Seattle’s new transportation plan makes a big deal about making the city’s sidewalks better and adding new ones to the remaining areas without. Cal Anderson Park is out in front on things.
Capitol Hill’s central park is starting spring with its buckled eastern edge lined by a smooth new sidewalk and new solutions to help save the space’s Red Sunset Maples. Meanwhile, city officials are meeting with area business representatives and organizations with hopes to address larger questions around public safety on the park’s west side.
On the east, the Seattle Department of Transportation’s three-block project combined a variety of strategies including moving some areas of sidewalk, installing metal sidewalks that can leave more space for roots, and planting more trees along the park in an effort to replace cracked and buckled sections of sidewalk while preserving the park’s canopy. Continue reading →
District 3 representative Joy Hollingsworth will be joined by officials from the mayor’s office and the Seattle Police Department at a community meeting next week on Capitol Hill to discuss ongoing efforts to address public safety concerns.
The Tuesday, February 20th meeting follows a session held last month in the Central District as Hollingsworth has pledged to host monthly community gatherings around the district to address concerns ranging from deadly gun violence and drug overdoses to day to day property crime and street safety.
“Most of the email we get in from our email box is public safety,” Hollingsworth told the Central District crowd last month as the first-term councilmember and her office staff fielded questions and concerns from attendees, tried to offer some information and solutions, and pledged to continue listening to the issues. Continue reading →
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With the race for the District 3 seat on the Seattle City Council to replace veteran representative Kshama Sawant in the home stretch and ballots for the November 7th election hitting mailboxes this week, every question seems to come around to a single issue: public safety.
In last week’s debate at the Broadway Performance Hall, the candidates were asked to rate their feeling of safety in Seattle on a 1 to 10 scale.
“I’m at a 1,” Joy Hollingsworth said, choosing the lowest end of the range for a city she says has public safety concerns at the top of every campaign issues — homelessness, addiction, affordability, and, yes, crime.
“I don’t need to fear monger,” she said, saying she supports the Harrell administration’s plan to increase Seattle’s police force by more than 50%.
Her challenger tried to take a more Seattle approach. Alex Hudson refused to provide a number to the TV news reporters brought in by the Seattle City Club and the GSBA to moderate the D3 debate. Instead, the candidate attempted nuance. Depending on the day, she said, she sees too much disorder. Her solutions? In her minute, Hudson described a Seattle social safety net that extended far beyond the walls of the East Precinct with shelters and housing “making sure everyone can come inside,” addiction treatment at “health hubs,” and the creation of an “effective alternative response to police officers.”
Pressed again, Hudson still would not put a number on her public safety rating for the city. She said crime left her sad and disappointed, “sometimes afraid,” but she refused to put a number on that fear. Continue reading →
Development, equity, and public safety — These are major issues in the 2023 race for the District 3 seat on the Seattle City Council. Turns out, you can learn a lot about the D3 candidates by asking about something else altogether — Seattle’s parks. Thanks to the Seattle Parks Foundation, we have answers to nine questions about the city’s public greenspaces from D3 candidates Joy Hollingsworth and Alex Hudson that help illustrate each candidate’s style and stances on key questions about the city’s parks system that also shine light on how each candidate would help lead the city.
For Hollingsworth, her thoughts on Seattle parks start with growing up in the Central District and her father’s long career as a Seattle Parks employee. The candidate says the biggest issue facing the city’s parks right now is public safety while she also addresses how she believes parks fit into her primary stance on social investments — “centering essential city services and expanding root cause investments for safe and thriving communities.” Other answers highlight her commitment to increasing efforts to address climate change and grow the city’s tree canopy in underserved communities as she hopes to champion growth strategies that balance preservation of existing communities. “The gentrification of my own neighborhood and displacement of Black families is a painful lesson for the City and community leaders that thoughtful planning is critical to successful urbanism,” Hollingsworth says.
Hudson’s parks perspectives offer a more forward-looking approach shaped by her time serving on the board of the Freeway Park Association. In her answers, Hudson places parks within her strategies for building a more dense, more affordable Seattle that also places a high value on greenspace and the tree canopy by dedicating more existing streetspace to become parks and mixing more multistory affordable housing into areas near parks. “We must reclaim more of our streetscape and return it to the people as greenspace. We must create more parks and protect the ones we have,” Hudson says. “High density development is necessary because the alternative is sprawl and further destruction of what little greenspace we currently have.”
Hudson also calls for more resources to be dedicated to activating and programming in the city’s most important existing parks including Cal Anderson. “Our parks are some of the places where our toughest social issues play out – homelessness, mental and behavioral health challenges, and by supporting programs like the Rangers, investing in REACH and other outreach workers, and supporting healthy activation we can ensure they are safe and welcoming for everyone,” Hudson says.
