By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
On Tues., Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell revealed his 2024 proposed budget, which included mid-biennium adjustments to the 2023-24 budget passed last year. The proposal reflects Harrell’s continued commitment to bold actions that address urgent needs of our communities and advance shared One Seattle priorities, doubling down on what’s working, and investing in a better city for tomorrow.
Harrell delivered the details of his budget at Plymouth Housing’s The Blake House, which opened this year as part of the first affordable high-rise in Seattle in over 50 years. The building was funded and developed by a coalition of supporters and over $13 million in City investments through sources that include the 2016 Housing Levy.
“Seattle is a different city than when I took office nearly two years ago,” said Harrell. “We are continuing to see real progress, even while acknowledging the complex challenges still before us. Many of our toughest issues can’t be solved overnight but with a plan and solid investment strategy, we can show meaningful progress towards building the One Seattlewe want to see. This budget doubles down on the priorities that matter for the city, focusing on critical needs like public safety and homelessness, supporting downtown and a healthy climate, and embracing a back-to-basics philosophy needed to advance Seattle’s economy, quality of life, and the essential City services residents deserve.”
According to Harrell, the priorities in his budget include: sustaining critical services, investing in workers, furthering economic recovery and deepening investments in public safety, public health, alternative responses and building a climate forward future.
Highlights of his budget proposal include:
• $334 million investment in affordable housing, representing a 32% increase from the 2023 adopted budget.
• $106 million investment in the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) to support outreach, shelter, and other critical programs.
• $26 million for the Housing for Workforce Stabilization Fund to support permanent supportive housing providers wages.
• $23 million investment in human service provider wages and wage equity, representing a 9.5% increase in pay over 2023, along with childcare worker retention bonuses.
• $17 million toward diversion programs like LEAD, supporting the recently passed law regarding public consumption by prioritizing diversion for drug users.
“While it wasn’t a perfect budget – if there such a thing? – we were able to pass a two-year budget for the first time since the pandemic,” says Harrell. “Focusing on critical needs like public safety and homelessness, a renewed commitment to the essential City services residents deserves, and embracing a back-to-basics philosophy needed to restore Seattle’s economy and quality of life.
“Earlier this year, I met with workers and human service providers who told me about the compassionate, tireless work they do. But they also told me about the hardships they face because of low pay, which impacts their ability to stay in these jobs. They asked us to look at the numbers, work with the state and county, and increase wages,” says Harrell.
“Look, we need these workers,” Harrell continued. “That’s why, I am proposing an investment of over $25 million to support the workforce for organizations that provide permanent supportive housing.”
Other essential highlights included support for the Downtown Activation Plan and Future of Seattle Economy. Expanding the Seattle Fire Department’s Health 99 Post Overdose Response team, capital improvements in treatment centers. $12.9 million dollar grant from the Biden-Harris administration that will expand access to tree canopies. Immigrant and safety access network was awarded $150,000 in increased support as well as support for Third Avenue Project, gun violence, crime and other safety technologies, and Social Housing Public Development.
The mayor emphasized the urgent need to address the drug crisis that has crippled the vulnerable within the city limits and beyond. Harrell went onto explain essential investments that will tackle this issue.
“We’re investing $7 million toward capital improvements in treatment centers, including a post-overdose facility to bring people in their moment of need to a place where they can recover and access services,” Harrell explains. “It’s why we’re expanding Seattle Fire Department’s Health 99 Post Overdose Response Team, committing $2 million this year from our opioid settlement fund toward that effort and several others to improve health outcomes.”
“And it’s why we are reinvesting in harm reduction programs that help prevent overdoses and provide low-barrier medication and treatment to those who seek to overcome their addiction,” continued the mayor.
With regards to public safety Harrell spoke about the need to address bigotry and violence against people of color, the African American community and the immigrant and refugee families and communities by investing monies to protect those communities.
“In addition to challenges of behavioral health and substance use, we’re also seeing the continued impacts of another kind of disease that harms the safety of our residents – bias and hate crimes, particularly those targeting our AAPI community,” says Harrell. “Our budget invests in efforts to support immigrant and refugee families who experience disproportionate harm from violence. This kind of bigotry is not new – to me as a Japanese and African American, to my family, or to this community.”
Harrell believes that the city has an obligation to play a critical role in creating opportunities and giving families the tools to advance and grow generational wealth.
“Our budget includes a strong investment in the Future of Seattle Economy agenda endorsed by the City Council,” says Harrell. “It invests $10 million in our Office of Economic Development for new items that support commercial affordability, business improvement areas, and career pathway development.”
“We are a city of wonderful neighborhoods, beautiful scenery, great businesses big and small. Above all else – our greatest resource is our people. Compassionate people. Smart people. Hard working people including our great City Employees. Creative and visionary people,” Harrell proclaims. “Despite the challenges we face, I like Seattle’s hand. And I’m all in on Seattle’s future.”
