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Housing
Organization of this Chapter
This Housing Chapter is divided into the following sections:
The Introduction describes the intent of the Housing Chapter and its relationship to Redmond’s vision of the future and other Comprehensive Plan chapters.
The Planning Context discusses three forces guiding Redmond housing policy: citizen input, legislative directives (including the Growth Management Act and the Countywide Planning Policies) and housing needs facing the City.
The Housing Needs section defines the most pressing housing needs facing Redmond over the next 20-year planning period.
The Housing Framework Policies, which represent general outcomes for the policies presented in the subsequent section, are divided into the following areas:
A. Neighborhood Quality Framework Policies address the need identified by Redmond citizens to continue to preserve, as well as create, high quality residential neighborhoods.
B. Affordability Framework Policies address the need to allow for an affordable, appropriate supply of homes for all members of the Redmond community.
C. Special Needs Framework Policies address the City’s role in meeting the demands for special needs housing.
D. Jobs/Housing Balance Framework Policies focus upon the link between jobs and housing in order to plan for suitable housing opportunities for current and future Redmond employees.
E. Housing Planning and Coordination Framework Policies recognize that regional cooperation is important in housing planning.
The Housing Policies are divided into the same areas as the framework policies and have a similar intent:
F. Neighborhood Quality Policies are intended to ensure that the important character and design features of existing neighborhoods are preserved and that the new neighborhoods meet Redmond’s high standards for livability.
G. Affordability Policies are designed to address housing issues associated with affordability and are divided into three sections: land use policies, development review policies and financing policies.
H. Special Needs Policies are intended to encourage creation of special needs housing options and to provide regulatory flexibility to meet these housing needs.
I. Jobs/Housing Balance Policies focus upon ways to ensure a balance between housing and jobs.
J. Housing Planning and Coordination Policies maximize the use of existing, appropriate local and regional organizations to help the City address its housing needs.
(Ord. 1847)
Introduction
ousing conditions have a direct impact upon Redmond’s quality of life. Redmond citizens place a high value on having a safe and comfortable place to live, a home that is affordable, a home located within a neighborhood that is attractive and conveniently located. These factors must be taken into consideration when planning comprehensively to ensure that Redmond’s high quality of life is maintained.
However, Redmond faces very different housing conditions during the next 20-year planning period than it has in the past. Its residential makeup changed dramatically during the 1980s, largely due to rapid urbanization in the region and the subsequent effect on the regional supply and demand for housing. Nationwide social and economic changes also played a role in shaping factors that account for housing demand, such as family size and composition, job type and mobility and inflation.
The Housing Chapter is closely tied to other chapters of the Comprehensive Plan. For example, the Land Use Chapter defines the intent and location of residential land use designations in the City. The Neighborhoods Chapter contains policies that will serve to guide the implementation of housing policies in specific neighborhoods. Policies relevant to housing in terms of the provision of infrastructure and services are described in the Capital Facilities and Utilities Chapters. A full understanding of Redmond’s housing policy and plans should include an examination of these other chapters of the Comprehensive Plan.
(Ord. 1847)
Planning Context
his section discusses three forces guiding Redmond’s housing policy: citizen input, legislative directives and housing needs. Community goals and expectations as expressed in various public forums, are described first; second, the housing goals and requirements of the state Growth Management Act and King County’s Countywide Planning Policies; and finally, housing needs facing Redmond over the next 20-year planning period are presented.
Citizen Input
Citizens have had a number of opportunities to articulate their goals for housing to Redmond elected officials and staff. Prior to 1993, public forums conducted by the City sought to obtain more general input on a wide range of issues. Beginning with the creation of the Growth Management Citizen Advisory Committee in 1992 and concluding with the development of an urban design report, Visions for Redmond, citizen input on housing became more specific.
Growth Management Citizen Advisory Committee
Redmond’s Growth Management Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) met over a one-year period to develop recommendations to Planning Department staff on issues related to growth management. Their housing deliberations focused on the question of affordability. Two general recommendations emerged from their meetings on housing:
Encourage Affordable Housing. Housing projects that meet predetermined affordability criteria should be encouraged by the City using a system of incentives that may include mitigation fee assistance, streamlining of the permit process, density bonuses and the relaxation of some site requirements.
Attention to Design. The design of new residential projects should be held to high standards, requiring the use of high-grade construction materials to create homes that are attractive to the end user as well as to members of the surrounding community. New homes should be designed in a manner consistent with the overall design of the surrounding community. Landscaping, open space, traffic patterns and parking should be the primary factors considered in new home construction.
The Committee also supported a number of specific measures designed to encourage more affordable housing ownership opportunities and low-income rental opportunities in the City. These measures included: minimum density zoning; selective upzoning of residential areas; inclusionary zoning; revising site requirements, and contributions of public funds and land in support of low income housing. All of these measures were supported by the Committee under the condition that none of them impact the character and design of existing residential neighborhoods.
Visions for Redmond Design Workshop
Community Forum #5 (The Future of Redmond: Managing Growth) included a follow-up urban design workshop during which citizens expressed their design preferences through a “video image survey” and a community modeling exercise. The results of the design workshop are described in Visions for Redmond (May 1993).
Participants in the workshop consistently stated that landscaping, open space and trees are the most important design features of residential neighborhoods. Tree-lined streets or planting strips separating the sidewalk from the street were some of the images most positively rated in the survey.
