By Aaron Allen, The Seatle Medium
King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay recently announced a proposal to create a Regional Workforce Housing Initiative, a $1 billion plan designed to address the region’s ongoing housing crisis. If approved, the initiative would use King County’s excess debt capacity and partner with developers and housing agencies to create “permanently rent-restricted, multiple-unit housing” for the region’s workforce.
“I think most people are familiar with King County’s housing crisis. We don’t have enough homes for enough people, and many are either unhoused or living in unstable conditions where they are on the verge of eviction,” Zahilay said. “People in the housing market trying to purchase their first home are unable to do so because of skyrocketing costs. It’s the number one issue I hear about from our constituents—that we don’t have enough affordable homes.”
According to Zahilay, his proposal aims to maximize the county’s resources to address the housing shortage.
“My legislation is trying to make sure we leave no stone unturned,” he said. “We want to tap into every resource available to us to build affordable homes for every member of our community.”
Zahilay also expressed confidence that the proposal would bring together key partners and secure the necessary funding to tackle the crisis.
“I am very confident that we can persuade people that this model is the right model,” Zahilay said. “King County has an AAA bond rating, and we have the capacity to borrow up to $9 billion more. Given our financial circumstances, we are a very large government with many assets, and we have the ability to raise taxes if needed in an emergency to repay loans. I don’t think we would need to, because I am determined that the rental income we collect will be enough to repay the loans on its own without any new taxes.”
Nicole Grant of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 46 supports the proposal and its potential to assist working- and middle-class families.
“We need bold and urgent solutions to ensure that working people in King County have access to affordable housing,” said Grant. “Councilmember Zahilay’s plan provides a blueprint for sustainable, affordable workforce housing that allows us to live with the comfort, dignity, and stability we all deserve. IBEW is proud to support this legislation, and we need this investment in our workforce now more than ever.”
The Regional Workforce Housing Initiative is designed to prevent displacement and provide affordable housing for moderate-income households across King County. Zahilay’s proposal focuses on building homes near job centers to ensure that essential workers can live close to their workplaces.
“I would recommend that these homes be built near job centers because the whole goal of the legislation is to ensure essential workers live close to their jobs,” Zahilay explained. “Places like Tukwila, the Southcenter area, Renton, downtown Seattle, downtown Kent, and downtown Bellevue would be ideal locations. We want people who are keeping our society afloat—bus drivers, educators, healthcare providers, and those who fix our roads—to be able to live close to where they work.”
“This initiative is about ensuring that those who power our economy can afford to live near where they work,” Zahilay added. “By leveraging King County’s financial resources and partnering with both public and private entities, I believe we can create sustainable, affordable housing solutions for thousands of workers around the region.”
The proposal would also maintain rent-restricted housing units, with rents reflecting the true cost of development and operation. Zahilay’s plan also prioritizes fair labor practices, including prevailing wage rates and the use of King County’s priority hire community workforce agreement program.
“Workforce housing is a vital part of addressing King County’s pressing housing needs,” said Patience Malaba, Executive Director of the Housing Development Consortium. “By leveraging public-private partnerships and focusing on permanently rent-restricted homes, this initiative paves the way for sustainable and inclusive development that meets the diverse needs of our workforce. It recognizes the importance of proximity to jobs, which is crucial for reducing housing instability and supporting economic growth. As housing providers and developers, we are committed to working alongside King County to create affordable housing solutions that ensure our communities remain vibrant and accessible to all.”
Supporters of the proposal view it as an innovative and creative approach to solving the region’s housing issues. Zahilay described it as a way to maximize the county’s financial resources without raising taxes.
“My model is innovative in utilizing the financial resources at our disposal,” Zahilay concluded. “We need to get creative, issuing debt instead of raising taxes, and I hope this becomes a new, sustainable model for building thousands of units of workforce housing. This will allow essential workers to live near their jobs and continue providing the vital services that our society relies on to function.”
