Joe for Kenmore

By 2044, Kenmore is required to build more housing and shelter, including 559 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). Success will require:

• Work closely with Kenmore’s residents and business community to continue educating on STEP Housing.

• Increase focus on Kenmore’s financial sustainability.

• Strengthen the Regional Crisis Response for better services and response times by partnering with neighboring cities.

• Work with Sound Transit to improve transportation in Kenmore.

1. Smart Growth

Support increasing housing density along 522, where we have the infrastructure and available land, rather than cutting into natural areas. Protecting our remaining green spaces and mature trees is essential for Kenmore’s character and environment.

2. Unlocking Walkability and Transit

Advocate for sidewalks and infrastructure improvements. Walkability and transit access are essential for the success of STEP and affordable housing projects. This also helps neighboring communities have greater walkability and access to our downtown and the Burke Gilman Trail.

3. Smarter Parking Solutions

Adopt flexible parking reduction tools that ensure developments provide the right amount of parking (neither excessive nor insufficient) based on local demand and context.

4. Supporting Faith-Based Community Partners

Allow for churches to zone for shelters with health and safety permit regulations in place, such as running water, trash, bathrooms, warrant checks, firearm ban, and sobriety. Continue to welcome and support churches as vital community anchors that often provide essential services and outreach to residents in need.

5. Reviving the Corner Store Concept

Allow neighborhood businesses within residential areas as appropriate and with community buy-in and communication. This fosters community connection, convenience, and more services.

Homeless shelters are operating at or near full capacity almost every night. We should have more of these cost-effective, community-supported solutions. By doing so, we can quickly provide our vulnerable neighbors with stable housing, warm meals, and a pathway to recovery. Shelters will have rules to protect both residents and public safety.

• Emergency Shelters, Transitional Housing, and Emergency Housing: These options have lower costs, fewer bureaucratic hurdles with similar results. We know our community welcomes this type of carefully crafted housing with Mary’s Place and Lake City Partners.

• Partnered Outreach and Immediate Support: Deploy partners to connect unsheltered individuals with housing and critical resources.

Families:

My wife is a school counselor, so this issue is very personal to me. I believe Kenmore is uniquely regionally positioned to help break the cycle of homelessness for low-income families. With one of the top school districts in the region, access to nature spaces, and parks, our city offers families both opportunity and community.

• Leverage Northshore’s strong schools to break generational cycles.

• When looking at future shelters, highlight the importance of family shelters.

• Implement early intervention strategies for all at-risk youth, including LGBTQIA+ youth.

• Our recent Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan highlights that we need more community spaces for our youth to gather and play.

The City Council and I recently approved Imagine Housing behind Safeway. This groundbreaking project will provide 103 50% - 80% average medium-income apartment units and 18 homeownership units from Habitat for Humanity for families!

Seniors:

• Greater city focus on financial responsibility for seniors on fixed incomes.

• Renew vigorous commitment to reduce tax hardships.

• Explore partnerships with nonprofits or housing authorities for the acquisition and preservation of senior-affordable units.

• Encourage county and state partnerships for home-modification grants (e.g., grab bars, ramps) that help residents avoid moving into costlier care settings.

• Use targeted property-tax exemptions (Multi-Family Tax Exemption for preservation) or small grants to help landlords make safety upgrades without raising rents.

For our next Permanent Supportive Housing project, I’ll support starting with a smaller number of units. This approach allows us to assess what works, rebuild community trust, and make smart improvements before scaling up future projects.

• Start thoughtfully, test what works, understand strengths and limitations, and build trust over time with the community.

• Create an enforceable Good Neighbor and Tenant Agreement so that the expectations are clear from the beginning, and our community knows that safety and security will be attended to and addressed up front.

• Encourage licensing requirements, so our community has clearer guidelines and legal pathways in place to take action if needed.

Encourage boards made up of our community and ensure diverse perspectives. By ensuring the council selects neighbors who may not always agree on every small policy point, it will:

• Encourage thoughtful collaboration and diversity of thought.

• Ensures all community voices and solutions are heard.

• Request the city conduct targeted outreach to mobile home communities and apartment residents to ensure everybody has the chance to share their experiences.

Encourage transparency with the public and offer opportunities for our existing residents to engage with our new housing providers, to create a collaborative and welcoming process.