Dive Brief:
- Seattle has removed land-use restrictions on co-living housing, which refers to buildings in which residents have their own lockable living and sleeping space but share a kitchen and other facilities.
- Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell on Nov. 20 signed the legislation, which was motivated by a new Washington state law. The state law requires local governments to, by December 2025, allow co-living housing on lots that already allow at least six multifamily residential units and are within designated “urban growth areas.”
- In statements, state and city lawmakers touted co-living as a way to bring more affordable housing to Seattle. Co-living units often rent for $850 to $950 per month, according to a press release; in comparison, a studio apartment in Seattle costs about $1,500 a month on average, according to Apartments.com.
Dive Insight:
As cities grapple with the affordable housing crisis, some experts have advocated for creative new ways to increase the supply of less-expensive residential units. In October, for example, researchers at The Pew Charitable Trusts and global architecture, design and planning firm Gensler released a report that makes the case for cities to convert empty office buildings into dorm-style, co-living spaces.
Co-living housing was much more common in the U.S. decades ago than it is now, but restrictive local zoning rules adopted over time made it difficult to build and operate such housing, according to the Seattle-based think tank Sightline Institute.
Seattle’s new law allows co-living housing in any zone that allows multifamily housing. It also removes design standards to allow for more types of communal areas and removes parking requirements within half a mile of major transit stops.
Mayor Harrell said these changes are a “commonsense way to increase housing supply and diversity” in neighborhoods that are desirable because of their access to jobs, transit and other amenities.
In a statement, State Sen. Jesse Salomon pointed to young people looking to live in high-demand areas and retirees seeking community as potential inhabitants of co-living housing. Expanded co-living options also mean that “people who need inexpensive homes get to live in neighborhoods with good parks, services, and walkable amenities, not just along busy arterials,” David Neiman, a partner at Seattle-based architectural firm Neiman Taber, said in a statement.
