Councilmember Sally Bagshaw (District 7, Pioneer Square to Magnolia) issued the following statement following the release of the 2017 “Count Us In” comprehensive tally of people who were sheltered and unsheltered in Seattle and King County.  The new, more comprehensive count for Seattle found 4,619 people living in either emergency shelter or transitional housing, and […]

Council unanimously approved legislation today dedicating funds to enforce the 2014 state law that enabled courts to require domestic violence abusers to surrender their firearms. The funding was sought because, in spite of the state law, enforcement of surrender orders has been weak. In 2016, 56% of orders in Seattle were completely ignored, while, for […]

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw (District 7, Pioneer Square to Magnolia) issued the following statement after the Paul G. Allen Foundation announced a $30 million investment and partnership with Mercy Housing to help house homeless families in Seattle: “I’m truly thankful to Paul Allen and his foundation for reinvesting $30 million in our community. When $5 million […]

SEATTLE – All nine Seattle City Councilmembers issued the following statement after India-born Kent resident, Deep Rai, was attacked in his driveway in Kent on Friday, allegedly being told “go back to your own country” before being shot: “Seattle is home to thousands of South Asian community members.  We began last week by condemning anti-Semitic […]

All nine Seattle City Councilmembers issued the following statement after yesterday’s bomb threat to the Stroum Jewish Community Center on Mercer Island: “We are horrified by yesterday’s bomb threat against the Stroum Jewish Community Center on Mercer Island and the anti-Semitic and racist graffiti found in Ballard. As leaders of Seattle and neighbors to Mercer […]

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw (District 7, Pioneer Square to Magnolia) issued the following statement about the siting of a new Navigation Center in Seattle: “Everyone needs stable housing – including those who are struggling with mental illness or substance abuse or those who are camping out in this winter weather.  The new Navigation Center will provide […]

Fresh off the victory of Initiative 1491, allowing for court-approved Extreme Risk Protection Orders in Washington State, Councilmember Sally Bagshaw  unveiled a funding plan to implement the requirements locally. The Seattle City Attorney’s office will face an increased workload to implement the new requirements, along with current policies which require that domestic violence offenders surrender […]

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw (District 7, Pioneer Square to Magnolia) issued the following statement following voters’ approval of Initiative 1491, which will allow family members and law enforcement to petition a court to temporarily suspend a person’s access to firearms if there is documented evidence that an individual is threatening harm to themselves or others: “I […]

Six Councilmembers introduced a new proposal today intended to create up to 500 new units of affordable housing for Seattle residents. The housing production would be funded by newly utilizing the City’s existing bonding capacity and paid off over a 30 year term. Councilmembers Bagshaw, González, Herbold, Johnson, O’Brien, and Sawant have signed on to […]

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw (District 7, Pioneer Square to Magnolia), Chair of the Council’s Human Services and Public Safety, issued the following statement following Mayor Murray’s announcement of forthcoming investments in human services: “Everyone deserves a stable place to call home. I am thrilled that the Mayor has announced today his decision to open four new […]