Okay.

Good evening, everyone.

Thank you for being here.

This meeting is called to order at 6 p.m.

Live captioning is available this evening to access this.

Select the show captions button in the meeting toolbar and select your preferred language.

Staff and commissioners are participating both remotely and in person.

Members of the public are welcome to provide public comments and listen to the meeting in person or on Zoom.

Now for the role.

Commissioners, please say here after I call your name.

Commissioner Gonzalez.

Commissioner Singh.

Here.

Commissioner Perlman.

No.

Do we know if Olga's going to be here or not?

Okay.

Commissioner Rashid.

What about?

No.

Okay.

All right.

Since there are no new minutes to review, we can move straight into oral communication.

Staff will call the names of people in the order they have signed up, either online or in person.

Members of the public may speak during one of tonight's oral communications for up to three minutes per person or agency program.

After everyone who has signed up to speak has been called, staff will ask if there is anyone else who would like to speak.

Giselle, can you please call speakers for oral communication?

Thank you, Chair.

So our first speaker for oral communications is Erica Horde with Americans for Equality.

Sorry about that.

I need to discuss okay.

Hi, how are you?

How are you doing this evening, Commission?

My name is Erica Horde.

Um, I am here um serving as director of community engagement with Americans for Equality, and it's wonderful to be here.

Thank you so much for having us.

Um, my reason for being here today is to tell you a little bit more about our program, um, our participants and our organization, and to also just request your support with our three applications that we've put in for this year's funding collaboration.

Um I've been with Americans for Equality for about two years now.

Americans for Equality as a whole has been open for about four years.

Um it's a nonprofit that was created to bridge the gap on the road to high performing careers.

Um, and by doing so, eliminat those barriers to entry for those who are left behind.

Um we operate in Bellevue, Washington as our headquarters.

We also have a location in Kent where we used to teach, well, we still teach, but our technical education um courses.

Basically, uh we have three programs.

Um, we've trained 1,100 individuals on how to create resumes and do um interview prep.

We've trained over 700 plus individuals on technical training as well as professional development training, ranging anywhere from artificial intelligence to cyber security, and then also program management, um office management and things of that nature as well.

Um, we also have our internship program based in Bellevue.

Um currently, we have served 41 individuals and help them gain the real world experience they need to be relevant in today's job market.

Um, a lot of our issue is when we have participants come to us, they're going out and trying to get these jobs, and what good is a resume or you know, going on a job interview if you don't have the experience that they're asking for.

So we aim to bridge that gap by providing those um spaces where they can do real projects and not just busy work to be able to get that experience to be able to be more marketable.

Um, and so we come to you.

Um, we've served, I believe 26 Bellevue residents already, um, and we aim to serve more.

We would love to get gain partnerships with organizations within the city as well, um, and to partner with you if you have any um suggestions for who we should partner with as far as that goes.

Um and I thank you guys so much for your time and for letting me speak today and have a wonderful question.

Thank you.

Thank you, Erica.

Our next speaker for oral communications is also with Americans for Equality, Matthew Vaseliev.

Thank you for having me here today.

Sorry, apologies for my nervousness.

So I just want to talk about our programs in more depth.

We have three core services.

Also wanted to talk about the support for our three applications that we have submitted.

But the first program is our resume resume writing and mock interview.

So we have a mobile lab that we would like to build to drive out to community events and do kind of resume writing, kind of hackathons, as well as mock interviews and one-on-one mentoring sessions.

Our second program is our training program.

So we have over 20 courses of technical and non-technical professions, as well as LinkedIn Learning, which we provide to all of our students, which has over 16,000 courses.

And all this was built on a $2.2 million federal funding that we had, I think about two years ago.

So we have extensive programs built out.

Finally, the internship program, which Erica mentioned, is based out of our headquarters in Bellevue.

And we just give hands-on experience to our participants.

Because there's kind of a catch 22 right now, where a lot of jobs that are requiring, you know, entry-level jobs are requiring two, three, five years of experience.

Um when many of these people, you know, they can't get their foot in the door in that entry-level position for the experience.

Um we have primarily been uh working in South King County.

However, we've seen recently um we're trying to expand more to the east side and Bellevue in particular, um, just because there is a lot of opportunity here and shouldn't be overlooked.

Um, but yeah, again, I want to thank you guys for hearing me out and uh wanted to request support for our applications.

Thank you.

Thank you, Matthew.

Our next speaker is Melvin Pratlow, also with Americans for Equality.

Thank you for having me today.

Um, as you know, I'm here with Americans for Equality, so I'll try not to go over as much as my colleagues did.

Um, Americans for Equality was founded with the understanding of the idea that we wanted to increase uh diversity in the tech field.

Um we wanted to eliminate those barriers and those barriers a lot of times come with uh financial responsibility.

Um excuse me.

Myself, my background is in finance.

Um, and I actually discovered Americans for Equality while I was uh in between positions.

I'm currently a program manager at Americans for Equality, but initially I started off as a student.

I was always been interested in getting into tech, but when you're between positions, uh a coding boot camp that's in excess of 14, 15,000 just is not really in the budget.

Um Americans for Equality offers all of their programs for free to participants.

Um, and it was a wonderful experience for me to really get my foot in the door with AI, with cyber security, uh, and with data analytics.

Um, I've joined the organization and we've really expanded to focus on people not just in tech but outside of tech, uh, as well as just broaden our reach to as many people as we could possible.

So that would be our resume writing services, our interview prep services, uh, our courses, which go range from one week to 12 weeks, um, both in-person, hybrid, and completely virtual.

We're just trying to lower the barriers to entry and teach people uh on every level um technical and non-technical skills.

And then ultimately uh our internship program, which has been spectacular as well.

As my colleagues had mentioned, it's very hard to get into a position when they want experience as a background.

And there is a catch 22.

We look at AI these days.

The prevalence of AI is actually causing a lot of companies to have fewer internships as they continue to use AI to replace more entry-level work.

So honestly, internships are more critical now than they've ever been before.

We have a lot of guest speakers that come in.

Speakers, they they tend to be uh professionals in the area.

And last week we had someone come in who is a real estate uh broker in the area, and they said that tech companies who are moving up here from the Bay Area.

They're not going to Seattle.

They're coming to Bellevue.

This is a key opportunity for us to expand our reach.

Um, expand our workforce and you know, really make Bellevue the place to be for tech in Seattle area.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Irene Mueller with Essentials First.

Good evening, everybody.

Thank you for having us here today.

Um, I'm here to talk about hygiene poverty in Bellevue.

It's a growing but continually invisible issue.

Um, our region is obviously known for its prosperity, for its uh tech saturation for a lot of wonderful things, but unfortunately, that doesn't mean there aren't families here who are struggling with the rising cost of living.

Um, when budgets get tight, we have learned from our clients and from our own experiences that hygiene is often one of the first things to go because it's expensive and there are no existing subsidy programs to cover any aspect of this need for families.

Soap, shampoo, laundry and dish detergent, menstrual products, toothbrushes, deodorant, none of these things are accessible to families that rely on public assistance unless they are within travel distance or have travel capability to get to essentials first, because we're the only organization in this quarter of the country that is providing direct service that is primarily focused on hygiene.

So while we're doing our best to be a stopgap, it the scale of the need is so far beyond what one organization can do.

Um our partners are becoming increasingly important.

