Lower rental rates. New construction with mandates to create affordable units, means more supply to satiate demand and lower prices. Conclusion Housing and rental prices in Seattle are skyrocketing. Increasing numbers of people are moving to the area in search of jobs and, because of zoning restrictions, housing supply largely remains unchanged. Higher prices lead to many downsides like increased segregation by class, a greater wealth gap, and increase homelessness. HALA proposes many solutions and the most controversial is to loosen zoning rules by eliminating exclusive zoning and replacing it with residential zoning. Even though it is called low-density zoning, it is greater density than single-family. This allows new kinds of construction to relieve skyrocketing housing prices by increasing supply. The main obstacle to re-zoning are people afraid of changes to their neighborhoods, and misunderstanding what the zoning regulations entail. A small step like starting a Facebook page dedicated to better understanding how zoning affects our neighborhoods will make more people aware of the problem and inform them about current legislation and news. The hope is that if more people know about the downsides to exclusionary zoning and what can be done to alleviate rising housing prices, then that will spread through the city, and give momentum to our leaders to make changes. Seattle is going to continue to growth and we should choose to grown more dense, rather than sprawl out into surrounding areas.
Lower rental rates. New construction with mandates to create affordable units, means more supply to satiate demand and lower prices. Conclusion Housing and rental prices in Seattle are skyrocketing. Increasing numbers of people are moving to the area in search of jobs and, because of zoning restrictions, housing supply largely remains unchanged. Higher prices lead to many downsides like increased segregation by class, a greater wealth gap, and increase homelessness. HALA proposes many solutions and the most controversial is to loosen zoning rules by eliminating exclusive zoning and replacing it with residential zoning. Even though it is called low-density zoning, it is greater density than single-family. This allows new kinds of construction to relieve skyrocketing housing prices by increasing supply. The main obstacle to re-zoning are people afraid of changes to their neighborhoods, and misunderstanding what the zoning regulations entail. A small step like starting a Facebook page dedicated to better understanding how zoning affects our neighborhoods will make more people aware of the problem and inform them about current legislation and news. The hope is that if more people know about the downsides to exclusionary zoning and what can be done to alleviate rising housing prices, then that will spread through the city, and give momentum to our leaders to make changes. Seattle is going to continue to growth and we should choose to grown more dense, rather than sprawl out into surrounding areas.