Hollingsworth: I grew up in the historic Central District neighborhood, where I still live today and rent the home that my grandmother purchased in the 1940’s with my wife, Iesha. While the neighborhood has changed immensely over the past four decades, one thing that hasn’t changed is the community building and fellowship that takes place in our parks and public spaces. My favorite Seattle Park is Garfield Playfield and Community Center. I spent every summer as a child growing up in programming at Garfield. To this day, I still stay connected with Ms. Shari Watts, the former Director of Garfield Community Center. It was Garfield where I have rich memories of my childhood, where I felt at home and in community. Garfield Playfield and Community Center was also one of the Seattle Parks that my dad, who was a career-long Seattle Parks employee, fought to ensure had the same investments and resources as parks in wealthier parts of Seattle. On City Council, I want every youth to have the opportunity that I did to access programming, enjoy safe parks and public spaces, and experience community.
Hudson: Wow, I’m not even sure I know how to pick! I’ve served on the board of the Freeway Park Association for a decade, and I love that park’s iconic architecture and innovation, especially how its lidding of a section of I-5 created this beautiful space. I helped to lead a community re-design of First Hill Park and feel an incredible appreciation for our little jewel box park that serves so many people. And I feel so lucky to live in District 3, with our abundance of Olmstead legacy park riches at Cal Anderson, Volunteer, and Interlaken parks. Continue reading →
Seattle’s efforts to shape the city’s 2024 spending plan are beginning with a proposal from Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office that he says “doubles downs” on his administration’s priorities with a more than 30% increase in planned affordable housing funding, maintaining the city’s more than $100 million in annual funding for the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, and $26.5 million to boost the newly formed Community Assisted Response and Engagement departments. But the proposal’s largest components including spending for the city’s existing first responders at Seattle Police and the Seattle Fire Department would be maintained at status quo levels.
“Seattle is a different city than when I took office nearly two years ago – we are continuing to see real progress, even while acknowledging the complex challenges still before us. Many of our toughest issues can’t be solved overnight but with a plan and solid investment strategy, we can show meaningful progress towards building the One Seattle we want to see,” Harrell said in the announcement of his 2024 budget proposal. “This budget doubles down on the priorities that matter for the city, focusing on critical needs like public safety and homelessness, supporting downtown and a healthy climate, and embracing a back-to-basics philosophy needed to advance Seattle’s economy, quality of life, and the essential city services residents deserve.”
The budget planning comes in a city facing challenged revenue forecasts in coming years. A workgroup convened to brainstorm possible “alternative revenue” sources has proposed options including capital gains, vacancy, and congestion pricing taxes. For now, the city is working with what it has including its more than $200 million a year JumpStart tax on its largest employers like Amazon and Starbucks.
(Image: The Rise)
Harrell made his budget speech Tuesday from First Hill at a newly opened affordable high-rise housing development on surplus Sound Transit land at Madison and Boylston, “these buildings represent the kind of outcomes we’re trying to achieve,” the mayor said. CHS reported here in May at the opening of the joint project from Plymouth Housing and Bellwether Housing where Plymouth operates Blake House on floors two through five with a total of 112 studio apartments focused on serving seniors and veterans who have experienced chronic homelessness while Bellwether operates The Rise on Madison on floors six through 17 with “250 homes affordable to families making 60% or less of area median income.”
“These projects provide affordable housing for our neighbors and bring people who have experienced chronic homelessness indoors with the support they need to live healthy, fulfilling lives,” Harrell said.
The proposed budget now moves to the Seattle City Council for weeks of public comment, debate, additions, and subtractions.
Seattle’s operating budget reached $5.92 billion in 2023 with just over 40% of that earmarked for transportation infrastructure, utilities, and environment spending, and nearly 24% for administration at City Hall. The single biggest category beyond that base remains Public Safety at nearly 14% or $805.4 million. Its capital budget climbed to $1.51 billion in one-time spending and improvement projects.
In total, the mayor’s proposal calls for $7.386 billion in spending — down slightly from 2023’s approved $7.433 billion budget.
A view from the 8th floor of the under construction Heartwood development, an affordable mass-timber apartment building from Community Roots Housing at 14th and Union (Image: atelierjones)
The mass timber Heartwood’s central stairs (Image: atelierjones)
Housing, and how to make more of it across the state, has been the driving theme in Olympia’s 2023 session. While some proposals fell flat, others including what amounts to an end to single-family zoning, pushed through and look likely to become law. There were, of course, dozens of other laws passed this session, and a budget is still pending.
The Legislature is set to adjourn April 23. In a budget year, like this one, whether or not a given bill is dead is tougher to pin down. There are a number of cutoff dates built into the system, and in theory, a bill needs to meet those dates, which typically involve being passed by either the senate or house. If it doesn’t meet the date, it won’t become law. However, if a bill has budget implications, then it can be revived even if it missed the dates. And since virtually everything has some budget implication, virtually everything can be brought back.
With that in mind, these are where many efforts stand as of the writing of this story, but, some things that seem dead make yet be revived, we won’t know for sure until adjournment. For details about any of the bills in the story, go here, and enter the bill number.
