King County

Homeless Services

Sales Tax, Not Property Tax, Preferred Funding Tool for Seattle's Homeless Crisis

Seattle's King County is home to an estimated 10,000 unsheltered homeless people. Local officials are trying to figure out how to raise the funds to address the crisis.

April 6, 2017 - KUOW

Seattle Bus Stop

Seattle Area to Get a Big Boost in Late-Night Bus Service

Look on Seattle's King County with envy, fans of late-night transit service.

February 16, 2017 - The Urbanist

Seattle Transit

King County Expands Fare-Free Transit for Riders in Need

The victory for homeless and very low-income transit riders is a reminder of the importance of grassroots organizing.

December 6, 2016 - Seattle Transit Blog

Seattle Streetcar

Seattle's HUGE Transit Victory on Election Day

In dollars, Seattle region's Proposition 1 was second only to Measure M, a $120 billion sales tax measure in Los Angeles County, although the comparison is lacking in at least three respects. Prop 1 did not pass in all three Puget Sound counties.

November 21, 2016 - The Seattle Times

Tukwila Intl Blvd Station Park and Ride

King County Metro Looks to the App to Solve the First Mile Problem

An app is helping to bring transit riders from their home to the nearest park-and-ride in King County, Washington.

December 7, 2015 - Crosscut

Seattle Transit

Major Transit Service Improvements in Seattle

Late last month, the final phase of Seattle's Prop. 1 went into effect, bringing across-the-board improvements to bus and train frequency.

October 7, 2015 - Seattle Transit Blog

Seattle Waterfront Condos

Seattle's Struggle to Build Affordable Housing

The Emerald City's affordable housing difficulties mirror those of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and others: too much demand and too few resources.

October 3, 2015 - Crosscut

King County, Sound Transit Announce $83 Million for Transit Oriented Development

A new regional transit oriented development initiative in Seattle will focus on affordable housing and walkable communities. The Executive's Transit Station Housing and Development Initiative will partner King County and Sound Transit.

October 2, 2015 - The Urbanist

Homelessness

Seattle's Homeless Population Is Booming Too

While rates of homelessness drop elsewhere, tents and cardboard are becoming a very regular sight in Seattle. New wealth and newly unaffordable housing may be twin culprits.

April 15, 2015 - NPR

Seattle skyline

Out-of-State Migrants Flock to Seattle's King County

During the year 2014, a record number of people chose to make their home in King County, Washington. And 2015 may shape up to shatter last year's record.

March 30, 2015 - The Seattle Times

Seattle Voters To Be Put To Transit Test in November

Will a large city do what its county voters refused to do—fund the county bus system, though largely within city limits? Seattle voters will be put to the test in November when asked to pay an annual $60 vehicle fee and 0.1% sales tax.

July 20, 2014 - The Seattle Times

Dueling Proposals to Save Bus Service in Seattle

After a resounding defeat to Proposition 1, a countywide measure that would have raised fees and taxes to address an ongoing budget deficit at King County Metro Transit, Seattle is scrambling to find the money to preserve local bus routes.

May 15, 2014 - KUOW

Washington State Developing Best Practices to Address Sea-Level Rise

Acknowledging that rising sea levels are a major concern for waterfront cities in Washington, the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) non-profit put together a review of the current policy and planning efforts to meet the challenge.

May 2, 2014 - MRSC Insight

New Seattle Bus Funding Initiative Addresses City-Suburb Split

It's a pattern seen as recently as two years ago in metro Atlanta: a crucial transit measure wins in the central city but dies in the more populous suburbs. The fix is to craft a city-only transit initiative—just what advocates in Seattle will do.

April 28, 2014 - KUOW

Seattle Area Voters Resoundingly Reject Transit Initiative

With 55 per cent of the vote, King County voters on April 22 opposed increasing their sales tax by one-tenth of one per cent and increasing an annual auto registration fee by $60. 72 Metro Transit bus routes will be eliminated.

April 24, 2014 - Q13 Fox News

Seattle's Growth Patterns Buck Century-Long Trend

According to Census data, the city of Seattle's population is growing faster than its King County suburbs—for the first time since 1910.

February 26, 2014 - Seattle Times

Broken Bike Helmet

Bike Helmets and Bike Share: Unhappy Marriage in Need of Divorce

The bike helmet requirement will ultimately destroy the success of the planned Seattle bike share program, writes Danny Westneat, Seattle Times staff columnist, after experiencing first-hand the world's most successful bike share program in Paris.

July 21, 2013 - The Seattle Times

Can TDRs Save Farms and Open Spaces?

Seattle offers a compelling example of how the transfer of development rights (TDR) can provide a market-based means to kill two smart-growth birds with one stone, writes Claire Thompson.

October 23, 2012 - Grist

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.