Middle Housing
Back to News Center In 2023, the Legislature passed numerous new laws imposing new housing-related mandates on cities. In the four-county Central Puget Sound Region (King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties) cities were required to modify their comprehensive plans, and to modify their development regulations which implement the comprehensive plans.…
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Back to News Center Seattle King County REALTORS® worked with Burien’s Planning Commission and staff, and later with the City Council, on amendments to Burien’s Critical Areas Ordinance, including changes to meet state mandates by: Encouraging housing developments in residential areas across the city. Expanding the number, and type, of…
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Back to News Center Seattle King County REALTORS® advocacy in Federal Way during Q2 of 2025 focused on support for two proposed ordinances for Middle Housing (MH) and Unit Lot Subdivision (ULS). In addition SKCR connected city councilmembers with home builders and representatives of the Master Builders Association to identify…
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Back to News Center The city of Kent has undertaken its own distinctive and timely two-phase “HOUSING RE-CODE” approach in order to complete the major periodic update to its comprehensive plan, incorporate the 2023 housing-related mandates into its planning, and update its development code and regulations in time to meet…
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Back to News Center Background During the last 5 years, the Legislature has tried several different approaches to address our state’s housing crisis: Incentives Beginning in 2019, with support from REALTORS®, the Legislature provided financial incentives to cities if they made specific modifications to development regulations to quickly accommodate more…
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Back to News Center Seattle King County REALTORS® (SKCR) continues to work throughout the region to encourage cities to adopt flexible and bold comprehensive plan policies and related development regulations to encourage ADUs and middle housing in their cities. REALTORS® are encouraging policymakers to view increased housing supply through zoned…
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Back to News Center This month, Seattle King County REALTORS® has launched REALTORS® + Housing, a new website dedicated to tracking the changes to housing policy mandated by two pieces of legislation passed by the Washington Legislature in 2023: HB 1110 and HB 1337. These bills are set to transform…
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Back to News Center Seattle King County REALTORS® is working throughout the region to encourage cities to adopt flexible and bold comprehensive plan policies to not just accommodate, but encourage ADUs and middle housing in their cities, in compliance with HB 1110 and HB 1337. We are encouraging policy makers…
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Back to News Center Seattle issued 987 permits for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in 2023, twice the volume in 2020 when the city issued 482 ADU permits. Officials point to an easing of regulations in 2019 as a key factor, according to a newly released ADU progress report. The report,…
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Back to News Center “We need to take bold action to alleviate housing supply issues, ultimately helping affordability,” said Gina Madeya, 2024 vice president of governmental and public affairs for Seattle King County Realtors® (SKCR) in opening remarks at the association’s 30th Annual Housing Issues Briefing. Speaking before an audience…
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