Wednesday, April 29, 2009
City Will Seattle Voters...
Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, Apr 29, 2009 at 10:45 AM
...back an affordable housing levy that nearly doubles the city's property-tax levy at a time when housing prices are falling and we're facing a glut of new apartment/condo units, two developments that will, presumably, make housing more affordable around here? The mayor thinks so.
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1
comes off as a little tone deaf. IMHO, this levy needs to be scaled back an refocused, or rather, re-positioned in the public eye, as being focused on populations with little or no chance of otherwise paying for decent housing - homeless families, seniors, transitional housing. The homeownership programs and other fluff should be cut.
2
I'm not a fan of the "affordable housing" agenda, but in fairness, affordable housing doesn't always mean the same thing as cheap housing. If purchasing power falls faster than prices, then housing could be getting both cheaper and less affordable.
3
why don't we jack up the sales tax another percentage point since we're being regressive again - i will not vote for any property tax levy until we have an income tax in this state.
4
I'd like to advise our cherished Slog writers that starting anything with "Will Seattle" will cause undue excitement and disappointment in a certain class of poster that may verge on what we classify as torture.
5
I don't know. This in the 4th housing levy in a row going back to the '80s. None of them managed to make much of a dent in homelessness.
The levy's do however provide some housing for those displaced by wrecking ball development. Basically, we end up subsidizing the destruction of functional and inhabited buildings for private profit.
A simple moratorium on unit demolition or requiring developers to replace the affordable housing stock they destroy would be a lot easier on the tax payers.
The levy's do however provide some housing for those displaced by wrecking ball development. Basically, we end up subsidizing the destruction of functional and inhabited buildings for private profit.
A simple moratorium on unit demolition or requiring developers to replace the affordable housing stock they destroy would be a lot easier on the tax payers.
7
He's gone too far. It's fine to ask for a renewal of the housing levy. Maybe a modest increase. But to double the property tax and load this package with public subsidies to purchase and develop condos and townhouses that the City doesn't even receive equity from as they grow in value? Basically that's subsidizing private speculation in the housing market, and it is totally inappropriate at any time, and especially inappropriate during a recession. There will be major voter backlash.
The City Council MUST remove all these subsidies for home ownership, condo and townhouse development, and other similar projects to SAVE THE HOUSING LEVY FROM MAYOR NICKELS. Otherwise it will go down in flames, and the stuff that matters most-- the affordable rental housing for people who are not being served by the market-- will become a victim of the Mayor's ego.
The City Council MUST remove all these subsidies for home ownership, condo and townhouse development, and other similar projects to SAVE THE HOUSING LEVY FROM MAYOR NICKELS. Otherwise it will go down in flames, and the stuff that matters most-- the affordable rental housing for people who are not being served by the market-- will become a victim of the Mayor's ego.
8
Apartments are already giving concessions to new renters to get them in the door. I have an apt mgr friend who runs a modest 18 apt. place, and they have three openings pushing two months on the market now; whereas prior to this year, one opening lasting more than a month-1/2 was rare.
Add to that the cycles of layoffs, and 'furlough days' that businesses are instituting, and you get less cash available to pay rent. Noticibly increased food prices and reduced public transit equal even less purchasing power.
If the property taxes on the place I'm renting went up, fer example, I would definitely move out at next opportunity, and I think the landlord would be hard pressed to rent my spot for more than I'm paying now.
Gotta let the rents come down, our paychecks aren't getting any bigger.
Add to that the cycles of layoffs, and 'furlough days' that businesses are instituting, and you get less cash available to pay rent. Noticibly increased food prices and reduced public transit equal even less purchasing power.
If the property taxes on the place I'm renting went up, fer example, I would definitely move out at next opportunity, and I think the landlord would be hard pressed to rent my spot for more than I'm paying now.
Gotta let the rents come down, our paychecks aren't getting any bigger.
9
I'm in for an income tax too. I'm tired of bearing the brunt of special funding and levies merely because I own property.
People complain about the taxes here and they are full of it. In SF there is an income tax in the 10% region, a sales tax in the same range, AND property taxes that would choke a mule. To take BART and MUNI from Oakland airport to residential SF is over $10. AND CA is on the verge of bankruptcy. We subsidize transit down to about $4 AND have no income tax....
My property tax is already inflated to fix Pike Place Market, expand Parks, replace almost every Fire Station, and on and on....
People complain about the taxes here and they are full of it. In SF there is an income tax in the 10% region, a sales tax in the same range, AND property taxes that would choke a mule. To take BART and MUNI from Oakland airport to residential SF is over $10. AND CA is on the verge of bankruptcy. We subsidize transit down to about $4 AND have no income tax....
My property tax is already inflated to fix Pike Place Market, expand Parks, replace almost every Fire Station, and on and on....
10
Rents may be coming down, but they are NOT coming down to a price that people who are living on social security or disability payments can afford. The levy is one of the few ways we are making sure these extremely low income people don't end up on the street.
11
This only makes sense if you see Mayor Nickels' calendar for yesterday, which has the 15 minute block between 4:15 and 4:30pm set aside for "Meeting with Mary Jane." Well, now we know what he's been smoking
12
"The levy is one of the few ways we are making sure these extremely low income people don't end up on the street."
I assure you, they'll find a way to the street somehow.
I assure you, they'll find a way to the street somehow.
13
I agree with Anna. This Levy targets the most vulnerable of our City and the over-supply of uber-luxury condos downtown will never make a dent in homelessness or create truly low-income housing (as much as I want Vulcan to rent to someone who can afford to pay $300 a month for a studio, it ain't gonna happen!) We need to make sure that we don't conflate these two realities. The Levy creates affordable housing largely for folks making below $20,000 a year, many of which are disabled and/or living on social security. If you think life is hard right now for the working homeowner in Seattle, imagine what it is like for someone who is literally one paycheck away from being on the street and working a low-end minimum wage job. These are the most vulnerable folks right now. Let's make sure we create long-term strategies to building housing that will permanently be affordable to the City of Seattle.
Examples of Levy-built housing can be found here:
http://www.seattle.gov/housing/docs/Levy…
Examples of Levy-built housing can be found here:
http://www.seattle.gov/housing/docs/Levy…
14
To all those Sloggers/Baristas who rent please note: we will be adding the tax increase directly to your rent if you vote for it.
17
Don't let Mr. Savage or Bob Young of the Seattle Times exagerate and warp the facts. It does not DOUBLE your property tax levy. The increase is 61% not %100. This is probably due to the increase in construction costs in the last seven years. It amounts to $6.60 a month in taxes for homeowners. Seems like a fair price to help poor people afford this unaffordable city.
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