OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Seattle City Council Meeting: May 19, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, May 19, 2026
BodySeattle, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, May 19, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:52:08
Transcript — Verbatim
0:17

Good afternoon.

0:18

The May 19th meeting of the Seattle City Council will come to order.

0:21

It's 2 02.

0:23

My name is Joy Hollingsworth.

0:24

You're council president.

0:25

Will the court please call the roll?

0:27

Council Member Rivera.

0:28

Councilmember Saka.

0:30

Here.

0:30

Council Member Strauss.

0:32

Councilmember Foster.

0:34

Here.

0:34

Council Member Warez.

0:36

Councilmember Chattle.

0:38

Here.

0:38

Councilmember Lynn.

0:40

Here.

0:40

Councilmember Rink.

0:42

Present.

0:43

Council President Hogsworth.

0:45

Here.

0:46

Seven presents.

0:47

Will you call uh Councilmember Rivera one more time during roll call?

0:51

Oh yes, Councilmember Rivera.

0:53

Present.

0:54

Thank you.

0:55

Awesome.

0:56

And Councilmember War is excused until she gets here.

0:59

Colleagues, Councilmember Lynn and I have a proclamation today to present recognizing May 19th as state champion, state champion Rainer Beach Boys Basketball Day.

1:12

And we are so excited to have Coach Mike Bethia here and his wife Virginia.

1:18

For the record, Councilmember Warz is here.

1:21

Colleagues, Seattle has a very rich basketball culture here in our city.

1:27

And people might think it's obviously with the Sonics, it's with the Seattle Storm, the Huskies, Seattle U.

1:34

But we know that being from Seattle, that high school basketball is for me the pinnacle of the culture and the heart here in Seattle.

1:44

It's the center, it's the rich traditions, the gyms packed, the legendary coaches, the machine that has cultivated and has elevated basketball players to national attention.

1:58

And it has been a breeding ground of excellence.

2:00

And one of those reasons is for the incredible culture and history here in Seattle is because of Coach Mike Bethia.

2:08

And I want to, I know this is for the Rainer Beach Boys basketball team, but Coach Mike is the Rainer Beach Boys basketball team.

2:15

He's the culture, he's the heart.

2:17

I want to first by thanking Coach Mike and his wife Virginia for making their way down to City Hall.

2:22

Colleagues, I've had the wonderful opportunity of knowing Coach Mike for over 25 years since I was in high school.

2:28

And what I can say is he has state championships, he's coached the best of the best NBA players, division one athletes, everyday kids.

2:36

He's won ten titles for the state champion.

2:40

Ten titles.

2:42

And I asked him in my office.

2:43

I said, who comes close?

2:45

The closest person is five.

2:46

Okay.

2:47

So we're talking about amazingness here.

2:50

And he has coached MBA players, division one athletes every day.

2:53

Um but what I can tell you is that Coach Bethia is a really great man.

2:59

The way he leads with love, how he's connected to people, not just his players, but just the Rainer Beach community.

3:06

He understands that leadership is shared.

3:09

And you saw that with his coaching mentorship of some of his former players on the bench with Jamal Crawford and David King and all these players.

3:18

But someone who is very trusted in our community and who will literally take the shirt off his back to give someone.

3:24

He has fed players knowledge of the game and off the court skills in an environment where so many people have oftentimes written off a community.

3:34

But he knows how special Rayner Beach is, and we are so honored today as council members to present a proclamation for the boys' basketball team for the 12th state champion, no 11th state championship.

3:50

Under that, Coach Mike Bethia has 10 of those.

3:53

Okay.

3:54

Um and so you only get once in a lifetime to experience people as great as this coach.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Homelessness█████████████████████████████████████████████55%
Miscellaneous███████████14%
Procedural███████8%
Personnel Matters█████6%
Public Safety████5%
Youth Programs██2%
Land Use and Zoning██2%
Emergency Preparedness██2%
Arts And Culture██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Seattle City Council Meeting: May 19, 2026

