Front Porch Department of Neighborhoods

Front Porch

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods news and events

Indulge in random acts of kindness on Neighbor Day

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funny cartoons promoting Neighbor Day

Join us for Seattle’s 25th Annual Neighbor Day on May 4 and help us flood Seattle with a celebration of kindness and community!

With everything going on in our world and in our city, we could all use a chance to de-stress and reconnect with our neighbors, friends, and communities through small acts of generosity.  Neighbor Day provides the perfect opportunity to do just that!

Neighbor Day is a special day set aside to reach out to neighbors, make new friends, and express thanks to those who help make your neighborhood and community a great place to live. We encourage all Seattle residents to celebrate this day by indulging in random acts of kindness. Residents, businesses, or community groups are all invited to participate however they like. The main goal is simply to reach out and connect with your neighbors through generosity.

Neighbor Day will take place on Saturday, May 4, 2019.

We have made it as easy as possible for you to participate! Below is a list of ideas and resources that can help you plan your Neighbor Day event or activity:

  • Do something nice for a neighbor: take them to coffee, clean up their yard, bake them some cookies, invite them for a walk.
  • Organize a neighborhood potluck, open house, or work party. It can be as big or simple as you want.
  • Need more ideas? We have an extensive list to help you.
  • Want to know how your local business or community group can participate? Here are some ideas!
  • If your event is open to the public, you can post it to our online events calendar.
  • Use our flyer to post around your neighborhood or work area to remind people of the day.
  • Share a “great neighbor” story or tell us how you are celebrating by tagging us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and using #NeighborDay.

For more information on Neighbor Day, please visit our website at http://www.seattle.gov/neighborday.

If you have any questions or want to bounce ideas off someone, contact Neighbor Day coordinator Sam Read at sam.read@seattle.gov.

Get to know our new External Relations Division Director: Waing Waing

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Waing WaingWAING WAING
Division Director for External Relations

 

Where did you grow up: In Gaborone, Botswana. I was born in Burma and when I was five, my family moved to Botswana and I grew up there.

What neighborhood do you call home: I have lived in the Central District since 1998.

What makes your neighborhood special: Well, the Central District has been changing for many years but what drew me to it initially was it being the most diverse neighborhood at the time. The CD has a deep, rich history, is home to many amazing people, and is a quick skip to beautiful Lake Washington.

What did you do prior to coming to Seattle Department of Neighborhoods: Most recently I served as the Executive Director of the Center for Ethical Leadership, a local nonprofit that cultivates inclusive, values-based leadership in service of the common good. We facilitated restorative and collective leadership practices, bringing people from diverse backgrounds together to build understanding, trust, and relationship. Gracious Space and Peacemaking Circles are cornerstones of the Center’s approach to creating empathetic, brave spaces that foster connectedness and promote healing. When this happens, it enhances people’s capacity to work together and tap into their collective wisdom to solve challenging issues.

Why did you want to work for the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods: I was drawn to this department because I value participatory governance and the staff here are serious about working to make community outreach and engagement equitable. As the city grows and changes, we need to make sure public planning processes also include the views and needs of the most affected and vulnerable among us. I’m committed to doing that work.

Describe your role at Seattle Department of Neighborhoods: Right now, I see my role in two parts. One is focused internally to align departmental efforts and build cohesion between the teams and programs in our newly formed External Relations Division. The other is with an external focus to support the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ goal of providing all Seattle residents a wide range of opportunities for both meaningful and authentic civic participation. Essential to achieving this is elevating the voices of the underrepresented and underserved communities through our division’s work in Community Outreach & Engagement, Civic Engagement & Leadership Development, and Strategic Initiatives.

What is your favorite place in Seattle and why: I like to take walks along Lake Washington between Leschi and Seward Park. It just feels good.

What are you passionate about: I am passionate about bringing people together to work across boundaries to build a healthy, just and inclusive society. I like developing intercultural leadership and seeing people bridge cultures to bring good into the world.

Your Voice, Your Choice project development meetings begin in May

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Your Voice, Your Choice logo

Your Voice, Your Choice: Parks and Streets project development meetings will begin in May, 2019. A full meeting schedule will be posted in mid-April. At these meetings, participants will be responsible for evaluating the project ideas that are submitted and give each project numerical ratings.

Participation is open to all who live, work, go to school, receive services, volunteer, or have a connection to the City of Seattle. If you are interested in participating in these meetings, view the full schedule below.

