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Builders and housing advocates urge Spokane County to open more land and speed housing measures
Summary
During public comment at the steering committee meeting, developers and housing groups warned of severe lot scarcity and rising prices and urged the county to prioritize land availability and code changes that enable small‑lot and ownership pathways.
Public comment at the Spokane County steering committee meeting focused on land supply, lot prices and the urgency of expanding opportunities for homeownership.
Gary Watkins, representing the Spokane Housing Coalition, told the committee: "We need more housing. We need more housing now." He urged the committee to consider alternative demand models and said statewide projection methods have undercounted Spokane County needs in the past, citing studies collected by the coalition.
Developers reiterated that lot scarcity is a primary affordability driver. Peter Hagen, regional land acquisition manager for Hayden Homes, said competition for 5‑acre and larger parcels has intensified and that average lot prices have increased sharply in recent years, constraining the production of starter single‑family homes. Eric Stranahan Lowe and other developers described proposals for mixed‑use neighborhood centers and larger parcel developments intended to reduce vehicle miles traveled and support a variety of housing types.
Affordable‑housing practitioners urged policies and zoning that enable ownership products at lower price bands. Daniel Leroy of Habitat Community Spokane said jurisdictions can provide ownership opportunities at 50–80% area‑median income by changing regulatory barriers — smaller lots, simpler permitting and regulatory adjustments — to reduce costs.
Several property owners also asked that their parcels be considered for UGA inclusion; one speaker noted that their parcels met multiple screening criteria shown on the county’s maps and asked for staff consideration in the EIS study.
What public commenters asked for: faster consideration of land swaps where appropriate, zoning that allows mixed‑use and small‑lot ownership, and coordination on infrastructure funding and phasing so that new allocations can be implemented without repeating lengthy zoning changes in jurisdictions that have already amended codes.
Next procedural step: staff will incorporate public input into the DEIS process and the steering committee will consider public feedback when recommending items to the planning commission and county board.