Citizens also preferred multifamily designs that included trees and landscaping, pedestrian amenities, variety in terms of building design, structures that fronted streets and smaller scale structures. Duplexes, townhomes and apartment buildings that incorporated these design elements all received positive ratings in the design survey. These elements also were important in the way participants rated single-family design options.
Legislative Directives
The Growth Management Act
The Growth Management Act (GMA) requires jurisdictions to set targets for affordable housing and to establish plans for meeting those targets. Jurisdictions must demonstrate, in specific terms, how they plan to meet GMA goals for affordable housing. Overall GMA planning goals for housing are the following:
Ensure housing for all economic segments of the population of this state; participate in making available a fair share of affordable housing, including affordable housing for people with special needs; promote zoning classifications which allow a variety of residential densities and housing types; encourage preservation of existing housing stock, and assure that housing complies with local, state, and federal fair housing laws. [RCW 36.70A.020(4)]
The GMA also encourages the use of innovative land use techniques to enhance affordable housing opportunities including “...density bonuses, cluster housing, planned unit developments, and the transfer of development rights” [RCW 36.70A.090].
King County Countywide Planning Policies
In addition to reaffirming the housing goals set forth in the GMA, Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs) for King County establish specific goals for: (1) maintaining a balance between affordable housing and lower-wage employment, (2) improving the coordination between affordable housing plans and plans for transportation facilities and human services, and (3) ensuring that the infrastructure needs of new housing development are planned for and met.
The CPPs also require that cities take the following specific measures to address affordable housing needs:
▀ Establish minimum density zoning;
▀ Remove regulatory barriers to affordable housing;
▀ Identify housing that may be lost to redevelopment, deteriorating housing conditions or public policies or actions;
▀ Develop strategies to preserve existing low income housing where feasible and to provide relocation assistance to displaced low income residents;
▀ Adopt incentive programs to encourage the development of low-cost housing.
In accordance with the requirements of the GMA, the CPPs require that Redmond establish 2012 household growth projections and that these projections be consistent with zoning and infrastructure plans developed by the City. The CPPs also establish targets for the provision of affordable housing for all local governments in King County. The CPPs maintain that housing plans for Redmond must be designed to meet at least two targets:
▀ At least 17% of projected housing unit growth must be at a price affordable to moderate income residents (50% – 80% of King County median income); and
▀ 24% of projected housing unit growth must be at a price affordable to low- income residents (below 50% of King County median income).
In terms of meeting the requirements of the CPPs, Redmond’s responsibility will be to demonstrate that the City’s adopted Comprehensive Plan meets the housing requirements of the CPPs, including the affordability targets described above. For the targets in particular, the City must be able to demonstrate that, given anticipated market conditions for housing, Redmond’s housing policies will allow for the development of sufficient units to meet the CPPs low- and moderate-income targets.
Over the last decade, market conditions and existing plans in Redmond have been successful at meeting the CPPs’ 17% target for moderate-income units. Market conditions and existing plans, however, have produced low-income units at well below the 24% target set by the CPPs.
(Ord. 1847)
Housing Needs
his section defines the most pressing housing needs facing Redmond over the next 20-year planning period: preserving and creating neighborhood quality, ensuring that housing is affordable to Redmond residents, ensuring that housing plans and the demographic characteristics of the City remain consistent and working to provide appropriate housing opportunities for persons working in Redmond. Housing policies presented later in this chapter are designed, in part, to meet these four needs.
Neighborhood Quality
During citizen forums, Redmond’s residential neighborhoods have been identified as one of the most desirable characteristics of the City. Citizen input often focused on the need to preserve the quality of existing residential neighborhoods. As new development occurs in the City, the challenge will arise to create quality residential neighborhoods.
Preserving Neighborhood Quality
Changes will take place in all residential neighborhoods over the next 20 years. Redmond citizens articulated the need for the City to use policies and standards to ensure that change does not result in the deterioration of neighborhood quality.
Change will take place as new housing is introduced into existing neighborhoods. Over the next 20 years, most existing neighborhoods will see some increase in densities. As new homes are built in these neighborhoods, it will be the City’s responsibility to ensure that:
▀ The scale and design of new homes remains compatible with the surrounding neighborhood;
▀ Quality open space and landscaping remain important components of site planning;
▀ Parking standards result in acceptable levels of on-street parking;
▀ Public facilities, such as parks, are adequate to meet any increase in demand;
▀ Public and private spaces are designed to address personal safety concerns.
Redmond residents have expressed the concern that new development on the periphery of existing neighborhoods may impact neighborhood quality. In this situation, the City’s responsibility will be to ensure that appropriate transitions exist between different land uses. Transition areas may be in the form of open space or graduated uses that separate less-intense from more-intense land uses.
Creating Neighborhood Quality
Change also will mean that new neighborhoods will be developed in the City. New neighborhoods most often will occur as redevelopment takes place in Redmond’s commercial centers and as undeveloped land converts to residential uses. In this case, the City’s responsibility again will be to ensure that new neighborhoods are attractive, safe and livable communities.
To meet this responsibility, City policies and standards must ensure that basic neighborhood design principles are followed. These design principles include: land use compatibility, quality open space and landscaping, adequate provision for transportation facilities, sufficient parks and public facilities, pedestrian amenities such as sidewalks, and safe public and private spaces.
