# The Washington State Legislature adjourned on March 10th with some significant wins and some very concerning whiffs. Republicans stayed true to their do nothing brand, whining about not being included but gumming up the works every time they were. Unfortunately, despite their strong majorities, Democrats left too much undone and let Republicans, with aid from| The Urbanist » Advocacy journalism for better cities.
# A popular neighborhood cafe bill that sailed through the Washington House has run into problems in the Senate, mostly dealing with the question of local control. The Association of Washington Cities and the City of Bellevue have lobbied against the bill.| The Urbanist » Advocacy journalism for better cities.
# Single family zoning will soon be a thing of the past for most Washington cities thanks to passage of statewide “missing middle” housing reform this state legislative session. This monumental success was thanks in large part to lawmaker heroes named below and the far-ranging coalition that coalesced behind the bill. The state legislature took up| The Urbanist - Examining urban policy to improve cities and quality of life.
# Time is running out to pass rent stabilization in the state house or miss a key bill cutoff, putting off rent relief for another year. Supporters are rallying support in a last ditch effort.| The Urbanist » Advocacy journalism for better cities.
Putting People First| Sen. Annette Cleveland
# Small but mighty Port Townsend appears to be the first city in Washington State to have fully ditched its off-street parking requirements.| The Urbanist - Examining urban policy to improve cities and quality of life.
# One year ago, Spokane shocked the state by passing a sweeping housing reform bill that, among other things, reduced minimum lot sizes and legalized fourplexes anywhere you can build a single-family home. Passed unanimously by a Spokane City Council seen as split 5-2 between progressives and conservatives, the reform arguably catalyzed the passage of HB 1110, which| The Urbanist - Examining urban policy to improve cities and quality of life.
