[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6185307,"mediaKeyId","5082534-d7b4cd8acfeacced1688f7ea3559c543","parentId",5082534,"title","Seattle council committee convenes retail roundtable to tackle downtown vacancies, safety and recruitment","audioSeconds",5049,"startMs",2176000,"endMs",7225000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5082534-d7b4cd8acfeacced1688f7ea3559c543&start=2176&end=7225","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5082534-d7b4cd8acfeacced1688f7ea3559c543/thumbnail_2176000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6185307/Seattle/King-County/Washington/Seattle-council-committee-convenes-retail-roundtable-to-tackle-downtown-vacancies-safety-and-recruitment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185307-0046434c3d4a1694e09622c139e63876/orig.mp4?Expires=1770770362&Signature=GdNXXEbuShEmCE06NynMgF5CjSoWsMZjxOVj6heobdk2ZujhBRF7T7qk9I6U7I3hUwcn4OYzGCQIXXCfkPFejbJd3PKu1H~Hr3D9pktUVTmTle-keH0tTLrtPyB~gdTpQJbvHozza785A--c0msijBGsRoMFUBBDNpaq2whyWNC4Zu-IOocXortpEAnRibjqUF9jU3Lu2FvUM8wcEZHHZtsfbekxPtSga6DGrO1Mt4GVQqCp0AEUO76CtjvtN0WlWTHFdfcQXKkRKDN2Rhr7DJbAbqa3BzOQdnovE5Z4i6TYsSnxUL3G5IIy2dI8xiuDuNVk5Bd~2~87gTKXN3utnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Seattle City, WA","date","2025-06-26T23:55:50Z","article","Council members and retail stakeholders on Thursday convened a roundtable focused on downtown retail recovery, exploring measures to fill vacant storefronts, recruit compatible tenants and address safety and perception issues that affect customers and sales.

Speakers from the Downtown Seattle Association, the Washington Retail Association, Downtown Works (a retail consulting firm), property owners at Pacific Place, Nordstrom and the Office of the City Attorney all advised the Governance, Accountability and Economic Development Committee on practical steps the city and private sector can take to support brick-and-mortar retail in the downtown core.

John Scholes, president and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association, said a healthy downtown retail sector supports jobs, tax revenue and \"alive and active and safe streets,\" and warned that high vacancy rates were reducing jobs and sales tax revenue. He cautioned that recent proposals at the state or local level that increase operating costs could make Seattle less competitive for large retail tenants: \"The b and o tax proposal that was announced yesterday is not a helpful selling point to our efforts to attract retailers to Seattle.\"

Retail consultants and landlords pushed for a permanent retail advocate role — a salaried \"retail recruiter\" embedded with downtown recovery work to coordinate landlords, prospects and permitting. Midge of Downtown Works described the role as long-term: \"The job of the retail advocate is not to be the deal maker, but is a matchmaker... It takes a long time from the time you meet a retailer till an actual deal is made.\" Tom Boudreaux, Downtown Works operations adviser, urged better coordination among stakeholders, saying multiple parties are spending money and effort that \"doesn't seem to be coalescing through a glue that's holding everyone together.\"

Landlords and local retail operators urged faster permitting, more short-term activation of empty storefronts and pilot parking incentives to bring shoppers downtown. Janelle Jensen of BH Properties, which owns Pacific Place, said streamlining permits and providing one dedicated permit reviewer for large assets would speed tenant fit-outs. She also recommended expanding Seattle Restored-style interim-activation programs to incubate small retailers and attract foot traffic. Pacific Place and other owners noted that many downtown vacancies are large spaces (10,000 to 25,000 square feet) that are costly to fill, requiring creative deal structures often tied to sales reporting.

Laura Bass, store manager at the Nordstrom flagship, urged attention to perception and convenience: \"Having been here for 8 months, I feel like there has been a lot of progress made, but I'm not sure that other people see that... parking is hard. If you're gonna go shopping, if you go to Bellevue or Alderwood... there is free parking.\" Several stakeholders suggested city partnerships to subsidize or better utilize underused garage stalls during off hours.

