Seattle Nice

Editor's note: We recorded this episode before Mayor Katie Wilson announced her plan to reduce gun violence this week. Wilson's plan emphasizes community violence interruption, as opposed to the "focused deterrence" approach that CM Maritza Rivera has been advocating. Although Wilson has expressed support for some form of focused deterrence, she does not support CM Rivera's resolution, and the plan she announced this week doesn't include the core law-enforcement deterrence consequences that have been a linchpin of focused deterrence programs in the many cities where the approach has been successful.

Crime is down, but Seattleites...

In the latest episode, with David away at an undisclosed (but no doubt bougie) location, Erica and Sandeep are (re-)joined by friend of the pod Daniel Malone, Executive Director of Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC), Seattle's largest shelter, housing and behavioral health homelessness services provider. 

In the episode, Daniel provides us with a first anniversary update on DESC's Opioid Recovery & Care Access (ORCA) Center, which Daniel tells us has been a major success, with 10,000(!) encounters with people experiencing addiction in Year One (either at its fixed site at the Morrison Hotel on 3rd and Yesler, or t...

Seattle has had nine police chiefs in seventeen years. Now the carousel is spinning again as Mayor Katie Wilson launches the hunt for yet another leader for SPD.

With the messy, hasty exit of Shon Barnes still fresh, we have to ask: Who actually wants this job? We break down the search, the political stakes for Mayor Wilson, and whether Seattle is doomed to repeat the same hiring mistakes.

We also get into Erica's story about interim Chief Andre Sayles, who filed a potentially career-ending complaint against a veteran hate-crimes detective for speaking at a...

A pair of Seattle residents have filed to recall Mayor Katie Wilson. But the recall effort probably doesn't have a chance of clearing Washington's high legal bar. So why do it? And what does it reveal about the zeitgeist in Seattle right now?

Then we dig into Councilmember Dan Strauss's plan to deal with RV encampments. Is it a compassionate attempt to get people the help they need while cleaning up the streets? Or a crackdown without enough shelter or services to actually work? Plus, Seattle's new interim police chief Andre Sayles promises he won't be "Barnes 2.0."...

This week on Seattle Nice, the only podcast that tells you what's really happening in Seattle politics, we break down the primary results and what they mean for the city.

Did Mayor Katie Wilson try the Mamdani play? Did it backfire? We debate whether her endorsements in the 43rd and 46th legislative districts actually mattered, why Seattle isn't New York, and how The Stranger remains the city's most influential political endorsement despite, in the eyes of some, barely covering City Hall.

Then we turn to the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. The city...

In one of the most disorderly weeks at Seattle City Hall in recent memory, Police Chief Shon Barnes has officially resigned. In this follow-up to our Emergency Friday Episode when the outcome was not 100 percent clear, David Hyde, Erica C. Barnett, and Sandeep Kaushik break down the chain of events from the mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival to the closed-door negotiations that led to Barnes's departure.

In this Patreon supporter perk episode we get into:

·       The $700,000 Settlement: Why the city agreed to a massive payout for a chief who served less than two y...

Note: This episode was recorded Thursday morning, before Barnes's resignation was confirmed. 

Hosts Erica C. Barnett, Sandeep Kaushik and David Hyde break down the chaotic 24 hours that preceded Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes's official ouster. Rumors of a forced resignation. A defiant chief and the NAACP and Urban League rallying to his side. The mayor's office went silent for hours. We were recording in the middle of the chaos, when it still wasn't clear how it would end.

Then we shift gears to Council member Eddie Lin's push to eliminate a key path for public a...

This week on Seattle Nice, (the only podcast that tells you what's really happening in Seattle politics), we get into three topics:

Welcome to Seattle Nice, the only podcast that tells you what's really happening in Seattle politics. Join Erica C. Barnett (PubliCola), David Hyde, and political consultant Sandeep Kaushik as they break down the latest from City Hall.

In this episode:

Six months into her tenure at City Hall and Mayor Katie Wilson has a message for Seattle: things are going great, actually. On this episode of Seattle Nice, hosts Erica C Barnett, David Hyde and Sandeep Kaushik dig into Publicola’s two-parter with the mayor: a "spicy" interview that covers everything from whether she's the next "sweeps" mayor to whether Chief Shon Barnes keeps his job. 

Plus, why the council keeps finding out about Wilson's legislation the same way the rest of us do: by reading PubliCola. And what she's doing to fix the tense relationship with the...

