Sunset Area Transformation Plan

2018 Sunset Transformation Brochure

The most up to date material on the Sunset Transformation Plan. Updated 12/18.

2017 Sunset Area Transformation Plan Brochure

The Sunset Area Transformation Plan was created with the support of the King County Housing Authority, the City, Renton Housing Authority, Neighborhood House, Renton School District, and numerous other partners. It is the guiding document for improvements in the Sunset neighborhood and is made up of a Housing, People, and Neighborhood Strategy. It includes substantial new affordable and market-rate housing, critical community and economic development initiatives for Sunset Area residents and businesses, and education and supportive services for neighborhood residents.

The 2016 Housing Strategy aims to transform the Sunset Area neighborhood by replacing the former distressed 100-unit Sunset Terrace public housing project with Sunset Neighborhood Park, new Highlands Library, and future high-quality mixed income units. The housing projects will include a combination of new and rehabilitated, low-income and market rate units on and around the Sunset Terrace site. Additional units will be located off-site to expand affordable and assisted housing in the area.

The 2016 People Strategy provides multilingual and culturally appropriate support to families and individuals of all ages to build on their assets and strengths to become self-sufficient and achieve their goals. The strategies target five areas which include health, kindergarten readiness, continuous academic success, college and career readiness, and promoting self-sufficiency.

The 2016 Neighborhood Strategy includes projects that address the needs identified by Sunset Area residents and businesses. The Neighborhood strategy are made up of Critical Community Improvement (CCI) projects that target the Redevelopment Area, the Improvement Area, and the Business District. It also includes public safety initiatives that responds to needs that address priority needs identified by Sunset residents and business owners.

Sunset Area Community Revitalization Brochure 

The Sunset Area Community Revitalization is a capital improvements program aimed at the redeveloped the Sunset Terrace public housing community to encourage redevelopment in the Sunset Area through land use transformation, and public service and infrastructure improvements. 

Renton and Sunset Area Community Needs Assessment

The City of Renton, along with its partners, conducted the Renton and Sunset Area Community Needs Assessment to identify priority human service and housing needs in the City of Renton. The assessment provides an overall picture of community need for housing and human services within the City and examines the gaps in existing services. The thirteen priority human services and housing needs were identified. This document presents a closer look at these priority needs in the Sunset Area.

Sunset Area Community Investment Strategy 

Based on the Highlands Phase II Task Force recommendations, the City of Renton commissioned a Community Needs Assessment (CIS) study to prioritize additional public investment in the Sunset Area. The goal is to maximize the opportunities held in both current and future investments to leverage benefit for the broader community.

Phase II Task Force Final Report

The City of Renton formed a second Highlands Task Force in late 2007 to help the City identify, prioritize, and make recommendations about the next steps needed to implement the adopted vision for the Center Village in the Highlands area.  Members of the Phase II Task Force explored ideas about how to implement the land use vision endorsed by the first task force and how to improve quality of life in the area.  After over a year of intense study and discussion and a public meeting, the Task Force produced a report with two dozen recommendations for City actions in the Highlands.  These recommendations were presented to City Council in December 2008 and included everything from specific code changes to a number of big ideas.  In early 2009, Council adopted this document by resolution and asked the administration to draw up a work program to begin implementing the work of the Phase II Task Force.

 Zoning Task Force Final Report

In Fall of 2006, the Highlands Task Force on Land Use and Zoning was convened to review a revised, proposed set of zoning amendments to stimulate redevelopment in the area.  After citizen, environmental, and Council review processes were completed, the Task Force’s recommendation was adopted in May 2007.  The land use and zoning changes were intended to stimulate revitalization of one of Renton’s older commercial and residential areas into a community with compact urban development featuring a mix of residential and commercial uses, a range of housing types, innovative design, transit orientation, pedestrian scale amenities and a community focal point.