More About HB 1110

IMPORTANT NOW: Seattle is required to adopt new zoning in compliance with these state requirements by June 30, 2025. The City Council voted on May 27 to pass a City "Interim Legislation" to satisfy the state mandate. 

However, this "Interim Legislation" goes beyond the intentions of HB 1110. It also contains elements of the Mayor's more extensive One Seattle Comp Plan. It attempts to lay a foundation for the Comp Plan in advance - a plan that has not yet been agreed upon or approved.

The proposed "Interim Legislation" contains these additional elements that are not in the HB 1110 requirements:

• increased height definitions - up to 5 and 6 stories
• increased allowable lot coverage - up to 50%
• decreased allowable lot size - down to 1,250 sq. ft.
• decreased front and back setbacks from sidewalks - from (currently) 20 ft. to 10 ft., and 0 ft. on alleys.

All of these changes will have significant impact on what results on each lot and in our neighborhoods, all of our neighborhoods. They have not been agreed upon and should not be swept up in a bill that only needs to fulfill what has already been mandated by the state. (see below)

We would have preferred passing only a "clean" version of HB 1110 to comply with the state requirements and deadline, and postponing consideration of these additional proposals when the Mayor's Comp Plan is taken up separately.

The good news is that many of our concerns will still be looked at as the process continues, and we can still have input.

See what our questions are here.

Okay, back to the original (clean) HB 1110 Middle Housing Bill (without the add-ons):

BACKGROUND: In 2023, the Washington State Legislature adopted House Bill 1110, (pronounced "HB-eleven-ten"). It is often referred to as the “middle housing” bill. 

HB 1110 requires cities throughout the state to allow a broader range of housing types (see the image below) in areas that have allowed predominantly detached single-family homes, with the aim of meeting the statewide housing crisis and make "middle" housing more available to all residents, bridging the gap between high-income housing and low-income housing. 

Specifically, under HB 1110, the City of Seattle is now required to: 

• Allow a range of middle housing types on all residential lots, including at least six of a prescribed list of nine housing types: duplex, triplex, fourplex, fiveplex, sixplex, townhouses, stacked flats, courtyard apartments, and cottage housing (see image below).

• Allow at least 4 units on all residential lots 

• Allow at least 6 units on all residential lots if 

     - located within a quarter mile of a “major transit stop” or 

     - at least two are affordable units 

• Streamline the design review processes 

• Restrict the ability to require off-street parking 

• Limit development standards that may create barriers to middle housing.

These are the types of housing that will be allowed on all residential lots. As you can see, one unit on each lot will multiply to four, five or six.

This is a mandate already passed by the state legislature and will significantly increase the amount of housing available throughout the city.