS NOT HERE TODAY.
MEET REGULARLY AND ONCE WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES AND
KEEP YOU APPRISED. THANK YOU FOR
ALL THAT YOU ARE DOING.
>> THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE
TIME. IF I CAN SAY QUICKLY TO
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH,
WHEN THE MIGRANTS WERE AT THE
PARK IN YOUR DISTRICT, THE
PROJECT I WAS JUST SHARING , A
LOT OF THE FAMILIES DID GET
MOVED INTO HOTELS AND SOME ARE
NOW SELF-SUFFICIENT AND ARE ABLE
TO USE THE WORK AUTHORIZATION .
THOSE DOLLARS CAME FROM THE
STATE, SO THAT WAS GOOD REGIONAL
PARTNERSHIP THAT WAS ABLE TO
HAPPEN IN COORDINATION ACROSS TO
YOUR CITY AND THERE WERE A LOT
OF DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED WITH A
HUGE SHOUT OUT TO HELP DO THAT
WORK. DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS IS PRESENTING AND
DIRECTOR WAS HERE. SHE ALSO DOES
AN INCREDIBLE JOB IN KEEPING OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS TOGETHER AND
MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE --
IMMIGRANT REFUGEE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS
IN THE CITY ALSO KNOW THE
RESOURCES AND INFORMATION THAT
THEY NEED TO HAVE, SO THERE'S A
LOT OF GREAT WORK THAT HAPPENS
ACROSS THE CITY AND I FEEL VERY
PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SERVE. THANK
YOU , ALL COUNCILMEMBERS , FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP AND CARING.
THANK YOU.
>> CLERK, CAN WE PLEASE MOVE ON
TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM?
>> AGENDA ITEM 13, DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BE PRESENTING
ON ITS COMMUNITY SAFETY
PORTFOLIO FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU. THIS ITEM HAS BEEN
READ INTO THE RECORD. TODAY, WE
ARE JOINED BY DIRECTOR JENNIFER
AND DENISE , COMMUNITY CAPACITY
AND SAFETY MANAGER FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY WILL BE GIVING US AN
UPDATE. IT IS ON THEIR COMMUNITY
SAFETY WORK. COLLEAGUES, PLEASE
HOLD QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF
THE PRESENTATION . IT IS 11:06
AND THIS GENERALLY GOES UNTIL
11:03 , BUT THIS IS QUICKER, SO
WE WILL GET TO IT AND BE ABLE TO
GET TO YOUR QUESTIONS. IF YOU
HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS, WE WILL BE
ABLE TO GET TO IT FASTER.
DIRECTOR, STATE YOUR NAME FOR
THE RECORD . DENISE, STATE YOUR
NAME FOR THE RECORD AND YOU MAY
BEGIN.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT WILL BE
A PRETTY INFORMATIVE MEETING AND
WE PLAN TO SHARE IN PROGRESS.
THERE MAY NOT BE MANY QUESTIONS
AT FIRST AND THAT IS OKAY. MY
NAME IS JENIFER CHAO AND I AM
THE DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
DENISE AND I AM THE COMMUNITY
CAPACITY AND SAFETY MANAGER WITH
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL CHAIR
RIVERA AND COUNCILMEMBERS FOR
HAVING US HERE TODAY. WE ARE
EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU AN
OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS COMMUNITY SAFETY
PORTFOLIO. THE WORK OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAS
ALWAYS INTERSECTED WITH
COMMUNITY SAFETY, BUT OUR FIRST
ENTRY POINT INTO WILL COMMUNITY
SAFETY WORK WE CAN BEGIN IN THE
CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT. ON JULY 23, 2015,
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT EMERGENCY
CENTER FOUNDER WAS MURDERED. HIS
DEATH AND LIFE HAD A TREMENDOUS
IMPACT ON THE CID COMMUNITY.
YESTERDAY, THE COMMUNITY
GATHERED ON THE 10th ANNIVERSARY
OF HIS DEATH TO HONOR HIS
LEGACY. THERE WERE OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENTS INVITED, INCLUDING
THE SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO
DONNIE WAS CLOSE TO AND OUR
CHIEF OF POLICE. ALSO, CHIEF .
