T1.1 Urban infill incentives
Increase local government incentives (e.g., tax credits and fee waivers) to make urban infill and redevelopment projects more viable financially.
The State’s Multifamily Tax Exemption program allows jurisdictions to exempt some developments from property taxes for eight years, and to exempt them for twelve if 20% or more of the units qualify as affordable housing. The recent JLARC preliminary report on the program discusses the local differences in the ways it’s been implemented, and makes recommendations for improvements. (Their analysis of the data reported through the program wasn’t able to decide whether or not the exemption actually led to more building or simply increased developers’ profits.) (Dan Leahy wrote a detailed critique of Olympia’s program.)
Bellingham’s Climate Action Plan includes reviewing making their downtown multi-family tax credit dependent on green building standards (p. 95).
Lacey’s report on affordable housing strategy concludes with a discussion of its current incentives and possible additions.
Tumwater’s Sidewalk Infill Program covers up to 80% of the cost of adjacent sidewalks for residential infill lots.
The MSRC’s webpage on infill development has a section of resources about possible incentives, fairly far down the page.