Shoreline: Embraces Co-Living to Boost Affordable Housing
The City of Shoreline is taking a significant step toward addressing its housing needs by considering amendments to its development code to allow co-living housing. This move comes in response to a new state law (HB 1998) that requires cities to adopt regulations for this type of housing by the end of 2025.
Co-living housing is a residential model designed to provide more affordable and flexible living options. It’s similar to a dormitory or a modern-day rooming house, where residents rent a private, lockable sleeping unit and share common facilities, primarily a kitchen. Unlike a traditional apartment, a co-living unit doesn’t include its own kitchen, which helps keep costs down. This model is seen as a way to provide private, non-subsidized rental housing that is accessible to people with lower incomes.
Shoreline is facing a housing crunch, with a large portion of its population earning less than the area median income and many renters struggling with affordability. The city’s Planning Commission has noted that there is a high demand for smaller, more affordable units. By allowing co-living, Shoreline can increase its housing supply, reduce urban sprawl, and provide new options for its diverse population, including young professionals and seniors looking to downsize.
The Planning Commission recently held a meeting to discuss the new regulations. They are considering how to best integrate co-living into the existing development code, particularly in areas where the city has some discretion. These discussions include:
Building Conversions: How to handle the conversion of existing commercial buildings, like motels, into co-living spaces.
Ground-Floor Use: Whether to exempt co-living projects from requirements for commercial spaces on the ground floor.
Density: How to apply density limits, especially with the state's mandate that each co-living sleeping unit counts as only a quarter of a traditional dwelling unit.
These discussions are a crucial step in ensuring the new housing options align with the community's vision while meeting the state's requirements. The Planning Commission plans to hold a public hearing in October before making a final recommendation to the City Council. This effort highlights Shoreline’s proactive approach to creating a more affordable and well-planned community for all its residents.