There are two important housing fights coming up next week. Public hearings are scheduled on Monday and Wednesday, and advocates need to ensure Seattle’s plan for middle housing keeps advancing and long-promised affordable housing gets built at Fort Lawton, despite pushback.
May 19: Interim Zoning Ordinance Public Comment with the Complete Communities Coalition
An urgent need exists for people to give public comment at Seattle City Hall this coming Monday. Opponents continue to throw up obstacles and city council continues to drag its feet passing interim legislation making us compliant with HB 1110 state middle housing mandates. We must ensure this plan clears the way for more housing. A group of pro-housing architects recently broke down how to get the most out of middle housing changes in an Urbanist op-ed. Housing advocates must raise their voices to ensure the plan is improved rather than watered down.
The Urbanist and other members of the Complete Communities Coalition will be there to help and offer pointers on how to give comment, moral support, and tasty snacks. We know slow-growth advocates will be out in force, and we must consistently and persistently remind council that our voices matter, too.
- What: The Seattle City Council is holding public comment as they prepare to pass an ordinance legalizing housing options like duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and townhomes in all residential areas of Seattle to bring us into compliance with HB 1110. We need to keep up the pressure, encourage the council to swiftly implement the zoning changes, and continue to implement the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan.
- Where: City Hall, 600 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
- When: May 19th, 9:30am for virtual comment and 4pm for in-person*
- Transit Stops: Near stops for routes 3, 4, 7, 14, 27, 62, the E line, Line 1 (Pioneer Square Station), and any other routes that stop downtown or in Pioneer Square.
- RSVP: RSVP through this helpful link with talking points and other resources.
Housing Development Consortium’s One Seattle Talking Points for Public Comment:
- “Seattle’s Housing Crisis Demands Bold Action. Seattle is becoming increasingly unaffordable for families, seniors, and essential workers. Exclusionary zoning laws have made it difficult to build enough homes, driving up rents and home prices. We must act with urgency to address the shortage and open more neighborhoods to more people.
- Pass the Interim Ordinance Without Delay. The interim zoning ordinance (CB 120969) ensures Seattle complies with the state’s middle housing law, HB 1110, by allowing a more diverse range of housing types, including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and townhomes in residential neighborhoods. This is the bare minimum required by law. Council must adopt it without delay.
- Finish the Job: Adopt the Full One Seattle Plan Before Summer Recess. The interim ordinance is only the first step. Council must move swiftly to adopt a bold, Comprehensive Plan that creates more homes of all types in all neighborhoods. We need more than the state minimum to address our deep housing shortage. The full One Seattle Plan makes major steps to increase mixed use, multifamily homes near transit through new neighborhood centers and expanded urban centers. This creates the most opportunity for affordable housing. Waiting until after the fall budget process means delaying urgently needed housing and undermines the inclusive growth we need.”
*NOTE: Anyone who is able is strongly encouraged to arrive/sign up as early as possible, 8:30am for virtual and as early as 2pm for in-person.
May 21: Public Comment Session for Fort Lawton Redevelopment Plan
Additionally, Fort Lawton is having a public comment session on Wednesday. The plan to add over 500 units of affordable and supportive housing is under attack by anti-housing advocates and not-in-my-backyard activists (NIMBYs). Public comment is open to all, but we know local NIMBYs will be there in force, so we need voices from elsewhere in to city to chime in. Even if you can only submit an email in support, please take the time to do so.
- What: Public comment on the plan to add affordable housing on the old Fort Lawton military base. This effort is under threat by housing opponents and not-in-my-backyard activism, despite the affordable housing in question being supportive housing for homeless veterans and seniors. If you cannot attend in person, you can email your comments to Jessica Gomez at OH_Comments@seattle.gov.
- Where: Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, 5011 Bernie Whitebear Way, Seattle, 98199
- When: May 21st, 6pm – 8pm
- Transit Stops: Near stops for routes 24 and 33, albeit with some walking required.
We hope to see you at these two events! Sending in virtual comments is also a big help. Let’s fight for housing together.
Diego Batres
Diego is the Director of Development and Events of The Urbanist. He believes in making Seattle and the Puget Sound region a model example of good urban living for the rest of the country by expanding transit, ending our housing crisis, pedestrianizing our neighborhoods. He graduated from Seattle University in 2023, and currently lives in Seattle’s Central District.
