PCD 2021-06-07 Item 2B - Discussion - King County's Health through Housing Initiative

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City of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor Administrative Services Department- Rachel Bianchi, Deputy CityAdministrator TO: Planning and Community Development Committee FROM: Rachel Bianchi, Deputy City Administrator CC: Mayor Ekberg DATE: May 24, 2021 SUBJECT: King County's Health Through Housing Program ISSUE On Monday, February 22, 2021 staff from King County presented to the Council an overview of the Health Through Housing Program (HTH). King County is seeking to purchase existing hotel/motel buildings within cities on a voluntary basis to provide rapid rehousing for chronically homeless individuals. This is the third discussion in Committee. Staff is seeking direction on next steps. BACKGROUND The Committee developed a series of questions regarding HTH and staff presented initial responses on April 5, 2021. At that meeting, the Committee directed staff to work with King County to seek clarity and additional answers. The County's response to the questions is included here as an attachment. DISCUSSION In the discussions with King County on the Committee's questions, County staff clarified that the HTH providers have indicated they are only interested in utilizing hotel properties that do not have outside entrances to individual hotel rooms. To preserve the safety of their clients, providers believe the best services can be given at properties that have only interior entrances to rooms. This significantly limits the potential properties in Tukwila that could be used for the HTH program, and most properties that would fit this requirement are in the Central Business District. While there are one or two properties on TIB, the Committee has so far indicated preference that this neighborhood be excluded from consideration for HTH properties. At this point, neither City staff nor the County have any idea whether there are properties in Tukwila that fit the HTH requirements. As a reminder, the County is only working with willing sellers and willing cities. To determine whether there is even an opportunity for the City to work with the County on HTH, the next step would be for the County to engage their broker to determine if any properties are for sale. This step would not be an indication of the City's support for HTH in Tukwila, but rather serves as the next information gathering phase. This is the most efficient use of staff and committee time, as if there are no willing sellers of hotel properties fitting the HTH requirements, this issue would be moot. RECOM M ENDATION Staff recommends allowing the County to engage their broker to determine if there are any qualified properties in Tukwila for sale. The purpose would be for information gathering to determine if future direction is needed, and would not indicate that Tukwila is a willing city. ATTACHMENTS Updated HTH Q&A with King County responses. Tukwila City Hall • 6200 Southeenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 Website: TukwilaWA.gav 11