New Microhousing Proposal Will Boost Rents, Reduce Supply
We’ve said it again, and again, and again, microhousing is working in Seattle to create housing options that people can afford in Seattle’s hottest, most desirable, and fastest growing neighborhoods. Yet, later today (details are here) Councilmember Mike O’Brien will introduce yet another bunch of rules and regulations certain to make microhousing harder to build and more expensive for customers. You can read our full response to the proposal in a previous post, but here’s a quick summary.
- There is no need for a 220 square foot minimum, even if it is an average of all units;
- Fewer units means costs get shared by fewer people, so rent will go, for example, from $800 a month to $1,200 month;
- The proposal still requires a sink in the bathroom. Why? This just makes for more inflexibility in designing units;
- What is the basis for only allowing congregates for non-profits or universities. Why?;
- Congregates can have no more that 25% of the rooms with food prep. Why?;
- Design review thresholds are very low, we’ve proposed 40,000 square feet for full design review, and streamlined design review for everything over 15,000 square feet;
- Microhousing projects would likely trigger SEPA, increasing costs, time, and risk; and
- Why are people renting units less than 400 square feet not allowed to get a guest RPZ zone for their boyfriend, girlfriend, or family member?
Once again the City Council and DPD staff are demonstrating not just an inability to understand innovation but the seem to have an aversion to it. If something solves problem at low cost they seemed determined to kill it. And all of this is going on in the face of two different proposals to develop a comprehensive plan for housing and growth; this proposal will take a big and useful option off the table.
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