Kudos to the city of Vancouver for obtaining a federal grant to jump-start its Heights District Plan (“Vancouver gets $17.5 million in federal funding for Heights District project,” The Columbian, June 24). Now, we must make sure that Vancouver becomes a leader in finding solutions to the housing affordability crisis.
How?
1) Require 10 percent of all multifamily housing in the city to be affordable by inclusionary zoning, like the successful program in Redmond.
2) Make all new single-family homes cheaper by requiring 50 percent of all new homes to be under 2,000 square feet.
Why?
The city only creates temporary (10-year) affordable housing with its current tax write-off program. We can’t afford temporary solutions. And smaller homes are cheaper homes. Who really needs a 4,500-square-foot home anyway?
Please contact the city with your support for this plan.