HIS MOTHER SPARKED THE CID
COMMUNITIES ADVOCACY FOR PUBLIC
ISSUES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
FOLLOWING THE RECOGNITIONS OF
THE COMMITTEE LED CID PUBLIC
TASK FORCE REPORT RELEASED IN
2016, THE CITY COUNCIL ADDED
FUNDING IN BOTH 2017 AND 2018 TO
HELP ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY
ISSUES IN CID. THE FIRST PUBLIC
SECTOR COORDINATOR STARTED IN
2019. THIS MODEL ESTABLISHED IN
THE CID RESONATED WITH COMMUNITY
AND SOON FOLLOWED BY THE
ADDITION OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COORDINATOR IN SOUTH PARK IN
2020 AND BALLARD IN 2024 IN
CAPITAL IN 2025. THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS FOR
CHAMPIONING THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COORDINATORS AND INCREASING
CONTRACTS TO 125,000 IN 2025.
DEEP APPRECIATION TO THE FULL
CITY COUNCIL FOR THE SUPPORT OF
THESE INVESTMENTS. EIGHT PUBLIC
SAFETY COORDINATOR POSITION WAS
ESTABLISHED TO IMPROVE
COORDINATION AND CREATE A SYSTEM
OF CONNECTING RESIDENTS,
BUSINESSES AND CITY DEPARTMENTS
TO ADDRESS CRIME AND PERCEPTION
OF SAFETY IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS. THE PUBLIC SECTOR
COORDINATORS ARE EMPLOYED BY
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION ,
SO THAT IT'S ROOTED IN
COMMUNITY AND PARTNERED WITH THE
CITY. WITH WHOM DID THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
CONTRACTS WITH , THESE ARE THE
FOUR COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. CHINATOWN
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT AND BEST
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA,
SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP IN
SOUTH PARK , BALLARD ALLIANCE
AND THE GREATER SEATTLE BUSINESS
ASSOCIATION IN CAPITOL HILL.
NOW, I WILL HAND IT OVER TO
DENISE TO SHARE ABOUT THE PUBLIC
SAFETY COORDINATOR. YOU GET TO
BE INTRODUCED TO THEM. AND I
THANK YOU. THE ROLE OF THE CID
PUBLIC SAFETY COORDINATOR NOW
KNOWN AS THE CID COMMUNITY
SAFETY MANAGER HAS THREE FOCUS
AREAS. THEY CONNECT AND ENGAGE
COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY ATTENDING
COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND EVENTS
AND SHARING INFORMATION AND
RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
THEY SURVEY BUSINESSES AND
RESIDENTS TO GATHER DATA ON
UNDERREPORTED HOTSPOTS, CRIME
TRENDS AND COMMUNITY BARRIERS
FOR REPORTING ACTIVITIES. THEY
SUPPORT THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COUNCIL BY PREPARING AGENDAS ,
MANAGING NOTIFICATIONS AND
TAKING NOTES. THEY ALSO SUPPORT
COMMUNITY SAFETY EDUCATION AND
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BY
RESEARCHING AND ANALYZING
COMMUNITY SAFETY RESOURCE IS AND
INFORMATION AND SUPPORTING
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS.
