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… [ Keep reading ]
Community Partners, In May, we commemorate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, and this year’s commemoration comes at a critical moment — as we emerge from this pandemic and as we seek to elevate and renew the national dialogue on racial equity. Since the opening weeks of this… [ Keep reading ]
Seattle Stands United By Jenny Durkan and Lorena González February 6, 2018 This past weekend, the City of Seattle, in partnership with dozens of community-based organizations and coalitions, hosted Seattle United for Immigrants and Refugees Mega-Workshop where 491 legal permanent residents received citizenship assistance and 535 people received immigration legal… [ Keep reading ]
On November 28, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan signed an Executive Order affirming the City of Seattle’s commitment to the Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) at an event in Chinatown-International District. “Issues of racial and social inequity have become sewn into the fabric of society and government. The way to… [ Keep reading ]
The proposed elimination of the Community Development Block Grant in the Trump Administration’s 2018 federal budget would harm Seattle’s effort to reduce the risk of residential, economic and cultural displacement across the city. We have just launched our new Equitable Development Initiative to reduce the risk of displacement of current… [ Keep reading ]
The City of Seattle’s Equitable Development Initiative (EDI) is a set of strategies to address equity in our underserved communities and displacement as Seattle grows. Various EDI strategies will support the City’s efforts to: Advance economic mobility and opportunity Prevent residential, commercial and cultural displacement Build on local cultural assets Promote… [ Keep reading ]
Dear neighbors, Over the last few days, the City of Seattle has heard from dozens of residents who worry that their immigration status or national origin may impact their access to City services or legal protections. In the aftermath of President Trump’s Executive Order to prevent entry into the United… [ Keep reading ]
OPCD is introducing a new social media feature called “Race and Social Justice Initiative Fridays” — #RSJIFridays. Our goal is to highlight content on race and social justice issues related to planning and community development. Seattle is a growing city, and as we grow, the more voices we hear on… [ Keep reading ]
We participated in a panel discussion about gentrification at MOHAI, hosted by Enrique Cerna.