Committee to consider voting on proposal this afternoon

Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson (Position 9), issued the following statement today in response to the Port of Seattle’s opposition to Council Bill 120933,which allows for critically needed workforce housing to be built near T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field. The legislation is scheduled for a possible vote in the Council’s Governance, Accountability, and Economic Development Committee today at 2 p.m.

More housing is needed in Seattle – especially workforce housing near light rail stations and jobs. This bill does that and will spur mixed-used construction for small business in an area of the city that desperately needs it.

We’ve been working closely with community leaders in Pioneer Square and the Chinatown-International District to bring this vision to life. Over a dozen labor unions see this proposal as an opportunity to create good paying jobs for their members. Housing leaders see it as a chance to create both affordable homes and new economic opportunities by supporting small maker businesses.

Bringing all these pieces together will transform an area long associated with empty streets, vacant buildings, and public safety challenges while providing a much-needed solution to Seattle’s housing crisis. And we know we can do it without causing additional adverse impacts on nearby industrial activities.

Unfortunately, the Port of Seattle has taken a short-sighted approach to this proposal. Its legal threat is disappointing and unfortunate given how pressing our housing crisis is. And instead of being a partner as we help communities like Pioneer Square and the Chinatown-International District address public safety, the Port apparently would rather squander this opportunity and allow the affected area to remain underutilized.

I encourage the Port to reconsider their approach — especially as it affects housing for the workers they want to protect. This proposal not only creates much needed workforce housing but also aligns with the City’s land-use policies and long-term plans.

Background

Council Bill 120933 was introduced on Jan. 14 and initially discussed in Council’s Governance, Accountability and Economic Development Committee on Jan. 24, where a panel of proponents explained their support for the proposal.

At a packed, standing room-only Public Hearing in committee on Feb. 24, 52 in-person speakers and 11 remote speakers addressed the meeting and a panel representing the Port, ILWU Local 19, the Seattle Freight Advisory Council, Washington Public Ports Association, and the Northwest Seaport Alliance expressed their arguments against the proposal.

The South of Downtown (SODO) neighborhood was rezoned in 2023. The area surrounding the two sports stadiums, formally known as the Stadium Transition Area Overlay District, or “Stadium District” for short, is located in the newly designated Urban Industrial (UI) zone, which allows residential uses as long as half of that housing is affordable at 60-90 percent of the Area Median Income and built on site.

Although the preferred alternative of the Environmental Impact Statement that accompanied the 2023 industrial lands rezone included almost 1,000 residential units in the Stadium District, housing currently is allowed everywhere in the UI zone other than the Stadium District.

Next steps

The Governance, Accountability, and Economic Development Committee will consider voting on the legislation later today. The meeting begins at 2 p.m. in Council Chambers and will be broadcast live via the Seattle Channel.  

# # #