Tim Burgess' City View

Lessons on the Fragility of Life

Three things over the past couple of weeks have reminded me of the fragility of life.

Two weeks ago, a friend, neighborhood activist, former youth soccer coach, husband and father took his own life at a seemingly desperate and hopeless time. Phil Irwin was a good man; he coached my daughter’s team in their early years when they were just learning team sports. He followed a coach we parents had essentially "fired" due to his biting, degrading and never-ending screaming. (Continue Phil's story and more after the jump.)

UK Study Mission: Renewable Energy, Density, Transportation, Economic Growth, Public Education and More

Those Brits!  Focused.  Stiff upper lip.  And, did I say "focused?" 

I recently returned to Seattle after a week-long trip to Edinburgh, Glasgow and London.  I was part of the annual international study mission put together by the Trade Development Alliance and the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.  (Don't fret, I paid my own way and didn't use a dime of City money. Highlights of my trip after the jump.)

Facts Are Friendly: Citywide Affordable Housing Distribution

Sometimes when I'm at neighborhood meetings or walking neighborhood business districts, I hear concerns about the clustering of social services and affordable housing.

In the spirit of "facts are friendly," my office asked the City's Office of Housing for a map showing the distribution of City-funded affordable housing projects. Take a look after the jump. The first map shows projects by size and the second highlights recent projects. 

Seattle's Good Side

I saw two perfect examples of Seattle's good side last week. 

Last Friday at lunch I sat and listened as Lily Tomlin made us laugh at ourselves.  She was in town to help Plymouth Housing celebrate its 30th anniversary of effectively and efficiently serving our homeless neighbors. (Nicole Brodeur writes about Tomlin's visit in today's Seattle Times.)

Plymouth Housing got its start when parishioners at downtown's Plymouth Congregational Church stood up and took action to help homeless people living on our sidewalks, in our doorways, and under trees in our parks.  That direct action 30 years ago has grown into one of our finest social service organizations that houses over one thousand individuals in small, comfortable apartments.  Many Plymouth residents struggle with chronic mental health, alcohol and drug problems.  Many are military veterans.  Plymouth not only provides each with an apartment, but they staff their buildings with professionals who are especially equipped to lend necessary and important assistance to the residents.  Often called "housing first" or "wrap around services," this link between an apartment that brings dignity to residents and services to deal with very real and specific challenges is the core reason for the organization's success.  

Plymouth is an excellent partner of the City, which has provided funding for more than 900 units of housing in 12 different Plymouth developments over the years.  It is well managed and recognizes the value of accountability and measuring effectiveness.

Last Thursday morning at breakfast I marveled at how the newspaper, Real Change, has given a boost to thousands of homeless and low-income women and men over the past 16 years.  The Real Change breakfast was a bit more edgy, provocative, even prickly, compared to the Plymouth lunch.  Real Change follows the personality of its founder and editor Tim Harris, who, as I've written before, makes us uncomfortable in a good way.  There were a few gentle barbs thrown at me because of my sponsorship of an aggressive solicitation ordinance earlier this year that was passed by the Council but vetoed by Mayor McGinn. Joe Martin, a long-time Seattle humorist and passionate advocate for the poor, delivered a very funny roast of Harris, who was celebrating his 50th birthday at the breakfast.  Tim himself was designated Seattle's "brutal humanist," and gave a thoughtful speech about what he sees right and wrong with our good city. 

While listening to Harris, I thought of my neighborhood Real Change vendor.  His name is Walter and he's stood at exactly the same spot in front of my favorite grocery store for years.  We have interesting conversations about his life, my life, the banner headline on this week's edition of his paper, how sales are going.  I remember when he told me he had moved into a more permanent shelter.  Walter is my most personal link to Real Change, but the breakfast gave me a better glimpse of the scope and breadth of their work.

Two meals last week.  Two examples of the good side of Seattle.

Moving Forward

The City Council took an important step yesterday in adopting two parts of my five-point plan to address crime and street disorder on our streets and sidewalks. 

In summary, the five measures to improve the qualify-of-life on our streets includes more police foot patrols, continued hiring of officers to increase police presence in our neighborhoods, enhanced efforts to connect those in need with appropriate social services, making more “housing first” units with support services a priority in order to give those who have been chronically homeless a real opportunity to find a safe place to call home and a new law to prohibit intimidating behavior during the course of a solicitation. 

First, the Council voted 5-4 in favor of the aggressive solicitation ordinance that creates a civil infraction for intimidating behavior that causes fear or the compulsion to give while soliciting.  The penalty:  a $50 fine or community service.  Read my statement delivered yesterday in support of this legislation: Download 2010 04 19 CM Burgess Remarks on Solicitation. Mayor McGinn has said that he will veto this ordinance. 

Building Community

I had an interesting experience last week when I brought together two very distinct, focused and important groups in our community: downtown business leaders and representatives of the music and nightlife industry that is thriving in Seattle.  It was a long overdue and hopefully continuing conversation. 

Read all about it here at Publicola. 

Sleeping on the Grass Wrap

The sleep-out protest in front of my home ended Friday morning after three days.  It wasn't a problem for me, but I was uncomfortable that my position in city government brought discomfort and anxiety to my neighbors.  I really regret that imposition. 

No matter what one thinks about the efficacy of this type of protest, nothing about it was pleasant for

Sleeping on the Grass

A group of about 40 people slept in front of my house and my neighbors' houses last night.  They were advocates with the group SHARE/WHEEL, a local nonprofit organization that operates several homeless shelters around the city.  They showed up a little after 7 p.m. last night and left just before 7 a.m. today. (Read this Queen Anne View summary of the protest. And this editorial in today's Seattle Times.)

The campers were protesting what they believe is the city's inadequate funding of their services, especially money for Metro transit passes so those living in their shelters can travel to jobs, job interviews, and other necessary appointments.  Because SHARE is facing a budget shortfall, they have asked for more money.  The city offered to advance $50,000 to SHARE from their 2009 allocation of just over $300,000 on the condition SHARE keep their shelters open through the end of this year.  SHARE's annual subsidy from the city is paid out monthly and there was concern that if the city advanced what would be the equivalent of two monthly payments SHARE would deplete all of its financial resources before the end of December.  SHARE declined to accept the year-end condition.

That's the big picture, but I want to recount what I learned last night and this morning as I spoke with some of those in front of my house. 

Just after 10 o'clock, I ventured outside and spoke with a group of the protesters.  The TV cameras had gone and we were alone.  (Joleen took the above photo on her iPhone from inside our house.) I'm

Affordable Housing Levy Heading for Renewal Vote

(Corrected, June 15, 2009) My colleagues and I voted on a number of key provisions related to renewal of the City's affordable housing levy this afternoon, including setting the amount of the levy at $145 million over seven years beginning in 2010.  We will take our final vote next Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. to place renewal of the levy before the voters.  If passed, Seattle voters will make a final judgment about the levy this November. 

The affordable housing levy develops rental housing, provides rental subsidies and offers assistance to home-buyers.  New rental units help our lowest income neighbors find housing in Seattle that they can afford.  The rental assistance prevents low income renters from becoming homeless.  And home-buyer assistance encourages home ownership by those who otherwise might not have access to the market.

When approved, the vast majority of levy funds will target those earning 50% or less of the area median income (about $29,500 for a one-person household).  Some funds may also be spent on those earning 51% to 80% of the area median income (between $29,500 and $44,800).

Seattle voters first approved an affordable housing levy in 1981, and then renewed it in 1986, 1995, and 2002.  Another renewal of the levy is fully justified because of the excellent track record of the previous levies and because the current economic crisis the nation is suffering is placing many working families at risk.

Approval of the levy can also be seen as part of our city’s economic stimulus effort.  Administration of the levy involves a public-private partnership among the City, the nonprofit sector, and private industry.  That partnership creates jobs.  The private sector especially benefits as thousands of jobs are created for architects, engineers, and construction workers. 

If approved by voters in November, the levy will cost the owner of an average ($460,000) assessed value Seattle home approximately $6.60 per month.  The owner of a median ($379,811) assessed value home will pay about $5.45 per month. 

Most Encampment Dwellers Refuse City Aid

The City Council was told this morning that the vast majority of homeless living in encampments refuse offers of aid from city outreach workers.  In 2008, 90 outreach visits were made to 17 encampments (three or more tents or other shelters) and 19 to camps (less than three shelters).  A total of 320 individuals were contacted by outreach workers and offered assistance; only 106, or 33%, accepted emergency shelter or other assistance. 

The city adopted new administrative policies designed to help people living in illegal encampments and camps in April 2008.  The rules were refined throughout the year in response to public concerns about disposition of personal property and whether those living in the encampments were receiving adequate notice they would be prohibited from staying in the make-shift shelters.  Most of the illegal encampments and camps are located in city greenbelt areas, parks, or unused portions of transportation right-of-ways. Complaints about garbage, drug use, crime, and unsanitary conditions prompted the city to become more aggressive is clearing the camps and removing garbage.  Over 12 tons of garbage was removed from one encampment site on west Queen Anne last summer. 

The Council was also told this morning by a representative of the city's Human Services Department that none of those who agreed to accept city assistance were turned away.  This has been an important focus for me, making sure all individuals who wanted it could receive emergency shelter beds and other assistance.