📰 Support nonprofit journalism

Heard us on KNKX? Welcome.

Local reporting on the decisions shaping the Pacific Northwest.

We're glad you found your way here.

The Urbanist is a nonprofit newsroom based in Seattle. We cover the planning, transportation, and housing decisions that shape daily life across the Puget Sound. These are decisions that often happen quietly, outside the spotlight, but they have a lasting effect on how this region grows, who gets to stay, and how well our cities work.

A lot of our reporting is about making those choices easier to understand. Why a transit project costs what it does. How a zoning change made today can show up in housing costs a few years from now. Who is involved when these decisions are made, and who tends to be left out of the process.

Many of our readers come to us because they want more context than a headline can provide, and less noise than the usual political shouting. If that sounds familiar, the seven pieces below are a good place to start. They aren't hot takes. They're examples of reporting we try to stick with over time, because we think it's the best way to make sense of what's happening around us.

If you'd like to keep up, our weekly email digest is the easiest way. It's free, and it's where a lot of readers first get a feel for what we do and what we're paying attention to.

Thanks for stopping by.

Doug Trumm Publisher, The Urbanist

Seven places to start.

Our reporting covers a lot of ground. These are the pieces we'd hand a new reader who wants to understand what we actually do, grouped by what they're really about underneath.

How the region actually works

How Seattle's Biggest Transit Project Got So Expensive

Seattle's largest infrastructure investment didn't become a $30 billion project overnight. A deep look at the decisions and constraints that compounded over time, and what choices still lie ahead.

What a Regional Housing Strategy Can and Can't Do

The Puget Sound Regional Council is urging coordinated action on housing. A look at what the plan proposes, how it's meant to work, and why implementation at the local level will determine its impact.

Small decisions, big consequences

How One Small City Quietly Changed Its Parking Rules

Port Townsend eliminated off-street parking mandates in a move that got little attention but carries real consequences. What changed, why it matters, and how similar rules shape housing costs across Washington.

When a Small Transit Change Became a Test of Public Process

A proposed bus lane removal on Capitol Hill turned into a broader question about transparency and how the city makes decisions. Reporting that helped drive public attention, and ultimately a reversal.

What Expanding Surveillance Technology Means for Public Trust

Automated license plate readers are spreading rapidly across Washington. An investigation into the technology, the data it collects, and the oversight gaps that have civil liberties advocates worried.

What's at stake across the region

Why Housing Affordability Isn't Just a Seattle Problem

Rising housing costs reach well beyond the city's core. An analysis of how affordability pressures are reshaping communities across the Puget Sound, from smaller cities to rural areas, and why regional solutions matter.

How Tacoma Is Framing Street Design as a Safety Issue

After past setbacks, Tacoma is back with a major transportation levy focused on safety, access, and infrastructure. A breakdown of what's proposed, what's at stake, and the tradeoffs voters are being asked to weigh.

One last thing before you go. Our free weekly email rounds up what we're paying attention to across the region, and it's how most readers first get a feel for the newsroom. If the pieces above resonated, it's the easiest way to keep up.