Politics and Government

A photo of colorful townhouses with a tree in front.

Bellevue Councilmembers Twist Themselves in Knots Over Middle Housing Changes

Presented with a recommendation to allow additional density beyond a state mandate, a bloc of Bellevue's council pushed for more process and study. This November's election, when five of seven councilmembers must defend their seats, looms large in the background.

Restorative Justice is a Vital Component of Livable Urbanism

Last week I wrote about Pooja Vaddadi’s race to oust incumbent Judge Adam Eisenberg from the Seattle Municipal Court. Vaddadi contrasts her competence and...
Color banners head by campaign volunteers for MLK Labor canvases.

Urbanist Action: Volunteer to Put Our Candidates Over the Top

In just two months, voters will elect a new Seattle City Council, and the race is on for candidates to make their closing pitches....
An aerial photo of Boeing's sprawling Everett manufacturing plan with planes sitting on the tarmac.

Snohomish County Leadership Group Squashes Alternatives to Paine Field Light Rail Routing

County Executive Dave Somers steamrolled opposition and led a vote to make a longer, more expensive routing to Boeing and Paine Field the only...

State Senator Joe Nguyen Stresses Systemic Change in King County Executive Bid

State Senator Joe Nguyen (D-White Center) announced his bid for King County Executive last week, promising a "New Deal for King County." The move...

Safe Housing Is A Human Right

Seattle, we have a problem. A few dozen or so of our housed neighbors --claiming to represent "thousands" of Seattleites--showed up to the City...

Downtown Seattle Transit Capacity Is At The Breaking Point

Sound Transit completed a comprehensive study (see PDF below for full details) in 2014 to forecast Downtown Seattle transit capacity over the next 20 years....
Farrell smiles with a brick background.

Jessyn Farrell Declares for Mayor, Promising Housing Push and Universal Childcare

Jessyn Farrell joined an increasingly crowded Seattle Mayoral race on Thursday, and she came out swinging. “If you feel really great about how things...