MOAR - More Options for Accessory Residences

Recipient: Oce of Planning & Community Development, Seattle's Department of

Neighborhoods

Letter: Greetings,

There are additional topics that I would like to see addressed in this study
for backyard cottages (EIS for ADUs).

Please take the following into consideration:

Given the scarcity of housing and astonishing escalation of rents and home
prices, the very minimum is to allow more accessory dwelling units into
Single Family zoning. This is a perfect opportunity to look beyond the
backyard cottage at what more we could do to solve our housing shortage.

Here are my suggestions related to the scope of the EIS:

Change zone name from Single Family to Residential. Our current

Single Family has a long history of duplexes, triplexes, corner stores and
apartments, prior to downzoning, and renaming the zone removes a mental
roadblock about what residential areas are for: people.

Waive building permit fees for 5 years for AADUs and DADUs. Portland uses
this incentive to permit nearly one per day, 6 times the rate of Seattles
accessory dwelling unit production.

Use Green Building incentives similar to other permit types: Allow 10%
increase in size and height for projects on lots over 4000 SF. Allow 20%
increase for lots over 5000 SF.

Housing Opportunity Overlay. Create a ring overlay within 10 minute

walkshed of schools, parks, urban villages, arterials and frequent transit,
where additional housing is desired. Allow Residential Small Lot zoning
without MHA in Overlay. Make parking requirements for additional units
voluntary
Upgrading non-conforming housing types and uses, such as duplexes,
established before 1995. There are 4300 grandfathered duplexes and
triplexes within SF zones and they are subject to different rules such as
continuing use and limitations on expansion/upgrades. They should have
the same exibility under the code that applies to their neighbors in SF
zones.
Buffering detached houses from higher zones: If adjacent zoning is not
SF 5000 zoning, allow exible increase in height, or setbacks to help with
transition to other zones (LR, NC)

Make accessory dwelling units easier to built. Allow exceptions for handrails
and parapets over height limit. Decks over 18 and covered areas should not
count toward accessory use square footage, but should have stand alone
total. Allow separate metering of utilities. When expanding a garage/existing
non-conforming use, allow vertical expansion in line with existing structure,
rather than to setbacks. Allow extra height for at roofs when used as a
green roof.

Study using Floor Area Ratio to restrict size of development and incentivize
additional housing units. Currently we are seeing many new single dwellings
that dwarf the house that was torn down. On a 5000 SF lot, with lot coverage
at 35%, and a height limit of 30, we currently allow a house to be 5250
SF. Using a .5 FAR for single dwelling unit properties, allowing .7 for two
dwelling units and .8 for three dwellings per lot, the same property would
allow 2500 SF, 3500 SF or 4000 SF. Restricting maximum FAR will make
teardowns/McMansions less viable, put a break on gentrication, and insure
that many more housing units and options are built. FAR limitations will
create many lots with dwellings with mix of sizes and prices.

Double Ownership. Allow split ownership of lots with existing house and
new cottage, like a fee simple subdivision, provided the cottage was legally
established. Create template for condominium-like agreements to share lot
ownership between existing house and new cottage. Seattle has no starter
homes and this would create new opportunity for ownership. If we agree
ownership is an aspiration, creating more affordable options such as this
would be desirable.

Allow homeowners to qualify for small loans from Oce of Housing from
pool of MHA payments when creating additional dwellings. One of the
key criticisms of MHA is whether affordable housing created will be well
distributed, and by making the available loans applicable at residential
scale, on a parcel by parcel basis, there will be new affordable housing
integrated into every neighborhood. The other diculty most people face
when creating a DADU is securing nancing, and having an additional
source would help many owners create their own.
Comments
Name Location Date Comment

Matt Hutchins 1, WA 2017-10-20 Seattle has a housing shortage because we aren't building enough
new dwellings. If families today can't nd housing they can afford,
ask yourself how is that going to affect the city over the next
generation, if every year our land use policies put us further behind.
I support these solutions because it prioritizes nearly invisible inll
density, sprinkled across the whole city. Each is targeted to create
more options for affordable housing!

Elizabeth Mountsier Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 I believe that these are wonderful, implementable ideas to address
Seattle's housing shortage. We should be thinking 'more' exibility
not less for 'Residential' zones!

