Fremont Neighborhood Service Center Records, 1952-2010

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle (Wash.). Dept. of Neighborhoods
Title
Fremont Neighborhood Service Center Records
Dates
1952-2010 (inclusive)
1990-2010 (inclusive)
Quantity
2.2 cubic feet, (6 boxes)
Collection Number
5752-05
Summary
Records documenting the activities of the Fremont Neighborhoood Service Center.
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for processing this record series was provided through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Department of Neighborhoods was created in 1991 by consolidating staff from the Executive Department's Citizens Service Bureau and Office of Neighborhoods, the Community Service Centers of the Department of Human Resources, and the Neighborhood Assistance Division of the Department of Community Development. The Office of Urban Conservation, the City's historic preservation agency, was added in 1992. The following year, the department added a community development function by taking over projects in the Central Area, Southeast Seattle, and the Port of Seattle. In 1999, the Neighborhood Planning Office was abolished and its continuing functions were assumed by the Department of Neighborhoods. The Department's mission is to bring local government closer to the citizens by maintaining a responsive presence in Seattle neighborhoods, by responding to citizen concerns and complaints, and providing a communications link for neighborhoods on City issues that will have an impact on them. The department operates the Neighborhood Service Centers (Little City Halls), administers the Neighborhood Matching Grant Program, staffs the Landmarks Preservation Board, and manages the P-Patch program.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Seattle has a network of Neighborhood Service Centers located throughout the city to provide citizens with information about Seattle services and programs. The customer service representatives assist more than 225,000 residents each year to obtain pet licences, pay City Light and Combined Utility bills, pay traffic tickets, apply for U.S. passports, and find information about city jobs. District coordinators are involved in neighborhood planning processes, serve as staff to the neighborhood district councils, and provide a wide range of information services to the community.

Seven Community Service Centers were established in 1973 under the direction of the Citizens Service Bureau to provide decentralized local government services to Seattle's neighborhoods. The program was inspired by Boston's successful "Little City Halls" concept, but budget constraints made it impossible to create as comprehensive a system. The original sites of the community centers were in the neighborhoods served by the Model City Program.

In 1974, the service center program was transferred to the Department of Human Resources (DHR). Under DHR, the service centers continued to provide decentralized City services, but also expanded into community-based social service delivery. In 1978, four of the centers were designated collection centers where citizens could pay utility bills and resolve billing issues. In addition, senior services, voter registration, animal licensing, and low income energy program assistance were instituted at the centers. During the 1980s and 1990s, the various service centers offered neighborhood legal clinics, IRS tax assistance, health and nutrition services, and a wide variety of other services.

The Department of Neighborhoods (DON) was created in 1991 and jurisdiction over community service centers was transferred from DHR. The Community Service Center Division was created within DON; in 1992 the division name was changed to the Neighborhood Service Centers (NSC) Division. In 1999, the Neighborhood Matching Fund and P-Patch Programs were merged with the NSC to create the Community Building Division. From the 1990s through 2010, the NSC program included staff in thirteen centers, including seven collection centers. Budget cuts forced the closing of six service centers in early 2011.

Records of the Fremont Neighborhoood Service Center include reports, meeting agendas and minutes, correspondence, newspaper clippings and other materials documenting the activities of the service staff, Fremont Service Center Manager Carla Main, and Neighborhood District Coordinator Steve Louie. The Fremont Service Center covered the neighborhoods of Wallingford, Ballard, and Fremont, as well as areas around Lake Union and Aurora. Service Center staff members worked directly with community groups and project committees. Records document activities including neighborhood beautification, traffic development, safety, and citizen concerns such as Aurora Motel safety, Lake Union seaplane noise and traffic, the Fremont Fair and Parade, the South Lake Union Development Project, and the Boylston Avenue Noise Wall.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], Fremont Neighborhoood Service Center Records, Record Series 5752-05. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Separated Materials

Publications were pulled from the ca_collections.idno and are cataloged separately in the Published Documents Index.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1 Aurora Bridgeway Mural 1994-2004
1 2 Aurora Motel Information Program 2004-2005
1 3 Ballard Fred Meyer Mitigation 2002-2005
1 4 Boyston Ave. Noisewall 2004
1 5 Canal Street-Canal Park 1998
1 6 Cascade Area Business Neighbors 2003
1 7 Cascade Neighborhood Council 2003
1 8 Center For Wooden Boats 2003
1 9 Clean Seattle Initiative-Wallingford 2002
1 10 Eastlake Community Council 2003
1 11 Fremont Arts Council-Freemont Fair and Parade 2003
1 12 Fremont Chamber of Commerce-Meetings 2003
1 13 Fremont Chamber of Commerce-Newsletters 2003
1 14 Fremont Clean and Green 2004
1 15 Fremont Dock Company 1996-2000
1 16 Fremont Forklift Rodeo and Octoberfest 1995-1996
1 17 Fremont History [Includes Pictures] 1975-1996
1 18 Fremont Neighborhood Council 2002-2006
1 19 Fremont Park 1995-2002
1 20 Fremont Public Association 2004
1 21 Fremont Troll 1990-1997
1 22 Fremont Service Center Photos 1994-1995
1 23 Fremont Works Inc 2002-2003
1 24 Floating Homes Association 2003
2 1 Gasworks Park Improvements 2002
2 2 Gasworks Park Clean Up 1984-1997
2 3 History House 1996-1998
2 4 Housing Resource Group- 45th and Stone Project 2003
2 5 Interurban-"Friends of the Interurban" Campaign 1976-1993
2 6 Lake Union District Council "Budget Letter" 2003
2 7 Lake Union District Council 1994-2004
2 8 Lake Union District Council-Agenda and Minutes 2003
2 9 Lake Union District Council-Agenda and Minutes 2004
2 10 Lake Union History 1990-1991
2 11 Lake Union Seaplane Advisory Committee 1986-1991
2 12 Lake Union Seaplane Committee Meeting Minutes and Correspondence 1987-1989
2 13 Lake Union Seaplane Committee Meeting Minutes and Correspondence 1988-1990
2 14 Lincoln Liason Committee 2003
2 15 Lake WA Ship Canal-Army Corps Tree Removal 1993-2001
2 16 Leary Way Improvement Project 2002-2003
2 17 McDonald School Advisory Committee 2003-2004
2 18 Neighborhood Plan Implementation Priority Reports 2004
2 19 North Lake Union Majority Stakeholder Working Group April-May 2004
3 1 North Lake Union Majority Stakeholder Working Group May-June 2004
3 2 North Lake Union Majority Stakeholder Working Group June 2004
3 3 North Lake Union Majority Stakeholder Working Group July 2004
3 4 North Seattle Industrial Association 2003
3 5 Ross Park Shelter House 2004
3 6 Seaplanes-Budget 1989
3 7 Seaplanes-Complaint Profiles 1996-1997
3 8 Seaplanes-History 1952-1988
3 9 Seaplanes-Overflight 1988-1990
3 10 Seaplanes-Training Infromation 1989
3 11 South Lake Union Severe Weather Shelter 2001-2002
3 12 South Lake Union Association 2003
3 13 South Lake Union Friends and Neighbors (SLUFAN) 2003
3 14 South Lake Union Housing Working Group 2004
3 15 South Lake Union Park 2000-2003
3 16 South Lake Union Project Team 2003
3 17 South Lake Union Project Team 2004-2006
3 18 South Lake Union Streetscape 2001
4 1 South Lake Union Project Team 2002-2003
4 2 South Wallingford Planning 2002-2003
4 3 Wallingford Neighborhood Office 2002-2004
4 4 Wallingford Boys and Girls Club 1999
4 5 Wallingford Chamber of Commerce 2002-2003
4 6 Wallingford Community Council 2003
4 7 West Lake Union Improvement Project 2001-2002
4 8 Small Sparks Projects 2006-2007
4 9 Transportation Projects 2005-2006
4 10 Floating Homes 2005-2006
4 11 Alaskan Way Viaduct 2004
4 12 South Wallingford Amendment 2004
4 13 Tank Farm Development 2005-2007
4 14 Wallingford Providence House Plans 2004
4 15 Wallingford Zoning 2005
4 16 South Wallingford Corridor Improvements 2002-2005
5 1 North Transfer Station Expansion 2004-2006
5 2 South Lake Union Transportation Study 2003-2004
5 3 South Lake Union Street Car 2004-2005
5 4 South Lake Union Parking Plan 2004-2005
5 5 South Lake Union Friends and Neighbors (SLUFAN) 2005
5 6 South Lake Union Park Development 2005
5 7 South Lake Union Neighborhood Matching Fund Agreement 2001-2002
5 8 South Lake Union Neighborhood Plan 2005
5 9 South Lake Union Project Team Minutes 2005
5 11 South Lake Union Developmetn Impacts Report 2004
5 10 South Lake Union Historic Survey
5 12 South Lake Union Design Guidelines 2004
5 13 Denny Park Play Space 2006
5 14 SLUFAN Minutes and Resources 2006
5 15 Gas Works Summer Nights 2006
5 16 Matching Fund Program 2010
5 17 Comprehensive Growth Report 2010
5 18 Alcohol Impact Area Report 2006
5 19 Aurora Bridge Suicide Prevention 2007
5 20 Hamilton Middle School Renovation Plan 2006-2007
5 21 Neighborhood Matching Fund Surveys 2006
6 1 History House Mintues 2005-2006
6 2 Eastlake Streetcar Community Input 2004
6 3 "The Bridge" 2005-2008
6 4 Fremont Bridge Approach 1997-2006
6 5 Fremont Chamber of Commerce Agendas and References 2005-2007
6 6 Fremont Peak Park 2002-2003
6 7 Troll Park Landscape Meeting 1999-2004

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Citizens' associations--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Municipal services--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Neighborhood government--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Seaplanes--Washington (State)--Seattle

Corporate Names

  • Seattle (Wash.). Dept. of Neighborhoods

Geographical Names

  • Seattle
  • Seattle (Wash.)