Advocacy Update – August 2025
This Month in Advocacy: Seattle City Council submits amendments to the Comprehensive Plan: Public hearing September 12th
The Seattle City Council will hold a public hearing on September 12.
This is the opportunity to provide your input and voice your support or disapproval of specific amendments or policies. AIA Seattle members have provided feedback and letters to councilmembers throughout the process and will continue to engage in the legislative process. Please add your voice by emailing your city councilmembers directly, or sign up to provide public comment (remote and in-person options available).
On August 5, Seattle City Council introduced 106 initial amendments to the first phase of the Comprehensive Plan.
Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan is a 20-year vision and roadmap for Seattle’s future. The plan guides City decisions about where we locate housing, transportation, utilities, parks, and other public assets. On August 5, Seattle City Council introduced 106 initial amendments to the first phase of the Comprehensive Plan. Many of the amendments covered topics that AIA Seattle has been advocating for, like no parking requirements, additional Neighborhood Centers and greater flexibility.
Several proposed Neighborhood Centers (areas zoned for denser housing and development) would be reduced in size, including Bryant, Fauntleroy, Madrona, Wedgwood, and Ravenna, largely in response to community feedback and historic preservation concerns. At the same time, some areas like High Point could see slight expansions, and a new center is being proposed in East Ballard.
Some amendments also introduce new housing incentives to promote affordability and diversity in housing types. Proposals would make it easier to build stacked flats, expand bonuses for projects that include affordable units, and offer flexibility for social housing developers.
Advocacy Committee discusses MHA impacts
One of the goals of The Housing Advocacy Committee (HAC) is to provide a space for resource and information sharing for members. On August 14, HAC hosted Parker Dawson, the Seattle Government Affairs Manager at Master Builders of King and Snohomish. Dawson shared findings from MBKAS 2025 update to their 2021 report “The Decline of Townhomes Under MHA”.
You can join the conversation by attending a Housing Advocacy Committee meeting. The Housing Advocacy Committee typically meets once per month for one hour via Zoom (every second Thursday from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM). Meetings are open to all AIA Seattle members interested in advancing housing solutions through advocacy.
