As communities across British Columbia and Canada implement gentle density through federal and provincial initiatives, it can be helpful to examine similar efforts south of the border. This session explores recent housing policy changes in Washington State, how communities are adapting to new state requirements, and the projects developers are advancing within these new frameworks. 

During this one-hour session, Andrew Bjorn (Small Housing) will provide an overview of recent changes in state law and how this has been implemented across WA communities. Matt Hutchins (CAST Architecture) will discuss his experiences as a Seattle Planning Commissioner, as well as the development of the "Spokane Six" sixplex project under new development regulations implemented in Spokane.

About the Presenter:

Matt Hutchins, AIA CPHD co-founded CAST architecture in Seattle and has led the firm for 25 years. In addition to a diverse practice executing custom residential, multifamily, and civic works, Matt is a longtime public advocate for affordable and abundant housing. He is President of AIA Seatttle and the Seattle Design Festival, serves on the Strategic Council for AIA National and the Seattle Planning Commission. Matt was named one of Seattle’s Most Influential People by Seattle Magazine in 2019 for his work passing Seattle’s ADU reform, the nation’s most progressive regulation on the type. He is currently developing a sixplex in Spokane Washington to illustrate the potential of middle housing.