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

King County is currently accepting applications for WaterWorks grants for organizations carrying out water quality improvement projects. The application deadline is Monday, July 20.  

Schools and educational institutions, cities, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply. Projects that create a public benefit, improve water quality and or meet other evaluation criteria are strongly encouraged to apply. Additional information about the application evaluation process is available here.  

To learn more about the application process, click here.  

You can also learn more about Waterworks programming by reviewing project descriptions of efforts funded in the last 10 years.  

My team is searching for exciting projects in District 2 for the Council-allocated track. We have $400,000 available for D2 projects.

CM Lewis is chairing work sessions in July.   

The Council has started meeting in one-hour informal work sessions to have briefings and conversations about emerging issues and to prepare for council meetings. 

This week, CM Lewis invited Hyeok Kim – Chief Operating Officer and Wendy SooHoo, Analyst for the Executive Office (formerly with the King County Council) to present on plans for the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.      

For more information on the recent announcement of changes at KCRHA, click here. 

The Council voted unanimously to create an Inspector General to investigate complaints of fraud, waste, and abuse. 

CM Lewis co-sponsored the legislation to ensure government accountability.  She remains committed to ensuring community organizations get the training and support they deserve to be successful.  Hear her remarks above. 

CM Lewis also sponsored legislation to officially name Black Panther Park in Skyway.  Black Panther Park is the product of over a decade of work by supporters to commemorate local civil rights history and the work of many neighbors to advance justice. 

It recognizes the work of the Black Panther Seattle Chapter to call for equality and to feed schoolchildren. Black Panther Park is a gathering space and a community garden. 

The Budget and Fiscal Management (BFM) committee is responsible for reviewing all King County plans to sell county-owned property valued over $100,000. 

This meeting included review of 3 properties located in Districts 5,8 and 9. 

BFM then turned its attention to evaluating adjustments to loan requirements for affordable housing development to allow more flexibility.  CM Lewis asked questions about King County’s ability to assist in building affordable housing for residents making less than half of median income – the lowest-income households in King County.   

King County is restricted in its ability to loan housing funds to developers building affordable housing in part because of decreases in federal funding. 

July is Disability PRIDE month.  King County employees and community members gathered to recognize the contributions residents and employees with disabilities make every day. 

CM Lewis joined Council Chair Sarah Perry (D3), CM Steffanie Fain (D5), and Executive Zahilay to raise the Disability PRIDE flag to commemorate our friends, colleagues, and neighbors with disabilities who make our world a better place. 

The proclamation also reaffirmed King County’s commitment “to the principles of justice, equity, and “Nothing About Us Without Us.” 

CM Lewis met with representatives from Cedar Grove Compost regarding sorting technology. Cedar Grove is the local company that turns much of King County’s yard waste into usable compost for gardening and landscaping. 

CM Lewis also met with Betty Lau and Brien Chow regarding Sound Transit leadership, projects, and impacts on local communities such as the Chinatown/International District

I will continue to provide updates on my work as your representative. I invite you to reach out, let me know what your thoughts are and what you think District 2 could look like in the future 

District 2 - a great place to live, lead and make history! Together!