Katie Wilson Leads Seattle Mayoral Race by 10 Points, Proposes Utilizing Vacant Housing to Combat Homelessness

Seattle mayoral candidate Katie Wilson, who significantly led incumbent Mayor Bruce Harrell by nearly 10 percentage points in the August primary, has made addressing the city's persistent homelessness crisis a central pillar of her 2025 campaign. Wilson, a progressive activist and co-founder of the Transit Riders Union, advocates for a transformative approach to housing and homelessness, drawing attention to past policy debates. Her candidacy has ignited discussions about the efficacy of Seattle's long-standing strategies for housing its unhoused population.

A key component of Wilson's platform involves repurposing existing resources, specifically by utilizing Seattle's nearly 2,800 vacant publicly funded affordable housing units. She proposes that the city cover rent and social services for homeless individuals to occupy these units, aiming to add 4,000 emergency housing units, including 1,000 tiny homes. Wilson argues this strategy would immediately house thousands and support struggling affordable housing providers.

To fund her ambitious plans, Wilson intends to reallocate existing housing dollars, such as the $970 million housing levy passed in 2023, and explore new revenue streams. These include a potential city-level capital gains tax or a new business tax. This approach echoes past policy discussions in Seattle, notably the 2019 "head tax" proposal, which aimed to tax large businesses for homelessness services but was repealed due to public backlash. As stated in a social media post by Jonathan Choe, "> They were pushing the ill-fated 'head tax' that proposed taxing large businesses to raise millions of dollars for homelessness services and affordable housing. It became a city ordinance but was repealed less than a month later due to public backlash. It was an epic failure."

Wilson's political journey began with her work at the Transit Riders Union, where she championed public transportation improvements and workers' rights, including the ORCA Lift program. She frames the homelessness crisis primarily as a housing issue, asserting that many unhoused individuals work full-time but cannot afford Seattle's high cost of living. Her campaign emphasizes a belief that government should actively tackle major societal challenges like housing and healthcare.

Incumbent Mayor Bruce Harrell has criticized Wilson's proposals, calling her plan for reallocating housing levy funds a "blueprint for disaster." Harrell expressed skepticism about moving individuals with complex needs into units not designed for supportive services and warned against diverting funds from building new affordable housing. Concerns have also been raised by some housing sector leaders about the long-term implications of reducing new housing construction, despite current vacancies.

The mayoral race between Wilson and Harrell highlights a significant policy divergence on how Seattle should address its persistent homelessness and affordability challenges. Wilson's unexpected lead in the primary signals a potential shift in voter sentiment, with the general election poised to determine the city's future direction on these critical issues. The debate continues over the most effective and sustainable strategies to provide housing and support for Seattle's unhoused population.