— A man is in custody after being in a standoff with King County Sheriff’s Deputies for two and a half hours at a Bryn Mawr-Skyway neighborhood King County Sheriff’s Deputies received a 911 call at about 1:30 p.m from the family member of a man who had arrived at an apartment building on South 114th Street The family said he was not supposed to be there because of a court order A spokesperson with the sheriff's office said at some point the man got a gun Deputies said they’re still investigating where those bullets were going Officials said there were people outside watching Seafair while this shooting was happening so authorities had to start evacuating those individuals out of the area They then focused on the apartments and evacuating people from that building A spokesperson said deputies then saw fire coming from the apartment unit The man left the apartment and was quickly arrested Authorities characterized this incident as the start of a domestic violence incident which quickly turned into a standoff with shots fired The man was hurt while being arrested and taken to the hospital He will be booked into jail on charges likely related to his court order and the apartment shooting A spokesperson with the King County Sheriff's Office said deputies on scene did not return fire during the standoff The King County Sheriff's Office and fire investigators will continue to look into this case If I asked you what Seattle’s nearest neighbor to the south was Tukwila brushes against the Seattle border in places But also bordering Seattle to the south are several unincorporated communities people often forget about Skyway (known as Bryn Mawr-Skyway on Google Maps and for Census purposes) relies on King County for its municipal services the community is somewhat cutoff from the surrounding neighborhoods by Renton Municipal Airport The community lacks a health clinic and is also considered a food desert It’s business district has a Ezell’s Famous Chicken The residents of Skyway have been working on addressing some of what it lacks and charting a brighter future for their oft-neglected unofficial city–one route that could take is annexation into the City of Seattle King County Councilmember Larry Gossett helped found a local community development organization called Skyway Solutions to gather public input and formulate the plan who is a Skyway resident and Program Director with Skyway Solutions “We are like the stepchild of Seattle I like to say We’re right there and we have a Seattle address but we don’t the services–we don’t get the same police patrol Skyway Solutions came together because we were fed up with that.” Quigtar talked about how the community started coming together around Skyway Park a large park in the heart of the community services at the park decreased and they lost some rec leagues and activities at the park The community wanted to reclaim the park as an important community meeting ground The community has a plan for the park now but as long as Skyway is unincorporated it’s reliant on King County to administer park services which puts them at risk when funds are tight or when King County Commissioners identify other priorities within the county of more than two million residents Skyway is just a small part of the county with upwards of 20,000 residents It’s been growing but had a population of 15,645 in the 2010 census Skyway Solutions was able to get money allocated for the park in this biennium budget the King County Council has approved their budget for 2017-2018 cycle We are happy to share that King County has allocated $1 MILLION for Skyway Park capital improvements This is a huge win for the community and a testament to the hard work and persistence of Skyway Solutions and our partners Skyway was able to get investment this time but ongoing concerns about the erosion or lack of local services and the desire for stronger local representation has led some to push annexation Annexation has been considered before. Skyway-West Hill voted in 2012 on whether to annex into Renton, and the community voted it down by about 10 points Quigtar said next time around the community may put annexing into Seattle on the ballot The thought is that Seattle would have more resources to bring to bear–voters didn’t seem convinced that Renton would have sufficient resources to invest in Skyway Meanwhile, White Center voted down annexation in 2012, though it would have annexed into Burien. White Center, or North Highline as it also known, is now pursuing in a plan to annex into Seattle as soon as 2018 Quigtar said Skyway is probably a little behind White Center in the process Quigtar said folks in Skyway are thoughtful about how annexing into Seattle would impact residents at risk of displacement Citizens would be less interested in joining Seattle if it caused them to be priced out of their homes Skyway residents have noticed increased pressure on their housing stock which for postal purposes has a Seattle address anyway “Another trend is taking advantage of our ‘Seattle address.'” Quigtar said a new apartment complex that opened up in January which he said started around $1,600 (with utilities) for one bedroom “People looking to escape Seattle rent will move out here because it is still ‘Seattle,’ but relatively cheaper,” he explained Existing apartment buildings are looking to capitalize One older building rebranded and updated its signage as it sought to attract those fleeing higher prices in Seattle proper Most tenants in that building are low- and moderate-income but it may not stay that way SWAP envisions an inclusive community with mixed incomes and plans to accomplish that with greater density Quigtar said Skyway Solutions sees an opportunity in the large lots–some as large as 10,000 square feet–that predominate the area–most of which could comfortably support greater density “Encourage new housing types that provide affordable ownership opportunities,” SWAP advises, and since I met Quigtar at a community land trust deep dive event, it’s safe to say Skyway Solutions is interested in pursuing community ownership models The plan also identifies the business district along Renton Ave S for mixed-use development Skyway seems to recognize opportunity is on its doorstep and through its action plan the community is seeking to take control of its own future they want to “empower and educate local residents businesses and youth to share-in and capitalize on the opportunities brought with new community development and redevelopment.” Whether Skyway continues to go it alone and remain unincorporated on that journey or joins White Center in the push to annex into Seattle The title image