September 22, 2026. This invitation welcomes Seattle residents and invites them to share their perspectives on a new Seattle Police Chief. Community Engagement Coordinator, Central Region, Najim Sheikh is the contact for the three sessions. To learn more, contact Najim.
Hello Community members,
The Seattle Neighborhood Group invites you to share your perspective at the upcoming Police Search Community Listening Sessions.
There are three upcoming sessions:
• 📍 Van Asselt Community Center — Saturday, September 26, 12–2 PM • 📍 Seattle University — Monday, September 28, 6–8 PM • 📍 North Seattle College — Wednesday, September 30, 6–8 PM
Please register if you’re able to attend and take the opportunity.
September 13, 2026. Addressing local crime has been a major focus for the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce, especially in 2026. Property crime has been a pressing issue for many small businesses, particularly in the early spring of this year. The Magnolia neighborhood is not alone in addressing these concerns. Today, the Seattle Times provides insight into crime rates across the city. The article finds that overall crime in Seattle has decreased in recent years, though sharp neighborhood disparities and recent high-profile incidents, including those at the Bite of Seattle and shootings in Belltown, continue to drive public safety concerns.
At a macro level, there has been an overall decline in total criminal offenses reported to the Seattle Police Department, down 16% from 2018 through 2025. In the first half of 2026, citywide shootings dropped by more than 20%, and homicides fell by more than 30% compared with the same period in 2025. Data also shows that crime in downtown Seattle’s commercial core has dropped significantly compared with 2018 levels, aided by increased foot traffic, downtown ambassadors, and rising police staffing.
However, while downtown commercial areas have improved, surrounding neighborhoods have seen mixed results, with some increases in specific metrics for violent and property crime. To learn more, check out the Seattle Times article, which is chock-full of data and analyses on criminal activity in Seattle.
September 11, 2026. On Thursday, September 10, 2026, major Seattle business leaders issued a joint open letter demanding that Mayor Katie Wilson and the City Council implement a 100-day public safety action plan to address crime. The coalition of 38 prominent business and tech executives, including leaders from Microsoft, Starbucks, Costco, Nordstrom, the Seattle Mariners, and Alaska Airlines, signed the letter. The group asked for measurable benchmarks, including faster 911 response times, increased foot and bike patrols, and actions to shut down open-air drug markets. The business leaders’ letter also said they want the city to turn CCTV cameras back on in the Stadium District and Pioneer Square, as they were during the World Cup, held this summer. To learn more, click here
July 23, 2026. For those who did not make the fabulous Diamond Jubilee event celebrating 75 years of the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce, we missed you at the beautiful Bell Harbor Conference Center on May 11th.
But not to worry!
Please click here to get a taste of the exciting night, see photos, and view the gorgeous venue and beautiful attendees.
July 23, 2026. Being prepared for a disaster such as an earthquake, extreme heat event, or landslides due to heavy rain is vital. Magnolia residents are lucky to have a group of volunteers who are helping our community prepare, and if a disaster occurs, self organize with information and communication.
Magnolia Village Emergency Hub serves as the neighborhood’s emergency communication and coordination center and is located at the southwest corner of West Smith St. and 32nd/33rd Ave W. Local volunteers help neighbors share information and match resources after a major disaster. A second emergency hub, titled the Magnolia Manor Park Hub, is in development and will be located at 3500 28th Ave W.
The emergency hubs are independent of the City of Seattle and run strictly by neighborhood volunteers, using two-way radios for area communication. The hubs will share news and status updates with nearby hubs like Queen Anne and Interbay and help connect people who need assistance with neighbors who have tools, medical skills, or supplies. And the hubs offer free local training, drills, and preparedness
The hub volunteers will have a booth at Magnolia Summerfest and encourage Magnolia residents to stop by their booth from July 31st through August 2nd. On Saturday, August 8th, please join a trial setup of the Magnolia Village Emergency Hub at the south end of the Magnolia Playfield at 33rd Ave W. and W. Smith. Learn how the Hub will be set up following a major disaster, talk with Hub operators, and discover how to get more involved.
Click here to learn more and be engaged in emergency preparedness!
