Futurewise

@futurewise.bsky.social is hiring a Seattle organizer! Are you stoked about Seattle's comprehensive plan? Do you want to organize your neighbors for more homes in more neighborhoods? Join our team!

Priority application deadline August 4.

Job description here: futurewise.org/were-hiring-...

Mpact Webinar - More Housing Near Transit

Register today: bit.ly/Webinar_More.... Follow the link for resources to get up to speed on the law before the webinar. And let us know what you most want to hear about from our speakers in the comments. Your feedback will help us make the most of the time we have!

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Find out all about it on an 8/19 webinar from:
- Rep. Julia Reed, 36th District, Washington House of Representatives
- Kate Brunette Kreuzer, @futurewise.bsky.social
- Bryce Yadon, Futurewise / Bryce Yadon Consulting
- Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com, Urban Institute

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This year, the state of Washington passed the US' most ambitious TOD law. At a time when leaders and advocates everywhere are focused on ways to build more housing, Washington’s new law shows a way to add housing at scale and realize the untapped potential of transit station areas.

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Mpact Webinar – August 19 – More Housing Near Transit: How Washington Set a New Standard for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)
Register: bit.ly/Webinar_More...

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Join me & Washington state Rep. Julia Reed, as well as some folks from @futurewise.bsky.social, for a discussion of the state’s new TOD law, passed in 2024. Registration ⬇️

I’ll be moderating & bringing in thoughts on new @urbaninstitute.bsky.social work on the subject: www.urban.org/research/pub...

“It’s about stewardship, not ownership”: Farmer advocate Val Alexander knows the lay of the land LA CENTER — Having a connection to the land isn’t something La Center farmer Valerie Alexander thinks about. It’s her way of life. As one of the first organic farmers in Clark County, Alexander has sp

Beautiful tribute to long-time Futurewise partner and founder of Friends of Clark County, Val Alexander. Thank you Val for your many years of service to Clark County!

www.columbian.com/news/2025/ju...

This WA city hopes to become more walkable and affordable. Here’s how Bothell is about to get "more Bothell," the city's mayor said. The city says updating its municipal code will make living there more affordable and welcoming.

Bothell is about to get cuter and more convenient!

❌ No more outdated parking mandates that gobble up lots of space and cost lots of money
✅ Yes to neighborhood-scale commercial development (ie corner stores)
💫 Easier paths to building more affordable housing
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

Transit Trekking with Futurewise Two part webinar + Field Trip Series Webinar: Tuesday August 12th 5-6:30 PM Field Trip Seattle to Carnation: Sunday August 17th Image of mountain with Futurewise and transittrekker logos

Join us in August! RSVP here: futurewise.salsalabs.org/TransitTrekk...

In this two part series, we'll have a webinar on what
transit trekking is, how you can go on mini to epic treks,
and the importance of connectivity and infrastructure in
policy to to encourage vibrant communities while
protecting our farms, forests and water.

Transit Trekking with Futurewise Two part webinar + Field Trip Series Webinar: Tuesday August 12th 5-6:30 PM Field Trip Seattle to Carnation: Sunday August 17th Image of mountain with Futurewise and transittrekker logos

Join @futurewise.bsky.social and @transittrekker.bsky.social for a two-part event to show you how to enjoy the greatest parts of Washington without a car or sprawl.

What you need to know about Washington's new rent stabilization law:

💫 Landlords must provide 90-day notice for rent increases
💫 Rent cannot be increased in your first year of tenancy
💫 Renters have legal protections and recourse if these provisions are violated!

Washington’s rent stabilization law goes into effect next week, July 1! Here’s what you need to know:

💫 Rent increases for manufactured homeowners are limited to 5% per year
💫 Residential rent increases are capped at 7% plus CPI (consumer price index) or 10% per year, whichever is lower

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we joined hundreds of neighbors at yesterday's public hearing on the Seattle Comprehensive Plan who want- more neighbors, more affordable housing, more density, and more walkable neighborhoods!

Op-Ed: Seattle Council Should Scale Up Neighborhood Centers in Growth Plan - The Urbanist # On Monday, June 23, the Seattle City Council is holding a public hearing on the One Seattle growth plan. Housing advocates must defend the 29 neighborhood centers in the plan and push to add more. J...

Today is the public comment-palooza at Seattle City Council. Housing advocates are pushing the city to expand the One Seattle plan to add more housing. Check out @jazzyspraxis.bsky.social's case for eight more neighborhood growth centers. www.theurbanist.org/2025/06/20/o...

