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Mayor Harrell Introduces New Building Emissions Performance Standard (BEPS) to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions 27% from Existing Buildings 

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Policy continues Seattle’s decades-long legacy of national climate leadership and innovation to meet the urgency and scale of the climate crisis  

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell speaking at the BEPS event at Kerry Park in Seattle

Seattle – Mayor Bruce Harrell today announced a bold new proposal to reduce emissions for existing large buildings. Applying to existing nonresidential and multifamily buildings greater than 20,000 square feet, the Building Emissions Performance Standard Policy (BEPS) is expected to reduce annual building greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 325,000 metric tons by 2050 – a 27% decrease from a 2008 baseline. The reduction in emissions is the equivalent of taking 72,322 gasoline-powered cars off the road for a year.  

“Buildings are one of our largest sources of pollution and must be part of the solution to the climate crisis,” said Mayor Harrell. “This legislation is among the most impactful proposals we can advance to reduce emissions. It will help Seattle decrease energy use and pollution, create new green jobs, and build more resilient communities for extreme heat and smoke events. This proposal was built thoughtfully in collaboration with environmental leaders and activists, climate scientists, workers, building owners, and community members – a wide and diverse array of Seattle neighbors committed to urgent, meaningful action to create clean buildings, a healthy climate, and a sustainable city for generations to come.” 

BEPS compliance starts with reporting requirements by 2027 that quantify building emissions and encourage owners to prepare for emissions reductions, followed by requirements to meet emissions targets in five-year intervals starting in 2031. The BEPS policy has flexible compliance pathways to accommodate buildings of many uses, size, type, ownership, age, and systems. 

  • Path A: Meet standard or portfolio emissions targets at each 5-year interval. Building owners must verify their emissions and meet 5-year targets to be net-zero by 2050.  
  • Path B: Minor modifications to standard targets. Building owners may receive extensions or exemptions, the ability to deduct emissions from certain end uses or make a compliance payment for the first interval.  
  • Path C: Special consideration and flexibility due to unique circumstances. Building owners must create a detailed Decarbonization Compliance Plan that outlines their path to net-zero.   

“This policy is a critical step forward for addressing harmful greenhouse gas emissions and builds upon decades of Seattle leadership in addressing climate pollution. We heard, loud and clear, from the hundreds of meetings and comments we received that Seattleites want to see action on climate,” said Jessyn Farrell, Director of the Office of Sustainability & Environment. “We are committed to a collaborative and equitable approach that balances the needs and requests of building owners, especially those providing affordable housing, but also recognize we must act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions immediately. The BEPS policy offers multiple pathways for building owners to comply without sacrificing our urgent work to reduce emissions and advance climate justice.” 

OSE Director Jessyn Farrell speaking at the BEPS event at Kerry Park in Seattle

The BEPS policy will apply to approximately 1,650 nonresidential buildings, largely downtown and in dense neighborhoods, including high and mid-rise offices, hotels, schools, large warehouses, and retail, and about 1,885 multifamily buildings (typically those with about 20 units or more). About 600 large buildings on campuses like colleges or hospitals are also covered.  

“Our larger buildings have the greatest emissions impact per building and will be one of the biggest bites we can take out of emissions from the buildings sector,” said Sandra Mallory, Buildings & Energy Manager at the Office of Sustainability & Environment. “This policy has been several years in the making, and we are excited to put forth this proposal that will cut emissions while maximizing benefits to building owners and tenants and ensuring equitable pathways to high-quality green jobs, especially for people of color and women.” 

The City of Seattle received input from hundreds of people during the process of developing the legislation, including residents, workers, community-based organizations, nonprofits, building owners and managers, tenants, labor representatives, environmental justice groups, affordable housing providers, and more, over nearly two years of meetings, open houses, webinars, advisory group and specialized task force sessions.  

In addition to this policy proposal, as part of Mayor Harrell’s commitment to clean buildings and healthy air, the City of Seattle is also helping residential homes transition away from heating oil, which is the most polluting form of home heating in Seattle. The City recently reached a milestone of providing more than 1,000 rebates and no-cost upgrades to help low-to-middle income families switch to energy-efficient heat pumps that are powered by clean electricity and that also provide air-conditioning. 

Because of these efforts to accelerate heat pump transitions, the City estimates that by 2030 there will be no remaining homes in Seattle heated with oil. Heating oil represents about 8% of total emissions in the buildings sector. Additionally, the Seattle Energy Code ensures that new buildings are constructed efficiently from the start. The Energy Code is updated every three years. In 2021, updates and amendments were signed into law to make Seattle’s 2018 commercial energy code one of the strongest on climate in the nation.   

The BEPS policy development was supported by the Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge where Seattle joined 25+ cities across the nation in working to advance policies to reduce emissions in the buildings and transportation sectors. From 2019-2021, Seattle received technical analysis, workforce consulting, stakeholder outreach assistance, and capacity building support. 

