Legacy Homeowner Development Support

The Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) requests proposals to support low-income (80% AMI or less) legacy homeowners seeking to add infill housing to their property. Funded through a federal PRO Housing grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), OPCD seeks to support education, technical assistance, and pre-development services for low-income homeowners who wish to understand recent zoning changes, evaluate their development options, become more knowledgeable about the development process, and advance toward project readiness and permit submittal.

OPCD is currently soliciting Proposals for two related workstreams to advance its Legacy Homeowner Development Support program:

• Workstream 1 - Legacy Homeowner Education & Networking
• Workstream 2 - Legacy Homeowner Pre-Development Technical Assistance

In January 2026, new Neighborhood Residential (NR) zoning took effect in Seattle, expanding housing choices and creating new options for how property owners use their land. In compliance with Washington House Bill 1110, Seattle’s updated neighborhood now allows at least four units on all residential lots. Expanded capacity for infill housing creates opportunities and challenges. For existing property owners and investors equipped with the financial resources and development acumen to take advantage of them, these changes expand opportunities to produce rental income, create flexibility for household needs, or generate wealth through the subdivision and sale of new homes. But many existing homeowners face barriers preventing them from realizing the housing potential these changes unlock, particularly homeowners with fewer financial resources available. These barriers include:

• A complex design and permitting process
• Limited financial resources and/or difficulty qualifying for or taking on debt
• A lack of knowledge about their land’s development potential, construction requirements, funding options, and the development process
• A lack of time to oversee construction
• Mistrust of the developers and lending institutions
• The burden of managing a rental property

Legacy Homeowner Development Support

To overcome these barriers, OPCD is developing a suite of support programs for low-income legacy homeowners seeking to undertake infill development on their own property. This Legacy Homeowner Development Support program includes education, technical assistance, capacity building, pre-development services, expedited permitting, and project support. Pre-development services may include:

• Project visioning
• Regulatory feasibility analysis
• Due diligence
• Project costing and development of a project pro forma
• Identification of financing options
• Site planning
• Legal support
• Permitting support

Through the Legacy Homeowner Development Support work, OPCD aims to catalyze development of middle housing in residential neighborhoods, create rental housing choices, and stabilize low-income homeowners.