# Washington State Legislature legalized “missing middle” housing across the state, allowing more homes on a lot in the form of rowhouses, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes and sixplexes. Seattle will now need to legalize sixplex homes citywide in areas served with frequent transit and fourplexes elsewhere. This restores Seattle to a bygone era of density, affordability, and| The Urbanist » Advocacy journalism for better cities.
# The Washington State Department of Commerce has released draft guidance and model codes to implement the state's a new middle housing law. The new law will apply to most cities with a population of at least 25,000 residents (and some smaller cities), requiring them to broadly legalize middle housing throughout residential zones. Cities in King,| The Urbanist » Advocacy journalism for better cities.
# While 2023 was dubbed the 'year of housing,' 2024 could be a second act, with unfinished business left to tackle. In 2023, the Washington State Legislature focused its attention on increasing the state's housing supply with a fervor not seen in decades. And that attention paid off. Laws were passed that will soon require cities| The Urbanist » Advocacy journalism for better cities.
# The draft plan still isn't out, which is worrying housing advocates. But success is still within reach. Last year, the City of Seattle had planned to release its draft “One Seattle” Comprehensive Plan in April, but that draft has still not been released to the public after the Harrell administration has repeatedly set new timelines| The Urbanist » Advocacy journalism for better cities.
# Single family zoning will soon be a thing of the past for most Washington cities thanks to passage of statewide “missing middle” housing reform this state legislative session. This monumental success was thanks in large part to lawmaker heroes named below and the far-ranging coalition that coalesced behind the bill. The state legislature took up| The Urbanist » Advocacy journalism for better cities.
# The bill could result in a builder's remedy to force resistant jurisdictions to allow apartment construction. Representative Jessica Bateman (D-22, Olympia) has filed a brand new bill that seeks to push local governments to increase housing production, especially those that have set up a regulatory gauntlet to restrict homebuilding. Dubbed Washington's Housing Accountability Act, House| The Urbanist » Advocacy journalism for better cities.