Affordability
Perhaps the most pressing and complex housing need facing the City will be to provide appropriate housing opportunities for all economic segments of the community. The quality of any city is defined, in large part, by whether families and individuals are able to find the kinds of housing they desire at a price they can afford. The economic well-being of a city can be stifled by housing prices that extend beyond the reach of those working in a city. Transportation plans can fail when employees are unable to find desirable, affordable homes within a reasonable distance of where they work.
This section points to two pressing housing needs facing the City:
▀ The majority of low-income families and individuals in Redmond are unable to find affordable housing opportunities in the City and, under current trends, this problem will grow;
▀ The high cost of owning a home is making home ownership an increasingly elusive goal for many families and individuals in Redmond.
While other needs related to housing affordability exist in Redmond, especially the need to ensure an adequate proportion of moderate-income rental housing as the City’s population grows, the two needs described above should be the primary focus of the City’s affordable housing efforts. The following sections define Redmond’s affordable housing needs in detail.
Affordable Housing Defined
When the term “affordable” is used in terms of housing, its meaning is relative to a specific economic segment of the population. What is affordable to a family earning $100,000 a year may be completely out of reach for a family with a yearly income of $30,000. Thus, affordability is relative to household income and household income most often is measured in terms of a region’s median household income. Median income is broken into four household income groups:
Low-Income Households: households making up to 50% of King County median income (currently $0 to $24,000 annually);
Moderate-Income Households: households with incomes between 50% and 80% of median income ($24,001 to $38,400 annually);
Median-Income Households: households at 80% to 120% of median income ($38,401 to $57,600 annually), and
Above-Median-Income Households: households making above 120% of median income (above $57,600 annually).
A home is considered affordable if no more than 30% of a household’s gross monthly income goes toward rent/mortgage and utility payments. Taxes, insurance and other related housing expenses usually are included in this percentage. This is a standard used by lending institutions, the real estate industry and government.
Using this definition of affordability together with the 1994 median household income for King County of $48,0001, Table HO-1 presents affordable rents and prices for income levels mid-way within each income category.
Change in Housing Costs vs. Change in Income
One method for assessing the affordability of housing in a community is to compare changes in the cost of housing relative to the change in incomes. The faster housing costs rise relative to income, the more difficult it becomes for households to afford their housing. This means that households must either find smaller housing units or have less income available for other needs. Census data is useful for making such a comparison.
Figure HO-1 shows changes in rents, house values and incomes between 1980 and 1990. This chart illustrates two important points. First, during the 1980s, median home values in Redmond increased significantly more than incomes (100% vs. 60%). (The median price of a home rose from $84,900 to $169,500 from 1980 to 1990. Average household income from $26,335 to $42,299.) Second, rents increased slightly faster than the increase in incomes (63% vs. 60%). (Median rent rose from $365 in 1980 to $594 in 1990).
In addition, the 1990 median rent level in Redmond was the highest of Eastside cities and almost 33% higher than the 1990 King County median rent level of $457. Overall, this information indicates that housing became less affordable in Redmond between 1980 and 1990. Similar trends were experienced throughout the Eastside and, to a lesser extent, countywide.
Another problem caused by rapidly increasing housing values is that many households are relatively “house-equity rich,” but “income poor.” Because owners have lived in their homes for many years, they have built up equity and their mortgage payments are relatively low. However, many of these households could not afford to buy the same home at its current value. Based on current actual mortgage costs, more than 1,800 houses in Redmond are affordable to families earning up to $38,400, which is 80% of the King County median income of $48,000. However, based on the potential resale value of houses, only about 400 houses are affordable to the same income levels.
This information indicates that the rapidly rising value of housing will continue to make it difficult for families, especially first-time home buyers and current home owners with low incomes, to own a home in Redmond.
Housing Availability for Different Income Categories
A second method for evaluating housing affordability is to look at household incomes and at how much households are paying toward housing expenses. Figure HO-2 shows the percent of household income used for housing expenses in different income categories. This figure shows that lower-income families pay a significantly higher percentage of income for housing, with most paying more than 35% of income for housing. Figure HO-2 also shows that higher-income families pay less than 30% of income toward housing, with most paying less than 20% of household income for housing.
The standard used by lending institutions, the real estate industry and government is that no more than 30% of household income should be used for housing expenses. On average, households in Redmond pay less than 30% of household income for housing. However, some specific income groups contribute a much higher percentage of their income to housing costs than the average Redmond household.
Figure HO-3 shows the percentage change of Redmond households in terms of different income categories between 1980 and 1990. During this time, the most significant increase among income categories in Redmond has been in the 30 – 80% income bracket where the number of households at this income level increased from 675 to 2,154. The 0 – 30% range also experienced a large increase from 372 to 804 households. Nonetheless, compared to King County, Redmond has a smaller percentage of low- and moderate-income households and a larger percentage of households earning more than 120% of median income. Since 1980, compared with countywide figures, Redmond has seen a sharper increase in the percentage of households earning 50% to 100% of median income and a sharper decrease in the percentage of households earning more than 120% of median income. Redmond still has a lower percentage of families in the lower-income categories than countywide. One factor contributing to this is the unavailability of housing in Redmond affordable to low- and moderate-income households relative to availability in the rest of the county.
