Op-Ed: The Case for Shifting to a Land Value Tax
Seattle's property tax system has serious shortcomings, but Aaron Schechter explains how shifting to a land value tax could address them and encourage homebuilding.
Land Use
Op-Ed: Bellevue’s Wilburton Housing Policy Actually Builds Housing
One year in, the Wilburton rezone is becoming a regional model. Thanks to a funded inclusionary zoning program, Wilburton attracted applications for more than 2,300 apartments, more than Seattle logged citywide in 2025.
Seattle Looks to Spur Tower and Mass Timber Projects with Upzone Package
After clearing the Land Use Committee last week, a package of narrowly targeted zoning changes is headed to the Seattle City Council on June 2. The proposal seeks to spur the construction of towers, affordable housing, and eco-friendly mass timber and passive house buildings.
Judkins Park Light Rail Opening Spurs Housing Boom
Near Judkins Park Station, builders have added more than 2,000 homes since 2018, plus new schools and retail. This includes 600-plus townhomes and 700-plus income-restricted affordable homes. Another 900-plus homes are in the development pipeline.
Sunday Video: The Wonky Magic of Urban Growth Boundaries
In his most recent video, CityNerd's Ray Delahanty dives into the wonky magic of urban growth boundaries, using the case study of Lexington, Kentucky.
Seattle Planning Director Says Upzones Within Two Blocks of Transit Inbound… Eventually
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s administration is queuing up housing density increases within two blocks of all frequent transit corridors, planning director Rico Quirondongo revealed at a recent meeting of the Seattle Planning Commission, which pushed for the idea and greeted the plan warmly.
Seattle’s No-Cost Climate Pollution Cut
A Sightline Institute study quantified the impact of growing up, not sprawling out, estimating that the Seattle metro area’s slightly less-sprawling growth since 2000 was keeping 1 million tons of greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere every year, compared with what Seattleites would have been emitt
Op-Ed: Light Rail Could Transform Bellevue’s Eastgate into Urban Oasis
Adding a light rail stop next to Bellevue’s decommissioned airport could unlock more than 100 acres for dense urban development, boosting the potential of the planned line to Issaquah. Like Bel-Red or the Spring District, Eastgate could be the next Bellevue neighborhood to transform with transit-ori
Op-Ed: Why Kitsap County Can’t Stop Sprawling
Washington State is forcing Kitsap County to re-do its Comprehensive Plan for lack of low-income housing, ignoring wildfire risk, and neglecting safe streets requirements. The do-over is a chance to turn away from sprawl, writes Travis Merrigan.
Sunday Video: What Is The YIGBY Housing Movement?
In this video, Dave Amos of City Beautiful talks about a growing national movement of faith-based organizations that are seeking to put their landholdings to work for housing, known as Yes-In-God’s-Backyard (YIGBY), and the obstacles that the movement faces.
City of Seattle Purchases 18-Acre Laurelhurst Property, Scuttling Sprawl Plans
The $64 million sale of the hotly contested Talaris property in Laurelhurst surprised housing advocates who had long been fighting sprawl and pushing for a more forward-thinking urban vision. But with considerable roadblocks to redevelopment still in place, Talaris’s future remains uncertain.
Book Review: How a Highway Map Wrecked Baltimore
Road to Nowhere author Emily Lieb is speaking at Elliott Bay Books on November 20. Here’s a sneak peek at her book, which covers the plight of the Rosemont neighborhood of West Baltimore, as it was victimized by grand highway schemes.
Op-Ed: Making Seattle Neighborhoods More Accessible by Design
Four case studies show how Seattle’s new middle housing zoning incentives align with demographic shifts to meet housing demand.
Stadium District Zoning Change Declared Invalid After Port of Seattle Appeal
The contentious proposal, approved by a 6-3 vote in March, legalized residential uses in a small slice of SoDo. But a state board pointed out several areas where the City cut corners ahead of that vote, nullifying the change.
