Seattle mayoral candidate Lorena Gonzlez reveals plan to address homelessness
With tensions about encampments in parks and public spaces running high in Seattle, mayoral candidate and current City Council President Lorena González detailed her plan for addressing the city's homelessness crisis if elected in November.
"I am not here to point fingers at people in tents, or call for yet another study, dashboard or app to study an issue that so many of us are all too familiar with," González said Thursday. "Rather, I am starting now to bring all hands on deck to implement solutions for unhoused neighbors that start the moment I become mayor."
Emphasizing addressing the root causes of homelessness, her plan aims to build more affordable housing as a "lasting solution" to the city's crisis, ultimately developing about 37,000 more affordable homes for individuals living on low income using federal, state and local resources. An exact price estimate for building that many affordable housing units was not provided. In comparison, city leaders announced this week that they had acquired three newly constructed apartment buildings with 165 units of affordable housing set to open this fall. All three buildings together totaled $50 million using local and state investments.
Her plan will also address skyrocketing cost of living in the city by limiting rent hikes and requiring several months' notice before implementing significant rent hikes. González said she will also create a wealth tax for corporations to pay for more affordable housing and revamp the city's zoning laws to bolster housing supply.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/seattle-mayoral-candidate-lorena-gonz%c3%a1lez-reveals-plan-to-address-homelessness/ar-AAON2ss
Unless state laws are repealed or altered any attempt at rent control will probably be stopped in court. The problem with rent control is often those who benefit from it are ones who are financially well off enough to not need it.
I'd rather see more affordable housing built.