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Duwamish Valley Program 2023 Mid-Year Update 

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This year marks a big year for the Duwamish Valley Program. In June of 2018, the City released the Duwamish Valley Action Plan, which has been our north star as we coordinate City investments in South Park and Georgetown. This summer, the Action Plan celebrated its 5th year anniversary of release! 

We’ve made some great strides in implementing the mid-term opportunities and developing the long-term strategies identified in the Action Plan, and we’ll provide a full report in our end-of-year update to be released in early 2024! Stay tuned for more information about major accomplishments and the status of implementing the Action Plan. 

While there is much to celebrate to recognize the collaboration between community members, community-based organizations, and City of Seattle departments, 2023 began on rough footing for families in the Duwamish Valley. The December 2022 flooding left significant damage and trauma behind for families in South Park. 

Community organizations tabling at the “One Duwamish Valley” event at the South Park Pump Station on September 30.  

Youth eating lunch provided by Muy Macho while playing the loteria hosted by Georgetown Youth Council.  

Since then, the City has supported families as they recover from the flooding and is implementing plans to prepare for the future. This year, Seattle Public Utilities received $1.5 million from the King County Flood Control District to increase community resilience to flooding. In addition, these funds will support the City’s response to the upcoming wet weather season that begins with the coming King Tide season. Most of this funding will be used to deploy the temporary sandbag barrier that was installed in January of 2023.

Relatedly, Seattle Public Utilities, the Duwamish Valley Program, the Seattle Department of Transportation, and the Office of Arts & Culture held an event this September titled “One Duwamish Valley: Celebrating Community Resilience and City Investments” at the newly opened South Park Pump Station. This event focused on the recognition of the 5th Year Anniversary of the Duwamish Valley Action Plan and the opening of the pump station and major roadway conveyance work.  

The South Park Pump Station will help address regular flooding in the industrial area of South Park during regular high tide events when the water levels in the river block the pipes that drain into the river. The pump station will force the water into the river even when the water is above the pipes. The roadway conveyance work represents major investments into sidewalks and pipe systems that will help move stormwater as it falls into storm drains out to the river. Together, these two projects in the industrial areas of South Park will reduce the annual flooding and ponding that businesses and residents experience.  

However, it is important to note that the pump station will not help solve the problems that resulted in the flooding in December 2022, when the river over-topped the banks. To help address those problems, the City is designing a Duwamish Valley Resilience District. We will continue working with the Resilience District Advisory Group, City departments, other agencies, and you as we continue to move this work forward. Please stay on the lookout for upcoming opportunities to engage in this work. 

Here are some other project-specific updates related to work in the Acton Plan: 

Healthy Environment:  

Heavy-Duty Truck Electrification: The City launched this pilot project this summer to help truck drivers who drive heavy trucks with toxic fuel emissions transition to electric vehicles. The City investment will fund point-of-sale rebates for new electric vehicles operating in the Duwamish Valley. Incentives are available for Battery Electric Class 8 Tractor Trailer Trucks and will cover 40% (Up to $180,000) per truck for a total of $1.7 million available in funding.  

Parks & Open Spaces 

South Park Plaza: The City opened up the bidding process for construction this summer. However, due to some hiccups in the bidding process, the project had to go out for bid a second time, which delayed the ultimate timeline for beginning construction. Seattle Parks & Recreation (SPR) anticipates that construction will begin this fall. 

South Park Community Center and Site Redevelopment: The City is currently working on renovations to the South Park Community Center. In the interim, SPR is offering weekday evening programming at Concord on Tuesdays/Wednesdays, and Late Night on Fridays/Saturdays.  

South Park Community Center programming is moving to Concord International Elementary School located at 723 S Concord St, Seattle, WA 98108. Programming will occur in the Gym and Cafeteria spaces of the school beginning on September 15, 2023. Weekday evening programs will be open to the public for all ages. Friday, our Late Night Program will be held for teens ages 13-19, and Saturday our Late Night Program will be held for tweens ages 9-12.  

The hours for programming at Concord are as follows: 

  • Weeknight Programs from 6:30 p.m – 8:30 p.m.
  • Friday Teen Late Night Program from 6:30 p.m. -10:30 p.m . 
  • Saturday Tween Late Night Program from 3:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.  

