A bill currently being considered by the Washington State Legislature would give a tax exemption for affordable housing. This bill would let cities give a 15-year property tax exemption to landlords who keep 25% or more of their units rent restricted for low income families earning no more than 50-60% of area median income (in King… [ Keep reading ]
Last year, Mayor Ed Murray launched Seattle’s Equity & Environment Initiative (EEI), a partnership of the City, the community, several city departments, and local and national foundations to deepen Seattle’s commitment to race and social justice in environmental work. One of the key principles of equity and environmental justice is… [ Keep reading ]
On December 10 and 11, Mayor Murray and four other West Coast Mayors (from the cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and Eugene) met for a two-day summit to discuss pressing issues facing each of their cities: homelessness, housing, and climate action. At the conclusion of the summit, the… [ Keep reading ]
Fresh Bucks program fills the “SNAP gap” described in new White House report on long term benefits of food stamps. A new report on the benefits of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, also called “food stamps”) released by the White House Council of Economic Advisors finds that SNAP benefits are… [ Keep reading ]
Just in time for the holidays—the transformation in Georgetown goes live as SDOT Operations implements the Office of Sustainability & Environment’s plan to turn gray to green for two priority Georgetown sites. The Urban Forestry team installed 16 new street trees in a “depaved” planting strip prepared by Street Maintenance… [ Keep reading ]
The choices Seattle makes today about how to grow and operate will deeply affect the health of our communities and the sustainability of our natural environment for decades to come. As a city of outstanding creativity, commitment to our neighborhoods, and appreciation of the natural environment, Seattle can set an example… [ Keep reading ]
At Seattle’s Arbor Day celebration a few weeks ago, the City celebrated the 30th anniversary of being a Tree City USA. Cities receive a Tree City USA designation for meeting high standards on tree care. Mayor Murray was on hand to reaffirm that Seattle is committed to maintaining and growing… [ Keep reading ]
Climate change is increasing the frequency and duration of extreme heat events in the Pacific Northwest. This will affect the health of many of our residents including the elderly, the very young, and people with allergies, asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Living in areas where the air quality is poor… [ Keep reading ]
The City of Seattle is looking for two new members to serve on the Urban Forestry Commission. The positions available are: Position #3 – Natural resource agency or university representative Position #8 – Development community or Non-City Utility Representative The Urban Forestry Commission (UFC) advises the Mayor and City Council… [ Keep reading ]
Mayor Murray was among a dozen U.S. mayors and governors who joined a delegation of Chinese subnational leaders making climate commitments and agreements at the U.S.-China Climate Leaders Summit in Los Angeles on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Summit is the first official gathering of U.S. and Chinese leaders under the Climate Change… [ Keep reading ]
