Planning Commission Reports

A Racially Equitable & Resilient Recovery

In the face of a global pandemic and ensuing economic collapse, both of which disproportionately harm Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), Seattle must plan for a "recovery" that does not simply restore and perpetuate our city's legacy of systemic racial inequity. Consistent with the City's commitment to lead with race, and the growing acknowledgment that racism has long been a public health crisis, the Seattle Planning Commission urges the City to radically shift its practices, programs and policies. By shifting to a new paradigm that prioritizes resources for achieving racial equity, Seattle can become a place where the color of someone's skin won't predict their life outcomes, particularly in a time when the impacts of climate change will increase the risk of future shocks and stressors to our environment.

Read the full paper here

Evolving Seattle's Growth Strategy

As the City begins laying the groundwork for the next update of the Comprehensive Plan (due in 2024), the Planning Commission believes it is critical to evaluate the ways in which the current growth strategy should evolve to address persistent racial inequities. You can view the Commission's white paper, Evolving Seattle's Growth Strategy, here. 

Neighborhoods for All (2018)

Neighborhoods For All - Access the PDF here

A high quality of life, natural beauty and a growing economy continue to attract new residents to Seattle. Since 2010, the city has added more than 105,000 residents, surpassing 700,000 in 2017. One implication of this growth has been a rise in housing prices, creating an increase in the exclusivity of single-family neighborhoods. Allowing more housing in single-family zones, especially in high-cost areas, is critical to stemming the rapid increase of displacement in Seattle's most vulnerable communities.The Seattle Planning Commission advises the City Council and the Mayor on comprehensive planning issues, including land-use and housing. The strategies in the Commission's Neighborhoods For All report are a combination of short-term and long-term policy opportunities for elected officials and City staff to explore further with community involvement. 

The fundamental goal of the report is to increase housing choices by returning to the mix of housing and development patterns found in many of Seattle's older and most walkable neighborhoods. The Seattle Planning Commission has approached this work with the hope of continuing this necessary and urgent conversation about reexamining our land use policies.  Download the executive summary in English, or Español // 繁體中文 (Traditional) // 简体中文 (Simplified) // af Soomaali // Tagalog // Tiếng Việt // 한국어

You can explore a short summary version of the report's information in this Story Map.

NEW! In 2020 Commissioner Rick Mohler co-taught a studio class at the University of Washington's Department of Architecture which investigated strategies for adding more housing types in single-family neighborhoods. A PDF summary of this studio can be viewed here.

You can watch Planning Commissioners present the Neighborhoods for All Report at the August (2019) meeting of the Seattle City Council's Planning Land Use and Zoning Committee meeting. The Neighborhoods for All presentation begins at minute 1:44.  Click here to watch Seattle Planning Commission Chair, Michael Austin, speaking on a panel at the Building Opportunity For All event held by the Atlantic and Shared Prosperity Partnership in San Francisco. 

The Seattle Planning Commission released Neighborhoods for All in December, 2018, and held an event at 12th Ave Arts as part of the Report's launch. Click here to download the press release for the report's launch in 2018 (PDF)

Below is a list of engagement efforts to date: November 4, 2019
Two Planning Commissioners attended a regularly scheduled meeting of the Renter's Commission to present and discuss the Neighborhoods for All report.

October 9, 2019
Two Commissioners presented the content and concepts from the Neighborhoods for All report at a meeting of the Whittier Heights Community Council.

September 17, 2019
Two Commissioners presented the content and concepts from the Neighborhoods for All report at a meeting of the Broadview Bitter Lake Community Council.

July 9, 2019
Two Commissioners presented the content and concepts from the Neighborhoods for All report at the Admiral Neighborhood Association monthly meeting.

May 20, 2019
Commission Chair, Michael Austin, presented on Neighborhoods for All to the Seattle Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) during the Housing Transformations: Density Done Right event. 

May 4, 2019
Commissioners host a community discussion in Columbia City. Click here to see a summary of what Commissioners heard at this event. (See materials here)

April 27, 2019
Commissioners host a community discussion at the North Seattle College. Click here to see a summary of what Commissioners heard at this event.  (See materials here)

April 25, 2019
Commissioners present the Neighborhoods for All report at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Seattle's Urban Design Forum. 

April 24, 2019
A group of Commissioners meet with the Capitol Hill Renter Initiative to discuss the contents of the Neighborhoods for All report over a potluck dinner.

December 3, 2018
Commissioners launch the Neighborhoods for All report at an event hosted by 12th Ave Arts. 

Planning Commission staff have developed reference materials to support Planning Commissioners in their work. 

The Planning Commission's Short Guide to Planning in Seattle

Policy Development and Budgeting 101 - Coming soon

Principles that guide the Planning Commission's work

Family Sized Housing

The Planning Commission is releasing this white paper to further illuminate the need for more housing that is suitably sized and affordable for families with children and to encourage City leaders to establish and fund an action plan to address this need. This white paper also provides an action agenda with specific recommendations to aid the City in developing such a plan.

Click here to view the PDF. 

Housing Seattle Report

We believe that Seattle is a stronger, more prosperous city when we have a diversity of people able to live and work here.  To that end we developed an action agenda for housing in the City.  It outlines strategies to address important gaps in the housing market and disparities that exist among certain segments of the population. Report Available Here.

Seattle Transit Communities (2010)

Starting with the release of our Seattle Transit Communities Report in 2010 we have promoted a citywide transit communities strategy.  This strategy would support more inclusive, affordable, and diverse neighborhoods and help maximize investment in major transit projects by locating housing, jobs, and services close enough to transit so that more people will have a faster and more convenient way to travel. 

A Guide to Building a Backyard Cottage (2010)

As Seattle adopted policies to allow accessory dwelling units (ADU), also known as backyard cottages. The Seattle Planning Commission worked with City staff to develop a guide for those residents interested building a backyard cottage. In 2019, the City is working to revise ADU policies to make it easier for property owners to build ADU's. Stay tuned for an updated version of the Backyard Cottage Guide. 

You can learn more about recent actions related to accessory dwelling unit legislation on the webpage by the Office of Planning and Community Development, or check out the Planning Commission's letters about ADU's here. 

2008 - Affordable Housing Action Agenda

The Planning Commission believes that housing affordability is an integral part of good planning policies and essential to creating vibrant and livable neighborhoods. 

We recognize the large scale of the City's lack of affordable housing.  This report does not represent a complete solution for solving the problem, but instead presents specific strategies that would be substantial steps forward.  

Download the Affordable Housing Action Agenda here.

As a follow up piece we also released the Action Agenda Addendum which you can find here.

Housing Seattle Report

We believe that Seattle is a stronger, more prosperous city when we have a diversity of people able to live and work here.  To that end we developed an action agenda for housing in the City.  It outlines strategies to address important gaps in the housing market and disparities that exist among certain segments of the population. Report Available Here.