White Center Now: The blog about White Center

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

Eleven days and 750+ signatures after a White Center petition declared the community to be in a state of emergency, King County officials convened an online meeting to promise they’ll do something about it.

Tuesday afternoon’s meeting included one major promise: Extra King County Sheriff’s Office presence, via overtime spending. This, instead of the %175,000 worth of private security demanded in the community petition. KCSO presence at the meeting included the new Precinct 4 commander, Major Joe Hodgson. He brought updated crime stats for the heart of White Center, which are part of the slide deck used for the meeting:

A key community question for Hodgson and KCSO Patrol Operations Chief Jesse Anderson – how much money and time would the overtime investment in White Center total? And given community concerns about KCSO’s “ongoing unresponsiveness,” would the plan just bring “more of the same”? The department officials didn’t have exact numbers handy but insisted, “White Center is a high priority for us.” One business owner said words aren’t enough: “These issues, somebody has to do something about it … We need to take action now.’

Insistence that the county is already doing something was voiced at the very beginning of the meeting, when County Executive Dow Constantine spoke, trying to counter the petition’s pronouncement of a “lack of timely and effective action.” He said the county already had directed money to businesses affected by the fires, and made commitments – besides the KCSO OT – including providing the businesses with more “technical assistance.” He also said he’s seeking a disaster declaration that, if granted, would among other things qualify the fire-affected businesses to apply for sizable loans.

As for the fires themselves, investigator Tom Devine recapped what they believe so far – the July fire that started at the Lumber Yard Bar remains “under investigation … we’re actively pursuing all leads” and still very interested in community tips. The two Locker Room fires “weren’t criminal” but resulted from “reckless acts.” The fire at the old Atlas Electric building on 17th is believed to have been “not intentional” but rather related to “homeless people” and “some recklessness with flames.”

North Highline Fire District Chief Mike Marrs presented fire-prevention information, with specifics on how to make your property less fire-prone (you can see that advice in the slide deck above). He urged people to call and report even small fires, even if they’re already out.

The call for community tips and overall watchfulness was repeated by multiple meeting participants. For fires, crimes, even just something suspicious … report it. You might not get an instant response, but it will be on record.

Another theme: Cross-jurisdiction cooperation. Seattle Police and Fire leaders spoke at the meeting too. From the latter, SFD Chief Harold Scoggins didn’t give a presentation, but did answer a question about last month’s fire in South Delridge, noting that his investigators had ruled its cause “undetermined.” From SPD, the second in command from the West Seattle/South Park precinct, Lt. Dorothy Kim, brought crime stats from the West Seattle neighborhoods that border White Center (you can see those in the slide deck above, too).

The meeting, facilitated by Department of Local Services director John Taylor, hopped around to a variety of topics, including what the county is doing to “reimagine public safety” as it moves from an elected sheriff to appointed sheriff. But it circled back to community involvement toward the end, with KCSO’s Manny Apostol listing projects he’s coordinating – a community cleanup, a mural project, a “business block watch.” (No specific dates yet, but if you’re interested in any of the above, email him at manuel.apostol@kingcounty.gov.)

Taylor concluded by insisting again, “We heard you.”

(If you missed the meeting, you can watch the recorded video here:)

Just in from King County Local Services:

Share your thoughts about the North Highline Subarea Plan Public Review Draft at a public meeting:

Open comment meeting
Thurs. Oct. 21, 6-7:30 p.m.
Spanish interpretation available

Does the draft plan represent your vision for the future of your community? Your voice will be heard…and used.

Learn more about the plan at: kingcounty.gov/north-highline

Join the meeting via Zoom:
kingcounty.zoom.us/j/83881432281 / Passcode: OPENperiod
Dial-in: 253-215-8782 / Meeting ID: 838 8143 2281 / Passcode: 7290039119

Comments will be accepted through Thursday, Oct. 28.

Questions or comments? email SubareaPlanning@kingcounty.gov

Just received from King County Local Services, word of an online public-safety meeting for White Center businesses next Tuesday (October 19th):

Here’s the participation info in clickable format:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://kingcounty.zoom.us/j/85676401136
Meeting ID: 856 7640 1136 / Passcode: SAFEpublic

Dial-in: 253-215-8782 / Passcode: 5584815021

(Added: Video of the full NHUAC meeting, including the forum)

With the start of general-election voting just days away, most of this month’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting was devoted to a “town hall”-style forum featuring the two candidates for King County Executive. We’ll report the rest of the meeting separately, but want to note first that incumbent County Executive Dow Constantine and challenger State Senator Joe Nguyen have another online forum tonight (7 pm Saturday, presented by the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, viewable (updated link) here).

On Thursday night, NHUAC’s Liz Giba moderated the forum, opening it by explaining that the organization does not endorse candidates and is focused on White Center and the surrounding unincorporated areas. She also noted that both candidates live in north West Seattle. Below is our recap – the questions and answers are reported as our summarizing/paraphrasing rather than exact quotes, except what’s within quotation marks.

