Councilmember Hollingsworth secures over $15 million for public safety, the arts, and economic opportunity in 2025-26 budget

Today, Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth (District 3) secured over $15 million in funding for investments in arts, culture, economic opportunity, legacy homeownership, and youth homelessness services as part of Seattle's 2025-2026 budget.

"I am grateful to my council colleagues for supporting my investments in the fundamentals for our community. I am proud of the investments that were made directly in District 3, but I am equally proud to have secured significant funding for improvements to Seattle's parks and playfields that will serve our youth across Seattle, food investments for families, capitol hill safety improvements, and affordable housing development projects," said Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth. "I also appreciate my colleagues for voting to redirect funding from the participatory budgeting process and restoring the original promise that Seattle made to the Black community when this process began. Together, these investments will help address the most pressing issues: youth violence, housing instability, gentrification, generational wealth, economic mobility and a loss of culture."

As part of the budget chair's original balancing package, Councilmember Hollingsworth secured over $5 million for projects in District 3 and in parks and playfields across Seattle:

• $250,000 to Hope Corps Arts for Capitol Hill Mural Project (2025)
• $250,000 to Department of Neighborhoods for a Community Safety Coordinator servicing Capitol Hill (2025 & 2026)
• $250,000 to Human Services Department for the meal partnership coalition capital improvements (2025)
• $250,000 for capital improvements to the Rainier Valley Food Bank (2025)
• $150,000 for Business Improvement Association Support on Capitol Hill Ambassador Program (2026)
• $100,000 for Affordable Housing Development in the Central District (2025)
• $1,500,000 to Seattle Parks Recreation for turfing Garfield softball field (2025)
• $775,000 to Seattle Parks Recreation for the Garfield Superblock to complete project of children's play area, benches, comfort station (2025)
• $25,000 to Seattle Parks Recreation for art murals and graffiti deterrence at Cal Anderson Restroom. (2025)
• $20,000 to Seattle Parks Recreation for improvements and maintenance at First Hill Park < /a>(2025)
• $100,000 to Seattle Parks Recreation for additional late night food programming for teens and youth development (2025)
• $1,500,000 to Seattle Parks Recreation for turfing softball field at Lower Woodland Park

Councilmember Hollingsworth also secured nearly $10 million in investments for Seattle's Black community, increasing funding for arts, culture, legacy homeownership, and youth homelessness services. These investments will redirect funding from the $27 million Participatory Budgeting process, which was originally committed to be invested in Black communities following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis:

• $4.69 million in arts and cultural organizations that activate spaces, provide programming, or create media focused on Black arts, culture, history, or heritage
• $3.0 million Invest in community-based organizations that provide outreach, engagement, and homeowner stabilization services in communities at high risk of displacement
• $2.0 million to operate a young adult day center focused on youth between 18 and 25 years old
• $315,000 in youth violence prevention that provide afterschool activities, youth leadership opportunities and sports activities

$2.2 million of the original Participatory Budgeting spending plan has been preserved for improving bathroom infrastructure, cleanliness, and safety at Seattle parks, and $4.0 million remains for Department of Neighborhoodsto be spent on food security. The remainder of the Participatory Budgeting spending plan, which includes $2 million for investments in public safety though the Community Assisted Response and Engagement Department (CARE) Team, $1.9 Million for a youth shelter services and $7 Million for the Duwamish Longhouse project, is unaffected.

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