Inslee wants Legislature to focus on housing lower-income Washingtonians
Last year, Washington state poured hundreds of millions of dollars into homelessness and housing, largely due to a one-time infusion of federal pandemic relief funding. Much of the state’s focus was on increasing temporary shelter units and getting people living outdoors off state rights of way, such as near highways. This year, Inslee said he wants to see policies that prevent people at lower-income levels from being priced out of available housing and becoming homeless. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)
Report points to why Seattle area lacks enough housing near transit
A new report from the Washington, D.C.-based Urban Institute finds that restrictive zoning may be a chief reason for the Puget Sound region’s lack of affordable housing near transit. According to the report, one-third of the land near transit lines is zoned for single-family housing only, yet less than 5% of housing permits are located in such zones. The result is that fewer people can live close to transit, which offers an affordable alternative to owning a personal vehicle. Continue reading at Puget Sound Business Journal. (Anthony Bolante)
In Our View: More housing is only answer to homelessness
But in seeking long-range solutions, Inslee is focusing on changes to zoning laws. As a policy statement from his office states, “Restrictive zoning ordinances drastically limit areas where middle housing is allowed, and limit equitable opportunity for homeownership.” The result, Inslee said, is a lack of housing for aging populations, first-time homebuyers and middle-income residents. From 2000 to 2015, population growth required 225,000 more housing units than were actually built. Continue reading at The Columbian.
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