Incentives FAQ
What are developer incentive programs?
Developer incentive programs are programs that have been established by the King County Executive and the King County Council to provide encouragement for housing developers to include affordable homes or apartments in their developments.
I want to find an affordable home or apartment that was created through one of these incentive programs. How do I do that? Most of the developers who create units through the incentive programs are required to list those units with the Multifamily Affordable Properties web site.
If you are looking for affordable housing on the eastside of King County, you may also want to contact A Regional Coalition for Housing at (425) 861-3677.
You may consult our housing resource section for more information by clicking here.
What are the King County Code sites for the incentive programs?
The code sites for the incentive programs listed on our Incentives and More page are: Density Bonuses - KCC 21A.34.040 School Impact Fee Waivers - KCC 21A.43.080 Transportation Mitigation Payment Waivers - KCC 14.75.140 Surplus Property Sales for project that incorporate affordable housing - KCC 4.56.070 and KCC 4.56.100 Master Planned Developments - KCC 21A.39.060 What projects are eligible for these incentive programs?
Generally, residential or mixed-use developments located in urban unincorporated King County can qualify for some of these incentive programs if they agree to incorporate affordable housing under the terms required by the King County Code. With few exceptions, this includes most properties zoned R-4 through R-48. Many incorporated cities within King County also offer incentives for developments within their community and you should consult them directly or check their web site to find out about incentive opportunities they might provide.
Is cottage housing eligible for an affordable housing incentive program?
While cottage housing developments qualify for density bonuses, there is no affordable housing requirement that must be satisfied in order to qualify for the bonus. It is intended, however, that the smaller unit sizes of the cottage units will result in lower construction costs and therefore create housing that is more affordable than it would have been if developed under traditional zoning.
How do I apply for an incentive for a specific housing development project? For density bonuses, parking reductions and fee waivers (either school impact fee or transportation MPS fee) please notify the Department of Development and Environmental Services in conjunction with the permit application process. In addition, please notify Cheryl Markham via e-mail or at (206) 263-9067 with specific information about the project and incentive programs you would like to consider for your development. Am I guaranteed to receive an incentive?
King County strives to provide the maximum incentives available to a qualified development in order to support the creation of affordable housing opportunities; however, the ability of a specific development to obtain and incentive may be limited by site constraints, project limitations or other factor. Staff will work with you to evaluate and the incentives and determine which incentives would work best for your project.
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