City Attorney Anne Davidson said prosecutorial focus on repeat offenders has been part of efforts to reduce retail theft. She cited the city's \"high utilizer\" work: \"a 118 individuals were responsible for over 3,500 police referrals,\" and said more focused prosecutions have reduced repeat activity and enabled enforcement. Committee members and retail stakeholders discussed integrating private commercial camera feeds into the city's planned real-time crime center; Council members said private video would be invited into the center to speed investigations.

Council President Sarah Nelson said the council will pursue concrete steps including permitting reforms, evaluating parking pilots and continuing coordination with the Office of Economic Development and Downtown Seattle Association. She noted a piece of legislation authorizing DSA-managed kiosks had passed full council earlier in the week; kiosks would offer local advertising, wayfinding, multilingual information and free Wi-Fi to promote downtown businesses. Council members also flagged upcoming review of an auditor's report on organized retail theft and implementation progress.

The roundtable did not produce formal votes but yielded priorities the council said it would explore further: a long-term retail recruitment position, permit-process improvements, expansion of interim-activation programs, parking pilots to lower barriers for shoppers, and continued partnership on safety measures and camera integration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Seattle City Council Governance, Accountability and Economic Development Committee 6/26/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council committee held a downtown brick-and-mortar retail roundtable with landlords, retailers, the Downtown Seattle Association, and the city attorney to discuss vacant storefronts, a proposed retail advocate role, permitting delays, parking barriers and public-safety efforts including the high-utilizer initiative.","taxTitle","Seattle, King County, Washington","taxId",2543,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6185314,"Committee confirms four reappointments to Labor Standards Advisory Commission",908,1227000,2135000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5082534-d7b4cd8acfeacced1688f7ea3559c543&start=1227&end=2135","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5082534-d7b4cd8acfeacced1688f7ea3559c543/thumbnail_1227000.jpg","/articles/6185314/Seattle/King-County/Washington/Committee-confirms-four-reappointments-to-Labor-Standards-Advisory-Commission","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185314-5bfac97564f451ee7c326ce14385ed0b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770770362&Signature=UFbXuCqbAqpBCswKdMBjC-2dVBW0RgcOEOI~voQU5Rd9KjypX2A6WGXsyXij09dK2ToUyzp8xKRcJGsl98CeivFL9R7K9c3P23bmzKR9LV7Dq8Bua4bEeDMJNoYn~edWl-C0R07LsC529in3JoJPyzUIiscGQ5UXx5NLhGatrIyyMeUnQMR2C8sJBBtDzN~QW6tKmRzaqeZoobR~pxcE5LRoZZj7dmwvbhRGoPRg4QIKsqJKpYSp4pej-qjr1ExndwJFDuReOqyuJHsjYTZEl9Ra81lY8OJBO~ebYw6AHHsJ9i3BbOy~Br3NhYggiNlNyzVzlvIpLtFkiT1hOKKKQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Governance, Accountability and Economic Development Committee on Thursday confirmed four reappointments to the Labor Standards Advisory Commission (LSAC), voting 5-0 to recommend the members for terms through April 30, 2027.

The reappointments — Marissa Baker, Greg Ramirez, Amanda Poucher and Samuel Hilbert — were presented as a slate (appointments 03212, 03213, 03214 and 03215). Diana Salazar of the Office of Labor Standards told the committee LSAC was established in 2016 under Seattle Municipal Code 3.15 and is a 15-member panel that advises city leaders and the Office of Labor Standards on wages, working conditions, worker safety and implementation of nearly 20 city labor ordinances.

Committee members heard brief remarks from each reappointment candidate. Greg Ramirez, identified as deputy director and chief of staff of SEIU 6 Property Services Northwest, said the commission provides a forum to educate workers and businesses about labor rights and to ensure a level playing field. \"It is very important for folks to know what they are entitled to and as well as for businesses to understand what they are obligated to do under the law,\" Ramirez said. Amanda Poucher, a small business owner on Capitol Hill and recently elected LSAC co-chair, said she has focused on outreach and education for businesses. Samuel Hilbert described his small-business experience operating Alul Sellers across multiple Seattle neighborhoods.

