What’s Targeted Hiring?

Targeted Hiring is when a city, county, state, or other jurisdiction requires contractors on projects funded by that jurisdiction to hire a predetermined percentage of disadvantaged residents in the area.  For many families, the difference between a dead-end job and a living-wage career is a construction job. Sometimes, it’s the path from poverty to the middle class.  Major cities across the country (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Milwaukee, Cleveland) have adopted similar policies; leading to dramatic increases in publicly funded local jobs and millions of dollars of reinvestment in local neighborhoods.  Here is one example.

Join Seattle City Councilmembers and a panel of national experts to discuss how targeted hiring has worked around the country and whether it could be implemented in Seattle.

Panelists include:

• Rhonda Simmons – Director of Workforce Development, City of San Francisco
• Kathleen Mulligan-Hansel – Deputy Director, The Partnership for Working Families

Wednesday, May 22, Noon-1:30pm
Council Chambers, Seattle City Hall, 2nd Floor
Between James and Cherry Streets on Fifth Avenue

Sponsored by: Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Mike O’Brien, Nick Licata, Tom Rasmussen, Jean Godden, Richard Conlin and Tim Burgess

For parking options go to: http://www.seattle.gov/council/city_hall_parking.pdf.  Better yet, let transit be your ride. Check www.tripplanner.kingcounty.gov

Mercer Street, 1959 (Seattle Municipal Archives)

The City Council approved a rezone of the South Lake neighborhood on Monday, May 6 by a 9-0 vote.

The rezone increases maximum building heights to 400 feet adjacent to Denny, and 240 feet in much of SLU to Mercer, aside from the Cascade neighborhood. Previous zoning was 65 to 85 feet in most of this area, and 125’ adjacent to Denny. The rezone is intended to meet new growth targets for Seattle’s implementation of the Seattle Comprehensive Plan, required by the state Growth Management Act.

I proposed amendments related to the urban form along South Lake Union Park and along Westlake, and to provide for additional housing, as described below.

Dept. of Planning and Development presentation, 2012

GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT (GMA)/SEATTLE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

The previous zoning in SLU provided capacity for 12,000 new units and 18,000 jobs; the state GMA requires development capacity to be at least 125% of the 20-year growth target. The most recent 2031 targets are for 12,000 housing units, and 22,000 jobs.

DPD estimates the new updated zoning provides capacity for 22,000 to 24,000 housing units, and 28,000 to 30,000 jobs. This equals 190% of 2031 housing estimates, and 131% of job estimates.

SUMMARY

Council amendments to the Mayor’s original proposal included:

• Views: Creating permanent setbacks on east-west corridors to protect views of the Space Needle; this was accomplished without reducing development potential;
• Landmarks: Expanding incentives to encourage preservation of all landmarked structures;
• Schools: Strengthening incentives for developers to include a public school in their project;
• Conservation: Requiring all new buildings to meet the LEED Gold standard;
• Zoning: increasing height in the Cascade neighborhood from 75’ to 85’, and from 85’ to 125’ on parts of the southwest side of the lake, and reducing height from 240’ to 160’ between Valley and Mercer.
• Affordable Housing:  Applied a Consumer Price Index increase to the existing affordable housing pay-in-lieu price for developers who don’t want to build affordable housing and added a 20% premium to incentivize on-site affordable housing development.

The Council approved other elements of the proposal submitted by Mayor, including:

• Farm/forest: the first step in a program to preserve farm land and forest land by transferring development rights into South Lake Union; if approved by future legislation it will generate funds for transportation improvements;
• Design standards for different neighborhoods within SLU;
• Most of the proposed building heights;
• Preserving existing affordable housing in Cascade by maintaining current heights.

URBAN FORM: MERCER BLOCKS AND WESTLAKE

I co-sponsored two amendments to address the visual impact of towers proposed for the blocks adjacent to Lake Union Park at the South end of the lake. The Mayor proposed height of 240’; I co-sponsored a 160’ limit, which the Council passed by a 6-3 vote. The previous zoning was 40’, with 65’ under some circumstances, so even 160’ represents a significant increase. With 400’ along Denny and in the Denny Triangle, and 240’ in between, 160’ provides a good transition for maintaining urban form. This change will reduce the visual impact of shadows from the towers on Lake Union Park during the winter months.

Secondly, I also co-sponsored a proposal to limit the floor plate size (the size of each floor), for slimmer towers to protect views. Although this didn’t pass, the Council did approve a 105’ limit on the east-west width of towers.

The Council increased the zoning of a section of South Lake Union adjacent to Westlake and Dexter avenues, from the Mayor’s proposal of 85’, to 125’. I co-sponsored an amendment to ensure a smooth transition in the base heights, in line with the slope of Queen Anne Hill. The developer who owns the site planned on commercial buildings only at 85 feet; 125 feet will allow them to build up to 4 residential towers. This area is along a High Capacity Transit Corridor identified in the Seattle Transit Master Plan, and removed from the seaplane flight path. It’s a good location for additional housing.

HOUSING

I’m pleased that the Council increased the obligation of developers taking advantage of the potential for increased building heights to provide affordable housing, but it’s not nearly enough to meet South Lake Union’s future need. The City’s goal for affordable housing in South Lake Union is 4,200 units, the proposal the Council passed will result in approximately 700 affordable units produced.  Estimates are that these SLU upzones may result in over $12 billion worth of development over the next 25 years.  Without significantly more affordable housing for people working in the city, traffic congestion will increasingly clog our streets, hurting the economy and our environment.

Whether the Council enacts upzones in SLU or any other neighborhood, upzoning adds significant value to private property.  Seattle is among the most active real estate markets in the country, and we still have a great opportunity to get this right.  Just saying we’ll build more housing isn’t enough of a solution.  Housing regulations of cities across the country generate new units of affordable housing for their workforces. Denver and San Diego set aside 10% of all new units for affordable housing and Boston and Sacramento set aside 15%. Seattle’s incentive zoning program only sets aside 5% of all units.  I proposed an amendment to increase the affordable housing setaside to 10% of all residential floor area in a 240’ high building.  The amendment did not pass.

While the legislation passed by the Council does not require that enough affordable units will be built, I’m also concerned that the housing built will not serve the full range of workers. The Council’s own study found that by 2031, 100,000 new jobs will come to downtown Seattle. If current wage levels are maintained, one in four of the workers in these new jobs and one and three of workers in all jobs downtown, new and existing, will be paid wages that qualify them for affordable housing.  I proposed an amendment that half of the affordable units produced be affordable to these workers.  It did not pass.  Instead, the Council passed legislation with a target household income set at 80% average median income.  This means that childcare workers, health care, grocery/retail, hospitality and janitors will be priced out of South Lake Union and endure long commutes, contributing to pollution and suburban sprawl.

We all suffer if we push more people out of the city.  For these reasons, I will seek city-wide incentive zoning, requiring housing be built for our entire workforce, not just those earning the highest wages.

BLOCK 59

Included in the Mayor’s original submittal in November 2012 was a summary sheet and Memorandum of Understanding with Vulcan, under which Vulcan would sell four properties in “Block 59” of South Lake Union adjacent to Aurora and Mercer, to the city, to be combined with City properties. In return, they would receive a credit of $10-12 million for affordable housing bonus payments, locked in at the rate proposed by the Mayor. The facility would provide low and moderate income housing, a childcare facility, education/job training programs, and other services. Numerous social service agencies were involved in the planning, along with Vulcan and the Mayor’s office. Vulcan would pay up to an additional $3.25 million to build up to 240’ in the Mercer waterfront blocks.

Valuation for the Block 59 properties would be determined by an independent appraiser at the proposed rezone height of 240 feet. The appraisal value would be capped at $12 million; Vulcan could opt out of the agreement if the appraisal came in at less than $10 million. The zoning at that time was for 65 feet, with the King County Assessor listing an appraisal of the land value in 2012 at $4.7 million.

The Council received a funding scenario from Vulcan at a January 31 meeting of $76 million, mostly from SLU housing credits. It estimated 337 units of low and moderate income housing would be produced over 12 years on that site. The funding scenario included $6.5 million each from the state and King County, $7 million in city land, and $4 million in additional city housing funds.

The Council opted to not pursue the agreement, because it was tied to a specific Vulcan request, and the credits could only be used for one project, rather than for projects throughout South Lake Union. In any case, the Mayor never submitted legislation to the City Council.

While I didn’t support the agreement as it was presented, I found the concept intriguing and worth considering; I am continuing to explore options for pursuing the vision of an integrated program in SLU that would provide for the same services and housing.

That’s why today’s Seattle Times guest editorial by Edward D. Lazowska on STEM –  science + technology + engineering + mathematics – caught my attention. Mr. Lasowska is chair of UW’s computer science and engineering program. He argues the importance of computer sciences for our state economy.

I agree, but I believe just as important is innovative thinking and creativity within the sciences. Without it, science is merely an exercise. How do we infuse creativity with science? Arts education. It is time for STEM to evolve into STEAM: science + technology + arts + engineering + mathematics.

Sarah Pease edited a compelling edition of ARCADE magazine recently, in which she observed that we are trained at a young age to separate art from the core subjects of our studies, rendering it unimportant in the shadows of science and math. She and other contributors argue that the areas of art and science are more closely related than not, that their overlap is more relevant now than ever.

ARCADE contributor John Maeda wrote that when he was young his teachers praised him for being good at math and art. But, his father would tell people “John is good at math.” Maeda felt he had to choose between the two. He chose the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

After many years there, he saw technology succeeding in making everything cheaper, faster and smaller—but failing to make things emotionally rich. He became convinced something else was needed to inspire true innovation – design and art. It was that realization that propelled him from MIT to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he is now president.

Check out his related TED Talk from June of last year.

And, please stay in touch…

• Subscribe to my Urban Politics email newsletter by sending a blank email.
• To Unsubscribe, send a blank email (No message needed in the body of the emails you send).
• Subscribe to my blog.
• Like me on Facebook.
• Follow me on Twitter.

On Monday, May 13 the Council will continue its consideration of returning Seattle to a system of partial public financing of elections. Seattle had public financing from 1979 to 1991 before a change in state law made it illegal from 1992 to 2008.

The Council will review several issues relating to how a system of public financing could be structured, including qualifying, spending limits, contribution limits, match level, and how to fund it. The agenda for the meeting is here.

The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission sent a letter recommending the Council consider a program for City Council races. Candidates would need to show a broad base of support by obtaining at least 600 contributions of $10 or more to qualify, agree to limit their spending to $210,000, and receive a 6-1 public match used in New York City.

I wrote an about public financing in Seattle earlier this year.

In January and February, the Council held forums with representatives from the Elections offices of Los Angeles and San Francisco, which have public financing, and academic experts, which included a review of New York City’s public financing program.

Materials from the first meeting of the Public Campaign Finance committee on April 29 meeting are here.

The City Council has a Public Financing issues page, with links to relevant documents, including video of the presentations the Council received. Future meetings are scheduled for May 28 and June 10, and June 17 if necessary. Approval in a November public vote would be necessary to adopt public financing.

Last week, a new coalition seeking to help homeowners in foreclosure— kicked off their new campaign called Reset Seattle.  

On their website, they announce that, “With over 16,500 Seattle homes foreclosed on and over 42,000 homeowners underwater, Washington CAN! is working with faith, community and labor groups to launch a campaign calling on City Council to stop at nothing short of principal reduction to provide real relief to struggling families.” 

The timing is good for such an effort.  Last month, RealtyTrac reported that although foreclosure filings nationally saw a decre

ase of 1% from February and down 23% from the previous year, in Washington State they were up 154% over the previous year.  Similarly, property repossessions nationally saw a decrease of 3% from February and down 21%  from March 2012, in Washington State they were up 88% over the previous year. 

In March the City Council agreed to explore new local solutions for homeowners and communities impacted by the foreclosure crisis, when they passed Resolution 31434, for which I was the prime sponsor, joined by Councilmembers Bagshaw and Harrell.

Here are couple sobering facts: 

·         According to the 2012 2 ^nd Quarter Zillow report, 38% percent of all homeowners are underwater on their mortgages and the average amount of negative equity carried by the individual homeowner because of the loss of value in their homes is approximately $92,200

·         According to the Seattle Office of Housing, between 2008 and November 30, 2012, 9,491 Seattle families have lost their homes due to foreclosures stemming from the housing crisis and approximately 34 percent of those are concentrated in Southeast Seattle where 14% of the City’s homeowners live.

Nationally, homeowners owe $700 billion more on their mortgages than their homes are worth and banks have received more than $700 billion in bailout funds.  Yet, these tax payer dollars are only marginally used to help struggling homeowners, while the industry continues to be unwilling to renegotiate loans on any meaningful scale.  The result is that the increase in consumer spending that is so necessary to our economic recovery isn’t occurring.

I’m excited to begin our review of the circumstances and causes of foreclosures as well as the foreclosure methods and practices of lenders, not to mention the inequities people in Seattle face. We’re working with a prominent expert in this field who has experience consulting for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the International Monetary Fund, and a number of federal and state legislators and local governments. Together, the City Council, in collaboration with the Office of Housing will explore all legal options to assisthomeowners who continue to suffer from the housing crisis.

If you want to read more about the impact upon Seattle homeowners and communities from the foreclosure crisis, check out the new report Reset Seattle has released in conjunction with the United Black Clergy, entiled: “The Wall Street Wrecking Ball.”

Some community members felt the meeting turned out to be about how tee-ball and youth soccer were to be scheduled for the field, not about whether they should be scheduled at all, which was their expectation. One resident told me “The meeting last night was not productive. There was an agenda, but nothing was actionable.”

This experience left me feeling the need for DPR to improve its outreach practices, which I encouraged then-DPR Superintendent Ken Bounds to pursue.

The following year, he and DPR published the department’s first public involvement policy.

This month presents Seattle residents an opportunity to test it.

DPR is soliciting help from the public in planning the future of Seattle’s parks, programs and community centers as well as other facilities. Their goal is to gather public input for incorporation into their Parks Legacy Plan. The City Council will be presented DPR’s plan for approval in December. Councilmember Sally Bagshaw Chairs the Council’s Parks and Neighborhood Committee.

• Tuesday, May 7 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.: General Meeting
  Seattle Parks and Recreation Administration Building
  100 Dexter Ave. N
• Wednesday, May 8 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.: Sports, Recreation, and Aquatics
  Green Lake Community Center
  7201 E Green Lake Dr. N
• Monday, May 13 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Seniors, Teens Including LGBT, Community Centers And Associated Recreation Council (Arc)
  Northgate Community Center
  10510 5th Ave. NE
• Thursday, May 16 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.: Environmental Programs, Open Space And Maintenance
  Jefferson Community Center
  3801 Beacon Ave. S
• Tuesday, May 21 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.: General Meeting
  Dakota Place Park Building
  4304 SW Dakota St.
• Wednesday, May 22 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.: Immigrant and Refugee Communities
  South Shore K-8 School
  4800 S Henderson St.
  

  A 1950 ariel photo of Seattle’s 1st public park, Denny Park, dontated in 1864 by David Denny & Louisa Denny while still a cemetery. Graves were moved at the city’s expense after the Denny’s created an 1883 deed making most of the area a public park. (courtesy Seattle PI Archives)

Some of the questions current DPR Superintendent Christopher Williams and his staff want to ask include “Are we spending resources as effectively as possible? What does the public think of our park system? What are the basic services we provide? Should the community center programs seek to bring in more revenue? What do you think is important to provide through teen programs? How would you prioritize funding dollars for cleaning comfort stations, maintaining sportsfields, and lawn maintenance?”

DPR is also inviting residents to comment on any DPR topic.

Do you know that DPR is a long time supporter of the arts?  It runs arts programs at Magnuson Park and the Alki Arts Studio while partnering with 9 other arts groups, such as Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle Public Theater, Spectrum Dance Theater and the Seattle Art Museum.

After being harangued by me over the years to prioritize reconstruction of Building 30 in Magnuson Park, they are doing so as I write. The seismically upgraded building is expected to re-open this fall with at least 20 artist work studios and its large hanger space welcoming back community groups and activities that had been turned away due to safety concerns.

Artspace, a provider of affordable artist live/work space throughout the country, estimated over a thousand working artists are on waiting lists for affordable work studio and live/work studio space in Seattle. 24 artists once worked in Building 11’s studios at Magnuson Park.

Will DPR again seek artists to rent work space in Building 11? How does it plan on working with Magnuson Park’s 20-year old arts advocacy group SPACE – the Sand Point Arts & Cultural Exchange? Will DPR update its system wide 12 year old planning documents for the arts?

To learn more, refer to DPR’s Parks Legacy Plan.

Those who cannot attend a meeting and wish to comment on DPR’s draft plan can email parkslegacy@seattle.gov.

Keep in touch…

• Subscribe to my Urban Politics email newsletter.
• Subscribe to my blog.
• Like me on Facebook.
• Follow me on Twitter.

At the May 8 meeting of the Housing, Human Services and Culture Committee next Wednesday, we’ll discuss and consider a decision agenda about Council Bill 117744 re: marijuana zoning, which I wrote about earlier. The decision agenda will be linked to the meeting agenda on Monday.

The Committee held a public hearing on April 24, which you can view here. You can view the presentation and Councilmember discussion here. The memo from that meeting explains the relationship of the proposed ordinance to the current land use code in, for example, commercial zones. It also lists the public comments received up to that point. A map of industrial zones  was also discussed in the meeting.

A vote on the ordinance could take place at the May 22 committee meeting.

You can view the March 27 committee presentation on the Seattle Channel here.

The Awards recognize the accomplishments of artists, arts and cultural organizations as well as community members committed to enriching their communities through the arts.

This year, the Arts Awards encompasses five categories: Future Focus, for arts education and working with youth; Artistic City, for creativity; Venture Culturalist, for funders, businesses, donors or professional development/service organizations; Arts as the How, for social issues; and Raising the Bar, for artistic excellence.

2010 Mayor’s Arts Awards kick-off Bumbershoot Arts & Music Festival at Seattle Center

Do you know an artist deserving of recognition? How about an arts organization that you feel is doing excellent work? Or, perhaps you work for a company that makes a difference by giving big to the arts? I encourage you to submit your nominations for the 2013 Mayor’s Arts Awards via the Office of Arts website, here. The deadline for nominations to be received is 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 15.

The Seattle Arts Commission will review public nominations and recommend recipients to the Mayor for final selection.

This year, I am nominating The Gage Academy under the Future Focus category. Since 1989 the Academy, lead by co-founders Gary Faigin and Pamela Belyea, has provided community-based artistic development for artists of all ages and abilities through year-round instructional programs, public art events, lectures, youth programming, and exhibitions.

Nick Licata chats with Norm Langill of One Reel during the 2003 Mayor’s Arts Awards

Past Award recipients include public artist Buster Simpson, Three Dollar Bill Cinema (2012), Pratt Fine Arts Center (2011), Reel Grrls (2010), Artist Trust (2009), Coyote Central and Marybeth Saterlee (2008), Longhouse Media’s Native Lens Program (2007), maestro Gerard Schwarz (2006), painter Alden Mason, The Tsutakawa Family (2005), and the Seattle Foundation (2004).

2013 Award recipients will be honored at a free public ceremony that kicks off the Bumbershoot arts festival at Seattle Center on Friday, August 30, starting at 4pm. Look for details closer to the date on the Office of Arts website.

While the Awards don’t provide any money, winners do receive a snazzy plaque or trophy. More importantly, winners receive recognition among their peers and throughout the greater Seattle area that may help them expand their successes.

Keep in touch…

• Subscribe to my Urban Politics email newsletter.
• Subscribe to my blog.
• Like me on Facebook.
• Follow me on Twitter.

We face a crisis in funding for our bus service.

King County Metro estimates that 17% of current service will need to be cut, beginning next year, without additional funding.

The problem is not new. Since 2008, King County Metro has faced a funding shortfall that they have addressed through a variety of efficiencies. Decline in sales tax revenue from the economic downturn was a key reason; in addition, counties in Washington state have significantly fewer tax revenue options than cities.

