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Home My WebLink AboutMalaba9j1tef’t-‘/z1AJ(/k-iitSHOUSINGDEVELOPMENTconsortiumNovember23rd,2020RentonCityCouncil1055SGradyWayRenton,WA98057RE:HDCCommentLetteronRenton’semergencyordinanceoninterimzoningcontrolsDearMayorPavoneandRentonCityCouncilmembers,Asanonprofitmembershipassociationrepresentingadiversegroupoforganizationsworkingdirectlyintheaffordablehousingandhomelessserviceprovisionsector,HousingDevelopmentConsortium(HDC)membersproduceandpreserveaffordablehomesacrosstheCityofRenton.Ourmembersarecommittedtothecreationofaffordablehousingandensuringdignityforalllivesthroughserviceprovisionforourneighborsexperiencinghomelessness.AsyouconsidertheinterimzoningcontrolsinresponsetotheRentonRedLionde-intensificationshelteroperatinginthecity,weexpressconcernandurgeyoutoworkonbolsteringtheelementsweknowareessentialforourcommunitytoexperienceanequitablerecovery—witheffectivehomelessnessresponse.TheCOVID19emergencyandthecrisisofhomelessnesscallsforproactiveleadershipthatcreatesapathtorecoveryandovercomeslimitations.Thenewhomelessservicesclassificationproposedintheemergencyland-usecodechangewouldmakeapplicationsonerousandpreventaneffectiveresponsetotheexacerbatedcrisis.TheJanuary2020PointinTimeCountfoundatleast11,751peoplewhowereexperiencinghomelessnessincommunitiesandneighborhoodsalloverKingCountyononenight.Thepandemicoverlaidonthishomelessnessandaffordablehousingarisescallonthecitytoinvestinandcreateimmediateemergencyhomesforthoseexperiencinghomelessness.HousingDevelopmentConsortiumofSeattle-KingCounty13265thAvenue,Suite230,Seattle,WA98101206.682.9541Iwww.housingconsortium.org HOUSINGDEVELOPMENTconsortiumAstudyconductedbytheUniversityofWashingtonandKingCounty’sDepartmentofCommunityandHumanServicesfoundimprovedphysicalandmentalhealthamongthosehousedinhotels,augmentedbyhavingasecureplacetocallhomeandreliableaccesstofood.Theshiftfromcongregateshelterstohotelskeptresidentssafe,slowedthecommunity’sspreadofCOVIDandtestedabetterapproachthatcanbescaledinpartnershipbylocalandregionaljurisdictions.DeliberationsontheCity’semergencyordinancemustattheircorebedrivenbytheimpetustofostersupportforarobuststrategytoaddresstheCOVID-19andhomelessnessemergency.Thankyoufortheopportunitytoprovidecommentonthisissue.Sincerely,H.H44MartyKooistraPatienceMalabaExecutiveDirectorPolicyManagerHousingDevelopmentConsortiumofSeattle-KingCounty13265thAvenue,Suite230,Seattle,WA98101206.682.9541Iwww.housingconsortium.org butdramaticallydiminishthevalueofhisproperty(while,intheprocess,puttingperhapshundredsofillmenandwomenonthestreet).ThereisnootherexplanationforwhythisCouncil—inthedeadofnightandwithoutmeaningfulnotice—isatryingtopasslegislationtargetingMr.Bath’sbusiness.Becausetheproposedactionsarebothunlawfulandheartless—notwithstandingtheimmenseexposuretheCityisinviting—weaskthatyoureconsider.2.PrefatoryRemarksAsapreliminarymatter,welearnedthatchangesmightbeintheworksonNovember17,anddidnotevengetasenseofthemuntilNovember19.Ourclients,therefore,havehadapproximatelyonebusinessdaytogettimelycommenttotheCitybeforethescheduledmeeting.Consequently,ourcommentswillnecessarilyliveatagenerallevel.Wehavehadneitherthetime,northeavailablemeans,tosecureequalaccesstotheCity’sinformationandworkwithourclienttoaddressalloftheconceivableissuesindetail.Thisletterisaccordinglywithoutprejudicetoadditionalobjectionsandlegalaction.Anysuggestionthatwe’vewaivedcomment—giventhetiming—wouldcontraveneeventhemostforgivingnotionsofdueprocessunderMathewsv.Etdridge,424U.s.319,333,96S.Ct.893,902,47L.Ed.2d18(1976).3.ThereIsNoEmergencyWefirstnotethat,thoughstyledasan“EmergencyOrdinance,”thereisnoemergency.TheCOVID-19pandemicisanemergency,tobesure.Butthependinglanduseregulationsarenot—andclaimingotherwiseonthefaceoftheOrdinancedoesnotchangethat:WHEREAS,inresponse,theCityCouncilhasdeterminedto,onanemergencyandInterimbasis,defineThomelessservicesuseslanduses,statethezoningdesignationsinwhichsuchIand,;usesateallowed,andestablishregulationstobeappliedtosuchuses.Duringtheinterimperiod)InwhichthisordinanceIsIneffect,ItistheCityCouncil’sdesiretohaveCitystafffurtherstudyoptionsforregulatinghomelessservicesuses;arid)WHEREAS,theCityCouncilfindsthatthereIsaneedtoadoptthisordinanceasanlnterim4zoningcontrolordinanceonanemergencybasis;andThisOrdinance,asexplicitlystated,isabout“mooting”ourclient’spendingactionsand“fixing”theanalyticalproblemswithCity’slegalpositioninCourt(e.g.,redefininghotel1).Ifanything,theseproposedchangesonlyservetomaketherealemergency(i.e.,thepandemic)worseby,amongotherthings,makingtheoperationofhomelesssheltersimpracticable,puttingnumerouspeoplewithCOVID19onthestreetwheretheywillbefurthervictimized,andpossiblydie.Forthisreasonalone,thezoningchangesshouldbereconsidered.InawaythatFurtherdamagesourclient.Seeinfra.7284032.1