City Council - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon. I would like to call to order the Pierce County Council. Today is 04/14/2026. The time is 03:01PM. If the clerk could please call the roll.

Council member Morell?

Here.

Council member Herrera?

I'm here.

Council member Kruger? Here. Council member Ayala? Here. Council member Yombe? Here. Council member Denson? Excused. Council member Hitchin? Here. We have six members present.

With six members, we do have a quorum. Thank you all for joining us today. In a moment, I will be leading the Pledge of Allegiance and read a land acknowledgment. Following the pledge, I will ask that you remain standing for a moment of silence in honor of the men and women serving overseas in our military. Please rise if you're able for the flight of allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, We acknowledge that we are on the traditional home homelands of the Coast Salish tribes. Coast Salish people have lived on and stewarded these lands since time immemorial and continue to do so today. We recognize that this land acknowledgment is one small step towards true allyship, and we must commit to uplifting the voices, experiences, and histories of the indigenous people of this land. We are now at section four, which is the approval of our agenda. Is there any objections to our agenda as presented this afternoon?

Seeing none, we will consider our agenda approved. On today's council agenda, there'll be multiple opportunities for public comment. On the consent agenda, which we'll be taking up here in a moment, you may provide public comment on any final action item. This does not include items placed on the consent agenda for introduction or scheduling. During sections eight and nine of our agenda, we will take public comment for each final action item.

And so each ordinance and each resolution. And then finally, under community forum, there'll be an opportunity to address the council on any topic that was not up for final action today. For more information on the rules for public participation, please review the bottom of the first page of the agenda. We now have a consent agenda before us. This includes two sets of minutes, one grant application, one final settlement item, and a motion to rescind and reset a final hearing date for proposal O-twenty 20 six-five 11. Looking to my colleagues to see if anybody has an item they would like pulled from the consent agenda. Not seeing any vice chair, do you feel like you can make a motion from afar?

We will try. I move to approve the consent agenda as presented.

It's been moved and seconded that we approve the consent agenda as presented. Is there any comments on anything? Otherwise, we're gonna open this up for public comments. So I'm gonna open this up for public comment. Again, this is only on any final action item. You'll have up to three minutes. Please state your name if you'd like it on the record. We do have members of the public in chambers. Don't think that's why they're here, but I will just ask in case. Does anyone have comments on our consent agenda? Nobody is getting up. Mr. Weinsberry, can we go online?

Yes, madam chair. For any members of the public who wish

to provide comment on any final action items, press the raise hand icon on Zoom or star nine on your telephone keypad. No hands, madam chair.

With no hands raised, I'm gonna close public comment on the consent agenda and bring it back before the council and ask the clerk to call the roll on the approval of the consent agenda as presented.

Council Member Morell.

Aye.

Council Member Herrera.

Aye.

Council Member Kruger. Aye. Council Member Ayala.

Aye.

Council Member Yambay.

Aye.

Council Member Hitchin. Aye. We have six ayes, zero nays.

With six ayes and zero nays, the motion is adopted. The consent agenda is adopted. Section six is messages from the executive. We don't have any today. So we will move to section seven. Today we actually have two proclamations. Very excited to be doing both of these. Our first proclamation is from the council and executive designating April 13 to the seventeenth, twenty twenty six as Black Wellness Week in Pierce County, Washington. I'd like to welcome and invite the following individuals to the podium. Christina Blocker and anyone else that's with you. I didn't get the names. Bring them all.

It's all

good. It's more to celebrate. And I'm gonna read this, and then we'll invite you to share some comments. Thank you for both being here, and Keith Blocker and sons. A proclamation of the Pierce County Council, an executive designating April 13 through the seventeenth, twenty twenty six as Black Wellness Week in Pierce County, Washington.

Whereas in 1915, Booker T. Washington launched National Health Improvement Week, later known as Negro Health Week, to spotlight and address health disparities in the black community, including poverty, lack of access to formal healthcare, poor nutrition, poor sanitation, and a lack of access to housing. And whereas a goal of the Health Week is to foster advocacy and education to remove barriers so that black and African American people can achieve prosperity and success and have access to education, healthcare, housing, and build family wealth. And whereas holistic well-being encompassing physical, mental, emotional, and social health is a priority for all communities. And today, more than one hundred years after the creation of National Health Improvement Week, health disparities still exist, especially within the black community in Washington State.

And whereas, work to eliminate these disparities calls for initiatives that are both inclusive and resource conscious, and involve a community driven approach focusing on leveraging existing resources and capacities. And whereas the Elevate Black Wellness Initiative aims to address health disparities facing black communities through partnerships at all levels, including grassroot advocacy, local government, and by working with the Washington State Department of Health to raise awareness and establish actionable steps to enhance health outcomes and build a sustainable model for the future wellness initiatives. And whereas the Pierce County Council adopted resolution R-twenty 20 one-108S directing the county executive to develop a countywide equity index and analytic framework for evaluating legislation. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed on this April 2020 by the Pierce County Council and Executive that April 13 through the seventeenth, twenty twenty six is Black Wellness Week in Pierce County, Washington. And the Council and Executive encourage community members, community groups, nonprofits, and other local governments to look at ways they can further improve the health outcomes of black community by eliminating barriers and prioritizing access to services and programs for the betterment of the community.

Let's give them a hand. So co founder of Elevate Black Wellness, Christina Blocker, thank you for joining us.

Thank you for the opportunity, Chair Hitchin. A few remarks is now good?

Yes.

All right. All right. Good afternoon, Chair Council Chair Hitchin, Council members, and distinguished guests. My name is Christina Blocker alongside my husband Keith Blocker, and we're the cofounders of Elevate Black Wellness. And we are so deeply honored to stand before the Pierce County Council on behalf of black communities across our state.

