Council Legislation

Proposed Ordinance No. O2024-523s

Title: An Ordinance of the Pierce County Council Amending Section 4.48.020 of the Pierce County Code, "Special Revenue Funds."

Status: Completed

Sponsors: Councilmembers Ryan Mello, Jani Hitchen


Documents
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Public Comments

Name Date Comment
KATHLEEN HOSFELD Homestead Community Land Trust 5/20/24 12:43 PM Homestead Community Land Trust supports proposed ordinance number 02024-523, which would amend previously passed legislation to use the Affordable and Supportive Housing Sales Tax Credit funds for affordable homeownership serving households up to 80% area median income. Homestead is an affordable homeownership developer and steward, working with a coalition of Pierce County residents to support the creation of permanently affordable homeownership for income-qualified households priced out of the current market, and experiencing displacement. It’s no secret that we have a crisis of supply of housing across the income spectrum. This is particularly true in missing-middle housing like affordable homeownership. Affordable homeownership has a place in a comprehensive affordable housing strategy, serving households up to 80% of area median income. Less than 2% of existing homes in Pierce County are affordable to buyers between 50 and 80% area median income (Closed Doors Report, 2022). Nonprofit developers are eager to increase the supply. But of the four most commonly used local city and county funding tools, only one of those is able to serve households earning up to 80% area median income. Homeownership providers need to access local funding that can serve their households earning more than 60% AMI but find themselves more and more competing with rental housing developers who compete for those same dollars. Jurisdictions without housing levies need new tools to address workforce and missing-middle housing needs. The State legislature gave such jurisdictions a new resource with the passage of Senate Bill 6173 which gave participating jurisdictions funding flexibility to include affordable homeownership in their housing funding strategies and enabling them to better address the disparate impacts of housing policies in support of their comprehensive plans. This measure now needs enabling legislation at the jurisdictional level to access these funds for homeownership. We strongly recommend passage of this ordinance so that Pierce County has an additional tool to accomplish its objectives for affordable housing across the income spectrum. Thank you for your consideration. Kathleen Hosfeld CEO, Executive Director
Ryan Holland 5/29/24 9:50 AM I'm opposed to these amendments. This will open the doors for investors to make business opportunities to get housing and will make it harder for those needing affordable housing at the low income level and even those starting out as homeowners. I ask for a NO vote on these changes to this ordinance. Thank you.