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Kenmore commission presses staff on manufactured-home preservation, MFE and reporting in housing strategy
Summary
The Planning Commission reviewed a draft housing strategy plan July 21, reaffirmed four near-term priorities including manufactured-home preservation, and asked staff to clarify legal history, outreach to BIPOC residents, incentive modeling and a practical annual report to track progress.
The commission received a presentation on a draft housing strategy plan intended to translate the city’s housing element into a practical, actionable work program. The consultant said the report builds on the 2017 plan and a 2024 housing-element update and emphasized four near-term priority actions: manufactured-home community preservation, targeted infill and surplus-land strategies, inclusionary/incentive program review and a reporting framework to track progress.
A staff member clarified legal context for manufactured-home rezones: “The lawsuit was settled in 2024,” and the earlier direction that preserved certain parks north of SR 522 for a minimum 10-year period was measured from the resolution date, which would mean the hold on reconsideration would run to 2034 unless future litigation or council action changes that schedule. Commissioners urged culturally competent outreach and co-design with BIPOC and low-income residents, noting resident mistrust and the need for translation and relationship-building if the city pursues inventory, surveys and potential purchase programs.
On incentives, the consultant recommended revisiting the city’s multifamily tax-exemption (MFE) program to align with state law changes and housing targets; commissioners asked for finance-department modeling of revenue impacts and cautioned that stronger incentives can mean larger deferred tax revenue. The consultant explained MFE-style exemptions defer residential improvement taxes for a set period and can be a potent incentive but require careful fiscal modeling.
Commissioners also backed a practical annual or recurring report to track progress toward housing goals rather than an overly technical dashboard. The consultant recommended a curated, accessible document tied to the housing element and workplan; commissioners emphasized the report should be actionable, help hold implementers accountable and be feasible for existing staff to produce.
The commission did not adopt any formal motions. Staff and the consultant will refine the plan and return with clarified text, outreach plans, and any requested fiscal modeling and code-change options for later hearings.
