Mayor Bruce Harrell proposed interim legislation and upcoming permanent reforms to Seattle’s Design Review program to make housing development faster and more predictable while ensuring compliance with new state regulations.
Proposed reforms are expected to reduce the number of projects subject to Design Review by up to 40% in an average year, which would decrease permitting time for most new housing projects by one to two years.
Projects that do go through Design Review would save an average of four to nine months in the permitting process thanks to a simplified process. Life-safety and technical code reviews would remain in place for all projects through the existing construction permitting process.
“Seattle needs more housing — and we’re taking critical steps that build on the success of current initiatives to get that housing across our city more quickly,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell. “These changes will modernize our Design Review process to focus the permitting process on what matters most — safe buildings that meet community needs — while eliminating unnecessary delays.”
If approved by City Council, the reforms would take effect in two phases. An interim ordinance —pausing Design Review requirements for new projects — would take effect immediately to align with Washington State’s House Bill 1293, which limits design review and requires clear, objective standards. Broader, permanent reforms that reflect input from community members and homebuilders are expected to be introduced later this summer.
The interim and upcoming permanent proposals would provide the following improvements:
Extend successful exemption for affordable housing. The interim ordinance would extend by six months a Design Review exemption set to expire in August 2025 for projects that meet Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) requirements through onsite affordable units. During the two-year exemption pilot, proposed onsite housing units more than doubled compared to all prior years of the MHA program. Building on this success, the legislative proposal coming later this summer would make this exemption permanent.
Only large projects would be subject to design review. The review threshold would increase to buildings with 150+ housing units or 20,000+ square feet of commercial space. Smaller projects would be exempt, as well as projects located outside Urban Centers or Regional Growth Centers, and projects subject to other review boards, such as the Landmark Preservation Board.
Clear guidelines and less meetings. Permanent Design Review guidelines would be easier to understand and focus exclusively on elements of the building’s exterior. The permanent ordinance would also limit Design Review to one public meeting that must take place early in the permitting process to help increase predictability, reduce delays, and provide an avenue for public comment when it’s most impactful.
One citywide board. The eight geographically focused boards would be replaced by one citywide board of 14 members who have expertise in design, development, and equity. Projects planned within established equity areas would use board members from the local community within the pool of 14. This change aims to simplify the program, make it more consistent, and improve representation for historically underserved communities.
Flexibility in design standards in exchange for public benefits. Departures from design standards, such as increased height or floor area, may be allowed for projects that add public benefits like meeting equity goals or enhancing street-level design. Projects exempt from Design Review would also benefit from similar flexibility through an administrative process.
“Seattle’s Design Review process plays a role in housing affordability, production, and access,” said Brady Nordstrom, coordinator with the Seattle for Everyone coalition. Seattle cannot control all the factors contributing to rising housing costs, but we can control how we permit and review new housing. That’s why we are thrilled about Seattle’s active efforts to implement the requirements of HB 1293 alongside key stakeholder and public input. This reform effort represents a major opportunity to make the system work better for everyone—by increasing clarity, reducing unnecessary barriers, and prioritizing homes in more places for more people.”
Mayor Harrell’s recently approved 3-year pilot program exempting new housing, hotels, and labs from Design Review downtown and in adjacent neighborhoods as part of the Downtown Activation Plan will continue until November 2, 2027. The interim and permanent proposals would not impact this initiative.
The interim legislation will be submitted to City Council following the SEPA environmental review process, which began on June 9 and is expected to conclude on June 26.
What People Are Saying
Councilmember Mark Solomon
“Safe, well-designed buildings are key to building safe neighborhoods. By streamlining the design review process and focusing on clear, objective guidelines—especially those that improve how buildings interact with public spaces—we’re making sure that safety, accessibility, and visibility remain top priorities as our city grows.”
Hamdi Abdulle, CEO of African Community Housing and Development
“Exempting affordable housing from design review helps us deliver homes faster and more cost-effectively. These changes build on that success and ensure more families—especially in historically underserved communities—can access safe, stable, and affordable housing without unnecessary delays.”
Raymond Connell, Managing Director, Holland Partner Group
“With our region’s housing crisis, we applaud the City’s ongoing efforts to streamline the entitlement process. In our experience, design review requirements and durations have wildly varied across projects, and meaningful reforms will help get housing built faster in Seattle.”
Parker Dawson, Master Builder’s Association of King and Snohomish Counties
“These reforms are especially important for small homebuilders constructing middle housing—projects that are crucial to addressing our region’s housing shortage. By simplifying the design review process and removing costly delays, Seattle is making it more feasible for local builders to deliver the ‘missing middle’ homes that serve working families.”
Nathan Torgelson, Director of Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections
“With these Design Review program reforms, we’re improving transparency, honoring community voices, and saving months—sometimes years—in the permitting process. It’s a leaner but refined program that helps us build the housing our city desperately needs.”
Brady Nordstrom, Seattle for Everyone
“Seattle’s Design Review process plays a role in housing affordability, production, and access. While recent good-faith efforts have been made to improve the process in Seattle, more work is needed to ensure that it supports the creation of urgently needed homes. Seattle cannot control all the factors contributing to rising housing costs, but we can control how we permit and review new housing. That’s why we are thrilled about Seattle’s active efforts to implement the requirements of HB 1293 alongside key stakeholder and public input. This reform effort represents a major opportunity to make the system work better for everyone—by increasing clarity, reducing unnecessary barriers, and prioritizing homes in more places for more people. We offer our deep thanks to Seattle’s leadership for supporting these bold improvements to the Design Review process.”