This afternoon is a historic moment. This is the first time Pierce County has proclaimed Black Wellness Week, and it's we are so honored to be here today. We live in a county where our family lives in Pierce County. We live in a county of nearly 1,000,000 people, and it's home to one of Washington State's most vibrant and growing black populations. And that matters so, so much.

Black Wellness Week traces its roots in the 1915 tradition of National Negro Health Week as was shared. And it was National Negro Health Week was created to address the very real and very preventable barriers keeping black Americans from living full and healthy lives. There are barriers to nutrition, barriers to housing, barriers to medical care, and barriers to safety. And over one hundred and ten years later, those barriers have shifted, but they haven't disappeared. In Pierce County, black residents still face disproportionate rates of chronic illness, maternal health risk, maternal health, mental health service gaps, and unequal access to preventative care.

So what the framework of targeted universalism is, it teaches us that when we set a universal goal, a healthy Pierce County, we will not get there with a one size fits all strategy. We have to ask who is furthest furthest from that goal and what specific conditions are holding them back. When we design with the most underserved communities in mind, we build systems that work better for everyone. When black families thrive, our whole county is stronger. Our schools are stronger.

Our workforce is stronger. Our public health infrastructure is stronger. And that's really what Black Wellness Week is about. It's about centering and making sure that black health is integrated in community goals and making sure that we understand that we can't achieve one, one goal without attending to the other. I'm so proud to share that Pierce County joins a growing group and chorus of voices right here in our region.

The city of Tacoma is going to be issuing its proclamation this evening. The city of Lakewood in councilmember Hitchens' own district has been a consistent champion, and University Place has also issued their proclamation as well. So this afternoon, Pierce County steps forward to say the county speaks to and is also joining counties like King County and Snohomish County. At the state level, governor Bob Ferguson has proclaimed black wellness week for the third consecutive year, and it's joining cities and counties across Washington who are also recognizing that black well-being is a public health priority. So to counsel chair Hitchin, thank you.

Thank you so much for being the champion who made this possible. Your leadership on the Health and Human Services Committee and your voice are exactly why this proclamation lands with so much meaning. So thank you for that. And thank you to all the staff that also helped to move this forward with intention and care. We appreciate you.

This week, April, black communities across Reeves County will be gathering, but I also wanna say this is open to everyone. We have a community health fair that is free that is happening at the People's Center on Friday, where we'll be giving out free groceries, we'll be doing colon cancer blood screenings, as well as other health services. Those are all free and available to all of our community because, again, when we center our community's most impacted, we end up serving our entire community. So I invite you to join us. That's this Friday from twelve to three at the People Center. But again, I just want to say thank you. Thank you to Pierce County. Thank you all for your leadership and the hard work that you all do every day to serve on behalf of all of us in the county. Thank you.

Keith, did you wanna say anything?

I guess so. Just want to reiterate everything Christina has stated. When we think about black wellness, it's not about just individuals, it's about families and communities. And when we work together, we can all achieve the wellness that we want in Pierce County. I know how hard it is as an elected official to prioritize all the many things that you all have to work towards to support the residents of Pierce County.

But as we continue to do this work, let's continue to to center equity in our in our efforts, recognizing that there are many disparities that exist and the the our budget constraints and our policies all play a role in that. So as you continue to do your your great work and your hard work, let's just keep our our efforts rooted in equity. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Before we have you come up for a photo, I just wanna see if any of my colleagues have comments. Councilmember Yombe.

Thank you, madam chair, and thank you to the blockers for helping bring this to us and the attend give it some attention that it deserves. I had heard some questions not just from inside building but outside of why this is important. That we there were, you know, some people say, hey, you know, we should be thinking about National Public Health Week and celebrating all of this at the same time by, you know, why is it important? And, you know, people need to understand the some of the history that goes into why we needed to have National Black Wellness Week highlighted from and we don't like to rehash our dark histories of sometimes in our country where, you know, whether it be in lots of times intentional harm and acknowledging the historic discrimination that black community has faced in the country. And Henrietta Lacks is one case.

And the less talked about is like John Moore and and the Moe line. Communities whose health and well-being were not considered when our history and why do we have this is because the systems that we had were not addressing the needs of all of our communities, especially those who helped build this country and make it to what it is. And so from then to now or even today that black women having pregnancy is a gamble. You read about it. I, you know, in our friends and community, it's, there are reservations that you have when dealing with navigating our medical systems, which are literally within grandparents' time and even now.

And we're seeing constantly that history repeats and history continues. So we need to do things to highlight the importance of certain conditions in our communities and advocate for ourselves because our system is designed that the people who speak loudest to the system and people who, you know, forcibly, you know, make choices with their wallet or whatever is the people who often get heard the most. And they're listened to and paid attention to. And so it is negligence and it is our history that give reason for people not to trust our systems and our medical system and our governmental systems, and I don't blame them. And so this is just a acknowledgment of that history and it's saying that it's important that we continue to highlight it because even today, people are gambling with their lives in our medical system and we need to do better about it and we need to spread awareness of it.

And, you know, like many things, the black community has helped lead the way and helped open doors for communities outside of it to follow and say, hey, Hispanic health advocacy or native historic advocacy, health advocacy, and even Asian American Pacific Islander. And so, this is a chance to celebrate this and acknowledge that there are still issues that we need to work out and that we need to better. And appreciate you all and your entire family coming out and appreciate the chair for bringing this to us.

Thank you. Thank you, councilmember Yombe. We will go to councilmember Ayla.

