Auburn proposes code updates to allow supportive, transitional and emergency housing across residential and commercial zones

Auburn planning staff presented a multi‑part zoning and code update to the City Council on June 9 intended to implement state housing laws passed between 2019 and 2025. The proposed ordinance would allow permanent supportive housing and transitional housing in the same zones that already allow residential dwelling units and would add supplemental standards for occupancy, spacing and intensity of use.

Alexandria (Planning Services Manager) and Director Jason Crum said state requirements prevent jurisdictions from outright prohibiting step‑housing types — a category staff described as emergency shelters, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing — in zones that permit residential uses or hotels. The proposed changes update land‑use tables to permit those uses in residential and in most commercial and industrial zones (the latter via administrative use permit to allow mitigation of incompatibilities).

Staff emphasized they will not create standards that would “prevent the siting of sufficient number” of needed units: the proposed supplemental standards are intended to be “reasonable occupancy, spacing and intensity of use requirements.” The city performed a land‑capacity analysis using the Department of Commerce methodology and concluded Auburn’s capacity exceeds projected needs: the comprehensive plan appendix sets a target of 892 permanent supportive units and 2,300 emergency housing units through 2044; staff said their capacity analysis identified roughly 5,000 potential supportive‑housing units and more than 1,000 emergency units on suitable sites under proposed rules.

Other proposed changes include a registration model for temporary encampments hosted on religious organization property, consistent with new state language that limits local prohibitions for religious‑organization sites; staff said the registration path would require minimum health, safety and sanitation standards so the city can inspect and enforce code while allowing the use. The draft ordinance also implements new density‑bonus provisions for religious‑organization affordable housing (staff recommended up to a 50% bonus) and a separate 50% density bonus for conversions of existing commercial or mixed‑use buildings to additional housing under specific conditions.

Staff also proposed parking code changes to reflect new state limits: minimum parking for multifamily would be reduced toward a 0.5‑stall per unit cap and jurisdictions may not require any minimum parking for senior housing. Staff said additional parking work will continue as more state guidance emerges.

Councilors asked about the definition of “prolonged” or intense encampments, how the registration process would work, and how the city will balance industrial‑zone accommodations with mitigation requirements. Staff said they worked with building, fire, code compliance, human services and public works to draft the supplemental standards and plan to return with final ordinance language for adoption before the state deadline associated with the Growth Management Act cycle.