Staff Biography
Owen Pickford
Founder and Former Executive DirectorOwen Pickford does servicing and consulting for a software company to pay the bills. He spends the majority of his free time learning and writing about urban policy. Owen started grassroots advocacy in 2004, organizing over 400 volunteers in three counties for a presidential campaign. Since then he’s continued volunteering for political organizations, cycling and transit groups. Owen primarily wrote about housing issues. He founded The Urbanist and served as executive director through 2019.
Recent Articles
Seattle Needs a Powerful Urbanist Media Outlet
Founder Owen Pickford reflects on a decade of The Urbanist and urges urbanists to chip in to keep this institution strong. Please make a donation during our spring member drive.
Seattle’s Housing Construction Booms While Permitting Flashes Warning Signs
Plummeting permits could point to a housing slowdown and less affordable housing money after a banner year.
Seattle’s housing production set a new record in...
Despite Slowdown Worries, 2021 Sets A Townhouse Production Record in Seattle
Last year, The Urbanist covered a Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) report suggesting that townhouse development in Seattle might be...
High Speed Rail Is a Solution for Terrible Airlines
The winter holidays gifted Seattle thousands of cancelled flights, likely affecting over 100,000 travellers. Today, weeks later, people are feeling the impacts as airlines...
Spring 2021 Subscriber Drive Financial Update
Last year, The Urbanist started paying an Executive Director for the first time since its founding. The new director started in December 2019 and...