We fought hard against the establishment’s business-as-usual budget Dear People’s Budget activists and community members: Congratulations to everyone for a successful People’s Budget struggle on many fronts!  On Monday, Nov. 25, the City Council adopted a 2020 budget. We need to celebrate what has been won, while at the same time refusing to accept a […]

  I am honored to stand with the Chateau Apartment tenants, who are facing eviction from their Central District neighborhood by Cadence Real Estate, a big for-profit developer. Last Thursday, I held a press conference with the Chateau tenants, clergy, and other community supporters. Renee Gordon, one of the tenants, spoke up – her statement […]

I have written a letter to Mayor Jenny Durkan, explaining why I have not advanced her nomination of a permanent director of the Human Services Department, and calling on her to involve city workers, the community, and human service providers in an open, transparent, and inclusive candidate search. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ February 7, 2019 Dear Mayor Durkan, […]

On April 10, 2017, the Seattle City Council voted in favor of upzoning South Lake Union and Downtown. Councilmember Herbold introduced an amendment to increase the pitiful 2.1% affordable housing requirement included in the bill to 5%. This should have been a straightforward yes vote for a City Council that claims to be progressive. And even 5% […]

Dear fellow housing justices advocates, Congratulations to you all! Our affordable housing movement scored a major victory yesterday! We forced the City Council to approve $29 million for affordable housing in the 2017-2018 Seattle budget.  Let’s be clear: We won this because we built our Coalition and a movement. We made it impossible for corporate […]

Dear fellow housing justice advocates, Thank you so much for all of your great work on the Build 1,000 Homes campaign! In the last two weeks, our coalition of 65-plus organizations has called, emailed, and met with City Councilmembers to urge them to Build 1,000 Homes. We have succeeded in showing the Council that there […]

On October 25, the Church Council of Greater Seattle led a coalition of 18 congregations and 68 faith leaders calling on Councilmembers to support the growing campaign to build 1,000 homes, and to vote YES when the budget amendment comes before Council. Read their letter (PDF) below. For the full list of sponsors, click here. Learn more […]

The Build 1,000 Homes Coalition keeps growing! From the People’s Budget Town Hall to the public hearings on the budget, one thing is clear: When ordinary people in Seattle have the opportunity to weigh in on the budget, they point to the urgent need for affordable housing and human services. In October, grassroots organizers rallied around […]

From the People’s Budget Town Hall to the public hearings on the budget, one thing is clear: When ordinary people in Seattle have the opportunity to weigh in on the budget, they point to the urgent need for affordable housing and human services. At the heart of our demands is an amendment to reallocate the $160 million […]

Yesterday, my office visited Camp Second Chance, a well-organized, self-managed, clean and sober homeless encampment in Seattle. It is currently located on unused city-owned land, in one of the Myers Way Parcels. At the beginning of August, with only 72 hours’ notice, the City almost evicted them with a characteristically inhumane homeless sweep. Homeless activists, public […]