EDITOR’S NOTE: South King Media Founder/Publisher Scott Schaefer serves on the Board of Directors for the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce.
Burien Mayor Kevin Schilling took the stage at the Seattle Southside Chamber’s 2024 Mayor’s Reception and State of the Region event on Sept. 25, 2024 to deliver remarks focused on housing development, public safety, and Burien’s recent legal victory against King County.
Speaking to an audience of business leaders, entrepreneurs, and local officials, Schilling emphasized the city’s commitment to economic growth, housing expansion, and community wellbeing.
During his address, Schilling shared the news of Burien’s recent legal triumph in a lawsuit filed by King County regarding public camping regulations. The U.S. District Court dismissed the county’s lawsuit, affirming Burien’s right to enforce laws related to public camping. Schilling reiterated the city’s goal of transitioning homeless individuals off the streets and into shelters, which he said is essential to saving lives and improving the quality of life for all residents.
The mayor highlighted Burien’s ongoing efforts to expand housing options, including partnerships with developers and public-private initiatives. Schilling pointed to Burien’s leadership in providing affordable housing, its plans to build more units, and the city’s focus on making zoning and building code changes to expedite housing development.
In addition, Schilling applauded the work of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce for its leadership and advocacy, as well as the efforts of local realtors to address the region’s housing crisis. He also celebrated Burien’s diverse population, noting that one in three families in the city speaks a language other than English, and also praised the city’s commitment to racial equity and inclusion.
Schilling concluded his remarks by emphasizing the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors, calling for ongoing partnerships to grow Burien’s economy and improve public services. He thanked the business community for their role in driving Burien’s success and invited them to continue working together to foster growth and innovation.
Video
Below is raw video of Schilling’s address, as filmed by Scott Schaefer (running time 10-minutes, 58-seconds):
You can also watch the entire event below, which includes speeches from officials from Normandy Park, Des Moines, SeaTac and Tukwila:
There are so many people saying they are helping these people and yes I say people because they are people just like everyone else. But why is it that there are still as many if not more still living in this squalor, what help exactly is it that you are giving them? Or is it just a paycheck for you all that go around and hand them granola bars and water?
Exactly!! What a joke! These politicians painting this wonderful picture of what could possibly be….unfortunately we’re dealing with absolute derelics that have no sense of contributing to the community or helping to clean up the disastrous mess they have created! Millions of tax payer dollars spent in a very wasteful way with no real stats of positive improvement!
As mentioned in the comment prior….someone in power is getting paid very well by this squalor and therefore is not stopping it! Profiting from this humanity crisis is shameful!!