• Below are frequently asked questions about Phase 2 of implementing Action C-1 of the city's Affordable Housing Strategy to increase affordable housing capacity on faith-owned properties. Each FAQ includes brief answers and links to learn more. 

    Contact Sabrina Velarde, Housing Stability Program Coordinator with Community Development if you have additional questions or need more information about the Action C-1 Phase 2 Comprehensive Plan Amendment.

    Contact the land use review staff in Development Services if you are interested in learning more about the Land Use Code provisions related to increased affordable housing capacity on faith-owned properties.

    Here is a link to the map of 36 sites that meet the eligibility criteria for increased affordable housing capacity under the Action C-1 Phase 2 policy and Land Use Code amendments.

    Religious organizations owning or controlling property in single-family residential districts and located on the map of the 36 eligible sites can develop affordable, multifamily housing on their property. The C-1 Phase 2 Action allows eligible single-family properties to be reclassified to a multifamily land use district and receive a density bonus associated with the rezoning.

    Eligible properties were rezoned by adding an Affordable Housing (AH) suffix to their existing land use district. The AH suffix indicates the multifamily land use district available for multifamily affordable housing development when all housing units are permanently affordable. Each property's suffix was determined based on multifamily land use districts located near the property. Development proposals not fulfilling all affordable housing requirements would be limited to the underlying single-family land use district. The AH suffixes and their corresponding multifamily land use districts are as follows:

    AH-1: R-10
    AH-2: R-15 
    AH-3: R-20
    AH-4: R-30

    Development of the Land Use Code Amendment determined which multifamily land use district each eligible property would be reclassified to. A map of the 36 eligible sites that were rezoned as a part of this process can be found here. 

    Properties were required to meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for a rezone:

    • Owned or controlled by a religious organization;
    • Located in a single-family land use district;
    • Located within 500 feet of a land use district where multifamily housing or commercial uses are permitted; and
    • Located on an arterial street or located with frequent transit service.

    Eligible properties were rezoned by adding an Affordable Housing (AH) suffix to their existing land use district. The AH suffix indicates the multifamily land use district available for multifamily affordable housing development when all housing units are permanently affordable. Each property's suffix was determined based on multifamily land use districts located near the property. Development proposals not fulfilling all affordable housing requirements would be limited to the underlying single-family land use district. The AH suffixes and their corresponding multifamily land use districts are as follows:

    AH-1: R-10
    AH-2: R-15 
    AH-3: R-20
    AH-4: R-30

    • Yes, about six religious organizations have reached out to the city and expressed interest in learning more about Action C-1 and what development might be possible today and/or in the future. Some of these organizations have expressed an interest in learning more, while others are closer in the process toward proposing an actual project. The city is contacting religious organizations that own or control eligible properties to learn about their level of interest.

    • Yes, at least three religious organizations have developed affordable housing on their properties over the past 25 years. They include the following:

      • St. Luke’s Lutheran Church (2018 – 62 rental units in one multifamily housing structure),

      • Saint Margaret’s Episcopal Church (2011 – 41 rental units in one multifamily housing structure), and

      • The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection (1997 – 12 rental units in six duplexes).

    • Any religious organization that decides to develop affordable housing must adhere to Bellevue’s laws. Land use and building development codes are listed below and on the city’s Development Services Codes and Guidelines webpage.

    • Development permit applications go through transportation permit review to manage impacts to streets and rights of way during and after construction. Development review is responsible for reviewing the traffic impacts of a proposed development including those:

      • In the immediate vicinity: Traffic volumes and turning movements at the access point and their effect on street operations.

      • In the greater street system: City codes and state environmental law apply. Applicants are required to perform a traffic impact analysis, or TIA, which is a study of the potential transportation impacts of a development on the surrounding transportation system. The purpose of the study is to document the impacts and recommend on-site and off-site mitigation for those impacts.

    • Development permit applications go through environmental review to manage impacts to the environment. Bellevue City Code and state and federal laws establish environmental regulations and procedures that affect development and use of property. These regulations are meant to ensure impacts to the environment are avoided, minimized, documented and/or mitigated. Environmental review in Bellevue is usually done as part of an associated land use application. Projects are evaluated through submittal of an environmental checklist, an overview of which is provided on the city’s environmental overview webpage.

    • Impacts to schools are assessed during the environmental review process. In the environmental checklist, applicants are required to answer whether a project would result in an increased need for public services including in fire protection, police protection, public transit, health care, schools, or other services. The city regularly supports school district analyses of projected facility needs and keeps districts informed of major updates to the city’s Comprehensive Plan.