As part of Seattle’s ambitious Housing Affordability and Livability Initiative (HALA), we assisted the City and Cedar River Associates in organizing, facilitating, and documenting 17 community workshops to identify participants’ concerns, ideas, and preferences regarding zoning revisions in several urban centers. The workshops focused on the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) policy, which proposes substantial upzoning in return for requiring developers to include or fund affordable units in their projects. These workshops were helpful to the Seattle City Council’s understanding of community needs, and the council passed the MHA legislation in 2019.
Outcomes
- Facilitated 17 meetings in neighborhoods across Seattle
- Presented technical information on proposed zoning changes and addressed questions from community members
- City Council passed MHA legislation in 2019
