2019-10-28 Council PKT - Special CITY OF
Federal Way
Centered on Opportunity
CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING/STUDY SESSION AGENDA
Council Chambers - City Hall
October 28, 2019 — 5:00 p.m.
1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. REVIEW OF HOMELESSNESS TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS
a. Staff Report: Sarah Bridgeford, Community Services Manager
b. City Council Questions & Discussion
4. CITIZEN COMMENT
PLEASE COMPLETE A PINK SLIP AND TURN IT IN TO THE CITY CLERK PRIOR TO SPEAKING.
When recognized by the Mayor, come forward to the podium and state your name for the record. Please limit
your comments to three minutes. The Mayor may interrupt comments that exceed three minutes,relate negatively
to other individuals, or are otherwise inappropriate.
5. COUNCIL DISCUSSION/POTENTIAL ACTION
6. ADJOURNMENT
City Council Meetings are wheelchair accessible; and assisted listening devices for use in the Council Chambers are available
upon request to the City Clerk. Regular Meetings are recorded and televised live on Government Access Channel 21. To view
Council Meetings online please visit www.cityoffederalway.com.
COUNCIL ME--ETIN-----------G DATE: October 28, 2019 ITEM#: 3
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CITY OF FEDERAL WAY
CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA BILL
SUBJECT:HOMELESSNESS TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS
POLICY QUESTION: Should the Council approve the Homelessness Task Force recommendations A.1,A.3,
A.4, 13.2,B.3, and B.5 with staff modifications?
COMMITTEE: n/a MEETING DATE: n/a
CATEGORY:
❑ Consent ❑ Ordinance ❑ Public Hearing
® City Council Business ❑ Resolution ❑ Other
STAFF REPORT BY: Sarah Brid eefford DEPT: CD
Attachments: Staff Report
Homelessness Task Force Report
Options Considered:
1. Adopt staff's recommendations to continue to analyze and prepare action for future Council action on
items A.1,A.3,A.4,B.2, B.3, and B.5 as modified by staff.
2. Direct staff to continue to work on items [insert item numbers].
3. Take no action and provide direction.
MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATION: Option 1
MAYOR APPROVAL: n/a I� a� DIRECTOR APPROVAL: b x-41
Committee C'oun:il Initial,:Datc
InitiaUDate Initial/Date
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: n/a.
n/a n/a n/a
Committee Chair Committee Member Committee Member
PROPOSED COUNCIL MOTION: I move approval of the Homelessness Task Force recommendations A.1, A.3,
A.4, B.2, B.3, and B.5 with staff modifications.
(BELOW TO BE COMPLETED BY CITY CLERK'S OFFICE)
COUNCIL ACTION:
❑ APPROVED COUNCIL BILL#
❑ DENIED First reading
❑ TABLED/DEFERRED/NO ACTION Enactment reading
❑ MOVED TO SECOND READING(ordinances only) ORDINANCE#
REVISED- 4/2019 RESOLUTION#
CITY OF FEDERAL WAY
MEMORANDUM
DATE: October 22, 2019
TO: City Council Members
VIA: Jim Ferrell, Mayor
FROM: Sarah Bridgeford, Community Services Manager
SUBJECT: Homelessness Task Force Recommendations
Financial I111pacls:
The cost to the City for the Homelessness Task Force recommendations would be primarily
staff costs at this time and generally would fit within current workloads. For longer-term
strategic recommendations such as shelter,there will be future costs associated that need to
be analyzed and incorporated in future budgets as appropriate.If additional recommendations
are considered, cost analysis would need to occur.
Background Information:
In 2018, the Federal Way City Council identified addressing homelessness as a priority
for the City. Mayor Ferrell convened the Homelessness Task Force in April of 2018 and
the group completed its report in December 2018.
Staff Recommendations:
Staff recommendations for prioritization are based on addressing longer term strategic
plans as well as immediate actions. The descriptions of each recommendation are based
on the Homelessness Task Force Report, but do not follow it exactly. The report is
included for reference.
Recommendation A.1: Expand Shelters as Gateways for Progress
Federal Way and south King County lack sufficient year-round shelters. With the
addition of the Mary's Place family shelter in Burien last year and FUSION's
anticipated shelter in 2020, family shelter should be better addressed leaving the
largest gaps for adults and unaccompanied youth and young adults. The
recommendation by the Task Force included connecting shelters to the continuum of
care and all other services and programs as an integrated approach.
Staff Recommendation: Move forward with planning a year-round shelter for men
and women. Regardless of the model, shelter will take both significant capital
1
investment and funding for ongoing operations,maintenance, and service
delivery. Such projects take planning and often years to develop so it is
recommended to continue to work toward establishing a shelter locally. It is also
recommended that the City explore and support funding options when a shelter
project is ready to move forward.
Mayor's Recommendation: Adopt and recommend the staff recommendation.
Recommendation A.3: Develop a Community Coordinated Outreach Program
The Task Force recommended a citywide targeted outreach plan. While existing
outreach teams exist, the need exceeds the capacity. The outreach program could
incorporate the peer navigator model included as recommendation 8.
Staff Recommendation: Proceed with feasibility and cost analysis of increasing
outreach programs.
Mayor's Recommendation: Adopt and recommend the staff recommendation.
Recommendation AA: Create or Expand Online Resources
The Task Force recommended either creating a new online resource or working in
collaboration with 211 to ensure both local and regional resources are easily
accessible.
211, operated by Crisis Connections, offers an online resource listing. This system
includes staff focused both on the technical side as well as ensuring content is updated.
Crisis Connections works to continually improve 211 as a resource. Such a resource
requires dedicated staffing both on the technical side for the development and
maintenance of a website, but also for content and ensuring resources are up to date.
