How Seattle can create more affordable housing:
Numerous Seattle Times reports, editorials and guest columns over the past year have outlined how rents are skyrocketing throughout the city. Cranes and bulldozers are a common sight around Seattle, but there still isn’t enough supply to meet the demand for diverse housing options. Guest columnists Michael Manville, Alan Durning and Monte Paulsen write about the ways Seattle can encourage the development of more affordable housing options.
- Michael Manville: Want cheaper housing? Stop requiring parking
- Alan Durning: In-law apartments could provide affordable housing
- Monte Paulsen: Trim utility bills to make housing more affordable
Affordable housing can be achieved through a variety of means, such as
a) higher density,
b) relaxation of often overly stringent building codes such as minimum sizes or required parking,
c) smaller units,
d) housing away from the expensive core or waterfront
e) housing on top of industrial or commercial buildings,
f) tax subsidies or gifts by governments to developers
g) trading of rights (i.e. we allow you to build 12 stories instead of the allowed 8 if 2 floors are subsidized/affordable housing)
h) reduced expectations of buyers / renters
i) less overall taxes through lower paid public employees
Many options exist. All have to be explored. Seattle’s problems are similar to Vancouver’s New York’s, Munich’s, Singapore’s or Hongkong’s. Just copy what worked elsewhere.
There is no magic.