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Despite Progress, Much of the Region is Unwelcoming to Development
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Thanks to a thriving economy and high quality of life, the Puget Sound region is one of the most sought-after living areas in the United States. But housing costs in the area are rising, in part due to local land-use regulations that limit the ability to construct adequate new housing. This fact sheet shows that a large share of residential land—including land near transit—is reserved for the construction of single-family homes. New state legislation could help address this housing situation by requiring municipalities to zone for multi-family housing, which could make space for hundreds of thousands of new housing units.
This fact sheet was corrected on November 3, 2022. The map now reflects that some districts in the city of Kirkland allow properties with up to 3 units. On page 2, Kirkland was removed from the list of suburban communities that zone 90 percent or more (not 95 percent or more) of residential land for single-family units.
