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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOW 2025-06-23 Item 5B - Update - Asylum Seeker Response / Authorization on Spending Grant FundsCOUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS Initials Meeting Date Prepared by Mayor's review Council review 6/23/25 BM ITEM INFORMATION ITEMNO. 5.B. & Spec 3.B. STAFF SPONSOR: BRANDON MILES ORIGINAL AGENDA DATE: 6/23/25 AGENDA ITEM TITLE Update on Asylum Seeker Response and Authorization to Spend Remaining Grant Funds CATEGORY ® Discussion Mt Date 6/23/25 ® Motion Mtg Date 6/23/25 ❑ Resolution Mtg Date ❑ Ordinance Mtg Date ❑ Bid Aivard Mtg Date ❑ Public Hearing Mtg Date ❑ Other AItg Date SPONSOR ❑ Council ® Mayor ❑ Admin Svcs ❑ DCD ❑ Finance ❑ Fire ❑ P&R ❑ Police ❑ Ply SPONSOR'S SUMMARY Staff is requesting that Administration be allowed to enter into contracts that exceed the Mayor's signing authority that allows the spend down of the remaining Commerce grant, up to $500,000 by the end of June, 2025. No city general fund dollars will be used. 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. Approve. COMMITTEE N/A COST IMPACT / FUND SOURCE EXPENDITURE REQUIRED $500,000 AMOUNT BUDGETED $N/A APPROPRIATION REQUIRED $N/A Fund Source: WASHINGTON STATE COMMERCE GRANT Comments: No general funds will be used. MTG. DATE RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION 6/23/25 MTG. DATE ATTACHMENTS 6/23/25 Informational Staff Memorandum dated June 16, 2025 25 City of Tukwila Thomas McLeod, Mayor INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Tukwila City Council FROM: Brandon Miles, Mayor's Office CC: Thomas McLeod DATE: June 16, 2025 SUBJECT: Update on Asylum Seeker Response and Authorization to Spend Remaining Grant Funds ISSUE Administration would like to provide an update on the City's ongoing response to asylum seekers in the community and to seek funding authorization to expend additional funds by the end of June toward the efforts. BACKGROUND In the Spring of 2023, a large number of asylum seekers began to seek services at the Riverton Park United Methodist Church (RPUMC) in Tukwila. In October of 2023, the City overwhelmed by the need at RPUMC, declared an emergency. At the time there were nearly 350 people living at RPUMC, both indoors and in small tents on the property. City Response Following the issuance of the emergency declaration, the City began a coordinated, multi - department response to what was growing into a humanitarian crisis at RPUMC. The City contracted with Innovative Impact Strategies (i2), a firm experienced in working with unhoused individuals, to assist with the site conditions at RPUMC and to strategize the overall response. Based on recommendations from i2, the City began to take immediate actions to improve the conditions at RPUMC, including renting a FEMA style tent to provide better short-term housing for people at the site. 26 INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 2 The City also began to advocate to the State of Washington for a statewide system to address the growing influx of asylum seekers coming to Tukwila and Washington State. As part of last year's legislative session, the State directed the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Assistance (ORIA) to assume responsibility for the statewide response. Additionally, funds were allocated to ORIA to set up the WA -MASS system, which launched in October of 2024. The WA -MASS program has the Immigrant Rescue Committee (IRC) serving as the initial triage agency for asylum seekers. Unfortunately, there was a significant backlog in getting people through the system. Additionally, there was no short-term sheltering available, and many new arrivals seem to have been directed towards RPUMC for shelter. The lack of shelter for unhoused individuals regionwide also creates capacity issues for asylum seekers. Grants The City pursued several grants options to assist with the City's response. Source of Funds Amount of Revenue Notes Washington State Commerce Grant $1,875,000 Housing funds. Only reimburses eligible expenses from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. Department of Commerce takes an administrative fee of $125,000 $500,000 City Expenses. Only reimburses eligible expenses from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. King County Grant $2,000,000 Various Uses, both asylum seekers and general unhoused populations. Only reimburses eligible expenses from April, 2024 through December 31, 2025. This grant will take over the expenses of the church network on Jul 1, 2025. Total Funds Available $4,375,000 The City had also received notice from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) of the award of $1 million through a pass -through grant from FEMA. However, the Trump Administration terminated the funds. The termination of this grant has no impacts on the current activities the City is doing or our activities through December of this year. The funds were going to be used to reimburse the