I wrote last week about the importance of increasing funding to the State’s Housing Trust Fund (HTF). I suggested the importance of the HTF to supporting the intent of the Growth Management Act. Recently I discovered that the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) for similar reasons. Our region’s tax payers have spent billions on light rail infrastructure because they have been convinced that it would reduce carbon emissions, support compact, dense, and walkable communities, and, in the long run transition us away from auto dependence.

But does Seattle have a commitment to supporting these kinds of transit communities? Part of that means creating more density which means fewer rules, regulations, and fees in those areas and increasing density there. The Council has a very poor record on this. Just consider the story of the Roosevelt rezone, where the Council dithered over a rezone that resulted in only 20 feet of increased height. If the region is going to benefit from all the spending we’ve done on light rail, we need more housing for all levels of income. Here’s the PSRC’s legislative agenda on affordable housing for the 2015 session.

Affordable Housing. In order to meet the diverse needs of current and future residents, transit communities require an adequate supply of housing affordable to a full range of incomes. Transit communities provide a unique opportunity to create and preserve housing that is affordable and close to frequent transit service. The benefits include lower housing and transportation costs and equitable access to transit service and regional opportunities. We support legislation to provide more funding and financing mechanisms to meet this need. We urge the Legislature to: 

• Support the Regional Equitable Development Initiative (REDI) Fund with funds awarded through the 2016-2017 Regional Mobility Grant Program, the Capital Budget, or other sources;
• Expand the Housing Trust Fund to support affordable housing in transit communities;
• Authorize new local options to fund affordable housing, such as clarifying the near term use of lodging tax revenues for affordable housing production and preservation; and
• Preserve and enhance programs that support affordable housing, while meeting our state’s other obligations, such as fully funding education.

Transit communities are essential to support sustainable and efficient growth in Seattle. That means more density and more housing around light rail stations, which taxpayers have supported again, and again. If all levels of income are to benefit from housing development in transit communities, more funding needs to be added to the Housing Trust Fund. Hopefully the legislature will get the connection in 2015.