Cascadia: Strong Communities, a Green Economy, a Healthy Environment
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Latest Research
All Sightline Institute research is available to you to cite, use, and share, per our free use policy.
Oregon’s New Path to Inclusionary Housing: Fully Funded and Flexible
An environmental justice champion led the push to end counterproductive, unfunded mandates.
Video: Proportional Representation, Explained
What it looks like when voters get a fair share of the seats at the table.
11% of Northwest Residents Live in Fire Country; 100% Pay the Price
1.6 million people live in high hazard areas. As the region continues to build in flammable landscapes, policymakers can protect communities with smarter building choices and the truth about rising risk.
Seattle’s No-Cost Emissions Cut
The climate benefits of urban neighborhoods, all for the low price of letting people live where they want.
Fast, Affordable, Illegal
Homes on wheels are a lifeline for families, but zoning codes are still trying to keep them out.
Ranked Choice Voting, the Utah Way
How a conservative state piloted better elections for voters—lessons from four of the movement’s leaders.
11% of Northwest Residents Live in Fire Country; 100% Pay the Price
1.6 million people live in high hazard areas. As the region continues to build in flammable landscapes, policymakers can protect communities with smarter building choices and the truth about rising risk.
Katie Wilson Can Be Seattle’s Climate Mayor for Renters
New programs for heat pumps, induction stoves, and plug-in solar would let renters reap the rewards of the clean energy revolution.
How the 2026 Washington Legislature Can Right-Size the Power Grid
A transmission authority, plus three other ideas, to speed development of the transmission lines Washingtonians needed yesterday.
The High Cost of Slow Permitting
Sluggish approval of Cascadian transmission projects inflates electricity bills and strands renewable energy.
How Cascadia Can Maintain Its Heat Pump Momentum
Three tools to help the region’s low-income families afford more efficient heating and cooling systems—even as public dollars dry up.
Who Owns a Utility Matters Less for Climate Than the Rules They Play By
Advocates can focus on fast-tracking policies that are already working well elsewhere.
Video: Proportional Representation, Explained
What it looks like when voters get a fair share of the seats at the table.
Ranked Choice Voting, the Utah Way
How a conservative state piloted better elections for voters—lessons from four of the movement’s leaders.
Districts Won’t Truly Represent Deschutes County Residents
Proportional representation can better reflect voters’ views than arbitrary lines.
A Charter Commissioner’s Guide to Election Reform
Sightline asked former commissioners for their best advice. Here’s what they had to say.
A Two-Word Fix for Alaska’s Ballot Confusion
Letting parties tag their nominees would make Alaska’s elections clearer, fairer, and harder to hijack by disingenuous candidates.
No More 48-Candidate Races
Reasonable filing fees would help voters, parties, and serious contenders alike in Alaska and Portland.
Four Ways Context Matters for Wildfire News Coverage
Reporters can help people see the forest, even when the trees are on fire.
Blazing a Trail: The Vital Role of Wildfire Hazard Maps
Sophisticated and high-resolution maps such as Oregon’s are essential tools for thriving in a fiery future.
The Best Wildfire Solution We’re Not Using
Three ways to curb the sprawl that traps us on a wildfire treadmill.
Oregon’s New Path to Inclusionary Housing: Fully Funded and Flexible
An environmental justice champion led the push to end counterproductive, unfunded mandates.
Seattle’s No-Cost Emissions Cut
The climate benefits of urban neighborhoods, all for the low price of letting people live where they want.
Fast, Affordable, Illegal
Homes on wheels are a lifeline for families, but zoning codes are still trying to keep them out.
Video: Fixing North America’s Big Elevator Problem
Our bans on smaller elevators block accessible homes, and our insistence on unique standards drives up prices.
New Oregon Rules Will Re-Legalize Neighborhood Apartments
Over time, the state zoning standards make space for tens of thousands more homes in Oregon cities.
Portland’s Inclusionary Zoning Program Is Finally Performing, New Data Suggests
Because for the first time, the city fully funded it.
Featured report
Seattle: A Model for Low-Sprawl Urban Growth | To learn how to grow a city by sprawling outward, Americans can generally look to the South. But to learn how to grow in and up, they should instead look to the Northwest.
Learn moreFeatured report
Fire Hazard: The Mounting Costs of Northwest Sprawl | Honest information about homes’ fire risk can forge the way for more transformative changes to build out of harm’s way.
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