Staff Recommendation: As 211 offers a robust online resource for the region, staff
recommends further analysis of what might be missing locally and collaborating
with local services and 211 to make corresponding improvements when possible
or identify local opportunities for sharing resources without establishing a new
resource website.
Mayor's Recommendation: Adopt and recommend the staff recommendation.
Recommendation B.2: Create a Group to Coordinate Clean-Up Programs
The Task Force recommended creating a group to analyze ways to clean up our
community and implement best practices, which may include options such as work
crew, structured community services, partnerships, subscription services for clean-up
and security. Best practices should include prevention, mitigation, and remediation.
2
Staff Recommendation in coordination with Judge Larson: Move forward with a
Clean-Up Program, preferably with a structured community service program in
coordination with the court. Analysis will be required on the feasibility, cost, and
structure.
Mayor's Recommendation: Adopt and recommend the staff recommendation.
Recommendation B.3: Continue Vigilant, Effective, Collaborative, and
Mission-Focused Law-Enforcement
The Task Force recommended continuing current law enforcement to keep the
community safe and secure. The recommendation included acknowledgment of both
addressing and preventing crimes as well as maintaining connection to services for
persons experiencing homelessness. Federal Way utilizes its Special Operations Unit
(SOU) to address homelessness. The SOU focuses on safety while also partnering with
service providers to assist in facilitating access to services when safe and appropriate
to do so.
Staff Recommendation in coordination with Deputy Chief Neal: Approve the
recommendation as written.
Mayor's Recommendation: Adopt and recommend the staff recommendation.
Recommendation B.5: Prevent the Re-Establishment of Dismantled
Encampments
The Task Force recommended preventing the re-establishment of encampments that
are closed and cleaned up. The recommendation included encouraging pooling of
resources to hire security firms and underbrush clearing techniques, which has been a
successful tool in preventing the re-establishment of encampments. A cost analysis
was recommended.
Staff Recommendation from Brian Davis, Community Development Director:
Investigate code and fee revisions to ease the process in obtaining underbrush
clearing permits.
Mayor's Recommendation: Adopt and recommend the staff recommendation.
3
Additional Homelessness Task Force Recommendations
While all the recommendations address needs in the community, the following likely
have larger immediate budget requirements and/or need additional analysis for
consideration.
Recommendation A.2: Create a Community Coordinated Response
The Task Force recommended the creation of a Federal Way specific collaborative
group comprised of a wide array of stakeholders to better coordinate the response to
homelessness and ensure the service delivery system and policies lead to the success of
people experiencing homelessness. The recommendation included the provision that
the collaboration be staffed if and when additional funds are available for new staff.
Recommendation A.5: Increase the Availability of Affordable Housing and the
Effectiveness of the Coordinated Entry System
The Task Force recommended both increasing affordable housing in Federal Way and
improving collaboration with the King County Coordinated Entry System to increase
housing placements. While these are two distinct actions, they are interconnected as
without enough available affordable housing, especially units affordable to households
at or below 30% of the area median income, housing placements for households
experiencing homelessness are more difficult to achieve.
Additionally, the ongoing development of a Regional Homelessness Authority may
change what collaboration looks like regarding Coordinated Entry, but does not
diminish the importance of such collaboration.
Recommendation A.6: Increase the Equitable Delivery of Services
The Task Force recommended addressing gaps in the full spectrum of services that
may help people experiencing homelessness as the work to achieve housing and
stability. Such services include, but are not limited to shelters, mental health treatment,
and addiction treatment. While it may not be feasible to have every service residents
may want and need to access available in the City,there may be core services that
should be present in Federal Way where the need exceeds the capacity or that are not
currently offered locally.
Recommendation A.7: Partner with Local Agencies to Install Public Phones
The Task Force recommended installing public phones to facilitate access to services
for individuals in need and/or experiencing homelessness.
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Recommendation A.8: Hire and Train Peer Navigators
The Task Force recommended a peer navigator program to facilitate access to services
for individuals in need and/or experiencing homelessness. A peer navigation program
would be staffed by individuals with lived experience who are often better able to
establish rapport and connection with individuals experiencing homelessness and thus
increase the number of persons who access services.
Recommendation BA: Allow a Safe Parking Program
The Task Force recommended allowing safe parking programs and considering
necessary changes to the Federal Way Revised Code to allow such programs with
reasonable restrictions and requirements.
Recommendation BA: Better Coordinate with Criminal Justice Programs
The Task Force recommended investment in Community Court to incorporate
restorative practices in conjunction with the proposed community coordinated
response (recommendation 2). Investment will allow for more access to community
programs that help to reduce recidivism.
