Mayor's Priorities

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Renton continues to grow and evolve each year. The City of Renton is committed to approaching the unique needs of our community with innovation and accountability, ensuring we build a strong foundation for Renton’s future. Mayor Armondo Pavone aims to enhance residents’ quality of life through these priorities: public safety, strengthening social services, city investment and maintenance, development and infrastructure, and economic development.

Public Safety

The city has applied multiple approaches to address public safety concerns. While public safety often focuses on law enforcement, the city has incorporated public safety across multiple departments.

What this looks like:

  • Addition of eight police officers over the next two year
  • Addition of one evidence technical to the Police Department
  • Emphasis on new technology: Utilization of drones, GPS, tracking software, FLOCK cameras, and cell phone pings to support investigations)
  • Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED): Parks and Recreation, Public Works, and Community and Economic Development Department expansion of using CPTED in project planning. CPTED is a proactive strategy that uses specific design principles to optimize public spaces and stop criminal behavior before it happens. These can include natural access control and opportunities for increased surveillance through the placement of lighting, landscaping, or a design to limit access to crime-prone areas.
  • Focusing on traffic safety: Focus on securing more Traffic Safety Commission grants to emphasize Renton's street safety and continue work on traffic calming measures.
  • Focusing on environmental safety: Stormwater planning ensures flooding of roads during storms is avoidable by providing infrastructure and planning for the safety of all drivers.

From 2023 to 2024, the number of juvenile suspects in cases decreased by 25.4%, with the major decrease coming after April 2024. This is a result of good policing, community engagement, and applied effort in key need areas. Renton's Police Department crime analyst team has built out a Crime Statistics Dashboard; learn more here.

Social Services

The city is strengthening social services by investing in preventive measures, particularly for youth, that improve community health and reduce reliance on crisis intervention. The city is shifting its approach to social services, by focusing on investing upstream.

What this looks like:

  • Renton Student Health Hub: A new partnership with the city's Parks and Recreation Department, Renton School District, and Health Commons to provide behavioral health services to students and their families to break the cycle that leads to crisis. The Hub:
    • Identifies opportunities for early intervention.
    • Provides preventative measures to avoid crisis.
    • Utilizes accountability metrics.
  • Continuing support of existing services for vulnerable residents and those in need of crisis support:
    • Food access through senior lunch programs and summer meals.
    • Lower utility billing rates for seniors
    • Housing repair support
    • HB 1590 funds used for behavioral health and housing services.
    • Funding through the Human Services Funding Collaborative to provide social services and assistance to Renton residents.
    • Affordable housing projects
    • FD Cares Programming (Partnership with the Renton Regional Fire Authority to provide support to those in crisis)

Investment and Maintenance

The city is addressing the toll that deferred maintenance and constrained resources have taken on the city through additional resources that will support the improvement and maintenance of Renton's streets, parks, and other public areas.

What this looks like:

  • Revitalizing downtown
    • Upgrades and enhancements to Piazza Park.
    • Upgrades and enhancements to the Renton Market.
    • Legacy Square Project.
    • Attracting businesses to increase pedestrian flow and use of downtown spaces.
  • Downtown Clean & Safe Initiative
    • Dedicated cleaning crews 3 to 4 days per week working 4-8 hours per day.
    • Ongoing maintenance including regular litter collection, monthly deep cleanings, graffiti removal, bio-waste cleanup, and six annual pressure washings.

    • Launch of "Paint with Purpose" which will transform graffiti into murals.

  • Proactive code enforcement
    • Educating the public on code enforcement
      • Making the code easy to understand.
      • Educating the public on the reason behind directives and what is allowed in yards.
      • Educating the public on the different code enforcement for residential areas vs. business areas.
  • Increasing maintenance
    • Adding frequent cleanings in high-traffic areas and before/after events.
    • Increasing focus on quick response times for immediate cleaning needs or issues.
    • Continue to address encampments to keep public spaces safe and clean through dedicated positions, with a focus on encampment clean-up and offering resources to the unhoused community.
  • Updating city facilities and parks
    • Investments include a new 18-acre park in Northeast Renton at May Creek, Springbrook boardwalk, Cleveland-Richardson Park project in Southwest Renton, Earlington Park renovations, Liberty Park improvements, and Edlund-Carr Road park development.
    • Investments in renovations to the Highlands Park and Neighborhood Center Playground, the Maplewood Playground, Gateway Park, Henry Moses Aquatic Center, and Piazza Park
  • Investing in transportation
    • Investing approximately $12 million in transportation capital projects for the two-year budget.
    • Projects include bridge repairs, resurfacing streets, and planning in conjunction with agencies for mass transit access.

Development and Infrastructure

Renton's population has doubled over the last 20 years, but the city has not increased accordingly. Increasing the city's staff as an investment will allow the city to deliver what the community needs.

The City of Renton has already begun investing in a stronger voice in the legislative process, recently adding an internal Government Affairs Manager.

