Description and Samples of Housing Policies
and Ordinances 

In order to provide adequate housing supply and variety, local governments should adopt housing measures in both the local Comprehensive Plan and in development regulations. 

The Comprehensive Plan provides the roadmap for how a community will grow over time, while development regulations are the specific regulatory provisions that govern how projects can be constructed. While a number of different housing and land use measures are important to ensure adequate variety and supply of housing, the following housing measures have been used effectively in some communities around Washington State. Each measure provides a link to further discussion and a sample policy or development regulation that can be tailored for local needs.

Comprehensive Plan Policies

Twenty year housing targets:
The State of Washington, through the Office of Financial Management, provides local governments with information on how much a community’s population will increase over 20 years.  This growth projection should be incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan so that the local government can plan for the number of housing units necessary to accommodate planned growth.  

Jobs/Housing balance:
A Comprehensive Plan policy to seek a Jobs/Housing Balance means that a local jurisdiction will provide sufficient housing for the people who work in that community. Over the last decade, lack of housing supply, variety, and increased prices have meant that workers must drive further and further from job centers to find an affordable home.  By seeking a Jobs/Housing Balance, communities are committing themselves to ensuring adequate housing for teachers, police officers, and other professionals who serve their community.

Variety of home choices:
Our clients are diverse. Some are single, some are single parents. They are high, middle or low income. First-time home buyers start their trek up the housing ladder with us or retirees downsize from the top rung of the ladder to live on the equity they have built. Whatever the case,if there aren’t affordable home choices to address different lifestyle and family needs, our job as their REALTOR® is a lot more difficult. Adopting a policy on having a variety of choices means that neighborhoods will have a variety of different lot sizes, housing sizes, and designs. 

No net loss of housing:
The number of houses planned for can be depletedby decisions made in a community.  For example, the failure to consider the amount of land used for public infrastructure, environmental buffers, or other land uses eliminates portions of land that had been planned for homes. The loss of a little land here and a little there results in less land and fewer homes than are needed, driving up home prices. A “no net loss” policy keeps a community aware that they must “make up” the housing units lost because a property originally planned for homes can no longer be developed.

Development Regulations

SEPA exemption for projects up to 20 units:
The State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) requires a lengthy review of the environmental effects of larger developments. The law allows our communities to waive that requirement for smaller developments under 20 units. If our communities use this rule, it saves on costs and encourages more affordable home choices.

Short plats up to nine lots:
Many communities only allow four lots on a short plat. Short plats also have a SEPA exemption. Recent state law passed now allows short plats of up to nine lots, if approved by the local government.  This reduces the permitting and environmental review time associated with smaller developments. Environmental review of these projects still occurs based on the types of permits needed by the project.

Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance:
Accessory dwellings are smaller housing units such as mother-in-law apartments, guest apartments (detached or attached to an existing home, and provide a lower priced housing alternative. The demand for ADUs reflects demographic changes such as more single people, and older people who need less living space.

Lot size averaging:
It allows a parcel to be divided into unequal sized lots as long as the average of all the lots sizes remains above the minimum zoned lot size. This allows a variety in lot sizes and thus a variety of home choices. The size and shape of lots can be adjusted to protect environmentally sensitive areas without losing housing units.

Cottage housing:
Cottage housing is typically a group of smaller detached structures that have private outdoor spaces like decks, but may also include shared outside space like play areas or courtyards.  The design of these small homes allows small homes (450 – 1,200 sf) to be built around a common, park-like space. Cottage housing developments provide the independence of separate structures, but with minimal yard work and maintenance.

Cluster development:
This regulation allows a development that groups homes together on parcels of land so it preserves critical areas, agricultural and forest lands and, in certain areas, rural character while providing the much needed “green space” that so many people tell us they want near their homes. The homes are less expensive because fewer roads are needed to connect the homes and it provides for a more efficient infrastructure layout.