5
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Members:
SherryEdme/rds, (TASK FORCE [HA|R)' Community Health Peggy LaPorte, Founder, Former President, and Executive
Nurse (Kaiser Permanente)' Governing Board Member Board Member(FUS0N)
(Federal Way Community[a,egivingNetwork),Board Member David Larson,Judge(City ofFederal Way Municipal Court)
(Ashley House)
Kimberly McGlynn, Operations Manager (King County
Jeff BeUUinghswseo,(TASK FORCE V|[E'CHA|R).Captain and Library System)
Community Affairs Off icer(South King Fire&Rescue)
Allyson Moon,Community Impact Liaison(Mary's Place)
Chantel Arnone' Emergency Department Clinical Manager
Jackie Muth,Pa�ne,(W1ah�&Assodate�
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(CHI FranscanHealth)
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��e��a� Neal, Deputy [hief ([ityofFedera| VVayPo|ice
^�nmyeBmmnson'Dohert]� Executive Director (Advancing '
Leadership) Department)
Jeanne Burbidge, Former Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and City Lynn Ormsby, Advisory Board Member (Sound Alliance/
[ound|member(City ofFederal Way) Federal Way Day Center)
Angela Coe,South Division Director(Valley Cities Behavioral Shelley Pauls,Liaison(Federal Way faith community)
Health) SxazieScarpaci' Probation Supervisor(City nfFederal Way
Nathaniel Cook,Community Helper(Federal Way) Municipal Court)
Ken Stark,Vice-Chair(City ofFederal VVay Human Services����n�sna��[hiefExecutiveOfficer(W4u|ti'5emiceCente�
Commission)
Dan Dioon' Executive Director ofHuman Resources and
Community Relations(Federal Way Public Schools) Rebecca Stephens, Community Resource and Referrals
Program Manager (United States Department of Veterans
���UKa�a��es'AdvisoryBoardK8ember(R«ach0«� Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System)
Byron Hiller, Property Management Division President Dan Wise,Director ofHomeless Services(Catholic Community
([o|dwe||Banker Commercial Danforth) President' Services in King County)
Staff:
Sarah Bridgefomd^ Community Development Block Grant/ Ymp6en Weidenfeld, Senior Policy Advisor(City of Federal
Human Services Coordinator(City nfFederal Way Community Way Mayor's Office)
Development Department)
Jeff Watson' Community Services Manager(City ofFederal
Way Community Development Department) CITY OF
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REPORT OF FEDERAL WAY, WASHINGTON
MAYOR'S TASK FORCE ON HOMELESSNESS
In a time of crisis people want to know that you care,
more than they care what you know—Will Rogers
I. INTRODUCTION
During its February 2018 retreat, the Federal Way-City Council identified increasing
homelessness in our community as a significant priority for the City. In response to the
Council's acknowledgement and the efforts of the Mayor's Homeless Mothers and Children
Initiative (HMCI) in 2017, Mayor Ferrell convened the broader Homelessness Task Force in
April 2018. The group was charged with working to better understand homelessness in Federal
Way and to develop a Strategic Plan of Action.
II. FINDINGS
A. Causes and Impacts for People Experiencing Homelessness
Our community and its leaders must start by abandoning any preconceived notions
about homelessness and its causes. The reality is that the causes of homelessness are as varied
as the individuals experiencing homelessness. See Appendix A.
This means that any attempt to develop cookie cutter solutions or to develop narrow or
limited programs that do not fit as part of a comprehensive solution will not truly address the
root causes of a pervasive problem affecting countless individuals and families.
Some efforts intended as solutions may actually exacerbate homelessness if they are
implemented without a keen understanding of the individual, community, societal, and
institutional dynamics that operate at the root cause level. Truly effective and compassionate
solutions must focus on eliminating, or at least mitigating, the root causes of homelessness for
each individual served so that they can move forward on a path to the ultimate goal of
sustainable housing and a stable lifestyle.
Experiencing homelessness means living in crisis. Imagine having no place to go, no
warm, safe, and dry place to sleep. No guarantee of the next meal, or even water to drink.
Simple daily living essentials that most of us take for granted are rare luxuries for the homeless.
People experience homelessness differently. Families live in their cars if they cannot find
shelter. Family life is disrupted as children struggle to do well in school and to fit in socially.
Homelessness creates despair, hopelessness, and depression, which feels insurmountable—
similar to being at the bottom of a deep well without a ladder. No connections, no social
network, no stability, no getting out.
Stories from people experiencing homelessness tell a tale of constant fear and desperation
1
because of the inability to meet basic human needs. It is a tale of indignity fueled by the
contempt with which the homeless are treated. Contrary to much of public perception, people
experiencing homelessness are often victims of crime and abuse themselves since they are
exposed to the elements and have no ability to protect themselves or their possessions.
B. Community Impacts of Homelessness
L Introduction
In addition to the impacts on the people experiencing homelessness, the community
impacts are broad and wide-ranging. In many ways, the impacts are creating a"them and us"
atmosphere based upon misperceptions that all people experiencing homelessness are creating
problems for the community; this is simply not true.
There is a general perception that providing more services to the homeless population
has prompted criminals to come to our community to take advantage of those services. This
perception makes it more difficult to build trust and cooperation by all concerned. However, the
majority of people experiencing homelessness lives beneath the radar as law-abiding citizens.
They are struggling for normalcy in a world that is full of barriers and the lack of community
resources that can help break down those barriers.
ii. Public Safety and Crime
With that said, some people experiencing homelessness are impacting the community
adversely with substance abuse, theft, trespass, threatening behavior, other criminal conduct,
panhandling, and unlawful encampments that create health dangers for the community and for
the occupants themselves with violent crime, litter, lack of sanitation and adequate healthcare,
used drug paraphernalia (including used needles), food waste, and human waste. Fires have
also been a dangerous result of the encampments and have threatened homes as well as
property. The net effect is increased concern by members of the community for their safety,
health, property, and even environmental concerns with encampments that pollute our
watersheds, especially at or near the Hylebos.
Furthermore, there is increasing police and code compliance involvement in responding
to the law violations and other problems associated with the destructive behavior by some in
the homeless community. The overall crime rate in Federal Way has dramatically declined in
both 2017 (by ten percent) and 2018 (by approximately another ten percent as of the writing of
this report), but police are nevertheless experiencing an alarming increase in crime committed
by a certain percentage of the homeless population, primarily those living in encampments.
From 2016 to 2017, empirical data from Federal Way show a 105% increase in criminal calls
for service involving a person or people experiencing homelessness. A large number of these
calls involve criminal trespass, which some regard as endemic to the homelessness crisis and
the lack of available services.
iii. Specific Effects on Residents and Businesses
The term "experiencing homelessness" can be applicable to members of the larger
community if one applies the term to those in the community who are forced to expend their
own money cleaning up property, repairing property, replacing stolen property, and paying
security costs and other direct and indirect expenses associated with issues caused by a small
percentage of those actually experiencing homelessness in the community.
