Developers and tradespeople alike voiced support for a proposed temporary reduction in Mandatory Housing Affordability fees at a committee meeting Friday. The proposal seems to have broad support from Seattle councilmembers.
After many housing advocates feared the idea of a temporary break on Mandatory Housing Affordability fees was dead, Foster's proposal could be approved by early next year. It includes an 80% discount for vested projects, and a 60% break for new projects that include more family-sized units.
New requirements taking effect in January will add a new $15 per-square-foot fee to housing units over 2,000 square feet. A move to raise that threshold to 2,500, intended to encourage more development, failed 3-4 last week in a vote that could signal deeper divisions on Kirkland's Council.
After the state's Commerce Department signaled it won't give the city any more leeway, the Bainbridge Council voted 6-1 to advance interim development regulations that will modestly upzone Winslow with the aim of getting into compliance with the Growth Management Act.
Without a state extension, Bainbridge Island is on track to be required to permit any housing project that meets certain affordability requirements, regardless of existing zoning, starting August 22. This accountability tool, known as the Builder's Remedy, has not yet been deployed in Washington.
After some nonprofit builders objected, the Housing Development Consortium pulled their support for Seattle's "Housing Accelerator" pilot program built on temporarily reducing builder fees. This eroding of support led Mayor Katie Wilson to table the idea for now, pending more stakeholder work.
Housing permits in light rail-adjacent Wilburton are taking off, which has prompted Bellevue leaders to consider unleashing Wilburton's incentive program lowering affordability requirements in other areas. But affordable housing advocates aim to hold the line against permanent expansion.
Habitat for Humanity’s Ryan Donahue opines against the proposal to temporarily slash builder fees in Seattle's Mandatory Housing Affordability program, arguing housing solutions can't come at the expense of low-income folks.
Funded inclusionary zoning unlocks the benefits of inclusionary zoning while offsetting its harms. It’s a path to more market-rate housing and more subsidized affordable housing. While funded inclusionary zoning risks creating a dangerous rift in our pro-housing coalition, amending this policy to al
Kenmore is considering a mandatory inclusionary zoning policy that would not be paired with funding or incentives — passing affordability costs onto homebuilders. But, in a shift away from the Planning Commission’s recommendation, the City Council directed staff to draft a policy that would encourag
Inside the complicated calculations that determine if affordable housing gets built on King County’s Eastside and how A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH) finds itself in the middle of it all.
Three years in the making, HB 1491 would require Washington cities to zone for apartment buildings near rail stations and rapid bus stops. A compromise around housing affordability mandates finally paved the way for the bill’s passage in both chambers.
After considering a full halt on multifamily development, tourist-focused Woodinville is set to add a 10% affordable housing requirement months ahead of a full analysis of potential affordability programs. Whether it’s an earnest attempt at boosting affordability or a proxy for a building moratorium
The vision that Bellevue has for parking-dominated Wilburton is thousands of new homes close to transit and trail connections. The question now is getting the details right so that development can be fostered, rather than stifled.
House Bill 1491 would require cities to increase development capacity around train stations and bus rapid transit stops. But a contentious affordability requirement for that new development could be a sticking point.
In response to state law, Mercer Island is poised to upzone some of the blocks closest to transit. But new affordability mandates may negate the move.
Originally hatched as a subtler method to promote racial segregation, zoning ended up planting the seeds of our present day housing crisis. This Zoning 101 guide delves into how that history unfolded.
