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The Seattle City Council is set to greenlight a new iteration of the Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) program with higher allowed rents and rent hikes. The program trades a property tax break for setting aside a quarter of the units with lower rents, but some advocates say the new rent structure is misaligned and will hurt tenants.
Recent Posts
Op-Ed: UW’s Union Bay Hypocrisy: Public Land, Private Fence
The Union Bay Natual Area is 74 acres of public open space with miles of trails, but the University of Washington has rebuffed advocates pushing to remove a fence and add a trail to improve access. Here's why they should reconsider.
Buried Report Throws Cold Water on Zahilay’s Billion-Dollar Housing Bond Proposal
The idea of using King County's uptapped bonding capacity to unlock dollars for affordable housing seemed like a promising new area for exploration. But a report dropped on the county council's doorstep this summer outlined some major obstacles and the need for a new dedicated revenue source to back the bonds.
Lake Washington Boulevard Safety Upgrades Fully Designed Before Mayor Pulled Plug
A major intersection redesign near Seward Park was ready to go to construction with a Mayor's Office review the only impediment, records show. The exchanges reveal what was happening behind the scenes as the public was kept in the dark about the future of upgrades on the high-profile corridor.
Fire Marshals Target Backyard Cottages with Proposal for Wider Pathway Requirements
The Washington Association of Fire Marshals is proposing changes to Washington state building code that would require five-foot wide access path to accessory dwelling units, but builders paint the requirement as overkill, adding another obstacle to housing development.
Redmond Supportive Housing Project Breaks Ground After Kenmore’s Rejection
The 100-unit housing project had been conceived in Kenmore, but was moved to Redmond after community opposition doomed its prospects. Affordable housing leaders see the way Redmond completed the hand-off as a model to be replicated elsewhere.
Quiz Your Knowledge with The Urbanist Crossword Puzzle for October 5
Take the 13th installment of The Urbanist's crossword series, which runs every two weeks. If you love to take a contemplative moment with a brain-teasing puzzle, but you’re tired of nationally syndicated crosswords with no local flair or stance on high-capacity transit, you’re right where you need to be.
Sound Transit Queues Big Express Bus Network Changes after Light Rail...
The changes will impact riders throughout King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties as Sound Transit eliminates routes where travel times are competitive with new light rail options. The agency is also planning to launch a new overnight bus network to improve regional access.
Join Us October 11th for Bellevue City Council Mobility Forum
At the forum that The Urbanist is co-hosting on October 11, Bellevue City Council candidates will answer questions about transportation issues and how Bellevue can be a more equitable city.
Join The Urbanist for Campaign Events Ahead of the November Election
The Urbanist is focusing much of our upcoming events programming on getting our endorsed candidates elected. In the coming month, we are hosting panels, canvasses, volunteer trainings, and some social events. Join us!
Kicking off The Urbanist Fall Subscriber Drive, Score Your Merch
This fall, The Urbanist is running our seasonal subscriber drive, with the return of The Urbanist beanie and a bike scavenger hunt next weekend.
More events posts »
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Redmond Supportive Housing Project Breaks Ground After Kenmore’s Rejection
The 100-unit housing project had been conceived in Kenmore, but was moved to Redmond after community opposition doomed its prospects. Affordable housing leaders see the way Redmond completed the hand-off as a model to be replicated elsewhere.
Sound Transit Queues Big Express Bus Network Changes after Light Rail...
The changes will impact riders throughout King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties as Sound Transit eliminates routes where travel times are competitive with new light rail options. The agency is also planning to launch a new overnight bus network to improve regional access.
Join Us October 11th for Bellevue City Council Mobility Forum
At the forum that The Urbanist is co-hosting on October 11, Bellevue City Council candidates will answer questions about transportation issues and how Bellevue can be a more equitable city.
More Eastside Coverage posts »
Seattle Council Sets the Stage for a Potential Multiplex Boom
The Seattle City Council added a series of series of height and density bonuses for stacked flats as they amended Mayor Bruce Harrell's proposed update to the City's Comprehensive Plan in September. The bonuses could unleash the city's former single family zones to create a stacked flat multiplex boom, ranging up to 12-plexes.
School Board Directors Are Begging Seattle to Allow More Housing
A majority of the Seattle School Board joined the push for additional neighborhood growth centers last week, pointing to a link between additional housing density and stable student enrollment.
Seattle Council Punts on Housing Expansion, Tightens Tree Preservation Rules
Reductions in the size of proposed growth centers and new tree retention rules that could stifle homebuilding were among the dozens of Seattle growth plan amendments approved this week. Council rejected moves to make the plan bolder in a number of areas, fretting over the risk of legal appeals.
More One Seattle Plan posts »
An Audio Recap of The Urbanist’s ‘Future of Seattle Housing’ Panel
Want a deep dive on the latest in Seattle housing policy? The Urbanist has you covered. Check out this recording and transcript of our April housing panel with experts.
Urbanist Reporters Appear on Hacks and Wonks Podcast
The Urbanist's contributing editor Ryan Packer and reporter Amy Sundberg appeared on back-to-back episodes of the Hacks and Wonks podcast this week. Be sure...
Ryan Packer Talks Vision Zero, Traffic Safety on Hacks and Wonks...
Ryan Packer broke down local "Vision Zero" traffic safety campaigns on a recent episode of the Hacks and Wonks podcast.
More podcast episodes »