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AboutRahman1LMIctL4tI,1%Ib4JIZIA)’NORTHWESTRESOURCELAWPLICLisaChaletRahmanlrahman@nwresourcelaw.comI206.971.1568(d)November23,2020Viaemail:cityclerk(rentonwa.gov;jmedzeian(Zi),rentonwa.ovandsupplementaltopublictestimonyprovidedduringthemeetingoftheRentonCityCouncil,November23,2020Re:CommentsonEmergencyOrdinanceAdoptingInterimZoningControlsToRentonCityCouncil:WerepresentDowntownEmergencyServiceCenter(“DESC”).WesubmitthesecommentsonitsbehalfontheCityofRenton’sproposaltoadoptinterimzoningcontrolsthroughanemergencyordinance.Theordinancegovernstwotopics:aCOVID-19facilityanda“homelessservicesuse”landusetype.Becausewefirstsawthedraftordinancelessthanoneweekpriortothehearingonthismatter,wehavenothadanopportunitytoprepareadetailedcritiqueofallportionsoftheordinance.Thefirsttopicoftheordinancedefinesa“COVID-19DeintensificationShelter,”butdoesnothingtoreducethespreadofCOVID-19.Throughthisdefinition,theCityattemptstomootthedecisionoftheCityHearingExaminerontheCity’sNoticeofViolation.TheCityissuedthisviolationtotrytoterminateDESC’suseoftheRentonRedLionHotel.DESCcurrentlyusesthehotelfortemporaryhousingofindividualspreviouslyhousedatitsdowntownSeattleMorrison1-lotetShelter.TheordinancewillnotmoottheappealoftheHearingExaminer’sdecisionandwouldlikelybesetasidebyacourtifadopted.ThesecondsubjectoftheordinancepurportstoestablishaprocessforpermittingfuturehomelessservicesusesintheCityofRenton.AlthoughweassumetheordinancewasdraftedasagoodfaithefforttosupportDESC’swork,theCityimposesconditionsthataresoonerousthatnohomelessservicesprovidercouldevermeetthem.RegardlessoftheCitysintent,theresultoftheordinancewillbethatnohomelessserviceswilleverbeestablishedinRenton.IftheCityactuallyhopestocreateanordinancethatprotectsitscitizens’interestswhileallowingfortheestablishmentofhomelessservices,DESCwouldbehappytoworkwiththeCitytocraftanordinancethatachievesthoseobjectives.Butthereisnobasisforadoptinganysuchordinanceonanemergencybasis.Untilalegitimatelegislativeprocesscanbeundertaken,DESCurgestheCounciltorejecttheemergencyordinance.101YesterWay,Suite205,SeattLe,WA98104206.971.15641www.nwresourcelaw.com November23,2020Page2of5AboutDISCDESCisoneoftheNorthwest’slargestprovidersofemergencyshelter,supportivehousing,andintegratedservicestosupportpeoplewhohaveexperiencedchronichomelessness.ItisrecognizednationaLlyasoneoftheforemostleadersinthefield,havingpioneeredtheconceptof“housingfirst.”Itcurrentlyownsandoperates1100unitsofsupportivepermanenthousingforpeopleleavinglivesofchronichomelessnessinfacilitiesspreadthroughoutKingCountyneighborhoods.DESCprimarilyworkswithindividualslivingwithmentalillness,substanceusedisorders,and/orchronichealthconditions,allofwhicharemajorcontributorstohomelessness.DESC’ssupportivehousingallowsindividualstostabilizetheirlivesandimprovetheirhealthstatus.Asaresult,DESC’sclientsareabletolivemoresatisfyinglivesandrelylessonpublicservices.DESCalsooperatestheonlycrisisdiversioncenterinKingCounty,servingupto46individualsatatime.Finally,DESCoperatesfiveshelters,includingitsMainShelter,locatedatTheMorrisonHotelindowntownSeattle.AttheMainShelter,DESCprovidedemergencyhousingtoapproximately250peoplewhowouldotherwisesleepoutside.WiththeonsetoftheCOVID-19emergency,LocalHealthOfficerDr.JeffreyDuchin,determinedthatcongregateshelters,wherepeoplesleepincommunalspaces,riskedtherampantspreadofCOVID-19.Heauthorizedandorderedshelterde-intensification.DESC’sMainShelterclientsthereforehadtobetemporarilymovedtoaCOVID-safefacility,suchasahotelormotelwithprivatesleepingrooms.MuchofDESC’sstipportivehousingissuccessfullyestablishedinresidentialneighborhoods.Toaccomplishthis,DESCworkswiththeneighborhoodswhereitsfacilitiesarelocated.Itconsistentlyreachesouttothecommunitybeforebeginningthepermittingofnewfacilitiesandmaintainscontactwiththeleadersoftheneighborhoodsoncethefacilityisopen.(DESCwouldliketoclarifyafactualerrorintheordinance’srecitals.Onpage2,theproposedordinancestatesthatDESCbeganusingtheRedLion“withoutcoordinatingwithCityofficialorstaff....