Thank you, Chair. Appreciate it. Thank you, all four of you, for joining us today. I wanted to say thank you to Christina who talked a bit about targeted universalism Because we all want great things for our community and we all know that achieving that is going to require us to think differently for different pockets of people, whether it's based on your community, whether it's based on if you're black, whether it's based on your income. There are different ways to achieve success knowing that if we do support individuals who are furthest from opportunity, all of our successes will be together.

We will improve these outcomes for many folks. And when it comes to wellness, wellness could be within the medical field. Wellness could be within the mental health field, wellness could be within our lived infrastructure. This model has been implemented in other industries. In our education industry, for example, we've seen great advances in graduation rates using targeted universalism.

And so I'm excited for what our health world may look like if we are stepping into these conversations and resourcing these community centered ideas and advancing more research and just growing our knowledge. So thank you both so very much for that. Thank you, Sher.

Thank you.

Thank you both for your comments. And Christina and Keith and family, thank you for being the champion of this, for saying this is where you're going to do your work in this community to continue to lift up the voices to try and unwind some of

the

disparities that we know exist. We have the data, we see it clearly, and we continue to go, how do we chip away and make improvements? And so your continued voice and advocacy is the way that happens, because if we don't talk about it, then we don't do anything. And so you're not letting us not talk about it. And this is just one of the ways that you're doing that. So thank you both for your being the champions of this and continuing to make sure this works. Because I know it's the hard work that you do. It's the hard work, and it's the hard work. So thank you both. We are going to take a photo.

We can do it on stage. Yeah, behind. I'll know.

We're going to do it behind up here?

Okay.

So as I said at the beginning, we actually have two proclamations today. So our next proclamation is a proclamation of the council and executive designating April 2026 as sexual Assault Awareness Month in Pierce County. And I'd like to welcome and invite, as council member Yombe reads this into the record, we have Carlin Sampson, who's the executive director of Rebuilding Hope, our only accredited sexual assault center in Pierce County. And then we also have with her to be kind of behind the scenes, but also to join us in the photo. We have Nadia Van Ader, who's our director for the Crystal Judson Family Justice Center Abby McClain from the YWCA Pierce County and Reyna Nunez from Mecentro, and a few others that slipped in before I got names.

And so we will start with council member Yombe reading this into the record.

Okay. Thank you, madam chair. A proclamation of the Pierce County Council and Executive designating April 2026 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Pierce County, Washington. Whereas, Rebuilding Hope Sexual Assault Center was incorporated in 1975 as Pierce County Rape Relief and is one longest continuously operating community sexual assault centers in Washington State. And whereas Rape Awareness Week was established in 1979 by the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs expanded to Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the late nineties and was officially recognized in 2009 by President Obama for the month of April.

And whereas according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost half of women and almost one in four men in The United States experienced sexual assault. And at least half of our LGBTQIA two spirit plus community is sexually assaulted. And at least one in four girls and as many as one in six boys are sexually abused before turning 18. And whereas increased awareness around the prevalence of sexual violence has improved our community's response to sexual assault and abuse, but intersecting forms of oppression continue to result in victimization. And whereas continued efforts to increase awareness about how sexual violence impacts individuals, institutions, and communities are critical to dismantling the myths, beliefs, behaviors, and systems that provide promote sexual violence and whereas partnerships with Pierce County and community based organizations have supported Rebuilding Hopes delivery of prevention education service to thousands of youths and adults to identify the signs of unhealthy behaviors and relationships, build skills for healthy boundaries and communication, and stop sexual violence before it happens.

And whereas with more than fifty years of dedicated service as Pierce County's designated sexual assault center and three years of service as Kitsap County's designated sexual assault center, Rebuilding Hope remains committed to its mission to provide support, promote healing, and partner to end sexual violence. Now therefore, be it proclaimed on this April 2026 by the Pierce County Council and Executive that April 2026 is Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Pierce County and encourage residents to seek information, education, and support related to sexual assault and abuse. Signed the Pierce County Executive and Pierce County Council.

Let's give them a hand. We would love to hear from you.

Wonderful. Thank you so much. My name is Carlin Sampson, and I'm the executive director at Rebuilding Hope Sexual Assault Center. I want to first thank you so much Chair Hitchin, Councilmember Yombe, and all Pierce County Council members today for supporting this important proclamation and to all county staff for making this platform and meeting possible for us all. I also want to take a moment to personally thank all of Rebuilding Hopes and valuable partners here today and beyond who show up to create a comprehensive ecosystem of support to survivors and their loved ones, including but not limited to the Family Justice Center, Puyallup Tribe, YWCA of Pierce County, Our Sisters' House, Oasis Youth Center, Misentro, Mary Bridge, Tacoma Community House, and more.

On behalf of Rebuilding Hope, we are truly honored by the county's partnership in supporting victim survivors and building communities free from sexual violence. Establishing a month in honor of sexual assault awareness and prevention is itself a marker of our progress towards safer, more respectful cities and neighborhoods, as well as a stark reminder of the all too important work that is still ahead of us. As noted in the proclamation, we know that sexual violence is an insidious and pervasive problem in our communities. Nationally, almost half of all women and almost a quarter of men will experience physical sexual assault in their lifetime. It's also estimated as many as one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before turning 18.

Women of color are reported to be disproportionately assaulted more than white women. Indigenous individuals are at least twice as likely to experience sexual assault than all other racial groups. And at least half of our LGBTQ plus community experiences abhorrent violence in their lifetime. Closer to home, our state's Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs have found that a Washington resident experiences a sexual assault every three hours. And a survey of Washingtonians found that over sixty percent of women and over thirty four percent of men have experienced sexual violence during their lifetime.

