The last 16 months have been incredibly challenging - Seattle was the first city in the country to feel the effects of COVID-19, and at the time - we had no national leadership or playbook to combat this virus and keep our communities safe.
Still, we worked quickly to protect the health and safety of our communities, and to-date, Seattle has the lowest COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths of any major American city, and we were the first major city in the country to fully vaccinate 70 percent of its eligible residents.
These incredible successes are because of Seattle residents and workers who prioritized community safety. At the beginning, we stayed home to curb the spread, and when the time came, you all got vaccinated.
We still have much more work ahead to ensure that Seattle will have an equitable recovery. This week, I signed into law our jointly proposed Seattle Rescue Plan, which will surge $128 million to neighborhoods and families across Seattle. This plan lays the foundation for our recovery to build back more just and equitable for families, neighborhoods, and small businesses across Seattle.
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The Seattle Rescue Plan also addresses one of the parts of the city hit hard since the beginning of the pandemic: our downtown including Chinatown-International District and Pioneer Square. Our downtown has 14,000 small businesses, hubs of our arts and cultural organizations, home to hundreds of thousands of residents and workers, and amazing places like the Waterfront, Pike Place Market, T-Mobile, Lumen Field, and soon to be the new Seattle Climate Pledge Arena.
According to our partners the Downtown Seattle Association, more than 450 businesses have permanently closed downtown since the pandemic began. Those represent livelihoods lost, families disrupted, and elements of our Seattle fabric completely changed.
That’s why we have launched new efforts across the City to bring new workers, small businesses, and visitors back downtown. Using Seattle Rescue Plan investments, we’re investing $9 million in four key strategies identified by the City and our downtown partners:
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Increasing events, concerts, performances, and programming at our parks and venues throughout the entire summer
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Reopening small businesses and cultural organizations with new grants and new opportunities like outdoor dining and temporary pop-ups in vacant storefronts
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Supporting a summer and fall return for workers by focusing on transit, public safety and homelessness
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Increasing graffiti and trash cleanup and beautification efforts
We can’t bring back our downtown and neighborhoods alone. I’m calling on Seattleites to bring their civic and city pride to our recovery efforts. Our downtown small businesses, cultural institutions, and workers need our support – they can’t reopen or recover without us. Downtown is Seattle’s economic engine and heartbeat, and it’s up to us to help it come back better than ever for all those who live, work, or visit.
I’ll soon announce new programs that I hope will make many of you want to enjoy downtown – and experience our beautiful Seattle summers on the waterfront, get dinner at a downtown restaurant, and explore Pioneer Square’s art galleries.
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan and downtown Seattle community leaders announced the Road to Downtown Recovery plan, which includes new efforts and investments to bring workers, small businesses, and visitors back downtown. Using Seattle Rescue Plan investments and other federal funds, the City will invest more than $9 million in downtown recovery projects, including efforts to address empty storefronts, direct cash assistance to downtown small businesses, and workforce development programs for un- or under-employed downtown hospitality workers. Private partners – including the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) and Visit Seattle – are committing $7.4 million this year for other efforts including marketing, events, and cleaning. For the purposes of this recovery effort, the City’s definition of downtown spans from Seattle Center to the Stadium District and I-5 to the Waterfront.
Click the photo for an interactive map of the City’s cooling centers
As the National Weather Service has forecasted an excessive heat watch with record-breaking temperatures from Friday, June 25 through Tuesday, June 29, the City of Seattle will be opening more than 30 “cooling centers” including senior centers, community centers, libraries, day/hygiene, and an emergency shelter in addition to beaches, pools, spray parks, and wading pools. All locations and hours of operation vary. Temperatures across Seattle metro area are forecast to reach the mid-100’s by Monday, a record-breaking day.
With the next few days bringing record-breaking heat to Seattle, we have put together a list of air-conditioned arts organizations you can visit to experience the vibrant arts and culture in our city all while staying cool!
This week, Mayor Durkan signed the Waterfront Local Improvement District (LID) legislations. This signing is a major step towards building a better and more connected waterfront. The City of Seattle, private partners, local businesses , and property owners all worked together to create a full funding plan for a 20 acre Waterfront.
Congratulations to all the Seattle Promise scholars and students graduating across the city! It has been an immensely challenging year for both students and teachers. Graduating is always an achievement to be proud of! Last week, Mayor Durkan attended the South Seattle Colleges in-person graduation ceremony.
Last weekend, on Juneteenth, Mayor Durkan attended the Building Black Wealth events. The event was held at The Collective, and offered an immersive experience for attendees to celebrate the Juneteenth holiday. Mayor Durkan spoke about her $100 million commitment to BIPOC communities, and spoke with Black, small business owners.
Click the photo to watch a video of Aleksa Manila inviting you to the Pride Vaccine Pop-up Party
Getting vaccinated is about caring for and coming together with your community, both of which are central to our experience of Pride. This Pride, we can celebrate our community by making sure we keep ourselves and our loved ones safe from COVID-19.
If you or someone you know still needs your first or second dose, stop by our Pride Vaccine Pop-Up on Capitol Hill, bring your loved ones, and support an LGBTQ+ small business while you’re in the neighborhood. With each new vaccination, we’re furthering the health and safety of our wider community, especially our most vulnerable.
Pride Vaccine Pop-up Party
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Date and Time: Saturday, June 26, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
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Location: 11th Ave in front of Chophouse Row
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Vaccines: All three vaccines offered, second doses provided with proof of first vaccination
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Special: Partnerships with small businesses throughout the area; Aleksa Manila will be host and greeter
On Wednesday, June 23, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and private partners announced a series of new initiatives intended to help small businesses downtown. One component revolves around events in July and September called “Welcome Back Weeks” that include concerts and promotions. The city also intends to dole out $1.9 million in direct cash assistance through the Small Business Stabilization Fund.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office says the city will soon announce more details for “Welcome Back Weeks,” and they will likely be modeled after the Chinatown International District’s Food Walks and the Passport to Pioneer Square programs. Meanwhile, requirements to apply for the cash assistance program promise to be similar to past rounds of the stabilization fund: a business must have 25 full-time equivalent employees or fewer and an annual net revenue that does not exceed $2 million dollars.
Another portion of the new effort targeted to help downtown businesses relates to workforce development. The city is partnering with labor representatives from the Downtown Revitalization Working Group — a coalition of business, labor, arts, and community-based organizations — on job training and placement for un- and underemployed hospitality workers.
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