Plans and Policy
Sara Nelson Warns She Can Kill Any Transit Project She Wants
A budget amendment put forward by Council President Nelson asks for information on how and when the city creates priority space for buses, citing opposition to Route 40. At a meeting last week, Nelson suggested that if she had wanted to kill a controversial project she already could have done it.
Amid Budget Showdown, Advocates Mount Defense of JumpStart Housing Funds
On Tuesday, progressive advocates rallied at Seattle City Hall to make a last-ditch defense to reverse a $330 million JumpStart cut that would deplete affordable housing funding. Tuesday was the last public hearing before Council finalizes the budget next week.
Seattle Set to Double Down on Arbitrary Parking Mandates
Despite being a longtime parking reform leader, Seattle is set to require off-street parking, even as it unlocks significant housing capacity near transit. This will make housing harder to build.
County Advances Billion-Dollar Social Housing Bond Study, Questions Remain
King County Council advanced a motion from Girmay Zahilay commissioning a study of a billion-dollar bond for workforce housing, but questions remain about how to guarantee the bonds and structure the program.
Op-Ed: JumpStart Should Remain an Affordable Housing Commitment, Not a Piggybank
JumpStart investments in housing and climate investments must be preserved in future years, despite Mayor Harrell's proposal to siphon $287 million and remove spend plan guardrails.
Harrell Proposes Deep Cuts for Tenant Assistance, Advocates Push Back
Housing advocates are pushing back after Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell proposed $1.8 million in cuts to rental assistance and tenant services next year. They hope city council will restore the funding, or even double it.
Updated Seattle Growth Plan Adds Five Neighborhood Anchors, Bigger Fourplexes
An updated version of Seattle's 20-year growth plan includes additional opportunities for housing density, but mostly retains the city's longstanding pattern of walling off lower-density areas of the city.
King County Metro Faces Looming Fiscal Cliff
King County Metro is projecting a significant budget shortfall by 2028 if its current spending plan is maintained, thanks to lagging sales tax revenue, increased costs, and ambitious fleet electrification plans.