Caleb Heeringa Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 We cannot claim to be an equitable or environmentally conscious

city when $1 million+ single family homes are the only new
residences that can be added to 2/3 of our city.

Susan George Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 I wish the city would make it easier for me to rent part of my house
out. Im a senior and I dont need all of my home. I also have a
detach garage and would love to build a accessory unit above
it. Question how to fund it... I might add I have extra parking .
Broadview is a great neighborhood w/ large lots, 8,000- 15,000. The
city needs to think outside the box.

Alyce Tibbetts Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 We need more exibility in housing.

Whitney Rearick Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 This city needs more housing options! This set of proposals is a
great start.

chrystine kim Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 Single women as they age have more chance of displacement
because of having staying home with children, unequal pay scale
during working years, and less likely to re-marry.Allowing them to
have control of their nances by giving them a developerhat helps
them age in place, an important aspect for women.

chrystine kim Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 Women have more chance of displacement because of having
stayed home with children, unequal pay scale during working
years and are less likely to re-marry. Helping them maximize their
nances by giving them a developer hat helps age in place, an
important aspect for women.

James Madden Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 Seattle needs more homes to fulll our welcoming values. These
types of homes add great human scale and architectural interest to
neighborhoods.

Deena Fuller Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 Because I love my city and want to maintain its diversity - including
economic diversity.

Susan Gleason Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 Please: more affordable housing options; more exibility in housing;
more equitable zoning and land use.
Name Location Date Comment

christine coe Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 I believe this is a way to maintain beighborhood character while
increasing housing stock.

Sarah Burnett Minneapolis, MN 2017-10-20 Our city needs more affordable housing options in order to
maintain a balanced economic diversity. $500K+ houses are not
affordable by the masses.

Gloria Savitski Danville, CA 2017-10-20 Most cities are in need of these changes.

Mac McGregor Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 We need diverse solutions for our housing crisis and ways to help
homeowners afford to keep their homes.

Ketsy Nelson Tukwila, WA 2017-10-20 Because I could not get better housing due to out dates rules.

Kelly Sommerfeld Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 Given the scarcity of housing and astonishing escalation of
rents and home prices, the very minimum is to allow more
accessory dwelling units into Single Family zoning. This is a perfect
opportunity to look beyond the backyard cottage at what more
we could do to solve our housing shortage.Other comments or
suggestions related to the scope of the EIS.Change zone name from
Single Family to Residential. Our current Single Family has a long
history of duplexes, triplexes, corner stores and apartments, prior to
downzoning, and renaming the zone removes a mental roadblock
about what residential areas are for: people.Waive building permit
fees for 5 years for AADUs and DADUs. Portland uses this incentive
to permit nearly one per day, 6 times the rate of Seattles accessory
dwelling unit production.Use Green Building incentives similar
to other permit types: Allow 10% increase in size and height for
projects on lots over 4000 SF. Allow 20% increase for lots over 5000
SF.Housing Opportunity Overlay

Andrew Katz Seattle, WA 2017-10-20 It's long overdue to remove barriers to gentle-inll housing
throughout Seattle, so that more people have more options to nd
affordable places to live near great neighbors, schools, and parks.

Stefan Hampden Seattle, WA 2017-10-21 Backyard Cottages are a great typology for encouraging responsible
and contextual density in Seattle's single family zones. Current
restrictions have stymied their growth - we need to see common
sense changes made to land use code to encourage their
development.

Julie Hampden Seattle, WA 2017-10-21 Backyard cottages are an essential strategy for encouraging
responsible growth within and already established urban fabric.

Joan Weintraub Frederick, MD 2017-10-21 Need more affordable housing

Maureen Brinck-Lund Seattle, WA 2017-10-21 We need more options for today's smaller households to continue
to live in neighborhoods. Options to allow a mix of households that
includes old, young, renters and owners. Increased density to foster
improved transportation and access to services.

H. Pike Oliver Seattle, WA 2017-10-21 We need more housing option in Seattle!

Victoria McCormick Graham, WA 2017-10-22 Retirees need homes too! The back yard cottages also help students
and disabled people afford a place to live instead of on the streets
Name Location Date Comment
of our city or in cars!Respect differences! Cordially, Accessory Unit
Dweller! VMC

david rush seattle, WA 2017-10-22 I appreciate the capitol investment in the smaller city parcels that
help to deter the 'tear it down and build big' mentality currently
owing through our city.

