Political Decision-Makers (The Voters)
These are the elected officials who will cast the final votes. They are the ones who can introduce an amendment to specifically change the zoning on 39th Ave SW. To reach the entire Seattle City Council with a single email, you should use their collective address, council@seattle.gov. This is the most efficient way to ensure your message is distributed to all nine councilmembers and becomes part of the official legislative record.
Rob Saka (City Councilmember, District 1)
- Role: Your direct representative for West Seattle. He is the most important person to convince, as the rest of the Council often defers to the District representative on local zoning “redlines.”
- Focus: Infrastructure, public safety, and “common sense” transitions.
- Contact:
rob.saka@seattle.gov| (206) 684-8801
Eddie Lin (City Councilmember, District 2)
- Role: Chair of the Land Use Committee. Chair of the Select Committee on the Comprehensive Plan, phase 2. He is the “lead filter” for the One Seattle Plan. Before the full Council votes, Eddie Lin’s committee must review, amend, and approve the specific zoning maps for Neighborhood Centers like Morgan Junction.
- Focus: Equitable Development and Anti-Displacement. As a former attorney for the Seattle Office of Housing, Lin is an expert on how zoning impacts working families. He is particularly focused on ensuring that growth doesn’t come at the cost of displacing long-term residents in diverse neighborhoods.
- How to Approach Him: Frame your argument around “The Displacement Mismatch.” Since he values housing stability, show him that rezoning 39th Ave SW to LR2 would actually destroy “naturally occurring affordable housing”—the very thing he spent his career trying to protect.
- Contact:
eddie.lin@seattle.gov| (206) 684-8802
Alexis Mercedes Rinck (City Councilmember, Citywide)
- Role: Represents the entire city. She is a key influencer on housing equity and displacement.
- Focus: Anti-displacement and affordable housing.
- Contact:
alexismercedes.rinck@seattle.gov| (206) 684-8808
Key Meeting Dates to Watch
- Select Committee Hearing: The Council is expected to set a March hearing date for West Seattle public testimony. I will alert you as soon as that calendar is finalized.