A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.
A new Seattle law supports co-living, removing land use restrictions that prohibited such housing facilities in many parts of the city. According to Washington State Senator Jesse Salomon, young people and retirees, among others, are seeking affordable housing options in high-demand areas.
Co-living is defined as buildings where residents have private sleeping space but share other facilities such as kitchens and bathrooms. The city’s actions comply with a state law that requires localities to legalize co-living on multifamily lots by December 2025.
As Ysabelle Kempe explains in Smart Cities Dive, “Co-living housing was much more common in the U.S. decades ago than it is now, but restrictive local zoning rules adopted over time made it difficult to build and operate such housing, according to the Seattle-based think tank Sightline Institute.”
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