HomeMy WebLinkAboutGrad 12.14.20From: Lindsey Grad <lindseyg@seiu1199nw.org>
To: "eprince@rentonwa.gov" <eprince@rentonwa.gov>; "rmcirvin@rentonwa.gov" <rmcirvin@rentonwa. gov>; "rcorman@rentonwa.gov" <rcorman@rentonwa.gov>;
"rperez@rentonwa.gov" <rperez@rento nwa.gov>; "apavone@rentonwa.gov" <apavone@rentonwa.gov>; "vohalloran@rentonwa.gov" <voha lloran@rentonwa.gov>;
"abenedetti@rentonwa.gov" <abenedetti@rentonwa.gov>; "Kvan@rentonwa.g ov" <Kvan@rentonwa.gov>
Date: 2020-12-14 18:17
Subject: FW: updated comments on City of Renton Emergency Ordinance 5996
Attachments: Sosne to Renton City Council.docx
CAUTION:ThisemailoriginatedfromoutsidetheCityofRenton.Donotclicklinks,replyoropenattachmentsunlessyouknowthecontentissafe.
Councilmembers,
I am writing again to please request that you do not pass the emergency ordinance 5996 as currently drafted. In
addition to supporting our management partner, DESC, in their comments I am sharing a letter from our union
President Diane Sosne.
Thank you and please let me know if I can answer any questions,
Lindsey
Lindsey Grad
Legislative Director
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
c: 425-919-9018/lindseyg@seiu1199nw.org
From: Daniel Malone
Sent: Monday, December 14, 2020 5:11 PM
LR - 000934
To: Armondo Pavone <APavone@Rentonwa.gov>; Angelina Benedetti <ABenedetti@Rentonwa.gov>; Randy
Corman <Rcorman@Rentonwa.gov>; Ryan McIrvin <RMcIrvin@Rentonwa.gov>; Valerie O'Halloran
<VOHalloran@Rentonwa.gov>; Ruth Pérez <RPerez@Rentonwa.gov>; Ed Prince <EPrince@Rentonwa.gov>;
Kim-Khánh Vnn <KVan@Rentonwa.gov>
Cc: Julia Medzegian <Jmedzegian@Rentonwa.gov>; Cc: CityClerk <CityClerk@Rentonwa.gov>; Lisa Chaiet
Rahman <lrahman@nwresourcelaw.com>
Subject: updated comments on City of Renton Emergency Ordinance 5996
Dear Mayor Pavone and Renton City Councilmembers:
Since I submitted comments to you on Friday 12/11 I became aware that a new version of Emergency Ordinance
5996 had been produced. Below please see comments from DESC’s counsel to the Renton City Attorney’s office
describing changes we believe are important to make the ordinance workable. Please consider those comments an
update to my email of last Friday.
I also wanted to share brief comments about our efforts to collaborate with the police and fire services in Renton.
From the beginning of this arrangement at the Red Lion, DESC has talked with Renton officials, including leaders
at the police and fire departments, in order to effectively collaborate in managing and mitigating the effects of
crisis situations that come up from time to time. We have appreciated these conversations and
information-sharing, which have allowed us to effectively reduce the number of calls to 911 that require an on-site
response by police or fire services. To clarify, the number of on-site responses is a low percentage of the
publicly-reported 911 calls received. Additionally, fire responses are not accompanied by police escorts, as is
stated in the draft ordinance.
Thank you for your consideration of these comments and information from DESC.
Daniel Malone
Daniel Malone
Executive Director
LR - 000935
DESC www.desc.org
515 Third Avenue
Seattle WA 98104
206-515-1523
dmalone@desc.org
From: Lisa Chaiet Rahman
Sent: Monday, December 14, 2020 11:14 AM
To: Leslie Clark <LClark@Rentonwa.gov>
Cc: Elaine Spencer <espencer@nwresourcelaw.com>; Shane Moloney <SMoloney@Rentonwa.gov>
Subject: RE: comments on City of Renton Emergency Ordinance 5996
Thank you for the update, Leslie. We are glad to see that the City has made several of our suggested deletions
from the ordinance. As outlined in the memorandum, several revisions remain necessary to make the ordinance
workable. The following revisions are important to ensure that a homeless services use can feasibly be sited in
Renton without unreasonable financial burdens and geographic barriers:
•Insert the underlined language into RMC 4-4-045 Homeless Services Use as shown:
•I.2.a. Number of Parking Stalls: Homeless services uses are unspecified under the terms of RMC 4‐4‐080.F.10.d, and required parking stalls shall be established by the Administrator,
based on staff demand, feasibility, and available transit, and approved by the Hearing Examiner.
