Aidan T
@buildhomes.bsky.social
For more housing, Seattle #urbanism #Seattle Seattle YIMBY member, Seattle New Liberals member
Project proposal using the 3ft setback on lots less than 5,000sqft near frequent transit amendment from AMR
December 22, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Project proposal using the 3ft setback on lots less than 5,000sqft near frequent transit amendment from AMR
Middle housing project proposal that’s just slightly over the mayor’s proposal at ~1.25 FAR vs mayors 1.2, 6,000 sqft lot
December 20, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Middle housing project proposal that’s just slightly over the mayor’s proposal at ~1.25 FAR vs mayors 1.2, 6,000 sqft lot
HB 1337 double for sale DADUs already delivering results. 3bd homes for less than 300k to build each in South Tacoma
December 18, 2025 at 7:08 PM
HB 1337 double for sale DADUs already delivering results. 3bd homes for less than 300k to build each in South Tacoma
3 examples on the front page of the PSBJ of the trend of the move of companies from suburban office campuses to downtown Seattle/Bellevue, and the redevelopment of those suburban office campuses to housing
December 18, 2025 at 2:06 AM
3 examples on the front page of the PSBJ of the trend of the move of companies from suburban office campuses to downtown Seattle/Bellevue, and the redevelopment of those suburban office campuses to housing
Hollingsworth amendment regarding the donut hole passes. Sounds like she's now changed her mind and wants it to still be upzoned, but as a part of the Central District Urban Center (which she thinks is currently a Neighborhood Center), instead of the Capitol Hill/First Hill Regional Center
December 16, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Hollingsworth amendment regarding the donut hole passes. Sounds like she's now changed her mind and wants it to still be upzoned, but as a part of the Central District Urban Center (which she thinks is currently a Neighborhood Center), instead of the Capitol Hill/First Hill Regional Center
There's been some student housing townhomes, which confuse me as a typology. How are apartments in LR zones so not worth it, to the point of building student housing townhomes where apartments are allowed?
Ravenna Gardens
Ravenna Gardens
December 16, 2025 at 8:11 PM
There's been some student housing townhomes, which confuse me as a typology. How are apartments in LR zones so not worth it, to the point of building student housing townhomes where apartments are allowed?
Ravenna Gardens
Ravenna Gardens
What's binding for some middle housing projects isn't setbacks, lot coverage, parking...
it's the 5,000sqft impervious surface area limit requiring additional stormwater protection
it's the 5,000sqft impervious surface area limit requiring additional stormwater protection
December 15, 2025 at 10:43 PM
What's binding for some middle housing projects isn't setbacks, lot coverage, parking...
it's the 5,000sqft impervious surface area limit requiring additional stormwater protection
it's the 5,000sqft impervious surface area limit requiring additional stormwater protection
Bellevue getting a number of big """cottage""" proposals, show me the incentive and i'll show you the outcome!
December 10, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Bellevue getting a number of big """cottage""" proposals, show me the incentive and i'll show you the outcome!
Reposted by Aidan T
This is good news. Scissor stairs allow for a much more efficient floor plate in high rise construction. See attached image for comparison (credit letsgola.wordpress.com/2015/02/09/h...)
December 10, 2025 at 8:12 PM
This is good news. Scissor stairs allow for a much more efficient floor plate in high rise construction. See attached image for comparison (credit letsgola.wordpress.com/2015/02/09/h...)
Be there! Tonight
Join us and @futurewise.bsky.social tomorrow (Wed), December 9 at 6:00pm, for a happy hour at Perihelion Brewing! We'll celebrate the housing wins from 2025 and plan our strategy for winning even more next year.
What's going on in your neighborhood? Let us know.
Hope to see you there!
What's going on in your neighborhood? Let us know.
Hope to see you there!
December 10, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Be there! Tonight
This didn't happen, to a surprising degree in Seattle. It's common and easy for homeowners to buy and build an ADU with less than 150k of capital, with a number of different financing sources easily available.
Once they became legal, the market instantly provided tons of information on how to do it
Once they became legal, the market instantly provided tons of information on how to do it
While Strong Towns’ Chief Technical Advisor Edward Erfurt was in Flagstaff, Arizona, the city council had declared a housing emergency. The city and community were on board with ADUs, but builders still couldn’t make the projects work because there's no broader system of support.
December 10, 2025 at 7:11 PM
This didn't happen, to a surprising degree in Seattle. It's common and easy for homeowners to buy and build an ADU with less than 150k of capital, with a number of different financing sources easily available.
Once they became legal, the market instantly provided tons of information on how to do it
Once they became legal, the market instantly provided tons of information on how to do it
Identical middle housing projects being built next to each other at the same, but built as separate projects each with their own driveways, because separately they're under 5,000sqft of impervious surfaces, but together they'd be over, triggering stormwater regs
December 9, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Identical middle housing projects being built next to each other at the same, but built as separate projects each with their own driveways, because separately they're under 5,000sqft of impervious surfaces, but together they'd be over, triggering stormwater regs
Proposal up for a Roosevelt "Up" house, rip
December 8, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Proposal up for a Roosevelt "Up" house, rip
Meanwhile Seattle has a light rail station that should've opened already, with a freeway lid, and hasn't bothered to upzone it! With no upzoning date set!
