Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward’s Housing Task Force
Spokane Mayor unveils emergency housing recommendations
Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward and her staff unveiled a series of emergency changes and expanded zoning opportunities she will ask the city council to adopt immediately, in an effort to address Spokane’s Housing Crisis. Incoming Spokane Association of REALTORS(R) President Tom Hormel was among those invited see the presentation firsthand.
READ THE FULL COUNCIL DRAFT PROPOSAL HERE
Among the changes being proposed within the city limits:
- Allow duplexes on any residential parcel
- Allow Attached homes on all residential parcel
- Adjust parcel standards for attached homes to improve viability
- Allow fourplexes on residential parcels – (may be subject to additional criteria)
- Simplify density calculations
- Establish a uniform design standard to fit existing neighborhood standards
Task force members also asked the mayor to consider changing site coverage restrictions to match those already in place in surrounding areas, and to eliminate the need for frontage road requirements. City Planning Director Spencer Gardner agreed to work on adding these important elements.
“It is absolutely critical we address Spokane’s housing crisis,” said Mayor Woodward. “It won’t happen overnight, but we absolutely must get started.”
SAR’s Tom Hormel says he liked what he heard. “We need to do everything we can to add housing supply to Spokane, that has been woefully overlooked for too many years.”
New census data reveals Spokane is now home to 100,000 families. That puts the current housing units of 89,000 about 25% short of the national average.