MHA in Action: $13.28 Million Toward New Affordable Housing in Seattle

We have started to see the impact of Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) policy, which helps ensure that growth brings affordability. MHA works by requiring new development to include affordable homes or contribute to a City fund for affordable housing.

MHA is now in effect in six urban areas across Seattle – Downtown, South Lake Union, University District, Chinatown-International District, 23rd Avenue in the Central Area, and Uptown. We’ve just completed a tally at the Office of Housing of our 2018 MHA payments, and so far MHA has generated $13.28 million for affordable housing in Seattle.

The Office of Housing will put the MHA money directly into the construction of affordable housing when Mayor Durkan makes the City’s annual affordable housing investment announcements in December. The City will invest these funds in high quality, green, affordable homes for low-income individuals and families, seniors, and our neighbors experiencing homelessness. We support buildings right next to transit, with active ground floor spaces for community uses like arts and childcare in locations all across our city. Over the next 4 years the City expects over 2,500 new affordable homes to come online.

Take a look at our 2017 Mandatory Housing Affordability Annual Report. We’ll be issuing a new full report for 2018 this coming March.