CDCPDA Community Meeting Postponed as Board Agrees to Add New Members

CDCPDA Community Meeting Postponed as Board Agrees to Add New Members

Seattle, WA – A planned July 15th community meeting to address urgent concerns about governance and layoffs at the Central District Community Preservation and Development Authority (CDCPDA) has been postponed, following a breakthrough agreement between current Board leadership and community stakeholders.

In a productive discussion, CDCPDA Board members agreed to vote community advocates Hayward Evans and Dr. Lora-Ellen McKinney onto the Board during the upcoming Wednesday, July 16th meeting. In response, Evans has delayed the public forum to give the Board an opportunity to act in good faith and avoid further conflict.

“This is a strategic pause, not a cancellation,” said Evans. “We’re creating space for the Board to correct course by restoring lawful governance, seating qualified members, and pausing any decisions that could destabilize the organization.”

Evans has prepared a formal resolution calling for a temporary moratorium on all staff layoffs until the full 13-member Board is seated or until September 30, 2025. The resolution will be introduced immediately upon seating.

The community forum will be rescheduled following the Wednesday Board meeting to provide updates on Board decisions, governance reforms, and how residents can stay involved.

About CDCPDA:The Central District Community Preservation and Development Authority (CDCPDA) was created to restore and manage the former Seattle Vocational Institute property, now renamed the McKinney Center for Community & Economic Development, as a center for empowerment, economic equity, and cultural preservation for Seattle’s historically Black Central District.