Duwamish Valley Program Annual Update 2022
End-of-Year Progress Report
Implementing a One Seattle Approach in the Duwamish Valley
If 2022 reminded us of anything, it’s that centering community leadership is imperative for successful, long-term environmental justice work in the Duwamish Valley. Additionally, this last year, the Duwamish Valley Program secured nearly $9 million of investments from our partners across the Duwamish Valley Action Team (DAT), which represents 18 City departments. City staff from these departments lead this work, drawing on existing community partnerships, and building new ones. Many of these investments we will outline below in our updates & progress report.
Check out the full update here on the Greenspace Blog.
Below, you will find updates about ongoing projects that relate to the seven Priority Areas identified in the Duwamish Valley Action Plan. As you will see, the Duwamish Valley Program has continued to adapt to a dynamic landscape of community priorities and ensure that we honor our mandate to advance environmental justice and equitable development in the Duwamish Valley.
Seven Priority Areas
Healthy Environment
Goals include increased health of and amount of tree canopy cover and other green infrastructure, improved outdoor and indoor air quality, decreased incidence of asthma, and increased access to affordable, healthy, and culturally-acceptable foods in the Duwamish Valley.
Parks & Open Space
Goals include maximizing existing parks and open spaces, improving access to the Duwamish River, addressing open space disparities, and ensuring Duwamish Valley residents - particularly communities of color, immigrants, refugees, Native peoples, and people with low incomes and disabilities can enjoy high-quality places to recreate and access nature.
Community Capacity
Goals include centering the experiences of Duwamish Valley residents and their increased ability - particularly BIPOC, low-income, and other marginalized communities - to meaningfully influence the design of and participate in decision-making processes regarding City policies, programs, and services for the Duwamish Valley.
Mobility & Transportation
Goals include increased development of non-vehicular mobility options to achieve a safe, connected, and accessible Duwamish Valley, including safe walking and biking connections and improvements to freight mobility and transportation access that do not conflict with the residential community.
Economic Opportunity & Jobs
Goals include increased income, access to jobs, and youth pathways as important anti-displacement strategies, maintaining the industrial land base while encouraging cleaner industry, increasing opportunities for local jobs, and a thriving and diverse business district in proximity to the neighborhoods of South Park and Georgetown.
Affordable Housing
Goals include increased access to low-income and affordable housing that do not promote improvements that ultimately displace current residents, ongoing support of the Duwamish Valley Affordable Housing Coalition, and promotion of affordable commercial spaces, equitable development, and anti-displacement.
Public Safety
Goals include increased investments to promote safety measures while also proactively recognizing and mitigating the institutional and systemic issues related to over-policing of communities of color, low-income communities via the use of excessive force and racial profiling.