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<br /> Page 16 <br />Everett 2044 Housing Element Appendix <br />Category 2: Sensitfve informatfon <br />Obstacles to Affordability and Housing Production <br />This sectfon identffies and summarizes 15 obstacles to housing affordability and productfon in Everett, <br />drawing on findings from the Everett 2044 Drafl Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), <br />staff analysis, and stakeholder engagement. These obstacles impact delivery of market-rate and income- <br />restricted housing, partfcularly for homes affordable to low- and moderate-income households. <br />Regulatory and zoning constraints <br />Restrictfve Zoning and Use Limitatfons <br />Current zoning maps contfnue to reserve large areas for low-density single-family use, constraining <br />opportunitfes for middle housing and multffamily development. These restrictfons reduce the effectfve <br />capacity of urbanized land and limit income-diverse housing supply. <br />Design Review and Subjectfve Discretfon <br />Recent state legislatfon (2023’s HB 1293) requires jurisdictfons to replace discretfonary design review <br />processes with clear and objectfve design standards for housing development, a reform that will provide <br />predictability for applicants. Many citfes, including Everett, will need to update regulatfons and design <br />guidelines, transitfon review processes, and allocate staff capacity to align with statutory requirements. <br />Infrastructure and capital planning <br />Infrastructure Connectfon Needs for Site-Specific Development <br />While the areas surrounding future light rail statfons are served by existfng water, sewer, and stormwater <br />infrastructure, site-specific development projects must ensure adequate service connectfons. As with <br />most infill and redevelopment actfvity, utflity extensions or upgrades may be necessary depending on <br />the locatfon, scale, and tfming of individual projects. Coordinated infrastructure planning and clear <br />expectatfons for connectfon responsibilitfes are important to avoid cost or tfmeline uncertaintfes that <br />could affect development feasibility. <br />Interjurisdictfonal Coordinatfon <br />Disjointed planning efforts across neighboring jurisdictfons can inhibit regional solutfons to housing <br />needs. Lack of coordinated infrastructure investments, inconsistent regulatory frameworks, and <br />fragmented housing strategies can drive up land and development costs. <br />Financial and market barriers <br />High Development Fees and Impact Costs <br />Cumulatfve permitting fees, system development charges, and utflity connectfon fees present significant <br />upfront costs. These costs can disproportfonately affect affordable housing projects, especially those <br />operatfng on tfght subsidy schedules or limited margins. <br />Insufficient Access to Development Capital <br />Affordable housing developers, partfcularly nonprofit and mission-driven entftfes, face persistent <br />difficulty securing competftfve financing packages. Limited access to gap financing and low-cost capital <br />impedes project feasibility and deters innovatfon. <br />Productfon Shortialls for Extremely Low-Income (0–30% AMI) Households <br />Market-driven development does not adequately serve extremely low-income households due to high <br />subsidy requirements, regulatory complexity, and long tfmelines associated with permanent supportfve <br />housing (PSH) and non-PSH units. This results in a chronic shortiall of deeply affordable housing.