Editorial: Congress Should Extend, Not End, Tax Exempt Bonds for Affordable Housing

The Seattle Times says there could be no worse time than right now to repeal tax exempt bonds that help finance affordable housing.

1 minute read

November 24, 2017, 7:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Seattle Mixed Use Development

Oran Viriyincy / Flickr

A Seattle Times editorial calls on House Republicans to drop its plans to eliminate private activity bonds, which help finance much of the country's affordable housing. "Over the past 30 years, the tax-exempt bonds have helped build nearly 55,000 affordable apartments for working families in Washington state, with about 24,000 of those in King County," according to the Seattle Times editorial board.

The editorial board estimates that the GOP tax plan would prevent some 1,100 affordable apartments from breaking ground in King County. A similar fate would meet another 1,000 units around the state.

Instead of cutting the tax-exempt bonds, the editorial suggests that Congress should adopt a proposal by a proposal from Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, to expand low-income housing tax credits.

Thursday, November 16, 2017 in The Seattle Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Brutalist grey department of housing and urban development building in Washington DC.

How Trump's HUD Budget Proposal Would Harm Homelessness Response

Experts say the change to the HUD budget would make it more difficult to identify people who are homeless and connect them with services, and to prevent homelessness.

1 hour ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Lancaster Boulevard with tree-lined median and wide sidewalks in Lancaster, California.

The Vast Potential of the Right-of-Way

One writer argues that the space between two building faces is the most important element of the built environment.

2 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Sign in front of building for seior services center in St. Petersburg, Fl.

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk

High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.

4 hours ago - WESH

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA