Daily Plan It Office of Planning & Community Development

The Daily Plan It Blog

A OPCD Blog

Equitable Development Initiative Projects Share Their Stories of Service to the Community: Byrd Barr Place

by

We are proud to share our video story about Byrd Barr Place, located in the Central District of Seattle. This is the first in the series of four videos that will focus on our Equitable Development Initiative (EDI) partners and Black-owned businesses in the Central District.

Byrd Barr Place video. Interviewer: TraeAnna Holiday. Interviewee: Andrea Caupain Sanderson.

Formerly known as Centerstone of Seattle, Byrd Barr Place nurtures an equitable Seattle by providing programs that enable people to live healthier, prosperous lives. They offer support for home heating assistance, housing assistance, healthy food access, and personal finance education to break the cycles of poverty. Byrd Barr Place also supports community engagement and partnerships to better understand the root causes of poverty and displacement in Seattle. The organization is named after Roberta Byrd Barr, a staunch advocate in Seattle Civil Rights movement who fought against school segregation.

In 2020, Seattle City Council voted to formally transfer ownership of a former fire station to serve as a permanent home for Byrd Barr Place. Through EDI, Byrd Barr Place will renovate a 100+ year old historic Firehouse with inclusive, accessible design to add 1000+ square feet of community gathering space. The project will retain the building as a cultural asset for Seattle’s Black community and expand its services, which include energy assistance and home heating, housing assistance and eviction prevention, and food bank and home delivery.

These videos are a continuation of the series we began in May 2021 to recognize the work of our EDI partners in the Cham and Vietnamese communities. These videos seek to uplift, empower, and educate about the value of these community-led projects in a time when information on local resources can be scarce, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, displacement/gentrification, and ongoing racial oppression.

About our Filmmakers

TraeAnna Holiday, a true Seattleite, has watched her city change in many ways. From the age of nine, her deepest passion was in the creative field, which flourished at Garfield High. She took that passion to Howard University, where she studied theater management in her first year of college. Through studying abroad multiple times at the University of Washington Tacoma, gaining her degree in Communications and Urban Studies, and being displaced by gentrification, she’s now fueled to tell her neighborhood’s stories through film and education.

Producer/Interviewer: TraeAnna Holiday
Videographer: Jake Gravbrot
Audio: Curtis Delgardo
Editor: Gary Washington

About the Equitable Development Initiative

The EDI addresses displacement and the unequal distribution of opportunities to sustain a diverse Seattle. The EDI fosters community leadership and supports organizations to promote equitable access to housing, jobs, education, parks, cultural expression, healthy food and other community needs and amenities. For more information, visit the EDI website. 

Share Button

Thirteen BIPOC Organizations to Receive $30 Million Through Strategic Investment Fund

by

Thirteen BIPOC organizations will receive City funds to secure critical properties to prevent displacement in their communities. As existing displacement pressures mount through the COVID-19 pandemic, these funds will preserve critical sites as well as create new opportunities for self-determined solutions to meet community needs.

OPCD and the Office of Arts and Culture (ARTS) will administer $30 million from the City’s Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) in site acquisitions led by 13 BIPOC-led organizations to secure critical community owned properties to prevent displacement and increase access to opportunity in their communities/neighborhoods. City Council approved legislation for the funds, which will be used to help these organizations acquire permanent sites – up to $5 million each – in areas with significant planned public investments such as light rail station areas and parks, where increased access to opportunities will likely increase displacement pressures.

The SIF was created to prevent and mitigate displacement pressures by invest explicitly in community wealth building, respond to urgent opportunities, and leverage community assets. The projects selected for funding will create affordable housing for families and seniors, childcare, arts and cultural space, community space, small business incubation and preservation, open space, and historic preservation. The SIF’s $30 million is part of Mayor Jenny A. Durkan’s commitment of $100 million to support BIPOC organizations that face disparities due to systemic racism and oppression.

The SIF received 100 proposals from BIPOC-led organizations, with funding requests of more than $330 million. A Community Advisory Group comprised of representatives with diverse experience and expertise in affordable housing, community development and equitable development evaluated the applications. The group has recommended that the City fund 13 site acquisitions with the available funding.

Now OPCD and ARTS will begin to work with the 13 organizations to identify and acquire properties in the months and years ahead. The City will announce individual site acquisitions after the completion of real estate negotiations. Until purchase and sale agreements are signed, the names of the organizations will not be publicly available.

Share Button

Mayor Durkan Announces $9.8 Million to BIPOC-Led Community Organizations Through the Equitable Development Initiative

by

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced $9.8 million in awards through the Equitable Development Initiative (EDI), the largest annual total since EDI’s first awards in 2017, to support the purchase of additional properties to house BIPOC organizations at risk of displacement. EDI is a central component of the City’s effort to support Seattle’s existing residents, businesses and organizations in high displacement risk neighborhoods. This year, the City is awarding $9.1 million to community organizations for site acquisition and major capital projects and another $750,000 for capacity-building support for organizations seeking to advance anti-displacement projects.

“The Equitable Development Initiative has helped community-based organizations in our city tackle the challenges of displacement and helped strengthen underserved communities and create economic vitality. The Equitable Development Initiative has a strong record of creating generational change by investing in affordable homes and community spaces for our City’s residents and non-profits,“ said Mayor Durkan. “We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has been especially devastating for our Black, Indigenous, and communities of color – that why we are growing our investments in this critical program as we build back better and more equitably.”

The EDI fund, administered by the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD), was created to respond to the needs of marginalized populations, reduce disparities, and support access to opportunity in healthy, vibrant communities. The initiative is championed by community organizations concerned about displacement pressures and the historical lack of investment that has occurred in communities of color in Seattle. All 46 EDI partner organizations who have received $49 million in EDI funding to date are led by and serve people of color. OPCD and partner departments, including Office of Economic Development (OED), Office of Housing (OH), Department of Neighborhoods (DON), Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS), and Office for Civil Rights (OCR), have coordinated the administration of the EDI Fund. The program was established in November 2016, using one-time funding. Mayor Durkan proposed a sustained funding source for the program in 2019 and has continued to grow the program.

