Beware of Affordable Housing

Hope your Thanksgiving was relaxing whether you celebrated it or chose to do something else. I hope you weren’t at work all weekend, and if you were, I thank you for what you did while I was resting. Most people working after all are people serving our community in one way or another; hospitals, fire stations, police, retail and hospitality services. Because of you, I could take my child to the pediatrician during the long weekend, I roamed the shopping mall with everyone else, because you were working, and I sat at a nice restaurant with my family.

When we bought this house, well more like the lot and a contract for Quadrant Homes to build on it – in December of 2009 our lives were quite different. I was at home with a toddler, growing two little boys in my belly. My spouse had just gotten a good job after being laid off earlier. We were okay. We were absolutely okay, more than just okay, but by no means were we wealthy. We drove past all the homes that we could not afford until we came to the very end of the road, a place with smaller lots for smaller, cottage type homes. In my immediate neighborhood there are 56 homes. On the other side, about a mile away from us, behind our QFC there are another 70 something homes, duplexes and single-family homes that are income restricted. Wait, there are how many homes in our neck of woods? 691 homes, and out of those homes somewhere 130 are considered affordable or income restricted housing for moderate incomes.

Recently we found out the developer owning the land up here will be building 109 units in a multi-family setting just down the street. It’s that one lot, where the sign “multi-family homes” has been standing for all these years. The lot that you pretty much have to pass if you ever drive down our main road.  When the notice of proposed land use popped up on the lot the discussion began. What are they building? How many? When and for whom? And as we found out those homes would not be townhomes, they would not be condos, but rental apartments governed by ARCH. I cannot say it is the majority of our neighbors that have concerns, no because it’s only a couple that choose to be vocal, but I bet there are many that are equally concerned even though not openly voicing their concerns. The question lies, is our neighborhood above rentals? Are those people going to spoil the neighborhood? Do they get to go to the same schools with our children? How about the parks?

The funny thing is, I bet most of us have rented a home at some point of life. Whether it was because you were young and going to school, because you just relocated to another state or country, or maybe it was something more drastic, like a divorce, or maybe an illness, or a death of your spouse or a family member that ended up putting you in a rental. I rented when I first moved on my own. Then we bought our first home, after a few years sold it, and moved into a rental whilst waiting for our new home to be built. That home never happened as we ended up moving to the United States. Instead we sold the home that wasn’t finished yet, bought an investment property and moved to Redmond. For our first five years we rented a townhome from a most wonderful couple that later became our friends. The rent was $1,300 with no increases during the time we lived there. On one side of our pretty townhomes was a Hopelink site for women, on the other a large complex. It wasn’t always quiet, but it for sure wasn’t the Hopelink residents that caused the trouble. Across the road was a 55+ trailer park. But yes, I have rented, I have owned, and I have been a landlord.

Since 2009 things have changed for us, and we have been either lucky, or hard working enough for our family income to triple during these years. Every day, I still drive past those million-dollar homes to my little house. We still think we cannot afford one of those homes down the street even though many may disagree. Back then it was about money, now it’s more about fiscal safety as we want to live in a home that we would be able to keep even if something unexpected happened. When I look at my neighbors, the other low- or moderate-income families, I believe many are in the same boat with us. Things have changed over the years and what once was a necessity is now merely a choice, a choice some may argue being even unfair.

But in all reality, without ARCH I would not be living in Redmond Ridge East. And same goes for all those other families living in ARCH homes. Some of my neighbors have changed over the years, most of them are still the same, small business owners, teachers, tech workers, telecom people. Does it make us less? I mean living in an income restricted home? We pay the same HOA dues as everyone else. Our children go to the same schools with the neighboring homes, the ones I drive past every day. Would it be an issue if they knew? Would we be less then? Less qualified to live here?

Seattle area is in dire need of affordable housing. Homes for hard working people that can no longer afford to live here. People whom you meet on daily basis, at your schools teaching your children. The police officer keeping your family safe, the nurse or medical assistant at your doctor’s office. I work with people like this every day. The nurse with a home budget of less than $300K, the family with a budget of $400K or $500K. They all have jobs. They all work hard, they just make less, usually because they are young and trying to get started with their lives. Did you know the most sought after price range for a home is $600K-$800K?

Past 600 days, homes sold in Redmond Ridge East were priced in followingly:

Under $500K – 26% of homes

$500K to $799K – 13%

$800K to $999K – 39%

Above $1 million – 22%

This does not include Redmond Ridge or the 55+ housing.

ARCH is one of the solutions. To find out more about ARCH – A Regional Coalition for Homes a partnership with Eastside and King county to preserve and create housing for low– and moderate-income households in the region, please visit their website.