“Thisisinaccurate.DespitebeinginthemidstofapublichealthemergencyrequiringDESCtoactquickly,DanielMalone,ExecutiveDirectorofDESC,personallycommunicatedwithRenton’smayor,firechief,andpolicechiefpriortooperatingattheRedLion.)DESCestablishesrulesofconductforitsresidentsthatencouragethemtobegoodneighbors.DESC’scomprehensiveapproachresultsinitsprojectssettlingcomfortablyintotheneighborhoodswheretheyarelocated,tothesatisfactionofitsneighbors.DESCwillbehappytoprovideneighborhoodreferencesforitsvariousfacilities.UsingtheRedLionforshelterde-intensificationhasprovedimmenselysuccessful,withnoCOVID-l9outbreaks.Withroomsoftheirownandaquietspacetospendtime,manyoftheresidentshavealsoshownmeasurableimprovementsintheiroverallhealthandwellbeingsincemovingfromthecongregateshelterenvironment.Thishastranslatedintolessdemandforemergencyservices,aswellasmorestabilityinthelivesoftheresidents.101YesterWay,Suite205,SeattLe,WA98104206971.1564www.nwresourcetaw.com November23,2020Page3of5The“COVID-19PeintensificationShelter”DefinitionThe‘COVID-19DeintensificationShelter”definitionispresumablywhattheCitywantstocallDESC’scurrent,temporaryuseoftheRedLionHotel.ThedefinitionallowsonlyoneofthesefacilitiesintheCommercialArterialzoneauthorizedbyatemporaryusepermit.Thenewdefinitionrequiresthatwithinsixmonthsoftheeffectivedateoftheproposedordinance,anyoperatingdeintensificationsheltermustreducetoserving100individuals.Beyondthe100-personcap,itisunclearhowlongtheordinanceallowsourclientstostayattheRedLion.Thisparcel-specificzoningappliesspecifically—andonly—toDESC’suseoftheRedLioninRenton.whichisacrucialcomponentofKingCounty’sshelterde-intensificationstrategytocombatthespreadofCOVID-19.DESCjoinstheCityinhopingthattheCOVID-19emergencywillbeoverwithinsixmonths.Butitcanmakenoguarantees.TheCity’stimelineandpopulationcaparearbitrary,wasteful,andifimplementedbeforetheCOVCD-19emergencyisover,wouldputatrisknotjusttheresidentsoftheRedLion,buttheCityofRentonasawhole.TheproposedordinancewouldrequireDESCtoreduceitsfacility’spopulationbyalmosttwo-thirds,forcing130homelessindividualsoutofsafehousingandontothestreetsofRentonduringanunprecedentedpublichealthcrisis.ResourcesexisttohousepeopleduringtheCOVID-19crisis,butRentonhasassertedthatthoseresourcesshouldsitemptywhilepeoplesuffer.Underthebestofcircumstances,DESCwillneedsometime,oncetheemergencyisover,torelocatethepeoplecurrentlylivingintheRedLion.AnyartificialtimelinerisksfurtherspreadofCOVID-19.TheCouncilshouldrejectthisdefinitionofaCOVID-19facilityandcollaboratewithDESCtocreateaworkablesolution.The“HomelessServicesUse”LandUseThenewlanduse,“homelessservicesuse,”articulatestheCity’sintentionto“expresslyallowforhomelessserviceslanduseswithintheCity”to“helpcombatthehomelessnesscrisisthatpredatedtheCOVID-19pandemic.”Wecommendtheseefforts.However,therequirementsoutlinedintheapprovalprocessforahomelessservicesusewouldpreventDESCandotherqualifiedhomelessservicesprovidersfromoperatinginRenton.ThefollowingisapreliminarylistofthehomelessservicesuseprovisionstowhichDESCobjects:•Theuseislimitedtotooresidentsand100beds.Thesenumbersareentirelyarbitrary.ToestablishahomelessservicesfacilityinRenton,ahomelessservicesproviderwouldbemorelikelytoacquireanexistingfacilitytoconverttoahomelessservicesusethanbuildanewfacility.Underthisproposedordinance,homelessservicesproviderswouldbereqtiiredtowastethecapacityofapreexistingfacilityover100people.Whileahornelessnesscrisis101YesLerWay,Suite205,Seattte,WA98104206.971.1564Iwww.nwresourcetaw.com November23,2020Page4of5rageson,astheCityhasrecognized,afacilityshouldbeusedtocapacity.Inthecaseofareuse,anylimitationonthenumberofpeopleservedshouldbedeterminedbythesizeofthefacility.•Theuseexcludeshousingforindividualsstayingforan“indefiniteperiod...inresponsetoasingleeventsuchasadisaster.”Thepossiblecausesforanyindividual’sexperienceofhomelessnessarenumerous.DESCdoesnotexcludeclientsbasedonwhateventresultedintheirlackofhousing.TheCityhasnorighttoimposesuchrestraintsonhomelessservicesproviders’discretion.