Mason Thompson
@masonthompson.bsky.social
Mayor of Bothell. Because the world won't change itself. Curious about land use and transportation. Rides a bike to boring meetings.
People don't buy homes, they finance them. They don't buy a dollar amount, they buy a payment. And we compete with each other for those homes.
It feels like a 50 year mortgage is going to end up subsidizing demand so we end up with the same payments, just 20 years more of payments.
It feels like a 50 year mortgage is going to end up subsidizing demand so we end up with the same payments, just 20 years more of payments.
November 11, 2025 at 6:02 PM
People don't buy homes, they finance them. They don't buy a dollar amount, they buy a payment. And we compete with each other for those homes.
It feels like a 50 year mortgage is going to end up subsidizing demand so we end up with the same payments, just 20 years more of payments.
It feels like a 50 year mortgage is going to end up subsidizing demand so we end up with the same payments, just 20 years more of payments.
And there was not a single lower case letter in any of the group chats
November 11, 2025 at 12:22 AM
And there was not a single lower case letter in any of the group chats
Every politics group chat is a long explanation of some theory about KC Elections, past trends, and dynamics of a close race followed by a "but who knows really" right now
Seattle politics nerds explaining the next week of ballot counting
a man is writing on a whiteboard with the words it 's simple math written below him
Alt: a man is writing on a whiteboard with the words it 's simple math written below him
media.tenor.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Every politics group chat is a long explanation of some theory about KC Elections, past trends, and dynamics of a close race followed by a "but who knows really" right now
I have a feeling that capitulation isn't really the vibe that New Yorkers are going for in a leader.
This isn't a closing election argument, it's Vidkun Quisling explaining why surrender is better than resistance.
November 4, 2025 at 4:19 AM
I have a feeling that capitulation isn't really the vibe that New Yorkers are going for in a leader.
Reposted by Mason Thompson
Next week's council elections in Kirkland really do deserve more regional attention. An anti-growth advocacy group is promoting a full slate of candidates who are pledging to "protect neighborhoods."
The outcome could tip the city in a very reactionary direction.
www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/28/k...
The outcome could tip the city in a very reactionary direction.
www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/28/k...
Kirkland Council Elections Could Tip City in Reactionary Direction » The Urbanist
# In four different races, Kirkland voters face a choice between pro-growth candidates interested in fostering additional types of housing throughout the city, and candidates looking for the city to b...
www.theurbanist.org
October 28, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Next week's council elections in Kirkland really do deserve more regional attention. An anti-growth advocacy group is promoting a full slate of candidates who are pledging to "protect neighborhoods."
The outcome could tip the city in a very reactionary direction.
www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/28/k...
The outcome could tip the city in a very reactionary direction.
www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/28/k...
This is phenomenal. And all 599 accurate.
Why is the rent so damn high in LA? Simple economics: the demand for housing is extremely high and our housing supply is extremely low.
August 27, 2025 at 3:41 AM
This is phenomenal. And all 599 accurate.
One thing I love about parking reform is how it moves beyond old partisan stereotypes.
We should be pro regulation *and* deregulation if the result of either is making sure our communities and our kids have what they need to thrive into the future.
More of what we want, less of what we don't.
We should be pro regulation *and* deregulation if the result of either is making sure our communities and our kids have what they need to thrive into the future.
More of what we want, less of what we don't.
I'm loving Rinck amendment 84-removing off-street parking requirements citywide, striking pages and pages and pages of antiquated text.
We can put design first, rather than starting with the minimum parking and designing around that.
We can put design first, rather than starting with the minimum parking and designing around that.
August 20, 2025 at 2:30 PM
One thing I love about parking reform is how it moves beyond old partisan stereotypes.
We should be pro regulation *and* deregulation if the result of either is making sure our communities and our kids have what they need to thrive into the future.
More of what we want, less of what we don't.
We should be pro regulation *and* deregulation if the result of either is making sure our communities and our kids have what they need to thrive into the future.
More of what we want, less of what we don't.
Aren't those strike-thrus pretty? Congrats @electroberts.bsky.social and the rest of the Shoreline City Council!