For more information about the proposed BEPS policy, see the Office of Sustainability’s 4-page guide to the proposed policy and the full BEPS legislation at www.seattle.gov/building-performance-standards.  

What People Are Saying: 

“Buildings are currently the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Washington, and burning fossil fuels inside our homes and buildings pollutes our indoor air and harms public health. Following successes across the state to ensure new buildings are built clean, Seattle’s new Building Emissions Performance Standard will ensure Seattle’s existing buildings transition to being fully powered by clean energy over the next few decades. By shifting homes and buildings off fossil fuels, this policy will help put Seattle on track to meeting its climate targets while also protecting the health of our communities, reducing air pollution, and increasing the use of heat pumps that provide both heating and air conditioning.”  

Kelly Hall, Washington State Director, Climate Solutions 

“Affordable housing is critical, as is solving our ever-growing climate crisis. Today, through Mayor Harrell’s leadership, we will start making meaningful reductions in the climate pollution that, sadly, impacts our most vulnerable communities in Seattle first and worst. We will, at the same time, ensure that we are creating more resilient housing for Seattle’s residents far into the future. This is one of those rare moments when we can celebrate a giant policy leap forward that addresses the intersecting crises of affordable housing, racial equity, and climate change. I am proud of the work we did together to ensure that the Building Emissions Performance Standard works for affordable housing providers and the broader ecosystem.”  

Patience Malaba, Executive Director, Housing Development Consortium 

“Climate change has reached Seattle in the form of wildfire smoke and heatwaves, and this policy is part of the solution. Mayor Harrell’s Building Performance Standards policy is forecasted to create thousands of jobs over its lifespan, which will benefit Seattle-area workers and expand career pathways for women and workers of color.”  

 Katie Garrow, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, MLK Labor (AFL-CIO) 

“Buildings must be part of the climate solution and Seattle’s Building Emissions Performance Standards is a key strategy, guiding the city’s largest buildings on a path to clean, efficient electric systems as they upgrade over the coming years. The resulting clean energy retrofits will make a difference in day-to-day lives, by expanding access to heat pumps for cooling in the face of heat events and wildfire smoke that are now familiar in our region.”  

Rachel Koller, Managing Director, Shift Zero 

“This proposed Building Performance Standard is vital to helping Seattle achieve its climate, clean energy, and economic goals. Building retrofits require planning and investment, and this proposal provides both. Large commercial and multifamily building owners will be able to access funding and incentives for clean energy retrofits from the Federal Inflation Reduction Act, and state and local programs to decarbonize their buildings in the coming years, creating healthier living and working spaces.”  

Nancy Hirsh, Executive Director, NW Energy Coalition 

“To protect public health and mitigate the worst impacts of the climate crisis, Seattle must transition off of fossil fuels like polluting fracked gas. Developing strong and enforceable Building Emissions Performance Standards and requiring large buildings to make the switch from dirty fuels is a critical step to protect our climate and reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution, and will offer a model for other cities in the region to follow.” 

Dylan Plummer, Senior Campaign Representative, Sierra Club  

“The proposed Seattle Building Emissions Performance Standard positions the city among national leaders in reducing emissions from existing buildings—a crucial step to confronting the climate crisis and delivering health and economic benefits for families and businesses. RMI applauds Mayor Harrell for proposing this new standard and we look forward to supporting a strong policy that prioritizes housing equity, climate justice, and energy savings for its most vulnerable residents.”  

Jonny Kocher, Senior Associate, Carbon-Free Buildings Program, RMI 

“Fossil fuel use in buildings is one of the biggest contributors to the pollution that causes climate change. Seattle has helped to lead the way in Washington on reducing pollution in new construction and we’re encouraged to see them moving forward with a proposal to reduce pollution from existing buildings. This is a step in the right direction, and we hope this policy can help accelerate related efforts. A win in Seattle sets a template for cities across the country to do the same.”  

Michelle Piñon, SAFE Cities Senior Organizer, STAND.earth  

“We applaud Seattle’s proposed BEPS policy and its decision to join the ranks of major US cities leading the charge on building energy performance standards. With this move, Seattle not only aligns itself with cities like Boston, St. Louis, New York, and Washington, DC, but also positions itself favorably to secure vital federal funding for equitable implementation. The proposed BEPS is a win-win-win, benefiting buildings, residents and the climate. We are proud to have partnered with the City of Seattle on the development of this policy. “  

Jessica Miller, Senior Director of Policy Strategy & Engagement, IMT 

“Developing the Building Emissions Performance Standard was a key outcome of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ partnership with Seattle through the American Cities Climate Challenge. Today’s announcement underscores Seattle’s continued leadership on climate and the immense potential for all cities to accelerate climate action that benefits their communities, economy, and environment.”  

Antha Williams, Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Environment Program Leader  

“This is important and challenging legislation. As a member of the Technical Advisory Group, it feels like our concerns were heard and addressed. The City did a great job of listening to stakeholders and crafting a standard that is simple to understand and will be effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings.”  

Neil Bavins, Principal, Windward Consulting NW 

Environmental Justice Committee Application 2023 

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Previous members of the EJC gathered at a retreat.

