CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE amending Ordinance 126237, which adopted the 2021 Budget, including the 2021-2026 Capital Improvement Program (CIP); changing appropriations to various departments and budget control levels, and from various funds in the Budget; and adding or modifying provisos; all by a 3/4 vote of the City Council.
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WHEREAS, on February 29, 2020, the Washington Governor issued Proclamation 20-05, proclaiming a state of emergency for all counties throughout the state of Washington in response to new cases of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19); and
WHEREAS, on March 3, 2020, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan proclaimed a civil emergency in Seattle; and
WHEREAS, on March 5, 2020, the City Council adopted Resolution 31937 affirming the civil emergency, modifying orders transmitted by the Mayor related to the emergency, and establishing Council’s expectations related to future orders and reporting by the Mayor during the civil emergency; and
WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced that COVID-19 is officially a global pandemic; and
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared a national state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend against removing encampments while there is community spread of COVID-19 unless there is adequate housing available, defined as individual housing and shelter options; and
WHEREAS, King County’s Department of Community and Human Services has demonstrated success utilizing hotels to provide non-congregate shelter to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with its funding of the JustCARE program and use of hotels to deintensify and increase social distancing for people utilizing shelters operated by the Downtown Emergency Services Center (DESC) and Catholic Community Services; and
WHEREAS, the number of people experiencing homelessness who are considered at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19 is estimated to exceed the number of non-congregate shelter beds that the City has created in 2020 and early 2021; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle should take steps to provide additional non-congregate shelter for people who are experiencing homelessness and are at high risk related to COVID-19 as quickly as possible to mitigate further spread of COVID-19 and protect individuals from severe illness, hospitalization, and the risk of death; and
WHEREAS, in addition to helping address the needs of people experiencing homelessness who are at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19, the reduction of encampments in the Pioneer Square and Chinatown-International District neighborhoods has had a substantial impact on businesses and neighbors in those areas; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. In order to pay for necessary costs and expenses incurred or to be incurred in 2021, but for which insufficient appropriations were made due to causes that could not reasonably have been foreseen at the time of making the 2021 Budget, appropriations for the following items in the 2021 Budget are increased from the funds shown, as follows:
|
Item |
Department |
Fund |
Budget Summary Level/BCL Code |
Amount |
|
1.1 |
Human Services Department |
General Fund (00100) |
Addressing Homelessness (HSD-BO-HS-H3000) |
$12,000,000 |
|
Total |
$12,000,000 |
Section 2. This ordinance imposes a proviso, as follows:
“Of the appropriation in the 2021 budget for the Addressing Homelessness Budget Summary Level (HSD-BO-HS-H3000) in the General Fund (00100) and notwithstanding powers provided to the Mayor by Section 3 of the Proclamation of Civil Emergency dated March 3, 2020, $12,000,000 is appropriated solely to provide non-congregate shelter in hotel rooms, tiny home villages, and non-congregate enhanced shelters for individuals experiencing homelessness who are at increased risk for contracting or having severe outcomes from COVID-19 using a competitive procurement process and obtaining federal approval or pre-approval for the program, if necessary, and may be spent for no other purpose.”
Section 3. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force 30 days after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.
Passed by a 3/4 vote of all the members of the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2021, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________________, 2021.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Approved / returned unsigned / vetoed this ________ day of _________________, 2021.
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Jenny A. Durkan, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2021.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)