December 7, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Meanwhile Seattle has a light rail station that should've opened already, with a freeway lid, and hasn't bothered to upzone it! With no upzoning date set!
I agree with this, isn't the Wall Washington Fund a big tilt towards Seattle? If Washington and Seattle both want payroll taxes, the Seattle one should go on top of the state one, not be a substitute of the state one
December 6, 2025 at 11:13 PM
I agree with this, isn't the Wall Washington Fund a big tilt towards Seattle? If Washington and Seattle both want payroll taxes, the Seattle one should go on top of the state one, not be a substitute of the state one
The old raincitymaps.github.io map of Seattle land values is old, so I vibecoded a new map.
Quite similar, can still see the 85th sidewalk line and sharp zoning lines. Bellevue's downtown zoning falloff is a chokehold
Quite similar, can still see the 85th sidewalk line and sharp zoning lines. Bellevue's downtown zoning falloff is a chokehold
November 28, 2025 at 5:54 AM
The old raincitymaps.github.io map of Seattle land values is old, so I vibecoded a new map.
Quite similar, can still see the 85th sidewalk line and sharp zoning lines. Bellevue's downtown zoning falloff is a chokehold
Quite similar, can still see the 85th sidewalk line and sharp zoning lines. Bellevue's downtown zoning falloff is a chokehold
The One Seattle Plan's projection of 120,000 units is completely meaningless. It's not based on zoning, capacity, or a real analysis of project growth, it's just a made up number. Could've just as easily picked 500,000. Seattle could abolish zoning and they could project 120,000 units
November 27, 2025 at 7:08 PM
The One Seattle Plan's projection of 120,000 units is completely meaningless. It's not based on zoning, capacity, or a real analysis of project growth, it's just a made up number. Could've just as easily picked 500,000. Seattle could abolish zoning and they could project 120,000 units
The council staffs proposed substitute bill is out and the fix for DADUs rear setback is in it. IMO it's completely illogical to have different setbacks for a 1,200 sqft unit in the form of DADU and a 1,200 sqft unit in the form of a principal dwelling unit. Shows the benefits of random exemptions
November 26, 2025 at 4:34 AM
The council staffs proposed substitute bill is out and the fix for DADUs rear setback is in it. IMO it's completely illogical to have different setbacks for a 1,200 sqft unit in the form of DADU and a 1,200 sqft unit in the form of a principal dwelling unit. Shows the benefits of random exemptions
Getting phase 2 upzones for Queen Anne as high as possible is critical
as will notes, people tend to *say* they want suburban living. they want a big house and a big yard and etc. this is not however what is suggested by their actual purchasing practices, which invariably result in something like this:
raincitymaps.com/maps/inspect...
raincitymaps.com/maps/inspect...
November 21, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Getting phase 2 upzones for Queen Anne as high as possible is critical
Interesting that Wilson is a self-described socialist but AMR, Lin and Foster aren't. Or they just haven't been asked about it?
November 18, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Interesting that Wilson is a self-described socialist but AMR, Lin and Foster aren't. Or they just haven't been asked about it?
Should see some middle housing projects going up soon, this guy got a project approved under 2 months
November 18, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Should see some middle housing projects going up soon, this guy got a project approved under 2 months
Why do stacked flats when we can do 5 story townhomes 🤔
November 14, 2025 at 5:41 AM
Why do stacked flats when we can do 5 story townhomes 🤔
Harrell won this huge area through running up the margin in two buildings, a new condo building and a retirement community
November 13, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Harrell won this huge area through running up the margin in two buildings, a new condo building and a retirement community
Just realized that we just had Seattle's second to last election without Ranked Choice Voting in the primary, the last being D5 in 2026.
Primaries will have a lot more importance and we could see some new coalitions, will be interesting
Primaries will have a lot more importance and we could see some new coalitions, will be interesting
November 13, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Just realized that we just had Seattle's second to last election without Ranked Choice Voting in the primary, the last being D5 in 2026.
Primaries will have a lot more importance and we could see some new coalitions, will be interesting
Primaries will have a lot more importance and we could see some new coalitions, will be interesting
Anyone know how cured ballots have broken down in the past? Likely many more Wilson voters out there, but also would expect 65+ voters would be proactive in curing their ballots too
There's still a lot of curable ballots from Seattle (about 1,800). Most are unsigned or signature mismatches, and most skew younger.
November 10, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Anyone know how cured ballots have broken down in the past? Likely many more Wilson voters out there, but also would expect 65+ voters would be proactive in curing their ballots too