Advocacy Update – September 2026

This Month in Advocacy: Historic Preservation, Stamp Fraud, Disaster Preparedness, QBS, Inclusionary Zoning

AIA Seattle Ten-County Area

Seattle re-introduces Mandatory Housing Affordability Accelerator

Councilmember Dionne Foster has proposed a draft ordinance that would reduce Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) fees for two years to jumpstart housing production. The proposal, similar to one that was withdrawn earlier this summer, would provide an 80 percent reduction in fees for two years for projects with vested permits. Proposals not yet vested are eligible for a 60 percent reduction if those projects designate at least 25 percent of units as multi-bedroom and if they reach foundation inspection stage within three years of receiving building permits.

CM Foster also dropped a draft resolution stating that the Council will consider legislation to expand MHA requirements to neighborhood residential zones. Both pieces of legislation will be formally introduced and briefed in the Housing, Arts, & Civil Rights Committee on Friday, September 18 at 2pm. More coverage here and here.

More local cities explore inclusionary zoning proposals

As municipalities in our region tackle how to adequately fund affordable housing, more city councils are exploring inclusionary zoning policies. This month, Kirkland City Council voted to retain a $15 per-square-foot fee for all units over 2,000 square feet, which will go into effect in January, and rejected raising the exemption threshold to 2,500 square feet. That fee will go toward funding affordable housing in low-density zones. Redmond has also been phasing in a similar fee since last year, set at $30 per-square-foot with no project size exemptions.

Bainbridge Island, which had been facing the Builder’s Remedy as part of the review of its growth plan under the Housing Accountability Act, recently added a mandatory inclusionary zoning program to their interim ordinance. For projects over 10 units, the new program will require builders to set aside 20% of units for affordable housing. Permanent regulations to bring Bainbridge to meet the requirements laid out in the Housing Accountability Act will come later this year or next year and will be subject to State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review.

Provide feedback on Seattle Regional Center Plans

The City of Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) is seeking input on the development of the Ballard and U District Regional Center Plans to understand how these neighborhoods need to grow in a healthy, sustainable, and inclusive way. More information about the planning effort is available on OPCD’s website. Complete the Ballard survey before September 30 and the U District survey before October 7.

Washington State

Fraudulent use of professional stamps

AIAWA is working with the State Board for Architects and the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers & Land Surveyors (BRPELS) to combat the growing issue of professional ID theft, particularly through online “service for hire” websites like Fiverr. Architects around the country are discovering that their professional stamps have been illegally used by providers on these sites to submit work to AHJ without their knowledge. The State Board has created a task force to address the issue and, working alongside BRPELS, is developing education initiatives for both professionals who stamp projects and the customers who may unknowingly be relying on unauthorized submittals. Stay tuned to AIAWA communications as this develops.

AIAWA’s disaster preparedness and response efforts

September is Disaster Preparedness Month. AIAWA is part of a coalition with state agencies and engineering partners working to train AE professionals to assess structures following a disaster. Right now, 318 Building Assessment Responders are certified in our state, trained through a curriculum built specifically around the issues Washington faces. If you’re interested in becoming a certified responder, take a look at the current list of trainings, including training in Spokane on October 28.

AIAWA is also reaching out to Governor Ferguson’s office to offer their help with the wildfires in Eastern Washington. Architects who worked on rebuilding efforts after the Altadena fire have offered to help here in Washington, providing simple packages that a local architect can revise pro bono for those who’ve lost buildings to fire. Contact AIA Spokane for more information

Qualifications, not price: QBS and your practice

In Washington, when a public agency hires an architect, your fee is off the table. That’s the law, spelled out in the state’s Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) process, which requires A&E contracts to be awarded on qualifications, not cost. It’s protected the profession, and the quality of public buildings, since 1981.

Now, when you encounter an RFP or RFQ that asks for your fee as part of the submittal, you can let AIAWA reach out on your behalf. Forward the announcement or any questions to Tammie Sueirro and they’ll contact the agency directly.

National

AIAWA joins national coalition to protect Section 106

Last month we shared information about proposed changes to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. AIAWA’s Historic Resources Committee has signed on to a national coalition letter to Congress opposing the proposed overhaul. The coalition, organized by Cultural Heritage Partners, now includes nearly 700 organizations, Tribal Nations, and institutions representing more than seven million Americans. AIA National has also come out against the proposal, calling it a setback for community participation.