July 2, 2026. Washington Saves is a state-facilitated retirement program, created by legislation passed in 2024, to expand access to workplace savings tools. The program enables workers to save through automatic payroll deductions into an individual retirement account (IRA). Employee participation is voluntary, accounts are portable, and there are no employer fees or fiduciary responsibilities. Certain employers will be required to facilitate access for their employees if they meet specific criteria, including not offering a qualified retirement plan. The program is overseen by a public Board, with administrative support provided by the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions.
The program just released an educational flyer designed to assist employers in helping their employees access it; it is easy to facilitate, with no fees and no fiduciary responsibility for business owners. Just a chance to encourage your employees to save for their future.
To access a Washington Saves Employer Flyer, click here.
April 28, 2026. Donna of Don’s Daughter’s Donna’s Barber Shop is seeking generous donors to help raise funds to purchase grocery gift cards for underserved families with children attending Lawton, Magnolia, and Blaine schools, all located in the Magnolia neighborhood. The Summer Break Community Pantry is a joint philanthropic effort by Donna’s barbershop and the Magnolia Community Support Group.
Since November 2025, Donna’s philanthropic leadership, in partnership with other caring Magnolians, has generated over $3,000 to purchase grocery and Visa gift cards for under-resourced families. The new drive to raise funds recognizes that many families need support and a lending hand during the “school break” months of June, July, and August. These families will no longer have access to the free breakfasts and lunch programs provided by Seattle Public Schools’ Student Meal Program. Donna and others want to ensure the summer break does not result in the loss of access to healthy meals for so many families attending our local elementary schools.
Donna shares that you can drop off your donations at Don’s Daughter, Donna Barber Shop, located at 2814 Thorndyke Ave W, Seattle, WA 98199. Or you can donate through their GoFundMe page. Please join Donna, the Magnolia Community Support Group, and caring donors to help families in need with groceries this summer.
April 23, 2026. The Magnolia Chamber of Commerce is keenly aware that criminal activity affecting Magnolia has accelerated, and its impacts have been felt widely.
DATA SHOWS THAT MAGNOLIA AND INTERBAY SMALL BUSINESSES ARE HARD-HIT BY INCREASES IN CRIME. The Chamber has gathered information through surveys, in-the-field meetings with the SPD, and roundtable discussions with business owners, indicating that many of our small businesses are experiencing repeated break-ins, broken windows, ongoing vandalism, and waves of “smash-and-grab robberies,” leading to ever-increasing security and repair costs (see the reporthere.) Rising repeat criminal activity prompts our businesses to invest heavily in crime-prevention measures, including security systems, cameras, alarms, lighting, and deadbolts.Many of our small business owners are increasingly frustrated by the lack of police response and worried about the very survival of their enterprises. The cost of doing business due to rising crime is becoming intolerable, and the safety of our neighborhood business centers is at risk. For recent local news coverage of Magnolia crime, see KING 5, KIRO 7, and KOMO 4.
THE CHAMBER ADVOCATES FOR SMALL BUSINESS MEMBERS. The Chamber is working with the Magnolia Community Council(the Council) to strengthen collaboration, improve engagement with the Seattle Police Department (SPD), and support crime-fighting measures. The Chamber joined forces with the Council on April 21st for a meeting to explore ways the neighborhood can work together to support safety across Magnolia. The meeting featured Marc Garth-Green, our SPD precinct’s Captain, and Barb Biondo, our SPD precinct’s Crime Prevention Coordinator, who shared updates on neighborhood safety and crime-prevention programs. Chamber leadership was joined at the meeting by several of our members, who represented the business perspective on the impacts of increased criminal activity and continued its partnership.
CALL IN CRIME, EVERY TIME. In September 2025, the Chamber also attended an Interbay Safety & Security gathering hosted by the Seattle Storm and attended by several Interbay businesses. Former SPD Precinct Captain Rob Brown and former Mayor Harrell’s top public safety staff were in attendance. Captain Brown encouraged calling 911 for emergencies and 206-625-5011 for non-emergencies when reporting a crime. While SPD is short-staffed, the dispatch center is not. When a business calls, the dispatcher triages needs and logs data. This data helps police understand the magnitude and location of problems, and the city sets priorities. At the Council’s meeting on April 21st, Captain Garth-Green repeated the same message:call 911 or 206-625-5011 if a victim of crime – it is essential to improving police presence in Magnolia and Interbay.
