Programs and Initiatives
Seattle Housing Levy
Thanks to nearly 45 years of investments from the Housing Levy, over 16,000 people currently live in safe, stable homes they can afford. The 2023 Housing Levy dedicates $970 million in funding to the production, preservation, stabilization, and operating, maintenance, and services of affordable housing.
Lake City Community Center Redevelopment
The Office of Housing and Seattle Parks and Recreation are working in partnership on the redevelopment of the Lake City Community Center. This project presents a unique opportunity to co-locate a new community center with affordable housing in an area with frequent transit, realizing multiple public benefits.
Fort Lawton Redevelopment
The vision for Ft Lawton is an affordable, livable community that creates opportunities for those with low incomes to live in the Magnolia neighborhood, and takes advantage of the opportunity to increase recreational & open space.
Rainier Valley Affordable Homeownership Initiative
The City of Seattle and Sound Transit are working to create at least 100 for-sale homes, permanently affordable to low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers using Sound Transit surplus sites in Rainier Valley
Community Preference
Community Preference helps building owners address displacement and advance racial equity. It allows for a carefully crafted prioritization process when leasing or selling units in areas with a history of displacement or high risk of displacement.
Mount Baker Redevelopment Sites
The City of Seattle and Sound Transit are working in partnership with community stakeholders and a consultant team to develop a preferred site plan for the City's Mount Baker sites and the Sound Transit East Portal site.
Intent to Sell
The Notice of Intent to Sell ordinance reauthorized by Council in 2019, provides the City with information about the intention to sell residential rental property with at least one unit rented at 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) or below.
Homebuyer Assistance
The Office of Housing provides downpayment assistance to homebuyers at or below 80% of area median income through partnerships with local nonprofits and lending institutions.
MFTE Reauthorization
The City of Seattle adopted the Multifamily Property Tax Exemption Program (MFTE) in 1998 and has reauthorized it five times since. The Office of Housing is now reviewing the MFTE Program to offer recommendations for reauthorization legislation in early 2025.
Mandatory Housing Affordability
Mandatory Housing Affordability ensures that new commercial & multifamily residential development contributes to affordable housing. This is done by requiring new developments to include affordable housing or contribute to the Office of Housing fund to support the development of affordable housing.