Tag Archives: affordable housing

Seattle starts affordable housing fund powered by tax on its largest employers — UPDATE

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The city is putting more of the revenue raised by its tax on Seattle’s largest companies to work to create affordable housing. The Seattle City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to dedicate JumpStart tax funding to a new program dedicated to investing in organizations and projects officials say are working to address displacement and “redress the longstanding harms of discriminatory housing practices.”

Sponsored by Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, the JumpStart Acquisition and Preservation Program will dedicate up to $2 million a year to administrate a new effort to offer “technical assistance and funding to support CBOs (community based organizations) interested in acquiring and developing affordable housing” and, later, funding to support “acquisition and development activity and loan application.” Continue reading →

Central District microhousing development targeted by Sawant ready for next phase in design review

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(Image: GGLO Design)

A four-story microhousing development planned to replace a former Section 8 subsidized apartment building on 19th Ave in the Central District will move into the second and final phase of the city’s design review process with a virtual meeting Thursday.

The Cadence Real Estate project was the center of controversy when District 3 representative Kshama Sawant took on the developer over its treatment of tenants living in the The Chateau Apartments under the federal affordable housing program. Sawant claimed victory in the matter saying the movement had forced Cadence to meet with residents and make several concessions including allowing the Section 8 tenants to remain in their units in coming years until the building is eventually demolished and an “unheard of concession” — $5,000 from Cadence to every household living in the building on top of legally required relocation assistance. Continue reading →

Seattle’s ‘first affordable high rise in Seattle in more than 50 years’ set to break ground on First Hill

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Bellwether Housing and Plymouth Housing Group’s First Hill development could end up the tallest affordable housing building Seattle has ever seen (Image: Weber Thompson)

Plymouth Housing says its First Hill project to create Seattle’s tallest affordable housing building is ready to break ground and announced a new project to create a housing development and home for 12th Ave’s St. Francis House as part of a successful $59.1 million fundraising campaign powered by “Seattle flagship corporations, foundations and nearly 700 individuals.”

Wednesday, the affordable housing developer said its PROOF Campaign will power the creation of 600 apartments for those experiencing homelessness by 2023.

“With the arrival of COVID-19, the world as we know it changed beneath our feet,” CEO Paul Lambros said. “However, the PROOF campaign has shown when we work together, we are in a stronger position to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in our community. We close the campaign with one project completed and five actively underway. Today, supporting our operations and ensuring the safety of Plymouth Housing residents and staff is our highest priority.”

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In decision pitting affordable housing vs. sportsball, County Council agrees to put $135M into baseball stadium

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(Image: City of Seattle)

Hopefully the future doesn’t judge present-day Seattle by Wednesday’s King County Council compromise on hotel tax revenue. In a 5-4 vote, the council agreed to pay for $135 million in repairs and maintenance at Safeco Field. 

“Providing $135 million in taxpayer funds to subsidize the owners of the Mariners – a private profitable business – is an irresponsible use of public funds,” council member Dave Upthegrove said of his vote against the plan and his opposition to the funding. “Something is broken in our political system when those who already have great wealth can pull the levers of government to benefit themselves.”

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