Residents, advocates press Everett council to add anti‑displacement measures as comp plan hearing opens

Dozens of residents and community advocates urged the Everett City Council on April 16 to adopt anti‑displacement policies, permanent affordable housing tools and zoning changes targeted to the Casino Road neighborhood as part of the city’s once‑per‑decade Everett 2044 comprehensive plan update.

The comment period on the April draft of the comprehensive plan runs through May 12; council members held a public hearing and staff provided a briefing on the draft. “There is an urgent need for permanently affordable housing in the neighborhood,” said Salvador Guillen, director of Connect Casino Road, who told the council many residents cannot afford the roughly $6,000 cost he said would be required to move from their units.

Why it matters: The comprehensive plan guides land use, housing and infrastructure policy for roughly 20 years. Speakers and staff said light rail investment and other changes increase the risk that long‑time, low‑income residents and legacy neighborhood businesses could be priced out unless targeted protections are written into the plan and implementing regulations.

Community testimony focused on three recurring requests. First, multiple speakers asked the council to adopt inclusionary zoning in the parts of South Everett identified as at high risk of displacement, to require new residential projects in that overlay to include permanently affordable units. “We ask you to listen to…