Seattle Housing, Arts, and Civil Rights Committee Meeting – June 24, 2026
Seattle Housing, Arts, and Civil Rights Committee Meeting – June 24, 2026
The Housing, Arts, and Civil Rights Committee met on June 24, 2026, at 2:01 PM in the Council Chamber. Chair Dionne Foster presided, with Vice Chair Eddie Lin and Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck present; Council President Joy Hollingsworth and Councilmember Debora Juarez were excused. The committee adopted the agenda, heard four public comments, and unanimously voted (3-0) to recommend passage of four council bills related to affordable housing funding, a ground lease for a major transit-oriented development, and two affordable homeownership projects.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Daniel Gray requested an audit of all rent increases in the Office of Housing (OH) portfolio since 2023 and publication of operating budgets. He cited concerns that regulated rents sometimes exceed market rates and described a specific project where tenants saw roughly 35% rent increases over three years.
- Nick Toronas (Director of Community Relations, Rainier Valley Early Learning Campus) voiced strong support for Council Bill 121236, highlighting plans for an early learning hub providing infant/toddler care, UW training opportunities, and health education services via UW Health Sciences.
- Alberto Alvarez criticized council rules limiting free speech, arguing that politicians should not restrict public criticism and that the public has a right to comment on judicial matters.
- Estela Ortega (Executive Director, El Centro de la Raza) expressed strong support for Council Bill 121236, describing a partnership with Mercy Housing Northwest to deliver 241 affordable homes (with emphasis on 2–4-bedroom units), a 35,000 sq ft early learning campus, commercial space, and public open space near Mount Baker Station. She requested timely passage to meet a tight construction timeline.
Discussion Items
- CB 121218 – Housing Levy Administrative & Financial Plan (2026–2028) – The committee considered updates to the Housing Funding Policies and Administrative Plan, which guide allocation of housing levy, MHA, and JumpStart funds. Chair Foster introduced Amendment 1, which adds detail on debt restructuring/stabilization loans, supplemental funding adjustments for construction close, and clarifies when administrative vs. competitive adjustments are required. The amendment was adopted 3-0. The bill then passed unanimously as amended.
- CB 121236 – Ground Lease for 2929 27th Ave S (Mount Baker TOD) – OH Interim Director Andrea Akita and Jessica Gomez presented the project: a 99-year ground lease to MBTOD Phase One LLLP (Mercy Housing Northwest and El Centro de la Raza) for phase one of redevelopment adjacent to Mount Baker Light Rail Station. The project will deliver 239 affordable rental units (plus 2 manager units = 241 total), with nearly 60% being 2–4 bedrooms, a community preference policy, and a Rainier Valley Early Learning Campus operated by UW. Demolition began June 2026; construction closing targeted for October 2026. The bill passed unanimously.
- CB 121237 – Montlake Homes Site (2625 E Montlake Pl E) – OH staff Joy Hunt and Andrea Akita presented the acquisition of a 2.84-acre surplus WSDOT site for $5.8 million (with $6.05 million state appropriation) to develop at least 50 permanently affordable homeownership units. Key priorities: family-sized units, trees and greenery as a buffer from SR 520, pollution mitigation (triple-pane windows, high-efficiency HVAC), and possible ground-floor commercial if feasible. The RFP will prioritize community preference and affordability for at least 50 years. The bill passed unanimously after pre-introduction edits (added term sheet, family unit priority, pedestrian safety consideration).
- CB 121238 – Harvey Apartments / Central Area Homeownership – OH presented acquisition of two parcels in the Central Area (27th Ave and E Cherry St) to develop affordable homeownership units. The Harvey Apartments, owned by Central Area Development Association (CADA) for 25+ years, had deteriorated; all tenants were relocated by July 2025. The city will accept the deed in lieu of foreclosure and purchase the adjacent vacant lot. The project will use a community preference policy for homebuyer selection, prioritizing households with ties to the Central District. A community-based organization will lead engagement in 2027. The bill passed unanimously with pre-introduction edits specifying homeownership focus, family-sized units, and affordability for 50+ years.
Key Outcomes
- Amendment 1 to CB 121218 adopted (3-0).
- CB 121218 recommended for passage as amended by full council (3-0).
- CB 121236 recommended for passage (3-0).
- CB 121237 recommended for passage (3-0).
- CB 121238 recommended for passage (3-0).
- All recommendations will be transmitted to the June 30, 2026 full City Council meeting.
- Chair Foster announced a special informational meeting on June 29, 2026, at 9:30 AM to discuss homeowner privacy legislation (do-not-solicit list) with a community panel.
- The next regularly scheduled committee meeting is July 8, 2026.
- Meeting adjourned at 2:51 PM.
Meeting Transcript
All right. Fantastic. Good afternoon, everyone. The June 24th, 2026 meeting of the Housing Arts and Civil Rights Committee will come to order. It is 2 01 p.m. I am Dean Foster, Chair of the Committee. Will the committee clerk please call the roll? Councilmember Rink. Present. Vice Chair Lynn. Here. Chair Foster. Here. Chair, there are three members present. All right. And please note that Council President Hollingsworth and Council Member Juarez have been excused. And welcome everyone to the online special World Cup Game Day committee meeting of housing arts and civil rights, where we are mostly remote today. If there is no objection, the agenda will be adopted. Hearing no objection, the agenda is adopted. We will now open the hybrid public comment period. Public comments should relate to items on today's agenda or the purview of the committee. Clerk, how many speakers are signed up today? We have no in-person speakers and four remote speakers. Okay. Fantastic. Since there are fewer than 30 speakers, each speaker will have two minutes. Clerk, will you please read the public comment instructions? And we will, since there are no in person speakers, we'll start with our online speakers. The public comment period is up to 60 minutes. Speakers will be called in which the order in which they are registered. Speakers will hear a chime when 10 seconds are left with their time. Speakers' mics will be muted if they do not end their comments within the allotted time to allow us to call in the next speaker. The public comment period is now open. We will begin with the first speaker on the list. The first speaker will be Daniel Gray, followed by Nick. Okay, and um, Clerk, do we need to give Daniel instructions to get off mute? Yes. So let's see, Daniel should be allowed to be allowed to talk and press star six when you hear the prompt. And you've been unmuted. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon. My name is Daniel Gray. I would like to ask this committee for an audit of all rent increases in Office of Housing Portfolio since 2023. And to publish all operating budgets to the city's open data portal. For years, Seattle's Housing Levy Oversight Committee has discussed that regulated affordable housing rents are often not actually affordable. Meeting minutes state that market rate rents and restricted affordable rents are overlapping. For restricted rents can be higher than actual market rates. Yet, while OH has been acknowledging that rents are too high, they have also been advising their projects to increase rents above land covenant. Looking at one project before I get restructuring, the City Attorney's Office actually described as an enormous cash out.
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