Newly elected Seattle City Council President Joy Hollingsworth says the council’s governing focus in the coming year will be straightforward: deliver the “basics” residents expect from city government, public safety, clean and functional public spaces, reliable utilities, and responsive services.
Hollingsworth shared her priorities in an interview with Ari Hoffman on Talk Radio 570 KVI, where the conversation ranged from homelessness spending and open drug use to affordability pressures and downtown’s future.
“As a governing body, we’re going to be focused on the basics…the water, the sewer, the garbage, the electricity, your rates, the cleanliness of parks, how long the police are responding to you, those are the basics.”
My interview with newly elected Seattle City Council… pic.twitter.com/3RlY5XEVWj
— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) January 12, 2026
“Focus on the basics.”
Hollingsworth opened by thanking her council colleagues for elevating her to the presidency, calling their vote of confidence “incredible.” From there, she pivoted to a governing theme she returned to repeatedly.
“As a governing body, we’re going to be focused on the basics,” Hollingsworth said, framing the council’s role as delivering essential city functions residents can feel day-to-day.
She asked Hoffman what he viewed as the “basics,” to which the host responded: safe streets, working infrastructure, emergency services that show up quickly, and a city that doesn’t “tax people out of their own house.”
Hollingsworth agreed with that framing and expanded it into a practical checklist: water, sewer, garbage, electricity rates, park cleanliness, and emergency response times. She added that while council members may have different personal priorities, those foundational services are where the body can find “commonality no matter how far the political spectrum is with each other.”
Homelessness spending: pressure for measurable impact
Hoffman pointed to the scale of spending on homelessness and asked whether the city should begin with an audit, arguing that despite “billions of dollars” invested, the problem has worsened.
Hollingsworth didn’t commit to a specific first step, but said residents want to see results: people moved off the street, brought indoors, and connected to help. She described Seattle as a “progressive city” and argued that this should translate into “progressive outcomes.”
Her expectation for the year ahead: more scrutiny over whether spending is working.
“I think we’re going to see a lot more of questions asked this year regarding how we’re spending money, and is it impacting folks,” Hollingsworth said, adding that the city can maintain its values while still asking whether the strategy needs to shift to achieve better results.
Open drug use: “Align with state law.”
Turning to public safety, Hoffman referenced a recent controversy over police enforcement and asked whether the council is considering changes related to open drug use.
Hollingsworth stressed she was speaking “personally…not…as a council president,” then drew a clear line: she does not believe people should be able to use fentanyl openly in public places.
“I don’t think people should be able to smoke fentanyl out in the open…on buses and parks or in schools,” she said, adding that Seattle should align with state law.
Her emphasis, she said, is getting people help—through treatment or diversion in some cases—and accountability in others. While acknowledging differing opinions on pathways, she said the desired outcome is shared: less disorder and fewer people living in street conditions amid drug use.
Affordability: taxes, levies, and “livability.”
Hoffman raised affordability through the lens of taxation and the city’s budget pressures, arguing that before seeking “additional revenue streams,” Seattle should ensure it is being a good steward of existing dollars.
Hollingsworth agreed that Seattle is “hard to live” in, citing rising costs for homeowners and renters, and increasing utility bills. She noted that not every cost driver is within the city’s control, but the city does influence some major components, including levies that affect property taxes and the overall “livability” residents receive for what they pay.
For Hollingsworth, livability encompasses visible, practical conditions, including overflowing trash, broken sidewalks, clean parks, reliable transit, and whether residents feel safe and supported in public spaces.
She even offered a small but telling example, public restrooms at parks and sports fields.
“These are things that are just simple, basic things,” she said, describing the kinds of amenities families notice immediately when deciding whether a city feels functional and welcoming.
Downtown and office-to-housing conversions
Hoffman cited Seattle’s office vacancy rate and asked whether the city is exploring partnerships with landlords to convert empty offices into housing, potentially through incentives.
Hollingsworth said the city has discussed conversions and referenced prior legislation intended to make it easier to turn office space into housing. She also spoke about “re-imagining downtown,” including what to do with older, legacy retail spaces as shopping patterns change.
Her starting point for downtown revitalization mirrored her broader message: cleanliness and safety first, followed by activation.
“Is it clean? Is it safe? Do you see an officer walking around?” she asked, also mentioning the value of mental health or social service providers who can help connect people to resources. She added basics like lighting, and then broader questions about activity—arts, culture, and what draws people downtown.
Housing is part of the picture, she said, but so are the supports that make living downtown viable: grocery stores, daycares, outdoor spaces, and green space.
Keeping businesses in Seattle: public-private partnerships
With concerns rising about retailers leaving and anxiety about corporate departures, Hoffman asked what Hollingsworth can do as council president to help keep employers in the region.
Her answer centered on one concept: more public-private partnerships.
Hollingsworth said Seattle has not fully leveraged partnerships with major companies that call the region home, listing household-name employers with a global footprint. Rather than defaulting to taxation, she suggested the city should widen the toolbox—inviting businesses to help fund shared community outcomes like parks, public spaces, and amenities.
“If my outcome is to get housing or I want to fund this park, you don’t always need to tax folks,” she said, arguing that collaborative approaches could reduce burdens while still achieving civic goals.
A governing message built on simplicity
Across issues that often splinter Seattle politics, homelessness, drug use, taxes, downtown recovery, Hollingsworth returned to a single throughline: deliver the basics consistently, measure outcomes, and rebuild trust in what residents see every day.
For Hoffman, that focus was the point. He urged a “back to basics” approach and ended the segment praising Hollingsworth and wishing her success in the role.
Hollingsworth thanked him and said she looked forward to continuing the conversation as the council’s work unfolds.
