Plans and Policy

Support Alternative 5 for Seattle 2035

Seattle is growing fast. Over the next 20 years, 120,000 new residents will make Seattle their home, and employers will add 115,000 new jobs...

Vote “For” the Seattle Metropolitan Park District

This primary election, Seattle voters will answer a question: do we believe that parks and community centers are an essential service, and a priority...

Everett Is Developing A Bold Downtown Area Plan

The City of Everett is working through a major downtown area masterplanning effort dubbed "Metro Everett". The plan is taking a broad look at...

Mayor Proposes Minimal Relief from Seattle’s Treacherous Design Review

The Office of the Mayor announcing legislation extending Covid-era exemptions that allow affordable rental housing projects to skip design review, the costly and time-consuming...

Local Columnists Shrink from Seattle’s Growth and Vitality

Seattle is shrinking and that's a good thing, columnist Danny Westneat opined in the Seattle Times, making a very big deal of one year...
A view of the downtown Seattle skyline from a Capitol Hill rooftop

Policy Lab: Ban Algorithmic Rental Price-Setting

At least half of Seattle's apartments are priced using algorithms like RealPage, which is facing a federal lawsuit for illegal price fixing. The Seattle City Council should ban such algorithms, Katie Wilson argues.
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...

Washington State Ferries Looks Ahead to 2040

Washington State Ferries (WSF) is developing a strategic long-range plan that will span the next two decades. Growth in the ferry system continues to...