Health Advisory:
King County Air Quality Worsening this Week
You can find more information on how to protext yourself from wild fire smoke by clicking the image above.
Our thoughts are with the community and colleagues in the Spokane and greater Eastern Washington area affected by wildfires and intense smoke right now. As families face emergency evacuation notices, and many shelter with family and in gathering centers, we are sending our love and are at the ready to help in any way. For King County residents, please be advised that smoke from this and other fires is now hovering over King County. Find out more about smoke conditions and where to get safe air at a cooling center here.
A lot of people are asking how they can help - direct cash assistance is what is being requested from WA State Senator and Spokane resident Marcus Riccelli. Here are three of the trusted sites/opportunities that people are being directed to Spokane Complex Wildfire Response Fund, Red Spokane Cross, and the H.O.M.E Starts Here fund, which is typically used to support services for people experiencing homelessness is being activated to accept donations for community members impacted by the recent wildfires. Donations will help provide assistance and connect those affected with critical resources as they begin the recovery process.
 You can watch Spokane State Senator Marcus Riccelli (LD3) talking about the wildfires on CNN by clicking the image above.
Sound Transit Board: We're Getting to Ballard by 2042
 You can see coverage of Sound Transit's plan to get to Ballard by clicking the image above.
When we were able to secure the future of light rail in West Seattle I was clear, we were not going to leave Ballard behind. Sound Transit has now outlined new milestones and next steps for delivering the Ballard Link Extension to Market Street. We’re committed to getting to Market Street in Ballard by 2042 with additional financing tools that we can and should deploy to meet or beat this timeline. This includes fully funding Ballard Link Extension Design while accelerating efforts to identify additional cost savings and financing tools needed to complete the project.
You can read my full statement here!
The framework shared by Sound Transit provides a date that’s grounded in tangible steps for delivering all the way to Market Street. The design work done on West Seattle shows what’s possible when we demand creative thinking and aggressively pursue cost-savings options: properties avoided, ridership retained, and billions saved. Now we must apply the same approach to Ballard while rolling up our sleeves with our state legislative partners to secure the needed financial tools. We will get to Ballard, and we will not stop working until we deliver on that commitment.
Health, Housing and Human Services Committee
 You can watch the Health, Housing and Human Services Committee by clicking the link above.
Mental Illness and Drug Dependency (MIDD) Levy Implementation plan now known as Behavioral Health Bridge
The name may be changing but the work is still as important as ever. That's why we hosted a briefing on the implementation plan for the program in my July 23rd Committee Meeting.This resource has provided funding for many of our behavioral health providers and it will now implement new workforce development strategies to ensure we have the people it takes to care for people. A new feature will be the long-term sustainability reserve to help ensure we are able to consistently provide inflationary adjustments and maintain stable funding levels despite sales tax being a volatile funding mechanism. The goal as presented by the Executive’s team at committee, is to streamline funding, unbraidfund streams which will be a value both to contract administrators and for service providers helping make both booking keeping and oversite easier. I’m thankful to my team for leading additional community, provider and subject matter expert engagement to inform amendments to the implementation plan as we consider adds and adjustments in our committees coming up this fall. More to come on a revised timeline for considering and voting on the proposed MIDD/Bridge Implementation Plan this fall.
 Harborview Long Range Planning Committee
Last year, I was pleased to introduce and win passage of for an amendment in in the budget to effectuate the Harborview Medical Center Long-Range Planning Committee, as outlined and approved in the hospital service agreement between the county and the UW Medicine. In response to that proviso, the Executive’s office and HMC/UW Medicine worked together to develop the parameters for the Long-Range Planning Committee. My office then incorporated further feedback from them, our Council Government Relations team, and have shared with the HMC Board Chair in addition to labor partners. This collaborative plan was reviewed at my Health, Housing and Human Services Committee meeting where we got to hear from the Executive’s team, UW Medicine and the Board of trustees on how this new committee will help drive progress at Harborview forward, helping build bond projects and ensure the staff, administration and community have what they need when we all need Harborview the most.
 Briefing on American's with Disabilities Act
This disAbility Pride Month marks the 36th anniversary of it’s passage and to mark this occasion we had a briefing on how the county is doing being not only the best place to work but also the most welcoming for people with disabilities both visible and invisible. Thank you to Darya Farivar, Cecelia Black and Nate Olsen, Equity Specialists in the King County Executive’s office for sharing how the County is doing meeting the call of equitable accommodations and access for all and how we can continue to improve in the future. You can learn more about the County's work implementing the ADA here.
 You can learn more about the Continuum of Care by clicking the image above.
Update on U.S Continuum of Care Funding
Since early last fall, when our local providers sounded the alarm about possible cuts to the Continuum of Care funding—the foundation of our region’s homelessness response and permanent supportive housing system—there has been a large effort to coordinate across the City of Seattle, King County, King County Regional Homelessness Authority, and our state partners to share information, and strategize around litigation, application, and mitigation strategies. Earlier last month, we heard from providers and our labor partners on what is at stake and it’s so important that we also had them brief my HHHS committee on the topic. While we know there are likely to be ongoing funding gaps based on what we are seeing from this federal administration as they impose cruel conditionalities and seek to reverse proven House First principles, I’m grateful for the coordination and collaboration we have seen so far. Materials from the presentation can be found here starting on page 240.