This information indicates that the number of low-income residents in Redmond is low relative to other King County communities, and that low- and moderate-income families who do live in Redmond pay a very high percentage of their income for housing, making it increasingly difficult for them to meet all of their household’s needs.
Projected Future Needs
In addition to addressing the needs of existing residents, the City must plan for meeting the needs of future residents. Much of the demand for future residential growth will come from employment growth within Redmond and the region. In order to meet that need adequately there must be not only a sufficient supply of new housing, but it also must be affordable to a range of incomes. Two ways of estimating future housing needs are:
▀ Examine overall population forecasts for Redmond,
▀ Determine the amount and types of employment expected to be generated within Redmond and its immediate area.
Table HO-2
summarizes the current and projected number of Redmond households by income level. The projections are based on City of Redmond projections and the Countywide Planning Policies. A discussion of employment projections and their impact on housing is presented in the section on Population Needs found in this chapter.
The Countywide policies establish affordable housing targets for cities. Communities in King County have agreed that new housing should provide a mix of affordability that reflects the existing countywide mix of household income. Currently, approximately 21% of all households in the county are low-income and another 17% are moderate-income. This compares to Redmond’s current figures of 12% and 15%, respectively. The targets established for Redmond would bring the City’s percentage of low- and moderate-income units closer to the county percentage by 2012, as shown in Table HO-2. The targets for Redmond require that 24% of all new housing growth in the City be affordable to low-income households while 17% of new growth be affordable to moderate-income households. The projected growth numbers in Table HO-2 represent the minimum number of units at each income level Redmond must plan for by 2012.
Housing Supply
One of the most important factors that will determine the ability of Redmond to meet future needs is the availability of appropriately zoned land for development. The capacity of land to meet housing needs is determined by four factors: environmental conditions, such as steep slopes and wetlands; vacant land and the amount of land that is suitable for redevelopment; infrastructure limitations, such as water and sewer service; and development regulations including allowed densities, open space requirements and road standards.
Although zoning land for multifamily housing does not ensure that it will be affordable to low- or moderate-income households, most housing that is affordable to these households is multifamily. According to King County and Census data, almost 65% of the City’s multifamily housing is affordable to moderate-income households and another 13% is affordable to low-income households. Therefore, when evaluating whether or not the City has appropriately zoned its land to provide for local housing needs, it is important to look at the allowed mix of single-family and multifamily housing.
Countywide information also indicates that because the supply of land is decreasing, affordable ownership housing increasingly will be in the form of small-lot detached housing, semi-attached housing, townhomes and flats. Older communities may use their older housing stock, which is generally smaller and more affordable, to meet this need, but new growth areas such as Redmond will need to rely more heavily on attached housing.
To address the potential difficulty of providing affordable ownership housing, especially for first- time home buyers, new housing plans for the City should:
▀ Enable the development of higher density ownership options in the City (i.e., small lots and townhouses) and
▀ Promote more affordable single-family housing options.
In terms of the supply of low- and moderate-income housing, the most reliable assessment of the future can be obtained from Redmond’s land capacity analysis. An adequate capacity for multifamily housing will help to ensure that units affordable to low- and moderate-income households are developed. The City’s land capacity analysis estimates future residential development in terms of single-family versus multifamily units. The City’s land capacity analysis estimates that by the year 2012, Redmond will have 11,944 single-family and 14,451 multifamily homes for a total of 26,395 units. Based on the existing mix of housing, this would allow for the development of 4,346 single-family and 5,532 multifamily homes in the next 20 years (see Table HO-3).
While it is likely that many of these new multifamily units would be affordable to moderate-income households, it is also true that without significant increases in subsidies and added regulatory measures designed to reduce land and development costs, it is unlikely that developers will be able to build enough low-income homes to meet the minimum projected growth rates spelled out in Table HO-2.
Factors Contributing to Housing Cost Increases
Case studies performed by the King County Housing Partnership in its Blueprint for Affordable Housing examined the impact of major cost categories in producing cost increases for typical single-family and multifamily homes. As demonstrated in the case study summary presented in Table HO-4, land acquisition costs by far had the greatest impact on housing costs during the 1980s. Also, in each case examined, land development was the second largest cost factor. Administrative and marketing expenses also increased significantly for single-family housing. Increased construction costs were a very small part of the housing cost increase. Together, land acquisition and development accounted for almost 66% of new single-family cost increases and more than 91% of new multifamily cost increases during the 1980s.
City’s Role in Addressing Affordable Housing
The City can play an important role in ensuring that affordable housing is available to City residents. The City is responsible for establishing local land use and development regulations that can encourage or discourage a variety of housing types affordable to a range of incomes. Through its land use code and permitting procedures, the City can directly and indirectly impact several housing cost components such as land, fees, and time of development. For example, City regulations governing density, lot size, road widths, setback requirements and other site standards can affect development costs and the type of housing that is produced. The challenge for Redmond is to balance the provision of public needs (e.g., safe roads, environmental protection) and not unduly impact the cost of housing. Although City land use polices and site standard regulations can be used to affect the supply of housing affordable at all income levels, its effect will be most beneficial to moderate- and median-income households.
To assist lower-income families, the City also may play a more direct role in the housing market by establishing affordable housing incentive programs that encourage developers to create below-market rate units. Density bonuses, exemptions from impact fees, monetary assistance and land donations are examples of incentives the City may offer to encourage the development of affordable housing. Housing created as a result of incentives such as these is often targeted to meet the needs of lower- and moderate-income households.
