An Office of Human Resources was established in 1971 in the Executive Department to develop, implement, and manage social services for low-income and disadvantaged residents of Seattle. In 1973 it was replaced by the Department of Human Resources. DHR administered family and youth services programs, senior citizen services, community service activities, the Seattle Veterans Action Center, and the Comprehensive Residential Weatherization Program. Federal, state, and local grants comprised two-thirds of the department's operating budget. Passage of the 1986 Low Income Housing Levy increased the City's funding and policy role in housing issues. In 1991, the agency name was changed to the Department of Human Services. A year later, the Department of Housing and Human Services was created, incorporating the City housing programs and Community Development Block Grant administration from the recently abolished Department of Community Development. DHHS programs included aging services, family and youth services, housing and community services, human services, and the City's education office. In 1999, the Office of Housing was established as an independent agency and DHHS was reorganized as the Human Services Department.
Project Lift-Off was a community partnership that ran from 2001 to 2004 with the goal of creating an effective and affordable system of early learning and out-of-school-time activities for Seattle and King County youth aged 0-18. This series includes quarterly progress reports from the duration of Project Lift-Off, meeting agendas and briefing materials, and records of Opportunity Fund grants to programs around the region. In addition to internal documents there are a number of program flyers and newsletters detailing the project's scope and accomplishments.
Records are open to the public.
[Item and date], Project Lift-Off Records, Record Series 3623-04. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.