NAC Add-On: Eastside Field Trip

In the last 20 years Bellevue (home of Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos), Redmond (home to Microsoft) and Kirkland (home to Costco) have doubled in size. These former Seattle suburbs have grown quickly into full-fledged cities, changing from majority white to “majority minority” over the preceding decades.  While many newcomers pull in tech and professional service wages, there are increasing issues around affordable housing, displacement; and lack of housing options for families, service workers, teachers, nurses, and many others who are not employed in tech. In many of these East King County cities, “affordable housing” and “housing choice” have become top issues for residents, governments, nonprofits, and employers. Simultaneously, the region is expected to launch billions of dollars of transit investment in the coming years as globally recognized employers add tens of thousands of additional jobs. This region is truly undergoing a major transformation.

Hop on a bus and visit the King County’s Eastside to learn about efforts to engage diverse residents in creating affordable housing, improving transit, and building inclusive neighborhoods. Leaders from community-based organizations and municipalities will share stories about how they’ve been partnering and working to bring marginalized voices to the table to inform major decisions. Hear about the lessons and practices these leaders are using to make a diverse, thriving, climate resilient region possible.