City staff proposed adjusting Issaquah’s inclusionary zoning program to encourage housing, but Tola Marts was not interested. Humans are multiplying like rabbits in the Issaquah Valley, and frankly, Issaquah Councilmember Tola Marts has had enough. He’s ready to tamp down the population, and for Issaquah that means keeping
Facing a housing slowdown, foisting more costs onto new homes to fund a hodgepodge of transportation projects is a terrible idea. The four members of the Seattle City Council who are set to retire are making some last bids to cement their legacy and pass some major legislation on their
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell’s pitch to rezone parts of downtown has succeeded. The mayor had made two particular rezones for highrise housing along Third Avenue and hotels in Belltown a key part of his Downtown Activation Plan (DAP). On Tuesday, the city council approved the rezones, albeit in a
A hot summer day in Seattle may be scorching in the Central District, a historically Black neighborhood, while North Capitol Hill, home to many affluent White residents, catches a reprieve. Land use patterns across the city vary significantly, resulting in unequal access to climate adaptive resources such as large trees
Washington’s missing middle housing bill, HB 1110, continues to move through the state legislative process. On Friday, it passed out of the House Appropriations Committee and onto the House Rules Committee with a slate of substantive changes paring it back. It has until 5:00pm on March 8th to
Redmond has a grand vision for the Overlake neighborhood, which is set to get light rail by 2025. Redmond land use policies have funneled much of the city’s growth into the area, but a new proposal has developers worried their planned projects in Overlake are now infeasible. The Comprehensive
The South King County city has ambitious goals, but a car-centered landscape will be difficult to transform. Walking the area near the Tukwila International Boulevard light rail station is not a pleasant experience. The station sits adjacent to State Route 518 – a three-mile freeway that connects Renton and
After Totem Lake, a neighborhood that is experiencing a spree of significant growth, the next notable constellation of new commercial and residential development in Kirkland is occurring around NE 85th Street/Central Way. This corridor primarily consists of the city’s Downtown, which expands into the greater area known as
Yet designing for cars continues to be a problem in the city’s fastest growing neighborhood. When cataloging development in Kirkland, it’s evident where the City has focused much of its development capacity: Totem Lake, a neighborhood defined by its strip malls, car dealerships, car services, light industry, and
In a survey of 475 Bellevue residents commissioned by the Bellevue Housing Research Coalition and conducted by Change Research, 68% of those polled said that the housing market in Bellevue is not currently meeting the needs of the community, compared to 27% who said it was. Additionally, 46% of those
Alex Pedersen became the first Seattle City Councilmember to outline his own proposal for the once-a-decade Comprehensive Plan update toward the bottom of his official newsletter distributed this past Friday. While couched in progressive-sounding anti-displacement language, Pedersen’s proposal, which he calls “Alternative L,” in effect
Today the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) unveiled its rezoning concepts for the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update, which will guide growth for decades to come. OPCD’s thinking revolves around four broad concepts, plus a “no action” alternative, which Washington State mandates as a study baseline. The agency
American cities can glean many policy pointers from this highly livable French city, which has a delegation visiting. This week delegates from Nantes, France, have been visiting Seattle to celebrate the two cities’ 42nd anniversary as sister cities. The delegates, Deputy Mayors Pierre-Emmanuel Marais and Mahaut Bertu, met with
More than 4,500 homes have been constructed, permitted, or proposed in the Chinatown-International District since 2019 — 1,240 units of them affordable, based on our roundup of development. Like other neighborhoods in Seattle zoned for apartments, the Chinatown-International District (CID) faces heavy development pressure. These pressures are
The Puget Sound Regional Council adopted a Regional Housing Strategy which could have a big impact on housing growth — if cities and counties follow through. In this installment of housing notes, the Seattle metro region emerges as a nationwide leader in building multi-family housing, the Puget Sound Regional Council
Northgate Link, which just opened as of today, has already transformed the neighborhoods surrounding the three stations on the extension. Northgate Station still does feel like it’s plopped into a mall parking lot, though that will change in time. Roosevelt feels the most completed, having undergone a transition to
Bloomberg Quicktake/CityLab explores how Vienna is tackling affordable housing for all in the city. Mike Eliason, syndicated columnist of The Urbanist, offers his perspective in the video, too.
