Image description: a sketch of a Link light rail train at an elevated station with text reading: Move Redmond 12:00 to 4PM May 10th Redmond 2 Line Opening Celebration - trails 2 transit presented by Sound Transit at Downtown Redmond Station..

HALA

Together We Can Make Housing Affordability Mandatory in Seattle

This year, we have an opportunity to make Seattle housing more affordable. The question is this: will we share our growth and prosperity, or...

Mandatory Housing Affordability Rules the Day in Hearing Examiner Decision

Just before Thanksgiving, housing advocates got some good news as Seattle Hearing Examiner Ryan Vancil released a ruling mostly in favor of the City's Mandatory Housing...
A cottage in a leafy backyard in the fall.

Seattle’s Backyard Cottage Plan Falls Short

The City's proposed changes for accessory dwelling units lacks Portland and Vancouver's ambition. On October 4th, the City of Seattle released its Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)...
Wallingford Community Council proposed 2017 Comprehensive Plan amendment to remove more than 50 blocks and only park from the urban village. (City of Seattle)

Urban Village Boundary Contractions? No Thanks.

In my Sightline piece from May, I described how homeowners in Wallingford have worked for decades to block housing via downzones, increasing development burdens, and...

On-Site Affordable Housing Is a Trend in Seattle’s Early MHA Results

The fruits of Seattle's mandatory affordable housing program for new development are beginning to bear, albeit it’s still quite early. Last Tuesday, the Seattle...
Natalie Bicknell

Displacement Remains Top Concern for International District Residents

One year after the passage of Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) rezones in the Chinatown-International District (CID) neighborhood, the community is contemplating its difficult present...

City Scores Early Victory Against MHA Appeal Brought by Homeowner Groups

On Friday, Seattle Hearing Examiner Ryan Vancil issued a pre-hearing ruling largely in the City of Seattle's favor, taking some wind out of the sails...

City Council Allows Taller Wood Buildings, Reforms Street Vacation Process and Advances Waterfront LID

On Monday, the Seattle City Council approved several actions related to land use and public space. These included revisions to the Seattle Building Code...