Republicans criticisms of vote-by-mail counting timelines, while often levied in bad faith, ask good questions that we need to better address. Why should it take two weeks to count votes, aside from the ones that trickle in after the postmark deadline? What would it take to speed up the process?

Waymos are cool btw!

Seattle passed out of committee one of the strongest middle housing rule sets in the country, here's a breakdown of the changes that will supercharge housing production 🧵 First, Type A accessible units are exempt from floor area limits, lot coverage limits and density limits.

All tenants in market rate housing will benefit greatly from the changes thanks to the improved feasibility. The best thing for affordable housing is to maximize housing production, freeing up naturally affordable housing down the chain. It's why the most YIMBY CM, AMR, supports these changes

Dems really need to fix permitting so that we can actually build stuff while we are in charge and prevent this bullshit from happening

Something that really frustrates me about this conversation is that urbanists constantly beat the drum on safety (accurately, FWIW - transit is very safe), but fail to miss the point that security like this makes many people feel safer and likely boosts ridership. Feeling safe is just as important..

You don't hate the Fire Marshal enough

Calling all UW students! If you would like to be involved with our new RSO, DM us! (Or email us at [email protected])

Finally Seattle's budget invests tackling our biggest transportation issue: too many agua fresca and mango vendors on our street corners

UPDATE: I got this reply from CM Solomon's staff regarding his absence for yesterday's votes. He was at a previously-scheduled conference in Vancouver, WA:

Yay! Green stacked flat bonus (amendment 91) passed! This version is important because it rewards both preserving existing trees *and* adding new trees and green space to lots that don't yet have enough to preserve.

If you can't make it to City Hall, the best thing you can do is write a personalized letter to council explaining how more housing would improve your life. City inboxes are filled with thoughtfully typed out NIMBY letters and we need to show them the other side. Resources below.

To allow this citywide, email your councilmembers in support of amendments 54-59 & 70! Also email your councilmembers in opposition to Rivera's tree protection poison pill amendments 93 and 102.

Montana has led a successful YIMBY movement by appealing to conservative values around property rights. Effective movements require working with those you disagree with.

Do you live in Ravenna or Roosevelt? Sign on to this letter opposing comprehensive plan amendment #40, which shrinks the Ravenna neighborhood center. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Councilmember Strauss sent out a public survey asking for input on proposed Neighborhood Center. If option C is picked for all of them, it would upzone dozens of blocks, hundreds of acres. Tangletown Before->Version C Link: forms.office.com/pages/respon...

Bellevue doesn't have this retail problem despite the same market economics. But, Downtown Seattle has over 34% office vacancy while Bellevue is less than 15%. Seattle also has such strong incentives for development to contain ground-floor retail, we might actually just have too much of it.

CM Rinck's amendment to exempt ADUs from MHA fees is critical to ensure Neighborhood Center's don't unintentionally *reduce* development. As it stands, in an LR1 zone, if you want to build the duplex below in your backyard, you have to pay $88,000 in fees. in SFH zones? Nothing.

CM Rinck proposed 8 new Neighborhood Centers - areas allowing development of 3-6 stories that were studied in the Final EIS. Here's a look at all 8 First: Alki NC: A popular weekend spot with lots of existing lowrise housing

Big news 🎉 In April, we filed a challenge to Mercer Island's comprehensive plan, and last week we got a decision: "The city of Mercer Island fell well short of state affordable housing requirements" the state’s Growth Management Hearings Board ruled late last week. shorturl.at/VOeZp

Join us TONIGHT for an Election Night social! We'll be meeting at the lively Stoup Brewing in Capitol Hill starting at 7pm. Don't forget to drop off your ballot on the way if you haven't already. secure.everyaction.com/8_HFBrAESkmy...

Seattle is updating it's Comprehensive Plan and Middle Housing zoning, and there were tons of amendments. Here are a few of the highlights 🧵

increased FAR, increased neighborhood center could induce a supplemental EIS. but because mayor's preferred alternative eliminated them, all of this is problematic. so the mayor's lack of vision could trigger even more cost/time to the comp plan. jfc.

The city anticipates even lower revenues from the JumpStart payroll tax and real estate excise taxes than anticipated in April: JumpStart is down an additional $47 million in 2026 in the pessimistic scenario, and REET—a tax on property sales—is down $21 million.

