Yesterday the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals published its ruling on an appeal of a lower court ruling that upheld Seattle’s “Fair Chance Housing” ordinance. The ordinance prohibits landlords from looking at a prospective tenant’s criminal record and from taking adverse action against a prospective tenant (such as denying tenancy) …
Continue readingDSA/ Chamber of Commerce Public Safety Survey
The Downtown Seattle Association and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce recently fielded a survey of 500 likely voters in Seattle on their views on public safety issues. Their report (a set of slides) is here, and the cross-tabs are here.
Continue readingCourt annuls seven Waterfront LID assessments
Last week a King County Superior Court judge annulled the City of Seattle’s Waterfront LID assessments on seven properties, after those property owners appealed the assessments. The judge found that the city’s process of calculating assessments was fundamentally flawed, and arbitrary and capricious; that the Hearing Examiner misapplied the presumption …
Continue readingCity of Seattle ARPA funds spending update
This week the Seattle City Council is hearing an update on how the city has spent the hundreds of millions of dollars of federal COVID relief funding granted to it through the American Rescue Plan Act.
Continue readingQ4/2022 Update on Seattle homelessness response
This week the City of Seattle Human Services Department presented to the City Council on its ongoing response to homelessness through the city’s Unified Care Team.
Continue readingCity Attorney Criminal Division Report Q4/2022
The Seattle City Attorney’s Office criminal prosecution division has published its quarterly report for the fourth quarter of 2022.
Continue readingJudge dismisses defamation suit against Sawant
Today U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman ruled in favor of Councilmember Sawant in dismissing a defamation lawsuit filed against her by two SPD officers who claimed that she called them murderers. From the ruling: Sawant asks that the claims not advance to trial because Miller and Spaulding have failed …
Continue readingSplit decision by state appeals court on Seattle City Light “greenwashing” case
Today the Washington State Court of Appeals handed down a mixed decision in a case filed by the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe accusing Seattle City Light of “greenwashing” its hydroelectric power plants. A lower court had dismissed the Tribe’s case in its entirety. The appeals court affirmed most of that decision, agreeing …
Continue readingNon-profit social worker wage equity study
Last month the city released a report it commissioned on wage equity for social workers at nonprofits in Seattle. According to the report, there continues to be a significant wage gap for human services workers compared to other industries.
Continue readingWashington state March 2023 economic forecast
The State of Washington has published its March 2023 economic forecast. It makes for interesting reading given the current mixed signals as to whether the country will enter a recession this year.
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