NEW Poll: City’s Growth Plan Falls Short on Parks, Livability, and Climate Resilience
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 29, 2026
New survey finds two-thirds of Seattle voters initially support current Comprehensive Plan
But majority oppose current plan if it does not pair growth with investments in parks, climate resilience, and livability
Seattle voters want a robust community engagement process to mitigate equity impacts to residents at risk of displacement
Green Neighborhoods Coalition has formed to help Seattle calibrate community priorities as we deliver more housing
Launch of the Green Neighborhoods Coalition follows Seattle City Council’s action this week to cut out community input and end residents’ rights to file environmental appeals
SEATTLE, July 29, 2026 — A newly released survey finds Seattle voters support building more housing, but not a long-term growth plan that fails to prepare the city for rising pressure on parks and infrastructure, worsening climate impacts, and long-term community protections.
Support for the current Comprehensive Plan drops sharply when voters learn the current “Taller, Denser, Faster” approach does not include those forward-looking investments, according to findings released by the newly formed Green Neighborhoods Coalition. In fact, support falls by more than 20 percentage points, down to just 42% of voters, after they hear concerns that the current plan does not pair housing growth with parks, climate resilience, and neighborhood investments.
“Seattle's parks, trees, and greenways are not afterthoughts,” said coalition member and Seattle Parks Foundation President and CEO Rebecca Bear. “They are essential infrastructure that cleans our air and water, reduces urban heat, supports public health, and strengthens our resilience to climate change. As our city grows, these investments become even more important.”
The poll highlights an opportunity for community members and City leaders to strengthen the current Comprehensive Plan through a both-and approach. The plan must add more housing while ensuring growth protects Seattle communities with binding anti-displacement protections and supports healthy, resilient neighborhoods for the long term:
64% of Seattle voters initially support the proposed Comprehensive Plan, but many reconsider after learning more about its potential impacts on parks, climate resilience, and neighborhood livability.
58% said concerns about cutting corners, rushing decisions, and excluding community voices made them more likely to oppose the current plan.
54% said the same about concerns that the approach overlooks climate resilience and environmental health.
One in four Seattle voters believe the city’s community engagement efforts have prioritized meetings with builders and developers over communities at risk of displacement.
53% pointed to the potential loss of parks, trees, and greenways as a reason they do not support the current plan.
“The Seattle Waterfront is proof that Seattle's best projects begin by enhancing what makes our city special, not sacrificing it,” said Maggie Walker, founding leader of the Friends of the Waterfront Seattle. “We respected our natural environment, listened to the community, and created a vision that balances growth with quality of life. Our Comprehensive Plan should do the same. We can build more housing while protecting tree canopy and expand parks and greenways that define Seattle.”
Opposition to the current plan exceeds 50% citywide, with the strongest concern in South Seattle, where 66% of residents are worried about the plan's negative impacts on their communities.
“A plan that adds housing and green infrastructure without binding anti-displacement protections risks accelerating displacement instead of repairing it,” said Green Neighborhoods Coalition member Lois Martin. “Every proposal that invests in housing or green infrastructure should include a displacement impact analysis and a community-approved mitigation plan. We can grow our city while protecting the people and communities that have shaped Seattle for generations.”
The Green Neighborhoods Coalition said the poll shows broad alignment around shared goals: more housing, stronger neighborhoods, and a healthier, more resilient Seattle. The coalition looks forward to working with residents, community organizations, and City leaders to strengthen the Comprehensive Plan and deliver those outcomes.
Survey Methodology: A mixed-mode survey of 500 registered Seattle voters was conducted May 28–June 2, 2026, via phone—including landline and mobile—email, and text. The margin of error is ±4.4 percentage points.
About the Green Neighborhoods Coalition
The Green Neighborhoods Coalition is a citywide alliance of parks advocates, environmental organizations, housing supporters, tree protection groups, neighborhood leaders, and community organizations working to ensure Seattle protects our existing tree canopy and expands parks and greenways. The coalition believes Seattle can become denser, greener, healthier, and more resilient by planning housing, environmental, and anti-displacement, investments together.
The coalition is built around six principles that it believes should guide Seattle's future growth.
Get Seattle's Future Right: Seattle's Comprehensive Plan will shape the city for decades. Major changes deserve a deliberate, transparent process informed by meaningful public engagement and a clear understanding of neighborhood impacts.
Protect Parks, Trees, and Greenways: Parks, trees, greenways, and public open spaces are essential infrastructure that improves public health, strengthens climate resilience, and enhances neighborhood livability. As Seattle grows, this infrastructure must grow too.
Demand Housing and Green Space Together: Seattle can build more housing while expanding parks, tree canopy, green infrastructure, and community amenities. Growth should create greener, healthier, and more livable neighborhoods.
Put Climate Resilience at the Center: Climate resilience should be built into every growth decision. Investments in trees, parks, stormwater infrastructure, and public open spaces will help neighborhoods adapt to a changing climate.
Give Communities a Real Voice: Residents deserve a meaningful role in decisions that will shape their neighborhoods. Better public engagement leads to stronger plans, better outcomes, and greater public trust.
Grow Without Displacing: Growth should create opportunities for current residents, not push them out. Housing, green investments, and anti-displacement strategies must be planned together so longtime communities can share in the benefits.
For more information, visit www.GreenNeighborhoodsCoalition.org.
Connect and follow the Green Neighborhoods Coalition on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky.
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