Blog Archives

Committee on Homelessness letter to City of Seattle

AIA Seattle’s Committee on Homelessness (COHO) advocated for adding housing capacity, speeding up housing production and lessening code requirements in a letter addressing the City’s recent position put forward in the Amicus Curiae brief to the Supreme Court of the

Posted in Advocacy, Committee on Homelessness, Housing, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – April 2023

STATE NEWS 2023 Legislative Session We have reached the final weeks of the 105-day state legislative session. Tuesday, April 4, was the opposite house fiscal committee cut-off, where all bills that passed the House needed to be out of their

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – February 2023

March 2023 Advocacy Update

STATE NEWS State Legislative Session Update Washington’s State Legislature is back in person and moving through the long 105 day session at an effective pace. This year there have been well over 1,500 bills introduced so far. While the legislation

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – February 2022

NATIONAL NEWS National Building Performance Standard Effort At the United States Conference of Mayors winter meeting in January, President Biden announced a new partnership with state and local governments to reduce carbon emissions from the built environment. Known as the

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – January 2022

STATE NEWS State Building Code Council Releases 2021 Commercial Energy Code The 2021 commercial energy code amendments have been released by the State Building Code Council; you can view the proposed rule here. Public comments can be emailed to sbcc@des.wa.gov

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – December 2021

STATE NEWS Washington’s Redistricting Process Ends Washington’s redistricting saga has ended, with the state Supreme Court declining to develop its own district maps and allowing the maps approved after the deadline by the state’s redistricting commission to take effect. You

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – November 2021

STATE NEWS Washington Redistricting Washington’s redistricting commission, charged with determining new state and Congressional legislative districts after the 2020 census, failed to meet its Nov. 15 deadline to agree on new district maps. The failure of the panel, made up

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – October 2021

STATE NEWS Washington’s Tax System Overhaul Committee Would Like Your Feedback Are you fed up with Washington’s tax system? This is your opportunity to let legislators know what you’d like to see instead. The state’s Tax Structure Work Group, led

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – September 2021

September advocacy update image

STATE NEWS Washington’s Tax System Overhaul Under Discussion Washington has a multi-year Tax Structure Work Group led by a bipartisan group of legislators and charged with researching, evaluating, and conducting public outreach around developing a new state taxation system that

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Housing Advocacy: Neighborhood Residential

Legislation to rename Seattle’s single family zoning category from “Single Family” to “Neighborhood Residential” will be voted on at a Sept. 24th Land Use & Neighborhoods City Council Committee meeting. This legislation does not make actual changes to the existing

Posted in Advocacy, Housing, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – August 2021

LOCAL NEWS 2020 MHA Report Released Seattle’s Office of Housing released its first annual report on the city’s Mandatory Housing Affordability and Incentive Zoning program, including long-anticipated data on housing projects’ use of payment versus performance under the program. While

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – July 2021

NATIONAL NEWS California Gas Ban Lawsuit Dismissed A federal court in San Francisco dismissed a preemption challenge to the ban on gas hookups in new construction in Berkeley, California. California has more than 40 cities that have implemented gas bans

Posted in Advocacy, Housing, Public Policy Board

Join Us For 15-Minute Seattle: Creating Livable Places for All

Want to learn more about the 15-minute city concept? Visit the 15-Minute City Resources Page! UPCOMING PROGRAMS Housing Innovation in the 15-Minute City  Kristian Skovbakke Villadsen’s 15-Minute Cities for People Monday, June 7 | 10:30 – 11:30am PT | Opening

Posted in For the Profession, For the Public, Housing

2020 Advocacy Actions

downtown bike lanes with riders

Local We endorsed the Seattle Planning Commission’s Growth Strategy White Paper, Evolving Seattle’s Growth Strategy. We provided feedback to SDCI on the Seattle Services Portal. We organized architect focus groups for Seattle Public Utilities’ update on solid waste planning and

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

2020 Committee & Volunteer Awards

image collage of the AIA Seattle Volunteer Award winners. Names in description

This year we recognize Matt Hutchins AIA; the Seattle Design Festival Core Team; and the Committee on the Environment, co-chairs: Shannon Bunsen and Gaurav Mehta. AIA Seattle Volunteer Award: Matt Hutchins AIA Matt Hutchins is a founder and principal of CAST

Posted in Design In Public, For the Profession, For the Public, Housing, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – August 2020

Its About Time - Housing

FEDERAL NEWS AIA National Policy Platform AIA National has released a federal policy platform in advance of this year’s presidential elections. General categories include: A future economy Climate action Healthy and equitable communities STATE NEWS Clean Energy Transformation Act The

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – June 2020

Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone Black Lives Matter Mural

BLACK LIVES MATTER AIA Seattle joins powerful community voices raised to condemn the murder of George Floyd and the broader system of racism, violence, injustice, and inequity that it represents. In the coming weeks, you will hear more about our

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – May 2020

As we continue to navigate work in these unprecedented times, AIA Seattle and AIA Washington Council are striving to make sure you have the resources you need to take advantage of federal, state, and local programs designed to help firms

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Seattle Project Related Resources during Covid-19

  SDCI Q&A On May 20, AIA Seattle held an online Q&A with SDCI about their project-related processes during COVID. You can watch that video here. Use password 8x+8M8uA Codes  SDCI Delays 2018 Construction Code Implementation to November On March

Posted in Code, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – March 2020

ARCHITECT ADVOCACY IN ACTION Seattle Firm Prompts New Rulemaking for Common Sense Bar Design This report is written by Joe Herrin AIA, Principal at Heliotrope in Seattle. Heliotrope is fortunate to have collaborated with many of Seattle’s most successful restauranteurs.

