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Affordable by Design
If we are to achieve the goals of the Growth Management Act, we must provide a variety of housing choices in urban areas affordable to all economic segments of the population that are attractive, accessible to parks, transit, work, shopping, and other amenities.Welcome to Affordable by Design, a program intended to further public awareness of well-designed, affordable and higher density housing being developed within Washington’s urban growth areas under the Growth Management Act (GMA). Under the GMA, the term “affordable housing” applies to housing for all economic levels of the community*. While the GMA encourages the creation of affordable housing through innovative planning, many communities continue to search for the right tools to achieve their affordable housing goals.
Juli Wilkerson, Director, Department of Community Trade and Economic Development
Affordable by Design provides information and outstanding examples of housing developments whose principles of planning, design and implementation can be applied in other communities. This site is designed to be a resource for local governments, land use planners, developers, planning commissions, elected officials, citizens, and housing financiers.
Featured on this site through case studies are a variety of housing developments, both market rate and subsidized, that have received the Director’s Award for Leadership in Housing Development. The Director’s Award is given to housing developments that meet a number of criteria such as affordability, good design, proximity to shopping, work and other services, pedestrian friendliness, and orientation to transit.
You can access publications and information on best practices for achieving affordable and attractive high-density housing, or submit a project you think should be considered for the Director’s Award for Leadership in Housing Development and posted on this site.
*The goals and requirements of the GMA address the need for affordable housing for all economic segments of the population through:
- County-wide planning policies on affordable housing and parameters for the distribution of such housing, including identification of the share of affordable housing for each planning county and city and how it will be achieved.
- Housing elements in comprehensive land use plans that: inventory existing and projected need; include a statement of goals, policies and objectives; identify sufficient land for housing; and provide for all economic segments of the community.
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