Population Needs
A fuller understanding of Redmond’s residential population and the types of demographic trends the City has experienced recently is an important step in determining the types of housing that City policies should encourage. The types of housing encouraged by City policy should match, as closely as possible, the characteristics of Redmond residents and their residential needs.
General Population Characteristics
Three general population characteristics have importance relevance to housing plans and policies. First, Redmond’s population increased by approximately 50% to 35,800 between 1980 and 1990, with some of that growth resulting from annexations. In the next 20 years, the City expects to grow at a slower pace with the potential to reach a maximum population of 56,550 by 2012.
Second, the age of residents is low relative to other King County communities. The percentage of seniors in the overall population is well below the countywide average (7% vs. 11%). As Redmond matures, it should be expected that there will be an increasing need to meet the needs of seniors who wish to remain in the community.
Third, the proportion of married couples and children is slightly higher in Redmond than in King County overall. Figure HO-4 compares the types of households in Redmond and in King County. Even with a relatively high percentage of married couples, almost 45% of Redmond households are individuals, single-parent families and/or “non-family” households.
Special Needs Population
Special needs citizens include those people who require some assistance in their day-to-day living, such as the physically or mentally disabled, victims of domestic violence, substance abusers, people living with AIDS, youth at risk and seniors. Family living situations, institutional settings, social service programs and assisted housing all serve a portion of those with special needs.
Relative to countywide and Eastside averages, Redmond is currently home to relatively few persons with special needs. Although there may be several reasons for this, at least one reason is likely the scarcity of appropriate housing. Surveys of social service providers indicate that more families are seeking some form of assistance and three-fifths of the providers see housing as the most serious need facing their clients. For example, one agency is using housing in Seattle to house clients from the Eastside.
The City’s role in meeting the demand for special needs housing within the City is two-fold. The first role is to make funding available to social service agencies providing housing to this population. Currently, the City allocates some financial resources for this purpose through its housing trust fund and Community Development Block Grant program. These funding sources are intermittent, however, and well below the level needed to support local special needs housing efforts.
A second role available to the City for addressing the demand for special needs housing is through the City’s land use code. Based on nationwide policies and trends, social service agencies increasingly will turn to group homes and home-based care as the preferred method of housing special needs populations. Adding flexibility to the City’s land use code to allow group homes and home-based care represents a significant opportunity available to the City for meeting the demand for special needs housing.
Jobs/Housing Balance
The balance between jobs and housing in Redmond is an important factor in determining the type and affordability of housing available in the City. The quantity and types of employment available in the City can affect housing at all income levels and for all residents. Because this balance plays such an important role in Redmond, it has been separated from the discussion on housing affordability.
The purpose of linking jobs and housing is to plan for suitable housing opportunities for current and future Redmond employees. Employment forecasts and information on the types of jobs available in Redmond will help to determine the quantity and types of housing needed to meet future demand.
Employment statistics indicate a rapid increase in firms and employees located in Redmond. Between 1983 and 1993, the number of Redmond firms increased by 96% while the number of persons working in Redmond jumped by 109%.2 In contrast, the residential population of the City grew by 53% during the 1980s.3
Forecasts predict that employment will continue to outpace the City’s residential population. Employment is predicted to grow by 42% by 2012, from its current level of 40,000 to 68,500. Of this total employment growth, 51% is expected to be located in Overlake, 17% is expected to be in Southeast Redmond, and 15% is expected to be in Downtown Redmond. Residential population during this same period is expected to increase by 24% to 56,550 in 2012.4
The types of jobs available in Redmond did not change significantly during the 1980s. In 1991, 37% of total employment in the City was in manufacturing and construction, 30% in service industries, 14% in retail and 10% in wholesale trade. In 1990, compared to countywide averages, Redmond had a higher percentage of manufacturing jobs and service-related employment. It had a relatively low percentage of education and government-related jobs.
Employment and population figures used in this section indicate that Redmond currently provides 9,480 fewer housing units than are demanded by employees within the City. By the year 2012, this imbalance is projected to increase to 22,500 housing units.5 These estimates assume that a portion of the housing units located east of Redmond serve Redmond employment centers; that the average number of workers per household is 1.4; and that Redmond’s proposed residential unit count for 2012 is approximately 26,400.
(Ord. 1847)
Housing Framework Policies
ramework policies in the Housing Chapter are defined by the citizen input, legislation and housing needs presented in the previous section. Framework policies represent general intended outcomes for the implementation housing policies presented in the next section of this chapter. As with the implementation housing policies, framework policies are divided into five topic areas: neighborhood quality, affordability, special needs housing, jobs/housing balance and housing planning and coordination.
A. Neighborhood Quality
wo of the City’s roles in ensuring neighborhood quality are to provide a compatible mix of land uses in and around residential areas and to ensure that the basic elements of a well-designed neighborhood, landscaping, open space and building height, for example, are maintained and established in all Redmond neighborhoods.
For Redmond citizens, residential neighborhoods are perhaps the most desirable characteristic of the City. Creating attractive, safe and livable neighborhoods is a strong community value. In citizen input forums, Redmond residents have continually recommended that the City use policies and standards to retain high quality neighborhoods.
