Doug Trumm

Back at you! We've come a long way!

Wild that it's been 10 years since my first article with @theurbanist.org!

2025 General Election Endorsements » The Urbanist # The Urbanist Elections Committee is excited to announce our 2025 general election endorsements, which span the region from Tacoma to Everett. Be sure to vote by November 4.

NEW // 2025 General Election Endorsements

Read @theurbanist.org election committee's take on a very consequential election. www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/16/2...

Dembowski Pushes Fare-Free Pilot at King County Metro » The Urbanist # The idea of a fare-free pilot on several Metro routes, to be implemented in 2027, came about as fares have shrunk as a percentage of Metro's overall sources of revenue. But the data suggests that dr...

King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski wants Metro to explore going fare-free, advancing a proviso that would pilot dropping fares on at least two routes in 2027. But data from other cities suggests the move is a distraction from a focus on service expansion.
www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/15/d...

Great article by @amysundberg.bsky.social about how the Seattle Public Schools board rejected a plan to station an armed cop inside Garfield high school -- and how documents show Harrell's office is considering expanding the program to 15 other schools...

Dembowski Pushes Fare-Free Pilot at King County Metro » The Urbanist # The idea of a fare-free pilot on several Metro routes, to be implemented in 2027, came about as fares have shrunk as a percentage of Metro's overall sources of revenue. But the data suggests that dr...

NEW // Dembowski Pushes Fare-Free Pilot at King County Metro

By Ryan Packer

via @theurbanist.org // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/15/d...

Metro Plans Trolleybus Investments, with Long Implementation Timelines » The Urbanist # After pivoting away from an aggressive schedule for battery-bus adoption, King County Metro plans to focus attention on the tried-and-true trolley network. But limited staff, delays obtaining materi...

The good news: Metro still plans to restore the Route 2 and 12 as trolleybus routes, and electrify the Route 48.

The bad news: that's not planned until late 2026, 2029, and 2032 (!) respectively.
www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/13/m...

"My people that work with me, they are amazed with the energy I have."

Who said it?
A) Trump
B) Bruce Harrell

How Ballard and West Seattle Light Rail Became a $30 Billion Undertaking » The Urbanist # Since voters approved West Seattle and Ballard Link in 2016, the two projects have been caught in a perfect storm of factors that led to the eye-popping cost estimates that we have today. While the ...

If you're still wondering how the hell we got to a staggering $30 billion price tag to build light rail to both West Seattle and Ballard, I've got you covered.
www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/10/h...

Seattle Poised to Overhaul MFTE Housing Affordability Program, Despite Tenant Concerns » The Urbanist # The Seattle City Council is set to greenlight a new iteration of the Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) program with higher allowed rents and rent hikes. The program trades a property tax break for se...

NEW // Seattle Poised to Overhaul MFTE Housing Affordability Program, Despite Tenant Concerns

Story by Doug Trumm via @theurbanist.org www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/09/s...

Can't imagine Bruce Harrell doing this.

Both the riding the bus and chatting with a rider part and the pledge to quickly and decisively roll out speed upgrades part.

Drawing showing the changes planned for S Orcas Street and LWB

What the records show:
-Major elements of the LWB redesign, like the changes at Orcas Street, nearly went out for construction before being killed by the Mayor's Office
-Parks staff were continuing to negotiate over individual elements of the project as late as early June.

Ten years ago today I published my first story at @theurbanist.org. 886 stories later, here we are. What a wild ride.

Fire Marshals Target Backyard Cottages with Proposal for Wider Pathway Requirements » The Urbanist # The Washington Association of Fire Marshals is proposing changes to Washington state building code that would require five-foot wide access path to accessory dwelling units, but builders paint the r...

In my latest for @theurbanist.org I look at a debate between Washington fire marshals, home builders, and housing activists over stricter regulations for backyard cottages. Marshals say 5-foot access is needed, while architects and activists say that's overkill. www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/07/f...

"[T]he outcome of the city’s decision was that for nearly a year, Seattle paid for just as many rooms as before yet helped fewer and fewer people off the street with them."
- ProPublica on Mayor Harrell's mismanagement.

I will get results on homelessness: www.wilsonforseattle.com/homelessness

I have heard former State Rep Dawn Mason say that Katie should have run for Council.

Haven't heard a lot of people who aren't Harrell campaign surrogates bring it up.

Seattle Council Sets the Stage for a Potential Multiplex Boom » The Urbanist # The Seattle City Council added a series of series of height and density bonuses for stacked flats as they amended Mayor Bruce Harrell's proposed update to the City's Comprehensive Plan in September....

NEW // Seattle Council Sets the Stage for a Potential Multiplex Boom

By Doug Trumm

via @theurbanist.org // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/03/s...

What’s Easier than Adding a Bus Lane in Seattle? Deleting One » The Urbanist # The City of Seattle will be removing an East Union Street bus only lane set aside for the Route 2 this weekend, ceding to requests from nearby property owners who have complained about traffic chang...

NEW STORY // What’s Easier than Adding a Bus Lane in Seattle? Deleting One
www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/01/w...

Harrell Pledges Police Contract by Year End – Adding Election Wrinkle » The Urbanist # Mayor Bruce Harrell has pledged to complete labor negotiations with the Seattle Police Officers Guild before the end of the year. But facing a tough reelection fight, he might not be around to sign ...

My latest for @theurbanist.org: embroiled in a tough reflection fight, Mayor Harrell has said there will be a new SPOG contract by the end of the year. I wrote about some of the factors in play.

Cash Wave Seeks to Tilt Woodinville Elections Against Housing Growth » The Urbanist # Nearly $200,000 in outside spending from a political action committee started by one Woodinville tech worker has upended local politics in the quiet suburb. The goal? Taking down a pro-growth counci...

Today at @theurbanist.org: a look at how one man is attempting to tilt the city council races in sleepy Woodinville toward a slow growth agenda, donating hundreds of thousands to a PAC in a place where the average council race usually costs less than $10k.
www.theurbanist.org/2025/09/30/c...

Literally me reacting to this home run:

Rinck Retools Housing Affordability Bonus with More Density » The Urbanist # Alexis Mercedes Rinck's new

The Seattle City Council just UNANIMOUSLY approved the Roots to Roofs affordability bonus pilot, giving density bonuses to community based orgs, including the Seattle social housing developer. I did not expect a 9-0 vote on this one.
www.theurbanist.org/2025/06/30/r...

Hard not to see Seattle's proposed budget in the context of the upcoming mayoral election. Read all about it!

Wondering what's going on with the proposal to bring a police officer back into Garfield High School? Wonder no longer!

Trump cuts did this, but it's funny how it's never the C suite that bears the brunt of budget tightening. How can you have nine executives, but no newsroom as an ostensible media org?

Devastating news. Seems a drastic move by Cascade's executive team.

Which consultant told him this was a good idea

The fact the Athenian government of the time was called "the 30 tyrants" and imposed by Sparta doesn't commend it. Otoh, histories of the trial were mostly written by his students, so yeah probably favorable accounts for Socrates.

Wow Socrates catching strays lol

Seattle Council Punts on Housing Expansion, Passes Strict Tree Preservation Rules » The Urbanist # Among the dozens of amendments to Seattle's growth plan approved this week were reductions in the size of proposed growth centers and new tree retention requirements that could stifle homebuilding. ...

NEW // Seattle Council Punts on Housing Expansion, Passes Strict Tree Preservation Rules

By Doug Trumm

via @theurbanist.org // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2025/09/20/s...