King County Local

Thank you! Over 700 people completed the survey between March and April 2021! 

King County is acting on your input to develop new programs to increase access to mental health and substance use services in rural communities. We will convene community sessions this fall to share what we learned. New services and programs will launch in 2022. Stay tuned to the Department of Local Services newsletter for updates.

When we asked for your feedback, we promised to share a summary of what we heard. Here’s what you, your neighbors and your community had to say about wellness in your area.

Local Services is now gathering data and creating a work plan that will help King County implement a 20-year Subarea Plan for the Snoqualmie Valley/Northeast King County Community Service Area.

The community and county staffers will work together to develop the subarea plan and refine the Community Needs List. These documents will reflect the community’s vision and priorities. This collaboration will take place through both in-person and virtual community meetings, online surveys, and topic-specific focus groups.

Local Services will host an official Subarea Plan Kickoff Meeting this fall.

The Skyway community celebrated the installation of a pair of deep-blue, public kiosks in July.

One is located on Renton Avenue S near Nevzat’s Espresso, and the other is just down the street from Campbell Hill Elementary School. These kiosks serve multiple functions. Residents can pin fliers and announcements to a roof-covered bulletin board. The kiosks also serve as neighborhood entry signs, complete with side panels designed to resemble maps of the neighborhood.

As part of King County’s initiative to help our region recover from the pandemic, the King County Council has dedicated $4.5 million to help small business owners in unincorporated areas.

Apply at kingcounty.gov/localbusinesshelp

The application period opens Wednesday, July 7 and closes Wednesday, Aug. 4. Small business owners can apply online at https://kingcounty.gov/localbusinesshelp or by calling 206-477-3800 beginning today.

King County Local Services will administer this new grant program, which is open to businesses with 30 or fewer employees and $3 million or less in annual gross income.

As King County Local Services’ first Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Manager, john miller is honest about the process of helping our department create a more equitable, racially diverse and inclusive work environment.

It won’t always be easy or smooth – and that’s OK.

This is big news for urban Unincorporated King County.

A new community-centered budget process is underway, with the selection of 21 committee members who will develop a $10 million investment plan in unincorporated King County. The committee will design and carry out a budgeting process that will be centered on racial equity. The process will build on community strengths and address specific priorities that these communities have identified.

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. To celebrate, some members of the Local Services team are offering their perspectives throughout the month. In the above video, Public Information Officer Brent Champaco shares what AAPI Heritage Month means to him.

Starting next year, consumer fireworks will be prohibited in unincorporated King County.

The King County Council’s vote last week means the consumer fireworks ban goes into effect during the 2022 Fourth of July fireworks season. Residents will still be able to enjoy approved public fireworks displays.

King County Local Services’ virtual Community Service Area Town Halls will return in June for the Fairwood, Greater Maple Valley/Cedar River, Southeast King County and Four Creeks areas.

Participants will hear directly from and talk with their local government leaders, including King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn, who represents these areas. Local Services Director John Taylor will offer updates on county services in the unincorporated areas.

Did you know that more than a quarter of a million new homes and almost half a million new jobs are needed to support expected growth in King County and its cities through 2044?

As part of an initiative to update the Countywide Planning Policies, King County is inviting residents to review and comment on a proposal to accommodate the anticipated growth and the proposed policies that will shape how our communities will grow.