The framework policies presented in this section and the housing policies presented in the following section address the need identified by the Redmond community to continue to preserve, as well as to create, high quality residential neighborhoods. They also address the need to ensure a compatible mix of land uses in residential neighborhoods.
FHO-1 Existing and new residential neighborhoods in Redmond should be attractive and safe places to live, incorporating all of the qualities of well-designed, character-rich neighborhoods.
FHO-2 Redmond’s residential neighborhoods should include a compatible mix of land uses in and around new and existing residential neighborhoods.
B. Affordability
ramework policies presented in this section address the most pressing and complex housing need facing Redmond over the next 20 years: the need to ensure an affordable, appropriate supply of homes for all members of the Redmond community. In particular, these policies address the critical needs of improving housing ownership opportunities in Redmond and ensuring an adequate supply of homes affordable to low-income citizens.
While city government is not a direct provider of housing and the City can do little to affect larger market conditions that influence housing supply and demand, the City does play an important role in the housing market. In short, the City can influence the final cost of housing through land use policies, development review policies and financing policies. Policies in each of these areas will help to minimize land and development costs that are passed on eventually to the resident.
FHO-3 Redmond’s plans and regulations should allow for housing ownership or rental opportunities for all economic segments of the Redmond community.
FHO-4 City policies and zoning regulations should allow for a diversity of housing types and densities throughout Redmond.
FHO-5 Redmond’s plans and process of development review should encourage the preservation of existing affordable housing.
FHO-6 Minimum targets for supplying new residential units affordable to low- and moderate-income households should be consistent with those targets called for under King County’s Countywide Planning Policies.
C. Special Needs Housing
edmond’s population includes persons with special housing needs. Special needs citizens require some assistance in their day-to-day living, such as the physically or mentally disabled, victims of domestic violence, chemical dependents, people living with AIDS, youth at risk and seniors. Family living situations, institutional settings, social service programs and assisted housing all serve a portion of those with special housing needs. Surveys of social service providers indicate that more families are seeking some form of housing assistance; three-fifths of the providers see housing as the most serious need facing their clients.
The City’s role in meeting the demand for special needs housing in the City is two-fold. The first role is to make funding available to social service agencies providing housing to this population. Currently, the City allocates some financial resources for this purpose through its housing trust fund and Community Development Block Grant program. These funding sources are intermittent, however, and well below the level needed to support local special needs housing efforts.
A second role available to the City for addressing the demand for special needs housing is through the City’s land use code. Based on nationwide policies and trends, social service agencies will increasingly turn to group homes and home-based care as the preferred method of housing special needs populations. Adding flexibility to the City’s land use code to allow group homes and home-based care represents a significant opportunity available to the City for meeting the demand for special needs housing.
FHO-7 Housing opportunities should be available in Redmond for those with special needs, particularly for those with challenges related to age, health or disability.
FHO-8 Appropriate human service programs should be available to clients of special needs housing programs.
D. Jobs/Housing Balance
he balance between jobs and housing in Redmond is an important factor in determining the type and affordability of housing available in the City. The quantity and types of employment available in the City can affect housing at all income levels and for all residents. The purpose of linking jobs and housing is to plan for suitable housing opportunities for current and future Redmond employees.
FHO-9 The City’s housing supply should be appropriate to the needs and desires of persons employed in and around Redmond.
E. Housing Planning and Coordination
ramework policies in this section address two important realities in housing planning. First, housing needs as well as solutions to those needs pay little attention to city boundaries. Housing issues are rarely centered on a single jurisdiction; therefore, regional cooperation in housing planning is important. Second, housing conditions change over time. In order to develop effective housing strategies, it will be important to track the effectiveness of existing policies and to make periodic adjustments to policies and regulations.
FHO-10 Redmond should work with other jurisdictions to develop a coordinated, regional approach to meeting the housing needs of Eastside communities.
FHO-11 The City should establish processes for measuring the effectiveness of policies and regulations in meeting the housing needs of Redmond residents.
(Ord. 1847)
Housing Policies
ousing policies in this section address issues related to neighborhood quality, affordability, special needs housing, jobs/housing balance and housing planning and coordination. Before each policy or set of policies, a brief discussion describing the policy’s intent and rationale is presented.
F. Neighborhood Quality
reating attractive, safe, livable residential neighborhoods is a strong community value. The following policies are intended to ensure that the community preferred character and design features of existing neighborhoods are preserved and that new neighborhoods meet Redmond’s high standards for livability. For new residential development, these policies will result in the specific consideration of design elements such as landscaping, open space, lot coverage, parking requirements and building height.
HO-1 Neighborhood design considerations to ensure the compatibility of new development shall be included in City land use policies and regulations, such as site standards, landscaping requirements and building design guidelines.
HO-2 City land use policies, regulations and development review procedures shall provide for a compatible mix of land uses and housing types in and around residential neighborhoods.
HO-3 City land use policies and regulations shall encourage an appealing and reasonable transition between substantially different land uses and housing types and provide for adequate buffering for sensitive uses.
HO-4 In order to monitor design features of residential neighborhoods and to plan for future housing needs, the City shall conduct a periodic survey of housing conditions.
G. Affordability
olicies in this section are designed to address housing issues associated with affordability and are divided into three sections: land use policies, development review policies and financing policies.
