Anyone enjoying a slice of Seattle’s suburbia may be in for a shock

Anyone in Seattle who purchased their home with the dream of always living in the comforts of suburbia but the convenience of a city could be in for a shock. If there is growing support for density over aesthetics, more homeowners may find themselves staring at the side of an apartment building instead of their neighbor’s white picket fence.

Housing advocate Laura Bernstein told Seattle’s Morning News of KIRO Radio that is already happening and homeowners are starting to show their frustration.

Take Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood, for example, where Bernstein says she sees “the most” angry residents about the changes going on.

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“They thought they would have a slice of suburbia but would be able to take the bus to work every day,” she said. “They feel tricked or betrayed … or they’re angry at themselves.”

But if city leaders want to make ever-growing Seattle more affordable, people need to change their mindset and embrace density over single-family homes, she says.

“New housing is alarming to people,” she said. “I think people moved there and their real estate agents promised they would be like that forever.”

Bernstein argues that won’t always be true if people also want things such as light rail. Sound Transit isn’t about to build a light rail station in an area with only single-family housing, she says.

By being supportive of density in some areas will take pressure off others, she says.

Bernstein, who just returned from YIMBY (Yes in My Back Yard) conference in Colorado, argues that density is better for the environment as well. KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross points out that one of the areas with the smallest carbon footprint per person is actually Manhattan.

Dave says it’s ironic that while people in Queen Anne push for affordable housing, they refuse to allow changes to their neighborhood. If someone is in favor of light rail, for example, they need to support more density, he said. That includes more apartments and other residential options.

“Anyone who talks about a solution without including any of those things really doesn’t mean it, is that a fair summary?”

“Correct,” Bernstein said.

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