We interrupt our regularly scheduled series to comment on some bombshell news from the Seattle Social Housing Developer (SSHD) today.

Just a week ago, we noted the developer was poised to ink its first property deals this year. Instead, it has imploded. Last night, in a move that felt less like a professional transition and more like a political execution, the SSHD board voted to fire CEO Roberto Jiménez.

The firing marks the lowest point yet in a three-year timeline of follies that have left critics asking: is the agency’s dysfunction a temporary glitch, a bug, or is it a feature of its own charter?

The Incompetence Archive

According to meeting reports captured by the Cascade Party, the agency’s path to this week’s firing was paved with a stunning lack of basic administrative hygiene:

• The IT Disaster & Lawsuit: By September 2025, the agency was embroiled in a lawsuit with its own former IT consultant. This wasn’t just a billing dispute; the agency was reportedly locked out of its own website, leading to a total loss of digital content and highlighting a total lack of oversight over its own proprietary data.
• A Ghost Workforce: Cascade Party notes from February and March 2025 describe an agency that existed almost entirely on paper. Months after its formation, it had no physical office, no permanent staff, and no CFO. Decisions were being made by a board that, while well-intentioned, appeared to struggle with the basic mechanics of public agency governance. In a now-infamous detail, a board member was reportedly paying for the agency’s Google Workspace out of his own pocket.
• The Funding Void: Despite the passage of Prop 1A, the agency remained functionally broke well into late 2025. Reports show the developer survived on a $2 million bridge loan from the city just to keep the lights on, even as its board members debated complex social equity frameworks rather than real estate acquisitions.
• The Relocation Scandal: A major point of contention in the December 2025 meeting was that CEO Roberto Jiménez had received a massive relocation stipend and a six-figure salary, yet had failed to actually move to Seattle for over a year, a point of deep frustration for a board that values lived experience in the city.

Last Night’s Breaking Point: The CEO Firing

The pressure finally boiled over last night. After months of mounting concern from the very labor and advocacy groups that campaigned for the agency, the board officially fired Roberto Jiménez.

Reports from the meeting describe a toxic environment where the board chair reportedly yelled at members and the board secretary allegedly threatened physical violence against the public during the height of the tension. In a move that highlights the blurring lines between the developer and the activists who created it, Tiffani McCoy—a lead advocate from House Our Neighbors!—has reportedly been voted in as interim CEO.

Bug or Feature: The Charter Question

The central debate in 2026 is whether these stumbles are a result of poor management or a fundamental flaw in the agency’s DNA. the editorial board continued, a lack of expertise is built into the social housing developer itself. “By its charter, the majority of Seattle Social Housing Developer board members must be residents of the social housing projects they oversee,” they note. “Knowledge about construction, financing or operations is not a requirement.”

• The Argument for “Bug”: Supporters argue that any publicly owned developer built from a grassroots ballot initiative – rather than a top-down mandate – will face a steep learning curve. They blame the stumbles on a hostile city administration that was slow to provide required support.
• The Argument for “Feature”: Critics point to the charter’s requirement that the majority of board members must be renters with no requirement for expertise in real estate, finance, or construction. To detractors, a board composed of activists rather than professionals isn’t just a hurdle; it’s a design choice that guarantees a lack of experience in construction, financing, or operations.

The 2026 Verdict

The agency is no longer a theoretical big idea – it is a $50-million-a-year operation funded by the JumpStart tax. With Jiménez gone and an activist at the helm, the SSHD has essentially reset its clock. However, with the city facing a structural deficit and thousands of residents waiting for housing, will Seattle have the patience for another round of growing pains?