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Seattle Information Technology

Seattle IT Broadband Privacy Directors Rule Q&A

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Today, the City of Seattle issued Seattle IT rule 2017-01 requiring the City’s key internet service providers to obtain permission from their customers before selling web browsing history and personally identifiable information at a detailed or aggregate level. This rule reinstates a key consumer privacy protection eliminated by the U.S. Congress and the Trump administration last month.

What does this rule do?

The City of Seattle Information Technology Department (ITD) Director’s Rule 2017-01 requires cable companies that offer an internet service to obtain permission before sharing a customer’s web browsing activity or other internet usage history. Cable operators must attest to compliance with this rule by September 30, 2017, and annually thereafter.

Why is the City of Seattle issuing this rule?

Mayor Murray believes protecting the privacy of internet users is essential to a free and open society. In April 2017 the Trump administration repealed rules issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that would have would have banned internet service providers from sharing or selling certain types of customer information without user consent. Because of this repeal at the national level, the City is using powers at its disposal to implement a similar rule and protect the rights of our public.

Does the City have the authority to regulate the privacy of broadband internet service customers?

Seattle Municipal Code SMC 21.60 (“Cable Code”) provides the regulatory framework under which cable operators may operate in the City of Seattle. In 2002, the City enacted privacy protections codified at SMC 21.60.825 to address concerns that advances in technology would greatly increase the capabilities of Cable Operators to collect, use and disclose their customer’s personally identifiable information without the customer’s permission. These privacy protections prohibit cable operators from collecting or disclosing any information regarding a customer’s use of a non-cable service, such as internet use, without the prior affirmative consent of the customer.

The City’s privacy law is in all respects consistent with 47 U.S.C. § 551 and designed to ensure cable operator compliance with local and Federal law.

Which internet service providers are subject to this rule?

Cable operators franchised by the City of Seattle who provide an internet service are subject to this rule. As of May 3, 2017, this includes Comcast, CenturyLink, and Wave Broadband.

What internet service providers are not covered by this rule?

Internet service providers operating in the City of Seattle that do not have a cable franchise agreement are not subject to this rule. Wireless internet providers, such as AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon are not subject to this rule.

While this rule limits how internet service providers may use a customer’s web browsing activity or other internet usage history, it does not limit the ability of websites or other companies offering online services from tracking a user’s activity.

What protections does the City provide to cable customers?

Since 1999, the City of Seattle’s “Cable Customer Bill of Rights” has provided the public with strong protections to ensure competent, responsive service from cable operators. The Rights were modified in 2002 and 2015 to add privacy protections to address concerns that advances in technology would greatly increase the capabilities of cable operators to collect, use and disclose their customer’s information without the customer’s permission. Learn more about the Rights and how to report a comment or complaint by visiting http://www.seattle.gov/cable.

 

 

 

Seattle issues rule to strengthen broadband privacy for consumers

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Notice of City of Seattle Information Technology Department Director’s Rule 2017-01.

Seattle Information Technology Department (ITD) is establishing ITD Director’s Rule 2017-01. This Rule applies to cable operators franchised to provide cable service in the City of Seattle.

ITD Director’s Rule 2017-01 provides procedures that Seattle Information Technology Department’s Office of Cable Communications (OCC) will implement to determine whether a franchised cable operator is in compliance with the privacy requirements of SMC 21.60.825. The Rule requires Cable Operators to obtain opt-in consent before sharing a customer’s web browsing history or otherwise use such information unless it is necessary to render a service ordered by the customer or pursuant to a subpoena or valid court order authorizing disclosure, or to a governmental entity. Cable operators must attest to compliance with this rule by September 30, 2017, and annually thereafter. Read ITD Director’s Rule 2017-01 at http://www.seattle.gov/tech/about/policies-and-directors-rules.

Any persons interested in presenting data, views, or arguments regarding this proposed new Director’s Rule may submit information or contact the Office of Cable Communications by email cableoffice@seattle.gov or call 206-684-5957.

 

 

 

City of Seattle offers funding to increase digital equity 

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Teacher Helping Students Working At Computers In Classroom

The City of Seattle invites community organizations and nonprofits to apply for grants up to $50,000 each to help make Seattle a more digitally equitable community. The City seeks applications for projects that increase access to free or low-cost broadband, empower residents with digital literacy skills, and ensure affordable, available and sufficient devices and technical support. A total of $404,000 will be awarded.

