>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
I AM TAMMY MORALES.
I'M EXCITED TODAY TO HAVE THE
SECOND IN A SERIES OF PANELS WE
ARE CALLING, SEATTLE WITHIN
REACH.
IN THE FIRST PANEL A COUPLE OF
WEEKS AGO WE TALKED ABOUT THE
CONVERSATION.
THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION.
WE WOULD LIKE TO START WITH
BUILDING A SEATTLE WHERE
EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO GOODS
AND SERVICES.
TWO ESSENTIAL NEEDS.
ACCESS TO CHILDCARE, GROCERIES,
BANKING. TO HAVE EVERYTHING
WITHIN REACH.
WE ARE STARTING THE
CONVERSATION AGAIN TODAY AND
I'M VERY EXCITED TO HAVE SOME
GUESTS WITH US TODAY.
WE WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION,
AS WE TALK ABOUT LAND-USE AND
THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND WE HAVE
IN SEATTLE, THE WAY THE CITY IS
CHANGING, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM
OTHER FOLKS FROM THE CITY AND
OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD ABOUT
THE WORK THEY ARE DOING TO MAKE
THE COMMUNITY BETTER.
WE HAVE INVITED GUESTS HERE
TODAY THAT I'M EXCITED TO HAVE.
-- WE ALSO HAVE WITH US,
VISITING FROM CHICAGO ON ZOOM --
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US
TODAY.
I DO WANT TO LET FOLKS KNOW
THAT WE HAVE AN INTERPRETER
HERE.
WE WILL BE HAVING THE
CONVERSATION IN ENGLISH BUT OUR
GUESTS FROM FRENCH MAY PREFER
TO ANSWER IN FRENCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
OKAY.
LET'S GET STARTED.
YOU ARE ALL HERE BECAUSE YOU
ARE VERY INVOLVED IN MOVING
YOUR COMMUNITIES TOWARD MORE
COMPLETE NEIGHBORHOODS. WE ARE
HAVING SIMILAR DISCUSSIONS HERE
IN SEATTLE.
ABOUT HOW WE PRIORITIZE
LIVABILITY. HOW WE CREATE
NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE ESSENTIAL
SERVICES ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO
FOLKS.
EVERYBODY SHOULD BE BENEFITING
FROM INVESTMENTS THAT THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT IS MAKING, THAT THE
CITY IS MAKING.
IN SEATTLE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
LOW INCOME NEIGHBORS, PEOPLE OF
COLOR, DON'T GET PUSHED OUT OF
THE CITY.
WE ARE THINKING A LOT ABOUT
WHAT IS MISSING IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOW WE
PROMOTE ACCESS TO OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE ARE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT
THE NOTION OF A 15 MINUTE CITY
IN SEATTLE.
IT'S PRETTY HIGH-LEVEL.
THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPONENTS OF
WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A 15
MINUTE CITY.
INCLUDING ELEMENTS THAT WILL
SHORTEN THE DISTANCE FOR PEOPLE
BETWEEN WORK AND HOME.
INCREASING ACCESS TO SERVICES
AND GREEN SPACE.
THE PATHS LEADING OUT OF THE
CENTER CITY, WHERE YOU PRESERVE
GREEN SPACE.
SOCIAL INCLUSION.
I WONDER IF YOU CAN TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT A 15
MINUTE CITY MEANS AND WHAT THE
KEY ELEMENTS ARE FOR YOU AS YOU
MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
>> I THINK WE CAN ANSWER
BETWEEN THE TWO OF US WITH THE
DEPUTY MAYOR.
ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES IS TO
HAVE ALL SERVICES AVAILABLE
WHERE ONE LIVES, NO MATTER
WHERE ONE LIVES IN THE CITY.
WE ARE CREATING WHAT WE MIGHT
CALL SMALL DOWNTOWNS ALL AROUND
THE CITY.
WE ESTIMATE TO HAVE REASONABLE
SERVICES. APPROXIMATELY 12
SERVICES AVAILABLE.
THAT SHOULD INCLUDE FOOD
SHOPPING, GROCERY STORE,
BAKERY, ET CETERA.
HEALTH SERVICES, DOCTORS,
DENTISTS.
CULTURE, LEISURE, AND PARKS.
AND EVERYTHING THAT IS
TRANSPORTATION.
MEANING BUSES, TRAMS, ET CETERA.
WITHIN THE CITY, CURRENTLY, UP
ROCKS MENTALLY 95% OF THE
POPULATION DO HAVE THIS LEVEL
OF SERVICE.
AND THEN WE COME TO THE GLOBAL
POLICY.
WE ARE TAKING A TRANSVERSAL
OPTIC TO THIS. WITH EXCHANGES
WITH TAMMY AND BRUCE, WHAT
CONCERNS THE FABRIC OF THE CITY.
WE ARE BIG ON THOSE SMALL CITY
CENTERS, OR SMALL DOWNTOWNS IF
YOU WISH, WITH BICYCLE LANES,
PEDESTRIAN LANES, AND
EVERYTHING THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE
TO CIRCULATE EASILY WITHIN
THOSE AREAS.
THE REFLECTION THAT I WOULD
HAVE TO MAKE, AFTER HAVING
THESE EXCHANGES HERE WITH YOU,
WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A
COMMUNITY APPROACH.
PERHAPS THIS VIEW OF THE 15
MINUTE CITY, WE COULD RELOOK AT
IT IN ORDER TO EXCHANGE WITH
YOU AND WORK WITH YOU TO BRING
ABOUT A SIMILAR PROJECT.
AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT THE ANTI-SEXIST CITY.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT, WE PUT
DISTRIBUTORS FOR PERIODIC
PROTECTION AROUND THE CITY.
WE HAVE INSTALLED THEM AT
SEVERAL PLACES IN THE CITY WITH
THE IDEA THAT THEY WOULD BE
ACCESSIBLE.
YOU CAN FIND ONE WITHIN 15
MINUTES IF YOU NEEDED ONE.
SO THE NOTION OF THE 15 MINUTE
CITY IS PRESENT IN ALL OF THE
PROJECTS THAT WE ARE LEADING.
IT IS PERHAPS A TRANSVERSAL
OBJECTIVE FOR EVERY PROJECT WE
ARE LEADING.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A POINT.
THE 15 MINUTE CITY, OR THE
QUARTER HOUR CITY, IS ABOVE
EVERYTHING, A QUESTION OF
ORGANIZATION OF THE CITY.
BECAUSE OF THE YEARS 1950,
1960, 1970, THE CITY WAS
IMAGINED AND CONCEIVED AROUND
THE CAR. IN THAT CASE THE CITY
WAS SPECIALIZING IT'S
NEIGHBORHOODS FOR DIFFERENT
AREAS. FOR INSTANCE, MAJOR FOOD
STORES OR APPLIANCE STORES.
THE BUSINESS DISTRICT AND OTHER
DISTRICT'S.
OTHER SPECIALIZED DISTRICTS.
SO THE THOUGHT THAT THE CITY IS
GROWING AND GROWING, WHERE
AUTOMOBILE TRAFFIC IS CONCERNED
THERE ARE MANY, MANY TRAFFIC
JAMS.
IT LED US TO RETHINK THE
ORGANIZATION THAT WE WERE
GIVING TO THE CITY TO IMAGINE
THIS IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
WAY.
SO THE CITY, WITHIN A QUARTER
OF AN HOUR, IS ABOUT THE
UTILIZATION OF SPACES WITHIN
THE CITY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I DO WANT TO TALK JUST A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT THIS IDEA OF HOW
YOU MOVED FROM AUTO RELIANCE.
THAT FRAMEWORK OF RELYING ON
THE CAR AND TRANSITIONING TO A
15 MINUTE CITY.
THAT USED TO BE A MAJOR ROADWAY
ALONG THE RIVER IN THE CITY.
IT'S NOW A TRAMWAY.
THERE'S A PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE
LANE NEXT TO IT.
IS THAT AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT
PARTICULAR CHANGE HAPPENED?
>> HERE'S A GOOD EXAMPLE.
I HAVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT I
AM THINKING OF.
IN THE CITY, IN THE 1990s,
THERE WAS A VERTICAL ROUTE THAT
WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE CHATEAU
, THE CENTER OF THE CITY. VERY
PROGRESSIVELY, BECAUSE WE KNOW
PEOPLE LET GO OF THEIR HABITS
VERY SLOWLY. IN THE MORE RECENT
YEARS THAT MAJOR HIGHWAY HAS
TRANSFORMED INTO AN ACCESS ROAD
WITH ELAINE I -- A LANE ON
EITHER SIDE. THERE ARE BICYCLE
LANES AND PEDESTRIAN LANES.
IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE CENTER
OF THE CITY IN THE MORNING OR
EVENING, DON'T BOTHER TRYING TO
TAKE THAT ROUTE.
ONE I SAY THAT IT IS BECAUSE WE
HAVE PROPOSED AN ALTERNATIVE
ROUTE.
PEOPLE CAN GO BY BIKE.
EITHER WITH THEIR OWN BICYCLE OR
RENTING A BICYCLE. OR THEY CAN
TAKE A BUS.