“These projects are grounded in community-led vision for responding to displacement pressures,” said Rico Quirindongo, interim director of OPCD. “Census data show that Seattle continues to grow rapidly, but our shared prosperity isn’t reaching all neighborhoods and communities. Our vision for the future of Seattle must include a permanent home for these and other BIPOC organizations.”

EDI fosters community leadership and supports organizations to promote equitable access to jobs, education and childcare, outdoor space and recreation, cultural expression, healthy food, and other community needs and amenities. These partnerships are designed to support leadership and build capacity among the most historically marginalized groups in Seattle, sharing in decision-making and power, and working towards racial equity outcomes that allows all communities to thrive.

“We were thrilled to take ownership of the Central Area Senior Center when the City transferred the property to our organization last year.  CASC reflects a 51-year journey of the African American community, culture, and legacy in the Central District,” said Director Dian Ferguson.  “We celebrate this award and thank the Equitable Development Initiative Fund.  This EDI award will help us make needed improvements and tackle the deferred maintenance.  Furthermore, it will allow us to sustain this valuable community institution as a form of Black self-determination and to continue as a gathering place for seniors and the community.”

“We stand on the shoulders of many generations that came before us. Nurturing Roots and our community are extremely honored to receive this gift and opportunity of landownership,” said Nyema Clark of Nurturing Roots. This moment will solidify a place of healing, cultural education, and humanity. To grow, seeds need nutrients, grounding, and a place of belonging. This will ensure we never blow away. ASHE.”

An EDI Advisory Board grounded in community provides ongoing guidance for the program and developed recommendations to the City on the funding decisions announced today. Projects are evaluated on their ability to positively impact several equity drivers that lead to racial equity outcomes including:

  • Promoting economic opportunity through education, job training, and enhancing community cultural anchors.
  • Helping marginalized populations, businesses, and community organizations stay in their neighborhoods.
  • Enhancing health outcomes, access to healthy, culturally relevant food, and supporting safe environments.

Based on the advice of the EDI Advisory Board, the 2021 awards were designed to expand the EDI pool to include more organizations and offer capital funding for property acquisitions by new EDI partners. The cohort of five original EDI projects in 2017 was expanded to 15 projects in 2018 and 25 projects in 2019. The 2020 funding round was focused on Covid-19 relief efforts.

EDI Awards for Capital Projects

The following community-based organizations will receive awards totaling $9.1 million for site acquisition and major capital projects that advance anti-displacement strategies and economic development opportunities:

Central Area Senior Center ($1,038,000) – This funding will support the completion of deferred maintenance items in the facility, with the intention of stabilizing the building and extending its useful life. The center provides a core gathering place for seniors in the Central Area to remain connected to neighbors in the face of increasing gentrification.

Chief Seattle Club Northgate ($700,000) – This funding will support the construction of a Longhouse and cultural space as part of the joint development with Bellwether Housing on the North Seattle Community College Campus.

Delridge Neighborhood Development Association ($1,065,000) – This funding will support repairs and upgrades to the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in Delridge so the facility can continue to provide affordable space to Arts nonprofits and low-income housing.

Duwamish Valley Sustainability Association ($348,000) – This funding will support a pilot sustainability project generating energy from food waste and investing in a circular economy, while providing youth with experience and education in new sustainability and green jobs technology.

FAME Housing Association ($1,075,000) – This funding will support the development of the ground-floor space at Bryant Manor, an existing affordable housing project located in the Central Area, to support the expansion of Ashe Preparatory Academy onto the site to serve families in the expanded housing project.

Khmer Community of Seattle/King County ($1,075,000) – This funding will support the purchase of property allowing KCSKC to re-establish their community center after having been displaced from their previous location in White Center. The target site is located within the Seattle City limits in the Westwood/Highland Park area.

Nurturing Roots ($935,000) – This funding will support the purchase of the location on Beacon Hill, ensuring that Nurturing Roots and the Black Power Epicenter have a permanent home while allowing the farm to continue to provide a needed resource for food distribution efforts and youth education in Southeast Seattle.

Somali Health Board ($1,000,000) – This funding will support the equitable transit-oriented goals of the Graham Street Community-Action Team to acquire a site for a mixed-use development providing affordable housing and a range of other community serving uses in advance of the new light rail station.

Youth Achievement Center ($700,000) – This funding will support a partnership with Africatown CLT, Community Passageways, and Creative Justice to provide housing with wrap-around services for homeless and at-risk youth. The Columbia City property is currently owned by Sound Transit, which is working with King County to support transfer of the site to community ownership.

Two additional organizations are acquiring property using funds from a 2021 EDI award and are in the midst of real estate negotiations. Information about these projects will be announced when a purchase and sale agreement is completed.

The following organizations were selected for capacity-building awards of $75,000 to help support the development of additional anti-displacement efforts: AiPACE, Black and Tan Hall, Cham Refugees Community, Community-Owned Resource Development, Eritrean Community in Seattle & Vicinity, Estelita’s Library, Hip Hop is Green, Seattle Indian Services Commission, Stem Path Innovation Network, and Wa Na Wari.

Share Button

$30 Million in Upstream BIPOC Community Investments Recommended by the Equitable Communities Initiative Task Force Delivered to City Council

by

To improve disparate outcomes for communities furthest from equity the Task Force developed 9 recommendations with 18 implementation strategies 

Upon Council’s proviso lift millions can be dispersed to community by end of 2021 

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan transmitted $30 million in investments recommended by the Equitable Communities Initiative Task Force (ECITF) to improve disparate outcomes for Seattle’s Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. The investments begin to correct disparities caused by government-sanctioned and racist policies, which negatively-effect the Black and Indigenous communities at disproportionate rates. The legislation was developed after Task Force members and city departments developed implementation plans for each recommended strategy. 

