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The 2019 International Special Review District (ISRD) Board election will be held on Tuesday, November 19, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Bush Asia Hotel (409 Maynard Avenue South) in the plaza-level meeting room. Community members who are registered for this election are encouraged to vote. 

Three board positions are up for election:

•   Position #1 for a Business Owner, Property Owner or Employee

•   Position #2 for Resident, Tenant, Community Participant

•   Position #4 for Resident, Tenant, Community Participant

Nominations closed on Tuesday, October 22 and seven candidates were nominated. Candidate information is provided below, and will be available at the polling place on the day of the election.

3 candidates are seeking Position #1 for a Business Owner, Property Owner, or Employee

• Tuyen Than is a business owner, resident and community organizer.  She cares about preserving the culture and history of the Chinatown International District. If elected, she said she would provide feedback informed by a graphic design background and through a social justice lens.
• Russ Williams works for a general contracting firm, based in Little Saigon. He believes that preservation is beneficial for preserving a community’s culture, as well as its local economy, and that historic buildings help to maintain a sense of permanency and heritage for the Chinatown International District. Russ is currently serving his first term on the Board.
• Tanya Woo grew up in the Chinatown International District community. She wants to follow her family’s long tradition of service in the neighborhood. She has a background in media, but now dedicates her attention to the redevelopment of the historic Louisa Hotel.  She has worked to restore the building and preserve its architectural and historic character, including the prohibition-era African-American jazz murals. She recognizes the importance of honoring the past while helping to make historic buildings useful for the future. She is currently serving on the board, as an appointee, to serve out the remainder of a term for a position that became vacant.

2 candidates are seeking Position #2 for a Resident, Tenant, Community Participant

• Lizzy Baskerville is the garden manager for the Danny Woo Community Garden. She is interested in applying her experience as a community member and past applicant before the board to assisting with culturally-appropriate design and equitable development. She has degrees in both architecture and landscape architecture.
• Matt Chan supports multiple organizations within the neighborhood where he volunteers his time, including work with community newspapers, InterimCDA and the Wing Luke Museum. He is interested in development that takes community input, aesthetic design history, and the well-being of the neighborhood into account. He wants to bring awareness that the neighborhood is more than just a tourist destination and to help preserve its history.

2 candidates are seeking Position #4 for a Resident, Tenant, Community Participant

• M. Faye Hong is a senior advisor to the Hop Sing Tong Association and the Lee Family Association. He is a board member of the Chinatown Gate Foundation and the Chong Wa Benevolent Association. He is also the Vice President of the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Foundation and the property manager for the Yick Kong Corp. He is the prior owner of two restaurants in Chinatown, the Atlas Café and House of Hong.  
• Henry Liu was born and raised in Seattle and has a lifelong connection to the Chinatown International District community. He works in the neighborhood as a community organizer, where he hosts daily activities for residents across seven apartment buildings. He is interested in serving on the Board to educate, enhance and empower residents and community members to have a greater sense of neighborhoods ownership and civic engagement. 

The special character of the Chinatown International District is recognized and protected by City Ordinance. In 1973, the International Special Review District Board was created to preserve, protect, and enhance the cultural, economic, and historical qualities of the District. The Board is made up of seven members – five elected by the Chinatown International District community and two appointed by the Mayor. Board members’ terms are for two years, and members may serve up to two consecutive terms. To learn more about the election and the International Special Review District, please visit seattle.gov/neighborhoods/preservation/id.htm/.

The current board members are Stephanie Hsie (Chair), Sergio Legon-Talamoni, Yuko Kunugi, Russ Williams, Tanya Woo and Andy Yip (Vice-Chair). There is one vacancy on the Board awaiting Mayoral appointment. The terms for Ms. Woo, Mr. Williams and Ms. Kunugi end in November 2019.