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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReg 2023-10-16 Item 6 - Motion - Affirm Proclamation of Emergency Regarding Humanitarian Crisis and Need for Resources at Riverton Park United Methodist ChurchCOUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS Initials Meeting Date Prepared by Mayor's review Council review 10/16/23 BJM ITEM INFORMATION ITEM No. 6 STAFF SPONSOR: PETE MAYER ORIGINAL AGENDA DATE: 10/16/23 AGENDA ITEM TITLE A motion of the City Council affirming the Mayor's State of Emergency Proclamation to assist asylum seekers at Riverton Methodist Church. CATEGORY ® Discussion Mtg Date 10/16/23 ® Motion Mtg Date 10/16 ❑ Resolution Mtg Date ❑ Ordinance Mtg Date ❑ Bid Award Mtg Date ❑ Public Hearing Mtg Date ❑ Other Mtg Date SPONSOR ❑ Council ® Mayor ❑ Admin Svcs ❑ DCD ❑ Finance ❑ Fire ❑ P&R ❑ Police ❑ Pl/ SPONSOR'S SUMMARY On Friday, October 6, 2023, the Mayor issued a proclamation declaring that a state of emergency exists in the City regarding the growing needs of asylum seekers on the Church property. As outlined in the proclamation, the growing needs of the asylum seekers represents a humanitarian crisis. REVIEWED BY ❑ Trans&Infrastructure Svcs ❑ Community Svcs/Safety ❑ Finance & Governance ❑ Planning & Community Dev. ❑ LTAC ❑ Arts Comm. ❑ Parks Comm. ❑ Planning Comm. DATE: N/A COMMITTEE CHAIR: N/A RECOMMENDATIONS: SPONSOR/ADMIN. Mayor's Office COMMITTEE N/A COST IMPACT / FUND SOURCE EXPENDITURE REQUIRED $N/A AMOUNT BUDGETED $N/A APPROPRIATION REQUIRED $N/A Fund Source: N/A Comments: N/A MTG. DATE RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION 10/16/23 MTG. DATE ATTACHMENTS 10/16/23 Informational Memorandum dated October 10, 2023. October 6, 2023 Emergency Proclamation October 6, 2023 letter to King County Executive Dow Constantine 21 22 City of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: City Council FROM: David Cline, City Administrator Pete Mayer, Acting Deputy City Administrator BY: Brandon Miles, Acting Government Relations Manager CC: Mayor Ekberg DATE: October SUBJECT: State of Emergency Declaration, Riverton Methodist Church ISSUE A motion of the City Council affirming the Mayor's State of Emergency Proclamation to assist asylum seekers at Riverton Methodist Church. BACKGROUND Starting in December of 2022 the Riverton Methodist Church in Tukwila began to see asylum seekers arriving at the Church property. Asylum seekers are those that have been lawfully admitted in the United States by the Federal Government while they await adjudication of their asylum request. The wait time currently averages upwards of four years from the date of their application for asylum until the case is heard before a federal immigration judge. The number of asylum seekers at the Church property has consistently grown over the last few months. Because of challenges in controlling and monitoring the site, it's difficult to get a solid number of asylum seekers on the property, with estimates between 180-220 people, including families with children. The Church's current infrastructure is unable to serve the needs of the people residing on the site. On Friday, October 6, 2023, the Mayor issued a proclamation declaring that a state of emergency exists in the City regarding the growing needs of asylum seekers on the Church property. As outlined in the proclamation, the growing needs of the asylum seekers represents a humanitarian crisis. DISCUSSION The proclamation allows the City to adopt emergency zoning rules and procedures to address the growing needs on the Church property; suspend competitive bidding; and to seek additional funds from the State of Washington and Federal Government. The City can implement the emergency rules effective upon approval by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the City Council as soon as practicable. The following outlines some of the key actions that have been taken last week, with many of the actions actually occurring prior to the issuance of the formal declaration: 1. The City has contracted with 12 Strategies to provide a site and needs assessment at the Riverton Methodist Church. While the City will assist in identifying ways to best manage the site and work to identify needs of the asylum seekers, the City's role will not be the direct management of the site or providing direct services to the people on the site. Other governmental entities and non -profits are best suited as providing direct services. 23 INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 2 2. The City has conducted outreach and attempted to identify resources that might be available from the following government agencies: King County, Port of Seattle, Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, and Governor's Office. Additionally, the City has spoken directly with staff from Senator Murray and Cantwell's Offices and with Congressman Smith's office. At this time, despite repeated attempts, the City has been unable to speak directly with the City of Seattle in an official capacity. 3. Using the Incident Command Structure (ICS), the City created a framework to manage and respond to the needs at the Church property. 