Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/18/2022 05.A. Report on Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Board meeting by Councilmember CousensI BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. 5.A. For Meeting of: October 18, 2022 ITEM TITLE: Report on Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Board meeting by Councilmember Cousens SUBMITTED BY: Robert Harrison, City Manager SUMMARY EXPLANATION: Councilmember Cousens attended the AWC Board meeting on September 23, 2022 and will report on their activities. F-11:21:21 :191TA 4 11&1 Z4411 4 J, I k A r-11111111 --Y& 9: 1:96111 Will! J, Y-11 Z TITO 4 V ATTACHMENTS: Description Upload Date Type D fact sheet 1 10/10/2022 Coaer Memo D fact sheep 2 10/10/2022 Co\A-r Memo D fact sheet 3 10/10/2022 Cover Memo D fact sheet 4 10/10/2022 Cover Memo D fact sheet 5 10/10/2022 Cover Memo Background: Cities throughout the state are struggling with the impacts of individuals with untreated behavioral health issues. In 2022, nearly a quarter of adults with mental illness in Washington state said that they were not able to receive the treatment they needed. Unfortunately, these individuals are more likely to engage with law enforcement or experience homelessness. Cities are not traditionally direct service providers, yet are often tasked with finding solutions for the outward impacts of the lack of available services. Cities call for expanded capacity and access to the full statewide continuum of community -based behavioral health services. A comprehensive behavioral health system doesn't just involve responding to a crisis, but supports healthy behavior and prevention services before a problem occurs. A number of cities are adopting alternative response programs that complement or replace a traditional law enforcement response with one that takes a holistic approach to an individual's needs. Community diversion options like mental health co -responders, Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), and Community Advocates for Referral and Education Services (CARES) programs have proven successful. In 2022, the Legislature provided $2 million for grants to cities to establish new programs. Candice Bock ° � -C Government Relations Director candiceb@awcnet.org Strongiti Greater access to community -based behavioral health services, including substance use disorder treatment and dual diagnosis treatment facilities. Continued state funding to help communities establish alternative response programs that provide options beyond law enforcement for responding to situations with individuals suffering from behavioral health issues. ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON Association of Washington Cities Q 1076 Franklin St SE, Olympia, WA 98501 - 1.800.562.8981 « wacities.org C f j g Cpynght m 2022 by Association ofWA1hMgto Citles, Inc All rights eue &109/15/22 Despite an impressive list of policy advancements and record investments in housing by state and local governments, Washington state still faces a complex constellation of interrelated housing challenges. Even in the face of record new construction, the state still ranks lowest nationally in housing units per household — housing underproduction has more than doubled since 2012.This decade -long shortage —coupled with increasing costs for materials, labor, and land —is making new construction too expensive for the average Washingtonian. A prospective homebuyer earning the area median income can afford to purchase a home in only two counties, both in the southeast corner of the state. Renters are faring no better. Cities are still experiencing a severe shortage of rental housing, with a statewide vacancy rate of less than 4%. Due to low housing supply and high housing demand, rental prices have risen dramatically to levels that are now out of reach for many low- to moderate -income earners. Some communities have experienced a 50% increase in rent in the last five years. As a result, 44% of renters in the state are rent burdened, spending more than a third of their income on housing. As average working individuals and families are less able to become homeowners, they get simultaneously squeezed by ever-increasing uncertainty and cost increases in the rental sector. This unhealthy housing market: • Contributes to our homelessness crisis • Creates an economic burden on those who can secure housing • Deepens racial disparities in homeownership Strongii • Investments to support housing for the lowest income levels. • Regulatory flexibility to respond to local housing needs. • Incentives to increase the supply of housing development for all incomes. • Tools to preserve existing affordable units. The challenge is daunting and will worsen as more people relocate to the Pacific Northwest to escape extreme climate conditions. One -size -fits -all policies will not address a problem caused by multiple factors spanning more than a decade. There is no silver bullet. We need holistic policy and revenue proposals that are scaled to the size of the need and will provide a sustainable solution into the future. Cities ask the Legislature to pass a comprehensive housing policy package that addresses low-income housing affordability; permanently affordable homeownership opportunities; necessary infrastructure upgrades to support private and nonprofit development; and measures