Seattle’s growth clearly doesn’t benefit everyone, but I am committed to minimizing the negative impacts of our “success.” If re-elected I will work to create/preserve education, training, housing and support services for low-income people. I am a strong proponent of community-driven neighborhood planning and am a leader on the Council for community-driven updates to the existing 38 neighborhood plans. I will keep working to ensure the updates are truly community driven with all voices present.

2. Building and preserving new housing units is key to solving our housing and homelessness crisis, but preventing the loss of the affordable housing that already exists is equally important. If elected, what would you do to preserve existing affordable / low-income housing? Please be specific about what the city can do under current law, and what changes, if any, you support in state law.

I support continued use of state and local dollars to purchase buildings for rehab and preservation as low-income units. I support increased funding for the State Housing Trust Fund. Given the high rate of condo conversions, I support changes in state law giving the city authority to prevent or delay conversion of units serving low-income residents. I also support increasing the amount of notice and relocation assistance provided when rental units are converted.

3. What would you do to ensure that parks and open spaces are safe and accessible to all people, including homeless people, families with children, nearby workers, and others? Please be specific about what, if any, changes you would make in how parks are used and regulated. (e.g.; would you modify or eliminate the parks exclusion ordinance, support limiting park hours, support funding for downtown park rangers, add or remove park seating?)

Parks are for everyone and everyone should be safe and welcome in them. I am open to reviewing the parks exclusion ordinance. I support limiting park hours. I understand this is linked to issues of insufficient affordable housing capacity, but we should deal with that issue directly. I voted against funding the rangers proposal last year. I support upgrading downtown parks and making them safe for ALL users, including homeless users.

4. People struggling with homelessness and poverty are often focused on making ends meet, finding a place to sleep, and otherwise taking care of their basic needs and the needs of their families. Many don’t feel that elected officials listen to them, and don’t see much value in participating in the political process. How would you respond to that concern?

I hope to be elected to represent everyone, but I don’t know everyone’s life experience. I vote on things that affect housing, health care, food programs, job training, etc. I can’t understand the full impacts of my decisions unless I hear from people affected. It’s likely we won’t agree all the time, but I need to talk with you in order to do a better job representing you.

5. If elected, would you take any steps to increase participation in the public process by people who are low-income and/or homeless?

In planning the proposed 2007 City budget I advocated for and we obtained increased funding for advocacy work by non-profit organizations which serve primarily low-income people. That funding continues in 2008. In terms of increasing participation by people who are low-income and/or homeless, I support the work of groups like SHARE/WHEEL, the Tenants Union and ACORN. I look to these organizations for input as we debate policies related to homeless and low-income people.

6. How would you respond to someone who is: Housed, but barely making ends meet, and concerned about losing their housing as costs rise and affordable housing is lost? Homeless, and feels they have no hope of finding a job that pays enough to afford a place to live as the cost of
housing continues to rise in Seattle?

I have been active on Council as a proponent of job training and support. I believe that in both cases described above the individuals can build lives in Seattle if they can gain the skills necessary to climb into living wage jobs. I am a proponent of Seattle Jobs Initiative’s work at Connections getting people into classes and jobs. On the way to a higher wage, they can get childcare, housing, tuition and other help.

7. The Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness prioritizes permanent housing over shelter. How should this transition be managed, i.e., at what point in is a reduction in shelter appropriate?

I support the 10-Year Plan's emphasis on emergency shelter and transitional housing with permanent supportive housing. The plan also recognizes that we will always need some level of emergency shelter that meets the needs of adults, families, youth, and victims of domestic violence. I believe the rate of reduction for shelter should be tied to increased permanent supported housing and a decrease in the number of homeless people living on our streets.

8. Poverty and homelessness are bad for one’s health. What role does the City of Seattle have in making sure people’s health care needs are met?

Health care needs will only be met with a national single payer program with universal coverage. While we wait for that, the city plays a critical role by supporting Health Care for the Homeless through Public Health. We also invest six million dollars annually in community health centers that provide care for those without insurance and we spend nine million a year for critical public health services such as needle exchange and methadone treatment.

9. Please speak to changes you would like to see in the local jail system, focusing on how those changes impact homelessness?

I would like to see better discharge planning from the local jail system. This is an opportunity to connect a homeless person or someone with support. Given the relatively high number of mentally ill homeless who end up in jail, I would like to see resources better coordinated and delivered so that the length of stay in the jail is both shorter and more about getting the person the help he or she needs.

10. Do you support any changes to the system for police accountability/oversight?

I support requiring the Chief of Police to explain why a discipline decision differs from the recommendation of the staff, including the civilian director of the Office of Professional Accountability. I think this is a basic question of transparency and trust. I think it can be done while protecting the rights of officers. I support the set of changes recently proposed by the Council, including independence for the OPA budget from the Chief’s budget.

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