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AN ORDINANCE establishing the King County citizens' advisory commission on homeless encampments.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Establishment - definition. The King County citizens' advisory commission on homeless encampments is hereby established. For the purposes of this ordinance, "the commission" means the King County citizens' advisory commission on homeless encampments.
SECTION 2. Purpose. The commission shall study, identify options and make recommendations to the executive and council on the following issues:
A. A needs assessment for homeless encampments, including an analysis of homeless shelters in King County and the date and time when demand for shelters have exceeded available space;
B. Policy and procedural guidelines for determining the location of future homeless encampments;
C. Options, including an analysis of the potential advantages and disadvantages, for locating homeless encampments on public land in King County; and
D. Options, including an analysis of the potential advantages and disadvantages, for locating homeless encampments on private land in King County.
SECTION 3. Membership - appointment process, requirements.
A. The commission shall consist of twenty-two members, including eighteen voting members and four advisory members. In accordance with K.C.C. 2.28.002, the members shall be appointed by the executive and confirmed by the council by motion.
B. The eighteen members shall consist of the following:
1. Thirteen members who are citizens, each representing one of the thirteen council districts. Of the thirteen citizen members, the executive shall select the appointee representing a council district from a list of names forwarded by the councilmember representing that district to the executive;
2. Two members from community-based organizations, which may include but are not necessarily limited to faith-based organizations, of which at least one member shall reside in a city located in King County with a population less than five hundred thousand;
3. One member who represents the municipal government of a city located in King County with a population less than five hundred thousand;
4. One member who represents the city of Seattle; and
5. One member who represents King County.
C. The four advisory members shall consist of the following:
1. One member from a human services organization that deals with homeless issues;
2. One member from a human services organization that deals with housing issues;
3. One member from the law enforcement community with experience working with homeless encampments; and
4. One member who is employed by Seattle-King County public health.
D. All appointees should have:
1. An ability to work with differing viewpoints to find solutions to complex problems; and
2. A willingness to commit the time necessary to attend commission meetings, public hearings and other activities necessary to complete the purpose of the commission.
E. An appointee shall not hold or be a candidate for elected office while serving on the commission.
F. The executive shall transmit to the council the appointments to the commission, including names and contact information of the twenty-two commission members, by June 7, 2004.
SECTION 4. Public hearing requirements. The commission shall hold a minimum of two public hearings at different locations in the county to solicit input from the general public. The public hearings shall be widely advertised in the media and through appropriate existing county distribution lists.
SECTION 5. Recommendations - referral to the committee-of-the-whole. Any policy recommendations issued by the commission that require council approval shall be referred to the committee-of-the-whole for review and consideration.
SECTION 6. Reporting requirements. The commission shall file with the clerk of the council, for distribution to all councilmembers, a final written report by August 15, 2004, including a needs assessment and recommendations on the issues identified in section 2 of this ordinance. Each recommendation shall include justification and reasoning supporting the conclusion.
SECTION 7. Staffing and operations.
A. The commission shall appoint two members to serve as cochairs of the body.
B. The executive shall provide professional staff support to the commission. The executive shall designate staff persons with the appropriate level of expertise and experience necessary to support the commission.
C. County staff persons in all departments and all branches of government shall be available to answer questions and provide information to the commission.
D. The prosecuting attorney's office shall provide legal assistance to the commission.
SECTION 8. Parking. The county shall provide parking space free of charge in the county garage to commission members while attending meetings where commission business is conducted.
SECTION 9. Locating homeless encampments on county-owned property before adoption of policies. The county shall not identify county-owned property for locating homeless encampments or locate homeless encampments on county-owned property prior to September 15, 2004.
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