Futurewise
Futurewise works throughout Washington State to encourage healthy, equitable, and opportunity-rich communities and to protect our most valuable farmlands, forests and water resources through wise land use policies and practices. Founded to help support implementation of the first-in-the-nation Growth Management Act, we focus on directing equitable growth into our urbanized areas and preventing the conversion of wildlife habitat, open space, farmland, and working forests to subdivisions and development.
Snohomish County Reconsiders Developing Channel Migration Zones
The Growth Management Act, including the Shoreline Master Program, touches many different land use issues in many different parts of the state. Futurewise works with local partners across Washington who keep us informed of local GMA issues...
On Tuesday, March 19th, Futurewise is welcoming activist scholar Dr. Lisa K. Bates, Ph.D. as our Keynote Speaker for the Spring Luncheon and Livable Communities Awards. Dr. Bates will be speaking on the topic “Housing Justice, not for ‘Just Us’”, a timely exploration of the false dichotomies...
Futurewise to Appeal Ferry County Agricultural Land Designation
Futurewise, along with our partner Concerned Friends of Ferry County, have decided to appeal Ferry County’s agricultural land designations to the Appeals Court, in hopes of bringing Ferry County into compliance with Growth Management Act (GMA)...
With just a few weeks left in 2018, Futurewise is looking ahead to the 2019 legislative session. The November elections substantially changed the make-up of the state legislature, with Democrats picking up seven seats in the State House and three seats in the State Senate. The new...
Tacoma has adopted a new affordable housing action strategy that aims to reach 10,500 households over 10 years–-a plan that will mean a $70 million housing investment, paid for from a mix of public, private and philanthropic resources. The strategy tackles four main areas: production of new...
Quick quiz: Can you name all fourteen goals of Washington state’s Growth Management Act? Would you guess that addressing climate change is not one of them?
Nearly thirty years ago, Washington passed the Growth Management Act (GMA), a comprehensive piece of legislation dedicated to...
Submit your nominations for the Futurewise Livable Community Awards!
Each year, Futurewise honors community leaders in five categories (Local Government Excellence, Equity and Environment, Protecting Natural Resource Areas, Smart Growth and Transportation, Community Champion). We want your nominations for 2019! Submit your ideas online.
Pierce County Council Votes to Double Protected...
New study shows Seattle has overabundance of parking
Since the invention of the automobile, Americans have been obsessed with where to park them. Yet, new research presented by the Research Institute for Housing America (RIHA) shows clearly that America’s investment in parking is out of balance with demand. In Seattle,...