Contact Information: 

Amadanyo Oguara can be contacted for information regarding Late Night Programming at amadanyo.oguara@seattle.gov. 

Zara Soares can be contacted for information regarding weekday programming at zara.soares@seattle.gov. 

Community Capacity 

Georgetown Community Spaces: The Duwamish Valley Program led community engagement efforts in Georgetown from Fall 2022 – Summer 2023 to understand residents’ priorities on investing $500,000 in community spaces in Georgetown. Currently, the City has two contracts for this work.  

  1. Resilience Hub Programming at Mini Mart City Park: the Mini Mart will embark on retrofitting the facilities to help support residents during extreme weather events. Additionally, they will develop a resilience hub program plan for the facility. To increase community accessibility to the premises, the Mini Mart will expand their operating hours, add additional community programming, and create outdoor accessible features like tables and benches.  
  1. Building Design Program for a Neighborhood Center: the City has hired MAKERS architecture & urban design and Environmental Works to lead residents through a design process to understand what kinds of facility needs Georgetown would want in a community-owned and operated neighborhood center. This project is in its early conceptualization. There will be a community advisory group that will guide the consultants throughout the year on the project. 

Duwamish River Opportunity Fund: This year, the Office of Sustainability & Environment began to manage the Duwamish River Opportunity Fund (DROF). The City has $240,000 available this year to award to community-based organizations that serve Duwamish Valley communities with programming and projects. Applications closed earlier this summer, and decisions will be announced later this fall. 

Mobility & Transportation 

Reconnect West Seattle – Dallas Ave S: As part of Reconnect West Seattle, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will be making improvements to Dallas Avenue South in South Park. Through engagement with residents, SDOT has decided on a preliminary plan that will work to keep all trees on the street. The plan is to save as many trees as possible and the new design accommodates that, however, it is still possible that some will be removed. When the crews are done removing the old sidewalk, SDOT will have Urban Forestry inspect the roots to make sure the trees are in good health. Residents will be able to join Urban Forestry if they want to see the roots/process. 

So far, there have been only two trees identified for concern: the trees in front of 8331 Dallas Ave S, as they sustained some fire damage in the past.  

The current plan is to keep all the trees depending on their root health conditions. SPNA and community members have communicated that so long as the trees don’t pose any danger to the roadway/adjacent property, they’d like to keep them. 

Economic Opportunity & Jobs 

Support for Small Businesses: The Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE) continues its support of Duwamish Valley businesses through a contract with Vision 7 Advertising. OSE is awarding $500 mini grants to small businesses to support their efforts in South Park and Georgetown and provide technical support.

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City of Seattle Launching 20 Year Plan for Northgate

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Northgate residents, commuters, and visitors invited to shape new community vision

The 55-acre Northgate Mall property is undergoing re-development which will mix in residential and office uses in addition to traditional retail. Photo by Chip Rountree, courtesy of Seva Workshop.

Northgate is one of five urban centers in the City of Seattle undergoing a planning process that will define a community vision and develop neighborhood-specific policies for public services, transportation, economy, housing, and land use.

Along with the other designated urban centers – Downtown, Uptown, South Lake Union, Capitol Hill/First Hill, University District – Northgate is expected to experience significant population growth and investment in the coming decades.

Broad community engagement and a visioning process for the neighborhood begins in the Fall of 2023 and the final plan is expected in mid-2024. Join the conversation today to share your experiences with the neighborhood and create a refreshed vision for Northgate.

Take our online survey by January 31, 2024:

Take Our Survey!

VIsit our ongoing visioning activities at the following sites:

• Northgate Community Center: 10510 5th Ave NE, open Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; closed Sat & Sun

• Northgate Library: 10548 5th Ave NE; open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

• North Seattle College: College Center building, 9600 College Way N; open Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

• The Watershed Pub & Kitchen: 10104 3rd Ave NE, open Monday to Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., Friday 11:00 a.m. – Midnight, Saturday 10:00 a.m. – Midnight, Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Activities are available in English, Spanish, Amharic, simplified Mandarin Chinese, and Arabic.

