April 18, 2012 Via Electronic Submission Seattle City Council Sally J. Clark, Council President - sally.clark@seattle.

gov Sally Bagshaw - sally.bagshaw@seattle.gov Tim Burgess - tim.burgess@seattle.gov Richard Conlin - richard.conlin@seattle.gov Jean Godden - jean.godden@seattle.gov Bruce A. Harrell - bruce.harrell@seattle.gov Nick Licata - nick.licata@seattle.gov Mike O'Brien - mike.obrien@seattle.gov Tom Rasmussen - tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov Re: Proposed Yesler Terrace Redevelopment Plan Dear Seattle City Council Members: On April 16, 2012, the Seattle City Council meeting agenda included presentation and testimony from Seattle Housing officials about the proposed Yesler Terrace Housing redevelopment plan. A month earlier, my March 19, 2012 letter to Seattle Housing Authority, Department of Planning and Development, and Seattle Public Schools formally raised serious concerns about the negative impact of the planned forced displacement of the vulnerable youth and families of the Yesler Terrace, including their right to return to low-income housing; the increased risk of lost educational opportunity of displaced Yesler Terrace youth; and lost community support and childcare services. (See March 19th Letter.) Accordingly, the April 16th testimony at the council meeting was alarming in that it indicated no sufficient affirmative steps taken within the past month to: (1) guarantee and protect the current Yesler Terrace residents right of return; (2) safeguard against the foreseeable threat of lost educational opportunities for displaced Yesler Terrace youth; and (3) ensure ongoing community support services, including childcare. It is simply unacceptable to forcefully displace these vulnerable Yesler Terrace residents and wish them luck without a comprehensive plan to provide support and services that protect their fundamental rights, an approach taken with earlier Seattle public housing redevelopments. Indeed, the April 16th council presentation touted Lessons Learned from earlier Hope VI public housing redevelopments, which indicated a rate of return of pre-existing residents at New Holly, Rainier Vista, and High Point housing sites of only 30% or less. Under astute questioning from council members, it was telling that the housing officials did not have any solid data regarding the outcomes of the missing 70%. Again, to repeat history with the forced displacement of vulnerable Yesler Terrace youth and families is simply unacceptable.

As I indicated in my March 19th letter:

The City/Seattle Housing Authority needs to assess the Yesler Terrace Redevelopment Plans Race, Ethnicity, National Origin, Disability, Families, and Youth Impact at all stages of the Yesler Terrace Redevelopment to ensure that the residents are not disenfranchised of their rights to fair housing opportunities and civil rights. Such an impact assessment is necessary to ensure transparency and accountability throughout the process.

Ive attached my March 19th letter and subsequent April 16th letter to the Seattle Public Schools, in which I detail the moral and legal issues and responsibilities raised as a direct consequence of the Citys pending forced displacement of vulnerable youth and family residents of the Yesler Terrace Housing. Thank you for your attention to these important public interest issues. I am available to discuss these matters further with you in any setting, either individually or as a group. Sincerely, /s/ Ernest Saadiq Morris, Esq. Director, Urban Youth Justice Initiative www.UrbanYouthJustice.org Law Office: www.DefendMyRight.com P.O. Box 45637 Seattle, WA 98145 Tele/Fax: (888) 938-7770 Attachments: March 19th Letter - [3.19.12.letter.SHA_DPD_SPS_YeslerTerrace_Redevelop.pdf] April 16th Letter - [4.16.12.Letter.SPSchools_Yesler Terrace Displaced Students.pdf]