is by Skyway Solutions and used in its website Seattle Evaluates Possible Annexations Of North Highline And Duwamish “Sliver” and a mass-timber building spree to end our housing crisis He graduated from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington in 2019 He lives in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood and loves to explore the city by foot and by bike The Urbanist hosts social hour meetups every month. In April, we’re hosting four social events and kicking off our urbanism-themed walking tours starting in Kirkland on April 26 we’ll be hosting a booth at the opening celebration at Downtown Redmond Station Check our urbanist events calendar to see everything happening this month, including events hosted by partner organizations. You can submit your event for inclusion Any hockey event involving former NHLer and current Kraken analyst JT Brown is worth reporting Even better if former Seahawks Super Bowl winner and UW receiver Jermaine Kearse is involved plus about 60 kids enjoying a new and needed park space in their own neighborhood.That's exactly what Brown and Kearse were doing Sunday afternoon in Bryn Mawr-Skyway an unincorporated area just south of Seattle playing in a celebrity 3-on-3 ball hockey game as part of the launch celebration of a brand-new Multi-Sport Court at Skyway Park The court is part of One Roof Foundation's intentions to provide more access to active lifestyle resources and opportunities in Seattle-area neighborhoods while introducing and growing the sport of hockey Sunday's free event attracted some 60 girls and boys who all went home with their own ball hockey sticks to come back and play regularly One Roof Foundation and the Kraken will be presenting ball hockey programming as part of the commitment while developing physical literacy among kids in the neighborhood who might not otherwise have such open spaces available Local artist Troy Miles has contributed murals for the court's stanchions to enhance the environment "This is why I love doing public art," said Miles who attended the local ball hockey classes researched Skyway's liveliest gathering places and took photos of community members along the way to compose his stanchion artwork "You never know who is going to be impacted by this maybe one of these little kids is a future Kraken.""This is a partnership that's been realized here today," said Warren Jimenez director of King County Parks and Recreation "This community has been in need for quite some time and it's great to be able to make these investments here in a park."It was equally rewarding to see the kids participate full-throttle in their own ball hockey games with Kraken mascot Buoy and Delta Dental's Tooth Fairy Experience headlining the group of kids Some kids have started playing the sport after watching the Kraken on television (JT Brown gleaned that info) and/or attending ball hockey classes put on by the Kraken at local schools while others were holding sticks for the first time Unveiling of Multi-Sport Court at Skyway Park The newbies had company: "I've never played hockey before," said Kearse who played for the Seahawks five of his eight NFL seasons "It was really cool to get out there and try it out around the city and state of Washington will be able to have the ability to do this [Laughing first,] I didn't think I was gonna be as tired as I was."With Salima Specialties restaurant from the Skyway Shopping Center serving halal and pan-Asian street food to keep everyone well-fueled the kids broke into third-grade and fourth-fifth-sixth grade groups stickhandling and playing games in a ball hockey clinic while the other half interacted with Delta Dental of Washington's Tooth Fairy Experience.Jimenez said access to activities such as ball hockey "at an early age leads the pathway to overall health" in a child's lifetime: "Access [to physical activity] is a really big thing for communities around Washington We want to make sure that they have what they need to have healthy lifestyles." Brown smiled when talking about setting hockey nets underneath the sport court's basketball goals and again when noting how much he and the kids enjoyed watching Kraken mascot Buoy move around the court."Obviously seeing Buoy run around one of the team captains for the celebrity game along with Kraken colleague and radio play-by-play man Everett Fitzhugh The goal is to stop communities beyond Seattle city limits from being uprooted — an issue that has threatened the region in recent years Homes with a view in the Bryn Mawr-Skyway neighborhood on Thursday Council members cited the loss of 112,000 housing units since 2012 that people earning 80% and below of the area median income could afford The thought of gentrification in Washington may evoke images of Seattle’s Central District or Chinatown-International District where people of color have been uprooted and rents have soared in recent years But the displacement of people and businesses goes well beyond the neighborhoods of Washington’s largest city Now stakeholders are trying to stop this problem from intensifying in their communities who will be compensated for their involvement including up to $2 million for capital costs and up to $75,000 for capacity building.  “It was just very evident that we needed to broaden the Seattle EDI [Equitable Development Initiative] model to be countywide,” said Yordanos Teferi, executive director of the Multicultural Community Coalition which, along with dozens of other organizations The initiative passed as several areas in King County 一 including Kent, Burien and Tukwila 一 face a high risk of displacement according to a map from the Puget Sound Regional Council.  A home for rent in Bryn Mawr-Skyway neighborhood near Skyway Park on Thursday Displacement is an issue for the county’s racially-diverse unincorporated areas where median incomes are lower but annual rents have increased at a faster rate than in the county overall basically two counties of rich and poor,” said Rod Dembowski the lead sponsor of the legislation.  who represents the First Council District in King County was approached by community leaders about the issue He does not expect the initiative to solve all of the county’s displacement issues.  “But I think it can be part of it,” he said.   People around King County formed their communities in spite of 一 and maybe because of 一 displacement in Seattle.  