Seattle Drops Race-Based Priority in Community Garden Waitlist

The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods told the Pacific Legal Foundation that it has revised the P-Patch community gardening program to no longer rank applicants by race or ethnicity. Previously, Black, Native American and Latinx applicants were placed at the top of the waiting list and had to sign a statement acknowledging systemic barriers. Citing an internal review, the city said these provisions conflict with the U.S. Constitution.

Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Andrew Quinio called the reversal a win for equal treatment and individual rights. This adjustment mirrors a recent policy change in Multnomah County, Oregon, where officials also dropped race and sexual orientation factors from homeless-service scoring after a Justice Department investigation. Both moves reflect growing legal pressure on local governments to eliminate race-based preferences.