  • Spanish: Las actividades están disponibles en inglés, español, amárico, chino mandarín simplificado y árabe.
  • Simplified Mandarin Chinese: 这些活动有英语、西班牙语、阿姆哈拉语、简体中文和阿拉伯语的版本。
  • Amharic: እንቅስቃሴዎቹ በእንግሊዝኛ፣ በስፓኒሽ፣ በአማርኛ፣ በቀላል ማንዳሪን ቻይንኛ እና በአረብኛ ይገኛሉ።
  • Arabic: الأنشطة متاحة باللغات الإنجليزية والإسبانية والأمهرية والصينية الماندرين المبسطة والعربية
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Indigenizing Public Transit Design, November 7

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haʔł sləx̌il txʷəl gʷəlapu / kia ora / hello

The Indigenous Advisory Council, Seattle Design Commission, and co-sponsor Seattle City Council President Debora Juarez (Blackfeet) invite you to Indigenizing Public Transit Design: Learning from Māori Approaches to Transit Stations in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa (Auckland, New Zealand) with Māori changemaker, Elisapeta Heta!

Tuesday November 7, 2023, 4:00-5:30pm PST
Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes room
600 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104

You may also join virtually via Webex (more information below).

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and be part of the conversation on creating public transit infrastructure that embodies Indigenous knowledge, values, and cultures. Discover how Māori approaches to public transit planning and design can inspire and inform transit expansion in the Pacific Northwest.

Refreshments will be provided.

Virtual Meeting Access Instructions*

  1. Access online meeting here
  2. This event requires registration. After your registration has been approved, you will receive instructions for joining the event.
  3. Click “Join Now”.
  4. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen to join the teleconference.

*If you are calling into the meeting, please use the information below:

  • Phone number: +1-408-418-9388 United States Toll
  • Access code/Webinar number: 2495 924 8380
  • Webinar password: 3VpPWRXCG73 (38779792 from phones and video systems)
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Righting the Wrongs of Racist Covenants

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This year, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed House Bill 1474 to create the covenant homeownership account and program to address the history of housing discrimination due to racially restrictive real estate covenants in Washington state.

According to the Seattle Civil Rights & Labor History Project:

It establishes in its first paragraphs that the state of Washington caused financial harm by authorizing and enforcing racial restrictive covenants through the delegation of authority to counties and courts. Then it targets compensation in the form of down-payment assistance to families that were excluded from equal housing opportunities in the years prior to the 1968 Fair Housing Act…A still-to-be-appointed commission will work out the details but presumably Black, Asian, Indigenous, and Latinx families who meet the other criteria will be eligible for a no-interest down-payment loan. This is because restrictive covenants usually specified “whites only,” thereby excluding everyone else.

A Covenant Homeownership Program Study will be completed by the Washington State Finance Housing Commission to identify through evidence-based documentation the persons that require assistance to reduce racial disparities in homeownership in the state.

Other eligibility requirements will be:

• Have a household income at or below 100% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

• Be a first-time homebuyer.

• Be a Washington state resident who was a resident before the enactment of the Federal Fair Housing Act or was, or would have been, excluded from homeownership in Washington state by a racially restrictive covenant on or before April 1968.

• Be a descendant of the resident outlined above.

For more information:

Covenant Homeownership Account Informational Flyer
KING 5 News: New fee, loans aim to right ‘historic wrong’ of racist covenants in Washington state
WA State Legislature: HB 1474 / SB 5496
Racial Restrictive Covenants Project WA State: https://depts.washington.edu/covenants/

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2023-2024 Proposed Mid-Biennial Budget Adjustments

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Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell is releasing the 2023-2024 Proposed Mid-Biennial Budget Adjustments. This budget reflects Mayor Harrell’s continued commitment to, and investment in, bold actions that address urgent needs of our communities and advance our One Seattle priorities. Mayor Harrell’s proposal continues work initiated in the 2023 Adopted Budget to invest in creating safe, healthy, and thriving communities. This budget continues supporting efforts to deliver effective public safety, build affordable housing and address the homelessness crisis, activate our Downtown, and advance opportunity and equity for all.

