Seattle's housing task force from the office of the Mayor is said to be in meeting to make a sweeping reformation concerning the city's single-family zoning. Based on reports, the committee will remove the zoning, which existed for more than a hundred years and has contributed to the city's significant neighborhood feel.
Realty Biz News says that the housing task force has voted 19-3, recommending that the single-family zoning would be replaced with "lower density residential zone." The purpose of which is to allow "duplexes, triplexes, rooming houses, and more backyard cottages and mother-in-law units" to be built in the area. The Seattle Times said that the zone is dominated by on lots with yards at present.
In addition to the said report of Realty Biz News, the committee is also recommending to abandon the term "single family zoning" completely-- but this does not mean that the committee wants to get rid of all single-family zones in the city. The ultimate goal of the city is to eliminate racial and class exclusion, at the same time provide equity and affordability. "We can still be a city for everyone, but only if we give up our outdated ideal of every family living in their own home on a 5,000 square foot lot," said the co-chairs of Mayor Ed Murray's advisory committee.
Conversely, Atlantic Media's City Lab reports that this plan has been initiated back in the fall. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and the City Council have requested various community leaders to come up with a Housing Affordability and Living Agenda. The first draft of the committee's recommendation has come out last week. Some of the significant information from the draft read "Approximately 65 percent of Seattle's land-not just its residential land but all its land-is zoned single-family, severely constraining how much the city can increase housing supply."
However, the formal proposal of the city mayor that was released today appeared to be "lighter on theory and details." But the bottom line of it all is that Mayor Murray plans to have an affordable housing.
Seattle Bubble points out some relevant portions from the report of the committee. The first two main points are: to augment the amount of land that is zoned for multifamily housing, and increase access, diversity and inclusion within single family areas.