2025-26 Budget Adoption
On Nov. 21, 2024, after months of work and input from the community, both online and at public hearings, the Seattle City Council approved the 2025-26 budget. The $8.5 billion legislative package was signed into law by Mayor Bruce Harrell on Nov. 26.
“In one of the toughest budget years in recent memory, we have come together, made smart decisions, and protected the services our city depends on while making strides toward greater financial sustainability. We know the same inflation that helped cause our budget shortfall is being felt hardest by working class Seattleites. Too many are struggling to get their everyday needs met. We won’t leave them behind. This is a budget for everyone – a budget that builds towards a better, safer, more affordable Seattle for all,” noted Councilmember Dan Strauss (District 6), Chair of the Select Budget Committee, who led the process.
The approved budget closed a $250-million-plus deficit, while achieving record investments in affordable housing and bolstering public safety, as well as funding homelessness/human services, and the arts.
Highlights of the 2025-26 budget include:
- Historic investments in affordable housing and other critical assistance: $342 million investment - a nearly fivefold increase in funding to the Office of Housing since 2019. $7.1 million in additional rental assistance to help people stay housed, increased funding for food banks and meal programs to address food insecurity, and additional funding to help working-class families afford preschool.
- Increased public safety investments: More 911 dispatch staff, additional CCTV cameras along Aurora Avenue North and creating the first-ever community safety hub in north Seattle, funding for neighborhood safety ambassadors.
- Investment in housing and human services/homelessness: $3.2 million for more shelter beds, $4 million for YouthCare’s Constellation Center, $1.5 million to move RV residents into shelter, and $168,000 for transitional housing.
- Public Health: New funding to help address substance use disorder, including new detox and inpatient treatment beds, purchase of a mobile medication unit, and additional recovery support services.
- Substance use disorder treatment: $470,000 for recovery support services for severe opioid use disorder; $450,000 for a mobile medication unit for treatment access on 3rd Avenue near Pike and Pine streets, and in Little Saigon.
- Restoring the Storefront Repair Fund and other Small Business Support: Assistance for business owners for repair damage due to break-ins in exchange for specific public benefits; identifying resources for Black and Brown entrepreneurs at risk of displacement or struggling to access capital.
- Saving the Seattle Channel. Funding through 2026; seeks to establish a long-term, stable funding plan to ensure the channel’s local journalism and cultural programming continues.
- Funding for the arts, culture, parks: $10 million for Seattle’s Black community for homeownership, youth homelessness services and more, $5 million for parks and playfields across Seattle.
Additional background
- Council passes budget, closing $250-plus million deficit, making record investment in affordable housing, protecting services (Strauss) – Nov. 21, 2024
- Council adopts strong public safety budget with historic housing investments and additional accountability measures (Nelson) – Nov. 21, 2024
- Councilmember Moore Announces District 5 budget wins for public safety, housing and human services (Moore) – Nov. 21, 2024
- Councilmember Hollingsworth secures over $15 million for public safety, the arts, and economic opportunity in 2025-26 budget (Hollingsworth) – Nov. 21, 2024
- Councilmember Rivera sees alignment in budget package (Rivera) – Nov. 21, 2024
- Councilmember Woo Celebrates Major Wins in Newly Approved 2025-26 Budget (Woo) – Nov. 21, 2024
- Budget Chair Strauss releases statement on Mayor Harrell’s 2025-2026 budget proposal (Strauss) – Sept. 24, 2024
- Mayor Harrell Announces 2025-2026 Budget Proposal (Mayor Harrell) – Sept. 24, 2024