City Council Services, Safety & Parks Committee · Tuesday, October 18, 2022 · City Council Digest

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes of July 19, 2022

packet pp.5–6

▶ Watch from 1:51 Open packet at p.5 ↗

Staff report:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) 07-19-22 City Council Services, Safety & Parks Page (0000) Committee Minutes CITY OF ISSAQUAH City Council Services, Safety & Parks Committee 6:30 PM Council Chambers, 135 E. July 19, 2022 MINUTES Sunset Way, Issaquah WA

Minutes of September 20, 2022

packet pp.7

Previously discussed: City Council Regular Meeting · Jul 19, 2022 City Council Regular Meeting · Aug 3, 2022

▶ Watch from 6:20 Open packet at p.7 ↗

Staff report:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES b) 09-20-22 City Council Services, Safety & Parks Page 1 Committee Minutes CITY OF ISSAQUAH City Council Services, Safety & Parks Committee 6:30 PM Council Chambers, 135 E. September 20, 2022 MINUTES Sunset Way, Issaquah WA

4. AGENDA ITEMS

ARCH Recommendations re: Late Fees & Move-In Fees ID 1269

Carried 3-0

60 min · Monica Negrila, Human Services Manager · packet pp.9–26

Topics: HousingBudget

Previously discussed: City Council Regular Meeting · Jul 19, 2022 City Council Regular Meeting · Aug 3, 2022

Open packet at p.9 ↗

Staff report:

Administration recommends taking no further action on this item.

426 segments .txt ↗

0:02 ↗ yeah ready to open the booth was that

0:11 ↗ welcome everyone

0:12 ↗ aye council member Martz call the

0:14 ↗ October 18 2022 city council services

0:17 ↗ safety Parks committee and departs

0:20 ↗ committee to order uh there are multiple

0:22 ↗ public comment opportunities at

0:24 ↗ tonight's meeting uh you can comment now

0:26 ↗ uh there's a general public comment

0:29 ↗ opportunity at the beginning of the

0:30 ↗ meeting or you can make comments after

0:32 ↗ the presentation and Council question

0:33 ↗ and answer period on tonight's agenda

0:36 ↗ item

0:37 ↗ uh members of the public May address

0:38 ↗ council at this time in person or

0:40 ↗ virtually which is good because we don't

0:43 ↗ have anybody in the audience uh in the

0:45 ↗ room those who signed up in advance to

0:47 ↗ make comments will be called on first if

0:48 ↗ you are joining us virtually I'd be like

0:50 ↗ is there anyone online virtually

0:52 ↗ someone just joined oh great then I keep

0:55 ↗ on with my Spiel if you're joining us

0:57 ↗ virtually and would like to make

0:58 ↗ comments please raise your virtual hand

1:00 ↗ if you're on the phone press star three

1:02 ↗ if you have joined by computer or

1:04 ↗ smartphone look for a hand icon this

1:07 ↗ varies by device one option may be to go

1:09 ↗ to the participants panel and choose the

1:12 ↗ raise hand icon in the lower right hand

1:14 ↗ corner

1:15 ↗ uh I will wait for a moment to see if

1:18 ↗ anyone wishes to raise their hand

1:22 ↗ do we have anyone in the virtual room

1:24 ↗ raising their hand or otherwise

1:26 ↗ indicating a wish to speak no one has

1:29 ↗ indicated so at this time all right and

1:32 ↗ I'm sure no one has signed up to speak

1:34 ↗ as a reminder written comments can be

1:37 ↗ submitted at any time to city council at

1:40 ↗ issaquah.government

1:43 ↗ uh so moving on we will go next to uh

1:51 ↗ approval of minutes we have minutes

1:54 ↗ submitted for July 19 2022 as well as

1:58 ↗ minutes submitted for September 20th

2:00 ↗ 2022.