>> WHEN WE VISITED IN DECEMBER
THERE WERE BICYCLE RENTAL
OPTIONS.
ELECTRIC BIKES.
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE HERE,
BUT WE SAW MANY, MANY MORE
PEOPLE RIDING BIKES THERE.
IT WAS VERY EXCITING.
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE 50
KILOMETERS OF BICYCLE LANE IN
THE CITY.
WE PLAN ON DOUBLING THAT.
-- WE ARE NEVERTHELESS WAY
BEHIND THE OTHER CITIES IN
NORTHERN EUROPE.
>> I WANT TO MOVE TO THE
ALDERMAN.
CHICAGO IS HISTORICALLY A DENSE
CITY.
ALSO A CITY THAT IS LIVING WITH
THE LEGACIES OF REDLINING.
WE EXPERIENCE THAT HERE IN
SEATTLE AS WELL.
I WONDER IF YOU CAN TALK LITTLE
BIT ABOUT HOW CHICAGO IS RE-
EXAMINING MORE EQUITABLE
COMMUNITIES, MORE BLENDED
NEIGHBORHOODS.
MAYBE YOU COULD EVEN START WITH
A SHORT EXPLANATION OF WHAT
REDLINING IS FOR FOLKS THAT MAY
NOT KNOW.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING
ME TO THIS PANEL,
COUNCILMEMBER.
IT'S SO GREAT TO HEAR FROM THE
DEPUTY MAYORS IN FRANCE, SO
MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY
EXPERIENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES
ARE ISSUES THAT WE EXPERIENCE
IN CHICAGO AND ACROSS THE
UNITED STATES.
UNFORTUNATELY IN THE U.S. WE
HAVE THE UGLY HISTORY OF
REDLINING.
THROUGH GOVERNMENTAL POLICY,
THROUGH RACIST MARKET FORCES,
WHAT WE SAW WAS SEGREGATION
IMPOSED FROM THE TOP DOWN. LACK
COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME
GETTING ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND
TO LOANS TO OWN THEIR OWN HOME.
IMMUNITIES OF COLOR WERE CUT
OFF FROM INVESTMENT IN BANKS.
WE STILL LIVE IN THAT LEGACY IN
THE CITY OF CHICAGO.
ONE OF THE MOST SEGREGATED
AMERICAN CITIES.
YOU CAN WALK DOWN THE BLOCK AND
YOU CAN SEE A COMMUNITY GO FROM
90% BLACK TO 90% LATINO TO 90%
WHITE AS HE WALKED DOWN THE
STREET FOR A SERIES OF SEVERAL
MILES.
AS A CITY WE HAVE TRIED TO
ADDRESS THE HISTORY OF
REDLINING.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE INVESTMENT
IS DISTRIBUTED EQUITABLY
THROUGH OUT THE CITY OF CHICAGO.
COMMUNITY GROUPS HAVE BEEN
FIGHTING FOR MANY YEARS.
ONE OF THE WAYS THAT HAS BEEN
ACCOMPLISHED AS OF RECENT IS
MAKING SURE THE PUBLIC DOLLARS
THAT THE CITY HAS FOR
INVESTMENT, THEY ARE TARGETING
AREAS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY
BEEN REDLINED.
THE PROGRAM HAS PROVIDED
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUBLIC
FINANCING AND FUNDING TO SMALL
BUSINESSES.
EVERY CITY GETS A LIMITED
NUMBER OF DOLLARS FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO INVEST IN
PUBLIC HOUSING.
HISTORICALLY A LOT OF CITIES
HAVE SAID IN THE FOREST
COMMUNITIES WE ARE GOING TO PUT
THIS HOUSING.
WE'VE REALLY SOUGHT TO REVERSE
THE TREND IN COMMUNITIES THAT
ARE FACING DISPLACEMENT.
WE ARE SEEKING TO USE THOSE
PUBLIC DOLLARS TO BUILD
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IN MY COMMUNITY, WHAT WE HAVE
DONE, WE HAVE TAKEN A PARKING
LOT RIGHT NEXT TO A TRAIN STOP
AND WE HAVE TURNED THAT INTO
100 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE AT OR BELOW
60% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
THIS IS RIGHT ADJACENT TO A
COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR.
IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO A TRAIN STOP.
WE ARE WORKING NOW WITH A VERY
SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN WHO
HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES.
THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE
STOREFRONT.
IT GIVES THEM A PLACE TO SELL
THEIR GOODS AND THE ART THEY
PRODUCE.
THE FIRST FLOOR OF THAT
DEVELOPMENT WILL BE A
COMMERCIAL SPACE, ESSENTIALLY
AN INDOOR MARKET SPACE WHERE
SMALLER MERCHANTS FROM THE
COMMUNITY CAN SELL THEIR GOODS.
THAT WILL GIVE THEM A FOOTHOLD
TO EVENTUALLY EXPAND INTO THEIR
OWN STOREFRONT.
TO QUICKLY SUMMARIZE, CHICAGO
HAS AN UGLY HISTORY OF
SEGREGATION, LIKE SO MANY
CITIES.
IN PLACES WHERE WE HAVE FOUGHT
TO UNDO THAT TREND WE SEE
GOVERNMENT TARGETING PUBLIC
INVESTMENT TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO
GO.
WE ARE MAKING SURE WE ARE
GETTING DOLLARS INTO
DISINVESTMENT COMMUNITIES ON
THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF CHICAGO.
WE ARE ACTUALLY BUILDING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SOCIAL
HOUSING IN AFFLUENT COMMUNITIES
. WE ARE MAKING SURE WE ARE
ADDING DENSITY IN THOSE
COMMUNITIES WHERE HISTORICALLY
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A PUSH FOR
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES.
>> IS VERY EXCITING.
IT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO A PROGRAM
WE HAVE.
THE EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM.
WE TRIED TO PUT CITY DOLLARS
INTO PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN
HISTORICALLY ON INVESTED IN.
MIGUEL, IT SOUNDS VERY FAMILIAR
TO WHAT WAS DONE FIVE YEARS AGO.
IT'S BEEN A STRONG, STRONG
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION FOR
DECADES.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW YOU DECIDED
TO BUILD THAT PROJECT AND THE
DIFFERENT COMPONENTS YOU
INCLUDED IN IT?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, THANK
YOU FOR INVITING US . FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE OF A COMMUNITY-
BASED ORGANIZATION, AN
ORGANIZATION GROUNDED IN THE
LATINO COMMUNITY. WHEN THE
LIGHT RAIL WAS BEING PLANNED
INITIALLY IT WASN'T GOING TO --
WHEN NEWS FINALLY CAME THAT IT
WAS GOING TO STOP AT BEACON HILL
WE BEGAN TO SEE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO DO SOME TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY WAS
THE OWNERSHIP OF THE BUILDING
AND AROUND IT, THAT IS WHERE
THE LIGHT RAIL IS NOW.
THE STAGING AREA FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE LIGHT RAIL
WAS ON THE PROPERTY, THE MIXED-
USE DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS
CREATED.
SO ACTUALLY WE WERE GOING TO
LEASE THAT SPACE AS THE
CONSTRUCTION AREA.
OUR LEADERSHIP WAS VERY FRUGAL.
WE PUT THAT MONEY AWAY BECAUSE
WE KNEW IT WOULD SERVE AS
REDEVELOPMENT FUNDS TO DO A
DEVELOPMENT.
WE KNEW AND WE SAW THE NEED FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR
COMMUNITIES.
AS AN ORGANIZATION WE KNEW THAT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS THE
CORNERSTONE. AN IMPORTANT
ELEMENT OF THAT DEVELOPMENT.
WE BEGAN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING SESSIONS.
NOT ONLY TO TALK ABOUT THE NEED
FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUT TO
PARTICIPATE IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS
, TO HEAR WHAT OTHERS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD WAS SAYING.
ALSO TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WHO
WEREN'T TRADITIONALLY INVOLVED,
LOWER INCOME PEOPLE, IMMIGRANT
AND REFUGEE FAMILIES WOULD BE
INVOLVED IN THAT COMMUNITY
PLANNING PROCESS.
WE SHARED NOT ONLY WHAT WE
THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT BUT WITH
THE NEIGHBORHOOD THOUGHT WAS
IMPORTANT IN THAT DEVELOPMENT
AS WELL.
PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT
THINGS LIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTER.
SOMETHING THAT HAD COMMUNITY
AND CULTURAL SPACE.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMERCIAL
SPACE AND FOR FALL -- SMALL
BUSINESS SPACE.
WE ALSO HEARD FROM PEOPLE THAT
WERE PARTICIPATING, WHAT THEY
NEEDED.
THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT
AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE.
HOW IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO
HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY
CHILDCARE AS PART OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
AS WE BEGAN TO PLAN WE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE MUCH MORE
THAN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND ALSO ADDRESS THE STIGMA
THAT OFTEN TIMES COMES WITH
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE
PERCEPTIONS OF WHAT THAT MEANS
FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAD 30 COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
WE CREATED PARTICIPATION FOR
LOTS OF PEOPLE TO HEAR WHAT WAS
BEING PLANNED WITH THE
DEVELOPMENT, TO GIVE THEIR
INPUT ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A
DEVELOPMENT WITH THE
CORNERSTONE OF 112 UNITS OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
ALSO 30 TO 60% OF AREA INCOME.
