Staff Biography

Doug Trumm

Publisher

Doug Trumm started volunteering with The Urbanist in 2015 as a writer and has served as editor and publication director. He graduated from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at UW in 2019 with a concentration in (you guessed it) urban policy. He lives in East Fremont/West Wallingford and loves to explore the city on his bike. His cat Ole is a national treasure. Follow him on Twitter @dmtrumm or send him an email at doug [at] theurbanist [dot] org.

Recent Articles

A half dozen hard-hatted construction workers work at a site between two midrise buildings on Ballard's Market Street.

Wilson Promotes Sam Steele to Lead Seattle Permitting Department

Mayor Katie Wilson is promoting inspections director Sam Steele to interim director of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, she announced Monday. Steele has pledged to streamline processes to make it easier to build housing and emergency shelter.
Rico is a Black man with braids and a button up shirt posing in front of the Seattle skyline

OPCD Further Trims Corridor Upzones in Newly Unveiled Seattle Zoning Maps

Zoning maps for 30 new neighborhood growth centers, a handful of urban center expansions, and narrow transit corridor rezones dropped on Thursday. With the patchy current vision driven by the Harrell administration, new Mayor Katie Wilson has pledged to come back and expand the plan once a supplemental environmental study is completed.
A seven story apartment building with gray and white siding with red, gold, and green accents. Photo shows the view from the nearby intersection.

Seattle Leads Nation in Affordable Apartment Production

Over the last decade, the Seattle metro area produced the most affordable housing in the nation, with more than 24,000 new income-restricted apartments. New revenue streams helped the region get there, but more work is needed to alleviate the affordability crisis and hit long-term goals.

Sound Transit’s 2 Line Will Finally Connect Across I-90 on March 28

Eagerly awaited by transit riders, the full 2 Line light rail connection will finally bridge Seattle and the Eastside and bring expanded train service all the way from Redmond to Lynnwood. The expansion will bring stations at Judkins Park and Mercer Island online.
An aerial view of a large highway bridge.

Urbanist Podcast: Olympia Preview and a Highway Boondoggle

In this podcast, The Urbanist newsroom previews Washington's state legislative session and breaks down the huge setback dealt to the I-5 Interstate Bridge Replacement project, a highway boondoggle with a ballooning budget. Plus, Amy and Doug recounted their first interview with Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson since she's been installed in office.