Seattle's new social housing developer is buying its first building, a major milestone for the mixed-income public housing program.

Why it matters: Seattle voters have supported social housing twice at the ballot box in the past three years. Now, the program they approved is taking shape.

The program aims to create publicly owned housing that stays affordable for the long term through a mix of market-rate and low-income units.

The latest: The social housing developer announced last month that it has agreed to buy Elara at the Market, a 150-unit apartment complex in Belltown, for about $60 million.

• The deal is set to be completed by mid-June. The first tenants admitted through the program are expected to move in later this year.
• A lottery is underway to decide who will fill the first units.

How it works: The plan isn't to kick out the current Elara tenants. Rather, as units open up, they'll be filled according to the program's affordability guidelines.

By the numbers: The first 15 units will be reserved for the lowest-income households. The next 45 will go to households earning up to 50% of the area median income — up to $57,550 for an individual or $65,800 for a two-person household.

• Those rents will range from $665 for a studio to $1,482 for a two-bedroom.
• Half the units will remain market-rate, while the other half will be affordable units.

The goal is that tenants paying higher rents help subsidize the lower rents paid by others, reducing the amount of public investment needed to run the program.

Flashback: Seattle voters first approved the creation of the social housing developer in 2023. Last year, they approved a tax on large businesses to help pay for the program.

What they're saying: "Social housing is no longer just an idea or a campaign — it is a reality in Seattle today," Seattle Deputy Mayor Brian Surratt said at a press conference last month.

What's next: The social housing developer is working on acquiring a second building, as well as buying land to construct new family-sized units, interim CEO Tiffani McCoy told reporters last month.

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For the 39 young turtle graduates-to-be lining up for their final exam at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, there's just one question: Are they big enough to escape a bullfrog's gullet?

• We'll find out today when the turtles are weighed at the zoo.
• Those making weight — typically about 2 ounces — will be released into the freedom of protected wetlands next month.

See for yourself: Visitors can watch the weigh-ins from 10am to noon at the zoo while learning more about wildlife recovery initiatives.

Why it matters: Western pond turtles — one of only two freshwater turtle species native to the Pacific Northwest — nearly disappeared from Washington by the 1990s, according to the zoo.

Catch up quick: Woodland Park Zoo, Oregon Zoo and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife launched a recovery effort 30 years ago to collect eggs from wild nests and release the hatchlings once they're large enough.

• Over time, the Western Pond Turtle Recovery Project has become one of Washington's longest-running wildlife recovery projects.

By the numbers: More than 2,300 western pond turtles have been raised and released through the campaign, according to project data.

• About 800 are known to have survived, helping re-establish self-sustaining populations in Puget Sound and the Columbia River Gorge.

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🛣️ The shutdown of northbound I-5 through downtown starting tomorrow evening is expected to snarl travel all weekend. (KING 5)

🏛️ Seattle City Council unanimously approved a resolution giving Mayor Wilson until Aug. 1 to propose a path for the financially troubled King County Regional Homelessness Authority.

• The move comes after an audit found $13 million in mismanaged funds and a $45 million deficit. (MyNorthwest)

🛡️ Defense contractor Anduril is expanding its connected warfare headquarters in Seattle, with new office space, hiring plans and an autonomous warship hub. (Seattle Times)

🎟️ Free World Cup tickets will go to more than 1,400 young people and their caregivers across the Seattle region, city officials and tournament organizers said yesterday. (FOX 13)

Washington is doing slightly better than most states at supporting mothers' mental health, a new report finds.

Why it matters: About one in five U.S. moms experience maternity-related mental health conditions like postpartum depression, and most don't get the treatment they need.

State of play: Washington earned a B- in the new report from the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health.

• The nation overall earned a C, with no states receiving A grades.
• States were scored across 27 measures in four domains: screening and detection, providers and treatment, policy and payment, and the new parental support category.

Zoom in: Washington scored well on screening — meaning doctors and nurses are checking for postpartum depression.

• But the state has no inpatient mental health treatment program for new moms and scored zero on child-care availability and affordability.

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A woman said she was only following GPS directions when she drove onto the elevated light rail tracks near the Mount Baker station Tuesday evening, according to Seattle police.

Driving the news: Her SUV became stuck on the southbound guideway around 6:20pm, disrupting 1 Line service for nearly three hours, said Sound Transit spokesperson Amy Enbysk.

• Enbysk told Axios the transit agency is still trying to determine how the driver gained access to the elevated rail corridor.

The 70-year-old "did not appear intoxicated, but rather confused," and investigators believe she may have been experiencing a medical emergency, Seattle Police Det. Brian Pritchard told Axios on Wednesday.

• No arrests were made, he said.

The car was removed without damage to the tracks using a Speed Swing, a maintenance vehicle used to lift and move heavy materials along rail systems, per Enbysk.

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