2
Businesses and residents want a community that is safe, clean, and affordable.
Businesses look for a community where business costs are manageable. The impact of the
homeless issue on businesses is a valid concern because of the direct and indirect costs of
reacting to the problems experienced.
iv. Conclusion
However, perhaps the most troublesome impacts on the community are the sense of
frustration and helplessness by many and the "them and us" atmosphere created when people
feel victimized by what seems to be endless and uncontrollable adverse impacts, including the
effects of criminal conduct. The reaction by many is to oppose or cast a negative light on any
attempts to provide services to people perceived as the perpetrators. The resultant environment
of mistrust creates a no-win cycle. Specifically, the cycle of homelessness continues because
some of its root causes, such as addiction and untreated mental illness, are not addressed in
therapeutic and constructive ways when needed programs are cut, limited, or even prevented.
We must do all that we can to build an atmosphere of teamwork and trust in the community by
all affected constituencies if we are going to experience any level of meaningful success.
C. Available Services
The temptation would be to just create an inventory of available services for this report.
However, this exercise will only be germane if effort is made to analyze the navigation of those
services from the standpoint of the person seeking them.
There are some model examples of partnerships and cooperative efforts in Federal Way,
but many services are organized as silos that work independently, and in some cases, without
the knowledge of other available services.
Services are difficult to navigate for the person experiencing homelessness because of
the lack of any cohesive interface for them. In many cases,people are bounced among various
programs with multiple applications and personal interactions with varying success and
consistent failure for those that are experiencing need. Inadequate capacity to address the need
can also be a part of the problem. This results in mistrust and a sense of hopelessness on the
part of many experiencing homelessness.
The overall resources in Federal Way could be better organized in a cohesive and
deliberate manner to make it easier for the person experiencing homelessness to navigate
potential solutions. There is also a stark inequity in the distribution of services throughout
King County. This reality serves to perpetuate the conditions that keep many people from
placement into sustainable housing and from experiencing a stable lifestyle.
There is a desire and ability of our local court system to link defendants with needed
services that can serve to reduce recidivism and therefore reduce community impacts. The
court has the unique ability to compel treatment and other services as part of sentences. There
has been some success with community court,but much more could be done that would serve
to increase compliance with sentences, reduce jail costs, and assist in community clean up with
structured community service and work crew. There could also be a pre-trial release program
3
that could encourage referrals to treatment and other services if we coordinated existing
services with court operations.
Finally, conflicting regulations and policies in the myriad programs offered contribute
in many cases to ineffective or inconsistent delivery of services. There needs to be a broader
conversation about how goverment regulations and organizational policies are actually
hampering efforts to address homelessness.
III. STRATEGIC PLAN FOR PROPOSED SOLUTIONS
A. Overview
As noted, individuals and the community at large are "experiencing"homelessness.
This means that any strategy must address the root causes and the adverse effects of
homelessness on individuals, families, and the community at large. Facing an issue of this
magnitude, we must act with decisiveness and urgency.
We must view solutions holistically with the understanding that unintended
consequences can be avoided if we work together, are honest with ourselves and each other,
and do not invest ourselves in an idea or ideology that may feel good but does not do much
good.
Focusing too much on the effects on the community will become a resource-intensive,
never-ending battle unless we address individual root causes. Focusing too much on individual
root causes and ignoring the community effects will create a crisis of public confidence in
programs intended to work compassionately with individuals experiencing homelessness.
Focusing too much on the effects to the individuals experiencing homelessness without
addressing root causes perpetuates their problems and does not do enough to help them achieve
a stable lifestyle and permanent housing. Focusing too much on the root causes without
ameliorating the immediate impacts keeps the person in a state of perpetual instability, making
it difficult to make progress on root causes.
We must also be realistic that many of the solutions that would work best are beyond
our reach as a community due to high costs and a significant lack of local resources. However,
we have opportunities to maximize existing resources and seek additional outside resources if
we work together. A regional approach may be the best way to leverage resources and
increase the impact of services.
B. The Path to Solutions for Individuals
It is essential when developing solutions for individual root causes and individual
impacts that compassion is always in balance with accountability. Too much compassion leads
to dependency with little progress for the individual served. Too much accountability, such as
zero tolerance policies, leads to individuals being cut off from needed programs for relatively
minor rules violations.
Services should be coordinated and strategic and should always strive to see each
4
person as having unique challenges. We need to adopt a belief that compassion requires us to
provide people with the opportunity to seek and achieve permanent solutions. It is not
compassionate if we encourage long-term dependency on services and charity to the exclusion
of encouraging self-sufficiency, productivity, and a stable lifestyle.
In order to maximize the positive impact on those we intend to serve through the
services we offer, there must be a community-coordinated response with an ongoing ethic of
compassion by those delivering services coupled with an expectation of progress and
accountability by the person receiving those services. However, we cannot hold people
accountable for progress if we do not provide a clear path for them to follow with specific
achievable benchmarks that can measure their progress.
The challenge is to provide a coordinated continuum of solutions that align with the
spectrum of root causes with the most difficult to address on one end and the easiest to address
on the other end. The continuum of solutions should be organized in a way that recognizes
where the suggested solution fits in a continuum of needs. The continuum of needs can be
broken down into broad categories such as "in crisis", "vulnerable", "stable", "safe", and
"thriving". Applicable services can then be organized within those categories in a manner that
provides for progress from "in crisis" to "thriving".
