Supportive and Emergency Housing Code Amendment

Land Use Code Amendment (LUCA) to allow certain types of housing and shelter intended for people experiencing homelessness in certain land use districts, as required by state law. 

Project Background - Why is this happening?

Recent amendments to state law require the city to amend its Land Use Code (LUC) for consistency. These amendments include:

• Allowing Permanent Supportive Housing and Transitional Housing in all land use districts where residential dwellings or hotels and motels are allowed; and
• Allowing Emergency Housing and Emergency Shelter in all land use districts where hotels and motels are allowed. 

Updates are needed to the LUC in order to comply with these amendments. The legislative history and other details of the state bill are available on the House Bill (HB) 1220 bill information webpage. 

What types of housing are addressed in the LUCA?

• Permanent Supportive Housing comes in many forms, but it is generally defined as housing intended for people experiencing homelessness and may have disabling physical or behavioral health conditions. This housing is always paired with supportive services that help to maintain the residents' long-term tenancy. 
• Transitional Housing is similar to Permanent Supportive Housing, but the services are meant to eventually transition residents into independent living arrangements. 
• Emergency Housing is housing with supportive services intended to address mainly the basic daily needs of the residents, such as food, water, clothing and hygiene. The duration of stay may vary between different residents. These facilities may be a first step before moving residents into more permanent living arrangements such as those listed above. 
• Emergency Shelter is a short-term place to stay for people experiencing homelessness. Services may be provided but are more basic in nature. These facilities can include overnight shelters, warming/cooling centers and day centers. 

What is changing? 

Permanent regulations consistent with state law are currently being developed for Permanent Supportive Housing and Transition Housing. 

Emergency Housing and Emergency Shelter fit within the City's existing definitions for Homeless Services Uses. Amendments to the Homeless Services Uses section of the LUC will simply include references to the state definitions of these two uses. 

Two land use districts were hotels and motels are allowed will be updated to also allow Homeless Services Uses: Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMU) and Office Limited Business - Open Space (OLB-OS). 

What is not changing?

Permanent Supportive Housing and Transitional Housing facilities in single-family land use districts are still subject to the same density and dimensional standards of the district. 

Three land use districts where hotels and motels are allowed will be updated to also allow Homeless Services Uses: Evergreen Highlands D (EH-D), Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMU) and Office Limited Business - Open Space (OLB-OS). 

How can I get involved?

Attend and provide comments at any of the upcoming meetings and public hearings with the Planning Commission or East Bellevue Community Council. These meetings have not been scheduled but will be added to this page when they are confirmed. 

Notices for the public hearings will also be published in the Weekly Permit Bulletin at least two (2) weeks prior to the hearing. 

Questions, comments and feedback can be provided to the project manager: 

• Caleb Miller, Senior Planner, Development Services (425) 452-4574 or cwmiller@bellevuewa.org