Housing

The Seattle council chambers are filled to the brim. People hold signs to promote their views.

Turn Out for Housing at Seattle Hearings This Week

There are two important housing fights coming up next week. Public hearings are scheduled on Monday and Wednesday, and advocates need to ensure Seattle's plan for middle housing keeps advancing and long-promised affordable housing gets built at Fort Lawton, despite pushback.
Seattle City Hall sign and steps.

Op-Ed: Seattle Should Ban Employers from Discriminating Against Unhoused Job Applicants

In the middle of a homelessness crisis, Seattle is still allowing employers to reject qualified job applicants simply because they don’t have a permanent address. That’s discrimination, and the Seattle City Attorney should lead the way in banning the practice.
A line forms out the door into the plaza at El Centro de la Raza.

An Audio Recap of The Urbanist’s ‘Future of Seattle Housing’ Panel

Want a deep dive on the latest in Seattle housing policy? The Urbanist has you covered. Check out this recording and transcript of our April housing panel with experts.
Tenants hold signs saying "hold bad landlords accountable" and "everyone deserves dignified housing" and "SROC stands against abusive landlords" and "workers rights = renters' rights"

Op-Ed: Five Ways to Lower Rents in Seattle

Here are five things Seattle leaders could be doing to lower your rent, in observance of Affordable Housing Week.
A person bikes pulling a shopping card alongside at a big empty parking lot outside a big box store.

Bremerton Ponders Ending Parking Mandates to Spur Housing

Next Monday, the Bremerton Planning Commission will vote on a reform that could go as far as ending parking mandates citywide. The policy has mostly seen smooth sailing, outside of Commissioner Richard Tift’s proposal to exempt low-density residential zones that compose 80% of all land available for housing.

The Builder’s Remedy is Coming to Washington State

Senate Bill 5148, signed into law Tuesday, sets up a brand new framework of accountability around state housing law. The bill includes a so-called "builder's remedy" that is intended to force local governments to stay in compliance or see their zoning laws overridden.

The Deck is Stacked Against Stacked Flats in Seattle

Once plentiful across the city, small apartment buildings with flats stacked on top of one another are incredibly rare in new construction. The reasons behind that are multifaceted, and stemming the tide will take a push on multiple levels of government.

Redmond Sees New Neighborhood Burgeon Around Marymoor Park as Light Rail Arrives

The 2017 Marymoor Village growth center has led to a number of larger multifamily developments in the area around Marymoor Park in Southeast Redmond. This weekend, light rail finally arrives.