Memo
Date:

February 1, 2019

To:

Honorable Sally Bagshaw, Chair, Finance and Neighborhoods Committee
Honorable Lorena González, Vice Chair, Finance and Neighborhoods Committee
Honorable Bruce Harrell, Finance and Neighborhoods Committee
Kirstan Arestad, Director, Council Central Staff

From:

Andrés Mantilla, Director, Department of Neighborhoods
Samuel Assefa, Director, Office of Planning and Community Development
Karl Stickel, Interim Director, Office of Housing
Calvin Goings, Director, Finance and Administrative Services

Cc:

Anthony Auriemma, Legislative Director, Mayor’s Office

Subject:

Mutually Offsetting Benefit Leases SLI 12-3-A-1-2019 Status Update

Over the last year, an interdepartmental team (IDT) consisting of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods
(DON), the Office of Economic Development (OED), the Office of Planning and Development (OPCD) and
Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) have been in close conversations with community-based nonprofits and organizations to determine organizational readiness for property ownership transfer of Mutually
Offsetting Benefit (MOBs) buildings. There are six Mutually Offsetting Benefit (“MOB”) facilities, including
the Central Area Senior Center (CASC), Byrd Barr Place, Greenwood Senior Center (operated by the Phinney
Neighborhood Association), the South Park Information and Resource Center, the Southeast Health Clinic,
and the Northwest Senior Center.
Through these discussions, the IDT is developing criteria to evaluate and determine organizational readiness
for possible property ownership transfer to current MOB tenants. These criteria will include analysis of
public benefit eligibility, development feasibility, operational sustainability, evidence of financial and
technical capability, and community consultation. We believe that these draft criteria will be ready to
transmit to City Council by March.
In addition to the above action, DON and OPCD are also engaged in a Racial Equity Toolkit (RET) regarding
the South Park Neighborhood Center. This process includes building tenants, community members and
community organizations with an interest in continued community stewardship and possible ownership
models for the building.

600 Fourth Avenue, 4th Floor   PO Box 94649   Seattle, WA 98124-4649   206-684-0464   seattle.gov/neighborhoods