Seattle City Council President calls SODO vote a ‘win for both residents, businesses’
Mar 19, 2025, 7:47 AM | Updated: 2:04 pm
Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson talks with KIRO Newsradio's Charlie Harger. (Photo: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest)
(Photo: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest)
A five-hour marathon meeting ended with the Seattle City Council approving controversial housing rezoning changes in SODO, the stadium district near the port, Tuesday night.
The final vote was 6-3.
Council President Sarah Nelson highlighted the benefits of the new development on “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio with Charlie Harger. She emphasized the opportunity to build mixed-income housing and small spaces for small manufacturing businesses.
“This is a win for both residents and businesses,” Nelson said.
The project follows the 2023 rezoning of the SoDo area and aims to provide much-needed housing in a city grappling with affordability issues.
Listen to the interview below.
What would this new development offer?
The new development will include 50% affordable housing, targeting residents with incomes between 60% and 90% of the area median income. Nelson noted on KIRO Newsradio that this initiative addresses both the housing shortage and public safety concerns in an area previously plagued by crime. “The activation that will come with residential uses is seen as positive by the neighborhood,” she added.
Addressing concerns about the involvement of landowner Chris Hansen, Nelson stated that the property owner has agreed to project labor agreements with union workers. “Right now, we’re talking about the fight for affordability,” she said.
Seattle City Council President acknowledges traffic issues
Transportation and traffic were also discussed, with Nelson acknowledging the high traffic volumes in the area. She mentioned the existing infrastructure, including train and light rail tracks, and the recent addition of a protected bike lane on Airport Way. “We’re talking about up to 990 units of housing, which is a very small amount of additional housing,” Nelson explained, citing a 2023 environmental impact statement that found no adverse impacts on port operations.
Public safety remains a priority, with plans to hire more officers for the Seattle Police Department. Nelson believes that increased residential activity will lead to reduced crime. “The neighborhoods of Pioneer Square and the Chinatown International District strongly advocated for this because they want to see more people on the street,” she said.
Addressing opposition
Despite some opposition to new housing developments, Nelson argued that the stadium district, considered a downtown neighborhood, is an ideal location for additional housing. “This is an area ripe for residential use,” she concluded.
The new development aims to transform SoDo into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood, addressing Seattle’s pressing housing needs while enhancing public safety and supporting small businesses.
Until today, housing has not been allowed in this area because it was considered a full urban industry zone.
There is no exact timeline right now as to when we could actually see housing go on the market. Again, this is all just a two-block area around Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park, and less than 1,000 units will be allowed.
Opposing groups argue the area will be unsafe
The Port of Seattle and the Northwest Seaport Alliance argue that it’s unsafe to have people living near these big business corridors.
After the vote, the Port of Seattle condemned the vote, sending out the following statement:
‘The Port of Seattle is disappointed in the Seattle City Council’s decision to move forward with rushed legislation that will directly harm our city’s maritime and industrial operations, threaten thousands of union jobs, and negatively impact our region’s economic competitiveness in trade. It pushes us down a slippery slope of encroachment on industrial lands. This is a loss for the public who will pay in the future with resources, missed opportunities, and heartache.
This spot rezone was inappropriately advanced outside the comprehensive planning process. More importantly, this decision directly undermines the hard-won 2023 compromise between the Port and City Council that protects maritime and industrial lands and allows appropriate development in Sodo.
Today’s biggest winner is an out-of-state billionaire developer, who more than a decade ago made a bet that he could buy industrial land on the cheap and get the city council to add millions to his property value just by changing the zoning.’
While others like Patience Malaba of the Housing Development Consortium praised the win, saying, “This is a monumental step forward for Seattle. The Stadium Makers’ District will not only address our city’s urgent need for housing but also support local businesses, create jobs, and make the area safer and more vibrant for all.”
Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Charlie Harger weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast here.