There must be clear paths for the community and the affected individual that allows for
an organized, prompt, and proper assessment and referral to needed services. This means that
we must be willing to organize and augment existing services and aggressively seek additional
resources to fill identified voids. This is especially true for mental health and addiction
intervention and treatment which are sorely lacking proper financial support and availability in
our community. The same can be said for many other needed resources, such as shelters and
affordable housing.
We must see solutions as part of an ongoing cycle and not as a temporary Band-Aid that
masks the underlying cause(s). The individuals experiencing homelessness can then be met
where they ares in the spectrum and can begin a path of solutions that will lead them on a
continuum of progress to sustainable housing and stable lifestyles.
C. The Path to Solutions for the Community
When addressing community impacts and problems, we must do so holistically. We
must find ways to work together to tackle the issues we confront in a unified, constructive, and
systemic manner.
Some policies penalize property owners for"allowing" homeless encampments. Other
policies increase scrutiny of and exact consequences from service providers that are perceived
to be an attraction to people who create problems for the community. These policies may
perpetuate the "them and us" environment that makes any meaningful progress impossible.
With that said, service providers should be able to justify the utility of their program by
striving to make it a part of the coordinated continuum of solutions that leads to positive
1 The who,what,where,when, and why of each individual's circumstances.
5
outcomes for the individuals they serve. The City must ensure that service providers it funds be
able to show an objective measure of their success. In addition, property owners and
businesses should strive to be part of the solution wherever they can.
Ideally, those experiencing community impacts should see the benefit of successful
programs that benefit the very people that are perceived as causing problems. Just as true,
those offering services should see the benefit of reducing community impacts as a justification
for increased public confidence in, and the continued existence of, the offered programs.
Defending our respective "sides" of the arguments builds barriers that make solutions
impossible. Communication, respect, and understanding will break down barriers and will
allow us to reach for solutions that embrace the compassion and the accountability we need.
In sum, we must maximize resources through partnerships and strategic alliances that
address individual and community impacts as a team and not as adversaries.
IV. RECOMMENDATIONS
The Homelessness Task Force makes the following recommendations:
A. Addressing Impacts for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
1. Recommendation 1 —Expand Shelters as Gateways for Progress
Encourage the expansion of Federal Way's shelter capacity to make it available
on a year round basis and then make the shelter system an integral part of a
continuum of care model. Communities with year round shelters experience twice
the rate of success as Federal Way. Shelters should be linked directly to all other
services and programs offered in the community. See Appendix B for more details
on shelters.
2. Recommendation 2—Create a Community Coordinated Response
Create an ongoing Federal Way collaborative group, staffed if and when funds are
available by a new paid staff member in the Community Development
Department, Community Services Division, and charged with coordinating and
maximizing services and positive outcomes for people experiencing homelessness
using the continuum of care and progress model. This group would:
a.Create the mechanism for providing the continuum of care and paths
to success for people experiencing homelessness in our community;
b.Research the pros and cons of having a facility similar to Pierce
County and other communities that provide for immediate care and
referrals for ongoing care;
c.Based on the work of the Homeless Taskforce, create a strategic plan
to coordinate housing, health,behavioral health, reentry and
emergency services;
d.Create a public campaign that educates and offers opportunities for
community members to meaningfully engage in being a part of the
solution;
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e.Analyze how some rules and regulations may exacerbate homelessness
and make recommendations for remedying those defects;
f. Cooperate on grant-writing and other financial initiatives;
g.Evaluate its own success rate in reducing homelessness in Federal
Way on a bi-annual basis and re-adjust its efforts as appropriate.
The group could include, but not be limited to, healthcare providers, substance
abuse counselors, mental health professionals, King County Public Library
System, South King Fire &Rescue, Federal Way Public Schools, Highline
College, Green River College, Bates Voc-Tech, Renton Voc-Tech, apprentice
programs, trade unions, employer groups, police, courts, City community services
personnel, City Human Services Commission, landlords, human services
agencies, businesses, outreach providers, low-income housing developers, people
who have themselves experienced homelessness currently or in the past, members
of the Homelessness Task Force, and other key groups and individuals.
3. Recommendation 3 —Develop a Community Coordinated Outreach Program
As an extension of Recommendation 2, develop a citywide targeted outreach plan
to ensure that people are engaged with and connected to coordinated services and
housing opportunities in a consistent and well-documented manner. Outreach
teams would be especially useful when encampments are dismantled. Language
used should model caring and respect. The use of peer mentors would be one way
to establish the type of outreach that can increase the chance of positive outcomes
(See Recommendation 8).
4. Recommendation 4—Create or Expand Online Resource.
There should be an easily accessible online resource listing local/regional services
available to those in need, including those who are currently experiencing
homelessness or are on the brink of becoming homeless. The resource must be
updated regularly and should include, but not be limited to, shelters, emergency
housing, rental/mortgage/utility assistance, and general human services. The City
could either create such a resource itself, cooperate with the county and other
nearby municipalities, or work in collaboration with 211.
5. Recommendation 5—Increase the Availability of Affordable Housing and the
Effectiveness of the Coordinated Entry System
Look for ways to increase affordable housing in Federal Way and improve
collaboration with the King County Coordinated Entry system to increase housing
placements. See Appendix B for more details on affordable housing.
6. Recommendation 6—Increase the Equitable Delivery of Services
Develop a strategy in conjunction with the community coordinated response team
to address inequitable delivery of services and housing solutions in Federal Way.
This includes the full spectrum of services including, but not limited to, mental
health treatment, addiction treatment, shelters, and other programs that can be
7
utilized by people experiencing homelessness in Federal Way to help them
achieve sustainable housing and a stable lifestyle.
