Council to hold final reading next week on manufactured-housing protections after resident testimony

The Everett City Council on April 29 reviewed Council Bill 2604-23, a proposed ordinance to establish a manufactured-housing-community zoning designation intended to protect mobile-home parks from redevelopment that would displace long-term residents.

City planner Jennifer (first name used on the record) answered council questions about how the ordinance would operate. She said an owner wishing to rezone a manufactured housing community would need to make a case to the city showing changed circumstances beyond the owner’s control that left the property without reasonable economic use; staff, the planning commission and ultimately the council would review such requests. "There’s no specific trigger or metric in the ordinance," Jennifer said, explaining staff would review specific cases and make recommendations to council.

Public commenter Janette Burton, who identified herself as a homeowner at Fairway Estates (a 55-plus mobile-home community), told council the zoning change would help preserve affordability and create the opportunity for resident ownership in the future. "For me, this is an affordable housing option within Everett," she said, urging the council to adopt the proposed neighborhood residential manufactured‑community zoning at the next reading.

The council scheduled the third and final reading and public hearing for May 6, 2026. Staff emphasized the ordinance seeks to reduce the vulnerability of manufactured‑housing residents to owner consolidation and market pressures while recognizing that not all cases of vacancy or economic difficulty would qualify for rezoning.