SEATTLE — A five-hour marathon meeting ended with the Seattle City Council approving controversial housing zoning changes in the stadium district near the port Tuesday night.
The final vote was 6-3.
“Today, the Council took decisive action to address Seattle’s housing affordability crisis and support local entrepreneurs,” said Council President Nelson in a statement released following the vote. “This is a major win for Seattle’s working people, small businesses, and for the historic neighborhoods of Pioneer Square and the Chinatown-International District. Soon, we will see mixed-income housing near light rail and jobs, while creating new opportunities for small manufacturers in a part of the city that has long been underused and increasingly plagued by serious crime. The Stadium Makers’ District bill is a clear example of what we can achieve when labor, housing advocates, and community leaders work together. I’m also grateful to my colleagues for helping move Seattle toward a more affordable, safer, and economically vibrant future.”
Following an hour and a half of public comment, mostly by labor groups opposing the project near their job sites, two votes to delay the decision, and nine amendment votes, the rezoning proposal was finally approved.
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.
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 win, sending out the following statement:
‘The Port of Seattle is disappointed in the Seattle City Council’s decision to move forward 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.”
©2025 Cox Media Group