Sunday Video: In Praise of Chicago and Its Beloved L Trains
Chicago has gotten a lot of national attention this year, but not for the reason we’d usually hope. Ray Delahanty of CityNerd, however, made a recent visit to check out what’s happening in the city and found that it was well and vibrant. Delahanty ticks through the L
Sunday Video: How Did We Create the Housing Crisis?
America’s housing crisis is a complex and persistent problem. There isn’t just one reason for the housing crisis, but rather many compounding policy, demographic, and technological reasons that have led to it. In this video, Dave Amos of City Beautiful documents how the country has slow walked into
Sunday Video: Seoul’s Metro Might Just Be the World’s Best
Seoul consists of a very densely populated region in South Korea with more than 26 million people — about half the country’s total population. Consequently, public transportation is critically important in moving people within and beyond the metropolitan area. The Seoul Metro alone has well over 600 stations crisscrossing the
Home in Tacoma Rezones Generate Small Permit Bump in First Months
While Tacoma saw a small uptick in housing starts in the first months of Home in Tacoma upzones, the City’s goal to add 59,000 homes by 2050 may take additional action by the City, given current trendlines.
Urbanists Push to Amend Seattle Growth Plan Ahead of Final Vote
Seattle’s long saga of passing its state-required, once-per-decade major update to its Comprehensive Plan is nearing its end. But first, one more public hearing will be held this Friday for residents to air their grievances or do their cheerleading. Here’s our guide to the 106 amendments under consi
Seattle Eases Accessory Dwelling Restrictions Just Ahead of State Deadline
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) just got a bit easier to build in Seattle, as legislation passed in May went into effect yesterday. The reform will help Seattle meet state mandates to make ADUs easier to built. Ultimately, wider middle housing reforms planned in the coming months may prove more attr
Op-Ed: Seattle Council Should Scale Up Neighborhood Centers in Growth Plan
On Monday, June 23, the Seattle City Council is holding a public hearing on the One Seattle growth plan. Housing advocates must defend the 29 neighborhood centers in the plan and push to add more. Jazmine Smith lays out the case for these eight additions.
Kenmore Considers McMansion Tax in Zoning Overhaul
Kenmore is considering a mandatory inclusionary zoning policy that would not be paired with funding or incentives — passing affordability costs onto homebuilders. But, in a shift away from the Planning Commission’s recommendation, the City Council directed staff to draft a policy that would encourag
Sunday Video: How Can Cities Fix Big Box Stores?
Big box stores have become a common feature of American suburbs most everywhere. Many are still going, albeit it with lower foot traffic volumes, and others have closed. But the impacts of them on land use patterns, transportation systems, and municipal coffers are often problematic. Dave Amos of City Beautiful
Harrell Chops Off Dozens of City Blocks from Planned Growth Centers
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has shrunk the dimensions of eight neighborhood centers and six urban center expansions he proposed last year. The move chops dozens of blocks off the growth centers, limiting opportunities for apartments and affordable homebuilding and drawing criticism from housing advo
Redmond Sees New Neighborhood Burgeon Around Marymoor Park as Light Rail Arrives
The 2017 Marymoor Village growth center has led to a number of larger multifamily developments in the area around Marymoor Park in Southeast Redmond. This weekend, light rail finally arrives.
Downtown Redmond’s Building Boom Shows No Signs of Slowing
New apartment buildings like Eastline and Polaris have brought hundreds of units close to Redmond’s forthcoming downtown light rail station. On the horizon are even bigger projects.
How Downtown Redmond Grew from Sleepy Suburb to Small City
Redmond’s 1993 Downtown Plan led to an urban transformation that saw the construction of over 5,000 new units between 2000 and 2020. This Saturday, light rail arrives to support that urban growth.