to ensure that all communities have the means to address our housing crises. • Reduces our competitiveness in attracting new hires and economic development Carl Schroeder Shannon McClelland °Government Relations Deputy Director Legislative & Policy Analyst carts@awcnet.org shannonm@awcnet.org ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON Association of Washington Cities Q 1076 Franklin St SE, Olympia, WA 98501 .1.800.562.8981 - wacities.org C f 1 Cpynghtm 2022 by Association ofWJ ,hMgt.n Cities, Inc All rights eeserved.l 09/15/22 unaffordableOwnership housing is r Households earning 100% of AMI can only afford the median home in 2 counties Required income (% of area median income, or AMI) to afford the median value home in each county assuming a 5% down payment. Pend Oreille 154% Source: Zillow, HUD, Freddie Mac, ECONorthwest Calculations Despite a ten-year trend of multifamily housing construction increasing single-familyihousing For the first time in Washington history, more 5+ unit structures permitted than detached 90% Share of housing permits by unit type, Washington State 80% 78% 72% _ 70% 6o�io Detached housing 1% 50% 40% ::.,: ' 44% 30% 5+ unit multifamily, ... ....: 23% 20% 10% 5% 2 to 4 unit multifamily 5% 0% 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Source: HUD; ECONorthwest Calculations Carl Schroeder Shannon McClelland 0 r Government Relations Deputy Director Legislative & Policy Analyst carls@awcnet.org shannonm@awcnet.org' .ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON Association of Washington Cities - 1076 Franklin St SE, Olympia, WA 98501 ® 1.800.562,8981 a wacities.org C i j j Copyright � 2022 by Assoctatl-ofWashington Citl,s Inc. All rights rue d.l09115/22 Background: City infrastructure systems are a critical part of the larger network that serves the entire state. Cities support development by building and maintaining needed infrastructure to keep pace with a growing population that demands safer and more equitable access to public services. However, Washington infrastructure continues to suffer from inadequate investment. The American Society of Civil Engineers recently graded Washington's infrastructure: More than 80% of cities say their aging water and wastewater infrastructure requires critical repair. Yet cities face steep administrative costs to address these basic needs. Nearly 60% of cities say they need state assistance with infrastructure funding, and more than a quarter report significant challenges in meeting grant and loan fund match requirements, in addition to public contracting and bidding requirements. Small cities and towns have limited tax bases and feel the impact of chronic underinvestment the most. w.. * Brandy Derange Government Relations Advocate brandyd@awcnet.org Strongiti • Full funding of the Public Works Assistance Account; • The return of diverted revenue streams to the Public Works Assistance Account; and • Direct and robust state investment in local infrastructure to maintain and improve aging systems. Public Works Assistance Account: Essential support for cities Cities use a diverse range of financing options to fund their local infrastructure projects, but they rely on the Public Works Assistance Account (PWAA) the most for state -level funding. Due to ongoing state diversions and sweeps, and the Legislature's lack of investments in the account, the PWAA hasn't been fully funded since 2009. As a result, nearly $1 billion worth of infrastructure projects have gone unfunded. Before these sweeps and revenue diversions, the PWAA provided a regular and sustainable source of affordable, low -interest infrastructure financing to cities. Investing in infrastructure pays back Infrastructure is the foundation of a strong, competitive economy and thriving communities. Every dollar invested in public infrastructure produces up to 2.2 dollars in economic activity. Cities own a significant share of Washington's critical infrastructure and are home to the majority of the state's residents. Investing in city infrastructure systems helps local leaders overcome the financial challenges of building and repairing municipal infrastructure that is vital to the health of the state's economy, the environment, and the people of Washington. MMIUMURM Legislative & Policy Analyst briannam@awcnet.org ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON Association of Washington Cities . 1076 Franklin St SE, Olympia, WA 98501 • 1.800.562.8981 . wacities.org C i j i E S C.pynght m 2022 by Association ofM,h,bgt Ob,s Inc All rights ee,e,ed. 109/15/22 6 / Cities employ the most law enforcement officers in Washington state, which is why cities are deeply involved in recent law enforcement reforms. Police departments need clarity to implement state requirements and meet the unique needs of their community. In 2021, the Legislature adopted a package of reforms related to policing and in 2022, it updated some of those changes to help law enforcement better respond to pressing community needs. One area still needing further refinement is the ability of law enforcement to use vehicular pursuits as a public safety tool. Additionally, due to a variety of factors including a strong job market and high rate of retirement, cities continue to struggle to fill law enforcement positions. To help with this challenge, cities need continued state investment in training and public safety programs. 