The Seattle City Council met on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, from 2:02 PM to 4:54 PM in the Council Chamber at City Hall. Council President Joy Hollingsworth presided. The meeting began with a proclamation declaring May 19, 2026, as "State Champion Rainier Beach Boys’ Basketball Day," honoring Coach Mike Bethea. The council then heard public comment from 32 speakers (25 in person, 7 remote) and addressed a consent calendar, multiple committee reports, and legislative actions, including the passage of an interim shelter expansion ordinance after debate over three amendments.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes of May 12, 2026 (Min 568) – Approved 9-0.
  • CB 121210 – Ordinance appropriating funds to pay claims for May 4–8, 2026 – Passed 9-0.
  • Appointment of Stan Diddams – Confirmed to the Seattle Public Utilities Customer Review Panel, term to July 31, 2028 – Confirmed 9-0.
  • Appointment of Gabriel Navarro – Confirmed to the Seattle Public Utilities Customer Review Panel, term to July 31, 2028 – Confirmed 9-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Ashley Nerbovig (Purpose Dignity Action) thanked council for collaboration on shelter legislation but flagged concerns about requiring trained security personnel, urging inclusion of care-based safety teams like We Deliver Care.
  • Ivan Gerdes (Share Wheel) opposed amendments A, B, and C, citing that Share Wheel has operated 500 shelter spots for 36 years without paid security. He noted Tent City 5 is moving to a church in the U District on May 26 and stated "Without sheltering people die."
  • Anitra Freeman (Share Wheel) echoed opposition to amendments, praised Councilmember Strauss for removing fences, but raised concerns about cost of multiple kitchens in one camp.
  • Greg Greer (Share Wheel) opposed amendments as limiting shelter creation.
  • Tara Miller (Church Council of Greater Seattle) urged rejection of amendments and support for Mayor Wilson’s shelter expansion, calling for diversion of funds from sweeps to shelter.
  • Julia Beabout (D7 resident) supported shelter expansion but asked to delete the amendment requiring licensed security, praising We Deliver Care. She emphasized the need for robust social services.
  • Charles Kight (Small Business Administration) provided information on disaster assistance loans for businesses and homeowners affected by mid-December storms.
  • Yvette Dinish thanked council for their work and gave cookies.
  • Ruth Dight argued zoning reforms produce few homes and called for limiting short-term rentals, focusing on shelter housing and reducing land speculation.
  • Denise Perez Lally (D1) supported shelter expansion but stressed need for high-support shelters for the 60% of unsheltered with complex needs, thanking Councilmember Rinck for her amendment.
  • Marta Kidane (Low Income Housing Institute) thanked council and asked not to pass amendment A, citing redundancy with existing engagement requirements.
  • Cara Williams (LIHI) echoed opposition to amendment A, supporting other amendments.
  • Scott Buzzard (American Party of Labor) criticized city cameras and police, alleging failure to prevent hate crimes and murders.
  • Kenneth P. criticized SPD’s Starlink contract, questioning its necessity and duration.
  • Margaret Shield (D5, tiny house village advisory committee) urged passage of CB 121195 with the four committee-developed amendments, opposing additional requirements. She had concerns about amendment C’s interpretation.
  • Scott D. Boone (grandson of Dr. Woodin) spoke in support of the Woodin House landmark designation.
  • Bryan Porter (We Deliver Care) emphasized the importance of care-based safety teams over traditional security.
  • Patrick McKee criticized SPD’s Starlink contract with Elon Musk, calling it support for a "Nazi-saluting racist."
  • Howard Gale asked the council to censure Councilmember Strauss for alleged false claims and First Amendment suppression.
  • Aidon Carroll (online) supported shelter expansion but opposed segregation from parks and schools, urged inclusion of RV parks.
  • Jalayna Ruland (reading for Lydia O’Taylor) supported expansion and some amendments but opposed security and neighborhood division amendments.
  • Hannah Whitworth (Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence) appreciated changes to amendment A for DV survivors but noted non-DV shelters still serve survivors and urged redirecting funds to providers.
  • Koncrete Rose (formerly homeless) supported expansion, cautioning against barriers.
  • Rose Legionaires urged declaring a civil emergency for trans refugees following a murder.
  • Hilary Santini (D3) supported shelter expansion but urged increased investment in high-support models.
  • David Haines questioned smoking policies and suggested deploying community service officers instead of for-profit security.
  • Alberto Alvarez urged council to protect First Amendment rights and stop banning speakers for criticism.
  • Kyler Parris commended council for supporting emergency shelter but urged increased capacity for high-support individuals.
  • Nathan Wall criticized Councilmember Strauss for alleged viewpoint discrimination against Howard Gale.
  • Alex Lofton (For Seattle Project) urged shelter expansion designed for people with complex needs, including 24/7 case management and safety teams.
  • Sam Wolff (PDA) thanked council and urged allowing safety teams like We Deliver Care, not limited to traditional security.
  • Hali Willis (Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness) urged voting no on amendments A and B, arguing they don’t produce safety and create unnecessary barriers.
  • Jonathan Toledo referenced the anniversary of Terry Carver’s murder by SPD and criticized police.
  • Bennett defended Howard Gale’s First Amendment rights and asked council to clarify no punishment for his comments.