****QUESTION: Both were invited to introduce themselves including where they were born and educational/employment background.

CONSTANTINE: Born at Swedish Hospital, lives in the same West Seattle neighborhood where he’s lived his whole life. He graduated from West Seattle High School and is a UW graduate , law school too. Qualifications: Lawyer, state legislator, county councilmember “and I think I’ve proved my ability to get difficult things done.” He touted the COVID response, responses to the climate crisis and entrenched racism, and more. “We’re moving forward with an agenda we’ve been pushing for years.” He also said the county’s been recognized for fiscal prudence.

NGUYEN: He was born at Virginia Mason Hospital, raised in White Center, graduated from Kennedy Catholic High School, went to Seattle University and has degrees in economics, finance, and humanities. He’s in analytics and strategy at Microsoft. He’s the first legislator of color in the 34th District. He talked about caring for his father after a disabling car crash, and the community giving back – “ever since then I felt compelled to serve the community at whatever level possible.” He says he’s part of “the most diverse Legislature in the history of Washington state.” But many issues “are at the local level.” He said he believes “talent is universal but opportunity is not.”

****QUESTION: King County just released the draft North Highline Sub-Area Plan, which appears to complete NH transition to a high-density neighborhood. In light of the analysis of Seattle’s urban-village strategy, which does not reduce BIPOC displacement, this is troubling: “Housing and equity are very connected.” Do you agree that King County should use findings of Seattle’s racial equity analysis to make decisions for NH? If not, what should be done?

NGUYEN: Hasn’t reviewed the analysis but believes more affordable housing is needed, more housing in general. But you also meed resources to mitigate growth – transit, utilities, etc. And how do you mitigate for possible displacement effects?

CONSTANTINE: This is a conversation we’ve been having for many years. You can’t be against displacement and against affordable housing. The development will keep coming … the plan was co-created with the community. What happened in West Seattle overwhelmed the intention – demand overran the supply. “We need not allow that to happen in White Center,” but aggressive action will be needed.

****QUESTION: In 2011, White Center CDA commissioned an opportunity analysis that found WC is a low-opportunity neighborhood. In 2015 King County named it a neighborhood of opportunity. But programs are not enough … Data shows North Highline with health challenges, poverty, child mortality, and other problems at a higher rate than West Seattle. (Stats were displayed.) Also some NH schools are majority poverty-level students, compared to schools in West Seattle. As executive, how can you assure NH students have the opportunity to achieve their potential?

CONSTANTINE: You have to focus on lifting up people in the community. That’s why we worked on a community-needs list, participatory budgeting, focusing on helping the White Center HUB project by transferring county-owned property … that’s also why North Highline (and Skyway) should be part of a city. Burien or Seattle. Tax base would provide urban services. Proud that through Best Starts for Kids we’ve been able to invest heavily, keep families from becoming homeless … “It’s my determination that we’re going to continue these kinds of investments. … We have to break loose of these historic racist realities.”

NGUYEN: Experienced the disparities firsthand, attending school in White Center. “Right now King County doesn’t have a dedicated office of economic development,” and that would help. “There are resources like Best Starts for Kids, nonprofits serving this area” … He repeats, “opportunity is lacking but talent is not,” as he has observed in his work with a nonprofit. “These are things that I experienced back in” (the ’80s).

****QUESTION: North Highline suffers from people experiencing “mental distress.” She brings up high-profile crimes, shooting, arson. “Gunshots are common. the sheriff’s office is underfunded, deputies are spread thin.” How as executive would you reduce crime, trauma, and related problems?

NGUYEN: Some of this is an effect of economic distress. Many calls are for non-criminal activity. Have community-safety officers to assist with noncriminal offenses … “so we can break that cycle and won’t see the same person over and over again.”

CONSTANTINE: “Many of these questions are why I created a Department of Local Services.” He said he came to the area the day after the shootings outside Taradise Café. Yes, having more community service officers is important, but also other kinds of responses, like community interveners. “It’s gotta be a multipronged approach.” He has two mental-health street teams and proposed funding for two more – at least one would circulate to areas such as White Center and Burien. He said he also came to the neighborhood after the Lumber Yard fire and that $108.000 has been provided to help, and additional resources are being identified to help the WC business district in this time of crisis.

****QUESTION: People in need are being segregated economically. I would like to hear both of you say you’ll correct that, to allow poor people to live in more affluent neighborhoods.

NGUYEN: Redlining is a reality. More density is a solution. Innovative anti-displacement strategies like community land trusts can help. More resources such as transit, job opportunities, would help too.

CONSTANTINE: Economic diversity is important to everyone. That’s a two-way street, it means protecting people from displacement even as outside economic pressures cause pressure. And in more affluent neighborhoods, cities need to make more room for more types of housing. Affluence, the way we’ve seen our region transform, are powerful forces.

