Seattle Nice

David Hyde, Erica Barnett, and Sandeep Kaushik
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  • Politics
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It’s getting harder and harder to talk about politics, especially if you disagree. Well, screw that. Seattle Nice aims to be the most opinionated and smartest analysis of what’s really happening in Seattle politics available in any medium. Each episode dives into contentious and sometimes ridiculous topics, exploring perspectives from across Seattle's political spectrum, from city council brawls to the ways the national political conversation filters through our unique political process. Even if you’re not from Seattle, you need to listen to Seattle Nice. Because it’s coming for you. Unlike the sun, politics rises in the West and sets in the East. 

  1. 1d ago

    ORCAs, STARs, and Trump's Baleful Eye: the State of Seattle's Homelessness Services

    In the latest episode, with David away at an undisclosed (but no doubt bougie) location, Erica and Sandeep are (re-)joined by friend of the pod Daniel Malone, Executive Director of Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC), Seattle's largest shelter, housing and behavioral health homelessness services provider.  In the episode, Daniel provides us with a first anniversary update on DESC's Opioid Recovery & Care Access (ORCA) Center, which Daniel tells us has been a major success, with 10,000(!) encounters with people experiencing addiction in Year One (either at its fixed site at the Morrison Hotel on 3rd and Yesler, or through its ORCA POD community outreach efforts). And the vast majority of those people are either currently or recently homeless, with many initiating Medically Assisted Treatment for opioid addiction via buprenorphine or methadone.   Then the conversation turns to an update on DESC's STAR Center, a successor to the Navigation Center that used to be located in Little Saigon. In its new location, the STAR Center is now a 95 bed facility that fills a crucial gap in the city's homelessness response system, typically providing medium-term shelter for people experiencing serious behavioral health instability. Once those issues come under better control residents move on to housing or lower acuity shelters -- typically after about 90 days.  Finally, we turn to Daniel for an update on the ongoing saga of the Trump administration's efforts to sharply reduce funding for Housing First programs in Seattle and around the country. The lawsuits are ongoing, Daniel says, and so far have been able to stave off big local funding cuts to homelessness services. But the cuts are likely coming, and the City and County continue to work with providers to identify local funding to backfill the expected loss of federal funds.   Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

  2. Aug 28

    Spinning in Circles: Seattle's Police Chief Carousel, Sayles Saga and KCRHA Layoffs

    Seattle has had nine police chiefs in seventeen years. Now the carousel is spinning again as Mayor Katie Wilson launches the hunt for yet another leader for SPD. With the messy, hasty exit of Shon Barnes still fresh, we have to ask: Who actually wants this job? We break down the search, the political stakes for Mayor Wilson, and whether Seattle is doomed to repeat the same hiring mistakes. We also get into Erica's story about interim Chief Andre Sayles, who filed a potentially career-ending complaint against a veteran hate-crimes detective for speaking at a pro-LGBTQ rally, despite having permission to do so. The complaint was quickly dismissed, but the episode raises serious questions about Sayles' judgment as Seattle searches for its next permanent chief. Then, layoffs are hitting the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) hard. We unpack the chaotic rollout and the awkward reality of an agency that's slowly being gutted while officials avoid saying the quiet part out loud. Plus, for our Patreon supporters only: A candidate meltdown saga. Losing candidate Ron Davis has released another manifesto blaming The Stranger's “cheat sheet” for the fact that he came up short. We take a closer look at his use of stats and wonder if there might be some additional explanations. Hear that along with our entire episode by signing up to become a Seattle Nice member on https://www.patreon.com/seattlenice.   Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

  3. Aug 18

    Recall Mania, New RV Rules & Not "Barnes 2.0"

    A pair of Seattle residents have filed to recall Mayor Katie Wilson. But the recall effort probably doesn't have a chance of clearing Washington's high legal bar. So why do it? And what does it reveal about the zeitgeist in Seattle right now? Then we dig into Councilmember Dan Strauss's plan to deal with RV encampments. Is it a compassionate attempt to get people the help they need while cleaning up the streets? Or a crackdown without enough shelter or services to actually work? Plus, Seattle's new interim police chief Andre Sayles promises he won't be "Barnes 2.0." Erica explains what that means. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

  4. Aug 6

    Mayor Katie Wilson's Bad Bets, The Stranger's Mysterious Power, and the Slow Death of KCRHA

    This week on Seattle Nice, the only podcast that tells you what's really happening in Seattle politics, we break down the primary results and what they mean for the city. Did Mayor Katie Wilson try the Mamdani play? Did it backfire? We debate whether her endorsements in the 43rd and 46th legislative districts actually mattered, why Seattle isn't New York, and how The Stranger remains the city's most influential political endorsement despite, in the eyes of some, barely covering City Hall. Then we turn to the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. The city and county are taking back hundreds of contracts and hiring dozens of new employees to manage them. KCRHA, meanwhile, hasn't laid anyone off. We unpack what that says about the agency's future. Thanks to everyone who's helped Seattle Nice make the jump to video. If you value independent, deep-dive coverage of Seattle politics, please consider becoming a supporter on Patreon: https://patreon.com/seattlenice. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

  5. Aug 2

    Preview: Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes Has Left the Building, Part Deux

