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<br /> Page 17 <br />Everett 2044 Housing Element Appendix <br />Category 2: Sensitfve informatfon <br />Land Cost Escalatfon and Limited Site Availability <br />High land prices in central and transit-adjacent areas—especially near Metro Everett and future light rail <br />statfons—significantly impact project feasibility. Infill parcels that are zoned appropriately are oflen <br />either too small, irregularly shaped, or encumbered by existfng structures or ownership complicatfons. <br />Lack of Affordable Acquisitfon Tools (e.g., Land Banking) <br />While land availability is a barrier, so too is the absence of mechanisms for acquiring and holding land for <br />affordable housing. Without a proactfve acquisitfon strategy or dedicated funding, affordable housing <br />providers are oflen outcompeted by private investors and speculators. <br />Unpredictable State and Federal Funding Cycles <br />Affordable housing developers oflen rely on the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), HOME, or state <br />Housing Trust Fund resources. The availability of these funds is highly competftfve and subject to <br />unpredictable biennial budgets, limitfng the ability to assemble financing in a tfmely manner. <br />Organizational and institutional challenges <br />Capacity Constraints in the Local Development Ecosystem <br />The local supply of developers, architects, and builders with experience in delivering affordable, <br />multffamily, or supportfve housing is limited. This capacity shortiall delays projects and reduces <br />competftfon, especially in the nonprofit and culturally competent development sector. <br />Historic and Environmental Constraints on Redevelopment Sites <br />Brownfields, steep slopes, wetlands, and historic preservatfon overlays can reduce the usable <br />development envelope or trigger additfonal environmental review. These constraints disproportfonately <br />affect older commercial corridors and industrial transitfon zones targeted for redevelopment. <br />Political and social context <br />Community Resistance and Politfcal Risk <br />Oppositfon from homeowners and neighborhood groups to increased density, subsidized housing, or <br />permanent supportfve housing contributes to entftlement delays, project redesign, or abandonment. <br />These dynamics create unpredictability for applicants and disincentfvize affordable housing proposals. <br />Technical and procedural barriers <br />Permitting Delays and Procedural Complexity <br />Lengthy and complex permitting processes, including redundant reviews and inconsistent tfmelines, <br />increase carrying costs and introduce uncertainty for developers—partfcularly those pursuing affordable <br />or smaller-scale projects. <br />Cost-Intensive Building Code Requirements <br />Energy efficiency, accessibility, and fire safety codes—while critfcal to occupant safety and environmental <br />performance—may increase per-unit constructfon costs, partfcularly in smaller-scale projects that cannot <br />spread fixed costs across many units. <br />