178 cities employ 61 % of all law enforcement Number of low enforcement officers by jurisdiction Cities: 6,582 Counties: 2,240 Other (ports, State: 1,332 transit, Tribes:226 .. 1� 356 universities): Source: 2021 CJIS Statistics and Reports �Candice Bock C ,y Government Relations Director candiceb@awcnet.org Clarity around allowable use of police pursuits: AWC supports clarifying the ability to conduct vehicular pursuits using a reasonable suspicion standard. This is essential to address concerns about impacts to public safety and allow for effective and safe pursuit of suspects when there is an immediate threat to public safety. Cities continue to support safety standards and training for officers who engage in vehicular pursuits. Investments in the future: Washington state is facing historic vacancies in law enforcement. Around 22% of officers are already eligible for retirement, and another 17% will be eligible in the next few years. AWC supports the proposal to create and fund regional campuses to train Washington police. The creation of these campuses, alongside continued investments in the Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA), will help cities hire and provide timely training of new officers. Ongoing public safety funding: In the 2021-2023 biennial budget, the Legislature provided $20 million for Washington's cities to help offset costs associated with implementing law enforcement -related legislation. Those costs are ongoing, and cities need continued state support to help with the growing costs of public safety programs. ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON Association of Washington Cities « 1076 Franklin St SE, Olympia, WA 98501 - 1.800.562.8981 A wacities.org C f 1 t Copyright m 2022 by Association ofWAlhing— Gtles, Inc All rights ee—,ed.109/15,22 mom In 2021, the Legislature passed SB 5476 to address the impacts of the Washington Supreme Court's ruling on State v. Blake, which declared unconstitutional the previous law that had categorized drug possession as a felony. The bill establishes misdemeanor -level criminal penalties for the possession of controlled substances, but also requires a referral step for someone's first two offenses, creating an uncertain legal scenario without a fully developed treatment system in place. In 2022, cities received approximately $30 million in investments from the state, including: • $21.5 million to offset the costs of repaying legal financial obligations and vacating criminal convictions; • $4.9 million to fund municipal therapeutic courts; • $2 million in grants to create alternative response teams; and • Additional investments in services like transportation and case managers to support individuals referred to therapeutic courts. Cities have been placed on the front lines for carrying out the new public policy created under SB 5476. Yet cities lack dedicated, ongoing resources to do this work on their own. Extreme disparities in access to drug treatment are found in communities across the state. Most communities don't have local options to divert people into drug treatment —or the nearest service center is often located many miles away from the community. The Legislature must invest in statewide services to provide substance use disorder treatment for those who need it and to share the burden of building a statewide support system to address addiction and behavioral health needs. Candice Bock Government Relations Director candiceb@awcnet.org Strong cities • Clarification regarding the legality of possessing a controlled substance.The current two -referral requirement has created legal uncertainty and, in some cases, impedes individuals from accessing treatment. Without a statewide tracking system, there is no way to verify the number of times an individual may have received a referral. • Continued funding to help offset the costs of vacating criminal convictions, repaying legal financial obligations, administering diversion programs, and mitigating municipal court impacts, including the development of new therapeutic courts. State investment in alternative response teams; treatment facilities for adults and juveniles; treatment in jails; and social workers, treatment providers, and system navigators to help direct people to treatment. Key pitfacts: • Washington cities operate 100 municipal courts. • Many, but not all, municipal courts operate specialized court programs, including therapeutic courts, veteran courts, drug courts, domestic violence courts, teen courts, and homeless courts. • In 2021, the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) launched the Therapeutic Courts Grant, which allocated $4.5 million to municipal and district courts. The AOC received 41 requests totaling over $9.4 million - the need continues to outpace investments. • 178 cities have their own law enforcement departments, employing a total of 6,582 officers. • Cities are investing in alternative response models such as co -responders, crisis responders, law enforcement assisted diversion, and other community - based outreach programs. ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON Association of Washington Cities Q 1076 Franklin St SE, Olympia, WA 98501 ® 1.800.562.8981 . wacities.org C f j j C.pynghtm 2022 by Association.fWJ ,hingt.n Gti,s Inc All rights eeserved.l 09/15/22