What this looks like:

  • Adding eight police officers
  • Adding internal services support
    • HR, IT, Finance Department, and Administrative Assistants

Economic Development

Renton is actively pursuing the addition of new businesses that create well-paying jobs, add positive context to the city, and grow tax revenue, which impacts the services we can provide to our residents.

What this looks like:

Renton continues to grow and evolve each year. The City of Renton is committed to approaching the unique needs of our community with innovation and accountability, ensuring we build a strong foundation for Renton’s future. Mayor Armondo Pavone aims to enhance residents’ quality of life through these priorities: public safety, strengthening social services, city investment and maintenance, development and infrastructure, and economic development.

Public Safety

The city has applied multiple approaches to address public safety concerns. While public safety often focuses on law enforcement, the city has incorporated public safety across multiple departments.

What this looks like:

  • Addition of eight police officers over the next two year
  • Addition of one evidence technical to the Police Department
  • Emphasis on new technology: Utilization of drones, GPS, tracking software, FLOCK cameras, and cell phone pings to support investigations)
  • Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED): Parks and Recreation, Public Works, and Community and Economic Development Department expansion of using CPTED in project planning. CPTED is a proactive strategy that uses specific design principles to optimize public spaces and stop criminal behavior before it happens. These can include natural access control and opportunities for increased surveillance through the placement of lighting, landscaping, or a design to limit access to crime-prone areas.
  • Focusing on traffic safety: Focus on securing more Traffic Safety Commission grants to emphasize Renton's street safety and continue work on traffic calming measures.
  • Focusing on environmental safety: Stormwater planning ensures flooding of roads during storms is avoidable by providing infrastructure and planning for the safety of all drivers.

From 2023 to 2024, the number of juvenile suspects in cases decreased by 25.4%, with the major decrease coming after April 2024. This is a result of good policing, community engagement, and applied effort in key need areas. Renton's Police Department crime analyst team has built out a Crime Statistics Dashboard; learn more here.

Social Services

The city is strengthening social services by investing in preventive measures, particularly for youth, that improve community health and reduce reliance on crisis intervention. The city is shifting its approach to social services, by focusing on investing upstream.

What this looks like:

  • Renton Student Health Hub: A new partnership with the city's Parks and Recreation Department, Renton School District, and Health Commons to provide behavioral health services to students and their families to break the cycle that leads to crisis. The Hub:
    • Identifies opportunities for early intervention.
    • Provides preventative measures to avoid crisis.
    • Utilizes accountability metrics.
  • Continuing support of existing services for vulnerable residents and those in need of crisis support:
    • Food access through senior lunch programs and summer meals.
    • Lower utility billing rates for seniors
    • Housing repair support
    • HB 1590 funds used for behavioral health and housing services.
    • Funding through the Human Services Funding Collaborative to provide social services and assistance to Renton residents.
    • Affordable housing projects
    • FD Cares Programming (Partnership with the Renton Regional Fire Authority to provide support to those in crisis)

Investment and Maintenance

The city is addressing the toll that deferred maintenance and constrained resources have taken on the city through additional resources that will support the improvement and maintenance of Renton's streets, parks, and other public areas.

What this looks like:

  • Revitalizing downtown
    • Upgrades and enhancements to Piazza Park.
    • Upgrades and enhancements to the Renton Market.
    • Legacy Square Project.
    • Attracting businesses to increase pedestrian flow and use of downtown spaces.
  • Downtown Clean & Safe Initiative
    • Dedicated cleaning crews 3 to 4 days per week working 4-8 hours per day.
    • Ongoing maintenance including regular litter collection, monthly deep cleanings, graffiti removal, bio-waste cleanup, and six annual pressure washings.

    • Launch of "Paint with Purpose" which will transform graffiti into murals.

  • Proactive code enforcement
    • Educating the public on code enforcement
      • Making the code easy to understand.
      • Educating the public on the reason behind directives and what is allowed in yards.
      • Educating the public on the different code enforcement for residential areas vs. business areas.
  • Increasing maintenance
    • Adding frequent cleanings in high-traffic areas and before/after events.
    • Increasing focus on quick response times for immediate cleaning needs or issues.
    • Continue to address encampments to keep public spaces safe and clean through dedicated positions, with a focus on encampment clean-up and offering resources to the unhoused community.
  • Updating city facilities and parks
    • Investments include a new 18-acre park in Northeast Renton at May Creek, Springbrook boardwalk, Cleveland-Richardson Park project in Southwest Renton, Earlington Park renovations, Liberty Park improvements, and Edlund-Carr Road park development.
    • Investments in renovations to the Highlands Park and Neighborhood Center Playground, the Maplewood Playground, Gateway Park, Henry Moses Aquatic Center, and Piazza Park
  • Investing in transportation
    • Investing approximately $12 million in transportation capital projects for the two-year budget.
    • Projects include bridge repairs, resurfacing streets, and planning in conjunction with agencies for mass transit access.

Development and Infrastructure

Renton's population has doubled over the last 20 years, but the city has not increased accordingly. Increasing the city's staff as an investment will allow the city to deliver what the community needs.