At this point in the forum, Giba invited others to ask questions.

****Question from NHUAC’s Barbara Dobkin: Development in her neighborhood has been haphazard. Lots have been clear-cut. What about the neighborhoods? Developers are calling every week seeking to buy property. How do we protect what we have?

CONSTANTINE: The Sub-Area Plan includes development standards. Some cities like Seattle have “much more refined standards for neighborhoods.” Touts his Land Conservation initiative. Mentions the new greenspace in Boulevard Park.

NGUYEN: Talks about a document to protect urban canopy. Development needs to be “mindful of how we protect our greenspaces.”

Following up, Giba mentions the White Center HUB plan proposes development in a forested area. “Is there some way to put it elsewhere?”

NGUYEN: He’s seen renderings and thinks it’s incorporating some of the landscape, but it’s not a bad spot (for the project) overall.

CONSTANTINE: He agrees that every razed lot is a lost opportunity. Plans need to address that.

****Question from NHUAC’s Pat Price: The new greenspace (that Constantine mentioned) is on the edge of South Park, practically in Seattle. A study conducted over a decade ago suggested that White Center could improve access to and availability of parks. We haven’t heard more about what’s possible. What about all that land off Myers Way? Any plans to do something there?

CONSTANTINE: Park acquisition id “kind of my jam.” Department of Natural Resoures and Parks is “very focused on our service to NH” – he mentioned the recently spotlighted program to hire more people experiencing homelessness to do park cleanup. No new info on parkland negotiations. But see the Sub-Area Plan – “White Center needs more greenspace,” and that will be done “in lockstep with the community.”

****Question from WC resident Sabina regarding the Land Use Plan and zoning amendment: Doesn’t adequately address some issues, such as the west side of White Center (28th/30th/Roxbury) – street infrastructure is subpar – if the density there is going to double, it’s poor urban planning. Nothing in Sub-Area Plan will addresses how those blocks are going to get needed infrastructure. This will exacerbate inequality.

NGUYEN: Agrees that lack of sidewalks is a problem, says state has a package that would fund them in unincorporated areas. “Not only is it a safety issue but also an efficiency issue.”

CONSTANTINE: That infrastructure is part of draft Community Needs List, awaiting more community discussion and input. Good to hear the state might fund unincorporated-area sidewalks, which are badly needed. In addition, “we are focused on some pretty significant investments.” Mentions RapidRide H Line is starting service next year.

****Question from Carmel: She’s a local business owner who works with many others. “We’ve really been hurting with the fires … best way to increase opportunity for business owners would be to join u at our table instead of telling us to come to yours.” Mentions a meeting the next day. Will you attend?

NGUYEN: Yes. My family had a business in that area (years ago).

CONSTANTINE: Will try to cancel a conflict and be there. Top county staffers including Local Services director John Taylor will be there.

****Question from community member Loretta: She feels like NH is more part of Burien than Seattle. Urges the candidates to keep their distance from the Seattle City Council. Meantime, “there’s so much crime out there,” she sees a need for consequences.

CONSTANTINE: He does try to keep his distance from the Seattle City Council, he said with laughter, saying that it includes “fine people” but he disagrees with some of their direction. Regarding crime, “what we’re seeking to do is” earlier intervention, with young people

NGUYEN: Lot of programs are available now that didn’t used to be – need to address ohn a systemic basis.

Both agree more behavioral-health investment is needed.

****Question from Mark from Skyway: Concerned about corruption, vaccine hesitancy, and more in Sheriff’s Office. Sees a lack of concern among deputies for urban unincorporated areas. Since the next Exec will be in charge of the sheriff, please address.

CONSTANTINE: Looking forward to dealing with some of the challenges. Sheriff’s Office has funding challenges, a lot of vacancies. “We need to focus in making sure we have a smooth transition to a new sheriff,” and one who leads the transformation of policing. Need better response times but don’t confuse that with response types – there are calls that don’t require uniformed police fficer.

NGUYEN: Need true accountability. Next Sheriff should be able to hold folks accountable and transform the way things are done.

****Question from Marissa: Speaking as a coalition coordinator, regarding youths’ behavioral health – school practitioners say there’s a big need for behavioral health services for youth, increased by the pandemic. There’s money being spent on it but how is it really supporting the need for services in schools? There’s a big difference between saying there’s a community partner, and having someone being able to get into services. Students are getting referred but can’t always access services. How can we plan for the short-term imminent need for these services in schools, and what are you doing right now?

NGUYEN: State allocated about $300 million. But how we fund schools is inequitable. Meeting with Seattle and Highline school board members to talk about how this looks going forward.