With the investments in this budget proposal, we can work together to advance our shared One Seattle vision and an agenda that will inspire the best in our city and keep us moving forward.

For OPCD, key highlights included in the mayor’s proposed budget include:

  • Regional Growth Center Plans: In order to remain in good standing with the Puget Sound Regional Council, maintain eligibility for regional transportation funds, and adequately plan for growth and investment in the six Regional Growth Centers as defined by PSRC, the City must complete six subarea plans by 2025. The 2023 Adopted and 2024 Endorsed budget included $650,000 of consultant services budget in 2023 to contract for the Downtown, Capitol Hill/First Hill, and Northgate plans; and an additional $400,000 of non-labor funds in 2024 to continue efforts to update the Uptown and South Lake Union plans. Our multi-phased approach to this work anticipates an additional budget request in 2025 to fund the University District subarea plan. Together, these plans will ensure that these regional centers remain eligible for regional transportation funds and will shape our strategies to support growth with equity and resilience over the long term.
  • Equitable Development Initiative: The Equitable Development Initiative (EDI) is a centerpiece of the City’s strategy to reduce displacement pressures, increase access to economic mobility and opportunity, and enable equitable access to neighborhoods throughout Seattle. Mayor Harrell’s 2024 proposed budget increases funding for the EDI program to over $25 million in 2024, which is comprised of $5 million from Short-Term Rental Tax; $19.76 million of Payroll Expense Tax; and $430,000 of CDBG dollars. These funds will be used for a 2024 RFP that will support capacity building for organizations that are leading anti-displacement efforts and property acquisition by BIPOC-led community organizations.

The following is a summary of OPCD’s position changes in the 2023-2024 Proposed Mid-Biennial Budget Adjustments:

  • New 1.0 finance analyst position to support the EDI and Finance teams.
  • New 1.0 term-limited strategic advisor position to be a primary point of contact related to emerging work items around downtown activation for the next two years.

Over the next two months, the City Council will review the Mayor’s 2023-2024 Proposed Mid-Biennial Budget Adjustments. Public hearings are on October 18 and November 13. Final adoption of the budget is expected on Tuesday, November 21. Read more about the Mayor’s proposed budget here: https://harrell.seattle.gov/2023/09/26/mayor-harrell-announces-2024-budget-proposal/ and you can also direct any questions to MOS_COMMS@seattle.gov.

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One Duwamish Valley: Celebrating Community Resilience and City Investments

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Come to the South Park Pump Station grand opening event to recognize the completion of the pump station and to celebrate the 5th year anniversary of the Duwamish Valley Action Plan!

Seattle Public Utilities will present information about upcoming wet weather season and what you can do to help prepare yourself for flooding, as well as updates on the City’s broader flood response work. Other City departments will provide updates on on-going work in the Duwamish Valley. There will be brief remarks by public officials and community leaders, followed by time to explore the area.

You can take a self-guided walking tour of the campus and the drainage and street improvements in the area. Lunch is provided for free!

Saturday September 30, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
South Park Pump Station 636 S Riverside Drive, Seattle, WA 98108

Celebrate the 5th year anniversary of the release of the Duwamish Valley Action Plan, the opening of the South Park Pump Station, and the completion of the first phase of major roadway and conveyance improvement projects. It also marks approximately 6-8 months since high tide inundation greatly impacted part of South Park.

[Read more…]
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Mayor Harrell Announces $9.5 Million to Community Organizations Through the Equitable Development Initiative  

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Mayor Bruce Harrell announced $9,582,651 in awards through the Equitable Development Initiative (EDI), part of the City’s effort to support property ownership among Seattle’s diverse communities in neighborhoods at high risk of displacement. The EDI funding is intended to support community organizations for site acquisition and major capital projects, as well as capacity-building support to organizations that are still developing their plans for permanent homes in Seattle.   

The EDI fund, administered by the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) was created to respond to the needs of historically marginalized communities, reduce disparities, and support organizational capacity building, property acquisition, and capital expenses. The initiative is championed by community organizations concerned about displacement pressures and historical lack of investment that has occurred in communities of color in Seattle. EDI investments are funded through many sources including the JumpStart Payroll Tax. 