Land Use Policies
Land use and regulatory measures offer a unique opportunity for the City to influence the quality and supply of affordable housing without any direct use of public resources. The policies in this section are designed to: (1) reduce the cost of land, (2) minimize land improvement costs and (3) reduce building costs. According to the Blueprint for Affordable Housing, produced by the King County Housing Partnership, land use techniques represent the most important measures available to local governments for encouraging affordable housing.
Land use polices, however, have a limited range of benefit. They can be very effective in reducing housing costs for renters and buyers in the moderate- and median-income brackets. Redmond’s land use policies, in particular, are designed to address the City’s need for affordable ownership opportunities in these income ranges. But land use policies by themselves will have little impact on Redmond’s other critical housing need: affordable rental opportunities for low-income households and persons with special needs.
Development Capacity
Ensuring that the residential development capacity of the City keeps pace with projected growth is an important step in planning for affordable housing. The Growth Management Act requires that local jurisdictions adopt plans capable of accommodating 20-year growth forecasts. In addition to monitoring its own development capacity and growth, Redmond also should work with King County and other Eastside jurisdictions to ensure that the region as a whole is capable of absorbing expected increases in residential population.
HO-5 The City shall zone sufficient buildable land, create sufficient usable development capacity and allow for an appropriate mix of housing types to accommodate Redmond’s projected share of King County population growth over the next 20 years. The mix of housing types allowed by the City should be designed to meet the affordability targets for new development established for Redmond.
HO-6 The City should work through regional housing agencies and bodies, or with individual jurisdictions, such as King County, to ensure that adequate development capacity exists in the region to accommodate expected residential growth.
Low-Moderate Density Zoning
Allowing for affordable housing opportunities in primarily single-family neighborhoods can serve the housing needs of families at a wide range of income levels. Alternative housing types such as duplexes, accessory dwelling units, small lot single-family homes, zero lot line development and townhomes are effective techniques that can be used to supply affordable housing. These housing types can be especially effective in meeting the ownership housing needs of families in the City. The Land Use Chapter describes the range of zones to be used for low-moderate density zoning to be four to six units per acre. Zones allowing for six units to the acre can incorporate effectively some of the alternative housing types described above. Design and land use compatibility are critical factors to consider when allowing for the use of these techniques.
HO-7 Promote the development of housing at six units to the acre. The City’s land use code should allow alternative housing techniques needed to meet the development capacity of these zones.
HO-8 Ensure that new housing approved at six units to the acre is consistent with the character of surrounding land uses or, in the case of newly created neighborhoods, that new housing results in the creation of attractive, safe places to live.
Moderate-Density Zoning
Allowing for the creation of new neighborhoods with high single-family densities and low multifamily densities is one of the City’s best tools for encouraging the development of affordable ownership housing. The intent of moderate-density zoning, as defined in the Land Use Chapter, is to create new, distinct neighborhoods with densities ranging from eight to 18 units to the acre. Much of the City’s need for affordable ownership housing is due to a past reliance on lower density zones, resulting in higher land costs, and higher density zones that supplied primarily stacked apartments. Moderate-density zoning creates a middle range within which alternative housing techniques such as multiplexes, townhomes, small lot single-family homes and zero lot line development may be developed at a price affordable to many Redmond residents and employees.
HO-9 In an effort to encourage affordable housing ownership opportunities, promote the development of housing at eight to 18 units per acre. Housing at these densities shall be sited so that the impact on already established neighborhoods is not significant. The City’s land use code shall promote alternative housing techniques needed to meet the development capacity of these zones.
HO-10 Ensure that new housing approved for zones ranging from eight to 18 units per acre results in the creation of attractive, safe places to live.
High-Density Zoning
Downtown Redmond and Overlake will supply most of the City’s higher density housing over the next 20 years. Housing developed in these areas may result in housing opportunities for moderate-income groups and, if subsidies and incentives are present, lower-income households. New high-density zones outside of Downtown and Overlake, where transit service is present and surrounding land uses are compatible, may also be used to a limited extent to meet the City’s housing needs for these groups. High-density zoning outside of Overlake and Downtown should range between 20 and 30 units to the acre.
HO-11 New housing at densities higher than 20 units per acre should be sited in the City Center or Overlake neighborhoods. Rezone proposals at densities from 20 to 30 units per acre for sites outside of City Center and Overlake may be considered in cases where new units proposed for these zones will be affordable to low- or moderate-income households, where proposed sites are near appropriate services and infrastructure and when proposed sites meet the designation criteria of LU-119.
New Residential Zones
Land currently zoned for heavy industrial, light industrial, business park or commercial uses may be suitable for rezoning to residential. This land may be rezoned to allow for greater residential uses or rezoned for residential uses only. As the population of Redmond grows, converting industrial, manufacturing and commercial land to moderate- or high-density residential uses may be an effective means of meeting the housing needs of Redmond residents and employees. Any conversion such as this should weigh the benefits of creating new housing capacity with the economic effects of lost commercial capacity.
HO-12 Through neighborhood plans for business areas, evaluate opportunities for converting non-residential zones to residential zones when land is suitable for residential development and when such a conversion is appropriate to meet the housing goals of the City.
Mixed-Use Housing
Providing the housing market with flexibility in the supply of housing by allowing housing in Business Park and Commercial zones of the City can serve to add an appropriate mix of land uses to single-use areas and to increase housing opportunities in the City. Land use regulations and site standards help to ensure that residential uses do not serve to displace primary uses, that stand-alone residential structures are not created in Business Park zones and that housing remains separated from clearly incompatible uses.
