The Middle Housing Grant Program provides funding to cities or regional groups to take actions that will evaluate the authorization of middle housing types on at least 30% of lots zoned for single family at the beginning of the grant. Grant funds are currently available to cities within King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. The proviso states that for this grant “middle housing types” include: duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, fiveplexes, sixplexes, townhouses, courtyard apartments, cottage housing, and stacked flats.

Grants funds are awarded based on population as follows:

Cities under 10,000 population: $60,000
Cities between 10,000 and 20,000 population: $75,000
Cities over 20,000 population: $100,000

Each city which receives grant funds must use a racial equity analysis and establish anti-displacement policies as required for the housing element of the comprehensive plan (RCW 36.70A.070(2)(e) through (h)) to ensure there will be no net displacement of very low, low or moderate-income households, as defined in RCW 43.63A.510, or individuals from racial, ethnic and religious communities which have been subject to discriminatory housing policies in the past

Funding is still available for the current fiscal biennium. Please contact Mary Reinbold at Mary.Reinbold@commerce.wa.gov to learn more.