The City of Bellevue is updating the land use code (LUC) to comply with recent state legislation allowing for the development of co-living housing. The Co-Living Housing Land Use Code Amendment (LUCA) will update Bellevue’s LUC to allow co-living housing in all lots where at least six multifamily residential units can be built.
Background
In 2024, the Washington State Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 1998 requiring cities to amend their codes to allow for the development of co-living housing. Co-living housing is defined as a residential development consisting of individually rented, lockable sleeping units that include living and sleeping space. Residents share kitchen facilities with other sleeping units in the buildings. Other cities may use other names that refer to co-living housing including, but not limited to, congregate living facilities, single room occupancy, rooming house, boarding house, lodging house and residential suites. These cities’ regulations for these uses will vary. Bellevue staff recommend implementing co-living housing regulations consistent with minimum standards required by HB 1998.
HB 1998 requires co-living housing to be a permitted use on any lot that allows for at least six multifamily residential units, including on lots zoned for mixed-use development. The state deadline for cities to update their regulations and adopt the appropriate code amendments is Dec. 31, 2025. The purpose of the city’s co-living housing LUCA is to comply with the minimum legislative requirements contained in the bill.
What will change?
In addition to permitting co-living housing in certain areas, the legislation provides additional requirements for development regulations applicable to co-living housing. For new co-living housing developments, Bellevue cannot:
- Set more restrictive dimensional standards than those required by the state building code
- Require any parking within one-half mile walking distance of a major transit stop, or more than 0.25 spaces per sleeping unit elsewhere
- Require co-living housing to provide any set of mix of unit sizes, or to include other uses like retail within the development
- Impose stricter development standards compared to what would be required for other multifamily development in the same district
- Count a sleeping unit in co-living housing as more than one-quarter of a dwelling unit for the purposes of calculating density
Property owners choosing to build co-living housing may still opt to provide additional parking, or fewer, larger sleeping units, beyond the minimum required.
How does co-living housing related to middle housing?
In 2023, the Washington State Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 1110, commonly known as the “middle housing” bill, to expand housing choices and increase supply across the state. The bill required many cities, including Bellevue, to allow a wider variety of housing types in areas traditionally limited to single-family homes. Bellevue adopted updated code provisions compliant with the legislation on June 24, 2025.
Co-living housing is not one of the nine types of middle housing defined in HB 1110, but HB 1110 expanded the areas where six units per lot are allowed, and where co-living housing must be allowed by extension. Since adopting middle housing regulations, in addition to Bellevue’s multifamily and mixed-use land use districts, at least six units per lot are now permitted in the following areas:
- Within one quarter-mile walking distance of a regional or countywide growth center (Downtown, BelRed, Wilburton, Crossroads, East Main, Eastgate or Factoria)
- Within one-quarter mile of a light rail or bus rapid transit stop
- When at least two housing units are affordable
Bellevue is not required to permit co-living housing on properties where six units are only possible by providing affordable housing. The city council will consider this question as part of the project scope.
Co-living housing will not be permitted in areas where residential development is prohibited such as the light industrial (LI), general commercial (GC) and professional office (PO) land use districts.
Opportunities to engage
Staff will host a virtual educational information session on Tuesday, Oct. 28 from 12:00-1:15 p.m. The purpose of this information session will be to educate the community on the contents of the state law and how they will apply to Bellevue. After a brief presentation from staff there will be time for Q&A. This meeting will not cover any specific changes to the land use code. Please note, this meeting will be recorded and available on this webpage when completed.
Stay tuned, additional opportunities to engage will be posted here as they become available.
Project Timeline and Schedule
Oct. 28, 2025 Information Session
Nov. 2025 City Council Study Session (Project Initiation)