Category Archives: Housing

The Social Benefits of Lidding Interstate 5

Posted on August 29, 2026 by Scott Bonjukian

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, equity in a social sense means “freedom from disparities in the way people of different races, genders, etc. are treated”, and often more specifically referring to “freedom from disparities in the way people of different … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Government, Housing, Land Use, Lid I-5, Megaprojects, Parks, Public Participation, Public Space, Transportation | Leave a comment

Checking in on Convention Center Public Benefits

Posted on December 15, 2024 by Scott Bonjukian

It’s been nearly two years since the Seattle Convention Center’s newest building opened at 900 Pine Street and started hosting events. The structure occupies two city blocks in Downtown Seattle and was likely the most expensive single building in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Biking, Government, Housing, Land Use, Lid I-5, Megaprojects, Public Participation, Public Space, Transportation, Walking | Tagged addition, biking, coalition, community package, construction, convention center, cycling, news, public benefits, Seattle, summit, transportation | Leave a comment

Public Risks Being Left Behind as Downtown Seattle Land Runs Out

Posted on April 4, 2018 by Scott Bonjukian

“Buy land, they’re not making it anymore.” – Mark Twain As Seattle’s development boom continues without any sign of stopping, the city is rapidly approaching a point where Downtown is completely built out and there is no land left to … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Land Use, Policy, Public Space, Schools | Tagged acquisition, affordable, agencies, analysis, Belltown, calculation, Chinatown, civic, Commercial Core, community center, demand, denny triangle, downtown, fire station, governments, growth, historic, housing, infrastructure, International District, land, landmark, library, parks, Pioneer Square, plan, Planning, public, public space, residents, Seattle, supply, utility | 2 Comments

New Movement Seeks to Empower Seattle Renters

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Scott Bonjukian

On Saturday the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict hosted a Renter Summit to kick off a community conversation about rising rents, renter protections, and transportation options. The half-day event at Miller Community Center drew at least 100 residents from the Capitol Hill, … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Policy, Public Participation, Transportation | Tagged affordability, Capitol Hill, City Council, EcoDistrict, Frank Chopp, HALA, housing, increases, Jamie Pedersen, Kshama Sawant, living, mobility, policy, rent, Renter Summit, renters, Rob Johnson, Sara Maxana, Seattle, Shefali Ranganathan, transportation, transportation choices, Victor Obeso | 1 Comment

CascadiaCast Episode 6: Nathan Vass

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Scott Bonjukian

On this episode of CascadiaCast I had a lively chat with Nathan Vass, who splits his time between driving for King County Metro and his artistic pursuits in photography and video. He also frequently writes short stories about his experience … Continue reading →

Posted in Biking, Buses, CascadiaCast, Demographics, Government, Housing, Land Use, Parks, Policy, Schools, Transportation, Walking | Tagged affordability, art, artists, blog, bus, changes, culture, driver, film, growth, homeless, King County, light rail, metro, Nathan, operator, painting, photography, Seattle, transit, travel, Vass, video, View from Nathan's Bus | Leave a comment

CascadiaCast Episode 5: Cathy Tuttle

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Scott Bonjukian

After a bit of a lull, CascadiaCast is back! (And with a hell of a lot better sound quality.) I had the exciting opportunity to talk with Cathy Tuttle, Executive Director of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways. We took a fascinating dive into … Continue reading →

Posted in Biking, Buses, CascadiaCast, Demographics, Government, Housing, Land Use, Parks, Policy, Schools, Transportation, Walking | Tagged bicycle, bicycling, bike, Cascade, Cathy, Club, coalition, engineering, funding, greenways, infrastruture, investment, neighborhood, origins, pedestrian, safe, safety, Seattle, signage, signals, standards, streets, sustainability, traffic, Tuttle, urban, walk, walking | 1 Comment

Why I Call Myself an Urbanist

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Scott Bonjukian

I was recently invited to to participate in a panel discussion pitting urbanism against NIMBYism (Not In My BackYard-ism). Asked to represent the “urbanist” perspective, this got me thinking about it meant to be an urbanist, how urbanism is defined, and if … Continue reading →

Posted in Editorial, Housing, Land Use, Public Space, Resources, Sustainability, Transportation | Tagged cities, definition, development, environmentalism, growth, life, living, McGinn, places, renassiance, The Northwest Urbanist, urbanism, urbanist, walkability | 1 Comment

Seattle’s Draft Comprehensive Plan Takes on the Big Issues

Posted on November 19, 2015 by Scott Bonjukian

By 2040 the Puget Sound region is expected to have a population of 5 million, up from 3.9 million today. Seattle expects to be at the center of this growth and is planning for 120,000 new residents in 70,000 housing units, along with … Continue reading →

Posted in Event Writeup, Housing, Land Use, Policy, Public Participation, Transportation | Tagged 2035, affordable, bike, bus, chapters, comp plan, comprehensive plan, document, DPD, draft, drive, elements, environmental impact, expansions, GMA, goals, Growth Management Act, HALA, housing, land use, light rail, LOS, open house, parking, Planning, policies, Seattle, transportation, urban design, urban enters, urban villages, version, vision, walk | Leave a comment

How Seattle’s Mandatory Affordable Housing Program Will Work

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Scott Bonjukian

The Seattle City Council is considering a mandatory affordable housing program linked to commercial developments. The program is no longer just a commercial “linkage fee” (otherwise known as an “impact fee” in Washington state), and now consists of two options: developers … Continue reading →

Posted in Commercial, Housing, Land Use, Policy, Residential | Tagged affordable, City Council, cost, fund, funding, HALA, housing, impact fee, linkage fee, mandatory, murray, options, policy, process, program, public, recommendation, schedule, Seattle, timeline, upzoning, zoning | 4 Comments

Seattle to Acquire Sisley Properties in Roosevelt

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Scott Bonjukian

On Monday the Seattle City Council will vote on whether to acquire a one-fifth-acre property from Hugh Sisley, an infamous slumlord in the city’s Roosevelt neighborhood. The city has been doing battle with Sisley for years over code violations and … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Land Use, Parks, Public Space | Tagged 14th Avenue NE, affordable housing, condemn, demolition, Ed Murray, eminent domain, fees, fines, green street, light rail, litigation, park, Parks Department, Pete Holmes, properties, property, public housing, Roosevelt, Roosevelt High School, Sisley, Sisleys, street, urban village | Leave a comment