When we’re not being random or neat, you might find us Seattleites rolling up our sleeves on some big things around the city. Like problems to solve. Conditions to improve. Projects. Challenges. Needs.

Last week we asked you to text us about the bigger needs you see around you every day, and how they show up for you wherever you happen to be in the city. Here’s some of what you said:

Homelessness

🏠  “I live downtown. Mostly, it makes me very sad and I don’t feel like there is anything I can do to help. I feel guilty, living in a beautiful home. Also concerned about the cleanliness and safety of the city due to people living on the streets.”
— Tina

🗞 “I lived on 15th for a long time, and seeing homeless folks was an every day occurrence. It felt awful to have no good way, beyond buying Real Change, to help folks. I’ve read mixed reports on whether to give people money directly, and giving to an organization doesn’t feel like enough.”
— Colleen

The environment

🏞 “My mom always made us very conscious of litter… Recently one of my friends went swimming around trying to pick out pieces of water balloons out of Lake Washington. I know it’s a small issue compared to some of the others we face, but more and more often we see stories of animals starving because their stomachs are full of trash — and honestly it isn’€™t exactly nice to walk around among either!”
— LC Booker

Transportation

🚗 “Frustrating commutes, traffic for hours, and impenetrable areas of town.”
— Juan

🚲 “Safer streets for all users, especially those getting around not in a car. I don’t own a car so I get around our city mostly walking, biking, and taking transit. I experience close calls that are a risk to my life and safety due to our infrastructure prioritizing moving cars.”
— Justin

The gap between rich and poor

💰 “I want to live in a city where people care about and help each other. There are lots of people willing to do so, but they need a personal connection to be inspired to act.”
— Kirsten

Have a need in the city you feel strongly about? Particularly one you don’t see on this list? Call us and leave us a voicemail about it. For real! Just dial (206) 785-3055 by 10 a.m. today and follow the prompts to record and save your message. Big thanks to readers Jordan Goldwarg, Vicki Weeks, Al Boss, Seth Farber, Carrie, and Aster for already calling in.

We’ll share your voices back next week as part of our ongoing Evergrey Giving Guide project — made possible by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The air was better in…Beijing? Our sky’s looked extra hazy this week, and for that, you can thank the wildfires burning in British Columbia. Air quality got to “unhealthy” levels up and down Puget Sound yesterday (see the red dots here), and was actually worse over Seattle than in Beijing at one point. The good news: Westerly winds could blow a lot of it away today. 🌬 (Cliff Mass Weather Blog, Washington Smoke Info)

Seattle says nope. Everyone freaked out last month when news broke that a developer wanted to replace the Showbox — a super iconic music venue — with a 44-story skyscraper. And on Monday, our city council put the brakes on the whole thing. They voted unanimously to extend the boundaries of what’s called the Pike Place Market Historical District so it includes the Showbox. Translation: No one can touch it for 10 months. Could that get the developer, Onni, to drop the whole idea? Citing unnamed sources, KIRO’s Mike Lewis says it “appears likely.” (KIRO)

We’re No. 2! Washington finally fell behind Nevada in rankings for the fastest-rising home prices in the country after almost a year and a half on top. But don’t hold your breath waiting for a great bargain. Washington home prices only rose 12.1 percent in June instead of the 12.8 percent they grew in May, and that’s still a big price hike. 💸 (The Seattle Times)

HQ2 and a side of salsa? Redfin tracked where Seattleites are looking to move, and GeekWire wonders whether that might give some cities an edge in Amazon’s search for its second big headquarters — better known as “HQ2.” Five of Seattle’s top picks for finding housing are on Amazon’s HQ2 shortlist — L.A., Austin, Dallas, New York, and Chicago. It’s also possible that Seattleites want to move to where there are tastier tacos. Take note, Bezos. (GeekWire)

Kudos to Kelsey. Deception Pass Bridge up on North Whidbey Island is 1,487 feet of gorgeous views. And it’s seen way too many suicides. So a local named Kelsey Flynn rallied some friends, painted rocks with hopeful messages, and laid them out across the bridge’s walkway. Kelsey’s been through some rough times herself, and wanted to help. “Sometimes it just takes a split second, somebody saying the right thing, or seeing something that snaps you out of that place,” she said. ❤️ (KING)

YOUR OWN ‘SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE’?

Why let Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have all the fun when you, too, can traipse around a Seattle floating home? The Seattle Floating Homes Association is putting on an “Eclectic Eastlake” tour of houses on Lake Union September 9. The famous Sleepless in Seattle house won’t be among ‘em, but, you know. Close enough.

Fun fact: The house from Sleepless in Seattle is technically a floating home and not — we repeat — not a “houseboat.” Why? ‘Cause you can’t cruise around the lake in it, even if you wanted to. 🌊

Have a good one, all. — The Evergrey