Just as urbanists thought they had a deal to jumpstart stalled housing construction, it fell apart. We unpack the rise and fall of a proposed temporary break on Seattle's Mandatory Housing Affordability program, which taxes new development to fund affordable housing. Those tax dollars have all but dried up as building costs have soared and construction has stalled. Developers and density advocates argued a two-year partial fee pause could revive dozens of stalled projects while costing the city little to no affordable housing revenue.

But after weeks of backroom negotiating, Mayor Katie Wilson pulled the plug, siding...

While Seattle celebrates hosting the World Cup, the city's unsheltered count just jumped 21 percent. What explains the increase? Can we trust the numbers? And why are we seeing shelter capacity shrink right when it’s needed most? 

Also: Mayor Katie Wilson's "zero-tolerance" push in Little Saigon. Is this the same old policing playbook, or something genuinely new? Can a progressive socialist approach call for more policing? Our co-hosts do not agree.

Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com

S...

Last August, an alarming, high-profile audit of King County’s Department of Community and Human Services’ spending on “high-risk” youth program providers found widespread problems and indications of potential fraud. So now, 10 months later, has DCHS been able to clean up the issues that led to the serious internal control problems the audit surfaced? 

New DCHS Director Susan McLaughlin joins Erica and Sandeep (while David is away) to make the case that DCHS is back on track. The agency is now emphasizing “a culture of accountability,” McLaughlin tells us, and is implementing new supports for smaller community-based organizations...

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Seattle Nice, which takes up Mayor Katie Wilson’s proposal to double the current transit sales tax. It’s a familiar Seattle policy dilemma: how do we pay for the reliable public transit we need without relying on regressive taxes?  

Next, we examine the newly passed Housing Opportunities Package (HOP). It’s a massive set of zoning changes and regulatory shifts aimed at kickstarting residential construction across the city. Is the unanimous vote a good sign for the upcoming, high-stakes battle over Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan?  

Finally, we’re open...

Daryl Fairweather, Chief Economist at Redfin and author of Hate the Game: Economic Cheat Codes for Life, Love, and Work, joins us to explain why the housing market is doing something it almost never does here: cooling off.

In this episode we break down the recent headlines that stopped Seattleites mid-scroll: prices here are dropping here faster than anywhere else in the country. Fairweather points to the perfect storm behind the slowdown: sky-high mortgage rates hitting expensive markets the hardest, Amazon layoffs, and a local tech sector that's lost the confidence it had pre-pandemic. She says San...

On the latest episode, we cut through the fig leafs and happy talk from Sound Transit officials to lay bare the hardball political realities underlying their decision to kill the long-promised light line extension to Ballard, which has been left unfunded and postponed indefinitely. 

Who to blame? Erica says it is a systemic failure, pointing to ST's excessively slow, expensive, and politicized planning process, noting that it took approximately 30 years just to fund the relatively simple Graham Street Station. Sandeep argues that executives from Pierce and Snohomish County strategically outmaneuvered Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and King County E...

Sound Transit is facing a $35 billion budget gap and the long-promised light rail extension to Ballard is at severe risk of being cut. Scott Kubly, former Director of Seattle's Department of Transportation, joins us to unpack how the region landed in this mess and shares a plan to cut costs and save the Ballard line.   

The headline number is jaw-dropping: Sound Transit projects cost two to three times more than comparable transit built almost anywhere else on Earth. Why? Kubly walks us through the regulatory traps, the agency culture, and the political dysfunction that have made building an...

This week we take a closer look at the escalating tensions between Mayor Katie Wilson’s office and the Seattle City Council. What began as a push from the Mayor’s Office to approve shelter expansion legislation devolved into a "Game of Thrones meets game of sad trombones" showdown featuring heated confrontations and council reports of mayoral staffers allegedly acting like "dictators" toward a co-equal branch of government. We discuss the accusations and potential fallout.

Next, we respond to a listener email asking about Mayor Wilson’s efforts to place a moratorium on new data centers. Is the pr...

We tackle three major topics in Seattle politics this week, starting with scrutiny of Mayor Katie Wilson's recent so-called "gaffes," including her comment about wealthy people leaving due to a new state income tax. Second, the discussion turns to the damning audit of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA), which identified massive financial accountability issues and a lack of internal controls. Despite agency leadership downplaying the crisis, some officials are moving forward to study how to wind down the KCRHA. Lastly, we analyze proposed council amendments to Mayor Wilson's tiny house village shelter plan, focusing on a controversial...

