Increasing Affordable Housing Capacity on Faith-Owned Properties

Project Background

To reduce Bellevue’s affordable housing gap, this initiative created additional development capacity for affordable housing on properties owned or controlled by religious organizations in single-family districts in areas well-suited to multifamily housing, consistent with the city’s Affordable Housing Strategy Action C-1. Based on neighborhood context and affordable housing needs, staff developed a proposal for creating additional development capacity for affordable housing on sites (see map) that meet the following criteria:

Owned by a religious organization,
Located in a single-family land use district,
Located on an arterial street,
Located within half a mile of a frequent transit stop, and
Located within 500 feet of a land use district where multifamily housing or commercial uses are permitted.

See the History and Purpose section below to learn how this initiative builds upon previous efforts to implement Action C-1 of the Affordable Housing Strategy.

See our Action C-1 Phase 2 FAQs webpage to find answers to frequently asked questions.

On December 12, 2022, the City Council adopted the Comprehensive Plan amendment (CPA), which adds a note to the City's Land Use Map and two new Housing Element policies (HO-36 and HO-37). These policies provide guidance on which single-family properties are eligible for a rezone and promote informing and educating religious organizations about the opportunity to develop affordable housing. Single-family designated areas on the Land Use Map may reclassify to multifamily residential when they meet the following criteria:

One hundred percent of the housing being developed will be permanently affordable housing;
The property is owned or controlled by a religious organization;
The property is located near high-capacity transportation infrastructure and services; and
The property is located near other multifamily residential or commercial use districts.

The Land Use Code Amendment (LUCA) process established criteria and procedures for certain properties owned by religious organizations and located in single-family land use districts to be rezoned to permit permanently affordable multifamily housing. The project also included a city-sponsored rezone for the initial set of properties meeting the recommended criteria.

On June 26, 2023, the council adopted Ordinance 6743 amending Land Use Code (LUC) chapter 20.20.128 Affordable Housing to establish eligibility criteria, rezone procedures, and criteria for determining the additional capacity available to eligible properties. The council also adopted Ordinance 6744 rezoning 36 eligible sites consistent with the criteria established with the LUCA. If additional properties become eligible in the future, their owners will need to apply for a rezone. For more information related to the LUCA process, please refer to the LUCA project website.

Related Projects

Increased Affordable Housing Capacity on Faith-Owned Properties LUCA

Timeline

Schedule of Events and Actions Taken

Date	Event or Action Taken	Materials
12/6/21	City Council Action on Phase One Density Bonus LUCA	City Council Meeting Agenda Materials
5/9/22	City Council Initiation of Phase Two CPA and LUCA	City Council Meeting Agenda Materials
6/16/2022	Notice of Application	Weekly Permit Bulletin
6/22/2022	Planning Commission Study Session 1 (CPA)	Planning Commission Meeting Agenda Materials
6/29/2022	Virtual Information Session 6:30 p.m.	Presentation
7/27/2022	Planning Commission Study Session 2 (CPA)	Planning Commission Meeting Agenda Materials
8/25/2022	Notice of Recommendation, Public Hearing and SEPA Threshold Determination	Weekly Permit Bulletin
9/14/2022	Planning Commission Final Review Public Hearing (CPA) and Recommendation	Planning Commission Meeting Agenda Materials
11/14/2022	City Council Study Session (CPA)	City Council Meeting Materials
12/12/2022	City Council Action (CPA)	City Council Meeting Materials
1/2023 to 6/2023	Land Use Code Amendment Process	LUCA Project Webpage and Materials

History and Purpose

Needs Assessment, Strategy, Action C-1 Phase One

In 2016, the city completed a Housing Needs Assessment that identified a gap in Bellevue's supply of affordable housing.

In 2017, Bellevue City Council adopted an Affordable Housing Strategy, which includes Action C-1 to “increase development potential on suitable land owned by public agencies, faith-based and non-profit housing entities for affordable housing.”

In 2021, Bellevue City Council adopted a 50 percent density bonus for affordable housing developments meeting these ownership criteria as the first step in implementing Action C-1.

Certain stakeholders noted during the adoption of the density bonus that some faith-owned properties in single family land use districts have location characteristics that could support higher densities and multifamily style housing. This second phase of work identifies these properties and develops a proposal for creating additional development capacity for affordable housing on these sites.

Useful Links

What is “Housing Affordability?”

The Housing Affordability webpage describes what is meant by housing affordability generally and affordable housing more specifically. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for more detailed descriptions and definitions of affordable housing.

Affordable Housing Strategy

The Affordable Housing Strategy webpage provides an overview of the city’s strategy to increase availability and access to affordable housing in the city. To read the full strategy click here.