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This week Sound Transit began negotiations with affordable housing developer Bridge Housing to build 500-units of housing, including over 280 affordable housing units (for individuals or families who earn between 30% and 80% of area median income) adjacent to Bellevue’s fast-growing Spring District.
Getting us to this point took vision, leadership, and a lot of compromises from many community stakeholders and leaders. The 7-acre development sits adjacent to Sound Transit’s almost-complete light rail Operations and Maintenance Facility. Instead of fighting over what is typically “unwanted” infrastructure (a large maintenance facility), or settling for only a light rail maintenance facility, we will build both a light rail base and much needed housing - the majority being affordable. I’m proud to have been a part of making it happen.
Read more in the Puget Sound Business Journal (subscription required) >>>
 What the new Spring District development could look like. Image courtesy of Sound Transit
Empowering Cities to Take Bold Climate Action
As we live with the growing impacts of climate change, it’s clear that local and regional governments need to take meaningful climate action.
This week, King County and King County-Cities Climate Collaboration released the Climate Action Toolkit to help local jurisdictions assess their carbon emissions and take action to reduce them.
The idea for the climate toolkit came from grassroots community activists and I was proud to partner with them to introduce the motion that made this work possible. This comprehensive, accessible guide empowers every jurisdiction in King County to do their part to combat the climate crisis.
New Regional Partnership to Connect Our Trails
Trails lead to better quality of life in so many ways, including access to free and safe places to get outside; better air quality; more green spaces to benefit our environment; and exciting connections to bring active, resilient, and healthy communities together.
Our four-county region (King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish) boasts 450 miles of regional trails but there are big gaps in the regional network. That’s why earlier this week regional leaders announced Leafline, a new coalition to connect the regional trails network.
Did you know Eastrail is part of the Leafline Trails network? Want to find out how we can connect trails together?
Watch the launch video about the new regional Leafline Trails Coalition and then learn more here >>> https://leaflinetrails.org/
 COVID-19 Is on the Rise in King County
After a few weeks of progress, the September 30 Public Health - Seattle & King County COVID-19 Indicators data dashboard paints a complicated picture of King County’s progress to stop COVID-19 with cases on the rise, aggregate testing below target, but fortunately hospital capacity remains sufficient. It's no secret: we all have more work to do to beat this pandemic.
To stay healthy and prevent spreading COVID-19, limit close contact with others outside your home, avoid crowded and poorly-ventilated spaces, wear your mask and keep your distance!
 Spread the Word!
Please forward this email widely and invite others to sign-up to my email updates to receive important and timely information for District 6 constituents.
Sincerely,
 Claudia Balducci
King County Council
Council Chair
District 6
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