The Snohomish County Council Wednesday approved a motion to allocate $13 million to four local affordable housing projects, including one in Lynnwood. The motion passed 3-2.
The Housing Authority of Snohomish County’s (HASCO) 200th Street Redevelopment project involves buildings at 5710 and 5714 200th St. S.W. The plan is to turn them into one affordable housing complex with 85 units.
Two of the remaining three affordable housing projects are in Everett and the other one is in Arlington.
County Council Chair Jared Mead and Councilmembers Sam Low and Nate Nehring voted in favor of the motion. Councilmembers Megan Dunn and Strom Peterson voted against it.
Dunn and Peterson supported the projects, but they did not support the proposed amendment.
The amendment states that changes to a project’s funding application, agreement or scope of work must be approved by the council. The changes considered are:
– If the county’s total funding commitment changes by more than $100,000
– If there is a change of more than 25% in the proposed number of intended beneficiaries
– If there is a change in the characteristics of the intended beneficiaries (income levels, target population or location)
The amendment also applied to a different motion, which allocates $3 million to two behavioral health facilities. That motion also passed 3-2, with Dunn and Peterson opposing.
Dunn said at the meeting it may be problematic for every change to come before the council. The amendment adds red tape and “too much” government intervention, she said. If the council were to vote on a change for a project, it may cause a delay.
Peterson said some projects have a specific timeline and any delays can cost thousands of dollars.
“Delays by council could have unintended consequences,” Peterson said.
Mead said the amendment is not unnecessary, and that the county executive’s office was involved in creating the amendment.
Low said the council should be aware if any significant changes are made to a project. The amendment provides transparency for the council and the public, which is important, he said.
“If there’s significant changes, somebody needs to make a decision,” Low said. “That’s the council’s job – to make decisions.”
The council was previously expected to vote on the motion Oct. 23. It was postponed to give county staff more time to work on the amendment.
HASCO was not immediately available to comment.
— Story and photo by Angelica Relente
Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Network.
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