KayCee Downey

Building Housing for Your Neighbors

KayCee Downey, Planner II, 509.625.6500


Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at 11:15 a.m.

Building Housing for Your Neighbors

Updated Oct. 3, 2024

Are you a Developer? No? No problem!

As a homeowner, you can take advantage of new housing regulations, passed by City Council on Nov. 20, 2023, that make Middle Housing development more feasible.

Middle Housing is construction that fits in between single-unit detached homes and larger multi-unit developments, such as duplexes to six-plexes, cottage housing, stacked flats, and townhouses. The adopted text amendments, which were part of Building Opportunity for Housing, allow for greater lot flexibility and more housing units to be built within our neighborhoods.

Whether building a new living space for your family or leveraging a large yard to earn household wealth by subdividing your lot, homeowners are provided the same opportunities to provide housing for their neighbors as professional homebuilders.

Don’t know where to start?

There can be confusion on where to start and how to navigate unfamiliar regulations. That is why Planning Services launched the Middle Housing Support Team to support developers and homeowners through the changing regulatory landscape so the entire community can benefit from the diversity of housing that is now feasible to build.

The Middle Housing Support Team wants to see your Middle Housing project come to fruition and can assist projects by:

  • Walking you through the general development requirements of your project and direct you to appropriate departments.
  • Brainstorming project alternatives or identifying potential solutions to unique or difficult developments.
  • Helping you understand the variety of housing incentive programs your project may qualify for.

If you have been thinking about developing Middle Housing but do not know how to get started, visit the Middle Housing Support Team page and book an appointment. The code changes go into effect Jan. 1, 2024, but there’s no time like the present to start making plans.

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