King County is starting the process to create a community planning workgroup to support the development of the new King County Equitable Development Initiative (KC EDI)! We are looking for King County residents like you to help shape this initiative.
For background, in 2021 a coalition of Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) led organizations urged King County Council to create a countywide equitable development initiative, modeled off the success of the City of Seattle’s Equitable Development Initiative.
An equitable development initiative considers past policy decisions, historic inequities, and current conditions to improve access to opportunities to the most affected communities and allocate resources and investments, such as capacity building and capital funds, to communities at risk from displacement.
Last month, the King County Council passed Motion 16062 requesting Executive Constantine to establish a countywide equitable development initiative and provide the Council with the framework, implementation plan, recommendations, and clear next steps with funding options.
King County residents are invited to apply to join the community planning workgroup. The deadline to apply is May 9, 2022 at 1 p.m. PST. You can find the application here: https://tinyurl.com/KCEDIapp
What is the community planning workgroup?
- Made up of community leaders representing communities vulnerable to displacement such as BIPOC, low-income, immigrants, refugees, people with disabilities, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) communities across King County. You can apply as an individual or as a representative from a community based organization (CBO).
- Co-develops an equitable development framework and implementation plan for the KC EDI.
- Collaborates with an interdepartmental group of King County staff to deliver two King County Council transmittals outlined in Motion 16062.
Workgroup members are compensated $75.00 an hour, and will be required to participate in 2-hour meetings as frequently as weekly from mid-May till mid-August 2022, followed by 2-hour meetings as frequently as twice a month from September 2022 – June 2023. All meetings will be virtual.
Planning workgroup membership is open to all members of the public who are current King County residents. However, King County staff members are taking steps to recruit and ensure representation from BIPOC and those who are LGBTQ, immigrants, refugees, and those who have low incomes or disabilities, as well as people from other underrepresented areas such as unincorporated King County. Priority consideration will be given to individuals with lived experience of displacement and those with expertise or experience relevant to the equitable development initiative.
You can learn more about the workgroup here: https://tinyurl.com/KCEDIwrkgrp
Specifics for the implementation plan are below.
| Due August 31, 2022 | Phase 1 KC EDI Implementation Plan In collaboration with County staff, develop: an equitable development framework consistent with equitable community-driven development principles; and recommendations and next steps for county and community structure, capacity, and related resources necessary to support an equitable development initiative at King County. |
| Due June 30, 2023 | Phase 2 KC EDI Implementation Plan In collaboration with County staff: Develop objectives and strategies for preventing residential, economic, and cultural displacement and creating and preserving community stability. Incorporate data of current and predicted future displacement risk and metrics for monitoring and evaluating equitable outcomes. Identify potential partners and funding options and outline a process for outreach and collaboration with community-based organizations and other jurisdictions. Propose next steps, including a timeline, that would be needed to implement the initiative, including legislation; and Recommend the duties and responsibilities of a permanent advisory board to implement the initiative. |
FOR QUESTIONS: Please contact Yasmeen Perez, Equitable Development Program Manager, with any questions or requests for accommodations at yaperez@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-8636.
