2025 State of the City Recap

On April 22, the Bellevue Downtown Association and the City of Bellevue presented the annual State of the City. Featuring a keynote address by Mayor Lynne Robinson, followed by a sit-down conversation with her and Deputy Mayor Mo Malakoutian, the event centered around the theme "Better Together". The discussion highlighted some of Bellevue’s most pressing topics including citywide achievements, key partnerships, local resilience, and forward-looking initiatives designed to benefit community members for years to come. 

A full recording of the event can be found here.

Economic Growth & Stability

Mayor Robinson introduced Bellevue as a thriving hub of innovation, marked by the second largest economy in the state. This prosperity is largely attributed to the continuity of corporate expansions and strategic business investments that poise Bellevue as one of the most robust office markets in the country, home to over 162,000 jobs.  

The economy is booming, with a 16% increase in retail sales since before Covid-19. Implementation of a tourism promotion area has resulted in a $1.9 billion fiscal impact in 2024 alone, which encompasses 2.2 million overnight visitors. 

In preparation for the World Cup and the anticipation of over 750,000 people, the city is laying the groundwork for a future where the region is a go-to destination for world-class tournaments, conferences, and cultural events. This event will prove to be more than just soccer – it will be a highly influential economic opportunity. 

Public Safety

Public safety remains a top priority for the City of Bellevue as a way to maintain peace of mind for local patrons and residents. The police force is currently swearing in four new officers as part of the 46 hired in the last year – the biggest single recruitment year in the department’s history. The fire department remains within the top 1% of the country, with one of the highest cardiac survival rates in the world due to their fast response times and expert training. 

Arts & Culture

Culturally, the city has honed its efforts in public space activations and the arts. It is working to increase access to parks and green spaces through the acquisition of land and preservation of existing open space. The arts budget has increased for 2025, and the community can expect to see a continued high quality of life standard through economic investment, public safety, neighborhood outreach, excellent public schools, and a culture of giving back. 

“In Bellevue, diversity is not just a buzzword. It’s who we are,” said Deputy Mayor Malakoutian.

As the most racially and linguistically diverse cities in the region, the future holds an abundance of cultural sharing and appreciation. When it comes to the arts, studies show that communities that invest in these priorities have fewer isolated seniors, more active voters, and a 33% increase in volunteers. These efforts can be seen in the burgeoning BelRed Arts District’s density of creative businesses and the Grand Connection’s future art installations and placemaking efforts.  

Housing

Bellevue has seen significant progress in affordable housing and has surpassed its goal of creating 2500 additional units. Through partnership with 4 Tomorrow, 30 families utilizing the city’s safe parking program have now been placed in stable housing. Further partnerships have been forged with Bridge Housing, Sound Transit, and Amazon to further this goal of transit-oriented affordable housing. This will accommodate the steadily growing population and efforts to create a more transportation-friendly city. The effects can already be seen – the city has seen a 25% decrease in car trips thanks to new transit-oriented development. 

The city is committed to building 35,000 new housing units by continuing development and utilizing rezoned spaces in BelRed, Eastgate, East Main, and Wilburton. City Manager Diane Carlson has implemented an Office of Housing, researching the process of developing Bellevue’s surplus properties into affordable residences. Multifamily housing projects such as Aventine Apartments are tax exempt, incentivizing developers to maintain cost efficiency for tenants. 

Community Involvement

Community members are highly encouraged to volunteer to help make their city shine, with numerous opportunities listed on the city's website. The Bellevue Essentials Course is an incredibly useful tool for learning about the workings of local government. It has often guiding people toward boards and commissions of interest. Mayor Robinson also emphasized how valuable mentorship roles can be, for everyone from small business owners to young students.

"I’m a lifelong volunteer myself,” she said. “I really encourage people to continue to get out there and help others."

As the fastest growing neighborhood in Bellevue, Mayor Robinson and Deputy Mayor Malakoutian both agreed that the future of Downtown is bright. Through strategic partnerships and a culture of mutual success, the city will continue to thrive as the heart of the Eastside.

This blog is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.