•J.2. Common Areas: Common areas shall be provided to enhance resident enjoyment through inclusion of features such as libraries, roof decks, patios, and gardens. Unavailability of
any one or more of these features will not prevent the approval of a homeless services use application.
•K. Mitigation Measures: The City may impose reasonable and feasible conditions relating to the development, design, use, or operation of a homeless services use to mitigate
environmental, public safety, or other identifiable impacts.
• Delete the following provisions in their entirety from RMC 4-4-045 Homeless Services Use:
• F.2.g(ii): A plan for deployment (including time, place and manner) of security patrols;
• F.2.g(vi): A plan for managing individuals excluded from accessing the proposed homeless services;
• I.3.b.(ii): Shelters shall locate greater than one‐half (0.5) mile from any other homeless services use, unless they are co‐located as part of a single development and do not serve more
than a combined one hundred (100) residents.
• L. Independent Technical Review: The City may require the applicant pay for independent technical review by a consultant retained by the City for review of materials submitted by the
applicant to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of this Section.
• Delete the language from the definition of “Homeless Services Use” in RMC 4-11-080 as shown below:LR - 000936
•2. Overnight Shelter: Any facility that is operated for a long-term and indefinite period (and not in response to a single sudden event such as a natural disaster) for the primary purpose
of providing temporary shelter for people experiencing homelessness in general or for specific populations of people experiencing homelessness. Supportive services may or may not
be provided in addition to the provision of shelter. A COVID-19 deintensification shelter meeting this definition is a Homeless Services Use - Overnight Shelter.
• Delete the language from the definition of “Social Service Organizations” in RMC 4-11-190 as shown below:
•Social Service Organizations: Public or nonprofit agencies that provide counseling, therapy, job training, educational classes, food banks, clothing banks, or other social or human
services to persons needing such services, but do not provide crisis intervention, day or night shelter, or case management. This does not include religious institutions, offices,
government facilities, schools, hospitals, clinics, day care, homeless services uses, medical institutions, diversion facilities, lodging in any form, or residential uses.
•Revise RMC 4-2-060 Zoning Use Table – Uses Allowed in Zoning Designations to allow homeless services uses in some residential zones and additional commercial zones.
Specifically, we ask that, in addition to those currently included in the Ordinance, homeless services uses be permitted by Hearing Examiner Conditional Use Permit pursuant to the
ordinance in the following zones: Residential-14 (R-14), Residential Multi-Family (RMF), Commercial Neighborhood Zone (CN), and Commercial Arterial (CA).
The table should read as follows:
USES:
RESIDENTIAL
ZONING
DESIGNATIONS
INDUSTRIALCOMMERCIAL
ZONING
DESIGNATIONS
RCR-1R-4R-6R-8RMHR-10R-14RMFILIMIHCNCVCACDCOCORUC
G.
OTHER
COMMUNITY
AND
PUBLIC
FACILITIES
Homeless
services
use
HHHHHHHH H
As of the most recent draft, the City has declined to adopt our suggested changes to the zoning table and has
elected to open a very limited number of zoning districts to homeless services uses. If the City again declines our
proposed revision to the zoning use table, we request that the City allow for Hearing Examiner discretion in the
conditional use permitting process in allowing a homeless services use to operate outside of these limited zones.
As DESC and King County search for a location for a homeless services use that complies with the new ordinance,
the limitations on siting within the approved zoning districts will prove a great barrier. Experienced and competent
homeless services providers like DESC should be allowed to operate a facility in the zone where these types of
buildings currently exist, which are the City’s other commercial zones and zones with multi-family housing.