The Technology Matching Fund aims to address this disparity. A cornerstone of the City’s Digital Equity Initiative, the fund gives matching dollars for community-driven, collaborative projects. City funds are matched by the community’s contribution of volunteer labor, materials, professional services, or funding.

Application materials and more information are available at www.seattle.gov/tech/tmf/.

Two workshops will be held for those interested in applying for the matching funds. The free workshops will provide an overview of the grant program, explain how to apply, and give characteristics of a successful application. First time applicants are encouraged to attend.

Wednesday, March 29: 6 – 7:30 p.m. 

Solid Ground, 1501 N. 45th St, 98103

Wednesday, April 5:  10 – 11:30 a.m.
2100 Building, 2100 24th Ave South, 98144

Interpretation and accommodations are available upon request by calling 206-233-2751 or emailing communitytechnology@seattle.gov. The program is managed by Seattle Information Technology.

 

Seattle’s ConnectHome: Connecting families to the internet

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NewHolly families receiving refurbished laptops through Seattle ConnectHome

In July 2015, Seattle was selected by US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a pilot site for President Obama’s ConnectHome program.  The major goal of ConnectHome was to connect 35% of families with children K-12 living public housing with home connectivity to the internet.   The City of Seattle came together with the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) to meet this charge as it integrated well with digital equity efforts currently underway.  SHA identified 1000 households in five family communities who could potentially benefit through this program.

Seattle ConnectHome came together and along with a grant from Google, provided families newly connected to home internet with up to 3 years of free connectivity.  The City of Seattle Information Technology Department committed 100 refurbished laptops from InterConnection to be distributed to these newly connected families.  So far, 77 families have taken advantage of this free connectivity and 100 have have received laptops.  In this first year, 57.4% of families have been identified as currently connected to home internet, surpassing HUD’s 35% goal by 224 households.  Additionally, over 600 youth and adults living in these communities have accessed technology skills training through local and national partners such as, Boys and Girls Club Smilow Rainier Vista Center, Big Brained Superheroes, Neighborhood House, Geek Squad Academy, GitHub, EveryoneOn and many more.

As we look to our second year of ConnectHome, 100 laptops are again committed through the City of Seattle IT Department, 80 free connections, 250 table devices and 15 laptops for youth academic programs are being made available through SHA’s Google grant funds.  Seattle ConnectHome wouldn’t be successful without these partnerships and the continued commitment and support of local and national technology skills training providers.  For more information about Seattle ConnectHome and how you can be a partner, please contact Vicky Yuki at vicky.yuki@seattle.gov.

Mayor Murray joins other mayors in calling for federal investment in affordable, accessible broadband

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Recognizing the importance of reliable and affordable high-speed internet in empowering communities and fostering entrepreneurship, Mayor Ed Murray today joined dozens of mayors from across the country in calling on the president and congressional leaders to ensure broadband investments are part of any new federal infrastructure plan.

In a letter to President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Speaker Paul Ryan, Mayor Murray joined the nonpartisan Next Century Cities coalition of mayors and municipal leaders to note the important role broadband plays in fostering business, education and civic engagement, and to seek assurances that local efforts to improve broadband access will be supported in national infrastructure improvements.

“Broadband internet access is key for increasing equity and opportunity in communities across the country,” said Mayor Murray. “It empowers entrepreneurship and economic growth, prepares our teachers and students for success in the classroom, and gives residents a voice in the civic dialog on our future. I urge the federal government to pursue policies that expand accessible and affordable broadband internet for millions of Americans.”

In all, 65 leaders from 62 cities representing nearly 16 million people co-signed the Next Century Cities letter, which outlines several principles for supporting broadband in federal infrastructure plans:

  • Promote broadband access​ by preferencing proposals from communities that have taken steps to facilitate right-of-way-access and that have eliminated unreasonable barriers to local internet choice.
  • Promote broadband affordability by offering incentives to new market entrants and overbuilders.
  • Promote local solutions for broadband​ by including funding for city-led public-private partnerships, nonprofit models, co-ops and other such local arrangements.

In December 2015, Next Century Cities leaders encouraged the FCC to ratify the proposal to modernize the Lifeline program, stressing the need to put broadband in reach for low-income families to enhance education, civic engagement, and economic opportunity. Read more.

To learn more about the City of Seattle’s broadband initiative, visit https://www.seattle.gov/tech/initiatives/broadband.

 

 

The post Mayor Murray joins other mayors in calling for federal investment in affordable, accessible broadband appeared first on Mayor Murray.

