REALTORS® Poised for Major Wins in Seattle

In Seattle, Seattle King County REALTORS® is poised for a number of wins that will unlock major housing capacity throughout the city. For more than two years, we have been advocating for a bold, housing-focused update to the 20-Year Seattle Comprehensive Plan. The City Council’s recent votes to pass the plan out of committee reflect the results of our work. Highlights include:

• 120,000 new homes over the next 20 years to accommodate more than 150,000 new jobs.
• Creation of new neighborhood centers where multifamily housing can be developed.
• Cottages: SKCR established an incentive for cottage housing development to create middle-income buying opportunities with 2-story, 1,500sf cottages on lots of 5,000sf or greater. Cottage design is generally more easily accepted in existing neighborhoods than 3-story townhouses. The amendment was sponsored by REALTOR®-supported Councilmember Saka. Sol Villareal, Immediate Past Vice President of Governmental and Public Affairs has played a pivotal role in coordinating with housing stakeholders throughout the city to build support and refine details of the proposal.
• Trees: SKCR worked with council and coalition partners to address concern from many neighborhoods about the loss of tree canopy associated with infill housing development and redevelopment.

The City is currently in the process of completing additional environmental review work needed before final passage of the legislation. Timing on the full Council vote is still being determined.

Additional housing supply policies will be taken up in a second phase of the Comprehensive Plan Update in early 2026.