Insisting that homeless services providers operate almost exclusively in industrial zones is discriminatory and will
prevent the siting of a facility.
In addition to the above, we object to the findings of fact outlined in Attachment B to the extent that this narrative
describes DESC’s actions as hostile or uncooperative with the City and describes DESC’s clients as dangerous to
the citizens of Renton. We also disagree that the ordinance moots the ongoing lawsuit. Since its previous draft of
LR - 000937
the ordinance, the City has added statements regarding the letter sent to King County by the RRFA Fire Chief and
Fire Marshal on December 9. The letter describes the RRFA’s perceived safety concerns regarding operations at
the Red Lion and attempts to declare DESC’s use of the Red Lion an assisted living facility for fire code purposes.
The letter was not sent to the owners of the building and DESC was cc’d on the letter along with numerous
political figures. While DESC will be issuing a detailed response to RRFA’s letter, it objects to all statements in
the ordinance regarding its use of the Red Lion being any sort of institutional occupancy for fire code purposes.
Understanding that the Council is likely to adopt this ordinance as written, our primary objective, as outlined in the
memorandum, is to confirm the City’s stated intent to work with DESC to establish a homeless services use in
Renton prior to June 1, 2021. We would like the Council to specifically commit at tonight’s meeting to:
• Support efforts to locate and obtain a suitable pre-existing building for a homeless services use;
• Help to ensure the designated pre-existing building complies with fire and building codes;
• Assist DESC in efficiently completing its permit application under the ordinance;
• Collaborate with DESC to efficiently move its permit application through the City’s approval process; and
• Support DESC in its relocation.
Please feel free to reach out to me with questions regarding this proposal.
Thank you,
Lisa
Lisa Chaiet Rahman, Attorney
lrahman@nwresourcelaw.com
206.971.1568 (d)
208.290.6014 (c)
LR - 000938
101 Yesler Way, Suite 205
Seattle, WA 98104
www.nwresourcelaw.com
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email message and any included attachments are for the sole use of the intended recipient(s),
and may contain confidential and/or privileged information. Do not read, copy, forward, or print this email message or any
attachments unless you are the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender and destroy all
copies and printouts of this email message and/or attachments.
From: Leslie Clark <LClark@Rentonwa.gov>
Sent: Friday, December 11, 2020 4:52 PM
To: Lisa Chaiet Rahman <lrahman@nwresourcelaw.com>
Cc: Elaine Spencer <espencer@nwresourcelaw.com>; Shane Moloney <SMoloney@Rentonwa.gov>
Subject: FW: comments on City of Renton Emergency Ordinance 5996
Hi, Lisa –
Thank you for the additional comments from DESC, attached. DESC’s attached memorandum appears to respond
to the December 7 version of the proposed ordinance; we wanted to alert DESC that the version attached to the
City Council’s December 14 agenda packet contains updates (as noted at Item 7.a of the 12/14 agenda).
Thanks,
Leslie
Leslie Clark | Senior Assistant City Attorney
LR - 000939
City of Renton | 1055 S. Grady Way | Renton WA 98057
LClark@Rentonwa.gov
Remote Work Numbers: Voicemail (unstaffed) (425) 430-6482 | Mobile (206) 369-5584
From: Daniel Malone <dmalone@desc.org>
Sent: Friday, December 11, 2020 3:56 PM
To: Armondo Pavone <APavone@Rentonwa.gov>; Angelina Benedetti <ABenedetti@Rentonwa.gov>; Randy
Corman <Rcorman@Rentonwa.gov>; Ryan McIrvin <RMcIrvin@Rentonwa.gov>; Valerie O'Halloran
<VOHalloran@Rentonwa.gov>; Ruth Pérez <RPerez@Rentonwa.gov>; Ed Prince <EPrince@Rentonwa.gov>;
Kim-Khánh Vnn <KVan@Rentonwa.gov>
Cc: CityClerk <CityClerk@Rentonwa.gov>; Julia Medzegian <Jmedzegian@Rentonwa.gov>
Subject: comments on City of Renton Emergency Ordinance 5996
CAUTION: This email originated from outside the City of Renton. Do not click links, reply or open attachments unless
you know the content is safe.
