Seattle Adopts Mandatory Housing Affordability Rezoning Plan

SEATTLE, WA - After years of discussions and scores of public meetings, the Seattle City Council on Monday finally passed a package of laws that will up-zone 27 neighborhoods across the city. The up-zoning will allow developers to build more housing on some land that, until now, was only for single-family homes.

The goal of the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) legislation, city officials say, is to create more housing, which is desperately needed as Seattle continues to be unaffordable for middle and lower-income residents.

On top of increasing the size of buildings, the MHA legislation will require developers to set aside affordable units, or pay fees to the city in lieu of creating affordable units.

Monday's vote follows 2017 zoning changes in the University District, South Lake Union, the International District, downtown Seattle, Queen Anne, and the Central District. Monday's vote extends upzoning to other neighborhoods and urban villages across the city, like Rainier Beach and Eastlake.

Altogether, Mayor Jenny Durkan said Monday that an additional 6,000 affordable units could be created in the coming years thanks to MHA.

To read more about the specifics of Monday's vote, read more at Curbed Seattle. For a history on MHA in Seattle, read this primer from The Urbanist.