Tacoma Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness Provider Meeting Minutes – January 4th, 2018

Welcome

· Joseph Denton, Sound Outreach

Incentivizing Building affordable housing along Transit Routes – Pierce County Planning and Public Works - https://www.co.pierce.wa.us/4999/Planning-Public-Works

· Tiffany O’Dell  - Senior Planner, Pierce County Planning and Public Works - Tiffany.Odell@piercecountywa.gov

· Erik Jaszewski - Associate Planner, Pierce County Planning and Public Works - Erik.Jaszewski@piercecountywa.gov

· Powerpoint presentation at https://coalitionfiles.blob.core.windows.net/files/2019-01-04%20PC%20Homeless%20Coalition.pptx

· Tiffany – Four community plan updates – miniature versions of the Pierce County Comprehensive Plan ( https://www.co.pierce.wa.us/950/Comprehensive-Plan ) - they cover land use, community character, economic development, transportation, facilities and the environment.  Comprehensive plan is for entire County.  (“Community Plan” is nice and descriptive, but did they consider “uncomprehensive plan”?  The poor word “Uncomprehensive” is rather neglected these days – largely out of favor since the 18^th century… -ed.)  

o 4 Community plans

o Mid-County area

o Parkland-Spanaway-Midland

o Frederickson Area

o South Hill

o There areas have experienced rapid growth – around 40% since those plans were originally created.  We are talking with Communities to see what they need to grow.

o Mid-county – may be annexed at some point, so working with the City of Tacoma on the plan.

o Starting on public outreach – doing public hearings, meetings, some large open houses, on-line outreach.  We expect the County Council to adopt updates in the summer of 2019.  We are really in the beginning of the time to provide updates.

· Center and Corridors proposal – a new zoning concept

o Purpose – start to densify major transportation corridors – areas within a ¼ mile of Pacific Ave -  from 96^th to 224^th.  It is a major transit corridor with Bus Rapid Transit coming soon.  Planning Town Center at terminus of the Bus Rapid Transit near Walmart on Mountain Highway.  Trying to plan for infrastructure improvements for density.  Prioritizing investments to get folks near transit so they have options and don’t need to rely on cars. (Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, is a super cost-effective , fast transit solution – read more about it at https://www.itdp.org/library/standards-and-guides/the-bus-rapid-transit-standard/what-is-brt/ -ed.)                            

o See map (in powerpoint attached. –ed) for corridors

o Looking at types of housing we need and market incentives that might be necessary

o Centers – transit hubs where we will allow unlimited density – no cap on dwelling units per acre (most of Pierce County maxes at 25 units per acre –which is not high density).  There will be a maximum 65 foot height – or 80 feet if providing affordable housing.  Pierce County is looking to incentivize affordable housing.

o Corridor zones run - entire length of major roads and extends within a block of these major roads – with unlimited densities – lower 45 foot height limit, but up to 60 feet with affordable housing. 

o Neighborhood corridor – single family to apartment  - maxes out at 25 units per acre.  Want to increase density to help justify and pay for the transit. 

o Will do outreach on this – and the environmental impact – of density and transit and congestion.  Doing community group and social media outreach.  If you live or your organization works in these areas – you can reach out to me.  I’m happy to present in more detail on these topics.

o Erik:  as you can see, the centers and corridors moves the needle really far for affordable housing – allowing transit and active transportation. 

o I focus on what else we can do beside the centers and corridors to see how we can increase housing (build more? –ed)

o Looking to increase “Attainable” housing – for low income, medium income, etc. 

o Looking at Fee Waivers – had the program for a long time, but never activated it.  We offer fee waiver for affordable housing projects, although funds are limited.

o Tiny Houses – popular – we are a bit hamstrung with the building code.  Trying to help folks know what to do to get them built in the community.  Want folks to be able to use them as principal residences. 

o Many people want tiny houses on wheels – trying to develop what in the building code or land use can allow this option. 

· Greg – is the code review to address just tiny homes, or other affordable or dense housing?  Erik – looking at missing housing – the barriers to duplexes and triplexes, types of housing allowed.  We are looking at other gaps or barriers.  Tiny homes are what we are looking at now.  Greg – are we talking about building code or land use.  Lots of options that aren’t stick built.  Eric – what kind?  Greg – modular, container homes,  there are effective and efficient ways to build that isn’t always tree-based.  Eric – let’s talk after about this.  Our zoning code does have a lot of restrictions on mobile homes – which covers pretty much anything not stick built. 

· Patricia – there is appropriate technology now that wasn’t here 100 years ago – you don’t have to hook into the grid or into the sewers.  Eric – we are going to look at that. 

· Maureen – do you have a social media presence?  Erik - we do for public works.  Maureen – have you looked at Tacoma public housing advocates on facebook – Erik – I’ll take a look at that.  Maureen - Tacoma did just publish their affordable housing action strategy. Erik - The County has a strategy as well, but it is older and we are taking a look at that.

· Theresa – If you are calling it affordable housing that doesn’t deal with 0-30% Area Median Income (AMI) – I wish you’d stop calling it affordable.  Those units aren’t affordable.  Erik – we are calling it attainable housing – we recognize that everyone except upper middle class and above are having trouble with housing.  Theresa – 80% of AMI is not affordable housing.  Calling that affordable gives a false sense of what is going on.  As you work on the community input – instead of inviting the neighborhood in, work with some groups like the affordable housing consortium and the hilltop group – work with them instead of the open ended outreaches that cause no change.  I’m tired of seeing a presentation pre-open house and then seeing the same as the one –post open house – where no changes resulted from the feedback received at the open house.

· Tiffany – we have researched some community groups – but not all of them.  I’m happy to come out and present or workshop and talk about what might work.  I appreciate this feedback.

· Maureen – Enterprise was contracted by King County and said they’d do pierce county – to look at surplus land.  Eric – Pierce County is looking at a survey of surplus public land.  For our buildable lands – that is part of the work that they will be doing.  We have a consultant for the buildable lands – are asking them to find County land – they will look at land from all jurisdictions. 

· Al – I’m concerned about creating ghettos (“ghetto” is one of those words with an interesting set of possible origins.  I like the one about the word coming from a Jewish neighborhood in Venice – ghetto coming from the Venetian word for foundry, there being one near that neighborhood.   Like most of Europe, the authorities in Venice segregated the Jews into their own area.  So that was sucky, but I like that at least they were in Venice – there are uglier cities in the world -  and they had wealth -  not the case for many in the diaspora.  – ed.)-  – you set targets for percentages of affordable housing in various blocks of the corridor.  I wouldn’t want the whole corridor to be attainable houses – what percentage is the target – that helps developers to know what they are trying to do.  Tiffany – the City of Tacoma is looking at target percentages – Pierce County is looking at market incentives – but that isn’t part of the program right now.  Al – why is that not the case?  Tiffanny - I don’t know.  Al – why not?  If the County isn’t considering that, they need to declare that so we can address it?  Tiffany – I’ll take that into back.  The County Executive is one the first in recent time to seriously look at affordable housing.   The County Council members are often from rural areas where residents have lots of stereotypes about what affordable housing looks like and how it brings in people who don’t care about  the community.

· Website for more information- www.piercecountywa.gov/cpupdate

· People need to push Council and continually advocate for housing.

· Maureen – you can provide input every week at the County Council meeting. 

Point in Time Count Training

· Valeri Knight – Pierce County Human Services - valeri.knight@piercecountywa.gov

· Let me know ways we can improve for next year

· Why do the point in time count? To raise community awarenesss – get folks talking about homelessness.  And to count folks.

· Volunteers – must be 18 years of age – wan to get minors involved next year. 

· Need mobile device - If you don’t have one, we’ll partner you with folks with mobile devices.  (You have a right to tweet.  Anything you tweet can and will be held against you.  You have a right to a mobile device.  If you cannot afford a mobile device, one will be provided for you… well, not quite, but it feels like that some days. –ed)

· We work in teams in assigned areas – don’t go rogue (we all saw how things worked out for the team in Rogue One: a Star Wars Story.  Yes, mission accomplished, but not quite the Hollywood ending. –ed)

· You are responsible for your own transportations 

· You’ll check in at different sites.  Not everyone has to go to Tacoma to count in rural areas in the county.

