Are you a domestic worker or employer, or do you want to know more about potential legislation? As you may have heard, Seattle City Council, in collaboration with domestic workers, is considering legislation to create a Domestic Worker Bill of Rights! Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda (Pos. 8, Citywide) has been holding Town Halls across Seattle to hear from workers and employers, and has one more scheduled for online participation NEXT WEEK.

Tune in with your questions next Tuesday, May 22, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event will be simulcast in English and Spanish, and will help Councilmember Mosqueda and staff craft legislation that meets the safety and well-being needs of workers and employers.

Moving Forward with Progressive Revenue for Affordable Housing

I am pleased that we have advanced a progressive revenue option that will bring in nearly $50M a year to house our neighbors experiencing homelessness and provide critical health services to those living unsheltered on the streets of Seattle. This success has happened thanks to the work and support of community members, Labor, housing advocates, and council colleagues working together toward a successful result.I voted in support of a plan that will have a meaningful impact on addressing our homelessness crisis by building housing and providing health services. We know that alone, however, this investment is not enough.

Our neighbors are quite literally dying on the doorsteps of prosperity. We have a moral obligation to take action to provide a safe place to sleep tonight and to make investments in permanently affordable housing. We know where the bottleneck is. People cannot move into shelter when shelters are at capacity, and people cannot move out of shelter when there is no affordable housing to move into.

This is the beginning of a conversation about the values of our city, one that will extend into this budget season. Quick fixes over sustainable, long-term solutions leave more people unsheltered. We must instead make the tough choices to pass progressive revenue, follow the data to move forward on a path that doesn’t simply hide extreme poverty from sight, and address our homelessness emergency as a public health crisis.

I will continue to work to ensure that we are able to maximize production of affordable units, by not selling public land to the highest bidder but instead building affordable housing on public land, changing zoning restrictions, promoting good living wage job standards as we build, and ensure that no person’s zip code determines their health and housing access. Everyone who works in Seattle should be able to live in the city they work. With yesterday’s action and through continued collaboration with community and colleagues, I know we can make strides in that direction. This is a critical step in the right direction.

What’s Next for AADU/DADUs?

A Backyard Cottage in Ballard

You may have heard – the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) has been released for the proposed bill that makes adding an accessory dwelling unit to your house less onerous. As part of a larger set of measures that will have a meaningful, positive impact on creating more affordable housing options, while giving homeowners a way to both contribute directly to the need while bringing in some extra income.

Before the City Council can move forward with this piece of the affordability puzzle, the State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) process must conclude. Right now, comments are being sought regarding the DEIS, which will ultimately lead to a final EIS, along with a preferred option for Council to consider.

It’s an admittedly complex process, but this is a great chance for YOU to weigh in on what you think the final option should look like. Should we keep the status quo? All of Option 2 or 3? Or some hybrid? Click here to read the report, the summary, and instructions on submitting comment!

Speaking of Affordable Housing…

Plaza Roberto Maestes, a Community Driven Affordable Housing Complex on Beacon Hill

Did you know that it’s Affordable Housing Week? To celebrate, we not only provided funding for permanently affordable homes for those experiencing homelessness, but in the Housing, Health, Energy, & Workers’ Rights Committee, we will be receiving a presentation this week from Enterprise Community Partners identifying publicly owned properties that are prime for affordable homes to be built.

This is a continuation of work we are doing, in collaboration with community and colleagues, to take every step we can to reduce the cost to build affordable homes. Where we can utilize surplus and under-utilized government land to focus affordable housing, we have an opportunity to reduce the cost. By collaborating with community organizations, we can create more partnerships that lead to housing with community amenities – like parks, education, and community centers – incorporated. Much like El Centro de la Raza’s Plaza Roberto Maestes, this type of community-led project leads to excellent outcomes for our neighborhoods.

Tune in via Seattle Channel, or stream online, this Thursday, May 17, at 9:30 a.m. Also, make sure to sign up for agendas so you can keep up with legislation as it moves through the HHEWR committee!

In Solidarity,