AN ORDINANCE relating to Seattle Public Utilities; amending the title of Chapter 21.76 and Sections 21.76.010, 21.76.020, 21.76.030, 21.76.040, 21.76.050, and 21.76.060 of the Seattle Municipal Code to clarify eligibility rules for the Utility Discount Program to allow tenants of federally subsidized housing with utility allowances to participate in the program, to clarify the manner of providing rate credits for tenants that pay utility costs indirectly through rent, and to update and modify certain program provisions.
Thank you. The bill passes and the chair will sign it. Our part of the Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts Committee. Please, please read the report. The report on Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts Committee Agenda Item two Constable 118687 relating to sale of public utilities and many of the title of chapter 21.76 and sections 21.70 6.010.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60. Of the Seattle Municipal Code to clarify eligibility rules for the Utility Dust Discount Program to allow tenants of federally subsidized housing with utility allowances to participate in the program. To clarify the manner of providing rate credits for tenants that pay utility cost indirectly through rent and update and modify certain program provisions, the committee recommends the bill passed. Councilmember Herbold. Thank you. Currently, residents of FHA, Seattle Housing Authority and the King County Housing Authority under Seattle Municipal Code 2140 90400 are expressly ineligible to participate in the utility discount program. The rationale for this long standing exclusion is a concern that if tenants of federally subsidized housing with utility allowances were enrolled in the utility discount program, the housing authorities themselves would benefit through higher rents because the uty p participation, the utility discount program participation would be counted towards income and the recipients would thus be the housing authorities. We have confirmed the FHA. Through its. Federal guidelines that gives it some flexibility that actually utility participation would utility discount program participation would not be counted under as as income and have clarified that expectation through and a specific memorandum of understanding. And this ordinance both includes the changes necessary in the missile code to allow this, as well as the memorandum of understanding with FHA . The the Seattle Public Utilities is now at liberty to enter into similar agreements with other low income housing providers. In all, we're expecting to be able to see a great increase in the participation in the utility discount program of upwards of 10,000 customers, and that will help us reach our goals here in Seattle to have greater participation . Approaching 30,000 customers. The this particular exclusion in the law has been cited as the second most frequent barrier to to customers in enrolling in the UDP. And the committee recommends that the full council pass with three in favor and unopposed. And I want to also express my thanks to both the mayor's office and Councilmember Sawant for her leadership in this. She will have a companion bill going through her. What has already gone through her committee, I believe, will be coming to full council. For the Seattle. City. Light portion. My portion is only for Seattle Public Utilities, but Councilmember Swan deserves recognition. For her work. In prior years in moving this forward and making sure that we were doing the work with the housing authority to get this in place. So thank you. Thank you for this legislation. Are there any further comments from any of my colleagues? I do want to say this is great leadership form from you and other members of the council. We have to push and push and push the agencies for these utility discounts for both our aging population, our lower income population. And this is, I think, a result of requiring departments and requiring agencies to think creatively on how to get this done. So thank you again. My pleasure. In voting this. Having said that, please call the role on the passage of the bill. Whereas I. O'BRIEN All right, so aren't I. BAGSHAW Hi. Burgess. GONZALEZ Hi. HERBOLD Hi. JOHNSON President. Herald Hi. Nine in favor and unopposed. The bill passes and the chair will sign it. Of the Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts Committee. And I'm sorry. Report of the report of the. And I want to do that one again. Let's do it again. Report of the Energy and Environment Committee. The report at the Energy and Environment Committee. Agenda Item three Council Bill 118 690 relating to the satellite department amending Section 21.40 9.0 40 of the state legislature to remove an exemption from eligibility to the utility discount program for tenants of federally subsidized housing with utility allowances, and to update and modify certain program provisions that can be