Poster #89 - Regional Collaborative Governance and Inclusionary Zoning: Policy Implementation and Institutional Arrangement in King County, WA

• In Event: Friday Poster Reception

Abstract

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Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) is a local policy aimed at increasing affordable housing by requiring or encouraging developers to include affordable units in new residential projects. While IZ policies are gaining popularity as a solution to housing affordability challenges (Wang and Fu, 2022), their effectiveness largely depends on local political commitment and governance capabilities, factors that are often underexplored in existing literature. Moreover, regional collaborative governance, a framework for pooling resources and balancing interests across jurisdictions, has been underexplored in the U.S. context (Morrill, 1989; Morisson and Doussineau, 2019 ). To develop the theory and practice of this governance framework, we need to generate better conceptual clarity about impacts.

Focusing on A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH)—a multi-jurisdictional partnership between King County, Washington and its local cities—this study explores how governance arrangements affect the delivery of IZ policies. Specifically, the research addresses two central questions: (1) What are the effects of the regional collaborative governance framework on IZ policies and affordable housing practices? (2) What barriers within the framework hinder the improvement of IZ policy outcomes?

The paper develops two hypotheses: (1) Regional collaborative governance exerts a positive influence over the implementation and effectiveness of IZ policies; and (2) Effective regional governance for affordable housing must account for the region's political and institutional dynamics. A modified serial interview methodology is employed, involving six interviews with the same key staff from ARCH over time. These interviews, guided by four themes from the ARCH Strategic Plan 2024, include governing structure and funding, hierarchical governance (state, federal, and member city influences), stakeholder partnerships, and impact measurement and are analyzed through thematic analysis to identify patterns and institutional dynamics that facilitate or hinder IZ policy effectiveness.

The interviews already started in January 2025 and will be completed by June 2025, with full findings available by October 2025. The results aim to contribute to the broader urban planning policy discourse on collaborative governance and regional equity, offering both theoretical implications and actionable recommendations for policymakers, urban planners, and housing advocates.

Author

• Zhongmin E Luo, University of Washington
  Presenting Author