Sunday Video: CityNerd Rebuts Sprawl Evangelism, Reviews 10 Densest Cities
CityNerd’s Ray Delahanty rebutted Conor Dougherty’s New York Times pro-sprawl op-ed. Via his spicy top 10 list,” Delahanty shows how density generates high-amenity, livable neighborhoods that are far less car dependent than the sprawling suburbs that Dougherty celebrates in his hot take.
Op-Ed: Mapping the Missing Housing Opportunities in Seattle Growth Plan
Nat Henry maps out Mayor Harrell’s growth plan and finds his transit corridor plan would would upzone fewer than 1 in 10 parcels within a five-minute walk of transit stops. That forces renters onto dangerous, polluted arterial roads, where apartments would be narrowly focused.
Snohomish County Permits Childcare Providers More Places, State May Follow Suit
Snohomish County Council adopted new land use legislation to streamline permitting and remove regulatory barriers to opening more childcare centers and daycares. The state legislature seems to share in that goal and has proposed statewide legislation reducing regulatory hurdles.
Snohomish County Relaxes Urban Accessory Dwelling Rules Ahead of State Deadlines
The Snohomish County Council has further liberalized accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations in urban unincorporated areas, building on reforms enacted in 2021. Spurred by state reforms, the County will be allowing more bulk flexibility and ending common ownership requirements for ADUs, and allowi
Seattle Council Lifts Ban on Housing in Stadium District
The 6-3 vote ends a long debate which rehashed a dormant fight over the future of Seattle’s Stadium District. With the door now open to residential uses, industrial advocates warn of the continued erosion of the city’s industrial lands.
Tacoma Rezone Offers Housing Diversity and Path to Breaking Car Dependence
In Tacoma, 62% of housing units are detached single family homes. This overabundance has come at a cost in terms of affordability and urban livability. But recent zoning changes could spur a greater variety of housing.
Council Committee Greenlights SoDo Housing Proposal Despite Strong Port Opposition
The 3-2 vote in committee sets up a final decision later this month, but the Port of Seattle is suggesting they may take legal action against the move.
Op-Ed: 10 Reasons Seattle Adding 30 Neighborhood Centers Is Smart Planning
Keeping all 30 proposed Neighborhood Centers is essential for a more affordable, sustainable, and thriving Seattle. If we chip away at Neighborhood Centers, we’ll be left with the same housing shortages, rising costs, and inequitable growth patterns we’ve seen for decades.
Newcastle Mayor Pushed to Scrub Climate Change, Equity from City’s Growth Plan
Newcastle Mayor Robert Clark pushed to remove references to promoting racial and social equity as “vague,” “subjective,” and “irrelevant,” and called climate change “subjective.” Many of his recommendations were adopted by the Newcastle Planning Commission.
Op-Ed: SoDo Is for Industry, Seattle Should Reject Rushed Housing Push
Port Commissioner Ryan Calkins argues that the Seattle City Council should reject Council President Sara Nelson’s rushed plan to add a housing district in SoDo and continue to reserve the area for industry and freight needs.
Washington Senate Greenlights Elevator Reform Aimed at Boosting Midrise Homebuilding
Senate Bill 5156, approved by the Washington Senate this week, could open the door to more accessible small apartment buildings built around smaller European-style elevators, reducing overall housing costs at the same time.
Tacoma Aims for 325,000 Residents by 2040 with New Comprehensive Plan
Tacoma is striving to pick up its pace of housing growth. The City hopes newly enact multiplex zoning while help it hit 325,000 residents in a few decades time, a population gain of nearly 50%.
Sunday Video: Why Is The Public Land Survey System So Important?
Dave Amos of City Beautiful dives into the history of the Public Land Survey System and how it has affected much of the United States in big and small ways.
Seattle Readies Land Use Code Overhaul in Preparation for Sound Transit 3
Seattle’s land use code is ill-equipped to handle the scale of permits that will be required to approve the city’s next light rail lines. This proposed overhaul is intended to ensure transit remains on schedule.