7. Recommendation 7 --Partner with local agencies to install public phones
Though many individuals in need and/or experiencing homelessness have cell
phones, they are usually pre-paid with available minutes that run out
quickly. Telephone access is a necessity for scheduling appointments for social
services, medical appointments, check-ins with probation offices, and other
inquiries regarding legal services,just to name a few. Without telephone access,
there is a higher chance of missed opportunities to access available services.
Therefore, it would help to install free phones at transit centers, libraries, and
other public places for those in need and/or experiencing homelessness to access.
To avoid misuse of phones, they could dial directly to 211, be outgoing only, or
limit area codes.
8. Recommendation 8 -- Hire and Train Peer Navigators
Many people experiencing homelessness have experienced some type of trauma.
These individuals are less likely to accept help and seek out assistance from
individuals to whom they do not relate or whom they do not trust. The best way to
understand something is to hear it explained by someone who has had similar
experiences and has been in "your shoes." Peer navigators are individuals with
"lived experience." They have overcome addiction, found stable housing, and/or
successfully sought treatment for mental health disorder. Peer navigators have the
ability to connect to the homeless community genuinely and are more likely to
build trust more quickly. They would provide referrals to resources and assist
with benefit acquisition. They could work either for a partnering organization or
for the City of Federal Way Community Development Department, Community
Services Division.
B. Addressing Impacts on the Community
1. Recommendation 1 —Allow a Safe Parking Program
All Home findings for King County in 2018 show that the largest portion of the
unsheltered homeless community is living in vehicles (28%), which is a 46%
increase over 2017. Z Therefore, it would make sense to allow churches to offer
the opportunity for individuals temporarily residing in their vehicles to use
parking lots after hours for overnight safe parking with limitations and
requirements based upon the size of the parking lot, its location, duration and
frequency of offered use, and the availability of security, sanitary facilities, and
garbage control. Consider necessary changes to Federal Way Revised Code
(FWRC) to allow such a program with reasonable restrictions and requirements
for a use permit. (Currently, under FWRC 19.130.290, it is illegal to sleep in a
vehicle in a residential zone for more than fourteen (14) days in any 180-day
period. However, there is some emerging case law suggesting that such
2 htt ://alIliomekc.or content/u loads/2.018/06/combined-info a hic-PIT-2018-1. df
8
restrictions, when applied to churches, must be limited to regulations that are
necessary to protect public health and safety.)
2. Recommendation 2—Create a Group to Coordinate Clean-Up Programs
Create a group that analyzes the numerous ways to effectuate the beautification
and clean-up3 of our community and then implements best practice
recommendations (work crew, structured community service,partnerships,
subscription services for security and clean-up, etc.). Best practices should
include prevention, mitigation, and remediation. See Appendix C.
3. Recommendation 3 — Continue Vigilant, Effective, Collaborative, and
Mission-Focused Law-Enforcement
City of Federal Way Police must maintain its vigilance in fighting crime and
criminal behavior and continue its efforts to prevent future crimes from
happening. This takes a tremendous amount of effort from limited law
enforcement resources. Currently, the City of Federal Way Police has an entire
team of officers who devote all of their time to homeless issues in an effort to
supplement patrol and other police and City resources. Networking with other
cities' and regional efforts and sharing successes and new ideas is helpful. What
works in one place may work in another, and there is no need to reinvent the
wheel if not necessary. Police should continue with its collaborative citywide
efforts, which include all of the resources represented in the Homelessness Task
Force. It will take a multi-faceted approach to produce meaningful and effective
solutions to these complex issues. Lastly and most importantly, police must
remain committed to its mission to keep the people they serve safe and secure in
their daily life.
4. Recommendation 4—Better Coordinate with Criminal Justice Programs
The Municipal Court has had promising results with Community Court. More
investment needs to be made to incorporate restorative practices in conjunction
with the proposed community coordinated response. Defendants seen in court can
then interface with existing community programs that can help reduce recidivism.
5. Recommendation 5—Prevent the Re-establishment of Dismantled
Encampments.
Dismantling encampments will only be effective if the City continues to monitor
and enforce the closure. There will always be time, effort, and cost to cleaning up,
but areas should be monitored to prevent them from getting into an extreme
condition. Also, private landowners should be encouraged to pool resources to
hire a security firm. Furthermore, the use of underbrush clearing techniques has
been one of the most successful tools to prevent reoccupation of land parcels once
they have been cleared. This technique is very expensive to the landowner and
therefore can be prohibitive to many. A cost analysis/comparison should be
considered.
3 Clean-up can be broken down into two categories; street litter clean-up and encampment clean-up. Encampment
clean-ups include human waste.
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V. CONCLUSION
The observations and recommendations will be for naught unless we find a way to work
collaboratively to address all aspects of homelessness, not just what appeals to a narrow interest
or that only provides for a narrow approach. We have much to do and few financial resources
with which to do it, but we will succeed if we bring our collective will and determination to work
towards the common goals of bettering both our community and the lives of people experiencing
homelessness or otherwise in need who eventually can become our good neighbors.
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Appendix A
Available data mirror the expression of the community and reflect an increase in
homelessness, both at a regional and local level. The 2018 Count Us In report4 tracks the number
of persons experiencing homelessness on one single night and found 12,112 people experiencing
homelessness in King County on January 26, 2018 when the One Night Count occurred. This :
included 5,792 people in shelters, safe havens, and transitional housing. A total of 6,320 people
were unsheltered, or living on the streets, representing a 15% increase over 2017. In Federal
Way, the 2018 Count Us In found 176 persons who were unsheltered, up from 106 who were
unsheltered in 2017. Information from the January 2018 One Night Count on people who were in
shelters, safe havens, or transitional housing is unavailable at this time for Federal Way.