The City of Renton has already begun investing in a stronger voice in the legislative process, recently adding an internal Government Affairs Manager.

What this looks like:

  • Adding eight police officers
  • Adding internal services support
    • HR, IT, Finance Department, and Administrative Assistants

Economic Development

Renton is actively pursuing the addition of new businesses that create well-paying jobs, add positive context to the city, and grow tax revenue, which impacts the services we can provide to our residents.

What this looks like:

  • 2025 State of the City presentation now available

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    You can find the full presentation video at rentonwa.gov/sotc and presentation PowerPoint available on this page in the right-hand column. Thank you all for attending and participating in this year's State of the City address.

  • Public Safety

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    Public safety is the most frequent concern I hear from residents. It is a fundamental need for all and a top priority. Here is what we are seeing and how, as a city, we are aiming to combat these concerns:

    • In 2024, we reviewed data from the past three years and noticed an upward trend in juvenile crime. This issue is not confined to Renton; the trend is evident throughout the region.
    • In September 2024, the City of Renton collaborated with the mayors of Auburn, Kent, and Federal Way to publish an editorial in the Seattle Times to call for accountability and a new approach to addressing juvenile crime.
    • Crime in Renton is on a downward trend overall in 2024:
      • Motor vehicle theft has decreased by 35%
      • Malicious mischief has decreased by 21.2%
      • Juvenile suspects have decreased by 25.4%
      • Commercial burglary has decreased by 35.2%
      • Robbery has decreased by 35%
      • Assault via firearm decreased by 15%
      • DUI cases increased by 35.3% due to increased patrols
    • Renton Police Department prioritizes strategies combining effective policing, community engagement, and targeted interventions.
    • Increased number of patrol units (8)
    • Specialized Units:
      • Violent Crime Unit: Dedicated to combatting violent crime and gang activity. The unit is the department's response to the increase in violent crime, especially juvenile crime.
      • Special Enforcement Team: This team focuses on undercover operations and conducts long-term investigations that target the 20% of criminals responsible for 80% of the crimes, such as high-level organized retail theft rings and narcotic investigations.
      • Directed Enforcement Team: This team focuses on collaboration with residents, businesses, and community organizations on short-term investigations and proactive community outreach.
    • In 2024, there were 302 firearms confiscated. In 2025, thus far, 52 guns have been removed.
    • The department is among the first cities in the nation to implement a drone program to support investigations and assist with in-progress calls on the street.
    • Focusing on upstream investment before crime becomes an option for our youth (Youth Academy, Renton Health Hub, etc.).
    • An example of cross-departmental collaboration to enhance public safety is through Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED). This proactive strategy employs specific design principles to optimize public spaces and deter criminal behavior before it occurs, including natural access control, improved visibility, lighting, and landscaping.
    • Example of projects that incorporates CPTED in the design plans:
      • South 7th Street Corridor project
      • Burnett and Talbot
      • Family First Community Center
      • Piazza Park
    • Traffic calming measures focus on design improvements, traffic signaling, and increased patrols to significantly enhance safety for drivers and pedestrians. Completed projects include Lake Washington Boulevard and Puget Drive, which resulted in drivers traveling over 30 MPH dropping by 93% and the average speed decreasing by 12 MPH.
    • Public safety includes providing a safe and healthy environment, including stormwater planning through road designs for flood mitigations and preventing pollution from entering our rivers, streams, and lakes.
    • The city conducts environmental reviews for all projects impacting water safety and quality.
    • The city's Public Works Maintenance crews have one of the region's fastest road clearance response times for snow, ice, wind, and roadway debris.

  • Social Services

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    Strengthening social services is a priority of our city and council, and investing in preventative measures, particularly for youth, will improve community health and reduce reliance on crisis intervention. The city is accomplishing this through:

    • Evidence-based and data-informed partnerships to increase our "upstream" investment.
    • Strategic investment in human services by implementing solutions that address community needs. This includes addressing food insecurity, lower utility bill rates for seniors, and the Housing Repair Assistance Program.
    • Enhancing youth access to critical health services. One way this is being done is through the Renton Student Health Hub.
      • The Renton Student Health Hub is a partnership with the city, Renton School District, and Health Commons that provides quick access to behavioral and mental health services. It utilizes technology to connect students with the appropriate resources they need most.
    • To support the community's most vulnerable populations investments have been made in solution-driven approaches, such as expanding the use of FD CARES, a specialized unit within Renton Regional Fire Authority staffed with registered nurses and social workers that connects individuals in need of medical care, social services, and long-term support to break the cycle of repeated 911 calls.
    • In June 2024 alone, our crews removed over four tons of garbage (or ten full dump trucks) from just two encampment sites.
    • Looking ahead, we are exploring additional tools to maintain safety and accountability, such as the Stay Out of Drug Areas (SODA) program, which would allow the courts to prohibit repeat drug offenders from entering specific areas where drug-related crimes are concentrated.


Page last updated: 03 Apr 2025, 05:52 PM