Alternative Housing Choices

Demonstration Program for Innovative Housing Design

Certain types of alternative housing not currently allowed in Seattle's Land Use Code were constructeds under a Demonstration Program for Innovative Housing Design held from 1998-2001. The ordinances that established this program, neighborhood survey results, and evaluation report are described below.

2003 Evaluation Report
DPD's evaluation of detached accessory dwelling units and cottage housing constructed under Seattle's "1998-2001 Demonstration Program for Innovative Housing Design." Published June 20, 2003

• Complete Report (1.1MB PDF)

The 2003 Evaluation Report is available by section in smaller PDF documents below:

• Cover & Table of Contents
• Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Detached ADU Evaluations
• Magnolia Detached ADU
• North Capitol Hill Detached ADU
• Green Lake Detached ADU
• Licton Springs Detached ADU Detached ADU
• Project Conclusions
• Cottage Project Evaluation
• Ravenna Cottages
• Cottage Housing Conclusions
• Process Conclusions
• Appendices (includes sample survey and results)

Printed copies of this report are available from the DPD Public Resource Center, located on the 20th floor of Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 Fifth Ave., (206) 684-8467.

Demonstration Program Ordinances
The ordinances below established and modified the Demonstration Program. They were included in the Evaluation Report's printed appendices.

• Ordinance #119241: establishing program
• Ordinance #119368: adding additional type of cottage housing developments to be tested and clarified height departure for detached accessory dwelling units
• Ordinance #119784: extending submittal period
• Ordinance #120318: extending submittal period

Neighborhood Impact Survey Results
Results of survey sent to neighbors within 300 feet of constructed demonstration projects are contained in the appendices of DPD's 2003 Evaluation Report (34KB PDF)