HO-13 As part of each update of Redmond’s Comprehensive Plan, evaluate opportunities for allowing residential uses in Business Park and Commercial zones of the City.
Minimum Density Zoning
Current zoning regulation in Redmond establishes a maximum density which new residential development may not exceed. Minimum densities would set a lower density limit for new residential development. For example, a subdivision with a maximum allowed density of six units per acre could also face a minimum density requirement of four units per acre. The subdivision then would be required to be built at between four and six units to the acre. This would ensure that new development approaches the planned capacity for an area, which in turn helps to minimize land costs. Although the built-out capacity of many residential zones in Redmond is significant enough to provide many additional housing opportunities, some zones have developed at less than their potential capacity. All jurisdictions are required to adopt minimum density policies and regulations under King County’s Countywide Planning Policies (Policies FW-2, LU-17, and LU-51).
HO-14 New residential development shall be at a density equal to or greater than 80% of the permitted maximum density for the area in which new development is located. This provision shall apply to all new residential development with the exception of actions resulting in the division of single lots into two. Density shall be calculated based on the net acreage, excluding floodways, Class IV Landslide Hazard Areas, Type I Wetlands, streams, floodways, parks, access corridors, streets, steep slopes and other areas where land is restricted by sensitive area provisions of the Community Development Guide.
Maximum Density Zoning
Maximum allowable densities are often calculated based upon net acreage. Once sensitive areas and access corridors are subtracted from the gross acreage, maximum densities are determined based upon the net buildable area. The calculation of maximum densities based on gross area will have no impact on site standards or the preservation of sensitive areas. In some cases, using gross acreage to calculate maximum density may result in clustering.
HO-15 Maximum allowable densities for any residential zone shall be based on gross site acreage.
Fairshare/Incentive Zoning
One means of increasing the supply of affordable units in Redmond is through the use of provisions and incentives that result in a portion of total units being priced at levels affordable to low- and/or moderate-income households. This technique may be used to produce affordable rental or ownership housing. Developers and builders may meet this fairshare provision by providing affordable units on-site, off-site or by contributing money or buildable land to a housing trust fund. In exchange, developers/builders would be able to choose from a variety of incentives and bonuses intended to minimize or eliminate any costs to the developer/builder associated with the provision of below market-rate units. Incentives and bonuses that would be part of this program include, but would be not limited to: expedited permit processing, density bonuses, some flexibility for affordable unit size and type, and partial or full development fee waivers. Depending on the project, these incentives and bonuses may be extended to include, but would not necessarily be limited to, relief from site standards and partial or full impact fee exemptions for affordable units.
HO-16 New housing development should contain or otherwise provide for a reasonable portion of affordable housing. Incentives and bonuses intended to minimize or eliminate any costs to the developer/builder associated with this requirement shall be provided by the City.
HO-17 For rezones resulting in an increase in allowed residential density, the City may require that a portion of the added housing capacity be provided at prices affordable to low- and moderate-income housing.
Accessory Dwelling Units
Accessory dwelling units can help to meet the need for low- and moderate-income housing by opening up surplus space in single-family homes. Income received from accessory units also may help home owners with limited incomes, such as seniors, to pay their housing bills. Redmond has allowed accessory dwelling units in single-family zones since 1990. Between 1990 and 1993, only a few accessory units had been permitted in the City. Cities with similar accessory dwelling unit provisions report that these units increase in number when regulatory conditions and procedural requirements are minimized. Examples of measures that can result in some increase in the use of accessory dwelling units include: eliminating the need for conditional or administrative permit approval, allowing detached as well as attached accessory units, requiring owner-occupation of either the primary or accessory unit and allowing some modification in the single-family structure.
HO-18 Allow for the development of accessory dwelling units for single-family residences. Owner-occupation shall be a requirement of either the primary or accessory unit; accessory units may be either attached or detached from the primary unit; a limitation shall be placed on the size of the accessory unit relative to the primary unit, and accessory units shall include a provision for off-street parking.
Clustering
One technique available for reducing housing development costs is clustering. By clustering units together instead of dispersing them throughout a site, costs for street, water, sewer and building may be reduced. Clustering also can be effective in protecting sensitive areas and natural resources. The Land Use Chapter includes a policy that guides the siting of clustered units on environmentally sensitive sites.
HO-19 On-site density transfers, or clustering, shall be allowed in all residential zones of the City through the subdivision process or planned residential development process. When clustering is used, the resulting character of development shall be consistent with the character of surrounding development.
Special Housing Types
Manufactured housing and mobile homes offer particularly strong future opportunities for supplying housing suitable to low- and moderate-income groups as well as seniors. Manufactured homes are pre-designed, made off-site and assembled on-site. This process helps to reduce building material and construction costs. As building technology improves, manufactured homes can be designed to closely resemble homes built on-site. Mobile homes also offer an opportunity for reduced building and construction costs as well as, in the case of mobile home parks, reduced land and infrastructure costs. In Redmond, as in many other cities facing urbanization pressures, existing mobile home parks are being faced with displacement pressures in favor of more intensive land uses.
HO-20 Allow manufactured homes where residences are permitted in the City.
HO-21 Allow mobile home parks where residences are permitted in the City.