Posted in Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – February 2020

Multifamily Housing

FEDERAL NEWS Support Federal Legislation to Phase Down HFCs Architects Advocate, an independent group of architects and firms formed to advocate for policies to mitigate climate change, is calling for architects to support two bipartisan bills in Congress that would

Posted in Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – January 2020

STATE NEWS Washington’s 2020 Legislative Session is Underway The state legislative session kicked off this week and will run through mid-March. AIA Washington Council will be providing weekly updates on the bills it is tracking and any new developments. Key

Posted in Climate, Housing, Public Policy Board, Uncategorized

Advocacy Update – November 2019

NATIONAL NEWS ICC Vote on AIA’s Zero Code Renewable Energy Appendix In coordination with Architecture 2030, AIA National submitted a Zero Code Renewable Energy Appendix to become part of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The Appendix is optional

Posted in Climate, Housing, Public Policy Board, Uncategorized

Advocacy Update – October 2019

october advocacy update - activated street graphic

NATIONAL NEWS ICC vote on AIA’s Zero Code Renewable Energy Appendix AIA National submitted a Zero Code Renewable Energy Appendix to become part of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). If approved by the International Code Council (ICC) voting

Posted in Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – September 2019

bike transportation

NATIONAL NEWS AIA Makes Big Move on Climate This month AIA National launched an initiative to drive climate action within the architecture profession. As part of this effort, AIA called on architects around the world to support humanity’s collective call

Posted in Climate, Housing, Public Policy Board, Transportation, Uncategorized Tagged with:

Climate Partner: Shift Zero

Its aim is to form a collective voice to advocate on behalf of zero net carbon buildings; inform policy solutions; and educate policymakers at all levels of government. Shift Zero’s diverse membership of local, regional and statewide organizations unites a

Posted in Climate, Public Policy Board

Seattle Proposes Speeding Up Oil to Electric Heating Conversions

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced a plan to speed up the conversion of homes that burn oil for heat to cleaner electric heating as part of the city’s 2018 Seattle Climate Strategy. The City Council with consider legislation that would

Posted in Climate, Public Policy Board

Seattle Passes Local Green New Deal Resolution

Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien introduced a resolution laying out the agenda for a Green New Deal for Seattle and an ordinance creating a Green New Deal Oversight Board. The resolution endorses the Federal Green New Deal and identifies five

Posted in Climate, Uncategorized

Mayor Durkan Approves Electronic Vehicle Readiness Legislation

On May 8, Mayor Durkan signed Electric Vehicle Readiness legislation into law. The new rules went into effect on June 7. The legislation will require all new buildings with off-street parking to include electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The goals are

Posted in Climate, Transportation

Seattle’s Center City Streetcar Gets Green Light to Move Forward

After months in limbo, Seattle’s Central City Connector Streetcar line was approved by Mayor Durkan to move forward, albeit with higher cost estimates and a timeline five years later than initially planned. Some design and engineering for the project will

Posted in Transportation, Uncategorized

Seattle Enacts Mandatory Housing Affordability

The ordinance will implement MHA in Seattle’s 27 urban villages and all other commercial and multifamily residential areas. All urban villages and multifamily residential and commercial zones will see zoning changes, allowing slightly larger or taller buildings. Additional development capacity

Posted in Housing, Uncategorized

Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda Speaks to AIA on Housing

Seattle City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda spoke as part of AIA Seattle’s City Leaders Breakfast Series on June 12. She spoke about her housing priorities on the Council, including ADUs, allowing more duplexes and triplexes and more upzoning. She also talked

Posted in Housing, Uncategorized

Fort Lawton Redevelopment Plan Approved

On June 10, the Seattle City Council voted to approve the city’s plan to turn the former military site at Fort Lawton into 237 affordable homes for low-income seniors and formerly homeless individuals alongside supportive services, workforce housing and affordable

Posted in Housing, Uncategorized

Seattle Enacts ADU Legislation

Two ADUs will now be allowed on each lot, either two attached ADUs or one attached ADU and one detached ADU. The maximum DADU size will increase from 800 to 1,000 square feet and the minimum lot size for DADUs

Posted in Housing, Public Policy Board, Uncategorized

Advocacy Update – August 2019

STATE NEWS Residential Energy Code Update Washington’s State Building Code Council (SBCC) is in the process of reviewing proposed amendments to the 2018 residential energy codes as approved by the SBCC’s Energy Code Technical Advisory Group. The proposed residential energy

Posted in Public Policy Board, Uncategorized

Mayor Durkan Announces Housing Seattle Now

Mayor Durkan announced her Housing Seattle Now initiative outlining various strategies and policies to address housing and homelessness. This initiative rebrands the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda, which AIA Seattle previously endorsed. Durkan outlined four priorities for Housing Seattle Now:

Posted in Public Policy Board Tagged with: