[mhays]

Columbia City's core has been densifying, with maybe 150 units built since the rail line opened and another 400 or so underway now. That's not counting the Rainier Vista area (or is it New Holly?) that's along the rail line just north of the station (including a construction project photo'd), which is a combination of subsidized and market-rate housing that's mostly built now to replace an entirely-sibsidized neighborhood. That was a net increase of hundreds of units.

Link was built in lower rent areas. Rents are higher now, but still mostly marginal. It also opened in 2009, the bottom of the market. And Sound Transit can't sell its land until values are above what they paid during the boom. So it's been slow.

But things are speeding up. Othello, Columbia City, Mt. Baker, and Beacon Hill Stations each have hundreds more units planned. Othello has projects of 350 and 500 units planned, in addition to a 350 that opened in 2010 or so.

The vast majority of Seattle's new housing is either in greater Downtown or in bus-reliant areas with room to grow and higher rent potential.