Kaiser Permanente Overturns Harmful Transgender Healthcare Access Policy During the 2018 budget deliberations the Seattle LGBTQ Commission sent a letter to the City Council with requests that we support access to healthcare for transgender people including but not limited to: Gender affirmation surgery and treatment  Fertility and assisted reproduction needs  Procedures that insurance may have […]

Vehicle Noise Legislation: Relief for Alki Coming SOON As a beachside neighborhood and a regional destination, the Alki neighborhood and nearby areas face unique public safety and health challenges, especially during the warm-weather months. Residents, community groups, and visitors from elsewhere have expressed concern about public safety, and the growing impact of motor vehicle-related noise […]

Parking Legislation Update The final vote on the parking update legislation will be this Monday, April 2 at Full Council. My two previous reports about this legislation can be found here and here. The version of the bill that passed out of committee on March 21 can be found here. I proposed a few amendments, […]

Contents   PART 1 // D1 TRANSPORTATION UPDATES Sound Transit Light Rail Lander Street Overpass Funding Highland Park Roundabout Mudslides PART 2 // PUBLIC SAFETY IN D1 South Park Public Safety Task Force Alki Public Safety and Health Survey/Budget Action PART 3 // HOUSING HIGHLIGHTS Housing Bond Update Fair Chance Housing Short-Term Rental PART 4 // LAND USE LATEST […]

This week in the budget The City Council’s Budget Committee held the first of two public hearings on the 2018 budget last night. The second hearing will be on November 1. Next week the City Council’s Budget Committee will begin the Issue Identification portion of its review of the Mayor’s proposed 2018 budget, with meetings […]

This Week in the Budget City Council’s Consideration of the 2018 City Budget On Monday, Mayor Burgess presented his proposed 2018 City of Seattle Budget and 2018-2023 Capital Improvement Program.   With Burgess becoming Mayor last week, his position as Chair of the City Council Budget Committee became vacant; the Council voted to appoint me as […]

Thanking Seattle’s Emergency Responders Seattle’s first responders have been active in responding to the Hurricane Harvey response efforts in Texas, and the wildfires in Washington State, and in preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Irma in Georgia and Florida. Firefighters Chris Lombard, Jon Olson, Chuck Boehmer, Darrin Quaschnik, and Greg Sobole deployed as part of […]

Alki Public Safety and Health Survey As a beachside neighborhood and regional destination, the Alki neighborhood and nearby areas face unique public safety and health challenges, from Beach Drive to the West Seattle Bridge. Residents, community groups, and visitors from elsewhere have expressed concern about the public health and safety impacts of a growing number […]

MHA DEIS Issues for District 1 Last week I encouraged you to get your comments on the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) Citywide Rezone Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) into the Office of Planning and Community Development before the Monday 8/8 deadline.  I hope that you did.  I also let you know that I was working […]

Regarding the Shooting on Alki Councilmember Gonzalez held her Gender Equity, Safe Communities, and New American’s committee this morning.  On the agenda was a presentation about the Seattle Police Department’s response to gun violence.  Although I am not a member of the committee, understanding how deeply our community was impacted by this tragic event, I […]