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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSR_ERC_Report_Housing_Action_Plan_v1DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ERC Report Housing Action Plan ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW COMMITTEE REPORT ERC MEETING DATE: September 27, 2021 Project Name: Housing Action Plan Project Number: LUA21-000111, EFC Project Manager: Hannah Bahnmiller, Housing Programs Manager Owner: City of Renton Applicant: City of Renton Contact: Hannah Bahnmiller, 206-503-3426 Project Location: The proposed Housing Action Plan is citywide. Project Summary: The City of Renton Equity, Housing, and Human Services Department, is requesting Environmental (SEPA) Review for the proposed adoption of the Housing Action Plan (HAP). The HAP is a citywide framework to encourage construction of additional affordable and market rate housing in a greater variety of housing types and at prices that are accessible to a greater variety of incomes. Furthermore, the plan is intended to guide the City’s near-term actions for housing availability and affordability for the next five years and for future years’ guidance. The Plan is applicable throughout the City of Renton’s city limits and is scheduled for adoption in 2021. Exist. Bldg. Area SF: N/A Proposed New Bldg. Area (footprint): Proposed New Bldg. Area (gross): N/A N/A Site Area: N/A Total Building Area GSF: N/A STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff Recommends that the Environmental Review Committee issue a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS). PART ONE: PROJECT DESCRIPTION / BACKGROUND This is a non-project action. No action is being taken at this time. In 2019, the City of Renton received a grant for $100,000 from the Washington State Department of Commerce to create a Housing Action Plan (Exhibit 3). The grant is administered through the Urban Residential Building Capacity Grant Program, which was authorized and funded by the State Legislature in 2019 (E2SHB 1923) to help cities increase residential density through expanded housing options. The Housing Action Plan’s scope has been divided into two distinct actions – a South King County Subregional Housing Action Framework and the Renton Housing Action Plan. SoKiHo Subregion Housing Action Framework The Subregional Housing Action Framework is a coordination effort between major South King County cities to develop sub-regional level data and strategies to support each jurisdiction’s Housing Action Plans. In an effort known as “SoKiHo” (South King Housing), Auburn, Burien, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, and Tukwila came together to pool grant funding for a collaborative effort to develop a sub-regional housing framework to help guide individual Housing Action Plans. DocuSign Envelope ID: BF28414C-D793-4B05-BF12-5AA86654CC27 City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Environmental Review Committee Report HOUSING ACTION PLAN LUA21-000111, ECF Report of September 27, 2021 Page 2 of 7 HOUSING ACTION PLAN This work aimed to 1) understand the current and future subregional housing market and household demographics, 2) evaluate existing and potential policies’ impact in the sub-region, and 3) lay the groundwork for more consistent, unified messaging among South King County cities. The Subregional Housing Action Framework evaluation included: • Evaluating the sociodemographic and economic trends in the sub-region that would impact housing needs • Projecting housing needs within the sub-region and individual cities from expected population growth, including unmet housing needs from underproduction in previous years. This projection includes breakdowns by household income levels • Assessing existing housing policies to understand the potential impacts of new local policies to increase production Results incorporated feedback from focus groups with South King County non-profit and for-profit developers and community-based organizations. Work on the Subregional Housing Action Framework was completed by consultants in July 2020. Findings, data, and housing needs projections from the analysis were incorporated in the Renton-specific Housing Action Plan. Housing Action Plan The Housing Action Plan is Renton-specific and builds on the work of the Subregional Housing Action Framework. The timeline is divided into four phases: 1. Housing Needs Assessment: A high-level analysis of housing measures and demographics developed to support the policy review and address questions arising from the Advisory Committee and other engagement 2. Policy Review: Review of the performance of key housing policies and regulations, as well as the general performance of the housing and development markets in Renton 3. Policy Tools and Options: Identification of preferred strategies among potential policy and tool options that meet the needs and gaps identified in the previous phases 4. Recommendations: Refinement of the preferred strategies into recommendations for the City to address within a five-year implementation schedule Renton’s Housing Action Plan planning process included a program of community outreach and engagement to gather input on housing needs and opportunities in Renton. Additionally, a twelve-person Housing Action Plan Advisory Committee provided overall guidance on the project process and analysis, as well as the contents of the final Housing Action Plan. The community engagement process took place between March 2020 and March 2021, during Washington’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Outreach and engagement activities were conducted virtually, in accordance with the State’s public health guidelines. Key points of community contact included discussions with the Advisory Committee and interviews with experts, property