The City of Bellevue is working on a new plan to encourage housing development in mixed-use areas. The Housing Opportunities in Mixed-Use Areas (HOMA) Land Use Code Amendment aims to allow higher-density buildings, taller structures, and remove obstacles to building more homes. The plan also includes creating an affordable housing program—either mandatory or optional—to provide more affordable housing options throughout the city.
The HOMA plan builds on the city’s recently updated Comprehensive Plan. The main goal is to change the Land Use Code to make it easier to build housing in mixed-use areas, which are zones where housing and businesses can exist together. This proposal does not include the Wilburton, BelRed, or East Main areas.
Key updates in the HOMA plan include:
- Changes to the residential floor area ratio (FAR).
- Allowing taller buildings.
- Adjusting setbacks and lot coverage rules.
- Updating parking and transition area requirements.
- Adding rules for multifamily play areas.
- Improving recycling and waste guidelines.
- The plan also includes rezoning some parcels in mixed-use areas to align with the Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map. The affordable housing program in HOMA is designed to increase the number of affordable homes, with developers participating either through mandatory or optional measures.
The City of Bellevue has scheduled several information sessions to explain the HOMA plan and gather community feedback. These sessions include both virtual and in-person options:
- 1/13/2025: In-person Session 1
- 1/16/2025: In-person Session 2
- 1/25/2025: In-person Session 3
- 1/27/2025: In-person Session 4
For more information regarding HOMA and planning sessions, visit the city’s website or direct questions to Mathieu Menard at mmenard@bellevuewa.gov.
