“If you live in or around the Wallingford Residential Urban Village (or the Fremont Urban Village), HALA (the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda) will impact your neighborhood.  …The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is hosting the HALA Community Conversation meeting at Hamilton International Middle School, 1610 N 41st Street, on Wednesday March 30 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.”*

The planned agenda is:

  • 6:00-6:45 PM     An Open House with posters attended by city staff from the Office of Planning & Community Development, Seattle Department of Transportation, and Seattle Parks and Recreation
  • 6:45-7:15 PM     A Short Program of presentations by city staff
  • 7:15-8:00 PM     Breakout Sessions to solicit feedback from small groups of those in attendance.

Learn much more at the meeting and stay connected on our FNC HALA page.  In brief, “HALA is an extensive set of proposals made by a committee formed by the Mayor, to add more affordable housing in Seattle.  The City Council will be voting on these proposals, in bits and pieces, this year and next year, along with other related initiatives including a new Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan.  The agenda calls for extensive public outreach and engagement.”* Learn more about possible changes if HALA proposals are adopted—some of these proposals are:

  • Rezone Single Family areas to Multifamily, within the Wallingford Residential Urban village boundaries. This affects about 700 houses in our neighborhood. …
  • Reduced Design Review requirements and increased SEPA review thresholds, reducing any opportunity for public comment. … “ *
  • Mandatory Housing Affordability  included in new developments, affordable to those earning a certain percentage of Seattle’s  Area Median Income (AMI)

The HALA Committee issued 65 recommendations not just these about zoning.

*From Wallingford Community Council email 3-29-2016