Seattle Quick Start#

You want to understand what’s going on with urban development in Seattle. Here’s the big picture—enough context to follow the news, understand the debates, and show up informed to community meetings.

The basics: how Seattle is governed#

Seattle uses a mayor-council form of government. The Mayor runs city departments like SDOT, SDCI, and the Office of Housing, and proposes the budget each year. The City Council, made up of seven district seats and two at-large positions, passes laws, approves the budget, and confirms mayoral appointments. The Planning Commission advises on long-range planning but doesn’t have binding authority.

Most of the urbanist action happens through a handful of key agencies. SDOT (Seattle Department of Transportation) handles streets, bikes, and transit priority. SDCI (Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections) manages building permits and code enforcement. The Office of Planning & Community Development (OPCD) shapes comprehensive planning and zoning policy, while the Office of Housing runs affordable housing programs and funding. It’s worth noting that Sound Transit—which operates Link light rail, Sounder commuter rail, and ST Express buses—is a regional agency, not a city one. Similarly, King County Metro operates the region’s bus network at the county level.

The big picture: Seattle’s growth story#

Seattle has been one of the fastest-growing major cities in the United States, shaped by several intersecting forces.

The tech boom brought massive job growth as Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Google expanded their presence, driving housing costs up dramatically. At the state level, the Growth Management Act of 1990 requires growth to happen within urban boundaries rather than by sprawling outward into farmland and forests. Within the city, single-family zoning covered roughly 75% of residential land until recent reforms, which concentrated all density into a few narrow corridors. Meanwhile, light rail expansion through ST2 and ST3 is reshaping which areas are connected and where development pressure goes.

The result is a city wrestling with how to grow equitably, where to put housing, and how to move people without everyone driving.

What’s happening right now#

Comprehensive plan (One Seattle Plan)#

Seattle adopted a major update to its comprehensive plan in 2024. The new plan moves away from concentrating growth only in designated “urban villages” and instead allows more housing types—duplexes, triplexes, and small apartments—in formerly single-family zones. It also includes stronger commitments to transit-oriented development around light rail stations.

Light rail expansion#

Sound Transit’s Link light rail is expanding significantly. The 1 Line already runs from Lynnwood to Angle Lake, giving the region its first true rapid transit spine. Extensions to Federal Way and downtown Redmond are currently under construction. Looking ahead, Sound Transit plans to add West Seattle and Ballard extensions, though the timelines for those projects keep shifting.

Housing affordability#

Despite a building boom, Seattle remains expensive. The city has several active policy levers trying to address this. MHA (Mandatory Housing Affordability) requires developers to include affordable units or pay fees when building new projects. In 2023, voters created a new Seattle Social Housing Developer, a public development authority aimed at building publicly owned housing. The city has also expanded rules for ADUs and DADUs, so backyard cottages and basement apartments are now allowed citywide.

Street safety and bike network#

Seattle adopted Vision Zero in 2015 with the goal of eliminating traffic deaths, but deaths have actually increased since then. The city continues working on a protected bike lane network, expanding RapidRide bus rapid transit service, and building out neighborhood greenways with traffic calming measures.

How to get involved#

Attending meetings#

Several venues exist for public participation. City Council meetings have open public comment periods, with agendas posted on seattle.gov. SDOT holds open houses for specific projects like bike lanes and transit corridors. Sound Transit Board meetings are the place to weigh in on regional transit decisions. For major development projects in your neighborhood, Design Review Board meetings offer a chance to comment. Neighborhood District Councils vary in their activity level depending on the area, but can be another entry point. That said, joining your voice with a local advocacy group is often more effective than showing up alone—see Get Involved for organizations working on these issues.

Tracking what’s going on#

Several outlets cover Seattle urbanism in depth. The Urbanist provides in-depth urbanist journalism. Seattle Transit Blog focuses on transit news and analysis. Seattle Bike Blog covers cycling infrastructure and advocacy. Publicola reports on city hall politics and housing policy. Seattle Greenways advocates for safe streets and shares updates on active campaigns.

Making your voice heard#

Most city processes have formal comment periods, and written comments count—you don’t always need to show up in person. Contacting your councilmember directly can be effective, as district representatives tend to be responsive to constituent input, especially on land use issues. The most effective approach, though, is joining a local advocacy organization that aligns with your goals. These groups coordinate action, amplify individual voices, and know how to navigate city processes. Check out Get Involved to find the group that most resonates with what you care about.

Next: Check out the Glossary to learn the terms, or browse the Timeline to see how we got here.