The problem is worsened by two upcoming issues. First of all, state mitigation funding for Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement will expire in June of 2014.

Secondly, authority to issue a $20 vehicle license fee will expire at the end of 2013. In 2011, the state legislature allowed King County to approve a $20 vehicle license fee knows as the Congestion Relief charge, but only for 2012 and 2013.

In 2009, an agreement between Seattle, King County and the State proposed an MVET to provide permanent funding, but the fee approved by the legislature was vetoed by the former Governor.

The City Council will hold a briefing on Monday, April 29 at the Council Briefing meeting, where King County Metro will present their Metro Transit Service Guidelines Report. An earlier presentation from February is available here.

Resolving this depends on action by the state legislature, and it’s unclear what will happen there; the City Council unanimously approved the state legislative agenda calling for sustainable funding for transit operations.

Should no new revenue source be approved by the state legislature, reductions will be made according to the service guidelines adopted in 2012. 65routes (30%) will be deleted, and 86 routes (40%) will be revised or reduced. Only 66 routes will not be reduced, but they are sure to become more crowded and less reliable. Overall, this will result in more car trips, and additional congestion on city streets. You can see where the cuts are by geographic area at Metro’s website or in the Monday’s presentation.  No part of Seattle would be left unaffected.

Yesterday marked the first anniversary of the launch of Family Housing Connection (FHC), a “coordinated entry” system created to make it easier for families to navigate the housing system in King County.  There are 3,210 homeless families currently on the placement roster waiting for a housing referral. 

Of the 3,210 families on the placement roster today:

• 7% are staying in a place not meant for habitation (215 families)
• 56% are couch surfing or doubled up with friends/family
• 14% are in shelter or using an emergency hotel voucher
• 10% are in a rental with no housing subsidy
• 4% are staying in a hotel without a voucher
• The remaining 9% are in transitional housing, substance abuse treatment, housing with a voucher, a home they own but are losing, hospital, incarcerated, or other.

Coordinated entry came out of recommendations of the Committee to End Homelessness, of which I am a Governing Board member.  FHC partners with more than 80 shelter and housing programs in King County and continues to reach out to programs who are not yet partnering.  Today, instead of calling 80+ programs individually, families needing housing now have a single access point to 80+shelter and housing programs.

FHC does not create additional housing resources and this new process does not shorten the months long waiting time it takes to get families into shelter or housing faster.

A year’s worth of work illustrates just how much there is yet to do.  Here is an excerpt from a recent report:

“As we all expected, year one presented many challenges.  No one has felt these challenges more than the 3,788 families who have accessed FHC. Long wait times for housing assessment appointments and much longer wait times for emergency housing produce anxiety and hopelessness for families awaiting our call.  The 215 families who are staying in a place not meant for human habitation are prioritized for emergency housing – but even with prioritization, they will wait months for a roof over their children’s heads.”  (my emphasis added)

Over this year period, FHC has referred 1,048 families to housing, 55% of them have either moved into housing or been accepted but not yet moved in; 19% of them were denied because background checks, credit checks, drug tests, etc. made them ineligible; 26% of referrals were refused by the family for various reasons.  After a family refuses a third referral, they are removed from the waiting list.

Improvements to the system over FHC’s first year include a change requested by the City Council under my leadership, specifically that the “first come first served” referral philosophy be shifted to prioritize families who are staying in a place not meant for human habitation. Future improvements planned, also requested by the City Council, include a. reducing barriers to referrals that currently lead families to be deemed ineligible as well as b. increasing placement assistance resources such as optional background checks and optional document scanning.

Tonight in King County, children in 215 families – while prioritized on top of this list – will sleep in a car, in a greenbelt, on the streets, in an encampment, or in abandoned building.  These children will wait months for their families to be placed in shelter or a hotel.  This is unacceptable for a region of our resources.  I intend to continue to advocate for additional funding to address the immediate housing needs for these children and their families and determine what it would cost to provide basic shelter services so that they do not have to sleep in places not fit for human habitation while they are working with an agency to become re-housed.