Redmond Neighborhood Blog: Osman

Showing posts with label Osman. Show all posts

Friday, March 8, 2024

Letter To The Editor: Disabled Residents Shouldn't Be Left Homeless On Our Streets

Councilmember Osman Salahuddin

From the desk of Redmond Councilmember Osman Salahuddin...

Bob, I believe that you and I fundamentally agree that we don’t want our seniors, veterans, and residents with disabilities to be homeless and living on the streets. They deserve to be able to live in their community and have the help that they need to get by.

Because of this agreement, our Council has spent a great deal of time addressing this decision. Because I take my responsibility to you as your Councilmember very seriously, I have personally been looking directly into the data about our city in guiding my decision. I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned with you to further our discussion about this important issue.

What I’ve learned about our City of Redmond (see data links below for verification):

3,916 of our neighbors are earning less than $15,000 annually (at or below Federal poverty line);
6,401 of our neighbors are living with a disability, some of which impacts their earning ability;
7,502 of our neighbors are seniors ages 65+, some of whom cannot afford the rising cost of living;
1,913 of our neighbors are veterans, many of whom are part of those earning less than $15,000;
These are Our community members, who need Our help to stay housed and safe.

The intention of the 100 units of permanent supportive housing that Plymouth is offering our community is to house (in the downtown) our seniors, our veterans, and our residents living with disabilities. To add to this, we have an incredible shortage of housing at all levels, so to meet the needs of our own residents – specifically – for safe and healthy places to live, we need to provide housing opportunities for people at or below the adjusted median income of $30,000 annually. The location will be ideal for folks who are experiencing disabilities with its proximity to the Light Rail station.

Thursday, December 7, 2023

Redmond Mayor and City Councilmembers Sworn In

Redmond Mayor and City Councilmembers Sworn In, 12/5/2023

REDMOND, WA - At last night’s Redmond City Council meeting, newly elected Redmond Councilmembers Osman Salahuddin (Council Position No. 1) and Angie Nuevacamina (Council Position No. 7), along with re-elected incumbents Jessica Forsythe (Council Position No. 3), Vanessa Kritzer (Council Position No. 5), and Angela Birney (Mayor) were officially sworn in. Their terms are effective from January 2024 through December 2027.

Birney was re-elected to her second term as Mayor, a position she was first elected to in 2019, after serving on the City Council beginning in 2015, including as Council President from 2018 to 2019. Birney represents Redmond on several regional boards and committees. She grew up in Eastern Washington and moved to Redmond in 1998. Before entering public office, she earned a Master of Education from Heritage University and a Bachelor of Arts in biology education from Eastern Washington University and worked as a middle school science teacher. Birney lives on Education Hill with her husband.

Forsythe is an award-winning Creative Director and owner of a small graphic design studio that works primarily with clients who seek to better their community. Originally from Northeast Ohio, she graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in visual communication design with a concentration in environmental design. Forsythe has worked in environmental design, architecture, and marketing and branding. She is honored to be elected to serve a second term.

Kritzer has been honored to serve on the City Council for the last four years and is looking forward to continuing to provide community-centered leadership in a second term. She has devoted her career to working for social and environmental justice. Kritzer has experience in the nonprofit, government, and private sectors. In addition to her council work, she is currently the executive director of the Washington Association of Land Trusts, where she works to protect Washington’s lands, waterways, and wildlife for future generations. Kritzer attended undergrad at Vassar College, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American and Latinx studies and political science, and obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Washington Foster School of Business and a Master of Public Administration from the UW Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. Before joining Council, Kritzer served on the City of Redmond’s Planning Commission. She lives in Education Hill with husband and two young kids.

Salahuddin is a lifelong resident of Redmond. After graduating from the Lake Washington School District, he earned a Bachelor of Science in neurobiology with a minor in English from the University of Washington, where he also served as the student body president. His career has included management at a medical device research consulting firm and research at both Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and UW Medicine. He has also volunteered as a member of the Fire Corp with Eastside Fire and Rescue, and helped found the BIPOC Health Careers Ecosystem, a nonprofit. Currently, Salahuddin works as the communications and community engagement manager for King County Councilmember Sarah Perry.

Nuevacamina is a longtime Redmond resident. She is a veteran of the United States Navy, where she served as an aviation electrician and studied philosophy and art history at Oakland University. Nuevacamina's career experience includes working as a financial service professional, consulting small businesses, and previous public service experience serving on the City of Redmond Planning Commission. She lives in Redmond with her family.

Video of Swearing-In.

For more information about the Redmond City Council, including meeting times, how to participate, Council’s priorities, and how Redmond’s government works, visit redmond.gov/Council.