Office Of The Mayor Of Seattle: $30 Million In Upstream BIPOC Community Investments Recommended By The Equitable Communities Initiative ...

Press release from Office of the Mayor of Seattle:

Kamaria Hightower

July 13, 2021

To improve disparate outcomes for communities furthest from equity the Task Force developed 9 recommendations with 18 implementation strategies   Upon Council’s proviso lift millions can be dispersed to community by end of 2021  

SEATTLE (July 13, 2021) – Mayor Jenny A. Durkan transmitted $30 million in investments recommended by the Equitable Communities Initiative Task Force (ECITF) to improve disparate outcomes for Seattle’s Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. The investments begin to correct disparities caused by government-sanctioned and racist policies, which negatively-effect the Black and Indigenous communities at disproportionate rates. The legislation was developed after Task Force members and city departments developed implementation plans for each recommended strategy. 

In 2020, Mayor Durkan requested that the City, for the first time, build the budget around $100 million in investments in BIPOC communities. The Mayor used all of the City’s resources to balance the budget during a historic shortfall, including: $73 million from the City’s emergency reserves, $20 million in reductions to the Seattle Police Department, a wage freeze for non-represented employees, redirecting voter-approved levy dollars to support basic city operations, federal relief assistance, and new City revenues. The Equitable Communities Initiative Task Force is one element of the overall $100 million investment. 

“Today, Seattle is delivering on its commitment to address generational wrongs that have had a devastating impact on communities of color. These impactful community leaders have fought for justice within their communities, volunteered their time, and expertise to make recommendations that are the first step towards righting past wrongs. The best ideas come from the community, and their work underscores that fact. By working together, they’ve shown what’s possible when the government steps out of the way so that community can step forward with real solutions. I look forward to seeing these investments serving the urgent needs of communities that have for far too long been grossly under-funded.” 

“The ECI Task Force focused on targeting investments to the most significant and pervasive systemic challenges facing communities of color in our city. Their recommendations focus on equity in business development, education, homeownership and healthcare. I applaud the members of the task force for their diligence and determination to find the best path to improve outcomes for generations to come,” said Councilmember Debora Juarez ex-officio Task Force member. 

The Task Force developed 9 recommendations with 18 strategies to strengthen communities of color so that they can thrive. The recommendations fall under the following four pillars: 

$7.5 Million – Building Opportunity through Small Business Support 

• Provide Equitable Small and Micro Business Capital 
• Offer Small Business Technical Assistance on Financial Health, Digital Tools, and Construction Support 

$7.5 Million – Developing Diverse and Culturally Competent Educators and Education Opportunities 

• Fund Culturally Supportive Re-entry Programs for Formerly Incarcerated BIPOC 
• Support Equity in Education with Students 
• Provide Cultural Education for BIPOC youth 

$8.8 Million – Accessing Affordable Housing, Land Acquisition and Generational Wealth 

• Establish a Generational Wealth Education Program and Resource Portal 
• Identify Housing Strategies for Low- and Middle-Income Apprentices and Pre-Apprentices 
• Broaden Priority Hire and WMBE Support 
• Create Homeownership Supports and Development Opportunities 
• Study the Feasibility of a Lease to Own Program 
• Provide Ownership Retention Resources for BIPOC Families to Remain in Their Homes 

$6.2 Million – Improving Positive Health Outcomes 

• Provide Holistic Culturally Responsive & Inclusive Healthcare 
• Improve Access to Culturally Responsive & Inclusive Healthcare 
• Sustain a Healthy Food Fund for Community-Led Projects Focused on Food Security 
• Increase Farm to Table Access with a BIPOC Emphasis 
• Support an Environmental Justice Fund for Community-Led Projects 
• Address Barriers to BIPOC Professionals Entering the Healthcare Workforce 
• Enhance Youth Career Exploration in the Healthcare Industry 

• Being intentional about who the investments were targeting by giving priority to organizations led by people of color, and serving communities furthest from equity. 
• Providing language access to reduce language barriers for potential applicants. 
• Including technical support for prospective applicants and continued support throughout the process. 
• Launching a simplified low-barrier RFP specifically targeting small organizations. 

This press release was produced by Office of the Mayor of Seattle. The views expressed here are the author’s own.