· We are there to collect their story –

· Please make sure you submit the surveys.  The surveys will save as drafts –

· Dress in plain clothes – nothing flashy or expensive.  Shoes need to withstand dirt and needles.  No flashy jewelry or anything that distracts from the conversation.  No political buttons either.  No perfumes or aftershaves – smells are often triggers.

· Have the County phone number with you – we’ll have folks able to help anytime. 

· Make sure mobile device is fully charged

· Stay with your team

· Have plenty of gas in your cars (sounds like the advice I give my 16 year old whenever he leaves the house…. –ed)

· Introduce yourself – “My name is valori knight..), and then we ask if they know anyone who is homeless.  That question opens the door to people they know and doesn’t insult them. 

· Don’t take valuables with you. 

· Take no notes or photos or videos.

· Take no weapons – no knives, bear spray or anything.  We’ve had no issues in 23 years

· Don’t carry any money – it causes problems.  We have a ton of donations – we just received 4,000 pairs of socks. 

· Molina healthcare – donated space blankets – Kaiser permanent donated hygiene kits.  Food and water from Emergency food network

· Don’t convince folks to take the survey – don’t push them into answer questions.  Don’t assume you know the answers to questions.   If they are using a wheelchair and they say they have no disability – you mark no disability.

· Be respectful and thoughtful – don’t crowd folks

· Be aware how your approach is affecting folks.  If folks take a step back, respect that.  We won’t get everyone to participate.  They get a donation if they answer questions or not

· Ask permission to enter an encampment

· Know your entries and exits – andkeep your hands visible. 

· Respect the environment you are going into – no giggling and carrying on- be aware of your surroundings.  People get very frustrated with repeated surveys. 

· State your purpose – you are a volunteer – no identifying information is collected. 

· You may see no one – or see ten folks that refuse a survey.  Or see a lot. 

· Watch tone and voice and facial settings.  Be careful about how you ask questions when you might have a personal bias

· If you wear glasses, don’t take them off, because it is aggressive. (news to me – how about taking off “air glasses” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c47MW8Y8Rk4 –ed.)

· Don’t give a lot of personal information.  Share what you’re comfortable with. 

· Do not proselytize – no initiating religious conversation.  You can respond to folks asking to pray if that is comfortable, but no initiating

· David – I’ve been doing this a long time – how are they counting youth who are just not allowed on the list because they are youth.  Valeri – we are counting youth. 

· We are counting in hospitals and jails .  there are options to pick around housed and homelessness.

· 211 has handouts and business cards – 253-682-3401

· If people are hiding drugs, syringes, money, weapons, politely leave as fast as possible (sounds like advice from my grandmother – good advice, tough –ed)

· David –can we bring Narcan?  Valeri – if you are trained, you many carry it

· Don’t discuss encounters as you leave – only in the car. 

· No public facebook posts – don’t share the private stories about folks.  You can make vague posts – just don’t tell someone’s story – not too much detail. 

· Overnight Outreach team – a bunch of outreach workers – 10am-2am.  Do observation counts at night. 

· Outreach options

o Street outreach

§ In and around bowling alleys, restaurants, casino (introduce yourself and ask permission), fast food places, convenience stores, dumpster areas, labor ready,

§ Hotels motels -

§ Churches

§ Fire station

§ Taverns/bars.  (see Team Kelly for more information… -ed)

o Table sites at DSS, hot meal sites, food anks

§ Nativity house shelter

§ Salvation army shelter

§ DSHS offices

§ Meal sites

§ Food banks

§ 11^th ave Sea Mar community health center

o Community events

§ Project homeless connect

· 10am-2pm – at oasis of hope 19^th and g street

· Lots of resources available

§ Reach youth and young adult event (with OASIS)

