Housing

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.

Here are five things Seattle leaders could be doing to lower your rent, in observance of Affordable Housing Week.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The two bills represent two major pillars among a variety of housing measures approved during the 2025 legislative session, with a focus on both housing supply and stability for existing tenants.

New apartment buildings like Eastline and Polaris have brought hundreds of units close to Redmond's forthcoming downtown light rail station. On the horizon are even bigger projects.