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I’m particularly proud of the investments that we were able to bring directly into District 2 for our communities. Thank you to everyone who came to our budget town halls, testified at our committee meetings, and met with the Council to advocate for our local neighborhoods. With your help, we were able to make vital investments into our district so that everyone can survive and thrive.
 Thank You
This budget is the combined work of so many people over months, from County staff to community advocates, to bring together this $16 billion budget. This is an investment in our home so that the people of King County have what they need to survive and thrive. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.
Hundreds of thousands of King County voters made their voices heard this month in our general elections. Below are a few election outcomes in our state that you may find noteworthy:
- In Southwest Washington, Marie Perez has won the race to represent Washington’s 3rd Congressional District.
- In another Congressional race, Dr. Kim Schrier will retain her seat in Washington’s 8th District.
For more election updates, please visit King County Elections homepage.
At 1 PM on Tuesday November 22nd, the King County Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2022 update to the King County Comprehensive Plan. This follows 8 months of Council review of the plan, which includes the Skyway-West Hill Subarea Plan and the North Highline Subarea Plan. After the public hearing, the Council will consider the testimony received, and potentially take action at the December 6, 2022 meeting.
The King County Comprehensive Plan is the guiding policy document for land use and development regulations in unincorporated King County, and for regional services throughout the County including transit, sewers, parks, trails, and open space.
You can view the public hearing notice and current version of the 2022 update, including maps of the proposals, here.
As they are available, amendments will be posted here.
If you have questions about the Council’s 2022 Comprehensive Plan update process, please email CouncilCompPlan@kingcounty.gov.
Join our meeting to provide public comment! The Council values community input and looks forward to hearing from you. Information on how to participate in the hearing is available here.
There are three ways to provide public testimony:
- In person: You may attend the meeting in person in Council Chambers.
- In writing: You may testify by submitting a COMMENT email. If your testimony is submitted before 10:00 a.m. on the day of the Council meeting, your email testimony will be distributed to the Councilmembers and appropriate staff prior to the meeting. Please submit your testimony by emailing clerk@kingcounty.gov.
- Remote attendance on the Zoom Webinar: You may provide oral public testimony at the meeting by connecting to the meeting via phone or computer using the ZOOM application at https://zoom.us/, and entering the Webinar ID below.
You are not required to sign-up in advance. Testimony will be limited to ordinances and motions listed on the meeting agenda for action. On the fourth Tuesday of each month, the council allows general public comment on matters relating to county government.
CONNECTING TO THE WEBINAR
Webinar ID: 825 3001 5605
If you do not have access to the ZOOM application, you can connect to the meeting by calling 1 253 215 8782 and using the Webinar ID. Connecting in this manner, however, may impact your ability to be unmuted to speak.
Using D2 Council-approved funding, the Friends of Arboretum Creek (FOAC) have just completed the 30% design of their Headwaters Project. Their goal is to re-unite clean spring water with Arboretum Creek and create a flourishing, centrally-located riparian ecosystem that is fully accessible to everyone. The FOAC are holding free monthly nature walks along the creek - in addition to their work parties. You can join the fun via their website: www.aboretumcreek.org.
COVID-19 Boosters and Pediatric Vaccine Videos
These short videos made by local Community Navigators and Language Access interpreters, can be shared on social media, in messaging apps (like WhatsApp), and on webpages. They are in Vimeo for easier download.
Updated COVID-19 Booster Flyers
Article: Should I Get An Updated Booster?
This is the featured post on the Public Health Insider blog. Other organizations and community media are welcome to repost it in their own blogs, newsletters, or other communications. To visit the article, please visit this link here.
Slides: Should I Get An Updated Booster?
These slides give short answers to common questions about the updated booster:
አማርኛ (Amharic), العربية (Arabic), 简体字 (Chinese–Simplified), 繁體字 (Chinese–Traditional), دری (Dari), English, Français(French), ភាសាខ្មែរ (Khmer), 한국어 (Korean), Kajin M̧ajeļ (Marshallese), ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi), Русский (Russian), Af Soomaali (Somali), Español (Spanish), Tagalog/Filipino, ትግርኛ(Tigrinya), Українська(Ukrainian), Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
Ask a Pediatrician About Updated Boosters
To visit the article, please visit this link here.
Sound Transit Rainier Valley Safety Survey
Sound Transit will launch a pilot program to increase safety around tracks and trains by raising the volume of the daytime bells on Link light rail vehicles. Bell volume will increase by 5-6 decibels. Operators will continue to activate bells when approaching intersections and station entrances. This pilot will launch in the fall and last for approximately 6 months. Throughout the pilot, Sound Transit will evaluate incident data, rail operator feedback, and feedback from the public and the surrounding community to measure the impacts of this safety improvement.
Please take a short survey to help us capture your perception and feedback of the change to the daytime bell volume. Likewise, please offer any other suggestions on how to improve safety around tracks and trains: Exploring new safety measures in Rainier Valley (alchemer.com)
Earlier this year Sound Transit reduced the one-way ORCA LIFT fare on all Sound Transit services from $1.50 to $1.00 as part of a six-month pilot project. A brief survey and service area-wide public engagement process will gather feedback and help develop a Fare Equity Analysis to support a possible Board decision on making this a permanent fare change. You can take the ORCA LIFT $1 Fare Pilot Survey here.
The survey is available through December 9 and is available in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Russian, Korean, and both Traditional and Simplified Chinese.
Lake Washington Blvd Visioning Process Survey
The Seattle Department of Transportation in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation and the community are co-creating design concept(s) that promote pedestrian and bicycle uses and increase safety for everyone that travels along Lake Washington Boulevard.
Please take a few minutes to complete the survey to help us better understand what is working well for you along Lake Washington Boulevard; what could be improved; and how we can enhance safety and the overall traveler experience. We will share the survey results with the community this winter. To take the survey, please visit this link here.
King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission Recruitment
King County is currently recruiting for six vacant positions on the King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission.
Commissioners from across King County work together to identify, elevate and develop shared strategies and solutions; streamline and strengthen efforts; and bring more resources to the most pressing issues affecting immigrant and refugee communities.
Learn more and apply here.
 Landlord Incentive Package
A comprehensive incentive package is now available to private landlords and housing providers who can bring additional housing units to a coordinated effort to end homelessness, through the Housing Command Center (HCC) announced earlier this month. The Housing Command Center seeks 800 units to support this effort.
The incentive package is available to reduce or eliminate standard tenancy screening criteria, match ready-to-rent tenants with vacant units and address concerns that landlords may have about renting to a person who previously experienced homelessness.
For more information, please visit this link here.
Unincorporated King County Business Survey
Attention business owners in unincorporated parts of King County: did your business seek and receive business grants, technical assistance, or other support in the past two years? How would you rate its condition now?
Local Services invites you to complete a 10-minute Unincorporated King County Business Survey by 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18. The information you provide will help the county develop services and programs to support businesses like yours.
Learn more on the King County Local blog.
 New Incentive Package to Help Solve Homelessness
Calling all landlords and housing providers!
A comprehensive incentive package is now available to private landlords and housing providers who can bring additional housing units to a coordinated effort to end homelessness, through the Housing Command Center (HCC) announced earlier this month. The Housing Command Center seeks 800 units to support this effort.
Guaranteed rent and good tenant coaching are among the many incentives in exchange for tenancy screening flexibilities.
Plus landlords and housing providers get a powerful sense of action and effectiveness in partnering to end homelessness for unhoused neighbors.
Applications are due by 5pm on Friday, December 2.
Find details about this year’s program and how to apply on the Local Services website. Information and applications are available in English and Spanish (and in other languages and formats on request).
Regional Animal Services of King County
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, a pet will manage to escape their home or yard. If that happens to you, Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) can help. Visit kingcounty.gov/LostAPet to add your pet's information to the county's database and learn about other resources for finding your missing pet. You'll be notified by email if an animal matching your pet’s description is picked up by RASKC's animal control officers or added to their database.
In many cases, a missing pet doesn't wander too far from their home. If you find a stray pet in your neighborhood, go to kingcounty.gov/FoundAPet to add the animal's information to our database and get tips for reuniting the pet with their owner.
For more help with lost or found pets, call 206-296-7387 (PETS) or email LostPets@kingcounty.gov.
Best Starts for Kids Child Care Subsidy Program
Best Starts for Kids (BSK) is a King County voter-approved initiative to support every baby born or child raised in King County to reach adulthood happy, healthy, safe and thriving. Starting in 2022, these investments include $20 million per year for a new child care subsidy program!
- Families who are interested in the subsidy can fill out a five-minute eligibility form to see if they may qualify for help paying for child care. This is the first step in the application process.
- BSK will contact families selected to complete a full application by the end of September. There may be more eligible families than the program can serve.
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Website and eligibility form available at www.bskchildcare.org in: Amharic, English, Oromo Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Interpreters available for all other languages to complete an application over the phone at 206-208-6865.
Please help us get the word out to your networks! Visit bit.ly/bskcc-pub-outreach for outreach toolkits with sample outreach language, flyers and social media graphics. Available in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese-simplified and traditional, English, Oromo, Somali, Spanish, Russian, and Vietnamese.
Alan M. Painter Grants
The Alan M. Painter grants fund community projects that allow residents of unincorporated King County to participate in, and be more connected to, their communities.
Funded projects must show how they are accessible to all residents regardless of race, income, or language spoken. The funds may not be used for political activities.
A total of $90,000 will be reimbursed for projects in 2023, in individual grants of less than $5,000 per project. Funding for projects will begin in March 2023.
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