Progressive Revenue Taskforce on Housing and Homelessness

Welcome

The Council convened a taskforce to identify progressive sources of revenue to assist people who are homeless or at high risk of becoming homeless. The goal is to help such people obtain and retain stable housing.

Read the Report of the Progressive Revenue Taskforce on Housing and Homelessness. 

• All Meeting Agendas and Notes Packet
• Central Staff Handouts and Presentations

About the Taskforce

On Monday, November 20, 2017, the City Council passed a resolution that created a taskforce. The taskforce explored potential new progressive revenue sources, including an Employee Hours Tax (EHT) and identified investments to be paid for using those progressive revenue sources that would assist people who are homeless or at high risk of becoming homeless in obtaining and retaining stable housing.

The taskforce developed recommendations that:

1. Explore potential new progressive revenue sources, including an Employee Hours Tax (EHT)
2. Identify investments to be paid for using those progressive revenue sources that would assist people who are homeless or at high risk of becoming homeless in obtaining and retaining stable housing

Considerations

1. Evaluating an EHT and determining appropriate tax rates and possible exemption levels that are expected to yield between $25 million and $75 million in revenue per year.
2. Identifying and evaluating additional progressive revenue sources for the Council's consideration.
3. Proposing investments supported by the progressive revenues that help address the need for additional investments in homeless services, including immediate shelter and outreach, and income-restricted affordable housing units, that are consistent with the five principles outlined in Resolution.

Principles:

1. Expanding funding for program approaches and housing investments that are most effective at assisting people, who are homeless or at high-risk of becoming homeless, in obtaining, maintain and retaining housing.
2. Prioritizing shelter and housing access for people living unsheltered and people who have the longest histories of experiencing homelessness, including those that face the greatest barriers to housing due to structural and institutional barriers tied to criminal history or drug use, and/or have serious and persistent disabilities.
3. Incorporating Statement of Legislative Intent 230-1-A-1-2018 approved by Council November 14, 2017 which outlines the Council's plan to issue bonds in 2019 to fund additional affordable housing projects for which there were inadequate City Housing funds.
4. Orienting all aspects of the homeless response system towards exits to permanent housing.

Taskforce Members

Co-Chairs

• Councilmember Lorena González , Co-Chair
• Councilmember Lisa Herbold, Co-Chair
• Kirsten Harris-Talley, Community Co-Chair
• Tony To, Community Co-Chair

Members

• Jennifer Adams
• Andrew Coak
• Lisa Daugaard
• Ian Eisenberg
• Samantha Grad
• Brianna (Bri) Little
• Daniel Malone
• Tom Mathews
• Courtney O'Toole
• Katie Wilson
• Maiko Winkler-Chin
• Chris Maykut
• Jesiah Wurtz

Staff

• Dan Eder, Deputy Director of Central Staff
• Erik Sund, Central Staff Budget Coordinator
• Cody Reiter, Office of Councilmember González
• Shannon Perez-Darby, Office of Councilmember Herbold
• Ashley Harrison, Operations Coordinator

Work Plan & Enabling Resolution

• Work Plan | Updated Jan. 18, 2018
• Enabling Resolution

Resources

• Cities at Work: Progressive Local Policies to Rebuild the Middle Class
• Business-Specific City Taxes in Seattle and Select Other Jurisdictions | Jan. 18, 2018
• Business-Specific City Taxes in Seattle and Select Other Jurisdictions | Jan. 18, 2018
• Examples of Potential Revenues Raised | Jan. 18, 2018
• Presentation - Homelessness & Housing: Needs & Spending | Jan. 18, 2018
• Regional One Table Task Force Letter | Jan. 19, 2018
• Select Progressive Revenue Policies | Feb. 1, 2018
• Presentation - Homelessness & Housing: Revenues & Costs| Feb. 1, 2018
• Draft Proposals for Task Force Discussion | Feb. 15, 2018
• Progressive Revenue Task Force Recommendations-Draft | March 1, 2018
• Appendix A - Housing Gap | March 1, 2018
• Appendix B - Employer Tax Variations| March 1, 2018
• Appendix C - Progressive Revenue Options | March 1, 2018
• Appendix D - Scofflaw Mitigation Tool Kit | March 1, 2018
• Employer Tax Recommendations | March 1, 2018

Minutes & Video