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When they build new apartment units here in Seattle they are all high end, overpriced, luxury or the over priced townhomes...no one appears to be building anything for the lower middle class or the poor/homeless.

They have a few tiny home villages here for the homeless, but they are only for temporary stays and simply cannot handle all the homeless there are.

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Yes, I've read that almost all new construction is "luxury" complexes. One would think our government should care about taking care of its most vulnerable people.

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There is nothing in it for developers/contractors if they build low income housing; tax breaks

probably. Plus no one in Seattle wants low income housing in their neighborhoods.

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This is tragic. And it's criminal that Biden's Build Back Better plan has basically been shelved. But even if it were back in play, "provisions, vaguely stated, that intend to curb corporate ownership of apartment and single family home rentals" are too weak. I see the effect of corporate ownership every day when I work the Census. It's ridiculous and quite frankly, I think it's the biggest contributor to the rise in rental costs. So crazy frustrating. But what's the answer? I honestly don't know. Oh, except Airbnb needs to be more regulated - there has to be limits to this. Too many folks are short-term renting places that used to be long-term rentals.

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It is frustrating, Jan. And I agree that the Airbnb’s should be better regulated…but don’t know in what fashion.

I probably should clarify that last part- the “vague” comments were about the plan that Biden announced in May. It’s just a plan at this point, as opposed to the Build Back Better Act ( although sometimes referred to as a plan) that is proposed legislation passed by the house and stalled in the Senate thanks to Manchin and Sinema. That I believe is pretty specific as to money allocated for low income housing…

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ah yes, thank you for that clarification!

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