Mercer Island’s Growth Plan Doesn’t Meet State Standards, Appeal Alleges
Futurewise is challenging the validity of Mercer Island’s Comprehensive Plan, alleging it’s out of alignment with a number of state housing policies, including a requirement to maximize the area around its forthcoming light rail station.
Sunday Video: Why Living by Freeways Is Terrible for Your Health
In this video, CityNerd’s Ray Delahanty digs into the public health effects of freeways. Pollution impacts fall most heavily on people who live near freeways.
Housing Advocates Outnumber ‘One Seattle’ Opponents, Moore and Rivera Back Opponents
Housing advocates outnumbered opponents by a margin of 89 to 75 during a five-hour public hearing Wednesday on the One Seattle housing growth plan. Nevertheless, several councilmembers made it clear they sided with slow-growth advocates, rather than the majority demanding more housing options.
Parking Reform Gains Momentum at Washington Legislature
Senate Bill 5184 would put a cap on out-of-control parking mandates. It passed out of the Washington State Senate’s Housing Committee on Wednesday, clearing its first hurdle.
Sunday Video: Utrecht and Fake London Weren’t Always So Different
Jason Slaughter of Not Just Bikes compares Utrecht, Netherlands and London, Ontario, showing how both cities became car-oriented in the mid-century era. However, Utrecht uniquely undid the damage, becoming a city highly oriented around pedestrian, bike, and transit infrastructure.
Sara Nelson Restarts the Debate About Allowing More Housing in SoDo
The idea of encouraging more residential development around Seattle’s stadiums had been put on ice in 2023 with the adoption of a citywide maritime and industrial strategy. Nelson’s bill reignites that debate just as the council starts to consider the Comprehensive Plan.
Bateman Takes Aim at Washington’s Parking Mandates
A new bill introduced at the state legislature by longtime housing advocate Jessica Bateman would represent a sea change, limiting the ability of cities and counties to mandate high amounts of parking.
Statewide Neighborhood Cafe Bill Returns, Expanded to More Types of Businesses
A popular bill from 2024 that would legalize neighborhood cafes in residential areas across Washington is back in 2025. It will likely continue to face headwinds from local governments.
Moore Leads Housing Backlash in Seattle Council’s First Comprehensive Plan Meeting
As the Seattle City Council took its first look at Mayor Bruce Harrell’s One Seattle Comprehensive Plan on Monday, Cathy Moore delivered a slow-growth manifesto, tinged with derision for renters, who she portrayed an unengaged and a detriment to neighborhoods.
Sunday Video: Can Trains Save Seattle?
City Beautiful’s urbanism content creator, Dave Amos, recently visited the Seattle area to explore future transit-oriented development sites and the planning that is going into them. Featured in the video are future station areas like Interbay and Kent-Des Moines as well as a potential second Pioneer Square station predicated
Last Chance to Comment on Revised Seattle Housing Plan
Today is the last day for public comments in the latest round of process around the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan proposed by Mayor Bruce Harrell to guide the next 20 years of city growth. Housing advocates are pushing the City to go bigger.
Shoreline Votes to Ditch Parking Mandates, Legalize Neighborhood Cafes and Stores
In approving a unanimous update to its Comprehensive Plan, the Shoreline City Council is set to go well beyond the minimum requirements of state law in pursuit of creating additional housing options and more vibrant neighborhoods.
King County Council Gets On Board with Civic Campus Redevelopment
The King County Council approved a motion getting on board with Executive Dow Constantine’s vision to add housing and other uses transforming the County’s campus in Downtown Seattle. The vote pushed the idea a small step toward becoming a reality.
