HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/03/2016 13A Memorandum re: April 14 AWC Meeting in Bellevue I. r41111k1 \}
!i
BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDASTATEMENT
Item No. 13.A.
For Meeting of: May 3, 2016
ITEM TITLE: Memorandum re: April 14th AWC Meeting in Bellevue
SUBMITTED BY: Randy Beehler, Communications & Public Affairs Director
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
On Thursday, April 14th, Councilmember Kathy Coffey and Communications & Public Affairs
Director Randy Beehler attended a meeting convened by the Association of Washington Cities
( "AWC ") that included a discussion by the AWC Large City Committee about the outcome of the
2016 session of the Washington State Legislature and the organization's agenda for the 2017
session. Representatives of other cities also joined the Large City Committee to discuss issues
concerning homelessness, human services, and affordable housing. The meeting took place at
Bellevue City Hall. The attached memo provides additional information about what took place at
the meeting.
ITEM BUDGETED: NA
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Partnership Development
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: Interim City Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
N/A
BOARD /COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
N/A
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date Type
d Memorandum re: April 14th AWC Meeting 4/18/2016 Coker Memo
N DIJV'LIC HDUN
To: Yakima City Council Members
From: Communications & Public Affairs Director Randy Beehler
Subject: AWC Meeting — Bellevue — April 14
Date: April 18 2016
Council Members,
On Thursday, April 14 Councilmember Kathy Coffey and I attended a meeting convened by the
Association of Washington Cities ( "AWC "). The morning session consisted of a discussion by
the AWC Large City Committee about the outcome of the 2016 session of the Washington State
Legislature and the organization's agenda for the 2017 session of the legislature. During an
afternoon session, representatives of other cities joined the Large City Committee to discuss
issues concerning homelessness, human services, and affordable housing. The meeting took
place at Bellevue City Hall.
During the morning session, the Large City Committee discussed some of the issues important to
local government were lost during last minute budget discussions that took place during a special
session called after legislators were unable to resolve their budget disagreements during the
regular session. Some members of the AWC are advocating a more proactive approach to
emphasizing city issues to the legislature. The organization's formal 2017 priorities will be
developed over the next few months and adopted later this year.
The afternoon session was a follow up to an AWC meeting held last December in Shoreline to
hear from AWC members regarding what became a legislative priority for the organization in
2016 — homelessness, human services, and affordable housing. Those issues are being faced
by cities statewide.
Presenters during the afternoon session in Bellevue noted the growth in homelessness is
connected to the reduction in the availability of human services, particularly mental health care
and chemical dependency treatment, and the lack of affordable housing. As state funding for
human services and affordable housing has diminished in recent years, a corresponding rise in
homelessness has occurred.
The AWC members in attendance, who represented cities from throughout the state, discussed
various methods being used to address homelessness, human services, and affordable housing
ranging from enhanced law enforcement efforts to public funding of housing and treatment
options.
Legislation will likely be introduced during the 2017 session in Olympia to incentivize rental
property owners to maintain affordable rents, most likely by providing some level of property tax
exemption for those taking part in an affordable housing program. Additional legislation may also
be introduced during next year's session concerning additional state funding for mental health
care, chemical dependency treatment, and other services. Potential regulatory fixes, such as
revising income criteria for housing support, were also discussed during the afternoon session.
The Bellevue meeting served as the continuation of what will be a multi -year effort to draw
attention to pressing issues related to homelessness, human services, and affordable housing
and to encourage the legislature to partner with cities to address those issues.
Please let me know if you have questions about the April 14 AWC meeting in Bellevue.