City Council Candidate Questionaire Responses
Candidate:
Kshama Sawant
Do you believe that programs like P-Patch, which add to the quality of life and environment of Seattle and should be encouraged by the City to nourish?
Yes
If elected how you will support the P-Patch community gardening program?
P-Patches are a necessary source of beauty and healthy fresh foods in Seattle’s urban environment. I thank all the community members who have painstakingly developed p-patches and helped advocate for them over the years. Elected officials have a duty to protect P-Patches’ precious plots of land from the corporate for-profit real estate market, which has stunningly exacerbated the affordability crisis, resulting in the economic eviction of so many working families, while also threatening the available green spaces. For example, when the Mad-P P-Patch in District 3 was in danger of losing its sunlight to the shadow cast by a nearby development, my Council office supported the gardeners in their successful efforts to change the design of that development and prevent that shadow.
Would you support a study of the public and private needs of the P-Patch Program including addressing the future displacement of P-Patches due to development?
Would you support allocating resources to implement recommendations?
Yes
Yes
What would you do to resolve the immediate threat to Ballard P-Patch?
Housing should not be pitted against gardening and other green space, and land for community gardens should not be subjected to the mercurial real estate market. And in fact, both housing affordability for working families and green spaces have been adversely affected due to the for-profit construction market. I support raising funds for real community needs, including community gardens, by taxing big business and the super rich. I support density, and advocate for high quality, publicly owned housing development, rather than profit driven development. A community focused approach to development means affordable housing, and means incorporating urban gardening into not-for-profit community planning based on people’s needs. In an immediate sense, Seattle should fund the Ballard P-Patch, with progressive sources of revenue like corporate developer impact fees, and other taxes on big business..
Do you support requiring the Park District to pass administration of P-Patch Rejuvenation Funds to the Department of Neighborhoods and the P-Patch Program?
Yes
Do you support continuing to house the P-Patch community gardening program in the Department of Neighborhoods, which values community building and requires community participation in decisions that affect the P-Patch?
Yes
District 3. Do you agree that resources and city-owned land near the Republican and Immaculate P-Patches should be made available to save those P-Patches when they are displaced by development?
Yes
District 4. Do you agree that resources and city-owned land near Shiga’s garden P-Patch in the University District should be made available to save that P-Patch when it is displaced by development?
Yes
District 6. Do you agree that the city should financially support Ballard P-Patch gardeners in their quest to raise 1.8 million dollars by year end 2020 to save the Ballard P-Patch from development into four luxury homes?
Yes
District 7. Do you agree that city-owned land near the UpGarden, currently on top of Mercer Garage, should be made available to save the UpGarden when it is displaced by either redevelopment or parking needs at Mercer Garage?
Yes
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