The Seattle For Everyone group — “a broad coalition of affordable housing developers and advocates, for-profit developers and businesses, labor and social justice advocates, environmentalists and urbanists, all united to build an equitable, prosperous, thriving, and inclusive Seattle” — Monday night sent its members a call to rally support for Washington Senate Bill 6239:
Pass the HALA-Approved Preservation Tax Exemption Today!
The fiscal cutoff in Olympia is hours away, which means we need to make sure the Senate Ways & Means Committee knows how important it is to advance SB 6239 immediately! This bill will give local communities the option of creating an important tool to preserve and improve affordable housing in our communities.
We also need to send a message to King County Assessor John Wilson and ask him to support the HALA-approved Preservation Tax Exemption bill as well. Assessor Wilson introduced legislation for his own idea of a preservation program, which was entirely separate from the multi-month stakeholder process that brought together affordable housing advocates, race and social justice organizations, developers, property owners, human service advocates, and local governments in agreement behind SB 6239. He is now requesting to have significant affordability provisions in SB 6239 removed or weakened. His changes, if successful, would weaken the program and result in less affordability for King County residents Worse, there is a serious risk that any last-minute attempts to radically change the proposal during a short legislative session could result in the bill not being advanced whatsoever.
URGENT: Click Here to Take Action to Save the Preservation Tax Exemption Today!
CHS reported on the Preservation Tax Exemption legislation here among a bevy of Capitol Hill-related bills introduced in the latest session in Olympia. the bipartisan bill would give rental property owners a 15-year break on their property taxes in exchange for reserving a quarter of the building’s apartments for low-income families earning less than 50 to 60% of the area median income.
The Stranger took a look at the Seattle For Everyone coalition here last year. You can learn more about Seattle For Everyone and sign up for updates at seattleforeveryone.org.
Next week, the Capitol Hill Community Council is also planning an event to help inform the neighborhood about Seattle’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda:
Know Your Rights, Grow Your Rights
Thursday, February 18th at 6:30 PM
12th Avenue Arts — 1620 12th Ave
One part education about your existing rights as tenants/renters – one part exploring upcoming opportunities to expand those rights through HALA and other housing efforts in Seattle.
