CITY OF SEATTLE

ORDINANCE __________________

COUNCIL BILL __________________

AN ORDINANCE authorizing the Human Services Department to enter into a contract with a non-profit organization to provide outreach, engagement, case management, shelter, housing and other services to immediately move the campers at the encampment at 7116 W Marginal Way SW to appropriate shelter, housing and services; appropriating $500,000 for such purpose; declaring an emergency; and ratifying and confirming prior acts; all with a threefourths vote of the City Council.

WHEREAS, the City Council is concerned about the health and safety issues that exist at the encampment located at 7116 West Marginal Way SW and believes that the health and safety of campers is at risk; and

WHEREAS, public health challenges at the site have included rat infestation, flooding, and public safety issues demonstrated by ninety-five 9-1-1 calls between February 2011 and May 2013 related to assault, harassment, domestic violence, theft, property destruction, disturbances, and arson, as well as numerous police investigations of criminal activity; and

WHEREAS, the City completed a Phase I Environmental Assessment of the property located at 7116 W Marginal Way SW which indicated a long history of industrial uses likely resulting in environmental contamination of this site with solvents, degreasers, petroleum, metals that may pose additional risks to the health of the campers and others; and

WHEREAS, the City has endorsed the goals of the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness, which focuses predominantly on preventing homelessness and providing housing to end homelessness of individuals and families; and

WHEREAS, The City spends over $30 million on homeless services each year; and

WHEREAS, the City and Mayor together have provided an additional $1 million in funding for shelter, rapid rehousing, and other services over the last two years to help move homeless individuals and families off the streets and into shelter and housing; and

WHEREAS, New Orleans, Baltimore, and San Francisco have provided targeted outreach and engagement efforts to occupants of homeless encampments in their jurisdictions, and have been successful at moving most of the individuals in these encampments into stable, safe shelters, housing and services; and

WHEREAS, the City Council believes this type of effort provides the greatest opportunity to

assist the campers at 7116 W Marginal Way SW to end their homelessness and that it is

preferable for the City to invest in such an effort rather than supporting a demonstrably

unhealthy and potentially unsafe living situation at an encampment, such as the one located at 7116 West Marginal Way SW; and

WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes that such an effort will require a skilled non-profit

organization that has the staffing and expertise needed to immediately assist the campers at 7116 W Marginal Way SW to move to shelter, housing and services; and

WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes that such an effort will require additional City

resources to implement; and

WHEREAS, the City Council also recognizes that the problem of homelessness is a regional,

state, national, and international problem, and that the City has limited financial resources to address this problem; and

WHEREAS, the City Council is committed to continue to support programs and services that ultimately result in ending homelessness for individuals and families in our City.

NOW, THEREFORE

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. The City Council finds that the encampment located at 7116 W Marginal Way SW has created a public health and safety risk due to ongoing and potential public health and safety issues, as indicated by (1) numerous 9-1-1 calls and police investigations of criminal activities, and (2) a Phase I Environmental Assessment that addresses potential environmental contamination of the property. As such, the City Council finds that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety and believes that the City should act immediately to help the campers move off of the site and into appropriate shelter, housing and services.

Section 2. Consistent with the authority under Seattle Municipal Code 3.20.030 and Seattle Municipal Code 20.60.114, the Director of the Human Services Department (the "Director") or her designee is authorized to enter into a written contract with a non-profit organization without advertising or other process. The Director or her designee shall contract with a non-profit organization that has the expertise and staffing needed to immediately provide outreach, engagement, case management, shelter, housing and other services to the campers at the encampment at 7116 W Marginal Way SW. The contract shall require, under conditions specified by the Director, that the non-profit organization provide all campers with appropriate shelter, housing and services so that the encampment can be closed by September 1, 2013.

Section 3. In order to pay for necessary costs and expenses incurred or to be incurred, but for which insufficient appropriations were made due to causes that could not reasonably have been foreseen at the time of the making of the 2013 budget, appropriations for the following items in the 2013 budget are increased from the funds shown, as follows:

Section 4. The following proviso is imposed on the appropriation authorized by this ordinance: The $500,000 in funding authorized by this ordinance may be spent for services to be provided under a written contract with a non-profit organization to provide outreach, engagement, case management, shelter, housing and other services to the campers at 7116 W Marginal Way SW, and may be spent for no other purpose.

Section 5. The non-profit organization providing services at the encampment shall, at a minimum, continually collect and provide to the Human Services Department, the following information: the numbers of individuals contacted at the beginning and throughout the outreach efforts; the number of individuals accepting housing placement counseling; the number of individuals placed into housing, shelter, or services; and the number who have declined services. By August 15, 2013 the Human Services Department shall provide a report to the City Council containing this information, as well as how many people still reside at 7116 W. Marginal Way SW.

Section 6. By reason of the findings set out in this ordinance, and the emergency that is declared to exist, this ordinance shall become effective immediately upon its passage by a three-fourths vote of the Council, and its approval by the Mayor, as provided by Article 4, Subsection 1(I) of the Charter of the City.

Section 7. Any act taken by the City pursuant to the authority and in compliance with the conditions of this ordinance, but prior to the effective date, is hereby ratified and confirmed.

Passed by a three-fourths vote of all the members of the City Council on the ____ day of ___________, 2013, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _____________, 2013.

_________________________________

President __________of the City Council

Approved by me this ____ day of _____________________, 2013.

_________________________________

Michael McGinn, Mayor

Filed by me this ____ day of __________________________, 2013.

____________________________________

Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk

(Seal)

Traci Ratzliff Legislative Department, Encampment Transition Program Ordinance June 20, 2013 Version #3