Jill Rullkoetter Seattle, WA 2017-10-22 I want more affordable and available housing in Seattle. Let's make
it possible for young adults to rent or buy in the city in which they
were raised. Read this petition -- lots of good ideas that can help
address the housing problems in Seattle.

Hans Rasmussen Seattle, WA 2017-10-22 Seattle needs more housing and living opportunities. This is a moral
and pragmatic imperative. Ideas like these would provide more
tools and opportunities to ll that need. Our policy visions need to
match the scale of the problem. 50k units in 10 yrs is a start, but
doesn't go far enough when looking at population growth trends
and projections, and the low carbon footprint unique to habitation
in Seattle.

Gale Myles Seattle, WA 2017-10-23 I believe in tiny houses.

Scott Alspach US 2017-10-23 We need a denser more walkable city. Increasing the types of
housing allowed is a great step towards that!

Linda Hoedemaker Seattle, WA 2017-10-23 I believe in urban density.

Shelley Minden Seattle, WA 2017-10-23 Please support backyard cottages.

Julia Derby Seattle, WA 2017-10-23 This is a way to protect my neighborhood from new McMansions or
big condos . I want to retain the neighborhood feel.

Robin Moore-Slater Seattle, WA 2017-10-23 This is a better answer than most of HALA brings forth. When
former mayor decided to benet the developers, then the
developers over-reached, and the communities got left out. This will
help redress that.

Ediane Farren US 2017-10-24 Single-family dwellings are precious

Aileen Nuhfer Summerville, SC 2017-10-24 I think this is a problem in every state. We should make this an all
aware petition. Every state should look at this problem. You go
Seattle! Let's spread the word.

Victoria McCormick Graham, WA 2017-10-25 Do you know how to save a life?

Eric Aderhold Seattle, WA 2017-10-25 I strongly support nine of the ten recommendations on here.
They're very common-sense ways to make for a more equitable
distribution of housing in Seattle's residential zones.I do take issue
with the idea of reducing the maximum single-family house size. I
believe that simply opening up the option to build more units on
a currently single-family lot will be transformative. I believe that
prohibiting a few rich people from building a big new house is not
necessary to achieve this goal, and it is also unnecessarily divisive.

Lindsay Stewart seattle, WA 2017-10-25 we need housing options- not hard to understand.
Name Location Date Comment

GayLee Kilpatrick Olympia, WA 2017-10-26 This is a perfect way to address the needs of single or childless
couples who don't need the excessive space of a multi-bedroom
house!

Raven Campbell Seattle, WA 2017-10-26 We need more inll options. This is all very sensible.

Otis Blanchard Seattle, WA 2017-10-27 I'm tired of this generational warfare going on. I was discussing
with two other professionals, with 4 bachelors, 1 MS in Computer
Science, 1 PhD in Cell Biology and two patents between us. The
thought of owning a house in Seattle is out of the question for the
married couple where one has a PhD's and the other has MS in
Computer Science. Seattle homeownership is only for inherited
wealth and startup company owners? The rest of us are priced out!
The generational warfare is insane!

John Clary Garland, TX 2017-10-27 I have lived in places where they allowed them, and they are great
for retired couples and singles.

Matt Hutchins 1, WA 2017-10-27 thanks for still signing Eric. 9 out of 10 isn't bad!

Jessica Letaw Ann Arbor, MI 2017-10-27 I believe part of human decency and civilization lies in housing as
many people as possible.

Brooke Brod Seattle, WA 2017-10-27 Seattle urgently needs to expand access to housing to meet the
needs of families, the unsheltered, seniors, working people, and
more. Without creating more opportunities for inll housing we will
just put more pressure on other cities, on our state parks, on our
farmlands, and more.

Christina Ellis seattle, WA 2017-10-27 I think these are all great ideas to help make our city more
affordable for all people!

Jean Jones US 2017-10-27 Hey,After seeing an ad for the opponent of Jenny Durkan for
mayor, I have decided to vote for Jenny Durkan.Jenny Durkan's
opponent actually says in her second selling point under
"homelessness": "prevent evictions".I
will therefore be voting for Jenny Durkan for mayor because it is
already too dicult to get a rogue tenant or squatter out. Jenny's
opponent's selling point would make it impossible.Imagine forcing
a tenant to stay--no move-out or, even the way it is for us owners
now, insisting they can only leave for one of 18 reasons.Jenny
Durkan makes no such threats as her opponent does, and seems
the safer choice.

steven lynch Rangeley, ME 2017-10-28 I live in just such a tiny house that is affordable for me.