Um recent studies that we did in partnership with UW last year revealed that 28% of people in Washington can't comfortably afford hygiene essentials without sacrificing other necessities.

That means food, utilities, transportation costs.

Um, there is no flexibility in most budgets in this state, which I'm sure many of us know firsthand.

Um and again, hygiene is often the first thing to fall off because it's treated systemically like a luxury.

So this the support just doesn't exist.

Um and this doesn't just result in discomfort.

This results in missed work opportunities, missed school bullying, exacerbating social stigmas, isolating folks who are already struggling with different layers of isolation and system breakdown.

Um, essentials first is working to close this gap, however, we can.

In 2025, we distributed hundreds of thousands of hygiene products to over 8,000 families, and 20% of them were Bellevue residents last year.

So those are hygiene kits that are a month's worth of supplies for a household of two to four people.

We give multiple or expanded kits for bigger households.

Um, and folks are welcome to come back as often as once a month.

There is no income or residency requirements.

Folks don't have to prove anything in order to receive help from us, other than that.

They're willing to come and ask for it.

Um 52% of our uh clients last year were unemployed, 67% of them were refugees, and over 69% of the households we served have children under the age of 18.

Um, that's across the board, so throughout King County, including Bellevue.

Um, the need continues growing.

Obviously, the cost of living is not going down.

Um, and folks need support to keep their essential needs met in order to uh stay afloat.

So addressing hygiene poverty requires coordinated action, which is why we're here talking to you and so many of our partners lately.

Because we can't do this by ourselves.

Um, we need continued investments in community-based distribution.

We need strong partnerships, the ability to communicate through open channels, um, and also policy solutions.

Well, you know, you guys are also um a government body.

So I need to say that in this room too, that there are policy solutions available to this as well.

We are grateful for your commitment to human services and for your leadership in supporting community-based organizations like us.

Um, and we wish you a great rest of the evening.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Mariana Martinez, who with Centro Cultural Mexicano, who is online.

Just give me one moment.

Hello.

Can everyone hear me?

Yes, we can hear you.

You can go ahead.

Thank you so much.

Good evening, everyone.

Mariana Martinez, executive director at Centro Cultural Mexicano.

I'd say new executive director, but it's been a year.

So I'm still gonna pull that card for a few more minutes.

Uh thank you so much for uh allowing us to say a few words and I apologize for not being there in person, but definitely will be there next time.

I wanted to formally introduce myself as the new executive director.

Uh for those of you who know Centro Cultural Mexicano, great to see you here.

And for those who don't, I wanted to share a little bit about what we do.

Centro Cultura Mexicano is a nonprofit organization that serves the Latino and Hispanic community.

We serve uh the uh the Latino Hispanic community across three counties, that is Kings, Nahomish, and Pierce.

We provide culturally sensitive bilingual programs uh served by the community and staff that reflect the communities that we serve.

I would describe the work that we do in four major pillars.

The first one is community.

We build community connections among communities, not just among Latino communities, but also within other immigrant communities and beyond.

We do this through celebrating our heritage and major events such as Cinco de Mayo, which is up and coming.

It's one of our largest events, and all of you are formally invited.

We do uh we celebrate Independence Day, Day of the Dead, etc.

etc.

And through these, we create a belonging, a sense of belonging, and community.

That's our first pillar.

The second pillar of our work is our programs.

We have uh we serve the community under all of our programs fall under seven different categories, arts and culture basic needs, support for small businesses, education, health, environmental sustainability, as well as digital equity.

And that is a lot, but it's really proactively and reactively responding to the needs of the community.

Third pillar of our work is our work with youth, uh, which is majorly, we say it's extremely important to engage youth who are often left out of important decision-making processes.

So we actually have a makerspace in our space.

We are physically located in Redmond.

Uh, but this place is a place of innovation and all of our services are free, and this is a place where youth feel like home in a safe space where they can create and innovate.

And for us, that's really important.

We actually also have youth uh representation in our board, which we believe is important.

And the last, last but not least, uh major pillar of our work is advocacy, being here, representing our communities and offlifting their voices is really, really important.

So we're really grateful for our collaboration.

We currently support, we currently receive support from Bellevue.

Bellevue is among the top three cities that we serve.

So we I cannot emphasize now that things are changing, inflation and family separations.

It's extremely important to continue these collaborations.

So I thank you so much for for hearing us, and I look forward to seeing you in May in person and for future collaborations as we continue to serve the residents of Bellevue.

Thank you very much, everyone.

Thank you, Mariana.

Our next speaker is Jennifer Fisher with Bellevue Life Spring.

Good evening, commissioners.

Um my name is Jennifer Fisher.

I'm the executive director for Bellevue Life Spring, and I'm a 32-year resident of Bellevue.

On behalf of our organization, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to you and the city council for your continued investment in our work.

I am pleased to share the meaningful impact your funding made um for Bellevue residents so far this year.

Through your allocation of just over 200,000 for emergency rent assistance, we've been able to get quickly to quickly respond to the urgent needs of families.

These funds were fully deployed within the first quarter of this year, helping 84 families, including 185 children, helping them avoid eviction and remain safely housed during a critical time.

In addition, your investment of just over 128,000 in food support enabled us to provide 3,210 students with 40 grocery food vouchers during the midwinter school break.

This ensured that children who rely on the school meals continue to have access to nutritious food when schools were not in session.

Your partnership allows us to respond swiftly and effectively to the needs of our community's most vulnerable children and families.

On behalf of our board of directors, staff and the families we serve, thank you for your trust and commitment to this important work.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And the final person we have signed up for oral communications is Alex Zimmerman.

Stand up America.

I love oops.

I will sit here.

Somebody, baby.

I'm okay.

Yeah, please.

Good.

Right now I will speak.

Yeah.

My name is Alex Zimmerman.

And I don't come here to speak to you because you look to me like them dirty fascist.

Fascist.

Yeah, bastard.

Yeah.

I speak to people in Bellevue, 150,000 people.

Yep.

I candidate for election 15 times.

Bella will prosecute me seven times.

All cases dismiss.

I'm against her.

She's very good.

I tell you her cheap dory prostitute.

You know, explain to you very.

Second.

Twelve year ago, Robinson, who console is this under camera, did this rules.

You understand about your talking?

For 12 years, I talking almost every day about this.

This violation of First Amendment, they look into me like a junta, like a bandita, like dirty Nazi bust.

That's exactly who you are.

How is this possible?

And so interesting for twelve year, 150,000 people, no one come and speak about this.

So we don't have more constitution.

First amendment is critical constitution.

Only one country on this planet have this.

It's United States of America.

For this reason, I come here.

Yeah.

Yes, number two.

Number three, under seven years under Mayor Robinson, uh, Bell of you come right now to number one plantation in America.

Similar situation only happened 200 years, almost 200 years ago with black.

You know what this means?

This plantation, very simple.

And she's a key to everything.

Seven years.

It's a long time when she a mayor.

Yeah.

So there's 65,000 Indian, 45,000 Chinese, 120,000 people for last seven years come to Bellevue.

How many white people right now in Bellarview Jewish Christian heritas?

Only 30,000.

I am a Jew.

I am a white.

And I ask you all of it, you dirty Nazi bastard.

How is this possible?

What is this?

A racism.

Huh?

What is this?

How is this possible?

So 30,000.

When I come to Belly for a year ago, this hundred percentage white people, this never have a black community.

You never have right now.