RESOURCES TO HELP PREVENT AND FIGHT CRIME – BUSINESS FOCUSED. In addition to calling the SPD when a crime occurs, the SPD shared a number of crime-prevention activities. Following a March business roundtable hosted by the Chamber, Magnolia Village merchants organized a fledgling Business Watch to share information and best practices on crime prevention. We aim to organize a workshop on the value of the Business Watch concept in the coming weeks.
In addition, SPD provides digital resources to learn more about police activity and crime in the neighborhood: The digital maps show where “Calls for Service” are occurring and are as close to real-time as possible. There are also digital maps showing police responses from the last 24 hours, and a crime data map displays finalized crime reports from the past seven days. These maps demonstrate how vital it is to report every crime and to identify patterns of criminal behavior. SPD prioritizes and allocates crime-fighting and prevention resources based on this information. Call 911 or 206-625-5011 if a victim of crime.
Other programs and resources are available to help businesses address the effects of criminal activity. The Seattle Police Criminal Trespass Programis intended for private retail and commercial businesses open to the public to assist property owners in addressing crime occurring on their property. Businesses should contact Magnolia’s & Interbay’s police precinct to obtain a trespass authorization form: WPrecinctTrespassProgram@seattle.gov. Once the contract is processed, the SPD administrator will send a confirmation email and a copy of the completed contract, and a link to the Conditions of Entry (COE) sign(s) to post in clearly visible locations at all commercial/retail entrances.
The Office of Economic Development’s Back to Business programs offer substantial reimbursement for storefront repairs and security upgrades for victims of criminal activity. To qualify, businesses must complete a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) security assessment with a certified expert, such as a Crime Prevention Coordinator from the Seattle Police Department. Only security measures purchased after the CPTED assessment is complete are eligible for reimbursement. A number of Magnolia/Interbay businesses have taken advantage of these programs, and we can connect interested businesses with those that have used these resources.
Below is a helpful graphic from our friends at the Magnolia Community Council. Please click on image below to access links provided in the body of the graphic. Thanks again to the leadership and collegiality of the Magnolia Community Council!
April 20, 2026. This past week brought a definite uptick in excitement as Seattle prepares to host the FIFA World Cup in our fair city. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the premier international men’s football tournament, held from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across Canada, Mexico, and the USA, including Seattle. It is the largest tournament ever, featuring 48 teams (up from 32 in years past), 104 matches, and 16 host cities. The tournament opens in Mexico City on June 11 and concludes in New York City a month later.
Lumen Field in Seattle’s SODO neighborhood will host six matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including four group-stage games, one Round of 32 match, and one Round of 16 match. Key matches include a USA group-stage game against Australia on June 19, 2026, and a Round of 16 tie. You can visit Seattle FIFA World Cup to learn more. It is your one-stop shop for all the updates on activities happening in and around Seattle.
How Small Businesses Can Participate
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will support Seattle’s small businesses through specialized training and dedicated neighborhood liaisons. These initiatives aim to help small businesses leverage the influx of visitors, expected to boost demand across the hospitality, retail, and transportation sectors. The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and SeattleFWC26 are providing a “Small Business Ready Playbook“—to help businesses with increasing visibility and prepare for an estimated $1 billion in regional economic impact. The city is also streamlining processes for hosting watch partieson private and public property. Visit Seattle is providing free branding materials to help businesses market themselves in accordance with FIFA’s trademark guidelines. Stay tuned for more information as we get ready for one of the biggest and most prestigious international events in Seattle.
Let’s Play SEA 26 and bring Washington to the world!
November 19, 2025. Seattle University has announced it is distributing the Seattle Public Safety Survey. The survey offers Seattle residents a place to express their safety concerns and share ideas for improving their community. Every voice matters in this survey!
The Seattle Public Safety Survey, conducted independently by Seattle University researchers, collects data at the micro-community level on perceptions of crime, public safety, and police-community interactions. Survey data is used alongside focus groups and police-community engagement to inform and revise public safety priorities and strategies. This information will then be used in conjunction with crime data to direct Seattle police resources and services to target the unique needs of Seattle’s micro-communities.