Seattle Council Updates Living Building Incentives, Unsticking Belltown Tower Project
A small tweak to Seattle’s land use code will allow a 182-unit tower to move forward in Belltown after years of appeal. Clearer direction around stacking height incentives like those in the sustainability-focused Living Building program could potentially allow more homes throughout downtown in the c
Seattle Reveals Midrise Zoning Proposal for Phase 2 of Growth Plan
Proposed Phase 2 One Seattle Comprehensive Plan changes would focus on midrise zones, in hopes of adding additional housing capacity in existing urban centers and the 30 proposed “neighborhood centers.” OPCD hopes to introduce Phase 2 legislation in May, with council passage expected around Septembe
Tammy Morales to Resign from Seattle Council, Citing Mistreatment by Colleagues
District 2 Councilmember Tammy Morales announced Wednesday morning that she will resign in January, saying she has been undermined and frozen out of legislating by the more conservative-leaning Seattle City Council majority. The resignation sets up another council appointment and a special election
Holiday Video: The Problem with Public Hearings
All too often, public hearings increase costs and consume time without meaningfully impacting decisions. Uytae Lee of About Here digs into the history of the public hearing and its utility, and whether another paradigm is worth pursuing.
Redmond Greenlights Center Upzones, Sixplexes Citywide, Higher Affordability Requirements
The recently passed Redmond 2050 plan increases housing capacity and aims to produce nearly 30,000 new homes by 2050, mostly downtown and in Overlake Village. However, homebuilders warn that the City is adding new obstacles that could impede housing development.
Sunday Video: How Elevated Rail Makes Cities Better
In North America, modern rail transit usually avoids conventional elevated lines in dense cities and even suburbs. Reece Martin of RMTransit discusses what makes elevated rail so good.
Builders Continue Pivot to Housing in Downtown Bellevue
In shift away from office and toward housing growth, Downtown Bellevue’s development pipeline has seen nearly 4,000 additional homes proposed and more than two million square feet of office space abandoned in just the last couple of years. Once built, the pipeline of 14,000 homes would more than dou
South Federal Way’s Neighborhood Plan Takes Shape Around Light Rail Station
The area around a future light rail station in South Federal Way could see a significant amount of new housing and retail uses under the plan approved earlier this month. It is currently dominated by big box stores and industry.
Sunday Video: Should Cities Ban Drive-Thrus?
Dave Amos of City Beautiful discusses drive-thru businesses and how they are evolving to create more vehicle throughput. As part of this, Amos discusses the merits of banning them in cities, offering San Luis Obispo as an example.
Urbanism 101: Solutions to the Housing Crisis and Bad Zoning
Restrictive zoning has contributed to the housing crisis across the U.S. and exacerbated inequality, but solutions exist to undo the damage. Here’s an overview.
Sunday Video: Can North America Do Train Station Right?
Ray Delahanty of CityNerd ranks principal train stations across the United States and Canada for population catchment in proximity to them. Seattle makes the list as one the better-situated stations with King Street Station.
Harrell Officials Downplay Impact of Permitting Staff Cuts
City officials have insisted that the staff cuts for SDCI in next year’s budget will not impact permit approval times. Staff are not convinced.
Urbanism 101: Zoning’s History and Role in the Housing Crisis
Originally hatched as a subtler method to promote racial segregation, zoning ended up planting the seeds of our present day housing crisis. This Zoning 101 guide delves into how that history unfolded.
Sunday Video: Why Is Shibuya So Great?
Shibuya, Tokyo is world famous for it’s massive at-grade pedestrian scramble crossing. In a way, it’s a self-popularlized space. But there’s a lot more to it with the history of the neighborhood and its train stations, and it represents something much more in terms of planning, land
Home in Tacoma Rezone Advances, Comment Period Nears End
Home in Tacoma will get a public hearing on Tuesday, which will close the comment period for the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Soon the Tacoma City Council will debate and approve a final zoning plan using the options outlined in the study.
Sunday Video: Are Fire Concerns About Point Access (Single-Stair) Buildings Right?
