Local funding working to prevent human trafficking in King County
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. During the month of January, governments, anti-trafficking organizations, law enforcement, survivor advocates, community leaders, and community members come together to raise awareness about human trafficking, to educate the public on how to identify and prevent human trafficking, and to protect and empower survivors of all forms of human trafficking. Human trafficking impacts the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Around the world, including the United States, it is estimated that 27.6 million people, adults and children, are subjected to human trafficking. Human trafficking… Read More
Revive I-5: Find Your Way webinar series
Starting in March, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will begin a three-year project to rehabilitate and preserve I-5 through Seattle. The project will require sections of I-5 to be reduced to two lanes for up to nine months each year, starting with Northbound construction along the aging Ship Canal Bridge. This preservation project is critical for keeping people and goods moving safely for decades to come. Commute Seattle, a transportation news blog, is here to help businesses and destinations find their way through this construction period with the Revive I-5 webinar series. Tune… Read More
Is your office prepared for emergencies?
Crossposted from the DES Express Did you know that the Department of Executive Services’ (DES) own Fleet Services Parts and Materials (formerly “Stores”) offers individual employee “GO Kits” for emergencies? The red backpacks contain three separate kits for survival, personal hygiene and first aid. The disaster backpacks contain enough supplies to last three days in case of an emergency, such as water and snacks. The DES Director’s Office recently ordered kits for each employee in the office. “I was providing emergency preparedness training to the Director’s Office and our staff expressed an interest in… Read More
$26 million in affordable housing investments awarded, creating 939 homes across the region
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections King County Executive Dow Constantine announced $26 million in funding for nine affordable housing developments that will generate 848 new homes, 66 renovated rental units, and 25 new home ownership units across King County over the next five years. The investments prioritize affordable housing for people with the lowest incomes, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and locations close to public transit. King County’s Housing Finance Program (HFP) – managed by the Department of Community and Human Services through its Housing and Community Development division – invests in affordable housing development and preservation throughout the… Read More
2025 MLK celebration highlights dedication to community
On Tuesday, Jan. 14, King County employees and community members came together to honor our nation’s foremost human rights leader and King County’s namesake, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The annual celebration was at the Ikea Performing Arts Center in Renton. The celebration focused on the theme Dedication to Community, and the accompanying quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” The program featured… Read More
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday is Jan. 20
King County offices are closed on Monday, Jan. 20 to observe the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. All offices will be back to normal schedule on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Click here for Metro Transit holiday bus schedules. If you have questions about your holiday schedule, please speak to your supervisor. Have a safe and healthy holiday.
King County Metro mourns one of our own, lost too soon
Crossposted from Metro Matters A loyal friend. A kind and thoughtful operator. A devoted husband. Metro Operator Shawn Yim was all these things and more. Yim, 59, was killed in the line of duty on Dec. 18. Thousands of Metro and other King County employees, staff from transit agencies around the Northwest and Canada, dignitaries and members of the public participated in a citywide procession and attended the memorial service that followed. It was hosted by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 587 at the Lumen Field WAMU Theater. Read more.
King County Metro to resume fare inspection in March 2025
Crossposted from Metro Matters King County Metro is planning a phased approach to returning to fare inspection. In the coming weeks, the agency is launching a multilingual communications and outreach campaign to raise awareness of this change and to let riders know they may be eligible for a reduced fare. Starting March 31, 2025, Metro’s Fare Resource Advocates will ask riders for proof of fare payment. The officers will offer friendly, verbal reminders to riders who did not pay. The Fare Resource Advocates also will provide information on the return to fare… Read More
DCHS in 2024!
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections As the year comes to a close, the Department of Community and Human Services is taking stock in progress we’ve made throughout a year filled with both challenges and opportunities. This year was full of milestones and celebrations, and we look forward to building on these accomplishments for the people of King County in 2025. Read more.
A new landmark rises: Beacon Pacific Village opens on the historic Pacific Tower campus
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections Last month, the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of Beacon Pacific Village, a new affordable housing community offering a blend of residential, mixed-use, and critical on-site services. Between 2016 to 2020, King County’s Housing Finance Program (HFP) awarded nearly five million dollars to SCIDpda, the owner and developer of Beacon Pacific Village, through Transit Oriented Development funding and other awards. Recognized by developers for its innovative design and sustainable architecture, Beacon Pacific Village provides connection to wellness, community, and healing for communities fragmented… Read More
Employee News 