With the cost of renting or owning housing in Bellevue rising faster than income for many in the region, housing is not affordable to a significant portion of the population. The City Council recognizes that it is critically important to provide a safe, healthy and affordable place to live for people of all income levels to sustain Bellevue’s livability and economic vitality.
The city works to facilitate affordable housing with a program that includes an affordable housing strategy adopted in 2017. This program supports a healthy housing market in the city that:
- Provides affordability across a range of incomes mirroring our population and workforce;
- Provides a variety of affordable housing choices that meet the needs of our community including:
- Young persons in college or just entering the job market;
- First-time home buyers or new employees who are ready to purchase a home;
- Our aging population, especially those on fixed/limited income, who wish to remain in the community; and
- Families that want to keep their children in Bellevue schools.
- Preserves the integrity of single-family areas while considering, through the neighborhood planning process, housing that can accommodate a wider spectrum of needs, and foster ongoing investments by individual homeowners.
City Council and Community Engagement Updates
City Council Updates
Date | Meeting or Action Taken | Links |
12/14/2020 | C-1 and Privately Initiated 2020 Comprehensive Plan Amendments: Council Action | |
12/14/2020 | House Bill 1590 funds: Initiate work program | |
11/16/2020 | C-1 and Privately Initiated 2020 Comprehensive Plan Amendments: Study Session |
|
10/12/2020 | House Bill 1590 funds: Resolution to enact | |
10/5/2020 | Affordable Housing Strategy Update | |
7/20/2020 | C-1: Initiate work program for Affordable Housing Strategy Action C-1 | |
7/20/2020 | ARCH HTF: Projects recommended for funding by the ARCH Executive Board (3/9/2020 Study Session) | |
03/09/2020 | Affordable Housing Strategy Update | |
10/21/19 | MFTE: Council extension of the Multifamily Tax Exemption Program | |
10/14/19 | Affordable Housing Strategy: Implementation Briefing | |
3/4/19 | Affordable Housing Strategy: Implementation Briefing | |
2/12/18 | Initial Conversation: Affordable Housing Strategy Action C-1, increasing development potential for affordable housing on properties owned by public, nonprofit, and faith-based entities. | |
2/5/18 | Consent Agenda: Updating the Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) |
|
1/8/18 | Discussion: Updating the Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) to increase participation by developers in new housing |
|
11/13/17 | Discussion: Updating the Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) to increase participation by developers in new housing |
|
8/7/17 | Discussion: Affordable Housing Strategy implementation program, timelines, guiding principles, and public engagement framework |
|
12/12/16 | Discussion: Affordable Housing Strategy project timeline and potential actions |
|
9/6/16 | Discussion: Update on Affordable Housing Strategy development and seeking input on next phase of project | |
7/11/16 | Discussion: Update on Affordable Housing Strategy development | |
3/21/16 | Discussion: Update on Affordable Housing Strategy development | |
3/15/16 | Discussion: Update on Housing needs assessment | |
12/14/15 | Discussion: Update on Affordable Housing Strategy development |
Other Community Engagement & Updates
Date | Meeting or Action Taken | Links |
01/13/2021 |
Planning Commission: Housing Land Use Code Amendments (LUCAs) LUCA Public Hearing to allow ADUs in new construction LUCA Public Hearing to allow Unit Lot Subdivisions in MF districts LUCA Study Session to lower residential parking requirements near frequent transit |
|
01/05/2021 | EBCC Public/Courtesy Hearing: Affordable Housing Strategy C-1 and 2020 Proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendments. |
|
11/17/2020 | Human Services Commission Update: Affordable Housing Strategy Action C-1 |
|
10/28/2020 | Planning Commission Public Hearing: Affordable Housing Strategy C-1 and 2020 Privately Initiated Comprehensive Plan Amendments. | |
10/6/2020 | EBCC Public/Courtesy Hearing: Affordable Housing Strategy C-1 and 2020 Proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendments. | |
9/24/2020 |
Affordable Housing Town Hall: C-1 Overview |
|
9/9/2020 | Planning Commission Study Session: Affordable Housing Strategy C-1 | |
9/3/2020 |
Affordable Housing Strategy Lunch and Learn: C-1 Overview |
|
6/23/16 | Community Education Forum on Affordable Housing |
Program Status & Timeline
City Council adopted the Affordable Housing Strategy in June 2017, but major implementation tasks remain underway.
Project Phase | Approximate Date |
Scoping | Late 2015 |
Visioning | Late 2015 - Early 2016 |
Feasibility | 2016 - 2017 |
Planning | Early to Mid 2017 |
Implementation | Adopted by Council in August 2017, but adoption of specific policies is ongoing |
Monitoring | Ongoing |
Council Update | Council receives updates on the progress of implementing the Affordable Housing Strategy every 6 months. Last update 10/5/2020. |
Program Documents & Background
- Affordable Housing Strategy (June 2017, PDF)
- Affordable Housing Strategy - Appendices (June 2017, PDF)
Technical Advisory Group
On April 11, 2016, the City Council confirmed the mayor's appointees to the Technical Advisory Group to provide technical expertise regarding the Affordable Housing Strategy. The TAG met for over a year, developing a framework for evaluating a range of actions to increase opportunities for affordable housing. While the Advisory Group's work is now complete, its work remains useful and is archived here.
Meetings
April 7, 2017
March 22, 2017
Feb. 23, 2017
Feb. 1, 2017
Nov. 29, 2016
Nov. 17, 2016
- TAG Agenda
- Minutes
- Summary of Survey Responses
- Draft Potential Action Evaluations
Nov. 10, 2016
July 25, 2016
- TAG Memo
- Minutes
- TAG Memo Attachments:
- Agenda
- Minutes 2016-05-23 TAG
- TAG Potential Actions List
- Bellevue Housing Resources Memo
May 23, 2016