WE CREATED AN OPEN PLAZA SPACE,
A VERY TRADITIONAL PLAZA THAT
YOU MAY SEE IN LATINO
COMMUNITIES.
A CULTURAL EVENT SPACE.
SEVEN CLASSROOMS OF CHILD
DEVELOPMENT, THAT SERVES 128
CHILDREN.
AND RETAIL SPACE THAT WAS
DESIGNED TO ATTRACT FAMILY-
OWNED BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT
SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE RIGHT
ACROSS THE LIGHT RAIL.
IT REALLY WAS A COMMUNITY
INSPIRED, TRANSIT ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT THAT INCORPORATED
ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS.
AN IMPORTANT THING I WOULD SAY
IS OBVIOUSLY STAKEHOLDERS WHO
ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LIVE
AND HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN
SEATTLE, NEXT TO THE LIGHT RAIL
, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A HUGE
BENEFIT FOR MANY FAMILIES.
WE DESIGNED IT SO OVER 50% OF
THE UNITS WERE TWO AND THREE
BEDROOMS SO THAT FAMILIES WITH
CHILDREN COULD LIVE IN THE
DEVELOPMENT.
WE DEVELOPED IT IN A WAY THAT
EVERYONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
SAW AS AN ASSET OR A BENEFIT.
PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
WHETHER YOU LIVED A BLOCK AWAY,
HALF-MILE AWAY, OR CAME IN
THROUGH THE LIGHT RAIL, THEY
HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY
CHILDCARE.
IT WAS AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE FOR
LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
IT HAD GATHERING SPACE AND
CULTURAL SPACE.
A LOT OF THINGS THAT THE
NEIGHBORHOOD HAD BEEN PLANNING
BEFORE.
WE ACTUALLY DID AN ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS ON THE IMPACT OF 112
FAMILIES.
EVEN THOUGH IT IS 30 TO 60%
MEDIAN INCOME, MOST OF THE
FAMILIES ARE WORKING FAMILIES.
WE DID AN ANALYSIS THAT THEY
WERE GOING TO BRING $3 MILLION
OF PURCHASING POWER TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND SHARE THAT
WITH MERCHANTS.
THIS IS CREATING A MARKET.
A MARKETPLACE THAT PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO HELP IMPROVE THE
ECONOMICS OF.
WE REALLY WERE ABLE TO CREATE A
DEVELOPMENT AND SHARE THAT THIS
WAS REALLY A BENEFIT FOR THE
ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD AND
COMMUNITY, GOING BACK TO WHEN
PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT
THEY ENVISIONED.
>> IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE
SERVICES, CERTAINLY ACCESS TO
CHILDCARE IS A HUGE PROBLEM
ACROSS THE CITY RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW YOU ARE PLANNING EVEN
MORE, WHICH IS TERRIFIC.
HE ALSO CREATED A BEAUTIFUL
SPACE.
IT'S GORGEOUS ON THE OUTSIDE.
THERE'S LOTS OF ART ALL AROUND
THE BUILDINGS AND IT LENDS SOME
DIGNITY TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT REALLY IS A GREAT
EXAMPLE OF HOW WE PROVIDE
ACCESS TO ALL OF THE ESSENTIAL
SERVICES WITHIN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT.
RIGHT?
HOW DO WE DO MORE OF THAT?
ACROSS THE CITY AND IN LOTS OF
DIFFERENT AREAS SO THAT PEOPLE
CAN GET ACCESS TO THE THINGS
THAT THEY NEED WITHOUT HAVING
TO GET INTO A CAR.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS
IDEA OF THE 15 MINUTE CITY,
SMALL DOWNTOWNS.
WE HAVE HEARD SOME CRITIQUE
THAT THIS COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD
TO GENTRIFICATION, IT COULD LEAD
THE DISPLACEMENT OF FOLKS.
WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
OUR LOW INCOME FOLKS AND
COMMUNITY OF COLOR GET TO STAY
AND BENEFIT FROM THE
INVESTMENTS THAT WE ARE MAKING,
RATHER THAN GETTING PUSHED OUT.
I WAS WANTING TO HEAR ABOUT
WHAT CHICAGO IS DOING TO
MITIGATE, AS YOU MOVE TOWARD
DENSITY, HOW YOU MITIGATE
DISPLACEMENT.
YOU HAVE AN AFFORDABLE
REQUIREMENT ORDINANCE THAT
REQUIRES INCLUSION OF
AFFORDABLE HOMES IN DEVELOPMENT.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THAT
WORKS IN CHICAGO?
>> DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT
DISPLACEMENT IS SUCH AN
IMPORTANT GOAL THAT WE ARE
PURSUING IN CHICAGO AND IN THE
35th WARD IN THE COMMUNITIES I
REPRESENT.
I REPRESENT AND AREA CALLED
LOGAN SQUARE, WHICH IS ABOUT
HALFWAY BETWEEN DOWNTOWN
CHICAGO AND THE CHICAGO O'HARE
AIRPORT.
IT HAS A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL
STATELY HOMES BUT ALSO HAS A
LOT OF WHAT'S CALLED MIDDLE
HOUSING.
SOMETIMES CALLED, MISSING
MIDDLE.
A LOT OF THEM ARE OWNER
OCCUPIED.
THIS IS OFTEN TIMES THE MOST
AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS
FOUND THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF
CHICAGO.
THERE ARE LANDLORDS WHO LIVE ON
THE FIRST FLOOR AND THEY HAVE A
UNIT BELOW THEM, A UNIT ABOVE
THEM, MAYBE TWO UNITS ABOVE
THEM.
SO MANY OF OUR WORKING-CLASS
AND MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES, THIS
IS WHERE THEY LIVE IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHAT WE SAW IS AS THE COMMUNITY
BEGAN TO ATTRACT MORE AFFLUENT
HOMEBUYERS, A LOT OF THESE
BEAUTIFUL BRICK BUILDINGS THAT
WERE 100+ YEARS OLD SUDDENLY
EITHER GOT TORN DOWN OR THEY
WERE DE-CONVERTED INTO A SINGLE-
FAMILY HOME.
SUE HAVE A 100-YEAR-OLD
BUILDING THAT PREVIOUSLY HOUSED
FOR FAMILIES THAT NOW ONLY
HOUSES ONE FAMILY.
THAT HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON
OUR COMMERCIAL CORD OR.
LONGTIME BUSINESSES BEGIN TO
CLOSE BECAUSE THE CLIENTELE WAS
NOT THERE ANYMORE.
IT HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR
SCHOOLS.
WE SAW SHRINKING SCHOOL
ENROLLMENT.
WE SAW THIS TREND HAPPENING
AROUND WHAT IS CALLED THE 606
BLOOMINGDALE TRAIL.
THE BLOOMINGDALE TRAIL WAS
PREVIOUSLY THE BLOOMINGDALE
TRADE LINE.
A COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL TRADE
LINE THAT SERVED FACTORIES IN
THE COMMUNITY.
BASICALLY FACTORIES WERE BUILT
RIGHT ON THE TRAIN LINE.
IT WAS AN ELEVATED TRAIN LINE.
ONE OF THE FIRST TRAIN LINES
ELEVATED USING CONCRETE.
OBVIOUSLY THE FACTORIES WOULD
USE THIS TRAIN LINE.
IT WILL GO DOWN, PULL UP TO THE
FACTORY, THEY WOULD LOAD UP THE
GOODS AND GET IT OUT TO MARKET.
AS THOSE FACTORIES CLOSED DOWN
AND AS WE INDUSTRIALIZED A LOT
OF THOSE FACTORIES BECAME LOST,
BECAME HOUSING.
WHICH IS GREAT.
ADAPTIVE REUSE.
WE LOVE TO ADDED DENSITY WITHIN
THE EXISTING ENVELOPE OF
BUILDINGS.
IT'S MOST OFTEN A GREAT OPTION
FOR COMMUNITY.
A LOT OF THESE 2 TO 4 UNIT
APARTMENT BUILDINGS STARTED
BEING PURCHASED AND STARTED
BEING DE-CONVERTED TO SINGLE-
FAMILY HOMES.
WE LOST THOUSANDS OF UNITS NEAR
THIS TRAIL.
LET ME BACK UP.
THE COMMUNITY FOUGHT TO TAKE
THAT ABANDONED TRAIN LINE AND
TURN IT INTO AN ELEVATED HIKING
TRAIL.
THAT WAS THE COMMUNITY THAT
FOUGHT FOR THAT. WE WON.
AFTER THIS BEAUTIFUL IMMENSITY
HAD BEEN BUILT WE SUDDENLY
BEGAN TO SEE A DECREASE IN THE
HOUSING AROUND THAT AREA.
WHICH MEANT THAT FEWER AND
FEWER FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO
BENEFIT FROM THIS TRAIL THAT
HAD BEEN BUILT.
IT ALSO MEANT THAT WE SAW ALL
OF THE OTHER IMPACTS THAT
HAPPENED AS WE LOST DENSITY
AROUND THIS BEAUTIFUL NEW
TRAIL.
