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Home My WebLink AboutCOW 2020-08-24 Item 5B - COVID-19 - Coronavirus Weekly ReportCOUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS Initials ibleeting Date Prepared by Mayor's review Council review 8/24/20 RB ITEM INFORMATION ITEM No. 5.B. STAFF SPONSOR: RACHEL BIANCHI ORIGINAL AGENDA DATE: 8/24/20 AGENDA ITEM TITLE A weekly update on the City's planning and response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) CATEGORY 0 Discussion 8/24/20 ❑ Motion Mtg Date ❑ Resolution Mtg Date ❑ Ordinance Mtg Date ❑ Bid Award Mtg Date ❑ Public Hearing Mtg Date ❑ Other Mtg Date Mtg Date SPONSOR Council 01 Mayor ❑ HR ❑ DCD ❑ Finance ❑ Fire ❑ TS ❑ P&R ❑ Police ❑ PIF SPONSOR'S The City is actively engaged in regional efforts to address the coronavirus (COVID-19). SUMMARY Staff are providing the Council with updated information regarding the City's response to COVID-19. REVIEWED BY ❑ Trans&Infrastructure ❑ CommunitySvs/Safety ❑ Finance Com ❑ LTAC ❑ Arts Comm. ❑ Parks Comm. DATE: N/A COMMI I I EE CHAIR: ❑ Planning/Economic Dev. ❑ Planning Comm. RECOMMENDATIONS: SPONSOR/ADMIN. COMMII"IEE N/A N/A COST IMPACT / FUND SOURCE EXPENDITURE REQUIRED AMOUNT BUDGETED APPROPRIATION REQUIRED $ $ Fund Source: Comments: MTG. DATE RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION MTG. DATE ATTACHMENTS 08/24/20 Coronavirus Report 51 52 Coronavirus Response Update August 24, 2020 Essential Services and City Operations There are no changes to essential services or City operations since the last report. The Administration is currently surveying staff to understand the impacts of public schools being closed this fall on the organization. Staff leadership is seeking to understand how we can accommodate employees impacted by children engaged in distance learning this fall. Financial Stability At the May 18 City Council meeting the Council approved various measures for the mayor to implement to address the revenue shortfalls associated with the coronavirus pandemic. The Council continues to receive regular updates on the implementation of the financial measures associated with the coronavirus pandemic, the most recent of which is at the August 24, 2020 Committee of the Whole. Police Staffing and Calls for Service There have been no changes to Police staffing since the last report. Fire Staffing and Calls for Service There have been no changes to Fire staffing since the last report. Human Services Currently, HS staff has five families in the pipeline for next week, which means intakes are complete and staff is waiting for required backup documentation from the landlord. HS staff continues to find funding partners to create a 'patchwork' of funding sources to assist when a family is several months behind in their rent. Lifetime Maximum Following up to the question raised at the August 17, 2020 Council meeting regarding the lifetime cap, in 2017, the lifetime household maximum was raised from $500 to $700. When COVID hit and the Council agreed to the 90% allocation of HB 1406 funds for rental assistance it was raised again to $1200. Historically the maximum lifetime limit has been set by Human Services program staff based on community need due to increasing rent and utility costs, and regional crisis (economic downturn, pandemic). Because of their recent workload to review RFPs, the Human Services Advisory Board is scheduled to meet again in October. Human Services staff will seek their input on the lifetime maximum at that meeting and report back to Community Services and Safety after that meeting. Eviction Concerns While significant government and philanthropic funds for eviction prevention continue to be allocated to our region, staff does have concerns that there will eventually be mass evictions in the region. Currently there is simply not enough funding to meet the needs of residents who owe significant back rent. Staff has connected 53 with several agencies that have been awarded eviction prevention funds and in some cases the demand is so great that agencies have shut down the application process within five days of its opening. As the COVID crisis continues, the debt that our tenants and landlords are facing will continue to grow. Human Services staff continue to collaborate closely with other agencies in the region and advocate on behalf of Tukwila residents. Business Recovery Business Re -Openings As of August 18, King County continues in Phase 2 of Washington's "Safe Start" four phase business reopening plan. The state continues the pause on counties moving into new phases of Safe Start. According to the State's metrics we are currently not meeting three of the five key goals and by a significant margin. As such, staff expects the State's pause on allowing counties to move into new phases to continue for some time. Although most of Tukwila's business activities currently are allowed to be open (some under significant limitations), some are still not allowed to be open at all. Those include museums, indoor family and recreational centers (such as bowling alleys, arcades, etc.), indoor card rooms, large sporting events, and vending game areas (pool tables, video games, etc.). Business Assistance Work continues on SavingLocalKC.com, ExperienceTukwila, Southside Promise, collaborating with the Chamber and other regional organizations, and the $31,965 small business grant program. Economy Washington State continues to evaluate whether to apply for the program the Trump Administration announced on August 8th directing $44 billion of federal disaster relief funds to states to provide additional lost wage assistance. It would require the State to provide at least 25% of matching funds and would not exactly follow the current unemployment insurance claims process. If all states apply and the funds are distributed to current individuals receiving unemployment benefits, the federal funds would run out in 5 or 6 weeks. The elimination of the federal $600 weekly unemployment benefit at the end of July may have a significant effect on consumer spending and business revenues for the next few months. Meeting our Community's Basic Needs Senior Meal Distribution 60 households made up of 57 seniors and 406 meals delivered this week. The senior meal program will be funded through the end of the year through the Mayor's office. Tukwila Food Pantry The Tukwila Food Pantry remains busy with approximately 450 — 500 households served on each distribution day of Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday. 54 Parks and Recreation Youth Summer Meals Program. Below is a table reflecting the various meals and items distributed by Parks and Recreation so far this summer. Youth Meal Distribution Grand Total Wk1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Year Total Attendance 339 422 451 458 424 469 222 0 2785 Meals 529 599 872 802 790 864 390 0 4846 Breakfast Items 0 0 548 779 799 992 728 0 3846 Rec. Kits 260 346 520 560 563 575 230 0 3054 Books 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Masks 183 411 1196 1219 1187 1691 686 0 6573 Youth meal distribution is ending next week. Public Safety Plan Construction Projects There have been no changes to the Public Safety Plan projects since the last report. Compliance with the Governor's Order There have been no changes to compliance issues since the last report. 55 56