THE SOUTH PARK PUBLIC SAFETY
COORDINATOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH A
SPECIFIC GOAL OF ADDRESSING
CRIME AND COMMUNITY SAFETY
CONCERNS. THEY DO THIS BY
IDENTIFYING, COMMUNICATING AND
ADDRESSING PUBLIC SAFETY
CHALLENGES IN SOUTH PARK THROUGH
PARTNERSHIPS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD
ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES, CITY
OF SEATTLE DEPARTMENTS AND
RESIDENTS. THEY ORGANIZE AND
MAINTAIN COMMUNITY LED COMMUNITY
SAFETY PROJECTS , IDENTIFY AND
TRACK SOUTH PARK COMMUNITY
PERCEPTIONS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND
CRIME PATTERNS. THEY SUPPORT
ENHANCED TRANSPARENCY TO THE
COMMUNITY FOR THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND CITY SEATTLE
DEPARTMENTS AND ELECTED
OFFICIALS. THE SAFETY
COORDINATOR NOW KNOWN AS BALLARD
COMMUNITY HUB COORDINATOR
FACILITATES RELATIONSHIPS
OUTREACH COMMUNICATION AND
COMMUNITY BY IDENTIFYING AND
TRACKING CRIME PATTERNS AND
COMMUNITY CONCERNS OF PUBLIC
SAFETY , PROVIDING FOLLOW-UP
SUPPORT TO BUSINESS OWNERS AND
RESIDENTS WHO ARE IMPACTED BY
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY , INCLUDING
ASSISTANCE WITH CRIME REPORTING,
COORDINATION WITH SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, SEATTLE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND KING
COUNTY'S PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
THEY MANAGE THE SAFETY CHANNEL
AND TOOL THAT IS USED TO
COORDINATE SAFETY CHANNEL, A
TOOL USED TO COORDINATE ONLINE
WITH BUSINESS OWNERS AND CONDUCT
TWICE WEEKLY SAFETY WALKS AROUND
THE DISTRICT. FINALLY, NEWEST
PUBLIC SAFETY COORDINATOR IN
CAPITOL HILL , CAPITOL HILL
PUBLIC SAFETY COORDINATOR WHO
HAS JUST REACHED A SIX MONTH
MILESTONE FOR THIS CONTRACT IS
MANAGED BY THE GREATER SEATTLE
BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND USING
PUBLIC SAFETY COORDINATOR MODEL
ESTABLISHED IN CID, SOUTH PARK
AS A BLUEPRINT TO BUILD A BODY
OF WORK THAT IS TAILORED TO THE
DISTINCT NEEDS OF THEIR
COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU. THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOOD ALSO HOLDS TWO
BROADER CONTRACTS OUTSIDE OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COORDINATOR
CONTRACTS THAT SUPPORT COMMUNITY
LED SISTERHOOD INITIATIVES. THE
FIRST IS BEAUTIFUL SAFE PLACE
FOR YOU. THIS IS AN INNOVATIVE
COMMUNITY LED PLACED BASED YOUTH
CRIME INTERVENTION INITIATIVE
FOCUSED ON FIVE HOTSPOT
LOCATIONS IN THE BEACH
NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE GOAL IS TO
REDUCE YOUTH VICTIMIZATION AND
CRIME BY HOLISTICALLY AT THESE
HOTSPOTS THROUGH NON-ARREST
STRATEGIES. APPROACHES BASED ON
RESEARCH INDICATING THAT CRIME
INVOLVING YOUTH IS HIGHLY
CONCENTRATED IN SMALL GEOGRAPHIC
AREAS OR HOTSPOT SUCH AS STREET
SEGMENTS WITHIN LARGER AREAS.