Furthermore, in the 2018 Count Us In survey, 4% of respondents reported living in Federal Way
at the time of their housing loss, a percentage exceeded only by Seattle and Kent and
representing the same percentage as Renton. Federal Way is a city of 96,350 according to 2017
estimates,5 while the Federal Way Public School District serves an even larger population of
about 120,000 people.6 Tragically, per the King County Medical Examiner's Office's "Presumed
Homeless,"there have been ten deaths in 2018 of individuals presumed to be homeless in
Federal Way.
Additionally, nonprofit organizations are reporting a similar increase in the number of
Federal Way families and individuals accessing services, as reported in applications and/or
quarterly reports submitted to the City of Federal Way. Most programs accessed by Federal Way
residents are not located in the City of Federal Way, meaning residents must go elsewhere to
access critical services to address homelessness. Thirteen? of these programs report having
served 656 households from Federal Way comprised of 1,023 individuals in 2017. The 656
households may be duplicated if a household accessed more than one of the thirteen services.
The thirteen programs represent a spectrum of homeless services from outreach and day services
to shelter and permanent housing programs. These programs do not include all homeless services
programs in the region that Federal Way residents are accessing. Nor do the thirteen programs
reflect people experiencing homelessness who resolved their situation on their own.
Furthermore, Mary's Place, the organization that runs the family call-in line for accessing
shelter, reported a total of 54 families (i.e., with children) calling in from Federal Way for
emergency shelter in quarters one and two in 2018. Of these 54 families from Federal Way, 19
were able to access shelter, meaning that 35 Federal Way families who met the criteria of either
4 All Home King County,2018 Count Us In Report. I ..!
' State Office of Financial Management. See Iitsr
6 Federal Way Public Schools. See
The thirteen programs referenced are: Catholic Community Services,Federal Way Day Center; Catholic
Community Services,Reach Out;DAWN,Housing;Friends of Youth;Transitional Living Program;FUSION,
FUSION Transitional Housing;Hopelink,Housing;Hospitality House, Shelter;Kent Youth&Family Services,
Watson Manor;Multi-Service Center,Shelter and Transitional Housing;Nexus Youth and Families, Street
Outreach;Mary's Place,A Place to Call Home Mary's Place;REACH, Center of Hope; and Sound,PATH.
11
being unsheltered or fleeing domestic violence were not able to access shelter. Of the 19 who did
get shelter, two families accessed shelter at other agencies, and 17 accessed it with Mary's Place.
For these 17 families, additional information is available, as follows. Two families were
sheltered in White Center, three families in Belltown, six families in Denny Regrade, one family
in North Seattle, and five families in Shoreline.
South King County as a region represents the highest call volume for families, even
greater than Seattle, with 151 unique families calling in from South King County cities in
quarter two of 2018, compared to 132 families from Seattle.
In the 2016-2017 school year, 483 students in the Federal Way Public Schools
experienced homelessness over the course of the year9. A total of 74 of the youth were in
shelters, 333 were "doubled up" (i.e., staying with family or friends), 15 were unsheltered, and
61 were staying in motels/hotels. This represents a 31% increase over 2015-2016, when there
were 368 students who experienced homelessness. The students in families who accessed
shelters faced long bus rides and transportation since family shelters are not located in Federal
Way. Families access shelters throughout King County, including shelters in Seattle and in north
and east King County.
The data represent Federal Way residents who have lost housing but do not tell the stories
of each person who might be a single adult, a parent, or a child who does not have safe housing.
The data do not reflect the complexity of how people become homeless or the multi-pronged and
tailored strategies needed for people to attain and maintain housing in the future. Many people
generalize regarding the predominant causes of homelessness, resulting in a perception that a
one-size-fits-all approach will provide meaningful solutions.
The shortage of affordable housing is a significant issue, but the focus on increasing the
supply of affordable housing without a concerted effort to address the root causes of
homelessness for the affected individuals will only temporarily mask the problem. The goal of
stable and sustainable housing can only be met by the progress of individuals on a continuum of
services that helps them develop the habits and lifestyles needed for success. In other words,
time should be devoted to reviewing the elements of success so that we have a better
understanding how to address homelessness in constructive and sustainable ways.
Elements of success may include:
Addiction free or addiction in remission
■ Stable mental health
■ Good physical health and healthcare access
■ Stable and adequate income
■ Financial literacy
■ Good tenant habits
s South King County references the Southwest County as defined by the Count Us In report and includes Algona,
Auburn,Burien,Des Moines,Federal Way,Kent,Milton,Normandy Park,Pacific,Renton, SeaTac,Tukwila,and
Vashon,although not all of these cities had families calling in to Mary's Place.
9 Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction(OSPI), h"-://www.k I2.wa.us/HomelessEd/Data.asPx
12
■ Marketable skill
■ Affordable housing
■ Stable relationships/support systems
Services appropriately focus primarily on individual causes. Solutions must also address
societal/community and institutional causes.
Individual Causes of Homelessness
■ Substance abuse and addiction
■ Mental health issues
■ Jail/Prison/Incarceration
■ Criminal record
■ Domestic violence (defendant and victim)
■ No income/Unemployment
■ Lack of marketable skills/Job training
■ Eviction/Prior issues with tenancy
■
Divorce/Separation/Breakup
■ Insufficient income (working poor)
■ Poor physical health/Disability
Societal/Community Causes of Homelessness
■ Inadequate short-term and long-term shelter services
■ Inadequate supply of affordable housing
■ Inadequate supply of treatment services
■ Inadequate supply of living wage jobs, especially for convicted individuals
■ Inadequate supply of tenant training
■ Inadequate supply of financial literacy training
■ Inadequate coordination with existing resources for job training
■ Inconsistent availability of affordable health care
■ Disproportionate impacts for members of marginalized groups
Institutional Causes of Homelessness
■ Inadequate community coordinated response
■ Inequitable distribution of services and resources
■ Inequitable access to services and resources
■ Fragmentation of services and resources
■ Regulations and rules that cause eviction or ineligibility for minor violations
■ Status changes that create ineligibility for existing services (e.g. reaching the age of
18, incarceration, etc.)
