A lot has changed in Seattle in the last 7 days.

The city has a new mayor, a new city attorney, two new council members, and, as of Tuesday afternoon, a new city council president.

District 3 representative Joy Hollingsworth won unanimous support yesterday from her colleagues to lead the council over the next two years. 

The stakes of leading the city are always high, but this looks to be an especially packed year:  there’s the ongoing project of finishing the city’s growth plan, another budget deficit to contend with…. and the World Cup (and its hordes of fans) landing here in June. Not to mention the potential for federal policy changes that could impact city government.

So - how will the city council navigate 2026 and beyond?

GUEST:
Seattle City Council President Joy Hollingsworth

RELATED LINKS: 
Councilmember Hollingsworth calls for action after violence on Capitol Hill - Seattle City Council Blog
Seattle OKs New Growth Plan, but Biggest Zoning Battles Lie Ahead - The Urbanist
Katie Wilson is officially Seattle's mayor. Her agenda: affordability, housing, and workers' rights - KUOW

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. 

A lot has changed in Seattle in the last 7 days.
The city has a new mayor, a new city attorney, two new council members, and, as of Tuesday afternoon, a new city council president.
District 3 representative Joy Hollingsworth won unanimous support yesterday from her colleagues to lead the council over the next two years.&nbsp;
The stakes of leading the city are always high, but this looks to be an especially packed year:&nbsp; there&rsquo;s the ongoing project of finishing the city&rsquo;s growth plan, another budget deficit to contend with&hellip;. and the World Cup (and its hordes of fans) landing here in June. Not to mention the potential for federal policy changes that could impact city government.
So - how will the city council navigate 2026 and beyond?
GUEST:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Seattle City Council President Joy Hollingsworth</li>
</ul>
RELATED LINKS:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://council.seattle.gov/2025/10/10/councilmember-hollingsworth-calls-for-action-after-violence-on-capitol-hill/">Councilmember Hollingsworth calls for action after violence on Capitol Hill - Seattle City Council Blog</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.theurbanist.org/2025/12/17/seattle-oks-new-growth-plan-but-biggest-zoning-battles-lie-ahead/">Seattle OKs New Growth Plan, but Biggest Zoning Battles Lie Ahead - The Urbanist</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/katie-wilson-is-officially-seattle-s-mayor-her-agenda-affordability-housing-and-workers-rights">Katie Wilson is officially Seattle's mayor. Her agenda: affordability, housing, and workers' rights - KUOW</a><a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/eilis-oneill"></a></li>
</ul>
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&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.&nbsp;

Soundside

District 3 representative Joy Hollingsworth won unanimous support yesterday from her colleagues to lead the council over the next two years. She explains how the city council will navigate 2026 and beyond. 

Advertisement