The long saga of whether Seattle can or should allow housing to be built near the stadiums in Sodo is ... still going. 

This wrestling match has to do with a couple blocks to the south of T-Mobile Park.

The debate was restarted in 2025, when the Seattle City Council passed a bill from then-Seattle City Council president Sarah Nelson. It allowed residential use in the small strip of land next to the baseball stadium.  

The idea quickly drew backlash from port workers and truckers who operate in Sodo and Nelson’s bill eventually suffered a double-whammy of being declared illegal by a state board and later being repealed by her former colleagues on the council.  

So… conversation over, right? Turns out, no… 

Guest: 

Ryan Packer, contributing editor at The Urbanist

Relevant Links:

The Urbanist: Legal Appeal from MLB Stadium Authority Restarts Stadium District Housing Saga

The Urbanist: Council Committee Greenlights SoDo Housing Proposal Despite Strong Port Opposition

 

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

The long saga of whether Seattle can or should allow housing to be built near the stadiums in Sodo is ... still going.&nbsp;
This wrestling match has to do with a couple blocks to the south of T-Mobile Park.
The debate was restarted in 2025, when the Seattle City Council passed a bill from then-Seattle City Council president Sarah Nelson. It <a href="https://www.theurbanist.org/seattle-council-lifts-ban-on-housing-in-stadium-district/">allowed residential use in the small strip of land</a> next to the baseball stadium.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The idea quickly drew backlash from port workers and truckers who operate in Sodo and Nelson&rsquo;s bill eventually suffered a double-whammy of being declared illegal by a state board and <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/seattle-council-repeals-law-allowing-housing-in-sodo/">later being repealed by her former colleagues on the council</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
So&hellip; conversation over, right? Turns out, no&hellip;&nbsp;
Guest:&nbsp;
Ryan Packer, contributing editor at The Urbanist
Relevant Links:
The Urbanist: <a href="https://www.theurbanist.org/appeal-restarts-stadium-district-housing-saga/">Legal Appeal from MLB Stadium Authority Restarts Stadium District Housing Saga</a>
The Urbanist: <a href="https://www.theurbanist.org/council-committee-greenlights-sodo-housing/">Council Committee Greenlights SoDo Housing Proposal Despite Strong Port Opposition</a>
&nbsp;
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

The long saga of whether Seattle can or should allow housing to be built near the stadiums in Sodo is ... still going. 