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The past 20 months has been hard for us all. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to change how we live, work, go to school, and do business here in Seattle. We are quickly approaching deadlines for a few key programs that are providing tens of millions of dollars of assistance to our residents and small businesses.
Most recently, the City of Seattle, and our partners were all proud to announce that one-time direct cash assistance is available to Seattle families, young people, and artists. The new Seattle Relief Fund is a $16 million lifeline to help low-income residents who have been disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes households that were unable to access state unemployment, had no health insurance, didn’t receive federal stimulus payments, or experienced housing instability or mental health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The deadline to apply is November 15th, and you can find more information at www.seattlerelief.com.
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To support small businesses, the Office of Economic Development (OED) announced another round of funding for the Small Business Stabilization Fund (SBSF). OED is investing an additional $4 million to stabilize micro and small businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19 by providing cash grants and an additional $2 million for COVID-19 vaccine verification costs. The deadline to apply for this funding is November 14th.
The City also continues to support the Utility Discount Program (UDP). This program helps people who are struggling to pay their electricity and utilities bills. Eligible households can enroll in the City of Seattle’s Utility Discount Program (UDP), which offers a 60% discount on Seattle City Light bills and a 50% discount on Seattle Public Utilities bills.
We are committed to supporting families, businesses, and all Seattle residents through this crisis as we continue to focus on recovery. Soon, we plan to launch the city-wide recovery website to help bring us out of this pandemic.
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan issued the following statement regarding the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal:
“Passing President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal is transformational for cities across the nation – it will deliver new good-paying union jobs, expand transit opportunities and combat climate change. This generational investment in workers and infrastructure will advance Seattle’s vision for more equitable access to transit, further electrify our city, promote environmental justice programs, and allow us to repair our aging bridges. Our entire Congressional delegation was on the frontlines of advocating and delivering on this important achievement for our country.”
Mayor Durkan issued the following statement following the Seattle City Council’s initial Budget proposal, which cuts SPD by approximately $11 million including cuts to Community Service Officers, hiring incentives, sworn officers and technology improvements needed to ensure constitutional policing and comply with the federal Consent Decree. The proposal also cuts $14 million from the Equitable Communities Initiative and approximately $28 million from participatory budgeting, which Mayor Durkan fully funded in her proposal.
“After last week’s election results delivered a clear rejection of the City Council’s plans to defund SPD, I was hopeful the Council would listen to voters and address our public safety needs with a real plan. Instead, it’s déjà vu all over again with Council proposing one of the largest cuts to public safety to date.
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This week Seattle experienced some winter weather, rain, and wind. Rain and wind can lead to tree damage and power outages, and heavy rain can create hazardous driving conditions due to flooding and low visibility.
If power does go out in your area, you can report the outage by calling (206) 684-3000. You can also view the status of an outage with our outage map. Once the power is out, avoid opening refrigerators and freezers to keep food cold. Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges. Stay away from downed power lines and report them to emergency services by calling 9-1-1 immediately.
When storms bring high winds and heavy rain, avoid travel if you can – there may be flooding, debris, and downed power lines on roadways. For flooding and ponding issues, sewer backups, sewer overflows or blocked culvert or creeks, call the Seattle Public Utilities Operations Response Center 24/7 at (206) 386-1800.
Keep leaves and debris from blocking drains. Clear your drain only if it is safe. Stand on the sidewalk or parking strip (not in the road!) and use tools (not your hands). Place materials in yard waste or garbage as appropriate.
Drive safe, and sign up for AlertSeattle. If you’re not registered to receive alerts, signing up is quick and easy! Simply visit Alert.Seattle.gov and click Sign Up to Receive Emergency Alerts, or text the word SEATTLE to 67283 to instantly receive text message alerts from AlertSeattle. You can also follow AlertSeattle on Twitter and Facebook.
Seattle Parks and Recreation to restore the public space for a future community activation
After two months of engagement, a JustCARE-led effort at the Pioneer Square Pergola, in partnership with the Human Service Department’s HOPE Team, resulted in 33 shelter referrals to City-funded JustCARE hotel rooms and HOPE Team shelter resources. The City’s collaboration at this location with the Public Defender Association’s (PDA) JustCARE program began with the goal of connecting all those residing in a large encampment near the Pergola into shelter. This week, the last two individuals onsite were referred to shelter.
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Seattle Promise continues to be one of Mayor Durkan’s proudest accomplishments in her time as Mayor. The Seattle Promise program continues to break enrollment records as more and more students utilize the program to begin their college education. Funding free community college for Seattle high schoolers allows students across the city to have access to a quality higher education. Students can apply at: https://www.seattlecolleges.edu/promise/apply
In high school, after she learned she wouldn’t get into the University of Washington, Shelzy Juta thought about not attending college at all.
But the Seattle Promise program offered something hard to pass up: two years of free community college, and she could quit at any time.
Today, the freshly admitted UW student is one of about a quarter of students in her Promise program class who have graduated from community college.
With more than $10 million in additional federal funding, city officials are making changes to the program to raise the odds for current and future Promise program participants, including incentives to bring back 500 students who dropped out during the pandemic.
Last school year, more than a third of students enrolled in Seattle Promise — the city’s tuition-free community college program — dropped out or became ineligible for the program.
The city is now allowing them the chance to reenroll in the program, and extended the amount of time these students can take classes for free, which is typically two years.
The $40 million program began in 2018 after voters approved a citywide levy. It helps more than 1,100 students attend community college, a 467% increase from the first year’s cohort, which was just shy of 200 students. It was created to help offset longstanding socioeconomic inequities in college completion and access to the region’s job market. Most participants — graduates of Seattle’s public high schools — have been kids of color.
Students are eligible regardless of GPA or income level. Baltimore, Boston and San Francisco have similar programs.
Attempts at establishing a nationwide community college program have been mired in partisan politics. It was among President Joe Biden’s campaign promises to “rebuild the middle class,” but just last month, the idea was removed from the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passed by Congress last week.
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