There has been a lot of rain. A lot. In fact, as of mid-January it was deemed the rainiest January on record since 1894. At this time of year, those of us with housing can be grateful for the refuge our homes offer against Pacific Northwest winters.
While a home provides the most basic need of shelter, it does so much more. Our homes are places where families are nurtured. They offer respite from the world outside and reflect our creativity, interests, and style. They provide a place to host gatherings of friends. And more frequently they are places of work and education.
Finding a place to call home has become more difficult for just about everyone. This is especially true for economically challenged households. The challenge of finding a home is partially due to not enough housing being built to keep up with population growth. When there is an inadequate supply of homes, prices increase.
To overcome this, Burien must be creative and find ways to accommodate a variety of housing types to help ensure an adequate supply is built and homes will be available for all income levels. The City of Burien has taken on this challenge by creating the Burien Housing Action Plan.
The plan has been under development throughout most of 2020 and a final draft will be going before City Council for adoption in mid-2021. This plan was created by estimating job growth, population growth, housing affordability, and future housing construction. It was crafted alongside a public outreach process that listened to the needs and desires of residents, workers, businesses, nonprofit organizations, service providers, and other key stakeholders that helped guide the plan.
The Burien Housing Action Plan will provide information and strategies for city staff to use while updating our plans and zoning regulations with the goal of avoiding displacement and increasing housing options for all of Burien’s residents.