CONSTANTINE: “A lot of these issues come back to the dire lack of behavioral health services” – this all started back in the ’80s, then in the Great Recession the state disinvested … the county’s been scrambling “to prop up this house of cards.” Best Starts for Kids helping. “I’m excited about (its) renewal.” But “we’ve inherited a terrible tax system … this economy could pay for everything we need to live healthy successful lives” but tax system is “grossly unfair.”

They wrapped up after about an hour and a holf. We’ll publish other notes from the meeting separately later today, and also plan to cover tonight’s County Executive forum. The NHUAC event was recorded but we haven’t found a link – if and when we do, we’ll add it.

(WCN photo from September 13th fire)

Announced by the White Center Community Development Association: An online petition drive has been launched to demand more support from King County in the aftermath of the recent fires. From the petition page:

The White Center Community declares our state of emergency. After five fire events within the last four months, the entire community is devastated. The fires have affected 11 beloved businesses and their employees, all losing everything in the rash of fires over the last four months. The lack of timely and effective action from our elected officials, County staff, and the Sheriff’s Department have and will continue to impact our community negatively for many years to come.

We are alone in rebuilding our businesses and community.

Business owners and neighbors have raised over $290K for fire victims ($165K to the Lumber Yard) and continue to raise funds. Elected and County staff have not offered any additional emergency funds or additional support. The business district as a whole continues to experience crime, theft, violence, and a sharp decrease in monthly revenues.

The following businesses have been impacted and devastated: Huong Xua Deli, John’s Hair and Nails Salon, The Boxing Gym Westside, La Tipica Oaxaquena, Nuggi Boba, The Locker Room, Ben Schreck workshop, Dottie’s Doublewide, Rat City Tat2, Bizzarro Italian Café, Full Tilt, and The Lumber Yard.

This petition encompasses the needs surfaced from hundreds of hours of conversations over the past four months and over the past 25 years. We need an emergency fire response plan by our elected officials and County staff NOW.

INVEST IN WHITE CENTER SO WE CAN REBUILD, THRIVE AND GROW:

– Hire private security for 8 hours overnight, 7 days a week, to be funded by King County. Invest $175,000 per year into the community, targeting damaged areas immediately.

– $2M emergency relief funding outside of DLS grants to assist fire victims and stabilize the White Center Business District’s rebuilding efforts in collaboration with community (comprehensive business district plan, re-establishing/affirming zoning, etc.) immediately.

– Businesses who do not hold or have minimal insurance coverage should automatically be qualified for a minimum of $25,000 in emergency assistance immediately.

– Create a task force of professionals, available daily, on a drop-in basis, to help fire victims navigate systems and relationships. Provide 1:1 assistance (salvage assistance, navigating insurance, and permitting processes, assessing rebuilding options, funding, re-entry etc.) until the business is able to re-enter and resume regular business hours at full capacity immediately. Provide delivery of assistance in Vietnamese and Spanish.

– Build transparency and accountability between community members and the Sheriff’s Department. Provide basic details of all Sheriff’s deputies, duties, and assignments in White Center (names and badge numbers of officers working in White Center during the 2017 – 2021 Sheriff Department budget for White Center, and patrol routes).

– Fund a position to help retain existing businesses and recruit new businesses in White Center. The position will support existing businesses going through lease renewals or re-location, and assists property owners and developers that are rehabilitating or developing buildings with retail space design, pricing and tenanting.

The petition page also suggests contacting local officials, and includes their phone numbers.

Online tonight at 6 pm, a briefing on anti-displacement strategies in two of unincorporated King County’s urban areas – including ours:

The King County Executive (transmitted) the final Skyway-West Hill and North Highline Anti-Displacement Strategies Report to the King County Council on Thursday, September 30th.

The Department of Community and Human Services and Department of Local Services are co-hosting a community briefing on Wednesday, October 6 from 6:00-8:00 pm to present the report’s final recommendations, next steps, and future opportunities for community involvement.

The event will be recorded for anyone who is unable to attend.

All Skyway-West Hill and North Highline community members are invited to join this briefing, even if you have not attended previous sessions. Because we have limited time in this meeting, it will be important that participants familiarize themselves with the anti-displacement strategies that have been under consideration.

Here are few ways to do that:

-Visit www.publicinput.com/anti-displacement to learn about this project and the strategies under consideration.
-Check out our Anti-Displacement Strategy Toolkit – this toolkit contains the slides from the earlier workshop sessions and helpful written explanations of each strategy.

If you have the time, you can also watch the recorded Anti-Displacement Workshop Sessions.

This report’s recommendations provide a concrete path forward in King County’s efforts to address historic disinvestment and structural racism in two diverse and culturally rich neighborhoods. We look forward to sharing the content of the report and discussing the implementation work ahead of us!

We hope you will join us for this important meeting, and please share this opportunity with other folks who live and work in Skyway-West Hill and North Highline!

For questions or more information about the Anti-displacement Strategies Report Community Briefing on October 6th, please contact Isaac Horwith at isaac.horwith@kingcounty.gov.

