In addition to the total number of net new housing units, a specified percentage of the total number of net new units must be affordable to certain income levels. In all likelihood, it's the families whose kids play with our kids. It's our co-workers. It's the people we depend upon to hold together the very fabric of our communities. Transitional and emergency shelter housing options are rather limited in King County, resulting in many people who require special needs housing assistance being turned away.
Affordable housing is provided by various sources, including both private and public sectors.
But public support is generally required for housing that meets the needs of folks below 50 percent of median income. Often, that support takes the form of a public-private partnership and tax credit financing. Most cities in King County are failing to meet their housing targets. The reliance on the Bench-marking process for monitoring the situation, and the dynamics of recent municipal incorporations, give the Benchmarking process heightened importance. Cities throughout King County are engaged in some commendable efforts to build affordable housing, and to support affordable housing with financial and in-kind contributions.