The Council has passed legislation that will allow for a rezone of the area due west of 15th Avenue East and adjacent to West Dravus Street for residential units up to 85 feet and businesses at street level.

The upzone of the Interbay commercial district includes a provision that requires developers to provide a portion of the rental housing to people earning at 80 percent of the area median income or below, or pay into a fund to create such affordable housing.

"Our city needs more middle-income housing; this rezone helps meet that need through collaboration between the private sector and city government," said Council member Sally Clark, chair of the Planning Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee.

The legislation is part of the city's broader incentive zoning proposal that would allow developers to build higher in multi-family-zoned districts in exchange for providing some housing, both for for renters and buyers, affordable between 50 and 100 percent of area median income. The council is currently considering this proposal and is scheduled to vote by the end of the year.

The Seattle Office of Housing calculates that 80 percent of area median income is about $42,000 to $56,000, annually depending on household size, and 100 percent of median to be roughly $57,000 to $65,000, also depending on household size.

"I feel strongly that this development must provide housing that's

affordable to our work force and I'm pleased that the council has

agreed to make this a requirement," said Mayor Greg Nickels about the new legislation. Together, we're taking steps to ensure that our hotel workers, grocery clerks, teachers and nurses have affordable housing options in Seattle."

The district, often referred to as the Dravus neighborhood, is a proposed hub for bus rapid transit traveling on 15th Avenue West.

"We have a great opportunity to create new housing -- affordable housing -- on a transit line and with the full support of the property owners and the surrounding neighborhoods," said Council President Richard Conlin. "This legislation will foster a new community in an area of the City that has been ignored and neglected for years."