Personal tools
 
Sections
Goals
Clean and Sufficient Water Preservation of Wild Lands, Habitat & Biodiversity
Indicator Maps
Goals
Climate Protection Responsible Land Use Sustainable Transportation
Indicator Maps
Goals
Food Security Health Equity Income Equity
Indicator Maps
Goals
Healthy Living Choices Quality Educational Opportunities
Indicator Maps
You are here:   Home → Social Environment → Public Dollars Spent for Low Income Housing
Document Actions

Indicator: Public Dollars Spent for Low Income Housing

Data and Data Discussion provided by King County Benchmark Program

Local and Federal CDBG Dollars Dedicated to New and Preserved Low-Income Housing

view full size
Upstream Indicators

There are currently no published Upstream Indicators.

Downstream Indicators
  •   Housing Affordability by City --- Homes prices have increased at a greater rate than incomes over the last two decades, making home ownership less affordable. However, rents have increased at a slower rate, generally in line with median household incomes.  (view data graph)
  •   Housing AND Transportation Costs as a Percentage of Budget --- There is no on-going reporting for this indicator broken down for King County or the Central Puget Sound, though there are multiple data sources showing that the costs of transportation and housing are going up in the region. Recent hikes in gas prices indicate that these costs will continue to escalate.  (view data graph)
  •   Housing Affordability Gap --- The ratio of median income sales price to median household incomes has increased in all four Central Puget Sound counties from 1995 to 2007. (2) Median income levels generally have kept better pace with increases in average rents from 2000 to 2006. (1)  (view data graph)
more info
Related Goals

Sustainability Snapshot:

Local, state and federal funding to develop and preserve affordable housing for low-income residents is one of the primary financial sources available to address the supply side of the affordable housing problem in the region. Without these publicly funded subsidies, there would be an enormous gap between the demand for affordable housing and the housing units available to meet that demand. However, public funds have rarely been based on need, so affordable housing programs remain critically underfunded, especially as land and construction costs continue to increase.

Sustainability Trend:

Public dollars spent for low income housing in King County has pursued a see-saw path over the last 10 years.

Data Discussion

The Indicator Defined

King County Benchmarks tracks Local and Federal CDBG Dollars Dedicated to New and Perserved Low-Income Housing; Units Created or Preserved through Public Dollars and Incentive Programs.

Data Interpretation/Evaluation

In 2005, King County jurisdictions dedicated over $18.6 million toward the creation, preservation and repair of affordable housing. Local public dollars are funds that are controlled by an individual jurisdiction. These funds include bonds, levies, general fund and in-kind contributions that can be quantified such as a waiver of fees or donation of land. Federal dollars here include only Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

King County jurisdictions created or preserved 1,437 low-income housing units, permitted 127 new Accessory Dwelling Units, and repaired 618 units in 2005. A preserved unit is an existing unit of housing which is required to remain or to become affordable housing for a specific period of time. A repaired unit refers to the rehabilitation or restoration of existing affordable housing without the guarantee of long-term affordability; therefore, such units do not necessarily increase the existing stock of affordable housing.

King County jurisdictions dedicated another $32.6 million in other local, state and federal funds to affordable housing-related activities serving low-income households in 2005.

Data Source and Limitations

Data provided by those jurisdictions that dedicated local public dollars toward low-income housing .  Data on local dollars spent and regulatory incentives is supplied by the King County and Small Cities Consortum, by the Seattle Office of Housing, by A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH) and by individual cities.  Data was compiled by King County Department Community and Human Services/ Community Services Division.  These allocations are likely underestimated as a universe of public funding is not currently maintained by a single source.

collapse all