FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 7, 2024
City of Kenmore Communications
communications@kenmorewa.gov
425-398-8900

Manufactured Housing Communities Ordinance Appeals are Dismissed

Kenmore, WA - Manufactured Housing Communities (MHC) Ordinance 19-0481, adopted by the City Council in 2019, remains in effect and will continue to apply to all six of the mobile home parks in the city. The MHC Ordinance helps to preserve the existing mobile home parks and furthers comprehensive plan objectives and policies to “encourage retention of existing housing stock in Kenmore as a source of affordable housing” (Objective H-3.1), and “support housing options and services that enable seniors to stay in their homes or neighborhoods” (Policy H-2.1.3). The MCH Ordinance also addresses the impacts of closure of the mobile home parks, and offers landowners the ability to transfer their development rights.

After adoption, several owners of mobile home parks appealed the MHC Ordinance and also claimed that the MHC Ordinance damaged their property rights. On October 4, 2024, the Superior Court of Thurston County issued an order  dismissing the appeal filed in May 2024 of the Growth Management Heard Board’s (GMHB) decision that upheld the MHC Ordinance. In addition, on October 30, 2024, the United States District Court Western District dismissed the federal case alleging damages.

In 2019, the City Council also passed Resolution 19-319 desiring the Planning Commission consider and make recommendations on comprehensive plan and municipal code amendments related to future rezones with increased density and affordability requirements for the four manufactured housing communities north of SR-522 with affordability levels down to 35% Area Median Income (AMI) being considered. The timing for consideration of future rezoning for the four parks has not been determined.

Learn more at kenmorewa.gov/manufacturedhousingcommunities

See more City of Kenmore news: kenmorewa.gov/news

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