•Someoftherequirementsoftheapplicationprocessappeartorequirethathomelessservicesprovidersmanagethelawfulbehaviorsoftheirclientswhentheclientsareawayfromthefacility.DESC’sclientsareentitledtotravelthestreetsofthecityjustlikeanyoneelse.AndDESCcannotmanagethemwhentheydoso.Itcanencourageitsresidentstobegoodneighborsandspecifybehaviorsthatarenotacceptable,butDESCcannotusurpitsclients’rightsorpolicetheirbehaviorswhentheyarenotataDESCfacility.Thespecifictermsthatareunacceptableinclude:Thehomelessservicesprovidercreatinga“planformanagingloitering,panhandling,andunpermittedcampingintheperimeterareaofthehomelessservicesuse...andaplantoaddressbehaviorthatisinconsistentwiththecodeofconductandRentonMunicipalCode”atpublicareassuchas“greenbelts,parks,libraries,[and]transitfacilities.”Aswritten,itappearstheseprovisionsdonotapplyonlytotheclientsofthehomelessservicesproviderbutapplytoanypotentiallyhomelesspersonanywhereinRenton.Whileitmaybereasonabletorequirethataproviderassesssanctionsonitsclients’behaviorintheimmediateneighborhoodthatmaybeunlawfulorthatviolatesreasonablecodesofcivility,suchregulationsmustbereasonableintermsofthebehaviorsandthegeographycovered.•Thehomelessservicesprovidersuggestingroutesthroughthecitythatclientsofhomelessservicesshouldtaketogettothefacility.•Thehomelessservicesprovidermustcreate“aplanformanagingindividualsexcludedfromaccessingtheproposedhomelessservices,”i.e.,aplantomanagethepeoplethattheproviderisnotserving.•Theproposedordinancerequiresthatthehomelessservicesprovidermanageitsclients’compliancewithsexoffenderlawsandconditionsofparole,probation,orcommunitycustody—taskstypicallyreservedforpolice.DESChasnomoreabilitytodothisthanahotelowner.Indeed,onemustaskifthereisanybasisotherthanprejudiceorstereotypinginattemptingtoimposesuchrequirementsonahomelessservicesproviderbutnotahotelier.Innumerousprovisions,therequirementsoftheproposedhomelessservicesuseappeartoequatehomelessnesswithdangerousnessandpresenthomelesspeopleasarisktopublicsafety.Examplesofsuchprovisionsincluderequiringvideosurveillanceofentranceandexitpointsandseparateentrancesandelevatorsforanytraditionalresidentialtenants.TheseprovisionswouldneedlesslycomplicateanyefforttoestablishahomelessservicesfacilityinRentonandwouldensurethatnoonewouldtr.DESCurgestheCounciltorejecttheproposedordinanceandto101YesterWay,Suite205,Seattle,WA98104206.971.1564www.nwresource[awcom November23,2020Page5of5directstafftoworkwithDESCtodraftarespectfulandeffectivehometessserviceslandusecodeprovision.Finally,thesubstanceoftheordinanceisnotthatofan“emergency”andthereforetheprocesstheCityhasemployedtoadopttheordinancelacksappropriateandrequiredproceduralandsubstantivedueprocess.TherecitalsacknowledgethatthehomelessnesscrisisinKingCountyisaseriousregionalchallenge...thatpredatestheCOVID-19pandemic.”Thisnewusecomprisesthemajorityoftheproposedordinance,thoughitisexpresslynotrelatedtotheongoinghealthcrisisthatwouldjustifyanemergencyordinance.EventheprovisionsrelatedtoCOVID-19intheproposedordinancearenotjustifiedbysuchaprocess,asthesedonothingtopreventthespreadofthedisease.Thisletterisnotacompleteanalysisoftheproposedordinance,astheCityhasprovidedextremelylimitedtimetothepublicforcomment.DESCanditscounselweregivennoticeontheafternoonofNovember17thattheCouncilwouldbeholdingapublichearingonthismatteronMonday,November23.TheagendapacketwiththematerialsforthehearingwaspostedlateinthedayonThursday,November20.Peopleexperiencinghomelessnessaresomeofthemostvulnerablepeopleinourcommunities.Manyarelivingwithdisabilitiesandallaregoingthroughextremelydifficultandtraumaticexperiences.Theyrequiresafeplacestostayandsupportservices.Zoningcodesthatmakeprovidingthiscriticallyneededhelpmoredifficult,workagainsttrueregionalsolutionstohomelessness.AstheproposedordinanceisclearlyintendedtodirectDESCinitscurrentandfutureoperations,theCityshouldhaveconsultedwithDESCandcollaboratedthroughatraditionallegislativeprocesstocreateaworkableordinance.DESCnonethelessstandsreadytoworkwiththeCitytoachieveaneffectiveordinance—iftheCouncil,asitshould,putsthisordinanceasideanddirectsstafftoworkwithus.Verytrulyyours,LisaChaietRahman101YesterWay,Suite205,SeattLe,WA98104206.971.1564Jwww.nwresourcetaw.com