The Environmental Justice Fund (EJ Fund), a program of Seattle’s Office of Sustainability & Environment, is seeking six community members to serve on the Environmental Justice Committee through December 2024. Members of the Environmental Justice Committee will have a chance to make a meaningful impact in advancing environmental and climate justice for communities disproportionately affected by environmental issues and climate change by informing funding recommendations for the EJ Fund.

About the Environmental Justice Fund 

The EJ Fund was developed in response to deep community engagement, which highlighted the need for the City to invest in community work led by those most impacted by environmental and climate inequities: Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), sovereign tribal nations, immigrants, refugees, people with low incomes, individuals for whom English may be a second language, youth, and elders.  

Funding recommendations for the EJ Fund are developed by the Environmental Justice Committee (EJC), individuals with deep community roots working closely with communities to advance environmental and climate justice. 

About the Environmental Justice Committee

OSE is seeking six community members to serve on the EJC through December 2024. EJC members will partner with OSE to: 

  • Inform the EJ Fund grantmaking strategy 
  • Make funding recommendations for the 2023 and 2024 EJ Fund application cycles  

To be effective in their role, EJC members will understand how to advance racial equity, environmental justice, and climate justice for priority communities and have an interest in or knowledge of equitable grantmaking. Members will be expected to thoroughly review grant applications using specific criteria and express their evaluation. Each member will receive a stipend of up to $4,750 for full completion of their responsibilities. 

For each annual EJ Fund cycle, EJC members must be able to: 

  • Set aside approximately 40-50 hours of time to read, review, and score grant applications over the course of 6 weeks. The range of time will depend on the number of applications received. 
  • Attend approximately 20-25 hours of meetings, including orientation, trainings, and decision-making meetings. 
  • Understand and keep in mind the grant expectations and funding priorities. 
  • Bridge differences between conflicting ideas by engaging in open group discussions. 
  • Work collaboratively and respectfully with other EJC members to arrive at funding recommendations. 
  • Maintain confidentiality throughout the entire grant review process. 
  • Provide written and verbal comments based on professional or community-based knowledge, not based on one’s personal opinions.  
  • Set aside up to 20 hours to participate in programming, including, but not limited to, relationship building, evaluation efforts, and feedback sessions to inform the grantmaking strategy.  
  • Have access to a computer with reliable internet. 

Timeline and Expectations

If you are selected as an EJC member, the process will continue along the following timeline. There may be some adjustments based on members’ availability. Orientation sessions and final decision-making meetings will be in-person, while all other meetings will be virtual.  

Description Date 
EJC Member Orientation July 29 and August 2 
Application Review August 3 – September 13 
Workshop September 13 
Subcommittee Meetings October 3 and 4 
Final Decision Meetings  October 7 and 10 
Total Estimated Hours  60-95 

The EJC partners with OSE to inform the City’s investments in community-led efforts that advance environmental justice and climate justice. If you are interested in equitable grantmaking and passionate about racial equity and environmental justice, please complete this interest form. Interest Forms will be reviewed on a rolling basis and should be submitted no later than 11:59 pm on Tuesday, June 20. 

Washington Launches Statewide Partnership for Tree Equity, Aiming to Expand Canopy Cover and Promote Healthier Communities 

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OSE Director Jessyn Farrell helps mulch trees at Roxhill Park. 
 

On Thursday, April 13, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and OSE Director Jessyn Farrell joined the Department of Natural Resources and American Forests at Roxhill Park to launch the Washington Tree Equity Collaborative, a statewide partnership to achieve Tree Equity across Washington State by expanding and fortifying neighborhood tree canopy cover.  

The Washington Tree Equity Collaborative aims to enhance urban forestry programs over the next three years, with a focus on increasing tree canopy equity and engaging cities, community organizations, and stakeholders. The collaborative supports projects that boost tree canopy and urban forest health in currently low-canopy neighborhoods, benefiting communities by providing cooling during heatwaves and promoting better human health outcomes. The Collaborative comes after the final 2021 Tree Canopy Assessment revealed the city lost 255 acres of tree canopy since 2016 (an absolute decrease of .5% and 1.7% relative decline), an amount roughly equal to the size of Green Lake. 

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and OSE Director Jessyn Farrell at the Tree Equity Collaborative event.

Local urban and community forestry advocates gathered to hear statements from Mayor Harrell and Director Farrell, along with American Forest President and CEO Jad Daley, Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, and Duwamish Alive Coalition Community Engagement Team Member Willard Brown. 

“Trees are critical to our health, climate and quality of life in Seattle, and our most recent Tree Canopy Cover Assessment shows that we have more work to do to protect and grow our tree canopy,” Mayor Harrell said. “Following the data and leading with equity, we’re advancing efforts to reverse this decline and address inequities in canopy distribution impacting frontline communities. Growing canopy cover takes time, but our urgency today reflects a healthier, greener Emerald City tomorrow, which is why I am proud to partner with the Department of Natural Resources, American Forests and leadership from other cities to support our urban forests.” 

