The Seattle City Council Select Budget Committee convened Tuesday for a dual session of public hearings on the proposed 2026 budget, fielding intense and often emotional testimony regarding urgent funding needs for housing, social services, and public safety.

The city is currently navigating significant financial constraints, including the need to close a structural budget deficit of approximately $140 million for 2026, the second year of a two-year biennium budget. Concerns regarding funding are heightened due to reported cuts by President Trump to essential federal programs like Medicare, food access, and healthcare. Mayor Bruce Harrell has proposed a $9 billion balanced budget for 2026, which includes substantial investments in areas like affordable housing ($349.5 million) and homelessness response ($225 million).

The committee, chaired by Council Member Dan Strauss, was in attendance along with Council Members Hollingsworth, Kettle, Saka, Rink, Rivera, and Solomon. Council President Nelson and Council Member Warz were excused.

Housing and Homelessness Dominate Testimony

The in-person public hearing, which started at 5:00 p.m., saw a large turnout of residents and advocates primarily focused on preventing homelessness and supporting successful reentry programs.

Calls for Rental Assistance and Housing Stabilization

Multiple speakers representing the Low-Income Housing Institute (LIHI) stressed the critical need for increased tenant-based rental assistance. Providers are currently struggling with rising operating costs and tenants are facing economic and housing shocks.

Advocates, including those from LIHI, urged the Council to allocate $21 million (or $21.4 million) total for tenant-based rental assistance for nonprofit affordable housing providers. Specifically, they requested that $10 million be dedicated to the Office of Housing to help stabilize its current portfolio. Speakers shared personal stories of how affordable housing has allowed them to afford rent and gain dignity after being unhoused.

LEAD and CO-LEAD Success Stories Highlight Effectiveness

A significant number of participants provided testimony detailing the life-changing impact of the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) and Community-Led Engagement and Dignity (CO-LEAD) programs.

CO-LEAD participants and staff, including director of outreach Nicole Alexander and housing specialist Erica Fracham, affirmed that the program provides a continuum of care, walking alongside individuals from encampment to permanent housing and stabilization.

Several graduates of the CO-LEAD program shared personal success stories:

• Brent Donner reported being 18 months sober, nearly a junior in college with a 3.65 GPA, and having secured his own apartment, crediting CO-LEAD with giving him transitional housing and time to start over.

• Jeff Towel explained that since coming under CO-LEAD’s shelter system, his life has completed a "180," enabling him to apply for disability, obtain necessary documents, and regain self-esteem.

• Dwight, a former chronically homeless individual for over 20 years, highlighted that LEAD was the first agency to treat him "like a human being," restoring his hope.

A senior project manager for the Seattle LEAD program, Christopher Archipoli, cited data showing the program’s efficacy, including a 58% reduction in recidivism and an average of $2,100 in cost savings to the legal system per participant.

Shelter Closures Imminent

Representatives from the shelter community, including Alan Leine (a member of Tent City 3), warned that defunding homeless outreach programs "will kill people" and noted that 186 unsheltered homeless people have already died in King County this year.

Tent City 3 has a deadline of October 25th, and Tent City 4 (in Lake City) has a deadline of November 15th to move, risking the loss of approximately 200 shelter beds. Kay Bassite and Hillary Pingerton, both residents of Tent City 4, pleaded for emergency funding and a place to live.

Moral Documents and Progressive Revenue

Several participants, often associated with the Church Council of Greater Seattle or the Seattle Solidarity Budget, framed the city's budget as a "moral document".

Speakers, including Joey Lopez and Celia Castle, argued that Seattle has a revenue problem, not an expense problem. They urged the Council to embrace progressive revenue sources and invest in community-led solutions such as food security, affordable housing, mental health, and substance abuse treatment, rather than expanding surveillance and policing.

Nathan Wall, a resident of Holly Park, stated that public safety increases when material needs like housing, food, and education are met.

Other Key Funding Requests

The committee also heard specific funding requests:

• Office of Labor Standard (OLS): Paul, a resident of District 3 with the Asia-Pacific American Labor Alliance, asked for full funding for OLS to continue outreach and education, noting Seattle’s progressive labor standards.

• Library Funding: Brian Lawrence, CEO of the Seattle Public Library Foundation, asked the Council to safeguard funding, noting proposed cuts of $5 million in capital projects for the Seattle Public Library (SPL).

• Meal Programs: Gerald Murphy of OSL Serves and Jason Austin of the Meals Partnership Coalition asked for increased funding for meal programs, noting that demand had increased by 140% at places like Aurora Commons.

• Gender-Based Violence (GBV): Leslie Stewart and Amarintha Torres urged the Council to invest $1 million in GBV programs via the proposed public safety sales tax and to include GBV in the HSD reserve fund to mitigate potential federal cuts.

• Waterfront Park: Joy Shigaki requested protection of $500,000 in Office of Economic Development funding for the waterfront shuttle to ensure accessibility for locals.

Committee Proceedings and Next Steps

The Chair noted that the new one-minute time limit for speakers was likely too short.

The next step for the Select Budget Committee is a vote on the public safety sales tax. Chair Strauss noted that this item would be voted out of committee ahead of the other 25 pieces of budget legislation. The next formal public hearing is tentatively scheduled for November 6th.