Yeah, my question very simple.

Who are you?

Human?

For who?

From animal?

Yeah.

So this exactly what's happening in Belarus.

Right now, this is a plantation for make a money for Amazon and Microsoft.

Yeah, viva Trump.

You have a new American revolution.

Stand up, Slav and Happy Cow.

Thank you very much.

This is for you guys.

Thank you very much.

Have a nice day.

Thank you, Alex.

That is all that we have signed up for oral communications.

If there's anyone in the room or online that would like to speak, please raise your hand.

Okay, you're good to go, Chair Fan.

We're next on the like to keep going.

Yeah.

Okay.

So we have communication from city council boards and commissions.

So council member Robinson, you're out of the couple.

I'm ready.

So um Chris Hayes and Shelley McVeigh and I interviewed people for our vacant seat on the commission.

And I, of course, silly as it sounds, I'm all about geographic equity because I really want to make sure that all of Bellevue is represented.

Um, so we get everybody's input.

And uh Chris was really wanted to have somebody who could hit the ground running because you guys have a lot of work to do, and it's going to be demanding.

And we had um, I think trying to think 10 candidates.

We narrowed it down to four.

And uh four very good candidates.

This was really hard, especially two for us.

Um, but there was one who stood out as being really ready to hit the ground running.

And her name is Carolyn Bassana, and she's a public benefits specialist with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.

Um, she's been through Bellevue Essentials and she represents Northwest Bellevue.

So I'm really happy to tell you that I think we picked somebody really excellent for this commission, and I probably should have told her to come today.

I don't know why I didn't.

I didn't think that was my job.

Thank you.

They the council office told me that the council you all will approve her around May.

Well, that's why we haven't approved her affair yet.

So she'll be getting started with us late.

Okay, thank you for that.

Yeah, thank you.

Yeah, so that's the good news of the night.

Are you ready for an update?

No, nothing.

Okay.

All right.

That was easy.

Okay, staff and do we have any commissioner reports?

What you all been out there doing?

Nothing.

Any staff reports?

Yes.

Thank you, Chair Fan.

A couple of things to announce.

Um, you've all been invited to the appreciation event.

Last year was the first year they had it.

Um Chair Singh was there.

Were you there?

You were brand new.

And um, it was fabulous.

So they're doing it again.

And this year you can bring a plus one.

Because last time you just had to come by yourself.

But this time you can bring a plus one.

If you would like to RSVP that you're attending, the invitation is on the screen.

You can let Giselle know now, and she will put your RSVP in.

Otherwise, you can email her and let her know when you are when you know your uh if you're coming or not.

But uh look really hope to see you all there.

It is on a Monday between our two May meetings.

So that's three Mondays for you all, which is a little bit painful.

Um so that's out there.

Just so.

Yeah.

Um, so I have Commissioner Sing down.

Would you like a plus one?

Okay.

Is there anyone else that I that hasn't signed up online?

Would you like a plus one, Commissioner Gonzalez?

Okay.

And then for Fan, or you haven't, you don't know yet.

Uh B for sure.

Okay.

Okay, no problem.

And then Hayes, if you know.

Yeah, I showed the You already did.

Oh, perfect.

Thank you.

And I'll also send the link out, but I'll sign you three up.

Okay, perfect.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh a couple of other announcements next at the next meeting, May the 4th, that's our public hearing.

Uh, we're anticipating a strong presence from uh the agencies in the community to uh speak at the public hearing.

But also we will be reviewing and you all will be um voting on recommendations for the convening dollars.

And on that chart that you got, um dahlia living is one of the agencies, and they have since become ineligible.

So um we'll send that in an email just to let you know uh that that is official.

Um they didn't take the steps they needed to make their application complete, and we didn't hear back from them, and so that they are out of the running.

Um other little poll I wanted to take was uh here is the we got 192 applications.

Last funding cycle we got 155.

There are 18 million dollars in requests, and you all's work is to distribute 6.4 million dollars.

Um, but they the paper copies, if you choose paper copies, would be about three of these notebooks or possibly three slightly fatter notebooks.

Um, but I personally need a paper copy.

How many people would like you'll get electronic?

For sure you'll have electronic app uh access.

How many people would like paper notebooks, real notebooks?

Electronic, electronic.

All right.

Fabulous.

The electronic uh applications will be available late next week and for everyone.

And then this is a slightly longer process.

I will bring these probably to the May 4th meeting, or they might be uh able to be distributed before that.

I can deliver them somewhere, or you can come get them, but we'll for sure have them at the May 4th meeting.

I'm also uh have a schedule of meetings, and I'm just gonna pass this around in a minute.

Um process you're about to enter.

We're gonna actually on May 4th sort of review it and talk through the process and look at some applications and sort of get ourselves all geared up for your work of distributing that money to the applicants that we got.

Um I had one more announcement related to that fell out of my brain, so I'm not gonna share it right now.

Um I will pass these out and thank you, Chair Fan.

So I have a question.

So I have a suggestion that if you keep one copy here in case we have time to come at the all feed salvos and we can borrow and read total application in the city.

Sure.

Can we leave a copy at um the service first desk?

The three notebooks, correct?

Yeah, I can do that.

Um they take up space, so I just have to check in with them.

Okay, but I'm sure it's fine.

Yeah.

Yeah, that would be great.

We can do that for sure.

Oh, you're welcome to do that.

That's wonderful.

I don't want to look extra.

I can use your only and make my use.

Great.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ruth.

Any other staff?

Sarah, you have any updates for us?

No.

All right, new business for our first order of business.

We have staff from the Bellevue Conflict Resolution Center here to provide an overview of some of their programming related to housing and human services.

So, Julia.

Hello.

Welcome.

Thank you.

Go ahead and check this.

And so thank you.

And Julia, will you turn on your microphone?

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm Julia Devin.

This is my colleague Natalie, and we're really happy to be here.

Yes, uh, good evening.

Thank you for inviting us to speak with you.

Uh my name is Natalie Daniels.

I'm the manager of the Bellevue Conflict Resolution Center, and we are housed within the City of Bellevue's community development department.

Uh and uh we you uh Julia has already introduced herself.

Uh together we're gonna be share sharing the highlights of our work uh with human service providers, landlords, other community partners to reduce conflict in the realm of rental housing.

So our goal tonight is to provide you with an overview of our program and services.

Uh, we invite you to interrupt us with questions as we go, uh, particularly if you're looking for a different level of detail, more background information, deeper explanation, anything like that.

Um, but I'm gonna start with a little background about the conflict resolution center, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

Uh next I did it.

Oh, we're on okay.

Sorry.

Yes.

Our mission is to increase the problem solving capacity of our community.

So basically, we help put out people fires.

Uh our services are available to those living or working in Bellevue and Kirkland.

We also maintain membership in Resolution Washington, which is a statewide umbrella organization of 21 dispute resolution centers, and that relationship with Resolution Washington allows us to access state grant funds that account for about half of our program's budget.

The conflict resolution center handles more than 500 cases a year.

These are mostly neighbor to neighbor and landlord tenant cases.

Cases come to us directly.

They're also referred to us by other departments, including issues that come to council or the city manager's office, and we have numerous community partners.

We're able to deliver this as a free service because we have a vital volunteer program.

So we have a pool of roughly 50 volunteers trained in negotiation and conflict coaching, with about 20 of them actively taking cases.