2:03 ↗ is there any comment from my fellow

2:05 ↗ council members on those minutes

2:09 ↗ councilman Martz I was not here for the

2:11 ↗ September meeting so I'm not going to

2:13 ↗ comment on those minutes when it comes

2:15 ↗ to approval

2:16 ↗ are you saying you'd like me to

2:18 ↗ subdivide this into approval separately

2:19 ↗ so you can vote would you kind sir I'd

2:22 ↗ be happy to thanks

2:24 ↗ member to Michelle anything

2:28 ↗ all right so uh I move approval of

2:31 ↗ minutes of July 19

2:33 ↗ 2022 any comment

2:35 ↗ all in favor say aye aye all opposed

2:39 ↗ abstentions

2:41 ↗ uh that passes three to zero I move

2:45 ↗ approval of minutes of September 20th

2:48 ↗ 2022 any comment I'll second that

2:53 ↗ uh uh all in favor uh all in favor

2:56 ↗ aye aye opposed

2:58 ↗ abstentions one abstention that passes

3:01 ↗ two to zero to one

3:03 ↗ with that we will move on to ID 1269

3:07 ↗ Arch recommendations read late fees and

3:09 ↗ move-in fees we'll start with the

3:11 ↗ presentation from our human services

3:13 ↗ manager Monica negrila

3:16 ↗ good evening chair Mart and council

3:19 ↗ members this is Monica Human Services

3:21 ↗ thank you for having us here tonight

3:24 ↗ um as you know we are returning to you

3:27 ↗ with

3:29 ↗ um discussions on Arts recommendations

3:32 ↗ made to our city earlier this year and

3:36 ↗ tonight we are returning in particular

3:39 ↗ with a discussion on late fees and

3:42 ↗ moving fees and we are seeking your

3:44 ↗ direction tonight

3:45 ↗ so a brief background on how this

3:48 ↗ conversation started earlier this year

3:51 ↗ back in April Regional Coalition of

3:53 ↗ housing art their board of directors

3:56 ↗ issued a resolution and invited Mayors

4:00 ↗ from Member jurisdictions and councils

4:02 ↗ to adopt recommended tenant protections

4:05 ↗ we brought to you forward in June and

4:09 ↗ July this item for discussion at the

4:12 ↗ Safety Services and Parks committee

4:15 ↗ meetings and then in September city

4:18 ↗ council adopted an ordinance addressing

4:21 ↗ rent increases in particular the

4:24 ↗ ordinance notes that landlords in

4:26 ↗ Issaquah need to provide 120-day written

4:30 ↗ notice to tenants for any rent increases

4:33 ↗ over three percent

4:35 ↗ um what we did not address was late fees

4:39 ↗ and moving fees so again that's the

4:41 ↗ conversation for tonight

4:44 ↗ um and the recommendations from art

4:47 ↗ the late fee suggestion was to put a cap

4:51 ↗ on a late fees that for any

4:56 ↗ late rental payments those to to be kept

5:00 ↗ at no more than 1.5 percent of

5:03 ↗ attendance monthly rent and then also

5:05 ↗ the recommendations were to put a cap on

5:08 ↗ moving fees and that recommendation was

5:12 ↗ to ensure that those moving fees and

5:15 ↗ security deposits are not higher than

5:19 ↗ um the equivalent of one month's rent

5:24 ↗ this would allow

5:26 ↗ also tenants to pay those fees in

5:29 ↗ installments

5:33 ↗ sorry wrong button just a brief

5:36 ↗ information about other jurisdictions

5:38 ↗ prior to the recommendations made by Art

5:41 ↗ there are some other jurisdictions in

5:43 ↗ the area who took a similar

5:46 ↗ actions for tenant Protections in

5:50 ↗ particular Auburn Burien Federal Way

5:52 ↗ Kenmore Seattle and an incorporated King

5:55 ↗ County from the Arts jurisdictions to

5:58 ↗ date only Redmond and Kirkland took

6:01 ↗ actions the other eight cities

6:05 ↗ Bellevue Medina bell arts

6:11 ↗ um if I remember the other jurisdictions

6:12 ↗ Newcastle Mercer Island

6:15 ↗ boatville did not take any actions

6:22 ↗ and so for discussion uh tonight

6:26 ↗ um we have we propose you have several

6:29 ↗ options we can continue to wait and

6:32 ↗ monitor we can return to City Council

6:35 ↗ next month with a draft ordinance you

6:39 ↗ can direct us as the administration to

6:41 ↗ consider a different approach or we can

6:43 ↗ take no action at this time the

6:46 ↗ administration's recommendation is to

6:48 ↗ take no further action on this item