In 2020, Mayor Durkan requested that the City, for the first time, build the budget around $100 million in investments in BIPOC communities. The Mayor used all of the City’s resources to balance the budget during a historic shortfall, including: $73 million from the City’s emergency reserves, $20 million in reductions to the Seattle Police Department, a wage freeze for non-represented employees, redirecting voter-approved levy dollars to support basic city operations, federal relief assistance, and new City revenues. The Equitable Communities Initiative Task Force is one element of the overall $100 million investment. 

“Today, Seattle is delivering on its commitment to address generational wrongs that have had a devastating impact on communities of color. These impactful community leaders have fought for justice within their communities, volunteered their time, and expertise to make recommendations that are the first step towards righting past wrongs. The best ideas come from the community, and their work underscores that fact. By working together, they’ve shown what’s possible when the government steps out of the way so that community can step forward with real solutions. I look forward to seeing these investments serving the urgent needs of communities that have for far too long been grossly under-funded.” 

“The ECI Task Force focused on targeting investments to the most significant and pervasive systemic challenges facing communities of color in our city. Their recommendations focus on equity in business development, education, homeownership and healthcare. I applaud the members of the task force for their diligence and determination to find the best path to improve outcomes for generations to come,” said Councilmember Debora Juarez ex-officio Task Force member. 

The Task Force developed 9 recommendations with 18 strategies to strengthen communities of color so that they can thrive. The recommendations fall under the following four pillars: 

$7.5 Million – Building Opportunity through Small Business Support 

  • Provide Equitable Small and Micro Business Capital 
  • Offer Small Business Technical Assistance on Financial Health, Digital Tools, and Construction Support 

$7.5 Million – Developing Diverse and Culturally Competent Educators and Education Opportunities 

  • Fund Culturally Supportive Re-entry Programs for Formerly Incarcerated BIPOC 
  • Support Equity in Education with Students 
  • Provide Cultural Education for BIPOC youth 

$8.8 Million – Accessing Affordable Housing, Land Acquisition and Generational Wealth 

  • Establish a Generational Wealth Education Program and Resource Portal 
  • Identify Housing Strategies for Low- and Middle-Income Apprentices and Pre-Apprentices 
  • Broaden Priority Hire and WMBE Support 
  • Create Homeownership Supports and Development Opportunities 
  • Study the Feasibility of a Lease to Own Program 
  • Provide Ownership Retention Resources for BIPOC Families to Remain in Their Homes 

$6.2 Million – Improving Positive Health Outcomes 

  • Provide Holistic Culturally Responsive & Inclusive Healthcare 
  • Improve Access to Culturally Responsive & Inclusive Healthcare 
  • Sustain a Healthy Food Fund for Community-Led Projects Focused on Food Security 
  • Increase Farm to Table Access with a BIPOC Emphasis 
  • Support an Environmental Justice Fund for Community-Led Projects 
  • Address Barriers to BIPOC Professionals Entering the Healthcare Workforce 
  • Enhance Youth Career Exploration in the Healthcare Industry 

Recognizing it will take years of investment to address generations of disinvestment, Mayor Durkan has committed to including another $100 million in her proposed 2022 budget to further address systemic inequities facing BIPOC communities. 

“As we closely examined generational wealth, we found that many BIPOC communities not only don’t have access to housing, but they also don’t have access to the same financial support that many White-led businesses do. We wanted to create opportunities for BIPOC business owners to work with colleagues who resemble those they serve. Through Technical Assistance, we are providing a deeper level of support while they are at the table applying for funding, helping them analyze how much they need, and assist in completing applications,” said Task Force member Donna Moodie, owner of Marjorie. “We can invite them to turn a loan into a forgivable loan simply by attending Technical Assistance classes that would improve their business acumen. This is a win-win create esteemed people in our communities whose business behavior and success can be modeled.” 

“As housing prices continue to rise across Seattle, the Task Force used this opportunity to recommend steps to help address this crisis. Strategies like developing a lease to purchase program will help shift the mindset away from the thought that living in Seattle means that you can’t own. But we also took a broader approach because we know that access to good jobs and access to apprenticeships are also strategies to keep people housed,” said Task Force member Sharon Williams, Executive Director of CD Forum. “The City must also take an active role in developing educational programs that encourage longer-term strategies for families and individuals to create generational wealth. It is our hope that with these recommendations, over time, we will see more people on the path to ownership and remaining stably housed within our City.” 

THE PROCESS 

From December 2020 to June 2021, the Task Force of 26 community leaders met weekly for more than 60 cumulative hours in over 30 meetings. With decades of lived experience and professional expertise, the Task Force developed recommendations using the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) Equitable Development Community Indicators Report as background; tapping into the ingenuity of the Innovation Advisory Council by working with a team of Microsoft data scientists to further disaggregate race-based data within the report; and by taking a comprehensive look at current City investments into BIPOC communities, with an eye towards developing programs to fill gaps within the system and strengthening programs with proven success. 

Throughout April, and due to COVID-19 safety precautions, the task force facilitator, The Profitable NonProfit hosted a series of virtual stakeholder meetings inviting rank and file community members, peer organizations, business owners, and community-based organization leadership to ensure recommendations mirrored community needs and priorities. 

Following the announcement of their recommendations, the Task Force began convening weekly with City departments to help inform on the creation of implementation strategies that can be quickly launched so that millions in investments will begin landing in the community by the end of 2021. Task Force members thought deeply about systemic barriers to BIPOC organizations in accessing City funds and worked with the City to define ways to lower barriers that have blocked communities of color in the Requests for Proposals (RFP) process. Some of the strategies include: 

  • Being intentional about who the investments were targeting by giving priority to organizations led by people of color, and serving communities furthest from equity. 
  • Providing language access to reduce language barriers for potential applicants. 
  • Including technical support for prospective applicants and continued support throughout the process. 
  • Launching a simplified low-barrier RFP specifically targeting small organizations. 