Asian senior healthcare organization uses technology to fight social isolation of seniors

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Kin On Smart Lab

Story by Joy Okot-Okidi

Founded in the 1980s as the first Chinese nursing home operated by the Chinese community in the nation,  Kin On now serves over 500 Asian seniors in the Greater Seattle area.

Asian cultures hold a tradition for families to care for their own, according to Kin On’s website, and caregivers and staff follow a holistic approach to care for their residents.

Their mission is to “support the elderly and adults in the greater Seattle Asian community by offering a comprehensive range of health, social and educational services sensitive to their cultural, linguistic and dietary needs.”

Since opening, Kin On has gone on to win several awards including an honor from the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation, declaring Kin On Health Care an “Asian-American Pioneer in Healthcare.”

In October 2016, the facility opened a new community center as part of their Healthy Living Program, focused on the physical, mental and social aspects of health for adults over 50. Classes offered include EnhanceFitness®, Zumba®, ballroom and line dance, arts and crafts, technology, evidence-based health education, and more.

At the heart of the Healthy Living Program is the Kin On Smartlab, which was initiated with the City of Seattle Technology Matching Fund.  The goal of the Kin On SmartLab was to “improve social isolation, to increase interaction through email, technology literacy and access to government resources online,” said Jessica Wong who was the main program coordinator from 2015-2016.

Wong said that Kin On serves many immigrants, mostly from China, Hong Kong or Taiwan. She says social isolation is a major problem, so the committee proposed the idea of a “SmartLab” to combat this, speaking to the educational, mental and social components of the Healthy Living Program.

The organization previously applied for the grant from the Technology Matching Fund, and after not being chosen, they applied feedback and received the grant the following year. The SmartLab operates in the 2,600 square foot community center and the program officially began in April of 2016, featuring “all-in-one computers” with a built-in monitor and speakers, allowing for easy take-down and set up, along with a projector allowing students to see skills being taught on a larger screen.

Its first set of classes included “Computers Made Easy,” teaching students basic fundamentals of using a computer. From April to July 2016, four, two-hour classes were taught once a month on select Saturdays by young professionals in the technology field. About 10 volunteers are present for each class to assist the students. There are also two open lab tutors who give one-on-one lessons twice a week.

The SmartLab is open to the community and seniors aged 50+ can sign up by phone, in-person, or with help from a family member or friend, through an online application which is offered in English and Chinese.

Seniors who sign up are encouraged to come in and ask questions about smartphones and tablets and computers. One former nurse from Kin On, Eliane Dao, has transitioned into becoming a regular student in the SmartLab. “It has been about three months and I am very happy that I have found a great teacher,” she explained, “He will teach you anything you ask.”

“We hope to grow to serve more people and also offer a larger variety of classes,” Wong said of Kin On’s goals for the future of the technology program. “For this coming year, we have improved our methods and how we teach by simplifying the classes with more repetition and practice time.” The 2017 classes schedule is now available online.

The SmartLab will continue to push towards its three main goals: combatting social isolation through online access to social media and communication platforms, improving technology literacy, and increasing access to health and government resources online.

For more information or questions, please contact Anne Nguyen who oversees Kin On’s Healthy Living Program at 206-556-2237 or healthyliving@kinon.org.

 

In 2016 the City of Seattle awarded 10 community organizations a total of $320,000 in Technology Matching Funds (TMF). This funding will assist more than 2,500 residents in historically underserved or underrepresented communities who lack the necessary technology access and essential digital skills to thrive in the 21st century.

Seattle’s Millionair Club Charity is a one-stop transition from the streets to a job

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yoshiyah-shamuwel-wide-shot-computers

Story by Esmy Jimenez

“Martin G. Johanson wanted everyone to feel like a millionaire whether they had a nickel in their pocket or nothing at all,” Executive Director Jim Miller tells me.

In his quest to make this vision a reality, Seattle’s Millionair Club Charity (MCC) was formed in 1921. A local businessman, Johanson watched as his city reeled from the economic devastation of WWI leaving many unemployed. While some charities were providing hot meals, Johanson believed the key to breaking the cycle and providing people with the agency to lead a dignified life was the privilege of a well earned paycheck.

“That’s why we’re a job-first organization,” Miller adds. While the organization couples job opportunities with housing support, the Millionair Club is known for having provided over 800 workers this year to over 1000 businesses who hired people who’ve experienced homelessness or are currently experiencing homelessness. For many that’s the first time someone’s offered them a tangible solution.