Some lawmakers are calling for the dissolution of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) following a damning forensic audit. The audit, or “forensic evaluation,” revealed years of abysmal accounting practices and that the agency could not account for millions in public funds. This raises critical questions, including: Should the KCRHA be dissolved, and was the agency structurally flawed from its inception?

Our editor is Quinn Waller. 

Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com

Suppo...

This week, we’re diving deep into Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program. Joining the conversation are consultant Natalie Quick and former Seattle COO Marco Lowe, who break down how this “pay a fee or include affordable units" policy is affecting housing. We’ll explore why MHA has inadvertently sent housing costs soaring and put the brakes on some new construction. Plus, we’ll look at the smarter, more effective solutions they’re advocating to keep the city accessible.

Our editor is Quinn Waller.

Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If...

We discuss the latest in Seattle politics, including Mayor Katie Wilson's ambitious plan to create 1000 new shelter units by the end of the year and 500 by the FIFA World Cup. The plan includes opening a new Tiny House village in Interbay with 75 new palette shelters, expanding existing shelters in West and South Seattle, and adding RV spots. But Sandeep argues the bigger news is that the initiative has secured significant private funding from companies like Starbucks, Microsoft, and T-Mobile. The conversation also touches on the King County Assessor's continuing legal troubles, community policing at Magnuson Park, and a proposed $70...

This week we chew over Mayor Katie Wilson's accelerated approach to the Comprehensive Plan, and council scrutiny of city human services contracts following fraud allegations at King County. Plus, the proposed $410 million library levy, with council amendments adding tens of millions.

Our editor is Quinn Waller. 

Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com

Support the show

Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary y...

Tune in to hear new District 2 Council Member Eddie Lin break down the latest council dynamics, the future of the city's housing strategy, comprehensive planning efforts, public safety issues in District 2, along with his thoughts about the Mayor Katie Wilson administration ... and more. 

Our editor is Quinn Waller.

Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com

Support the show

Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism a...

Mayor Katie Wilson unveiled her police CCTV camera plan on Thursday, which she immediately acknowledged "will please no one," according to Publicola.

The plan introduces a partial and temporary halt to the expansion of CCTV cameras across the city, allowing for a months-long audit of camera protocols with assistance from New York University's Policing Project. Despite the pause in expansion, the mayor is allowing new cameras to be installed in the stadium district before the World Cup, which she stated will only be activated if there is a credible security threat. Furthermore, Wilson will retain the 62 existing...

This week Jon Scholes, President and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA), joined us to discuss the state of downtown. He pointed to positive momentum towards economic recovery and the dream of a “24/7 city,” with so many people moving downtown, but also warned of challenges including the high office vacancy rate. Other topics included:  

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s ambitious 1000-bed temporary shelter plan, which, among other elements, proposes accelerating the construction of up to 250-unit “tiny house” villages across all council districts, is still in the early planning stages but is already generating lots of questions from providers and others. 

Including from us.

How will the City handle the management of these super-sized sites? How will they facilitate the transition of residents to permanent housing? And how are they going to handle the inevitable freak out from neighbors when the locations of these villages are announced?

We also...

CARE team head Amy Barden told council this week that the latest police union contract is preventing effective alternative 911 response from her team. We also get into what’s really happening with the allegations facing Derrick Wheeler-Smith, the Director of the Office of Civil Rights; and the controversy around Mayor Katie Wilson’s removal of City Light CEO Dawn Lindell, revealing behind-the-scenes lobbying by organized labor and the possible recalibration of power at City Hall.  

Our editor is Quinn Waller.

About Seattle NIce 

It’s getting harder and harder to talk about po...

Following her first State of the City address, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson joins us to discuss the city’s most pressing issues. We explore why she hasn’t yet changed the city’s policies on encampment clearances, how she’s going to deliver on her big promise to add 1000 units of shelter by year’s end, and her answer to impatience from the left for bold progressive actions.

Our editor is Quinn Waller. 

Correction: During this interview, Erica said the Chamber has supported moving oversight of some parts of the homelessness system to the city's Human Servi...

Meet Joe Nguyen, a seemingly unusual pick to head the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. A former Bernie Sanders delegate and former progressive state lawmaker who championed policies like the capital gains tax and famously eschewed corporate PAC money, Nguyen is now leading the fiscally conservative Chamber through a period of change as it tries to navigate Seattle's progressive electorate while fostering a thriving business environment.