Our diverse volunteer cadre reflects the cultures and languages spoken in Bellevue.

We also offer workshops in communication, listening, and other conflict resolution skills.

For the last two years, we've focused on creating alternatives to eviction with our housing accord program.

Thank you.

All of this work, and particularly our housing accord work, supports the City of Bellevue's Diversity Advantage Plan 2035, which was adopted by council in November of last year.

The community development department has shown its commitment to implementing the Diversity Advantage Plan by creating a diversity action plan outlighting 30 individual and measurable actions that we have pledged to implement in the next three years to further equity objectives.

One category of action steps for our department is to expand access for historically marginalized populations to programs, projects, and services.

And our program supports this objective by expanding the housing accord program's early referral network to increase access for renters to connect to resources and coaching.

We know that different residents experience Bellevue very differently depending on their circumstances.

We know that stable housing is a core need and one that many people don't get to take for granted.

We believe that work by working to resolve conflicts and increase problem solving skills between landlords and tenants, we can reach the people who need us most and be a small part of a larger solution that moves towards housing stability for all.

I'm now going to turn it over to Julia to share more details.

Thank you.

Yes, and thank you for inviting us.

It's great to talk to you about our housing accord program.

I'm the coordinator, as Natalie said.

And our basic mission is like Bellevue Conflict Resolution, but it's empowering landlords and tenants to resolve their conflicts and strengthen their communities.

And we focus mostly on preventing evictions and increasing housing stability, particularly in low-income or immigrant multifamily housing communities.

And we work cross-culturally, of course, and empower residents to deal with those issues that can come up with close housing and really like to work on building their strengths and what really can they offer to their community.

So we have a number of different projects that we'll talk about.

But our roots were in the eviction resolution pilot program, which was something during the pandemic.

I mean, BCRC has done landlord tenant stuff for 30 years.

We're coming up on our anniversary, but particularly during the pandemic, there was you probably know a moratorium on evictions and all the landlords had to work through a dispute resolution center throughout the state before they could evict someone.

So our caseload went from about 300 a year to 2800 a year over those two years.

I mean, 2800 together over the two years.

Still a lot.

Yes.

We had about an 82% resolution rate.

It's kind of a fuzzy number, but um we kept about 9,000 people housed and landlords paid.

So our goal was always those twofold of getting landlords paid and keeping people housed.

The landlords paid was largely through the rental assistance and all the provision and money that you all provided as well as others, but that was pretty critical in it.

We also really built relationships with landlords and property managers during that time.

And our model of conciliation, which we'll talk more about, but it's all by phone, and so it was pretty conducive to that process as compared to having to meet in person and do a home mediation or something.

So all of that carried over to our housing accord program, which we started after the pandemic officially, and we um expanded from just doing back rent and all the things we had to do during the pandemic to all these other things.

So there's, you know, um maintenance issues or lease violations and tenant-to-tenant relationships is a big one that property managers really love our help with because they often their hands are kind of tied with those and as well as their time.

So it's all still voluntary and um confidential.

Our neutrality is key to all of our work at BCRC, and then also it's we're impartial.

So our neutrality plays a big role, and building trust with both parties is really important in that neutrality.

So we're not advocates, but we can find we can really help people find the resolution that they can live with.

Um and we'll talk, Natalie, we'll talk more about our coaching.

But we still provide the referrals to human services and legal organizations and things like that, because um we don't have rental assistance ourselves or anything.

And then we also provide workshops and conflict resolution, and that's both to staff of a lot of the human service organizations and others, as well as the residents in the community and in the um apartments where we're working.

And so we're really trying to strengthen those communities and maybe even prevent some of the conflicts before they arise, especially the ones that don't have to do with back rent.

Um trying to make this a little more fun.

Ruth promised me I should.

So see how much you already know.

We're gonna do kind of a trivia quiz, but we'll hope this works on my computer too.

Um it's really about why are we doing this and kind of give you a scope of the problem?

I think we all know it's a pretty severe one, but um we wanted to share with you some about that and some about what we did over the last year in 25 to kind of fill in those gaps.

And um we all really know that staying housed is not easy for many people.

Being a landlord's not easy, and so we're trying to fill that gap kind of of the people that are at risk of becoming homeless, because there's a lot of services for the homeless, but fewer for people on the edge there.

So that's the gap we're trying to fill.

So we're gonna do it the old-fashioned way, didn't do any of the technology things.

Um so just raise your hand.

There's multiple choice questions, and either shout out a number or raise your hand when I say the number, whichever you want.

So there was a headline recently about eviction filings in King County at an all-time high, once again.

And so um starting off with what let's see if I can do this.

Um how many of you think that there was 23,965?

One, two, three, a lot of you.

And that's the eviction filings in King County, or 8,700 number two.

I think everybody went with one, three.

Okay.

So the answer is 8,732.

It's good news.

Not quite as bad as you thought.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So um yeah, still not good.

But the that was a 12% increase over 2024.

So it's still on the rise.

And then the 23,000 was actually a 3%, and that's filing statewide.

Um, this is all from Seattle Times, so don't quote me necessarily, but um, and then 2500 was the filings in Snowhomish County, and that was a 16% increase in the largest in the state.

So and then how many housing accord cases do you think we were able to help with are completed in 2025?

One, two, or three, you can say one, one, okay.

Anybody too?

Yes, okay.

So three.

That's we have a staff of three and 20 volunteers.

So it was 292, which was still an increase for us.

Um, let me get to those notes.

The 2800 was how many we saw during the two years of the pandemic.

So that's why that number stuck with you, but um, and the 538 is the total number of cases that VCRC did in 2025.

So 292 is definitely most a large part of what we're doing.

It's not most, obviously, but close.

It's more than half, but that's most by by technical definition.

Excuse my math first.

So we're unfortunately still increasing, but um, the trend is upward.

This shows just some two different graphs, but same thing basically about pre-pandemic is over here on the left, and just shows that was 2020.

It's hard to read, and then the 2024 is here in 2025, and then um this is just kind of the trends over the time over time, and you can see here that we are going up still in 24 and 25.

Um, but very different than the pandemic, which is down here in 2023, two and 2023, those two.

So, how many we have um different categories of cases, and some of them with housing accord, they have an eviction notice, which means either the 30-day notice that you're starting the eviction process or a summons and complaint for court or some other official notice that you're gonna be evicted.

Um, so how many cases do you think started we did that had an eviction notice in them?

Two going once, going twice, two, three, four, two, hundred and fifteen.

Okay.

160.

So that's the majority of our cases were eviction in 2025.

Um the 115 were landlord cases that didn't involve an eviction.

So that's things maintenance viol.

I mean a lease violation or maybe a maintenance issue or something like that.

And then the 17 were other housing related disputes, which might be tenant to tenant um or deposit issues, I think is included in housing.

Anyway, general categories.

Yeah, I think the deposits in the 1150s.

Yeah, okay.

Deposits in that.

Yeah.

So percent of has happen cases, hap is housing accord program.

I tried not to use it, sorry.

Um, that were resolved in 2025.

C1, 88%.

Yep.

Yep.

So luckily we're still up there.

The 54% is, and this is where our numbers, it's useful to explain.

The 54% is actually cases that had no further action.

And a lot of times we included that in the resolved rate, um, because it meant really that the tenant we do a lot of coaching.

So they had a plan and they knew what they were going to do.

So it's hard sometimes to say our impact, because maybe they were going to move or something like that.

So they might have left, but at least they had a plan and benefited.

Um, not always.

Sometimes they didn't call us back.

But the 34% is where we really knew the outcome.

So that was the number, the percent that were resolved.

Um, and then 12% were unresolved.

So not we don't love our data, but we're trying to improve it always.

So you did great.

That's the little quiz.

Um, but we also, you know, the data can be it, it tells us a lot, and at the same time, we know it's all about relationships, and those are the people that really matter most.

So we just wanted to give you a couple quotes from some of the people we worked with.

They do happen to look favorably on our program, but that's not why we're sharing them.

Partly why we're sharing them.

Um but you know, every person we talk to and our conciliators are great about knowing this because they really are impassioned about what they do.

Um, but you know, they there's an individual story, and there's people that we all know matter.

That's probably why you're here.

So um we really like talking with them and listening, is a big part of our coaching that we do.

But so some of the quotes, I'm not gonna read the whole thing.

Um, but basically, as new immigrants, we often find ourselves navigating unfamiliar terrain, local resources, everything's different.

And so discovering BCRC has been a beacon of hope for us.

And thriving past growing city like Bellevue, we believe there's a great need for coordination and understanding.

BCRC has played a pivotal role in bridging gaps, easing communication, and offering practical solutions while also providing us with tremendous emotional support.

And it my wife and I are truly grateful to our volunteer conciliator because their guidance and compassion have made a meaningful difference in our lives.

So thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

One of our favorite quotes.

And similarly from an attorney, that's a very different kind of negotiation or case that we work on.

Um, but we were able to get something unstuck.

And so get the conversation started when the other council just wouldn't communicate or anything.

So that could have been through our conciliation where we're calling both sides and just starting a conversation.

And then the third quote is about our conciliators who we do train and they're um, as I say, very passionate, and they're trained on being objective and professional and not offering solutions.

It's really to come from the tenant and the Natalie will talk more about that, but um, very responsive.

It's kind of like holding balloon strings often where we're helping them figure out all the things they have to do or prioritize and also explaining the eviction process can be really useful.

So any questions or observations as that piece.

I'm gonna go into more of our program, but so are you trying to connect people with some dollars as well?

Definitely, yeah.

A lot of what we do is send them to the human service organizations for rental assistance.

And are you for out that you're keeping track of which ones say we don't have any more dollars or not?

No.

Yeah, and if we need to, I mean, we are partnering with the human service groups too in various ways, which I'll talk about, but so um in an extreme cases we can do a warm handoff or something like that to see, but no, we're not tracking even who gets money.

Do you want to say any more about that?

Or I just want to say that it's a very volatile environment, like a person, uh an organization can run out of funds, and then the next week they might have another batch of funds drop drop.

And so that's just more overhead than we can manage.

Housing accord program?

Housing justice project.

Oh, the Northwest Justice Program.

Yeah.

Which the one the lawyers?

Oh, Housing Michael.

Housing Accord is our program.

Okay.

What's it called?

Housing Accord program.

Okay, thank you.

Because only because housing stability was taken.

So um you might not remember my name, but I have exchanged many emails.

I was one of your client.

Actually, thank you for your service.

Yeah.

Thank you for you.

Try to help me out.

Oh, I do.

Well, yes.

Yeah.

You tried your best, but I've it is in your whatever you can do as a volunteer.

And I know there was a flaws in the system, which you out of your hands.

But thank you.

You helped me out.

And I you're good.

I'm glad we you can say that because we try.

You tried.

Yes.

And sometimes we can get a conversation.

We can't resolve it, and that's not our job.

But it can be a really difficult situation for sure.

Yeah.

So I'm glad that's a good idea.

Finally, I'm able to see your faces.

Yeah, I know.

That's one thing.

We always work by phone and not even Zoom or anything.

So we don't really see them.

So that's very nice.

Thank you.

I have a quick question.

I don't know how to ask it.

I was curious about do you have are there times where you have to the tenant landlord situations have to be elevated to let's say like another housing um organization or the attorney general when it's in violation of the landlord tenant act.

I know like there's that specific thing that tenants have to initiate um tenants have to initiate in order for it to go up if there's like a violation with their lease.

And so I'm just curious.

Do you all deal with things like that?

Or is that just we don't give legal advice?

So if anything came up like that, or if someone either knew about it or if we spotted something we might think might be any legal issue, we would send them to like the East Side Legal Assistance Project.

Okay, so you go to ELAP.

Okay.

Yeah, we in whenever there's a legal issue that's we send them there, or if it's housing justice, but since they're just doing evictions, it's mostly ELAP, or there's a really great online resource that tells tenants what they can do.

The Washington law help.

Okay, thank you.

So what what's a landlord training?

I saw in your presentation.

What do you train for land law?

Um, well, we've been maybe I'll get to that.

Is that okay?

Um how we help partnerships are key.

Yep.

And so I won't say too much about this, mostly in the interest of time, but we really work with the human service organizations to try to um both, you know, help them, they're on the front lines and talking to people all the time and have rental assistance or don't have it.

And so it's really hard to say no.

Um, but trying to help them with what's the best way to say that, or how do we communicate?

Um, so we're giving them conflict resolution training or working with them on that, and then also just um this whole chain of trust idea that especially maybe more in these times, but it's hard to build that trust with tenants and especially with a lot of the immigrant communities and things, and they don't know us, and we are the city, so it can be kind of scary.

Um, we have double confidentiality and all these types of things, but um, so really building those relationships with the people that are working with the tenants that they already trust, and then if they recommend us or something, then there's more likely to trust us, and we can try to help them sort out this part of it.

Um, so uh that's been a really big thing, and then they maintain a lot of the resource lists and things like that.

So they also are the experts kind of.

But building those lasting correlations can also kind of help with a safety net that trying to do um wraparound services or something.

So we like to just try to be part of that.

But the landlords, so we have focused on landlords for the past couple years.

That's really where we started after the pandemic because we had begun to build these relationships and we just wanted to make sure we continued them and we learned so much working with property managers or landlords um about meaning most often they live on site.

We're dealing mostly with larger corporations, but also individual landlords.

And so it's a really tough situation.

Um they so we've been building the trust with them, and that's taken a lot of really often, especially with um like the um Washington State what is it called?

The RAWA um rental housing association of Washington, um, for them really to believe that we're neutral and um they have a lot of advocacy.

So working with them and offered a training to their landlords and things that we put on.

We've worked on trainings with Arch to offer their property managers and things, and then also just working like I did a coffee and conversations, just trying to bring people together, um, open to all property managers and landlords to kind of a community of practice, so they could just relate and talk about oh, you had that problem.

We've worked on trainings with Arch to offer their property managers and things, and then also just working like I did a coffee and conversations, just trying to bring people together, um, open to all property managers and landlords to kind of a community of practice so they could just relate and talk about oh, you had that problem, I thought it was just here, or you know, how can we help both them and their tenants?

So, and then offering to help them with community building events because a lot of the properties were working and they already have potlucks and things, especially in the summer.

So, just how can we support those activities?

And then really on the tenant to tenant issues, they like using us a lot.

So we're trying to get more of those cases because I think we can help.

But does that answer your question?

Or were you thinking of something potentially?

I'm good thinking.

Great.

Yeah, it's been really educational.

I've learned a lot about property management, and um people are really um they care a lot about their tenants.

So that's good to see.

