Resolution 7700 - Laserfiche WebLink

4. Affordability and Displacement Everett Housing Action Plan 49  Linkages were made by several respondents between declining affordability in the community and the rise of homelessness. Providing transitional and supportive housing options were seen as effective ways of dealing with these issues.  Some respondents were concerned about integrating denser housing options into existing neighborhoods, especially the housing types and formats that would provide the greatest amount of affordability for residents. Policy Basis With respect to supporting affordable housing development in the city, there are several sources of guidance that should be considered with respect to new initiatives and changes to policy in the City of Everett:  Housing Affordability Regional Taskforce – Snohomish County The Five-Year Affordability Action Plan for the Housing Affordability Task Force highlights the need to increase housing affordability at all levels through its framework goals. This includes preservation of affordable housing options under Goal 2, encouraging affordable units in areas served with transit as part of Goal 3, and supporting action to address affordability challenges in Goal 4.  Growth Management Act (Chapter 36.70A RCW) Under the planning goals of the Growth Management Act included under RCW 36.70A.020, cities are required to “encourage the availability of affordable housing to all economic segments of the population” and “encourage preservation of existing housing stock”.  Increasing urban development capacity (HB 1923) The statute that provides the basis for Housing Action Plans specifically indicates that construction of additional affordable housing is a goal for this work, and that HAPs are required to evaluate and plan for projected housing needs for all income groups, and “consider strategies to minimize displacement of low-income residents resulting from redevelopment”.  Puget Sound Regional Council – VISION 2050 Regional Growth Strategy Under the Multi-County Planning Policies, the PSRC has incorporated housing affordability as a major consideration, with a commitment that “The region preserves, improves, and expands its housing stock to provide a range of affordable, accessible, healthy, and safe housing choices to every resident.” The MPPs specifically indicate the need to address housing affordable to low- and very low-income households (MPP-H-4), maintain a supply of housing to meet low-income needs that is “equitably and rationally distributed throughout the region” (MPP-H-3), and encourage homeownership with low-income households where possible (MPP-H-5). Under MPP-H-12, cities are required to identify and mitigate physical, economic, and cultural displacement of low-income households and marginalized populations, and metropolitan cities such as Everett are also mandated to “review housing needs and existing density in response to evidence of high displacement risk and/or rapid increase in employment” (MPP-RGS-7).  Countywide Planning Policies Snohomish County Tomorrow is currently updated the Countywide Planning Policies expected to be adopted by the County Council in Fall 2021. Under the draft policies, affordable and accessible