On January 1, 2026, Mayor-elect Katie Wilson will be sworn into office to assume the duty of leading our city and serving the people of Seattle. As we prepare for this shift in leadership, we want to give the community an opportunity to learn more about our soon-to-be Mayor and… [ Keep reading ]
Around the world, people may know Seattle because of the Space Needle, Orcas, Pike Place Market, or even the Mariners. Locally, Seattle is known for the character and charm of its many neighborhoods. From Lake City to Rainier View, Broadview to Highland Park, neighbors take pride in the unique personality… [ Keep reading ]
This story originally appeared as an opinion piece in the Seattle Times. by Jenifer Chao, Director of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Almost every day, another headline reminds us that immigration is under attack. Across the country, fear is being weaponized. Immigrants and refugees are portrayed as problems to solve instead… [ Keep reading ]
Community members and City family climbed the stairs at City Hall to witness a vote on the confirmation of Jenifer Chao as the Director of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (DON). They filed into Seattle City Council chambers for the Dec. 8 meeting of the Neighborhoods, Education, Civil Rights & Culture… [ Keep reading ]
Through the Race and Social Justice Initiative, the City of Seattle is consistently working to address and eliminate institutional racism. Part of the City’s focus on social justice includes ensuring outreach and engagement efforts are equitable and reach all communities. Through our Strategic Partnerships program, the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods… [ Keep reading ]
Today, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced that he will appoint Jenifer Chao to serve as the next Director of the Department of Neighborhoods (DON). Chao, a community engagement leader, currently serves as the Deputy Director of Strategy and Administration in the City of Seattle’s Finance and Administrative Services. Working with… [ Keep reading ]
For local government to effectively serve the community, trust is essential. At the Department of Neighborhoods, we know that community trust in government isn’t inherent, nor should it be. Trust is something that should be earned by walking the talk, acknowledging a role in historical injustices, and actively working to… [ Keep reading ]
Mohamed Abdullahi recently joined the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods communications team as a Communications and Storytelling Intern. Mohamed came to us through the Cultural and Creative Workforce Development Program, an internship program developed by Northwest Folklife in collaboration with the Office of Economic Development and the Office of Arts and Culture. The program provides paid internships for Seattle’s young creatives,… [ Keep reading ]
Nate Moxley joined our P-Patch Community Gardening team in January. Actually, he “re-joined” the team, having previously worked for the P-Patch program from 2009 – 2013. Nate is one of our P-Patch Community Garden Coordinators, working in collaboration with gardeners to coordinate 16 of our 89 community gardens throughout the… [ Keep reading ]
Esprit Autenreith is an Administrative Specialist working as the self-proclaimed “paperwork wizard/witch” for the Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF) program. She is responsible for tracking all things related to the Community Partnership Fund within NMF as well as providing basic administrative support to the whole team. Get to know more about… [ Keep reading ]