Dear Mayor Pavone and Renton City Councilmembers:
Please find attached a memo re: Ordinance No. 5996: Emergency Ordinance Interim Zoning Controls - Homeless
Shelters, which is on your agenda for Monday, December 14.
I invite you to contact me to discuss this in further detail.
Thank you.
Daniel Malone
Daniel Malone
LR - 000940
Executive Director
DESC
515 Third Avenue
Seattle WA 98104
206-515-1523
LR - 000941
Name
March 17, 2021
Page 1
DIANE SOSNE
President
ROBIN WYSS
Secretary-Treasurer
JANE HOPKINS
Executive Vice President
CASEY RUKEYSER
Executive Vice President
SCOTT CANADAY
Vice President
GRACE LAND
Vice President
ELIZABETH SCOTT
Vice President
SERVICE EMPLOYEES
INTERNATIONAL UNION
15 S. Grady Way, Suite 200
Renton, WA 98057
425.917.1199
1.800.422.8934
Fax: 425.917.9707
www.seiu1199nw.org
YAKIMA OFFICE
8 E. Washington Ave. Suite
100
Yakima, WA 98903
509.573.9522
Fax: 509.248.0516
SPOKANE OFFICE
140 S Arthur St. #690
Spokane, WA 99202
509.456.6986
Fax: 509.456.5017
March 17, 2021 Via email Renton City Council 1055 S. Grady Way, Floor 7 Renton, WA 98057
Re: Red Lion Homeless Shelter
Dear Councilmembers:
I am the President of a labor union of more than 30,000 health care workers in Washington state, including 500 workers at Downtown Emergency Service Center (“DESC”). The Union’s headquarters is in Renton and shares a parking lot with the Red Lion Hotel, where more than 200 otherwise homeless people are being housed by DESC.
The Union employs more than 100 people, about 80 of whom are based out of our Renton office in the Evergreen Building on Grady Way. While during the pandemic most of the Union’s staff are working from their homes, our staff
routinely visits our Renton office for printing, mail or other necessities. We
continue to rely on the businesses around the Evergreen Building, including the gas stations, grocery store, Starbucks, Rite-Aid, and other businesses. Therefore, we are frequently in close proximity of the Red Lion Hotel and its residents and have knowledge about the homeless program that has been based
there for the last six months. We also have knowledge of the program because
of our members are employed by DESC, the non-profit organization providing the services to the formerly homeless at the Red Lion.
As a neighbor to the Red Lion hotel for the entire time it has been serving as a homeless shelter, we have never had any reason to complain about its
residents. Our office is less than a hundred yards away and we have not experienced any impact whatsoever on our ability to operate the union because the Red Lion is operating as a shelter.
LR - 000942
December 14, 2020
Page 2
Furthermore, we now have empirical evidence that investments in hotels as emergency shelters continues to help slow the community spread of Covid-19, which helps all of us. See
“Impact of Hotels as Non-Congregate Emergency Shelters,” October 2020, Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation. It would be dangerous to our community and to our already stretched health care system to substantially increase the risk of community spread by shutting down the Red Lion program.
It is a dangerous at any time for people to live without shelter, but particularly so during
our current pandemic when the CDC recommends allowing people to safely staff where they are. Furthermore, as the program itself poses no actual threat, we must wonder if this legislation is aimed instead to exploit fear and appeal to the prejudices of people rather than address any the very real problems facing our community, such as poverty. As your neighbors, we hope that you
will choose compassion and tolerance so that Renton remains a community welcome to all.
We urge the Renton City Council to provide leadership on the issue of homelessness and in this time of Covid-19. As immediate neighbors to the Red Lion, we do not understand the concern with the shelter. We would like to better understand your specific concerns, particularly in light of the proven benefits of the shelter. We urge you to reject the legislation under
consideration. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Diane Sosne, RN, MN
President
LR - 000943