CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE amending Ordinance 126000, which adopted the 2020 Budget; amending Ordinance 126148; amending a proviso; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
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WHEREAS, the Council passed Ordinance 126148 on August 10, 2020 in recognition of the financial impacts of the COVID-19 emergency, which include a severe local, state, national, and global economic recession, all of which impact the City’s revenue streams; and
WHEREAS, the long-lasting financial impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency and the City’s response to it meant that the City did not have sufficient resources to meet the 2020 Budget as adopted in November 2019; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 126148 adjusted the 2020 budget to reflect the new economic reality by acknowledging the significant decrease in revenues and increasing expenditures to combat the spread of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 126148 makes changes to HSD appropriations expand and maintain homelessness outreach and engagement; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 126148 makes immediate changes to the funding available to support in-house staff in HSD who are involved in homeless outreach and engagement services either directly or indirectly; and
WHEREAS, as of March 17, 2020, during the period of civil emergency in response to new cases of COVID-19, the Mayor halted encampment removals except under extreme circumstances that included situations where “living structures completely block the entire sidewalk, living structures prohibit safe entry and exit from a building or use of a facility, or are a public safety danger to occupants and/or greater community” with examples that include a living structure located on a ramp or roadway, blocking an entire sidewalk or bike lane, presenting fire or safety hazards to infrastructure (i.e. freeway supports/bridges), blocking entry or exit to a building, or being located in a play area; and
WHEREAS, there may be circumstances in which moving people is necessary, even in a pandemic, but in those limited cases such activity should be planned and implemented with great care and alternative workable living arrangements made available; and
WHEREAS, the Council and Executive agree to continue discussions on the most appropriate policy guidance and funding to support the City’s outreach and engagement with persons living unsheltered; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 24 of Ordinance 126148 is amended as follows:
Section 24. ((Of the appropriations in the 2020 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, $2,900,000 is appropriated solely to expand and maintain homelessness outreach and engagement services, which may include flexible financial assistance, case management, and housing navigation services, and may be spent for no other purpose.)) Of the appropriations in the 2020 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, $2,074,000 is appropriated solely to: (1) maintain and expand contracts for homelessness outreach and engagement services, which may include behavioral health services (possibly with a Designated Crisis Responder status), flexible financial assistance, case management, housing navigation services, and to support the technology needed and other administrative needs of the contracted service providers; and (2) for the Human Services Department’s (HSD) staff to coordinate and support outreach and engagement conducted by contracted service providers and other City departments, provided that HSD staff shall not directly contact individuals in need of outreach and engagement services except for the purpose of storage and retrieval of personal items in coordination with service providers; and may be spent for no other purpose. Not more than $245,000 shall be used in the remainder of 2020 to support the personnel costs of HSD staff for this work. In adopting this proviso, the Council expresses its policy intent that HSD will continue to coordinate and respond to unauthorized homeless encampments for the remainder of 2020, and that staff assigned to the Unsheltered Outreach and Response Team shall not exceed 8.0 FTEs.
Section 2. Any act consistent with the authority of this ordinance taken after its passage and prior to its effective date is ratified and confirmed.
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 the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2020, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________________, 2020.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Approved by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2020.
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Jenny A. Durkan, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2020.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)