Economics

The Unfinished Promise of the Center City Connector

Pioneer Square has the most to potentially lose--but also gain--from the connection of Seattle’s downtown streetcar lines. During her daily commute into Pioneer Square...

Baltimore’s Harborplace: Elegy to a Dead Mall

Lessons from a one-time crown jewel of urban renewal. Recently I got to be a tourist in my hometown. The hard part about going back...
a report cover for a south king county guaranteed basic income pilot evaluation and policy analysis

South King County Pilot Shows Promise of Guaranteed Basic Income

In 2020, King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay initiated the King County Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot program, which was funded by community service operating grant...
Downtown Seattle wall with City Hall sign on it and buildings in the background.

Seattle Must Reject Austerity in Response to Covid Recession Budget Holes

The Urbanist joined more than 40 community organizations in signing a letter urging Mayor Jenny Durkan and the Seattle City Council to reject austerity...

Uber’s Hollow Promise For Cities

Uber has been in the news lately for offering cities a smidgen of their data on traffic patterns. Like so many things with Uber,...
A cloud of smoke

Sagging Revenue Forecast Prompts Seattle Council to Push Back Budget Timeline

A “grave” report from the new Office of Economic and Revenue Forecasts (OERF) showed a hit to the general fund and a steep decline...
A sign says 4,128 square feet of retail are available.

Seattle to Boost Downtown with Additional Street-Level Uses

On Monday, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed an ordinance to energize Downtown Seattle and South Lake Union (SLU) with new street-level uses. This...

Smart Grids: Technology for a Green Urban Energy Future

The buzzwords “smart grid” have been floating around in environmentalist circles, national security circles, and it’s even made an appearance in urbanist media. Hype...