By Anna Markee, outreach director for the Housing Development Consortium and Yes For Homes spokesperson

Seattle voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 1 Nov. 3, renewing the Seattle Housing Levy. Despite the recession, current reports from King County Elections show the Housing Levy passing with 64.2 percent of the vote.

The $145 million Housing Levy will preserve existing affordable housing; provide affordable housing for people coming out of homelessness, seniors and people who are disabled; provide emergency rental assistance; and provide loans to first-time homebuyers.

In these tough economic times, Seattle voters understand that it is a wiser and more compassionate investment to pay about $65 a year to keep thousands of seniors who are on fixed incomes, people with disabilities, and very low income families in affordable apartments, rather than to let them sleep on the streets, in cars or other unsafe places.

We are grateful to the Seattle voters for showing their generosity and compassion once again.

More than half of the proposed seven-year, $145 million levy is dedicated to families and individuals earning minimum wage or less – including retail, restaurant and hotel workers, as well as those living on fixed incomes, such as seniors, veterans and people with disabilities.

Current residents of levy-funded housing expressed their appreciation for Seattle voters passage of the Levy.

“When I lost my job and didn’t have anywhere to go, I never dreamt it would happen to me,” said senior citizen Eunice Smith. “I am so grateful that the Housing Levy provided a home and helped me to get back on my feet. And, the new levy will help thousands more.”

Jessie Van Voorhis, who uses a motorized wheelchair said, “Now many more people with disabilities will be able to live with dignity and independence. My levy-funded apartment enables me to live independently and get to my job.”

For the typical homeowner, the property tax will cost about $65 annually. For about $5.50 per month, the Housing Levy will develop or preserve 1,670 units of housing, creating affordable apartments for 9,300 people; provide emergency rent assistance for 3,850 households, preventing eviction and homelessness; and help 180 first-time homebuyers purchase a home in the neighborhood where they work.

The levy renewal is expected to leverage about $267 million in non-Seattle dollars. Levy-funded apartment construction and rehabilitation is expected to generate about $189 million in income for construction workers and local business owners. It will create approximately 3,140 jobs.

Seattle’s support for affordable housing has now continued through four renewals of the Seattle Housing Levy in 1986, 1995, 2002 and 2009.

Thank you, Seattle voters, for renewing the Seattle Housing Levy Proposition 1!