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Katie Wilson Kicks off Expanded Bicycle Weekends on Lake Washington Boulevard

Hundreds of Seattleites turned out Saturday to celebrate the start of the 2026 Bicycle Weekend schedule, scaled back up by Mayor Katie Wilson after being stifled under the previous administration.

Op-Ed: Starbucks Execs Pull Out of Seattle to Exploit Regressive Tennessee

“What’s Nashville have that we ain’t got in Seattle?” New Jim Crow, strict abortion ban, union-busting, low wages, unchecked poverty, and gun deaths in spades. Just what Starbucks was looking for, John Burbank opines.

West Coast Cities Turn to Vacancy Taxes to Grapple with Housing Crisis

With a widespread housing crisis and sky-high downtown commercial vacancies, West Coast cities are weighing vacancy taxes to push more units into productive use, but Tacoma and Seattle likely need state legislation to clear the path.

Seattle Social Housing Developer Acquires First Building near Pike Place Market

The Seattle Social Housing Developer has acquired its first building, interim CEO Tiffani McCoy announced at a media event on Friday. Elara at the Market has 150 apartments, half of which will be affordable and rented below market.

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2026 Trailhead Direct Season Maintains Two Weekend Routes to Hiking Destinations

Direct service between light rail stations in Seattle and Bellevue and several major Eastside trailheads starts Saturday, and runs on weekends and holidays through August 30. Seattle's transit funding measure provides a big source of the dollars to operate the shuttles.

Bellevue Poised to Stop Giving Away Curbside Parking for Free

A bill quietly approved this week establishes a range of paid parking hourly rates between $1 and $8, with the actual fee charged to drivers based on the demand for curb access on that block. Bellevue is currently a major outlier when it comes to providing free on-street parking citywide.

Seattle Civilian Responder Team Chafes Under Police Guild Contract Restrictions

Seattle’s Community Assisted Response & Engagement (CARE) department is expanding, but it’s being blocked from doing its job by the conditions laid out in the new Seattle Police Officers Guild contract. CARE is looking to circumvent these obstacles.

Bainbridge Islanders Are United Against Growing Densely? Not So Fast.

The exclusive island enclave's residents have a reputation as being anti-growth. A recent public hearing at the Bainbridge Island Planning Commission showed how many are actually clamoring for more housing options.

Join The Urbanist for a King County Candidate Housing Forum

Join The Urbanist and other partners for a King County Candidate Forum on June 10th. The Assessor and District 2 races are both hotly contested.