If you are not already registered to attend, that’s who to email to get the link for attendance – though earlier announcements listed Monday as the deadline for signing up, the event page says that it’s not too late to sign up by email.

(Photo via @kcexec on Twitter)

From left above, King County Councilmember Joe McDermott and King County Executive Dow Constantine were at White Center Heights Park today to shine the spotlight on a new pandemic-relief program offering work to people experiencing homelessness. Here’s the news release explaining it:

King County Executive Dow Constantine today met with one of the new crews restoring and enhancing regional parks and trails, an early success of the Jobs and Housing Program he included in the pandemic recovery package announced earlier this year.

King County’s Jobs and Housing Program hosted focused recruitment events at emergency shelters to offer people experiencing homelessness the opportunity to join King County Parks Beautification Crews, earning salaries that can help them transition to permanent housing. The new program applies the Rapid Rehousing model developed by the King County Department of Community and Human Services to connect participants with housing.

King County is working to expand the Jobs and Housing Program to other county services, including logistical support for emergency management, sanitizing fleet vehicles, and providing customer support for animal services.

“Our new Jobs and Housing Program is one example of how we are sparking an equitable recovery throughout King County,” said Executive Constantine. “By connecting our unhoused neighbors with good-paying jobs and case managers who can help them transition to permanent housing, we are helping more people and families thrive.”

Successful candidates for the program can earn between $20 and $25 per hour for temporary positions and can receive housing supports. Program participants will also receive career support aimed at helping them transition to permanent jobs and permanent housing. The program helps people who have gaps in their employment history and potentially offers them professional references for future job searches.

The beautification crews are starting at five King County parks where they will perform a variety of tasks, such as landscaping, athletic field maintenance, trail building and maintenance, construction and demolition, invasive weed removal, restoration, and planting. The first regional parks where the crews operate are:

Five Mile Lake Park in South King County
White Center Heights Park
Marymoor Park in Redmond
Tolt-MacDonald Park and Campground in Carnation
Three Forks Natural Area along the Snoqualmie River in East King County
Ravensdale Park near Maple Valley

The program will increase King County Parks’ seasonal crews by 36 people who are currently experiencing homelessness. The additional workforce is particularly helpful now that more people than ever are enjoying the regional parks and trails during the pandemic.

King County Parks has so far conducted five recruitment events at emergency shelters in Seattle, South King County, and East King County. Once background checks and physicals are complete, King County Parks provides crew members with on-the-job training while other partner organizations assist with securing housing and career counseling.

King County Metro is helping crew members arrive at worksites with its ORCA Business Passport program, which connects workers through its regional transit network, including Vanpool.

Executive Constantine included funding for the Jobs and Housing Program in the combined $600 million COVID-19 supplemental budget he proposed in March. It has multiple funding sources, including the American Rescue Plan, FEMA, and the county’s General Fund. The County Council approved $38 million for the program in May.

Other potential positions created by the Jobs and Housing Program could include:

Cleaning and sanitizing vehicles and heavy-duty equipment for King County’s Fleet Services Division
Caring for animals and engaging with customers at Regional Animal Services of King County
Performing litter removal in the road right-of-way at King County Roads Division
Performing litter removal in unincorporated King County organized by the Department of Local Services

Announced today by King County Executive Dow Constantine – a proposal to change building codes, including a ban on natural-gas use in most new construction. At the heart of that part of the proposal:

The proposed Ordinance:

• Prohibits fossil fuel combustion for space heating in all commercial buildings and in multifamily buildings four stories tall and taller;
• Prohibits fossil fuel combustion for water heating in multifamily buildings four stories tall and taller, as well as hotel/motel and group residential buildings; and
• Increases efficiency requirements, including for lighting and window insulation levels.

As building codes apply to new construction, building additions, and some mechanical and building feature replacements, the effect of the proposed Ordinance would primarily be to reduce natural gas expansion in all commercial buildings, and multifamily buildings over three stories tall, thus helping to curb future GHG emissions.

The city of Seattle already has passed similar legislation. Read the full announcement, including what else would change, here. The proposal goes to the County Council for consideration (documents are here).

From King County:

King County Local Services is working with the North Highline community to create urban design standards for new commercial, multi-family, and mixed-use developments.

To align these new design standards with the community’s values, we’re forming a community advisory group to help develop these standards in a way that reflects the values and assets of the community. If you’re interested in applying to be a member of that group, please use our online application form.

The project team is also gathering input directly from community members through an online survey and upcoming events. Do you have ideas to share? Your voice matters — please take the survey!

Check out this information sheet to learn more about the project, or contact Jesse Reynolds by email (jesreynolds@kingcounty.gov) or at 206-477-4237.

Applications are open for a King County program to help small-business owners in unincorporated areas including North Highline. From the announcement:

As part of King County’s initiative to help our region recover from the pandemic, the King County Council has dedicated $4.5 million to help small business owners in unincorporated areas.