Seattle is among the first Washington cities to join the collaborative, and Mayor Harrell signed a pledge that will commit the city to: 

  • Over the next five years, plant 8,000 trees on both public and private properties; plant 40,000 trees in parks and natural areas; and perform maintenance on 40,000 trees. 
  • By the end of 2023, implement a policy to require three trees to be planted for every healthy, site-appropriate tree removed from city property. The same policy will require two trees to be planted for every tree that dies or is deemed hazardous or invasive. 
  • By the end of 2024, develop a Tree Canopy Equity and Resilience Plan for achieving Seattle’s tree canopy goals. 
Washington State Tree Equity. Learn more at treeequityscore.org 

Under the agreement, the DNR will look to American Forests’ Tree Equity Score tool to coordinate and enhance urban and community forestry in an equitable way in Washington. The tool reveals that nearly 85% of urbanized neighborhoods in the state lack sufficient tree cover, leaving over 2 million residents with less than half the required tree canopy for their neighborhoods. 

Welcoming OSE’s 2022 New Hires

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OSE is thrilled to have added seven new talented staff members in 2022, including our Director, Jessyn Farrell! We are excited to have these new members on board and look forward to working together to bring our city toward a more sustainable, equitable, and carbon-neutral future. Take a moment to get to know them by reading their bios presented below in alphabetical order:

David Benedict, Communications Intern

After spending a decade brewing beer in Seattle’s craft beer industry, the pandemic inspired David to pursue a career change and return to school. In March 2022, he left his job at Seapine Brewing to focus on developing his skills and explore new career opportunities. In November 2022, David accepted the Communications Internship at OSE and is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to OSE’s efforts and values of climate justice while learning from the OSE team.

Growing up in South Carolina and finishing undergrad in Tennessee, David has lived in Seattle since 2011 and considers the PNW home. Along with OSE’s internship, he is finishing school, working on freelance writing and editing projects, and working part-time at a craft beer establishment in White Center. In his free time, David enjoys playing music, seeing live music, playing outside, and attending too many baseball games in the summer.

Role at OSE: David is responsible for assisting in the creation and management of content for OSE’s communications, including social media, newsletters, and the Greenspace Blog.  He also helps with administrative tasks that support OSE’s teams and assists with various communications needs to promote OSE’s milestones and policy engagements. 

Allison Campbell, Transportation Electrification Specialist  

Allison grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she spent her youth hiking, singing, and doing musical theater. She earned her B.S. in Vocal Performance at Middle Tennessee State University, and after graduating, she moved to South Korea and taught English. She then spent three years in Taiwan, where she continued teaching English and sang in a jazz band. While living abroad, she also studied permaculture at an organic farm in Thailand and volunteered on farms in Taiwan and Kenya.  

She has since worked for various nonprofit organizations to support outdoor education programs in BIPOC and low-income communities in the California Bay Area and Western Washington, including a Montessori school and several Washington state prisons. She holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies from Evergreen where she focused on Environmental Justice. Before joining OSE, she interned at Tacoma Power where she spearheaded the Energy Research & Development group’s equity efforts and managed low-income transportation electrification programs, including an EV charging pilot for multi-family housing.  

Allison recently fell in love with improv and will talk about it to anyone who will listen. She also loves her cat Tuna, true crime, and anything Brene Brown does. 

Role at OSE: Allison coordinates and tracks city-wide transportation emissions reduction goals, and is leading planning efforts to equitably electrify TNCs (Transportation Network Companies), for-hire, taxis, and car share vehicles by 2030. She also sits on OSE’s Change Team. 

Sara Cubillos, Climate Justice Advisor  

Sara is re-joining the Office of Sustainability and Environment after spending the last 4 years focused on embedding equity in drainage and wastewater Infrastructure planning at Seattle Public Utilities. She led the Visioning Phase of Shape Our Water, a long-range infrastructure plan for Seattle’s Water Resilience. Prior to Seattle Public Utilities, she was the Equity & Environment Program Coordinator at Office of Sustainability & Environment and supported the creation of the Equity & Environment Agenda. Her work at the city has focused on co-creating with communities who have been historically underrepresented especially in environmental investments and decision making. Sara also sits on the Board of Community Roots Housing, a local affordable housing developer. Outside of work you can catch Sara, her wife, Carolyn, and their dog Jax on long city walks going to all the local coffee shops and parks.   

Role at OSE: Sara will be leading Seattle’s Green New Deal work including –  collaborating with the Green New Deal Oversight Board, stewarding Green New Deal municipal investments, and working to advance the goals of the Green New Deal with multiple city departments. 

Jonathan Derkacht, Program Associate: Data & Finance

Prior to his time at OSE, Jonathan worked at the State of Washington’s Developmental Disabilities Administration serving in both finance and contracting positions. In his free time, Jonathan enjoys working out, the outdoors and on Sundays, you can always find him around the television watching Seahawks football games!   