Discussion Items

  • Proclamation – Council President Hollingsworth proclaimed May 19, 2026, as “State Champion Rainier Beach Boys’ Basketball Day.” Coach Mike Bethea spoke about using basketball to make a difference in young lives.
  • Reappointment of Andrew Lee as General Manager and CEO of Seattle Public Utilities (Appt 034941) – Councilmembers praised his leadership. Confirmed unanimously (9-0). Lee thanked the council and emphasized affordable rates, protecting South Park, and restoring salmon.
  • CB 121202 – Ordinance authorizing amendments to interlocal agreement between SPU and King County Flood Control Zone District for the South Park Interim Flooding Preparedness and Response Program. Passed 9-0. Council President Hollingsworth thanked Councilmember Saka for advocacy.
  • Appointment of Quynh Pham as Director of the Department of Neighborhoods (Appt 034923) – Confirmed unanimously (9-0). Pham spoke about building relationships, accountability, and community engagement.
  • CB 121197 – Ordinance imposing historic preservation controls on the Woodin House and adding it to the landmarks table. Passed 9-0. Councilmember Rivera noted the owner Scott Boone spoke in public comment.
  • CB 121195 – Interim provisions to expand transitional encampment capacity (amending SMC 23.42.054 and 23.42.056). Extensive debate on three amendments:
    • Amendment A (Councilmember Rivera): Allows SDCI and HSD to negotiate additional operating requirements for shelters near schools, using permissive “may” language. Supporters (Kettle, Saka, Juarez, Hollingsworth) argued it provides flexibility and builds trust; opponents (Rinck, Lynn, Foster, Strauss) cited redundancy and lack of HSD consultation. Passed 5-4 (Hollingsworth, Juarez, Kettle, Rivera, Saka in favor; Foster, Lin, Rinck, Strauss opposed).
    • Amendment B (Councilmember Rivera): Requires trained, identifiable overnight security (not 24/7, not third-party). Supporters (Juarez) argued it protects residents; opponents (Foster, Kettle, Saka, Lin, Rinck, Strauss, Hollingsworth) cited costs and overlapping public safety provisions. Failed 2-7 (Juarez, Rivera in favor; all others opposed).
    • Amendment C (Councilmember Strauss): Requires that shelters over a certain size (up to 250) be organized into self-contained neighborhoods to ensure privacy and access to amenities. Supporters (Foster, Strauss, Hollingsworth) argued it prevents warehousing; opponents (Rivera, Kettle, Lin, Rinck, Juarez, Saka) raised concerns about cost and vague “self-contained” language. Failed 4-5 (Foster, Strauss, Saka, Hollingsworth in favor; Juarez, Kettle, Lin, Rinck, Rivera opposed).
    • Final vote on CB 121195 as amended (with Amendment A only): Passed 9-0. Councilmembers made closing remarks emphasizing the need for successful expansion and future permanent legislation.
  • Res 322006 – Arts and Cultural District in Columbia Hillman City neighborhood. Adopted 9-0.
  • Res 322017 – Arts and Cultural District in Georgetown neighborhood. Adopted 9-0. Councilmember Saka highlighted Georgetown’s history and the designation’s importance.

Key Outcomes

  • Proclamation declared May 19, 2026, as “State Champion Rainier Beach Boys’ Basketball Day.”
  • Consent Calendar approved unanimously, including minutes, claims ordinance, and two appointments.
  • Reappointment of Andrew Lee confirmed (9-0).
  • CB 121202 (South Park flood program) passed (9-0).
  • Appointment of Quynh Pham as Director of Department of Neighborhoods confirmed (9-0).
  • CB 121197 (Woodin House landmark) passed (9-0).
  • CB 121195 (shelter expansion) passed as amended (9-0) after Amendment A was adopted (5-4), Amendment B failed (2-7), and Amendment C failed (4-5). A public hearing on permanent regulations will be required within 60 days.
  • Resolutions for arts districts in Columbia Hillman City and Georgetown adopted (9-0 each).
  • No items removed from consent calendar; no other resolutions or business.
  • Adjourned at 4:54 PM.
  • Next meeting: June 2, 2026, at 2:00 PM. Meetings on May 25 (Memorial Day) and May 26 are canceled.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon. The May 19th meeting of the Seattle City Council will come to order. It's 2 02. My name is Joy Hollingsworth. You're council president. Will the court please call the roll? Council Member Rivera. Councilmember Saka. Here. Council Member Strauss. Councilmember Foster. Here. Council Member Warez. Councilmember Chattle. Here. Councilmember Lynn. Here. Councilmember Rink. Present. Council President Hogsworth. Here. Seven presents. Will you call uh Councilmember Rivera one more time during roll call? Oh yes, Councilmember Rivera. Present. Thank you. Awesome. And Councilmember War is excused until she gets here. Colleagues, Councilmember Lynn and I have a proclamation today to present recognizing May 19th as state champion, state champion Rainer Beach Boys Basketball Day. And we are so excited to have Coach Mike Bethia here and his wife Virginia. For the record, Councilmember Warz is here. Colleagues, Seattle has a very rich basketball culture here in our city. And people might think it's obviously with the Sonics, it's with the Seattle Storm, the Huskies, Seattle U. But we know that being from Seattle, that high school basketball is for me the pinnacle of the culture and the heart here in Seattle. It's the center, it's the rich traditions, the gyms packed, the legendary coaches, the machine that has cultivated and has elevated basketball players to national attention. And it has been a breeding ground of excellence. And one of those reasons is for the incredible culture and history here in Seattle is because of Coach Mike Bethia. And I want to, I know this is for the Rainer Beach Boys basketball team, but Coach Mike is the Rainer Beach Boys basketball team. He's the culture, he's the heart. I want to first by thanking Coach Mike and his wife Virginia for making their way down to City Hall. Colleagues, I've had the wonderful opportunity of knowing Coach Mike for over 25 years since I was in high school. And what I can say is he has state championships, he's coached the best of the best NBA players, division one athletes, everyday kids. He's won ten titles for the state champion. Ten titles. And I asked him in my office. I said, who comes close? The closest person is five. Okay. So we're talking about amazingness here. And he has coached MBA players, division one athletes every day.

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