ONE OF THE THINGS HE FOUGHT FOR
WAS, ONE, A DEMOLITION IMPACT
FEE.
IF YOU ARE DEMOLISHING
MULTIFAMILY HOUSING THAN THAT
HAS AN IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY
AND THE CLIMATE.
IT HAS AN IMPACT ON HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY.
YOU HAVE TO PAY A FEE IF YOU
ARE DEMOLISHING BUILDINGS.
THE OTHER THING WE DID IS WE
IMPLEMENTED A MINIMUM DENSITY.
BASICALLY WE DISALLOW NEW
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES WITHIN THIS
PROTECTED AREA NEAR THIS TRAIL.
YOU CAN'T BUILD SINGLE-FAMILY
HOMES NEAR THIS TRAIL ANYMORE.
SO WHAT THESE POLICIES HAVE
DONE IS THEY HAVE BEGUN TO
PROTECT THAT MIDDLE HOUSING.
THE 2 TO 4 FLAT UNITS THAT
HOUSE OUR FAMILIES, THAT
PROVIDE THE MOST AFFORDABILITY
AND OPTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY ARE NOW PROTECTED FROM
DEMOLITION AND THEY ARE NOW
PROTECTED FROM DE-CONVERSION.
FROM BECOMINGSINGLE-FAMILY
HOMES.
WE ARE HOPING TO PROTECT THAT
MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING THAT
ALREADY EXISTS IN SO MANY OF
CHICAGO'S NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE OTHER THING WE'VE BEEN
DOING IS TRYING TO ADDED DENSITY
WHERE AND WHEN WE CAN.
AND REALLY MAKING SURE THAT AS
MUCH OF THAT DENSITY IS BEING
ADDED, LET'S ADD MORE HOUSING
THERE.
LET'S REALLY MAKE SURE IT'S
AFFORDABLE TO OUR FAMILIES.
THAT'S WHERE OUR INCLUSIONARY
ZONING POLICY COMES IN.
CITYWIDE, THEY HAD A POLICY
SINCE AROUND 2000. IF YOU WERE
GOING TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING
AND IT WAS OVER 10 UNITS AND IT
INCLUDED A ZONING CHANGE HUMMUS
YOU HAD TO GO TO THE CITY
COUNCIL TO ASK FOR PERMISSION
TO BUILD THE BUILDING, YOU THEN
HAD TO INCLUDE 10% OF THE UNITS
IN THAT BUILDING AS AFFORDABLE.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT WAS IN
SOME COMMUNITIES 10% WAS JUST
NOT ENOUGH.
THE OTHER ISSUE WITH THAT AS
WELL IS THE DEVELOPERS WERE
ALLOWED TO PAY A FEE.
RATHER THAN INCLUDE THE
AFFORDABILITY ON SITE, THEY
WOULD PAY A FEE SO THEY DID NOT
HAVE TO INCLUDE AFFORDABLE
UNITS.
THEN THAT FEE WOULD BE USED TO
BUILD HOUSING IN OTHER PLACES.
GIVEN AGAIN THE HISTORY OF RED
LIGHTING AND SEGREGATING, THEY
COULD CHOOSE TO JUST PAY THE
FEE AND NOT -- IN OTHER WORDS
THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO PUT POOR
WORKING CLASS PEOPLE INTO THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS AND NOT CREATE
THE ECONOMIC DIVERSITY THAT
BUILDS STRONG COMMUNITIES.
OUR COMMUNITY FOUGHT TO AMEND
THE CITY'S INCLUSIONARY ZONING
POLICY.
IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WE ARE
SEEING SO MUCH DISPLACEMENT AND
SUCH A DECREASE IN WORKING
FAMILIES LIVING IN THE
COMMUNITY.
WE NOW REQUIRE 20%.
THAT'S WHAT WE FOUGHT FOR.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO HILDA 10
UNIT BUILDING, MOVING FORWARD,
THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF
AFFORDABILITY THAT NEEDS TO BE
INCLUDED IS 20%.
WE ALSO GOT RID OF THE ABILITY
TO PAY THE IN LIEU FEE.
THAT'S REALLY GOING TO HELP
ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE
DIVERSITY.
BOTH ECONOMIC AND RACIAL.
IT'S ALSO GOING TO HELP ENSURE
THAT AS WE BUILD THESE NEW
BUILDINGS AND AS WE ADD DENSITY
WHERE WE CAN IN THE COMMUNITY,
IT'S NOT JUST HOUSING FOR
AFFLUENT FOLKS.
FOLKS THAT CAN PAY A LOT OF
MONEY.
BUT IT WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
AFFORDABLE OPTIONS FOR
FAMILIES.
MANY OF WHICH ARE FACING
DISPLACEMENT FROM THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT'S SO MANY THINGS I WANT TO
ASK YOU ABOUT. INCLUDING THE
APPROVAL OF BUILDINGS.
I DO WANT TO MOVE TO THE DEPUTY
MAYOR.
I WANT TO ASK ABOUT SOCIAL
HOUSING.
ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU,
ALDERMAN.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT
AFFORDABILITY MEANS IN CHICAGO?
HOW MUCH ARE RENTS IN CHICAGO?
>> THEY ARE NOT AS CRAZY AS THE
EAST COAST OR THE WEST COAST.
WE ARE STILL COMPARATIVELY MORE
AFFORDABLE.
NONETHELESS WE ALSO HAVE A
LOWER MEDIAN INCOME.
WHAT MIGHT SOUND AFFORDABLE TO
A FAMILY IN SEATTLE IS NOT
AFFORDABLE TO A FAMILY IN
CHICAGO.
A STUDIO APARTMENT, NON-
SUBSIDIZED COULD GO FOR $1600-
$2000 IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S OUT OF REACH.
THAT'S A STUDIO APARTMENT.
IS NOT EVEN ONE BEDROOM.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU MAY BE
THINKING THAT IT'S NOTHING.
BUT IT'S A LOT FOR OUR FAMILIES.
IN THE SUBSIDIZED UNITS, THE
UNITS THAT ARE BEING BUILT. THE
UNITS THAT ARE BUILT UNDER THE
INCLUSIONARY ZONING POLICY, THE
20% THAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED
IN THAT PRIVATE ALLOTMENT.
OR THE 100%, THE 100%
AFFORDABLE BUILDING THAT IS
BUILT NEXT TO THE TRAIN STOP.
A STUDIO APARTMENT GOES FOR
ABOUT 900.
THAT'S HALF OF WHAT THE MARKET
IS ASKING FOR, CURRENTLY.
NORMALLY WHAT WE ASK FOR IS AT
60% OR BELOW THE MEDIAN AREA
INCOME.
FOR A SINGLE PERSON THAT WOULD
BE ABOUT $30-$35,000, CURRENTLY.
A FAMILY OF FOUR, I THINK IT
WOULD BE $90,000 RIGHT NOW.
LET'S SAY IT'S TWO PARENTS AND
TWO CHILDREN.
IF EACH OF THE PARENTS ARE
MAKING $40,000 A YEAR THEN THEY
WOULD QUALIFY FOR ONE OF THESE
UNITS THAT IS BEING BUILT.
EITHER THROUGH GOVERNMENT
SUBSIDY, THE ALL AFFORDABLE
HOUSING THAT WE BUILT NEXT TO
THE TRAIN STOP.
THAT WAS USED WITH GOVERNMENT
FUNDING.
OR BUILDINGS THAT ARE BEING
BUILT AS A RESULT OF OUR
INCLUSIONARY ZONING POLICY.
THE 20% THAT ARE SET ASIDE AS
AFFORDABLE WHEN A PRIVATE
DEVELOPMENT IS BEING BUILT.
>> GREAT.
JUST FOR COMPARISON THE SEATTLE
MEDIAN AREA INCOME IS ABOUT
$1000 NOW.
MOST PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT,
WHICH INCLUDES THE CHINATOWN
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT, MANY
PEOPLE ARE AT $20,000 A YEAR.
A ONE BEDROOM IN SEATTLE IS
GOING FOR ABOUT $2100 RIGHT
NOW.
WHICH IS CRAZY.
DEPUTY MAYOR, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE
A SIMILAR REQUIREMENT IN YOUR
CITY.
I BELIEVE IT'S 25% OF ALL UNITS
THAT ARE CONSTRUCTED ARE
AFFORDABLE.
CAN YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT?
WE ARE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT
SOCIAL HOUSING.
WE ARE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT
NEEDING AS MANY TOOLS AS
POSSIBLE TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING
SHORTAGE, WHICH IS REALLY A
CRISIS.
WE HAVE SIMILAR PROGRAMS LIKE
INCLUSIONARY ZONING AND
REQUIREMENTS FOR SOME
DEVELOPMENT.
WE NEED AS MANY TOOLS AS WE CAN
THINK OF TO TRY TO ADJUST THIS.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOCIAL
HOUSING SO THAT EVERYONE CAN
HAVE SOME SORT OF AFFORDABILITY.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
ABOUT HOW IT WORKS IN YOUR
CITY.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE THIS
AS AN OPTION OR REQUIREMENT?
