Last fall, Everett elected its first female mayor. Cassie Franklin, who grew up in the Northwest and received her bachelor’s degree at Lewis and Clark College, beat candidate Judy Tuohy by just 198 votes. Here’s some more information about this new leader in the Seattle area.
1. Franklin aims to tackle homelessness and has extensive experience with this issue.
Before becoming mayor, Franklin was the CEO of Cocoon House, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless and at-risk youth through outreach and housing options. Under her leadership, this organization grew into a regional leader.
Franklin now hopes to use her experience working with Cocoon House to improve Everett’s homeless community. Franklin promises to expand the city’s Safe Streets program, which connects homeless individuals with access to treatment for addiction and mental illness, employment opportunities, supportive housing, and other services.
2. Everett is ready to explode, and Franklin wants to help.
Everett’s economic resources are obvious: one of Boeing’s major facilities is located here, and the city is also home to the Port of Everett, Naval Station Everett, Providence Regional Medical Center, successful schools, Everett Community College and, WSU Everett. As Franklin commented, “Everett is poised for prosperity.”
However, the city also has a median household income of under $50,000, which is about $25,000 less than that in the county. And its home ownership rate of 44 percent lags behind the county rate of 65 percent.
Luckily, Franklin has a plan to boost Everett’s economy, which includes expanding tourism, convincing Boeing to build its new mid-market airliner in Everett, improving public safety, and investing in more affordable housing.
In addition to these plans, the city is also in the middle of redesigning and developing its waterfront. The new waterfront will feature hotels, shops, and restaurants, as well as this awesome fountain.
3. Everett’s traffic is bad, but solutions are on their way.
In terms of congestion rates, Everett’s traffic is some of the worst in the country. However, Franklin and the city have big plans to significantly improve this congestion. The US Department of Transportation recently announced that they are awarding Everett a $43.2 million grant to complete the Swift II (Green Line) Bus Rapid Transit Project. This bus line will connect several of the city’s major employment and residential centers.
Additionally, Everett is in the middle of a big project to redesign its US-2 trestle, which is the source of much of the city’s traffic.
With Cassie Franklin’s dynamic energy and several plans underway to fuel the city’s growth, it’s an exciting time to live in this area. As Franklin herself put it, “Everett is full of creative, compassionate people who recognize its strengths and potential, and want to be a part of its successes.”
Get in touch with Pickett Street ((425) 502-5397 or info@pickettstreet.com) if you’re interested in buying or selling a house around Everett or the rest of the greater Seattle region.