In an era of tight city budgets, legal limits on taxing authority, and expensive problems, it is time for Seattle to get creative. We can’t tackle issues like homelessness, crumbling infrastructure, and overreliance on cars if we stick with our current leadership’s go-small planning. We should start
Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda is taking heat from both sides after introducing legislation recognizing Seattle’s diverse neighborhoods in a bid to lay the groundwork to change the zoning in our next update to the comprehensive plan. Some are upset because they see the name change as simply rebranding a broken
A proposed name change could kick off the fight to end exclusionary zoning in Seattle. So, what’s exactly in a name? Juliet Capulet pondered this question of Romeo Montague in Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. In the case of “single-family” zoning, the name brings to mind an image
Recently, a flurry of studies about the effects of new housing supply has emerged. They rebuff skeptics, who argue against building more housing. In a research roundup, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers Shane Philips, Michael Manville, and Michael Lens conducted and arranged a review of the new literature.
Tacoma has taken another step in its land use reform process to equitably house people and undo a legacy of exclusionary zoning. Home In Tacoma — an equitable affordable housing strategy — advanced beyond the Tacoma Planning Commission last week on a 6-3 vote in favor of recommendation. A chief piece
Last week the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program celebrated two years of being in effect in all multifamily areas of the city. The data thus far suggests the program is largely working as intended and on pace to hit its goal of producing at least 6,000 affordable homes in
Tacoma has embarked on a sweeping plan to reform residential zoning in the city. The Home in Tacoma project could transform single-family and multifamily zones by allowing more Missing Middle Housing. The plan envisions the usual suspects of accessory dwelling units, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, and townhouses as well as
Yesterday’s report that Seattle’s housing prices rose 11.6% over where they were in November 2019 comes as zero surprise to anyone who has toyed with the idea of buying a house in the last year. Folks are hunkering down and fixing up. That extra room is an
Join Share The Cites and The Urbanist in welcoming Shane Phillips to a Seattle-centered discussion about his book The Affordable City this Thursday September 24th from noon to 1pm. The book is a comprehensive look at how to make housing more affordable and has 50 recommendations focused on what
Our city is facing a housing crisis. Before the onset of the pandemic, when the economy was humming and jobs were bountiful, we had thousands of our neighbors sleeping on the streets in the shadows of new office buildings and the doorways of new chic restaurants. We had thousands kept
Too often, our city has spent years delaying policy with infighting, time that we could spend on collaborative efforts to address our growing housing affordability crisis. Our city grew by over 15,000 people in 2018, and with the Puget Sound region expected to grow by 1.8 million people
We live in alternate realities. I realized this when I received a pro-Alex Pedersen mailer from People for Affordable Livable Seattle (PALS) political action committee (PAC) arguing that recent development had cost more low-income housing than it replaced. Longtime housing rabble-rouser John Fox of the Seattle Displacement
Samuel Stein’s new book Capital City: Gentrification and the Real Estate State aims to challenge urban planning orthodoxy. Writing from a socialist perspective with New York City as his case study, Stein recounts how urban planning arose to meet the needs of capitalists, industrialists, and colonizers. Today, urban planning
The bills’ signage marks the end of a long fight by housing advocates to get affordability requirements enshrined in Seattle law. Before a crowd of enthusiastic supporters, Mayor Jenny Durkan signed legislation authorizing “citywide” implementation of Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) into law yesterday March 20th, 2019. MHA changes zoning laws
Today Seattle City Council is voting on “citywide” implementation of Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA), a form of inclusionary zoning from which single family zones outside of designated Urban Villages are exempt. Looking back at the events that have led to this moment one thing is certain: nothing about the process
On Wednesday, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Councilmember Lisa Herbold both issued policy ideas to stem displacement. Mayor Durkan issued a new executive order outlining how city departments should act in developing anti-displacement policies over the near-term. Likewise, Councilmember Herbold released a draft of legislation that she proposes
Today, the City will hold the final public meeting on “citywide” Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) before the Seattle City Council is expected to vote in March and pass the rezone program. We urge you to attend the MHA hearing at City Hall. It starts at 5:30pm but people hoping
