Economics

The Puget Sound Is Adding More Than 4,800 Jobs Monthly, But Where’s The Housing?

If you thought that regional growth might be petering out, you'd be wrong. Recent data from the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) shows that...

Op-Ed: Off-Base Form-Based Codes Could Be Headed to Seattle

Right now, the city of Seattle is at a crossroads. As a robust job market, the city has never had a housing plan that...

Downtown Seattle Declares Itself Resurgent at Annual Gala

The theme was resurgence at the Downtown Seattle Association's annual State of Downtown event yesterday. With two years of pandemic suffering and emergency public...
Two young kids on trikes in an open street.

The Secret to Seattle’s Success is Social Infrastructure, not Low Taxes

The Jumpstart Seattle tax was a take-off-the-mask moment for Seattle that is still reverberating through Seattle politics. Some would have us believe low taxes...
A pergola shelters a street cafe on Ballard Avenue, with a person biking by in the street.

Policy Lab: Why Are Seattle Restaurants So Expensive?

Seattle service workers are set to get a major wage hike, unless restaurant lobbyists get their way. But policymakers can support the restaurant industry in better ways than simply cutting worker pay.
Serious Pie and Biscuit is shuttered. Construction cranes tower in the background.

Harrell Hopes to Fill Downtown Storefronts by Easing Code Restrictions

In a bid to reactivate Downtown Seattle, Mayor Harrell has proposed easing code restrictions in hopes of filling vacant storefronts with newly permitted uses like crafting studios, greenhouses, medical offices, art installations, public restrooms, and research laboratories.

Will Linkage Fees Keep Properties Off The Market?

In my last article on linkage fees I made the case that the typical supply and demand dynamics we are familiar with from buying gasoline...
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...