6:52 ↗ um and with that we are open for

6:55 ↗ conversation Direction questions

6:58 ↗ as we are seeking your direction tonight

7:05 ↗ uh questions

7:08 ↗ councilmember D Michelle

7:11 ↗ so I did a little research uh Monica and

7:14 ↗ and I see it here on this chart that you

7:17 ↗ provided earlier that current state

7:20 ↗ legislation says that deposits cannot

7:23 ↗ exceed 25 percent of first month's rent

7:27 ↗ and yet we're being asked to approve

7:30 ↗ something that says they're limited to

7:32 ↗ one month's rent so so it seems to me

7:36 ↗ like the state standard is higher than

7:38 ↗ what we're being asked to approve so is

7:41 ↗ there any insight into perhaps I'm

7:42 ↗ reading that wrong or

7:45 ↗ don't know the details because there is

7:46 ↗ a difference between deposits

7:49 ↗ and uh move-in fees I which I discovered

7:54 ↗ in my research as well so right so

7:57 ↗ moving to these could include security

7:58 ↗ deposits and sometimes depending on on

8:01 ↗ landlords that may include other fees

8:04 ↗ including sometimes they their request

8:08 ↗ the first month payment and the last

8:10 ↗ month payment so depending on from

8:13 ↗ landlord to landlord that can mean

8:14 ↗ different things I think the state

8:17 ↗ legislation focuses on security deposits

8:19 ↗ only but

8:22 ↗ um

8:22 ↗ also I think I cannot speak for the

8:26 ↗ recommendations made by Art but if I

8:29 ↗ were to take an educated guess I think

8:31 ↗ they were trying to provide a little bit

8:34 ↗ more leeway and make it a thing a little

8:37 ↗ bit more appealing but that's just my

8:39 ↗ educated guess on why maybe it's a

8:42 ↗ little bit the cap is a little bit

8:43 ↗ higher than not astringent

8:47 ↗ okay thank you councilmember Ray you

8:51 ↗ have a furrowed brow I always have a

8:52 ↗ friend bro thank you uh chair Martz

8:56 ↗ um

8:58 ↗ I'm trying to figure out how to ask this

9:00 ↗ question so the administration's

9:02 ↗ recommendation is to take no action at

9:04 ↗ this time and to continue to monitor is

9:06 ↗ that correct

9:10 ↗ see City administrative

9:14 ↗ the council member Ray members of the

9:15 ↗ committee good evening

9:17 ↗ um for this item we're requesting no

9:19 ↗ further action I think the reality is

9:21 ↗ certainly from the legislative agenda

9:23 ↗ that the council discussed last night

9:24 ↗ this is an ongoing issue which we will

9:27 ↗ continue to be involved and engaged in

9:29 ↗ we are members of arch think Arch

9:32 ↗ continues to talk about these issues so

9:34 ↗ the reality is that these topics aren't

9:37 ↗ going away they will continue but for

9:38 ↗ the specific item reacting to the memo

9:41 ↗ that was submitted by Arch over the

9:43 ↗ summer we're recommending no further

9:45 ↗ action

9:47 ↗ great thank you

9:50 ↗ um I have a question Monica do we have

9:52 ↗ an option to take a negative uh is there

9:54 ↗ a fifth option where we can vote no on

9:57 ↗ this or

9:58 ↗ because I mean otherwise it's kind of a

10:01 ↗ tabling I guess from a I don't know

10:04 ↗ parliamentary procedure-wise normally we

10:06 ↗ either thumbs up or thumbs down

10:07 ↗ something when it's in committee is

10:09 ↗ there an option to thumb it down

10:12 ↗ the the action by voting affirmative on

10:14 ↗ taking no action uh that is the

10:17 ↗ recommendation to take no act further

10:19 ↗ action

10:21 ↗ all right the City attorney is with us

10:23 ↗ remotely we've discussed this matter

10:25 ↗ with her uh chair Martz and I discussed

10:27 ↗ this matter earlier uh you asked that we

10:30 ↗ may be as clear as possible so if the

10:32 ↗ committee wishes this matter to be

10:34 ↗ concluded uh we believe this is the

10:36 ↗ motion if approved would do that now the

10:39 ↗ actions of committees will still need to

10:41 ↗ come back to the council so this action

10:43 ↗ will need to be affirmed by the full

10:44 ↗ city council and so if we get to that

10:47 ↗ point we can ask then if it's on consent

10:49 ↗ or regular business but that and Miss

10:53 ↗ Turpin is uh on the line and I believe

10:56 ↗ Mr but I've accurately reflected the

10:58 ↗ discussions we've had as far as if the

11:00 ↗ committee desires for this item to be

11:03 ↗ concluded correct

11:04 ↗ yes you have and we have a draft motion

11:08 ↗ too that we can provide this evening I

11:10 ↗ can pop it into the chat I'm not sure if

11:12 ↗ Monica has a slide with it but if not I

11:15 ↗ can certainly pop it I would love a

11:18 ↗ draft motion

11:19 ↗ let me do that right now for you thank

11:21 ↗ you and I and I think going back I think

11:24 ↗ you had the

11:26 ↗ recommend that action well maybe it was

11:28 ↗ a slide back

11:31 ↗ so with the action uh Miss Turpin B uh

11:36 ↗ concur the administration's

11:37 ↗ recommendation of taking no further

11:39 ↗ action

11:40 ↗ correct

11:42 ↗ so we don't need more

11:44 ↗ okay let me see heading it draft motion

11:47 ↗ to make sure I just get the legalese

11:49 ↗ right the first uh we should

11:52 ↗ Talk Amongst ourselves we should ask if

11:54 ↗ there's any members oh hold on this is a

11:57 ↗ point where when we transition from

11:59 ↗ information to discussion of the item

12:02 ↗ this is a second opportunity for the

12:05 ↗ public to provide input so I'm going to

12:08 ↗ say

12:11 ↗ uh

12:13 ↗ uh on the right spotted in here

12:17 ↗ um

12:19 ↗ I thought I had language specific to

12:21 ↗ what it's during the

12:23 ↗ during the item but I I will ask the

12:25 ↗ clerk's office

12:26 ↗ um if any members of the public now

12:28 ↗ would be a time if you are watching from

12:30 ↗ home as I mentioned before uh if you're

12:33 ↗ interested in providing public comment

12:35 ↗ this is the second opportunity to do so

12:37 ↗ once again if you're on a phone you

12:39 ↗ would press star three if you're joined

12:42 ↗ by computer or smartphone look for a

12:43 ↗ hand icon this varies by device one

12:46 ↗ option may be to go to the participant

12:48 ↗ panel and choose the raise hand icon in

12:51 ↗ the lower right hand corner

12:52 ↗ there's nobody in the room with us so I

12:56 ↗ will just wait a moment and give people

12:58 ↗ at home a chance if someone wishes to

13:00 ↗ indicate raising their hand

13:02 ↗ electronically has anyone uh signed up

13:05 ↗ or has anybody indicated a desire to

13:07 ↗ speak

13:08 ↗ no one has indicated they would like to

13:10 ↗ speak at this time all right well then I

13:12 ↗ will close public comments on this and

13:15 ↗ move to discussion amongst ourselves

13:19 ↗ council member Ray

13:22 ↗ thank you councilmember marks so when we

13:24 ↗ heard this

13:25 ↗ um

13:26 ↗ I don't know several months ago

13:29 ↗ um and we took action on the

13:31 ↗ notification on

13:33 ↗ rent increases we

13:36 ↗ kind of at that point looked at the

13:39 ↗ other two options and said we're not

13:41 ↗ sure that these are the way to go and so

13:43 ↗ just put a very fine point on it I don't

13:45 ↗ know that I've changed my mind on that

13:46 ↗ so I'm I'm aligned with the thinking of

13:50 ↗ the administration that maybe it's time

13:51 ↗ to say we're done with this and that we

13:54 ↗ took action on the thing that was

13:56 ↗ probably most impactful and

13:59 ↗ um and then move on

14:01 ↗ thank you council member D Michelle

14:05 ↗ um I'm I'm in full agreement with that

14:07 ↗ uh nothing has that come to my attention

14:10 ↗ that would change my mind

14:13 ↗ um I think I've always struggled with

14:15 ↗ the percentage that they that they've

14:18 ↗ recommended and

14:21 ↗ um in my mind all that it acts as an

14:23 ↗ incentive for landlords to just increase

14:25 ↗ the rent so that they cover their costs

14:27 ↗ I did do some research into what is

14:30 ↗ covered by move-in fees I wonder what

14:32 ↗ that was and found that there are

14:36 ↗ several

14:38 ↗ on the books laws related to that at the

14:41 ↗ state level and

14:44 ↗ and there's even a cap on how much

14:48 ↗ application fees for example they can't

