Chairing Committee of the Whole
My first Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting as Chair had a busy agenda as we considered appointments for the King County District Court, Harborview Medical Center's Board of Trustees, and the King County Board of Health. I want to congratulate successful appointees and wish them well in their service to our region.
Next meeting – I anticipate another busy COW meeting next month, when we will consider an appointment for the Director of King County's Department of Information Technology and receive updates from King County’s Government Relations team on the state and federal outlook for 2026, and discuss our county’s response to immigration enforcement actions. While the full agenda is yet to be determined, I encourage you to look at the COW website, which will provide a full agenda prior to the next meeting on Tuesday, February 24 at 9:30 am.
Click image to acces the recording of the January 27 Council meeting.
How the County is Responding to Concerns Regarding Immigration Enforcement
I have heard from many of you about your concerns regarding the actions being taken by our federal government in the name of immigration enforcement and the impact they are having on communities, including here in King County. These impacts range from fear to attend school or work, instances when people have been detained by ICE, and of course the use of excessive force that has resulted in injury and death.
Actions taken – I share these concerns and want to give you an update on steps we are taking at the council to address them. This week, the council unanimously passed a motion led by my colleague Councilmember Mosqueda and which I co-sponsored, which calls on the Administration to end its surge of immigration enforcement in cities around the country and calls on Congress not to approve additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security until meaningful and significant guardrails are put in place to protect our communities. You can read the full text of the motion here.
This motion is the latest in a series of actions we have taken in the past few months. In the fall, our office led efforts during the biennial budget process to ensure continued funding by the county of enhanced capacity for immigration legal services. And we also led a successful effort to enact an ordinance that restricts county human services contractors from sharing information with immigration enforcement agencies and from allowing immigration enforcement agencies in their facilities if they do not have a judicial warrant. That ordinance went into effect on January 1.
What is next – We are continuing to work on identifying ways that our county can support impacted communities, and we will be holding a hearing at the next Committee of the Whole meeting on February 24 on these topics.
As we continue that work, I wanted to share the information below that includes resources and links to organizations supporting communities during this time:
Continuum of Care Lawsuit
As you may recall from last month’s newsletter, King County is facing significant risks to our primary federal funding source for housing and homelessness.
The Bad News – In November, the federal department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the 2026 application for the Continuum of Care (CoC) grant program, which provides over $60 million annually for homelessness services in our county, especially to support permanent supportive housing. As part of this application, the federal administration dramatically changed its funding priorities away from many of the evidence-based services and inclusive policies that the CoC had previously supported in King County. These program changes pose a significant risk to our region, as we do not have alternate means to fund these essential services in the event of federal cuts.
The Good News – Fortunately, we have received some tentatively positive news since last month’s update. In December, a federal judge granted a motion for a preliminary court order that will temporarily block the federal administration’s new requirements for federal grantees. The court order prohibits HUD from replacing current CoC grant conditions with the new, discriminatory ones proposed in the 2026 application. HUD is further required to take all steps necessary to process eligible grant renewals for the upcoming year based on the terms included in the previous application. While the Trump administration can appeal this ruling, we are hopeful that they will not.
This court order was in response to a lawsuit filed by the National Alliance to End Homelessness and National Low Income Housing Coalition along with jurisdictions nationwide, including King County. I am grateful for the leadership of Executives Braddock and Zahilay in supporting this litigation. While the recent court decisions may provide some temporary relief, we remain concerned about the future of this funding and ongoing efforts by the Trump Administration to defund successful local efforts that are keeping our residents housed. I will keep updating you on developments.
Celebrating at the Council
Pictured on left: King County Councilmembers, community members, and Consul General of the Republic of Korea Seo Eunji. Pictured on right: Councilmember Fain, chair of the Korean American Day Festival Foundation Seong H. Kim, Consul General Seo, and me.
Korean American Day
Councilmember Steffanie Fain and I presented a proclamation to recognize January 13 as Korean American Day, commemorating the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States in 1903. We were joined for this occasion by the Consul General of the Republic of Korea Seo Eunji and members of the Korean American community. Earlier that same day, I attended the “19th Annual Washington State Korean American Day Celebration” at the Consulate of the Republic of Korea (which is located in District 4) where Councilmember Fain presented the proclamation in community.
Councilmember Lewis, me, and Council Chair Perry on left, and performers from ADEFUA Cultural Performers on the right. Click image to access a recording of the 2026 Annual Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Pictures taken by Brian Chu Photography.
Honoring the Legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
This month, I was honored to be part of a number of events celebrating our county’s namesake, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Each year, the county organizes a public event where we celebrate Dr. King’s legacy, values, and vision. It was an honor to be in community once again for this year’s 2026 Annual Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. alongside my council colleagues and Executive Zahilay.
 On January 19, I joined hundreds of community members who gathered at Garfield High School for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day march and rally, which is organized annually by the Seattle MLK Jr. Organizing Coalition. Thank you to everyone who helps make that event possible each year. It was an honor to see the strong turnout this year as we re-commit to pursuing the values and vision that Dr. King promoted.
 In addition to these celebrations, Councilmember Rhonda Lewis offered a proclamation during our January 13 council meeting to recognize January as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. month. We were joined by Chief Executive Officer Eddie Lincoln and Seattle Executive Director Kaila Davis Nsimbi of Rainier Scholars who accepted the proclamation.
Recognizing Ken Jennings
Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer presented a recognition to current Jeopardy! host, 74 time-game winner, and District 4 resident, Ken Jennings for his work to support cancer research, and as an active member of this community.
 Queen Anne Community Council
Last month, I joined Seattle City Councilmembers Dionne Foster, Bob Kettle, Alexis Mercedes Rinck, and Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans at the Old Stove Brewing Company for an informal meet and greet with residents in the Queen Anne area. This was a wonderful opportunity for people to get to know their local government representatives, especially newly elected leaders Councilmember Foster and City Attorney Evans.
Pictured from left to right: MOHAI Executive Director Leonard Garfield, Executive Associate and Board Relations Manager Anthony Long, board member Maureen Frisk, me, Director of Education Sondra Snyder, and board member Mike Stanley. Click image to learn more about their work.
Visiting the Museum of History and Industry
On a morning when the sun was shining and people were out enjoying South Lake Union, I visited staff and Board members to hear about the exciting things happening at the Museum of History and Industry. As someone who considers themselves a student of history, I appreciate the excitement, creativity, and dedication they each bring to preserving and making our local heritage accessible in a way that energizes us for the future. This local gem is preparing some truly incredible events this coming year, including the Freedom Plane National Tour, which will exhibit many original documents vital to the founding of our country. Seattle is the last stop on this national tour and admission will be free for all. Thank you for welcoming my staff and I to the space.
 Anniversary Memorial Ceremony for
Metro Operator Shawn Yim
On December 18, I joined with elected leaders, King County Metro employees, and community members to honor the life and service of Metro Operator Shawn Yim on the one-year anniversary of his passing. The event included the unveiling of several memorial plaques and a bench that will permanently serve as a physical remembrance at Metro’s Central Base. While solemn, it was also beautiful to see so many people come together to remember Shawn’s longtime work as an overnight operator on Route 70 and recognize the vital contributions of Metro’s night shift workforce. While we continue to promote transit safety, I appreciated the opportunity to recognize our Metro operators and to honor the life of Shawn Yim.
Click image to learn more.
2026 Board of Supervisors Election
The King Conservation District (KCD) is holding an election for its board of supervisors. KCD is a special purpose district (not a part of county government) committed to helping people engage in stewardship and conservation of natural resources, serving over two million people in 34 cities and unincorporated King County. This election is for a Board Supervisor for District No.3, which includes parts of Seattle, Vashon Island, and small parts of Renton and Tukwila. Please note that, unlike other local elections, this election is primarily conducted online and a paper ballot will NOT be mailed to you unless you request one from KCD.
Voting is now open and ends at 8 pm on Tuesday, February 10.
Click image to sign up and donate your time to a great cause!
Volunteer at the 2026 Seattle/King County Clinic
The Seattle/King County Clinic, the region’s largest volunteer-driven free health clinic, is happening April 23 to 26 at Seattle Center and they are seeking volunteers. Use your skills or simply donate your time to make a lasting impact. With many in our community unable to access or afford the care they need, especially with federal funding cuts, this annual clinic is more important than ever and a prime example of what happens when communities come together to help one another.
Click image to learn more.
Help Shape Your Region’s Transportation Future
The Puget Sound Regional Council is seeking public comment on the draft Regional Transportation Plan. The comment period runs from December 15 to February 2, 2026. The goal of the Regional Transportation Plan is to ensure the transportation system accommodates continued growth in the Puget Sound region now and into the future.
Submit your comments by Monday, February 2.
Click image for source.
King County’s Energize Program is currently accepting applications. Energize provides no-cost services and County-managed installations for eligible households in multifamily homes, community buildings, adult family homes, and family home childcares to improve energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and resident comfort, and to lower energy costs.
Photo of me donating blood at one of my appointments.
Donate Blood and Save Lives
The Washington State Department of Health recently declared "Code Red" due to the severe blood shortages to our regional blood banks. As a returning blood donor myself, I encourage those who are able and eligible to donate blood. Donation appointments can be scheduled at your convenience and take about an hour. See below for donation centers and find the one near you.
Metro is Seeking Artists
King County Metro is currently teaming up with Photographic Center Northwest to call for images to be installed as public art in King County Metro bus shelters. This public art installation will focus on the theme “Show Us Your World” and is intended to explore cultural identity and connection.
Submissions are accepted through February 8.
|
