I agree 1000% that the city code needs amending for affordable housing development. Rules put in place many years ago have helped to shape Olympia into a lovely city, but they have become outdated, and we must demand that the city staff join the team to create a new era of development. Low cost development is being proposed and continues to be abandoned because of their rules… the writing is on the wall!
Fees and design requirements should be a tool to guiding the development that accomplished the goals of the people, and the goals of the people are continuing to say, let us build affordable housing. Walker John and his cronies that are not developing affordable housing and don’t deserve to avoid design fees. However, small scale builders, and historically low income designers that are doing what they can with their small budgets, should be encouraged to design with minimal cost barriers if they can seriously prove that their units will be affordable. This begs the question, What is affordable? $800/month rent, or $300,000 to own would be a great starting point from my perspective.
I hope this open minded council can crack the code and get the city staff to make the changes necessary for our city to finally have affordable housing. Enough is enough!
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