    In one of the most disorderly weeks at Seattle City Hall in recent memory, Police Chief Shon Barnes has officially resigned. In this follow-up to our Emergency Friday Episode when the outcome was not 100 percent clear, David Hyde, Erica C. Barnett, and Sandeep Kaushik break down the chain of events from the mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival to the closed-door negotiations that led to Barnes's departure. In this Patreon supporter perk episode we get into: ·       The $700,000 Settlement: Why the city agreed to a massive payout for a chief who served less than two years. ·       Mayor Wilson's Communication Crisis: The political fallout and growing friction between the mayor's office and City Council. ·       The "Cultural Fit" Question: Was Barnes ever the right match for Seattle's political landscape? ·       Enter Interim Chief Sayles: What we know about the new appointment and whether his residency status will repeat past controversies. Please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app and to help us make the jump to video and support independent local journalism, join us at Patreon.com/SeattleNice. Sources: ·       Police Chief Shon Barnes is Out, His Deputy Andre Sayles Will Serve as Interim Chief - PubliCola ·       Mayor Wilson Announces Resignation of Chief Barnes and Appointment of Andre Sayles as Interim Chief ·       Seattle Mayor Wilson defends asking police chief to resign - KNKX Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

  6. Jul 31

    Emergency Edition: Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes Refuses to Resign, Then Does

    Note: This episode was recorded Thursday morning, before Barnes's resignation was confirmed.  Hosts Erica C. Barnett, Sandeep Kaushik and David Hyde break down the chaotic 24 hours that preceded Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes's official ouster. Rumors of a forced resignation. A defiant chief and the NAACP and Urban League rallying to his side. The mayor's office went silent for hours. We were recording in the middle of the chaos, when it still wasn't clear how it would end. Then we shift gears to Council member Eddie Lin's push to eliminate a key path for public appeals in the city's land use process, a fight that came down to a single swing vote from Bob Kettle, and pits housing advocates against neighborhood opponents. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

  7. Jul 23

    Seattle's Aurora Ave Sex Trade Fight & Mayor's Office Shakeup

    This week on Seattle Nice, (the only podcast that tells you what's really happening in Seattle politics), we get into three topics: Should buying sex on Aurora Avenue be a felony? King County's top prosecutor is pushing state legislation to upgrade paying for sex from a misdemeanor to a felony. But some county public defenders are pushing back. We dig into the numbers and debate whether tougher penalties are the right approach.Mayor Katie Wilson loses press secretary. Sage Wilson is out in early August, weeks after communications director Seferiana Day resigned. Is this a sign of friction inside City Hall over issues like sweeps and renters' protections? That's what co-host Erica Barnett thinks. Seattle's housing pipeline has nearly dried up. We talk about why housing starts are down, the fallout from the failed MHA fee reform, and whether Council member Eddie Lynn has found a modest path forward to get more construction projects moving again.Thanks to everyone who is helping Seattle Nice make the jump to video. If you know someone who loves this podcast and hasn't become a member yet, please suggest they contribute too, at: Patreon.com/SeattleNice Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

  8. Jul 17

    Seattle Transit Tax Showdown, "Lewd" Nude Beach Ruling & Mayoral Travel

    Welcome to Seattle Nice, the only podcast that tells you what's really happening in Seattle politics. Join Erica C. Barnett (PubliCola), David Hyde, and political consultant Sandeep Kaushik as they break down the latest from City Hall. In this episode: Transit Tax Showdown: Seattle's transit measure is poised to head to the November ballot. We break down the City Council's marathon Thursday meeting, including a failed attempt to "water down" the levy and a "shut up" maneuver that brought the speechifying to a screeching halt.Lunchroom Politics: Universal free school lunches or vouchers for low-income families? We dig into the clash between Mayor Katie Wilson's priorities and council members Joy Hollingsworth and Dionne Foster's push for means-tested support.The Denny Blaine Ruling: A judge has weighed in on Seattle's nude beach, addressing what counts as "lewd" behavior and what the ruling means for the future of the city's parks.Mayoral Travel Diaries: Why did former Mayor Bruce Harrell spend around a quarter of his time in the air, while Mayor Wilson travels far less?CORRECTION: In this episode Sandeep mentioned that Council President Joy Hollingsworth previously worked at Food Lifeline. That was incorrect: Hollingsworth was previously affiliated with the Northwest Harvest Emergency Feeding Program.  Support the Show: We're on a mission to bring Seattle Nice to video, since that's where podcasting is headed. But we can't do that without your support. If you value independent, deep-dive coverage of Seattle politics, help us keep local accountability reporting alive, become a supporter-listener-viewer on Patreon. Patreon.com/seattlenice Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts to help other Seattleites find the show. #SeattlePolitics #SeattleCityCouncil #SeattleNews #SeattleTransit #LocalGovernment Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

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About

It’s getting harder and harder to talk about politics, especially if you disagree. Well, screw that. Seattle Nice aims to be the most opinionated and smartest analysis of what’s really happening in Seattle politics available in any medium. Each episode dives into contentious and sometimes ridiculous topics, exploring perspectives from across Seattle's political spectrum, from city council brawls to the ways the national political conversation filters through our unique political process. Even if you’re not from Seattle, you need to listen to Seattle Nice. Because it’s coming for you. Unlike the sun, politics rises in the West and sets in the East. 

Information

  • Creator
    David Hyde, Erica Barnett, and Sandeep Kaushik
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    207
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Seattle Nice
  • Show Website
    Seattle Nice

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