iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

With the chance that Seattle does 'MHA for mansions', I wonder if it's really lifetime fiscally positive. Seattle gets a one time fee but also gets: lower property tax revenue lower sales tax revenue (construction, and the residents lifetime purchases) some projects don't pencil lower misc taxes

021

Reposted by Aidan T 🌐

David Kroman @kromandavid.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

City Hall is so funny, like it was built in the “leave everyone a little unhappy” lab

3101

Reposted by Aidan T 🌐

Adrián @elenoam.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Haven't read El Salvador's national parking reform. The country eliminated parking requirements nationwide.

2277

Reposted by Aidan T 🌐

Seattle YIMBY @seattleyimby.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

This chart tells a pretty incredible success story MHA funds are the smallest slice of this graph and yet MHA is the only funding source that directly hurts renters by blocking new homes from being built @mayorofseattle.bsky.social let's use this success to undo the damage from MHA!

2349

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Looking at this chart, can YIMBYs just retcon the voter approved housing levy as successfully funding MHA? The increase happened to be the nearly the exact amount MHA was

120

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

2 DADUs proposed for an LR3 lot. ADUs are now MHA free, so creates an incentive for this in LR3 zones

000

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

The East and North Link Connections KC Metro bus changes confuse me. Why are they not already implemented? Why is it so unclear when they will be? What's the barrier that has caused the busses not to be updated for over a year after Lynnwood Link opened?

320

Reposted by Aidan T 🌐

iain @maccoinnich.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Building permit issued for a 5-story 25-unit apartment at SE 31st and Belmont www.portlandmaps.com/detail/permi... The project has been in the works since 2020; I assume recent policy changes including fully-funded IZ and the SDC waiver have gotten this to the point where construction is imminent.

Screenshot from Portland Maps with aerial view and text "New 5-story 25-unit apartment bldg. and associated site work. w/20-217527-MT, 20-217530-CO"

8594

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Amazing news. Seattle's biggest challenge isn't even upzoning a lot when rezonings occur, it's not having rezonings occur very often at all. Exactly what a mayor at the beginning of their term should look to do

060

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

One thing we can do to fix MHA is get rid of the confusing, arbitrary M,M1,M2 system. If two MR lots are identical with the same sized building on them, but one used to be NR while the other has always been MR, the formerly NR one pays nearly double the MHA fees!

142

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

There's some honesty from the SSHD op-ed, but it's still a bait and switch. The beginning paragraphs discuss a radical and unlike-anywhere-in-the-world system of publicly funded, privately governed social housing, unaccountable to the voters, but defend it by referencing Vienna, which is not that.

130

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

Regardless of if the retail mandate bill passes or fails, why can't Seattle just end retail mandates on it's own? Seem to be the most punishing in Seattle anyways

230

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Still the case that developers are proposing underbuilding apartment zoned sites so that they can build townhomes This proposal is for 9 likely 3 story townhomes where the zoning allows for a 3.0 FAR 40' apartment building

5121

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Proposal for even more student housing in U-District, on The Ave, 6 stories. Replaces two low slung traditional 'The Ave' buildings. Wonder what the point of blocking skyscrapers on The Ave if this happens anyway 🤔

150

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Wish we could do this in Seattle, but the purpose of MHA here is to pay non-profits, not generate affordable housing efficiently

010

Reposted by Aidan T 🌐

Tony @tonychiado.com · 15/02/2026

I feel like you see a lot of work/live townhomes around Seattle that never realize the “work” part. In this little area of Mount Baker, there are several townhomes with businesses (yoga studio, acct biz, cafe, permanent makeup studio, spa). What’s the recipe to make it work?

5162

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

Example of a Seattle area developer building far less density than allowed on a prime lot so they can build townhomes Shows the importance of allowing townhomes everywhere so demand for them doesn't get shoved to prime lots like this

280

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Except if you are a renter, in which case you deserve no benefit. Huge homestead exemptions are one of the most regressive taxes out there, anything is better than this

051

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

In Tacoma you can apparently build a FAR exempt 900sqft garage in a DADU vs just 250ft in Seattle lol

000

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

Toshiko Hasegawa's very first line on her website's 'vision' for County Council's 2nd seat is NIMBYism, don't see that much nowadays.

240

Reposted by Aidan T 🌐

Dan Bertolet @danbertolet.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

WA bill HB 2228 to allow scissor stairs passed the House today, 95 - 0! Thank you Rep. Zahn! app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary/...

app.leg.wa.gov

HB 2228 Washington State Legislature

0708

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Seattle has 3 low-rise zones, LR1-3. LR1 & 2 are now mostly identical to NR, so neither should exist But LR1 *really* shouldn't exist, these are all the LR1 areas added in the most recent upzoning proposal vs all the upzoned blocks. OPCD knows it's a useless zone and isn't bothering implementing it

250

Reposted by Aidan T 🌐

Spokane Rising @spokanerising.com · 06/02/2026

Doesn’t Seattle already require relocation assistance in a bunch of situations? The city already has the most tenant protections in the PNW. What it doesn’t have is a robust market-rate construction pipeline. She should be cutting MHA, fixing MFTE, and boosting anemic zoning. Not adding new regs.

3101

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Sounds like Wilson is going to do backdoor rent control. Not great for encouraging investment in housing in Seattle

270

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

Instead of mandating retail, Seattle should fine developers who don’t build it like ~$50,000, to see how much of a tax it is on development

000

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Because of the phased nature of Seattle's rezoning process, for the next few years, this middle area will be LR3, allowing for 5 story apartment buildings. While the areas south *and* north of it, both closer to the light rail stations and in Urban/Regional Centers, will be zoned LR1/2.

