For equality we need to implement equity
City wide zoning is not possible - Diversity Zoning is
The City of Bellingham is moving toward city wide zoning and policy making. This means that instead of taking into consideration the demographic, infrastructure, density, and challenges of certain areas, all of Bellingham will be governed equally.
Making decisions on a city wide basis they say is more equitable. They are mistaken. When inequality exists, the hoped for outcome is equality. The solution to get there is equity.
A universal city-wide governance philosophy can only govern with the intent of equality, but if the city nor its residents are equal, then the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. With equality the same resources and opportunities are provided to everyone equally regardless of differences or need.
Bellingham has not reached equality. When it comes to housing and wages, there is a huge gap between 1) those who can afford, 2) those who can afford less, and 3) those who cannot afford housing at all. The latter are forced to live in smaller, older, unsafe units in neighborhoods with less infrastructure and public amenities such as parks, transit or parking.
At the February 6th Planning Commission meeting members were informed that Neighborhood Plans would not be included in the 2025 Comprehensive Plan. These Neighborhood Plans have taken into consideration the challenges these neighborhoods face, and the incredible benefits their neighborhoods offer to the community. Without them, as a homogenous document, the Bellingham Comprehensive Plan will not be able to recognize the needs of the neighbors to reach the equality the city seeks.
City wide zoning is difficult or impossible to make equitable
Other large municipalities have reduced parking requirements and have looked at the problem with equity. They Recognize where their future housing units will need less parking such as in Urban Villages or near transit lines, but knowing that their Workforce (who sometimes struggle with 2 or more jobs) more often have a car, and cannot afford to live in nor want to live in an Urban Village or in the density of a TOD (Transit-oriented development).
Parking in Happy Valley is not only crowded and needed, but is dangerous because of the lack of infrastructure such as sidewalks.
In the name of equality though, without proof of concept, the city of Bellingham made all parking the choice of developers city wide. There are arguments for reduced parking having an equitable effect to reduce the pricing of housing, but when an action is taken universally across the breadth of a city’s area the equity is lost, and inequality ensues.
Why? Because development moves slowly. Only Tens or possibly a hundred units coming online any one month. As these new developments are built, and the costs to the investor are less, if the reduction is seen in the rent (maybe?), a universal reduction in parking will allow the well off a parking spot outside their door, while our grocery clerks, students, hospitality workers and more often persons of color could be walking blocks to their vehicle. The solution is to reduce housing costs. Right? Who gets the less expensive unit?
City wide governance does not work when the city does not yet have equality.
In 2019, Bellingham also passed a city wide ordinance to allow Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADUs) in the name of housing supply and affordability. This market rate modification to zoning is expensive to build, is new stock, and envogue. Popular and expensive neighborhoods build because the home owner could afford the huge expense, but thus must make the rent so high that only well off individuals can afford them. Further, the homes they are built in the back yard of are now worth more, further exacerbating financial inequality between neighborhoods. If a market rate solution is to be used to help inequality it must be done in a fashion that creates affordability for those who need it most. City wide zoning is not equitable.
Its more than just about survival
Livability is also desired in Bellingham. Residents are not here to survive but to thrive. City wide governance continues inequality, due to the lack of equity. When policies are reviewed city wide, and codified into law the city has no jurisdiction when investors and their Planning Consultants take advantage of those laws for their own profit, to the detriment of those who feel the effects of inequality the most.
Expensive neighborhoods don’t feel the brunt of the negative aspects of density and city wide growth as much as neighborhoods that are less expensive. With the Washington state legislature jumping on the band wagon, every residential lot can now permit a 4-plex. Expensive neighborhood’s land is too expensive, so they don’t feel the effects of such a change. Neighborhoods with cheaper land and possibly cheaper homes, are more susceptible to the knocking down of an affordable 1950s home for the progress of a quadplex with the challenges it brings with increased density such as cars.
You would think that with increased density would come increased infrastructure. This may be the case if an equitable lens was placed upon the City’s decision-making process, but no. Sidewalks, parking, bus routes are of course reviewed on a city wide level, and thus the impacts of density in one neighborhood are not mitigated ‘equally’.
Happy Valley Neighborhood is a case and point. Their land is cheaper, so will be more adversely affected by city wide (state inflicted) density mandates. The city is attempting to increase multi-modal infrastructure, but Happy Valley has the least infrastructure and higher density than most neighborhoods, with a super majority of renters. They trend toward the lower income spectrum as they cannot afford to buy a home. With a universal zoning strategy, without a neighborhood plan to recognize micro challenges of an area, and a city with mostly market rate housing solutions for affordability, equality vs the rest of Bellingham will not be created in Happy Valley, nor within many other similar neighborhoods.
The current Comprehensive Plan has dedicated themes that will “guide the update” which include:
- Accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion;
- Housing options and affordability;
- Public health and safety; and
- Vibrant and unique places.
Sadly, as described above, these four goals will be anything but possible to accomplish if the City continues on its current path.