City for some expenses back to October of 2023 and to pay for any ongoing expenses from January 1, 2026 onwards. Use of the Funds Including the white tent previously deployed at RPUMC, the City has provided over 47,000 room nights to asylum seekers in a variety of ways. • Setting Up a Network of Support 27 INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 3 i2 and the City have worked to set up a network of churches willing to provide safe and culturally appropriate congregated sheltering for asylum seekers. The City currently has four churches under contract to provide sheltering in Pierce County and south King County. These churches have provided excellent support to asylum seekers and cost significantly less than using hotel rooms. The City is currently using the Commerce grant to support the church network and starting on July 1 the King County grant will be used to fund the network. The City plans on transitioning out of the church network by the end of the year. • Other Support Using our grant funds, the City has also assisted asylum seekers in securing apartments, paying utilities, and removing other barriers to housing. The City is also still using a few rooms at the Interurban Suites in Tukwila for families from Econo Lodge. The City's use of these rooms will end after June. The City is also using grant funds to complete needed work on two city owned homes that are used to support asylum seekers and the unhoused. The City was unable to come to an agreement with RPUMC for funding support. The City has offered funds through our Washington State Department of Commerce grant for a variety of activities at the church, including making much needed improvements to the building to address outstanding safety issues. As part of accepting the funds, RPUMC would have been required to limit the nightly number of people in the building due to significant life safety concerns. RPUMC refused this funding offer. • Tiny Home Village Staff is also exploring standing up a tiny home village in partnership with Church by the Side of the Road. Tiny home villages are permitted on the property by code. Using the Commerce grant, the City paid for some initial preliminary work. The City also has funds budgeted in the King County grant for capital set up. Currently, the City has not identified a partner to support the ongoing operations cost at the tiny home village once set up. However, the City has had some good conversations with King County, City of Seattle, and non -profits about possible funding. Financial Impact to Date The City began tracking its cost, including staff time, in the fourth quarter of 2023. Period Amount Notes 2023 Total Expenses $163,092 Expenses prior to July 1, 2024 are not eligible to be reimbursed under the State Grant. The City may get some of the expenses reimbursed under the Federal or County grant. 2024 Expenses Through June: $501,020 2024 Expenses from July 1 through December 31, 2024: $799,7031 Housing expenses will be 100% recovered. City expenses will be reimbursed up to $500,000 from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. 2025 estimated expenses from January 1, 2025 through February 28, 2025. $1,082,820 Housing expenses will be 100% recovered. City expenses will be reimbursed up to $500,000 from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. Total: $2,546,635 28 1 The city has already received this reimbursement from the State. INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 4 General Fund (May not Be Reimbursed): Previous Expenses Eligible for Reimbursement: $664,112 $1,882,523 This is the total of the funds and staff time that occurred prior to Jul 1, 2024. The City Council gave contract authorization for funding for the churches and Econo Lodge rooms. The City is currently forecasting an underspend of approximately $500,000 for the State Commerce grant that expires at the end of this month. This underspend can largely be attributed to a reduction in the number of asylum seekers coming to Tukwila seeking services and the fact the RPUMC did not accept funds to complete work on the building. Remaining Spend Down As noted, the City is currently forecasting a possible underspend of our Commerce grant by about $500,000. The City has maximized our eligible expenses to the Commerce grant over the last 11 months. Staff does think we could make some capital purchases by the end of June to support a tiny home village at CBSR. This could include purchasing the homes or other onsite buildings now with our State grant before expiration. These items were initially going to be purchased with the King County grant after July 1. Thus, using the State grant now would free up funds in the County grant for other expenditures, if needed. RECOMMENDATION Staff is requesting that Administration be allowed to enter into contracts that exceed the Mayor's signing authority that allows the spend down of the remaining Commerce grant, up to $500,000 by the end of June, 2025. No city general fund dollars will be used. ATTACHMENTS • None 29