And every day, Rebuilding Hope's team of advocates, therapists, and educators show up in our Pierce County community for survivors who have lived these very statistics and these very experiences. In emergency departments, courthouses, and schools, in the middle of the night and at every hour of the day, in support of survivors in the first moments after their trauma, and if survivors recovering or still healing decades later, rebuilding hope is there. No matter their age, their gender, their relationship to the offender, if any at all, and regardless of the nature of the sexual violence they endured, no matter whether they ever reported to law enforcement or if they have ever even told another soul. Every survivor in Pierce County deserves and will receive compassionate, trauma informed, and survivor centered support. And we are proud to deliver that at Rebuilding Hope.

Our agency wide vision is to build communities that do not tolerate oppressive social norms, behaviors, or systems that promote or excuse sexual violence or exploitation. Communities where those who have been harmed are believed and supported in their pursuit of their individual paths of healing. Communities where sexual violence does not exist and where people are educated and empowered to center full choice, consent and safety, and healthy relationships. I'm here today to proudly accept this proclamation and to express my gratitude that we stand together in support of that vision. I ask you to join my colleagues and me today to take action to make that vision for our home our reality.

I hope your action starts with learning and sharing the history of sexual assault awareness movement, how we trace this work back to the roots of our country through women's right movements and women's suffrage and enslavement and colonialism. I hope you take action in the present by connecting directly with Rebuilding Hope and our partners to learn how sexual violence is impacting our community locally, how we're addressing it and challenging it, and how you can be a part of the movement to disrupt sexual violence and co create safer communities together. I hope you'll look forward to future action and join us at events and activities rebuilding hope in our partners' offer to educate the community and raise support for healing services, including events in April in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. I hope you'll remember that each of these actions matter to the survivors around us. And we'll bear in mind that sharing your knowledge of Rebuilding Cope's vision and work makes a difference and increases access to support for your neighbors and your loved ones.

Together, we can draw on the lessons of the past, our work in the present, and our responsibility to the future. We can create the safe, protective, and supportive community that we across Pierce County deserve. Thank you again so much today for your time and for your support of this proclamation.

Thank you very much, Carlin. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the Puyallup Tribe of Indians is here. I did not see you through. So Carolyn Dafford, the anti trafficking program manager from the PLP Tribe of Indians is here. Do you want to say just a couple words, and then we'll take we'll see if anyone else has comments?

Thank you. Thank you so much for the invitation. Thank you, Chair Hitchens, co chair, and and to the council for honoring this, important proclamation. My name is Carolyn DeFord. I'm the anti trafficking program manager for the Puyallup Tribes Community Domestic Violence Advocacy Program.

I co chair the Washington State MMIWP Task Force Subcommittee for family members, and I sit on the Washington State Safety Committee for the Women's Commission. It's an honor to be here today, and I'm deeply grateful for this opportunity and the recognition because it matters as it honors survivors and it names the violence that has often been forgotten. For indigenous people, including the Puyallup tribe, this has a historical context that we've mentioned. This violence that we see today is rooted in generations of colonial harm, multiple, back seven generations, and moving forward as when it affects us today, it affects our generations moving forward and our future generations who have grown up experiencing that or have been raised in families who have been deeply touched by sexual violence. This impact is undeniable as more than half of native women have experienced sexual violence and more than eighty four percent will experience in their lifetime.

Ending this violence requires more than awareness. It requires us to challenge rape culture. The beliefs, the behaviors, the systems that cause harm, that normalize harm, that blame victims, and that protect those who cause violence instead of those who survive it. Protection and prevention means changing what we accept and what we stay silent about and what we allow to continue. That's one reason why this proclamation is so important to our communities.

It has the potential to change a societal culture that allows violence to continue and get swept under the rug, but we need to be calling it out, embracing survivors, and healing those who perpetrate. I'm grateful again to my Puyallup Tribal Council for supporting this work, for allowing us to be here today, for the collaboration and solidarity between our programs and our governments. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Are there any comments from my colleagues? And for the record, Councilmember Denson has joined us online. Are there any comments from colleagues? Councilmember Kruger.

Thank you, madam chair. I I just wanna say I appreciate the work that you that you ladies do. I you know, having toured the facility and attending the seminar, it it can make you angry because you sit back and you go, why is it that it's so hard to make laws, so difficult to make laws that address these issues instead of, as you had said, normalizing bad behavior, if not I mean, that's putting it nicely. So just to comment how much you are appreciated to be there to hold a hand and not even to have to talk, but just being there for when when bad things happen to these good people and just to say thank you for what you're doing. Thank Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you. Additional comments? Councilmember Ayala.

Thank you, chair. I'm a bit at a loss for words other than just thank you for everything that you do. It is, I can imagine it's a very difficult and emotionally taxing and exhausting space, which also means that there is a lot of heart in that work and a lot of resolving conversation and community in that work. I know that this is something that we wish we did not have to deal with at all. And so for whatever we can do to support this work, please feel free to always reach out.

And my hope and goal is that we as a society can definitely help to improve the conditions for anyone that does go through this, but also that we can reduce the amount of times that people have to go through this. Thank you.

Thank you for the comments. I will close before we invite you to take a picture with gratitude to all of you for the work that you do and the partnerships and just network of community that you create within the providers here in Pierce County and lean into each other when you're down a staff person or there's a crisis or you're recruiting or you have interns looking for support because the work you do every day is incredibly powerful and meaningful. And at the end of the day, it saves lives. People that can find hope while in crisis can make better choices about what to do. They can potentially get to some sort of restitution or conclusion if there's legal concerns or if it's just they want help healing.

And you do that, and you do it with compassion, and you do it with a trauma informed centered result in mind. How do we help the human, the human that was impacted? And the bystanders, the people that are with them, their families, their loved ones, their partners, their children. How do we help them heal? Because everyone can be harmed in sexual violence. So truly appreciate all of you for being here. We are going to take a photo with this many people. Suggestions? It's basically that whole side of

the

So thank you everybody for pausing and allowing us to do those two proclamations. Truly doing really great work in Pierce County. We are at section eight of our agenda, which is resolutions. Today, have proposal r twenty twenty six dash one twenty seven. Council member Ayala for a motion.

