Comments are open for proposed zoning changes that would allow ADU (Accessory Dwelling Units) and backyard cottages in Seattle. It’s a tiny step toward fixing a large housing problem, but enough tiny steps add up. I suspect permitting ADUs is a much more palatable route to the city’s single-family home dire hards than some of the other density proposals out there, including abolishing single-family-zoning entirely.
We finally have approved building designs for the Capitol Hill station, the development to go above the light rail station that opened last year. The station opened early, but breaking ground on the accompanying development has taken its own sweet time, and we aren’t there yet. This will add inventory to the apartment market in Capitol Hill, which is a good thing, and create community space with extremely easy access from outside the neighborhood, which is also good; having people in Capitol Hill for something other than the night life is always a good thing.
And in case you were wondering why people are concerned about wanting more inventory on the market, or whether it’s had any effect, it looks like the cost of living in Seattle is up to $75,000 per year, and a lot of that is due to the cost of housing.