The clerk recorded the roll call on the appointments as: Council member Rivera (Aye); Council member Solomon (Aye); Council member Hollingsworth (Yes); Council member Kettle (Aye); Chair Nelson (Aye). Chair Nelson moved confirmation and Council member Kettle seconded.

Diana Salazar emphasized LSAC's statutory charge under SMC 3.15 to recommend efforts to achieve workplace equity for women, communities of color, immigrants, refugees and other vulnerable workers. Committee members praised the mix of labor and business perspectives on the commission and requested continued outreach and education initiatives.

Next steps: the committee's recommendation will proceed to the full council for final confirmation; the chairs invited the appointees to attend if they wish.","The committee unanimously confirmed reappointments of Marissa Baker, Greg Ramirez, Amanda Poucher and Samuel Hilbert to the Labor Standards Advisory Commission, which advises the Office of Labor Standards on wages, working conditions and workplace equity under SMC 3.15.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6185318,"Committee recommends Kai Smith for Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission",458,728000,1186000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5082534-d7b4cd8acfeacced1688f7ea3559c543&start=728&end=1186","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5082534-d7b4cd8acfeacced1688f7ea3559c543/thumbnail_728000.jpg","/articles/6185318/Seattle/King-County/Washington/Committee-recommends-Kai-Smith-for-Seattle-Ethics-and-Elections-Commission","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185318-4c1eb19324ba5894f3c038fcdb442318/orig.mp4?Expires=1770770362&Signature=Ka070iUhR0x88o8MzTRYMEpp2Sv2u~OfpLIiWH-GC0Jaa81dllWGuKmUGjDdo0i8wVXBZeD12fBTqiekD94P0-4~xD1sDjDc0k9pe1eaCmI2dIvBexu~u8BLCpllP04bhQuXUhTjz5CNQ6ZMgFXnMzFprG9xMl-au66GiMQNd3luDnG0W~-5BkiJ9Z3iP1KzDHYy2~f0PqbM0c05gai9~N9bhw5MYpCouskYEWSZkVt78x0Mtkhp4xpogOMJ6-GXPTl6~sWfTnav1f6m7YW27-d1PvneVjXwyMRXEenFwneykuqzdcJ2GTxARMz8EAWizxOPiQMwijVJHXow~BXgOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Governance, Accountability and Economic Development Committee on Thursday recommended the mayoral appointment of Kai Smith to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission for a term through Dec. 31, 2027.

The panel's recommendation moves the nomination to the full City Council for final confirmation; committee members voted 4-0 to advance the appointment. Chair Sarah Nelson told Smith the full council vote would be held the following Tuesday, not the coming Tuesday.

The Ethics and Elections Commission enforces the city's ethics code, elections code, lobbying code and whistleblower protection rules. Wayne Barnett, executive director of the commission, introduced Smith and said the commission's \"main role is, like, educating folks on those and also enforcing those.\" Smith, a partner at Pacifica Law Group, said he was \"honored to be nominated and looking forward to serving the city of Seattle in this capacity if I'm approved.\"

Committee members asked about the commission's workload during election years; Barnett said the office sees a sharp rise in complaints during the months leading up to elections, noting he expects to \"receive many more complaints in the next 4 months than I've received probably the other 2 years combined.\" Committee members said Smith's litigation and election-work experience fit the commission's needs.

The committee recorded the roll call as: Council member Andrew Solomon (Aye); Council member Sara Hollingsworth (Yes); Council member Kettle (Aye); Chair Sarah Nelson (Aye). The motion \"to proceed with a vote\" was moved by Chair Sarah Nelson and seconded by Council member Kettle.

If confirmed by the full council, Smith will join commission staff and members who administer and enforce Seattle's local codes on campaign, lobbying and whistleblower matters.

Next steps: the committee forwarded the nomination to the full City Council for a final confirmation vote.","The Governance, Accountability and Economic Development Committee voted unanimously to recommend the mayoral appointment of Kai Smith to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission; the commission enforces the city's ethics, elections, lobbying and whistleblower rules.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Seattle council committee convenes retail roundtable to tackle downtown vacancies, safety and recruitment

Committee confirms four reappointments to Labor Standards Advisory Commission

Committee recommends Kai Smith for Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission