SARA’S RESULTS FOR SEATTLE

Sara Nelson brings both personal experience and policy expertise to Seattle's addiction crisis. Her own recovery journey drives her unwavering commitment to expanding treatment access, while her leadership has delivered concrete solutions for Seattle families struggling with substance use disorder.

• Mobile Treatment Access: Secured funding for a mobile medication unit, bringing essential addiction treatment directly to neighborhoods hit hardest by the crisis, including Little Saigon and 3rd Avenue downtown.

• Support for Recovery: Directed record-setting funding to expand recovery services, including peer support programs and contingency management strategies proven to help people sustain sobriety.

• Closing Treatment Gaps: Created new pathways to treatment by funding residential and outpatient treatment options, filling a critical gap for people without Medicaid who need immediate help.

Under Sara's leadership, Seattle is rebuilding community safety through a comprehensive approach that combines improved emergency response, neighborhood-based solutions, and stronger accountability measures.

• Rebuilding Public Safety: Led efforts that resulted in 84 new officers hired in 2024 - the first net increase in police staffing after years of losing an average of 90 officers annually. Working toward restoring SPD to 1,400 officers by 2027.

• Improved Emergency Response: Secured funding to hire additional dispatchers, improving response capability for both emergency and non-emergency calls.

• Community Safety Teams: Launched innovative safety teams in high-need areas like the Chinatown-International District, where local outreach workers partner with foot patrols to address community concerns in real time.

• Strengthening Accountability: Secured key reforms in SPD's labor contract, enhancing transparency in officer discipline and strengthening compliance with federal oversight requirements.

Sara Nelson has delivered unprecedented investments in housing that works for everyone - from people experiencing homelessness to middle-class families struggling to stay in the city they love.

• Historic Investment in Affordability: Championed $342 million for affordable housing in 2025-2026 - the largest allocation in Seattle's history and nearly five times the 2019 investment level.

• Innovation in SoDo: Spearheaded plans to transform underutilized industrial land into a vibrant new neighborhood, with potential for up to 1,000 new units of workforce housing.

• Expanding Homeownership: Secured $3.4 million in funding for homeownership capital production, helping more Seattle families build equity and stability.

• Dignity and Safety: Funded the creation of new non-congregate shelters with built-in services, providing humane housing solutions for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Sara Nelson champions the arts, small businesses, and community spaces that make Seattle unique, ensuring our city's growth strengthens rather than displaces our cultural heritage.

• Creative Economy Investment: Created Seattle's first Film Commission while securing ongoing funding for the Seattle Music Commission, positioning our city to attract productions that create local jobs.

• Small Business Recovery: Restored the Storefront Repair Fund, helping businesses recover from vandalism and break-ins.

• Neighborhood Revitalization: Partnered with Uplift Northwest to enhance graffiti removal efforts while supporting community-driven beautification projects.

• Vibrant Waterfront: Supported projects that activated the new waterfront park, including art installations and spaces for public gatherings.

• Civic Engagement: Secured ongoing funding for the Seattle Channel, preserving local journalism and arts programming.