Mayor signs legislation investing $50M in permanent supportive housing

8/14/201915:04

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan signs into law legislation that will provide at least $50 million in new resources - without new taxes - to build and support housing for people experiencing long-term homelessness. Mayor Durkan is joined at Plymouth Place in Lower Queen Anne by former Speaker of the House Frank Chopp, Representative Nicole Macri, homelessness service providers, and community members. The legislation is a key part of her "Housing Seattle Now" initiative, a surge of investments in housing across Seattle.

The new investment does not require raising taxes. Instead, it allows the City to retain sales tax revenue to support affordable housing. The Washington State legislature passed House Bill 1406 during this legislative session. The new state law gives local jurisdictions flexibility to use the sales tax funds for capital dollars to build new housing, operations and maintenance for supportive housing, or a combination of capital and operations. The funds could be available in the first quarter of 2020.

Speakers:

Paul Lambros, CEO, Plymouth Housing

Emily Waldow, Resident, Plymouth Housing

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan, City of Seattle

Rachael Myers, Executive Director, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance

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