By Erica C. Barnett
Monday, March 16
Downtown Seattle Association Leader Discusses Density, Return-to-Office Mandates, and Surveillance
Jon Scholes, head of the Downtown Seattle Association, had a lot to say about the present and future of downtown when we spoke with him for the podcast after the DSA’s “State of Downtown” event last week. It was Scholes and Sandeep vs. me on surveillance cameras, and since this is my site, I’ll reiterate my point: Even if we must accept some level of surveillance to live in the modern world, there has to be a higher barrier for surveillance by police, who have a history of arresting Black and brown people on pretext and otherwise violating people’s rights.
Tuesday, March 17
Wilson’s “Path to 500” New Shelter Beds: $17.5 Million, With First Units Opening In April
Highlights from this week’s council briefing about Mayor Katie Wilson’s plan to add 1,000 shelter units this year included the total estimated price tag for the first 500 units—$17.5 million—and the estimated average annual operating cost for each new shelter unit—around $28,000 for each new shelterbed.
Thursday, March 19
Pioneer Square Bike and Scooter Parking Plan Runs Into Road Bumps
The Pioneer Square Preservation Board and local businesses have raised objections to a proposal to install bike and scooter parking spaces in 21 curbside locations in Pioneer Square, calling the proposal too much, too fast and claiming white lines and flex posts are out of keeping with the historic character of Pioneer Square.
Wilson “Pauses” Police Camera Surveillance Expansion But Keeps Existing Cameras On
In a highly anticipated announcement, Mayor Katie Wilson said she’s pausing the expansion of police camera surveillance planned for the Central District and Capitol Hill until results come back from an upcoming audit into the privacy and security of the footage. She also said the city will install 26 planned cameras around the stadium district in time for this year’s World Cup games but won’t turn them on without a “credible threat.” SPD will also turn off its automated license readers, at least for now, in response to a state law placing restrictions on where they can be used.
Friday, March 20
City Settles In SPD Discrimination Suit
The city of Seattle settled last week with Seattle police officer Denise “Cookie” Bouldin, a longtime officer who sued the department in 2023, alleging gender and racial discrimination. It’s the latest in a series of discrimination claims against the department, which continues to hire very few women despite adopting a goal of having a 30 percent-female recruit class by 2030.
Council Queues Up Questions on Mayor’s Shelter Plan
Mayor Wilson’s shelter expansion and funding proposals are now in front of the city council, which was not alerted to the plan before Wilson announced it. Internal questions include whether an average cost of $28,000 a year will be enough to provide the services that are integral to the plan, and whether 250 people is too large for a tiny house village.
King County Employees Push Back on In-Office Mandate
King County’s return-to-office mandate will be in place by this June, but many employees are still unhappy about their new commutes—arguing that they don’t need to drive to Seattle and sit at a desk that may be far away from their homes to do their jobs efficiently.
Maybe Metropolis: French Revolution Vibes
Responding to the Downtown Seattle Association’s fanciful descriptions of downtown consumers (from “Laptops and Lattes” to “Top Tier”), Josh predicts a revolution in this week’s Maybe Metropolis.