Seattle are considering abolishing ‘single-family zoning’ in the city – a move which has been described as potentially ‘devastating‘ by KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson.
According to a report, the city wants to stop families thinking that they can live on and own a piece of land, saying that overpopulation makes home ownership ‘no longer viable’.
Mynorthwest.com reports:
“Today, as Seattle expands rapidly and experiences massive economic and population growth, we are held back by policies and historical precedents that are no longer viable for the long-term survival or our city,” the draft letter from committee co-chairs Faith Pettis and David Werthheimer states.
The draft letter says that single-family zoning has “roots in racial and class exclusion. The zoning remains “among the largest obstacles to realizing the city’s goals for equity and affordability,” the Times reports.
“So owning your own home, on your own lot, is a blow against equity, according to this draft report,” Dori said.
Some of the challenges the city faces includes almost two-thirds of the urban land being restricted to single-family homes, the letter continues. The letter considers increasing density almost everywhere in the city, the Times reports.
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With a 19-3 vote, the committee recommends replacing single-family zoning with zoning that would allow for more multi-unit buildings, according to the Times.
That means developers are going to buy up homes and turn them into duplexes and apartments, if the draft is approved, Dori said.
The draft is a working copy, which was seen by the committee last week, the Times reports. Pettis told the Times that parts of it were revised.
The draft recommendation is an example of the problem with the city, Dori said.
“This city is becoming unrecognizable,” Dori continued. “This is a blow against tradition.”