· Everyone under the age of 24 – 10am-2pm 

· 714 s 27^th, 1^st floor

· Resource table, lunch resource bags

· Education and employment

o Friday night feed at TRM

o Friday night check-in at freezing nights in Puyallup

o 3 survey options –

§ Observation – just for

§ Unsheltered –

§ Sheltered – doubled up, in shelter,

· (Valeri provided full detail on how to use the app, which you’ll need to come to your own training to learn – there are just a couple of training sessions so pop over to https://www.piercecountywa.gov/5985/Point-in-Time-Count-Registration quickly to register.  –ed)

Good of the Order

· Al - Landlord Screenings for tenancy – we are working on a plan to allow landlords to use one portable screening.  However, there is a glitch.  There is only one company that does the screening – and there is a rule in state law that prevents you from forcing a landlord to use a single vendor for anything, including a portable screening.  We may need some help with that

· Kelly – Goodwill needs volunteer tax preparers – need intake specialists, greeters and interpreters – get involved at http://www.VolunteerTaxHelp.org/

· Wendy - Project Homeless Connect – at Oasis of Hope – 1937 S G Street, Tacoma, WA  98405 – January 25^th, 2019, from 10am -2pm

· Kelly – the 253works job club Is kicking off on Wednesday, January 9^th from 2pm-3:30pm at the Goodwill MWOC Building -  714 S 27^th St, Tacoma, 98409

· Kelly - Adult and Youth GED – open enrollment – the client just fills out a form and they are enrolled.  Super easy.

· More Kelly - Financial education class starts next week – lots of spots re open – it is a valuable tool

· Yep, Kelly - Just started a career readiness package at goodwill that helps folks who have been out of employment for a long time.  It is a 40 hour course over one month – math basics, computer literacy, budgeting

· Martha - Friday the 18^th, instead of coffee and refreshments, street outreach team will provide the full street experience.  Will do the canteen training right after that – folks from the shelter 253 who learn how to bring the awning down, fire up a generator, and more the full canteen around. 

· Wendy - AM Resource Guide – copies are near the door.  We are changing our resource guide – making it data friendly.  Anyone in the guide will get an e-mail to go online to update the data.  Question – how do I get in the guide?  Wendy – talk to me? 

Coming Attractions

· January 18^th – A presentation and opportunity to get involved with a new Resource Fair put on by the Puyallup Community County

· January 25^th – Point in Time Count Day and Project Homeless Connect – I know what I’ll be doing this day.

· February 1^st – Speed Networking

· February 8^th – Coordinated Care

· February 15^st – The differences between Flautas, taquitos, Tacos Dorados, rolled tacos and chimichangas are subtle but important.  Join our experts panel in exploring the origins, defining characteristics, and appropriate condiments for the full spectrum of deep fried, filled tortilla goodness.  Please let there be samples…