On Friday, the Seattle City Council had a marathon meeting on amendments to the proposed Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) rezones and land use regulations. The meeting started with discussion on text amendments to the Land Use Code and then moved into a district-by-district discussion on proposed amendments to
House Bill 1923 would require that cities take action to increase both housing supply and affordability. Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon of the 34th District has sponsored House Bill 1923, proposed legislation that seeks to increase the amount of affordable housing statewide through a two-pronged approach that directs cities to grow
This week, the S-Campus was given the green light for construction. The 1.2 million square foot project sits just off the southern edge of the International District, within a few blocks of light rail, commuter rail, bus, and streetcar service. The campus features buildings ranging from eight to
The fruits of Seattle’s mandatory affordable housing program for new development are beginning to bear, albeit it’s still quite early. Last Tuesday, the Seattle Office of Housing (OH) briefed the city council on the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program’s progress to date. OH highlighted four projects that
We are excited to announce a new partnership between Futurewise and The Urbanist! Futurewise is a statewide organization dedicated to proper implementation of the Growth Management Act. We encourage healthy, equitable, and opportunity-rich communities while protecting our most valuable farmlands, forests, and water resources through wise land-use policies
On Monday, the City of Seattle is kicking off the public hearing process for the citywide Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) rezones at Eckstein Middle School in Wedgwood. The citywide rezones would apply to all urban villages and multifamily zoned land in Seattle, adding one or more stories of buildable height
A coalition of 24 neighborhood groups announced an appeal of the City of Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) rezone plan. The alliance calls itself the Seattle Coalition for Affordability, Livability, and Equity (SCALE) and threw a litany of complaints at the proposal, claiming the status quo would be better
During every election cycle The Urbanist asks candidates about their support for changing current single-family zones. This year, every candidate for council except for Pat Murakami, and every candidate for mayor except for Jenny Durkan, voiced support for legalizing more dense housing types in single-family zones. Since this
On Monday, the Seattle City Council approved a slate of land use changes spanning improvements to the design review process to rezoning large swaths of the Uptown neighborhood. Other changes included putting a temporary moratorium in place for certain uses in the Aurora-Licton Springs Urban Village and adding targeted
On Tuesday, the Seattle City Council voted on legislation to rezone a site across from the King County Juvenile Detention Center on Squire Park. The rezoned site is proposed to become a series of low-rise mixed-used buildings. The City Council also adopted final legislation for vacant building demolition.
On Monday, the Seattle City Council had a full agenda of rezones cross the dais. These included three separate district rezones in the Central Area, a site-specific contract rezone at 24th Ave and E Union St, and minor zoning amendments to two areas of Belltown. The City Council also
The Seattle City Council got its first glimpse this week at proposed rezones for three urban village nodes on 23rd Avenue in the Central District. On Tuesday, the Planning, Land Use, and Zoning Committee met to learn about the proposal from City staff and community members. While all three rezones
The City released a large study about implementing Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) in all of the city’s urban villages, some urban centers, and many other commercial and multi-family residential areas outside of them. The study provides three alternatives, one of which is no change (legally required under the
The Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the zoning changes its proposing in urban villages as well as commercial and multi-family residential areas outside of them across Seattle and which would implement the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program. Moving
If you take the Route 44 bus all the way to the end of the line in Ballard, you’ll find yourself at the intersection of NW Market Street and 32nd Ave NW. Apartments buildings surround the intersection, but if you walk 150 feet west on Market Street, away from
An ordinance to rezone and revise development regulations for Chinatown-International District could move out of committee today. The Planning, Land Use, and Zoning (PLUZ) Committee is scheduled to meet this afternoon to discuss and possibly vote on amendments to an ordinance that would implement Mandatory Affordable Housing zoning changes