Currently the organization focuses on providing people with Food Handler’s Cards and MAST (WA State’s Mandatory Alcohol Server Training) licensing. Many people often lack the $10-$15 cost of a certification and that alone can be the barrier that keeps them from accessing a job. What’s more is that even if the money was available and prioritized, an online course means access to a computer is a necessity.

Herein lies the beauty of The Millionair Club. It’s a thoughtfully assessed system that foresees solutions to barriers that may be holding their clients back. It’s that kind of foresight that prompted the organization to develop a small, eight-station computer lab devoted to job support. But they didn’t stop there.

As the need grew and the positive effects rippled out, the social entreprise knew they had to keep up with the demand from their clients. With support from the City of Seattle Technology Matching Fund through a $21,800 grant, The Millionair Club developed their small computer lab into a Workforce Development site equipped with 32 workstations. Now folks can come in to the same place where they can shower, do laundry, store their belongings, eat a hot meal, pass their food handler’s certification test, and even get work clothes for employment the very same day.

“We love it when people say ‘I came in for lunch, I came out with a job!’” says Christine Rylko, Director of Communications at The Millionair Club. What’s more is that the organization also provides transportation to and from work and a completely free vision clinic for folks who need glasses (much needed for job readiness!) Coupled with housing opportunities, free showers and laundry, the place is a one-stop shop for people to get back on their feet.

This year alone this intricate system has helped 154 people transition to full time permanent jobs.

With over 4,500 people without a home identified during this year’s One Night Count and 6,000 more in King County shelters, that kind of program is revolutionary and indeed much-needed.

“I want to pass that on to anyone out there who needs help to work. The MCC is where it’s at for good clothing and work.  In fact, I haven’t heard of any organization out there that’s like them.  Everyone should come to the MCC for help because it’s #1,” says Sam, a client who experienced both the pains of homelessness and the joy of finding his way back to a secure home with the help of The Millionair Club.

With stories like this, the organization’s name is no misnomer. They are championing the way for Seattle’s homeless population to feel like millionaires themselves.

In 2016 the City of Seattle awarded 10 community organizations a total of $320,000 in Technology Matching Funds (TMF). This funding will assist more than 2,500 residents in historically underserved or underrepresented communities who lack the necessary technology access and essential digital skills to thrive in the 21st century.

Expanded wi-fi now available at 26 Seattle Community Centers

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Twifi posterhe City of Seattle has completed upgrading public wi-fi equipment at 26 Seattle Parks and Recreation Community Centers, and it’s already helping thousands of users. The increased access points were installed as part of the City’s Digital Equity Action Plan with support from Google. The City has seen wi-fi usage more than double in the past year with this addition of more and higher quality access points. Over 16,000 devices (16,166) connected in November, up from 7441 in November, 2015. The public wi-fi spots are especially valuable for low-income families who have no internet at home or are on limited data plans, and the homeless, who rely on wi-fi as a lifeline to look for work, complete homework, access health information, or stay in touch with family.

The community center upgrade project also enhanced capacity for digital literacy programming by replacing 49 computers in Community Center technology labs that provide public access and training at Delridge, Rainier, Rainier Beach, South Park and Yesler.

These improvements help ensure digital equity and opportunity in lower income neighborhoods. The robust upgrade expanded coverage so that users can connect in lobbies as well as in meeting and activity rooms at the community centers. The wi-fi expansion has been a classic case of If you build it, they will come. User rates have skyrocketed at several of the sites.  Danisha, a parent at Rainier Beach Community Center reports: “Not only do I get to watch my kids play basketball at the gym, I can now get online for social networking and check my work email.”

“We’ve seen an increase in the number of participants that come into the center just to use the wi-fi which, in turn, leads to conversations about what’s offered at the Jefferson Community Center,” said Doreen Deaver, Recreation Coordinator at the Jefferson Community Center.  “Overall, it has been very good for interest in our programs.”

Installation of the expanded service was led by Seattle Information Technology, the Associated Recreation Council, and Seattle Parks and Recreation. The system is using Cisco Meraki devices, with internet service currently provided in most sites by Comcast and by Wave Broadband in their service area. The expanded wi-fi provides another opportunity for users to connect to Seattle.gov, use the wi-fi for civic participation, or get online to sign up for programs at the Community Centers.  For those without devices, the community centers also offer public internet kiosk computers.

