City of Selah Housing Action Plan (HAP)

City of Selah Housing Action Plan Final Public Hearing

Join us on Tuesday December 23, 2023

City of Selah Council Chambers

115 Naches Ave., Selah, WA 98942

5:30 P.M.

City of Selah 2023 Final Housing Action Plan

City of Selah 2023 Housing Action Plan – Planning Commission Hearing Packet

City of Selah 2023 Housing Action Plan – City Council Hearing Packet

The City of Selah, like many cities across the state, are facing a range of housing issues and changing state regulations requiring the city to reexamine and update its housing goals and policies and development regulations.  Despite the continued developed of new housing in the city, the housing market remains highly competitive in our region with steep increases in rents for all forms of housing, and equally high prices for the purchase of new single-family homes.  In response to these changes, the City is asking, “what can we do to help make housing more available and affordable today, and prepare for the growth we expect to see in the coming years?” To help answer these questions, the city has started the process of developing a Housing Action Plan (HAP).  As one of the first steps in developing its HAP, and to help identify current housing issues, and future housing needs, the city is asking for your partition in its Housing Needs Assessment survey.  Through your participation in the Housing Needs Assessments Survey, the city hopes to learn from its residents, workers, and others who may wish to live in the City of Selah, what existing and future housing needs the city should focus on, and better accommodate in its HAP, future Comprehensive Plan, and development regulations.   The City is hopeful that development of a HAP which has greater public involvement could lead to a wider range of housing options to meet the current and future housing needs of its citizenry, as well as provide changes in its development regulations which could expand the range of housing types, bring down the cost of development, and incentivize housing that is more affordable.

Housing Action Plan Drop Down Menus – The below menus are drop down and may be activated/expanded by clicking anywhere on the menu title to reveal additional information, documents, or weblinks.

What is a Housing Action Plan?

A Housing Action Plan (HAP) is a guidebook that provides the City of Selah with strategies and actions to help address its housing challenges. The intent of the HAP is to provide tools that can aid in the creation of a well-balanced housing market, one that supports residents with a wide range of housing needs. We develop strategies and actions based on the guidance of stakeholders, community members, research collected in the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA), and best practices from other growing communities. The HAP is an opportunity for the City of Selah to take a pulse on what is happening in the community in terms of access to and affordability of housing. The result of the HAP is a set of tools that can help policy makers and elected officials make informed decisions about planning for the future.

What does the Housing Needs Assessment Study address?

1. Community Profile: Who lives and works here, and what are their socioeconomic characteristics? How has population changed over time?
2. Local Workforce Profile: What type of jobs does the City of Selah offer? Are residents commuting out of town every day to work?
3. Housing Inventory: What types of housing are available? How much does housing cost?
4. Gap Analysis: Is there enough housing for the current and future population? Is the housing stock affordable for Selah residents?
5. Land Capacity Analysis: Does the City of Selah have adequate developable land to accommodate the anticipated population and housing growth?

HAP Public Meetings, Study Session and Public Involvement Schedule:

July 18, 2023 – Planning Commission Review Capacity Analysis – Office of Financial Management (OFM) Requirements, and Discuss Strategies 5:30 p.m. (virtual hosted through Zoom)
August 8, 2023 – City Council Meeting HAP Study Session – Review Inventory, OFM Requirements, and Planning Commission Initial Strategies
August 7 – September 9, 2023 – Conduct Voter Household Strategies Survey (postcard mailing by Beckwith)
July 19 – August 12, 2023 – Conduct Voter Household Strategies Survey (postcard mailing by Beckwith)
August 14, 2023 – Housing Action Plan Open House (topic and venue to be determined)
August 15, 2023 – Planning Commission HAP Draft Implementation Plan and Voter Survey Results Review (virtual) 5:30 p.m.
October 18 – November 7, 2023 – Planning Commission – HAP Draft Development and Review of Materials

November 14, 2023 – Tentative City Council Study Session and Initial Review of Draft HAP

