|
King County District 2: History is Made Here
King County Council Appoints Rhonda Lewis, Making History with First Black Woman and First Majority-Woman Council
June 30, 2026
Mawahib Ismail and Derartu Massey help stock produce at the Rainier Beach Action Coalition Food Hub
This week, the King County Council voted on amending the 2026 budget.
Our budget work as a council is critical to ensuring that King County is responsive to emerging and immediate community needs.
I would like to take a moment to share how this budget amendment impacts District 2 specifically:
District 2 – along with all the districts in King County – feels the impact of changes to federal support for food.
Fortunately, in District 2, we have an organization primed and ready to help ensure families have access to food that will meet their nutritional needs.
Click on the above image to see RBAC tour of a local farm.
The Rainier Beach Action Coalition established a food innovation hub designed to provide food from local farms to families living in the urban area. The hub supports both local farms and local families as a win-win for local food security. This budget helps support that ongoing effort with a $150,000 investment.
Click on the above image to learn more about the work of RBAC’s President Gregory Davis.
Public Safety
Rainer Beach High School
This budget also addresses the need for increased public safety in the community following the loss of two young lives to gun violence in January.
Rainer Beach Memorial dedicated to two Rainer Beach High School teens
This budget adds funding to continue to ensure safe passage for Rainier Beach High School students from the bus stop to the high school with an investment of $150,000.
This budget also tasks Metro Transit with looking for ways to improve safety at the bus stop in front of Rainier Beach High School AND safety at stops around Franklin High School.
This budget also provides funding to support victims of human trafficking – specifically in District 2 AND also countywide by funding the work of the Silent Task Force and Muslimahs Against Abuse with human trafficking victims. These organizations are expecting to exhaust their resources due to federal funding cuts. This funding will keep them open and operating and serving people countywide.
Affordable Housing & Community Building
Mount Zion Baptist Church
District 2 will benefit from a critical and time-sensitive property acquisition next to Mt. Zion Church. I was pleased to work on this with both Budget Chair Dembowski and CM Fain.
Funding in this budget will allow King County to secure a small property at the corner of the block. By this strategic acquisition, Mt. Zion will be able to pursue a master plan for affordable housing, childcare, and business start-ups on the same block as the church.
Their goal is to reinforce the history of the neighborhood as being family-friendly for people of all ages, all income levels, and vocations.
CM Lewis spoke with Nate Miles about the church’s plans for affordable housing and childcare after a recent sermon he gave at Mount Zion Baptist Church
It is great to see private individuals and the church step up to this need, and it makes sense to invest in future affordable housing and childcare in the historically Black Central District.
This budget also includes $200,000 to support the development of affordable housing, an independent bookstore, and a jazz night school in Columbia City. This is a project spearheaded by Jazz Night School and supported by a broad array of private and public donors.
For the complete list of grants serving District 2, please scroll down.
I hope you all are enjoying watching the World Cup! Go Team USA
It is my honor to represent you on the King County Council.
You are always welcome to contact my office at 206 477-1002 or Rhonda.lewis@kingcounty.gov.
My D2 team looks forward to assisting you.
Sincerely,
 Rhonda Lewis, Councilmember
Metropolitan King County Council, District 2
|
