Longtime Lynnwood resident Maria Ambalada has declared her intention to run for a Lynnwood City Council seat.
Ambalada, a former member of the city’s Neighborhood and Demographic Diversity Commission, serves on the city’s Planning Commission.
In an effort to counter what she sees as a corrupt and compromised system, Ambalada says she will finance her campaign in a “voter-owned” system in which she accepts only $1 cash contributions from Lynnwood residents.
A native of the Philippines, Ambalada graduated from law school there and earned a masters degree in mental health social work from the University of Washington. Before retiring, Ambalada worked in the criminal justice system.
Ambalada campaigned for former councilman Don Gough’s successful 2006 mayor race.
She supports efforts to improve community inclusiveness, support and participation. A strong advocate for education, Ambalada says she is “eager to involve students” in the democratic process. She helped make two high school students “honorary” members of the diversity commission’s predecessor, the Lynnwood Diversity Task Force, which she helped start.
A mobile home park resident, Ambalada has been a staunch advocate of homeowner empowerment.
Her concern for residents started in 2001 when the city initiated a rezoning project in compliance with the state Growth Management Act. She foresaw the closing of many mobile home parks, including the Squire, which has been home for her and her aged mother for 12 years.
Ambalada’s community connections enabled her to approach the Housing Authority of Snohomish County and facilitate early discussions towards the successful acquisition by the housing authority of Squire and Kingsbury East.
She also initiated an active grass roots organization called the Seniors for Action Committee to deal with the loss of mobile home parks, condo conversions and the continuing loss of affordable housing for both young and old.
She formed the Lynnwood Neighborhood Coalition to create economic development for seniors, single mothers and students in South Snohomish County by introducing them to the concept of a public market.
Ambalada is president of the Filipino American group of Lynnwood; a board member of LETI (Leadership, Education, Technology and Independance through Las Americas) which facilitates ESL, citizenship and computer classes at the Korean Womens’ Association; and she’s a board member of Work Opportunities Inc., La Esperanza and Save our Seniors.
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