In Seattle, the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) has released conceptual alternatives for Seattle’s 2024 update to its development strategy. At the moment they have proposed 5 alternatives, and are asking for public comment to “help determine what we should study—which topics are important to you and your community, and how you want Seattle to shape its growth.”

This is a chance to get in early in the process and nudge the strategy to encourage sustainable density and promote a diversity of housing choices, while also creating more affordable housing options. The more comments in favor of affordable housing, the more likely the City is to seriously consider their Option 5, which at least partially addresses that concern.

Per the Urbanist, “the sooner Seattle can produce more homes for everyone — and especially for residents being pushed out or denied access to the city due to the lack of affordable options and family-sized housing — the better.”

ACTION: Comment on Seattle’s EIS for Affordable Housing

1. Head to the website here: https://engage.oneseattleplan.com/en/projects/shaping-the-plan-comment

2. Click on the blue “Submit a comment” button in the top right.

3. You will have to create an account. Then, write your comment and hit submit.

It will be most effective if you comment in your own words, but if you’re short on time go ahead and copy/paste the below. The comment window closes August 22.

Title: Diversify zoning to allow greater density and affordable housing

Comment: Seattle is growing rapidly and that growth should be accommodated in all parts of the city in a sustainable way in some version of Alternative 5. Seattle should expand urban zoning and encourage a diversity of housing options in all neighborhoods, to prevent overconcentration of growth and skyrocketing housing prices, which results in displacement. We should embrace growth instead of doing the bare minimum, and pro-actively plan for a city that is affordable and accessible.

Background:

• The Urbanist does a great deep dive: https://www.theurbanist.org/2022/06/23/seattle-reveals-rezoning-concepts-and-invites-scoping-comments-for-big-2024-update/

• Or read the City’s description: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/8c90f3a5e0704f8687213b669efa6fb0?item=6