managers, and people who recently moved to or in Renton. Residents were also engaged through Community Conversations, semi-structured conversations with community members about housing-related issues. Direction from community outreach and the Advisory Committee provided input and guidance on the Plan’s principles and goals. Five principles to guide HAP recommendations were identified as Equitable Outcomes, Healthy Housing Ecosystems Household Prosperity, Effective Policy, Collaboration with Partners. These principles were used to develop five main goals for the Plan: DocuSign Envelope ID: BF28414C-D793-4B05-BF12-5AA86654CC27 City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Environmental Review Committee Report HOUSING ACTION PLAN LUA21-000111, ECF Report of September 27, 2021 Page 3 of 7 HOUSING ACTION PLAN • Promote diverse neighborhoods that support social, racial, and economic justice and address the inequities of the past. • Build sustainable and complete housing ecosystems that meet the needs of current and future residents for high-quality housing and neighborhoods. • Promote more market-rate housing production in Renton to accommodate more growth and reduce housing scarcity. • Expand local housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income households to reduce displacement and provide opportunities to build wealth. • Increase the supply of subsidized, income-qualified housing for very low- and extremely low-income households to support households that cannot afford appropriate housing. RECOMMENDATIONS The HAP provides six high-level recommendations to achieve the housing goals, which represent a broad set of actions that the City can pursue during the five-year horizon of the plan. These recommendations also consider additional long-term actions for the City to review as part of the Comprehensive Plan update in 2024 and other actions beyond the planning horizon for this Plan. The strategic recommendations include the following, not listed in order of importance: 1. Support partnerships to meet housing goals. The City has been a proactive and effective partner in encouraging housing development that meets the housing needs of the community. Future successes will need ongoing development of new partnerships and strengthening of existing partnerships to achieve both the affordable and market-rate housing production needed to meet future demand. Actions under this strategy would include the following: 1.1 Create a Housing Advisory Committee to coordinate housing efforts across stakeholders. 1.2 Continue efforts with neighboring communities to address housing needs in south King County. 1.3 Continue to coordinate with County and regional agencies on needs for affordable housing. 1.4 Identify long-term funding sources for the Renton Housing Authority to promote the development of affordable housing options. 1.5 Regularly conduct community planning that integrates housing goals. 2. Promote diverse housing types and sizes in neighborhoods. Providing for a wide range of housing needs in Renton into the future will require different types and formats of housing. In addition to single-family detached housing, “missing middle” housing—townhomes, duplexes, and other single-family attached housing—will also be important in giving future residents different options of formats and sizes of housing. Allowing for additional housing types and sizes at appropriate densities in targeted areas of Renton can provide opportunities to build new housing at a faster rate and give choices that can be more affordable and accessible to a range of households. Actions under this strategy would include the following: 2.1 Consider permitting additional housing types. DocuSign Envelope ID: BF28414C-D793-4B05-BF12-5AA86654CC27 City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Environmental Review Committee Report HOUSING ACTION PLAN LUA21-000111, ECF Report of September 27, 2021 Page 4 of 7 HOUSING ACTION PLAN 2.2 Evaluate minimum densities in R-10, R-14, and RMF zones. 2.3 Add a second higher-density RMF designation to allow for greater flexibility. 2.4 Evaluate areas for targeted rezoning to R-10, R-14, and RMF to encourage more density and diverse housing types. 2.5 Coordinate outreach to ensure residential design standards promote high-quality design and compatibility. 3. Incentivize housing development. Renton is a desirable place to live, and there is a strong market for new development. The City has options to promote different types of development through incentives and flexibility with requirements that will meet the community’s current and future housing needs. Providing these benefits can help to promote the development of market-rate and affordable housing. Actions under this strategy would include the following: 3.1 Maintain parking requirements and consider modified parking requirements for areas supported by frequent transit. 3.2 Allow flexibility in commercial space for affordability. 3.3 Explore the development of regional stormwater facilities to support residential development. 3.4 Continue to encourage the use of innovative building techniques to reduce costs of construction. 4. Promote affordable housing preservation and development. Trends in Renton’s housing costs and household income show risk of displacement for lower-income households. To prevent displacement, the City should preserve and encourage new affordable housing. One approach is to maintain and enhance Renton’s existing affordable housing by providing funding for income- restricted units and presenting incentives for property owners to maintain rents at affordable levels. There are also options to increase the production of new income-restricted units, either as part of market-rate development or wholly affordable projects. Actions under this strategy would include the following: 4.1 Pass requirements for the distribution of information to tenants. 