News
Stay up to date with the latest dispatches from Futurewise
Spokane Officially Approves Expanding Middle Housing
Aerial view of Spokane On Monday, November 20th, the Spokane City Council voted unanimously to extend the Building Opportunity and Choices for All (BOCA) ordinance that legalizes different middle housing types in the city, and updates development regulations to make … Continue reading
November 27, 2023
October Executive Director’s Note
For Our Future lobby day, Feb 2023 On November 8 we will be kicking off our legislative campaign for the 2024 session. Over the last few years, we have had great legislative success, passing major land use policies that address our … Continue reading
October 30, 2023
Meet Sia – Futurewise Staff Spotlight
Sia Gaind – Futurewise Staff Spotlight! This past month we welcomed three new Campaign Interns to our statewide team! Over the next weeks, we’d love to introduce you to our newest team members and let you get to know them. … Continue reading
October 30, 2023
September Staff Note: My first time volunteering
Marcella Buser, Futurewise State Organizer, getting interviewed for a student group’s campaign in 2018 I want to share the story of how I first got involved in advocacy. As Futurewise’s State Organizer, my job revolves around asking people to get … Continue reading
September 28, 2023
Washington Farmlands At Risk
A Washington farm on his tractor For decades, Washington has been a bright spot for farmland preservation. Nationally, Washington is in the top two states for our policy response to protect agriculture and our success in preventing farmland conversion. However, recent trends … Continue reading
August 30, 2023
July Executive Director’s Note: We’re Moving!
Futurewise is moving! After 15 years we are saying goodbye to our long-time Seattle office space at 816 2nd Ave. By September 1, we will be fully moved into a coworking space in the 1201 3rd Ave building. It’s a bit of a return … Continue reading
July 31, 2023
Seattle Passes Design Review Reform to Streamline Construction of Affordable Housing
Office Building in Seattle’s International District, with the street car and a Metro bus in the foreground On July 5 2023, the Seattle City Council passed Council Bill 120591 and Council Bill 120581, two pieces of legislation that will remove barriers to affordable … Continue reading
July 12, 2023
June 2023 Executive Director Note — We’re Hiring!
Green field on a farm, with cows and a white barn in the background At Futurewise our work comes in cycles. That’s true in individual years. We kick off the year with the state legislative session. Then we prepare for … Continue reading
June 29, 2023
Mid-Year Program Updates!
Streetscape in Redmond WA, featuring a red floral mural Wow, we’re already halfway through 2023. Now that we’ve officially reached the summer solstice, we wanted to give some short updates on what Futurewise staff are up to around the state. … Continue reading
June 27, 2023
Missing Middle Housing (HB 1110) Round Up!
This past legislative session, Futurewise organized with thousands of you to pass HB 1110 to legalize middle housing types like duplexes and courtyard apartments in neighborhoods across Washington. This is transformational legislation that only passed because of the hard … Continue reading
June 16, 2023
Planning Responsibly and Equitably in Pierce County
Pierce County Transit Bus on a sunny fall day Futurewise has appealed a new zoning regulation in Pierce County that would allow shared housing developments and modify the density bonuses in the Residential Resource zones in the Parkland, Spanaway, and … Continue reading
May 10, 2023
April 2023 Executive Director Note
Futurewise staff, board and partners in front of solar panels holding signs that read “Washington Leads on Climate” We are winning!! It feels good to say that and savor the moment. Yesterday Governor Inslee signed HB 1181 into law, adding … Continue reading
May 4, 2023