Restaurant Review

I love fusion food.  I think humans crave variety on the palate, and puttering with ingredients and borrowing cooking methods is as old as time.  Many credit the Chinese with developing the noodle, and the Italians simply adopting its greatness (although I’m a fan of theory that Italians developed it on independently from the gnocchi – little dumplings I do rather adore).  More recently, Wolfgang Puck is seen as the spark that started the fusion food movement.  He melded his French chef training with California ingredients and Asian flavors to create something everyone wanted more of.  If you’ve ever enjoyed BBQ chicken pizza, you have Wolfgang Puck to thank (or blame….).  My first encounter with Fusion Dining was Roy’s Pacific Rim Cuisine.  Roy Yamaguchi started with a restaurant in Hawaii in the late 80’s, and opened a Roy’s in the Hilton Hotel in Seattle in the early nineties.  It isn’t there anymore, but they put out great dishes that were pretty novel at the time.  They did have a penchant for tall food, which is a beautiful tower of food that collapses when you try to actually eat it.  Always tasty, though.  But pricey – we’d have to save up for a trip to Roy’s.  Roy’s is gone from Seattle now (though they have a dozen other locations around the Country), but that food is now standard fare on menus everywhere.  Fusion food is fun, and it is hard to go wrong.  OK, you can go a bit wrong (you are doing something bad if you put bacon, an unclean food according to the Kashrut, into a bagel – a traditional Jewish food), but generally I’m a fan of innovation in food.  Oh, mistakes get made – when I’m getting a bit full of myself, my wife still brings up the olive waffle fiasco.  But on to today’s review.  A new fusion eatery opened recently in Tacoma – Takos Koreanos (8425 S Hosmer St, Tacoma, WA 98444).  If you’ve been wondering what a Korean Taco would taste like, now is your moment.  Spoiler alert – it is pretty darn good.  I’ve been there a couple times.  It is a beautiful space – clean, nice materials everywhere, big windows.  The food is fun – all the great flavors you expect from Korean food, in the tortillas you don’t expect.  They do a great job balancing taste and texture and quantity – it is really nicely done.  No, the tortillas don’t seem to be house made – but you can’t have it all.  They do have some great sauces to put on the tacos – in squirt bottles just like my favorite taquerias.  I like their Kalbi taco and the bulgogi burrito, but I’ve not had anything I haven’t enjoyed there.  They have quite a few veggie options as well (the miso eggplant is notable).  The Korean Fries are pretty tasty – sort of a Korean Poutine.  If you love Korean food, you’ll have a fun meal.  If you’ve never tried Korean, it is an easy spot to ease into one of the World’s great cuisines.  As long as I’m talking Korean fusion, the burgers from Burger Seoul (the Korean burger truck at 1750 S Prospect, Tacoma, WA) are worth the trip.  They crank out juicy masterpieces – so grab a few extra napkins.  The Bulgogier is the bomb – it if doesn’t light up your day, I don’t know what to say.  

Attendees

· Wendy Morris, Associated Ministries

· Cynthia Stewart, League of Women Voters

· Larry Seaquist, League of Women Voters

· Brandon Chun, Metropolitan Development Council

· Eric Hasstedt, Safe Streets

· Pamm Silver, Molina Healthcare

· Carrie Ching, Molina Healthcare

· RoxAnne Simon, Safe Streets

· Alexis Eykel, Landlord Liaison Program

· Carolyn Weisz, University of Puget Sound

· Theresa Power-Drutis, New Connections

· Kiesha Triplett, Associated Ministries

· Al Ratcliffe, Me

· Charleen Fitzgerald, Coordinated Care

· Marilyn Duran, Comprehensive Life Resources

· Glen Kelley, Multicare

· Kalena Towle, Multicare

· De Ann Johnson, United Health Care

· Jacque DeGideo, United Health Care

· Stacy Blaisdell, Tacoma Salvation Army

· Mel Leary, Comprehensive Life Resources

· John Smith, Tacoma Rescue Mission

· Emily Ness, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department

· Erik Jaszewski, Pierce County Public Works

· Tiffany Odell, Pierce County Public Works

· Alice Sofiasdiakonos, IWW

· Kelly Blucher, Goodwill

· Heather Wiley, Tacoma Salvation army

· Sarah Jacobs, Tacoma Salvation Army

· Martha Sheppard, Tacoma Salvation Army

· Mitch Austin, Valeo Vocation

· Matthew Jorgensen, City of Tacoma

· Kiedrick O’Bannon, City of Tacoma

· Delmar Algee, Catholic Community Services

· Valeri Knight, Pierce County Human Services

· Richard Berghammer, Fellowship Bible Church

· Bobby Ocasio, City of Tacoma

· Stephanie Prudhomme, Adonai Counseling & Employment

· Jane McKittrick, Catholic Community Services

· Dana Orr, Pierce County Aids Foundation

· Luis Rivera Zayas, Tacoma Rescue Mission

· Sheri Jensen, Valeo Vocation

· Greg Walker, Valeo Vocation

· Maureen Howard, Housing Advocate

· Sarah Bellamy, Comprehensive Life Resources

· David Venes, Point Defiance AIDs Project Needle Exchange

· Brendan Baker, Veterans Administration

· Patricia Menzies, Tent City Tacoma

· Gerrit Nyland, Catholic Community Services

· Joseph Denton, Sound Outreach

Gerrit F. Nyland

Director of Client Information Systems, SW

Catholic Community Services of Western Washington

gerritn@ccsww.org

Mobile: 253-304-5105