Duwamish Valley Program

Advancing Environmental Justice and Equitable Development in the Duwamish Valley

The Duwamish Valley Program (DVP) recognizes that environmental justice and equitable development will only be achieved when mechanisms that promote communication, transparency, and accountability are set in place and when the priorities of those most affected by racial inequities and health disparities are reflected in City plans and implemented through City work.

To achieve these goals, the DVP and Duwamish Valley Action Team (DAT) created the Duwamish Valley Action Plan, a City-community shared vision for the South Park and Georgetown neighborhoods. The Action Plan is organized into seven priority areas: Healthy Environment, Parks & Open Space, Community Capacity, Economic Opportunity & Jobs, Mobility & Transportation, Affordable Housing, and Public Safety.

By applying the City's environmental justice guiding principles and the DVP's racial equity outcomes, the strategies and actions in this Action Plan work together as an environmental justice, equitable development, and anti-displacement strategy - if approached individually or without alignment to racial equity outcomes, the very injustices and inequities we are trying to address could be perpetuated.

Most of the opportunities, strategies, and actions in this Action Plan directly respond to the priorities of communities of color, immigrants, refugees, youth, limited English proficiency individuals, people with low incomes, and small merchants. Other actions and strategies respond to overall community priorities or reflect opportunities to embed racial equity strategies into planned or ongoing City work. As the DVP continues its journey toward achieving environmental justice and racial equity, it will continue to build on, learn from, influence, and support other City efforts and citywide initiatives. Such initiatives include race and social justice, equity and environment, equitable development, inclusive engagement, urban forestry, service delivery, asthma prevention, local hiring and contracting, affordable housing and anti-displacement, and capacity building.