Empowering immigrants and refugees through computer literacy

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Coalition for Refugees from Burma

Story by Alia Marsha, The Seattle Globalist

Imagine how hard it would be to access information and resources if you didn’t have computer skills. Now imagine if, on top of that, you have just moved to a foreign country and were still learning the predominant language.

The goal for the Coalition for Refugees from Burma’s program “Nexus: Connecting Newcomers with Technology” is to remove those barriers for recently-arrived refugee and immigrant communities.

The Coalition for Refugees from Burma (CRB) has secured a grant from the City of Seattle through the Technology Matching Fund (TMF) for the third time to continue their computer literacy programs

When the CRB began in 2009 there was a larger community of refugees and immigrants from Burma in the Seattle area. Since then, though, a lot of them have moved to more affordable cities. According to the City’s Office of Immigrants and Refugee Affairs, as of October 2015, there are 261 refugees from Burma in Washington state. Five years prior, in 2010, there were almost 800 refugees from Burma in the state, according to data by the U.S. Department of State Refugee Processing Center.

Responding to the change, in 2016 CRB started to expand their computer literacy programs to serve all recently-arrived refugees and immigrants. CRB collaborated with partners like Seattle World School, Somali Youth and Family Club and the Seattle University Center for Service and Community Engagement to ensure its computer classes are linguistically and culturally relevant. It has also expanded its program to include immigrants and refugees in Kent.

According to Siobhan Whalen, a program manager at CRB, this past year in the Kent program alone, CRB served immigrants and refugees speaking over 13 languages from eight countries.

Rosa, an immigrant from Mexico who moved to Seattle in 2002, is one of those clients. Her son goes to Bailey Gatzert Elementary School, where the Seattle University Center for Service and Community Engagement hosts “Family Talk Time,” a program to help English Language Learner families get involved with conversations that happen at the school. This was also where the computer classes taught by CRB were held.

Rosa joined the program at the beginning of 2016. Because of the computer classes, Rosa now has a Gmail account. But there are many other tech skills she wants to learn this coming year.

“I want to know the other programs I have on my computer, use more of my fingers on the keyboard,” said Rosa.

The TMF award will also allow CRB to file paperwork to reduce monthly home internet costs for Rosa and others, from $45 to $10.

Whalen, who is also an instructor, said that the impact of those computer classes on immigrants and refugees is very immediate. “That’s part of technology, right? That immediate access to information, to opportunities, to resources,” she said.

Whalen recalls seeing that impact hit her inbox on a recent day, following one of the computer literacy classes at Bailey Gatzert. Students had just gone through a lesson on making an email account and practicing writing messages to each other.

After the class was over, Whalen opened her inbox to find an email from one of the parents in the class: “We really want more computer classes.”

“We just thought, how cool, that almost instantly that this parent felt empowered and had a platform for her voice to reach out to me and our partners at Seattle U. It was like full circle I think for myself and for the Seattle U folks — that advocacy piece,” said Whalen.

Learning technical skills is an important part of those classes, but Whalen says that the CRB is really interested in building confidence so that the communities they serve are able to advocate for themselves and their families.

 

Looking back at 2016, a year of movement and reaffirmation

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Plaza Roberto Maestas

In many ways, 2016 was a year of both progress and reaffirmation. Time and again, our community stepped up to care for its most vulnerable residents, showed the world our spirit of inclusiveness and demonstrated what it means to put progressive values into action.

Here’s a look back at how we kept momentum and set the stage for even bolder action in pursuit of a more equitable, livable and vibrant city in the year ahead.

Housing affordability
It’s no secret Seattle is in the midst of a housing affordability crisis due to a booming economy driving population growth and demand for housing that has outpaced supply. In August voters renewed the Seattle Housing Levy by an overwhelming margin, adopting the largest affordable housing funding measure in the city’s history. By leveraging $290 million in levy funds with other pieces of our Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda, we’re on track to create 20,000 income- and rent-restricted affordable homes over the next decade, along with 30,000 market-rate units to meet growing demand. Since the start of 2015, 1,725 income and rent-restricted homes have opened, with 3,512 more units in development. This represents the most aggressive housing production this city’s ever seen and we’re on pace to triple past investments in affordable housing. This year we celebrated the opening of affordable housing and cultural space at Plaza Roberto Maestas (pictured above), broke ground at Arbora Court and Anchor Flats, and continued work with partners to leverage the Housing Levy.