After seven weeks of collaboration and discussion with the Task Force, eight departments developed implementation strategies based on Task Force recommendations, including the Department of Early Education and Learning; Department of Finance and Administrative Services; Department of Neighborhoods; Human Services Department; Office of Arts and Culture; Office of Economic Development; Office of Housing; and the Office of Sustainability and Environment. 

NEXT STEPS 

The $30 million investment was allocated in the 2021 budget, however, the funding is currently under Council proviso, meaning that recommendations cannot be implemented and money disbursed to the community until the proviso is lifted. The Task Force will present their spend plan with 18 investment strategies to the Seattle City Council Finance and Housing Committee on Tuesday, July 20 at 9:30 a.m. and request that the legislation is passed on to the full Council to lift the proviso. With swift Council action, City departments expect to begin developing RFP’s in the coming weeks with a surge of investments landing in the community by the end of 2021. 

Task Force members are in ongoing discussions with the City on continued engagement to ensure accountability and tracking of investment outcomes. Further, the City of Seattle recently launched a disparity study to identify and remove inequities in the City’s soliciting and procuring of contracts and awarding of public funds.

For more information on the Equitable Communities Initiative visit: seattle.gov/equitable-communities-initiative.

Share Button

$30 Million Strategic Investment Fund to Support Seattle Site Acquisition for Community Projects and Anti-Displacement Efforts

by

Building off the Equitable Development Initiative (EDI), Major Jenny A. Durkan announced today that Seattle’s Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) is seeking proposals for $30 million for land and property acquisition to respond to disproportionate displacement pressures impacting Black, Indigenous and people of color communities. Requests for Proposals are now open for organizations in high displacement risk neighborhoods, areas with low access to opportunity, and places where future public investments are likely to spur transformational change. In addition to ongoing funding provided by EDI and the Office of Housing, this investment is part of Mayor Durkan’s commitment for $100 million in funding allocated to support Black, Indigenous and people of color communities who face inordinate disparities due to systemic racism and oppression.  

“During the pandemic, Seattle continued to be the fastest-growing major U.S. city and we must continue to respond to the displacement pressures that are impacting BIPOC communities,” said Mayor Durkan. “In the years ahead, major public investments like new light rail stations will transform several Seattle neighborhoods. The Strategic Investment Fund is a unique opportunity to support equitable development so that all communities can continue to call Seattle home. Investments of this type will take years to right the wrongs of the past. That’s why I’ve committed to making another $100 million investment as part of my proposed 2022 budget.” 

The SIF was created to invest in community wealth building and capital projects that create opportunities for multiple community benefits. The fund will support site acquisition projects that could include: affordable housing, affordable commercial spaces, public open spaces, cultural spaces, and childcare facilities. The fund will consider proposals in areas with significant planned public investments, like light rail station areas and parks, where increased access to opportunities will likely increase displacement pressures.  

“Discriminatory practices in public and private investment, disinvestment, and public policy have significantly impacted BIPOC communities, as well as Queer and Transgender BIPOC, people with disabilities, and low-income families,” said Rico Quirindongo, director of the Office of Planning and Community Development. “The Strategic Investment Fund will support site acquisition for major community-led projects in growing and changing neighborhoods.”  

The primary objectives of the SIF are:    

  • Respond to immediate displacement pressures.     
  • Create long-term impact by strengthening community relationships and creating wealth in historically marginalized communities.     
  • Co-locate affordable housing with other community benefits, such as affordable commercial spaces, public open spaces, cultural spaces, and childcare facilities.  
  • Fill gaps in the existing development finance ecosystem. 

The Strategic Investment Fund has $30 million available with a maximum of $5 million per award. Sites must be in neighborhoods with high displacement risk and near existing or planned transit and parks investments. Proposals are due July 14 at 11:59 PM. 

Eligible Applicants include:  

  • Community groups at highest risk of displacement  
  • Commercial or residential tenants at risk of displacement 
  • Property owners in focus areas interested in discounting their land 
  • Developers or owners of affordable housing with vacancies in commercial spaces, who are interested in offering community ownership opportunities. 

Many urgent and qualified investment opportunities exist in Seattle, and the SIF is unable to accommodate them all. The City of Seattle has created a Community Advisory Group (CAG) comprised of community representatives with diverse experience and expertise in affordable housing, community development, and equitable development to assist in the process of investing SIF funds. The CAG will review land acquisition and investment opportunities to create a list of Recommended Funding Opportunities. This list will inform the Strategic Investment Fund Spending Plan that will be presented to the Mayor and City Council for approval later this summer.    

The Strategic Investment Fund is a City-wide effort the involves the Office of Planning and Community Development, Office of Housing, Office of Economic Development, Office of Arts and Culture, City Budget Office, Department of Neighborhoods, and Office of Civil Rights. 

For more information, please visit http://www.seattle.gov/opcd/strategicinvestmentfund. 

Share Button

Queer the Land Announces Acquisition of New Property with the Help of the Equitable Development Initiative

by

In January, Queer the Land (QTL) announced the purchase of a new home with the help of a $200,000 award from Seattle’s Equitable Development Initiative (EDI) to support their acquisition of the Emma Goldman Finishing School (EGFS) property. QTL’s proposal was accepted during the 2019 funding round into the EDI Fund as being a project consistent with EDI goals.

QTL is a queer, transgender and Two-Spirit Black/Indigenous/people of color community (QT2BIPOC) collective who will use the funds to build the capacity building resources they need to create an owned-and-operated cooperative. This project will provide affordable transitional and semi-permanent housing, co-working space, communal space, and a community garden. The property is in Seattle’s historically diverse Beacon Hill neighborhood.

“EDI is currently partnering with over 60 local Grantees including Queer the Land, advancing inclusive economic recovery to unlock the full potential of the local economy by dismantling barriers and expanding opportunities for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC),” says Ubax Gardheere, EDI Division Manager. “Through accountable public action and investments, we are collectively advancing racial equity outcomes that centers community ownership, wealth building and anti-displacement strategies. EDI Queer the land Project Manager Patrice Thomas has been working with Queer the land project sponsors through an EDI capacity building grant to increase their capacity for self-determination.”

