As Seattle transitions into a new era of leadership, many of us in West Seattle are wondering how the change at City Hall will affect our neighborhood. With Mayor Katie Wilson now officially sworn in, the “One Seattle Plan” is no longer just a draft; it’s the cornerstone of her administration’s housing strategy.
Here is a breakdown of Mayor Wilson’s role, her core interests, and what her leadership means for the proposed rezoning in Morgan Junction.
Who is Mayor Katie Wilson?
Mayor Wilson is a longtime community organizer and the co-founder of the Transit Riders Union. She entered office on January 1, 2026, with a clear mandate to address the city’s affordability crisis. Unlike previous administrations, she describes herself as a democratic socialist, and her approach to city planning is rooted in equity, anti-displacement, and social housing.
Her Role in the Rezoning
While the zoning lines on our streets are technical, the directive to draw them comes from the Mayor’s office.
- Finalizing the Proposal: On January 30, 2026, Mayor Wilson officially released the “Centers and Corridors” zoning package. This is the second major phase of the One Seattle Plan, and it specifically identifies the 30 new “Neighborhood Centers” (including Morgan Junction) where more apartments and condos will be legalized.
- Directing the Planners: The Mayor oversees the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD). She has retained much of the technical staff to ensure the plan moves forward without delay, but she has the power to order “boundary adjustments” if a proposal conflicts with her goals.
Her Core Interests & Priorities
To understand why certain streets are being rezoned, you have to look at what the Mayor values:
- Housing Abundance: Mayor Wilson believes the only way to lower rents is to “unlock” capacity across the entire city. She has criticized previous plans for not going far enough, suggesting she may actually favor more density than her predecessor.
- Social Housing: A signature part of her platform is publicly owned, mixed-income “social housing.” She recently secured $115 million in funding to start building these units, and she wants them located near transit and services.
- Anti-Displacement: This is a key “lever” for our neighborhood. The Mayor is highly sensitive to the idea that upzoning could displace existing low-income renters or destroy “naturally affordable” older homes.
What This Means for West Seattle
Mayor Wilson’s administration is “staying the course” on the 2026 zoning maps, but she has signaled she is willing to “go bolder” in 2027.
For us on 39th Ave SW, her focus on anti-displacement is our most important connection. If we can show that the proposed LR2 zoning would trigger the teardown of stable, relatively affordable homes in favor of expensive market-rate development, it directly challenges her administration’s stated values.
How to Influence the Outcome
Mayor Wilson has stated, “I intend to govern in a way that creates space for organizers and ordinary people to do the work of pushing our city forward.” This means her office is listening to grassroots feedback.
If you want to voice your thoughts on how the One Seattle Plan impacts your block, you can reach her office at mayor@seattle.gov.