Rent Control: Are You Sure?
The Seattle City Council, in its wisdom, has validated the discussion of “rent control.” It is asking the State Legislature to allow local governments the option to enact rent control, which as of now is prohibited by State law. As in everything in life–sorry folks–it’s not that simple. What to discuss? Right now “rent control” […]
Tower Separation Anxiety
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw last week sent a letter to Mayor Murray asking him to direct the Department of Planning and Development to undertake a tower spacing scheme for downtown similar to the program implemented in South Lake Union. What tower spacing does is mandate allowing only one residential tower per block. This is a recipe […]
Yobi Apartments: What Microhousing Could Have Been
It’s been almost a year since the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability (PLUS) Committee under the leadership of Councilmember Mike O’Brien outlawed microhousing in Seattle. I can still remember Councilmember Burgess chiding the audience that the legislation passed would have no effect on the production of microhousing, even as a letter was arriving from the […]
