Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Granite Falls leaders discuss 'missing middle' housing, question state mandates and financing
Summary
City staff presented the "missing middle" housing concept and state housing bills; councilmembers and planning commissioners raised questions about definitions of affordability, bank lending for small homes, ADU mandates and whether local demand supports denser housing forms.
Community Development Director Eric Jensen distributed AARP materials on "Missing Middle Housing" and told the joint March 8 meeting that recent state legislation is shifting expectations for how cities accommodate a broader range of housing types.
Jensen said missing‑middle forms—small lots with small homes, duplexes, townhouses and low‑rise multiunit buildings—are intended to offer alternatives for downsizing households, single‑parent families and seniors. He referenced House Bill 1220 and other state guidance that requires cities to plan for housing at all income levels.
Councilmember Erin Hogan asked, "What is the definition of 'Affordable Housing'?" and several commissioners and councilmembers said local financing and market demand present obstacles. Commissioner Straughn said banks may be reluctant to finance very small homes and questioned whether the local market in Granite Falls would absorb multi‑family units. Mayor Matthew Hartman observed that Granite Falls is unlikely to be on a transit line and said many new residents choose Granite Falls for lower home prices, not multifamily living.
Mayor Hartman also noted House Bill 1110 and related bills that require cities to allow four‑ and six‑plex housing forms in residential zones and that some bills remove minimum parking requirements. Jensen said cities must ensure their regulatory processes are not discriminatory or unduly restrictive, and that the Housing Element will address permanent supportive, transitional and emergency housing—though he cautioned that Granite Falls’ distance from metropolitan services limits the feasibility of some supportive housing types.
No formal proposals or votes were recorded; councilmembers and commissioners asked staff to follow state guidance and return with options for accommodating the state’s targets in the Comprehensive Plan.