Role at OSE: Jonathan is working in collaboration with the EJ Fund in developing systems and practices for the expansion of the team and helps streamline contracting and finance processes. Prior to this assignment, he assisted in a data and contracting role with the Fresh Bucks/Food Team at OSE.  

Jessyn Farrell, Director

Jessyn Farrell, J.D., is a leader in building public consensus on difficult issues related to the environment, housing, transportation, and the economy. A long-time environmental advocate, Jessyn served as a state legislator from the 46th District where she passed ground-breaking legislation on oil-by-rail safety, affordable housing near transit centers, education supports for low-income and homeless youth, protections for pregnant workers and restrictions to cell phone use while driving. As Executive Director of Transportation Choices, she led advocacy efforts resulting in billions of dollars in regional light rail investments. Jessyn is currently the Director of the Office of Sustainability and Environment for the City of Seattle, where she leads the City’s work to advance climate and environmental justice, reduce carbon pollution and build healthy, resilient communities. She has three kids, a dog, and is working on her first book. 

Role at OSE: Jessyn is the Director of the Office of Sustainability & Environment and is leading OSE and the City’s efforts to come together as One Seattle to advance climate justice and build healthy and resilient communities. 

Gurdeep Gill, Food Systems Design Fellow

Gurdeep (she/her/hers) is a second-generation Punjabi American. She is passionate about addressing inequities in our food system and empowering youth. During undergrad, Gurdeep had the opportunity to work with k-12 students in Seattle Public Schools to create space for students to have philosophical dialogue with one another. Through this experience, she heard how aware and wise youth are and learned the importance of listening to and centering youth voices, especially BIPOC youth. She committed to understanding our food system after connecting what youth had said about being unable to afford food and her own family’s experience of food insecurity. In previous roles, Gurdeep has supported the first Community-led Climate Justice policy section of King County’s 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan, collaborated with CBOs to build their capacity at Baker Consulting, and supported Community-led food pantries in the South End during COVID-19. In her free time, she loves to paddleboard, hike, make pottery, play board games with friends, and go on walks.

Role at OSE: Gurdeep collaborates with community partners, youth, school staff, and the food policy and programs team to improve school meals at Seattle Public Schools so that they are culturally relevant, appetizing, sustainable, and source food from local BIPOC farmers. Gurdeep also engages with the community by going to Seattle Schools to talk with students about their fruits/vegetable/meal preferences, evaluate our Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program (FFVP), and share the info with Culinary Services to inform the menu. She also supports our School Meals and Food Education Work Group, comprised of community partners, SPS staff, and government staff, to improve school food experience for low-income and BIPOC youth.

Tracey Whitten, Transportation Electrification Program Manager

Tracey’s superpower is bringing people together toward a common cause and is excited to bring her skill set to our collaborative, interdepartmental Transportation Electrification effort! Tracey began her career as an organizer with labor unions, both the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of Teachers, leading and supporting campaigns focused on improving equity for childcare workers, improving working conditions for educators, and supporting progressive campaigns to improve our communities.  

Tracey then brought her skills to the world of tech where she became a sought-after program manager in technology companies and start-ups, focusing on how to spur early adoption of new products. 

Tracey served as a Commissioner with the Seattle Women’s Commission for six years, focusing on gender pay disparity, and volunteered as Vice President of Washington Bus. She has a B.A. in Organizational Communication with a focus on Legal Studies from the University of Central Florida and she lives in the Ravenna neighborhood of Seattle, with her husband Chris and their two children. 

Role at OSE: As OSE’s Transportation Electrification Program Manager, Tracey is focused on collaborating with internal departments and external stakeholders on a variety of strategies to decrease greenhouse gases while centering racial equity. Some of these strategies include pilot demonstration projects, designing incentive programs, and driving collaboration on the City’s overall electrification strategy. 

Seattle’s Fresh Bucks Program Releases 2022 Impact Report, Serving 12,000 Households and Expanding Small Retailer Network 

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Seattle’s Fresh Bucks program, administered by the Office of Sustainability and Environment, released its 2022 Impact Report.   

Fresh Bucks partners with a network of local partners to serve 12,000 Seattle households, redeeming $4.6 million in fruit and vegetable benefits.  

Enrolled Fresh Bucks participants receive $40 in benefits in their Fresh Bucks account each month. Customers can spend their benefits on fruits and vegetables using their Fresh Bucks Card or app at participating farmers markets, farm stands, and grocery stores, six of which are BIPOC-owned. In 2022, the program welcomed two new small businesses into the retail network, Central Co-Op and the program’s first grocery delivery provider, Local Yokels. 

“Healthy communities are at the center of our vision for a strong, vibrant One Seattle, and we are committed to ensuring that every family has access to high-quality, nutritious, and culturally relevant foods. As pandemic-era food assistance benefits end and inflation remains high, programs like Fresh Bucks are critical for providing tangible support to vulnerable communities most impacted by food insecurity. By partnering with healthcare clinics, non-profits, local retailers, and farmers markets, we are strengthening local food systems and helping neighbors find fresh foods that taste good – and support their overall health.” – Mayor Bruce Harrell, City of Seattle

Fresh Bucks partners with 41 retail partners and 19 local organizations who implement the program and reach community members most impacted by food insecurity.

