Microsoft starts a loan program for affordable housing, and more.
Notes from today’s city-wide MHA committee meeting
On Monday, the City Council started walking through proposed amendments to zoning in the city-wide MHA ordinance, starting with those in Council districts 4, 6 and 7. This morning, they covered the other four districts. As with Monday’s session, it was mostly a stress-free discussion that rarely bogged down in details. There were a few interesting moments, however, that exposed some recurring themes — and caused a couple of the Council members to show their cards.
Continue reading Notes from today’s city-wide MHA committee meeting
More details on the Waterfront LID Agreement
This afternoon the City Council got a briefing on the waterfront LID agreement that the city negotiated with property-holders in the proposed LID assessment area, as well as other updates on the Waterfront Park project. Here are some key new learnings beyond my writeup last week.
Continue reading More details on the Waterfront LID Agreement
Wednesday news roundup
The Council’s work on the MHA legislation tops the news this morning.
Uber collective-bargaining lawsuit inches forward
Since the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals handed down a split-decision last fall, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s legal challenge to Seattle’s ordinance granting collective-bargaining rights to Uber and Lyft drivers has been back in the hands of the district court. But it’s proceeding in starts and stops, with the occasional flurry of motions and other legal filings. Today a joint status report filed by the parties extends that pattern.
Continue reading Uber collective-bargaining lawsuit inches forward
The Seattle Waterfront, minus the viaduct noise
We’re dabbling in audio journalism today.
Do you remember how noisy the waterfront was before the Viaduct was shut down? Wondering how much quieter it is now?
I made a recording standing outside the Aquarium around noon on Thursday, January 3. There is moderate traffic on the viaduct, and little surface traffic. I’ve actually stood on the waterfront when the Viaduct traffic was deafening (as I am sure have many of you); it wasn’t that bad on this day, but it was still loud enough that you would need to raise your voice to have a conversation with someone standing next to you.
And here is another recording, standing in approximately the same location, mid-afternoon today. The Viaduct is shut down, and again there is little surface traffic.
There’s still background noise from the city, but it’s definitely quieter. You can hear yourself think, as well as lots of other nearby noises: the crosswalk signal, and a car driving by. Carrying on a conversation would be easy.
A happy thought while you’re sitting in traffic.
(apologies for the background hiss on the recordings)
Tuesday news roundup
It’s a quiet news day… perhaps we’re all stuck in traffic.
Council digs into the details of MHA upzoning
Last week, the City Council discussed the cross-cutting issues related to the city-wide MHA legislation up for consideration. This week, it’s sorting through each Council district’s specific issues, starting with Districts 4,6 and 7 this afternoon.
Continue reading Council digs into the details of MHA upzoning
Seattle and King County slowly moving toward regional governance for homelessness response
While most of the attention in 2018 was on the lackluster and fruitless “One Table” effort to drive a regional response to homelessness, it appears that quietly the stage was being set for a move to a regional governance system — or at least for the parts under the control of Seattle and King County.
Notes from today’s Council meetings
Here’s what happened at this morning’s Council Briefing and this afternoon’s full City Council meeting.
Look for separate posts later tonight on the other two meetings that happened today: the Select Committee on Homelessness and Housing this morning, and Select Committee on City-wide MHA this afternoon.