On March 4, 2025, Seattle took an important step to address displacement by launching the Anti-Displacement Work Group, a product of Mayor Bruce Harrell’s Executive Order on Strengthening Anti-Displacement Strategies. The Work Group unites key department leaders and policymakers across the City to develop targeted solutions that will help residents and businesses stay in their communities as the city grows.
Growing Equitably
Seattle and its strong job sector continue to attract many new residents from across the country and the world. While growth brings many benefits, it also increases demand for housing. Despite strong housing production over the last decade, the pace has not kept up with growing demand, leading to escalating costs. These dynamics disproportionately impact lower-income residents and communities of color.
The Mayor’s Comprehensive Plan proposal provides zoning capacity to accommodate a range of housing types across the city to ease the housing shortage. The City has a strong portfolio of anti-displacement programs to help communities stay in their neighborhoods. However, more can be done to improve program delivery and impact.
As described in a new report from the City’s Innovation & Performance’s Team, a more strategic, data-driven approach is needed to better coordinate efforts, track outcomes, and refine interventions. The City’s Anti-Displacement Work Group will play a central role in this effort, leveraging real-time data and cross-departmental collaboration to make Seattle’s anti-displacement policies more targeted, effective, and accountable.
“The Anti-Displacement Work Group will promote collaboration among City departments that are already delivering crucial programs and services to protect communities at risk of displacement,” said Amy Nguyen, Deputy Director of the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) and Executive Sponsor for the Anti-Displacement Work Group. “Through enhanced monitoring and intentional engagement, we will ensure that our efforts are effective and reach the residents who stand to benefit the most.”
A Data-Driven Approach to Displacement Prevention
The Innovation & Performance Team and OPCD designed a beta version of a Displacement Risk Dashboard, which will provide timely insights into where displacement pressures are the highest and which communities are most vulnerable. The Work Group will iterate on this beta version to build a dashboard that helps City departments target resources effectively, ensuring that anti-displacement programs reach those who need them most.
The Work Group will also:
- Improve coordination across departments and programs
- Develop an evaluation framework to measure the effectiveness of City interventions and find opportunities to improve services
- Improve outreach and communication to the public
- Align existing mapping tools to prevent duplication and confusion
- Create an implementation plan that will lay the foundation for action
The Work Group will set up and start iterating on the Displacement Risk Dashboard for the first half of 2025. The second half of the year, the Work Group will build an implementation plan that outlines how displacement will be tracked and what activities are needed to support residents going forward.
Building an Inclusive Future for Seattle
Seattle’s growth should benefit everyone—not just those who can afford rising costs. The launch of the Anti-Displacement Work Group marks a critical step toward a more equitable, inclusive city where residents can live, thrive, and build their future in the neighborhoods they call home.