010

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

What's the purpose of creating a neighborhood center, to not rezone it? Is this because they're planning on studying a different Magnolia Neighborhood Center?

030

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

It's insane that we accept these kinds of timelines. Other cities in Washington don't do this level of staggering, no one is making us take a decade to go through a zoning cycle. This is just for the Regional Centers, Urban Centers won't be upzoned until Katie Wilson's term is over

3352

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Good to see there's been no bills looking to strengthen rent control/landlord-tenant regs this year in WA. Shows good legislative discipline and gives more regulatory certainty.

130

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Interesting the lengths developers are going to preserve the existing home. This home is a teardown if I've ever seen one, and yet the proposal is to retain it and build 5 sfhs around it. Why? some regulatory advantage? or maybe they've already remodeled it?

000

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Haven't seen too many middle housing proposals in Seattle that absolutely maxing out density & FAR, this one gets the closest 6 unit proposal using the 3ft setbacks for small lots near transit at ~1.45 FAR.

150

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Proposal for 2 1,200 sqft DADUs, legal thanks to AMR’s ADU amendments

020

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

The SSHD has been a disaster because McCoy pushed for an ungovernable board structure, a shame to see her elevated despite the failures so far

030

Reposted by Aidan T 🌐

Dan Bertolet @danbertolet.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

To celebrate the possibility that SB 6026 will end mandates for apartment buildings to have commercial uses on their ground floors, here's a bunch of pics of empty retail spaces in Seattle's Capitol Hill, the most densely populated neighborhood in WA. app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/...

11835

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

I think Redmond is the only puget sound city that ended up putting IZ on one unit developments in the new middle housing updates. Building 2 1,000sqft ADUs costs $60,000 in Redmond. Will be interested to see if this policy basically ends up meaning Redmond opted out of HB1110/1337

1111

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

New council predictions for the YIMBY-NIMBY spectrum Mega-YIMBY: AMR YIMBY: Lin Likely YIMBY: Foster, Strauss Swing votes: Kettle, Juarez Likely NIMBY: Hollingsworth, Saka NIMBY: Rivera

220

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Does Seattle have any zones where commercial is allowed but residential isn't? Based on the zoning map I can't find any So the only affect of the 'residential in commercial areas' bill would be to eliminate Seattle's retail requirements seattlecitygis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappv...

410

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

Unlike Houston's minimum lot size system, Seattle has a parent lot minimum lot size of 5,000sqft and a Unit Lot Subdivision minimum lot size of 1,250. So a homeowner can't, for example, sell their backyard as a separate 2,500sqft lot and be done with it.

130

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

First stacked flats proposal under the new code? Taking advantage of the 3ft side setbacks on lots less than 5,000sqft near transit. Extremely tight fit

070

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

I don't believe parking minimums are binding on any kind of development in Seattle, so removing them is a question of a. if the city council realizes this b. do they or don't they want the official elimination of them on their record I'm not sure which is more the case

150

Reposted by Aidan T 🌐

Jacob Loo Dawang @jacobdawang.com · 05/01/2026

NEW POST While cities across North America struggle with housing shortages, Edmonton is proving that zoning reform works. In 2025, for the first time in history, the number of homes permitted in 5-8 unit rowhomes surpassed detached homes. 🧵 #yeg #yegcc #yimby www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/zb...

jacobdawang.com

2025: The year Edmonton built the missing middle – Jacob Dawang

Edmonton’s zoning reform is working. In 2025, newly legalized eight-home rowhomes drove a record increase in homebuilding, achieved by redeveloping only 0.39% of properties in mature neighbourhoods.

711447

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

MFTE is literally a transfer from every taxing authority outside the city of Seattle to Seattle. If it isn’t being used for every project you’re leaving money on the table for generations

120

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Seattle has a uniparty consensus that we should bankrupt non-profit housing providers to maintain an arbitrary set of landlord-tenant laws. Also a uniparty consensus that we need MHA to fund non-profit developers because there’s so politically powerful

150

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Bad pre-filed bill. It would give cities more zoning control over unincorporated areas near them Since Snohomish and King counties are both more YIMBY than the cities in each, this would kill a lot of housing

140

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

One thing rarely brought up about MHA is that it’s like a reverse impact fee program We tax housing the most in the parts of the city where housing is the most fiscally sustainable and tax it the least where car usage is higher, fewer sidewalks, longer commutes, etc

050

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

The greater the car dependency, the greater the benefits of congestion pricing! This got lost bc NYC did it first, but metros like Houston, Dallas and Orlando only function with their level of car dependence bc of pricing roads

1102

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

MHA is just a really small part of office of housing funds. It wouldn’t be a big deal to get rid of it entirely.

241

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

Great news. Scissor stairs is useful for both high-rise and mid-rise buildings. Tons of small lots zoned for 5+ stories could use this

150

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

One fix to the comp plan that would actually generate more housing (i.e. not stacked flat related) would be to uncap number of ADUs per lot, or allow 3 ADUs per lot. ADUs have a bunch of regulatory and financial advantages in both NR and low-rise zones, so allowing more per lot would be helpful

130

Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

With the end of the interim code here's a map of most middle housing projects, including SFHs, ADUs, DADUs, since May will be interesting to see if the makeup of the types changes with the permanent code aidanthornsberry.github.io/seattle-hous...

290