Thank you, chair. I move proposal number r twenty twenty six dash one twenty seven.

It's been moved and seconded. Can the clerk please read it into the record?

Proposal number R2026Dash127, a resolution of the Pierce County Council accepting the 2026 permanent supportive housing services notice of funding availability, funding recommendations, and approving expenditures of the housing and related services fund.

Thank you. And this afternoon we have Mary Connolly, a policy analyst, to brief us on this item.

Thank you, Chair Hitchin, and for the record, Mary Connolly, Council staff. First, I want to note that this is the first time that this specific pot of funding is being awarded. You have seen Maureen Howard funding awards over the past couple of years for capital projects, but this is the first time that you've seen awards for services. So by way of background, in March 2023, the Pierce County Council adopted the Maureen Howard Affordable Housing Act to impose a onetenth of 1% sales tax authorized by state law for housing and related services. Ordinance created the Housing and Related Services Fund where these revenues are deposited.

In April 2024, the Council passed an ordinance to direct the Notice of Funding Availability, or NOFA process set forth in Chapter 2.111 of the Pierce County Code to be used for expenditures of the Housing Expenditure and Implementation Plan, which outlines a plan for use of the fund, The was most recently updated in September 2025 via Resolution Number R2025-180S2. The updated plan identifies that 20% of program funds will be used for housing related services. In October 2025, the Human Services Department issued a NOFA totaling about $3,200,000 from the fund for permanent supportive housing services in Pierce County. Permanent supportive housing combines affordable housing with supportive services to help individuals with disabilities or a history of homelessness achieve long term housing stability. And the intent of this funding opportunity was to strengthen services and service delivery for PSH tenants throughout Pierce County.

PSH being an acronym for permanent supportive housing. The Human Services Department received 13 eligible applications in response to the NOFA, which requested a total of about $5,600,000 Human Services convened an application evaluation committee according to the evaluation committee membership requirements that are outlined in the six year expenditure and implementation plan. The committee recommended funding 10 of the 13 applications, with seven recommended for the full eligible amount of funds requested and three recommended for partial funding. The County Executive approved their recommendations in their entirety in accordance with the NOFA process as outlined in Chapter 2.111 of the Pierce County Code. You can find a description of the recommendations in Exhibit A of the ordinance starting on page 37 of your packet.

There's also a memo from Human Services starting on page 44 of your packet that includes some additional information. Altogether, these funding awards would support up to six nineteen households living in permanent supportive housing units. And that includes four eighty six existing units and 133 new units. Not new in the sense of capital dollars, but new in the sense of services dollars. I will also note that the county's biennial budget requires that competitive opportunities for housing related services funding shall prioritize services provided at affordable housing and other facilities developed or preserved with capital funding from the county.

Seven of the submitted applications were for services that would be delivered in affordable housing built with capital dollars from the county. And of those seven, six are recommended for funding. According to Chapter 2.111 of the Pierce County Code, the Council may approve this list in its entirety, reject the list in its entirety and direct that the funding opportunity be republicized, or approve additional unfunded or partially funded eligible applications to the list and reduces recommended funding to the others on a proportional basis. The resolution in front of you, number R2026-one27, would accept the twenty twenty six permanent supportive housing services notice of funding availability recommendations and approve expenditures of the Housing and Related Services Fund. The Human Services Department recommends approval.

The resolution received a due pass recommendation at the Health and Human Services Committee meeting on April 7. A fiscal impact note is available. The recommended expenditures are included in the county's biennial budget, so there's no budget amendment needed. And there is a community impact note that's also available. I'm happy to answer questions. And then we also have from the department Devin Isaacson and Megan Stanley to also help answer questions.

Thank you. I will pause and see if the department has anything to say prior to opening up for questions, just in case, since you're here. You take the time. You don't have to. I just wanted to. Okay. You're like teasing me. So are there questions on this one? We will start with Councilmember Kruger.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I kind of took a deep dive looking at the different projects that are on here. And I'm always kind of concerned on things, but understanding that this tax was specifically for these kinds of services and looking at it through that lens. But I'm also wondering, how do we confirm that the types of services that are being used for these dollars are of value to continue? In other words, if the service A at the end of the term is like, that really didn't work out, would we have some kind of taking that would say, that isn't a good thing to spend dollars on, find something different.

Is that information going to be calculated or documented?

Yes. Good afternoon. Devon Isaacson, homeless services supervisor. And we do have a way of measuring that. So first and foremost, we have provider scorecards located on Open Pierce.

They measure all of the performance targets that are set for our permanent supportive housing units. We also rely on anecdotal qualitative information from our providers, as well as people that are receiving those services. We also do HMIS tracking. So all of the information, such as connection to resources, will be tracked in the homeless management information system. Then we take it a little bit a step further and we do annual monitorings of providers that are providing these services out to the community.

And we also ask them questions, ask them how the project's going. We look at client files, we look at case notes, and we really dig in deep to make sure that there's an impact by using these funds for this particular service.

Okay. I guess I'm kind of thinking, so at the end of the twelve months, are there, like, exit interviews of of those who received the services saying what worked, what didn't, how was the past year for you and these services? Is there interviewing

documentation? That is

a great question. So we don't currently have a mechanism in place where we do annual exit data collection, but providers track the destination of each tenant that is leaving their unit. So if I'm leaving, graduating, for example, from a project, which does happen, folks graduate when they've had the comprehensive services that they need and they're able to move on to their next stop, then the providers that are giving these services are able to record that and they know where the exit destination is for that client.

