Booming

In Seattle's Central District, the number of Black homeowners has reached a historic low. And across Seattle, less than half as many Black households own homes as white families. But there's a new law that could help turn that around.

The law expands the Covenant Home Ownership program, a state program that helps first-time Black and other marginalized home buyers cover their down payments and closing costs.

In today's episode, Jos...

If you've got tariff whiplash, you're not alone. 

The Trump administration's on-again, off-again tariffs are meant to protect domestic businesses and bring industry back to the US. So tariffs should be good for the iconic local industries we're so proud of here in the Pacific Northwest...right?

On today's episode we'll dig into three of these Northwest industries: salmon, craft breweries, and aerospace parts, to see how they c...

When it comes to the white-collar workforce, alarm bells are starting to go off. The tech industry is seeing widespread layoffs, and a lot of those laid off workers are struggling to find new gigs. Some experts speculate that these are early signs of AI moving into the workforce and replacing jobs.  

Microsoft is one company at the center of this debate, so Monica sat down with its president Brad Smith to ask: is AI alrea...

Experts say kids are spinning out online. Can Washington lawmakers help by putting seatbelts on social media?

Parents, tech workers and even kids are asking for social media regulation, and there’s a bill moving through the Washington State Legislature that could make it happen. Senate Bill 5708 would block apps like Instagram and Snapchat from using addictive algorithms to keep kids scrolling. It would also require apps to s...

There’s an invisible startup boom happening in Seattle right now. Tons of artificial intelligence companies have cropped up in the area – rivaling sectors like health tech and computer software.

Seattle’s secret AI startup scene could transform our economy, but are we in a bubble, or is it here to stay? Joshua sits down with insider Kirby Winfield to find out.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make thi...

For months, Seattle's tech industry has been reeling from layoffs. Microsoft, Amazon, Expedia and Starbucks are just a few of the companies who've recently let corporate employees go. And that's left many tech workers in a tough spot. But could there be a silver lining?

With so many people suddenly out of a job, could these layoffs lead to a startup baby boom? On today's episode, Monica sits down with Geekwire co-founder Todd Bisho...

Skiing has never been cheap, but it used to be accessible to families and casual skiers. Now the slopes seem to have turned into a playground for the rich. Tickets are costly...and large companies are buying out smaller ski hills.

On today's episode, why is it so expensive? And is there a way for everyone to access the mountains?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&n...

Washington's iconic outdoor retailer, REI, has gotten a little too far out over its skis. The member-owned co-op has been losing money for years. And that's put it at odds with its employees who want better wages and benefits.

On today's episode, workers in the service industry are organizing at companies that used to seem immune from unionization. So, could the next generation of workers revolutionize retail?

Thank you to the supp...

Seattle’s economy relies heavily on trade. So all this talk about tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China? It's got a lot of local companies concerned. But how businesses respond to tariffs may depend on if they’re big companies or small ones.

On today's episode, Joshua talks to Seattle outdoor clothing company KAVU to learn more about what they're doing to prepare for potential tariffs. And we dig into the techn...

Seattle has one of the worst housing shortages in the country. Nearly half the households in and around Seattle pay more than they can afford for a place to live. That’s why some housing advocates are promoting a big idea – called Social Housing - that would let even people with six-figure incomes qualify for public housing. In February, voters will decide how to pay for it.

On this episode of Booming, the debate over s...

It’s been a week since Amazon’s corporate employees ditched their slippers for commuter shoes and started heading into the office every day. Amazon says the five-day return to office policy is about strengthening its culture, but some employees and experts have a different theory for why the company is rolling back its pandemic-era work from home policy.

On this episode of Booming, what's really behind Amazon's push to ...

Shopping online can be creepy. Suggested products, targeted ads...it feels like your phone is listening to you. You might be tempted to hit the mall instead. But actually, AI is tracking you there too.

Many brick-and-mortar stores depend on holiday sales to stay alive. And increasingly they’re borrowing tricks from the online world to get us to buy stuff – lots of stuff. So in the age of Artificial Intelligence, is ther...

Tickets to pro sports in Seattle will put a dent in your budget. A seat at a Seahawks game could cost you $260. So why do they cost so much? The ticket selling business is a complex system with lots of players driving up the prices.

On this episode of Booming, we’ll find out how the pricing works and hear about ways to see sports games without breaking the bank.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible!...

The free trade era that has defined the U.S. economy for decades made clear winners and losers. It tanked the Rust Belt, but sent the Pacific Northwest’s global economy to new heights. Washington state has always benefited from its international companies and the free flow of talent across borders. So what does the potential end of the free trade era mean for our economy?

Monica sat down with University of Washington historian Marg...

Washington is a wealthy state.... that needs more money. So a couple years ago, it tried a new way to tax rich people. It’s called the capital gains tax, but an initiative on the ballot could kill it this November.

On this week’s episode of Booming, we dig into Initiative 2109. Is the capital gains tax doing what it's supposed to do? What would a fair tax system actually look like here in Washington?

Thank you to the supporters of ...

What would it take to put the shine back on our cities?

Seattle used to be a superstar city...a technopolis by the sea. Companies, and their employees, wanted to move here. But for several years now, it’s felt like some of that glitter has gone. And it’s not just Seattle – downtowns across the country are struggling. 

On this episode of Booming, Joshua heads to the International Downtown Association Conference to meet with city lea...

Washington's gas prices are among the highest in the country. Some blame the state’s efforts to reduce climate change for the extra cost at the pump. This November, they’ve put those concerns on the ballot.

Initiative 2117 aims to cut prices at the pump by cutting the state's plan to reduce fossil fuels. But would killing that plan -- known as the Climate Commitment Act -- result in even higher prices?

In this episode of Booming, w...

Maybe you’ve noticed: Seattle traffic is back. And not just during rush hour. It’s busy all the time. But there's a transportation levy on the ballot in Seattle this November, and it's the biggest one we’ve ever seen. So, will $1.55 billion buy us better commutes?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to ...

There’s something unusual happening to property values in Seattle right now. As housing prices continue to climb, the value of commercial property is taking a big plunge. The County Assessor warns office buildings will be worth 30-40% less next year.

This is a historic shift. And it will have impacts on the cost of living for all of us.

That might not sit well with people who are already feeling the effects of inflation and high pr...