“We are thrilled to collaborate in the process of transforming the Beacon Hill house into a space for Queer and BIPOC folx to thrive and call home,” says the cooperative’s first residents, a queer couple with a child who are familiar with cooperative living and house maintenance.

The EDI – housed under the City of Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) – addresses displacement and the unequal distribution of opportunities to sustain a diverse Seattle. The EDI fosters community leadership and supports organizations to promote equitable access to housing, jobs, education, parks, cultural expression, healthy food, and other community needs and amenities.

For more information, please visit OPCD’s EDI webpage: http://www.seattle.gov/opcd/ongoing-initiatives/equitable-development-initiative.

For more information about QTL: www.queertheland.org.

Share Button

Seattle Receives $600,000 from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to Continue Community-Led Health, Equity, and Climate Change Adaptation Work in the Duwamish Valley

by

Funding will support the creation of a Resilience District focused on community and climate resilience

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has awarded the City of Seattle a $600,000 grant to work with community partners in the Duwamish Valley on a strategy that will improve health, increase community resilience, and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. This work will specifically deliver on key actions identified in the City-community shared Duwamish Valley Action Plan that was released in 2018.

“This award is a remarkable testament to the excellent foundation of trust and creative solutions the City’s interdisciplinary Duwamish Valley Program and community partners have built over the past few years,” said Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan. “We have seen that COVID-19 has magnified health and economic disparities, especially for communities of color. As we address the COVID-19 crisis and begin to recover, we must build a more equitable and resilient city. Through this collaboration, we can help advance a new model of how to address health, equity, and climate change for our residents and businesses.” 

Funding from RWJF will support the City with developing a Resilience District—a geographic strategy, inspired by global models, focused on adapting to flood risk and other climate change impacts as a key first step towards adapting to a changing climate, while taking a comprehensive approach that fosters community resilience. Specifically, the award will fund detailed scenario planning for a sea level rise adaptation strategy, research of financial models and equitable investment mechanisms, capacity building and partnership development across government institutions and community stakeholders, extensive communication and inclusive engagement, and implementation of “proof of concept” projects. More importantly, the approach will center the participation and decision-making of Duwamish Valley residents and businesses, embed a racial equity approach in each aspect of the project, and identify sustainable funding sources and investment mechanisms that will help prevent the displacement of impacted communities and foster health and equity.

The project team reviewed successful models of community resilience and scenario planning from across the world. Specifically, the team drew inspiration and lessons from successful projects in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and New Zealand. These projects offer guidance and strategies for sustainable funding mechanisms, tools for equitable distribution of benefits, community and cross-sector collaboration in creating a special planning district, and participatory decision-making in scenario planning—notably in communities that are vulnerable to earthquakes and flooding.

“We join our partners in the City of Seattle to celebrate this great news,” said Paulina López, Executive Director of the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition. “For many years, we have worked together to address health disparities and racial inequities in the Duwamish Valley, centering the voice of community in decision-making, planning, and implementation of projects and investments—on issues that directly impact us. The work of this grant will also offer opportunities for equitable investments that will improve health outcomes and advance anti-displacement strategies, flooding prevention, and adaptation to a changing climate. I am really grateful for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s award and commitment to greatly improve living conditions in our community and for their support to ensure this work becomes a model for others to replicate in Seattle, in the U.S., and around the world.” 

The Office of Sustainability & Environment and the Office of Planning & Community Development lead Seattle’s Duwamish Valley Program, a multi-departmental effort to advance environmental justice and equitable development. The interdisciplinary team of 18 City departments is responsible for the ongoing implementation of the Duwamish Valley Action Plan, including the execution of this grant project. Seattle Public Utilities will also be taking on a leadership role in ensuring the success of the project.

“Since 2018, Seattle Public Utilities has been working with community partners to plan and design drainage and water management infrastructure to help alleviate stormwater-related flooding in South Park and Georgetown,” said Mami Hara, General Manager, Seattle Public Utilities. “However, as sea level rises, we will be challenged by overtopping of the Duwamish River, which will require additional mitigation. We are incredibly grateful for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s support because it will allow us to lead with addressing needs and aspirations of Black, Indigenous and People of Color in Seattle’s lowest lying lands to begin long-term planning to adapt to sea level rise and other projected impacts from a changing climate.”

“Advancing equitable development and environmental equity in South Park and Georgetown has been a priority for the City of Seattle for years,” said Sam Assefa, Director of the Office of Planning & Community Development. “The Foundation’s support will allow us to expand this work by coordinating with industrial stakeholders working on the Seattle’s Maritime & Industrial Strategy. We are looking forward to helping our residential and industrial stakeholders stay and thrive in place despite projected climate change impacts.”

This project is part of a $3 million initiative from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to bring the most impactful ideas from across the globe to U.S. cities to address the intertwined issues of health, equity, and climate change. Through six projects funded through this initiative, RWJF is fostering learning and stimulating action in U.S. cities around smart, effective approaches from abroad that mitigate the unequal health risks posed by climate change.

Share Button

Mayor Durkan announces $1.77 million to 36 organizations from Equitable Development Initiative Fund for COVID Response

by

Just days after announcing $5.65 million in awards through the Equitable Development Initiative (EDI) to community organizations for projects and programs that respond to displacement pressures, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan today awarded an additional $1.77 million to groups that are supporting communities of color and small businesses responding to the devastating economic dislocation caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The EDI fund, administered by the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD), was created to respond to the needs of marginalized populations, reduce disparities, and support access to opportunity in healthy, vibrant communities. 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. Mayor Durkan proposed a sustained funding source for the program in 2019. 

EDI fosters community leadership and supports organizations to promote equitable access to jobs, education and childcare, outdoor space and recreation, cultural expression, healthy food, and other community needs and amenities. These partnerships are designed to support leadership and build capacity building among the most historically marginalized groups in Seattle, sharing in decision-making and power, and working towards racial equity outcomes that allows all communities to thrive. 

