Seattle Home Fairs

What Is It?

Each year, SDCI hosting our annual Seattle Home Fairs. Our free home fairs include helpful information about landslide preparation, earthquake retrofits, tree regulations, and rental housing rules. Thye are an opportunity to ask our experts about our permitting process, building and electrical inspections, soil erosion prevention, and code violations.

This year we hosted our home fair virtually. The home fair recordings and supporting material are posted below.

Landslide Preparation

• Landslide Preparation Video 
• Seattle Landslides: What You Need to Know Presentation
• Resources:
  • Send Us a Question (Q&A Portal)

Tree Regulations

• Tree Regulations Video
• Tree Regulations Presentation
• Resources:

• Tree Protection Code Website
• Tree and Vegetation Removal Website
• Tree Protection SMC 25.11
• Environmentally Critical Areas, SMC 25.09
• Director's Rule 17 2018, Calculating Tree Valuations and Civil Penalties for Tree Protection Code Violations
• Director's Rule 16 2008, Designation for Exceptional Trees
• Tip 242, Tree Protection Regulations in Seattle
• Tip 331, Environmentally Critical Areas Tree and Vegetation Overview
• Tip 331A, Environmentally Critical Areas Vegetation Restoration
• Tip 331B, Hazard Tree
• Common Seattle Trees (helpful guide to identifying common trees, including exceptional trees
• Tree Protection Area Sign
• Tree & Vegetation Protection Detail
• Send Us a Question (Q&A Portal)
• Maps to see locations of Environmentally Critical Areas (ECA)
• Seattle City Light Vegetation Management
• Seattle Department of Transportation Street Tree Permits
• Seattle Parks and Recreation Tree Health and Management
• Plant Amnesty Referral Service
• Great Plant Picks
• Verify an ISA Credential

Earthquake Home Retrofits

• Earthquake Home Retrofits Video 
• Earthquake Home Retrofits Presentation
• Resources:
  • Send Us a Question (Q&A Portal)
  • Subject to Field Inspection Permit Webpage
  • Earthquake Home Retrofit Permit Webpage
  • Homeowner's Guide
  • Property & Building Activity Research

Accessory Dwelling Units

• Accessory Dwelling Units Video
• Accessory Dwelling Units - Attached and Detached Presentation
• Resources:
  • Send Us a Question (Q&A Portal)
  • Tip 103, Site Plan Requirements
  • Tip 116A, Establishing an Attached Accessory Dwelling Unit (AADU) in Residential Zones
  • Tip116B, Establishing a Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (DADU)

Rental Housing Rules

• Rental Housing Rules Video
• Renting in Seattle: Top 10 Things You Need to Know Presentation
• Resources:
  • Governor's Reopening Phases
  • Renting in Seattle Website
  • Move-in Charges
  • Move-in Fees and Deposits
  • Housing and Maintenance Director Rules
  • Accessory Dwelling Unit Webpage
  • Fair Housing Webpage
  • First-in-Time Webpage
  • Short-Term Rentals Webpage
  • COVID Payment Ordinance
  • Renter's Handbook
  • Landlord Advocacy Group
  • Landlord Training
  • Debt Collection Information

Floor Area Ratios in Single-Family Zones

• Floor Area Ratios Video
• Resources:
  • Land Use Q&A Tool
  • DR 4-2019, Yards, setback, and gross floor area for purposes of Land Use Code Standards
  • Seattle Municipal Code 23.86.007 - Floor area and floor area ratio (FAR) measurement

Electrical Inspections Q&A

• Electrical Inspections Video
• Resources:
  • Electrical Inspections Webpage
  • Electrical Inspector District Map
  • Proposed Changes to Code Portal
  • SDCI Tips List
  • Tip 116A, Establishing an Attached Accessory Dwelling Unit (AADU) in Residential Zones
  • Tip116B, Establishing a Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (DADU)
  • Tip 402, Concrete Encased Grounding Electrode
  • Seattle City Light Electrical Service Representatives
  • Technical Support for Homeowners for Code Questions: (206) 684-5383

Site Inspections/Soil Erosion Issues Q&A

• Site Inspections Video
• Resources:
  • Send Us a Question (Q&A Portal)
  • GIS Map
  • Tip 327A, ECA Relief from Prohibition on Steep Slope Development, and Modifications to Submittal Requirements
  • Tip 612, When and How to Report a Code Violation to Seattle DCI
  • Make a Property or Building Complaint

Code Compliance Q&A

• Code Compliance Video
• Resources:
  • Make a Property or Building Complaint
  • Short Term Rentals Webpage
  • Short Term Rentals Regulations
  • Seattle Municipal Code
  • Encouraging Backyard Cottages Webpage
  • City of Seattle Customer Service Requests
  • Tip 107, SDCI Public Records
  • Tip 116A, Establishing an Attached Accessory Dwelling Unit (AADU) in Residential Zones
  • Tip116B, Establishing a Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (DADU)
  • Tip 220, Lot Coverage, Height and Yard Standards for Homes in Single Family Zones
  • Tip 236, Home Occupations
  • Tip 242, Tree Protection Regulations in Seattle
  • Tip 312, Decks, Fences and Arbors for Single Family Homes in Seattle
  • Tip 331, Environmentally Critical Areas-Tree and Vegetation Overview
  • Tip 331A, Environmentally Critical Areas: Vegetation Restoration
  • Tip 331B, Hazard Trees
  • Tip 603, A Citizen's Guide to Housing and Zoning Code Compliance
  • Tip 605, City Regulations for Maintaining Vacant Buildings

Building Inspections Q&A

• Building Inspections Video

Construction & Land Use Permitting Q&A

• Construction & Land Use Video

Rental Housing Q&A

• Rental Housing Video