Another potential solution would be to offer subsidies, based on income, to all residents that moved downtown. All properties would be open game and no price reductions required.

For example, if a family with a household income of 60k wanted to live in Olive8 they would get a subsidy of $n per month.

Of course you would have to limit the number of subsidies per property but it would sure avoid the potentials for ‘projects’ in the downtown, still allow for some flavor of capitalism to exist, and work towards solving the issue of mixed incomes living together in harmony downtown.

Group communist hug anyone?

• Nicky “the tricky dick” Licata.

• Sally “isn’t it enough to be a lesbian” Clark.

• Richard “I’m just going to sit and quietly listen” Conlin.

• Tom “how many developers can one man entertain at lunch?” Rusmussen.

• Peter “I quit” Steinbrueck.

• Richard “quiet please, I’m sleeping” McIver.

• Della, Drago, and Godden, well, they don’t even try faking the liberalism, because…huh….their the republicans.

Have come up with yet another plan to win votes and screw the public at the same time. All you Ragan “trickle down” Republicans need not worry. This new plan will not work any better than the old plan. WHY, BECAUSE IT’S NOT DESIGNED TO WORK AT ALL.

These plans are only designed so that guilty homeowners can feel better when they walk around the homeless, or when they see on TV that rents are rising yet again, or when they read in the newspaper about how old people are being thrown out for another condo conversion.

Richard Conlin’s plan for zero waste, composting, serves the same propose. Wealthy people don’t want to feel culpable. They don’t want to admit that maybe they’ve taken more than they have given. So they vote for the politician/s that pretends to take action without taking action. For true action would mean commitment, giving and sacrifice on their part. Sharing the wealth for the benefit of everyone isn’t what they want.

“I’ve got my house and you’re screwed, but see I compost!!! I helping the environment, see how wonderful I am?!?!?!”

Sound about right to you SeattleHotty?

It’s a delicate balance that we elect our politicians to attempt to maintain. The profit motive is, on balance, a good thing, but you don’t to let developers make all the decisions regarding what to build, how and where, or else you have shoddy housing with no infrastructure and amenities, no parks, and a decaying and inadequate transportation system.

Hey, wait a sec…

The man is a complete buffoon. His idea sounds progressive Democrat, but its a total joke coming from an educated idiot. He’s no liberal either, even suggesting this horrifying overpopulation environmental impact to Seattle.

How do we get to work, the roads are already clogged?

Snohomish county has a brain. They have blocked all future home development on 164TH, due to the fact 4 MPH gridlock means we telework or stop working. Its in the books as I blog.

This was on the MSM local news a few days ago, but try to find it on the internet now….lol.

It must be nice to be a King County Councilmen land build planner, re: all those new home permits east of where you live, so your commute is not impacted. This condo “pack ‘em in” idea is totally absurd and should be in Mad Magazine.

I’m pretty sure it doesn’t mean “friendly environment”.

Height restrictions and building codes are anti-capitalist too, does that mean we throw the baby out with the bathwater?

Chuck Ponzi

If we’re going to rely on local government coercing private industry to fix the housing affordability problem, get to the root of the problem. The companies are to blame for offering low paying jobs in expensive, world-class locations.

I’m all for raising the high restrictions.

But as The Tim pointed out, at least city hall isn’t dumping hard-earned tax dollars into the pockets of the builders to make this happen. Yet…

That’s why you have regulation and attempts to tweak laissez faire outcomes with policy.

I am very skeptical this proposal will have any real effect on helping people live closer to where they work, however.