So another piece of our program is that we found that early referrals really make a difference.

And so we've been trying to get the earlier we can get involved in a conflict or potential conflict, the more we can help them figure out a solution.

And so uh we started uh through the we kind of came to that theory through the eviction prevention learning lab, which we participated in last year.

That was something with the National League of Cities, and Bellevue was chosen of one of 10 cities to do this learning lab for nine months.

And they were it was really to share innovative eviction prevention strategies as well as court support and outreach, and they wanted us all to come up with an action plan of what we were going to do during this um nine-month process.

So we came up with an early referral pilot.

And I wanted to tell you some about that.

The reports available on our website along with a blog that we did for the National League of Cities.

But it was pretty straightforward.

Um we had we worked with the um King County Housing Authority and Allied Residential Property Management Company and had 24 property managers and their buildings that participated.

That was 3,600 units, and um, but they were giving out this week created this eviction prevention assistance card, and they gave that out with the 30-day notice.

And so the very first part point where the official eviction process starts, they were getting information.

It was still voluntary, so they still had to call us, but at least getting knowing about us right at that point.

And then um, we would offer them coaching or conciliation, which we'll say more about, and then the property managers and us both tracked, you know, how many notices they gave out and what kind of um some of the data and outcomes of those cases.

And we did find that it was significant.

Uh well, probably not statistically, but um, we did our theory was right.

The sooner we can get in, the more we can help.

Um, and a few of the findings were that property managers really do play a critical role, which is not rocket science, but they about 41% of the cases were resolved on site before they um even had to go any further.

Let me just catch up on my notes here.

And so that's we continue to develop those relationships because they they really can make a big difference.

Um then more people called our center, and there were about uh 36% increase from the previous year, or sorry, the previous, yeah, the same time the previous year went from November of 24 to March of 25, and um 53% increase compared to the five months just before.

And then our resolution rate also increased in about 90%.

We had 116 cases, so about 104 were were resolved.

And then we found that coaching was the most common um service that we provided, and that was different than during the pandemic where we were always conciliating, talking to both sides, but coaching was by far the most common and also ended up being the most effective, which we kind of understand because landlords really aren't offering payment plans anymore.

So you're kind of left with coaching, but we found that we could really work with tenants um pretty in-depth.

So our coaching, it's like 96% of the cases that involved coaching were resolved, and about 57% of the cases with conciliation.

So we're really trying to get in and expand that program now to other landlords and properties, and also even working with the human service groups to have them let people know early in the conflict.

So again, any questions, comments.

Okay.

So I'm gonna turn it back over to Natalie to let you know a little bit more about our core principles and how we do what we do.

Don't worry, it's the last section.

We're almost so uh you've heard us say that the service we offer uh most often, and the one that's most effective is coaching.

That means really we're just having a one-on-one conversation with the tenant, and that's as far as we go.

But we haven't told you about the tools we use and the tools we avoid using, which is more important.

So we do not and cannot rescue the people who contact us.

Humans tend to understand the world through stories.

And one of the most powerful stories out there is that tale of good and evil victim and villain.

The tenants who call us tend to feel pretty bruised by life.

There is a lot of need and desperation in the stories they tell us.

And it's pretty easy to see them as helpless victims.

Problem is once a tenant is cast as a victim, then the other story roles write themselves.

If there's a victim, there has to be a villain who persecuted them.

And then we write the landlord into that role.

And if we have a victim and a villain, there's just one role left, and that's the rescuing hero.

And so that's uh that's when we get tempted to put on our capes and tights.

Um actually the role of superhero uh is a pretty poor fit for us.

So we can't catch bullets in our teeth, we can't leap social inequities with a single bound, and we were not issued magic bullets, magic wands or magic pocketbooks books.

Um, so what we do is we change the story.

We do that by staying true to our core principles of neutrality and self-determination.

And we consider neutrality to be both very simple and very complicated.

So the simple version is that we don't take sides in a conflict, decide who is right, decide who will win in court.

But we actually take that a step further.

We assume that everyone in a conflict is a reasonable, rational person of mostly good intent.

Uh sometimes we have a conversation that challenges that assumption, but it's not as often as you think.

So for the most part, neighbors care and they want to exist, coexist peacefully, and landlords care and they want to provide safe and comfortable comfortable housing, and tenants care and they want to live in a place that they can confidently afford.

So that brings us to our second core principle of self-determination.

We believe that the people who must live with the results of a decision are the people who should be making that decision whenever possible.

So we can't take over and solve someone's problem for them because we don't know enough.

Every single person that we work with is the world's leading expert in what solutions will work for them and what resources they possess to increase their options.

We actually believe that solving someone's problem for them is an act of violence because it treats that person as helpless or as a problem to be fixed.

So we insist on seeing each person as whole, resourceful, complete, and capable, even when they can't see themselves that way.

So we can't be heroes and we can't be fixers, but we can be coaches.

We do that first by getting involved as early as we can, as Julie was saying.

Uh, small problems and small debts are easier to tackle than large ones.

And then we expand the conversation.

So sometimes tenants get laser-focused on rent assistance.

And so we share those resources, we encourage them to apply, but we also know that there's not enough rent assistance to go around.

So that can't be the whole plan.

And the more robust the plan we have, the better.

So we spend time exploring options.

We want to know is this a one-time rent problem or is rent a problem every single month.

Um, if there isn't free money or enough free money, what other resources might be available?

What does a short-term plan look like?

Is a long-term plan needed?

Uh, what do they love about where they live that might also be true in another apartment?

What might be good about moving?

And we help them make an actual.

So when we help them make a plan, it might be several plans.

It might be plan A is the thing that they want to have happen and will try first.

Plan B is the thing they're gonna try next, and plan C is the thing that doesn't appeal at all, but it's still better than letting the courts make the decision for them.

And through all of that, we try to provide education and support.

So we don't have legal advice, we don't have money to give, but we know who does.

We share the resources.

And we can help the tenant understand what the eviction process looks like and where they are in the process.

And we can check in with them over time to celebrate progress and help them refocus on next steps as needed.

And most of the time it works.

So it works because it's personalized.

We get to know the tenant's specific situation and resources, and we constantly draw on their own wisdom to know what solutions will work for them.

It works because it's accessible, a free conversation on the phone with someone who cares is pretty easy to handle for most tenants.

They don't even have to confront their landlord directly if that doesn't feel comfortable for them.

And it works because it's collaborative.

So the tenants must take ownership for crafting their own solutions, but they also get to take ownership for crafting their own solutions.

And we help them get there.

And finally, it works because it's preventative.

So the tenants who contact our program are in trouble now.

But by helping them tackle a problem while it's small, by exploring and making a multiple solutions, we turn them into better problem solvers.

They need us less going forward.

And that's basically all we have for you.

So we're excited about the relationships we've built.

We love opportunities to get the word out about our program.

If you want to reach out to us to learn more, we encourage you to contact Julia directly to talk about collaboration or training opportunities.

But if you have an actual case to refer to us, we encourage you to use our general information because we always have somebody monitoring that, and that'll get into our system faster that way.

And one final slide for any questions.

Yeah.

Any more questions?

Just uh you said you were celebrating your 30th anniversary.

Have you been working with Kirkland for that 30 years?

Or did they come in later?

Most of it.

Okay.

So the year is 2000.

And we happen to train the deputy city manager for the city of Kirkland.

