Together, we are One Seattle

Bruce Harrell was elected Seattle Mayor in 2021 to help a city in crisis make big changes to improve affordability, safety, and economy. His call for big swings and urgent action led to election by the largest margin for a non-incumbent candidate since 1969. As Mayor, Bruce brought a new tone to City Hall – one of collaboration, unity, and results. He championed initiatives to improve public safety, address housing affordability and homelessness with urgency and compassion, support workers and local businesses, and strengthen Seattle’s spirit of innovation through new policies and programs.

Select accomplishments of Bruce’s first term include:

A Safer, More Compassionate Seattle

• Implemented a comprehensive public safety approach that contributed to Seattle’s first decline in citywide crime rates in several years, including, as recently published in the Seattle Times, “homicide has plummeted 41% compared with the first half of last year…Shootings are down 29%. Car theft has declined 25%, robbery is down 15% and overall violent crime has dropped 12%.” This approach focuses police efforts on those committing violent crimes and trafficking deadly drugs, while delivering help to those in need.
• Created the Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) Department, deploying behavioral health responders to assist people in crisis. Mayor Harrell has continued to invest in and expand CARE, and the teams (now 24 responders strong) have already answered nearly 3,000 calls for service, connecting those in crisis with care.
• Stabilized Seattle’s police staffing – achieving the first net increase in Seattle police officers in over half a decade and more than 100 officers hired this year. Officer recruitment and applications are at their highest levels in more than ten years, strengthening community policing and response times.
• Established a dual public health and public safety strategy to confront the fentanyl and opioid crisis. Through new treatment initiatives like the “Health 99” post-overdose response team and focused enforcement, Seattle saw a 25% drop in fatal overdoses in 2024, outpacing regional trends. This combined approach treats substance abuse as both a health emergency and a public safety priority, saving lives while holding dealers accountable. At the same time, the City is prioritizing accountability for fentanyl dealers – increasing arrests and referring more cases to the Prosecutor’s Office.

Record Housing & Homelessness Investments

• Making Real Progress on Unsheltered Homelessness: Seattle is making measurable progress under Bruce’s leadership. Since he took office, the City has reduced encampments in Seattle with over 80% fewer tents and 60% fewer RVs, thanks to the Unified Care Team and a focus on compassionate outreach. In 2024 alone, more than 1,800 shelter referrals were accepted by people in need — connecting neighbors to services, stability, and a path to recovery, while restoring our parks, sidewalks, and public spaces for all.
• Championed and passed Seattle’s largest-ever Housing Levy (2023): Bruce spearheaded the bold, detailed plan behind the $970 million Seattle Housing Levy, which won resounding voter approval. This historic investment will fund 3,100+ new affordable homes over the next seven years and expand housing stability programs – a major step toward addressing Seattle’s housing affordability crisis.
• Invested over $1 billion in affordable housing during his first term. These record investments from the City – in addition to leveraging local, state, and federal resources – have helped create over 6,500 new affordable homes, including nearly 1,500 units of permanent supportive housing for those exiting homelessness and rental assistance to keep neighbors housed. This unprecedented funding will ensure thousands of Seattle families, seniors, and workers have an affordable place to call home.
• Cut red tape to accelerate housing production. Bruce pushed through reforms to make it faster and easier to build housing. For example, streamlining Seattle’s permitting and design review processes has shaved up to 500–700 days off construction timelines for new downtown housing projects– meaning homes get built and available quicker.
• Advanced the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan update to double Seattle’s housing capacity over the next 20 years. The most ambitious pro-housing zoning proposal in Seattle history, Bruce’s plan embraces “more housing in more places” to address historic inequities and improve affordability for families, seniors, and working people. From gentle density in all neighborhoods to transit-oriented development, this blueprint sets the foundation for a more welcoming, livable, affordable city.

Standing Up for Workers and Working Families

• Raised wages and strengthened worker protections. Bruce championed and signed pay increases for human services providers and City employees, ensuring those who serve our community can afford to live here. He pushed through new protections for gig workers, and passed legislation to improve equity in Seattle’s cannabis industry (opening doors for communities harmed by past drug policies). These actions build on Bruce’s long record of fighting for fair wages and workers’ rights.
• Partnered with labor to create good local jobs. From Project Labor Agreements on capital projects to requiring apprenticeship utilization in the new housing levy, Bruce has prioritized local hiring and Community Workforce Agreements that guarantee good-paying, union jobs for Seattle residents. His approach ensures that as we build housing and infrastructure, we’re also building a skilled workforce and pathways for young workers, women, and people of color to enter the trades.
• Recognized as a pro-labor champion: In 2024, Bruce’s leadership was honored by the Martin Luther King Jr. Labor Council, which named him their “Best Elected Official” of the year. This accolade – a first for a Seattle Mayor in recent memory – reflects Bruce’s deep commitment to standing with workers, whether on the picket line with nurses and teachers or at City Hall negotiating fair contracts for City employees.

