PRHSPSC MINS 07-10-2018City of Federal Way
City Council
PARKS RECREATION HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Tuesday July 10, 2018
5:00 p.m.
SUMMARY
Committee Members in Attendance: Chair Johnson, and Committee member and Moore
Committee Member Excused: Committee member Koppang
Council Member in Attendance: Deputy Mayor Honda
Staff Members in Attendance: Eric Rhoades, Assistant City Attorney, John Hutton, Parks Director,
Yarden Weidenfeld, Senior Policy Advisor, Jeff Watson, Community Services Manager, and Mary
Jaenicke, Administrative Assistant Il.
Guests: None
Chair Johnson called the meeting to order at 5:00pm
Commission Comment: None
Public Comment: Diana Noble-Gulliford stated that she was in attendance to listen to the report on the
Narcotics Enforcement Team. She stated that people are getting fed up with the crime and drug problem
in Federal Way, and they would like to see the laws enforced. They feel that some things are being
overlooked.
Committee member Moore moved to amend the agenda and have item 5.A presented before item 4.B.
Chair Johnson seconded. Motion passed.
BUSINESS ITEMS
Approval of Minutes
Committee member Moore motioned to approve the June 12, 2018 minutes as written. Chair
Johnson seconded. Motion passed.
COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON EMERGING ISSUES
Update on Homelessness Task Force
Mr. Weidenfeld provided an update on the Homelessness Task Force meetings. At the June 13 meeting
Dan Wise, Director of Homeless Services for Catholic Community Services led a discussion on the
causes of homelessness. There was also discussion on ways to replace affordable housing and barriers to
getting into housing. Mr. Weidenfeld reviewed a McKinsey &.Company Power Point on King County
and Seattle Homelessness. The study shows that there is an increase in homelessness in King County;
most homeless people are disproportionately people of color. There is also a diagram showing the
increase in rents; Federal Way used to be affordable, but it is now even difficult for people with middle
class incomes. Mr. Weidenfeld recently attended a Sound Cities meeting. The McKinsey report was
further discussed with the authors at that meeting. They believe the heart of the problem is thinking we
need to move people to self-sufficiency; but the problem is not jobs, people at zero to 50% annual
median income do not have a place to live, so the problem is a supply-side problem. Money needs to be
spent on getting people housed. At the June 27 Task Force meeting the group was divided into four Task
Groups. The Task Groups reviewed what they discussed and identified the chairs and co-chairs. Mr.
Weidenfeld also reviewed the agenda for the July 11 Task Force meeting. The Task Groups may meet
separately off-site but the Homelessness Task Force will still meet once a month as a whole. Committee
member Moore asked if the Task Force would be looking at the data on the number of homeless people
in Federal Way and the demographic breakdown. Mr. Weidenfeld said it is limited by the limited amount
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Tuesday, July 10, 2018 Summary
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of data available. Deputy Mayor Honda added that the best data may come from the school district, and
she does not like the fact that the data from the One Night Count is no longer broken down by City.
Committee member Moore also asked if the final report would include a goal of a measurable amount of
reduction in homelessness by a certain year. Mr. Weidenfeld referred to the Mayor's charge letter that
was given to the Task Force. Included in that letter was information on what must be included in their
final report. One of the items is a strategic plan of action to guide the Federal Way community in
responding to homelessness over the next one to five years. Mr. Watson stated that it's difficult to
identify how many homeless people there are in Federal Way because the numbers can change from day
to day. The estimate is that the number of homeless in King County tends to be much higher than what
the one-time count shows. Mr. Watson stated that the McKinsey conclusion that it's a supply issue is a
gross oversimplification of the problem. It neglects other issues around homelessness that are also very
important. Deputy Mayor Honda asked if there was any possible way to ask the people who conduct the
One Night Count to break down the numbers city -by -city. Chair Johnson voiced his concern that the
Council will be voting on the budget in November, and the final report will not be issued until December.
He wants to know what the Council can do to prepare for that report. Mr. Weidenfeld will follow up with
the Mayor. A lengthy discussion continued regarding the issue of homelessness.
Chair Johnson allowed members of the public to ask questions at this time.
Dennis Lamont Styles asked where the homeless people in Federal Way are coming from. He has heard
that people are coming from California because we have good benefits out here. He also asked how the
process will work with respect to the Task Force recommendations. Mr. Weidenfeld explained that the
report will go to the Mayor, after he has approved it, he will distribute it to the full Council. They will
decide on policy and funding based on the Mayor and the Task Force recommendations. Mr. Watson
stated that it's difficult to know where the homeless are coming from.
Lyn Idahosa asked if there was a way for the city to have All -Home release their data on the One Night
Count for Federal Way. Mr. Watson said the data is being captured for each city, but the model they're
using is not city -by -city. King County has been divided up into regions, and Seattle is its own region. Mr.
Watson will continue to push the issue with them.
Council member Moore would like to understand how the City gets money from the county to address
homelessness, and he requested that Mr. Watson make a presentation at the August Committee meeting.
He's concerned that the money is disproportionately less in Federal Way.
Tirzah Idahosa said that preventive efforts shouldn't be ignored. She has seen rents go up, and most
people can't stay in their housing for more than a year, because the rents are raised after one year. She
asked if the city was looking into a rental cap, limiting how often a person can raise the rent, or setting a
limit on how much they can raise the rent. Mr. Weidenfeld responded that the state law prevents any
community from imposing rent control.
The budget process was discussed. Committee member Moore would like there to be a public
explanation of how the budget works.
Committee member Moore requested to have Homelessness Task Force meetings recorded, and placed
on the City's website. He also requested a briefing on the Task Force be made at a City Council meeting.
PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, July 10, 2018 Summary
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Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team (VNET)/U S Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force Agreements
Chief Hwang was unable to attend the meeting. Committee member Moore moved to table the Valley
Narcotics Enforcement Team Agreement and have the presentation at the August Committee
meeting. Chair Johnson seconded. Motion passed.
This item was time sensitive and it was placed on the July 17, 2018 City Council agenda under City
Council Business.
NEXT REGULAR MEETING
August 14, 2018
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 6:45p.m.