Okay.

And we also I'm sorry. We also track housing stability through HMIS. So that's going to show you whether people are living through their tenancies in those units or whether they are exiting prematurely or to destinations that are not permanent housing.

Okay. Because sometimes when you see those little things on the media that people are reviewing on programs. And while I understand that sometimes they're just disgruntled people and they don't say nice things, but, you know, it's when you see those that you question sometimes the services that are going out there. I think what I'm recalling was seeing ones on a service that's no longer open, but that just gives me pause when we're doing these kinds of outreach and services.

Thank you.

Yeah, one thing I would add is that this new program is very important to the community and we will be tracking outcomes very closely. Obviously, we want these dollars to go to the most effective programs that we have in housing related services, So we will be watching closely and working closely with the providers to ensure that we're giving quality services.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you for the questions. We're going to go to Councilmember Morell.

Thank you, madam chair. And since you're at the podium, I guess you're gonna be the one to answer some of these questions. I know that I've always been an advocate for spending the tax dollars where the tax dollars are collected. How many of these are outside the city of Tacoma?

That is a great question. One that I'm gonna have to get back to you on. But I will say in looking at the list, some of these are what we consider. So we have units in Tacoma. We have units in Lakewood.

We have scattered site, which means they could be located anywhere within Pierce County. We're just master leasing units for them. And that would be the the spread of those.

Okay. If you can

get Oh, two back scattered site. I'm sorry. So those could be anywhere.

Okay. If you can get back to me. Now this allocation is for twelve month period. As we continue to build units out in unincorporated area, how are the disbursements going to end up balancing out because obviously in twelve months, majority of these units will, I mean, they still will have to have the, what do we call it, permanent supportive housing vouchers. So

is

Tacoma going to take up the slack if we move 300 because these were six nineteen that we did. If we end up moving more and more out into the unincorporated area, who's going to pay for the ones that we're currently funding in the city of Tacoma if they don't rise to the level of other ones in unincorporated areas?

Yeah, so a couple of things I'd say about that and then I'll open it up to Megan in case she wants to add anything. Because this is an annual tax and we started the funding a year behind, it's going to enable us to have funds for new units and unincorporated when those units come online, which there's no new $15.90 Maureen Howard affordable housing tax new units coming on in this biennium. So it'll allow us to have monies available when those come online in 2029. And that should allow us to stagger it so we're able to continue to offer services to the projects that we have funded. But I will say that Tacoma also has these funds.

And so we would partner with them to make sure that we're able to sustain anyone that's in their unit utilizing these dollars.

Okay. And I guess just looking at the ultimate goal here of building more units out. If we're limited to the 20%, there's going to be more facilities that come online that are going to request that 20%. How are you going to how is the evaluation going to take place on that? And have you thought about that?

Absolutely. So we have other funding sources for permanent supportive housing in our community. So not only do we have vouchers, but we also have continuum of care funds. They fund over 300 units annually in permanent supportive housing. There's a potential there for that funding source to grow.

It's one of our main goals as the continuum of care to grow those funds that we that we receive. We also have our document recording fee funds, and we have all of our state dollars, which they call the consolidated homeless grant. That also funds the majority of our homeless services in the community. So we have other strategies for how to fund these particular units. And so and also, I would say that the building won't outpace the funds.

It takes years to build up these permanent supportive housing units. They're not all PSH. Some of them are affordable housing at the 30 to 50 AMI and 50. So I I can't promise you that we won't sit here ten years from now and say, we don't have enough money for homeless services because we don't necessarily have enough right now. But I do think that the pace will allow us to make sure that we're not putting anyone out of their homes or out of their permanent supportive housing units.

Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you for the questions. We'll go back to Councilmember Gruber.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just thought of a few more questions. I'm a bit more concerned, not so much about where the service is located versus incorporated or unincorporated, is that the dollars are used for unincorporated who can use the service wherever it's located, that those dollars can be used in that facility. Meaning, there's more opportunity for engagement or jobs, whatever, closer to the city than there is out in the unincorporated area. And so that's where I'm, you know, wondering, is is the there focus on getting assistance where it's needed versus looking for an area to take the service to?

So I think with permanent supportive housing and anyone experiencing homelessness, we like to house them in the community that is their own community. And so I think we're looking for locations in unincorporated as well as partnering with our local jurisdictions. And the beauty of permanent supportive housing is that services are brought to you, and that's part of what these funds enable residents to experience, right? Because services, we are bringing behavioral health services, we are bringing substance use disorder supports, and we're bringing them to them in their homes if they prefer, but in other locations as well. And so I think the location for the actual resident, I think, is less important than getting those services right where they're at.

So it's really catering to where the need is? Yes. Okay. Has there been is there an estimate of increasedecrease in needed services, like, the last ten years? It's grown from this point to that point, 1% a year, 2% a year, decreased a percent in needs. Are those numbers available?

When you say needed services, could you

As we provide funding for the services, I don't think it's shrinking. And so I'm wondering, what is the rate of increase over the years?

So if you're talking specifically about homeless services?

Because they're kind of all together. One is not without the other. And so it's kind of difficult to separate. But as we find places for supportive housing, and then with that comes the supportive services, I don't think it's shrinking. And as we provide more of this, what is the trajectory we should plan for?

If you want.

Do you mind if I come up? Megan Stanley, Deputy Director of Human Services. Think there's a couple Can

of hear me now?

Wonderful.

I hear what you're saying, and I

think there's a couple points here. I want to make a point about what was said with, yes, there are people who need services, and will this keep growing and growing and growing to the point where we need more and more and more units? While it is permanent supportive housing and we want to be able to support people as long as they need support, we also want to make sure the services are helping them to move on if and when they are able to their own housing option outside of that. So just wanted to say that, to say, hopefully, this is not exponentially growing where people are permanently housed and we have to build hundreds and hundreds of more units every year, even though homelessness is a huge crisis. And just to the point about like making sure people are near services, that they need services are brought to them.

When we look at the rates, you were asking like, is this problem growing? Is it shrinking? As we make bigger investments, what are we seeing for that? And I would say, Devin can probably give more exact numbers, but we are seeing some flatlining in the population overall, right? Not these huge increases that we were seeing year over year. So I think as we've made bigger investments, we see less people entering homelessness, people are stabilizing, the returns or the exits are stabilizing. So the system, I think, is getting to a point of stability, and then we will hopefully see a decrease in it. But instead of seeing the huge increases we've seen, we are starting to see a flat line in entries into the system. Okay. That's Which I think is an important indicator.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Chair. Thank you. Really good questions. So my one question kind of goes back to the data side and the accountability side that was highlighted by two of my colleagues. One of the things that I'm with this particular pot of money that I am interested in is, like, what I'll call vacancy rates. Because the way these dollars seem to be going out the door is really paying for people to do a service. But if no one's getting the service, I still have to pay the people. So I'm just curious, is that gonna be part of the work that you are doing or asking for? How quickly units are being turned over, that kind of thing. And you're nodding your head, but can one of you come and say it on the record so that and if you have some thoughts about how you might do that.

Yeah, absolutely. That's an excellent question. So we track what's called utilization versus what was referred to as vacancy. And so we're over 95% in Pierce County, our utilization rate for our permanent supportive housing units. We are going to be tracking very closely, and this is something that is above and beyond just this funding. One of the metrics that we're tracking in our performance based contracts is the time between a referral being received and the time when that person actually moves into their unit. The average right now is thirty seven days, but that's across the system. We want to shorten that. Obviously, we want that to happen quicker. And we do have a strategy when it comes to that.

So the system navigation program, which was part of the first iteration of the comprehensive plan to end homelessness, implemented a program that works with people that are in the list or the priority pool awaiting a housing referral. So these are some of the most vulnerable people in the community. What navigation program does is it engages them in case conferencing and case management and gets them document ready. And the whole purpose of that is to, A, keep people in communication assessment doesn't expire, and then, b, to make sure they're document ready so that move in time is much shorter. So we're watching it very closely across the system because we want to make sure we have the highest utilization rate possible.

Because that's the last thing you want, is for the units to sit open.

Yes. That's definitely not what we want. So appreciate the answer and the work on this. So I'm not seeing any other questions. So I am gonna open this up for public comment. If any member of the public would like to provide comment on resolution twenty twenty six Dash127, we'll start in chambers. We're getting head shakes of no, so we will go online, mister Weinsberg.

Yes, madam chair. For any members of the public who wish to provide comment on proposal number r twenty twenty six dash one twenty seven, press the raise hand icon on zoom or star nine on your telephone keypad. And madam chair, looks like we have one hand this time. Victoria Kent, please state your name for the record. You will have three minutes.

Hi. My name is Victoria Kent, and I am the director of supportive services for the Low Income Housing Institute. I just want to thank the thank the council for the opportunity to speak today. As a member of the recovery community and with lived experience, I see the great need for a holistic person centered approach to address the challenges that our unhoused neighbors face. While a shelter first approach can pave the way for stability and recovery from the traumas of chronic homelessness, chemical dependency, mental health challenges.

Funding for supportive housing is critical to provide the stepping stone for those who require additional scaffolding services, resourcing, and referrals as they're stabilizing in their own home. A vital importance is the application of strength based assessments, evidence based practices to work alongside each individual client. Service coordination such as SUD treatment, mental health treatment, connection to medical providers, food banks, basic needs, client safety and risk management, creation of actionable goals, and an overall assessment of needs and barriers in connection to services are the keys to stabilization and reintegration for these folks into the community. We believe there should be a balance between housing expectations and tenant accountability. As each person is unique in their background challenges and barriers, so should our be our approach to working alongside them.

Housing as a basic need is a critical first step to providing safety and security in which clients can work towards their goals and remediate their barriers. Our Aspen Court and Oasis projects will add 58 new units of permanent supportive housing desperately needed, where high acuity residents can receive wraparound support including comprehensive case management, life skills training, employment workshops, and occupational therapy. The requested funds will support our goal of elevating our service delivery and providing exceptional staffing and support for our residents. We do look at permanent supportive housing as a stepping stone, just as what was stated earlier. Lehigh looks forward to continuing to partner with Pierce County as we serve the most vulnerable residents of the community, and we are deeply committed to developing sustainable, safe, and supportive housing for the Pierce County community.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you for your comments.

And madam chair, I see no other hands.

Seeing no other hands, we'll close public comment, bring it back before the council. Are there additional comments or questions on resolution twenty twenty six dash one twenty seven? Well, I will just conclude. Nobody can say anything. Thank you to the Department.

I'm excited to see these dollars go out. One of the key pieces to try and get people stabilized is really permanent. Permanent not meaning forever, but permanent is it's like you're out in thirty days, where we actually provide the wraparound services, whether it's behavioral health, it's figuring out how to navigate the world because you have so much trauma or substance use disorder or dementia, fill in the blank, whatever it is, they need more help than a shelter can give or an apartment complex can give. They need something that's going to support them. And if they don't have family who can do that for them, they often are cycling through systems of trauma, whether that's our jail, our hospital, the shelters, the roads, streets, the parks, wherever.

All of which do not help them find stability. And so permanent supportive housing is one of the tools that came out of Maureen Howard. We definitely don't have enough, but it's two parts. I need the place and I need the people to provide the service. And I'm really excited to see us investing in some of those services.