“With grocery prices continuing to rise, the need for food assistance is higher than ever. Fresh Bucks fills a critical need, providing healthy food to 12,000 households, 83% of which report being food insecure, including people with low-incomes, communities of color, immigrant, and refugee communities. We know there are many more families in need, and I look forward to working with Mayor Bruce Harrell and City Council to find ways to reach more Seattle families with Fresh Bucks. – Jessyn Farrell, Director of the Office of Sustainability and Environment.  – Jessyn Farrell, Director of the Office of Sustainability and Environment  

To learn more about how Fresh Bucks and its partners met the needs of program participants last year, see the 2022 Fresh Bucks Impact Report.   

Fresh Bucks is funded by the City of Seattle General Fund and revenue from the Sweetened Beverage Tax.  For general information on the program, please visit SeattleFreshBucks.org or call 206-256-5438.   

Watch: Digging in to the Tree Canopy Cover Assessment

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The City of Seattle released the final 2021 Tree Canopy Assessment showing Seattle’s 2021 tree canopy cover is 28.1%, down from 28.6% in 2016. Seattle’s goal is to achieve 30 percent citywide canopy cover by 2037, distributed equitably, as well as to improve tree health and resilience to climate change.

Watch this video interview between OSE Director Jessyn Farrell and Urban Forestry Patti Bakker as they talk key findings and recommendations from the report, and what they mean for maintaining a healthy and robust urban forest in Seattle.

The Duwamish Valley Program 2022 Annual Update is Here!

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“Implementing a One Seattle Approach in the Duwamish Valley.”  

$1.75 Million for 8th Avenue South and Street End Park Development.

If 2022 reminded us of anything, it’s that centering community leadership is imperative for successful, long-term environmental justice work in the Duwamish Valley. For example, the King Tide flooding in late December 2022 demonstrated the power of community to distribute resources as first responders and to lead government to manage the devastating impacts of environmental injustice and climate change. We are grateful to community leaders and our partners at Seattle Public Utilities, the Office of Emergency Management, the Human Services Department, and the Office of Housing (among many others) for providing relief and assistance to families and businesses in South Park as they recover from the floods. 

At the same time, these flood events underscore an important shift in our work. As we continue to hold fast to community priorities, we are moving from short-term responsive planning to long-term proactive implementation. 

$9 million in funding secured for direct investment in Georgetown & South Park

The last few years have seen increases in investments in the Duwamish Valley. Many of these investments help fulfill our mid-term objectives in the Duwamish Valley Action Plan. In 2022 alone, the Duwamish Valley Program secured nearly $9 million of investments from our partners across the Duwamish Valley Action Team (DAT), which represents 18 City departments. City staff from these departments lead this work, drawing on existing community partnerships, and building new ones. Many of these investments we outline here in our Annual Update. 

50 Mini-Grants to local businesses for COVID-related expenses, with 38% using primary language other than English and 74% Women/BIPOC owned.

To learn more about all the great work that the Duwamish Valley Program and our partner departments have accomplished in 2022, check out our Annual Update report! As you will see, the Duwamish Valley Program has continued to adapt to a dynamic landscape of community priorities and ensure that we honor our mandate to advance environmental justice and equitable development in the Duwamish Valley. 

100 + youth participated in programming, capacity building, and leadership development.
Photo of Grant Gutierrez, the new Duwamish Valley Program Coordinator

As our work has grown, we have added staff to support our work. In Fall 2022, the Duwamish Valley Program welcomed Grant Gutierrez as the Duwamish Valley Program Coordinator. In this new role, Grant will help lead community engagement and ensure our accountability to community priorities while implementing certain projects that advance the Duwamish Valley Action Plan.  You’ll likely see Grant out in the community at events and at community meetings in South Park and Georgetown. Please join us in welcoming Grant to the Duwamish Valley family! 

Growing our staff capacity was essential to help us focus on an exciting new initiative: the Duwamish Valley Resilience District. The Resilience District grows from the Action Plan’s long-term strategy to develop and implement a geographic strategy to mitigate and adapt to flood risk and other climate change impacts (page 83). It is a holistic approach to climate change adaptation that includes priorities like affordable housing, alongside mitigating flood risks and sea-level rise adaptation, to bolster the ability of community to thrive in place. The Resilience District reflects the spirit of the Mayor’s One Seattle approach to help us fulfill many of the commitments in the Duwamish Valley Action Plan in strong collaboration with departments across the city, community organizations and industrial business leaders. This work will be led by the Resilience District Advisory Group, which has just been selected! There will be many more opportunities for community to shape this work. Stay tuned! 

Thank you all for your continued partnership. Be sure to check out the website for the full 2022 updates, and stay tuned for more to come from our team and beyond.  

