Land Use

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) just got a bit easier to build in Seattle, as legislation passed in May went into effect yesterday. The reform will help Seattle meet state mandates to make ADUs easier to built. Ultimately, wider middle housing reforms planned in the coming months may prove more attractive to builders.

On Monday, June 23, the Seattle City Council is holding a public hearing on the One Seattle growth plan. Housing advocates must defend the 29 neighborhood centers in the plan and push to add more. Jazmine Smith lays out the case for these eight additions.

Kenmore is considering a mandatory inclusionary zoning policy that would not be paired with funding or incentives — passing affordability costs onto homebuilders. But, in a shift away from the Planning Commission’s recommendation, the City Council directed staff to draft a policy that would encourage smaller, more affordable homes while requiring larger (typically pricier) new homes to include affordable units or pay a fee. 

Big box stores have become a common feature of American suburbs most everywhere. Many are still going, albeit it with lower foot traffic volumes,...

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has shrunk the dimensions of eight neighborhood centers and six urban center expansions he proposed last year. The move chops dozens of blocks off the growth centers, limiting opportunities for apartments and affordable homebuilding and drawing criticism from housing advocates.

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.

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.

Redmond's 1993 Downtown Plan led to an urban transformation that saw the construction of over 5,000 new units between 2000 and 2020. This Saturday, light rail arrives to support that urban growth.