Seattle and Affordable Housing

The Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) rolled out earlier this month.  Since then, a lot buzzes around Seattle’s proposed zoning changes, tenant’s rights and interests and access to home ownership.

This week’s series looks at some background on the HALA  report and on Seattle’s movement for rent control.

Episode 1, 2 & 3 – Jonathan Grant is a member of the Seattle mayor’s housing affordability and livability agenda or HALA committee and the former Executive Director of the Washington State Tenant’s Union.  He’s also running as candidate for Seattle City Council.  He goes into some backstory 0n the HALA report.

Episode 4 – Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant addresses rent control in other U.S. cities.

Episode 5 – This piece offers segments of the Rent Control Debate at Seattle’s Town Hall on July 20th. Speakers are Seattle City Councilmembers, Kshama Sawant and Nick Licata for  rent control.  Speaking opponents of rent control are State Representative, Matt Manweller and  Development Lobbyist and Director of Smart Growth Seattle, Roger Valdez 

Episode 6 – Executive Director of Homestead Community Land Trust (HCLT) Cathleen Hosfeld and HCLT homeowner, Estevan Munoz Howard discuss the land trust movement in Seattle.

Below is the full rent control debate at Town Hall on July 20th, 2015

Music: Rushus – Crimson Turtles

Image: Artist is Melissa Klein – print was created for an article by Sara
Shortt of the San Francisco Housing Rights Committee

Producers: Ruth Bly, Kei Imada and Yuko Kodama