Title
A MOTION requesting the executive develop a regional workforce housing initiative implementation plan.
Body
WHEREAS, the Countywide Planning Policies define workforce housing as "housing that is affordable to households with one or more workers [...with a] particular need for workforce housing that is reasonably close to regional and sub-regional job centers and/or easily accessible by public transportation," and
WHEREAS, Countywide Planning Policy H-15 aims to increase housing choices for everyone, particularly those earning lower wages, that is colocated with, accessible to, or within a reasonable commute to major employment centers and affordable to all income levels, and
WHEREAS, King County established the regional affordable housing task force in 2017 through Motion 14873, with the charge to develop a recommended countywide affordable housing strategy, and
WHEREAS, the regional affordable housing task force's five-year action plan, accepted through Motion 15372, includes census data that showed that more than one hundred twenty-four thousand low- and moderate-income households in King County are cost burdened, with communities of color and renters disproportionately likely to be severely cost burdened, and
WHEREAS, the regional affordable housing task force's five-year action plan includes a goal to strive to eliminate cost burden for households earning eighty percent area median income and below, with a priority for serving households at or below fifty percent area median income, and
WHEREAS, King County currently has approximately nine billion dollars of debt capacity, and
WHEREAS, the King County council believes that people should be able to live close to where they work, which helps with climate, congestion, morale, and sense of community, and
WHEREAS, households are sometimes forced to relocate due to increased housing costs, evictions, or the loss of neighborhood community connections, and
WHEREAS, the King County council believes tha...

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