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Harrell to sign $970M housing levy, moves to Seattle-wide ballot

By L.B. Gilbert, MyNorthwest

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell On Monday, April 17, Harrell issued an Executive Order addressing the fentanyl and synthetic drug crisis and released details on his Downtown Activation Plan to revitalize downtown Seattle.

By L.B. Gilbert, MyNorthwest

SEATTLE — Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is set to sign a renewal of the Housing Levy that is used to fund affordable housing in the city, and once it is signed, Seattle voters will get a chance to approve or reject the fund.

This new levy was drafted with the upcoming expiration of the 2016 Housing Levy, set to expire later this year. The levy would raise approximately $970 million.

The Housing Levy was initially created in 1986 as a way to fund affordable housing in the city, creating and preserving over 11,000 affordable rental homes and over 1,000 homeownership opportunities over its existence.

Mayor Harrell delivered remarks at the Housing Development Consortium’s 35th Annual Celebration in March, telling housing developers that the levy was an important step in combating rising homelessness in the city.

“The Housing Levy is a proven solution for delivering thousands of affordable housing options,” said Mayor Harrell. “Rooted in our One Seattle values that everyone should have a safe place to call home, this plan invests to meet the scale of the housing crisis, doing more than ever to prevent homelessness.”

The mayor also said the money would be spent on wage stabilization to help people who work in Seattle live in the city. The mayor said this proposal would do more than any previous levy to support and maintain affordable housing in Seattle.

At least 60% of rental housing funds will help families or low-income individuals earn up to 30% of median income, according to the plan, with the remaining money going towards the production of “permanently affordable” housing projects around the city.

More than 16,000 people are estimated to live in Levy-supported homes at any given time, according to the City of Seattle.

“The 2023 Housing Levy, as proposed, will help us respond to Seattle’s needs today, while also planning for the next 50 years of housing affordability in our city,” said Maiko Winkler-Chin, Director of the Office of Housing, in a prepared statement. “As we move through the next steps to renew the Housing Levy this year, we look forward to continuing to work alongside the Mayor’s Office, City Council, and all of our housing partners to lay the groundwork for strong, resilient communities for future generations.”

©2023 Cox Media Group

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