If you cannot attend a meeting, but would like to evaluate projects, there will be an opportunity to do so online. Stay tuned for details!

Learn more about the Your Voice, Your Choice Project Development phase on our website.

If you have questions, please contact Amy Nguyen at Amy.Nguyen@seattle.gov.

 

Landmarks Preservation Board to consider the nomination of the Queen Anne Masonic Temple for landmark status

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exterior of Queen Anne Masonic CenterSeattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board will consider the nomination of the Queen Anne Masonic Temple (1608 4th Avenue W) on Wednesday, April 17 at 3:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in Seattle City Hall (600 4th Avenue, Floor L2) in the Boards & Commissions Room L2-80.

The public is invited to attend the meeting and make comments regarding the nominations. Written comments are also accepted and should be received by the Landmarks Preservation Board at the following mailing address by 3:00 p.m. on April 16:

Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board
Seattle Department of Neighborhoods
PO Box 94649
Seattle, WA 98124-4649

A copy of the Landmark Nomination is available to review at the Queen Anne Library, 400 W. Garfield St, and the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods office in Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Avenue, 4th Floor (206-684-0228). The nomination is also posted on the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods website under the heading of “Current Nominations.”

A landmark nomination provides a physical description of the building, object, or site, and information on its history, current and historic photos, site plans, maps, drawings, and more. To learn about the nomination and designation process, visit our webpage.

Hey Neighbor: Meet Allynn Ruth

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The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ Hey Neighbor! series introduces you to the people behind the scenes working to build, strengthen, and engage the communities of Seattle.

Meet Allynn Ruth

Allynn is a proud career civil servant, having served ten years at the City Council, five years with the Department of Community Development, and the last thirty years in her “favorite job” as a project manager on our Neighborhood Matching Fund team.  She enjoys the outdoors and, in her younger life, was a member of an award-winning ski race team.  Her favorite thing to do is spend time with young people. She is a reading tutor at a local elementary school and teaches Sunday School to junior high kids. She is totally lost in the music of Motown and could listen to the Temptations sing “My Girl” and “Lady Soul” for the rest of her life.

Robyn Greenfield joins P-Patch Community Gardening team

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Robyn Greenfield

Robyn Greenfield is a recent addition to our P-Patch Community Gardening team. She is currently serving as a temporary community garden coordinator, supporting P-Patch gardens in the central area and North Seattle with training and resources.

Get to know a little bit about her below:

Where did you grow up?

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. (on Seminole land) I lived in south and north Florida until moving to Washington in 2014.

What neighborhood do you call home?

Central District (on Duwamish land).

What makes your neighborhood special?

The Central District is special because it’s diverse, inter-generational, walkable, and full of small local businesses.

Living in the CD has taught me what it means to fight for your community – I’ve been inspired by communities of color resisting displacement and gentrification.  I also want to acknowledge Africatown, Got Green’s “Don’t Displace the South End” campaign, and the Shelf Life Community Story Project which has taught me about the history of this neighborhood.

What did you do prior to joining the Department of Neighborhoods? What excited you about the work?

Prior to DON, I spent four years working with food banks in Seattle and across Western Washington.  What excited me was the work food banks are doing to transform from a charity model to one embracing social justice and root causes of poverty. I believe in food as a tool for community building and social change – and food banking is at the intersection of both. Likewise for community gardening!

What made you want to work at the Department of Neighborhoods? 

I’ve admired the work the P-Patch program does to promote urban agriculture and preserve green space. I love that DON is committed to community-based solutions and centering race and social justice.

What’s your favorite place in Seattle and why?

Washington Park Arboretum in the winter and Columbia City Farmers Market in the peak of summer.  The Arboretum is full of interesting sights and smells year-round and feels like you’re walking in quiet woods in the middle of the city. The Columbia City Farmers Market, for me, represents a vibrant local food system.

What are you passionate about?

Food! Growing, cooking, eating and sharing it, and fighting for food sovereignty locally and globally.  In my free time I organize a book club, practice boxing, and watch terrible reality cooking TV shows.

Update: Your Voice, Your Choice Project Development delayed until May

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Your Voice, Your Choice logo

Updated April 1, 2019. Project Development for this year’s round of Your Voice, Your Choice: Parks and Streets has been slightly delayed and will now take place May. This change will allow more time for Seattle Department of Transportation and Seattle Parks and Recreation to conduct quality reviews of the many project ideas submitted. It will also provide community members more time to prepare and get the word out to neighbors about projects in their area.

The project development meetings originally scheduled for March will be canceled and rescheduled. We will post a final list of meetings once all the new dates and times are confirmed.

If you would like to participate in the Project Development process, you are welcome to attend one or more project development meetings throughout the city. Participants will be responsible for evaluating the project ideas that are submitted and give each project numerical ratings.

If you cannot attend a meeting, but would like to evaluate projects, there will be an opportunity to do so online. Stay tuned for details!

Participation is open to all who live, work, go to school, receive services, volunteer, or have a connection to the City of Seattle.

Learn more about the Your Voice, Your Choice Project Development phase on our website.

If you have questions, please contact Amy Nguyen at Amy.Nguyen@seattle.gov.

Young Adults: Get Engaged on our Boards and Commissions

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photo of Seattle w/ words "Get Engaged"

Are you age 18-29 and interested in participating in city government?

Consider joining one of our boards and commissions:

  • The Community Involvement Commission works to ensure that City departments are creating and implementing equitable and inclusive outreach and engagement strategies.
  • The Seattle Renters’ Commission provides information, advice, and counsel to the Mayor, Seattle City Council, and departments concerning issues and policies affecting renters.
  • The Landmarks Preservation Board reviews and makes decisions on landmark nominations for potential new landmarks and for proposed changes to existing landmarks.
  • The Pioneer Square Preservation Board works to preserve, protect and enhance the historic and architectural character of Pioneer Square.

You can apply to join through the YMCA’s Get Engaged program, which places young adults ages 18-29 on City of Seattle’s public boards and commissions. Get Engaged commissioners serve a one-year term starting September each year.

Applications for the 2019-2020 cohort are now available. The deadline to apply is May 20!

Learn more about the Get Engaged program and apply at: seattleymca.org/accelerator/leadershipdevelopment/getengaged .

 

Seattle Renters’ Commission urges City of Seattle to build affordable housing at Fort Lawton as quickly as possible

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Seattle Renters' CommissionMembers of the Seattle Renters’ Commission have issued a statement urging the City of Seattle to move forward with the plan to build 238 units of affordable housing at Fort Lawton as quickly as possible.

“Affordability is the single largest issue that renters in Seattle face today. As the city gets more expensive, renters are forced to either give a greater share of each paycheck to rent or leave the city. Entire communities are wiped out by displacement. Working people struggle to pay rent every month.

Thousands of our neighbors sleep on the streets. We need to build as much affordable housing as possible so that all renters can live in the city we love. The Fort Lawton development is an excellent opportunity for the City to build 238 affordable units, including 86 units for homeless seniors, 100 affordable units for those making 60% of area median income (AMI), and 52 affordable homeownership opportunities. The housing will also be next to Discovery Park, which provides much-needed proximity to green space usually reserved for wealthy homeowners.”

Read the full statement from the Seattle Renters’ Commission.

The Seattle Renters’ Commission provides information, advice, and counsel to the Mayor, Seattle City Council, and departments concerning issues and policies affecting renters. Learn more at seattle.gov/neighborhoods/seattle-renters-commission.

Seattle City Council approves ordinance of the Broad Street Substation historic landmark

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Broad Street SubstationSeattle City Council recently approved the landmark designation ordinance for the Broad Street Substation located in the Cascade neighborhood. This facility joins the more than 400 landmarks in the city that contribute to the cultural and architectural heritage of Seattle’s neighborhoods.

The City’s Landmarks Preservation Board approved the nomination, designation, and controls and incentives for this landmark, and staff drafted the ordinance to the Seattle City Council. The final step in the process was approval by City Council which occurred on Monday.

As designated City landmarks, this facility is not only recognized for its historic and cultural significance, but it is also eligible for code relief that helps to contribute to the continued preservation of the landmark.

About the Broad Street Substation

These Art Moderne buildings were designed by architect Ivan Palmaw, who emigrated from Russia in 1926 during the Revolution. He earned an architectural degree from the University of Washington in 1929 and continued working in the region for 40 years. Of his many projects, he designed two other Seattle landmarks: St. Spiridon Orthodox Cathedral and St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral.

The Broad Street Substation came online in 1951 during a period of rapid growth for Seattle City Light (SCL). The facility was linked to the old north substation and another new facility in Bothell that were receiving electricity from the Skagit River Dam, along with the Ross Dam that was then under construction. The substation continues to be fully operational.