Table of Contents

Affordable Housing Programs

The city’s comprehensive plan includes a Housing chapter that sets goals and policies related to housing access, supply, diversity, construction and design, and affordability. The housing affordability policies describe the need for affordable housing development and preservation, displacement monitoring, consideration of transportation with housing costs, and employer-supported housing.

Age-Friendly Communities

The city’s comprehensive plan includes several provisions for children and older adults. Goals CW G1, CW G2, and CW G4 call for improving community well-being through placemaking, support services, and education. Policy CH-P19 calls for the development of more public spaces to serve Capitol Hill residents of all ages. A discussion of the prevalence of housing cost burden by household type reveals that elderly non-family households living in rental units are the most cost-burdened (p. 488) and justifies the repeated call for affordable housing preservation.

Creative Placemaking

This comprehensive plan identifies goals and policies that support creative placemaking and cultural spaces. Policy recommendations include increasing space for artists and arts and culture organizations, encouraging partnerships between community stakeholders and artists, and incorporating creative placemaking as a part of local area planning.   

Environmentally Sensitive Areas

The city’s comprehensive plan contains goals and policy statements to conserve environmental areas and prevent harm from potential hazards. Strategies in the environmentally critical areas component include using best available science to identify and protect an area, supporting efforts to restore wetlands and enhance ecological functions, and limiting development along riparian corridors.

Housing Supply Planning

This comprehensive plan encourages increasing housing supply and affordable options for all in Seattle, Washington. The Housing chapter sets goals and policies related to housing access, supply, diversity, construction and design, and affordability. Included in the plan is a discussion of the prevalence of housing cost burden by household type, which reveals that elderly non-family households living in rental units are the most cost-burdened (p. 488). This justifies the repeated call for affordable housing preservation.

Neighborhood Planning

The city’s comprehensive plan includes 33 neighborhood plans. Each neighborhood plan includes goals and policies covering a wide range of functional planning areas, such as land use, transportation, housing, public services, and economic development.

Social Equity

The city’s comprehensive plan establishes Race and Social Equity as a core value that informs all goals and policies. Goals T G3, CF G3, U G1, U G3, EN G5, CW G6, and CI G1, and Policies GS 1.9, GS 2.4, H 5.4, AC 2.6, CW 3.4, and CW 4.1 directly respond to race and social equity concerns related to transportation, community facilities, utilities, environmental justice, community well-being, community involvement, growth, housing, and arts and culture.