And she happens to bring in like a whole lot of her staff to get trained right after she gets trained.

So she was one of our most dedicated volunteers for a couple of decades.

And because of that, we ended up having this informal kind of handshake agreement with them that we finally turned into a real MOA memorandum of understanding it was going to be an MOU last year.

So we had an informal relationship for 25 years, and we're trying to finally bring some formality to it.

No one knew it was informal.

One of those paperwork things.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, thank you for this opportunity.

Hope it wasn't too long.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for your work.

And it is good to meet you.

Donna, I said staff reports, and then I looked at Sada, and then I didn't look at you.

Do you have anything to share with us?

Okay.

I just wanted, yeah.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

Um, next order of business is to review and vote to adopt the updates to the commission bylaws.

I'll hand it over to Ruth to provide background and analysis.

Thank you, Chair Fan.

So it was back in March that our city attorney Karen Fu came and presented an overview of the changes to city policy that have uh driven the changes that we're making to our bylaws.

Um that point, we haven't had a meeting where we've had the ability to vote on the uh updated bylaws.

The um the ordinances make three basic changes.

Um, and this is reviewing what she had gone over at that meeting, and also we emailed this to you, but hopefully, this is a review.

Um, the first thing is it extends the maximum period that an advisory board or commission may exclude individuals for violating the rules of decorum.

It uh extends it from 60 days to 180 days.

The second change is it clarified the appeal process by which any excluded individual makes may seek review for his or her exclusionary period.

And the third change was it amended the rules for membership on advisory boards and commissions, limit limiting the service to two consecutive terms on any City of Bellevue advisory board or commission.

It also made another uh several other uh minor changes to make the minutes and the agendas more readable and uniform.

Um but those are the substantive um changes.

Any questions, comments?

Handing it back to you, Chair Fan.

Okay, so we need a motion to adopt the proposed updated human service commission bylaws.

First upon a motion.

Okay.

The second one second.

Okay.

All those in favor say oh, yeah, that question.

We're gonna go back here.

Number three again to us, like what's the actual language?

Please uh Ruth has the notes, and she can let me know the page number and all uh six.

Let me see the bylaws.

Okay, there we go.

With no questions.

So if there is a break, the person cannot come back to any other board.

I'm just want to make sure I'm reading that.

That's correct.

Uh no, it's if they leave for two years, they are now eligible again to uh be appointed to a different commission or the same commission.

Yeah, but this is across all boards and commissions, so you can't serve for one and then serve for another.

Yeah.

And where does it say that after two years you are eligible?

Um it says let me see.

Uh I didn't read the long.

Okay, yeah.

Yes, right there.

Okay.

Thank you.

Yeah.

No questions.

Okay.

Is there a motion to adopt the proposed updated human service commission bylaws?

I move the motion to approve the a second.

All those in favor say aye.

All right.

Aye.

All those opposed say nay.

Hearing no nays.

There you go.

By laws have been approved.

Do I have to do this when the bylaws are approved?

When does this happen?

If you want to do that, I think you should do that.

Okay, thank you.

Um final order of business is to make funding recommendations for the 27 2018 after school funding.

These are parks and community service dollars, 86,000 per year.

We received three applications.

Human service staff made preliminary recommendations to get us started.

And we're gonna start with Commissioner Gonzalez with um questions, suggestions, or anything about the recommendations, and then we'll go around the table.

So each commissioner will have a chance a copy.

That's okay.

So just to review, we got three applications.

We got one from the boys and girls club, Centro uh Cultural Mexican Mexicano, and Seattle envelopes.

Um there were there was the staff had a lot of differing opinions about the recommendation whether or not to um divide the funding and give some to CCM.

Um certainly a high quality program.

I think on the uh staff recommendation side, they ended up we ended up just to have a place for you all to start your conversation with fully funding the boys and girls club.

They are in good standing, they have done this program and received this funding for many years, and CCM is in Redmond.

That was kind of the main reason.

Um, but that said, leaving it up to you all to talk it through and see what you decide.

So uh can you give me oh no?

I I have a question about that.

What is yeah, can you give a brief idea?

I've never heard of the Seattle Envelopes, what they do, and we didn't got them a while ago because we were supposed to be doing this, but everyone uh we didn't have a quorum on the April 6th.

Yep, that's okay.

No, I have sent a reply to that, but I think I didn't see the Seattle Envelopes in that, but I agree to, I don't know, where it missed.

Okay.

I have a reply to the email before I left to India because you were supposed to discuss on April 6th, I think.

Okay.

So little bit about Seattle Enveloped.

No.

You want someone to talk about the organization?

To know a little bit more about sure.

Is there a staff member that's familiar with the org?

Possibly.

Because for me, I agree with the fully founding for the boys and um I can give a quick overview.

Sorry, I'm gonna sit right here because I'm like my mouse is just running.

Um, so I will give a quick overview for each of their program and what they're asking.

Seattle envelope.

Um they are located in Redmond, and their program overview is gonna be a daily drop-in summer program where they will be providing homework help, college prep, mentoring, and richments, um, and who they serve.

They're gonna be focused on low-income Eastern European refugees and immigrants, um, Bellevue Middle and High School Youth.

Their outcome will be 90% expected success rates where they will focus on academic improvements, confidence, and school engagement.

So that is Seattle envelopes, and then Centro Caldro Megano, their program overview is daily after school summer drop-in for their makerspace.

Um, and they will be focusing on digital design, 3D printing, creative tech arts, and providing it in uh bilingual Spanish and English, and are going to be focusing on cultural response.

Again, they'll be focused on the Lat Latin, Hispanic immigrant youth 11 to 18.

Uh, also low and moderate income Bellevue youth who are experiencing fear, isolation, and limited access to opportunity.

Um they'll be focused on gap billing STEM access and belonging, and their outcome will be 90% expected.

Uh focus on technical skills, social emotional growth, again, confidence and belonging.

And then the last program is Boys and Girls Club of Bellevue.

They will do year-round five-day week drop-in across multiple sites, but focused on Bellevue residents.

Um, and these drop-in services will include academic support, career readiness, mental health partnerships, enrichment and leadership program.

They will anticipate serving at 275 Bell V teens annually, primarily focused on low-income East Bellevue youth.

Um their outcome, 80% will have academic success success, leadership, health behaviors, and life readiness.

What they're focused on.

Yeah, thank you.

Commissioner Perlman, any questions, comments, or do you no?

Um I agree with the fully founding for the boys and gloss club.

And for the Centro Cultural Mexicano, and no for the Seattle Envelopes.

Do you have any questions?

I were to send my recommendations, which align with us.

Okay.

Jimmy.

No, I have also sent aligned with the city recommendation.

But they are allowed to not applicable, they don't have any positive contracting history or Seattle Envelope.

I know it's a new organization, but NA is allowed, yes or no.

They have none.

None, okay.

They have not, and CCM has not contracted for this service.

We have contracts with them for other services.

Um I had a question about the application.

Uh this is kind of a test of what we are going to see in a couple weeks with a lot more dense applications.

And I noticed that the application do not have or doesn't have projections of how many people they will serve in the demographics.

And I was curious if that was intentional, if it wasn't asked, and uh if all the applications we're gonna see down the line won't have those projections either.

So Sada, correct me if I'm wrong.

They all all of the applications include a projection for how many Bellevue residents they expect to serve, but not demographics, correct?