Keep in mind the session is not over. If you see something up in the air that you find compelling, now is the time to contact your legislators, state Reps. Nicole Macri and Frank Chopp, and state Sen. Jamie Pedersen.
(Image: seattle.gov)
HOUSING Washington needs about 1 million new homes by 2044, according to the state Dept. of Commerce. To open up options for more housing, the Legislature has decided to, essentially, end single-family zoning as we know it across much of the state with HB 1110. Cities with populations more than 25,000 will need to allow for at least duplexes on every lot. Cities with populations of greater than 75,000 will need to allow at least four houses on every lot. Some of the space is to be set aside for affordable housing. There are some exceptions and fine print surrounding environmentally critical areas and other specially designated areas. Cities will also be required to allow at least six of nine so-called middle housing types. These are all varieties of more density than single-family, without going full blown apartment building. The state defines them as: duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, fiveplexes, sixplexes, townhouses, stacked flats, courtyard apartments, and cottage housing. All this adds up to lots of potential infill development in the coming years.
This does not mean, however, the bulldozers are going to start rumbling toward the big old houses in North Capitol Hill, let alone the rest of the city. Just because a type of building is allowed does not mean it is required. Homeowners can continue to live in their existing houses. They can tear down an existing house and replace it with another single family house if they so desire. This simply mean they would have the option of tearing down the single-family house, and replacing it with more units. In land use circles, the general expectation is that over time, most properties are eventually are built out to the highest density levels permitted and practical, though it can take a generation of more before it actually happens. Continue reading →
The Seattle City Council’s public safety committee Tuesday is being briefed on the effort to upgrade the 911 emergency dispatch system in the city including incorporating a new pilot program that deploys social workers and behavioral health specialists with Seattle Police officers for a limited set of circumstances when mental health expertise is needed and the situation is deemed safe for non-police intervention.
The new $1.5 million “dual dispatch” program will begin a process of dispatching “civilian staff to augment the current response to 911 calls with a mental/behavioral health nexus,” the city said, “strengthening our public safety network by diversifying our 911 response options.” Continue reading →
You have until the end of the month to add your feedback to the annual survey process Seattle Police says it utilizes to help shape its approach to policing specific communities and neighborhoods in the city.
The annual Seattle Public Safety Surveyrun by Seattle University’s Crime and Justice Research Center and promoted through SPD’s social media channels including the deal the department maintains with the Nextdoor service is open through November 30th at publicsafetysurvey.org.
With questions on topics including SPD officer respect for “basic rights,” honesty, local trust, and “pride” in the department, the survey is part crime issue reporting, part customer service feedback. Continue reading →
Seattle added a new Black Lives Matter outside City Hall in 2021 (Image: City of Seattle)
The Seattle City Council put a bow on the city’s annual budget session Monday with a vote approving the $7.1 billion spending plan marked by increased spending on the city’s three major crises: affordable housing, homelessness and addiction, and COVID-19 recovery. There were plenty of echoes of recent budget sessions past including a major tangle over ultimately minor changes to Seattle Police, and, yes, another year without unanimous approval as District 3 representative Kshama Sawant continued her long-running practice of voting against the final spending package.
Like last year, Sawant blasted colleagues and budget chair Teresa Mosqueda Monday for an unwillingness to make more substantial changes to the way Seattle spends its revenue. The big change, Sawant said, is how her fellow council members were spinning the numbers, saying last year’s budget “was described by the same council members as on track to defund the police by 50%, which was not true.” This time around, Sawant said she could not join the council’s efforts when “the police budget is actually growing.”
Sawant is facing a December 7th recall vote in a campaign that has focused as much on her political style as the charges brought against her.
Overall, the council’s final 2022 budget package includes $355 million for SPD, a $7 million cut from 2021 and $10 million less than Mayor Jenny Durkan’s plan called for. Continue reading →
The first big outlay from Mayor Jenny Durkan’s $30 million Equitable Communities Initiative will address public safety in BIPOC communities. Meanwhile, the mayor’s office says Durkan is set to unveil a new plan for how it responds to some 911 calls in the city as part of efforts to “reimagine policing and community safety.”
Friday, Durkan is set to unveil the planned creation of “a new specialized triage response program” to provide “an alternative model for some 911 calls.”
“Analyzing the data of 9-1-1 calls and recognizing the hiring challenges of sworn officers facing the Seattle Police Department, Mayor Durkan, SPD, SFD, and CSCC are proposing a series of plans to maintain 9-1-1 response while reducing the need for a sworn officer response in some calls,” the Durkan administration announcement reads.
Earlier this week, Durkan’s office announced $10.4 million in one-time funding for 18 months for 33 organizations “working toward community-led solutions to end violence and increase safety in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.”
“These investments will support organizations providing an array of programs, services, and upstream investments meant to improve outcomes and contribute to overall community safety and wellbeing,” the Durkan administration announcement reads. Continue reading →
Seattle’s new transportation plan makes a big deal about making the city’s sidewalks better and adding new ones to the remaining areas without. Cal Anderson Park is out in front on things.