 You can learn more about Transitional Resources by clikcing the image above.
Transitional Resources
Transitional Resources provides a continuum of behavioral health services, permanent, affordable housing and a community of support to help people achieve better health and the dignity that all people deserve. Located in West Seattle, I got the chance to learn more about their work from CEO David Bowling and Chief of Clinical Services Julie Watkins while touring their site. This is the type of care and support our community needs to be successful and I'm proud to have awarded them the only retired vanpool vehicle my office had to distribute. Thank you for the work you all do every day.
 You can learn more about Healthpoint's Tukwila Commons by clicking the image above.
HealthPoint's Tukwila Commons: New Clinic, Chidcare & More!
A big thank you to Health Point for showing me and Team Teresa around their Tukwila Commons project that is mid construction and proudly union built thanks to workers from Laborers LiUNA 242, IBEW 46 and North Coast States Carpenters. This is a once in a generation project for South King County. The new facility on Tukwila International Boulevard will double patient capacity from 4,000 to 8,000 patients a year, offering medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, substance use treatment and an early childhood development center in an area designated as a childcare access desert. This is exactly the kind of investment our community deserves with doors opening late 2026.
 You can learn more about Coronado Springs by clicking the picture above.
Coronado Springs Housing Visit
When we talk about missing middle housing we are talking about exactly the type that BRIDGE provides at their Coronado Springs location in White Center. 332 affordable apartment homes for families serving households at 50-60% Average Median Income (AMI). BRIDGE also operates sites just like this across the County including the new Copper Leaf Apartments in Northgate that recently opened, St Luke’s in Ballard, Spring District in Bellevue and the Vues in Kirkland. This is what it looks like when we take a regional approach to ensuring housing for all our neighbors - but much more support is needed to keep these aging buildings operating and serving the diverse and growing community. I will continue to support preserving and expanding access to affordable housing across King County in upcoming budgets and the possible King County Housing Levy being discussed.
 Learn more about the Vashon Chamber of Commerce by clicking the image above.
Vashon Chamber Lunch and Learn
Vashon Maury are home to some incredible small businesses and it was a real treat to get to hear from some of them during a lunch and learn hosted by the Vashon Chamber of Commerce. We spent our time talking about making improvement in the Comprehensive Plan, supporting local wineries and correcting past wrongs, understanding how an MRA expansion without thoughtful consideration and community engagement could impact local residents, and listening to islanders. Extra big thank you to Chamber President Elijah of the Vashon Island Baking Company for coordinating the visit, and for all the incredibly yummy snacks.
 You can find out more about Vashon Household by clicking the image above.
Tour of Mukai with Vashon Household
Vashon Island struggles with housing affordability and Vashon Household has been working to change that. I joined Executive Director Amy Drayer for a visit of their Mukai apartments that provides critical housing for folks on the Island who are exiting homelessness, DDA/IDD, households where English is not the first language and other barriers that they work every day to dismantle.
 SEIU Latino Caucus
Our labor movement brings people together across different backgrounds to build power and raise standards for all of us. I was thrilled to join the Latino Caucus of SEIU here in Washington to talk about the fight we are in now standing up for all of our rights as we push back against federal overreach and violation of our rights just because how we look or because some of us may have accents. SEIU members from Locals 6, 775, 925 and 1199NW - which make up janitors, security guards, home care workers, long term care providers, early learning providers, nurses and other healthcare workers! Proud to see this Latino Power grow!
 Park Lake Tour in White Center
We often say that those closest to the problems are closest to the solutions, it can also be said that those closest to community know what community needs. That’s why I was so glad to get to tour the Park Lake building to learn more about the vision community leader Kimang Seng has for it and what it can mean for the White Center Community. For years it served as a cultural hub for the Khmer community, where children took lessons in traditional dance and arts. It now has the chance to serve as a maker space and community hub and currently houses the Highline Robotics team. I’m excited about what this space will become and looking forward to working together to make the dream a reality. In order to do so - we gotta address the permitting delays and support local organizations like this with flexible resources to start up this dream space!
Upcoming Road Work in White Center
During the week of August 10th, contractor crews working for King County Road Services Division will begin work at three crosswalks in White Center. These safety improvements are designed to increase safety for people walking, riding public transportation, and those with disabilities.
Improvements on 10th Avenue SW at the intersections of SW 112th Street and SW 114th Street (near Cascade Middle School and Evergreen High School) include: Sidewalk curb extensions to reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians in the crosswalk, raised crosswalks to slow vehicles and increase pedestrian visibility, lane markings to help guide traffic and increase visibility, additional signage to remind drivers to be aware of the crosswalk.
Improvements on SW 102nd Street at 13th Avenue SW (near Steve Cox Memorial Park) include: Flashing lights and high-visibility signage to alert drivers to crossing pedestrians.
Primary Election Day
Today is Primary Election Day. If you haven’t already had a chance to vote don’t forget to get your ballots in by 8pm. You can find a list of local drop boxes here: Ballot drop boxes - King County, Washington
King County Council is on scheduled recess from Monday, August 3rd to Friday, August 14th, and we aim to respond to your communications as quickly as possible upon our return.
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Thank you for allowing us to represent you on the King County Council!
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