Last year, Uytae Lee of About Here discussed why point access block (single-stair) residential buildings are so good. But a common reaction to the idea was concern about fire safety by only having one means of emergency ingress and egress. In this video, Lee examines those concerns, fields the data,
St. Marks Pauses Project Adding 119 Affordable Homes on Campus
St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral officials cited multiple headwinds against development for delaying plans for housing and renovation of the historic Nicholas School on their North Capitol Hill campus.
Sunday Video: Can Paths Save America’s Suburbs?
Dave Amos of City Beautiful discusses non-motorized paths in the suburbs. Could these facilities provide more than just a recreational amenity to suburban neighborhoods? And how can they work best to offer suburban communities a sustainable and safe way to get around without a car? Amos discusses th
Jerusalem Demsas on How Housing Became a Crisis
The Urbanist interviewed the author of a new book called “On the Housing Crisis,” which delves into exclusionary land use and the political dysfunction keeping it in place.
Lynnwood City Center’s Growth Aspirations Hinge on Two Slow-Moving Megaprojects
Builders have nearly 3,000 homes in the works near Lynnwood’s freshly opened light rail station. But more than half hang on two massive projects that are in limbo.
Everything You Need to Know About Lynnwood Link
Lynnwood Link has finally arrived! Here’s everything to know about the launch and the urban transformation happening along the light rail extension.
Renton Proposes Moving Sound Transit Bus Station, Threatening Five-Year Stride Delay
A former Red Lion Hotel is at the center of a potential dispute over where Sound Transit should build its South Renton Stride Station.
How Cities in Lynnwood Link’s Path Prepared for Light Rail’s Arrival
Light rail is finally arriving in Shoreline and South Snohomish County. Local governments have been working toward this day for a long time.
Mountlake Terrace’s Town Center Slowly Emerges Ahead of Light Rail
More than 1,800 homes are under construction, recently completed, or planned near Mountlake Terrace Station, where light rail service will soon commence.
Shoreline North Station Sees New Urban Connection Form
Within a mile of Shoreline North Station, about 1,700 homes have been built or planned since 2019. While the development pipeline is petering out, the City could jumpstart it once more with zoning changes and action to redevelop public land.
South Shoreline Light Rail Brings Suburban Retrofit with Thousands of Homes
Shoreline is seeing booming development. We’ll take a look at what’s been built and what’s on the way near the soon-to-open Shoreline South light rail station.
Sunday Video: The Real Problem with “Luxury Housing”
Across North America, people claim that they want affordable housing in their communities while deriding and fighting what they perceive as “luxury housing.” A common trope among many is that developers are greedy, wanting only to make top dollar on their homebuilding projects and contribute nothing back to communities. It’
Spokane Just Ditched Parking Mandates. What’s Stopping the Rest of Washington?
Cities across the country are ditching arbitrary requirements around how many parking spaces must be built with new housing, but Spokane is the first major Washington city to take the plunge. Will others follow?
Op-Ed: Bellevue’s New Tree Protections Are a Needed Step Forward
Bellevue recently enacted a bevvy of protections intended to stem the tide of tree canopy loss in suburban residential neighborhoods. It’s an important step toward achieving the goal of exceeding 40% tree cover and equitably distributing it across the city.
Seattle Hopes to Spur Office-to-Housing Conversions with Regulatory Incentives
Facing waning demand for office spaces, landlords are weighing housing conversions, with Mayor Harrell and the Seattle City Council aiming to nudge them in that direction with a recently passed package of regulatory incentives. Financial incentives could be next, but hurdles remain.
Sunday Video: Why Do Tokyo Streets Get High Praise?
Dave Amos of City Beautiful recently made a trip to Tokyo and gushed about its quiet, urban streets. Tokyo’s wide arterials can leave an impression that cars dominate the city, but secondary and tertiary streets can be very calm and quiet in very dense urban spaces, as Amos shows.