4. Finally, the Mayor has sent King County Executive Dow Constantine a letter formally requesting King County's help in responding to the Riverton Methodist Church. FINANCIAL IMPACT Staff is working on a specific financial ask and will come back to the City Council with a budget request. RECOMMENDATION Affirm the Mayor's State of Emergency Proclamation. ATTACHMENTS • October 6, 2023 Emergency Proclamation • October 6, 2023 letter to King County Executive Dow Constantine 24 C:1Users\andy-y1AppDatalLocal\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\R1NYNLZP12023.10.10 Informational Memorandum.docx r ffl Office of the Mayor City of Tukwila, Washington PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) chapter 38.52 authorizes the Mayor to exercise emergency powers; and WHEREAS, Tukwila Municipal Code (TMC) Section 2.57.030(1) empowers the Mayor to proclaim a state of emergency when an incident, whether natural or man-made, requires immediate responsive action to protect life and property; and WHEREAS, during the past 10 months, over 200 asylees have arrived at the Riverton Park United Methodist Church ("RPUMC") in Tukwila seeking shelter, food, clothing, and social services; and WHEREAS, the RPUMC has created shelter space inside of its sanctuary, as well as established a tent encampment on the RPUMC grounds; and WHEREAS, the RPUMC has expressed concerns to the City and other elected officials at the county, state, and federal levels that the RPUMC facility is at or beyond its capacity due to the influx of new asylees, and it is becoming increasingly challenging to meet the needs of the people, including children and infants, seeking asylum; and WHEREAS, the RPUMC has expressed the same concerns to numerous non-profit organizations associated with disadvantaged and homelessness within King County that the RPUMC facility is at or beyond its capacity, with responses back that the non-profit organizations also are at full capacity; and WHEREAS, the situation at the RPUMC constitutes a humanitarian crisis where the need for resources for safe sanitary shelter is acute and beyond the capabilities of Tukwila itself to manage; and WHEREAS, the City wishes to assist in the coordination of resources and support to the RPUMC, and it is believed a formal proclamation of emergency allows additional resources to flow to the RPUMC and the City to resolve this crisis in a more expeditious manner; and WHEREAS, on October 2, 2023, the City participated in the Riverton Park Asylee Roundtable to discuss the situation at the RPUMC, and representatives from several non-profit service providers attended, along with representatives of the following government agencies: United States Senators and Representatives Governor's Office Washington State Department of Commerce Washington State Department of Social and Health Services 25 State Senators and Representatives King County Council Seattle -King County Public Health King County Regional Homelessness Authority Seattle Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs; and WHEREAS, the City of Tukwila seeks the cooperation and assistance of county, state, and federal partners to help makes fund and resources available immediately to address this growing crisis; THEREFORE, I, Allan Ekberg, Mayor of the City of Tukwila, do hereby proclaim a state of emergency within the City of Tukwila at the RPUMC; and that during the existence of said emergency, the powers, functions, and duties of the Director of Emergency Management and the emergency organization of this city shall be those prescribed by state law, by ordinances, and resolutions of this City. Said local emergency shall be deemed to continue to exist until its termination is proclaimed by the Mayor of the City of Tukwila, State of Washington. Presented this 6th day of October, 2023. Allan Ekberg, Mayor I 26 City of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor Mayor's Office - David Cline, City Administrator October 6, 2023 The Honorable Dow Constanine King County Executive 401 5th Ave #800 Seattle, WA 98104 RE: Declaration of Emergency Asylum Seekers Dear Executive Constantine: King County has long been a welcoming place for those seeking a better life in the United States. King County, Seattle, and Tukwila helped asylum seekers during global historic events such as the end of the Vietnan War, Syrian Civil War, Afghanistan Conflict, and the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. In the Spring, Tukwila informed King County of the growing population of asylum seekers at the Riverton Methodist Church. I want to thank King County and Seattle -King County Public Health for the services that they have provided to date. Unfortunately, I believe that more is needed to help the asylum seekers in Tukwila. Today, using the powers granted by the Tukwila Municipal Code and the State of Washington, I have issued a formal Declaration of Emergency. The situation at the Riverton Methodist Church constitutes a humanitarian crisis and is beyond the capabilities of Tukwila by itself to manage. lam formally requesting that King County assist the City in helping the asylum seekers. As you know, asylum seekers are those that have been lawfully admitted into the United States by the Federal Government, while they await adjudication of their asylum request. This wait time currently averages upwards of four years from the date of their application for asylum until their asylum case is heard by a federal immigration judge. As I am sure you would agree, more needs to be done at the national level to speed up the process for asylum seekers and to ensure that there are adequate resources made available to cities, counties, and states to provide resources for asylum seekers as they go through the Federal process. I hope that King County and the region will continue to assist these new asylum seekers as we have always done in the past. Sincerely, Allan Ekberg Mayor Tukwila City Hall • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Website: TukwilaWA.gov 27