Housing

118 Stories

What to do about low Black homeownership in Washington state

One local leader has been thinking a lot about a report that came out last week, which revealed low homeownership among Washington’s Black families, as compared to white families. Michael Brown, leader of the Seattle Foundation's Black Home Initiative, said the report is evidence that the region's wealth is not being shared.
- Joshua McNichols
Displacement is a big problem in Seattle. Subsidized apartments help, but only somewhat

Some people are trying to help ease displacement in Seattle by organizing communities and chasing grants, in order to build subsidized affordable apartments. But critics warn that we need to increase homeownership opportunities, too.
- Joshua McNichols
Take two for Seattle's social housing initiative
- Joshua McNichols
Spokane's embrace of missing middle housing sets up competition with Seattle

The city of Spokane has a housing shortage. That’s why this summer, the city council there unanimously passed a temporary ordinance allowing missing middle housing across the city. That means duplexes, triplexes, and quads are legal wherever you can build a single family home.
- Joshua McNichols
What can Seattle learn from Spokane's "Missing Middle Housing" solution?

The City of Spokane voted to allow “missing middle housing” across the city earlier this month. That means it’s now legal to build duplexes, triplexes, quads and townhomes in all residential areas. KUOW’s Joshua McNichols looked into how that happened, and what kind of competition that sets up for Seattle, which also has a housing shortage.
- Jason Burrows
The pros and cons of Airbnbs in Seattle

In Seattle, where Airbnbs are highly regulated, it's a form of shopping local. On the other hand, Airbnbs drive up the cost of housing a bit.
- Joshua McNichols
Where should Seattle build homes for newcomers?

The City of Seattle is planning for more growth, and it wants your input. Should the city keep funneling newcomers – into dense neighborhoods known as “urban villages” – or should it spread density out across more parts of the city, including neighborhoods dominated by older houses?
- Joshua McNichols
Housing Density: What we're missing without a middle option

“Missing middle housing” is more affordable for people to buy. It’s called the “missing middle,” because while we’ve gotten better at building low-income housing, and the market builds a lot of expensive homes already, there isn’t a lot in the middle. KUOW's Joshua McNichols spoke with University of Washington Architecture students about their ideas to make housing more affordable and more available.
- Jason Burrows
'Something has to change:' These architecture students are challenging Seattle's housing norms

Some University of Washington architecture students are looking at new ways to add more housing to existing neighborhoods without ticking off the neighbors. Their timing is perfect, as Seattle and other cities are currently updating their comprehensive plans, which lay out where and how they’ll grow over the next twenty years.
- Joshua McNichols
Why are condos in Seattle so rare and expensive?

The average home in Seattle costs over a million dollars. And now, rising interest rates have made mortgages more expensive. Home buyers just can’t seem to get a break. Condominiums used to be a gateway to homeownership. Even if you didn’t have a big nest egg, you could get your foot in the door and own a tiny slice of the “American Dream” while saving up for something bigger. What happened?
- Joshua McNichols

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