Seattle Press on Line - City Council candidates on low-income housing

City Council candidates on low-income housing

Sep 13, 2001 -- Seattle Press: What, if any, concrete measures would you take to help keep low-income housing in Seattle?

Position 2

(incumbent, Richard Conlin)

Dakotta JK Alex: I would help to subsidize the housing stock, and facilitate fast-track low interest HUD [loans], also have the city purchase more real estate—residential property as well as commercial property.

James Egan: Another defense attorney and I have discussed creating a "campus" type low income shelter in Georgetown, [on] affordable land. Drugs, intoxication, and alcohol would not be allowed. Persons caught fighting would have reviews and could be evicted. The housing would consist of separate apartments which each contain one bed, maybe a sink, giving tenants the dignity of privacy and the security to keep their belongings secure while they work. The housing should be subsidied by private and/or public grant and should be staffed with caseworkers and on a bus line. There should be separate apartment blocks for men, women, and families and the apartments would be transitional housing. The "Program" might last 6-12 months, and involve some training on job interviews, work ethic.
The "program" mentioned above is not a hard-and-fast proposal but is an idea which can be modified as actual needs permit. There should be immediate emphasis put on assisting those in poverty [to] get out of poverty. If we fail to recognize this, we will be shooting ourselves in the foot as taxpayers by paying a fortune in predictable incarceration expenses, drug treatment, anger management, increased police activity and other public expenses which continue to balloon in the city's "discretionary" budget.

Michael Preston: I support the current efforts in the Rainier Valley to require that developers working with the Housing Authority on the redevelopment of Rainier Vista replace all low income housing units somewhere in Seattle.

Position 4

(incumbent, Jan Drago)

Jan Drago: The most important measure we can take is to renew the housing levy in 2002. We can continue to prioritize housing by putting as much funding as possible into partnerships with our nonprofit housing partners.

Curt Firestone: We should change zoning codes and encourage contractors to build low-income housing. Next year, when we renew the housing levy, we must ensure that low-income housing is the prime funding recipient. Today, we see low-income housing being torn down to build expensive condominiums. That must stop. The Seattle Housing Authority must never reduce the number of low-income housing units in Seattle. And we must protect renter's rights. Jan Drago has voted against renter's rights and I will vote to enhance them. I will work with apartment building owners to ensure that tenants can afford to live in Seattle.

Susan Harmon: Rent controls that are fair to both the property owner and the renter. Nonprofit builders being encouraged. Subsidies for down-payment money. Homesteading abandoned buildings. More programs for home ownership such as Habitat for Humanity. The High Point Hope Six project included those from neighboring communities and present residents who all have been adamant that no low-income housing be lost and that mixed-income really be mixed.

Position 8

(incumbent, Richard McIver)

Grant Cogswell: Pass a tenants' bill of rights and right of first refusal. We should build an effective transit system: light rail does not make sense. If we aggressively strive to build monorail instead of light rail for fast regional transit, people struggling to get by might forgo the cost of owning a car and have that much more money for rent or a mortgage. Also, if we can offer developers a waiver on parking requirements, we can get low-income set-asides instead. Then, everybody wins: the developer makes money, we have reserved low-income units, and [we have] a transit system that makes life easier for low income folks. We also have to stop planning projects of questionable value (the convention center, light rail, the rehabbing of—and sale of 25 percent of the land in—Rainier Vista, supported by my opponent, Richard McIver) which displace people with fragile livelihoods.

Stan Lippmann: We should build a Maglev monorail to Tacoma, making it there from downtown Seattle in under 20 minutes. This will lead to a migration out of the city, creating a healthy vacancy rate which will move prices downward. Also, the Alaska Way Viaduct should be a mixed housing, mass transit and road project, and a new shelter should be built downtown.

Richard McIver: Escalating real estate costs present a particularly tough challenge for city government, which has only limited resources to address the problem of preserving affordable housing opportunities within the city.
I believe it incumbent on the City to undertake an inventory of housing availability by income group and prepare strategies for families and individuals whose incomes are above those of low income housing, but insufficient to obtain conventional bank financing. I would classify this group to include those with incomes between 65 and 120 percent of median income. This income bracket can be assisted by non-profits and Community Development Corporations that can develop mixed-income projects with a variety of public participation. There are a variety of ways that public participation can take from present value interest—write down, through principal reduction, to feasible subsidy and terms, among others.

Heath Merriwether: Low-income housing is one of my top issues. I have called for a “no net loss” policy and would make publicly owned buildings available to non-profit and private organizations for conversion to low-income housing.

Jerome Wilson: We need moratoriums on the demolition of low-income housing, repeal of restrictions on the right of cities to implement rent control, and the use of special review districts giving neighborhoods the power to restrict developments that cause the demolition of our low-income housing stock. We need a “right-of-first-refusal” law giving low-income tenants first right to buy their own apartments and the city needs to provide funding to help make this happen.

Reader Comments

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Jennifer James	Nov 04, 2002	in California	student
I am thinking about moving to the Seattle area. Could you please send me some information about what housing is available. My name: as listed and address: 2040 Benbow Place Riverside, CA. 92506. Thank you!


Enny Theisjen	Apr 09, 2003	61-13 37 Avenues #2flr, woodside Ny 11377	part time student
My husband and I will move to seattle in August. we are looking apartment which its price is about$350-$450. I'm parttime student and i've a job in New YOrk. My husband is a full time student now. we're expect to get apartment for low income in seattle. please send it to my e-mail. Thank you


TINA PARK	Aug 04, 2003	SEATTLE ,WA 98125	student/homemaker
MY HUSBAND AND I MOVED INTO OUR HOUSE RIGHT AFTER WE WERE MARRIED 13 YEARS AGO.WE HAVE JUST HAD OUR 5TH CHILD.MY HUSBAND BEEN RUNNING HIS OWN TREE SERVICE IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS AND BEING UNPREPARED FOR THE WORST HAVE COME UPON VERY HARD TIMES.HE HAS BEEN INJURED TO THE POINT WERE IT IS NOT WISE FOR HIM TO CONTINUE THE BUSINESS. I HAVE REETURNED TO SCHOOL AFTER BEING A FULL TIME MOTHER TO TRY AND MAKE ENOUGH MONEY FOR OUR FAMILY. I AM NOT FINISHED YET AND THEY FORECLOSING ON OUR HOME ON SEPTEMBER 13TH 2003 AND WE HAVE NO WERE TO GO AND NO FAMILY TO HELP.SECTION 8 IS NO LONGER TAKING APPLICANTS SO I DO NOT HAVE A CHANCE THERE.PLEASE SEND SOME INFO ON SOME REFERENCES OF WHAT TO DO. I AHVE YET TO FIND A PLACE BIG ENOUGH FOR MY FAMILY NOR HAVE I EVER BEEN SENT A RESPONSE FROM THE PORCHLIGHT FOUNDATION AND I HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE.I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH MY MORTGAGE COMPAANY FOR A MODIFICATION TO MY LOAN BUT THEY TO HAVE YET TO MAKE A DECISION. IT WOULD BENEFIT THE STATE MORE SO TO HELP ME SAVE MY HOME THAN TO HOUSE ME IN THE PUBLIC HOUSING. I AM AT A LOSS FOR WORDS TO TELL MY CHILDREN THAT WE ARE LOSING OUR HOUSE AND POSSIBLY GOING INTO A SHELTER. PLEASE HELP ME, THANK YOU!!