This year, the City is also awarding funds for COVID-19 relief and response to organizations working in communities of color to respond to the global pandemic and resulting economic disaster. The following 36 organizations are receiving one-time awards of up to $50,000 to support community-based responses to the current public health emergency:

ORGANIZATIONS FUNDED​SERVICES PROVIDED​
ACED​Artist Income Supports​
AlefBa Group​Community Center Feasibility​
Backpack Academy​Youth STEM Education​
Beacon Hill Council​Site Feasibility​
Black Star Farmers​Environmental Justice​
Central Area Collaborative​Job Training/Apprenticeship​
Chinese Information Service Center​Anti-Hate Crime Support​
Cultivate South Park​Community Organizing​
Denkyem Coop​Financing for Entrepreneurs​
Dominican Association of WA​Small Business Supports​
Equity Alliance of Washington​Affordable Commercial Space​
Eritrean Association of Greater Seattle​Youth Leadership Development​
Freedom Project​Re-Entry Covid-19 Support​
Garfield Superblock​Site Feasibility​
Gathering Roots​Health and Wellness Programs​
Horn of Africa​Childcare Infrastructure​
I Do This For You​Senior Meals​
Khmer Community of Seattle/King County​Community Center Feasibility​
KVRU​Civic Infrastructure​
Kwanzaa Preparatory Academy​Digital Literacy​
Langston Center​Artist Income Supports​
Muslim Housing Services​Housing Supports​
Nehemiah Initiative​Site Feasibility​
Nurturing Roots​Environmental Justice and Site Feasibility​
Paradise Avenue Souf​Youth Leadership and Artist Support​
Rainier Avenue Radio​Civic Infrastructure and Site Feasibility​
Rainier Valley Food Bank​Food Access​
Real Time Human Services​Varied Social Services​
Rooted ReEntry Collective​Re-Entry Covid-19 Support​
S2​Networked Support System​
Somali Health Board​Site Feasibility​
Tenant’s Union​Eviction Response and Tenant Organizing​
Tiny Art House Community​Artist Supports​
Union Cultural Center​Health and Wellness​
Urban Impact​Financing for Business​
Wa Na Wari​Site Feasibility and Artists Support​

The previously announced $5.65 million in EDI awards to community-based organizations responding to displacement pressures was for site acquisition, major capital projects, and organizational capacity building.

The Office of Planning and Community Development is currently seeking representatives for a new permanent EDI Advisory Board grounded in community to provide ongoing guidance for the initiative and provide input on future funding decisions. Applications are currently being accepted through Nov. 30, 2020. An interim board provided recommendations on the awards announced today.

Since November 2016, OPCD and partner departments, including Office of Economic Development (OED), Office of Housing (OH), Department of Neighborhoods (DON), Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS), and Office for Civil Rights (OCR), have coordinated the administration of the EDI Fund. Successful applicants must demonstrate a deep relationship with the community they are seeking to serve and feature an inclusive community process, with community members serving in their organizational leadership. 

Share Button

Mayor Durkan Announces $5.65 Million to Community Organizations Through the Equitable Development Initiative

by

EDI organizations have secured more than $105 million in City-funded dollars since 2017 – Mayor signs property transfer to community ownership for Central Area Senior Center, 99-year lease for Fire Station 6

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced nearly $6 million in awards through the Equitable Development Initiative (EDI), part of the City’s effort to support Seattle’s existing residents and businesses in high displacement risk neighborhoods. The City awarded $4.4 million to community organizations for site acquisition and major capital projects and another $1.25 million is intended to provide capacity-building support to existing EDI partners providing services during the current pandemic and economic crisis. The awards to organizations led by and serving people of color will be used for organizational capacity building, property acquisition, and capital expenses. In addition to the $36 million in EDI funds awarded, these community-based organizations leveraged that amount to more than $105 million in City-funded dollars since 2017. 

“To tackle the challenges of displacement, our City is investing in community-based organizations who are leading the way to empower and strengthen underserved communities and create economic vitality. The Economic Development Initiative has a strong record of creating the newest homes for our City’s residents, non-profits, and local small businesses through leveraging other city programs,“ said Mayor Durkan. “One of my most important priorities in this budget was to transform how the City invests in communities of color by centering the experiences of Black and Indigenous communities. Even in this difficult year, my budget set aside historic resources to meet the challenges of this moment and move us toward being the city we want to be when we come out of this crisis: stronger, more just, and more equitable.” 

The EDI fund, administered by the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD), was created to respond to the needs of marginalized populations, reduce disparities, and support access to opportunity in healthy, vibrant communities. 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. Mayor Durkan proposed a sustained funding source for the program in 2019. 

“By hosting this important event we honor the priorities of our community members and the hard work they are doing to create the kinds of neighborhoods they want,” said Councilmember Tammy Morales, District 2. “In this environment especially, when Seattle is working on anti-displacement strategies and responding to the economic impacts of COVID-19, the nearly $6 million being awarded today will launch the kind of changes sought by organizations led by and for Black and Brown communities in neighborhoods like mine that are at high risk of displacement. I am proud of all the recipients today. I am especially grateful for the work of the Rainier Valley Midwives providing culturally relevant, holistic pregnancy care to a community with high infant mortality rates. Our community deserves medical care that centers their life experiences and celebrates their humanity. I’m excited that the Central Area Senior Center finally has control of their building so they can make the facility and grounds improvements they’ve been planning for so long. And I’m especially thrilled that a worn out building can be repurposed to make way for the development of the Food Innovation Center, which will create a healthy food industry in Rainier Beach, create job opportunities, and serve as a catalyst in a neighborhood that needs it most.” 

“We are so grateful to receive $1 million from the Equitable Development Initiative,” said Tara Lawal of Rainier Valley Midwives. “It is giving us the momentum to build a community Birth Center of our dreams. Thank you for believing in us and supporting our vision to provide equitable healthcare in South Seattle.” 

