Pictured: AIA Seattle’s 2026 Housing Design Forum, photo by Trevor Dykstra

Advocacy Update – June 2026

This Month in Advocacy: AIA Seattle’s Housing Forum; Role of Architects in Disaster Preparedness; Seattle Faces Comp Plan Delays Due to Court Ruling; Bellevue Makes Progress on Affordable Housing

AIA Seattle’s Housing Design Forum brought together housing advocates and community

On June 1st, AIA Seattle welcomed over 140 local and national architects, contractors, engineers, urban designers and planners, policymakers, elected officials, landscape architects, and advocates for a day of learning and discussion at the National Nordic Museum for Getting to Abundance: Unlocking the Future of Housing. In conversations around policy, practice, and design, panelists emphasized the credibility and consistency of AIA Seattle’s engagement on housing affordability issues. Stay tuned for updates in the months ahead for access to recordings of this event.

AIA urges immediate action on disaster planning and FEMA reform

AIA is leading the charge to engage architects in disaster preparedness. This month, AIA has taken a number of actions to raise awareness at the local level: launching its Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Commitment, a voluntary commitment for firms to invoke action toward disaster risk reduction and resilience in design of the built environment; announcing the publication of an associated cities report at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 94th Annual Meeting; and sending a letter to governors urging them to engage architects trained in disaster assistance and preparedness.

At the federal level, AIA is urging Congress to pass H.R. 4669, which would make the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) a standalone, Cabinet-level agency outside the Department of Homeland Security and better prepare communities for extreme weather events. AIA’s letter to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure highlights that the bill “aligns directly with AIA’s advocacy priorities and with architects’ ethical obligation to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.”

Seattle environmental review challenges will significantly delay Comprehensive Plan updates

A new ruling released on June 1 reopens the environmental review of Seattle’s comprehensive plan, delaying implementation for several months or more. The Court of Appeals found that King County Superior Court and the City of Seattle hearing examiner

were too quick to dismiss a challenge to the plan’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). The ruling identified a loophole that explicitly allows administrative appeals to the hearing examiner.

Councilmember Eddie Lin said in the Land Use & Sustainability Committee on Wednesday that the next phase of the Comprehensive Plan “will be significantly delayed” as a result of these rulings. The Centers and Corridors legislation, which has already had one public hearing, will not be implemented until late 2026 at the earliest. He recently introduced legislation that would address the loophole by streamlining State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) processes and removing administrative appeals to the hearing examiner. However, the timing of this bill means that it will not impact the Court’s ruling.

Hearings on the Centers and Corridors legislation planned for July and August will likely be cancelled. Earlier this month, the full Council passed the Housing Opportunities legislation in a 9-0 vote, upzoning areas of Belltown, Downtown, Fremont, Madison/Miller, Rainier Beach, and University District. The bill also brings Seattle into compliance with state legislation passed last year (HB 1183) that provides project exemptions to encourage mass timber, passive house, and modular construction.

Bellevue targets affordable housing with funded inclusionary zoning and land use code updates

After the success of a targeted incentive program, Bellevue City Council is considering expansion to additional neighborhoods to encourage affordable housing production. The “Wilburton supercharger,” which launched in 2025, allows developers in the Wilburton neighborhood to combine Bellevue’s on-site affordable housing requirements with the voluntary Multifamily Housing Property Tax Exemption (MFTE) to unlock a tax benefit. Since the supercharger went into effect, the city has received applications for more than 2,300 new units. Funded inclusionary zoning – affordability mandates offset by tax emptions, such as in Wilburton – is gaining traction across jurisdictions, with similar programs in Portland and Shoreline. Our advocacy staff and members continue to stay updated on inclusionary zoning across AIA Seattle’s 10 county area.

Bellevue is pursuing multiple approaches to support the development of more housing. In March, Bellevue City Council approved the Housing Opportunities in Mixed-Use Areas (HOMA) land use code amendment to allow higher density and taller buildings, and to remove obstacles to building more homes. The city is also considering legislation that would drop all parking mandates citywide with the goal of reducing housing and construction costs and encouraging walkable neighborhoods and transit use.

Take Seattle’s Climate Action Plan survey

The City of Seattle is updating its Climate Action Plan for the first time since 2013. As part of that work, City Departments are conducting engagement and outreach, including releasing a public survey. The 10-minute Climate Action Plan Survey is available in multiple languages and will be open until the end of June.