Category Archives: Density

Our response to the claim you’re a climate-change denier if you don’t jump on Councilmember Mosqueda’s pro-density crusade.

Mosqueda claims she has a corner on “hard data” but there’s nothing environmentally sound about cramming more growth into Seattle’s neighborhoods   We’re breaking records for new rental construction in Seattle at three to four times our normal annual rate.  And … Continue reading

Posted in Density, Politics, Transportation, Upzoning | Comments Off on Our response to the claim you’re a climate-change denier if you don’t jump on Councilmember Mosqueda’s pro-density crusade.

The Seattle City Council elections: our predicted winner in each race isn’t always who we would prefer

The good, bad, and ugly and our wishes for the victors Ok folks, here’s our predictions for the seven Seattle City Council races.  Mind you, they are not always who we would prefer, but rather those most likely to succeed.  … Continue reading

Posted in Affordable Housing, City Hall, Density, Displacement, Housing Preservation, Neighborhoods, Politics, Upzoning | Comments Off on The Seattle City Council elections: our predicted winner in each race isn’t always who we would prefer

Neighborhood challenge to MHA upzones is not over: State Growth Management Hearing Board to hear citizen’s appeal Tuesday November 5th

Room 1610 Seattle Municipal Tower, 9AM-4PM (PST): A decision favoring SCALE representing over two dozen neighborhood and housing groups would overturn Seattle’s city-wide MHA upzones implemented earlier this year In an appeal hearing that may take two days (November 5th … Continue reading

Posted in Affordable Housing, City Hall, Density, Displacement, Gentrification, Housing Preservation, Neighborhoods | Comments Off on Neighborhood challenge to MHA upzones is not over: State Growth Management Hearing Board to hear citizen’s appeal Tuesday November 5th

GMA Hearing Board last July overturned Olympia’s “missing middle” upzone plan

The decision was a victory of neighborhood groups in Olympia effectively striking down that city’s upzone plan – does it portend the fate of Seattle’s massive MHA upzone plan? Olympia’s “missing middle” ordinance allows more multifamily housing—duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, accessory … Continue reading

Posted in City Hall, Density, Neighborhoods | Comments Off on GMA Hearing Board last July overturned Olympia’s “missing middle” upzone plan

Shaun Scott’s vendetta against single family housing – where 60 percent of all Seattleites live

Scott suggests you’re racist if you don’t want to abolish single-family zoning: does that mean 88,000 people renting one in Seattle are racist (28 percent of renters) and 29 percent of all African-Americans? South of Othello between 46th S and … Continue reading

Posted in Affordable Housing, City Hall, Density, Displacement, Gentrification, Housing Preservation, Neighborhoods, Politics, Upzoning | Comments Off on Shaun Scott’s vendetta against single family housing – where 60 percent of all Seattleites live

Councilmember Pacheco wants to remove ‘SEPA’ rules requiring city to study displacement impacts on small businesses due to upzoning

Pacheco’s bill makes study of economic impacts optional and removes right of an appeal to hearing examiner; small businesses along Seattle’s historic “Ave” say it’s intentionally designed to rob them of any chance to secure measures to minimize impacts of … Continue reading

Posted in City Hall, Density, Displacement, Gentrification, Housing Preservation, Politics, University District, Upzoning | Comments Off on Councilmember Pacheco wants to remove ‘SEPA’ rules requiring city to study displacement impacts on small businesses due to upzoning

A second round of upzones for historic University District moves forward; activists to hold “Save the Ave” fundraiser, 5pm-9pm, Aug 10th at the Big Time

Rob Johnson, former Councilmember from the 4th District is long gone but his proposal to upzone the Ave and over a dozen other blocks in the neighborhood lives on. Residents and small businesses wonder why CM Johnson proposal moves forward … Continue reading

Posted in City Hall, Density, Displacement, Gentrification, Housing Preservation, Neighborhoods, Politics, University District, Upzoning | Comments Off on A second round of upzones for historic University District moves forward; activists to hold “Save the Ave” fundraiser, 5pm-9pm, Aug 10th at the Big Time

The UN says residential displacement undermines human rights: so are city leaders guilty of human rights violations?

“From mass forced evictions to make way for luxury developments, to nameless corporations purchasing real estate from remote boardrooms, to empty homes and people pushed out of their communities because they simply could not afford to live there…” –United Nations … Continue reading

Posted in Affordable Housing, City Hall, Density, Displacement, Gentrification, Homelessness, Housing Preservation, Neighborhoods, University District, Upzoning | Comments Off on The UN says residential displacement undermines human rights: so are city leaders guilty of human rights violations?

Two new studies challenge notion that upzoning leads to more affordable housing

“The trickle-down and ‘housing-as-opportunity’ school of thought are fundamentally flawed and lead to simplistic and misguided public policy recommendations” – Michael Storper, UCLA and London School of Economics We thought we’d share with you some information about a couple of … Continue reading

Posted in Density, Displacement, Gentrification, Housing Preservation, Neighborhoods, Upzoning | Comments Off on Two new studies challenge notion that upzoning leads to more affordable housing

CM’s Mosqueda and Gonzalez upset that a supplemental EIS is required delaying vote on more UDistrict upzones. Their only concern: “how fast can you get it done?”

Here’s what happened at the Council’s briefing on more UDistrict upzones held with only 24-hour notice posted over a holiday It’s rare you get to testify before all nine councilmembers and for a whole two minutes no less!  But, in … Continue reading

Posted in Affordable Housing, City Hall, Density, Displacement, Gentrification, Housing Preservation, Neighborhoods, University District, Upzoning | Comments Off on CM’s Mosqueda and Gonzalez upset that a supplemental EIS is required delaying vote on more UDistrict upzones. Their only concern: “how fast can you get it done?”