Tag Archives: Seattle City Council

News

Seattle City Council Passes Sawant Plan to Fund Lawyers for Tenants Facing Eviction

by Jake Goldstein-Street

(This article was originally published on Capitol Hill Seattle Blog and has been reprinted with permission.)

The Seattle City Council unanimously approved “right to counsel” legislation Monday that will entitle residential tenants facing eviction to an attorney at no cost.

The vote on this legislation, sponsored by District 3 Councilmember Kshama Sawant, was originally scheduled for two weeks ago but was delayed via Council vote to sort out possible legal concerns. The original bill could have faced a lawsuit since it looked to give everyone the right to legal counsel regardless of income. Washington’s State constitution prohibits cities from giving money to people “except for the necessary support of the poor and infirm.”

Continue reading Seattle City Council Passes Sawant Plan to Fund Lawyers for Tenants Facing Eviction →
News

Fractures Emerge as Council Continues Police Budget Cut Debate

by Paul Kiefer

(This article was originally published on PubliCola and has been reprinted with permission.)

The Seattle City Council’s debate about a proposed cut to the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) budget will drag on for at least another two weeks, but a discussion during Tuesday’s Public Safety Committee meeting shed light on the growing disagreement within the council about how the City should hold SPD accountable for overspending.

Continue reading Fractures Emerge as Council Continues Police Budget Cut Debate →
News

Volunteer Group That Removes Trash From Homeless Encampments Draws Criticism

by Ashley Archibald

Mutual aid practitioners who have long worked with homeless individuals have called on the Seattle City Council to disavow We Heart Seattle (WHS), a volunteer group that removes trash from homeless encampments across the city. WHS’s critics insist the group has illegally removed belongings, focused more on cleaning up sites rather than the welfare of unsheltered residents, and used inappropriate tactics to remove people experiencing homelessness from public spaces. 

Continue reading Volunteer Group That Removes Trash From Homeless Encampments Draws Criticism →
News

Claire Grant Brings Public Health to the Fore of Her Campaign for City Council Position 9

by Mark Van Streefkerk

Last summer, Claire Grant (she/they, interchangeably) was protesting for Black lives when she was tear-gassed by Seattle police. That terrible experience was one thing that set the gears in motion for their decision to run for Seattle City Council. 

“That made me really angry, as I’m sure it did everybody else who was there,” Grant remembered. “It was a really awful, traumatic experience … this was just incredibly disheartening — to have people who are supposed to be leaders in the community outright attack you.” 

Continue reading Claire Grant Brings Public Health to the Fore of Her Campaign for City Council Position 9 →
News

Q&A: Nikkita Oliver Focuses on Mutual Aid, Community in Campaign for City Council

by Chamidae Ford

Nikkita Oliver has made a name for themselves in Seattle and beyond. The lawyer, artist, professor, and abolitionist is bringing their many skills to the race for Position 9, one of two at-large seats on the Seattle City Council.

On Mar. 10, Oliver announced their candidacy, a grassroots campaign centered around mutual aid that prioritizes providing community members with basic needs. This is not Oliver’s first attempt at a bid for public office — in 2017 they began their political career with a run for mayor, narrowly missing out on the general election.

Oliver is currently the executive director of Creative Justice, an organization that focuses on providing art therapy as an alternative to incarceration. They are also deeply involved in Seattle’s Black Lives Matter movement and have worked closely with organizations to serve marginalized communities.

Continue reading Q&A: Nikkita Oliver Focuses on Mutual Aid, Community in Campaign for City Council →
News

Durkan Extends Eviction Moratorium as Local, State Leaders Consider Further Protections

by Carolyn Bick

On Monday, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced an extension of the City’s current eviction moratorium through June 30, 2021. The Washington State Legislature is also considering statewide tenant protections, as the March 31 end date for the statewide eviction moratorium looms on the horizon and no indication from Gov. Jay Inslee that he will extend the eviction freeze. The statewide protections include right to counsel legislation similar to what the Seattle City Council was also slated to vote on Monday evening.

Continue reading Durkan Extends Eviction Moratorium as Local, State Leaders Consider Further Protections →
News

Local Leaders Respond to Anti-Asian Violence, Rallies Planned this Weekend

by Elizabeth Turnbull

In response to a disturbing recent rise in hate crimes against Asians and Asian Americans locally and across the U.S., Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and other local leaders this week condemned attacks in Seattle and Washington State. A series of marches and rallies are planned across King County this weekend calling for investment in and resources for Asian communities and solidarity across racial lines with the victims and families of those who have suffered from the attacks.

“We saw this ugly trend surge a year ago, when COVID-19 first emerged in our state,” Inslee said in a written statement. “One year later, we have a vaccine for the virus — but racism is still running rampant. We must all condemn the acts of hate and violence displayed in the rising incidence of anti-Asian hate crimes in both Washington State and across the country.” 

Continue reading Local Leaders Respond to Anti-Asian Violence, Rallies Planned this Weekend →
News

Durkan Administration Asks State to Expand Scope of Audit Into City Council Contract

by Erica C. Barnett

(This article was originally published by PubliCola and has been reprinted under an agreement.) 

On Monday, the director of the city’s Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS), Calvin Goings, and the city’s finance director, Glen Lee, signed a letter to the State Auditor’s Office (SAO) asking the auditor to expand the scope of its ongoing audit of the contract between the city’s Legislative Department and the Freedom Project, which served as the “fiscal agent” for a $3 million project to study participatory budgeting and alternatives to policing.

However, PubliCola’s reporting indicates that the letter was written not by Goings and Lee but by Mayor Jenny Durkan’s office — and that Goings and Lee were less than thrilled to sign their names to such a blatantly political series of requests and leading questions.

Continue reading Durkan Administration Asks State to Expand Scope of Audit Into City Council Contract →
News

A Guide to Democracy Vouchers

by Mark Van Streefkerk

If you’re a registered voter and Seattle resident, you’ve probably already received your Democracy Vouchers in the mail. You’ll recognize them in that the envelope looks a bit like your election ballot, though they come from the City of Seattle. The Democracy Vouchers Program automatically distributes four $25 vouchers to all registered voters that can be used to support participating candidates for City of Seattle office. You can participate in the voucher program even if you’re not registered to vote. The idea behind the program is to provide public funds to candidates who might otherwise not have the financial resources to run a campaign and to allow more Seattle residents to donate to candidates they support.

Maybe you’ve already used your vouchers, maybe you’re unsure how to use them, or even accidentally threw them in the recycling bin. (Don’t worry, there’s an easy fix for that!) The following is a guide on how to use Democracy Vouchers, including how to receive them in any of 18 languages and where you can find out more information about each candidate. 

Continue reading A Guide to Democracy Vouchers →
News

City Council Bill Would Relax Constraints on Home-Based Businesses

by Elizabeth Turnbull

In response to prolonged difficulties for small businesses caused by COVID-19 quarantine measures, City Councilmember Dan Strauss and Council President M. Lorena Gonzalez introduced a bill early last week that aims to support small business as well as allow for more flexibility around land use codes and operating out of garages and residences.

“There are home-based businesses in my neighborhood currently operating out of compliance with current code,” Strauss said in a statement. “While they have not been reported or cited, it is important we provide an even playing field for them.”

Continue reading City Council Bill Would Relax Constraints on Home-Based Businesses →