After Mayor Jenny Durkan announced she would not run for another term, speculation about who might seek the job has been across the board. It has ranged from current City Council members Teresa Mosqueda and Lorena Gonzalez to former Durkan opponent Cary Moon and even King County Executive Dow Constantine. Now the first candidate has announced.

It's Andrew Grant Houston who brings a history of community involvement and policy experience to the role. In a press release his campaign said:

"Andrew Grant Houston AIA, Founder and Head of Design of House Cosmopolitan and Board Member of Futurewise, has declared his candidacy for mayor of Seattle. He is a resident of Capitol Hill and a member of AIA Seattle, Share The Cities, The Pike/Pine Urban Neighborhood Council,

The Sunrise Movement, and the 43rd Democrats. He also currently serves as the Interim Policy Manager for CM Teresa Mosqueda.

His decision to run comes after years of advocacy for more housing at all income levels and a lack of response to the climate crisis this past September, when the Puget Sound registered the worst AQI score the region has ever seen. Andrew is a queer Black and Latino Architect, small business owner, and activist with a vision of transforming Seattle into one of the most vibrant, sustainable cities in the world: a city where no one has to sleep outside, where local businesses and culture thrive, and where orcas start to visit once again.

He believes it’s time to transform our economy in response and preparation to the uncertainty that comes with climate change. Andrew knows that means fair wages, worker ownership, and a mass investment in sustainable infrastructure as well as the enhanced support of local farmers, support of Seattle’s arts, increased funding for community-led public safety, cleaning up the Duwamish and Elliott Bay, and ensuring the existing housing demand is met while increasing the stock of publicly-owned housing and community land trusts.

This is a vision for a healthier, less stressful Seattle; where creativity and culture thrive. A Seattle with opportunities and memories around every corner, vibrant local shops on tree-lined avenues, and an unparalleled live music scene. A Seattle with a real commitment to combating displacement, increasing the quality of life for every Seattle resident, and shifting power into the hands of the public.

The time for change is now, and so let’s choose to build a sustainable future: economically, environmentally, and—most importantly—socially."