To the department side, I hear you talk about the report cards that have happened. I'm really excited to see if there's additional ways to publicly share and show data on how these investments are used, whether it's the utilization rates, so dashboards. And I know they take some time, but there's a level of distrust in the community about how we're spending these dollars, and they question us as policymakers on whether this is a good use. And so having data that shows 95% of the time, these units were being used, they were being used for this population who would have been those kinds of things, and dashboards are a really great way. And I know you've started to work on that.

So just excited to see that continue with this new revenue source. So or well, it's not a new revenue source. New way we're spending revenue, I guess, a good way to put it. So, I will urge adoption on this, and I'm gonna ask the clerk to call the roll on the adoption of R2026Dash127.

Councilmember Yombe? Aye. Councilmember Denson?

Aye.

Councilmember Morell?

Aye.

Councilmember Herrera?

Aye.

Councilmember Kruger? Aye. Councilmember Ayala? Aye. Councilmember Hitchin? Aye. We have seven ayes, zero nays.

With seven ayes, zero nays. The motion is adopted. Thank you all. That brings us to section nine, which is ordinances. We have proposal o twenty twenty six dash five zero zero before us. Council member Yombe for

Do you have a motion, madam chair? I move to continue proposal number o twenty twenty six dash five zero zero to the May 26 council twenty twenty six council meeting for final action.

It's been moved and seconded that we continue, proposal o twenty twenty six dash 500 to the 05/26/2026 council meeting for final action. Is there any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor of adopting this motion say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. And for any members of the public who happen to be here for that one, we will be back on the twenty sixth. Please make sure that you check-in on this piece of legislation via our website or reach out to our office. We are at the end of our agenda here other than community forum.

Community forum is an opportunity for members of the public to address the council on any topic of significance to or affecting Pierce County government that did not appear on this agenda for final action. There is a three minute limit, and we'll remind community members that the Pierce County Council prohibits testimony regarding any campaign for election or promotion of or opposition to ballot propositions during public comments. Please state your name if you'd like it on the record. We will start in chambers. You are welcome to. You've been here a couple times. Okay. Then we are gonna go online, mister Weinsberry.

Yes, madam chair. For any members of the public who wish to provide a comment, press the raise hand icon on Zoom or star nine on your telephone keypad. Madam chair, looks like we have one hand at this time. Christy Gladhill, please state your name for the record. You have three minutes.

Hi. Thank you. Good afternoon. Thank you for the chance to weigh in, Chair Hitchin and rest of the council members. I just wanted to say that I'm really grateful for this proclamation about Black Wellness Week, because I believe that elevating Black wellness, as the blockers and other council members have just said, elevates community wellness.

As we've found so many times over the life of our country, when we do the work to learn how to prioritize those who seem to be furthest from health and justice and wellness and education services and standards and outcomes, everyone in the community benefits. So paying attention to and addressing those disparities does not mean less for the rest of the community. In fact, the opposite is true. Everyone wins when everyone wins. I applaud the County Council and the executive for prioritizing this effort and recognizing the wellness of our black community members as a basic element of how well all of us in Pierce County are able to live. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next madam chair we have Heather Benedict. Please state your name for the record. You'll have three minutes.

Hi. Good evening, County Council. My name is Heather Benedict, and I'm a property owner in District 2. For ten years now, I've been investigating why an appointed clerk destroyed a court order of my mom's final probate. And I just since there's been no independent investigation other than myself for the past decade, I'm here to kind of give you an update. I have the evidence by way of public record. I know who the employee is. It was intentional. It's been acknowledged. There's been audios.

There's been everything that I have ever wanted. You guys have gaslit me for ten years. And I saw this employee today down the hallway, and she ran away from me. I am now going to depose her, and I will give you more updates as my claim is pending risk management. But why would I ask who is accountable for the public record?

The clerk is not just an administrative staff member. They are the official custodian or a court record, and they're not doing their job. In Pierce County, it is an appointed clerk who is a ghost. I was down at the clerk's office today, and there is no sign of who this clerk is that you guys confirmed. And when you confirmed him, he did not file an oath of office for nearly three months. And now no deputy clerks are required to file an oath of office. There is no name on the door. There is no name on the stamp. There is no name on the website of who this clerk is. If the court record, public record cannot be trusted, then who how can the judicial system be trusted?

Where do you even go? This is a systematic failure costing me ten years because this system is broken. The Charter Review Commission is currently advancing this issue, changing the county code to make the clerk elected, and it's not targeting one clerk. It is a systematic issue that is not fixed. So it is proposal one, and the executive has come to lobby against it.

And I want you as the county council, you know how many times I have been before you, to please support p one. And as you talk to your constituents, tell them it is so important that there is visibility into who the clerk is. Washington state requires that the clerk have a seat at the county table. All counties, except for four, elect their clerk. Pierce County is the only one that puts the clerk under the executive and not the judiciary.

Ryan Mello is not a lawyer. He's not a judge, and he is running the system. Ten years, I have not gotten ten minutes to talk to the clerk nor the county executive. Thank you, and I really hope that you support p one and make the county clerk an elected role to solve for people like me. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

And at this time, there are no other hands, manager.

Seeing no other hands, we're gonna close community forum, bring it back before the council. Is there any other business from council members? Not seeing any any from staff? Well, I would just remind everybody that on Friday, April 17 at the People's Center at 1602 MLK Junior Way in Tacoma from twelve to three there is a free health care and opportunity event being supported by the Elevate Black Wellness organization, including free colon cancer screenings with no prep or wait times, no insurance needed, along with a variety of other supportive services. And all are welcome. Seeing no other business before us, we are adjourned. Thank you all.