it was not always that way,” said Crystal Fincher a political consultant whose family moved to the city in 1988 Fincher recalled a nickname for her city that speaks to its evolution: The “Kentral District,” a moniker referring to the influx of people displaced from Seattle’s Central District, a historically Black neighborhood. Kent’s median gross rent from 2016 to 2020 was $1,495 compared with King County at $1,695 and Seattle at $1,702 The city’s population also includes a larger proportion of Black and Hispanic residents than King County overall.  Fincher’s hometown has not been spared from gentrification.  Other spots in the top five for pandemic eviction filings included Seattle Renton and unincorporated areas.    executive director of the Multicultural Community Coalition, photographed on Wednesday along with dozens of others, led the push for an initiative to address the displacement of communities in King County Beyond eviction filings, rents in Kent have jumped 15% since February 2021 according to a Kent Reporter story from March 2 Fincher said one of her neighbors endured a rent hike of at least 45% “That is catastrophic for a lot of people,” she said “If they’re priced out of their current housing there’s nowhere nearby that they can afford… So many of my neighbors are people who were pushed out of other places The county council member from Fincher’s district considers the threat of displacement that communities face an ironic byproduct of investment into them.  “It is really a conundrum because we fight for resources in these low-income diverse communities,” said Dave Upthegrove who represents the Fifth District in south King County We want light rail to come through.”  he said these spots become more desirable to others Upthegrove’s colleague pointed to the arrival of high-tech companies into the Seattle area as largely responsible for the soaring prices.  leasing have just skyrocketed,” said Jeanne Kohl-Welles who represents the council’s Fourth District and who co-sponsored the legislation “People and communities have been displaced.”  A business space available near downtown Kent on Thursday Kent’s median gross rent from 2016 to 2020 was $1,495 compared to King County at $1,695 and Seattle at $1,702 The city’s population also includes a larger proportion of Black and Hispanic residents than King County overall While residential displacement has taken place Fincher has noticed establishments owned by people of color and immigrants disappearing in her city and south King County overall.   acknowledging that COVID-19 threatened the business community “But in the recovery and looking at who’s coming back it doesn’t look exactly like it was there before.” Data from a November 2020 national poll of 500 small business owners found that 18% of Black and Latino respondents said they would likely close their businesses in the following months compared with 14% of white respondents.  Councilmember Upthegrove thought specifically about how important affordable retail spaces can be for refugee and immigrant communities.  “If you can’t afford space to have a business and do business that can have devastating economic impacts on specific cultural communities as well,” he said.  Cultural displacement is particularly heartbreaking who said community cohesion tends to form around central (and often faith-based) points Families may be forced farther from cultural centers like temples and churches if they are unable to find housing they can afford according to Upthegrove.    “I think you lose some cultural cohesion that people value,” he said Kent was among the top five spots in the county with the highest numbers of eviction filings during the pandemic according to data from the King County Bar Association’s Housing Justice Project meaning spots without their own local governments will benefit.  The initial version of the motion called for the initiative to cover King County overall, but prioritize unincorporated areas “In my mind when you say you will prioritize one area by default you’re deprioritizing the others,” said Upthegrove who feared the initiative may leave south King County behind.  Community organizations like the Multicultural Community Coalition and Puget Sound Sage signed a letter urging council members to support the motion specifically calling attention to unincorporated parts of the county.  “We want to build on the success of the Seattle EDI [Equitable Development Initiative] program and fund community-owned and driven development projects throughout the county including in unincorporated areas that have been historically underinvested in by the county,” the groups wrote.  A man walks past public art in downtown Kent on Thursday He spoke to the concern around priority during a council meeting on Feb “I completely hear Councilmember Upthegrove’s concern around making sure that there are cities and neighborhoods that are within incorporated areas that also have very high needs and have high displacement risk,” Zahilay said King County operates both as a regional government and as a local government to unincorporated areas who believes the county is obligated to step up for areas without city administrations in place.  The final version of the motion asked the planning workgroup “to make recommendations to the executive and council regarding how to prioritize the initiative's work in unincorporated area communities particularly historically marginalized communities.” who represents the council's Ninth District a newer complex built in 2020 in Kent on Thursday Rents in Kent have jumped 15% since February 2021 according to a Kent Reporter story from March 2 All but one King County council member voted in March for an Equitable Development Initiative to curb the displacement of vulnerable communities The initiative’s ultimate goal is to counteract residential Some details remain up in the air for the initiative “We still do not have a revenue source for King County EDI,” Teferi said essentially we will have a program that just doesn’t have funds And so there’s still a lot of work to be done.”  Though the money to pay for the initiative remains unclear at the moment Dembowski named a few ideas about where it could come from including real estate excise taxes or block grants from the federal government.  In the coming years King County could see a number of projects develop with the ultimate goal of keeping communities in place.  We rely on donations from readers like you to sustain Cascade PBS's in-depth reporting on issues crticial to the PNW Maleeha Syed is a podcast producer and the co-host of Northwest Reports. Find her on Twitter @MaleehaSyed89 and email at maleeha.syed@crosscut.com As Republican legislators opt for ballot harvesting Democrats lean into town halls in predominantly red districts to engage new or reluctant voters cities and counties can’t keep up with inflation Officials suggest removing limits on one crucial revenue source This story was originally published by InvestigateWest Franklin County — an agricultural community of about 100,000 in south-central Washington — has been the fastest-growing county in the state.  