14:51 ↗ charge more than it costs them to do an

14:54 ↗ application

14:55 ↗ and the rest of it is for pretty much

14:58 ↗ regular maintenance and those kinds of

15:00 ↗ things and there are capsum that are

15:03 ↗ already there is already a Statewide

15:05 ↗ great law that allows tennis to pay

15:09 ↗ those move-in fees in installments so I

15:12 ↗ will reiterate what I said when we took

15:14 ↗ this up before I don't see that these

15:16 ↗ two items do anything

15:19 ↗ further to help renters have protections

15:23 ↗ I totally agree that our renters need

15:26 ↗ some protections I just don't think

15:28 ↗ these two items are the way for us to go

15:31 ↗ so I would agree with council member Ray

15:35 ↗ that I haven't changed my mind and would

15:37 ↗ like to put an end to this matter thanks

15:40 ↗ thank you

15:42 ↗ um I I would agree with everything both

15:44 ↗ of you has said have said in addition to

15:46 ↗ that

15:47 ↗ um I would uh say I don't understand

15:50 ↗ why Arch is driving this particular

15:54 ↗ issue their mission is to preserve and

15:56 ↗ increase the supply of housing for low

15:58 ↗ and moderate income households in East

16:00 ↗ King County I think there's all sorts of

16:03 ↗ groups that could come before us with

16:05 ↗ this particular issue and want us to

16:07 ↗ take action on it but I don't understand

16:08 ↗ why Arch is doing it I would like you

16:11 ↗ heard I mean the community heard last

16:13 ↗ night how strongly all seven of us feel

16:15 ↗ about providing more low and moderate

16:17 ↗ income housing and in East King County

16:19 ↗ so I I sure would love Arch to get back

16:22 ↗ to focusing on their on their core

16:25 ↗ mission

16:25 ↗ so I would move

16:28 ↗ that this committee returned do I have

16:31 ↗ draft language

16:33 ↗ let me read to you from the city

16:34 ↗ attorney and if you just would concur

16:36 ↗ with that the motion would be that the

16:39 ↗ city take no further action on Arch a

16:41 ↗ regional Coalition for housing's

16:42 ↗ recommendations regarding tenant

16:44 ↗ protection options regarding late fees

16:46 ↗ and move-in fees

16:48 ↗ I would like to be able to read that

16:50 ↗ exact language can you email it to me

16:52 ↗ and then I will I will read it I I would

16:54 ↗ prefer

16:58 ↗ bigger than email thank you

17:02 ↗ I move that the city take no further

17:04 ↗ action on arches a regional Coalition

17:06 ↗ for housing recommendations regarding

17:08 ↗ tenant protection options regarding late

17:10 ↗ fees and move-in fees

17:14 ↗ second

17:15 ↗ thank you councilmember D Michelle the

17:17 ↗ motion has been seconded

17:19 ↗ further discussion

17:22 ↗ all in favor say aye

17:25 ↗ aye opposed

17:26 ↗ abstentions that motion carries three to

17:30 ↗ zero

17:33 ↗ uh manager and agrila is there anything

17:35 ↗ else for us today thank you so much one

17:39 ↗ small detail instructions from Tisha I

17:41 ↗ think uh just a recommendation from you

17:44 ↗ on whether or not this is gonna go on

17:46 ↗ consent calendar for city council I

17:49 ↗ assume yes sure let's try that okay

17:53 ↗ thank you

17:56 ↗ then I have no other question thanks so

17:57 ↗ much all right

17:59 ↗ um uh well

18:02 ↗ anyone to forgive the order to eat

18:05 ↗ um all right well that I don't have any

18:08 ↗ announcements

18:09 ↗ um so that being the only item on this

18:11 ↗ evening's agenda uh the meeting is

18:13 ↗ adjourned thank you all very much

Approved minutes

Extracted from the next meeting's packet, where this meeting's minutes were approved as a consent-calendar attachment.

Open PDF

Motions and votes (1)

Recommend that the City take no further action on ARCH’s (A Regional Coalition for Housing) recommendations regarding tenant protection options regarding late fees and move-in fees. THE . ANNOUNCEMENTS There were no announcements. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) 10-18-22 City Council Services, Safety & Parks…

Moved by CHAIR MARTS · seconded by CM DE MICHELE

Carried 3-0