The Double-Edged Sword of Public Records – Housing and Jobs vs. the Public Right...
My Trusty Gavel by Brian Turner on Flickr.
The Problem
In the present information age, with access to details about virtually anyone’s life available to all,...
Urban Planning’s Three Basic Errors
A good amount of the work that we do here at The Urbanist involves pointing out where the region's governance and foresight are lacking....
Proposed Tree Protection Ordinance Hopes to Grow Seattle’s Canopy
Councilmember Strauss introduces legislation to regulate 70,000 additional trees – but will the effort to boost canopy coverage to 30% slow down housing creation?
After...
Issuing Bonds For Bridges is Back On the Table as Council Discusses SDOT Budget...
A proposal for the City of Seattle to issue bonds to pay for maintenance on several key bridges has been put back on the...
2013-2014 Amendments to Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan
Seattle's Comprehensive Plan is a constantly evolving policy document. Beyond the state-required update every 10 years, amendments to the Comprehensive Plan can be made annually...
Homebuilders Warn Seattle’s Planned MFTE Changes Threaten to Kill Affordability Program
The Harrell Administration has proposed changes to the Multifamily Property Tax Exemption (MFTE) that housing advocates warn could cause the affordable housing program to “collapse entirely.”
Housing Benefit Districts Could Create Millions of Affordable Homes
One of the best bills this session has been quietly working its way through the legislature, and it’s time to pay attention as it...
Share the City: Support the Full HALA Recommendations
Last week, amid much histrionics, The Seattle Times leaked a draft report of the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) Committee. Owen chimed in...