“Displacement pressures are disproportionately impacting communities of color, and Seattle is actively committed to supporting organizations that are working to keep communities in place,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell. “The Equitable Development Initiative embodies our One Seattle vision, bringing to the forefront innovative community-based programs that increase affordable housing and economic opportunity, and ensure vibrant cultural spaces find permanence in our city.” 

[Read more…]
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Unveiling the Outside Citywide Public Space Explorer: A New Online Tool to Promote Equity, Collaboration, and Environmental Justice

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In an ever-evolving urban landscape, the need to reimagine public spaces has never been more critical. We’re thrilled to introduce the Outside Citywide Public Space Explorer, an exciting new resource born from over five years of collaborative efforts across many departments, agencies, and organizations. This tool aims to bring about several transformative changes in how we plan and improve our public space system:

1. Gaining a Better Understanding of Our Public Space System

Seattle’s public space network is a diverse tapestry of different assets, encompassing plazas, trails, P-Patch gardens, neighborhood greenways, parks, and more. It’s the lifeblood of our city, offering opportunities for exercise, relaxation, community-building, and cultural enrichment. However, despite having one of the country’s best public space networks overall, some neighborhoods have historically been better served than others.

Past policies resulted in public spaces being concentrated in affluent, predominantly white neighborhoods, while communities of color received fewer investments and suffered from higher concentrations of pollution-generating activities.

The Outside Citywide mapping tools address these disparities head-on by providing a comprehensive view of our public space system. Prior to this effort, the dozens of different departments and agencies that own and manage public spaces in Seattle all mapped and inventoried their assets separately.  The Outside Citywide program changed this by putting all these assets together on one map.   Looking at the system as a whole, we were then able to gain a much deeper understanding of where the system is working well and where it is falling short. This will allow us to channel future public space investments into the neighborhoods that need them the most.

[Read more…]
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Join Us at the Seattle Design Festival!

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We are excited to be involved in this year’s Seattle Design Festival, founded in 2011 as a strategic initiative of AIA Seattle to promote public dialogue and community engagement about the role and impact of design in urban life. Join us at the festival as a follow up to our Office to Residential competition held earlier this Spring.

What We Need to Thrive in a Future Seattle Downtown (Sunday, August 20)
Explore innovative proposals submitted to our Office-to-Residential Conversion Visions for Seattle Downtown through a pop-up Cyanotype Word Art activity. Cyanotype is a 170-year-old photographic printing process that produces prints in a distinctive dark greenish-blue. Imagine our downtown neighborhoods filled to the brim with live, work, and playful activities. What do you and your community need to thrive downtown? What could a future downtown Seattle look like?

Conversation About Office-to-Residential Conversion Visions for Seattle Downtown (Wednesday, August 23)
Our Director Rico Quirindongo sits down with winners of our Call for Ideas: Office-to-Residential Conversion Visions for Seattle Downtown competition to discuss their proposals. Hear where they drew inspiration, what challenges they wrestled with, and their hopes for the future of Seattle’s downtown communities.

Visit seadesignfest.org for more information about the festival and other events happening that week. See you there!

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Duwamish River Opportunity Fund Now Accepting Applications!

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中文 | español | ភាសាខ្មែរ |  Soomali | Tagalog | Tiếng Việt 

Seattle’s Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE) is excited to announce the Duwamish River Opportunity Fund is now accepting applications. This year, $240,000 is available for grants up to $40,000 to support projects that will take place in 2024. These funds are to support community-led projects and programs that enhance the quality of life in the Duwamish Valley. The deadline to apply is 5pm (PT) on Monday, August 7.

This funding opportunity is open to Tribes and tribal organizations, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and businesses who work closely with the communities in the Duwamish Valley. Eligible types of projects include but are not limited to arts and storytelling, community education, organizational and community capacity building, climate change preparedness, skills building and job training, and community planning and visioning.

Attend a Virtual Info Session and Request Technical Assistance!

If you are interested in learning more about this Fund, discussing a project idea, or submitting a proposal, you can take the following steps:

  • Sign up for here a 20-minute callwith a member of our team
  • Please use the form to request interpretation.

Visitseattle.gov/environment/DROF to learn more and apply by August 7 at 5pm.

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