In the wake of an exciting election night on Tuesday, many will now turn their attention to our district elections next year. With the goal of respectful transparency and a desire to hold the door open for those who might be interested in running for the District 4 seat, I am announcing that I will not be seeking reelection next year.
I chose to run for City Council because I feel deeply committed to Seattle and wanted to help our city navigate a period of tremendous change by ensuring we keep the challenges of climate change, inequality and affordability at the forefront. I knew that preparing our city for the future would require difficult choices of all of us, which it has, but I am tremendously proud of what we have accomplished in the past three years.
I worked on and saw the passage three transformative initiatives that I believe will help Seattle realize the vision of who we want to be as we grow:
- The passage of Sound Transit 3 in 2016 means we are expanding high capacity transit in the city, improving mobility and increasing access to opportunity in an affordable and sustainable way;
- The doubling of the Housing Levy in 2016 is allowing us to support the building, preservation and operation of over 3,000 affordable homes and expand programs to prevent homelessness;
- And most recently, the Families and Education, Preschool and Promise levy will support our next generation, giving them the tools and support they will need to thrive.
As chair of the Planning, Land Use & Zoning committee and member of the transportation committee, I have focused on addressing our housing shortage, affordability challenges, and need for future-focused transportation solutions by:
- Implementing the Mandatory Housing Affordability program, which will help us build more homes for families and will require all new growth to contribute to providing new affordable housing;
- Reforming parking requirements and the green building program so that we grow in a more environmentally sustainable way;
- Establishing a permanent funding source for the Equitable Development Initiative, which funds community-led development to increase opportunity and combat displacement;
- And supporting the vibrancy of the City by supporting arts, culture and sports, like the redevelopment of Key Arena – the types of events and programs which remind us of the joy and power of coming together.
And as the first representative for District 4, I am proud to have made what will be lasting impacts in Northeast Seattle:
- Investing in transportation safety improvement projects on 65th, 35th and 50th;
- Supporting new affordable housing projects at the future Roosevelt light rail station;
- Securing funds for the renovation of the Magnuson Park Community Center;
- Supporting our D4 community partners, like the U District Farmers Market, Scarecrow Video, YMCA, and the U District Food Bank;
- And expanding Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) into the north end.
While this job has been more humbling and rewarding than I ever could have anticipated back when I took office in 2016, I have come to acknowledge the strain this role places on family life. As any parent could relate, time seems to move faster each year, and I look forward to spending more time with my family, being an active PTSA member at my girls’ school, and remaining civically engaged in this city we call home.
I’m truly grateful to have worked with such an amazing team. Our office has been proud to volunteer for quarterly service projects, to be focused on professional service, and to advance a common agenda. They have been a real joy to work with and deserve much of the credit for the successes we’ve had.
I look forward to continuing close collaborations with D4 residents, community partners, and my dedicated and passionate Council colleagues in 2019 to work towards a more affordable, livable, and transit-connected city.