The application period opened Wednesday, July 7 and closes Wednesday, Aug. 4. Small business owners can apply online at kingcounty.gov/localbusinesshelp or by calling 206-477-3800 beginning today.

King County Local Services will administer this new grant program, which is open to businesses with 30 or fewer employees and $3 million or less in annual gross income.

Owners who receive grants will be reimbursed for business-related expenses incurred since March 3, 2021. Reimbursable expenses include rent, payroll, business utilities, goods and services, and COVID-19 accommodation costs.

This program is specifically intended to help small businesses, as was the county’s first round of grants offered last year. Through that earlier program, more than 571 businesses received or are in the process of receiving up to $5,000 each from King County Local Services, for a total of nearly $3 million.

In 9 languages:

We’re now under an Excessive Heat Warning through Monday. Just received this announcement about the site once set up (but never used) for pandemic quarantine/isolation:

With high temperatures expected to soar past 100 degrees through the early part of next week, the county will make 20 air-conditioned units available from 4 p.m., Saturday to 10 a.m., Wednesday. Overnight stays will be available.

The White Center Cooling Center is located at 206 SW 112th St., in the Top Hat neighborhood.

Those who are interested should call 206-572-5557.

The center will offer a way for residents—including those experiencing homelessness—to escape the heat. The center will welcome overnight stays as well as an air-conditioned area with water and refreshments for shorter visits.

Those who stay overnight will be able to enter and leave the facility from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. The doors will be locked outside of those hours, with some exceptions for late arrivals.

Service and emotional support animals are welcome. Masks and social distancing guidelines will be followed per Washington State and King County requirements.

Teams from King County and the White Center Community Development Association will staff the site, and private security will be on-site day and night.

This effort is a partnership between DCHS, Local Services, FMD and the White Center Community Development Association.

At this time, the White Center Cooling Center will be the only such facility offered in unincorporated King County. You can find other cooling centers on the King County Emergency Management blog.

With a heat wave on the way, an outdoor burn ban is about to kick in. Here’s the announcement:

King County Fire Marshal Chris Ricketts has issued a Stage 1 fire safety burn ban for the unincorporated areas of King County starting Thursday. The ban will remain in effect until further notice.

The weather forecast calls for temperatures in the mid-90’s throughout the weekend, with readings climbing to nearly 100 degrees Sunday. The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Watch for King County.

The Stage 1 fire safety burn ban applies to all outdoor burning, except for barbecues and small recreational fires in established fire pits at approved campgrounds or private property with the owner’s permission.

“Extreme heat and especially dry conditions have increased the risk of wildfire dramatically,” Ricketts says. “People in both rural and urban unincorporated areas need to use caution.”

Recreational fires still pose a risk, so their use shall be limited and respected accordingly. Ricketts says recreational fires must:

-Be built in a metal or concrete fire pit, such as those typically found in designated campgrounds, and not be used as debris disposal
-Be no larger than three feet in diameter
-Be located in a clear spot, free from any vegetation for at least ten feet in a horizontal direction and at least 25 feet away from any structure, and allow 20 feet of vertical clearance from overhanging branches
-Be attended at all times by an alert individual with equipment capable of extinguishing the fire

If your property is inside city limits, please contact your local jurisdiction for their requirements. This ban remains in effect until further notice.

With Fourth of July fireworks sales beginning across the county, Ricketts also reminds users to stay mindful of their surroundings when discharging fireworks.

It’s every individual’s responsibility to help prevent fires that destroy lives, property, and our wildlands. For more information, visit the Local Services Fire Marshal’s website.

The new Community Investment Committee‘s been announced and has already had its first meeting (last Saturday). Here’s the announcement of who’s on it, including five people from North Highline:

A new community-centered budget process is underway, with the selection of 21 committee members who will develop a $10 million investment plan in unincorporated King County. The committee will design and carry out a budgeting process that will be centered on racial equity. The process will build on community strengths and address specific priorities that these communities have identified.

“Centering communities in this budget process means that more voices will be a part of the process to invest in the future of unincorporated King County, and that’s going to lead to better processes, better connections between partners, and a bright future for everyone,” said Executive Constantine. “I want to thank the committee members for stepping up and helping chart the course.”

Over the two months, King County Local Services accepted applications from dozens of residents who were hoping to serve on the committee. The members represent the five urban unincorporated areas of West King County:

Skyway (five members)
White Center/North Highline (five members)
East Federal Way (five members)
Fairwood (three members)
East Renton Highlands (three members)

The committee held its first meeting on June 4 and will meet regularly to create the guidebook for Local Services’ “Participatory Budgeting” effort. Committee members will also engage the community in the participatory budgeting process.

“I’m really excited to have this opportunity to take a valuable resource and have it directed, by community, to make decisions about what’s best for folks in their community,” said Community Investment Committee Member Emijah Smith.

