The Housing Development Consortium of Seattle-King County (HDC) is pleased to recognize the City of Bothell as the 2022 Municipal Champion. The Housing Development Consortium of Seattle-King County (HDC) is pleased to recognize the City of Bothell as the 2022 Municipal Champion. This award recognizes a local jurisdiction which through exemplary leadership has made exceptional contributions to the state of affordable housing in our community. The City of Bothell was presented the Municipal Champion Award at HDC’s Annual Celebration on Tuesday, March 29, 2022.
Over the last two years, the City of Bothell has made significant steps to support affordable housing by adopting policies that aid in the creation and preservation of affordable homes, as well as working to change prohibitive policies that limit where affordable housing can be located. In 2020, Bothell enacted inclusionary zoning for residential and commercial zoning in key areas of the city. The following year, the City adopted an affordable housing incentive that granted a current income-restricted project additional development capacity and financing. Another 2021 success was establishing a Multifamily Tax Exemption Program for the first time. Bothell is also currently leading Middle Housing Code Amendments to change restrictive zoning to allow for Missing Middle housing alternatives. This provides for affordable housing with capacity increases through adding multifamily housing options in zoning that is currently restricted to single detached homes. Finally, last summer Bothell passed a resolution supporting the County to purchase a Health through Housing building. This ensures that permanent supportive housing opportunities could be available in Bothell.
“HDC is thrilled to recognize the City of Bothell for its leadership in bringing forward strong affordable housing policies to its residents,” said HDC’s new Executive Director Patience Malaba. “We look forward to ongoing partnership as Bothell continues efforts to ensure that all Bothellites can live with dignity in safe, healthy, and affordable homes.”