Everett: Manufactured Housing Communities
The City of Everett is prioritizing the long-term preservation of its affordable housing stock through the development of a dedicated Manufactured Housing Community (MHC) zone, a key action item (HO-6) emerging from the recently adopted Everett 2044 comprehensive plan. This initiative is aimed directly at protecting the city's approximately 1,050 manufactured homes across ten existing communities from displacement and conversion to other uses. This zoning work is intended to fortify recent state-level protections, specifically Washington State’s HB 1217, which caps annual rent increases at five percent. While the state law addresses financial constraints, the City’s zoning effort is critical as it addresses the remaining and significant risk: the physical closure or redevelopment of communities.
Currently, the City regulates these communities primarily through EMC 17.04.010, which establishes minimum standards for health, safety, and livability, focusing on elements like spacing, access, and utilities. However, this regulation provides general oversight; the proposed MHC zone represents a proactive, fundamental shift in land use policy designed to establish manufactured housing as a protected, primary use.
The core of the City’s proposal is the creation of a new zoning district structured around four primary development objectives. The first and most critical objective is the establishment of the MHC zone itself, which will be tailored to recognize manufactured housing as the primary use. This zone will implement strict restrictions on incompatible uses and set development standards that specifically support the long-term, continuous operation of the communities as affordable residential areas. The second objective is to strategically permit complementary uses within the zone, allowing for services or amenities that enhance the residential quality of life for the residents.
The third focus involves a commitment to ongoing monitoring, allowing the City to track changes and demand for manufactured housing over time, ensuring the zoning remains relevant and effective. Finally, the proposed ordinance will provide a mechanism for reconsideration of the zone after adoption, offering an essential pathway for property owners to demonstrate a lack of viable economic use if unforeseen circumstances arise, providing a necessary and reasonable level of regulatory flexibility.
The path to adoption requires the City to legally substantiate the new zone’s provisions, demonstrating strict consistency with the adopted 2044 Comprehensive Plan. Furthermore, the zoning must clearly substantially relate to public health, safety, or welfare, and be shown to promote the best long-term interests of the Everett community. The official development timeline initiates with an informational briefing for the Planning Commission in August 2025, followed by a dedicated period of outreach to MHC owners, residents, and neighborhood associations from September to October 2025. This thorough engagement and legislative process will culminate in public hearings before the Planning Commission and final adoption by the City Council, cementing the commitment to preserving this vital segment of affordable housing for the future.