county leaders have been scrambling to pay their bills They spent $700,000 in limited federal COVID relief dollars last year simply to try to keep the local judicial system afloat They’d pulled money from dwindled reserves raided the road levy fund and put off construction all to make the budget balance one more year.  They’ll need to cut another 15% from the general fund.  We don’t have any money left,” said Franklin County Administrator Mike Gonzalez “That part is a part that keeps me up at night how are we going to pay for all this?’”  A strategic financial report pegged the problem as deep and structural: “County revenues are simply not growing fast enough to keep up with expenses.” “If we cannot figure out a way to pay for these costs,” Gonzalez said “we’re going to be letting criminals out on the street we are not going to be able to hire corrections officers to staff jails prosecuting attorneys are going to be nonexistent.”  are on the same kind of financial precipice Many county officials blame the handcuffs that the Legislature has put on property taxes No matter how fast property values increase state law allows most local governments to increase their property tax revenue from existing properties by only 1% without voter-approved ballot measures Washington’s cap on property taxes is among the strictest in the country That restriction has dogged county budgets for decades, but in this moment — as inflation has soared — it’s hammering them harder than ever. The Washington State Auditor’s Office has identified “concerning” or “cautionary” issues with the budgets of 29 of Washington’s 39 counties, and in more than 200 cities or towns During last year’s State of the County speech King County Executive Dow Constantine warned that domestic-violence victim resources and even “funding our elections staff needs to protect our democracy.”  “They’ve been holding things together with chewing gum and baling wire for the last few decades,” state Sen “The ways that they learned to do that just stopped working in a high-inflation environment.” not only hasn’t been able to pass legislation to fix the problem it’s made things worse by heaping on new responsibilities with little extra aid.  and we in the counties have been left to hold the bag,” Gonzalez said “We’re collapsing and the state is not doing anything about it but waiting and watching the system implode.” as so many headaches for government budget wonks have with a voter initiative championed by antitax activist Tim Eyman.  voters passed an Eyman-backed initiative that lowered the cap on property tax revenue increases — then at a maximum of 6% — to 2% When a coalition of cities and counties filed a lawsuit to overturn that initiative You keep suing us every time we vote for something We’re gonna cross out the number 2 and replace it with 1,’” Eyman said.   when a lawsuit threw out the 1% cap as well the cap had become so embedded within voter expectations that the Democratic governor held a special session of the Legislature to immediately reimpose it.  have property caps limiting increases in individual tax bills Washington’s cap limits the total revenue the government brings in All assessments of existing property do is determine how that cost is divided among property taxpayers — how the pie is split up If your property increases in value faster than your neighbors’ But the only way the whole pie can grow faster than 1% a year is through voter-approved levies or new construction compares the structure to an anaconda wrapped around the ribcage of local governments you’ve got no more room to breathe.”  counties — which rely almost entirely on property and sales tax — can feel their ribs begin to crack Property values have increased 1.5 times faster than tax revenues have since the initiative passed.  the average taxpayer was paying nearly $1,300 in property taxes for every $100,000 of property value they’re paying an average of only $850 per $100,000 Local governments have faced financial challenges before particularly with the collapse of sales tax revenue during the recession in the wake of the 2008 housing crash Yet today’s economic climate is nearly the opposite: Housing prices have soared unemployment is low and the slew of job openings have pushed up wages sharply.  The nation was hit with the biggest burst of inflation since 1981 Retirements from COVID had created a labor shortage Local governments across the state found themselves in bidding wars corrections officers and public defenders away from one another and driving up costs.  Housing values spiked too — increasing rent and increasing how much local governments had to shell out to fund new clinics and shelters.  Pierce County watched its two-year jail costs increase by almost $20 million facilities and liability insurance nearly double fuel costs — pushed even higher by the state’s new carbon penalties — hit the county’s public works budget.  Pierce eliminated nine vacant corrections officer positions Thurston ended supervised probation in District Court King cut the county sheriff’s department’s overtime.  The property tax cap is a big reason why Washington state has had the lowest number of police officers for its population in the nation for over a decade “We already ‘defunded police,’” Young recalled joking with the Legislature Yet as counties have struggled to keep their budgets above water local leaders have been increasingly frustrated that the state has pushed so much of the burden of providing services on to local governments.  so much of the responsibility for funding schools had been shifted to local school districts to pass levies that the state Supreme Court ruled legislators had violated the state constitution’s “paramount duty” to fund education eventually fining the Legislature $100,000 a day until they fixed it.  the state simply suspended the 1% limit from the property taxes dedicated to statewide school funding for the next four years But counties and cities don’t have that option at least not without a ballot measure.  Voters legalized marijuana more than a decade ago, but the state gave local governments only a trickle of the tax revenue collected. Meanwhile, for state-mandated areas like public defense, the cost for counties keeps increasing while the state contribution has remained flat.  