To promote greater housing production and more equitable distribution of affordable housing, we adopted the Mandatory Housing Affordability program that for the first time ensures residential and commercial developers create or fund affordable housing with every new project. Supporting a vision laid out in the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan, growth is being directed at urban centers and villages with access to transit, parks, small businesses and schools. In addition, the City this year adopted a number of new tenant protections, such as tackling source-of-income discrimination and prohibiting rent increases when units don’t meet minimum maintenance standards.

In October we struck a deal for redevelopment of Civic Square, otherwise known as “the hole next to City Hall,” which will result in nearly $22 million to support affordable housing and our Equitable Development Initiative.

To learn more about HALA, developer requirements and how you can join conversations about smart growth strategies, visit http://seattle.gov/hala and watch a replay of this Facebook Live Q&A.

Homelessness
Related to housing affordability, we’ve been facing a homelessness crisis affecting not just Seattle but a number of West Coast cities. The causes are many, from a decades-long decline in state and federal funding for health and human services to a worsening opioid epidemic. With more than 3,000 people – including 500 families – living unsheltered in Seattle, it’s clear that we must take bold action and try new approaches to achieve the goal of getting those experiencing homelessness off the street and into stable housing. To that end, this year we’ve initiated Pathways Home, a person-centered strategy that focuses on programs and approaches that best achieve the goal of ending homelessness by finding stable housing for those living unsheltered.

Pathways Home is transformational, and will take years to fully implement. We’ve begun by establishing performance-based contracting, funding programs that assist vulnerable residents with finding and keeping stable housing, and pursuing low-barrier shelter including a soon-to-open Navigation Center that will accommodate the individual needs and challenges of those experiencing homelessness including those with pets and those fighting addiction.

While Pathways Home offers the best chance to end homelessness in the long term, we must do more to provide safer alternatives for those living unsheltered and establish greater safety and certainty for those living in and near encampments. Like many, I was shocked by the violence and terrible conditions of the unauthorized East Duwamish encampment known as “the Jungle,” which existed for decades as a threat to the health and safety of its inhabitants and the wider community. Following months of outreach, in October we worked with the State to close the Jungle, found safer shelter for dozens of those who had been living there and cleared away hundreds of tons of garbage.

Also in October I unveiled Bridging the Gap, an interim action plan on homelessness that:

  • Creates safer alternative spaces to live, including four new authorized encampments including up to two low sites.
  • Expanded outreach by tripling the number of outreach workers connecting with people living in encampments, dedicating a Seattle Police team to partner with outreach workers to address behavioral disorder issues they encounter, and training frontline City employees on how to best offer referrals for people experiencing homelessness.
  • Enacted more compassionate protocols for unauthorized encampments, including clearer notice of cleanups, improved handling of storage and personal belongings, and transparency around when and why cleanups are carried out.
  • Improved trash and needle pickup with Seattle Public Utilities to help address areas most affected by trash buildup and make needle deposit boxes more accessible.

Our efforts to curb homelessness and work with neighborhoods to address issues related to encampments will continue in the year ahead, but I believe we are on the right track and are pursuing the most effective strategies. We can’t do it alone, and it will take the Federal and State government stepping up to bring an end to this crisis. We’ll be further challenged by the Trump Administration if it makes good on its threats to cut local funding.

Seattle Will Remain a Welcoming City
Speaking of President-elect Trump, 2016 will go down as a year when a presidential campaign waged through outrageous bigotry, misogyny and divisiveness challenged our core values. As I said on Election Day, regardless of the outcome of the presidential race, Seattle’s values will not change. We will continue to be a city that embraces diversity, welcomes immigrants, and declares that we will never enact a religious test. I recently spoke to these policies in an interview with the BBC.

In November I signed an Executive Order reaffirming these values. We made clear that City employees will not ask residents seeking services about immigration status unless police officers have a reasonable suspicion that a person is committing or has committed a felony violation. City employees will serve all residents and services will remain accessible to all residents, regardless of immigration status, ancestry, race, ethnicity, national origin, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender variance, marital status, physical or mental disability, or religion.

Further, I’ve directed that $250,000 be set aside to address the needs of unauthorized immigrant students enrolled in Seattle Public Schools. These students and their families are part of the fabric of our community. These parents work and pay taxes and make our community a more vibrant place. Their children will become the innovators and problem-solvers of the future, and deserve the chance to focus on school rather than live in fear of their family being ripped apart.

