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… [ Keep reading ]
How do I contract with the City of Seattle? Until August 12, 2024, there was no simple answer to that seemingly simple question. Different departments had different procurement systems for the three main buckets of contracts: public works, consulting, and purchase of goods and services. Those bids were in turn… [ Keep reading ]
Winning a government contract can be a game-changer for local small businesses. But confusing and inefficient processes can keep new firms, as well as small and BIPOC-owned firms, from being successful as City contractors. These inefficiencies also take up valuable staff time and resources. This is why Seattle participated in… [ Keep reading ]
Many of the City of Seattle’s parks, playgrounds, pools, comfort stations and community centers were built before Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Ever since, local governments around the country have been chipping away at a backlog of renovations to add ramps, widen doorways and install elevators… [ Keep reading ]
Cast and crew of Tagalog sa King Street, 2019. Left to right: Ai Lalo, Leah Mitts, Lorna Velasco, Arlo Magpoc, Nina de Torres Ignacio, Pia Rivera, Andrea Castillo, and Manny Golez. Photo courtesy Velasco Arts. If you squint at the bottom of a playbill or art exhibit description at a… [ Keep reading ]
The City of Seattle executes hundreds of purchases annually in response to requests from the dozens of departments that make up municipal government. Translating a departmental ask into a contract or purchase order is the job of Purchasing Manager Krista Díaz, who oversees a team of 12 Contract Administrators in… [ Keep reading ]
If you scrolled on your smartphone while riding a bus through West Seattle’s Delridge neighborhood in 2019, chances are a digital ad popped up to ask for feedback about the impending RapidRide H Line. What’s more, if your phone is set to Chinese, Spanish or Vietnamese rather than English, the… [ Keep reading ]
In nearly every profession, there is a chicken and egg problem: experience helps applicants get a job, but without the first job, how does one acquire experience? Public art is no different in that regard. Public art, and the art world overall, are predominately White in terms of administration, policy,… [ Keep reading ]
The City of Seattle has a long legislative track record supporting equity in contracting and creating intentional efforts to ensure that women and minority-owned business enterprises (WMBEs) receive their fair share of public contracts. A City Council ordinance established this goal in 2004, and multiple mayors have reaffirmed it since… [ Keep reading ]
CiviForm, the City of Seattle’s unified benefits application tool, was recognized today with a 2024 Anthem Award. The program makes it easier for residents to find and apply for multiple City discounts and benefits in one place. It received a Silver Award in the Humanitarian Action & Services – Product… [ Keep reading ]
