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Affordable Housing in Seattle: Programs, Goals, and Recommendations

Learn about Seattle's existing affordability programs, the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda, and the recommendations of the SF Housing Action Coalition Regulatory Committee.

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Affordable Housing in Seattle: Programs, Goals, and Recommendations

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  1. What’s Up with Affordable Housing in Seattle? SF Housing Action Coalition Regulatory Committee

  2. Outline • Seattle vs. San Francisco Stats • Seattle’s existing affordability programs • Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda • Discussion

  3. Housing Goals Mayor Murray Mayor Lee 30,000 units by 2020 1/3 permanently affordable 1/2 middle income 50,000 units by 2025 20,000 affordable 30,000 market

  4. Seattle’s Existing Programs . Between 2000 and 2013 Seattle invested $247 million in 117 developments providing 6,140 units of affordable housing.

  5. Housing Levy • 7-year $145 million property tax levy • Producing about 400 units/yr • 60% AMI and below • Leverages other funds

  6. Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) • 12-year property tax exemption • 20% of units income-restricted to 60-90% AMI • 5,000 units in 175 projects approved (1998 – 2014) • Currently producing ~600 units/year • Units are inclusionary!

  7. Incentive Zoning • Density bonus for provision of 80% AMI income-restricted units, or in-lieu fee • Almost all projects chose fee ($15 – $22/sf) • Since 2001 generated $27 million resulting in production of ~600 affordable units • 62% of projects opted not to take the bonus!

  8. Seattle Housing Authority • 5,300 housing units, primary 30% AMI and below • Administers 10,000 Section 8 vouchers • Since mid-1990s has undertaken four large-scale Hope-VI mixed-income redevelopments

  9. seattleinprogress.com

  10. seattleinprogress.com

  11. Seattle’s Response • Council proposed linkage fees • Mayorlaunched Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) • 28-member stakeholder committee • 10-year goal: 30,000 market; 20,000 affordable • Committee worked for 10 months and released the HALA Report in July

  12. 65 recommendations in four categories: • more resources for affordable housing • more housing • more support for communities • more innovation

  13. HALA Recommendations • Strategy SF.2 - Allow for more variety of housing types, such as small lot dwellings, cottages, courtyard housing, duplexes and triplexes, in Single Family zones “Seattle’s zoning has roots in racial and class exclusion and remains among the largest obstacles to realizing the City's goals for equity and affordability. In a city experiencing rapid growth and intense pressures on access to affordable housing, the historic level of Single Family zoning is no longer either realistic or sustainable.”

  14. HALA “Grand Bargain” • Mandatory developer fees on commercial • Mandatory inclusionary housing for residential (5 – 7% of total units) • …in exchange for increased capacity • 60% AMI and below • Estimated 6,000 units in 10 years

  15. HALA “Grand Bargain” Upzones High-Rise Upzones Commercial: 1 FAR Residential: 1000 sf/floor

  16. HALA: Improve Existing Programs • Double the Housing Levy in 2016 renewal • Multifamily Tax Exemption: • Expand target areas • Incentivize family-size units • Penalty for opt-out • Exemption for existing multifamily housing

  17. HALA: Parking • Off-street • Reduce multifamily requirements in more areas • Remove requirement for ADUs/DADUs • Remove requirement for single-family

  18. HALA: Parking • Off-street • Geographically expand multifamily reductions • Remove requirement for ADUs/DADUs • Remove requirement for single-family • On-street • Create parking benefit districts • Improve the restricted parking zone program with pricing and permit limits

  19. HALA: Support for Communities • City acquisition of existing affordable MF housing • Targeting of investments to support communities with high risk of displacement, and to maximize access to opportunity • Rental and operating subsidies for extremely low-income housing • Tenant counseling, landlord education, fair access

  20. HALA: Lots More! • Expand urban centers/villages • Rezone single-family to multifamily in strategic locations • Modify codes to maximize economical wood frame construction • Raise thresholds for environmental review • Reform design review and historic review processes • Enact a Real Estate Excise Tax • Expand the State Housing Trust Fund • Dedicate property taxes derived from new construction to affordable housing • Prioritize use of public property for affordable housing

  21. via-architecture.com

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