Seattle Releases 2021 Tree Canopy Assessment Showing Slow Decline in Canopy Cover Between 2016 and 2021

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A view of Seattle’s tree canopy with the city skyline and the Olympic Mountains.

Seattle, WA – The City of Seattle today released the final 2021 Tree Canopy Assessment showing the city has lost 255 acres of tree canopy since 2016 (an absolute decrease of .5% and 1.7% relative decline), an amount roughly equal to the size of Green Lake. Seattle’s 2021 tree canopy cover is 28.1%, down from 28.6% in 2016. Seattle’s goal is to achieve 30 percent citywide canopy cover by 2037, distributed equitably, as well as to improve tree health and resilience to climate change.

“Critical for ensuring Seattle’s standing as a truly emerald and evergreen city, trees provide essential benefits to our communities from heat mitigation to air quality improvement and overall wellbeing. This decline in canopy cover means we need to do more to plant, preserve, and protect trees to meet our goals for Seattle’s canopy, climate, and communities,” said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. “The information in this report is informing our upcoming efforts to drive improvements — including new strategies to plant more trees and maintain our existing canopy, all while prioritizing equity in neighborhoods who face the worst impacts of climate change.”

Additional findings from the report include:

  • Canopy loss is not happening equitably. Neighborhoods impacted by racial and economic injustice started with less canopy and lost more than the citywide average. Compared to neighborhoods with greater advantages,[1] these neighborhoods had 31% less canopy in 2021, an increase in disparity from 2016 (when they had 27% less). While there were some canopy gains in environmental justice priority areas attributed to forest restoration programs, the losses outpaced the gains.
  • Tree canopy cover is critical for lowering temperatures and reducing heat island effects in our warming climate. Trees are a key component of our climate preparedness and resilience strategies as they protect us from extreme heat and improve air quality. The report finds that, on a hot day, neighborhoods[2] with 25% canopy cover were 1 degree cooler than neighborhoods with no canopy.  Industrial areas and major transportation corridors have lower canopy and warmer temperatures. These conditions were also found in some neighborhoods, such as in the Chinatown-International District and in the south end of Rainier Valley.
  • All Management Units (areas based on land use types) lost canopy, with Parks Natural Areas and Neighborhood Residential areas seeing the greatest net losses. Combined, losses in these two Management Units comprise 78% of the total canopy loss during the assessment period.
    • Parks Natural Areas make up only 5% of the city’s land but due to their concentrated canopy, they contribute 14% of the city’s canopy. Forty-three percent of the canopy loss during the assessment period was in these areas, an amount equal to 111 acres. These areas require active management to ensure long-term forest health and resilience, and losses here may be due to aging deciduous trees coming down naturally or being selectively removed to allow for growth of evergreen trees.
    • Neighborhood Residential areas make up 39% of the city’s land, and with roughly 1/3 of that area covered by canopy, they contribute nearly half of the City’s canopy (47%).  Roughly a third (34%) of the canopy loss during the assessment period was in these areas, an amount equal to 87 acres. Most trees on residential land were likely lost due to reasons other than development, although the small percent of residential land that underwent development during the study period experienced higher canopy losses.

“The data show we are further away now than we were five years ago from our goal of 30% canopy coverage,” said Jessyn Farrell, Director of Seattle’s Office of Sustainability & Environment. “To reverse this backward slide and achieve our vision of an equitably distributed urban forest in Seattle, our strategies must better align development and tree preservation and include innovative and equity-driven actions in planning, maintenance, planting, and engagement. In short, a healthy, thriving Seattle needs more housing and more trees and we can absolutely do both.”

A shaded street winds through the cover of the City’s tree canopy.

Recommendations provided in the report include:

  • Expand and deepen partnerships to plant new trees on both private and public property—focusing specifically on environmental justice priority areas—and plan for and fund their care.
  • Prioritize protecting and caring for existing trees as one of the most effective ways to ensure future tree canopy.
  • Incorporate current and expected future climate change impacts into our planting and maintenance practices.
  • Implement a strong regulatory framework that aligns our goals for tree preservation with housing production and development needs for our growing City.

“The reasons for tree canopy loss are complex and not due to one single cause, and our solutions must also be multi-faceted,” said Patti Bakker, Urban Forestry Advisor with Seattle’s Office of Sustainability & Environment. “Climate change, aging trees, making way for other uses such as infrastructure, development projects and other needs in residential yards, increasing budget and maintenance costs and more, all contribute to changes in our tree canopy. We will continue to work to improve the stability and coverage of our tree canopy so the benefits of our trees can be felt by all.”

Seattle’s tree canopy includes trees in public spaces like parks, forested natural areas and rights-of-way; private lands like neighborhoods and spaces like universities and the Arboretum. The assessment was conducted by the University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Lab and combined light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data and aerial imagery to measure the layer of leaves, branches, and stems to determine the change in our urban forest over time.

The City will continue to conduct detailed analyses with the data sets resulting from this assessment to develop a Tree Canopy Equity & Resilience Plan, which will serve as the citywide plan for how we will equitably reach our canopy cover goals, and to continue to update our urban forestry management work.  The City is working to make the data sets available to the public.