But they're not necessarily it's not a question that's asked directly, but it but they do project how many residents they will serve.

Did I miss that in these applications?

I don't know if it was in these or not.

Okay.

And no, it it's not different.

For these applications, uh, they're slightly different because they are a different funding um funding stream.

So it's pretty straightforward.

We were just kind of getting them in, but they will still follow our contracting process.

So once you all do decide on who you want to award these dollars, we will still uh do the contract negotiation, and that's where we'll uh speak about scope of work, what services that they will provide, and how many uh youth they will be serving with these dollars.

Okay.

And then every agency reports demographics each year annually.

Perfect, thank you.

That was my main concern about going into the bigger application or RFP process.

Um, my uh first of all, I think all these organizations are pivotal and critical to the community, and they all do fantastic work, and they all deserve the the money, but at the end of the day, we only have so much money to give, and we do have to make these tough decisions.

Um you know, one of my biggest things uh about this specific um application was the location of where their headquarters are, or where they're putting or where they're delivering the program.

I think it does create a extra barrier if the location is not in Bellevue.

It means that the student has to use public transportation or have their parents uh drive them, and uh, you know, a lot of parents are uh two-job parents and don't have that luxury.

So that was one of my main pivotal uh criteria.

So uh I do agree with staff rex, but I would like to know what the other conversations were revolving around.

And that will be my final comment.

You mean the other conversations that staff had?

Exactly.

Um I think for uh staff there was also a strong feeling that the CCM after-school program is really, really high quality, and that it meets a very specific cultural and linguistic need in the community, and that it deserves some funding.

Okay.

So that was the other competing idea.

And uh this uh I lied the my final comment.

But um I just uh think it's important to uh um to mention as you told me before if we do shift funding uh like this application, um it means that we have to take from one program and uh to supplement the other program and to think about the consequences that are so my brain uh downstream.

So I am in favor of uh city recommendations, so thank you.

Yeah, I just was gonna say I am against any kind of peanut buttering, and I feel like sometimes we do that because we want to appease every program.

And if anyone ever works and has a budget and knows how hard it is when the money goes away that's been given to you on a certain scope, and you're still asked to deliver that scope.

It's just the worst case scenario is when you so I absolutely agree it should be like one looking at the dollars.

The other thing is that I don't know if anyone actually did any research or went to some of these organizations, like the Seattle Envelopes one.

If you go to their website, it hasn't been updated in two years.

They have no events, they have no information about this program, they have nothing actually current, so it's really hard to say, and they are nowhere near like a bus to get to from Bellevue.

On the CCM, I love how the energy at that place.

Like I walk by there a lot, so really appreciate what gets done.

But I agree, like for kids, like I have no idea how they would get there.

Like that didn't make any sense on how that would be really supportive.

They would take the two link.

I just did it, I did it on Saturday.

It's in walking distance from the transit station.

Though you have to have either a bike, like if you live in um Lake Hills, yes, you can get to it.

Correct.

And I will tell you the reason why I like the boys and girls club, they have a club like right there in Lake Hills where my kids have gone to that one, so I know the the area well enough.

And it's it's very accessible with a lot of different things.

So again, like very interesting ideas, but again, I just stand behind like let's not spread the dollars where there are no dollars to be spread.

I was worried about the Central Cultural Mexicano the space.

If they have enough space for the program.

I don't I haven't been inside.

I just uh I haven't been there like twice for the Cinco de Mayo, but not inside.

So I was like, I don't think that is ready for one of these programs.

I really love they can have one because the Latino community needed, but I don't think they're ready for that.

Jimmy, you have any extra?

Um, I would say for just like my comments, I agree uh with mostly everything that everyone's shared.

The only difference about where I kind of differ is that I understand that we want to make sure that our organizations are serving Bellevue youth, Bellevue residents.

Um, but if there isn't an organization that offers the cultural linguistically specific services, they're gonna have to go elsewhere.

That's an issue that we have here in Bellevue, is that we don't have all of the things, we don't cover all of the things, and so that organizations are serving Bellevue residents, our youth outside of Bellevue.

So just keep that in mind when we read those 192 applications um in a couple of weeks, right?

It's just it's very easy to say, yeah, they're not in Bellevue, so let's count them out.

But when we really start looking at what Bellevue offers versus what other organizations offer that might not be in Bellevue, that's important.

Um and the other thing that I wanted to say is that it's not our responsibility.

Um just keep this in mind.

Um we didn't set up the process.

We didn't set up like you're we're giving you 86,000.

Like that that's a systemic.

I would say that's just more of a systemic thing, and we're just dealing with like we have to now deal with the applications and trying to figure out who gets what money, but just remember like we didn't create that problem, and so that makes it a little bit easier to think about how we go about advocating for cities um and how they disperse money just in general.

I I don't I don't disagree with you in regards to the dollars of dollars, right?

Like we're gonna be stuck with this conversation for a long time, but I think the application itself could use some more clarity for some of us.

about how we go about advocating for cities um and how they disperse money just in general i i don't i don't disagree with you in regards to the dollars and dollars right like we're gonna be stuck with this conversation for a long time but i think the application itself could use some more clarity for some of us i would encourage maybe before it goes out again to run advice to see some of the areas that we would have liked to got answers because noted it was it didn't it was too sparse and um i would curious uh if there was somewhere on the application but the noted that they were reapplying for the same funding but I think that's important for our deliberations especially when we move into the next big phase so for the human services fund you'll have a spreadsheet and it will show what they are currently receiving if they if they are currently funded or if they're a new agency or if it's a new program okay with an agency that we fund but a new program.

But this uh application did not have that correct I only think so no the the Belly boys and girls club was funded because you you told me the the the history correct okay yep we we can add that any more questions I think that in general that's a really great like as we get new commissioners join us on regular basis it's just good to have that on any round of applications is letting us know if it's been uh before approved for dollars or not just like the ones that we just got the ones for the convening as well like I had to ask you I feel like I sh I don't need to bother you like it would have been easier for everyone just to get that info we'll do these two the teen and the convening applications are uh the first time we did it was two years ago and it was done um very quickly and kind of under duress and then when we came around and we didn't really have enough opportunity to learn a lot from that process for those two because it was done a in a really unusual way so I would say third time's a charm and we will be much better at this next time but I I will bring them to the commission before we post those applications to get you all's feedback.

Thanks okay any more comments questions no okay um sounds like we've reached an agreement so we need a motion to approve the 27 2018 after school funding of eighty six thousand dollars to the boys and girls club so moved I second all those in favor say aye aye all those opposed say nay hearing no nays we have now recommended improved 2027 I know it was 2027 2020 eighteen after school funding recommendations are approved thank you all um anything else before I close this out for the good of the group no uh our next meeting will be on Monday May 4th please let GitL know as soon as you know that you're gonna be there or not um it will be public hearing um those are typically very lively and please you're gonna stay for the entire time I don't think we've ever had a public hearing where we were out early no yeah so me neither I think it's gonna be a lively one um so please make sure to come and this concludes our meeting and we are adjourning at what is that 740 735 thanks I was going to want to recover like the means we uh may not even say

I would love to hold it down to the other.

I might have to think all very good.

The sandwiches are fully wrapped.

Um it's just chicken swarm up.

Yeah, right.

I didn't see you.

I'm glad I got you were you were gone getting something.

It was particularly fast for uh.

But of course, the same thing now.

Did you get this off?

No, I'm fine.