This is a preview of a members only episode. Sign up to support the podcast and unlock your members only feed at patreon.com/seattlenice. 

Our editor is Quinn Waller. H...

Following a decisive win last fall for citywide Position 9, City Councilmember Dionne Foster joins us to talk about how she intends to fulfill her campaign promises amid Seattle’s mounting fiscal challenges. 

Councilmember Foster, who chairs the Housing, Arts and Civil Rights Committee, outlines some of her priorities including housing affordability. We also get into her more progressive approach to the homelessness crisis, in which she emphasizs the need for more shelter capacity—such as tiny home villages—over encampment removals. 

Foster also tells us why she has "no intent on working on repeal" of the publ...

Amy Barden, director of the city's Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) department.

Barden has been on the job for just over two years, running the city's 911 operations while also setting up an unarmed team of social workers who respond to emergency calls that don't require police—the CARE Team.

The CARE Team is expanding to 48 members this year, and their size will no longer be capped under the city's contract with the Seattle Police Officers' Guild (SPOG), which has historically resisted reducing the duties that legally have to be performed by police, like directing tr...

This week, we spoke to former deputy city attorney Scott Lindsay. Voters soundly rejected Lindsay's former boss, Republican Ann Davison, last November, but Lindsay argues that many of her prescriptions for addressing crime and disorder were sound—including "stay out" zones for people accused of using or possessing drugs in public, extra penalties for people who commit misdemeanors like shoplifting over and over, and the elimination of community court, which Lindsay called "a complete disaster and shame and stain on the record of city attorney [Pete] Holmes."

Although the city has arguably been ruled by a moderate-to-conservative su...

We sat down with new Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion founder Lisa Daugaard this week to talk about changes Evans is making to the way the city handles low-level drug cases.

Under Evans' Republican predecessor, Ann Davison, people arrested for simple drug possession or using in public were either jailed and prosecuted or sent to a "drug prosecution alternative" where they have to get an assessment to confirm they have an addiction and stay out of trouble for six month. 

Evans directed her prosecutors to go back to the pre-Davison p...

We have no clue what 2026 holds, but that hasn't stopped us! The annual "Seattle Nice" prognostication episode returns with Publicola Co-Founder Josh Feit to offer hopes and predictions for the city's 2026. The main event: Mayor-elect Katie Wilson’s looming tenure. Will she defy her critics and steer a progressive agenda with pragmatic, results-oriented grit? We're all optimistic.  

The discussion also gets into Seattle's biggest flashpoints including the need for greater police accountability, and the role of the CARE Department. We also talk over ideas to tackle density and affordability, including a “sprawl tax” (or “urban pass”). Finally, the convers...

On this four-year anniversary episode of Seattle Nice, we dissect two major policy and political battles, starting with the contentious Seattle Police Officer Guild (SPOG) contract. Passed by a narrow and unusual 6-3 City Council vote, the contract gives officers significant raises— a 42% increase overall— without requiring key accountability measures. We also discuss Mayor-elect Katie Wilson’s decision to retain Police Chief Sean Barnes, and the Trump administration’s erratic moves on homelessness funding. 

Our editor is Quinn Waller. 

Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please cont...

A new era is dawning in Seattle and King County, with big changes happening at the top. We break down the personnel shifts, including Mayor-Elect Katie Wilson's choice of Brian Surratt as her sole Deputy Mayor. Is the pick in part a strategic move by Seatte’s new progressive mayor to win over the  business community? Plus, we explore the uncertain future of Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes: Will Mayor Wilson keep him on? Finally, we dive into the controversy surrounding King County Executive Girmay Zahilay’s "layoffs,” as reported by PubliCola. 

Quinn Waller is our editor. 

Than...

Mayor-elect Katie Wilson turned down numerous invitations for national television appearances over the past week, telling Seattle Nice, “That is not my job.” But she took time out of her busy transition planning to speak with us (and you!). With assistance from our amazing Patreon supporters, and other listeners, we took advantage of the opportunity to pose the incoming mayor of Seattle questions on a wide range of topics, including the following:

The votes are in and a new era begins in Seattle politics. In this episode:

We discuss and debate last night's election and the big progressive wins here in Seattle. Why did moderates lose? Why is the mayor's race between Bruce Harrell and Katie Wilson so tight? We also ponder the future of Seattle's political landscape. Could this end up being the most progressive Seattle government, ever?  

Our editor is Quinn Waller.  

Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com

Support the show

Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, pr...