In business wrapped up before the Independence Day holiday, the Seattle City Council heard updates on spending powered by the $970 million voter-approved housing levy and signed-off on adjustments that council members say will increase spending on “homelessness prevention.”
Councilmember Cathy Moore, (District 5, North Seattle) and chair of the House and Human Services Committee, says the changes will allow the city build the 3,000 “desperately-needed affordable homes” initially promised under the 2023 levy, while also growing opportunities for first-time home ownership, and “vastly” expanding rental assistance “to proactively prevent homelessness.”
In last week’s actions, the council approved changes to the housing levy and related funding policies including approving the use of interest earnings from levy funds to increase funding of the Homelessness Prevention Program which “assists households at imminent risk of homelessness by allowing them to remain housed, provides case management, rental and utility assistance, and other programs.”
Other changes including add a new objective and priority for the Rental Production program for housing that supports those recovering from substance use disorders. The council says it also added new housing priorities for people who were formerly served by the foster care system as well as U.S. veterans.
Continuing a theme around data collection and reporting for the current council, last week’s changes included requirements for increased reporting about vacancies in affordable housing buildings.
In 2023, voters approved the $970 million housing levy that officials said would create 3,100 new affordable homes, “stabilize supportive housing workforce,” and fund “other tools to prevent homelessness and ensure housing stability for more than 9,000 low-income households.”
Part of the proposal also included funding to boost wages for workers who provide services to low income residents, a first, the Harrell administration said, in the 40 years of levy history.
HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE THIS SPRING
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Prevention is not homes being affordable. But just sweeping and killing them? I hate this stupid ass conservative council. You all get what you vote for. These guys are business owners who put up road blocks in front of their businesses and are full of hate. Harrell’s little group of sycophants are the worst thing to happen to Seattle in decades.
Whatever. Try living here among the camps before you write this. People like you enabling them are the worst thing to happen Seattle.
Conservative? Full of hate? The worst thing to happen to Seattle? Man, you got a skewed perspective.
Only in Seattle is a very moderate Council considered conservative by far-leftists. Sorry to inform you, but the majority of Seattleites support what they are doing.
“conservative council” lol
Where did you see “sweeping and killing them”?
Man, i just want the criminals and drug users off the street.
I hope this helps towards that – but I’m not sure what we see out there, the mentally ill and criminals aren’t the one taking advantage of these programs.
First clean the streets – then we can sort everything else out.
Vote no to this money grab. Our homeless problem went up in large because they all migrated here to Freattle to get everything and get high, rob and steal without any consequences. Same with the RVs that all showed up because no one tickets them…
Voters approved the levy last year
Give Diddy a break. He’s been a bit distracted lately.
There’s a straightforward way out of this problem, the state could allow local jurisdictions to rebate property taxes to individuals or couples who have homes with 3 bedrooms or more when they sell to families
Yes…because the better off need those tax breaks right? A bit self serving. A bit out of touch.
$970m for just 3,100 affordable homes?
How is that even remotely affordable? This is just a subsidized program/handout for local developers and every other company that has sprung up to “provide services” at a premium.
All of these grants are going nowhere, if we are going to fund solutions then they should be run from departments, not grants.