Franklin County was paying entry-level public defender attorneys $85,000 A 1% hike in property tax revenues in Franklin County “We don’t have a single system of social services in the state “What do we do for people like in Pierce County where they’re struggling to raise enough revenue to provide just basic services?” plenty of Washington state legislators have tried But a high-inflation environment is a particularly perilous time to propose such a bill.  Surrounding states with looser property cap restrictions have been scrambling to find ways to reduce taxes to placate voters furious over their rising property taxes.   His bill this year would have given counties the option of increasing the property tax cap by up to 3% a year Despite their lock on the Washington Legislature Democrats were quickly put on the defensive.  Senate Republicans were merciless: They pumped out social media featuring a steady stream of #StopTheGreed hashtags a video featuring a drawing of a man labeled “government” fist-pumping next to a cash register ringing “ch-ching,” and warnings that the Democrats wanted to “TRIPLE TRIPLE” the maximum growth rate of your property taxes.  Republicans pointed to the overall growth of revenue in areas like King County in the past decade — faster than inflation they said — to argue that budget complaints are overblown.  They held a press conference decrying the proposal as the worst bill of the session accusing Democrats of being “tone deaf” to the suffering of families arguing that lifting the cap would inflame the housing shortage and cause rent to increase the cap helped stop the government from getting too big too fast.  “It should be hard for local government to budget “And I think that’s lost on this Legislature.” Another politician at the press conference incorrectly claimed that Democrats would raise your property taxes by “300%.” Online their $9,000 tax bill was poised to leap to $27,000.  Yet more than 8,000 people signed up to testify that they were opposed to Pedersen’s bill.  who had been narrowly reelected in 2022 and is now running for Congress pulled her support as a co-sponsor from Pedersen’s bill citing opposition from her constituents.  had already started filling out the referendum paperwork to let voters repeal the bill With multiple other voter initiatives threatening to imperil the state’s own new sources of revenue — like the capital gains tax — Democrats were cautious.  “A conversation about property taxes that people don’t really understand in this particular year would likely be an unwelcome distraction,” Pedersen said.  Eyman always has a simple counter to all the local government complaints that they’re “starving”: Simply pass a local levy.  make your case to the people who are going to pay it that you need more money,” Eyman said and that’s always undercut every argument they’ve ever made.”  where three-quarters of voters picked Biden and the county’s overall spending has largely kept up with inflation But until new legislation passed this year state law had banned King County — and only King County — from using levy funding to pay for services in their general fund In more conservative areas like Stevens County “If I go to the voters and try and convince them that that money is for paying for the assessor and the treasurers and recording and elections it’s not going to pass in my area,” Stevens County Commissioner Wes McCart told the Legislature “At what point do I stop providing services?” With the Washington State Bar Association proposing case-load standards that could potentially double or triple costs on counties “This could be what bankrupts smaller counties like ours.”  But Franklin County commissioners haven’t seemed interested in proposing a new property tax levy They haven’t been interested in raising the property cap either.  “I appreciate that our area commissioners are living within the means provided by the taxpayers even if it makes budgeting more challenging,” Sen “Putting this bill down was the right move although if the majority respected the will of the voters it never would have been introduced in the first place.” InvestigateWest originally published this story on March 21, 2024. InvestigateWest (invw.org) is an independent news nonprofit dedicated to investigative journalism in the Pacific Northwest only 9% of respondents said they’d recently discussed state-level policy The Cascade PBS Politics newsletter wants to change that Ferguson said he would veto a “wealth tax,” Democratic legislators proposed expanding capital gains Daniel Walters is an Investigative Reporter / Report for America Corps Member at InvestigateWest and the beleaguered democratic institutions caught in the middle -- Crews battled a fire at a home in Skyway on Monday evening The Renton Regional Fire Authority says the fire broke out just after 5:00 p.m Crews from Tukwila and Skyway also were battling the fire One person suffered smoke inhalation and has been taken to Valley Medical Center a $3,000 rent can be easier to swallow than a $5,000 mortgage A home for rent in the Bryn Mawr-Skyway neighboorhood near Skyway Park on Thursday and other factors make renting more appealing even if they could probably afford to buy Homeownership is the American Dream. Nearly three-quarters of Americans see it as the highest mark of prosperity in their lives A long-term fixed monthly mortgage provides stability that renting likely won’t But at what point does the dream become impractically expensive The median rent for a one-bedroom in Seattle is $1,720 But those figures pale in comparison with the mortgage payments for a median-priced a buyer would likely owe more than $5,500 each month even if they likely could pull the money together to buy He appreciates that he can walk most places that the streets are bustling with a diverse cross-section of Seattleites that he has easy access to the food and music scene and community of Capitol Hill This story is part of a Crosscut focus on housing: Making Seattle Home Proctor and his partner keep their eye on Redfin and Zillow and could likely afford to buy a house if they moved to the far edges of the city or into the suburbs But paying significantly more each month to live in a suburban neighborhood holds little appeal “For me the idea of moving to a single-family residential neighborhood surrounded by other houses is the exact opposite of diverse living,” said Proctor “You have to go pretty far to buy a house for $700,000-$800,000 but it’s a strange sort of mental hoop to jump through to convince yourself it’s worth it.” but the tradeoff would likely be a smaller home with a higher monthly payment The median condo sale price in Seattle is about $505,000 right now the motivation to move would likely come from factors beyond their control like