THIS HAS RECEIVED ONGOING
FUNDING AND TRANSFERRED FROM THE
SEATTLE SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
AND 2020. SAFE PLACE FOR YOUTH
COALITION A DEDICATED TEAM IN
COLLABORATION WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS,
SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP,
BEACH ACTION COALITION AND
RESEARCH PARTNERS SEATTLE
UNIVERSITY. THE OTHER COMMITTEE
SAFETY CONTRACT HELD BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IS
THE BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD
INITIATIVE . THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS WAS CHOSEN BY
COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO WORK ON
THIS COMMITTEE LED EFFORT IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH FRIENDS OF
LITTLE SAIGON AND SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. THE POLICE
FOUNDATION , SPD AND CARE WAS A
HUGE CONTRIBUTOR TO FUNDING THIS
INITIATIVE. MUCH LIKE BEACH,
BEAUTIFUL SAFE PLACE FOR YOUTH,
IT FOCUS ON A PLACE -BASED
PROBLEM-SOLVING APPROACH , WHICH
BOTH COMMUNITY RESOURCES . THE
FIRST PHASE OF DELIVERABLES ARE
CENTERED ON COMMUNITY OUTREACH
AND ENGAGEMENT, RESEARCH AND
DATA DRIVEN PROBLEM-SOLVING,
COMMUNITY TASK FORCE TRAINING
AND WORKSHOPS, DEVELOPMENT OF
LITTLE SAIGON IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN IN 2024. IN 2025 AS THEY GO
INTO THE SECOND PHASE, WE
SECURED ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WILL MOVE
PHO DEP INTO IMPLEMENTATION
PHASE IN COLLABORATION WITH
OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND LOCAL
COMMUNITY PARTNERS. IN ADDITION
TO THOSE PUBLIC SAFETY
COORDINATORS AND CONTRACTS IN
COLLABORATION WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS HAS BEEN THE
CONVENER OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT
DO OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT
FOCUSED ON SECURITY SAFETY AND
CRIME PREVENTION. WE ARE WORKING
TOGETHER TO BETTER COORDINATE
OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND
ENGAGEMENT ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITY SOME OF THE
DEPARTMENTS IS SOMETHING THAT
COMMUNITIES ASK FOR IS THAT WE
ARE INTERNALLY COORDINATED IS SO
THAT THEY SEE US AS ONE AND A
MORE STREAMLINED AND OUR
SERVICES ARE SEAMLESS TO THEM.
THE COMMUNITY SAFETY AND
OUTREACH ENGAGEMENT IDT IS USING
THE CID AS THE FIRST
NEIGHBORHOOD TO ASSESS OUR
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TO DO
BETTER , COMMUNICATION,
COORDINATION AND LEVERAGE
MUCH-NEEDED RESOURCES. THIS GOAL
IS TO BE USED AS A MODEL FOR
EXPANDING APPROACH TO OTHER
COMMUNITIES AND CLARIFYING ROLES
AND RESPONSIBLE LADIES AMONG
CITY DEPARTMENTS. SOME CITY
DEPARTMENTS ARE LISTED THERE.
WILL CONTINUE THE IDT UNTIL WE
FIGURE OUT HOW TO COORDINATE
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT FOR
COMMITTEE SAFETY. AS YOU CAN
SEE, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
COMMITTEE SAFETY WORK CONTINUES
TO EXPAND. IN 2024, WE BROUGHT
ON MAYOR'S FELLOW TO ANALYZE
AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
IMPROVING THIS WORK. ONE OF HIS
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THAT WE
INVEST IN A DEDICATED POSITION
TO OVERSEE OUR GROWING COMMUNITY
SAFETY PORTFOLIO. WE TOOK HIS
ADVICE AND IN 2025 MADE THE
DECISION TO REPURPOSE A
STRATEGIC ADVISER ROLE TO
SUPPORT THE WORK. THIS NEW
POSITION TITLED COMMUNITY
CAPACITY AND SAFETY MANAGER NOW
FILLED BY DENISE WILL BRING
STRATEGY, ALIGNMENT AND
INTERDEPARTMENTAL APPROACH TO
OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY PORTFOLIO.
WE RECOGNIZE STRONG COMMITMENT
AND TRUST THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS
GIVEN THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS TO OVERSEE
COMMUNITY SAFETY WORK. THIS
POSITION WILL HELP CONTINUE TO
BUILD TRUST THROUGH INCREASED
ACCOUNT ABILITY AND ENGAGEMENT
WITH CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
SERVICES .
