CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to affordable housing on properties owned or controlled by religious organizations; modifying affordability requirements adopted in Ordinance 126384; and amending Section 23.42.055 of the Seattle Municipal Code and Section 10 of Ordinance 126384.
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WHEREAS, in June 2021 the City Council adopted Ordinance 126384, establishing alternative standards for the development of long-term affordable housing on property owned or controlled by a religious organization; and
WHEREAS, this legislation implemented Chapter 218, Laws of 2019 (SHB 1377), adopted in 2019 by the Washington State Legislature and codified in RCW 36.70A.545, requiring jurisdictions to allow additional density for affordable housing on religious organization property; and
WHEREAS, SHB 1377 requires that all housing developed using additional density provided under RCW 36.70A.545 must be affordable to low-income households, defined as households with incomes up to 80 percent of area median income (AMI), for 50 years; and
WHEREAS, the City, through the Office of Housing funding awards, has supported the development of hundreds of affordable rental apartments on land availed by faith-based organizations; and
WHEREAS, the Seattle Housing Levy Administrative and Financial Plan and Housing Funding Policies, adopted by City Council, require rental housing developments funded by the Office of Housing to serve households with a range of incomes, generally up to 60 percent of AMI and with a focus on households with incomes at or below 30 percent of AMI; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Housing annually receives requests for funding that exceed available resources by tens of millions of dollars; and
WHEREAS, affordable housing developed to serve low-income households without the need for public subsidy would provide public benefit and allow limited public resources to support other affordable housing development...
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