Affordable housing plan to go before Seattle voters

Seattle voters to decide on social housing initiative

Next February, Seattle voters will decide whether the city should build permanent, affordable housing.

KING COUNTY, Wash. - Next year people in Seattle will decide whether the city should set up a public developer to create affordable housing.

The Seattle Times reports the Seattle City Council unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday to allow King County Elections to put the proposed Initiative 135 on the ballot of a special election on Feb. 14, 2023.

If I-135 passes it would create a public development authority, called the Seattle Social Housing Developer, to construct homes and take over existing properties using government and philanthropic funding to create renter-governed housing.

Those who favor the initiative say housing would be protected from rental market forces in one of the nation’s most expensive cities.

Election Economy Seattle King County Housing