Lauren E. McGowan

The Space Between Survival and Thriving: What Hong Kong Taught Me About Building Communities That Actually Work I went to Hong Kong with the ULI Health Leaders Network expecting to learn about density. I thought I would see a city built upward instead of outward, a place where necessity forced coordination, and...

Last week I had the chance to travel to Hong Kong with the Urban Land Institute Health Leaders Network.

It pushed my thinking on what thriving really means. We cannot keep choosing between quality and quantity in our housing work. We have to build both.

www.linkedin.com/pulse/space-...

The Trump administration plans major shift away from long-term housing for homelessness The overhaul shifts funds to transitional housing requiring work and addiction treatment. The administration says it promotes "self-sufficiency," but critics warn many will risk losing housing again.

The federal government is about to make the homelessness crisis explode. New HUD rules will strip funding from permanent housing and could push 170,000 people back into homelessness.

We know housing works. We know what solves homelessness.

#HousingFirst #EndHomelessness
www.npr.org/2025/11/14/n...

Trump Administration to Drastically Cut Housing Grants

This is far worse than anyone expected.

Trump's HUD plan would cut *two-thirds* of permanent housing and push as many as 170,000 formerly homeless people back onto the street—redirecting funds to work mandates, forced treatment, and encampment sweeps.

All as mass internment camps are being built.

Blown away by the density of housing in Hong Kong. Grateful to be spending a week in this incredible country learning about what is and isn’t working to address housing, climate, and social challenges. #hongkong #socialhousing #placemaking

This is such an incredible moment for #seattle to reimagine what’s possible and address our housing challenges with proven solutions that meet the scale of the need. Let’s go @wilsonforseattle.bsky.social!

Katie Wilson elected Seattle’s next mayor Wilson took a 1,976-vote lead over Bruce Harrell. With a maximum of 1,320 ballots remaining, it is mathematically impossible for Harrell to catch up.

Katie Wilson has been elected Seattle's next mayor
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

Progressive on the edge of a win in Seattle mayor race Katie Wilson pulled ahead of a moderate Democrat in a campaign that focused on the cost of living in one of America’s most-expensive cities.

"[Wilson] supported a capital gains tax to raise revenue, a move opposed by Harrell, stronger protections for renters and improving public transit.

"Fincher said that message resonated in a city where housing has become out-of-reach for many of its citizens."

This is on the HUD website

Additional remarks from Andrew Reicher:

"Co-ops aren't a development activity. It is a people development activity. It builds community, and people can benefit."

Governor Ferguson announced WA state will prevent Planned Parenthood from being defunded in WA by covering any financial gap caused by the withdrawal of federal funds due to the recent bill passed by Congress.

Good first step; now what are we going to do about the Medicaid cuts more broadly?

This parking appeal hearing is at 10a tomorrow—in case you need something to root against besides the federal budget bill and the Astros.

Everett council set to vote on final comp plan | HeraldNet.com The council is expected to vote on whether to approve a massive update to its land use and development standards on June 18.

#Everett is nearing a final vote on its comp plan update, which will shape housing, land use, and growth for decades.

The latest draft removes inclusionary zoning — a tool that could help address affordability and prevent displacement.

www.heraldnet.com/news/everett... #UrbanPlanning #housing

This is so incredibly infuriating! Why are we talking about anything that isn’t Republican cutting food stamps for CHILDREN!!!!!!

Well said!

Emily Alvarado smiling at the camera as the Governor signs the bill

Washington's rent stabilization bill, HB 1217, is now law.

Excited about rent stabilization? Go email and call Governor Ferguson and make sure he knows you want him to sign the bill into law. #waleg

New Federal Homelessness Contracts Appear Designed to Exclude Undocumented Immigrants - PubliCola By Erica C. Barnett New federal contracts for homeless services include a requirement that providers deny benefits to undocumented immigrants,…

New Federal Homelessness Contracts Appear Designed to Exclude Undocumented Immigrants

The new contract language also says the region's homelessness agency can't fund nonprofits that practice "gender ideology."

publicola.com/2025/04/24/n...