Seattle recently rezoned large swaths of Downtown and South Lake Union and the University District in the hopes of increasing development capacity for new development and delivering affordable housing. The rezones were paired with Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) requirements giving a choice to developers to build affordable units or pay
This week is affordable housing week in Seattle. There are events scheduled through next Monday, including tours, discussions, and workshops. Yesterday’s affordable housing event included a tour of the Mercy Othello Plaza development and a panel discussion about the intersection of transit-oriented development and affordable housing. The event
A package of rezones are headed to the Chinatown-International District area in a few short weeks. The rezones promise to unlock Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) requirements in areas with increased development capacity changes. Before that happens though, the Seattle City Council’s Planning, Land Use, and Zoning (PLUZ) Committee
Last month, I provided a high-level overview of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for land use changes in the Uptown neighborhood. To realize the modeled land use changes in the Final EIS, the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) has drafted specific development regulations that would be
The Chinatown-International District area is next up for rezoning under the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda program, which seeks to pair rezones with Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) requirements for new residential and non-residential development. Situated at the south end of Downtown, the neighborhood is renowned for is economic
Shoreline is expanding the city’s multi-family tax exemption (MFTE) program to guarantee rent- and income-restricted units and incentivize multi-family development. The program expansion will include areas around the city’s two future light rail stations where recent zoning plans have been drawn up to direct substantial
Seattle Councilmember Mike O’Brien revealed today that Seattle’s incentive zoning program has been shortchanged by $3.4 million due to inaccurate reporting, discovered via an investigation by the City Auditor. Incentive Zoning is a program wherein developers voluntarily contribute to the City’s affordable housing fund in exchange
Two major land use bills were passed by the Seattle City Council on Monday. Large swaths of Downtown and South Lake Union will receive rezones that will allow taller buildings and more floor area. High-rise towers were already permitted in much of those areas, but the rezones will also
Later this month, the Seattle City Council will take up a vote on the Downtown and South Lake Union rezones, which would help further unlock the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program and increase development capacity in the city. Councilmembers made some key decisions at the March 21st meeting of the
That The Urbanist disagrees with Sightline Institute about Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program is hardly news. I’ll try not to beat a dead horse. The latest piece from Sightline’s Dan Bertolet presents his “static pro forma” numbers in the low-rise zones. Bertolet’s long-running
Lower Queen Anne is poised to see construction of a new multi-family residential development (203 W Republican St) on the corner of W Republican St and 2nd Ave W. The development will rise seven-stories with an eighth-floor terrace and house 128 dwelling units on a 14,400-
The rezone proposals for Downtown Seattle and South Lake Union (SLU) could be getting a handful of refinements. The Seattle Planning, Land Use, and Zoning (PLUZ) Committee will take up discussion on the proposal and possible amendments to it. The PLUZ Committee could also take votes on amendments and the
In early December last year, community members of the Roosevelt neighborhood met for a community workshop to discuss the draft Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) rezones for Roosevelt, a part of the city-wide Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA). The community workshop was intensely focused on the Roosevelt neighborhood itself
The first public hearing on the Downtown/South Lake Union Rezone is 6pm Monday (March 13th) at City Hall, and we encourage you to testify. Show up early to reserve a speaking slot. If you can’t attend, call or email your councilmembers. Urbanists have been doing a better job
The process for Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) rezones in Downtown and South Lake Union kicked off last week with a briefing before Seattle’s Planning, Land Use, and Zoning Committee. The rezones would increase overall development capacity in many Downtown and South Lake Union zones by bumping up maximum building
Do you want to see something sad? According to a slide prepared for a meeting of largely anti-HALA (Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda) people, the HALA.consider.it site was largely dominated (as of last month) by voices opposing changes that will allow more affordable housing. Do you want
New high-rises could be on the way for the University District (U District) for the first time since the 1970’s. In a significant unanimous vote yesterday, the Seattle City Council approved a neighborhood-wide rezone that could allow buildings as tall as 320 feet–at least in one