Investing in Children and Youth

• Doubling Affordable Childcare to help families struggling with the costs of balancing needed jobs with essential care. Bruce demanded this increase as part of the city’s “Every Child Ready” levy renewal, and will expand these programs even more in a second term.
• Establishing On-Demand Youth Mental Health Support so every Seattle Public Schools student – and graduate up to age 25 – has access to care. Bruce established this groundbreaking program in the wake of unacceptable violence in our schools, and in a post-pandemic learning environment where too many kids face issues of isolation, bullying, and other harms.
• Expanding Mentorship and Career Opportunities for young people to see themselves in family-wage jobs, professional settings, earning advanced degrees, and serving their communities.

Revitalizing Downtown & Supporting Small Businesses

• Launched a Downtown Activation Plan that is bringing Seattle’s downtown core roaring back to life. Through new events, arts and culture programming, improved safety efforts, and strategic partnerships, downtown Seattle is bustling again. The city is now hosting millions of visitors with hotel occupancy back to pre-pandemic levels – and gearing up to welcome the world for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Seattle Center alone welcomed over 10.5 million visitors in 2024 as tourism and conventions rebounded.
• Completed the transformational Waterfront redevelopment project, including opening the new Overlook Walk pedestrian bridge, Pier 58, and the Seattle Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion. These legacy projects reconnect downtown with Elliott Bay, creating a vibrant new park promenade and attractions that will be enjoyed for generations.
• Stronger Small Businesses, Stronger Seattle — Seattle Shield Initiative. Building on that foundation, Bruce co-authored the Seattle Shield Initiative, sending a fair, forward-looking B&O tax restructuring to voters this November. When approved, nearly 90% of Seattle’s small- and medium-sized businesses will pay less in B&O taxes, with 76% exempted entirely, thanks to raising the exemption threshold to $2 million in gross revenue and introducing a matching deduction. This progressive revenue reform would generate $80–90 million annually from the largest companies — revenue dedicated to protecting essential human services like housing vouchers, emergency shelters, food access, and care for survivors of gender-based violence. It’s smart, supportive, and Seattle-strong — helping small businesses thrive while safeguarding our social safety net.
• Delivered Relief and Support for Local Businesses. Bruce’s team created dedicated “small business advocates” at City Hall to help entrepreneurs navigate permits and open their doors. He reopened the popular Storefront Repair Fund to assist businesses hit by vandalism or graffiti, providing grants that helped dozens of shops make repairs. The administration also cut red tape for outdoor dining and markets, and is investing in neighborhood business districts – from Little Saigon to Lake City – to spread opportunity citywide.

Landmark Climate & Environmental Leadership

• Passed a nation-leading clean buildings law: Bruce shepherded into law the Building Emissions Performance Standard, one of the strongest in the nation. This policy will transition Seattle’s large buildings off fossil fuels, creating cleaner air while generating union jobs in energy efficiency and retrofitting. It’s a key step toward Seattle’s Green New Deal goals.
• Accelerated climate action citywide: Bruce launched community-driven climate investments and issued an Executive Order to speed up carbon-cutting initiatives across City departments. His administration expanded programs for sustainable, healthy food access and electrification. Seattle also adopted a new tree protection ordinance (and increased tree planting efforts), striving to grow our urban canopy for a healthier environment (an important priority noted by community advocates).
• Earned international recognition for Seattle’s climate leadership. Under Bruce, Seattle has been recognized by the elite “C40 Cities” coalition of global cities leading on climate change, gaining praise for its aggressive carbon reduction strategies. From cutting building emissions to expanding transit and bike infrastructure, Seattle is doing its part to combat climate change on the world stage.

Improving Mobility & Transit

• Reopened the West Seattle Bridge, restoring a critical transportation link after a 2½-year closure. Through pandemic impacts and a concrete strike, Bruce pressed for an urgent yet safe repair of the damaged bridge, and by September 2022 traffic was flowing again. This reconnected 84,000 daily drivers and 19,000 transit riders to the rest of the city, ending a major community hardship and demonstrating effective management of a complex infrastructure project.
• Passed the “Keep Seattle Moving” transportation levy, a voter-approved $1.5 billion investment in safer streets and transit. Bruce led the development and passage of this unprecedented measure in 2024, which will fund thousands of sidewalk repairs and new bike lanes, upgraded bridges, road maintenance, and enhanced Metro transit access across Seattle. It’s the largest transportation investment in Seattle’s history – geared toward Vision Zero safety goals and a more connected city.
• Fast-tracking regional light rail expansion. As a Sound Transit board member, Bruce is leading efforts to expedite the West Seattle to Ballard light rail line – the largest transit project in our region’s history. He created a new Office of Waterfront, Civic Projects, and Sound Transit within the City to coordinate permitting and design, aiming to shave a full year off construction timelines. Bruce is leveraging city resources and influence to secure funding and get light rail built faster, connecting more Seattleites to efficient, clean transit.

(Follow @BruceForSeattle on the campaign trail for more updates on Bruce’s work and vision.)