Semra is a lifelong Washingtonian who has lived in Lake Forest Park for 15 years and has had the honor of serving as your councilmember for the past 9. Growing up just down the road in Woodinville on an acre full of cats, cows, and chickens, she earned her Bachelor of Architecture at the UW and has worked in the Puget Sound area ever since, designing hospitals and coordinating high-rise construction.

When Semra moved here, it was to start a family in a place known for being a safe community where people care about their neighbors and trees. Two years later she had a daughter and a yard full of native plants.  Wanting to support this community and give back, she volunteered as a Planning Commissioner before becoming a Councilmember.

On council she has taken a pragmatic approach and emphasized good government, smart budgeting, and a commitment to protecting what we love about Lake Forest Park while addressing the unavoidable changes and challenges of the past few years. 

Working to build consensus, she developed the Healthy Streets program, which prioritizes safety for pedestrians by identifying and eliminating thru-traffic on neighborhood streets that were never intended to be busy arterials.

She worked to develop a plan to prioritize projects that increase safety near our schools, add sidewalks, and reduce traffic and pedestrian injuries. This plan continues to serve as a city blueprint for future safety improvements.

She created a Locking Mailbox program to encourage adoption of stronger mailboxes after a rash of mail thefts and organized to get those mailboxes at reduced cost for residents. When the town center building codes were updated for possible future re-development, she ensured the code would not allow overbuilding with too many housing units, ensured the inclusion of affordable units amid soaring house prices, and required expanded open areas and trees.

During her time on council, Semra has ushered in 11 acres of new park space in the city, including the original 5 Acre Woods and recently added two more acres to 5 Acre Woods and our newest park on almost 2 acres of Lake Washington waterfront (now under construction). The new park, on a beautiful stretch of waterfront next to the Lyon Creek Waterfront Preserve, will be Lake Forest Park’s first public water access with active water recreation opportunities. 

Semra has been the architect of the current vision in the city’s Comprehensive Plan, simplifying zoning and setting the stage for smart development. During her time on Council, she made major updates to the tree canopy code and increased protections for our wetlands and streams to preserve the wall-to-wall greenery that makes Lake Forest Park unique. This includes strong support for environmental stewardship and working to bring back native salmon to our streams. 

Improving Lake Forest Park isn’t only about improving city codes, increasing safety, and securing new parks. Forging connections with surrounding cities and regional organizations is also important. Semra has been working hard lobbying for the city in Olympia and advocating for more funding from the state and county and representing the city on numerous regional boards and committees. 

She serves as a board member and previously as President of Healthier Here on behalf of the Sound Cities Association, helping to improve Medicaid outcomes for residents. She serves as a city representative on the North Urban Human Services Alliance board, aiding service providers who address homelessness and food insecurity in our city and across the north King County. She served on the Joint Recommendation Committee, which is responsible for overseeing county expenditures for two affordable housing and housing security programs. And she served as the Chair of the Washington Community Forestry Council, an advisory committee to the Commissioner of Public Lands, reviewing DNR policies and participating in their grant program approval process, all to seek to ensure the health of our urban forests and trees and those across the state. 

Semra’s deep experience in city and regional issues, state partnerships, and multi-city cooperation give her the skills and knowledge that make her effective on city council. When it comes to the complexities of the city code, budget, and regional agreements, knowing the details gives results, and always looking at the long-term consequences of short-term decisions helps those results stick.

She has and continues to approach city governance in a principled and pragmatic way, encouraging residents to share their voices, emphasizing safety and environmental stewardship, and both preserving and improving what we love about Lake Forest Park. 

Semra continues to be the logical choice for Council position 1. Please vote for Semra this August and remember to vote for her in the general election this November!