Skyscraper builder Onni emerges as a leader of Seattle tiny house campaign
Seattle City Councilmember Andrew Lewis on Monday unveiled a campaign to partner with private companies and philanthropists to develop a dozen tiny house villages totaling 480 units this year.
The South Lake Union Chamber of Commerce proposed the idea to Lewis, and Onni Group of Companies, a high-rise developer with several projects in the Puget Sound region, has emerged as the corporate leader of the It Takes a Village campaign. Vancouver, British Columbia-headquartered Onni has pledged to fund around 40 tiny houses, help build the coalition and raise funds.
Onni Chief of Staff Duncan Wlodarczak said Onni invested in Seattle because it's "a premier city," adding that this status "isn't just about a great downtown and great mixed-use developments that add a lot of vibrancy, it's also about taking care of your most vulnerable people."
Lewis dangled the incentive of property tax exemptions to builders and property owners who host village sites.
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2021/01/26/onni-emerges-as-leader-of-seattle-tiny-house-push.html