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Author: Doug Trumm

a new seven story apartment building and a side street

Seattle Council Rejects Morales’ Affordable Housing Bill

After her bill failed Tuesday, Councilmember Morales said: "My Connected Communities legislation would have produced more affordable housing, commercial affordability, and anti-displacement measures right now. I’m incredibly disappointed in its failure to pass today."

Riders Swarm East Link Light Rail on Opening Weekend

The 2 Line clocked 35,000 boardings on opening day according to Sound Transit's estimate. Sound Transit cut the ribbon on its brand new East Link...

Everything to Know About Sound Transit’s 2 Line, Launching This Weekend

The Eastside will have light rail service for the first time, as East Link launches Saturday. The Urbanist has everything you need to know about this momentous occasion.
Fire and smoke pours out of upper story windows of an old brick building with a fire crane seeking to control them.

Seattle Aims to Tamp Down Vacant Building Fires

Vacant building fires have become increasingly common in Seattle in recent years. In response to the threat that these fires can pose, Mayor Bruce...

Harrell Proposes Design Review Exemption for Downtown Housing Projects

Mayor Harrell is hoping to activate downtown through greater housing development and his administration has proposed a design review exemption for qualifying housing and/or laboratory projects in the downtown core to encourage such growth.
Morales wears a yellow blazer and glasses.

Seattle Land Use Committee Rejects Morales’ Equitable Development Bill

Chair Tammy Morales appeared flabbergasted as she initially failed to get a second to her motion to introduce her bill providing incentives for affordable housing.
An aerial photo of a boulevard with port cranes and Elliott Bay in the distance.

Planners Proposed Bigger Upzones Before Harrell’s Team Intervened, Records Show

A paper trail from fall 2023 shows that Mayor Harrell's office overruled his planning department and cut transit corridor upzones and halved the number of proposed "neighborhood centers" before release of the growth strategy.

Heroes and Zeroes of the 2024 Washington State Legislature

Check out our top ten lawmakers who distinguished themselves for good and bad from the 2024 session of the Washington State Legislature.