After more than three years of engaging community members in envisioning a vibrant future for the Uptown neighborhood, the Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) today issued a preliminary rezone recommendation. The proposal will result in an estimated 600 new affordable homes, neighborhood design standards that respond to community priorities, incentives for new arts and cultural spaces, improved connections to Seattle Center, and enhanced walkability in the Uptown Urban Center.
“Seattle continues to grow as our strong economy attracts new workers from across the country and around the world,” said OPCD Director Sam Assefa. “While we have done a great job of guiding that growth to our urban centers like Uptown, we have failed to grow affordably. We are implementing Mandatory Housing Affordability in Uptown, so that new development contributes to affordable housing options for low-income families.”
Over 20 years, the upzone will result in an estimated 600 new income-restricted and rent-restricted homes for low-income residents through the City’s new Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program. Under MHA, Uptown development will be required to include between 7 percent and 10 percent affordable homes in each building, or contribute between $8.00 and $29.75 per square foot to the Seattle Office of Housing to support affordable housing, depending on the specific location in the neighborhood.