Below are the Community Investment Committee members and the areas they represent:

North Highline/White Center: Emijah Smith, Marissa Jauregui, Sahle Habte, Carmen Smith, Kimnag Seng
Skyway/West Hill: Ayanna Brown, Yvette Dinish, Curtis Taylor, Jamoni Owens, Rebecca Berry
East Federal Way: Trenise Rogers, Jimmy Brown, Serena Evans-Satoran, Anna Irungu, Zayda Quintana
East Renton: Ajala Wilson-Daraja, Yordanos Teferi, Deborah Eberle
Fairwood: Noni Ervin, Michelle Faltous, Elizabeth Singer

Participatory Budgeting

Participatory Budgeting is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. In King County Local Services’ case, this work will allow the community to decide how to spend the following two funds:

-$10 million on capital projects in these urban unincorporated areas. The funds can be used for anything that needs to be built or replaced, like buildings, sidewalks, bike lanes, landscaping, signs, and play structures.
-$1.3 million for services or programs in Skyway/West Hill and North Highline/White Center. This funding can be used for almost anything, like after-school programs, job training, building maintenance, food, art supplies, and investments in play structures or sidewalks.

The committee will design and carry out a budgeting process that will be centered on racial equity. The process will build on community strengths and address specific priorities that these communities have identified.

The committee will also help design the larger Participatory Budgeting process to make sure that communities have control over how this money is spent and that funded projects will address real community challenges and have the most benefit. The committee will also be heavily engaged in collaborating with local community-based organizations and performing outreach to their respective communities.

Also next week, you can join a conversation about potential zoning changes and other “strategies” to deal with displacement. Here’s the announcement:

The Department of Local Services and the Department of Community and Human Services are co-hosting a virtual community conversation on potential new rules that would require developers to provide affordable housing as part of new developments in and around downtown White Center and the Skyway Business District. Additional rules are also being considered to incentivize developments where 100% of the housing is affordable. Join us to learn and participate!

The Zoom meeting will be the evening of Tuesday, May 25 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Registration is required.

Register at: tinyurl.com/IH4NHSWH. Registration closes 5/23/2021 11:59 p.m.

This community conversation will engage community members and developers in a deliberative dialogue around various components of potential new “inclusionary housing” rules for Skyway-West Hill and North Highline. Inclusionary housing is policy and regulatory approach to creating affordable housing by requiring that developers include housing units in their projects in exchange for additional density and/or adjustments to certain development regulations. Inclusionary housing has been used successfully across the US and in the Seattle area. This is the first time it is being considered for unincorporated King County.

To learn more about this topic and all the strategies being considered please visit: publicinput.com/anti-displacement.

During his State of the County speech last week, County Executive Dow Constantine announced plans for “groundbreaking” in White Center this week as the RapidRide H Line gets closer to launching. Work to prepare for the Route 120 conversion has already been under way on much of the West Seattle section of the route for almost a year – repaving and utilities. Today, details of this week’s event have been announced – 9:30 am Tuesday at Steve Cox Memorial Park. We’ll of course be there to cover it. P.S. Launch date for the new RapidRide has been pushed back three times but is currently set for next year.

From the King County Assessor’s Office:

The King County Assessor’s office has begun the annual process of mailing property valuation notices to taxpayers. Notices will be arriving in King County neighborhoods on a rolling basis for the next several months. As many property owners are aware, King County residential property values have risen sharply, and commercial values have remained steady, despite the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The annual process of property valuation will continue through the summer, but it is clear based on the areas of the county that have been completed thus far that most commercial property values have remained strong, and residential values have risen dramatically in many areas.

Median residential values have risen by double digits in every area where valuations have been completed so far. Values have risen the most in fast growing suburban and eastern areas of the county. Here are some examples:

Skyway, up 13%
East Auburn, up 15.5%
Woodinville and Duvall, up just over 18%
Enumclaw plateau and Black Diamond, up 21% and 22%

Each year as required by law, County Assessors appraise every commercial and residential parcel in the state. These values – set effective as of January 1 of the assessment year – are then applied to the next year’s tax bill. Property values are now being set as of January 1, 2021, for taxes due in 2022.

“No one knew what to expect a little over a year ago when this public health emergency began,” said Assessor John Wilson. “Now it is clear that a primary impact on property values has been caused by homeowners not wanting to sell at this time, leading to reduced supply and big price and value increases.”

We’ll be checking on the expected timing for North Highline notices.

Almost 13 years after we first reported on a potential fireworks ban for unincorporated King County, it’s on its way to becoming law. Here’s the announcement from the County Council:

Fireworks will be illegal in unincorporated King County starting in 2022, thanks to legislation approved Tuesday by the King County Council.

Sponsored by King County Councilmembers Joe McDermott and Claudia Balducci, the legislation will prohibit all types of fireworks including sparklers and smoke bombs.