4.2 Adjust the Renton MFTE program to further promote affordable housing. 4.3 Develop other property rehabilitation grants and loans. 4.4 Coordinate sources of funding to address unmet needs. 4.5 Include affordable housing as a potential public benefit for a Planned Urban Development. 4.6 Explore increases to the density bonuses available for affordable housing. 5. Use available land for affordable housing development. Providing opportunities to dispose of unused public or quasi-public lands at reduced or no cost can be one way of addressing costs for affordable housing projects and increasing the rate of production of affordable units in the community. DocuSign Envelope ID: BF28414C-D793-4B05-BF12-5AA86654CC27 City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Environmental Review Committee Report HOUSING ACTION PLAN LUA21-000111, ECF Report of September 27, 2021 Page 5 of 7 HOUSING ACTION PLAN Actions under this strategy would include the following: 5.1 Develop a general inventory of available properties. 5.2 Coordinate with property owners to use vacant and underutilized sites for affordable housing. 5.3 Identify partners for development of these available sites. 5.4 Update the City’s real property disposal policy to explicitly consider the use of the City’s surplus properties for affordable housing. 5.5 Coordinate land acquisition and banking to preserve land for affordable housing. 6. Align Comprehensive Plan policies. The City’s required update to its Comprehensive Plan, due in 2024, presents an opportunity to align the City’s long-range vision, goals, and policies to the identified housing needs in a way that is aligned to the community’s values and hopes for the future of Renton. Actions under this strategy would include the following: 6.1 Reinforce the commitment of the City to address racial equity in housing across the Comprehensive Plan. 6.2 Increase the emphasis on housing affordability and reducing displacement with goals and policies across the Comprehensive Plan. 6.3 Amend the Land Use Element to accommodate more diversity and flexibility under residential land use designations. 6.4 Update goals and identified needs for affordable housing. 6.5 Provide regular reporting on indicators to measure progress on housing goals in the Comprehensive Plan. PART TWO: ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW In compliance with RCW 43.21C.240, the following environmental (SEPA) review addresses only those project impacts that are not adequately addressed under existing development standards and environmental regulations. A. Environmental Threshold Recommendation Based on analysis of probable impacts from the proposal, staff recommends that the Responsible Officials: Issue a DNS with a 14-day Appeal Period. B. Mitigation Measures 1. None C. Exhibits Exhibit 1: Environmental Review Committee (ERC) Report Exhibit 2: Environmental Checklist Exhibit 3: Housing Action Plan DocuSign Envelope ID: BF28414C-D793-4B05-BF12-5AA86654CC27 City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Environmental Review Committee Report HOUSING ACTION PLAN LUA21-000111, ECF Report of September 27, 2021 Page 6 of 7 HOUSING ACTION PLAN D. Environmental Impacts The proposed HAP is a non-project action and there are no adverse environmental impacts that are anticipated to occur in conjunction with the non-project proposal. In addition, there are no significant adverse impacts identified in review of the Environmental Checklist (Exhibit 2). The regulations, amendments, and projects identified in the Plan would be required to comply with any applicable land-use, development, environmental, and permit requirements at the time of application. E. Comments of Reviewing Departments The proposal has been circulated to City Department and Division Reviewers. Where applicable, their comments have been incorporated into the text of this report and/or “Advisory Notes to Applicant.” ✓ Copies of all Review Comments are contained in the Official File and may be attached to this report. The Environmental Determination decision will become final if the decision is not appealed within the 14-day appeal period (RCW 43.21.C.075(3); WAC 197-11-680). ✓ Environmental Determination Appeal Process: Appeals of the environmental determination must be filed in writing on or before 5:00 p.m on October 11, 2021. Due to the ongoing state of emergency enacted by Governor’s Proclamation 20-05, the City Clerk’s Office is working remotely. For that reason, appeals must be submitted electronically to the City Clerk at cityclerk@rentonwa.gov or delivered to City Hall 1st floor Lobby Hub only on Tuesdays and/or Wednesdays. The appeal fee, normally due at the time an appeal is submitted, will be collected at a future date if your appeal is submitted electronically. Appeals to the Hearing Examiner are governed by RMC 4-8-110 and additional information regarding the appeal process may be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office, cityclerk@rentonwa.gov. DocuSign Envelope ID: BF28414C-D793-4B05-BF12-5AA86654CC27 Document1 CITY OF RENTON DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF REPORT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW COMMITTEE EXHIBITS Project Name: Housing Action Plan Land Use File Number: LUA21-000111, ECF Date of Meeting September 27, 2021 Staff Contact Hannah Bahnmiller Housing Programs Manager Project Contact/Applicant Chip Vincent 105 S Grady Way Renton, WA 98057 Project Location City-wide The following exhibits are included with the ERC Report: Exhibit 1: Environmental Review Committee (ERC) Report Exhibit 2: Environmental Checklist Exhibit 3: Housing Action Plan DocuSign Envelope ID: BF28414C-D793-4B05-BF12-5AA86654CC27