[1] Neighborhoods are based on categories in the Office of Planning and Community Development’s 2019 Race and Social Equity Index.
[2] Neighborhoods, in this case, refer to an analysis unit roughly the size of several city blocks.

Two Positions Available: Apply by 2/17 to Join the Urban Forestry Commission 

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Commission meetings are held twice a month on the first and third Wednesday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Meeting participation options include joining remotely via Webex application (with access via either phone or computer) or in-person at the Seattle Municipal Tower.  

The City of Seattle’s tree canopy completes the city skyline.

The City of Seattle is now accepting applications for two positions on the Urban Forestry Commission, a 13-member body established to advise the Mayor and City Council around policy and regulations related to protecting, maintaining, and preserving trees and vegetation in the City of Seattle. There are two open positions: 

  • Position #1 – Wildlife Biologist 
  • Position #2 – Urban Ecologist (or similar) 
  • Commission positions ask for a time commitment of roughly 8-10 hours per month. In addition to meeting one of the positions above, applicants must also understand the impact racism and race-based disparities have on communities of color and have an interest in working to eliminate these disparities and advance equity. Applicants should also have an interest in collaborating with other community members to develop recommendations for tree canopy care and protection, while centering the communities most burdened by lack of access to tree canopy and its related benefits, and demonstrated ability to develop collaborative, productive, and respectful relationships with people from diverse educational, social, cultural, and racial backgrounds. 

How to Apply:

If you are interested in collaborating with a team of community leaders working on improving the care and management of Seattle’s tree canopy for the benefit of the community while centering communities most impacted by health and educational injustices, please apply by February 17. For information on the open positions and to access the application, please visit our website. 

For more information, please contact Patti Bakker, Urban Forestry Commission Liaison, at patricia.bakker@seattle.gov. 

About the Commission:

The Urban Forestry Commission was established in 2009 by Ordinance 123052 to advise the Mayor and City Council concerning the establishment of policy and regulations governing the protection, management, and conservation of trees and vegetation in the City of Seattle. Commission meetings are held twice a month on the first and third Wednesday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Meeting participation options include joining remotely via Webex application (with access via either phone or computer) or in-person at the Seattle Municipal Tower. Commission members must live or work in Seattle and generally must commit approximately eight to ten hours per month to Commission business and serve without compensation. Additional information about the Urban Forestry Commission can be found at http://www.seattle.gov/urbanforestrycommission. 

The thirteen-member UFC consists of a wildlife biologist; an urban ecologist; a representative of a local, state, or federal natural resource agency or an accredited university; a hydrologist; a certified arborist; a representative of a non-profit or non-governmental organization; a representative of the development community or a representative from a non-city utility; an economist, financial analyst, or Washington State license real estate broker; a Get Engaged young adult; an environmental justice representative; a public health representative; and a community/neighborhood representative. 

Fresh Bucks expands to Lee’s Produce Market, a family-owned small business in the Delridge neighborhood

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Lee's Produce Market Announcement
Fresh Bucks is expanding to Lee’s Produce Market, a family-owned and family-run business that has been a local shopping destination for over 30 years.  

Lee’s Produce Market is a convenient option for neighbors in the Delridge, White Center and surrounding neighborhoods to purchase fresh, canned, and frozen fruits and vegetables at affordable prices. The store was sought out as a Fresh Bucks partner after customers requested the retailer be added to the Fresh Bucks retail network. Lee’s Produce is a woman-, minority-, immigrant-owned business that has served the surrounding neighborhoods for decades.  

“Fresh Bucks is responsive to community and creating a presence in this neighborhood has been a priority for us. We are thrilled to add another locally owned, BIPOC small business where Fresh Bucks customers can shop for more affordable healthy foods.“

Jessyn Farrell, OSE Director

The addition of Lee’s Produce Market increases access to culturally relevant fruits and vegetables. Fresh Bucks customers can use their benefits to buy a selection or fresh produce commonly found in Asian and Latin cuisines, such as papayas, yuca, tamarind, and prickly pear.  

“My family has been running this store for decades, and we are proud to be a part of this community and now, to be part of the Fresh Bucks community too. We are open seven days a week and look forward to serving our neighbors who are a part of the Fresh Bucks program.”  

Linda Oczkewecz, Lee’s Produce Market

Nearly 12,000 Seattle neighbors are enrolled in Fresh Bucks and receive $40 a month to purchase fruits and vegetables at participating  farmers markets, farm stands, and grocery stores. Customers can shop at  farmers markets, seven small, independent grocers, and all Seattle Safeway locations. At independently-owned grocers like Lee’s Produce, customers have a variety of options including frozen, canned, and dried fruits and vegetables in addition to fresh produce.  

Lee’s Produce, located at 9435 Delridge Way SW, is open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Mondays-Saturdays, and from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sundays. 

For more information about Fresh Bucks, visit www.seattlefreshbucks.org.