The city of Seattle has a stated goal of creating 30,000 new market rate housing units and 20,000 new or newly rent-restricted units in the city in the next 10 years. How to do so is the question currently before local officials.
Daniel Beekman reports on Seattle's efforts to find ways to lower the costs of housing in the infamously expensive city.
According to Beekman, the recent proposals to finance affordable housing follows the policy innovation of the city's minimum wage hike, adopted last year and since emulated by cities like Chicago and Los Angeles. "But the housing-cost problem is more complex, and there are divergent views on how to achieve affordability — from rent control to ramped-up construction aided by deregulation," writes Beekman.
Currently, the most politically promising proposal appears to be a proposal for linkage fees, as proposed by Councilmember Mike O'Brien, which would "charge builders of new construction in Seattle’s densest neighborhoods and then use the money to create or preserve affordable housing."
The city, at the prompting of Mayor Ed Murray, has created the Housing Affordability and Livability Advisory (HALA) Committee to work on policy proposals to address the affordable housing challenge.
FULL STORY: Solution to soaring rents tougher than $15 wage, city officials find
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.
Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions
In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.