HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-08-2010
CITY OF 4HI6 1
)wASH~N~TON HUMAN SERVICES COMIIAITTEE
MINUTES
March 8, 2010
I. CALL TO ORDER
The March 8, 2010 meeting was held as the Kent and Auburn Housing Opportunities Tour; the
tour highlighted innoyatiye partnerships and showcased what affordable housing opportunities
our communities.already have.
Committee Members present were: Barbara Derda, Bette Van Gasken, Chuck Booth, Daryl Thompson, JoAnne
Walters, Lela Brugger and. Marian Thomas
Committee Members not qresent: Daryl Thompson and_Virginia Lloyd-Baron
Staff qreserrt were: , Community Senrices Manager Michael Hursh
Guests aresenf were: Aubum Planning Commission Judi Roland, Aubum City Council Lynn Norman, Aubum
City Council Nancy Backus, Aubum Planning Commission Ron Coppte, Board Member,, Valley Cities Gounseling &
Consultation / Aubum Re'sident Barb Mucrynski, Kent Land-Use Commission Barbara Phillips, King Gounty Agency Director
of Catholic Gommunity Services Bill Hallerman; Director of Homeless Family Senrices at Valley Cities Counseling &
Consultation Dan McDougall-Treacy, Director of Integrated Senrices at Sound Mental Mealth'Declan VUynne; Kent City Council
Member Dennis Higgins, Kent City Council Member Elizabeth Albertson, CEO of Valley Cities Counseling, & Consultation
Faith Richie, City of Kent staff Jason Johnson; Housing Development Consortium representative Karen Williams, Housing
Program Director at Multi-Service Center. Manuela Ginnett, Kent Planning Services & Community Development staff Matt
Gilbert, Executive Director of Kent Youth and Fam'ily Services Mike Heinisch, Kent Land-Use Commission Navdeep Gill, Kent
Human Service Commission Oriana Pon, Developmert Diriector of Valley Cities Counseling & Consultation Pam Taylor and
Executive Director Low Income Housing Institute Sharon Lee
APPROVAL OF iVIINUTES "
•The Committee did not review any minutes at this meeting. The Committee will review
the February and March meeting minutes at the April 13, 2010 meeting.
III. ' AGENDA .
This tour was a part of a series of tours taking place.in South King County for 2010. This is a
collaborative effort by the cities of Kent and Aubum along with community partners including:
Valley Cities Counseling.& Consultation, Multi-Service Center (MSC), Catholic Community
Services Kent Youth and.Family Services, Sound Mental Health, Renton Housing Authority,
Habitat for Humanity and Navos Housing Development Consortium
• O.utreach & Housing First Model: The bus left Aubum City Hall and headed towards
Kent to pick up the rest of the group. : Along the way Dan McDougall-Treacy, Director of
Homeless Family Services, Valley Cities Counseling & Consultation spoke to the group
about homelessness in Auburn; the problem and a call to actiAn for elected offcials and
leaders. We know that providing housing and sen►ices helps people change their lives. It should
be possible for working people to afford housing and still have enough for the basic
necessities like groceries, gas and child care. Mr. McDougall-Treacy talked about
partners and ongoing initiatives in the effort to end homelessness and whafelected
officials can do.
• Katherine's House: Both the Aubum and Kent groups gathered at Katherine's House
in Kent for a tour and overview of the agency Jead by Bill Hallerman, King County
, Agency Director, Catholic Community Services and Tracy Myers and Johanna.
Checland, Catholic Community Services.
• Site visit to Watson Manner in Kent: VisitJead by Mike Heinisch, Executive. Director,
Kent Youth and Family Services.
` e Site visit to White River Apartments in Auburn: Visit lead by Manuela Ginnett,
Housing Program Director, Multi-Service Center and Jannell Engquist; Resident.
•Site visit to VC L-anding in Auburn: Visit lead by Faith Richie, CEO, Valley Cities
Counseling & Consultation, Barb Muczynski, Aubum Resident and Board Member,
Valley Cities.
o:Site visit to White River Gardens on Auburn: Visit lead by Sharon Lee, Executive
, Director, LIHI.
IV. TOPICS OF DISCUSSION Local Best Practices - what are..'cities in South King County doing to meet. affordable
housing needs. Develop an action plan to fulfill,the affordable housing targets stated in
your city's Comprehensive Plan.
o Improve feasibility and incentives for affordable housing development.
o Preserve existing affordable housing and address homelessness. • Funiiing Collaboratives for Affordable Housing - when public resources are pooled and
funding mechanisms synchronized there can be more effective and efficient impacts in
communities.
• Definition of: Affordable Housing - The US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)
defines housing as affordable if occupants pay no more than 30% of their income for rent
and utilities.
Median Income (AIM) - Se#s the maximum limit that a household can earn and remain
eligible for both #ederally and localty funded housing programs: Income limits are adjusted
for family size and area. .
Housing First - The goal is to immediately house people who are.homeless.` Housing is
flexible and independent so that people get housed easily and stay housed.
_ 8upportive Housing - Combines affordable: housing with individualized health, counseling
and employment services for persons with mental, illness, cFiemical dependency,.chronic
health problems, ot other challenges. Integrating families and individuals into the
community by addressing their basic needs for housing antl on-going support. .
" Transitional Housing - This housing provides stability for residents for a limited time
period, usually two weeks fo 24 months, to allow them to recover from a crisis such as
.
. homelessness or domestic violence before transitioning into permanent housing.
e Landlord Liaison Project - To create incentives for landlords to relax their.screening
criteria for liomeless people with barriers to accessing permanent housing: Barriers may
include poor credit, criminal history or past evictions as examples.
V. ADJOURNMENT
The group was-dropped off at 4:15 p.m. at Auburn City Hall :
APPROVED THE 13 day of " I , 2010.
~
Suzanne Limric, Chair Kirstefi Reynolds o mun y Services Project Assistant