Tonight in Shoreline, another set of minimum parking tables is set to bite the dust as the Shoreline city council fully eliminates parking mandates citywide.
August 12, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Aren't those strike-thrus pretty? Congrats @electroberts.bsky.social and the rest of the Shoreline City Council!
This post is an FYI for city electeds
August 7, 2025 at 3:11 AM
This post is an FYI for city electeds
Saving this to my phone for the next time someone asks how we're going to ensure the new housing is affordable after we upzone.
When four homes replace a SFH, each new home is about the same price as the original, and at 5 units or more, the new homes tend to be more affordable. But the critical comparison is to the 1-for-1 replacement — a mansionization, in other words.
July 30, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Saving this to my phone for the next time someone asks how we're going to ensure the new housing is affordable after we upzone.
Thanks to Paige and Shane from Seattle Now for having me on the podcast to talk about parking reform and neighborhood cafes in Bothell!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
While Seattle struggles with urbanism, Bothell marches forward
Podcast Episode · Seattle Now · 07/29/2025 · 14m
podcasts.apple.com
July 30, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Thanks to Paige and Shane from Seattle Now for having me on the podcast to talk about parking reform and neighborhood cafes in Bothell!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
Government should do cool stuff like design the best skate park in the area with a roof over top of it. Our community should be a lot of fun to live in.
Thanks to Bothell Parks and Grindline for listening to our skate community and giving them something to be excited about!
Thanks to Bothell Parks and Grindline for listening to our skate community and giving them something to be excited about!
July 25, 2025 at 4:51 AM
Government should do cool stuff like design the best skate park in the area with a roof over top of it. Our community should be a lot of fun to live in.
Thanks to Bothell Parks and Grindline for listening to our skate community and giving them something to be excited about!
Thanks to Bothell Parks and Grindline for listening to our skate community and giving them something to be excited about!
Apropos of nothing, my elementary aged kids absolutely love riding transit and will ride the train just to ride the train.
July 25, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Apropos of nothing, my elementary aged kids absolutely love riding transit and will ride the train just to ride the train.
It's a great night for a comedy show in the pedestrian street
July 20, 2025 at 4:02 AM
It's a great night for a comedy show in the pedestrian street
We still have heat islands but at least we don't require them anymore
The #PNW is hot right now – and big parking lots keep temperatures higher. @citizen-cate.bsky.social
To Stop Building Heat Islands, Stop Overbuilding Parking Lots | Sightline Institute
Parking lots amplify high temperatures. Why are we still requiring them to be larger than they need to be?
www.sightline.org
July 16, 2025 at 11:47 PM
We still have heat islands but at least we don't require them anymore
And we appreciate it!
Did you know state investments lie in the infrastructure beneath your feet at your local park?
We invested in an accessible pedestrian bridge at the Park at Bothell Landing. Opened in 2021, it spans the Sammamish River, connecting downtown Bothell with the waterfront & walking trails.
We invested in an accessible pedestrian bridge at the Park at Bothell Landing. Opened in 2021, it spans the Sammamish River, connecting downtown Bothell with the waterfront & walking trails.
July 15, 2025 at 2:48 AM
And we appreciate it!
I'm proud of the work our city does to make Bothell a better place to live.
There's no good reason we should keep subsidizing the traffic and pollution we all hate by spreading us apart. Here's to more Bothell in Bothell.
There's no good reason we should keep subsidizing the traffic and pollution we all hate by spreading us apart. Here's to more Bothell in Bothell.
NEW STORY // Bothell Drops Parking Mandates, Legalizes Neighborhood Corner Stores Citywide
www.theurbanist.org/2025/07/10/b...
www.theurbanist.org/2025/07/10/b...
Bothell Drops Parking Mandates, Legalizes Neighborhood Corner Stores Citywide » The Urbanist
# Bothell becomes the first city in either King or Snohomish County to fully eliminate off-street parking mandates in order to reduce costs for homebuilding. The move clearly solidifies the city as a ...
www.theurbanist.org
July 10, 2025 at 3:41 PM
I'm proud of the work our city does to make Bothell a better place to live.
There's no good reason we should keep subsidizing the traffic and pollution we all hate by spreading us apart. Here's to more Bothell in Bothell.