And of course we had to show off Spokane!
We hopped on the new rapid transit line to visit the new Spokane Six middle housing development and heard from local leaders on what's next for housing affordability in Spokane.

We had the best time in Spokane at our Welcoming Neighbors Network Mountain West Convening!
We hosted colleagues from other states to see how we're each coping with rapid growth and affordability challenges while fighting sprawl, preserving open space, and protecting tribal treaty rights.

Happy Summer Solstice! 🌞
We’re daydreaming about all the fresh produce at our local farmer’s markets, provided by local family farms.
Farmer’s markets are the perfect example of what a thriving, connected local community can look like, and a great chance to see where your food comes from.

We’re just a few days away. Make a plan to vocally support housing all across Seattle as the City Council takes up discussion on legislation for the major Comprehensive Plan update! 🧵👇

Washington state Democrats are tackling the housing crisis Several historic housing bills passed the Washington state legislature this year, including one that would legalize "missing middle" housing on every lot in the state. I chat with Rep. Jessica Bateman...

Many of my favorite pods I've ever done are with promising young women legislators. Gives me life & hope.

A win for transit-oriented development in Washington state Rep. Julia Reed & Futurewise's Alex Brennan on Washington's groundbreaking bill to boost housing density & affordability near transit.

Y'all I don't mean to tell you what to do, but: listen to this pod.

Not only will you learn a lot about transit-oriented development, you will be introduced to one of the smartest, most promising young legislators in the country.

I could listen to @staterepjuliareed.bsky.social talk about land use reform all day. The TOD bill is a major victory for her and the people of Washington State.

Why does this legal challenge matter?
⚖️ This case is the first court challenge to recently passed housing policies like HB 1220.
The outcome will set important precedent for land use policy + implementation statewide.

Our first hearing is next week, stay tuned for more.

What’s missing in Kitsap's comp plan?
❌ Enough land for affordable housing
❌ Effective plans to reduce rural growth rates and protect rural lands
❌ Adequate strategies to reduce wildfire risk
❌ Proper designation for agricultural lands
and more

ICYMI - We’ve filed a legal appeal to challenge Kitsap County’s comprehensive plan. Why and what does it mean?

State law requires cities and counties to better plan for land use and population growth.

We believe that Kitsap County's 2024 comp plan falls short of those requirements. 🧵

🚨 Make a plan to comment at the Seattle City Council Comprehensive Plan meeting on Monday, June 23.

The council will hold a public hearing on proposals for more housing across the city, including middle housing and neighborhood centers, and supportive land use reforms.

Agenda link below.

What’s your favorite way to get around town? 🚎🚌

We made Jazmine from our team pick just one:
“My favorite transit, if I absolutely must pick a favorite, is the classic last mile solution that is the monorail: connecting my front door to the downtown core and the city center to the Seattle Center!”

Bremerton Becomes Latest Washington City to Ditch Parking Mandates - The Urbanist # On Wednesday, Bremerton ditched parking mandates, letting builders choose housing over excessive parking. Following in the footsteps of cities like Spokane, Port Townsend, and Bellingham, the move s...

No more parking mandates on new developments in Bremerton! 👏

From @theurbanist.org - it's "intended to reduce housing costs, encourage additional density, and prioritize additional modes of travel including walking, biking, and transit."

www.theurbanist.org/2025/06/06/b...

Ride Transit Month All month long, agencies, organizations, and riders across the state will be coming together for fun events and activities as we celebrate transit together.

June is #RideTransitMonth! 🚎🚌🚃
The sun is out, farmer’s markets are back, and the light rail now goes north to Lynnwood & east to Redmond–it’s the perfect time to check out somewhere new.

Join @transpochoices.bsky.social and pledge to ride transit 5 times this month → shorturl.at/Lu9wL

June 4th Seattle Candidate Forum to Focus on Transportation and Housing - The Urbanist # The Urbanist will be co-hosting a Seattle candidate forum on June 4th in Beacon Hill along with allied housing and transportation organizations. It will be a fantastic chance to hear from candidates...

Join us Wednesday evening in Beacon Hill for the Seattle candidate forum focused on transportation and housing. We are co-hosting with @sngreenways.bsky.social, @cascade.org, @transpochoices.bsky.social, and more. www.theurbanist.org/2025/05/28/j...