A five-year process could finally be coming to fruition Tuesday as the Seattle City Council votes on the University District Rezone and Urban Design Proposal at its 2pm meeting. Passing the rezone would finally take Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) to a neighborhood-wide scale and give a serious boost
The University District rezone and urban design framework may finally become reality–in part. Legislation to rezone and update development regulations throughout much of the University District could be passed at full Council tomorrow. Earlier this month at a planning committee meeting, seven of the city’s nine councilmembers were
Editor’s Note: This article is largely informed by a comprehensive look at the legality of inclusionary zoning by Josephine Ennis which can be found here. The legality of Seattle’s inclusionary zoning program continues to be questioned by a small, well-funded group of people. The complexities of land
Those who oppose development in Seattle have no greater symbol than the so-called “Up House” in Ballard where Edith Macefield held out against the developer who brought Trader Joe’s and LA Fitness to the neighborhood enveloping her home on three sides. You can listen to her story on
“The solution: Americans, together and all at once, would have to stop thinking about their homes as an investment,” Conor Dougherty wrote in The Upshot this past Friday, which is an intriguing proposition others have echoed. Implementing policies that furthers housing as a necessity rather than an investment is a
Seattle councilmembers will meet this morning to take up discussion and make possible votes on amendments to the University District rezone and urban design legislation, setting up a process that could send a final bill to the full City Council in the next week or so for approval. Last month,
Seattle is pursuing an inclusionary zoning policy called Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA), similar to successful programs in over 500 municipalities, including Redmond and Federal Way. However, it’s not without critics. Dan Bertolet, the lead housing writer at Sightline, is one of those critics. He recently wrote two harsh articles
Earlier this afternoon, Councilmember Lisa Herbold (D-1) broke the news that Seattle’s proposed Mandatory Housing Affordability rezones will be pushed back by another two months. In a newsletter to constituents, Councilmember Herbold said that primary driving factor is environmental review. The Office of Planning and Community Development must
Welcoming Wallingford is a new group seeking to engage in the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) dialogue in the Wallingford neighborhood. This is a cross-post from Wallyhood. Here in our wonderful, walkable Wallingford, we’re neighbors. Some of us have been in Seattle, or in Wallingford, for decades.
Issaquah City Council had a well-attended meeting last night to discuss a major amendment to the Issaquah Highlands, which was detailed yesterday. Local residents were generally supportive of the proposal, with my favorite comment coming from a woman who lives in the Highlands and welcomed additional growth by declaring,
Local development firm Polygon Northwest requested use of transfer of development rights (TDRs) for their Westridge development in the Issaquah Highlands earlier this year. TDRs would allow the developer to substantially increase the number of permitted dwelling units on the development site in exchange for preserving natural lands. These development
A handful of amendments could find their way into the University District rezone and urban design proposal awaiting approval from the Seattle City Council. Next week (January 19th), the Planning, Land Use, and Zoning (PLUZ) Committee will meet to discuss the proposal and amendments. A final ordinance could be approved
In an article last week, Daniel Beekman of The Seattle Times outlined two competing estimates of potential displacement due to the upcoming University District rezone. The first was a thorough, honest analysis generated by the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD). The second was a survey tallying the number
Proposed zoning changes for Downtown Seattle, South Lake Union, and a sliver of the International District are headed to the Seattle City Council. Later today, legislation for the proposed rezones and corresponding development regulation changes are scheduled to be referred to the Planning, Land Use, and Zoning Committee for review
When I criticized Sightline’s framing of Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program, a few people suggested I was providing “fodder to NIMBYs.” I’m not sure my argument for bigger upzones to get a larger inclusionary requirement is the kind of cover the John Fox crowd is seeking.
On Tuesday Sightline Institute’s Executive Director Alan Durning and Senior Researcher Dan Bertolet published a long meditation on inclusionary zoning (IZ) economics that misrepresented several key facts and relied heavily on argument by analogy rather than empirical data. The article–although focused on how inclusionary zoning is generally problematic–