Title
Explanation & Attachments
Report
Staff Contact:
Amy Buckler, Senior Planner, Community Planning & Development, (360) 570-5847, abuckler@ci.olympia.wa.us <mailto:abuckler@ci.olympia.wa.us>
Background:
We have just completed step 3 of the process to form Olympia’s Downtown Strategy (attachment 11).
BRIEFING ON RESULTS FROM APRIL 28 BUSINESS & DEVELOPERS FORUM
To prepare for this briefing, members are asked to review:
• Attachment 1: Business & Developer Forum Report
REVIEW & DISCUSSION OF HOUSING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK
A housing strategy that sets the stage for a range of housing types for a range of incomes is an important part of Olympia’s Downtown Strategy. Attachments 2 and 3 outline the components that make up a housing strategy. We will review and discuss demographic and economic information, along with preliminary goals, targets and tools for providing affordable and market rate housing to meet the needs of various income ranges within our community.
Housing affordability is a critical issue in Thurston County; an estimated 36% of Thurston County residents were housing cost burdened or homeless in 2012 (Data Snapshot, Thurston Thrives Housing Action Team, 2013.) See memo (attachment 4) for more information.
The downtown housing strategy is one component of a larger effort needed to increase affordable and safe housing in our community. The public, non-profit and private sectors all have a role, and come together as part of the Thurston Thrives Housing Action Team (a follow up to Sustainable Thurston). The City of Olympia has made efforts to support affordable housing in the past (attachment 5), and will continue to do so as part of the future steps outlined in the Strategy. Also, in a few months, the City will begin a public process to update codes in order to increase opportunity and feasibility for “missing middle housing (e.g., duplexes, cottage and tiny housing, ADU’s) throughout Olympia.
Achieving community goals for an active, walkable and inclusive downtown to live, work and play is key to our region’s long-term environmental, economic and social goals. Currently, the balance of housing in downtown is 43% market rate and live-a-boards (boats) and 57% subsidized or low income. The goal is for a more balanced ratio. To determine the appropriate target (percentage and numbers of units available at specific affordability levels) more community discussion is needed. At this meeting we will present some preliminary targets based on available data.
As downtown redevelopment occurs, community members express concerns about “gentrification” (a phenomenon associated with urban revitalization whereby property values rise to the extent that lower income people can no longer afford to live there.) While it is premature to say that downtown is “gentrifying” (we have just seen 299 new market rate housing units built after a 20 years lull), the City recognizes concerns about displacement and housing affordability, and seeks to engage the community in a dialogue and formation of a housing strategy that will help us achieve community goals for downtown, including goals to provide housing for all.
To prepare for this discussion, members are asked to review the following:
• Attachment 2: Housing Strategy Framework
• Attachment 3: Housing Strategy Components
• Attachment 4: Housing Affordability Memo
• Attachment 5: City efforts to support affordable housing, 2012-2016
• Attachment 6: Downtown market report
For those interested in more information, we also found the following helpful:
• Attachment 7: Revitalizing Neighborhoods, Empowering Residents, report from the International Economic Development Council, 2016
• Attachment 8: Link to Regional Housing Plan, 2013
• Attachment 9: Link to Thurston Thrives Housing Action Team resources
REVIEW & DISCUSSION OF BUSINESS (RETAIL) STRATEGY FRAMEWORK
Several elements of the Downtown Strategy and related City efforts aim to improve the downtown shopping and entertainment experience, as well as business and job opportunities. The list includes: the housing strategy, upcoming parking strategy update, design and streetscape standards, clean and safe actions, business retention and recruitment efforts, and more. We will review these efforts and discuss some additional recommendations. More information will be provided at the meeting.
CHANGES TO MEETING SCHEDULE OF THE STAKEHOLDER WORK GROUP
To accommodate our updated workshop schedule, we are cancelling the September 21 meeting, and adding a new meeting in its place on Wednesday, October 5, 6:30-8:30pm at Olympia City Hall.
OTHER NEWS
• An online survey is open now through July 24. The survey has to do with design of places and spaces within Downtown. Design is about more than beauty; it influences human and environmental health, neighborhood social life, economic development, safety and security, and our quality of life. Survey responses will help us refine proposals for public evaluation in the fall. The survey takes about 15-20 minutes to complete. A link is provided in attachment x.
• Saturday, June 30 - The public is invited to drop by the Harbor House (on Percival Landing across from the Olympia Center) between 11 am-3 pm to learn more about the efforts taking shape to make Downtown a vibrant, inclusive, mixed-income urban neighborhood. Also, we’ll have our 3D viewshed analysis available for viewing.
• August - MAKERS and staff team will have a second meeting with social service & housing providers.
• There is ongoing work by MAKERS and staff team to review development code for alignment with character areas; identify potential tools to encourage private investment, housing affordability, business retention and recruitment; and finalize streetscape character and design guidelines.