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16)ic.t7rt’“t4),t17qMr1&Nov.23,2020DearRentonCityCouncilmembers,Wewritetoexpressourstrongobjectiontotheproposedemergencyinterimzoningcontrolordinance,“ClarifyingHotel,SocialServiceOrganizations,andDiversionFacilityLandUseDefinitions;DefiningandEstablishingRegulationsforHomelessServiceLandUses;andAmendingtheCommercialArterial(CA)ZoningDistricttoAllowOneCOVID-19DeintensificationSheltertoTemporarilyOperate.”ManyoftheCityofRenton’srepresentativeshaveconsistentlypushedthroughoutthepandemictoremovetheresidentsfromtheRedLion.ThoseresidentsaretheclientsofourmembersatDESC,andasahealthcareandbehavioralhealthcareworkers’union,SEIUHealthcare1199NWfightsdailyfortherightofourcommunity’shomelessresidentstoliveinsafetyanddignity,andtoreceivetheservicestheyneedtotransformtheirlives.Housingishealthcare,anddenialofhousingriskslives—especiallyduringapandemic.YourattempttooverridetheauthorityoflocalpublichealthofficialstoimplementthisshelterdeintensificationstrategyputsourentirecommunityatgreaterriskofthespreadofCOVID-19,andcouldcontributetotheoverwhelmingburdenhospitalslikeRenton’sValleyMedicalCenterwouldencounterfromanylocalspikeinCOVID-19cases.MakingthisvulnerablepopulationleavetheirplaceoftemporaryresidenceduringanepidemiciscountertoCDCrecommendationsandtooursharedpublichealtheffortstocontainthecoronavirus.WewritethislettertoyouwiththeunderstandingthatthereisalonganduglyhistoryintheUnitedStatesofusingzoninglawstosegregateanddiscriminate.Wealsoknowthatoverthelast5years,theaverageBlackorAfrican-AmericanshareofthehomelesspopulationinKingCountyis24%,whileBlackandAfrican-Americanindividualsmakeupjust7%ofthepopulationatlarge.Itisdifficultnottoseethiszoning-basedshelterde-intensificationeffortasjustanotherattemptbyalocalgovernmenttouselanduseinadiscriminatorymanneragainstmembersofourcommunitywhoarealreadymarginalizedandvulnerable.AsacommercialtenantoftheEvergreenBuilding,SEIUHealthcare1199NWhaspaidover$3millioninrentintheRentoncitylimitsjustoverthelastdecade.Ournearly100employeescontributetotheRentoneconomythroughincidentalspendingonmeals,gas,groceriesandotherincidentalsasdoourmembersandpartnerswhentheyvisitourheadquarters.Weunderstandthevalueofoureconomicactivitytoanyjurisdiction—wehavebeengoodcommunitymembersforyearsbutwearegreatlydisturbedtofindthatourmembers,theirwork,andtheirclientsarenotrespectedbytheCityofRenton.Ifindeedthatisthecasewewillnothesitatetorelocateourofficestoanyothercitythatdemonstratesitscommitmenttothesafetyofitshomelesspopulationandthepublichealthofitscommunity.WearenotsinglingouttheCityofRenton.EverycornerofKingCounty,andofWashington,haspeopleexperiencinghomelessness.Everycommunitymustalsostepupandtakeactiontoprovidehousingatalllevelsofneed—weasaunionareclearonthisateveryturn.Howeverthatuniversalcallcannotbetwistedintofinger-pointingbyonejurisdictionthattheyshouldnotsupportpeopleexperiencinghomelessnessdoesuntilothersdo.TheRedLionisasuccessfulandhealthyhousingenvironmentfor ourclients.Peoplearesafefromapandemic,reclaimingpartsoftheirdignitycongregateshelterorlivingunshelteredtookfromthem,andmakingprogresstowardsgoalsthatmattertothemlikereconnectingwithfamily,jobsearches,ortheirbehavioralhealth.ItisunconscionablethattheCityofRentonwouldopposethisprogress.WestronglyurgeyoutonotpassthisproposedemergencyordinancesothecountycancontinuetoprovideresidentsasafeplacetostayandtohelpcontrolthespreadofCOVID-19.ShouldyouhaveanyfollowupquestionsIamhappytoanswerthem,ortoconnectyoudirectlywithourmembersworkingattheRedLionorourelectedunionofficersrepresenting32,000healthcareworkers,thousandsofwhomworkand/orliveintheCityofRenton.Sincerely,LindseyGradLegislativeDirectorSEIUHealthcare1199NW15SouthGradyWay#200Renton,WA98057