--
>> TODAY I BELIEVE THE LAW
REQUIRES APPROXIMATELY 25% OF
SOCIAL HOUSING WITHIN THE
CONSTRUCTION WITHIN CITIES.
A LITTLE HIGHER THAN 25%, BUT I
DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR US IS TO
CONTINUE TO PROPOSE SOCIAL
HOUSING.
FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT EMPLOYMENT,
PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOW REVENUES.
>> AT THE SAME TIME, MANAGING
AGAINST THIS RISE IN PRICES
THAT CONTINUES TODAY.
WE HAVE OUR OWN GENTRIFICATION.
FOR INSTANCE, IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE I LIVE, IT
IS A WORKERS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS QUARTER OF THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD IS TRANSFORMING
CURRENTLY.
WE ARE HAVING -- IN SUCH
NEIGHBORHOODS.
FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE WILL BUILD
ANOTHER FLOOR OR TWO MORE
FLOORS.
TODAY WE HAVE AN INTERESTING
PROPOSAL ON SOCIAL HOUSING IN
THE CITY.
BUT NOT ENOUGH TO ANSWER ALL OF
THE REQUESTS AND THE NEED.
THERE IS A LONG WAITING LIST.
THERE IS ANOTHER ELEMENT.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SOCIAL
HOUSING SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING
IN SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO TODAY WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS
THE IDEA OF MAKING IT A FACT
THAT SOCIAL HOUSING IS NOT
ALTOGETHER.
IT'S DISSEMINATED THROUGHOUT
THE CITY. IT WILL CREATE MIXED
NEIGHBORHOODS.
I HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING
VERY RECENT.
A FORMER PRISON. IT'S A VERY
OLD BUILDING IN ONE OF THE
RICHEST NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE
CITY.
WHEN THE PERSON IS PROPOSING
THIS PROJECT, WE ARE WORKING ON
IT.
WE REQUESTED THAT THERE BE 25%
SOCIAL HOUSING, WHICH IS THE
LAW.
TODAY THIS HOUSING HAS BEEN
CREATED.
IT'S THE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS A TRUE MIX, DIVERSE
NEIGHBORHOOD WITHIN THE CENTER
OF TOWN.
ON THE OTHER HAND WE HAVE BUILT
A VERY LARGE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE
HAVE A BIG OPERATION OF URBAN
RENEWAL.
IN ORDER TO DO IT WE HAVE TORN
DOWN SOME VERY BIG HOUSING
UNITS.
VERY, VERY BIG APARTMENT
BUILDINGS.
IN ORDER TO OPEN UP THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND INCLUDE MORE
DIVERSITY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
IN FACT THAT 25% IS THE LAW AND
IT IS FROM CITY TO CITY.
SIMILAR TO CHICAGO, SOME OF THE
AREAS WOULD RATHER PAY THE FINE
OR THE FEE IN ORDER NOT TO
INCLUDE THIS DIVERSITY.
AS OUR ASSISTANT MAYOR HAS
SAID, WE WOULD RATHER GO
FURTHER AND CONSTRUCT WITHIN
OUR OPTIC OF SOCIAL HOUSING.
WE ALSO HAVE HOUSING, WHICH WE
WOULD CALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT ALLOWS THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD
IT TO BECOME OWNERS OF THEIR
OWN APARTMENTS.
>> TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN SOCIAL HOUSING AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YOU DON'T CONSIDER THEM THE
SAME THING.
THE 25% THAT IS REQUIRED, WHAT
IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE INCOME?
>> THAT DEPENDS ON THE PRICE
PER SQUARE METER OR SQUARE FOOT
IF YOU PREFER.
I MAY NOT HAVE THE EXACT
NUMBERS BUT IT DOES ALLOW
PEOPLE WHO HAVE VERY LOW
EARNINGS TO ACCESS DECENT
LIVING QUARTERS.
AND TO REMAIN THERE.
>> THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY
COMPONENTS.
THIS IS HIGH QUALITY HOUSING.
IT'S NOT BUILT DIFFERENTLY THAN
SOME OF THE NICER APARTMENTS
THAT WE ARE BUILDING?
YOUR OFFERING DIGNITY AND HIGH-
QUALITY ACCESS FOR EVERYBODY?
BIG AL, MAYBE YOU COULD TALK
ABOUT YOUR NEXT PROJECT.
I THINK YOU ARE OFFERING 87
UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT THAT
MEANS IN THE PROJECT.
>> SURE.
IT IS A WONDERFUL STEP FORWARD
AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE
OUR SECOND MAJOR MIXED-USE
AFFORDING HOUSE A BOWL UNIT IN
SEATTLE.
IT IS GOING TO BE LOCATED IN
COLUMBIA CITY.
87 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT WILL ALSO SERVE PEOPLE
BETWEEN 30 AND 60% OF AREA
MEDIAN INCOME.
WE HAVE THE SAME GOAL OF MAKING
SURE THAT MORE THAN HALF OF THE
UNITS ARE TWO AND THREE BEDROOM
APARTMENTS SO THAT FAMILIES WITH
CHILDREN CAN BE SERVED.
THIS WAS HAPPENING SIX YEARS
AFTER.
ONE OF THE MAJOR STEPS TOWARD A
NEXT DEVELOPMENT, THE FACT THAT
WE ARE RELATIVELY SMALL AS FAR
AS AFFORDING HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT COMPARED TO LARGER
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS.
IT WAS BEING ABLE TO FIND AND
ACQUIRE THE LAND TO DO THE
SECOND DEVELOPMENT.
THIS DEVELOPMENT IS IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHURCH OF
HOPE. THEY HAVE HAD THE GOAL OF
DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE WENT IN WITH PARTNERSHIP AND
WE ARE HAPPY TO SAY THAT THEY
CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE A NEW SITE.
THERE WILL BE A NEW SPACE ON
THE SITE.
WE ALSO HAVE ENOUGH FOR A FOUR
CLASSROOM DEVELOPMENT ON THAT
SIDE AS WELL.
IT WILL SERVE 64 CHILDREN.
ALSO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD
PROGRAMS ARE ALONGSIDE THAT.
WE HAVE SEEN THE SUCCESS.
WE HAVE SEEN AT THE PLAZA, IT
HAS CREATED WHAT WE FEEL IS AN
EXCELLENT MODEL FOR COMMUNITY
AND MIXED USED DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAD COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND
WE HEARD FROM PEOPLE AND WE
TALKED ABOUT OUR HOPE TO PUT
ART IN THE BUILDING. THAT WAS
SO WELL RECEIVED BY THE
COMMUNITY, IT DOES CREATE A
WELCOMING AND DIGNIFIED PLACE.
WE COMMIT TO DOING OUR WORK IN
A WAY THAT BUILDS MULTIRACIAL
UNITY.
THE ART IS REFLECTIVE OF MANY
CULTURES.
IT'S A WELCOMING PLACE TO
EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A
WONDERFUL ART COMPONENT AS WELL.
THAT WILL BE CARRIED ON AS
WELL.
WE ARE VERY HAPPY THAT WE WILL
BE BREAKING GROUND IN JANUARY.
AND THEN COMPLETING CONSTRUCTION
IN THE SUMMER OF 2024 AS WE
OPEN UP THE HOUSING AND THE
SERVICES THEN.
>> TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
HOW YOU ARE ABLE TO OFFER THIS
AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I KNOW HOUSING IN THIS COUNTRY
IS VERY COMPLICATED.
>> IT'S PUTTING TOGETHER THE
FINANCING TO DO THE
CONSTRUCTION.
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HEARD IS
HAPPENING IN OUR SISTER CITY,
OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD THE
HIGHEST QUALITY HOUSING
POSSIBLE.
THE BASE OF FUNDING IS THROUGH
THE LOW INCOME TAX CREDIT.
A FEDERAL PROGRAM TO SUPPORT
THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. AN INVESTOR --
CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT.
ALSO SUPPORT FROM THE CITY
OFFICE OF HOUSING IS A HUGE
PART OF IT.
THOSE FUNDS AND THOSE
INVESTMENTS THAT THE CITY IS
MAKING TO CREATE MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY.
WE ARE DOING OUR OWN
FUNDRAISING AS WELL TO ENSURE
WE CAN HAVE THE THINGS LIKE THE
ART AND THE HIGH-QUALITY CHILD
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
ALSO LOOKING AT STATE FUNDS AND
CITY FUNDS.
IT'S A QUIET CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
BUT WE ARE ALSO RAISING FUNDS
TO MAKE SURE NOT ONLY THOSE
THINGS ARE PART OF THE
DEVELOPMENT, BUT THE UNITS
THEMSELVES HAVE THE HIGHEST
QUALITY AMENITIES THAT WE CAN
AFFORD.
THERE'S SO MUCH WORK LEADING UP
TO THIS.
AND STRUCTURING THE
ALL OF THAT IS PART OF BUILDING
CAPACITY HAS A SMALLER
ORGANIZATION WITH COMMUNITY OF
COLOR AND YOU KNOW, BUILDING
THAT CAPACITY TO DO AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IS SO IMPORTANT.
