Resolution 7700 - Laserfiche WebLink

1. Increasing Housing Variety Everett Housing Action Plan 13 • Growth Management Act – ESSHB 1220 (2021) This legislation updates sections of the Growth Management Act requiring housing elements of local comprehensive Plans to ensures the vitality and character of established residential neighborhoods and identify capacity for housing including duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes. • VISION 2050 Multicounty Planning Policies Multi-County Planning Policies address the need for a range of housing types including: “MPP-H-2 Provide a range of housing types and choices to meet the housing needs of all income levels and demographic groups within the region. MPP-H-9 Expand housing capacity for moderate density housing to bridge the gap between single-family and more intensive multifamily development and provide opportunities for more affordable ownership and rental housing that allows more people to live in neighborhoods across the region. H-Action-7 Housing Choice: Counties and cities will update regulations and strategies to reduce barriers to the development and preservation of moderate density housing to address the need for housing between single-family and more intensive multifamily development, consistent with the Regional Growth Strategy.”  Countywide Planning Policies for Snohomish County Snohomish County Tomorrow is currently updating the Countywide Planning Policies expected to be adopted by the County Council in Fall 2021. Proposed policy HO- 1 describes support for diverse housing types in Snohomish County communities and states: “The county and cities shall make provisions in their comprehensive plans to accommodate existing and projected housing needs, consistent with the Regional Growth Strategy and Snohomish County Growth Targets. Plans must include a specific assessment of housing needs by economic segment, as described in the housing report prescribed in CPP HO-5. Those provisions should consider the following strategies: (f) Support the creation of additional housing options in single-family neighborhoods to provide for more diverse housing types and choices to meet the various needs of all economic segments of the population.” Findings There are some opportunities where infill housing can be viable and positive from a neighborhood standpoint, and community input indicates there is interest in affordable infill housing if the challenges can be successfully addressed. The recommendations pursue these opportunities and point to an approach that can be applied over time to advance both housing choices and community livability. Several factors bear on efforts to include a wider variety of house types in single-family residential neighborhoods. While the benefits of these efforts include offering a variety of home seekers (e.g.; empty nesters, seniors, young adults, etc.) greater housing choices and providing some housing types that may be more affordable, as noted above, there are conditions and constraints that make achieving those objectives more challenging. Some residents are concerned that if infill types are too large, they will not be compatible with their neighbors and other impacts may occur. There are few