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Stay informed about the policies we are championing, the progress we are making, and the impact we are creating as we work to serve you better.
Supporting Community Behavioral Health Clinics
I joined US Senators Maria Cantwell and Debbie Stabenow to push for expanded mental health and substance use disorder care in Washington State and nationwide.
We need our federal government to invest much more in community health centers through Medicaid and other grants so I’m glad our senators are championing Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHC). As always, thank you to our providers and healthcare workers for continuing to take care of our loved ones during these challenging times.
Learn more here.
 Crisis Care Centers Planning Team Hired
In April, more than 56 percent of King County voters approved the Crisis Care Centers levy that I championed for the past two years to give our neighbors places to go for care when they are experiencing a behavioral health crisis. Today, I am thrilled to say that our Crisis Care Centers implementation planning team was recently hired and have started work. You can read an introduction to the team here.
The team is now working to develop the Crisis Care Centers Implementation Plan. The Implementation Plan will set the nine-year strategy, including requirements, siting process and centers, cost structures, measurement and evaluation, and operations in order to achieve the initiative goals. If you are interested in meeting with the planning team or joining a feedback session, please email dchs@kingcounty.gov.
Fentanyl and Addiction - Help is Available
The Department of Community and Health Services (DCHS) and Public Health Seattle-King County released the first in a multi-part blog series detailing our response to the current fentanyl crisis and substance use disorder more broadly. Please take a look here at this resource for individuals seeking substance use treatment.
Health through Housing Dashboard
DCHS recently unveiled their public Health through Housing Dashboard! The Health Through Housing (HTH) initiative is King County’s long-term commitment to accelerate our region’s response to chronic homelessness through the use of repurposed hotels and other existing buildings.
Since purchasing HTH’s first building in May 2021, the initiative has obtained 1,366 units and brought eight buildings online—introducing new supportive housing stock faster than any previous County-led housing initiative. HTH is also working with city officials and communities to establish the first supportive housing buildings for adults in Auburn, Federal Way, Kirkland, Redmond, and Renton.
Reliable, accessible data is an important part of how we'll end chronic homelessness in King County. Explore the dashboard for an overview of the HTH model, progress made during our 2022 launch year, and future plans. Use the links below to jump to a specific topic.
Stores in Unincorporated King County Must Accept Cash
Earlier this week, I joined my colleagues in voting to require businesses in unincorporated King County to accept cash payments. This is an important measure to make sure that everyone, especially people who are unbanked or underbanked, can participate in our economy.
The change would apply only in unincorporated King County and only to in-person transactions. Businesses would only be required to accept cash for purchases up to $200 and would not have to accept denominations higher than $20. Businesses could apply for an exemption to the mandate, which would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
For more on the measure, read the Seattle Times’ article here.
Metro Trip Changes
King County Metro will increase service reliability with its fall update to transit schedules. The agency currently is delivering 95% of more than 11,200 daily bus trips while facing challenges with canceled trips.
The changes beginning in September will allow riders to have confidence that Metro will be there when promised, no matter where they need to go.
To keep transit services in sync with fleet and workforce availability, Metro will focus upcoming service changes on 20 low-ridership routes. Most (92%) boardings will not be directly affected by these cuts, which will help prevent last-minute cancellations and improve reliability for riders. Learn more at Metro’s blog post here.
Annual Property Value Update from KC Assessor
Homeowners - you may have recently opened your mailbox and found your annual property value postcards. Here are a few highlights on property values and property taxes from Assessor John Wilson:
- The annual process of property valuation in King County is underway. The first batch of postcards are in the mail.
- The results from the area reviews we have completed thus far make it clear that after reaching all-time highs in Quarter 2 of 2022, residential property values are correcting downwards throughout King County in 2023.
- As usual, different regions are seeing different results. Values dropped 22% in Sammamish, but only by 8% on Queen Anne.
- In addition, values of commercial office buildings fell by 15% to 20%, reflecting the impact of a transition to less in office work activity.
- The housing market is still healthy in King County, but it cooled considerably in 2023, bringing values down.
- Generally, the commercial market has remained steady in recent years. But in 2023 we are seeing a significant drop in the value of large office spaces.
- Finally, it is always important to remember that voter approved special levies usually have more impact on property tax increases than do increases in home values.
For more information, check out the King County Assessor’s website here.
Changes Coming to Skyway’s MLK Highway
We’ve heard concerns from many constituents about ongoing safety issues at SR 900/MLK Way in Skyway, especially since damage to the Allentown Bridge in Tukwila forced a truck detour through Skyway. Since much of the area in question is under the jurisdiction of the state, my office reached out to WSDOT to get specific information about the future of this intersection.
WSDOT recently completed a SR 900/Martin Luther King Jr. Way South Corridor Study through Skyway in unincorporated King County. This study lays out a future vision for the corridor that was developed using feedback from the Skyway community and WSDOT partners. Now that the study is complete, a pre-design is scheduled to start later this year. This pre-design effort will be focused on refining the SR 900 Corridor Study recommendations. Specifically, the pre-design will look at pedestrian improvements at South 129th Street, a new traffic signal and pedestrian crossing at South 133rd Street, a new protected pedestrian crossing in the vicinity of Creston Point Apartments, and complete streets improvements on the north side of SR 900 from South 129th Street to South 135th Street. The study also identified a potential future roundabout at South 129th Street, although additional funding for this work is not yet available.
You can read the full report here.
 MLK Service Award: Congratulations, Donnitta Sinclair Martin!
Earlier this month, I had the honor of presenting Donnitta Sinclair Martin with this year's MLK Service Award.
In 2020, in the wake of the worldwide uprisings and a global pandemic, Donnitta Sinclair Martin lost her 19 year-old son, Horace Lorenzo Anderson, to gun violence. In one of the darkest moments of any mother’s life, however, Donnitta did not let the pain stop her. Instead, she used it as fuel for change.
Donnitta founded We Got Us Moms to support mothers who lost children to gun violence. She helped foster connection, healing, and community for survivor families, and worked tirelessly to end the disease of gun violence. She fully embodies Dr. King’s call to service for others, and is more than deserving of this award.
You can watch my remarks and Donnitta’s speech here, and learn more about Donnitta here.
 Reminder: the sale and use of consumer fireworks are prohibited in unincorporated King County
King County has banned the sale and use of consumer fireworks in unincorporated areas, including urban communities like Skyway. Our main goal last year was to let people know about the new rules. This year, the county will begin enforcing the ban.
Most enforcement will be provided by county code officers instead of the Sheriff's Office. To report violations, use the online form at kingcounty.gov/ReportFireworks or call 206‑848‑0800. You’ll need to provide the specific address of the violation. You aren’t legally required to provide your own name and contact information, but doing so will make it more likely that King County will investigate the incident. You are also not required to testify before a hearing examiner about your complaint, but doing so will make it more likely that the violator will receive a citation or penalty instead of a warning.
To report use of fireworks in a street, at a park, or on other public property, you can contact the King County Sheriff's Office. And if you see a situation involving imminent danger of physical harm or damage to property, contact the Sheriff's Office or call 9-1-1.
Here are just a few ideas for celebrating Independence Day without making things explode: join or watch a local parade, enjoy a professional fireworks show, host a movie marathon, play lawn games (or board games if the weather doesn't cooperate), share themed food, write and perform historical skits, host a talent show or sing-along, enjoy the night sky (if it's clear) and pick out constellations and planets, blow bubbles, or host a dance party.
For more information on the fireworks ban and how to report a violation, check out King County Local Services’ blog post here.
Happy Juneteenth
June 19th, 1865, marks the day that enslaved people in Galveston, TX were told that slavery had ended in the United States. In the years since, the day has come to mean many things: a celebration of freedom, a mourning for the tragedy of slavery, a remembrance of our history, and a call to action for a just future.
As a country, we are still struggling with the legacy of slavery and the pain and poverty that it continues to inflict on Black communities.
This Juneteenth, we acknowledge our collective history and fight for our collective liberation.
To learn more about the history of this day, go to: http://bit.ly/1865resources.
Happy Pride Month
Happy Pride, my friends! We stand in solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ neighbors today and everyday. Pride is not merely a fleeting moment of celebration, but an enduring commitment to fostering an inclusive society. We understand that true progress is measured by our daily efforts to build a community that is welcoming and safe for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
In King County, we envision a future where love knows no boundaries, where every individual can authentically be themselves without fear or prejudice. Let’s keep up the work to make King County a community that’s welcoming and safe for everyone!
 Why Does King County Have a General Fund Budget Crisis?
County Executive Dow Constantine recently announced that King County needs to cut about $50 million in spending to balance its 2025 General Fund budget. Executive Constantine plans to propose initial budget reductions in the fall of 2023, to take effect in mid-2024. The remaining cuts will be included in the 2025 budget that will be sent to the County Council in September 2024.
For more information on what led to this budget shortfall, read this explanation from Dwight Dively, King County's Director of the Office of Performance, Strategy, and Budget.
From neighborhood gatherings to grassroots initiatives, stay tuned to see how we are working closely with you to address your concerns and bring positive change to our district.
National Gun Violence Awareness Day
As incidents of gun violence continue to plague our communities, I took time on National Gun Violence Awareness Day to visit some folks and organizations doing amazing work at ending gun violence.
Community Passageways recently opened a new Service Center on 23rd & Jackson, in a parking lot that has seen many shootings over the years. Having dedicated crime violence prevention and a direct services team on site is a great way to activate the space and keep it safe. I also dropped by the Public Health - Seattle & King County’s lockbox giveaways in Skyway and Rainier Beach.
Thank you to everyone who made these events possible, and to all the great people tackling this critical issue.
 Congrats, Grads!
It was such an honor to keynote the UW Evans School of Public Policy commencement. The graduates are our future data analysts, policy advocates, elected officials, and everything in between.
The Evans School has nurtured and empowered these exceptional individuals, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to make a lasting impact in the field of public policy. Everyone meet and congratulate Washington State’s upcoming public policy leaders!
 Small Business Spotlight: Sakana Sushi & Kitchen
This month’s features Paul Kim, a man who worked at restaurants all over Seattle for years, but who always had a dream of starting his own. Last month, his dream came true. He opened Sakana on 15th & Madison — I’ve never had better sushi.
If you’re looking for a new place to try on Capitol Hill, I encourage you to visit Paul’s restaurant Sakana Sushi & Kitchen. I got a bunch of salmon nigiri, gyoza, and jalapeño poppers.
Share your thoughts, suggestions, and concerns on key issues, as we value your input and believe in the power of collective voices shaping our policies and decisions.
Allentown Truck Reroute Project
The City of Tukwila is developing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate alternatives to reroute existing BNSF truck traffic in Allentown. An EIS is a process to evaluate potential effects that proposed alternatives may have on the built and natural environment.
The existing truck route, no-build alternative, in addition to five proposed route alternatives will be studied in the EIS to determine potential impacts on the built and natural environment.
Learn more about the proposed alternatives here, and sign up for email updates about the project here.
King County 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update
King County is in the process of developing the 2024 Comprehensive Plan, a guide for how the county plans to support future growth in unincorporated communities. Your input is critical to shape the proposals that matter most to your neighborhood! King County will be hosting virtual and in-person town halls, open houses, and surveys to hear directly from constituents.
You can learn more about the Comprehensive Plan, read the current draft summaries, and provide feedback at the link here.
Join the South King Housing and Homelessness Partners Advisory Board
The South King Housing and Homelessness Partners (SKHHP) is recruiting for their Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is a vital step in ensuring that community voices inform the work. If you would like more information about SKHHP or have questions, please email Dorsol Plants, Program Coordinator at dplants@skhhp.org.
Learn more about SKHHP here: https://skhhp.org/advisory-board/
Skyway Resource Center Pop-Up
The Skyway Resource Center (SRC) is holding a pop-up resource fair on Friday, July 21st, from 3 PM - 5 PM. The pop-up will offer a number of services, including:
- PPE
- Food Resources
- Transportation Resources
- Health Insurance Enrollment & Support
- Diapers
- And more!
For more information, check out the SRC’s website here.
Skyway Library to expand hours starting July 16th
Starting on Sunday, July 16, hours will change at the Skyway Library to better serve the community.
Monday 10:00AM - 6:00PM
Tuesday 12:00PM - 8:00PM
Wednesday 12:00PM - 8:00PM
Thursday 10:00AM - 6:00PM
Friday 10:00AM - 6:00PM
Saturday 11:00AM - 6:00PM
Sunday Closed
How to Prepare for Wildfire Season in King County
Since 2017, rising temperatures and dryer conditions have created a health risk we’re learning to expect in the Pacific Northwest – wildfire smoke season.
This year, wildfire smoke is forecast to start early in King County and last into the fall. Record-setting forest fires have already darkened skies in Canada and the eastern U.S., and our region is set to be next. By preparing now, you can help to protect your and your family’s lungs, heart, and health from smoke.
- Stay safe indoors and avoid outdoor exercise when the air quality index (AQI) is above 150. Check local AQI at PSCleanAir.org, and 5-day smoke forecasts at WAsmoke.blogspot.com.
- People with asthma, heart and lung conditions, or diabetes should move indoors when AQI is above 100, and keep inhalers and medications on hand. Children, adults ages 65 and over, and pregnant people are also at higher risk from smoke.
- Close windows and doors on smoky days. Create a clean air room using a HEPA or DIY box fan filter. Run AC if you can, or move to a mall, library, cooling shelter, or other air-conditioned building if it becomes too hot.
For more information on staying safe during wildfire season, check out Public Health’s blog post here.
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