Wilson Unveils Zoning Proposal To Expand Housing Near Transit And Urban Centers

On Thurs., Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson released the second of four zoning packages advancing the city’s updated Comprehensive Plan. The legislation, transmitted to the City Council on January 28, outlines major zoning changes aimed at expanding housing options in designated growth areas.

The proposal, which targets 30 new Neighborhood Centers, expands existing Urban Centers, and introduces zoning changes along transit corridors, is intended to support the development of apartments and condominiums near public transportation, retail, services, and community amenities. City officials say the changes will increase housing choices, improve affordability, and help meet growing demand across Seattle neighborhoods.

“This legislation builds on important zoning reform, updating the rules on what can be built and where, so we can create abundant and affordable housing,” said Mayor Katie Wilson. “Seattle is a great city, and more and more people want to make it their home. We’ll keep advancing zoning changes and developing social housing, as we expand our housing and affordability options. And we are just getting started.”

The Centers and Corridors legislation builds on the December 2025 adoption of the first phase of zoning reform, which updated Neighborhood Residential zoning to allow townhomes, duplexes, cottage housing, and stacked flats in all neighborhoods. The current proposal was developed by the Office of Planning and Community Development in collaboration with the mayor’s office and shaped by public input.

“With this legislation, we will unlock the capacity in neighborhoods to build a diversity of housing options and address the housing and affordability crisis impacting our communities,” said Rico Quirindongo, director of Seattle’s Office of Planning & Community Development. “By moving this package forward, we will take our next bold step to create new opportunities for expanded housing supply across the city.”

The zoning changes represent a major step in implementing Seattle’s newly adopted Comprehensive Plan, the first substantial update in a decade. Developed through years of collaboration between city departments, the public, and the City Council, the plan outlines a vision for housing abundance, equity, and sustainability across Seattle.

Seattle’s housing shortage, intensified by job and population growth, has contributed to rising prices, homelessness, reduced economic mobility, and regional sprawl. Expanding housing opportunities in high-access neighborhoods is seen as essential to addressing these challenges.

The Centers and Corridors proposal is designed to reduce barriers to housing development and align with the city’s goal of ensuring every household has access to affordable, well-located homes in vibrant communities.

“House our Neighbors is looking forward to expanding beyond this phase of zoning legislation with the Wilson administration. We aim to develop the most ambitious housing plan we can, one that includes social housing throughout all of Seattle, and especially near our expanding public transit network,” said Jeff Paul, co-executive director, House our Neighbors.

“The Centers and Corridors legislation is a critical step in turning Seattle’s new Comprehensive Plan into real homes. By legalizing more multifamily housing in Neighborhood Centers, Urban Centers, and along frequent transit, this legislation empowers nonprofit and mission-driven housing developers to build affordable homes where people from all walks of life want to live. HDC looks forward to working closely with Mayor Wilson and the City Council on this legislation and future phases of the Comprehensive Plan, to ensure Seattle delivers the abundant housing needed to address our affordability crisis,” said Jesse Simpson, director of government relations and policy, Housing Development Consortium.

“Seattle needs to build more housing if we want to remain a place where people can actually live, work, and raise a family. Right now, we don’t have enough homes, which means land is scarce, competition is intense, and costs keep climbing. This next phase of the Comprehensive Plan matters because it starts removing unnecessary barriers and makes it easier to build more types of housing in more parts of the city. Tools like the stacked flat bonus and continued condo reforms help unlock that housing diversity, work I’ve been pushing for years at the state level, and over time help take pressure off rents,” said Joe Nguyen, president and CEO, Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce.

More information about the Comprehensive Plan is available at Seattle.gov/opcd/one-seattle-plan. Zoning legislation details and maps can be found at Zoning.OneSeattlePlan.com.