For Immediate Release January 15, 2026 Contact: Bryan Stevens bryan.stevens@seattle.gov Seattle Launches “Month of Nisqually Earthquake” 25th Anniversary Event Series with Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) Public events begin at MOHAI with a History Café focused on earthquake risk and the dangers of unreinforced masonry buildings SEATTLE – As… [ Keep reading ]
The Seattle City Council recently adopted the 2026 budget, including legislation that implements SDCI fee changes in 2026. We’ve implemented an inflationary increase of 6.5 percent year-over-year to most fees. These fee increases will result in an SDCI base hourly rate of $292 an hour. Construction Permit and Master Use… [ Keep reading ]
Seattle’s unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings are an essential part of the city’s architectural heritage, and they are also among the most vulnerable structures during an earthquake. Over the last several years, we’ve been working to make seismic retrofits more affordable, and easier to complete. URM owners have more support than… [ Keep reading ]
We’ve seen an uptick in applications for 4-story residential structures that are classified as R-3 (single-family or duplex) because of increased demand for density and additional housing in the city. The Seattle Residential Code (SRC) currently only applies to buildings that are 3 stories or less, so these projects are… [ Keep reading ]
The City of Seattle is in the process of updating Seattle’s Stormwater Code and Stormwater Manual as required by the Washington State Department of Ecology. The second draft of the 2026 Stormwater Code and Manual documents will be available for public review and comment beginning January 7, 2026. The documents… [ Keep reading ]
Landslide season is here, so the City of Seattle is urging residents to take preventive measures to protect themselves and their property from possible landslides. Did you know that most landslides occur between the months of November and March? The threat of landslides will continue to rise as rainfall continues… [ Keep reading ]
We’re reminding builders working in Seattle to inspect and maintain any temporary storm drain inserts they have installed as part of construction projects. The inserts, also known as storm drain socks, are used on many construction projects to catch sediment not captured by other required construction-related erosion control measures. All… [ Keep reading ]
We maintain a database of more than 1100 unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings that are vulnerable to collapse in an earthquake and pose a significant threat to public safety if left un-retrofitted. If you own a retrofitted building, or are a design professional who completed a URM retrofit that has not… [ Keep reading ]
Missed the Seattle Home Fair? No Problem! If you couldn’t attend the Home Fair, you can still access the information! All Home Fair learning sessions are now available online, so you can watch at your convenience and get the same helpful insights from our presenters. Each year, we host the… [ Keep reading ]