Shoreline Council Gets Cold Feet Over Broad Rezone Allowing Fourplexes
Shoreline has seen significant growth in housing around its two light rail stations, but this week the Shoreline Council showed clear reluctance to allow increased density throughout the rest of the city.
Northgate Mall Sees First Housing Start, Continuing Urban Transformation
Three years after the opening of Northgate’s Link light rail station, Simon Properties broke ground on the first residential development within their Northgate Mall property, which they have renamed “Northgate Station.” The mall operator and developer’s July 11th groundbreaking of 234 new homes took place as construction completions
Belltown Group Tries to Block Taller Buildings Downtown Over Birds
To prevent a 19-story apartment building long in the works, a group of Belltown residents are trying to stop code updates to Seattle’s Living Building pilot program. The purported risk of bird deaths headline the group’s laundry list of concerns.
Paris Hopes to Forge a New Model for Olympics-Oriented Development
Paris aims to break the mold, using major public investment for the Olympic Games for lasting benefit to the host city. Improvements include a cleaner Seine, major transit expansion, and a new eco-district. But will those efforts go far enough to win over locals?
Tacoma’s Almost Reality as an Olmsted-Designed Park City
In 1873, Tacomans considered laying out their fledgling city according to a unique Frederick Law Olmsted plan. The city ultimately discarded most of the plan, walking away from a greener, more park-oriented Tacoma.
Kirkland Advances Catalyst Project for ’10-Minute Neighborhood’ Near Houghton
A 2.2 acre strip mall property purchased by Kirkland in 2022 is seen as a big opportunity for the city to create community space and expand housing while serving as a catalysis in a neighborhood oozing potential.
Sunday Video: Are American Suburbs Still Getting Less Walkable?
For decades, America’s road networks have become increasingly less gridded and connected, degrading the ability to walk and bike in communities. That’s been the consequence of America’s sprawling suburbs that emphasize the cul-de-sac. Is it still getting worse? Dave Amos of City Beautiful tries to a
Why Climate Advocates Should Be Urbanists, Part 2
Part 2 of this four-part series examines arguments against focusing on land use in climate policy and provides counter arguments. Ignoring land use changes and relying on electrification alone is a slower and riskier path to decarbonization.
Single Family Zones Are Biggest Culprits in Displacement of Black Seattleites
Seattle’s single family areas have seen their Black population plummet by 9,126 since 1990. Meanwhile, “urban village” neighborhood have added more than 8,000 Black residents in that span. Why then is low-density zoning expected to blunt displacement?
County’s Plan for Redeveloping Downtown Campus Still Shrouded in Mystery
King County Executive Dow Constantine continues to tease development plans for the County’s large campus in South Downtown, but few firm details have emerged.
Stadium District Site Could Be a Bellwether of Downtown Seattle’s Future
The opportunity to redevelop nearly five acres across from Lumen Field is pitting competing interests against each other. Some hope to see housing, but industrial stakeholders are pushing back.
Sunday Video: Europe Is Also Sprawling, But Not Like The US
Europe gets high praise for its medieval and historic city centers, leaving tourists an impression that nearly everything is neatly compact. But Europe has experienced sprawl in the past and continues to sprawl today. Dave Amos from City Beautiful dives into how Europe has been sprawling, how its sprawl is
Seattle Proposes Co-Living Ordinance Seeking to Meet New State Mandate
Seattle already has draft legislation that would go a long toward implementing the state mandate to allow “co-living” micro-apartments this year, but there are some aspects that may need fine-tuning by the city council or another round of legislation next year to comply.
Seattle Council Greenlights Upzone for Georgetown Live/Work District
The zoning changes could spur construction of up to 1,000 homes, many of them affordable, as part of a new makers district along 4th Avenue S in Georgetown.
Will Seattle Embrace Multiplexes in Single Family Zones Despite Weak Proposal?
Seattle needs to allow more housing in today’s single family zones if it’s serious about its housing crisis. Strict multiplex size restrictions need to go from the Mayor’s growth plan.