Affordable Housing
Affordable housing is crucial to Woodinville’s long-term success.
Affordability means Seniors on fixed income can stay in the community they love, where their friends, family and favorite places are. Affordable options mean that new graduates or residents going through a life change can stay in Woodinville. Affordable housing means our local firefighters, police, teachers and small business workforce have an option to live in the city they serve.
Affordable housing is not something that happens quickly. It takes strategy, planning, time, effort and engagement. Unfortunately, the biggest challenge Woodinville faces is that we are decades behind our neighbors in tackling housing affordability.
This was one of Michelle’s early initiatives when joining City Council in 2022, resulting in the City’s first ever Housing Action Plan. The Housing Action Plan is a strategic framework to guide policy, zoning, development agreements and decision-making. The goal is to have a clear and transparent approach to Woodinville’s housing growth initiatives, while also ensuring we address a variety of housing needs across Woodinville.
Key highlights and upcoming projects include:
Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) program adoption: championing and voting to approve Woodinville’s first-ever Multifamily Tax Exemption program to incentivize developers to include affordable units in their projects.
New affordable housing units: approving the development agreement for Eastrail flats including the construction of the first affordable housing units in decades, providing options for diverse income levels
Establishing a new affordable housing trust: when developers at Harvest requested development agreement modifications, City Council requested additional public benefits including $300,000 toward establishing our first-ever affordable housing trust. This trust will continue to grow as Woodinville City Council, giving Woodinville developer-funded options to create even further affordability in future projects.
Inclusionary Zoning: we have been working through City Council and the Planning Commission to review all current zoning including aligning with recent state law changes. City Council is determining changes in policies that require a portion of new developments to be affordable, ensuring equitable growth.
Passing Woodinville’s first-ever tenant protections: recognizing the need to support renters in an increasingly expensive housing market, Michelle supported Woodinville’s first-ever tenant protections. These new safeguards provide renters with increased notice for rent hikes, reasonable move-in costs, and flexible payment plans—ensuring that residents can remain in their homes and continue contributing to our community. This is a crucial step in making Woodinville a place where everyone, from young professionals to retirees, has a fair chance to live and thrive.
Balancing growth responsibly: City Council has worked hard to ensure there is housing choice across the City. The goal is to concentrate the density in the walkable, downtown core, expand housing options across the city, and work with partners to create affordability options.