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Appendix B
Recommended strategies related to shelters
1. Begin to identify partners, as well as properties and resources that may be available for
year-round shelter, with the goal to have options for single adults, families, and youth.
These options could include an exploration with private property owners, as well as an
exploration of re-zoning to allow shelters to be sited in private properties or currently
vacant City-owned properties. Begin to identify funding streams to develop and operate
sustainable shelter programs in the Federal Way community. For example, some of this
work was begun with the 2017 Homeless Mothers and Children Initiative (HMCI) that
Mayor Ferrell set up specifically to find a place for a family shelter.
2. Explore ongoing facility-based crisis services that are in line with national best practices,
including:
■ 24/7 service model allowing partners, pets, and possessions
■ Low-barrier access with a Housing First approach whenever possible
■ Housing Navigation services
■ Tailored services for those populations with unique needs, including
single adults, veterans, youth/young adults, families with children, and
those fleeing domestic violence
3. Recognizing that shelter is not the solution for every individual or family, identify and
seek to invest in additional crisis response interventions to connect other unsheltered
community members to housing-focused services.
Recommended strategies related to affordable housing:
1. Seek to increase the affordable housing stock in Federal Way for people with incomes
below 30% of area mean income (AMI) consistent with Growth Management Act
requirements. Federal Way has more than met requirements for affordable housing for all
income groups except below 30% of AMI, an income group for which no nearby
jurisdiction is meeting requirements. Obviously, this group is more of a challenge.
2. Consider ways to reduce development barriers, such as zoning restrictions, parking
requirements, and impact fees.
3. Complete a comprehensive inventory of the housing stock in Federal Way, assess the
need for additional affordable housing, and identify next steps.
4. Consider incentives for developers to encourage the inclusion of affordable units in new
development projects.
5. Sign onto the Inter-local Agreement of the South King Housing and Homelessness
Partnership.
6. Create and/or seek additional funding streams for ongoing subsidies and housing voucher
programs.
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Appendix C
Work Crew and Community Service
The City of Federal Way Municipal Court currently contracts with the Washington State
Department of Corrections for Work Crew. This program serves as an alternative to jail. The
defendant is charged $15 per day, but the city advances the money out of the police jail budget
with the defendant paying the cost back over time. Court probation staff medically screens
defendants to ensure they are fit to work. The Court cannot use work crew in lieu of fines
because it is a form of detention. No work is actually done within the City of Federal Way.
People sentenced to work crew in Federal Way actually perform their work in Seattle.
Recom__mendations:
1. Option 1 would be to expand the contract with DOC at an approximate cost of$80,000
annually. This would be the same program we currently use, for sentencing in lieu of or
in addition to jail time. The difference would be that the work would be done here in the
City of Federal Way. There are ways to coordinate with local property owners and
businesses to defray the cost of DOC work crew. Many property owners face enormous
costs for clean-up. Work crew could be used on a subscription basis to periodically police
subscriber's property in exchange for a set monthly or annual fee.
2. Option 2 would be for the City to run a work crew program itself. A detailed budget has
not yet been formulated for this option. However, it would likely entail equal or greater
costs than Option 1 since it would need a paid supervisor and equipment including vans,
port-a-potty, tools, accessories (gloves, bags, grabbers), and reflective vests. The City
would also assume liability for any issues that arise from the work.
Other Options and Recommendations
1. Explore a trial run of a program like the one in Albuquerque,New Mexico by partnering
with a local non-profit. This program gives panhandlers a chance at a change in life by
providing them with payment for doing cleanup work around the city. A free meal is also
provided. When the job is completed, the person is taken to a facility to pick up his or her
check and is put in touch with services. A trial run would cost approximately $50,000.
2. The Federal Way Municipal Court has wanted to create a community service program for
a number of years but has not had the resources to do so. The program could be used as a
jail alternative as well as a method to help defendants pay off fines. There are models of
this program that could utilize non-profits to do the work without a substantial investment
of city resources.
3. In conjunction with either of the above two programs, consider posting signs in known
panhandling locations, as is done in Philadelphia, with slogans urging people to donate to
a local non-profit providing services rather than give to panhandlers. Signs can contain a
phone number to call or a website to access, allowing one to automatically make a
donation.
15
4. Research better garbage can options (e.g. Big Belly Solar, more solid styles that close so
people cannot dumpster dive)
5. Revisit having an "Adopt-a-Stop" or"Adopt-a-Highway"program in Federal Way, under
which a local business or group would take responsibility for cleanup at a particular
location, with signs posted advertising the business's or group's contribution.
6. Continue research on what other cities are doing successfully(e.g. requiring clients at
shelters to give back by picking up litter)
7. Educate nonprofits and individuals that continue to give unneeded items to people
experiencing homelessness that are then left for others to pick up. Recommend that they
instead donate supplies to Federal Way Day Center, Seattle Union Gospel Mission,
Reach Out, or Multi-Service Center(MSC).
8. Encourage businesses not to have donation bins on their property. While some of the
newer versions of containers do make access harder, unfortunately, these bins are a great
place to leave trash or from which to remove donations.
9. Start some fun and creative marketing about keeping our city clean with clever, catchy
signs urging people not to litter.
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