CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to housing for low-income households; adopting amended Housing Funding Policies for housing programs and investments; authorizing actions by the Director of Housing regarding past and future housing loans and contracts; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
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WHEREAS, pursuant to Ordinance 125028, in 2016 Seattle voters approved the levy of property taxes for the purpose of financing and supporting housing for low-income households; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 125028 provides for periodic adoption by the City Council of an Administrative and Financial Plan for programs funded by the 2016 Housing Levy; and
WHEREAS, the Levy Administrative and Financial Plan incorporates the Office of Housing’s Housing Funding Policies (“Funding Policies”); and
WHEREAS, the current Funding Policies for program years 2021 to 2023 were adopted by Ordinance 126377; and
WHEREAS, market conditions and policies and funding at the federal, state, and local levels change rapidly, requiring reasonably flexible approaches to affordable housing development and rehabilitation; and
WHEREAS, modifications to the Funding Policies are needed to ensure an intentional approach to equitable development to address displacement and redress past and present harms of discriminatory housing practices; and
WHEREAS, there are significant racial disparities reflected in the need for affordable housing, in severe cost burdens faced by renters, and among those experiencing homelessness; and
WHEREAS, this Council Bill provides for amended Funding Policies proposed by the Office of Housing to achieve these objectives; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Council hereby adopts the Funding Policies, as amended herein (“Amended Funding Policies”), attached to this ordinance as Exhibit A. The Amended Funding Policies supersede the Funding Policies adopted by Ordinance 126377 except as provided in Section 3 of this ordinance. The Amended Funding Policies authorize certain actions and approvals by the Director of Housing regarding loans and contracts made under prior Funding Policies, plans, policies, and ordinances. That authority is granted in addition to, and not in limitation of, any authority under prior plans, policies, and ordinances.
Section 2. The Amended Funding Policies are intended to provide policy direction for the implementation of programs funded by the Office of Housing to the extent provided in Exhibit A to this ordinance, and to provide authority for the Office of Housing, but not to confer any legal rights or entitlements on any persons, groups, or entities.
Section 3. The Amended Funding Policies are effective as of January 1, 2022, and shall remain in effect until amended or superseded by ordinance, except as provided in this section. Any actions by the Director of Housing on or after January 1, 2022, conforming to the Amended Funding Policies, as applicable, are ratified and confirmed. The terms of the Amended Funding Policies shall not require changes to the terms or implementation of any contract in effect prior to the effective date of this ordinance.
Section 4. The provisions of this ordinance are declared to be separate and severable. The invalidity of any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section, or portion of this ordinance or any exhibit to this ordinance, or the invalidity of the application thereof to any person or circumstance, shall not affect the validity of any other provisions of this ordinance or its exhibits, or the validity of their application to other persons or circumstances.
Section 5. Subject to Section 3 of this ordinance, this ordinance shall take effect and be in force 30 days after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.
Passed by the City Council the _____ day of _________________, 2022, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________, 2022.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Approved / returned unsigned / vetoed this _____ day of _________________, 2022.
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Bruce A. Harrell, Mayor
Filed by me this _____ day of _________________, 2022.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachments:
Exhibit A - Housing Funding Policies