We led the way from the beginning. Seattle was the first major US city to be impacted by COVID-19.?As we?ve responding to the public health crisis, Seattle continues to have the lowest cases, hospitalizations and deaths of every major city.??
The order will also modify additional COVID-related relief measures related to utility assistance. This marks the sixth extension of the eviction moratorium as part of the COVID-19 civil emergency since March 14, 2020, when Seattle declared one of the first eviction moratoriums in the country.?
While we face the unexpected rise of the Delta variant, this next extension will ensure every level of government can provide rental assistance and housing support to tenants and landlords, which is critical to stabilizing the community as we reopen and recover.?
As?reported by the Seattle Times, 60,000 Seattle area renters are behind on rent. The City has distributed more than $15 million of the first allocation of the American Rescue Plan rent relief to tenants and landlords since June including 100% of funds to United Way King County and income-restricted affordable housing. An additional $28 million of federal funds was approved in August and the City is already distributing these funds including to United Way King County. There are additional county and state resources that are also being distributed.???
Even before the pandemic, we knew housing and homelessness were deep crises facing our city. We're creating 1300 new affordable homes over the next years for individuals?experiencing?homelessness. To fulfill this commitment,?I announced $50 million of state and local funds to create new housing for individuals?experiencing?homelessness?that will open in record time.?I will continue to focus my final days in office on making progress on our homelessness and housing crisis.???
Stay safe and healthy,????
Community members joined Mayor?Durkan?and City staff at the Duwamish Waterway Park to?announce and?celebrate?these investments?
Today,?Mayor Jenny A. Durkan?announced more than $8.5 million in proposed 2022 budget investments to support the Duwamish Valley neighborhoods of South Park and Georgetown.????
Investments will center around expanding youth leadership and capacity building in the Duwamish Valley, funding essential improvements to community gathering spaces, improving mobility and access to greenspace and the Duwamish River, Seattle?s only river, improving air and environmental quality, and supporting local businesses and workforce development.??????
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan today announced that the City of Seattle has reached Tentative Agreements (TA) with the Coalition of City Unions, Fire Fighters Union Local 27 and IBEW Local 77 regarding the vaccination requirement for City employees, COVID-19 Frontline Worker Pay, and the return to worksite timeline for approximately 35% of employees who continue to work remotely. On August 9, Mayor Durkan announced that ? in alignment with State of Washington and King County employment policies ? all City of Seattle employees must be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment by October 18, 2021. For weeks, the City has been bargaining the impacts of the vaccination requirement in good faith with all City Unions to create uniform policies and processes across the City. The tentative agreements are a significant step and include several new personnel measures to support City employees, particularly frontline workers.?
$19.5 million in local investments will support the creation of 204 affordable homes for renters, 51 affordable homeownership opportunities??
Office of Housing to release over $5 million this fall in ECI Task Force investments to support homeownership retention and new homeownership development in partnership with BIPOC-led agencies?
For the second year in a row, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan and the Office of Housing are announcing multiple mid-year investments to support affordable housing. So far this year, the Office of Housing has invested $19.5 million to support the production of 204 new rent- and income-restricted homes in Mount Baker and 51 new permanently affordable homeownership opportunities in neighborhoods throughout the city,?in addition to this week?s announcement for $50 million for rapid acquisition. These City investments are expected to leverage additional commitments of public financing, including tax credits, bonds, and state and federal grants.???
165 newly constructed units of affordable housing will serve young adults and individuals experiencing homelessness or at extreme risk of homelessness??
Mayor Durkan and Seattle Joins HUD?s House America Initiative Launched Today?
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced the first round of joint state and local investments of $50 million to rapidly create new income- and rent-restricted housing in Seattle. The 165 new homes across three new buildings will be ready for tenants this fall and will serve individuals and young adults experiencing homelessness or at extreme risk of homelessness. Seattle?s local investment of $25 million is matched by funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce?s new Rapid Capital Housing Acquisition program.???
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Mayor Jenny A. Durkan and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) announced that a new, long-term Black Lives Matter public art piece has been installed at Seattle City Hall. The sidewalk installation reads, ?Black Lives Matter, Enough is Enough,? and spans 4th?Ave between Cherry St. and James St. This is a long-term installation that will remain in place for years, and will be regularly maintained by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). The installation was created in response to community requests and was designed in partnership with local arts organizations.?
The?Winter Storm Response website?developed by Seattle IT?s Digital Engagement team won Project Experience award. The site won an award for its strategic approach to major events leveraging human-centered design methods and engaging ten departments across the City.??
?We are honored and excited to be recognized for this project, which paved the way for other major event websites, like Wildfire Smoke and the upcoming Earthquake Response site,? said Digital Engagement Senior Manager Michal Perlstein. ?We felt that our partnership with the related City departments was very successful, even though interviews and design sessions were completely virtual, and it helped us solidify a collaborative process for this type of digital hub.???
The site, launched in December?2020, received heavy traffic during Seattle?s record-breaking snowfall in February 2021.?The Center for Digital Government gives awards out annually to recognize the achievements and best practices of states, cities and counties.?
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Last week, Mayor Durkan visited the Mt. Baker neighborhood.?She went on a walking tour, visited the Mt. Baker Light Rail Station,?and?met?with community members?and stakeholders?to?discuss?public safety.?
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By Scott Greenstone
It?s Friday the 13th, a 90-degree August day, and inside the Salvation Army?s Sodo shelter, the highest-ranking staff are starched up in distinctive military-style uniforms with a serif ?S? on red lapels despite the heat.?
In a few months, the contracts for this and every other government-funded shelter, hotel, housing project and rent voucher for current or formerly homeless people will come under control of a new entity ? the Regional Homelessness Authority.?
The CEO of that authority, the new head of homelessness in King County, is about to walk through the door.?
While Seattle mayors have, for years,?appointed ?special advisers? and cabinet-level homelessness directors to try to reverse the metro area?s decades-long climb to third-largest homeless population in the country, this CEO has more power and autonomy than anyone previously tasked with the challenge. This person can gather and demand data, renegotiate contracts with nonprofits, redesign strategies and potentially remove politics from the process of fixing homelessness.?
When Marc?Dones?walks through the door, it?s not just their unconventional role that makes them stand out. It?s the black skinny jeans, earrings and a rainbow-striped tank top, showing muscular arms tattooed with bees, peace signs and flowers.?
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