>> IN MY NEW ROLE AS THE
COMMITTEE CAPACITY AND SAFETY
MANAGER, I WILL CREATE A UNIFIED
APPROACH TO COMMUNITY SAFETY
ACROSS INTERDEPENDENT MENTAL
TEAMS LEADING FRAMEWORK AND
STRATEGY COMMUNICATION PLAN AND
I WILL PROVIDE GUIDANCE ,
STRATEGY AND LEADERSHIP IN THE
SAFETY CONTRACTS AND PARTNERS
BUT I WILL DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT
A MODEL THAT BUILDS COMMUNITY
CAPACITY TO IMPROVE PUBLIC
HEALTH AND SAFETY. OVERARCHING
GOAL WITH ALL OF THIS WORK IS TO
BE A STRATEGIC PARTNER WITH
COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT THEY
IDENTIFY DATA AND SOLUTIONS ARE
PART OF THE CITY'S LARGER
FRAMEWORK FOR ADDRESSING PUBLIC
SAFETY ISSUES.
>> BEFORE WE AND, SHE'S ONLY
BEEN HERE FOR A MONTH, SO WE
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH ME AND
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR
PORTFOLIO. AS WE CONTINUE TO
BUILD FOR THE FUTURE AND FOCUS
ON 2026 PRIORITIES , WE WILL
CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN
INTERDEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION
AMONG CITY DEPARTMENTS,
IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY PASSIVELY
AND SAFETY MODEL IN OTHER
NEIGHBORHOODS, EXPAND REGIONAL
PARTNERSHIPS AND INVESTMENTS AND
DEVELOP AND TRACK CLEAR METRICS
OF SAFETY AND WELL-BEING IN
COLLABORATION WITH INNOVATION
AND PERFORMANCE TEAM TO MAKE
SURE AGAIN THAT WE HAVE A
CITYWIDE APPROACH AND THAT WE
ARE ALL ALIGNED AND COORDINATED.
I KNOW THIS IS A BROAD OVERVIEW
OF OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY
PORTFOLIO WITH MUCH WORK TO BE
DONE TO EXPAND EFFORTS INTO
OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS. WE
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SHARE COLLECTIVE WORK AND
INVESTMENTS THAT WE ARE MAKING
TO CREATE A CITY WHERE EVERYONE
IS SAFE AND THRIVING. WE ALSO
LOOKED FORWARD TO RETURNING TO
COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE TO SHARE
PROGRESS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. I REALLY
WANT TO GIVE DON AN OPPORTUNITY
TO SHOW ALL OF THEIR IMPORTANT
WORK THAT THEY DO IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH COMMUNITY TO KEEP
NEIGHBORHOODS , THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE. THIS IS DON
PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY IN
THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS TO COME UP
WITH SOLUTIONS TOWARDS PUBLIC
SAFETY CHALLENGES AND IT'S BEEN
AN IMPORTANT PIECE TO THE
CITY'S PUBLIC SAFETY WORK AND
IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE
THEM POINTED OUT. COUNCILMEMBER
SOLOMON, YOU HAVE A QUESTION.
>> QUICKLY , THE SAFETY
COORDINATORS, ARE THOSE
FULL-TIME POSITIONS?
>> THEY ARE.
>> YOU POSTER AND THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT THEN, DIDN'T YOU?
>> I DIDN'T GET TO MEET HER,
BUT DENISE HAD A CHANCE TO MEET
WITH HER. SHE IS THE COMMUNITY
CAPITAL AREA AND YOU'RE
PROBABLY FAMILIAR OF WHO SHE IS.
>> YES. I'M LOOKING AT WHERE
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
PARTNERSHIPS AND KNOW THAT IN MY
PREVIOUS ROLE , OF COURSE, CLOSE
WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU
AND THE WHOLE CREW , SO ARE YOUR
PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS COORDINATING
WITH THE CRIME PREVENTION
COORDINATORS, WHICH ARE PRECINCT
BASED OR ARE YOU LOOKING AT
COORDINATING A LEVEL ABOVE?
>> IT IS NEIGHBORHOOD BASED IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENTS. SOME ARE MORE
CUNNING THAN AND SOME ARE
CONNECTED TO THE PRECEDING.
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS DIFFERENT
NEEDS. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY
COMMONALITY AND SAFETY, BUT IT
IS BASED ON NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> I'LL JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO
HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP, BECAUSE
THEY ARE ON THE GROUND AND DOING
SIMILAR WORK AND IT MAKES SENSE
THAT THERE IS A PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN YOU ALL. LASTLY, AS YOU
ARE LOOKING AT -- OVERSEEING
THIS BODY AND HAVING MADE
PARTNERSHIP WITH HIS PD , JUST
ENCOURAGING YOU TO REACH OUT TO
DR. LEE OVER SPD, BECAUSE HE'S
A BIG PROPONENT OF SAFE GROWTH ,
WHICH INVOLVES, HOW DO YOU
EVOLVE NEIGHBORHOODS IN
PROMOTING SAFETY OVERALL , SO IT
MIGHT BE WORTH HAVING THAT
CONVERSATION. JUST OFFERING THAT
AS A SUGGESTION.
>> THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON. I THINK
YOU WILL BE OKAY WITH ME SHARING
THE SNEAK PEEK OF OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH STD IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH DR. HUNT.
DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BE
WORKING CLOSELY WITH SPD TO
PROVIDE COMMUNITY FORUMS THAT
WILL BE COMING UP. THAT'S A
SNEAK PEEK FOR YOU ALL FOR NOW
JUST ASSURE THAT IT WILL BE
COMING ABOARD.
>> DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT
YOU. THE DEPARTMENT DOES PARTNER
WITH SPD , SO I'M TRYING TO
HIGHLIGHT THE PIECE THEY DO WITH
COMMUNITY AND IDENTIFYING
TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY NEEDS ,
BUT THAT IS NOT THE EXCLUSION OF
THE WORK THAT SPD IS DOING AND I
KNOW YOU'LL PARTNER WITH THE
SEATTLE PIECE. COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH, AS YOU HAVE A
QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU. YES, THANK YOU,
CHAIR. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE , THANK YOU, JENIFER CHAO
AND DENISE, FOR YOUR WORK. ALSO,
SHOWING US HOW YOU ALL HAVE
BUILDS UP AND CONTINUE WITH THIS
PROGRAM WITH SAFETY
COORDINATORS. I WAS HAPPY THAT
WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE THAT
THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR
CAPITOL HILL LAST YEAR. I THINK
THEY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB AND
YOU ALL HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL ON
THE HILL AND I KNOW IT IS ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ASKED
ABOUT AND ROLLOUT OF AMBASSADORS
, TOO. AND, YOU HELPING US
NAVIGATE A LOT IF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD DOESN'T HAVE A
DIA, WHERE DOES IT LIVE AND
WHICH GROUP WILL BE RESPONSIBLE?
JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE
ASSISTANCE WITH THAT. ALSO,
ARABIC A LOT OF PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND HOW INTEGRATED THE
DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS IS,
ESPECIALLY WITH SAFETY. A LOT OF
PEOPLE MIGHT NOT FILL OUT THE
POLICE REPORT OR DON'T KNOW
WHERE TO OR HOW TO CLIMB UP A
LANGUAGE BARRIER. US AT THE CITY
WE ALWAYS SAY, WE BLASTED IT OUT
ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR TWITTER
CERTAIN THINGS. THERE ARE LOTS
OF WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE WHO DO
NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY
AND YOU WILL MEET PEOPLE WHERE
THEY ARE. I THINK THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND. THERE
ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU ALL DO. IT
CAN BE A SIMPLE PHONE CALL OR
COMMUNITY MEETING THAT YOU WILL
SHOW UP. IT COULD BE WHERE YOU
ALL ARE AT , PICKLEBALL
TOURNAMENT AND YOU ARE TALKING
TO FOLKS. I HAVE SEEN YOU
EVERYWHERE. I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A FRONT
PORCH CITY GOVERNMENT AND
BESIDES COUNCIL, IT IS
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND
YOU ARE ALL THE CONNECTIVE
TISSUE BETWEEN RESIDENTS WHEN IT
CAN SEEM SO CUMBERSOME OF THE
CITY GOVERNMENT AND WHAT WE DO.
YOU ARE ALL ABLE FOR PEOPLE TO
ITALICIZE AND DIGEST A LOT OF
CITY DEPARTMENTS AND NUMBERS AND
WE TALKED TO THIS PERSON AND
SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T
UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN GARBAGE CAN AND ONE OF
THE METRO BUS STOP . I DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE WERE
DIFFERENT. YOU ALL HELP WITH A
LOT OF THE SAFETY ISSUES GOING
ON, ESPECIALLY ON CAPITOL HILL
AND BEING THERE AND PRESENT. I
WAS GOING ALONG WITH MY
COMMENTS. LAST BUT NOT LEAST , I
THINK IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT
SOMETIMES PEOPLE -- YOU WILL
ACTUALLY HELP LISTEN TO FOLKS ON
THAT RELATABLE LEVEL AND MIGHT
NOT GIVE THEM AN ANSWER THEN AND
THERE , BUT YOU ALSO RECOGNIZE
ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE HAS A
SAFETY PROBLEM . WE FULLY
UNDERSTAND AND GIVE THEM THAT
CUSTOMER SERVICE. THANK YOU,
KUDOS AND APPRECIATE THE
PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH. VICE CHAIR RINCK?
>> THANK YOU FOR TODAY'S
PRESENTATION. DENISE, WELCOME. I
HOPE IT'S BEEN A GOOD MONTH SO.
WELCOME TO COMMITTEE. I WANT TO
THANK YOU NOT JUST FOR THE WORK,
BUT BY STARTING UP TODAY'S
PRESENTATION AND RECOGNITION
UNDERSTANDING THE COMMUNITY HAD
A MEMORIAL YESTERDAY OUTSIDE AND
RECOGNIZING HIS TRAGIC DEATH ,
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
STARTING OFF ON THAT IMPORTANT
NOTE. UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT
MEANS FOR COMMUNITY AND MY
SUPPORT FOR THIS BROAD PORTFOLIO
OF PORK AND THE IMPORTANCE OF
HAVING A MULTITUDE OF APPROACHES
TO COMMUNITY SAFETY. I KNOW I
HAD THE PLEASURE OF JOINING
ALONGSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR
AN EVENT A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK
AND MY ONLY QUESTION FOR TODAY
IS JUST WHAT COMES NEXT WITH THE
PROGRAM. THE FANTASTICALLY RUN
EVENT IN SOME WAYS BY BRINGING
-- NOT ONLY BRINGING THE
COMMUNITY, BUT TAKING TIME TO
HAVE TABLED CENTERED WITH
DIFFERENT KINDS OF GROUPS TO
FOCUS ON AND TALK THROUGH
SPECIFIC KINDS OF STRATEGIES FOR
ADDRESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS AND
THAT APPROACH WAS MEANINGFUL AND
ENGAGING TO HAVE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WEIGH IN ON STRATEGIES
THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO WHILE
ALSO TAKING TIME TO USE STICKIES
TO ADD WEIGHT TO SPECIFIC
STRATEGIES THEY WANT TO SEE , SO
WHETHER YOU CAN ANSWER TODAY OR
OFF-LINE AS A FOLLOW-UP TO THE
SESSION, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW
COMES NEXT . I SOUGHT A LOT OF
IDEAS FOR ACTION AND I KNOW SOME
OF THOSE ACTIONS WOULD NEED TO
BE TAKEN UP BY THIS BODY. I AM
EAGER TO KNOW, WHAT DOES THE
COMMUNITY WANT TO SEE THIS BODY
TAKE UP IN RESPONSE TO THE
FINDINGS OF THAT PHONE OBSESSION
-- PHO DEP SESSION?
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT DENISE AND A COUPLE
OF TEAM MEMBERS WILL ATTEND THE
SESSION AND I KNOW THAT THEY ARE
LOOKING AT WHAT PRIORITIES THEY
WILL IMPLEMENT AND COMING BACK
TO ASK THE CITY WITH THEIR
REQUEST. WE WILL MAKE SURE WE
ARE CONNECTED TO THIS COMMITTEE
AND TO LET YOU KNOW IN ADVANCE
AS THEY ARE PREPARING TO ASK FOR
WHAT'S NEXT.
>> FABULOUS. I AM PLEASED TO
HEAR THAT AND WANT TO MAKE SURE
WE ARE TAKING OF AN ACTION AS A
RESPONSE TO THAT AMAZING
COMMUNITY EVENT. THANK YOU AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO IT AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR RINCK.
THIS IS ANOTHER INSTANCE AND I
SAID THIS ABOUT OIRA, BUT DON IS
ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT PEOPLE TALK
ABOUT DOING AND DON IS DOING.
I'M SO HAPPY THAT DENISE IS
HERE WORKING WITH THE
COORDINATORS AND WE WILL FOLLOW
UP. I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS
IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT DON WAS
WORKING ON IN THIS SPACE AND
THEY WILL AT A LATER POINT COME
BACK AND GIVE AN UPDATE AS PART
OF THAT WE CAN ADD TO THIS
PARTICULAR QUESTION YOU HAD,
VICE CHAIR. COUNCILMEMBER
SOLOMON, IS THAT A NEW HAND?
>> YES. NOT A QUESTION, BUT
OFFERING SOME HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE, THE CURRENT CRIME
PREVENTION COORDINATOR COHORT IS
IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WHEN
IT FIRST STARTED, IT WAS HOUSED
IN DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
AND FOCUSED ON BURGLARY
PREVENTION . THERE WAS A LONG
HISTORY OF DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS BEING IN THAT
PUBLIC SAFETY SPACE AGAIN, IN MY
FORMAL ROLE, I FIND IT COOL THAT
WE WERE IN NEIGHBORHOODS BEFORE
WE WERE IN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, SO THAT PARTNERSHIP
GOES BACK A LONG WAY . LET'S
SAY THAT WE ARE PART OF THE SAME
FAMILY TREE, SO I WANTED TO MAKE
THAT A KNOWLEDGE FOR FOLKS WHO
MAY NOT KNOW THAT THE EARLY 70s
AND THE WORK THAT I USED TO DO
ACTUALLY STARTED DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS .
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SOLOMON. BEFORE WE CONCLUDE
HERE, I DO WANT TO SAY , GIVE A
SHOUT OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY ARE THE 2025
ALL-AMERICA CITY AWARD WINNER ,
SO I WANT TO GIVE THAT
RECOGNITION. THIS IS A BIG DEAL,
ACTUALLY , SO I REALLY WANT TO
THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL
OF THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO
AND IT SHOWS WHEN YOU GET THESE
TYPES OF AWARDS, THE RECOGNITION
IS THERE AND I AM SO PROUD OF
YOU, SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, DIRECTOR .
I REALLY ENJOY WORKING WITH YOU
AND YOUR DEPARTMENT, SO THIS IS
A PROUD MOMENT FOR YOU ALL AND I
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A
CELEBRATION ON JULY 29th,
COLLEAGUES IF YOU ARE ABLE TO
ATTEND AT 11 A.M. TO CELEBRATE
THIS GREAT ACHIEVEMENT FOR OUR
DEPARTMENT AND OUR FOLKS THAT
WORK THERE, SO I WANTED TO SAY
THAT. SEEING NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS. THIS CONCLUDES JULY
24, 2025 MEETING OF THE
LIBRARIES, EDUCATION AND
NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE.
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH, YOU
PROMISED A JOKE AT THE END OF
THE MEETING . WE ARE READY.
>> I DID . WHY DID THE TOMATO
BLUSH AND GO READ? IT SAW THE
SALAD DRESSING. LOVE IT. THANK
YOU .
>> DAD JOKES. COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH SO DO WE AND SO DO
I. OUR NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING IS
SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY,
SEPTEMBER 11 2025 AT 9:30 A.M. .
I THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. IF
THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS,
THE MEETING WILL ADJOURN. SEEING
NO FURTHER BUSINESS AND IT IS
11:32 A.M.