EDI fosters community leadership and supports organizations to promote equitable access to jobs, education and childcare, outdoor space and recreation, cultural expression, healthy food, and other community needs and amenities. These partnerships are designed to support leadership and build capacity building among the most historically marginalized groups in Seattle, sharing in decision-making and power, and working towards racial equity outcomes that allows all communities to thrive. 

An interim board of community members provided recommendations to the City on the funding decisions announced today. The City is seeking representatives for a new permanent EDI Advisory Board grounded in community to provide ongoing guidance for the initiative and provide input on future funding decisions. Applications are currently being accepted through Nov. 30, 2020.   

“When community members advocated for the creation of EDI, it was with the intention of creating collaboration between community-initiated projects and the City to respond to historical injustices and increase community-ownership,” said Ubax Gardheere, EDI division manager. “The transfer of these properties and EDI investments are all important contributions towards creating a more equitable City.” 

Along with today’s award announcement, Mayor Durkan signed her ordinances, approved unanimously be the Seattle City Council, that transfers City property to Black-led community organizations in the Central District. The two ordinances permanently transfer the Central Area Senior Center (CASC) to community ownership and establish a 99-year lease with Africatown Community Land Trust (ACLT) for Fire Station 6, an EDI award recipient. These property transfers build on the September transfer to Byrd Barr Place, another Black-led advocacy organization. 

“In recent months, the City has proposed and passed the transfer of Black-led organizations including Byrd Barr Place, the Central Area Senior Center, and Fire Station 6 back to community. In recent weeks, the Sound Transit Board moved forward on transferring ten surplus properties in Rainier Valley to the City of Seattle at no cost, for 150 new affordable homes. Our City must make real on the promise of bold investments in the Black community and increasing community ownership of land. These places and organizations will uplift and support the Black community for decades to come,” concluded Mayor Durkan.  

Fire Station 6 will be the future home of the William Grose Center for Cultural Innovation (WGC), where ACLT will provide small business assistance, skills training and celebrate Black/African American culture and history in the Central Area. The City has committed $1 million from the EDI fund for tenant improvements to Fire Station 6. As a valued community partner, Africatown Community Land Trust has received $15.5 million in city funding, since 2017.  

“The proposed lease and reuse of Fire Station 6 as the WGC would directly carry and contribute to the EDI Wealth Building strategies and the accompanying EDI are critical to showing us a path forward, that our communities have solutions and that a more equitable Seattle is possible,” said Wyking Garrett, president and CEO of Africatown Community Land Trust. 

CASC has served Central Area seniors since 1972, when it was founded as a nonprofit volunteer-supported organization. In 1975, the City purchased a facility in the Central Area where CASC continues to provide health and wellness, counseling, transportation, and meal services.  

“CASC is ready, and eager to accept the transfer of the property to the community. The gentrification of the Central District and the movement of Black people out of Seattle has been quite evident within the City limits. However, there remains a core of institutions that Black people and those who are now seniors, travel far and wide to reach. CASC is one of these locations.  It is a place of historical importance,” said Dian Ferguson, Executive Director of CASC. “We applaud Mayor Durkan for setting the stage for the transfer of this property to its rightful 50-year community-based partner. It advances a collective mission to move from business as usual to achieving real outcomes focused on equity with no strings attached to the seniors of our community and its African American founders.” 

The following community-based organizations currently working with EDI on anti-displacement strategies and economic development opportunities will receive awards from the $4.4 million for site acquisition and major capital projects in 2020: 

Africatown Midtown Plaza — $640,000  

Africatown will create between 5,000 and 8000 sq ft of affordable commercial space for Black-owned businesses in Midtown Plaza. The project also includes 130 affordable homes and art that reflects the African-American heritage of the neighborhood. 

Byrd Barr Place — $500,000 
Byrd Barr Place has been operating out of the City’s surplus Fire Station 23. The City transferred ownership of the property to the organization in September and the additional funds will support improvements to the building. Completion of this project would renovate the 100+ year old building to meet contemporary ADA and environmental standards, allowing BBP to expand the services it provides. 

Chief Seattle Club — $500,000 
The Chief Seattle Club is renovating the Monterey Lofts above their current facility and adjacent to the site of their new facility. It is designed to support the physical, cultural, and spiritual needs of the American Indian and Alaska Native community, with indigenous designs, 80 affordable homes, services, health clinic, and a café/art gallery space in Pioneer Square. 

Ethiopian Community in Seattle —$750,000 

The Ethiopian Community in Seattle is redeveloping its existing community center to include 100 affordable homes, childcare, and commercial space.  The awarded funds will be used to to finance construction expected to break ground next year.  

Multicultural Community Coalition — $842,000  

The Multicultural Community Coalition (MCC) will anchor several community organizations serving Seattle’s growing immigrant, refugee and people of color communities by creating a community-owned and operated co-working space and an essential Cultural Innovation Center (CIC). The CIC is envisioned as a vital heritage and cultural arts venue which will house year-round, cultural events and activities as well as serving as a Creative Economy space in which artists, cultural nonprofits, and creative small businesses will produce and distribute cultural goods and services that generate jobs, revenue, and quality of life.

Rainier Valley Midwives — $1 million 
Rainier Valley Midwives has been operating out of a temporary location in the Rainier Valley Community Clinic that is becoming untenable due to escalating rents. The organization is working to acquire and build a permanent Birth Center in the Rainier Valley that will provide wrap-around services before, during, and after the birth process to people of color. 

Wing Luke Museum — $168,000 
The Wing is seeking to preserve the Homestead Home one block south of the Museum and to activate and develop its adjacent parking lot. This home is the most intact remaining single-family home in the Chinatown-International District, constructed in 1937 despite the Chinese Exclusion Act and discriminatory barriers to single family homes in the neighborhood. On the lot, the Wing intends to build 60 affordable apartments above a street-level community gathering space. 