There's no good reason we should keep subsidizing the traffic and pollution we all hate by spreading us apart. Here's to more Bothell in Bothell.
Reposted by Mason Thompson
Bothell is for the people 💪
Bothell is in its 36 Chambers Wu Tang era. Nothing but bangers. Good job @masonthompson.bsky.social!
The Bothell City Council just voted 5-1 to drop all minimum off-street parking requirements at the same time that they approved the legalization of neighborhood cafes and corner stores everywhere in the city.
July 9, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Bothell is for the people 💪
Come check out what's happening on the Eastside tomorrow
Only seven more days to save your spot at the “Urbanism on the Eastside” Panel on July 6th! Join us for a discussion with Eastside leaders on the issues their city is facing and how we can work together to solve them.
Tickets are free, save your spot now:
Tickets are free, save your spot now:
Urbanism on the Eastside Panel
Join The Urbanist and candidates from every city on the eastside to discuss the future of the region's transit, housing, and growth plans.
www.eventbrite.com
July 5, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Come check out what's happening on the Eastside tomorrow
Reposted by Mason Thompson
Here’s a summary of events so far this year, including yesterday’s big ugly bill passing.
July 4, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Here’s a summary of events so far this year, including yesterday’s big ugly bill passing.
Bothell adopted provisions that were compliant with HB1110 in December of 2023.
"The deadline was very, very tight," Kent Mayor Dana Ralph says by way of explaining the fact that the city council is passing a zoning ordinance tonight to comply with House Bill 1110, allowing additional types of housing on residential lots across the city.
HB 1110 took effect two years ago.
HB 1110 took effect two years ago.
July 1, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Bothell adopted provisions that were compliant with HB1110 in December of 2023.
If it takes effect tomorrow, today is the last time it will be a talking point.
We adopted middle housing over a year ago. The minute it was adopted, the people who organized against it said they loved middle housing when they were organizing against adopting the comp plan.
We adopted middle housing over a year ago. The minute it was adopted, the people who organized against it said they loved middle housing when they were organizing against adopting the comp plan.
Over at the Burien Council, also taking a final vote on HB 1110 compliance tonight, residents are trying to get the council to vote down the proposed code....which would let the state model code take effect tomorrow.
One woman is decrying a "disastrous upzoning plan of our bedroom communities."
One woman is decrying a "disastrous upzoning plan of our bedroom communities."
July 1, 2025 at 1:38 AM
If it takes effect tomorrow, today is the last time it will be a talking point.
We adopted middle housing over a year ago. The minute it was adopted, the people who organized against it said they loved middle housing when they were organizing against adopting the comp plan.
We adopted middle housing over a year ago. The minute it was adopted, the people who organized against it said they loved middle housing when they were organizing against adopting the comp plan.
But how can this be, they say they're luxury apartments, not deed restricted affordable apartments.
They started building a bunch of apartments in Bozeman. You'll never guess what happened next.
Has Bozeman’s rental market finally flipped?
A glut of new ‘upscale’ developments is driving prices down from pandemic highs; city officials hope the surplus will have far-reaching effects in one of the state’s most expensive places to live.
montanafreepress.org
June 29, 2025 at 2:49 PM
But how can this be, they say they're luxury apartments, not deed restricted affordable apartments.
In Bothell we call this Rogersism, coined by @doddzilla.bsky.social.
Welcome people to the neighborhood like Fred (Mr) Rogers, punch Nazis like Steve (Captain America) Rogers.
Welcome people to the neighborhood like Fred (Mr) Rogers, punch Nazis like Steve (Captain America) Rogers.
The rise of people like Lander and Walz, whose ideologies don't exactly match mine but have the exact right combination of "love thy neighbor" and "fuck you, asshole" attitudes, is massive positive for people who care about left of center politics
June 28, 2025 at 5:20 PM
In Bothell we call this Rogersism, coined by @doddzilla.bsky.social.
Welcome people to the neighborhood like Fred (Mr) Rogers, punch Nazis like Steve (Captain America) Rogers.
Welcome people to the neighborhood like Fred (Mr) Rogers, punch Nazis like Steve (Captain America) Rogers.