HDC Statement on Wilburton Agreement
Over the preceding decades, Bellevue has added jobs faster than housing for workers. As a result, access to affordable housing has decreased while housing costs have climbed. This has forced an overwhelming majority of workers (89%) to commute into work from outside the City. Bellevue urgently needs more affordable housing for low- and moderate-wage workers, aging adults, new families, and more. Fortunately, the city is actively expanding housing capacity and considering new affordable housing policies, such as in Wilburton.
Wilburton is a transit-connected neighborhood adjacent to downtown with excellent access to jobs, schools, and other amenities. This neighborhood also represents one of the most significant regional opportunities for inclusive housing growth through a once-in-a-generation upzone process. According to recent staff projections, Wilburton’s “land use code amendment” (“LUCA”) process will add 14,800 units of total housing capacity. Of this total capacity, around 4,000 units are expected to develop in the next two decades.
With this background in mind, HDC is excited to share an important update about the Wilburton Land Use Code Amendment. On March 12th, the Bellevue Planning Commission passed their final recommendations for the full Wilburton LUCA package. Emphatically, this Planning Commission recommendation also includes a well-calibrated affordable housing requirement that will ensure residential growth in Wilburton includes a portion of income-restricted affordable housing, or pays a fee-in-lieu to subsidize other affordable housing in the city. This is the first time in nearly 30 years that a version of inclusionary zoning is under serious consideration at the City of Bellevue.
This milestone is no coincidence. HDC played a major role in reaching a negotiated “grand bargain” agreement through the Eastside Housing Roundtable (see agreement here). The Eastside Housing Roundtable (“EHR”) is a broad coalition comprised of employers, non-profits, business organizations, housing advocates, and private and non-profit housing developers that unite to support more housing and affordable housing in East King County cities. HDC’s executive director Patience Malaba co-chairs the EHR alongside the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce CEO Joe Fain.
The final EHR agreement represents a balanced compromise, years of relationship-building, months of technical work, frank conversations about tradeoffs, and creative problem solving. Together, we forged an “unlikely partnership” between the HDC-convened Eastside Affordable Housing Coalition and the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce PLUSH Committee (“Permitting, Land Use Sustainability and Housing”) that represented the broad EHR stakeholder groups.
The Bellevue Planning Commission Wilburton saw the significance of this cross-sectoral agreement and, after careful consideration, adopted major details from the EHR compromise position. We now look forward to final actions by Bellevue City Council to confirm the final Wilburton LUCA, informed by the Planning Commission recommendations. We expect this Council action in April or May 2025.