One of the biggest declines in local tax revenues has been from the sales tax, mostly due to a dramatic decline in construction permits. This includes permits for new housing—less new housing (built by those ever-demonized developers) leads directly to funding shortfalls for the city.

I have no rational argument in favor of the Blue Angels but I just kinda like big machines that go roar

Still the most insane growth story in urban America. Population was only 560k at the turn of the century

Housing typologies that are legal in Spokane's R1 zones: ✅ Duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes ✅ Sixplexes and eightplexes ✅ Zero lot-line rowhomes ✅ Townhomes ✅ Cottage housing ✅ Courtyard apartments ✅ Microunits ✅ Coliving ✅ ADUs ✅ Stacked flats ✅ Small apartment buildings ✅ Single-family homes

Weird that one council candidate basically said this for every question but also hasn't understood why we have representative democracy?

Dang Sara Nelson one of two who is anti IZ taxes and pro affordable housing providers.

Get out and support middle housing today at the Seattle City Council! 🚨 Sign up to comment in-person or online or send in written comment. Tell the council to reject amendments to water down the legislation and instead to improve it to be more pro-housing. www.theurbanist.org/2025/05/17/t...

sprawl makes up the majority of the land within the urban growth area covered by the growth management act. and yes, failing to densify seattle leads to loss of tree canopy in king county.

Before session, I provided @governorferguson.bsky.social a proposed housing action plan. It contained a bold and comprehensive set of recommendations warranted by a problem as big and urgent as the housing shortage in Washington state. (1/5)

It's important to note that Denny Heck is not making this decision on his own. There are two lawyers in the Senate who help make these types of calls and he's likely taking their advice. Republicans likely waited until the last minute because they knew what would happen.

Let’s goooooooo! Thank you to everyone who has advocated publicly or behind the scenes over the years to pedestrianize Pike Place! This is an enormous step forward.

📣 ACTION ALERT The next public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan is scheduled for Monday, May 19, at 9:30AM. Yes, you heard that right. 9:30AM. 😒 Do you think this is fair to the public? Tell the City Council at [email protected].

ICYMI: after three years of advocacy from @futurewise.bsky.social and sponsorship by @staterepjuliareed.bsky.social, Washington passed the most significant state-level transit-oriented development mandate in the country with HB 1491. The bill now heads to @governorferguson.bsky.social for signature!

Seattle, come cheers to #WALeg housing wins this Friday!

In a bipartisan vote, the Washington state Senate just voted to PASS HB 1491 for transit-oriented development!!! 🎉🎉🎉

There is no reason for any Democrats to be justifying these Trump Tariffs.

Wow who could’ve guessed that this would happen It’s almost as if USAID was a pillar of American soft power and influence in the world It’s almost as if it was entirely predictable that America’s adversaries would work to fill the void left by USAID’s destruction

This was….five months ago

Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray are leading the charge against Trump in the Senate. Thank you for saving America!

Trump's tariffs are a TAX that will cost the average family nearly $4,000 *per year.* Congress has the power to immediately reverse the Trump tax on families—and we should do so ASAP. Any Republican who refuses to is joining Trump in raising prices and destroying the economy.

Looks like Republican Randy Fine is going to win the special election in Florida's 6th Congressional District. He's at margin of +7 right now, with room to grow as more rural votes are cast. However, this is a seat Trump won by 30 points. Going to be a ~20+ point beat by the Dem

Let's talk about why @governorferguson.bsky.social decision to veto a wealth tax is good for Democrats. 1/4 www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Taxes are not created equally and if you can't have a graduated income tax, a wealth tax is NOT a viable replacement. Governor Ferguson is correct to assess that a wealth tax will cause far more harm than good. -It will be a long court battle -Rich people will leave -Revenues will be unstable

How much are homeowners making when they sell housing?

To be clear, MHA has cratered middle housing in low rise zones—75% of the annual production just vaporized. Most fled LR for NR zones but if we extend MHA there we’ll see a similar drop. Plus it might be illegal.

Egg Shortage: Drives up cost of eggs. "...but I'm skeptical that producing more eggs is going to have an effect on affordability. Greedy egg farmers are just going to produce luxury cage-free eggs. If you ask me, foreigners are buying up all the eggs and sitting on them. Plus chickens kill orcas."