Peter Mclaughlin Danvers, MA 2017-10-28 I lived in Seattle and loved it there. anything to help

Annamalai Bowie India 2017-10-28 Just for Steve !

pat mcewen Lillooet, Canada 2017-10-29 This is just good common sense for downsizing seniors - for young
families pay off the mortgage. I support this proposal!

Norah Willett Seattle, WA 2017-10-30 People who make less than six gures are being forced out of
Seattle due to not being able to afford housing. It isnt right that
Name Location Date Comment
most workers should be forced out if they dont want to be . Seattle
was always a city with people of all different income levels. Sure,
some areas were more upscale, but not the entire city.

Jessica Wilson Windsor, Canada 2017-10-30 IN support

Will Greene Tempe, AZ 2017-10-30 This is the rst (and very easiest) step to a more walkable, dense,
and environmentally sustainable city. Please dont give in to the
exclusionist NIMBYs.

Dewey Potter Seattle, WA 2017-10-31 These actions are long overdue.

Frith Barbat Seattle, WA 2017-10-31 If we'd been able to put a backyard cottage in our garden, I might
still own our home. As it is, we had to sell, and now pay over
$4000/month between two divorced parents, to house us and our
son.

carolyn kinch Coupeville, WA 2017-11-01 Everyone deserves a safe, affordable refuge to replenish Body &
Soul..

Cary Westerbeck Kenmore, WA 2017-11-01 It's vital that we bring back a variety of housing in our city, and
change single family zones to residential zones. Missing middle
housing is critical to making a vibrant, livable city. Additionally,
parking should never drive what can be built in a rapidly growing
city.

Kirsten Murray Seattle, WA 2017-11-01 I care about affordable housing in our community

Elizabeth Campbell Seattle, WA 2017-11-01 Support expanded DADU option for personal reasons, need space
for dependent family member

nic rossouw seattle, WA 2017-11-01 It is a good proposal

Bryan Louisell Brattleboro, VT 2017-11-01 Adu's can provide additional income, smaller footprints, higher
density, more revenue, multigenerational living, less sprawl, less
trac, and lessen the environmental impact of the alternatives

Melissa Curit Otiseld, ME 2017-11-01 Safe and affordable housing should be accessible to all. DADUs
are a good solution for those who need to downsize, or need an
affordable option to housing.

Ryan Packer Seattle, WA 2017-11-04 Not increasing housing options like this is NOT an option.

Li Blalock San Antonio, TX 2017-11-05 I support this petition. Make housing and affordable. What the
greedy and smug wealthy derailed can be undone. They are doing
the same thing in California. Don't break laws; bend them. Every
level of Government has a door, from Federal on down. Find it. It's
there.

Lee Goldman Seattle, WA 2017-11-06 I want to see more diverse forms of development in SF zones

Angelica Spates Burien, WA 2017-11-13 We need affordable homes for everyone

Name Location Date Comment

Devin Glaser Seattle, WA 2017-11-13 Just spent the weekend in Beacon, NY in a backyard cottage. It was
warm, welcoming, and a beautiful place to stay. Seattle needs more
housing options like this.

Mary Thompson Tacoma, WA 2017-11-13 I live in University Place and have such a unit. It is attractive and
affordable. Units like mine can prove to be affordable and attractive
for Seattle.

Anton Babadjanov Seattle, WA 2017-11-13 We need to share the city.

Matt Lowe Boston, MA 2017-11-14 Seattle needs more common sense housing options!

Andy McConnell Seattle, WA 2017-11-15 Ive been a proponent of density rather than sprawl for years. We
set up urban growth boundaries years ago, here is our opportunity
to tackle density in more ways than knocking houses down and
replacing them with skinny, double talls. Please make it easier to
permit DADUs and ADUs....

Shannon Parks-Beck Seattle, WA 2017-11-15 Housing in Seattle needs a thoughtful, multi-prong approach. Lets
gure this out.