The following existing EDI partners will receive new capacity-building awards of up to $75,000 in 2020: Black & Tan Hall, Byrd Barr Place, Central Area Youth Association, Cham Refugees Communities, Chief Seattle Club, Duwamish Tribal Services, Duwamish Valley Affordable Housing Coalition, Lake City Collective, Friends of Little Saigon, Queer the Land,  Rainier Valley Midwives, Rainier Beach Action Coalition, HomeSight, United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, Urban Black LLC, West African Community Council, and Wing Luke Museum. 

Additional awards to new EDI partners will be announced later this fall, including organizations that are supporting communities of color and small businesses responding to the devastating economic dislocation caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic. 

Since November 2016, OPCD and partner departments, including Office of Economic Development (OED), Office of Housing (OH), Department of Neighborhoods (DON), Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS), and Office for Civil Rights (OCR), have coordinated the administration of the EDI Fund. 

Projects were evaluated on their ability to positively impact several equity drivers, that lead to racial equity outcomes including: 

  • Promoting economic opportunity through education, job training, and enhancing community cultural anchors. 
  • Helping marginalized populations, businesses, and community organizations stay in their neighborhoods. 
  • Enhancing health outcomes, access to healthy, culturally relevant food, and supporting safe environments. 

Successful applicants demonstrated a deep relationship with the community they are seeking to serve and feature an inclusive community process, with community members serving in their organizational leadership. 

Share Button

Mayor Durkan Applauds City Council’s Vote to Transfer the Central Area Senior Center and Fire Station 6 to Black-led Community Organizations

by

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan applauded the City Council’s unanimous passage of her proposed legislation to permanently transfer the Central Area Senior Center (CASC) to community ownership and establish a 99-year lease with Africatown Community Land Trust (ACLT) for Fire Station 6, two Black-led community organizations in the Central District. These property transfers build on the September transfer to Byrd Barr Place, another Black-led advocacy organization, and the first organization to complete the property transfer under the community requested criteria.  

“We must continue to act with urgency to increase opportunities for our communities that have been historically held back, and working with community in recent years, we have been able to transfer  properties in the Central District and Rainer Beach back to community. The Central Area Senior Center and Africatown will continue to provide much-needed services for the Black community,” said Mayor Durkan. “Building on the City’s work to transfer properties, stop displacement, and build more affordable housing, the Equitable Communities Initiative will provide $100 million in investments into communities impacted by systemic racism to promote true economic opportunity and equity across our City.” 

Community leaders came to the City asking for a consistent transfer criterion for Mutual and Offsetting Benefit properties, where non-profit organizations lease or transfer City-owned properties due to the benefit of the services provided. Born from that request was the development and implementation of a consistent mutual and offsetting benefits transfer process.  

“Mayor Durkan’s transmittal of legislation to the Seattle City Council for the permanent transfer of the Central Area Senior Center property back to the community and the Council’s vote affirming this transfer, ensures the vision of its African American founders and community partners keeping their promise to be good stewards to seniors and the community,” said Dian Ferguson, Director of Central Area Senior Center. “Collectively we celebrate our vision coming to fruition.” 

“We’re excited to bring this important space back into service for the community. The William Grose Center for Cultural Innovation & Enterprise will provide space for cultivating the genius and connecting our community’s legacy of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship with the economic opportunities and growth that is happening in the region as a part of the global economy,” Said K. Wyking Garrett, President & CEO, Africatown Community Land Trust. “This is a testament to the resilience of so many community members that have contributed over the last eight years and we look forward to working with the city and many more partners to remove systemic barriers and build the solutions we need for an equitable Seattle. This is a step towards a better future.” 

The Central Area Senior Center (CASC) and Fire Station 6 are in the heart of the Central District (CD), a community that has endured rampant displacement. In 1990 the CD had close to 60 percent black residents, today that number is closer to 25 percent. CASC has been a recreational home to Seattle’s African American elders, providing a social atmosphere that includes exercise programs, computer classes, recreational trips and more. Since 1975, the City has owned the Central building where CASC has called home. Fire Station 6 will be the future home of Africatown’s William Grose Center for Cultural Innovation, and will serve the community with small business assistance and skills training while celebrating the Black culture and history in the Central Area. 

Byrd Barr Place and Africatown’s William Grose Center were each selected as part of the Equitable Development Initiative (EDI) receiving $1 million to upgrade facilities while on the path to ownership. The full list of EDI funding awardees is listed below. The EDI program was developed to fund capacity building and capital investments for community-based organizations working to address displacement pressures and supporting community health and vitality, and Mayor Durkan has proposed ongoing funding for this program. Since 2016, in total, $31 million has been provided to community organizations. In the coming weeks, the next $5.8 million in awards will be announced as part of 2020 awards.  

EDI currently partners with 25 organizations:  

·        African Women Business Alliance   

·        Black and Tan Hall   

·        Byrd Barr Place   

·        Central Area Youth Association (CAYA) Community Center   

·        Cham Refugee Communities   

·        Chief Seattle Club   

·        Daybreak Star Center   

·        Duwamish Longhouse  

·        Duwamish Valley Affordable Housing Coalition   

·        Ethiopian Community in Seattle   

·        Filipino Community of Seattle Innovation Learning Center   

·        Wing Luke Museum Homestead Home  

·        Hope Academy   

·        Lake City Collective  

·        Little Saigon Landmark Project   

·        Midtown Center Africatown   

·        Multicultural Community Center   

·        Opportunity Center @ Othello Square  

·        Queer the Land    

·        Rainier Beach Food Innovation District  

·        Rainier Valley Midwives Birth Center  

·        Refugee and Immigrant Family Center  

·        Urban Black  

·        West African Community Center   

·        William Grose Center for Cultural Innovation Africatown   

Last month, Mayor Durkan launched the Equitable Communities Initiative (ECI), to invest $100 million into Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities as part of the 2021 budget to address inequities caused by systemic racism and institutionalized oppression. This new investment, augments the City’s race and social equity investments that are ongoing.  

Share Button