their landlord having a change of heart about rents or selling the building to someone who dramatically increases their rent the cost of homebuying mixed with a sense of uncertainty keeps him from making the leap from renting to homeownership but he doesn’t think it makes sense to lock himself into a $5,000-a-month payment You can rent a decent house or big apartment for quite a bit less than that right now,” he said A systemic and personal precariousness also leaves Goel unsure about buying I’m not sure how much I want to be locked into a single place,” said Goel “What happens by the end of the decade with wildfire smoke or extreme heat or flooding?” Goel is also unsure about his ability to stay in the U.S He is an Indian immigrant who has lived in Seattle for 10 years on a work visa But he said the path to permanent residency or citizenship is challenging which also makes a long-term housing commitment questionable Goel appreciates the flexibility it provides he and his partner were renting a “very small” condo downtown they were able to move to a much larger place on the border between the University District and Ravenna Of course there are downsides to renting, even for people who believe in its value. Marci Taitt-Lamar was born and raised in Seattle. A few years ago she was a member of the city’s volunteer Renters’ Commission which provides policy recommendations and advice to city leaders and departments on how to improve conditions for renters Taitt-Lamar’s time on the Renters' Commission coincided with the end of her time as a renter in 2020 she decided that it was worth the investment to buy a home and experience the stability of a fixed mortgage.  When she moved into her first Seattle studio apartment in 2013 By the time she left her last studio apartment the landlord was trying to raise her rent from $1,800 to $2,200 The mortgage payments for her south Seattle home are about $2,500 a month but she reasoned that owning is an investment that will pay her back eventually.  “The only reason I considered homeownership is because I was incredibly destabilized by ludicrous rent increases,” Taitt-Lamar said “I happened to be in a good position at my job but enough that I had a little bit of savings.” During her time on the Renters' Commission Taitt-Lamar and her fellow commissioners often discussed policy meant to help renters in Seattle’s expensive She recognizes that many if not most renters do not have the option to become homeowners But she still wants to see the city do more to provide them with some of the same sense of stability experienced by those who can afford to buy and increased eviction protection for renters who accrued rental debt during the COVID emergency “We need to make sure that regardless of whether you’re choosing to rent or have no choice that you are ensured the same protection and stability of those who are able to afford to buy a home,” said Morales Looking ahead, Morales said she’s working with Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda on legislation that would give tenants the right of first refusal to purchase their building if it was for sale. In some cases, tenants are able to pull together the money or work with a nonprofit to become owners “My office is trying to understand how we can build more community assets,” said Morales “It’s an important way to stop the displacement that’s happening particularly in Black and brown communities to build wealth for those folks who’ve been left out of these markets.” but because the Washington Legislature banned rent control in 1981 she said it’s an issue that must be taken up at the state level a former member of the Seattle Renters Commission and a housing advocate with the group Tech4Housing He supports the tenant-rights work the council is doing and wants to see an increase in subsidies to help offset low-income renters’ monthly costs But he also thinks that increasing the supply of housing by changing zoning to allow more density will help give renters more power The city hearing examiner tossed appeals to the Comprehensive Plan but due to delays the City Council is still focused on interim legislation Josh Cohen is the Cascade PBS city reporter. Reach him at josh.cohen@cascadepbs.org or on Twitter at @jcohenwrites - A motorcyclist was severely injured Monday in a collision with an SUV in Skyway in the 13000 block of Martin Luther King Jr after receiving reports of a serious crash The motorcycle rider was found with possible life-threatening injuries A preliminary investigation found that the motorcyclist was heading east on Martin Luther King Jr Way as the SUV pulled onto the roadway from a parking lot The motorcyclist took evasive action but could not avoid crashing into the side of the SUV All lanes of the roadway are currently closed at the scene More information will be posted as it becomes available SEATTLE - A large power outage knocked out electrical service to more than 14,000 Seattle City Light customers and darkened traffic signals for a few hours in South Seattle on Friday morning service was restored to about half of those customers Most of the remaining 7,000 homes had their power back by 9:30 a.m. and all customers had service by 10:15 a.m The cause of the widespread outage turned out to be a large tree branch that fell on power lines The outage mostly affected homes and businesses in the Rainier Valley Major cities all around our nation are reeling from a displacement crisis Entire communities — primarily people of color — have been financially exiled from their homes and neighborhoods areas like the Central District and South Seattle have been ground zero for gentrification The collective social and economic toll is incalculable and the personal stories of people losing their homes small businesses and way of life are tragic We can recognize that the inevitable growth of a neighborhood doesn’t have to mean the cruel exodus of the people who already live there invest in public transit and stimulate economies in underserved areas while ensuring people can afford to stay in their homes our greatest opportunity to achieve these goals exists in Skyway And given its prime location and demographics Skyway suddenly finds itself on the front lines of gentrification What Skyway represents is a powerful opportunity to get it right Our elected leaders did not sufficiently protect residents of the Central District Columbia City and many other neighborhoods in the region where hardworking people were unable to reap the rewards of economic growth Skyway gives us the chance to correct the course of business as usual Skyway can be a model for the rest of our state increase density and