Folks can demand that their lawmakers fix HB 1217 and return the annual rent cap for residential tenants to 7% here: www.wliha.org/stop-rent-go... #waleg

Last call for parking mandates! Join us for a celebration of WA’s historic housing wins in the 2025 legislative session. Fri. April 18 at 5pm Stoup Brewing in Capitol Hill, Seattle

Seattle, come cheers to #WALeg housing wins this Friday!

National Service is a National Treasure - it creates impact today and a pipeline of civically engaged leaders. Disgusted to hear about the abrupt closure of AmeriCorps NCCC. #nationalservice #americorps #resist #standup

Trump’s Targeting of Homeless Agency Signals Sharp Shift in Policy The president has all but shut down the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, but his real goal appears to be a fundamental change of approach for getting people off the streets.

The US Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) is critical in coordinating the federal response to homelessness.

The President’s assault on USICH and Housing First will only exacerbate America’s unacceptable homelessness crisis.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/u...

If you rent a single family home, you should have the same protections from rent shifts as people in apartments. I find this amendment to be super problematic and I hope we will address these amendments in House-Senate conference. #waleg

Keep Washington Housed: Rent Stabilization Is Smart, Fair, and Urgently Needed At LISC Puget Sound, we work every day to support and train housing developers. We bring capital, we study the numbers, and we know the margins.

Washington needs more housing and more stability. Rent stabilization is smart, fair, and urgently needed to keep communities whole.

Read why LISC Puget Sound supports #EHB1217 and take action. #waleg #housingstability

www.linkedin.com/pulse/keep-w...

Do you think WA needs more housing around transit? Sign in "PRO" to show support for HB 1491, the Transit Oriented Housing Development bill in the Senate: app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifie...

@theurbanist.org @tech4housing.bsky.social @houseourneighbors.bsky.social
#Seattle #housing #urbanism #waleg

Frank Chopp, former WA House speaker and tireless advocate, dies at 71 An advocate for health care and low-income housing, Frank Chopp was the longest-serving House speaker in the state's history and a rare legislative force.

We are profoundly saddened to hear about the passing of Frank Chopp. His leadership, partnership, and advocacy for affordable housing and equitable development in our state has transformed countless lives, and his legacy of work continues to inspire the efforts of so many. He will be deeply missed.

EPA Freezes, Then Terminates, Multi-Billion Dollar Climate Grants, Scuttling Projects and Triggering Lawsuits - Inside Climate News The lawsuits could take months, if not years, to resolve, experts say, leaving green banks, clean energy startups and low-income communities in financial limbo.

The EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) was created by Congress. Last month, the Administration froze funding for the program.

Together with my colleagues on the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, I’m calling on EPA Director Zeldin to immediately release these funds.

Disgusting! The latest executive order seeks to dismantle agencies that provide critical support to communities, including USICH, CDFI Fund, and MBDA—programs that prevent homelessness, expand access to capital, and support minority-owned businesses. #communitydevelopment #endhomelessness

Disgusting! The latest executive order seeks to dismantle agencies that provide critical support to communities, including USICH, CDFI Fund, and MBDA—programs that prevent homelessness, expand access to capital, and support minority-owned businesses. #communitydevelopment #endhomelessness

Seattle housing, homelessness crisis would grow if Trump cuts HUD The Dept. of Housing and Urban Development may close its local office following layoffs and grant freezes. Advocates anticipate a ripple effect.

“The housing crisis would get even worse,” Malone said. “State and local governments are not going to have enough of their own resources to backfill any federal funding cuts ..."
www.cascadepbs.org/politics/202...

Op-Ed: Single Family Zoning Is Keeping Seattle Inaccessible to Disabled People - The Urbanist # For the last 30 years, Seattle has adopted an urban village approach to growth that has reserved 75% of the city for single-family zoning while concentrating growth into walkable urban centers. This...

“Nineteen percent of U.S. households have one member with a mobility disability—yet nationwide less than 5% of housing is accessible and less than 1% of that is wheelchair accessible.”
www.theurbanist.org/2025/03/11/o...