Yearly Archives: 2025
Harrell Chops Off Dozens of City Blocks from Planned Growth Centers
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has shrunk the dimensions of eight neighborhood centers and six urban center expansions he proposed last year. The move chops dozens of blocks off the growth centers, limiting opportunities for apartments and affordable homebuilding and drawing criticism from housing advocates.
Sound Transit Starts I-90 Testing, Full 2-Line Opening Slips to 2026
The unpowered tow across the I-90 floating bridge Wednesday marks a big milestone for the beleaguered East Link project. A grand opening of the 2 Line in early 2026 is highly dependent on how the next few months of testing go.
Op-Ed: Inquest into Faletogo Killing Highlights Seattle Police Accountability Failures
A 2018 traffic stop ended with a horrific Seattle police killing of Iosia Faletogo deemed "lawful and proper." Six years later a jury saw it differently, but the inquest also highlighted the need for stronger police accountability mechanisms.
High Point Safety Town Hall Is a Low Point for Saka
Last week, Seattle Councilmember Rob Saka hosted a packed town hall to address gun violence in High Point and other parts of his District 1. The event ended in frustrated shouting, as residents said Saka hadn’t delivered on what he’d promised.
Bellevue Councilmembers Twist Themselves in Knots Over Middle Housing Changes
Presented with a recommendation to allow additional density beyond a state mandate, a bloc of Bellevue's council pushed for more process and study. This November's election, when five of seven councilmembers must defend their seats, looms large in the background.
After ‘Year of Housing 2.0’, Policymakers Eye Next Big Housing Moves
Following a productive legislative session on the issue of housing, with around a dozen bills signed into law, Washington state lawmakers are already looking ahead to the next set of challenges to tackle.
In Eastside Affordable Housing Efforts, ARCH Provides Both Help and Hurdles
Inside the complicated calculations that determine if affordable housing gets built on King County’s Eastside and how A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH) finds itself in the middle of it all.
Governor Signs Washington’s First-in-the-Nation Shared Streets Law
Cities in Washington will have the legal authority to create shared streets, which feature much lower speed limits and put pedestrians first, under Senate Bill 5595. Governor Bob Ferguson signed the bill into law Saturday. It will go into effect on July 27.