December 19, 2023 – Planning Commission HAP Public Hearing

January 23, 2024 – City Council Final HAP Public Hearing and Adoption

Housing Action Plan – Presentations:
  1. City of Selah Council Retreat HAP Presentation (Beckwith).
  2. City of Selah Council Retreat HAP Presentation (Staff).
  3. Beckwith Planning Commission HAP Presentation February 21, 2023.
  4. Beckwith HAP Demographics and Housing Assessment Survey Results – Planning Commission, Council, Open House #1, and Home Builders Presentation – April -19, 24, & 26, 2023.
  5. Beckwith Planning Commission HAP Presentation – May 16, 2023.
  6. Beckwith Planning Commission HAP Presentation – June 20, 2023.
  7. Beckwith Planning Commission HAP Presentation – July 18, 2023.
  8. City of Selah Council Study Session Presentation (Beckwith) – Housing Action Plan Strategies – August 8, 2023.
  9. Open House #2 – Housing Action Plan – Housing – Development Types & Strategies – August 14, 2023.
  10. Beckwith Planning Commission HAP Presentation – August 15, 2023.
  11. Beckwith Planning Commission HAP Draft – September 18, 2023.
  12. Beckwith Planning Commission HAP Appendix E Public Opinion Draft – October 3, 2023.
  13. Beckwith Planning Commission HAP Draft – October 3, 2023.
  14. Beckwith Planning Commission HAP Selah Home Sales History – October 3, 2023.
  15. Beckwith Planning Commission HAP Study Session – October 18, 2023.
  16. Beckwith Planning Commission Draft HAP & Building Land Capacity Study Session – November 7, 2023.
  17. City of Selah Council Draft HAP Study Session – November 14, 2023.
City of Selah 2023 Housing Action Plan & State Environmental Policy Act Review Documents:
  1. City of Selah Notice of Environmental Review (SEPA Checklist), Public Comment, and Planning Commission Public Hearing – November 22, 2023
  2. City of Selah Notice of Environmental Review, Public Comment, and Planning Commission Public Hearing (Legal Add) – November 22, 2023
  3. Stakeholder Mailing List and Notice of Environmental Review, Public Comment, and Planning Commission Public Hearing – November 22, 2023
  4. SEPA Agencies Mailing List for HAP Environmental Review – November 22, 2023
  5. City of Selah 2023 Draft HAP
  6. City of Selah 2023 Draft HAP Appendices
  7. City of Selah Draft HAP SEPA Determination of Nonsignificance, December 7, 2023
  8. Legal Add Selah HAP City Council Adoption Hearing, January 12, 2024
City of Selah Housing Needs Assessment Survey Information:
  1. Housing Needs Assessment Survey Letter – Mailed to Voting Public – March 29, 2023
  2. Housing Needs Assessment Survey Letter (with QR code) – Emailed to Stakeholders – March 29, 2023
  3. Housing Needs Assessment Survey Letter (with QR code) – Posted in Businesses and Public Buildings – March 29, 2023
  4. Housing Needs Assessment Survey Legal Add & Affidavit of Publication – April 2 & April 9, 2023
  5. Housing Needs Assessment Survey Mailing List – March 29, 2023
  6. Housing Needs Assessment Survey (English)
  7. Housing Needs Assessment Survey (Spanish)
  8. City of Selah Housing Needs Assessment Survey Results with citizen comments (survey closed July 12, 2023)
  9. Notice of City of Selah Housing Action Plan Public Open House #1 – April 24, 2023
  10. Community Members In Attendance City of Selah Housing Action Plan Public Open House #1 – April 24, 2023
  11. Community Members In Attendance City of Selah HAP Demographics and Housing Assessment Survey Results – Central Washington Home Builders – Presentation – April 26, 2023.
  12. Legal Notice of City of Selah Housing Action Plan Public Open House #1 – April 24, 2023
Housing Style Visual Survey Community Days:
The above image from left to right show eight different housing styles: Accessory Dwelling Unit, Duplex, Cottage, Townhouse, Courtyard Building, Multiplex, Live-Work (living space above business), and Studio Apartment/Small Efficiency Dwelling Unit (SEDU).
Housing Style Visual Survey Community Days – Friday Day 1 Results: Studio Apartment – 1%, Accessory Dwelling Units – 16%, Duplexes – 20%, Cottages – 21%, Townhouses – 8%, Courtyard Buildings – 8%, Multiplex – 4%, and Live – Work (commercial below dwellings) – 22%.
Housing Style Visual Survey Community Days – Saturday Day 2 Results: Studio Apartment – 2%, Accessory Dwelling Units – 13%, Duplexes – 19%, Cottages – 24%, Townhouses – 10%, Courtyard Buildings – 9%, Multiplex – 6%, and Live – Work (commercial below dwellings) – 17%.
Housing Style Visual Survey Community Days – Total Results: Studio Apartment – 2%, Accessory Dwelling Units – 14%, Duplexes – 19%, Cottages – 23%, Townhouses – 9%, Courtyard Buildings – 9%, Multiplex – 6%, and Live – Work (commercial below dwellings) – 18%
Housing Style Visual Survey Community Days – Total Results
Housing TypesAccessory Dwelling UnitsDuplexesCottagesTownhousesCourtyard BuildingsMultiplexLive – Work (commercial below dwellings)SEDU (Studio Apartment)Total
Friday Day 1 Results13 16 176    6317179
  
Housing TypesAccessory Dwelling UnitsDuplexesCottagesTownhousesCourtyard BuildingsMultiplexLive – Work (commercial below dwellings)SEDU (Studio Apartment)
Saturday Day 2 Results53 76 9339    3725696398
  
Housing TypesAccessory Dwelling UnitsDuplexesCottagesTownhousesCourtyard BuildingsMultiplexLive – Work (commercial below dwellings)SEDU (Studio Apartment)
Total for Both Days66 9211045    4328867477
Housing Types Board 1
Housing Types Board 2
Housing Action Plan Community Days Visual Survey Booth/Tent
City of Selah Final Housing Survey Information – Conditions, Preferences, and Priorities:
  1. City of Selah Multi-Lingual Postcard & Survey QR Code – Mailed to Public – August 1, 2023.
  2. Housing Action Plan Letter to Businesses Final Survey (English) – Hand Delivered and Emailed to Businesses and Stakeholder Group – August 8 – 11, 2023.
  3. Housing Action Plan Letter to Businesses Final Survey (Spanish)- Hand Delivered and Emailed to Businesses and Stakeholder Group – August 8 – 11, 2023.
  4. Housing Action Plan Final Survey – Conditions, Preferences, and Priorities (English) – August 1 – September 7, 2023.
  5. Housing Action Plan Final Survey – Conditions, Preferences, and Priorities (Spanish) – August 1 – September 7, 2023.
Additional HAP Resources & Documents
  1. City of Selah HAP Proposal.
  2. City of Selah & Beckwith Consulting HAP Contract.
  3. Washington State House Bill HB-1220
  4. Washington State House Bill HB-1110
  5. WA Dept Of Commerce Article
  6. WA Department of Commerce Guidance for Developing a Housing Needs Assessment Public Review Draft
  7. WA Department of Commerce Guidance for Developing a Housing Action Plan Public-Review Draft
  8. WA Department of Commerce Guidance on Accessory Dwellings Draft (ADU)
Frequently Asked Questions