stimulate local businesses in an area while enriching and uplifting the families who live there Today, despite its prime location next to the major commercial and industrial centers of Seattle and Renton, Skyway still lacks sufficient access to basic amenities and resources. It lacks a community center, accessible healthy food and grocery options, and sufficiently developed streets and sidewalks Seventy-five percent of its buildings are more than 40 years old The area doesn’t have access to rapid transit thus restricting the flow of funding for critically needed affordable housing The childhood poverty rate in Skyway is three times as high as the countywide median Exacerbating all these issues is the fact that Skyway does not have a city council or a mayor looking out for it to perform most of the functions of a local government which for many reasons is neither sustainable nor equitable The residents of Skyway have been advocating tirelessly for resources as well as protection for their community because they know what’s waiting around the corner The economic tsunami that pushed out the seniors working class and low-income residents of Seattle’s core is coming for them next We urge leaders all over Washington state to coalesce and get this right We urge our federal government to invest in Skyway’s infrastructure and transportation We urge our state legislators to give King County the ability to raise progressive tax revenues because currently we are restricted by the state Constitution to regressive sources such as property and sales taxes Under King County’s current taxing authority we risk pushing out Skyway residents through property tax hikes and the increased cost of living We also urge our state to protect vulnerable renters through legislation like Just Cause Eviction We urge neighboring cities like Seattle and Renton to recognize that while Skyway isn’t within their city limits many of the most marginalized populations are former city residents who have been pushed into Skyway like free ORCA passes for grade-school students We also urge neighboring cities to create a clear plan for annexation as is encouraged by the Growth Management Act so that Skyway residents do not continue to live in uncertainty We urge the private sector to invest in existing Skyway businesses and the community-based organizations that are already working on economic development and affordable housing Skyway needs the resources and the infrastructure to handle a more populous future coordinated approach to development before it’s too late In the wealthiest corner of the wealthiest nation in the world we have the innovative spirit and financial means to invest in and develop neighborhoods without displacing the people who call them home Skyway will be a blueprint for countless other cities facing this crisis not just in Washington The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser SKYWAY, Wash. -- A shootout early Sunday morningleft two people dead and several others injured at a motorcycle club gathering in Skyway yellow placards and shells casings were all over a back parking lot between the Skyway VFW and "The Family Clubhouse" in the 12600 block of Renton Avenue South Neighbors and nearby businesses say a motorcycle club often gathers at the clubhouse Emil Minerich owns Skyway Models right next door "I got a call from the detective this morning," Minerich said As Minerich was getting ready to go to church he got the call to head straight to his shop he saw all the investigators and evidence markers "It was quite a bit," Minerich said Minerich says the motorcycle club gets together at night and every weekend Four people were shot early Sunday morning when a large fight broke out during a gathering later showed up at a McDonald's in Renton about a mile away "I'm guessing they're trying to get to an area where they can try and get help maybe out of the area that's chaotic," King County Sheriff's Office sgt "But I didn't know that for a fact It ended up that officers ended up finding them here (McDonald's) they weren't able to save his life here." A 36-year-old man died after being taken to a local hospital by a relative The two other shooting victims are expected to survive That includes a person hurt in a car accident and two others who had panic attacks Minerich says there's been trouble with members of the motorcycle club before "It's terrible," Minerich said The Sheriff's Office says deputies have been called out to the area before for other incidents investigators still don't have a motive and do not have a suspect description to share yet 2013 at 3:46 pm PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Berkeley CA-based Grocery Outlet is set to launch Skyway's first grocery store in five years this weekend and will be operated by local ownership Seattle-area natives Erin and Jeff McNeil will open a Grocery Outlet store in the Skyway/Bryn Mawr with a ribbon cutting will be held on Wednesday The largest “extreme-value” grocer in the U.S with more than 185 store locations nationwide the Skyway store is the second location owned by the McNeil family the first of which is located in the nearby city of Renton There are five other locations in the city of Seattle and over a dozen in the greater Seattle market The supermarket chain boasts prices up to 50 percent less than conventional supermarkets and retailers on brand name Skyway residents have not had the luxury and convenience of a local supermarket,” said Jeff McNeil “With the opening of our new Grocery Outlet in Skyway no longer do these residents need to travel miles away to get fresh produce USDA-certified meats and everyday essentials The new store is located in the Skyway Park Shopping Center at 11656 68th Avenue South in Seattle at the corner of Renton Avenue South and 68th Avenue Owners Jeff & Erin McNeil bring more than 50 years of combined grocery retail experience to their Grocery Outlet locations Jeff started in the grocery industry as a courtesy clerk working his way up to management positions and eventually as store director for various independent grocers in the Seattle area Jeff also spent a decade running his own grocery consulting/ information technology company Erin spent 15 years in various grocery retail management positions and spent the last five years as a buyer for a gourmet grocery store in Seattle "Being Grocery Outlet owners and operators allows them to display passion and commitment to their stores and to their local communities "They customize the store’s décor to reflect the local community’s history." The new Skyway location will eventually be custom-designed to reflect the culture and history of the area musically-themed design and décor will fully debut in mid-April The McNeils are actively involved in the West Hill Business Association the new Grocery Outlet location will feature spacious aisles of product offerings "In addition to offering our customers deeply-discounted prices and quality products neighborhood shopping experience for our customers atypical from the usual discount atmosphere," continues McNeil A pallet of groceries will be donated to Seattle’s Miracles Food Bank and Outreach and St Stephens the Martyr Catholic Church in Renton The free Grand Opening celebration on March 23 will also include prize giveaways Additional festivities include family activities For more information on the Skyway store, please visit http://www.groceryoutlet.com/Skyway-WA or visit their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/SkywayGroceryOutlet Note: Information provided for this article is from a Grocery Outlet news release.) Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Bryn-Mawr Skyway, WA (April 21, 2025) – A devastating single-vehicle crash on State Route 900 near 57th Street claimed the lives of two individuals and left another injured Saturday night, according to the Washington State Patrol (WSP). The incident occurred as the vehicle, occupied by three individuals, was traveling eastbound on SR 900 in the Bryn-Mawr Skyway area, not far from Tukwila. Investigators report that the vehicle lost control, veered off the roadway, and overturned, eventually coming to rest on its side. Two passengers—one of them a 17-year-old—were tragically pronounced dead at the scene. The 20-year-old driver survived the crash and was transported to a nearby hospital with injuries. Officials have confirmed that the driver is now facing two counts of vehicular homicide, as speed has been identified as a significant factor in the crash. WSP and emergency crews responded swiftly and worked at the scene for several hours. The roadway was shut down for over four hours during the investigation and cleanup process, causing traffic disruptions in the area. Our thoughts go out to the families and loved ones of the victims whose lives were lost in this heartbreaking accident. This fatal incident on SR 900 underscores the severe consequences of speed-related crashes, especially among young drivers. High-speed travel dramatically reduces reaction time and vehicle control, often resulting in devastating rollovers or run-off-road crashes—particularly on curved or uneven routes like State Route 900 in the Bryn-Mawr Skyway area. Single-vehicle accidents can be just as deadly as multi-car collisions, especially when passengers are involved and safety restraints may not be fully utilized. In this case, the loss of two young lives is a painful reminder of how quickly a moment of lost control can turn tragic. Crashes involving driver error and excessive speed often lead to criminal charges, as seen here, with the driver now facing two counts of vehicular homicide. These legal outcomes bring additional emotional and legal challenges for both the victims’ families and the individual responsible. In the wake of such tragedies, it’s vital that communities and families support educational initiatives focused on young driver safety, responsible vehicle operation, and the life-altering risks of speeding. Proper guidance, ongoing mentorship, and public awareness campaigns play a key role in preventing future accidents of this nature. At Local Accident Reports, we are committed to keeping the public informed and helping families navigate the difficult aftermath of fatal accidents. If you or someone close to you has been affected by a crash like this, we offer compassionate guidance, valuable resources, and up-to-date reporting. Please reach out to learn how we can support you during this difficult time. you understandably feel an urgent need to find as much information as possible about what happened that online reporting is third-party information and may sometimes contain inaccurate details The only report that can actually help you as you attempt to move forward is the official incident report taken by responding police officers at the scene If you were involved in a serious accident or are the surviving family member of someone who was you are entitled to obtain a copy of the police report Follow the link below to request a copy now we want you to know there are resources available in your local area Our organization helps connect people with the support they need in the aftermath of a terrible tragedy Fill out our form below to be contacted by someone who can help If you or a loved one were injured in a serious accident you should speak with an attorney as soon as possible Having your case evaluated by a lawyer will ensure your right to compensation is protected If you would like to speak with a qualified attorney for a free case evaluation Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this accident If you or a loved one were injured in this incident Having your case evaluated by a lawyer immediately will ensure your rights are protected The first step is to request a police report 888-657-1460 Local Accident Reports is here to provide you with valuable resources after you have been injured in an accident you can also schedule a free consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys right now to find out more about pursuing compensation If you any have questions at all about your legal rights following an accident Note: These posts are created solely for the use of Local Accident Reports We have not verified the information in these posts as the information is gathered from secondary sources If you have personal knowledge that the information contained in these posts is inaccurate please contact Local Accident Reports immediately so we can make the necessary corrections or remove the story Disclaimer: We are providing this information to the general public as a resource to use in the event you or a family member are injured in a similar incident Every effort is put forth to honor the victims of accidents and hope the information presented helps others avoid the same type of accidents in the future The photos depicted in these posts are not representative of the actual accident scene Please contact Local Accident Reports at (888) 657-1460 to be connected with an attorney in your area who will answer any legal questions you may have 2024) – Emergency responders were called to the scene of.. 2025) – A fatal crash involving a pedestrian shut down part.. 2024) - Emergency responders are addressing an injury accident on the.. 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