THE FACT THAT WE NOW ARE ABLE TO
-- WE ARE NOW CLOSE TO BREAKING
GROUND FOR DEVELOPMENT ON THE
REST.
AND THIS WILL BE THE LARGEST
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
THAT IS TARGETING FAMILIES.
>> THAT IS GREAT. YOU MAKE A
REALLY GOOD POINT THAT WE HAVE
WORK TO DO TO BUILD CAPACITY
WITH THE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS.
PARTICULARLY ORGANIZATIONS
GROUNDED IN COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR SO THEY CAN DRIVE THEIR
OWN CHANGE AND MAKE THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECTS
THEY WANT TO SEE.
>> WE HAVE LOTS OF SISTER
ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND CHURCHES
. MOSTLY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
AND COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS THAT COME AND
HAVE LAND.
THEY WANT TO BE PART OF
ADDRESSING THE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING CRISIS. WE ARE ALWAYS
TALKING AND SHARING. WE ARE
SHARING LESSONS LEARNED AND THE
POLICIES AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE
IN THE CAPACITY WE HAVE TO
BUILD, WE SHARE THAT. BECAUSE
WE KNOW HOW HARD IT WAS AND HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS TO BUILD
CAPACITY WITH SMALLER
ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT THEY CAN
BE PART OF ADDRESSING THE
CRISIS IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> AND WE KNOW BECAUSE SEATTLE
IS EXPRESSING GROWING INCOME
INEQUALITY. WE HAVE LOW INCOME
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR BEING PUSHED OUT.
IT IS A REFLECTION OF THE WAYS
WE HAVE PLANNED AND CHANGED AS
A CITY. ON THE KINDS OF
DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE
ALLOWED TO HAPPEN IN PARTICULAR
WAYS.
WE ARE STARTING TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT AND WE ARE STARTING TO
OPERATE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
I THINK PART OF THE CHANGES
HAVING CONVERSATION DIRECTLY
WITH COMMUNITY. BRINGING MORE
PEOPLE INTO CONVERSATIONS WITH
HOW WE HAVE DESIGNED OUR CITIES
AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND DEPUTY MAYOR BERTU , YOU
HAVE CREATED A NONSEXIST CITY
AND IN SEATTLE WE HAVE DONE
SOME WORK AROUND GENDER PAY
INEQUITY. IN SEATTLE, WOMEN
STILL MAKE 76% OF WHAT MEN MAKE
AND SO WE STILL HAVE MORE WORK
TO DO. BUT, WE HAVE NOT TALKED
IN SEATTLE ABOUT WHAT A
NONSEXIST CITY LOOKS LIKE IN
TERMS OF PLANNING AND DESIGN,
OR EVEN IN TERMS OF
IMPLEMENTATION AND SOME CITY
PROGRAMS. WHAT DOES A NONSEXIST
CITY MEAN AND HOW DO YOU WORK
IN THAT DIRECTION?
>> Translator: WE ARE HOPING
THAT IN 10 YEARS WE WILL BECOME
A NONSEXIST CITY.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: AND THAT MEANS
WE NEED TO ACT ON EVERY AREA OF
INTEREST.
FOR INSTANCE, REVENUE,
EDUCATION, THE USE OF SPACES.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: SO, WE WILL TAKE
INTO CONSIDERATION HOW EACH
ACTION THE CITY MAY TAKE WILL
AFFECT THE COMMUNITIES IN EACH
OF THESE WAYS.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: HOW WE CAN PUT
THIS EQUALITY INTO EFFECT AND
HOW AT THE SAME TIME WE CAN
AVOID TO PERPETUATE
VICTIMIZATION.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: SO, I'M NOT SURE
HOW THIS WOULD PERTAIN TO A
PERSON IN THE UNITED STATES,
BUT IN OUR SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS,
WE HAVE NOTICED SEGREGATION
BETWEEN WHERE THE GIRLS PLAY
AND WHERE THE BOYS PLAY AND
WHAT OBJECTS THEY USE.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: SO, IT MIGHT BE
BECAUSE WE HAVE LARGE
PLAYGROUNDS WITH SOCCER FIELDS
ON THEM. THEY OCCUPY A LOT OF
SPACE.
IT HAPPENS THAT GIRLS MAY NOT
BE INTERESTED IN THEM.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: SO, ONE OF OUR
FIRST OBJECTIVES WOULD BE WITH
BE TO RE-CREATE OR RECONCEIVED
SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS, OR
PLAYGROUNDS FOR CHILDREN.
BECAUSE THAT IS THE FIRST PLACE
BOYS AND GIRLS GET TOGETHER
WITH EACH OTHER, OR NOT. SO,
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE
WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR THE
FUTURE THAT PROMOTES MIXING UP
THE BOYS AND THE GIRLS.
AND, CREATING DIVERSITY ON THE
PLAYGROUND, OF SOME SORT.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: SO, THE EXAMPLES
ARE QUITE DIFFERENT. WE ALSO
HAVE PROGRAMS FOR EMPLOYMENT
WHERE WOMEN CAN NEGOTIATE THEIR
SALARIES.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: THE REASON FOR
THIS IS TO GIVE WOMEN THE POWER
OVER THEIR EMPLOYMENT AND THEIR
JOBS AND THEY CAN NEGOTIATE THE
RETURN FOR THEIR WORK.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: AND ANOTHER
EXAMPLE IS THE VIOLENCE WOMEN
ARE SUBJECTED TO, MANY SORTS OF
VIOLENCE.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: THE CITY HAS
OPENED A CENTER TO ACCOMPANY
WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF
VIOLENCE.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: WE HAVE SOCIAL
VIOLENCE AND JUDICIAL HELP FOR
WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: SO, THESE ARE
THREE VERY DIFFERENT EXAMPLES,
BUT I THINK IT ILLUSTRATES WHAT
WE ARE THINKING ABOUT AND WHAT
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN WE
WANT TO PUT OUR PLAN INTO ACTION
. WE NEED TO ACT ON ALL OF
THESE AREAS AND NOT JUST ONE OR
TWO.
>>> SO, WHEN I WAS THERE LAST
YEAR, WE MET WITH SOMEBODY, I
BELIEVE FROM YOUR PARKS
DEPARTMENT, WHO IS TALKING ABOUT
THE IMPROVEMENTS THEY WERE
GOING TO MAKE WITH RESTORATION
OF PARK SPACE ALONG THE RIVER
AND LIGHTING THEY WERE GOING TO
ADD AMONG OTHER THINGS.
IT WAS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT
AS PART OF -- I BELIEVE WHAT HE
SAID THAT AS PART OF ANY PUBLIC
SPACE DESIGN, NOW, SOMEONE FROM
YOUR DEPARTMENT IS THERE.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
HOW THE DEPARTMENTS WORK
TOGETHER WHEN YOU ARE
CONSIDERING PUBLIC SPACE?
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: SO, ONE OF THESE
OBJECTIVES, IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE
úOUR NONSEXIST CITY, ALL OF THE
PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER OUR
COLLEAGUES AND ARE BEING MADE
AWARE AND SENSITIZED TO WHAT IS
NECESSARY IN ORDER TO ACT AND
TO WORK IN THAT VEIN OF
NONSEXIST RELATIONSHIPS IN THE
CITY.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: FOR INSTANCE, IN
ALL PUBLIC SPACES, WE WOULD
HAVE SOMEBODY PRESENT AND WHAT
WE MIGHT CALL THE EQUALITY
SURFACES IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN
THIS OUTLOOK.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: FOR INSTANCE, TO
HAVE DECENT LIGHTING OR GOOD
LIGHTING IN AREAS, THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT WOULD PROVIDE
SAFETY AND SECURITY TO HAVE
WELCOMING SPACES, FOR INSTANCE,
WITH SHRUBBERY AND TREES. THAT
IS ANOTHER THING THAT WELCOMES
PEOPLE TO FEEL SAFE.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: BUT, ON THE
OTHER HAND, WE HAVE A LOT OF
WHAT NATURE BRINGS TO US WITH
SHRUBBERY AND TREES, ET CETERA,
THAT KEEPS US FROM BEING AWARE
OF WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND US.
WE DO DESIRE A LOT OF GREENERY
AND OUR CITY.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: SO, THE IDEA
THAT THE PERSONS THAT NEED TO
WORK WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF
SECURITY AND SAFETY AND WOMEN
IN THE PUBLIC SPACES WILL NEED
TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN THE
WELCOMING GREENERY THAT WE ALL
DESIRE AND THE FACT THAT WOMEN
NEED TO BE AWARE OF THEIR
SURROUNDINGS AND WHAT IS GOING
ON.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PERSONS
WORKING IN THE AREA WILL HAVE
TO DEFINE.
>> Host: AND YOU TALK ABOUT HOW
YOU ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AND HOW YOU HEAR FROM
WOMEN IN ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS
ABOUT HOW THEY CAN MOVE TOWARD
THIS GOAL?
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: WELL, WE HAVE
COUNCIL PANELS THAT WORK ON
EVERY ASPECT OF HOUSING . WE
HAVE ONE THAT WORKS ON THE
CONCEPT OF WOMEN IN THE SPACES
AND EQUALITY.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: THE NOTION
BEHIND THAT IS THAT EVERY
RESIDENT CAN BE PART OF THE
COUNCIL PANELS AND THEY ARE
OPEN TO EVERYONE .
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> THERE ARE ALSO ASSOCIATIONS
THAT ACT IN THAT AREA.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: WE CONSULT WITH
THEM AND HAVE EXCHANGES ON A
NUMBER OF SUBJECTS.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: SO, ON THE
QUESTION OF OPEN SPACES, THERE
ARE ALSO PANELS WORKING ON THAT.
TO INCLUDE THE QUESTION OF
INCLUSIONS OF GROUPS SUCH AS
THE LGBTQ GROUP.
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: ON THE QUESTION
OF PUBLIC SPACES AND SAFETY,
THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT
SUBJECT.
>> Host: THANK YOU. THERE IS A
LOT TO LEARN ABOUT -- WE TALK A
LOT HERE ABOUT COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR AND THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.
BUT, WE HAVE NOT REALLY FOCUSED
ON CREATING A NONSEXIST CITY.
SO, I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING
THAT WITH US AND ALSO HOW YOU
ENGAGE COMMUNITY THERE. IT IS
AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE
DISCUSSION. ESPECIALLY WHEN WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS WHO ARE
NOT USUALLY INCLUDED AND WHOSE
VOICES HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT.
SO, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
>>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ].
>> Translator: SO, MY COLLEAGUE
HAS EXPRESSED IT VERY, VERY WELL
. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT IN
THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL, WE ARE
ALSO VERY INVOLVED. WE NEED TO
GAIN AWARENESS SO WE CAN ACT IN
THAT VEIN AND SO WE ARE AWARE
OF WHAT WE DO AND WE CAN
CONTRIBUTE AS WELL.
>> Host: MEN CERTAINLY HAVE
THEIR ROLE TO PLAY IN MAKING
SURE WE ARE REACHING A
NONSEXIST CITY.
ALDERMAN, AS WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY
AND WITH FOLKS WHO ARE NOT
SPECIFICALLY AT THE DECISION-
MAKING TABLE TO HAVE A SEAT
WITH US, I THINK ABOUT THE
PARTICIPATORY PLANNING PROGRAM
YOU HAVE IN CHICAGO. IF YOU
COULD SHARE HOW THAT WORKS AND
SOME OF THE CHANGES IT HAS LED
TO.
>> YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATORY
PLANNING IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY
HEART.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE ROOT OF THE
WORD POLICY, IT COMES FROM THE
GREEK WORD FOR CITY STATE. WHAT
IS A CITY WITHOUT PEOPLE?
HOW CAN WE MAKE GOOD URBAN
POLICY WITHOUT THE PEOPLE
IMPACTED BY THAT POLICY?
THE ONES THAT ARE SEEING THE
DEFICIENCY IN THE ENVIRONMENT
OR THE NEEDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
, OR WHAT WORKS WELL FOR THEM
IN THEIR COMMUNITY. I BECAME
ALDERMAN IN 2015 AND IN CHICAGO
WE HAVE A VERY STRONG SYSTEM OF
MEMBER DEFERENCE. IT IS
SOMETIMES CALLED PREROGATIVES.
SO, THERE CAN BE NO ZONING
THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL
WITHOUT THE LOCAL MEMBER
REPRESENTING THE DISTRICT
HAVING THE FINAL SAY ON WHETHER
OR NOT THAT SHOULD ADVANCE. FOR
EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO
BUILD SOMETHING NEW AND THEY
NEED A ZONING CHANGE TO BUILD
THAT, IN MY COMMUNITY, IT GOES
TO THE LAND USE AND ZONING
POLICY COMMITTEE.
THE CHAIR WILL ASKED ME IF I
SUPPORT THE ITEM.
IF I DO NOT SUPPORT THE ITEM,
IT WILL NOT ADVANCE.
IF I DO, IT WILL ADVANCE.
WHAT THAT HAS RESULTED IN OVER
THE YEARS IT'S CORRUPTION.
SOMETIMES IT IS UNLAWFUL
CORRUPTION WHERE SOMEONE GOES
TO JAIL.
OR IT COULD BE LAWFUL
CORRUPTION WHERE THE DEVELOPER
GIVES THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN
CAMPAIGN FUNDS.
AND THEN THE MEMBER SIGNS OFF
ON EVERYTHING THAT DEVELOPER
WANTS TO DO. WHAT IS LEFT OUT
IS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE
BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.
I WANTED TO IMPLEMENT THE
PARTICIPATORY ZONING PROCESS.
I MADE SURE WHEN ZONING AND
LAND-USE DECISIONS WERE MADE AT
CITY HALL THAT WOULD IMPACT THE
NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR COMMUNITY,
THAT THOSE DECISIONS WERE MADE
WITH INCLUSION AND TRANSPARENCY
AND PARTICIPATION. THE OTHER
CONSIDERATION WE NEEDED TO TAKE
INTO THINKING THAT WE WERE
THINKING ABOUT WHEN MAKING THIS
PROCESS IS THE FACT THAT
ELECTIONS FOR THE CHICAGO CITY
COUNCIL AND FOR MAYOR OCCUR
ONLY FOUR YEARS.
LESS THAN ONE IN 10 RESIDENTS
PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTION. A
HUGE SWATH OF THE COMMUNITY IS
NOT INCLUDED.
MANY TIMES THEY ARE NOT
INCLUDED BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT
CITIZENS OR PERHAPS THERE ARE
LANGUAGE OR AGE BARRIERS.
WE WANTED TO PROCESS FOR
EVERYONE. FOR IMMIGRANT
FAMILIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE
INVOLVED IN THE LAND USE AND
ZONING POLICY THAT WAS GOING TO
IMPACT THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE
CREATED A PROCESS WHERE
COMMUNITY GROUPS CAN MEET
DIRECTLY WITH DEVELOPERS AND
PROVIDE INPUT. THE MOST
IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS
IS COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY. WHEN
THERE IS A LARGE DEVELOPMENT
MOVING FORWARD -- FOR EXAMPLE,
A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT NEXT TO A
TRAIN LINE THAT WAS GOING TO
REPLACE THE PARKING LOT. WHEN
THAT WAS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD,
I SAID WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A
COMMUNITY MEETING AND 600
ATTENDED THE MEETING.
THE VAST MAJORITY SAID YES, WE
WANT THE DEVELOPMENT TO MOVE
FORWARD. WE WANT TO MOVE FULL
SPEED AHEAD TO MAKE SURE THIS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
IS BUILT. THE WAY WE GOT TO
THAT POINT IN TIME WHERE WE HAD
THE PEOPLE SHOWING UP TO MEETING
AND WHERE THEY SAID THEY WANTED
THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TO MOVE
FORWARD, IT WAS BUILDING TRUST
OVER A SERIES OF MEETINGS. TO
TEACH PEOPLE IT IS A SERIOUS
PROCESS AND NOT A DOG AND PONY
SHOW.
NOT WHERE THEY ENGAGE IN
THEATRICS TO JUST HAVE A CHANCE
OF BEING HEARD.
WE WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT
THESE ARE MEETINGS WHERE WE
WERE GOING TO HAVE SERIOUS
DISCUSSIONS IN THE BEST
INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT IS GOOD USE OF LAND AND
ZONING POLICY?
WHAT HAS WORKED IN TERMS OF
CITY BUILDING AND WHAT HAS NOT
WORKED. WHAT WE ALSO DID WAS WE
MADE SURE TO INCLUDE CHILDCARE.
WE MADE SURE TO INCLUDE
SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION.
IN MY COMMUNITY, 20% OF THE
RESIDENTS ARE SPANISH SPEAKERS.
WE MAKE SURE TO HAVE
TRANSLATION INTO ENGLISH AND
SPANISH. MY COMMUNITY HAS SOME
PARTS MORE SPANISH-SPEAKING
THAN OTHERS. WE HAVE HAD ONCE
WHERE THE ENTIRE MEETING WAS IN
SPANISH AND THE ONLY
TRANSLATION WAS TO ENGLISH FOR
THE DEVELOPER BECAUSE THEY WERE
THE ONLY ENGLISH SPEAKER THERE.
TO CREATE THAT INCLUSIVE SPACE
WHERE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME AND
ALSO TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE. WE
WANTED TO TAKE CONCEPTS FROM
URBAN PLANNING AND MAKE THEM
ACCESSIBLE.
WHY DO WE WANT TO MAINTAIN OUR
STREET WALL AND NOT HAVE SET
BOOK SETBACKS? WHY DO WE WANT
TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF
THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR.
WHY DO WE WANT DENSITY AND
HAVING THAT RIGHT NEXT TO THE
TRAIN STOP. IN REALITY, IT IS A
EDUCATION. WE DON'T NEED RICH
DEVELOPERS OR PHD'S IN ZONING
AND PLANNING. WE WELCOME THEM
TO THE PROCESS, BUT BY MAKING
THE CONCEPTS AND THEMES TO THE
COMMUNITY, WE CAN EMPOWER THE
ZONING DECISIONS IN THE BEST
INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.
MAKING IT INCLUSIVE AND
INVITING EVERYONE TO THE PROCESS
. WE KNOCK ON DOORS AND WE LET
THEM KNOW THAT IN A MONTH WE
WILL HAVE A MEETING TO DISCUSS
THE EMPTY LOT NEAR HOME.
COME AND FIND OUT IF IT IS IN
THE BEST INTEREST OF YOUR
COMMUNITY. WE KNOCK ON DOORS
AND GET THE WORD OUT IN ENGLISH
AND SPANISH. THE MEETINGS ARE
HELD IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
WE GET THE WORD OUT TO PEOPLE
WHO DO NOT SPEND HOURS STUDYING
THESE THINGS. THEN WE MAKE SURE
IT IS A ROBUST PROCESS WHERE
THE OUTCOME IS IMPACTED BY
PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS.
THEN, WE WERE CONSISTENT.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN
THE PARTICIPATORY PLANNING
PROCESS. ANY DECISION I MAKE
DOWNTOWN THAT WILL IMPACT THE
COMMUNITY AND ANY DECISION THE
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING WILL TAKE
, EVERYONE NOS THERE WILL BE A
ROBUST COMMUNITY PROCESS .
EVERYONE NOS WE WILL HAVE
SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT
IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE
COMMUNITY.
WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO
COLLECTIVELY DECIDE HOW TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH THE BEST INTEREST
OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT HAS
LED TO A BAN AND SINGLE-FAMILY
HOMES IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE
COMMUNITY WHERE WE WERE SEEING
HOUSING DISAPPEARING.
IT HAS LED TO NEW TRANSIT
ORIENTED HOUSING. IT HAS LEAD
TO AN INCREASE AND NOW IT IS
NOT 10% THAT NEEDS TO BE
AFFORDABLE AND THE PRIVATE
DEVELOPMENTS, IT IS 20% THAT
NEEDS TO BE AFFORDABLE. YOU
CANNOT PAY THE FEE TO GET OUT
OF THE AFFORDABILITY
REQUIREMENT.
IT IS ALSO LED TO AN INCREASE
IN FAMILY SIZED UNITS.
MANY UNITS WERE STUDIO AND ONE
BEDROOM AND I HEARD FROM THE
BROTHERHOOD TALKING ABOUT THE
NEED FOR FAMILY SIZED UNITS.
WE HAD THE SAME NEED IN OUR
COMMUNITY. IT WAS THROUGH THIS
PROCESS THAT THE FAMILIES WERE
ABLE TO COME FORWARD AND DEMAND
THAT THERE WERE UNITS WITH 2
AND 3 BEDROOMS. THAT IS WHAT WE
NEEDED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I AM A BIG BELIEVER IN
PARTICIPATORY PLANNING. I THINK
WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AS A
COMMUNITY AND WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT GOOD LAND USE AND ZONING
POLICY, AND WE ARE RESPECTFUL
TO ONE ANOTHER AND WE BRING
PEOPLE IN WHO ARE NOT NORMALLY
INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, WE CAN
COME TO GOOD LAND USE AND
ZONING DECISIONS COLLECTIVELY
AS A NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE SEEN THAT TIME AND
AGAIN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT WASN'T THE FOLKS WHO WANTED
TO SAY NO TO AFFORDABILITY, IT
BECAME A SPACE WHERE WORKING
PEOPLE COULD SAY YES TO
AFFORDABILITY AND YES TO
DENSITY.
>> Host: THAT IS INSPIRING,
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE A
PROCESS FOR ENGAGING COMMUNITY
AND WE ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH INTO
OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING
PROCESS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS
. THAT IS THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT THAT I HOPE WE MOVE
TOWARD.
YOU ARE RIGHT THAT IT NEEDS TO
BE TRANSPARENT AND INCLUSIVE.
IT NEEDS TO BE SET UP SO
NEIGHBORS CAN PARTICIPATE IN
THERE NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATION
AND CHILDCARE.
AT THE SOUTH END, I WOULD SAY
THERE NEEDS TO BE FOOD IF YOU
WANT PEOPLE TO COME. THANK YOU
FOR THAT, WE WILL PROBABLY
REACH OUT TO YOU MORE THAN ONCE
IN THE COMING YEARS.
WE JUST HAVE A FEW MINUTES
LEFT, BUT MIGUEL, I WANT YOU TO
SHARE. EL CENTRO DE LA RAZA
HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN
ENGAGING COMMUNITY AND BRINGING
NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE NOT
PARTICIPATED TO THE TABLE .
WHEN HOLDING LOCAL GOVERNMENT
ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING SURE WE
ARE INCLUDING THOSE VOICES. I
DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE
REALLY KNOW THE STORY OF HOW EL
CENTRO DE LA RAZA GOT STARTED .
COULD YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT HOW EL CENTRO DE LA RAZA
GOT STARTED AND HOW IT CAME
ABOUT THAT YOU ACTUALLY OWN THE
LAND ?
>> SURE, ACTUALLY THIS YEAR EL
CENTRO DE LA RAZA IS
CELEBRATING ITS 50th
ANNIVERSARY IN THE ORGANIZATION
HAS BEEN AROUND HALF A CENTURY
. YOU KNOW, IT WAS FOUNDED IN
1972. IT IS IMPORTANT TO LOOK
BACK AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS
HAPPENING IN SEATTLE AT THAT
TIME. A FEW YEARS EARLIER, DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING HAD BEEN
ASSASSINATED.
CESAR CHAVEZ WAS ORGANIZING
FARMWORKERS AND MECHANIZATION
OF THE LABOR WAS HAPPENING
WHERE FARMWORKER FAMILIES WERE
HAVING TO COME TO WESTERN
WASHINGTON TO FIND THE MEANS TO
WORK AND SUPPORT THEIR
FAMILIES.
IT SO, THE LATINO COMMUNITY WAS
VERY PRESENT. UNLIKE OTHER
COMMUNITIES, IT DID NOT HAVE A
GEOGRAPHIC CENTER AND THERE WAS
NO NEIGHBORHOOD PER SE. THERE
WAS NO ORGANIZATIONS OR
COMMUNITY PLACES OR SPACES
WHERE PEOPLE COULD COME
TOGETHER AND HAVE A SENSE OF
COMMUNITY.
THERE WAS A GROUP THAT WAS
ACTIVE IN ORGANIZING AND HAVING
AN ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
PROGRAM AT A LOCAL COLLEGE.
THE PROGRAM WAS CUT AND THEY
TRY TO BUILD ON THE SENSE OF
COMMUNITY THAT HAD BEGUN TO
FEEL AND START.
SO, WHERE EL CENTRO IS NOW ,
THERE WAS AN ABANDONED SCHOOL
BUILDING THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT
THERE BECAUSE A NEW SCHOOL WAS
BUILT DOWN THE ROAD.
THEY ASKED IF THEY COULD USE
ONE OF THE CLASSROOMS TO
CONTINUE AND WERE BASICALLY
TOLD TO GO AWAY.
THE LEADER AND EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF EL CENTRO DE LA
RAZA FOR 37 YEARS WAS THE
LEADER OF A PEACEFUL OCCUPATION
OF THAT BUILDING FOR THREE
MONTHS. I TALKED ABOUT THE HALF
A CENTURY COMMITMENT TO
BUILDING MULTIRACIAL UNITY.
IT REALLY COMES FROM THE
OCCUPATION. THAT WAS NOT JUST
LATINOS.
THEY HAD DEVELOPED
RELATIONSHIPS IN SUPPORT OF THE
STRUGGLES OF THE INDIAN
COMMUNITY WHO WERE FIGHTING FOR
FISHING RIGHTS AND OTHERS
STRUGGLING FOR ACCESS.
THE ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER
COMMUNITY TRYING TO STOP
GENTRIFICATION AND LOSING OUR
INTERNATIONAL CHINATOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY HAD BUILT THE MODEL AND
GAVE US AN EXAMPLE OF COMING
TOGETHER AND WORKING AND
SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER AND
TAKING BACK THAT UNITY. SO, WE
HAVE HONORED THAT THROUGHOUT
OUR HISTORY.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO
SHARE AND WE ARE NOW IN OUR
50th ANNIVERSARY.
>> Host: I KNOW THERE IS A LOT
OF GREAT WORK COMING OUT OF THE
ORGANIZATION AND CONTRIBUTION
BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH
THE WORK YOU ARE DOING.
SO, WE ARE OUT OF TIME.
I WANT TO LIKE EVERYBODY. THANK
YOU ALDERMAN FOR JOINING FROM
CHICAGO. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
DEPUTY MAYOR MARAIS AND DEPUTY
MAYOR BERTU JOINING US .
LOUISE, THANK YOU FOR
TRANSLATING.
>> CERTAINLY.
>> Host: THAT'S ALL WE HAVE
TODAY. WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER
SERIES, SO KEEP AN AYE ON MY
COUNCIL WEBSITE.
WE WILL POST AN UPDATE AS TO
WHEN THE NEXT PANEL WILL BE.
YOU CAN WATCH THE SHOW AGAIN
AND IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW-UP,
WE WILL HAVE A LINK TO THAT ON
MY COUNCIL WEBSITE AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING AND
EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT DAY.