Equity and Inclusiveness
Building greater equity and inclusiveness was a major theme of our work in 2016. We completed a workforce equity strategic plan to better ensure the City’s workforce reflects our community’s diversity both in hiring and in participation, retention and advancement. Women- and minority-owned businesses accounted for nearly 20% of City contracts, one of the highest rates since passage of I-200 nearly 20 years ago.

We filled several important cabinet positions with skilled leaders who bring rich experience, diverse backgrounds and innovative thinking to our departments. These include:

  • Mami Hara, our new Director of Seattle Public Utilities, who previously served at Philadelphia Water and helped implement Green City, Clean Waters, one of the nation’s most ambitious green infrastructure programs.
  • Dylan Orr, who was sworn in as Director of Office of Labor standards in December. Dylan helped spearhead the City’s adoption of secure scheduling regulations to afford workers greater stability, a healthier workplace and more work-life balance. Previously, Dylan was appointed by President Obama as Special Assistant to the Office of Disability and Employment, making him the first openly-transgender person to be appointed by a presidential administration.

In addition to diversifying the City’s leadership, we took a series of steps to build greater equity and access in services, programs and community engagement:

  • In July I issued an executive order directing the Department of Neighborhoods and others to develop robust, modern community engagement plans that offer greater avenues for participation to under-represented communities and make use of digital platforms including the web and social media. A shift to more representative and accessible outreach will ensure greater equity and inclusiveness in neighborhood decision-making. To learn more and participate in Equitable Outreach opportunities, visit https://engageseattle.consider.it/.
  • We launched a Language Access program to increase the City’s ability to serve immigrant and refugee communities, and held a number of free workshops to provide resources to those seeking to become citizens.
  • In August we secured an Age-Friendly City designation from the World Health Organization and AARP, recognition of our commitment to increasing age-friendly policies such as access to recreation, safe transportation, housing assistance and more.
  • In October our Mobile Community Service Center made its debut during a Find It, Fix It walk in Georgetown. This “City Hall on wheels” will bring services and information to under-served neighborhoods.
  • In the 2017-18 budget we funded expansion of Community Centers, increasing operating hours at several facilities, switching to free programming at five community centers and reducing drop-in fees for activities such as toddler gyms and basketball at all facilities.
  • On Earth Day, we released an Equity and Environment Agenda to help ensure those most affected by environmental injustices have a bigger role in finding solutions and benefiting from them. Environmental equity means fighting pollution in communities of color through support for a “Green Wall” in Georgetown, promoting career opportunities in exciting fields of renewable energy and others through Green Pathways, and supporting the MobilizeGreen Conference which is building the next generation of leaders in environmental justice.

    Duwamish Valley Youth Corps

    Duwamish Valley Youth Corps members learn job and leadership skills while supporting environmental projects in their community.

  • In February I signed an executive order directing all City data be open by preference, meaning City departments will always make their data accessible to the public while taking steps to screen for privacy, security and quality. An open data policy builds equity and accountability, while increasing transparency and opportunities for innovation. We’ve established performance dashboards showing progress on public works projects and tools for exploring the City budget. App and software developers can work with these and other datasets at data.seattle.gov to develop new tools and solutions.

Education Summit
Closely tied to equity is our work on education reform, career readiness and pre-K programs.

In its second year, the Seattle Preschool Program expanded to serve 680 students, up from 280 the prior year, and exceeded equity goals with more than 75% of those served being students of color.

Building on our early learning initiatives, last spring I convened the City’s first Education Summit in 25 years, bringing together more than 500 attendees and facilitating more than 1,300 community engagements to address disparities facing students of color by ensuring all students are being prepared for the jobs of the future. Given that 43% of Seattle’s African American and Latino students do not graduate on time, or at all, we must do more to close the achievement gap. We’ve set a goal of raising post-secondary credential attainment to 70% for all Seattle Public Schools students by 2030.

Education summit

In November, we received recommendations from an Education Summit advisory panel comprised of leaders in education, business and community engagement. Among the recommendations we’ll pursue in the coming year:

  • Expanding the My Brother’s Keeper mentoring program for African American/Black male students from Aki Kurose Middle School to five additional middle schools.
  • Expanding the innovation school model, which has been successful in addressing disparities in middle schools around attendance, behavior and curricula, to a high school.
  • Broadening the City’s Summer Learning Program to serve an additional 200 students, with an emphasis on programs offering culturally specific curriculum.
  • Investing in post-secondary programs that ensure students who graduate from high school remain engaged during the summer and successfully enroll in college.

The Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning, in partnership with the Seattle School District, community, philanthropy, and business community will release an action plan early next year outlining next steps.

I’d like to thank everyone who has participated in the Education Summit. Our work is by no means done but we couldn’t have gotten to this point without strong community buy-in.

Police Accountability & Reform
One of the biggest challenges in my time as Mayor has been overseeing a change in culture, training and accountability in our Police Department to improve its relationship with communities of color and comply with the terms of a federal consent decree on use of force. The past year saw tremendous progress. The federal monitor, Judge James Robart, wrote in the latest progress report:

“The Seattle Police Department has made significant progress over the last year in achieving compliance with many aspects of the Consent Decree. With diligence and hard work, and in the absence of unforeseen impediments, and if there comes about greater community cooperation and trust, the SPD could well reach full and effective compliance in as little as a year from now (Fall 2017) in many, if not all, areas. It has been a prodigious effort to come this far, and the distance traveled now exceeds the distance that remains.”

Evidence of that progress can be found in a recent survey showing an approval rating of 72% for the Seattle Police Department, compared to 54% in 2015. Seattle’s police force is becoming more diverse and better equipped to deal with people in crisis without resorting to force.

In October, we sent a reform package to Judge Robart for review that includes the strongest police accountability measures in the City’s history:

  • Creation of the Office of Inspector General, empowered to review and report on any aspect of SPD’s policies and practices.
  • Increases the independence of our Office of Professional Accountability, replacing sworn SPD officers with civilian staff tasked with overseeing all investigations and complaints against officers.
  • Makes the CPC a permanent body, ensuring community input is institutionalized into Seattle’s police services.

Thanks to Chief O’Toole, and to all in SPD and community who have helped make our reform efforts a model across the nation. I look forward to continuing these efforts in the year ahead.

Transportation
A fast-growing city striving for greater livability and working on the front lines of the fight against climate change needs a modern, multimodal transportation infrastructure. We saw great progress on transportation this year, from the historic passage of ST3 which will expand LINK Light Rail service for decades to come, to the opening of new LINK Light Rail stations connecting downtown with Capitol Hill and the U-District, to the opening of the Westlake cycle track, recently named the best new bike lane in America by People for Bikes.

University of Washington LINK Light Rail opening

Celebrating the opening of the Capitol Hill-UW LINK Light Rail line.

Seattle is a leader on climate action and is moving away from fossil fuels by promoting renewable energy, walkable urban villages and transit-oriented development. This year we launched Drive Clean Seattle, through which we’re accelerating adoption of electric vehicles in our municipal fleet and making dozens more EV charging stations available throughout the City.

Seattle electric vehicle facts

We also took big steps on pedestrian and driver safety by adopting reduced speed limits as part of our Vision Zero initiative aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities by 2030.

Strengthening bonds
While most of our efforts are focused locally, I’m a big believer that cities have a role to play in making the world a better place, and that we can and should learn from one another. This year Seattle continued to lead on climate action, equity and inclusion, and innovation, while forging stronger bonds with other communities committed to these efforts.

In May, Seattle was selected to participate in the 100 Resilient Cities Network, one of only 37 cities chosen from 325 applicants. As part of the 100RC Network, we’ll work to bolster our ability to deal with challenges now and in the future. I’m most excited that we are bringing equity to the table as a strategy for building greater economic and environmental resilience by ensuring solutions are informed by and accrue benefits to all in our community.

Mexico City MOU signing

Joining Mexico City’s Chief of Government, Miguel Ángel Mancera Espinosa, Ph.D, to announce a new partnership between our cities.

In December, I spoke at a climate conference in Mexico City and signed a memorandum of understanding with leaders of that city, pledging cooperation on trade, information technology, clean technology, creative industries, education, people-to-people exchanges, and other fields of common interest. Just as we’ll share innovative approaches taking shape in Seattle, we’ll continue to learn from other communities through these partnerships.

I’m proud of the progress we’ve made together this year, and excited by the opportunities that await in 2017. As this year comes to an end and we gather with family and friends to celebrate the holidays and look forward to new beginnings, I want to thank all of you for your input, civic pride, kindness and generosity. I am proud to be the mayor of this great city and humbled by the actions of our passionate and dedicated community.

I wish you all a very happy holiday season and a bright new year.

 

 

 

 

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