“While there are plenty of good reasons to support a full ban on consumer fireworks, I am driven by the tragic loss of life and property in White Center in 2019,” McDermott said. “It is past time for King County to do what most cities and parks have already done. People in unincorporated King County deserve the same protections as those living in cities.”

McDermott was referring to the 2019 house fire in North Highline resulting in the death of a 70-year-old man, his two dogs and displacement of 12 residents in the neighboring home. All of this was caused by fireworks. Elsewhere around the state and across the West, numerous wildfires have been triggered by fireworks, including some that left people dead or injured and caused millions of dollars in damage and costs to contain them. The calls of community members, individuals dealing with PTSD, and first responders like fire commissioners and marshals have made clear that fireworks present a clear public risk and public health hazard for our entire region.

“Personal safety, fire safety, and distress to people and pets are some of the good reasons many King County cities have adopted firework regulations,” Balducci said. “It just makes sense to expand these protections to our King County residents.”

This new ban brings unincorporated King County communities in line with most other jurisdictions in King County so there can be no more confusion: if it’s a firework, it is not legal in unincorporated King County.

Families in King County can still take the opportunity to enjoy fireworks displays safely by attending properly permitted, professional displays throughout the county.

State law requires a one-year waiting period before the ban can take effect, so it will be effective before July 4, 2022. In the meantime, county departments will plan for enforcement strategies that involve immediate, unarmed, non-police responses for potential violations and undertake an educational campaign about the new law.

The long-in-the-works fireworks ban proposed for unincorporated King County finally goes to the County Council on Tuesday. If it passes, it would take effect next year; you can read all the documents here. Our area’s Councilmember Joe McDermott is the sponsor; the proposal passed the Committee of the Whole last month. A public hearing is required as part of tomorrow’s 1 pm online meeting, and the agenda has information on how to participate.

(King County Executive’s Office photos)

Nine months after touring North Highline’s future county park, King County Executive Dow Constantine returned there for Earth Day to launch the “3 Million Trees” initiative. From the announcement:

King County Executive Dow Constantine on Earth Day joined community partners to kick off 3 Million Trees, an initiative that will plant, protect, and prepare a combined three million trees throughout the region by the end of 2025.

The initiative is part of Executive Constantine’s proposal for the 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan, which includes strategies to cut greenhouse gas emissions countywide in half by the end of this decade. Under 3 Million Trees, King County will plant 500,000 trees, accelerate land conservation to protect intact forestland this is absorbing carbon today, and prepare forests for warmer, drier summers that are occurring as the result of climate change.

“Earth Day is a moment for reflection, for inspiration and, most importantly, for action, which is why we are kicking off 3 Million Trees today,” said Executive Constantine. “We will build on the momentum of our successful 1 Million Trees initiative to achieve even more ambitious goals: increase urban tree canopy, protect forestland that this absorbing carbon now, and prepare forests for climate impacts.”

King County Parks’ Volunteer Program staff can assist residents and organizations that want to participate in the initiative. In addition to tree planting, volunteer coordinators organize events to remove noxious weeds and provide educational opportunities.

Executive Constantine kicked off the initiative with partners at a new urban park in unincorporated North Highline that King County acquired in 2020. King County crews, along with Friends of the Trail and Dirt Corps, have removed more than 7 tons of debris and truckloads of invasive species from the once-neglected greenspace. Native spring vegetation – including Pacific waterleaf and trillium – once covered by invasive Himalayan blackberry and ivy are coming back to life now that they have room to grow. The protected greenspace is beginning to offer better habitat for birds, pollinators, and wildlife in addition to offering public health benefits in a neighborhood that previously lacked access to open space.

See the rest of the announcement here.

The pandemic-update presentation from a King County rep at last week’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting included news of a regular “community partners” call, open to all. NHUAC president Liz Giba has sent info abut the call, which is happening at 4 pm today:

We have created a new link for our bi-weekly COVID-19 Community Partners’ Call and have extended the meeting by 15 minutes. Starting April 12th, the meeting will run from 4 pm-5 pm. The Community Partners’ call will now be Live Interpreted in Spanish and Somali. The Zoom link is below.

Join Public Health – Seattle & King County for local updates on the COVID-19 pandemic, recommendations for risk reduction, and information on COVID-19 vaccines. The webinar takes place every other Monday from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Zoom (schedule and link below). The next webinar is Monday, April 12th.

All are welcome, and the information is most helpful for staff and volunteers at nonprofits, businesses, and community-based organizations looking for resources and information on slowing the spread of COVID-19 in King County.

Live interpretation is provided in Spanish and Somali. Additional languages are available upon request.

One tap mobile:
US: +16699006833,,97016766517# or +13462487799,,97016766517#
Meeting URL:
https://kingcounty.zoom.us/j/97016766517
Meeting ID:
970 1676 6517
Join by Telephone 253-215-8782