If we’ve learned nothing else from the last couple decades of explosive growth in King County, it’s that past attempts to provide housing that’s affordable to everyone in our county have come up short. Really short. So short, in fact, that we need to create an additional 200,000 affordable homes by 2044 to ensure that low-income individuals, people on fixed incomes, and families throughout King County can afford a place to call home. 

We need every jurisdiction to do their part to address our regional housing crisis. As Chair of the Affordable Housing Committee, I led the effort to bring together King County and every city in King County to commit to creating housing affordable at every income level in every community. With these new targets, every jurisdiction will be responsible for creating a certain number of housing units, using a framework of mutual accountability to achieve their goals and using the tools that make sense for their own community. Read more about how we're working together and holding each other accountable in my op-ed in Publicola:

Last week, I joined public and private partners for the groundbreaking of the Wilburton Trestle segment of the Eastrail. This segment, which includes a 120-year-old former train trestle spanning 1,000 feet, is going to be one of the most breathtaking stretches of trail in King County and will play a key role in connecting our region, giving Eastside residents more options to travel on foot or by bike. It also represents a unique partnership, with local dollars from King County and the City of Bellevue combined with funding from Washington State’s Climate Commitment Act along with contributions from private partners, Amazon and Kaiser Permanente.  

I can’t wait to enjoy a bike ride along the Wilburton Trestle, complete with stunning views of the Bellevue skyline and a light rail station at the other end! Read more about the Wilburton Trestle in the Seattle Times: 

Last week, I was proud to co-sponsor a recognition of the 80th Anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. 80 years ago today, the June 6, 1944 invasion of Normandy by Allied troops was at the time the largest naval, air, and land operation in history and led to the liberation of Europe, the end of the Holocaust, and Allied victory in World War II.  

We must remember and honor the soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy, risking and giving their lives to preserve democracy worldwide. Today, democracy is under attack around the world. The best way we can honor those who fought and died on D-Day is by doing our part to protect and preserve the rights and freedoms they were defending.